I'll be leaving on Wednesday (22nd) and will not be landing in the Pearl Of Africa (Uganda) until Friday (24th). It is truly amazing to see what God has been doing in me and through me. It's been a long journey preparing and having to leave a lot of things behind me, mainly relationships. The next four years will not be an easy four years of my life. It will be tougher than high school. It will be tougher than post-secondary education. Definitely will be tougher than my full-time jobs. I am very humbled to be given this position, to work for Him directly and side-by-side with Him. There will be many hardships, difficulties, trials and obstacles, but who ever said that it's going to be like that? This leads me to my final remarks to those of you who are the senders, the ones holding the rope while I go down into the well.
Yes, you may think to yourself 'It's easy for Stephen to do the work of God, because he's working directly with the church everyday, and that is his occupation, his career. I'm only a _______________.' You need to understand that you've got a responsibility yourself as well, that not only are you holding the rope and supporting me, but you've got a responsibility at your workplace. The video posted above should give you a hint at what I am trying to communicate to you. Just because my position is more 'spiritual' and yours is more 'secular', it does not mean that I am suppose to be the only one reaching out to those that do not know Christ. It's not only the job of the pastors and the deacons and elders to minister to people, but it is the job of the entire Church!
Before I begin the new journey in Africa, where my blog posts will not be insights, but more of what I'm doing, I want to leave behind a final remark for you all: whether your job is serving a really stubborn customer at your workplace, or your job is serving the congregation at your local church, your job description should not be different. You are to bring glory to God in every means, whether that means your message preached is to direct the hearts of the congregation to God, leading a nonbeliever in the congregation to Christ, reaching out to the customer that is cussing a bluestreak at you, being gentle and kind to the customer that does not know Christ, or even going out to have lunch with one of your coworkers to build a relationship up and showing them there is hope in God. You see what I mean? Whatever you do, do it to glorify God.
Romans 12:1
I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
Yes, you may think to yourself 'It's easy for Stephen to do the work of God, because he's working directly with the church everyday, and that is his occupation, his career. I'm only a _______________.' You need to understand that you've got a responsibility yourself as well, that not only are you holding the rope and supporting me, but you've got a responsibility at your workplace. The video posted above should give you a hint at what I am trying to communicate to you. Just because my position is more 'spiritual' and yours is more 'secular', it does not mean that I am suppose to be the only one reaching out to those that do not know Christ. It's not only the job of the pastors and the deacons and elders to minister to people, but it is the job of the entire Church!
Before I begin the new journey in Africa, where my blog posts will not be insights, but more of what I'm doing, I want to leave behind a final remark for you all: whether your job is serving a really stubborn customer at your workplace, or your job is serving the congregation at your local church, your job description should not be different. You are to bring glory to God in every means, whether that means your message preached is to direct the hearts of the congregation to God, leading a nonbeliever in the congregation to Christ, reaching out to the customer that is cussing a bluestreak at you, being gentle and kind to the customer that does not know Christ, or even going out to have lunch with one of your coworkers to build a relationship up and showing them there is hope in God. You see what I mean? Whatever you do, do it to glorify God.
Romans 12:1
I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
