I’m sitting in a hotel room in Salt Lake City watching the sun set over the Wasatch Mountains (the western side of the Rockies) and I’m wondering: why can’t the world see that there is a wise and powerful and wonderful Creator? Thank God for those who will go to the hard to reach places via IMED and demonstrate the reality of the grace of God in Jesus Christ!
This weekend I’m privileged to present 4 times at a conference on Business as Mission. I’m especially encouraged by the number of business people attending who are determined to understand what seamless integration of business as mission actually means and who are striving to know how God would have them connect their business calling to what he is doing around the world. Pray for these folks that they would truly catch the vision and join the fun!
How do we decide where to go and where to start the IMED project? There is a simple set of criteria that we use as we think and pray through each decision:
1. We work ONLY in unreached people group areas; others are focused on reached areas and the need is great there also. Nevertheless, we feel clearly called to UPGs.
2. We have to be invited by a suitable IN-COUNTRY partner. We don’t market and we don’t go looking. We wait. When a suitable partner contacts us we are ready.
3. A SUITABLE in-country partner is someone with a passion for the kingdom and (at least) a basic understanding and appreciation of business. They must want the project and be committed to receiving it and coordinating it on a local basis until a strong national team can be raised up to take it over.
4. Available IMED RESOURCES have to be adequate to a research and launch (beta) year. Do we have the leadership to handle the load and a US partner to cover the people side?
It’s not an easy decision but at least these criteria help us to stay on track.
Two teams have just returned from two different sites in North Africa (E and M). Led by Brandon and Craig, we have gotten great reports about the results and especially the growth of the local believers. Keep this year’s classes in these two countries in prayer.
Easier, quicker, cheaper—that’s why we are switching to a blog for updating supporters and participants in the Jholdas Project. Please remember that this is a relatively public site (although we will be tightening security over time) so be cautious in using names and places.
