For the Sake of the Gospel

Hey Friends, I wanted to share some of the things I’ve been encouraged and challenged by in my first week here at the Ethnos training center. It has been a joy to get to know my fellow classmates and hear their stories of how God brought them here. My days and evenings have been filled with sweet fellowship and many games nights! God has answered so many prayers, some not even uttered. Already I feel a connection and friendships with my fellow students, I laugh as I think about how nervous I was in coming. Financially, God has provided in abundance through the generous giving of those around me and I stand in awe, humbled by the Almighty God who sees my needs. Below are a few pictures of my classmates along with a family who generously provided a meal for us. They are in the process of raising support to head up to the Artic to bring the gospel to the Inuit people in Iqaluit.

  

Paul Fleming, the founder of Ethnos, (formerly New Tribes Mission) said, “By unflinching determination we hazard our lives and gamble all for Christ until we have reached the last tribe regardless of where that tribe might be.” This statement stopped me dead in my tracks, this mission I am embarking on could hazard my life, could cost me everything? Is this what I signed up for in coming to this training center? This past week of orientation was hard and amazing as we were presented with just a glimpse of what life would look like going forward. Stories were shared of the men and women who came before and gave up their very lives to see people without hope given hope. Even more where shared of those who gave up, who threw in the towel with things got hard. The statistics of us students here are staggering, statistically half of us won’t even last 5 years on the field. And I began to think to myself, Katie, why are you here? What is going to keep you here when things get hard? I am here because I know God has given me a heart for cross cultural missions and I want to be a part of bringing the gospel to those who don’t have access to it, who will not hear unless someone brings it to them. In answer to the second question, you guys standing behind me in prayer is part of what will keep me there. The need is great, the cost is great, and God is worthy of sacrificing everything for. Thank you again to you all for standing behind me in prayer! 

Can I also be so bold as to challenge you all? Would you be you willing as Paul said, to hazard your life and gamble all for the sake of Christ, anywhere, anytime, anyplace? All of us have been given the same commission to make disciples of all nations. Some of us may be called into cross cultural missions, others right within our workplaces and spheres of influence. So how are we doing with where God has placed us? There is an urgency my friends, people all around us are perishing without hope and we have that hope! Let us not let fear hold us back from sharing the hope that we have in Christ!