01/06/2018
What are the ingredients for an effective outreach work? Perhaps not what you might think! Through the guidance of the Lord we started using what we have to hand...space, beauty, a peaceful setting and God’s love in our hearts and a willingness to share Christ with everyone. Our intention was to reach out to the unchurched, and that is still a part of our work, but we have been blessed to work with believers who are hurt and being hurt by all that Satan has at hand to hurl at them.
We have experienced the same and feel this is why God has placed us here in Scotland. It seems to us that while people know about God and are drawn to church affiliations, they are all experiencing a lack of acceptance and unconditional love. Through our experiences in South Africa and here we have learned that love is the only way to help people turn their lives over to God. Loving people unconditionally seems to be counter-intuitive because it often results in horrible messes. However, Scripture teaches that this is the road to follow and we have seen the results. Love really does work. It does mean that we have to adjust our timetables and our thinking to follow God’s lead. He knows what He is doing and He knows the hearts of those He is drawing to Him using us in small ways. We often have absolutely no clue as to the why or how, but go along with His plans, marveling that God uses weak vessels with limited resources. So, our deck time ‘ministry’ has emerged. With great weather upon us, we eat outside a lot and it is an open invitation to folks to join us. We invite small groups down “to the country” and lavish love and fellowship on them. It is hard work for us but a work that brings joy. From the accompanying photos you can share in one of our deck devo times. Last Saturday, 11 of us gathered for a time of fellowship with snacks and followed it up with conversation led by Basil Cass on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Two of the group who are not members of any local congregation of the Lord’s church had not so much heard about this topic and were intrigued. It will be a springboard for more discussion and a chance to include others into the group.
