Family and Friends,
The purpose of this post is to outline our plan for promoting missions through dynamic events emphasizing prayer, worship, and education. These events, entitled "A Concert of Prayer for Missions," will take place at churches and other locations throughout the region.
Years ago I shared a sermon in many churches which encapsulated an important principle concerning the relationship between prayer/worship and missions. It was called "Deep Calls to Deep", which comes from a phrase in Psalm 42:7-
"Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls. All your waves
and breakers have swept over me."
For some reason this phrase seemed to resonate with me while I examined Jesus' approach to ministry. Jesus was unique in his amazing ability to prioritize BOTH of the following:
1. DEEP #1: His personal devotional life with God- Many times he spent
the early morning, the late evening, or ALL NIGHT out in some remote
location praying to God. He knew the Scriptures forward and backward,
and His ministry was built on His intimacy with God.
2. DEEP #2: His commitment to immersing in the lives of broken people-
Obviously, Jesus is also well-known for entering the homes of prostitutes,
tax collectors, Pharisees, and all other sorts of hurting people. He was not
afraid to get his hands dirty.
Jesus was very DEEP in both of these areas of His life. He was deeply devoted to being alone with God on a regular basis, and He was deeply devoted to sacrificially "going out" to find His lost sheep. Unfortunately, most of us tend to overemphasize one or the other (or neglect both...let's be honest!), but it is our belief that we truly need both of these commitments in our lives in order to be mature followers of Jesus. In fact, it can even be argued that without both, neither one is possible.
*As we draw near to God and grow in intimacy with our LORD, how can
we not have His heart for the lost imparted to our own? How can we not
take on that burden? Is a person who claims to be close to God, but cares
little for others, truly close to the intensely compassionate God of the Bible?
*As we seek out the lost and take on their suffering upon ourselves, how
can we not fall on our knees before the LORD and seek His heart for justice?
Will we not dry up and wither inside if we do not regularly return to His
throne to be recharged for ministry?
You see that both of these callings tend to enhance one another. It is absolutely imperative that we commit ourselves deeply to seeking intimacy with God and also to bringing the gospel to all people. We will have a hard time doing one without the other!
The "Concert of Prayer for Missions" seeks to create an environment where both pursuits are equally encouraged in the life of the believer. Below are some items you may see at these events:
1. Prayer for the missionaries / organizations supported by the host church
2. Teaching on current missional trends, sharing info about H.I.M.
3. Worship and seeking God's heart for the lost
4. Teaching on how to live a holistic life devoted to God & Missions
5. Sharing of original music written to explain these themes
All H.I.M. events and trips will now be listed and updated in the tab at the top of this blog entitled, "News & Current Events." Also check there for brief news items we will post from day to day. We need the help of all of our supporters in hosting these events, which we believe will lead to an increase in mission awareness and passion in local churches and other organizations, Lord willing. Please consider helping us with this effort, and/or attending one of the events.
We may also be meeting with church mission committees and other potential supporters of H.I.M. in the coming months, in addition to sharing concerts of original music about missions, worship, and Scripture in various locations. All of these events will be posted, and we ask that you pray for these and/or attend if you have a chance.
Thanks so much!
May Your Adventure be DEEP Today!
-the grimm family adventurers
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