Adam and Jena Demark serving at New Tribes Missionary Training Center 5 Observations We Gleaned about Ministry from a Trip to Disney World
Last week our family took a 2-day whirlwind tour of Disney World. Day 1 was spent at Magic Kingdom. Day 2 at Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom. It was a great experience, one we will remember together for a lifetime. Here’s what we observed:
It all starts with vision.
It didn’t take long to realize that what we were experiencing was first seen in the mind’s eye. No doubt others thought it was not possible, but dreams lead to vision that was then acted upon.
It takes an incredible investment.
Vision without an investment is just a wish. Having the courage to implement the vision takes a tremendous investment of energy, time, talent, and treasure.
It takes a team of dedicated individuals that are willing to execute their individual role.
Shuttle bus drivers, tram drivers, boat captains, bag check security, ticket agents, gate agents, the welcome crew, photographers, and the list goes on and on – all dedicated to make your dreams come true! Without each one executing their own role that would not be possible.
Do everything with excellence.
Wow! The details were very impressive. Everything done to its fullest potential – right down to the princess jewels in the sidewalk leading up to the famous castle. The desire to continue to make each attraction better and better absolutely drives everyone to be committed to excellence.
Provide opportunities to participate.
It was genius! After every attraction, we exited through a gift shop – an opportunity to participate either in a photo memory or by purchasing some other memorabilia.
Ministry is no different. It takes a vision, fueled by a dedicated team that is committed to excellence and willing to provide opportunities for others to make an eternal investment in the Great Commission!
Question: what can you do today to help complete the Great Commission vision of Jesus Christ? Please leave your comments.
Back to Liberia
“NOW TEACH THESE TRUTHS TO OTHER TRUSTWORTHY PEOPLE
WHO WILL BE ABLE TO PASS THEM ON TO OTHERS…”
In 1984, I stepped off the airplane with my family in the capital city of Monrovia. Little did I realize that it would be a life-changing step. I decided to be a missionary primarily because of the needs among the unreached that I experienced there. Now almost 30 years later, the need in Liberia remains much the same. Church planting efforts in the heart languages of the ethnic groups have been stifled by situations out of our control. The reality, though, is that God is in control and has always been at work.
I will have the great privilege to help teach and disciple between 30 -35 national pastors for two weeks in June. Five of us will be team teaching and interacting with these men in the Scriptures, providing some key foundation principles to assist them in leading their respective churches in their own villages.
The last time that I lived in the village was the early 90′s. It will be a great honor to return and invest in some of the national pastors. Contact me to find out how you can invest in these pastors as well.
LIBERIA QUICK FACTS
3.8 MILLION PEOPLE
CAPITAL CITY: MONROVIA
NATIONAL LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
30 INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES
MOST CHURCH PLANTING EFFORTS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE IN THE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES.
Tags: New Tribes Mission, NTM
Authenticity
Read Acts 5:1-10 and give me your input.
What’s the difference between authenticity versus hypocrisy?
1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
What can you do to be an authentic follower of Jesus Christ?
How can you avoid hypocrisy?
The Profile of the Lukewarm
I was rereading Francis Chan’s book titled Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God and stumbled across a chapter called The Profile of the Lukewarm. Wow! If you want a personal wake-up call, read the following excerpts from the book. Notice I did mention a personal wake-up call, not a wake-up call for all the lukewarm believers that you think you know! My personal question after reading this was, “What am I now going to do about it.” You’ll have to wrestle with that personally as well.
The following excerpts are direct quotes taken from Ch. 4, p. 65-81 of that book:
“Would you describe yourself as totally in love with Jesus Christ? Or do words like halfhearted, lukewarm, and partially committed fit better?
The Bible says to test ourselves…I am going to offer you a description of what halfhearted, distracted, partially committed, lukewarm people can look like…
Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe ‘good Christians’ do, so they go…
Lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church…as long as it doesn’t impinge on their standard of living…
Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict…
Lukewarm people don’t really what to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin…
Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act…
Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends…
Lukewarm people gauge their morality or ‘goodness’ by comparing themselves to the secular world…
Lukewarm people say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives. But only a part…
Lukewarm people love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength…
Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves…
Lukewarm people will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money, and energy they are willing to give…
Lukewarm people think about life on earth much more often than eternity in heaven…
Lukewarm people are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor…
Lukewarm people do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty…
Lukewarm people are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control…
Lukewarm people feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America…
Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to…
Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren’t very different from your typical unbeliever…
This profile of the lukewarm is not an all-inclusive definition of what it means to be a Christian, nor is it intended to be used as ammunition to judge your fellow believers’ salvation…
We are all messed-up human beings, and no one is totally immune to the behaviors described in the previous examples. However, there is a difference between a life that is characterized by these sorts of mentalities and habits and a life that is in the process of being radically transformed…
Jesus didn’t say that if you wanted to follow Him you could do it in a lukewarm manner. He said, ‘Take up your cross and follow me…’
Jesus asks for everything. But we try to give Him less.”
What’s your next step?
Joshua is coming off of a mountain top experience! One of his first major steps as the next leader of Israel is on the dry ground of the raging, flood stage Jordan River! Go figure, God has done it again. He miraculous rolled back the waters of the Jordan so that Israel could get into her Promised Land. What mountain top experience are you coming off of? What was your last major step of faith? At times, I tend to think that God is only present in my life when it’s something major…but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We next find this second generation leader also taking the little steps of faith.
Joshua recognizes this truth: a relationship with the Living God means simple obedience – whether a big step or just a tiny one. No raging river to cross. No giants to slay. No battles to win. No powerful speeches. Just a knife. “At that time the LORD told Joshua, ‘Make flint knives and circumcise this second generation of Israelites’.” (Joshua 5:2) Ok God, you want me to do what? We are here to take the land by storm! The natives are restless (5:1), we’re ready and you want us to do what? No, Joshua doesn’t bat an eye. Instead, “Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the entire male population of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.” (5:3)
Today, God may not have you take a major step of faith. Maybe today, He is calling you to simply pause and do something small, yet significant. Maybe it’s time to slow down and hear from Him. Maybe He wants you to take your wife on a date. Or sit with your kids and play a game. Maybe He wants you to take care of something that you have been dismissing for a while. I don’t know what it is for you…but are you ready to obey like Joshua? Are you ready to hear His voice today? Trust and obey…for there’s no other way!
A Trumpet and A Trophy
Thirty-two teams from around the globe descended on South Africa on June 11th to play for the World Cup. Fans save up their money for years to attend the games. Players dream of hoisting the coveted trophy, an 11 pound, 15 inch piece of gold that features two human figures holding up the earth. Watched by over a billion people, this is the largest worldwide sporting event. All eyes are watching to see who will be awarded the trophy on July 11. All ears are hearing the blaring vuvuzela, a type of trumpet that produces a loud, monotone note. This instrument has caused quite a stir. Players and fans alike have petitioned to banish the vuvuzela from the competition.
One day a different trumpet will sound. This trumpet, I’m sure, will also cause quite a stir. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
One day different trophies will be awarded. These trophies will be in the form of rewards for living faithfully for Him. We are instructed “to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.”
Are you ready to hear the “vuvuzela”? Are you living to hear “well done, my faithful servant.”?
Second Generation Leaders
Joshua encourages every second generation leader. Moses was used of God to establish Israel as a nation and now it was up to Joshua to finish the work that was started by Moses, namely to led the people of Israel to victory in the Promised Land. Joshua faced adversity and yet walked in victory in spite of it.
Likewise, my generation is left to finish the work that was started by others before us, namely taking the Gospel to every tribe, tongue, and nation. We are facing adversity and yet it’s our responsibility to walk in victory in spite of it.
Some observations from Joshua, a great second generation leader:
- Recognize that God is still capable of doing the impossible (Joshua 3:5). For one generation, He parts the Red Sea. For another, the Jordan! Makes me excited to see what He’s going to do for my generation!
- Realize that we must be willing to pay the price necessary to get the job done, even if it includes taking risks (Joshua 3:11-17). It still takes steps of faith to move forward into all that God has promised.
- Remember past blessings and victories (Joshua 4:21-24). Effective leaders always look for ways to use past successes to empower their people as they face the challenges of the future.
So in these days of uncertainty , let us remember that God is still the wonder working God that has blessed, is blessing, and will bless our steps as we get our feet wet by faith!
Invest to Impact
216 logo golf balls
144 bottles of water
48 Gatorade
48 Coke
24 Sprite
24 Diet Coke
72 Snickers bars
80 packs of gum
72 packs of salted nuts
1 day of golf….
…all for the Student Scholarship Fund.
2500 of the world’s people groups are still unreached.
130 candidates are currently in training at the NTM training center.
We’ve been very busy working out the final details for the upcoming golf event on Monday, May 10. Each dollar raised during this event helps students acquire the skills needed to expand the reach of the Gospel to every tribe.
Thanks for your investment in our ministry that enables the Gospel to impact globally!
Missions and Music at the Lake!
NTM and Crossover Music Festival have partnered to create a unique MISSIONS and MUSIC experience at our very own NTM Campus at the Lake of the Ozarks. Enjoy a rustic camping experience, starting June 10 and ending on June 13th.
Hang out all day on June 10th on our NTM Campus Campground and enjoy some great music, our very own speakers Gracia Burnham and Tina Marie Griffin, tribal village scenes, campus talks and tours, scripture tower, wacky olympics, and much more.
June 11th and 12th enjoy all of the above during the day plus more music at the Lake Ozark
Amphitheater for Crossover Music Festival. Some of the artists will be Mandisa, Decemeradio, SanctusReal, Fireflight, Grits, and more.
Wrap up your experience on Sunday on campus for morning worship services back at the campsite.
Register soon at: www.crossoverfestival.org and experience a life-changing event this June!
Jena and I are privileged to be a part of planning for this great opportunity to expose more people to the world of tribal missions.
Y sobre esta roca edificaré mi iglesia
There’s a good chance that the last banana you ate came from the country of Guatemala. This Central American country, about the size of Tennessee, is home to 13.1 million people that speak over 23 distinct languages. In a land where human trafficking is a significant and growing problem, half of the population falls below the poverty line.
For 10 days in February, we have the opportunity to get a first hand look at what God is doing in this land. We will be partnering with some other people from around Missouri to construct a church building for a local body of believers. This building will provide a place of worship where God can continue to be praised and where His name can be declared among those who may have religion but desperately need to have a relationship with the Living God.
Please pray for this team – for God’s provision, for health and strength, and for a good time of exposure to what God is doing in Guatemala.
If you would like to partner with us financially for this trip, click here.