Dear Friends,
Hello again from Southeast Asia! The last few weeks have almost felt “normal” here. Our church is almost fully open now – all but unvaccinated people are able to attend church in-person in our very restrictive country – and our people have slowly trickled back. We had 82 in church last Sunday.
Our latest sermon series is 1 Thessalonians, and I’ve learned a tremendous amount in preparing it. The theme of my sermon this past Sunday focused on the importance of being established in the faith. Paul was only in Thessalonica for three weeks before the saints there escorted him out of town for his own safety. But he missed them dearly, and he longed to get back to them because he believed that they were not yet “established” (and who could be after only three weeks!). So he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica for this purpose: “To establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: That no man should be moved by these afflictions” (1 Thess 2:2b-3a).
This passage rings familiar for our present situation. The most challenging task of mission work is the establishment of the faith into a new generation of local leaders. It’s not hard because doctrine is hard to understand, or because of a lack of funds, or anything like that. Establishing people in the faith is hard because there’s no substitute for time. Paul would tell you from experience that you can establish a church in a short span of time but it takes years to establish people in the faith. A coordinated training effort is required, with dedicated teachers, mentors, faithful trainees … and time!
Our prayer request this month is that you pray for this process. It has continued despite COVID, praise God for that, but it still has a long way to go. We have everything we need to do this task, but please pray for the time dedication of all those involved.
Please also continue to pray for Michelle’s parents. Both of them have developed serious health issues in recent months. Difficult decisions about their future lie ahead. We need your prayers on how best to navigate this situation.Finally, we THANK YOU for your support of our ministry. When I wrote above that we have everything we need to establish others, know that it’s in large part due to your faithfulness. You are appreciated!
Have a blessed Christmas season!Because He Lives,
Pat & Michelle Kilgo
