FAR EAST MISSION REPORT 2007

(Note: Personal names, cities and provinces have deliberately been omitted
 to protect those who are ministering in these countries.)

The Lord laid this mission on my heart in 2006 and I felt in my spirit a stirring that He wanted a team of us to go to the Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, India and China.  As we prayed and sought the mind of the Lord further, God confirmed the Philippines, Indonesia and China.  Pakistan became closed to us because the US State Department would not allow us to travel there due to security reasons; however, we invited the brother who originally invited us to Pakistan, to train with us in India in 2008 when we return to the Far East.  India did would not work out for us personally due to travel and scheduling problems; however, another team took our place and fulfilled our commitment to minister with the brother who had invited us to India originally and with whom we will serve in 2008.

We were “sent out” by the body of Christ in our city as believers from various congregations gathered to lay hands on representatives of the mission team that were to go to the Far East.  There were several powerful words spoken over us including a prophecy concerning our connecting with high government authorities while on this Far East Mission.

When the Lord confirmed the countries in which we would minister, we then began to receive His resources that He always provides to affirm that the mission is of Him.  We were able to take money from believers in the USA to give away to the various mission needs in the three countries we visited.  For the first time, we received love offerings from the countries in which we ministered on this 2007 mission, which we in turn also gave away during this trip. 

On the night before we flew back to the States, a businessman and his wife gave me an offering insisting that it was designated for our personal needs back in the United States and for me not to give it away as I had done the other offerings, so I brought it home and blessed my wife with this love gift!  What a blessing to see these believers not only receiving offerings but now giving offerings as well, which is a sign of maturity in the Lord!

Our first nation to visit was the Philippines.  We had previously been there in September of 2005 and at that time we met with twenty-one servant leaders as an observer and encourager.  On this return mission, we equipped and ministered to a team of five young servants God is using in His Kingdom work in China, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.  Our training sessions were held in hotel rooms, restaurants, vans and on the beach.  It was truly an “as you go” type of equipping ministry that was a tremendous blessing to us all.

In fulfillment of the prophecy given by our sending church, the Lord led several government officials to meet with us in the Philippines.  We met with a member of the House of Representative of the Philippine National Congress, an assistant to the President of Manila and a representative of the Governor’s office in Manila.  These “connections” were totally led of the Spirit.  All of these officials took the initiative to contact us as the Holy Spirit directed them.  It was amazing to behold how the Lord accomplished this.

We have been invited back to the Philippines in December of this year 2007 to conduct a Marriage and Family Seminar to ministers and their wives from throughout the Islands.  We have appointments with government officials upon our return visit in December to determine how we can work together for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom in the Philippines.

Our next mission was to Indonesia.  I invited one of the brothers from the Philippines to join me in flying to Indonesia to co-labor there.  He had received a “Macedonian call” from Indonesia in 2003 so this was a fulfillment of his vision to travel there.  I was able to connect him with the Indonesia leaders so that he and the apostle team that he is a part in the Philippines can return later this year and equip and train Indonesian leaders for Kingdom work.

Our hosts in Indonesia were a Christian businessman and his wife.  We stayed in their lovely and spacious home the entire time we were in Indonesia.  He and his wife graciously hosted every group that I ministered to while in Indonesia.  We ministered to a varied group including denominational leaders, house church leaders, university students and business people. 

Our visit to Indonesia was very timely led by the Spirit.  Just prior to our arrival, the Indonesian Muslim government passed new laws prohibiting Christians from buying any more land, from being granted any new building permits and from being allowed to assemble anymore in hotels or shopping malls.  In fact the persecution is getting so severe that in one province alone over the past twelve months, militant Muslims had burned or demolished eighty church buildings. 

The denominational leaders shared with me that the only way they could now survive was to “go underground” by meeting in homes.  The Holy Spirit led them to invite me to equip and train them in transitioning into house churches throughout Indonesia.

They invited our team to return in 2008 to train their leaders in the five major Indonesia cities to establish house churches throughout the islands.  In the mean time, our co-laborer from the Philippines is committed to return this year (2007) to also help equip and train these Indonesian leaders in these major cities.

Our final nation to visit was China.  This was the seventh mission of our teams to the Mainland since 2003.  Last year in 2006, I personally could not travel to China due to security problems, but our team went on without me and God tremendously blessed them.  On this 2007 mission we focused mainly upon major cities and surrounding provinces. 

Our hosts are owners of a factory.  We taught these factory workers and other leaders from various provinces.  We also traveled by bus, train and airplane to nearby provinces to equip and train many other leaders. 

In one province we ministered to fifteen leaders and in another province, we ministered to 90 leaders who represented about 1,000 churches of the Three-Self Church and House Churches.  Our hosts included a house church brother who had been imprisoned eight times for his faith and a Three Self Church brother who risked his life to host this gathering.  This was a unique and historic gathering as we were asked by both the Three Self Church and House Church leaders to minister on the subjects of “Unity” and “Loving One Another.” 

At the close of our time together, the Holy Spirit mightily ministered in our midst showing visible signs of love and unity among these leaders as they embraced and received one another as co-laborers together in China!  They feel that the Lord will use them to set the example throughout all of China on how the Three Self and House Churches can work together under present governmental restrictions.

We also had the joy of having brothers and sisters from the North East to join us in one of the cities.  We had a wonderful time of fellowship and catching up on everything since we had last been together in 2005.  One of our brothers shared about his arrest and we had special prayer with him for healing over this painful and emotional ordeal. 

We were blessed also to witness a water baptism of six new believers in a hot tub at a retreat location.  We also ministered in a book and gift shop that had an adjoining room for the gathering of their house church.  We ministered to an Artist’s Village house church and at an Orphanage where we delivered love gifts from house churches in America.

After forty-two days of mission travels, we returned home to the USA rejoicing over what our Lord had accomplished for His glory in the Philippines, Indonesia and China.  We are now home recuperating from jet lag, the extensive ministry schedule and are catching up on the hundreds of emails that came during our absence.

Our love and gratitude is extended to everyone for their prayers, support and encouragement in being a vital part of this historic mission journey to the Far East in 2007.  Only eternity will reveal the fruit that will be borne as a result of all of us laboring together in going, sending and supporting this mission venture for the glory of God!