Can LOG really have a legacy in the nations? Consider what God is doing…
This fine young lad has a wonderful thought written in Satare on his tee-shirt - Tupana aria hetyhot rakat - God is a strong tower. It is an interesting picture for a number of reasons. First, in a certain way I believe it may be a prophetic image of a possible future. A future in which we have a real partnership in reaching the entire Satare people, as well as entree into other unreached indian people groups in the Amazon.
How can that be? How can a small congregation with limited resources actually have a real partnership in reaching, and even touching unreached peoples in the Amazon? Luke 1:37 - “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Two years ago while in the Amazon we met for the first time a simple man with a big dream. Chagas, a Christian and a Satare Indian had a dream - he wanted to be used by God to reach his own people. He had a problem - virtually no resources to accomplish this. God heard his prayer and moved on our hearts to become involved.
Here is Chagas worshipping and in prayer during a remarkable time we share while in the Amazon. We have been building a relationship with Chagas for several years. Part of that trust building has involved pastoral care being extended by Marco, and Tom. Part of that trust building has also involved our faithful support of Chagas and his family. Together these things have been used by God to build a friendship with Chagas through which God is now working.
As I mentioned earlier Chagas has a dream. It is a big dream. It is his deepest desire to be used to reach all of his people, numbering around 8000. Until just a few years ago he had no idea of how this could ever be possible. All he and his wife and children could do was pray and wait. The past two years of consistency in support and care have given Chagas the confidence to believe that he has found trustworthy brothers and sisters who want to see him (and others) be able to reach the Satare. One of the things that took place on this trip was we began to see a picture of how this might actually be accomplished.
Chagas and his wife control a huge track of land in the Amazon. It belongs to them and it is theirs to do with
as they please. They have a vision of this land being used to establish a permanent mission/training base in the region. In this picture on the right you see the team, along with Chagas and his wife Selena and son Issac standing on a cleared section of this land. This is where the story gets downright crazy.
Chagas and Selena want to share this land with us. They want the ARC Brazil (Tom, Marco and others) along with Lamb of God to partner with them in making this base a reality. They want this land (which they control) to become a sending/receiving base in the Amazon. This base would be built with traditional Satare dwellings, utilizing materials that are in abundance on the land. These dwellings would be used for worship gatherings, training, even ARC conferences done out in the wilds of the Amazon. The amazing thing about all of this is that Chagas and Selena want Lamb of God to be part of it.
Let me try and put this in perspective. Ask any Korean believer that knows his or her history of the advance of Christianity in Korea to tell you who brought the gospel to Korea and they can name the two American missionaries who are responsible. Ask the believers in China if they know the significance of Hudson Taylor, and they will be able to tell you how important his work and sacrifice were to bringing the gospel to China. At this time, to my knowledge there are no other American churches with a opportunity like this among the Satare. God has opened a door, that we could have never even known about, and invited us to partner with the Satare to raise up an indigenous missionary force among them. This is a privilege which humbles me, and excites me and causes faith to well up within and a big ‘YES’ to jump out of my mouth. Yes, Lord, Yes, any thing you ask of us, any sacrifice, anything for a chance to be poured out into the nations. You promised your Son that you would give him the nations for his inheritance. Could you possibly use little, obscure Lamb of God Fellowship to be a part of this? Isn’t that what scripture teaches - I Cor. 1: (26) For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; (27) but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, (28) and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,(29) so that no man may boast before God.
As we stood on the ground which Chagas and Selena were offering to both us and to the Lord as a place to launch a permanent mission base to the Satare (and beyond) the significance of the moment did not escape us. We knew it was a holy moment, we knew that it was an
ordained moment, we knew that God was setting apart something special. And so we prayed, and we consecrated and we ask the Lord to set it apart and to set apart Chagas and Selana for this great purpose.
In the background, out of sight is a structure. It is the only frame for a building as yet on the sight. There is something very interesting about that frame. It is charred and partially burned. That is because rivals in the area have threaten Chagas and Selena, warning them that even worse will happen if they try to do this. But they are undaunted. They believe Jesus has called them to do this, and that He will protect them. We believe this to be the truth as well. Here we were, representing Lamb of God - Troy, Ben, Jason and myself touching land that the Lord was inviting us to be a part of helping to develop. Here was a chance to do something most of us will only read about - a chance to partner with God to reach people who had never heard of Jesus and to be part of the first to take the gospel. In my eyes this is even more extraordinary than being the first to walk on the moon.
Not every one of at Lamb will go and stand in the Amazon jungle with the Satare. But what we do together as a body really is a work we share. Everyone at Lamb has in some way participated, by praying, and by giving. The opportunity which God has opened is not mine, or Ben’s or Troy’s - it is an opportunity for us as a body of believers who share a common love for Jesus, and for one another. When we were there digging, working, sweating, and enduring the various discomforts we did it as an extension of a people, as a expression of our church community’s love for the Satare. We went in the name of Jesus to offer our ‘five loaves and two fishes’. That offering represented the entire community. That offering represented the faith and sacrifice of the body at Lamb. Whatever blessing or benefit that comes from this is something which every single one of us share in together.
And now God has opened up a door into the Satare and beyond and said - ‘Lamb of God Fellowship, I am willing to partner with you, and to use your generosity, and your prayers, and your willingness to go and by it and through it bless the nations.’ I really believe that this invitation is being offered to us. This means financial generosity, this means increasing prayers, and this means the willingness to go back to the Amazon. This is a work that will require of us decades of work, giving and going. This is a work that will require patience, consistency and endurance. I believe that the Lord is rewarding the years of giving and prayer that has been offered up for the work in Brazil by opening this door and inviting us to be part of what He wants to do among the nations, and in particular the Indians of the Amazon.
Lamb of God Fellowship ask the Lord to release a new level of generosity, of sacrifice, and of intercession in our midst. I believe that the pattern of offering our ‘five loaves and two fishes’ will also be the pattern which will open up a new day of outreach and ministry right here in West Orange and in Essex County. I believe that the Lord is opening the door for the Amazon, and I believe that He is also opening the door into our area for LOG to be an effective in touching and winning prodigals and the lost. I believe the two are connected, that God is teaching us the simplicity of ‘the five loaves and the two fishes’ approach to ministry. It really is that simple - each one of us being willing to give what we have, to share what the Lord has given us and then believe God for the increase, for the multiplication for the sake of the glory of Jesus. Matthew 16: (8) But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? (9) Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
August 16th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
I couldn’t have said it better myself. One additional detail-the Satare phrase I wrote on my shirt is done with charcoal pieces from the burnt down structure on Shagas and Celina’s property. Our God loves to raise things out of the ashes!
August 21st, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Scott & Company,
I sat and read these two latest postings and I am both humbled and at the same time filled with a sense of Godly pride, and a holy jealousy! Tears filed my eyes as I read. I can feel, sense and smell the air where you were standing. It has long been a desire of mine to go where you have gone and to do what you have done, but in the Spirit of holy bortherhood, I feel that I have done just that through you.
Thank you so much to all at LOG for their obedience and faithfulness and sacrifice. You have given me so much joy.
God bless you all,
Bro Ed