Going the Extra Mile

The New Testament church was built on personal evangelism and the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. This is clear when you read through the book of Acts, in particular through passages like Acts 11-13. Is this still the model today?

Recently we received word from a new church plant in Sudan that helps answer this question and perhaps is instructive to our churches today. If you could imagine one of the most difficult places on earth to plant a church it might be Sudan. After years of civil war and unrest, the Sudanese are battling the wounds of corruption and war as they seek to rebuild their country out of the ashes. Living in refuge camps has been the lot of many, so the Sudanese are a people with not only great physical needs but spiritual needs as well.

The missions pastor described his recent trip to help plant a church in Sudan as one of the most incredible trips he has ever experienced. He traveled on a total of 5 airplanes, all descending in size and comfort, to get to this area. Personal evangelism through various people had already occurred so that a church would be established in a remote village where he would travel by plane and by foot. Upon his arrival, he discovered a group of near 2000 people ready to dedicate a new church in their village. Following a dedication ceremony 2 hours long, the mission pastor began to preach from God’s Word. Many came to know Jesus Christ as their Savior that day.

Next, the missions pastor began his work to prepare leaders for the church. The leaders consisted of 16 young people from 16 to 27 years old called to serve the church. This group met each day to study God’s Word and learn how to interpret and apply it to their lives. Some of these leaders would return to villages throughout this mountain region to plant new churches. Many had walked up to 8 hours through the mountains to arrive in this village where the teaching would take place! A pastor and missionary from the area would continue teaching this group after the missions pastor returned to the U.S.

This missions pastor returned from this long and tiring trip more inspired than ever about the growth of the church in that area. He even came back without any of his extra clothes and supplies because those precious people needed clothing among other things. He shared that “God is so good to have given us the great joy of strengthening His church.”

Let’s join together in this commitment to the model of the church the Lord has given us and to the efforts we see around us to strengthen His church, whether here or in some far country. This missions pastor has gone the extra mile, these Sudanese leaders even walked 8 hours to study God’s Word—literally going the extra mile.

Consider how God might be calling you to go that extra mile.