Howell Deputation Update #6

God’s Love Compels Us.

Two Sundays ago, I had the opportunity to preach at Sherwood Community Friends Church. The main theme was the need for churches and individuals to focus on making disciples not just converts. I was using 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 as my main text.  You can give it a listen below if you choose to.

The term disciple is one that we use regularly in our churches and church communities. Often that term is elevated to represent someone of a deep significant spiritual life. It can represent that for sure. However, I think this misses the intent of the original word. The Greek word breaks it down to simply someone who has the posture of a student, a learner, someone putting in the mental effort to struggle to understand the concepts being taught. In the early Jewish culture, this idea was represented by someone following so closely to their rabbi that they were literally covered with the dust from their teachers’ feet. This is a theme that resonates with me deeply. The idea that we invite those around us to watch and learn from us, to listen and see the good news of Jesus Christ. To walk along so closely together that the dust of Jesus will cover them.

As we have walked among our American friends these last six months, this has been our focus. As we have walked among our Irish friends these last 16 years, this has been our focus. As we have walked in ministry over these last 35 years, this has been our focus. The reason we do this is straightforward.  Verse 14 says “The love of God compels us.” The love of God in us controls, drives, and demands that we make sure all of those around us know that they too are loved. They too are chosen. They too are deserving. When we fully take to heart the plea of Abba’s heart to “Go and make disciples of all the nations,” we are filled to the max with love for those who haven’t yet been shown the right path.

A young woman, who we will call Mary, started attending one of the groups that we facilitated. She was hungry to know God’s word. She asked questions and struggled through the idea of how these words were put into her daily life. What does this budding faith look like in a teenager and in a young adult? It was an absolute joy for Trish and I to watch her assume the posture of a learner, of a student, of one ready to soak in all that the teacher had for her to glean. We lived life together, shared meals together, spent time together, dug into God’s word together, celebrated God moments together, rejoiced, and wept together. Day by day, the role of teacher and student lived out in an authentic way. To see her today is such a thrill and joy to know that she is a blessed and loved child of God. To know that she is now compelled by this love to share with others is such a blessing. God has done a mighty work in her life through the discipleship process.

Please pray with us and our Irish friends. That the roots of Christ’s love will dig deep into those that we are discipling. That the love of Christ, displayed on the cross, will bring about a new life in Christ. That their old way of living will no longer have control over them and hold them in bondage. May they embrace their new life in Christ and thrive.

Thank you for your love for the Irish people. Please pray hard and pray often for them. God is at work and unfortunately so is the enemy. May the love, peace, and mercy of God fill us, encourage us, and empower us to go and bear fruit.  Fruit that will last.

Specific Prayer Requests:

• Pray for us as we look for a new house to rent. An added prayer is for the kitchen and dining space.  Pray that this will be a great place to break bread together with our friends.
• Pray for God to break through in the lives of our Irish friends.
• Pray for the remaining balance of our funding to come in. Please pray for God’s prompting to be heard and obeyed by those who are thinking about coming alongside us financially.
• Pray for our health and safety. For our emotional, physical, and mental health.
• Pray for our daily spiritual growth to be so rich and full and transformative that it spills over like a mighty rushing river at flood stage.

Grace and Peace,

David and Tricia Howell