God is amazing the way he diverts the plans of man. He intervenes and changes the intended course so that the events fit his plan. Like water flowing along, eroding the soft soil, but when God wants, He drops a stone in the path and the water changes course around the stone.
This directing plan is what God did in the life of our newest church planter in Rukungiri. Pastor Bosco was on course for death—a plan put in motion by his stepbrother. God had other plans.
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. [Proverbs 19:21, ESV] You can read his testimony on his prayer page.
We started supporting many new pastors in January. Some are serving in extremely remote places. You can read their testimonies on the prayer report pages that we publish on our website to bring you into an interceding relationship with them while they plant a new church. Your prayers bring great encouragement to these pastors.
Not every pastor has the same dramatic brush with death in their past that is related by Pastor John Bosco. But, they all have the dramatic conversion from death unto life that comes only by surrendering their entire being to the death of Jesus Christ for the atonement of their sin. We are extremely grateful for the privilege to support them while they make tremendous sacrifices to bring the gospel to the people of their country.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [Ephesians 2:4-7, ESV]
Japan – that’s where we began over sixty years ago. Pastor Park Joo Hyun grew up in church, but that did not stop him from sinning. Unfortunately, through most of his early young life, he was only interested in the fun and games at church. So when he was away at a church camp and became convicted of his sin, he expresses that he did not even know how to pray. You can read how God took that cold heart and for many hours listened to a young boy pour out his heart wearing over his sin.
Praise God today for all he has done in your life to bring you to salvation. G. A. Young wrote a song which we frequently sang in church when I was growing up. The lyrics drew our attention to the idea that not all our paths follow the same route to God. Some come to faith while facing incredibly horrible circumstances while others seem to have a direct and straight path right to faith. However we came, the emphasis in the lyric is that all of us came “through the blood” of Jesus Christ. His death, burial, and resurrection provided the atonement for our sin. The particular path along the way does not matter, but our faith in Jesus is the required path for everyone.
In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet
God leads His dear children along;
Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet,
God leads His dear children along.
Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.
Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright,
God leads His dear children along;
Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night,
God leads His dear children along.
Though sorrows befall us and evils oppose,
God leads His dear children along;
Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes,
God leads His dear children along.
Away from the mire, and away from the clay,
God leads His dear children along;
Away up in glory, eternity’s day,
God leads His dear children along.
Make a Donation Today to support a pastor.
God leads every one of us along different paths in life. I don’t know how he brought you to faith. Maybe you have dramatic events like Pastor Bosco’s brush with death. Or perhaps you grew up in a relatively quiet family and came to faith as a young child. The good news is that we can all celebrate our redemption through the testimonies of our new pastors. You will be drawn into a closer relationship with them as partners with them in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
No matter what path the Lord chooses for us hard and dangerous or simpler and lighter—he will always be with us. Join these pastors in prayer. Rember the great alluded to in the fourth verse, “Through grace, we can conquer, defeat all our foes.”
I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. [Philippians 4:12-13, ESV]
