Flint International Friends was designed to bring Jesus to internationals—but sometimes it’s working the other way round! Yes, we still are showing Jesus’ love to those who don’t yet know Him, but Christian internationals are bringing a new vision of mission to us changing some of our thinking and ways.
Prayer—starting at 5 a.m. and lasting until it’s time to go to work is the trademark of the fastest growing church in the world—China! Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt us to get up a bit earlier and pray—for the church in the US which is not increasing—but decreasing. The United States now ranks third (3rd) following China and India in the number of people who are not professing Christians; in other words, the U.S. is becoming an ever increasing “un-reached people group.”
My sister in Christ from India called to tell me about her church service last Sunday in the US….While the service took place in the prescribed time-frame, members felt that it was too short—and continued to worship at a friend’s house for three more hours.
“We sang songs, praised God, read our Bibles, and stood up saying, “we are in Christ, we don’t have to fear anything,” she said.
A Christian from Nigeria confirmed the 1-hour of worship a week isn’t enough for her. My Nigerian friend’s worship in her homeland begins somewhere around 9 a.m., and continues until 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Of course there is lots of singing and dancing, a trademark of even Lutheran Churches in Nigeria.
We Americans like everything to be on time and run smoothly—that’s great—unless the Holy Spirit intervenes with spontaneous praise and thanks—something like the early church experienced. Let’s learn from our brothers and sisters in Christ—to let our time in prayer and personal devotion be one lead not by the clock but by His Spirit.
