I went in to apply for a job the other day. You are thinking, I thought you had a job as a missionary. Basic to our philosophy of mission is to enter the community we are targeting (specifically the university students in Chiang Rai). Why is this? I am stealing some stuff from a guy named Tim Keller who is a church planter in New York to explain the reason why truly entering this community is critical for us. He says Christians are to “sacrificially serve the good and peace of the whole city.” I know you are saying, “No duh,” but check this out from Jeremiah 29:4-7:
4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.
God is doing something different here. Prior to the exile in Babylon, the focus of God’s work was His people in Jerusalem. Now God’s people are in Babylon and rather than telling them to hole up and guard their children, culture, and religion, He challenges them; well, commands them really; to enter the Babylon community, seek the peace and prosperity of the city and to pray to the Lord for the city that it might prosper. What a beautiful example for us as missionaries (when I say us I am referring to you as well…hmmm) and precursor to the reality of what Christ was all about as the incarnate Son of God who enters our “city” to seek our prosperity and pray for us.
This does not mean losing who we are in conformity to an unredeemed culture. Rather we are so strong in our identity, sons and daughters of the living God, that we are able to enter and serve a pagan community and allow them to see from the inside what Christ does in a life given to Him. Seeking the prosperity of the city and praying are the keys to this. That is seeking Christ in and for the community we serve. We are not seeking power but service to Christ by giving our all for the benefit of the city. God’s not worried about his people becoming Babylonian clones because He knows how strong His identity will be in and for them as they serve the city. Think about it. This is the Lord of service who will eventually wash his disciples feet to show them who He is and what His Spirit will eventually make of them.
So with Jeremiah’s words on our hearts and Christ’s incarnation as our example we seek the prosperity of this community. What does this look like right now? Well, our team is praying for and seeking ways to serve this community. Entering this community as a teacher in order to serve the students and the faculty is a way for me to seek the prosperity of the city. I am confident that this can be an important area of service to this community. I am also confident that Christ will be exalted and shared as we seek the prosperity of the city in this way.
Here are some other ways we seek the prosperity of the city by serving in this community:
· Julie and the kids, most Tuesdays, go and pray on the campus for the students and the teachers.
· We study Thai on campus. Not that this is a great place to study, but because by being there we run into students, talk to them and pray for them.
· Julie teaches in our kid’s school and works diligently to bring excellent education to our kids and other kids of this community. She does this by pouring herself out into the lives of these kids and into the lives of her fellow teachers including Thai teachers.
· We visit some students at their dormitories and show interest in their studies and their lives.
· Our team pursues ways to use our talents to serve this community: teaching, computer skills, music, art, counseling. All of these are needs of this community. We pray for opportunities in these areas.
· We connect with a church here with a young Thai pastor learning all that we can from his church.
· Our kids invite Thai kids from our neighborhood over to play and sometimes go to their homes. We are deliberate about being home most evenings and weekends so that our kids might develop these relationships in our neighborhood.
· We speak the language of our city and work with diligence to understand our culture. Oh, and we continue to study the language to speak in a deeper way that might give us more opportunities to serve.
Why am I telling you all this? Well it is good for you to hear our strategy and know more of what we are doing and who we are, but I am also thinking about your city. How is the prosperity of your city? Two things I know: I know your city is just as important to Jesus as Chiang Rai, Thailand, and I know that Christ serving is bringing life to your city. What city doesn’t need that? I am not saying we have got this all together, but I do feel peace in challenging you to be reminded of how important it is to serve and pray for your city.
Finally, we are so thankful to you who are committed to pray for us and seek our prosperity. It is really that simple, my family is prosperous because you pray. Here are three things to pray for:
Pray that we will know how to serve and pray for this community. This includes knowing the areas of the community for us to enter and knowing how to speak the language and interact in the culture of this community.
Pray that we all would all function well in our areas: Julie as teacher and mother, Brent seeking a teaching position and meeting with students, Ben and Kate as students, Jak learning to obey, and all of us learning Thai.
Pray that God would be provider of health, peace, vision, relationship, open hearts in students/teachers at the university, teachers for Ben and Kate’s school next year (btw; this is an important need and if you know anyone interested in teaching overseas for a year or a semester please send us an e-mail at pennbjk@hotmail.com or check the school’s website at http://www.flcschool.com/). We also need a visa for this coming year, so pray that our visa works out through the teaching position.
16.2.07
The Penningtons Feb. 11, 2007
The fam at Doi Tung. Thirty minutes from our house, this mountain has a beautiful garden dedicated to the king's mother, "Mae Fah Luang." Everything grows well here on these mountains. A coffee plantation and a rose garden are just around the corner.
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