When we got into Nicaragua on Saturday, we had an orientation with the Christ for the City International (CFCI) team. They oriented us to the country, our trip, and their team. The basic rules, guidelines, and the “what to expect” information were given. All of it was relevant and helpful, but the best part of the orientation was when they shared the CFCI vision and prayer requests for Nicaragua.
The CFCI Vision
- · No place without a witness
- · No church without a vision
- · No person without hope
CFCI is focused on leadership development, pastoral care, teaching, and training of the local church.
Nicaragua Prayer
- · Divided nation (politically, geographically, religious)
- · Recent hurricanes
- · Few healthy families/marriages or churches
- · Rapid growth of evangelicals
- · Task for workers – Bible teaching, leadership training, material and social needs
This was the best part for several reasons. First, it gave us a focus for the week and for our ministry partnership in the future. Vision casting is vastly important in leadership, whether you’re leading people for one week or many years. If you don’t know what your goal is or where you’re headed, it’s difficult to get there. Second, it gave us a glimpse of the CFCI team’s burden for the people of Nicaragua. It encouraged us to know that their team has spent time talking about, praying for, and seeing direction for Nicaragua. It pushed me to do the same.
Finally, this vision casting gave me yet another reminder of how Christ, as the head, leads the many parts of His Body to function as one.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. – 1 Corinthians 12.12-28
I have been a part of other mission teams with other purposes. When I worked with short-term teams while in Asia, our goal was church planting. We, as the longer-term missionaries, were focused on meeting people and sharing the Good News with them. Though we did disciple new believers during our time there, in the villages there were no believers to disciple because they had not heard. Short-term teams helped give us access to villages without a witness, villages where people had never heard the name of Jesus so that we could share with them the Name above all names and the Truth of the Gospel.
In Nicaragua, though, our focus is different. We were in a village quite similar to those in Asia, but this village has an indigenous, evangelical church. This village has a witness. What the believers in Rivas, Nicaragua need is discipleship, training, encouragement, and an opportunity to share the Gospel with their people in their own language and culture. That’s what we were able to do for them in the week we were there.
Please stop and think about how cool this is. Years ago, before this village in Nicaragua had a church or Christian presence, missionaries came in bringing the Good News of Christ. Their goal was probably similar to my goal in Asia. They were obedient and God moved. He is always faithful. Because of the obedience of those who came before us, we are now able to stand on their shoulders and build on the foundation that is Christ.
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 3.7-11
I love seeing how the Holy Spirit equips us with gifts for building up the Kingdom. It’s so cool to see how spiritual gifts can intersect spiritual needs when we are obedient. I’m thankful for how this has been modeled for me in the past and how it is currently being lived out at Grace Church.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good…All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. – 1 Corinthians 12.4-7, 11
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