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burnt out missionaries, conferences, encouragement, great faith, healing, heidi baker, holy sprit, lay your burdens down, ministry, missions, rolland baker, slain in the spirit, unity in Christ
1 Peter 4:10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace..
I am trying to be a good steward of my belongings, time, money, sharing via writing about my experiences and so forth. Often times I attend lectures & conferences to learn and into interact with like-minded people. Therefore I am pledging to become better about sharing my experiences and imparting knowledge that I have learned.
So today is the day that I make a first step towards sharing.
This past holiday weekend I attended a Compelled by Love conference to hear the great Heidi and Rolland Baker, Randy Clark, and Duncan Smith speak.
Not sure how much you know about Heidi Baker but she is about as close to a modern-day Jesus with a testimony that measures up to Paul’s troubles and hardships including shipwrecked, stoned, without a home, trusting the Lord for complete provision.
2 Corinthians 11:25-27 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
2 Corinthians 12:10 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
First point to drive home is from Rolland Baker. In Mozambique Rolland contracted cerebral malaria. And then dementia began taking over his brain. This was before his lecture in which he begins with laughter. And then he keeps on laughing. Then spontaneous laughter breaks out. He says people are too serious, and he has learned that we all need to play. “The dumbest animals work the hardest. Think about it dolphins, they play.”
A point that Rolland made is that the burnout rate of missionaries is 90%. (90%?!?). They’re depleted; they need psychological evaluation. He began to say that it is because missionaries are doing it out of their own strength. Everything is a labor of Love. Work does not have to feel like work. Supernaturally let the Lord work through you. If you aren’t in union with God it will feel like work. “The heaviest weight you can carry is your own will.”
Secondly is early on in Heidi and Rolland’s missionary experience, they were burnt so they went to get filled at a church in Toronto – Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. Heidi was Slain in the Spirit for seven days. (FYI a person who is Slain in the Spirit is someone who is being prayed for and the power of the Holy Spirit comes over them and they fall to the floor.) During that time she was completely dependent on others listening to the Lord for what she needed using the bathroom, water, etc. While encumbered by the Lord He said to her you can do nothing without the body of Christ.
1 Cor: 1:10
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
Col. 3:13-14
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
I want to encourage you to step out in faith. Do something that the Lord is calling you to do. Also, if your work feels like drudgery bring it to the Lord. He will strengthen you. In our weakness, is power is glorified. We can not do anything out of our own STRENGTH.
Much love to you friend,
Katie
Posted by Katie | Filed under Christian Conferences