Everyone has a place and role in the Great Commission. God wants to use you for beautiful things! Here are some things you can do right now to start reaching the nations whoever you are, wherever you are.
What works against you in grasping Christ's love for you? When I think about this question, my answers create a long list, sadly. My sin, fear of rejection, not being good enough, not being faithful enough, being a burden, seeing and experiencing broken relationships, feelings of shame.
During my time with Cafe 1040 in Europe, our group navigated the city through a "buddy system," ensuring no one ventured out alone. When a teammate sought a companion for a rendezvous with a girl she had met at a local Korean Festival, I volunteered without hesitation, completely unaware of what God would do from this encounter.
Have you ever wanted to sit down with a Cafe 1040 grad over coffee and hear about their experiences? Each of them has been impacted in a significant way by our overseas mentorship program and has many stories to tell.
In the book “The Forgotten God” by Francis Chan, he poses the question, “If you could choose between Jesus beside you and the Holy Spirit within you, which would you choose?”
If you would say Jesus beside you, Francis would say that you probably do not truly understand the power of the Holy Spirit.* Don’t beat yourself up though; the original disciples of Jesus did not understand either.
The last book of the Bible, Revelation, reads like the script of a weird science fiction movie. It’s the final showdown between good and evil, full of unusual imagery and seemingly cryptic messages. Even the author’s story sounds like the beginning of a Hollywood blockbuster. John was an outcast and part of a rag tag group of troublemakers called the apostles. He even wrote a book about his time as an apostle, which he creatively titled “John.” He fought for his cause his entire life, only to end up exiled on the island of Patmos, where he had a strange vision and encounter with the Lord.
Ramadan is 30 days set aside every year for Muslims to fast from sun up to sun down. For some places in the world, this could mean over 18 hours of fasting each day. Fasting is one of the five pillars in Islam. It’s a time set aside to focus on prayer and the reading of the Qur’an in an effort to seek God.
What could happen if Christians all over the world began to see Muslims the way God sees them? What if we all joined in asking Ramadan to be a time Muslims sought God and found His Son Jesus for the first time?
This is a guest post from our friend Joe at Pioneers.
Sensing God calling you to something crazy, but, in the immortal words of Will Smith, parents just don’t understand? In this, the first of a series exploring barriers to serving in mission, a mission candidate coach explores what is—for many—the first and trickiest obstacle.
Moving overseas as a single male or female is scary.
There are fears of loneliness and endless questions that can never truly be answered this side of the pond.
Will I fit in with my team? Will I feel like a burden to the families that are there? Am I giving up on my chance to be married? How will I make friends when I’m there? Will I be treated differently because I’m single?
Over the years, we have sat down with numerous mothers, fathers, friends, cousins and coworkers talking about international missions. Inevitably by the end of the conversation, we have ventured onto the question of safety.
Is missions safe? Is where you are living safe? Do you feel safe overseas? Will my son or daughter be safe in your program?
The question comes in many forms but the heart of the question remains the same.
An Interview with Cafe 1040’s Executive Director
"Recently, I was invited to attend a seminar at a church for people considering becoming missionaries. The church does this event annually to help its members navigate the process “from the church pew to the overseas location.” Friends, this is a treacherous journey. I have heard many missionaries say “getting there was harder than being here!”
In the last few years, there has been a new wave of opportunities for people to leverage their jobs for gospel advancement. Often called “Marketplace Missions,” this idea refers to taking your career and moving it to a strategic location for the mission of God.
Are you passionate about photography? Do you get excited thinking about a degree in Nursing? Are you pursuing a degree in law?
Missions is not just a topic that is referenced in specific places in the Bible, but instead is a theme can be found from Genesis all the way to Revelation. “Since creation, God has been interested in redeeming all peoples to himself.” From God’s first command of Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28), God has intended for the earth to be filled with worshippers.
