"My eyes have been opened. I can see the greatness of God!"
(Twenty-one-year old former drug user)
"Before this workshop, I thought salvation was enough.
Now I realize it is only the beginning. I need to go on!"
(Church deacon)
"I never knew we were on a spiritual journey.
This teaching has opened me up to a whole new way of thinking."
(Young adult)
"It has become so clear to me how important self-examination,
and self-evolution are on the spiritual journey."
(Faculty member)
"Before this workshop I would read the Bible, trying to understand it by myself. But now I need to listen to God when reading in order to be able to understand the word of God for my life."
(Deacon)
"After reading the story of Bartimaeus together (Mark 10:46-52, during lectio divina),
I realize that I am spiritually blind."
(Deacon)
"Now I realize the importance of being led by the Spirit in the Christian life."
(Pastor)
"Biblical spirituality is not just emotion. It's a life with God."
(Church elder)
"Now I know how to move past stage four in my spiritual development
(often a dark time of questioning and doubt)
to grow again in my relationship with God."
(Pastor)
"When I doubts come, I must not give up. I must keep seeking God."
(Pastor)
"I have found strength to keep moving forward (on my spiritual journey)."
(Lay leader)
"Since family is most important, and I am the husband and father of our home,
I should be the first one to become spiritually mature." (Deacon)
"After you shared your journey with your son (walking across northern Spain), now I am asking if God is pleased with how I am relating to my family." (Chin Missionary)
"When we say we are serving God, many times we are serving ourselves. This teaching touched my heart and makes me want to change." (Faculty member)
"Now I have a vision!" (Young pastor)
Thank you for your prayers and support during our week of teaching and ministry in Chin State, the poorest region in the entire world, where over 450,000 people struggle to survive from day to day. During our week in Falam, we preached to 1,400 people and conducted a four-day Spirit-Led Living workshop for 48 leaders, pastors, faculty members and students. The Holy Spirit was clearly working in many, many lives in life changing ways. We returned to Yangon full of joy.
After nearly 50 years of military imposed isolation, infrastructure development has finally begun in the Chin Hills under Aung San Suu Kyi's new government. With this new opening, Faith, Hope, and Love Global Ministries is responding to requests for outside resource people to serve the Church there. Over 90% of northern Chin State is Christian, but leaders are asking for help to develop their leaders and lay people spiritually.
The Rev. Dr. Law Ha Ling (General Secretary, Chin Baptist Convention) expressed his appreciation for our coming this way. During our time together, thinking about and praying for the spiritual development of the Chin people, he said, "Chin Christians are very religious, but not spiritual enough. Your training is badly needed for our people."
Back in Yangon, last week I co-led another workshop in collaboration with the Association for Theological Education (ATEM), this time for 17 faculty members from member schools around the country. The subject was, "Reading the Bible in a Changing World." A different setting, a different topic, but the same Holy Spirit was at work inspiring and building up leaders for the sake of Christ and his kingdom in Myanmar. (See photos of the workshop on our Faith, Hope, and Love Global Ministries Facebook page.)
This week, the second semester begins at Myanmar Institute of Theology. I can hardly wait to see what God is going to do next.
Rejoicing in God's faithfulness,
Tim
