August 24, 2025 • 51 mins
What does it truly mean to "go" for the gospel? Eric and Lena Bauer's powerful testimony challenges our comfortable Christianity as they share their remarkable journey from corporate America to international missions. After twenty years in banking, Eric found himself unexpectedly unemployed—a door God deliberately closed like "a bank vault" to redirect his path. Meanwhile, Lena wrestled with a convicting truth: "anything where you are not fully obeying God and putting Him first is sin."
Their transformation didn't happen overnight. Short-term mission experiences became pivotal moments, particularly when Eric shared the gospel with a Muslim cab driver in New York City and later witnessed several people accept Christ during his travels. These divine appointments crystallized their calling, prompting immediate action—they began their application process with the International Mission Board literally the next day. Their three-year journey reveals God's perfect orchestration, as they waited through family caregiving responsibilities while completing seminary training and navigational application hurdles.
Now heading to the Asia Pacific region where 95% of people "live in spiritual darkness," the Bauers will join a missionary team that God assembled from nothing to reach unreached people groups. They'll implement the Core Missionary Task: entering the culture through language learning, sharing the gospel, discipling new believers, forming churches, developing local leadership, and eventually partnering with established congregations to reach even further.
For anyone feeling God's nudge toward missions—whether across the street or across oceans—the Bauers offer practical wisdom: pray sincerely about God's direction, surrender daily to His leading, actively seek opportunities to share Christ, and consider short-term trips as discernment tools. As Eric powerfully reminds us from John 4: "Lift up your eyes and see that the fields are white for harvest already." Will you join in the harvest through prayer, giving, or going yourself?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
what's up life talk family.
Welcome back to the life talkpodcast.
Uh, your summer host here, nate, coming back with you.
Jarvis, still, he's out theresomewhere.
We'll find him one of thesedays, but today we'll be talking
about going, so maybe somebodywill run Jarvis down and bring
him back to the podcast.
But I am excited to be joinedby two special guests today.
(00:34):
I have with us our very ownEric and Lena Bauer.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Eric and Lena how are you guys doing today?
Good morning, we're doing great.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Thank you Awesome.
It's a good morning to be onthe podcast, so appreciate you
guys taking some time.
So for the Life Talk family,remember we are coming through
August and our theme for thismonth has been we go, we go for
the gospel and with the gospeland to share the love of Christ.
And we're excited.
Eric and Lena are formallymissionaries, getting ready to
(01:04):
go out, getting ready to reallytruly go, not just go across the
street but really go to theother side of the world.
So I know you guys have anamazing testimony, really
excited for everyone listeningto hear more about you.
So I always like to kick offjust getting to know you a
little better, just getting toknow you a little better.
(01:27):
If you guys want to, eric, gofirst and share a little bit
just your life and journey andgetting to know Christ and what
we should know about Eric.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Bauer.
So good morning everybody.
I was saved at a very young age.
One of my earliest memories isasking Christ to be my Savior
about the age of five, and Igrew up in an independent
Baptist church up in theNortheast and God blessed me
(01:57):
with faithful parents.
We attended church regularlyand I had good preaching,
biblically-based preaching, andknew many missionaries.
Growing up, my parents wouldhost them at our house when they
were visiting for missions weekat our church and things like
that.
So then fast forward, when I was12, I started going to a camp
(02:21):
Christian camp up in upstate NewYork and at that camp, uh, one
of the counselors, um, was veryinfluential in my life and
leading towards missions.
I didn't realize it at the time, um, but um, he, he went on and
is continuing.
He's on the field now and he'sbeen on the field for close to
(02:43):
40 years and with anorganization called OMF and God
blessed me with.
One year he was my counselorand then other times I've run
into him over the years going upthere to take our son up there
for camp and things like thatand um just reconnecting with
(03:04):
him and his journey over theyears, um going from the time he
was in his 20s to go andforward.
And then, um in 2018, lena andI started attending, attended
here and we saw the missionalfocus at.
(03:27):
Lifehouse, you know, with thechurch plants, people going and
leaving a church they'recomfortable with and going to a
new place maybe not too far away, but still it's new and
planting.
And repeatedly Pastor Mark'smessages, the pieces of the
(03:51):
Great Commission and otherverses just kind of hit me
between the eyes.
I had been in banking for twodecades and God closed that door
.
I was let go and, um, I triedvery hard, prayed very hard for
new opportunities in that spaceand, um, god kind of closed the
(04:16):
door, like a bank vault, so tospeak, where we're just
unintended, no pun intendedwhere it just like was unmovable
, like every, every opportunity.
It's like, oh no, sorry, um,maybe you were under
underqualified or overqualified,I don't know, but I truly felt.
It was now as I reflected as thehand of god saying no, this is
(04:39):
not what I want for you.
I have better plans for you inthe future.
Just follow me, like he says inMatthew 4, 19, follow me and I
will make you fishers of men.
And so, as pastor Mark sharesabout how, like he felt led to
go to seminary before he waseven being in the ministry, I
(05:04):
started seminary and, thanks toJoel Miller and others like Paul
, I was able to go on short-termtrips, and some people question
short-term trips as a method ofgoing, but I think they're very
effective in showing people theopportunities that are out
(05:27):
there to experience othercultures, other believers and
opportunities to share.
People want to talk toAmericans and they're very open
and happy to see an American.
And they're very open and happyto see an American and they
want to hear about whatAmericans have to say.
And so what we can say is Jesusis the way, the truth and the
(05:52):
life.
And that's shocking to many ofthem because they may think of
Jesus as just a guy or maybe aprophet, or they don't even know
who he is.
And you know, um?
At one time I did a radicalstudy and that kind of woke me
up a lot.
Like am I really taking up mycross every day?
(06:13):
What am I doing with my life?
What?
What have I done with my life?
My life is finite on thisplanet.
And I did a book study on umthe one thing you can't do in
heaven and that really said tome hey, you can't.
You can't share Jesus in heaven.
(06:34):
And just learning about UPGsunreached people groups which
refers to like two percent ofthe population Less than 2% of
the population is evangelicalChristian and just the vast
lostness in the world keptpushing me and pushing me.
And after six trips to variouscountries in Africa and the
(07:02):
Caribbean and so on, and readingmissionary biographies to the
Golden Shore, I highly recommendto anyone that's thinking about
going just read what ourmissionary forefathers went
through and how easy it is forus today to take a week or two
(07:23):
off from our life here inAmerica and take a flight.
Maybe it takes a day or two toget someplace, not six months to
a year, but just a day or two.
And you're there and you areloved by the local body of
Christ.
When you arrive they are sohappy to have someone come and
(07:46):
share about their life and yourtestimony, no matter how small
you think your testimony is.
It's huge to someone else.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
So that's a bit of it in a nutshell, really amazing
process, god bringing youthrough your secular work and
closing that door and working inyou spiritually to kind of get
you to this point.
And so, yeah, some awesomethings for reading
recommendations, all those goodthings.
Well, lena, how about yourself?
(08:16):
How would we understand more ofyour background and kind of?
Especially, this is a jointdecision for you guys to really
want to hear your side.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Yeah, absolutely.
My story is actually sort ofsimilar.
I was also raised in aChristian household.
I was saved at a very young age.
In fact later and I say laterrelatively in elementary school,
I decided I wasn't quite sureif I knew what I was doing the
first time around, so I madesure I accepted Jesus again.
We met in college, we um.
(08:54):
When I was young I would telleverybody I wanted to be a
missionary doctor.
And then by the time we got tocollege, biology was not my
forefront and plans changed.
So um shifted my major, shifteddirection a little and, like
Eric, got more into career andfamily and pursued that Still.
(09:18):
You know, being a Christian butnot pursuing God wholeheartedly
.
And when we started coming toLifeHouse, one of the things
that Pastor Mark said wasanything where you are not fully
obeying God and putting himfirst is sin.
And before that I was thinkingyou know I'm saved, I know I'm
(09:38):
saved, I'm not actively doinghorrible things.
But that got me really thinkingabout well, am I really putting
God first?
So that, combined withshort-term mission trips, really
put us down the path of okay,where does God want us, what is
(10:01):
his plan, where should we be andwhen?
We prayed about that.
We ended up on this pathway.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
So it was actually back in 2022 when we first
started the application processto become overseas missionaries
and kind of seeing that lifelongjourney, you know, coming to
faith early, but how we continueto grow, how God continues to
work in our life.
And you know I think somethingyou touched on it's easy to get
(10:30):
real comfortable.
It's easy to fall into idolatry, like you said, from what
Pastor Mark shared of you know,anything else we're setting up
over and against God's positionin our life can lead us to out
of order priorities, not reallyactualizing who God is.
So I'd love to hear you know,especially for you all being
(10:52):
married you know you said 2018coming and what kind of led you
all to that point of theapplication process.
How did God really, you know,were there any kind of specific
moments for either of you?
You know we we're, we arerecording this, so you have to
be honest, but was somebody likeon board and the other, uh, I
don't know if I want to do this.
(11:12):
How did that play out for you,especially since this is an
awesome thing that you guys aredoing together?
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I mean, I think we were both on the same page.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
He was a little bit more pursuing and I was a bit
slower yes, so in november of 22I came back from a 10-day trip
where I had been, not with ateam, but working with an
organization in africa and um I,from the very moment that trip
(11:44):
started, I had a divineappointment.
So I took the train to New YorkCity, excuse me, and I hailed a
cab and the cab driver got outand he had a long robe and a
(12:05):
skull cap and a beard.
And I said to myself this guy'sa Muslim, I could just tell you
know.
And so I said to him where areyou?
from and he's like Dakar and ofthe times I've been in Africa,
that was one of the places I hadbeen and I said to him nega def
, which is like hey, what's upin his language, and he just was
shocked that I knew a few wordsin his language and with that
(12:29):
we had.
I had the opportunity to sharethe gospel with him three times
on the drive from Manhattan tothe JFK and just it placed it on
my heart that there's suchlostness in the world, that
there's such lostness in theworld.
There's a man in New York Cityhungering for the gospel,
because he had a lot ofquestions about Christianity and
(12:49):
I was able to answer some ofthem well, thanks to the
education I received, and justlike different denominational
questions he had aboutChristianity as a Muslim, he was
kind of confused about that.
You know, aren't you allChristians and what's this
denomination stuff?
(13:10):
And so I was able to go throughthat with him and still, as
part of that conversation,repeatedly share that Jesus is
the way, the truth and the lifeand that he came and died for
him and his blood washes awayhis sins and that he needs to
put his faith and trust in jesus.
And he's buried and died,buried and rose again and he's
(13:31):
at the right hand of god andhe's your savior.
You just need to put your faithand trust in him.
And I was able to do that threetimes, which I I praise god for,
and that just started the tripoff in a different way than a
lot of other trips I had been onand then throughout that trip
we did a lot of evangelism andseveral people put their faith
(13:54):
and trust in Jesus and I justpraise the Holy Spirit for
moving in their heart.
I came home from that trip andI said to Lena I feel like this
is what I should do with therest of our lives and we should
do for the rest of our livesPray about this.
I really want to make this goforward, and so she prayed.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
And I'd already been praying.
I wasn't surprised by that.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
I was going to say.
I know you've heard like Joel'stestimony to going out like, in
your case, sounds like brandyfor him.
You know like been waiting foryou to say something like this.
That's amazing, god working inyour life and bringing you guys
together in that.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
So, like the next day , we just started the
application process with theInternational Mission board,
which is the, the missionorganization that our church is
associated with here, and so nodelay in obedience, like next
day.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
We're we're doing this.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Let's get this process going started that's
awesome ball rolling and youknow, um.
One of the first questions thatcame out of that was does your
church affirm your calling tointernational missions?
Karen and I looked, and welooked at each other and said we
think so, but we can't just sayyes to that question, so that
(15:17):
Sunday I spoke to Pastor.
Mark and he said I think so,but let's get this affirmed by
the elders.
So we got on the agenda for theelders and that Thursday we met
for about about a half hour andthey had a bunch of questions
for us, a lot of stuff that wecouldn't answer because we
(15:40):
didn't know yet.
Like where, where are you gonnago?
What?
Speaker 3 (15:43):
are you gonna?
Speaker 1 (15:44):
do when are?
Speaker 3 (15:44):
you going.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
We had no idea no, we , we've got this calling, we got
to go.
You know, we don't know where,we don't know when but and was
one of the most go.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
You know, we don't know where, we don't know when,
but and was one of the mostimportant things that the
company likes to be sure is thatyou were sent by the church,
just like we see in acts.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Barnabas set apart for set apart.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
They weren't just, oh we're gonna go.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
this isn't us, you know, just doing our own thing.
We're doing this as part of thebody of Christ and being sent
out.
They're really important,exactly, yep.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
So they affirmed us and we went through a lengthy
forms, applications, phone calls.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
So for those who aren't familiar with the
International Mission Boardsprocess, so for those who aren't
familiar with the InternationalMission Boards process, in
order to make sure that they'resending missionaries that are
(16:49):
going to be able to stay on thefield, because it doesn't make
sense to train somebody only forthem to come straight back.
They have a lengthy applicationprocess and they have financial
requirements and emotionalrequirements and educational
requirements and there's a wholelong checklist.
So even when we were firstapplying, we're like well, we
don't know our timing, we don'tknow any of this.
They said that's okay, it's amulti-year process, you can
start now and whenever you getthere, you get there.
(17:11):
So we started.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
That's the importance of the obedience.
We're starting down this pathand trusting God for the timing
and the direction.
How was that journey?
Because you said this was 2022,so you're coming up on.
It's been about a three-yearjourney too, so you're coming up
on.
It's been about a three-yearjourney.
Were there any doubts, anystruggles, anything that in that
(17:40):
process you felt kind ofspiritual warfare-wise or what
has God been preparing you?
In some ways?
I know just my own personalcall to ministry, like the day
God called me very similar, butI wasn't really ready yet.
He needed to teach me somethings.
Has there been anything throughyour journey to this point that
you think has been reallyimportant?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
I mean, I'm a planner , so doing step-by-step is fine
with me.
Not having anything on thecalendar for the foreseeable
future is very strange.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Can create some anxiety when we're trusting God
for timing.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
So that's one thing I've just sort of had to, you
know, hand over to God.
He's got it under control.
He knows exactly where we willbe and when, even if we don't, I
don't know if I'd call itspiritual warfare.
Just.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Some internal refinement and bringing you,
helping you grow in your trustand patience.
Those things.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
There's been a lot of just trusting God for every
step along the way.
See what he will reveal.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
I know you've had to do the education.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
I mean, part of the journey was my mother went home
in 2019, and then we becamecaregivers for my father, who
had a lot of infirmities formany years and lots of things to
(19:10):
deal with with that and thetiming like you were talking
about timing that you know wewere like, well, this is the
time we have to care for him andgod will make it a time for us
to go um and really things,timing have lined up actually
(19:30):
kind of perfectly.
A lot of things like just asgod always does.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
I was gonna say should we be shocked by this?
Speaker 2 (19:36):
you know we are, but we shouldn't be you know, like
the divine appointment and withthe cab driver and it just other
things just fell into placewhen, like we, as part of that
process, you have to gointerview, and normally they
don't interview people untilthey're like ready to go, go, go
(19:57):
.
And we weren't ready to go, go,go, because my father was alive
and well and doing great andliving life and enjoying church
and enjoying time with familyand um didn't seem to have
anything that would cause him toleave us and go to his savior,
(20:19):
and so we just went and we wentthrough the process and they
knew I mean there was some good,great flexibility with the
company too.
It's like they knew that we'rein a special position and made
some slight exceptions for us togo do the interview so that we
were approved through thatprocess, so that when, in God's
(20:41):
timing, my father went home,then we could apply for
opportunities and timing and thecompany is very structured with
their timing to go places anddo things because they have,
into some fun facts, they haveabout 15 to 1600 people in what
(21:06):
they call the pipeline.
These are people that haveexpressed interest and have
started the application processand they're somewhere in that
application process.
So when you make the hurdles ofthose different parts of the
application process, you move onto the next step and there's
(21:26):
things to do at those next stepsand those are scheduled and,
like we have, that's one of thethings that's happening next
week for us as we leave forseven weeks of training, and
that has to be very scheduled.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
We'll be halfway through our training when this
airs.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
We are pre-recording, since they're heading out.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
We won't see them soon, so when you're listening,
just pray for us, as we will beparticipating in long days.
We will be doing a lot of Bibletraining because what we're
doing and how we do it is verymuch based on Acts and the
epistles and we're going to bereviewing those books quite a
(22:11):
bit and then just like theday-to-day routine of what it
means to be a worker in theharvest fields and the different
things that you'll encounterday-to-day.
But back to timing.
I mean, it just amazes me andlike you said it shouldn't, but
(22:32):
it does, um how his timing hasbeen perfect.
And, um, I know that waiting ispart of God's timing and we had
to wait.
You know, um, God blessed mewith the opportunity to do my
complete seminary, wherenormally, to go as a full-time
(22:53):
worker, you only need fourclasses, which would be like a
New Testament, an Old Testament,a systematic and a hermeneutics
and those that don't know.
But New Testament is dividedinto two classes typically.
So just one of those twoclasses, and that 12 credits is
all you need to go full time,but then you need an additional
(23:14):
20 to go career.
But that's a whole differentstory, but I have it now because
god gave me the time to do it,and praise god able to
completely focus on themissionary task and I don't have
any of those distractions.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Yeah, it's just amazing how god works to bring
those things together.
So I know, maybe you know inthis process too, and we won't
necessarily talk too much aboutdestination, but how did you
kind of follow God's leading andthe direction to go?
You know we can talk a littlebit about the International
Mission Board.
You know it's an awesomeorganization where we as
(23:47):
Christians and other churchescome together, pull resources to
spread the gospel.
You know, for anybody who'sfeeling called, I think there's
a lot that we could talk about.
But just in this process, god'sleading you where to go, where
to take opportunities, becausethere's so much need, how would
you say God really worked thatout for you all?
Speaker 3 (24:07):
So our biggest prayer was to go where the need was
greatest.
But that's a lot of places.
So one of the on the IMB'swebsite, you can actually see a
whole lot of data about variousareas around the world.
We're headed to the AsiaPacific Rim and just within
(24:33):
there, 50% of the world'slargest cities are there and 95%
of them live in spiritualdarkness.
So I mean, you're talking anarea of the world where there is
a very, very small percentageof people who have heard of
(24:56):
Jesus, an even smallerpercentage of those who are
evangelical Christian, and sothey actually have maps where
they have like red dots.
You can see all the unreachedpeople and stuff, and some areas
of the world are bright red.
There's nothing else, it's alllostness.
So as we were praying for whereto go, we wanted to go where
(25:20):
the need was greatest, but thatdidn't narrow it down as much as
we would have hoped.
But as we were looking at thepossibilities, we were leaning
between a few differentlocations and one of them.
As you get access, as you getthrough the application process,
you can see the needs, the jobpostings and one of them was the
(25:46):
oldest long-term one on thebooks and it was just sitting
there.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
How long had it been open?
Or a need?
Speaker 2 (25:54):
as long as we we're not sure the exact time frame,
but what we found out is throughthe processes.
Several people were surprisedthe job was still there because
the person that created the jobhad left the company several
years ago.
And it was just a kind of amystery why it didn't poof when
(26:15):
they left, because typicallywhen the hiring manager of a
particular job goes away, sodoes the job, but it just stayed
out there and it doesn't have asponsor or a champion at that
and one of the things I did is II used um some research data
that you can find on um aboutthe needs, so like numbers of
(26:38):
upgs unreached people groups ina country, the number of what's
called uupgs, which areunengaged, unreached people
groups, which means they've hadzero access to the gospel.
As far as data collectors areaware, there's no one there to
even speak.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Yeah, like.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Paul tells us Correct , and those verses in Romans 10
and 15 really have spoken to methroughout this journey.
Like that, I need to gosomewhere where he hasn't been
proclaimed um because how canthey hear?
Speaker 3 (27:20):
yeah?
Speaker 2 (27:22):
and so that was one of the things, and the
aggregators of data also say howmany laborers are needed in a
particular country and wherewe're going.
The name number of laborers isin the thousands that are needed
to get the gospel moving,because the idea for us is to
(27:46):
make a disciple and or disciplesthat will make disciples,
because we can't do it on ourown, because there are literally
millions of people in theregion we're going that have
zero access to the gospel andhave been stuck in their belief
(28:09):
system for centuries, and thecommunity is very associated
with that belief system.
So when you share it, the thegospel has a lot of resistance
because when, when one becomes abeliever, you are leaving that
community that you were in, thatyou you have been in.
(28:32):
And when there is no church toreally bring these people in
into the new community, itcreates obstacles.
Now, of course, we know nothingis impossible with God, so we
know that this will happen, butwe will overcome it through the
power of the Holy Spirit movingin people's hearts, because the
(28:54):
harvest is plentiful, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
So God's really calling you to go to difficult
places and be superuncomfortable, which is amazing,
you know he doesn't call us to.
You know, just take it easy andmaybe just step a little bit
outside, stepping way outside ofthe comfort zone and something
clearly it means it'll be allHim we don't get the glory.
We give Him the glory becauseit's not happening otherwise.
(29:20):
I think another part of yourstory I know you guys have
shared a little bit you'restepping into this position.
Like you said, there's zeropeople, but how God's worked to
allow there to be others comingaround you.
Maybe you can just share alittle bit about how God's
opened doors and provided someof the support there as well.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
Yeah, it's really exciting because, as we said, it
was a job that was old.
It was on the books.
When we applied for it it wasyes, we absolutely need people
here.
We have nobody there and wecan't just send brand new
missionaries to a city on theirown.
The IMB is very good about teamand support.
(30:00):
They're not just going to saygood luck.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
We're not called to do this on our own.
No, no, we are not.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
And there was another family that had been in the
same country for nearly a decadethat they thought would be
really good as a team lead.
So they reached out to them andthey went and checked it out
and prayed over it and they haveactually moved to that city as
(30:29):
of April or May of this year andthere's another family that
will be in the same training asus that's also going to this
city.
So within a few months God wentfrom zero people in the city to
a whole team.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
So it's really amazing just to see God moving
and affirming, and he knows theplans.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Removing those barriers should give you guys
confidence in where you're going, you know.
God's providing, he's going towork it out and I think that's a
great testimony in all of ourwalks when God calls us to
something you know he's going toprovide, you know we're going
to just become dependent, trustin him and he's going to open
that door.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
So we just need to obey, he'll take care of
everything, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
So what are you guys most excited about?
You know you're here gettingready for training, sending out.
You know God's really worked.
You're seeing amazing things.
You know what.
What ways are you most lookingforward to seeing God work in
this new, new time and seasonfor you guys?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
I think me um learning a new language.
I'm excited to learn a newlanguage, um I've had some
exposure to it, but not a greatdeal, and um I think that will
be another affirmation as we gothrough this.
Like we have a year roughly oflanguage school, where we'll be
(31:56):
getting language and culture atum school there and um going out
and speaking to people and justbecoming part of a new place
building relationships yeah,building relationships and, um,
(32:36):
yeah, building relationships,and just that's exciting to me.
A little scary, but knowing thatyou know the creator of
language is my God and hecreated these languages for
confusion, but at the same timehe is so powerful and can help
us through that and the toughtimes of long days of class for
a year and then taking exams topass.
Because that's one of thestipulations of being there and
staying is that the language islearned in a fluency so that you
(32:57):
can have conversations withpeople, because you can't work
through translators.
You know there's a differencebetween the short term and the
long term.
In the short term, you can usetranslators and it's acceptable
and it's fine.
But if you're going to be in alocation for a long time, you
need to speak the language tothe people, because it opens
(33:18):
them where they're at, just likethe man, the cab driver.
I go back to him.
I just said one word to him inhis language and it opened up a
conversation and just being ableto have a complete conversation
with someone In their language.
In their language, in theirlanguage is something I'm
excited about.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Very cool.
So, maybe shifting gears alittle bit, how would you
encourage people who are feelingstirred, who are maybe, like
you shared, realizing maybethere's some priorities, maybe
God's moving, how would youencourage them to discern that
call?
How can they follow that calland kind of learn from your
journey in that way?
Speaker 3 (33:59):
I mean certainly pray about it.
I mean that's number one.
If you read the Bible, I meanthere's obviously the Great
Commission.
There's so many passages, butit's not just for missionaries,
it's for everybody.
And maybe that's across thestreet, maybe that's on the
other side of the world, but youneed to talk to God about it.
(34:23):
You can't just assume you knowwhere he wants you.
So definitely I mean I'dchallenge anyone to sincerely
ask God what does he want fromyou?
Where does he want youSurrender?
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Many times after the service here.
We've gone up front in the pastand in the future.
Just surrender God.
What do you want to do with mylife?
My life is yours.
And then every day one of thethings in Mark Cahill's book
(34:59):
there he talks about every day,when you leave your house, pray
for opportunities to share thegospel and God will give you
those opportunities.
And when you don't I've seen itin my own life If I don't pray
that prayer, the opportunitiesare few and far between.
But when I pray that prayersincerely, either in the morning
(35:21):
before or just as I'm leaving,God gives me the chance.
You know, in the time with mydad, we had so many
opportunities at the er ordoctor's visits because my, my
father just had a positiveoutlook on life.
(35:42):
He counted it all a joy, he washappy.
Yet he hadn't walked on his ownfor for six years without
assistance, but he was stillhappy and pointed to Jesus and
everything that he did.
And you know, um, we, we needto.
We need to look at our livesand say what am I doing with my
(36:04):
life?
How can I be faithfullydifferent?
We are supposed to be set apartfrom this world, and if we're
just going about our humdrumlives here, career is great, but
are you using your career toshare Jesus?
Are you shining the light inthe darkness of your corporate
world.
(36:26):
Um yeah, like Lena said, youdon't, you don't have to go
across the seas, but God cancall you to that, and that's
where the surrender comes youknow, um, hopefully soon we'll
have some short term tripsplanned here and where you can
(36:48):
get a taste, and you can even goon the the IMB's website and
look up short term trips and youcould sign up for a trip for a
week or two, even outside oflife house and you'll be in good
hands because, the, the.
they come around you and theyguide you through it and, um,
(37:11):
it's an exciting opportunity andand I just go to philadelphia,
even, and walk around with acouple brothers or sisters in
christ and just look for peopleto talk to and just have
conversations and I think, likeyou said, we, we say it, but a
lot of times do we understandgiving our life to Christ?
Speaker 1 (37:32):
Christ gave his life for us, responding in what the
gospel is.
We kind of misunderstand thegospel if we're not willing to
give and we don't know whathe'll ask, we don't know where
he'll send.
But praying through becausehe's got something.
He doesn't call us out of sinand death to just chill right.
Sometimes we think happiness isthe ultimate goal.
(37:54):
That's something in our bookFaithfully Different for this
year is how it's viewed.
But really we're called to befaithful.
Faithfully different.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
But happy is not the same as joy, and true joy is
found in Christ.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
If happiness is a byproduct, great, but we're
called to be obedient in thoseways.
Awesome testimony, great, butwe're called to be obedient in
those ways.
So awesome testimony For thosewho might be interested.
Like you said you kind ofmentioned, short-term trips are
a great way to start living thatout.
Go and see someplace else andit sounds like it made a real
impact in your all's life.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
And there's a variety of trips for all ages too.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
There's journeymen.
I know we've had some from ourchurch who go out.
You know, right after highschool I know your son has spent
a gap year, you know, going andsharing the gospel.
So there are many ways.
So if you're praying about itand you're like discerning the
call, definitely see our churchoffices here.
We have missions and outreach.
Pastor Herb, it will be on thepodcast next week, but
(38:51):
definitely reach out to us as achurch family.
I think, like you all said whenyou felt that call the
confirming for anyone listeningwho'd like to learn more, I
think your testimony hopefullyinspires really some people to
move, because we need people togo.
We need to be obedient to goingin Christ.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
Absolutely.
That's what the Bible tells us.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
So, in closing any other exhortations you would
give to our listeners in termsof going with the gospel,
experiencing that life change,what would you kind of
encapsulate what your messagewould be in your testimony?
Speaker 2 (39:27):
Well, a verse that kept coming back to me
throughout my time in seminaryand even before seminary, is
John 4, 35 through 38.
And this is during the timewhere Jesus meets with the
Samaritan woman, and oftentimeswe focus on that part of the
(39:49):
story and it's a great story andit's a very good example of how
to share the gospel and someevangelism tools use that.
But there's a great nugget inthere these verses that just
have come back to me over andover again.
And it says do not say, thereare yet four months.
(40:11):
Then comes the harvest.
Look, I tell you, lift up youreyes and see that the fields are
white for harvest already.
The one who reaps is receivingwages and gathering fruit for
eternal life, so that some thatthe sower and reaper, may
rejoice together.
For here the saying holds trueone sows and another reaps.
I sent you to reap that you,for which, that you did not
(40:32):
labor.
Others have labored and youhave entered into their labor.
So, for example, where we'regoing, the, the bible, has been
in the language of the peoplefor century, almost a century,
and yet there is little gospelpresence.
So there there's been sowingand I just pray that we'll be
(40:56):
doing some reaping and that Godwill build his church repeatedly
throughout this region and thatthere will be a movement of
people becoming faithfulfollowers of Christ will be a
movement of people becomingfaithful followers of Christ,
and we know.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Revelation 7, 9 through 10 says After this, I
looked and behold a greatmultitude that no one could
number, from every nation, fromall tribes and peoples and
languages, standing before thethrone and before the Lamb,
clothed in white robes, withpalm branches in their hands and
crying out with a loud voicesalvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne, and tothe lamb.
(41:36):
We know that all nations willworship God, but God wants us to
be a part of that, so it'sreally our joy to help share the
gospel.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
Amen.
So I guess, as one final thing,how can we support you?
I know we've mentioned the IMB.
Certainly we encourage people.
We talked about it in theepisode with Paul, for those
who've been listening is youknow you all are going, you're
on one end of the rope.
How can we hold the other endof the rope for you all through
either giving to the IMB in somespecific way, of course, prayer
(42:10):
.
Speaker 3 (42:17):
You know what do you all feel the greatest way that
the church can come around youand support you all?
Speaker 2 (42:19):
well, prayer is number one, absolutely, and
we'll need prayer every step ofthe way, but also pray to see if
you're led to go yourself Imean um give to the bloody moon,
um is 70% of the funds thatsupport the 3,600 people that
are on the field today come fromthe Lottie Moon offering.
(42:40):
Every year.
So faithful Southern Baptistchurches that give at Christmas
and or throughout the year tothat fund support us.
And then the remaining fundscome from what's called
cooperative money, which is alsogiven by the churches but to
the state funds, and then thestates divvy it out and the rest
(43:03):
come from that.
So big praise for us is we'refully funded um that our daily
living expenses, um place tolive.
All these things have beengraciously provided by God
through faithful givers.
We will soon, hopefully, haveinformation about giving to our
(43:27):
ministry needs.
So one of the things that we'llneed to raise funds for
throughout this journey isministry needs when we're there.
So if we're having a workshop,for example, where some national
partners are coming in to learnwhat's called the core
missionary task, which maybe wecan briefly talk about the core
missionary task before we finishup and so those people are
(43:50):
coming from a distance, say,they take a bus or a train or a
taxi and there's some lodgingexpenses or food expenses for
them.
And these people may bebivocational and not have a lot,
but they want to come to thetraining, but they can't really
afford the training.
So that's helpful that we havesome funds to say, hey, you guys
can come to this training, butwe're going to pay for your
(44:13):
lunch and we're going to pay foryour night at the Airbnb or
whatever it is you know, andthen they don't have to dip into
their own money.
A little bit was givengenerously.
Many churches were verygenerous to him and supported
(44:33):
all his needs, and you know alot of these places in the world
where workers are going out,the cost is very low.
You know, $10, $20 really goesa long way.
It covers lodging and food andyou're like what that's crazy?
No, well, it's the expense.
Speaker 1 (44:55):
So I think, supporting you financially you
know, and I think everybodyknows like you can always do
something in going and whetherit's support through the church,
I think, hopefully, yourtestimony has been a great one
in how gifts, tithing, givingsupports people like yourself
who the church is sending.
It's why, especially asbelievers, we can give to
(45:15):
something greater than ourselvesand be provided for.
There's so many needs, but themore we pull them together, god
takes those and blesses them, nomatter what.
And then, of course, prayer.
I know you guys will have anewsletter, so I encourage
people reach out to LifehouseChurch.
If you're interested in keepingin touch with Eric and Lena and
their journey, we willdefinitely get you hooked up
(45:37):
with that, how you can pray forthem, how you can keep up to
date with where God's workingand where they're going.
And I know you mentioned themissionary task.
Maybe we can just kind of endon that.
If you guys want to share, thiswill be what you guys are doing
on the ground and how reallyGod's revealed how we can work.
You already mentioned earlierdisciples, making disciples, so
maybe walk us through that andwe'll kind of have a good send
(46:00):
off on folks going with thegospel and encourage them to
pray over it.
Speaker 3 (46:04):
Yeah, it's essentially it is disciples
making disciples, disciples.
But because we're going into adifferent part of the world, um,
there's a few specific ways toapproach it to make sure that we
can be the most effective andthese are things.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
So these specific things.
We ask you to pray for us aseach step of this, as we engage
in these steps in the weeks tocome, we'll be learning about
these things in depth, but alsothat we are successful with the
power of the Holy spirit behindus in each of these steps.
(46:40):
So go ahead.
Speaker 3 (46:42):
Yeah, so the first is entry.
We'll be learning the language,we'll need a reason to be in
the country.
That's not being missionaries,so we may be doing some
vocational work or whatever, butessentially, You're able to get
on the ground and getintegrated, and that's not
always easy.
Speaker 1 (47:02):
We kind of think we just take a plane and land and
it's not that easy, right?
No?
Speaker 3 (47:05):
there's a little bit more to it than that and of
course, language learning is abig part of that, to start as
well.
And then evangelism, which iswhat we think of as we
understand sharing the gospel.
But we don't just stop there,we don't just say yay, you
accepted Christ, good luck.
There's discipleship, there'sbuilding up, there's helping new
(47:27):
Christians to understand theBible, to understand what it
means to live for God.
It's not just you acceptedChrist and get abandoned.
So discipleship is a huge partof the core missionary task.
And just from that, fromevangelism, from discipleship,
(47:49):
there's a church built just likean ax.
We're not talking a building,not a physical church built, but
people meeting together on aregular basis, supporting each
other, studying the Bible,learning together.
And as churches grow and asthey're built up and as they
continue to study God's word,there needs to be leadership
(48:09):
development.
Because as well as we learn thelanguage, we're not local.
It needs to be a local church.
So as the church grows,leadership is developed so that
they can be autonomous, they canrun their own church, they can
(48:32):
choose their own pastors, raiseup their own elders, et cetera,
which I mean.
This is not like a two-weekprocess, this is years.
But eventually the goal is whenthere's a healthy church to exit
to partnership to allow them toevangelize and make disciples
(48:56):
and build up more churches andto exit to a place where maybe
there is no church and let thelocal church do the job.
Do the great commission sharethe gospel?
And I mean, obviously everystep.
We're abiding with Christthroughout this.
It's all through prayer,through reading the Bible,
(49:16):
through trusting God for everystep along the way.
Speaker 1 (49:20):
And all this is based on pretty much exactly how Paul
did it right.
We're going to go, we're goingto pray.
God's going to reveal people.
We want to establish a peoplewhere there was no people.
So I think, hopefully for allour listeners kind of help you
understand, like they're notgoing to just like talk to
people and you know hope it goeswell.
But there's a real way that Godworks to bring people to Christ
(49:41):
and and to multiply the gospeland see God bring that harvest.
Speaker 3 (49:46):
So so well as you read Acts.
I mean you might have a chapteror two on a particular
missionary journey, but thosejourneys are years.
Speaker 1 (49:53):
Paul didn't just stop in for a week and leave For a
weekend trip, you know, weekendgetaway to Ephesus or anything
like that, of course, and I meanthe process is consuming and
we're going long term.
Speaker 3 (50:05):
We're not just going to say I am.
Speaker 1 (50:08):
We're not going for a short term vacation.
This is long term-termcommitment.
Warwick and Lena, it's beengreat hearing your testimony how
God's worked for the Life Talkfamily.
We pray.
This has been encouraging.
We do pray that you areencouraged to go with the gospel
, whether it's across the streetor God calls us to big things.
(50:28):
If you want your life to bemeaning something for Him, be
willing to go where he goes, bewilling to submit your life, and
we as a church want to comearound and encourage anybody in
that way.
So thank you so much for takingthe time today.
Speaker 3 (50:41):
Thank, you for having us.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
Thank you very much, Of course, Life Talk family.
We will see you next time.
Thanks for tuning in to theLife Talk podcast.
If this episode encouraged you,please be sure to like, comment
, subscribe and leave a reviewso others can find this content
as well, and we'll look forwardto seeing you next Monday for
another great episode.
what's up life talk family.
Welcome back to the life talkpodcast.
Uh, your summer host here, nate, coming back with you.
Jarvis, still, he's out theresomewhere.
We'll find him one of thesedays, but today we'll be talking
about going, so maybe somebodywill run Jarvis down and bring
him back to the podcast.
But I am excited to be joinedby two special guests today.
(00:34):
I have with us our very ownEric and Lena Bauer.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Eric and Lena how are you guys doing today?
Good morning, we're doing great.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Thank you Awesome.
It's a good morning to be onthe podcast, so appreciate you
guys taking some time.
So for the Life Talk family,remember we are coming through
August and our theme for thismonth has been we go, we go for
the gospel and with the gospeland to share the love of Christ.
And we're excited.
Eric and Lena are formallymissionaries, getting ready to
(01:04):
go out, getting ready to reallytruly go, not just go across the
street but really go to theother side of the world.
So I know you guys have anamazing testimony, really
excited for everyone listeningto hear more about you.
So I always like to kick offjust getting to know you a
little better, just getting toknow you a little better.
(01:27):
If you guys want to, eric, gofirst and share a little bit
just your life and journey andgetting to know Christ and what
we should know about Eric.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Bauer.
So good morning everybody.
I was saved at a very young age.
One of my earliest memories isasking Christ to be my Savior
about the age of five, and Igrew up in an independent
Baptist church up in theNortheast and God blessed me
(01:57):
with faithful parents.
We attended church regularlyand I had good preaching,
biblically-based preaching, andknew many missionaries.
Growing up, my parents wouldhost them at our house when they
were visiting for missions weekat our church and things like
that.
So then fast forward, when I was12, I started going to a camp
(02:21):
Christian camp up in upstate NewYork and at that camp, uh, one
of the counselors, um, was veryinfluential in my life and
leading towards missions.
I didn't realize it at the time, um, but um, he, he went on and
is continuing.
He's on the field now and he'sbeen on the field for close to
(02:43):
40 years and with anorganization called OMF and God
blessed me with.
One year he was my counselorand then other times I've run
into him over the years going upthere to take our son up there
for camp and things like thatand um just reconnecting with
(03:04):
him and his journey over theyears, um going from the time he
was in his 20s to go andforward.
And then, um in 2018, lena andI started attending, attended
here and we saw the missionalfocus at.
(03:27):
Lifehouse, you know, with thechurch plants, people going and
leaving a church they'recomfortable with and going to a
new place maybe not too far away, but still it's new and
planting.
And repeatedly Pastor Mark'smessages, the pieces of the
(03:51):
Great Commission and otherverses just kind of hit me
between the eyes.
I had been in banking for twodecades and God closed that door
.
I was let go and, um, I triedvery hard, prayed very hard for
new opportunities in that spaceand, um, god kind of closed the
(04:16):
door, like a bank vault, so tospeak, where we're just
unintended, no pun intendedwhere it just like was unmovable
, like every, every opportunity.
It's like, oh no, sorry, um,maybe you were under
underqualified or overqualified,I don't know, but I truly felt.
It was now as I reflected as thehand of god saying no, this is
(04:39):
not what I want for you.
I have better plans for you inthe future.
Just follow me, like he says inMatthew 4, 19, follow me and I
will make you fishers of men.
And so, as pastor Mark sharesabout how, like he felt led to
go to seminary before he waseven being in the ministry, I
(05:04):
started seminary and, thanks toJoel Miller and others like Paul
, I was able to go on short-termtrips, and some people question
short-term trips as a method ofgoing, but I think they're very
effective in showing people theopportunities that are out
(05:27):
there to experience othercultures, other believers and
opportunities to share.
People want to talk toAmericans and they're very open
and happy to see an American.
And they're very open and happyto see an American and they
want to hear about whatAmericans have to say.
And so what we can say is Jesusis the way, the truth and the
(05:52):
life.
And that's shocking to many ofthem because they may think of
Jesus as just a guy or maybe aprophet, or they don't even know
who he is.
And you know, um?
At one time I did a radicalstudy and that kind of woke me
up a lot.
Like am I really taking up mycross every day?
(06:13):
What am I doing with my life?
What?
What have I done with my life?
My life is finite on thisplanet.
And I did a book study on umthe one thing you can't do in
heaven and that really said tome hey, you can't.
You can't share Jesus in heaven.
(06:34):
And just learning about UPGsunreached people groups which
refers to like two percent ofthe population Less than 2% of
the population is evangelicalChristian and just the vast
lostness in the world keptpushing me and pushing me.
And after six trips to variouscountries in Africa and the
(07:02):
Caribbean and so on, and readingmissionary biographies to the
Golden Shore, I highly recommendto anyone that's thinking about
going just read what ourmissionary forefathers went
through and how easy it is forus today to take a week or two
(07:23):
off from our life here inAmerica and take a flight.
Maybe it takes a day or two toget someplace, not six months to
a year, but just a day or two.
And you're there and you areloved by the local body of
Christ.
When you arrive they are sohappy to have someone come and
(07:46):
share about their life and yourtestimony, no matter how small
you think your testimony is.
It's huge to someone else.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
So that's a bit of it in a nutshell, really amazing
process, god bringing youthrough your secular work and
closing that door and working inyou spiritually to kind of get
you to this point.
And so, yeah, some awesomethings for reading
recommendations, all those goodthings.
Well, lena, how about yourself?
(08:16):
How would we understand more ofyour background and kind of?
Especially, this is a jointdecision for you guys to really
want to hear your side.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Yeah, absolutely.
My story is actually sort ofsimilar.
I was also raised in aChristian household.
I was saved at a very young age.
In fact later and I say laterrelatively in elementary school,
I decided I wasn't quite sureif I knew what I was doing the
first time around, so I madesure I accepted Jesus again.
We met in college, we um.
(08:54):
When I was young I would telleverybody I wanted to be a
missionary doctor.
And then by the time we got tocollege, biology was not my
forefront and plans changed.
So um shifted my major, shifteddirection a little and, like
Eric, got more into career andfamily and pursued that Still.
(09:18):
You know, being a Christian butnot pursuing God wholeheartedly
.
And when we started coming toLifeHouse, one of the things
that Pastor Mark said wasanything where you are not fully
obeying God and putting himfirst is sin.
And before that I was thinkingyou know I'm saved, I know I'm
(09:38):
saved, I'm not actively doinghorrible things.
But that got me really thinkingabout well, am I really putting
God first?
So that, combined withshort-term mission trips, really
put us down the path of okay,where does God want us, what is
(10:01):
his plan, where should we be andwhen?
We prayed about that.
We ended up on this pathway.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
So it was actually back in 2022 when we first
started the application processto become overseas missionaries
and kind of seeing that lifelongjourney, you know, coming to
faith early, but how we continueto grow, how God continues to
work in our life.
And you know I think somethingyou touched on it's easy to get
(10:30):
real comfortable.
It's easy to fall into idolatry, like you said, from what
Pastor Mark shared of you know,anything else we're setting up
over and against God's positionin our life can lead us to out
of order priorities, not reallyactualizing who God is.
So I'd love to hear you know,especially for you all being
(10:52):
married you know you said 2018coming and what kind of led you
all to that point of theapplication process.
How did God really, you know,were there any kind of specific
moments for either of you?
You know we we're, we arerecording this, so you have to
be honest, but was somebody likeon board and the other, uh, I
don't know if I want to do this.
(11:12):
How did that play out for you,especially since this is an
awesome thing that you guys aredoing together?
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I mean, I think we were both on the same page.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
He was a little bit more pursuing and I was a bit
slower yes, so in november of 22I came back from a 10-day trip
where I had been, not with ateam, but working with an
organization in africa and um I,from the very moment that trip
(11:44):
started, I had a divineappointment.
So I took the train to New YorkCity, excuse me, and I hailed a
cab and the cab driver got outand he had a long robe and a
(12:05):
skull cap and a beard.
And I said to myself this guy'sa Muslim, I could just tell you
know.
And so I said to him where areyou?
from and he's like Dakar and ofthe times I've been in Africa,
that was one of the places I hadbeen and I said to him nega def
, which is like hey, what's upin his language, and he just was
shocked that I knew a few wordsin his language and with that
(12:29):
we had.
I had the opportunity to sharethe gospel with him three times
on the drive from Manhattan tothe JFK and just it placed it on
my heart that there's suchlostness in the world, that
there's such lostness in theworld.
There's a man in New York Cityhungering for the gospel,
because he had a lot ofquestions about Christianity and
(12:49):
I was able to answer some ofthem well, thanks to the
education I received, and justlike different denominational
questions he had aboutChristianity as a Muslim, he was
kind of confused about that.
You know, aren't you allChristians and what's this
denomination stuff?
(13:10):
And so I was able to go throughthat with him and still, as
part of that conversation,repeatedly share that Jesus is
the way, the truth and the lifeand that he came and died for
him and his blood washes awayhis sins and that he needs to
put his faith and trust in jesus.
And he's buried and died,buried and rose again and he's
(13:31):
at the right hand of god andhe's your savior.
You just need to put your faithand trust in him.
And I was able to do that threetimes, which I I praise god for,
and that just started the tripoff in a different way than a
lot of other trips I had been onand then throughout that trip
we did a lot of evangelism andseveral people put their faith
(13:54):
and trust in Jesus and I justpraise the Holy Spirit for
moving in their heart.
I came home from that trip andI said to Lena I feel like this
is what I should do with therest of our lives and we should
do for the rest of our livesPray about this.
I really want to make this goforward, and so she prayed.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
And I'd already been praying.
I wasn't surprised by that.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
I was going to say.
I know you've heard like Joel'stestimony to going out like, in
your case, sounds like brandyfor him.
You know like been waiting foryou to say something like this.
That's amazing, god working inyour life and bringing you guys
together in that.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
So, like the next day , we just started the
application process with theInternational Mission board,
which is the, the missionorganization that our church is
associated with here, and so nodelay in obedience, like next
day.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
We're we're doing this.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Let's get this process going started that's
awesome ball rolling and youknow, um.
One of the first questions thatcame out of that was does your
church affirm your calling tointernational missions?
Karen and I looked, and welooked at each other and said we
think so, but we can't just sayyes to that question, so that
(15:17):
Sunday I spoke to Pastor.
Mark and he said I think so,but let's get this affirmed by
the elders.
So we got on the agenda for theelders and that Thursday we met
for about about a half hour andthey had a bunch of questions
for us, a lot of stuff that wecouldn't answer because we
(15:40):
didn't know yet.
Like where, where are you gonnago?
What?
Speaker 3 (15:43):
are you gonna?
Speaker 1 (15:44):
do when are?
Speaker 3 (15:44):
you going.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
We had no idea no, we , we've got this calling, we got
to go.
You know, we don't know where,we don't know when but and was
one of the most go.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
You know, we don't know where, we don't know when,
but and was one of the mostimportant things that the
company likes to be sure is thatyou were sent by the church,
just like we see in acts.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Barnabas set apart for set apart.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
They weren't just, oh we're gonna go.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
this isn't us, you know, just doing our own thing.
We're doing this as part of thebody of Christ and being sent
out.
They're really important,exactly, yep.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
So they affirmed us and we went through a lengthy
forms, applications, phone calls.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
So for those who aren't familiar with the
International Mission Boardsprocess, so for those who aren't
familiar with the InternationalMission Boards process, in
order to make sure that they'resending missionaries that are
(16:49):
going to be able to stay on thefield, because it doesn't make
sense to train somebody only forthem to come straight back.
They have a lengthy applicationprocess and they have financial
requirements and emotionalrequirements and educational
requirements and there's a wholelong checklist.
So even when we were firstapplying, we're like well, we
don't know our timing, we don'tknow any of this.
They said that's okay, it's amulti-year process, you can
start now and whenever you getthere, you get there.
(17:11):
So we started.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
That's the importance of the obedience.
We're starting down this pathand trusting God for the timing
and the direction.
How was that journey?
Because you said this was 2022,so you're coming up on.
It's been about a three-yearjourney too, so you're coming up
on.
It's been about a three-yearjourney.
Were there any doubts, anystruggles, anything that in that
(17:40):
process you felt kind ofspiritual warfare-wise or what
has God been preparing you?
In some ways?
I know just my own personalcall to ministry, like the day
God called me very similar, butI wasn't really ready yet.
He needed to teach me somethings.
Has there been anything throughyour journey to this point that
you think has been reallyimportant?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
I mean, I'm a planner , so doing step-by-step is fine
with me.
Not having anything on thecalendar for the foreseeable
future is very strange.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Can create some anxiety when we're trusting God
for timing.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
So that's one thing I've just sort of had to, you
know, hand over to God.
He's got it under control.
He knows exactly where we willbe and when, even if we don't, I
don't know if I'd call itspiritual warfare.
Just.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Some internal refinement and bringing you,
helping you grow in your trustand patience.
Those things.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
There's been a lot of just trusting God for every
step along the way.
See what he will reveal.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
I know you've had to do the education.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
I mean, part of the journey was my mother went home
in 2019, and then we becamecaregivers for my father, who
had a lot of infirmities formany years and lots of things to
(19:10):
deal with with that and thetiming like you were talking
about timing that you know wewere like, well, this is the
time we have to care for him andgod will make it a time for us
to go um and really things,timing have lined up actually
(19:30):
kind of perfectly.
A lot of things like just asgod always does.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
I was gonna say should we be shocked by this?
Speaker 2 (19:36):
you know we are, but we shouldn't be you know, like
the divine appointment and withthe cab driver and it just other
things just fell into placewhen, like we, as part of that
process, you have to gointerview, and normally they
don't interview people untilthey're like ready to go, go, go
(19:57):
.
And we weren't ready to go, go,go, because my father was alive
and well and doing great andliving life and enjoying church
and enjoying time with familyand um didn't seem to have
anything that would cause him toleave us and go to his savior,
(20:19):
and so we just went and we wentthrough the process and they
knew I mean there was some good,great flexibility with the
company too.
It's like they knew that we'rein a special position and made
some slight exceptions for us togo do the interview so that we
were approved through thatprocess, so that when, in God's
(20:41):
timing, my father went home,then we could apply for
opportunities and timing and thecompany is very structured with
their timing to go places anddo things because they have,
into some fun facts, they haveabout 15 to 1600 people in what
(21:06):
they call the pipeline.
These are people that haveexpressed interest and have
started the application processand they're somewhere in that
application process.
So when you make the hurdles ofthose different parts of the
application process, you move onto the next step and there's
(21:26):
things to do at those next stepsand those are scheduled and,
like we have, that's one of thethings that's happening next
week for us as we leave forseven weeks of training, and
that has to be very scheduled.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
We'll be halfway through our training when this
airs.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
We are pre-recording, since they're heading out.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
We won't see them soon, so when you're listening,
just pray for us, as we will beparticipating in long days.
We will be doing a lot of Bibletraining because what we're
doing and how we do it is verymuch based on Acts and the
epistles and we're going to bereviewing those books quite a
(22:11):
bit and then just like theday-to-day routine of what it
means to be a worker in theharvest fields and the different
things that you'll encounterday-to-day.
But back to timing.
I mean, it just amazes me andlike you said it shouldn't, but
(22:32):
it does, um how his timing hasbeen perfect.
And, um, I know that waiting ispart of God's timing and we had
to wait.
You know, um, God blessed mewith the opportunity to do my
complete seminary, wherenormally, to go as a full-time
(22:53):
worker, you only need fourclasses, which would be like a
New Testament, an Old Testament,a systematic and a hermeneutics
and those that don't know.
But New Testament is dividedinto two classes typically.
So just one of those twoclasses, and that 12 credits is
all you need to go full time,but then you need an additional
(23:14):
20 to go career.
But that's a whole differentstory, but I have it now because
god gave me the time to do it,and praise god able to
completely focus on themissionary task and I don't have
any of those distractions.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Yeah, it's just amazing how god works to bring
those things together.
So I know, maybe you know inthis process too, and we won't
necessarily talk too much aboutdestination, but how did you
kind of follow God's leading andthe direction to go?
You know we can talk a littlebit about the International
Mission Board.
You know it's an awesomeorganization where we as
(23:47):
Christians and other churchescome together, pull resources to
spread the gospel.
You know, for anybody who'sfeeling called, I think there's
a lot that we could talk about.
But just in this process, god'sleading you where to go, where
to take opportunities, becausethere's so much need, how would
you say God really worked thatout for you all?
Speaker 3 (24:07):
So our biggest prayer was to go where the need was
greatest.
But that's a lot of places.
So one of the on the IMB'swebsite, you can actually see a
whole lot of data about variousareas around the world.
We're headed to the AsiaPacific Rim and just within
(24:33):
there, 50% of the world'slargest cities are there and 95%
of them live in spiritualdarkness.
So I mean, you're talking anarea of the world where there is
a very, very small percentageof people who have heard of
(24:56):
Jesus, an even smallerpercentage of those who are
evangelical Christian, and sothey actually have maps where
they have like red dots.
You can see all the unreachedpeople and stuff, and some areas
of the world are bright red.
There's nothing else, it's alllostness.
So as we were praying for whereto go, we wanted to go where
(25:20):
the need was greatest, but thatdidn't narrow it down as much as
we would have hoped.
But as we were looking at thepossibilities, we were leaning
between a few differentlocations and one of them.
As you get access, as you getthrough the application process,
you can see the needs, the jobpostings and one of them was the
(25:46):
oldest long-term one on thebooks and it was just sitting
there.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
How long had it been open?
Or a need?
Speaker 2 (25:54):
as long as we we're not sure the exact time frame,
but what we found out is throughthe processes.
Several people were surprisedthe job was still there because
the person that created the jobhad left the company several
years ago.
And it was just a kind of amystery why it didn't poof when
(26:15):
they left, because typicallywhen the hiring manager of a
particular job goes away, sodoes the job, but it just stayed
out there and it doesn't have asponsor or a champion at that
and one of the things I did is II used um some research data
that you can find on um aboutthe needs, so like numbers of
(26:38):
upgs unreached people groups ina country, the number of what's
called uupgs, which areunengaged, unreached people
groups, which means they've hadzero access to the gospel.
As far as data collectors areaware, there's no one there to
even speak.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Yeah, like.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Paul tells us Correct , and those verses in Romans 10
and 15 really have spoken to methroughout this journey.
Like that, I need to gosomewhere where he hasn't been
proclaimed um because how canthey hear?
Speaker 3 (27:20):
yeah?
Speaker 2 (27:22):
and so that was one of the things, and the
aggregators of data also say howmany laborers are needed in a
particular country and wherewe're going.
The name number of laborers isin the thousands that are needed
to get the gospel moving,because the idea for us is to
(27:46):
make a disciple and or disciplesthat will make disciples,
because we can't do it on ourown, because there are literally
millions of people in theregion we're going that have
zero access to the gospel andhave been stuck in their belief
(28:09):
system for centuries, and thecommunity is very associated
with that belief system.
So when you share it, the thegospel has a lot of resistance
because when, when one becomes abeliever, you are leaving that
community that you were in, thatyou you have been in.
(28:32):
And when there is no church toreally bring these people in
into the new community, itcreates obstacles.
Now, of course, we know nothingis impossible with God, so we
know that this will happen, butwe will overcome it through the
power of the Holy Spirit movingin people's hearts, because the
(28:54):
harvest is plentiful, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
So God's really calling you to go to difficult
places and be superuncomfortable, which is amazing,
you know he doesn't call us to.
You know, just take it easy andmaybe just step a little bit
outside, stepping way outside ofthe comfort zone and something
clearly it means it'll be allHim we don't get the glory.
We give Him the glory becauseit's not happening otherwise.
(29:20):
I think another part of yourstory I know you guys have
shared a little bit you'restepping into this position.
Like you said, there's zeropeople, but how God's worked to
allow there to be others comingaround you.
Maybe you can just share alittle bit about how God's
opened doors and provided someof the support there as well.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
Yeah, it's really exciting because, as we said, it
was a job that was old.
It was on the books.
When we applied for it it wasyes, we absolutely need people
here.
We have nobody there and wecan't just send brand new
missionaries to a city on theirown.
The IMB is very good about teamand support.
(30:00):
They're not just going to saygood luck.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
We're not called to do this on our own.
No, no, we are not.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
And there was another family that had been in the
same country for nearly a decadethat they thought would be
really good as a team lead.
So they reached out to them andthey went and checked it out
and prayed over it and they haveactually moved to that city as
(30:29):
of April or May of this year andthere's another family that
will be in the same training asus that's also going to this
city.
So within a few months God wentfrom zero people in the city to
a whole team.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
So it's really amazing just to see God moving
and affirming, and he knows theplans.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Removing those barriers should give you guys
confidence in where you're going, you know.
God's providing, he's going towork it out and I think that's a
great testimony in all of ourwalks when God calls us to
something you know he's going toprovide, you know we're going
to just become dependent, trustin him and he's going to open
that door.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
So we just need to obey, he'll take care of
everything, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
So what are you guys most excited about?
You know you're here gettingready for training, sending out.
You know God's really worked.
You're seeing amazing things.
You know what.
What ways are you most lookingforward to seeing God work in
this new, new time and seasonfor you guys?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
I think me um learning a new language.
I'm excited to learn a newlanguage, um I've had some
exposure to it, but not a greatdeal, and um I think that will
be another affirmation as we gothrough this.
Like we have a year roughly oflanguage school, where we'll be
(31:56):
getting language and culture atum school there and um going out
and speaking to people and justbecoming part of a new place
building relationships yeah,building relationships and, um,
(32:36):
yeah, building relationships,and just that's exciting to me.
A little scary, but knowing thatyou know the creator of
language is my God and hecreated these languages for
confusion, but at the same timehe is so powerful and can help
us through that and the toughtimes of long days of class for
a year and then taking exams topass.
Because that's one of thestipulations of being there and
staying is that the language islearned in a fluency so that you
(32:57):
can have conversations withpeople, because you can't work
through translators.
You know there's a differencebetween the short term and the
long term.
In the short term, you can usetranslators and it's acceptable
and it's fine.
But if you're going to be in alocation for a long time, you
need to speak the language tothe people, because it opens
(33:18):
them where they're at, just likethe man, the cab driver.
I go back to him.
I just said one word to him inhis language and it opened up a
conversation and just being ableto have a complete conversation
with someone In their language.
In their language, in theirlanguage is something I'm
excited about.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Very cool.
So, maybe shifting gears alittle bit, how would you
encourage people who are feelingstirred, who are maybe, like
you shared, realizing maybethere's some priorities, maybe
God's moving, how would youencourage them to discern that
call?
How can they follow that calland kind of learn from your
journey in that way?
Speaker 3 (33:59):
I mean certainly pray about it.
I mean that's number one.
If you read the Bible, I meanthere's obviously the Great
Commission.
There's so many passages, butit's not just for missionaries,
it's for everybody.
And maybe that's across thestreet, maybe that's on the
other side of the world, but youneed to talk to God about it.
(34:23):
You can't just assume you knowwhere he wants you.
So definitely I mean I'dchallenge anyone to sincerely
ask God what does he want fromyou?
Where does he want youSurrender?
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Many times after the service here.
We've gone up front in the pastand in the future.
Just surrender God.
What do you want to do with mylife?
My life is yours.
And then every day one of thethings in Mark Cahill's book
(34:59):
there he talks about every day,when you leave your house, pray
for opportunities to share thegospel and God will give you
those opportunities.
And when you don't I've seen itin my own life If I don't pray
that prayer, the opportunitiesare few and far between.
But when I pray that prayersincerely, either in the morning
(35:21):
before or just as I'm leaving,God gives me the chance.
You know, in the time with mydad, we had so many
opportunities at the er ordoctor's visits because my, my
father just had a positiveoutlook on life.
(35:42):
He counted it all a joy, he washappy.
Yet he hadn't walked on his ownfor for six years without
assistance, but he was stillhappy and pointed to Jesus and
everything that he did.
And you know, um, we, we needto.
We need to look at our livesand say what am I doing with my
(36:04):
life?
How can I be faithfullydifferent?
We are supposed to be set apartfrom this world, and if we're
just going about our humdrumlives here, career is great, but
are you using your career toshare Jesus?
Are you shining the light inthe darkness of your corporate
world.
(36:26):
Um yeah, like Lena said, youdon't, you don't have to go
across the seas, but God cancall you to that, and that's
where the surrender comes youknow, um, hopefully soon we'll
have some short term tripsplanned here and where you can
(36:48):
get a taste, and you can even goon the the IMB's website and
look up short term trips and youcould sign up for a trip for a
week or two, even outside oflife house and you'll be in good
hands because, the, the.
they come around you and theyguide you through it and, um,
(37:11):
it's an exciting opportunity andand I just go to philadelphia,
even, and walk around with acouple brothers or sisters in
christ and just look for peopleto talk to and just have
conversations and I think, likeyou said, we, we say it, but a
lot of times do we understandgiving our life to Christ?
Speaker 1 (37:32):
Christ gave his life for us, responding in what the
gospel is.
We kind of misunderstand thegospel if we're not willing to
give and we don't know whathe'll ask, we don't know where
he'll send.
But praying through becausehe's got something.
He doesn't call us out of sinand death to just chill right.
Sometimes we think happiness isthe ultimate goal.
(37:54):
That's something in our bookFaithfully Different for this
year is how it's viewed.
But really we're called to befaithful.
Faithfully different.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
But happy is not the same as joy, and true joy is
found in Christ.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
If happiness is a byproduct, great, but we're
called to be obedient in thoseways.
Awesome testimony, great, butwe're called to be obedient in
those ways.
So awesome testimony For thosewho might be interested.
Like you said you kind ofmentioned, short-term trips are
a great way to start living thatout.
Go and see someplace else andit sounds like it made a real
impact in your all's life.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
And there's a variety of trips for all ages too.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
There's journeymen.
I know we've had some from ourchurch who go out.
You know, right after highschool I know your son has spent
a gap year, you know, going andsharing the gospel.
So there are many ways.
So if you're praying about itand you're like discerning the
call, definitely see our churchoffices here.
We have missions and outreach.
Pastor Herb, it will be on thepodcast next week, but
(38:51):
definitely reach out to us as achurch family.
I think, like you all said whenyou felt that call the
confirming for anyone listeningwho'd like to learn more, I
think your testimony hopefullyinspires really some people to
move, because we need people togo.
We need to be obedient to goingin Christ.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
Absolutely.
That's what the Bible tells us.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
So, in closing any other exhortations you would
give to our listeners in termsof going with the gospel,
experiencing that life change,what would you kind of
encapsulate what your messagewould be in your testimony?
Speaker 2 (39:27):
Well, a verse that kept coming back to me
throughout my time in seminaryand even before seminary, is
John 4, 35 through 38.
And this is during the timewhere Jesus meets with the
Samaritan woman, and oftentimeswe focus on that part of the
(39:49):
story and it's a great story andit's a very good example of how
to share the gospel and someevangelism tools use that.
But there's a great nugget inthere these verses that just
have come back to me over andover again.
And it says do not say, thereare yet four months.
(40:11):
Then comes the harvest.
Look, I tell you, lift up youreyes and see that the fields are
white for harvest already.
The one who reaps is receivingwages and gathering fruit for
eternal life, so that some thatthe sower and reaper, may
rejoice together.
For here the saying holds trueone sows and another reaps.
I sent you to reap that you,for which, that you did not
(40:32):
labor.
Others have labored and youhave entered into their labor.
So, for example, where we'regoing, the, the bible, has been
in the language of the peoplefor century, almost a century,
and yet there is little gospelpresence.
So there there's been sowingand I just pray that we'll be
(40:56):
doing some reaping and that Godwill build his church repeatedly
throughout this region and thatthere will be a movement of
people becoming faithfulfollowers of Christ will be a
movement of people becomingfaithful followers of Christ,
and we know.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Revelation 7, 9 through 10 says After this, I
looked and behold a greatmultitude that no one could
number, from every nation, fromall tribes and peoples and
languages, standing before thethrone and before the Lamb,
clothed in white robes, withpalm branches in their hands and
crying out with a loud voicesalvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne, and tothe lamb.
(41:36):
We know that all nations willworship God, but God wants us to
be a part of that, so it'sreally our joy to help share the
gospel.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
Amen.
So I guess, as one final thing,how can we support you?
I know we've mentioned the IMB.
Certainly we encourage people.
We talked about it in theepisode with Paul, for those
who've been listening is youknow you all are going, you're
on one end of the rope.
How can we hold the other endof the rope for you all through
either giving to the IMB in somespecific way, of course, prayer
(42:10):
.
Speaker 3 (42:17):
You know what do you all feel the greatest way that
the church can come around youand support you all?
Speaker 2 (42:19):
well, prayer is number one, absolutely, and
we'll need prayer every step ofthe way, but also pray to see if
you're led to go yourself Imean um give to the bloody moon,
um is 70% of the funds thatsupport the 3,600 people that
are on the field today come fromthe Lottie Moon offering.
(42:40):
Every year.
So faithful Southern Baptistchurches that give at Christmas
and or throughout the year tothat fund support us.
And then the remaining fundscome from what's called
cooperative money, which is alsogiven by the churches but to
the state funds, and then thestates divvy it out and the rest
(43:03):
come from that.
So big praise for us is we'refully funded um that our daily
living expenses, um place tolive.
All these things have beengraciously provided by God
through faithful givers.
We will soon, hopefully, haveinformation about giving to our
(43:27):
ministry needs.
So one of the things that we'llneed to raise funds for
throughout this journey isministry needs when we're there.
So if we're having a workshop,for example, where some national
partners are coming in to learnwhat's called the core
missionary task, which maybe wecan briefly talk about the core
missionary task before we finishup and so those people are
(43:50):
coming from a distance, say,they take a bus or a train or a
taxi and there's some lodgingexpenses or food expenses for
them.
And these people may bebivocational and not have a lot,
but they want to come to thetraining, but they can't really
afford the training.
So that's helpful that we havesome funds to say, hey, you guys
can come to this training, butwe're going to pay for your
(44:13):
lunch and we're going to pay foryour night at the Airbnb or
whatever it is you know, andthen they don't have to dip into
their own money.
A little bit was givengenerously.
Many churches were verygenerous to him and supported
(44:33):
all his needs, and you know alot of these places in the world
where workers are going out,the cost is very low.
You know, $10, $20 really goesa long way.
It covers lodging and food andyou're like what that's crazy?
No, well, it's the expense.
Speaker 1 (44:55):
So I think, supporting you financially you
know, and I think everybodyknows like you can always do
something in going and whetherit's support through the church,
I think, hopefully, yourtestimony has been a great one
in how gifts, tithing, givingsupports people like yourself
who the church is sending.
It's why, especially asbelievers, we can give to
(45:15):
something greater than ourselvesand be provided for.
There's so many needs, but themore we pull them together, god
takes those and blesses them, nomatter what.
And then, of course, prayer.
I know you guys will have anewsletter, so I encourage
people reach out to LifehouseChurch.
If you're interested in keepingin touch with Eric and Lena and
their journey, we willdefinitely get you hooked up
(45:37):
with that, how you can pray forthem, how you can keep up to
date with where God's workingand where they're going.
And I know you mentioned themissionary task.
Maybe we can just kind of endon that.
If you guys want to share, thiswill be what you guys are doing
on the ground and how reallyGod's revealed how we can work.
You already mentioned earlierdisciples, making disciples, so
maybe walk us through that andwe'll kind of have a good send
(46:00):
off on folks going with thegospel and encourage them to
pray over it.
Speaker 3 (46:04):
Yeah, it's essentially it is disciples
making disciples, disciples.
But because we're going into adifferent part of the world, um,
there's a few specific ways toapproach it to make sure that we
can be the most effective andthese are things.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
So these specific things.
We ask you to pray for us aseach step of this, as we engage
in these steps in the weeks tocome, we'll be learning about
these things in depth, but alsothat we are successful with the
power of the Holy spirit behindus in each of these steps.
(46:40):
So go ahead.
Speaker 3 (46:42):
Yeah, so the first is entry.
We'll be learning the language,we'll need a reason to be in
the country.
That's not being missionaries,so we may be doing some
vocational work or whatever, butessentially, You're able to get
on the ground and getintegrated, and that's not
always easy.
Speaker 1 (47:02):
We kind of think we just take a plane and land and
it's not that easy, right?
No?
Speaker 3 (47:05):
there's a little bit more to it than that and of
course, language learning is abig part of that, to start as
well.
And then evangelism, which iswhat we think of as we
understand sharing the gospel.
But we don't just stop there,we don't just say yay, you
accepted Christ, good luck.
There's discipleship, there'sbuilding up, there's helping new
(47:27):
Christians to understand theBible, to understand what it
means to live for God.
It's not just you acceptedChrist and get abandoned.
So discipleship is a huge partof the core missionary task.
And just from that, fromevangelism, from discipleship,
(47:49):
there's a church built just likean ax.
We're not talking a building,not a physical church built, but
people meeting together on aregular basis, supporting each
other, studying the Bible,learning together.
And as churches grow and asthey're built up and as they
continue to study God's word,there needs to be leadership
(48:09):
development.
Because as well as we learn thelanguage, we're not local.
It needs to be a local church.
So as the church grows,leadership is developed so that
they can be autonomous, they canrun their own church, they can
(48:32):
choose their own pastors, raiseup their own elders, et cetera,
which I mean.
This is not like a two-weekprocess, this is years.
But eventually the goal is whenthere's a healthy church to exit
to partnership to allow them toevangelize and make disciples
(48:56):
and build up more churches andto exit to a place where maybe
there is no church and let thelocal church do the job.
Do the great commission sharethe gospel?
And I mean, obviously everystep.
We're abiding with Christthroughout this.
It's all through prayer,through reading the Bible,
(49:16):
through trusting God for everystep along the way.
Speaker 1 (49:20):
And all this is based on pretty much exactly how Paul
did it right.
We're going to go, we're goingto pray.
God's going to reveal people.
We want to establish a peoplewhere there was no people.
So I think, hopefully for allour listeners kind of help you
understand, like they're notgoing to just like talk to
people and you know hope it goeswell.
But there's a real way that Godworks to bring people to Christ
(49:41):
and and to multiply the gospeland see God bring that harvest.
Speaker 3 (49:46):
So so well as you read Acts.
I mean you might have a chapteror two on a particular
missionary journey, but thosejourneys are years.
Speaker 1 (49:53):
Paul didn't just stop in for a week and leave For a
weekend trip, you know, weekendgetaway to Ephesus or anything
like that, of course, and I meanthe process is consuming and
we're going long term.
Speaker 3 (50:05):
We're not just going to say I am.
Speaker 1 (50:08):
We're not going for a short term vacation.
This is long term-termcommitment.
Warwick and Lena, it's beengreat hearing your testimony how
God's worked for the Life Talkfamily.
We pray.
This has been encouraging.
We do pray that you areencouraged to go with the gospel
, whether it's across the streetor God calls us to big things.
(50:28):
If you want your life to bemeaning something for Him, be
willing to go where he goes, bewilling to submit your life, and
we as a church want to comearound and encourage anybody in
that way.
So thank you so much for takingthe time today.
Speaker 3 (50:41):
Thank, you for having us.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
Thank you very much, Of course, Life Talk family.
We will see you next time.
Thanks for tuning in to theLife Talk podcast.
If this episode encouraged you,please be sure to like, comment
, subscribe and leave a reviewso others can find this content
as well, and we'll look forwardto seeing you next Monday for
another great episode.
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