SOWERS INTERNATIONAL

The site was no different to dozens of others I have seen, a dusty street with a fruit vendor sitting behind her rickety table and a couple of mangy dogs sunning themselves. The open air started slowly, too slowly for my liking but soon a crowd gathered around and it progressed from the introductory sketch to the drama, testimony to the message. A few of the 50 or so listeners made their exit at this point but other passersby stopped to see what was happening.

With everything being done in Bemba, my French was of no use so I snuck around the fringes of the meeting to get a few photos. Saidi, positioned to the right of the sketch board, looked like a tin soldier and I tried to encourage him to smile while Kafusha, in his peach coloured dress shirt and tie, radiated quiet contentment. Aged over 60, he knew his role would soon begin.

The invitation was given and eventually a young guy responded, and then another and another. The meeting was closed and the SOWERS team went to work with each member counselling two or three people. Meanwhile, Kafusha stepped closer to the sketch board. It did not take long for a curious passerby to meander across to look at what was drawn and written. While it may have looked random to the onlooker, it took Kafusha little time to explain. Then their heads were bowed as they prayed.

After introducing the brand new believer to a team-mate who would take down the contact details, Kafusha returned to his spot and it was only seconds later that another person approached the sketch board. Kafusha gently began to speak and the result was the same. A young guy was next, drawn to his warm friendly smile, and it wasn’t too long before he too bowed his head.

“Qu’est ce se passe ici”? the voice behind me said. “Come and meet Kafusha” I replied, “and he will explain everything to you.” And he did and they bowed their heads together.

Twenty eight people bowed their heads that day in Lubumbashi even though it was only supposed to be a “demonstration” open air to show my cousin how the SOWERS Program works. He never made it as he was busy preparing his sermon for the next day but 28 people did because a few Sowers were willing to go out with the Good News of Jesus.

Here in NZ, we don’t like people who blow their own trumpets. They are full of themselves and often are quite loud people who tend to rub us up the wrong way.

In Ezekiel 33 God presented to Israel the concept of a watchman - someone who would warn them of approaching danger. A trumpet blower. Failure to act quickly would have resulted in tragic consequences for the people and God was holding the watchmen accountable.

In verse 7 we read how God had made Ezekiel a watchman for the house of Israel. He was God’s mouthpiece to speak out and warn the people about the consequences of their sin.

The following verse says, “When I say to the wicked man, O wicked man, you will surely die, and you do not speak out and dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin and I will hold you accountable for his blood.”

This verse can leave us feeling uncomfortable. However, 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 plainly tells us that he (God) “has committed to us his message of reconciliation and that we are God’s ambassadors, just as if he were making his appeal through us”. Even though we might not be prophets, we are not exempt of the responsibility of speaking out, of being God’s mouthpiece, his trumpet blower.

In NZ, where political correctness is such a big issue, many of us struggle with the concept of “speaking out” and in the main, have opted for a gentler approach, that of letting our actions do the talking for us. I wonder what Ezekiel and God think of our lifestyle evangelism where the sound of the trumpet is seldom heard?

One of the things I really enjoy about working with SOWERS is having the privilege of meeting many folk who are completely given over to the cause of Christ. There are no ifs and buts and PC craziness has not tempered their desire to make Christ known to all. To them, no sacrifice is too great, be it living in very basic and uncomfortable circumstances or walking or cycling long distances over tough terrain – the love of Christ compels them to go on and the trumpet sounds out loud and clear at every stop.

Let’s be encouraged and challenged by God and his Word so that we do not grow weary and lose heart. The blessing promised to Abraham all those years ago that all the people on earth would be blessed by him still stands true for today…but only if we, as Abraham’s descendants shake off our apathy and fear and tell those around us about Jesus.

I expect to hear the trumpet sounding again in NZ and their might be some new tunes as missionaries from other nations come here to “sound the call” as we once did for them.

Murray

NZ National Director

A few weeks ago I preached in our home church. It was a challenging message but it is hard to work through the book of James and not be challenged. Four people responded including one person who had been resisting the Lord for more than ten years. God is still in the business of transforming lives and He still calls us to go out with His message of love and reconciliation.

Outdoor evangelism continues to be a great way of bringing many into the Kingdom in developing countries. While this method does not work so effectively here, NZ still has a strategic role to play in world missions and I am inviting you to join with us.

Ghana, Zambia and DR Congo are seeing many people respond and the work in Nepal is steadily developing. The opportunities and challenges that India presents are huge but the fledgling work there is already bearing fruit. One Mission Director alone has requested that all 500 of their Missionaries and Pastors receive SOWERS training, something that would require our Asian directors to teach back to back seminars for four months training 30 people a week just to get them proficient in the first 2 levels of the Program!

Reports of witchdoctor’s burning their fetishes, drunkards giving up their drink, village chiefs accepting the Lord and normal everyday people placing their faith and trust in Jesus are not uncommon as the light of God’s love shines in areas where darkness has reigned for centuries.

Over the last decade, between 50 and 100 new churches have been planted each year as faithful Sowers go out with the Good News of Jesus. Sitting here in NZ, we may feel a million miles away from what God is doing in some of these countries. We needn’t. Prayer has no boundaries and even “closed countries” can’t keep out its effects.

Sowing is not easy, our workers labour hard in difficult conditions with much spiritual opposition. You can have a vital stake in the establishment of God’s Kingdom from home as you pray and intercede for those who toil in faraway lands.

And you can give. Not one of our Sowers is over supported. Every one of them struggles to feed their family, pay the rent, the school fees…life is not easy. And yet they continue, year after year, to go out and sow and reap and encourage.

Maybe we don’t have the harvest here in NZ that we are seeing elsewhere but we do have the means to enable Sowers in other countries to reap more effectively. By praying for and supporting a Sower or a project, you can have a stake in this work and be a part of what God is doing.

Will you join us?

Murray
NZ National Director