{"id":1036,"date":"2016-04-12T09:19:11","date_gmt":"2016-04-12T15:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/?p=1036"},"modified":"2016-04-12T09:19:11","modified_gmt":"2016-04-12T15:19:11","slug":"250-how-can-it-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/2016\/04\/12\/250-how-can-it-be\/","title":{"rendered":"250? How can it be?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Can it possibly be? I was thinking about what to write this month and it occurred to me that this could be close to the 250th report\u00a0we’ve sent out since beginning our ministry with NTM. Some of you…folks we have met along the way in places like FL, MI, PA, MO, ID, CA,\u00a0IN, OH, SC, WI, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea and now NM…some of you have read most of them :>).\u00a0We thank God for each and every one of you and the encouragement you have been over the years.<\/p>\n

For the past 20 years we have had the privilege of being a part of and reporting what God has been doing in many places of the world.\u00a0Locally, news about God working in the hearts of students as they studied His Word full time; then\u00a0moving them to many ministries around the world. Globally, we have visited many of our graduates and joined together in praying for many of them working in hard areas.<\/p>\n

We’ve\u00a0seen seeming\u00a0tragedies\u00a0that brought missionaries home from the field and halted\u00a0the work going on in some tribes temporarily. We’ve heard first hand of the joy experienced when a tribal group hears the Gospel for the first time and a church is born. In all kinds of situations, we stand amazed at the things\u00a0God does through ordinary people like you and us to get the Gospel to those in need and produce fruit for eternity.<\/p>\n

Recently we received word that the teaching was scheduled to begin in a people group where friends of ours have been preparing for years. Here is a portion of Rob’s heartfelt\u00a0email:
\nThe new date was Sunday, March 27th, Easter.\u00a0 What a great date to start telling people about the Savior of the World!\u00a0 We met that evening for a time of prayer and worship to focus our hearts completely on the Lord.\u00a0 7:00 PM arrived, then 7:15, then 7:30 which was when we actually expected people to start coming.\u00a0 7:45, 8:00, no one showed!\u00a0 As a team, we sat down to think about what to do next. I know you feel the disappointment of that hour as keenly as we did.\u00a0 We concluded that we had truly followed the Lord\u2019s leading in preparing for this day.<\/em><\/p>\n

Truly we do feel the disappointment and pray\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0will\u00a0remain strong in the midst of some pretty discouraging days. We know they will be seeking the Lord and His wisdom about how to proceed. Would you also pray for Rob and Dawn, Greg and Tina,\u00a0and Amanda as they seek to make Christ known in SE Asia?<\/p>\n

Rob’s report made me wonder…as I am getting the word out in the ABQ area…how many will go? So far, I am not aware of any that are planning on it (a few perhaps considering going…PRAY). What if no one goes? What if only one goes? Is that ok? Our hearts ache\u00a0for the people groups asking for missionaries. I’m anxious to speak to everyone I can about the needs around\u00a0the world and the training NTM offers to prepare folks to go and learn a\u00a0language, learn a culture, plant a church, disciple believers\u00a0and translate the Scriptures. We want to see many get involved. What if no one responds? Am I a failure? God knows I don’t want to fail in this stewardship.<\/p>\n

So in thinking all this through, God\u00a0reminded me of a couple of things:
\n1 Cor 4.2…”Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.”\u00a0 Rex…just do what you know to be the will of God. Tell as many as you can.
\nMatt 9.38…”Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.\u201d Rex…Pray…and leave the results\u00a0up to Him. This is and always has been His work and He will raise up laborers in His timing.<\/p>\n

This is hard to accept for a results-minded guy like me. But it does bring about a sense of relief and helps me to be focused on just what responsibility I have in the midst of the work God has me doing out here in the middle of NM. I’m grateful for the Spirit of God who ministers to us in the midst of questions. And very thankful He continues to give opportunities to talk with many. Thank you for praying for us as we trust God for direction and open doors.<\/p>\n

Here is what the rest of April looks like:<\/p>\n

April 13…the second missions club at Victory Christian School.
\nApril 14-16… ABQ Home School convention
\nApril 18…Chapel at Noah Webster College.
\nApril 21-24…2\u00a0missions conferences, speaking twice on the\u00a024th at Faith Bible Church.
\nApril 28…first missions club at Rio Grand Enrichment Studies (home school group).
\nWhen not preparing for meetings like the above, my days are spent meeting with and scheduling appointments with Pastors and others, looking for more opportunities to share about missions to UPG’s, Perspectives, one on one discipleship, and a Bible study.<\/p>\n

Shirley is enjoying more interaction with customers as spring is in full bloom here and everyone needs lots of gardening and other supplies. Watching her welcome, talk with and serve folks is a real treat. She is trusting the Lord to be used of Him as a testimony to those she works with. Phil 2.14-15<\/p>\n

Again, thank you for praying for us and for laborers from and fruit in the ABQ area.<\/p>\n

Gratefully yours in Christ, \u00a0\u00a0\"rex
\nRex and Shirley
\nPhil 1.3,6
\nGiving thanks for you at every remembrance!
\nPlease let us know how we can pray for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Can it possibly be? I was thinking about what to write this month and it occurred to me that this could be close to the 250th report\u00a0we’ve sent out since beginning our ministry with NTM. Some of you…folks we have met along the way in places like FL, MI, PA, MO, ID, CA,\u00a0IN, OH, SC, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,2714,2715],"tags":[448,637],"class_list":{"0":"post-1036","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-ministry","7":"category-news-article","8":"category-prayer-request","9":"tag-ethnos360","10":"tag-new-tribes-mission","11":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/77"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1036"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1036\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/rex-schaffner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}