Seven years ago when IOI was in its infancy, I had an old friend advise me, “Ask, seek and knock.” His advice offended me because I knew he was not talking about prayer. He had built a ministry by writing letters and actively seeking out opportunities for fundraising and speaking.
I read an account of George Mueller’s life and had been impressed that IOI should be an organization like Mueller’s orphanage that operated by “faith.” Mueller never publicized the needs of the orphanage, and yet their needs were always met. One famous account that I remember in particular was the day that prayers produced a milk wagon that had broken down on the street outside the orphanage just after prayers had been offered for milk. It was a ministry that operated by faith.
IOI had a glorious beginning, and we did see God supply our every need, many times in miraculous ways. We never missed a payment, we never missed a meal. However, our Board became concerned about my lack of disposable income and I was required to send out a letter asking for support. I had asked for support for others, but not for myself. My commitment to authority was tested to its limits that day, and I even thought that directly asking for support just might be a sin.
The immediate and direct result of my letter was small. The lasting effect it had was that I can no longer say that we “have never asked for support.” Writing that letter made me an honest man. Dr. Padelford has said, “If you send out a newsletter, talk about your ministry and enclose a reply card, you are asking for support.”
Always looking for balance in all matters I have come to the conclusion that there are times that our requests should only be made to God and times when we are free to share our requests with others. We are eager to share our health needs with others and sometimes we should be just as eager to share other needs that humans can help meet. This gives others an opportunity to be blessed as God uses them to bless us in words and deeds of encouragement.
A few months ago I was looking at Robin Mark’s website and noticed that he was planning to spend his summer in the United States. Robin is a worship leader from Belfast, Northern Ireland and he has produced a couple of famous worship albums with songs like Shout to the North. His email address was listed on the sight and I simply sent an email telling him about IOI and asking if he would be willing to perform a benefit concert for us.
Robin’s reply was gracious and encouraging. He agreed to come to Jackson on July 13 and his only request was that we pay his expenses and provide some snacks before the concert. I had already appreciated his music, now I appreciated him as a person.
Because of the Irish influence in Robin’s music I thought that Kúla, a local Irish band, would be a great opening for Robin. When I asked them about coming they agreed to come at their own expense.
It is my hope that we will have a large number of people who attend the concert. Not only because we are trying to raise funds, but it should be a wonderful opportunity for the Gospel to be presented and the LORD to be glorified.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Ministries Update (June 2006)
The rains came early and heavy this year in Ethiopia and with the rain the work in the countryside slows dramatically. Some of the villages where we minister are practically unreachable because of the mud and danger in travel. Yet the work goes on.
Reports from Ethiopia have been encouraging. There has been a heavy emphasis on the Oromo region which has witnessed a time of growth through church planting. At last count thirty boxes of Bibles had been delivered to the ten churches in the Oromo region, and teachers are being assigned to the region for the purpose of discipleship. The church has grown so rapidly that we are in great need of qualified teachers to help the fledgling churches develop a sound foundation. Negash reported that the congregations in Alemgena and Senkele have acquired land and begun to build meeting halls, sanitary facilities and housing for ministers (this is currently being done with mostly local resources and donors).
Operation Rescue in Mekele, Ethiopia continues to minister to over 200 orphans at their new campus that includes an eight-room school building. The construction of other buildings that will house a clinic, offices, a cafeteria and hygiene facilities is currently underway. The goal for the new campus is to increase the number of children ministered to by 100.
The Mathenias have returned to the States from Ethiopia for a time of physical healing and plan to return to Ethiopia by January 2007. The Lanes have returned to the States for the duration of the rainy season for the purpose of raising additional support. They plan to return to Ethiopia in September.
The Breitenmosers report that the ministry in Bremerhaven, Germany has been well-established and fruit is beginning to be seen. Not only has Ecki had the opportunity to witness on the ships, but he has also had groups of sailors in his home for worship, fellowship and Bible study. They are currently searching for a home that can facilitate the growing needs of their family and ministry.
Praise God for good news from distant lands!
Patrick's Paragraphs - The Law of the Harvest (April 2006)
We will reap what we sow. It is the Law of the Harvest. If you plant corn, you will get corn.
While enroute to Ethiopia, Anna-Margaret and I had the opportunity to visit the home of Corrie Ten Boom in Haarlem, Holland. Corrie became famous as a Christian speaker after being the only surviving member of her family that was imprisoned by the Nazis for providing a safe house for Jews. Her story is one of forgiveness, but her words were tested when she came face-to-face with a former guard from the prison camp where her sister had died. She recognized the guard at an evangelical meeting in Germany, and she shared how anger and hate welled in her at the sight of this recently converted brother. The love of God overwhelmed her as she forgave this former murderer verbally and took his hand. “With all my heart I forgive you brother!”
I have mixed emotions today as I sit in Ethiopia. In the same day that my heart was made glad by news from a distant land,, I was saddened by rumors that plague the Church. It seems that a local minister was supposedly caught in some sin, and the rumor mill has been working over-time. Some reports were true, some exaggerated and most conflicting.
Serving in a ministry role it seems that I hear so many things. So many things that I wish I did not know.
However, I am amazed to see how quickly a rumor dies when you ask a few simple questions of the accuser. Did you see this? Did you hear him say this? Do you have proof? Have you gone to him as scripture commands? Most often this line of questions will produce a red face and answers like, “Well, the people who told me are trustworthy…” or “I didn’t think it was my place to actually confront him…”
When the talk is about me, I must admit that I often negate the words of Christ, and I long to demand justice if I have been misrepresented or mercy if I am in error. When the words are about someone else, I find that I am all too eager to hear more, and share “in love” or “Christian concern” the despicable things I have heard. The Word of God proclaims this “sharing” is wicked. “It is wicked to even speak of what the disobedient do in secret.” (LOOK UP) While we should be very careful not to condone sin, we should be even more careful not to expose the sins of others and pass judgment on them. We speak the truth in love to whom it should be spoken only for reconciliation.
How hard the words of Christ are. Jesus tells us not to resist the evil one, but rather to speak of lovely things and to bless those who curse you. If He were not God His words would seem to be those of a madman. Yet our Creator demands that we follow Him in word and deed.
What is the deed that He has done? By His great love, He who knew no sin became accursed for us. His love covers a multitude of sin. While He has every right to demand justice, He exercises mercy. When His cross tells the truth about us, He is our advocate with the Father. He calls us friends, even though we act as His enemies.
The law of the harvest is in effect, and we will reap what we sow. But what bothers me more than the fact that I will suffer the consequences of my actions and “get what I deserve” is the fact that I have passed up an opportunity to be Christlike. If I do not plant corn I will not reap corn. I weep to think of how much blessing I have passed up when given the opportunity to exercise mercy. So many times I have been my brother’s accuser rather than his keeper. What blessings have I lost? What mercy will not be extended my way?
How life-giving the words of Christ are. When I extend love and mercy it will be extended to me from the throne of Heaven. Let us be busy sowing love, exercising mercy. When our brothers or sisters are in error, let us encourage repentance, cover their sins and rescue them with the same love that has been extended to us. For in due time we will receive reward!
While enroute to Ethiopia, Anna-Margaret and I had the opportunity to visit the home of Corrie Ten Boom in Haarlem, Holland. Corrie became famous as a Christian speaker after being the only surviving member of her family that was imprisoned by the Nazis for providing a safe house for Jews. Her story is one of forgiveness, but her words were tested when she came face-to-face with a former guard from the prison camp where her sister had died. She recognized the guard at an evangelical meeting in Germany, and she shared how anger and hate welled in her at the sight of this recently converted brother. The love of God overwhelmed her as she forgave this former murderer verbally and took his hand. “With all my heart I forgive you brother!”
I have mixed emotions today as I sit in Ethiopia. In the same day that my heart was made glad by news from a distant land,, I was saddened by rumors that plague the Church. It seems that a local minister was supposedly caught in some sin, and the rumor mill has been working over-time. Some reports were true, some exaggerated and most conflicting.
Serving in a ministry role it seems that I hear so many things. So many things that I wish I did not know.
However, I am amazed to see how quickly a rumor dies when you ask a few simple questions of the accuser. Did you see this? Did you hear him say this? Do you have proof? Have you gone to him as scripture commands? Most often this line of questions will produce a red face and answers like, “Well, the people who told me are trustworthy…” or “I didn’t think it was my place to actually confront him…”
When the talk is about me, I must admit that I often negate the words of Christ, and I long to demand justice if I have been misrepresented or mercy if I am in error. When the words are about someone else, I find that I am all too eager to hear more, and share “in love” or “Christian concern” the despicable things I have heard. The Word of God proclaims this “sharing” is wicked. “It is wicked to even speak of what the disobedient do in secret.” (LOOK UP) While we should be very careful not to condone sin, we should be even more careful not to expose the sins of others and pass judgment on them. We speak the truth in love to whom it should be spoken only for reconciliation.
How hard the words of Christ are. Jesus tells us not to resist the evil one, but rather to speak of lovely things and to bless those who curse you. If He were not God His words would seem to be those of a madman. Yet our Creator demands that we follow Him in word and deed.
What is the deed that He has done? By His great love, He who knew no sin became accursed for us. His love covers a multitude of sin. While He has every right to demand justice, He exercises mercy. When His cross tells the truth about us, He is our advocate with the Father. He calls us friends, even though we act as His enemies.
The law of the harvest is in effect, and we will reap what we sow. But what bothers me more than the fact that I will suffer the consequences of my actions and “get what I deserve” is the fact that I have passed up an opportunity to be Christlike. If I do not plant corn I will not reap corn. I weep to think of how much blessing I have passed up when given the opportunity to exercise mercy. So many times I have been my brother’s accuser rather than his keeper. What blessings have I lost? What mercy will not be extended my way?
How life-giving the words of Christ are. When I extend love and mercy it will be extended to me from the throne of Heaven. Let us be busy sowing love, exercising mercy. When our brothers or sisters are in error, let us encourage repentance, cover their sins and rescue them with the same love that has been extended to us. For in due time we will receive reward!
Journey to Asgori (April 2006)
by Patrick Beard
About midmorning I walked the half mile from the guesthouse to the main road with Negash and Fekadu, we were on our way to Asgori which is 66km outside of Addis Abeba. The distance is not too great, but it is still far enough from the city that a white face draws a crowd.
We were finally successful in hailing a bus headed Southwest, that had an unusually light load due to the national Victory Day holiday. I was shocked to get a whole seat to myself. As the bus made its way down the highway we would swerve to the left and right dodging people, animals and the occasional broken-down vehicle.
The scenery outside of Addis is beautiful. After passing a series of mountains the road breaks out onto a wide savanna that has mile after mile of farmland. Typically this time of the year the land would be dry and farmers would be weeding their cropland, but this year the rains have come early and heavy. It is just as harmful to have too much rain as to have a drought. The potential harvest of tomatoes laid low to the ground in a rotting wet mess. Just two days earlier a downpour with hail had devastated the region.
After about an hour we arrived at our first destination for the day. Teji is the equivalent to a wild west town. A collection of mud houses and stores spring out of the fields and crowd the highway.
We visited with the first convert in the village. He is an elderly man who has recently suffered from a severe TB infection. Tuberculosis is a serious problem in Ethiopia and many die each year from this disease. As we visited his small two-room mud house, chickens ran in and out of the doorway and a young girl sorted through dried beans that would become tonight’s meal. The girl’s eyes were bright and wide as Negash pulled a used sweater from a bag of donated clothing. She immediately took off her rags and put the new garment on. Then he gave the girl a small stuffed animal, the first toy she had ever owned. She smiled twice as big when Negash pressed the toy and it began to play a song.
A visit with the sick means praying with the sick. The average church member considers prayer for the sick to be part of the typical Christian daily life. The thing that impressed me is that these brothers and sisters actually visit the sick to pray for them. As Fekadu prayed for the sick church member I thought about the words of Jesus, “I was sick and you visited me…”
We walked on into the countryside a bit further across a stream that was forded by a stick bridge that was partially submerged. I was indeed thankful that my boots were waterproof as the dark brown water flowed over the toes. In the distance people were running and calling the church members to come to the church because, “Negash is coming.”
When we arrived at the church a small crowd had gathered to greet us at a moment’s notice at midmorning on a holiday. After proper greetings Negash pulled his Bible from his shoulder bag and said, “OK, brother, let us say a few words.” I have learned to be prepared with a sermon, as this is the meaning of “a few words.” The Ethiopian believers had just celebrated Easter, or “Fasica” the Sunday before and my sermon was concerning the bodily resurrection of Jesus. I know the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons will discover this enclave of the Gospel soon enough and the Gospel must be proclaimed again and again to the Church, lest we be deceived.
After the service the growing crowd took me to inspect the new well that had been dug and the new toilet that had been constructed on church property. “You know,” said Negash, “This is the first sanitary toilet ever constructed in this village.” I was amazed at the joy and gratitude that was expressed over such a simple thing. The cost of such a project had only been a few dollars, but it made the church property a destination for the locals who come and get clean water. I imagine life before the well when locals would collect the dark brown water from the stream that animals bathe in, and I can see why this simple inexpensive project is so huge in this rural area.
After our tour, the eldest member of the church invited us to her home. Negash again pulled toys and clothing from his bag much to the delight of the family. Laughter and praises to God mixed into a beautiful chorus and ended in a prayer of thanksgiving. When the family learned that we planned to continue on to Asgori they insisted that we save some of the items for the congregation there.
As we departed, the sister’s eldest son appeared from the hedgerow. He had come to greet the foreigner that was in his mother’s house. “Please pray for him,” she asked. “He is my only child who does not believe.” I was shocked when this gentleman took off his hat, agreed that I should pray for him and immediately bowed his head. This man knew the Gospel; he simply had no faith. Might this be the day that God breaks his heart of stone and gives him faith? How can a man believe unless God gives him faith? “Father, only you through the power of the Holy Spirit can overcome this man’s unbelief and create a new heart in him. Please, give him faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ.” At the conclusion of the prayer he kissed my hand and blessed me.
I find myself amazed that I am walking these country lanes, stumbling, as it were, across divine appointments. I wonder that it could be possible for a man like me to speak the Gospel, with an interpreter, although I am not an evangelist. Thinking about my sinfulness and list of failures makes me all the more confounded that today I find myself in the presence of God and His work of redemption on the Earth.
The morning was completed and another village was just down the road where more brothers and sisters awaited our visit. They would be shocked to learn that the money for their church building’s roof would soon be in hand and the answer to their prayers was coming Negash’s hand through donations from brothers and sisters in Christ who live over 7,000 miles away. This gift added to the sacrificial giving of the church members would mean that they could gather and worship under one roof as the rainy season begins.
A late lunch was to be found in the back of a butcher shop where you can pick your cut of meat from the carcass hanging on the rack and the staff will cook it or leave it raw, according to your desire. Our lunch was lightly cooked in a round grass roof hut over an open fire in large flat skillet. The only seasoning was a piece of fat and some salt. We gathered around a small table and a common platter to consume our meal which was eaten in the traditional way by hand with injera (an Ethiopian flat bread). At the conclusion of the meal, I divided a candy bar among us and gorshaed (fed) my brothers. This custom was shocking to me when I first saw it, but now I know of no other eating practice that is as intimate and as much a display of brotherly love than to feed someone like you would a small child.
The return to Addis was much as it had begun, although the bus was now crowded with people and livestock. Chickens bound together at the feet were scattered throughout the bus in a half-dozen clusters of three or four awaiting their preparation as a holiday meal. A heavy rain began to fall and the rotten wiper blades provided little assistance against the torrent of rain. I began to doze between impromptu stops where people would get on and off the bus, and the occasional Customs checkpoint were police search for contraband. “Just another day in Ethiopia,” I thought as I reflected on the day’s events. Soon this land will be flooded with monsoon rains. Might it also be flooded with the Gospel. The fields are certainly ripe unto harvest in the rural areas of the Oromo region of Ethiopia. I can only hope and pray that God will continue to raise up laborers and that we can have the joy of helping to send them to preach the Gospel to the poor and bind up the brokenhearted.
About midmorning I walked the half mile from the guesthouse to the main road with Negash and Fekadu, we were on our way to Asgori which is 66km outside of Addis Abeba. The distance is not too great, but it is still far enough from the city that a white face draws a crowd.
We were finally successful in hailing a bus headed Southwest, that had an unusually light load due to the national Victory Day holiday. I was shocked to get a whole seat to myself. As the bus made its way down the highway we would swerve to the left and right dodging people, animals and the occasional broken-down vehicle.
The scenery outside of Addis is beautiful. After passing a series of mountains the road breaks out onto a wide savanna that has mile after mile of farmland. Typically this time of the year the land would be dry and farmers would be weeding their cropland, but this year the rains have come early and heavy. It is just as harmful to have too much rain as to have a drought. The potential harvest of tomatoes laid low to the ground in a rotting wet mess. Just two days earlier a downpour with hail had devastated the region.
After about an hour we arrived at our first destination for the day. Teji is the equivalent to a wild west town. A collection of mud houses and stores spring out of the fields and crowd the highway.
We visited with the first convert in the village. He is an elderly man who has recently suffered from a severe TB infection. Tuberculosis is a serious problem in Ethiopia and many die each year from this disease. As we visited his small two-room mud house, chickens ran in and out of the doorway and a young girl sorted through dried beans that would become tonight’s meal. The girl’s eyes were bright and wide as Negash pulled a used sweater from a bag of donated clothing. She immediately took off her rags and put the new garment on. Then he gave the girl a small stuffed animal, the first toy she had ever owned. She smiled twice as big when Negash pressed the toy and it began to play a song.
A visit with the sick means praying with the sick. The average church member considers prayer for the sick to be part of the typical Christian daily life. The thing that impressed me is that these brothers and sisters actually visit the sick to pray for them. As Fekadu prayed for the sick church member I thought about the words of Jesus, “I was sick and you visited me…”
We walked on into the countryside a bit further across a stream that was forded by a stick bridge that was partially submerged. I was indeed thankful that my boots were waterproof as the dark brown water flowed over the toes. In the distance people were running and calling the church members to come to the church because, “Negash is coming.”
When we arrived at the church a small crowd had gathered to greet us at a moment’s notice at midmorning on a holiday. After proper greetings Negash pulled his Bible from his shoulder bag and said, “OK, brother, let us say a few words.” I have learned to be prepared with a sermon, as this is the meaning of “a few words.” The Ethiopian believers had just celebrated Easter, or “Fasica” the Sunday before and my sermon was concerning the bodily resurrection of Jesus. I know the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons will discover this enclave of the Gospel soon enough and the Gospel must be proclaimed again and again to the Church, lest we be deceived.
After the service the growing crowd took me to inspect the new well that had been dug and the new toilet that had been constructed on church property. “You know,” said Negash, “This is the first sanitary toilet ever constructed in this village.” I was amazed at the joy and gratitude that was expressed over such a simple thing. The cost of such a project had only been a few dollars, but it made the church property a destination for the locals who come and get clean water. I imagine life before the well when locals would collect the dark brown water from the stream that animals bathe in, and I can see why this simple inexpensive project is so huge in this rural area.
After our tour, the eldest member of the church invited us to her home. Negash again pulled toys and clothing from his bag much to the delight of the family. Laughter and praises to God mixed into a beautiful chorus and ended in a prayer of thanksgiving. When the family learned that we planned to continue on to Asgori they insisted that we save some of the items for the congregation there.
As we departed, the sister’s eldest son appeared from the hedgerow. He had come to greet the foreigner that was in his mother’s house. “Please pray for him,” she asked. “He is my only child who does not believe.” I was shocked when this gentleman took off his hat, agreed that I should pray for him and immediately bowed his head. This man knew the Gospel; he simply had no faith. Might this be the day that God breaks his heart of stone and gives him faith? How can a man believe unless God gives him faith? “Father, only you through the power of the Holy Spirit can overcome this man’s unbelief and create a new heart in him. Please, give him faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ.” At the conclusion of the prayer he kissed my hand and blessed me.
I find myself amazed that I am walking these country lanes, stumbling, as it were, across divine appointments. I wonder that it could be possible for a man like me to speak the Gospel, with an interpreter, although I am not an evangelist. Thinking about my sinfulness and list of failures makes me all the more confounded that today I find myself in the presence of God and His work of redemption on the Earth.
The morning was completed and another village was just down the road where more brothers and sisters awaited our visit. They would be shocked to learn that the money for their church building’s roof would soon be in hand and the answer to their prayers was coming Negash’s hand through donations from brothers and sisters in Christ who live over 7,000 miles away. This gift added to the sacrificial giving of the church members would mean that they could gather and worship under one roof as the rainy season begins.
A late lunch was to be found in the back of a butcher shop where you can pick your cut of meat from the carcass hanging on the rack and the staff will cook it or leave it raw, according to your desire. Our lunch was lightly cooked in a round grass roof hut over an open fire in large flat skillet. The only seasoning was a piece of fat and some salt. We gathered around a small table and a common platter to consume our meal which was eaten in the traditional way by hand with injera (an Ethiopian flat bread). At the conclusion of the meal, I divided a candy bar among us and gorshaed (fed) my brothers. This custom was shocking to me when I first saw it, but now I know of no other eating practice that is as intimate and as much a display of brotherly love than to feed someone like you would a small child.
The return to Addis was much as it had begun, although the bus was now crowded with people and livestock. Chickens bound together at the feet were scattered throughout the bus in a half-dozen clusters of three or four awaiting their preparation as a holiday meal. A heavy rain began to fall and the rotten wiper blades provided little assistance against the torrent of rain. I began to doze between impromptu stops where people would get on and off the bus, and the occasional Customs checkpoint were police search for contraband. “Just another day in Ethiopia,” I thought as I reflected on the day’s events. Soon this land will be flooded with monsoon rains. Might it also be flooded with the Gospel. The fields are certainly ripe unto harvest in the rural areas of the Oromo region of Ethiopia. I can only hope and pray that God will continue to raise up laborers and that we can have the joy of helping to send them to preach the Gospel to the poor and bind up the brokenhearted.
Patrick's Paragrpahs - The Numbers Game (Feb 2006)
We made it a rule some years ago never to report statistics. I firmly believe that we are too quick to judge a work of God based on numerical results, and I am too quick to be prideful if the numbers are in my favor.
With a growing number of missionaries supported through IOI in a growing number of countries, we have a growing number of statistics. In addition to the growing numbers there are growing needs. It was easy to keep my ban on numbers when the numbers were small, but now I feel an ever-growing temptation to report numbers. I hear myself thinking things like, “IOI is a good investment,” and “Look at the bang for the buck.” That is balanced with the fear that the numbers may not add up or that some other organization can do it cheaper.
What matters most to me in the end is not the numbers. Large or small, it really is of no consequence. Obedience to the revealed will of God should be my ambition. What is the revealed will of God for IOI? To make disciples, to love God and to love our fellow man.
IOI is in reality nothing more than a ministry extension of the individuals and local churches that support us. As Marciano Teixeira, missionary to Ethiopia and Brazil, put it, “(Ethiopia) is just another room of the church back home. You go from one room into another; same Church, one big family.”
In addition to being an administrator, I am a storyteller. In reporting news from Ethiopia, I have had a desire to share stories and not statistics.
Jon Jones recently returned from a visit to Ethiopia, and soon I hope to share with you some of the stories he collected. They are true stories of success and failure. Not all of the news out of Ethiopia is “good,” but any realistic appraisal of the Christian life proves that we fall down and we are raised up.
I would love for each person who received this newsletter to see with your own eyes the mighty works of God in the destitute villages of the Ethiopian countryside. For you to take a drink of clean water and hear a village elder proclaim that you are visiting a “paradise” that was created with the completion of a water well. I want you to walk the streets of Addis Abeba with an evangelist supported through IOI and witness the miracle of faith as a hearer becomes a believer. I want you to hear the praises to God that come from the congregations we work with. I want you to hold the orphans that are now living with families in Mekele. I long for you to take the hand of a little boy as he takes his first steps with used leg braces that were provided by IOI. What I would give to have you sit in the mud home of Micah’s mother as she serves you coffee and recounts to you the mercy, love and blessings of God toward the mother of a dying child (for whom the Micah Fund is named). How much I desire for you to visit the simple home that Geremew can now afford to rent after serving as a minister for years despite being homeless and sleeping on the floors of fellow church members. I want you to visit ships in Bremerhaven, Germany alongside Ecki Breitenmoser as he encourages fellow believers from around the world and preaches the Gospel boldly in the mess halls. What a joy it would be for me to take you along on this journey.
Until you can go with me, LORD willing, I will continue to share the stories of God, good news from a distant land that makes the heart glad.
With a growing number of missionaries supported through IOI in a growing number of countries, we have a growing number of statistics. In addition to the growing numbers there are growing needs. It was easy to keep my ban on numbers when the numbers were small, but now I feel an ever-growing temptation to report numbers. I hear myself thinking things like, “IOI is a good investment,” and “Look at the bang for the buck.” That is balanced with the fear that the numbers may not add up or that some other organization can do it cheaper.
What matters most to me in the end is not the numbers. Large or small, it really is of no consequence. Obedience to the revealed will of God should be my ambition. What is the revealed will of God for IOI? To make disciples, to love God and to love our fellow man.
IOI is in reality nothing more than a ministry extension of the individuals and local churches that support us. As Marciano Teixeira, missionary to Ethiopia and Brazil, put it, “(Ethiopia) is just another room of the church back home. You go from one room into another; same Church, one big family.”
In addition to being an administrator, I am a storyteller. In reporting news from Ethiopia, I have had a desire to share stories and not statistics.
Jon Jones recently returned from a visit to Ethiopia, and soon I hope to share with you some of the stories he collected. They are true stories of success and failure. Not all of the news out of Ethiopia is “good,” but any realistic appraisal of the Christian life proves that we fall down and we are raised up.
I would love for each person who received this newsletter to see with your own eyes the mighty works of God in the destitute villages of the Ethiopian countryside. For you to take a drink of clean water and hear a village elder proclaim that you are visiting a “paradise” that was created with the completion of a water well. I want you to walk the streets of Addis Abeba with an evangelist supported through IOI and witness the miracle of faith as a hearer becomes a believer. I want you to hear the praises to God that come from the congregations we work with. I want you to hold the orphans that are now living with families in Mekele. I long for you to take the hand of a little boy as he takes his first steps with used leg braces that were provided by IOI. What I would give to have you sit in the mud home of Micah’s mother as she serves you coffee and recounts to you the mercy, love and blessings of God toward the mother of a dying child (for whom the Micah Fund is named). How much I desire for you to visit the simple home that Geremew can now afford to rent after serving as a minister for years despite being homeless and sleeping on the floors of fellow church members. I want you to visit ships in Bremerhaven, Germany alongside Ecki Breitenmoser as he encourages fellow believers from around the world and preaches the Gospel boldly in the mess halls. What a joy it would be for me to take you along on this journey.
Until you can go with me, LORD willing, I will continue to share the stories of God, good news from a distant land that makes the heart glad.
Holistic Approach to Ministry (Feb 2006)
In an effort to follow the example of Christ and in obedience to Scripture we as an organization believe that our mission of making disciples is accomplished on a variety of levels. Evangelism, church planting, theological education, financial support and humanitarian aid work together to provide what we call a holistic approach to ministry.
A church planting movement has begun recently in an Oromo region of Ethiopia. Many missionaries supported through IOI are working in the area and have requested assistance in aiding the fledgling congregations. Recently John and Megan Lane answered the call to go to Ethiopia to help facilitate the many human needs projects that IOI is involved with. In addition to meeting human needs, many projects provide a springboard for teaching and preaching the Gospel.
Latrines, wells and four church buildings have been completed in the villages of Teji, Asegori, Kule and Senkele with local funding matched by IOI and other partner organizations. “The believers are getting stronger and their numbers are growing,” said Negash Gemeda, IOI National Coordinator.
Anthony Mathenia, who moved to Ethiopia to assist with theological education, has been trained in new well digging techniques. In some cases an entire village can have clean drinking water for less than $300US. As a theologian he sees the potential each project has to evangelize and disciple an entire village.
The primary purpose of all men is to bring glory to God, love Him and love our fellow man. Our means are basic—preaching, teaching and helping. We witnessing miracles of faith as the Word is preached and good deeds are done.
Patrick's Paragraphs - Freedom in Christ (Jan 2006)
We work with twelve denominations in Ethiopia, one in Germany, another in Brazil and at least a dozen in the United States. Our statement of faith is so broad that we can work alongside Christians as diverse as Molu Wengel, which can best be described as “modern hyper-charismatic” and believers from the Ethiopian Orthodox church, which is “ancient traditional.” The common thread among the believers we work with and support is that they are committed to the teaching of sound doctrine and proclaim Christ as Lord.
When Lana and I were living in Ethiopia there were difficult times. Daily life can be a struggle when you are immersed in a foreign culture and you tend to gravitate toward people who share your cultural background. As often as possible we would meet with a English language prayer group that was made up of people from a variety of Christian denominations. We shared three things in common — we were all foreigners, we all spoke English and we all proclaimed Jesus as Lord. We found that when we were hurting and lonely we could pray and eat pizza with anyone who loves Jesus.
I have witnessed a disturbing trend of isolationism among some fundamentalist Christians, and an equally disturbing trend of libertinism among some others. Balance seems so illusive. Where should we draw the lines?
As an organization we have “drawn the lines” with reference to historical Christian orthodoxy. In other words, the basic doctrines of the Christian faith, which can be found in creeds such as the Nicene and Apostle’s creeds. These statements of faith describe for us what it means to be a Christian. Within these proclamations the doctrine of the Trinity is expounded and the Gospel is summarized.
When it comes to our methods and practice we refer to the directions given for the Church in Scripture. It seems that this is the area where so much trouble is found. One man uses scripture to justify his sin, another uses the same passage to condemn. There is a temptation to create a huge rule book and make everyone look and act the same.
I am convinced that “sameness” is from Hell. For example contrast the wondrous variety of nature with the Soviet cement apartment buildings that crushed the beauty of eastern Europe so that everyone could have and be the same. Our rule must not be sameness, but rather be love.
Scripture makes it plain to us what sin is. We refuse to condone sin and prefer simple obedience to the Word of God. Beyond the obvious we as a multi-denominational organization must practice the rule of love by exercising wisdom and discernment concerning disputable matters. Our goal is not to make the churches in Ethiopia American, rather our goal is to edify the Church through the teaching of right doctrine and the practice of faith in love. Our doctrine comes from the Apostles through the preservation of Scripture and teaching from men like Augustine, Luther, C.H. Spurgeon and other men through the years who built their faith on the firm foundations of Christ.
Jesus Himself told us that we, and the world, would know that we belong to Him as we have love for one another. This love is not to be found only in words, but in deed and in truth. Our freedom in Christ is found in love for our brothers and sisters, and practiced through obedience to God’s Word.
When Lana and I were living in Ethiopia there were difficult times. Daily life can be a struggle when you are immersed in a foreign culture and you tend to gravitate toward people who share your cultural background. As often as possible we would meet with a English language prayer group that was made up of people from a variety of Christian denominations. We shared three things in common — we were all foreigners, we all spoke English and we all proclaimed Jesus as Lord. We found that when we were hurting and lonely we could pray and eat pizza with anyone who loves Jesus.
I have witnessed a disturbing trend of isolationism among some fundamentalist Christians, and an equally disturbing trend of libertinism among some others. Balance seems so illusive. Where should we draw the lines?
As an organization we have “drawn the lines” with reference to historical Christian orthodoxy. In other words, the basic doctrines of the Christian faith, which can be found in creeds such as the Nicene and Apostle’s creeds. These statements of faith describe for us what it means to be a Christian. Within these proclamations the doctrine of the Trinity is expounded and the Gospel is summarized.
When it comes to our methods and practice we refer to the directions given for the Church in Scripture. It seems that this is the area where so much trouble is found. One man uses scripture to justify his sin, another uses the same passage to condemn. There is a temptation to create a huge rule book and make everyone look and act the same.
I am convinced that “sameness” is from Hell. For example contrast the wondrous variety of nature with the Soviet cement apartment buildings that crushed the beauty of eastern Europe so that everyone could have and be the same. Our rule must not be sameness, but rather be love.
Scripture makes it plain to us what sin is. We refuse to condone sin and prefer simple obedience to the Word of God. Beyond the obvious we as a multi-denominational organization must practice the rule of love by exercising wisdom and discernment concerning disputable matters. Our goal is not to make the churches in Ethiopia American, rather our goal is to edify the Church through the teaching of right doctrine and the practice of faith in love. Our doctrine comes from the Apostles through the preservation of Scripture and teaching from men like Augustine, Luther, C.H. Spurgeon and other men through the years who built their faith on the firm foundations of Christ.
Jesus Himself told us that we, and the world, would know that we belong to Him as we have love for one another. This love is not to be found only in words, but in deed and in truth. Our freedom in Christ is found in love for our brothers and sisters, and practiced through obedience to God’s Word.
2005 in Review
Our organizational goal for 2005 was to “speak the Gospel fervently by the grace of God.” God graciously allowed us to share His love in word and in deeds.
The number of missionaries supported in Ethiopia grew to more than 30. New churches have been started in the Oromo region of Ethiopia. Multiple families with special needs children have been assisted. Two American families moved to Ethiopia to minister through assisting with theological training, construction and children’s ministry. Volunteers help in the ministry and were themselves discipled. Two Union students served as interns in Ethiopia. “Mama” Mae Mitchamore completed her service in Ethiopia ministering to Women and Children. Operation Rescue completed a building that will house classes for over 200 orphans and former street children that they minister to. The evangelistic ministry in Germany was officially established. The office was expanded in Jackson and volunteers have helped to fill staffing needs. Our second semi-annual banquet was held in Jackson with guest speakers Negash from Ethiopia and Marciano from Brazil. Ethiopia Evangelists supported through IOI began regular support of two additional Ethiopian evangelists.
It has indeed been a blessing to watch the work expand and witness the faithfulness of God in His provision and love.
Once again, for this new year we make it our ambition to glorify God in all that we do and ask for His grace to share His love in deed, word and truth. Our goal remains the glory of God and our mission is to make disciples.
The number of missionaries supported in Ethiopia grew to more than 30. New churches have been started in the Oromo region of Ethiopia. Multiple families with special needs children have been assisted. Two American families moved to Ethiopia to minister through assisting with theological training, construction and children’s ministry. Volunteers help in the ministry and were themselves discipled. Two Union students served as interns in Ethiopia. “Mama” Mae Mitchamore completed her service in Ethiopia ministering to Women and Children. Operation Rescue completed a building that will house classes for over 200 orphans and former street children that they minister to. The evangelistic ministry in Germany was officially established. The office was expanded in Jackson and volunteers have helped to fill staffing needs. Our second semi-annual banquet was held in Jackson with guest speakers Negash from Ethiopia and Marciano from Brazil. Ethiopia Evangelists supported through IOI began regular support of two additional Ethiopian evangelists.
It has indeed been a blessing to watch the work expand and witness the faithfulness of God in His provision and love.
Once again, for this new year we make it our ambition to glorify God in all that we do and ask for His grace to share His love in deed, word and truth. Our goal remains the glory of God and our mission is to make disciples.
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