New Horizons

November, 2009: Thank Offering

Contents All Things through Christ by Richard R. Gerber The Challenge to Be Self-Supporting by David A. Okken Kingdom Work by "Uncle Glen"

All Things through Christ

by Richard R. Gerber

"God continues to be gracious. God continues to provide.... What a blessing to be part of the Lord's army, working through his strength alone!" Missionary Jim Knox wrote those words in August, along with these: "I have to admit that the past three to four days have probably been the most difficult days since I arrived in Africa." Through Christ's strength, Jim ministers to others while carrying overwhelming burdens.

Summer intern John Sharpe was used to being at the top of his class. But over the summer, he faced regular critiques of his preaching, teaching, and worship leadership that revealed how much he still needed to grow in the use of the gifts for ministry that Christ had given him. At times he wondered whether he should continue. By Christ's strength, he did continue—and he grew in his equipping for the ministry. Read more

The Challenge to Be Self-Supporting

by David A. Okken

Note: One of the goals in the establishment of a healthy, indigenous church is that it be self-supporting. Dependency—an issue about which several books are written each year—is a constant challenge with which your missionaries must wrestle as they labor toward the goal. —Douglas B. Clawson

I now have under my belt over seven years of experience in Uganda—living, working, and learning the ways of life in what is still for me a very foreign land. Ask me to name the thing that has been the single most difficult component of life and ministry here, and without hesitation I will answer with one word: money! Read more

Kingdom Work

by "Uncle Glen"

Dear James,

Why is it invariably the case that the career counseling professionals these days, if they are Christians, identify the coming of God's kingdom with a successful career as defined by secular culture? Your mother let slip at the coffee hour last Sunday the interaction you had with a recruiter from a law school at a Christian university. You mentioned to him my advice about returning home as a live option for a young adult believer, and he reacted in a way that embarrassed you for actually considering it. Read more