We Are in This Together!

Dr. Dan Schafer, president
The Call, October-December 2016

“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” (Philippians 1:4-5 NIV). As you sat down to read these wonderful accounts of how God is impacting the world, you likely situated yourself in some setting that will limit your interruptions, allowing you a moment to yourself to focus on the actions of God.

However, you are not really alone. Many others are doing the same thing. Others in this large World Gospel Mission community are reading and rejoicing in what God is doing. Others are joining you in prayer for the requests outlined within these articles and are planning their response to the calls to action throughout the magazine. 

That’s the beauty of WGM. It is a large community of believers, each committed to doing his or her part to proclaim the power of the cross that will fully and completely change the lives of people. It’s a community of missionaries, sacrificing their lives to bring the hope in Christ of a complete restoration to the image of God and a deliverance from personal sin, the bondage of false religions, and the consequences of evil on entire communities.

It is a large community of financial supporters, champions participating personally in the Great Commission. It is a large community of prayer warriors, poring through these articles to find information so they can pray specifically, effectively, and fervently. It is a large community of work team members who have sacrificed vacation time, finances, and other plans to build a church, drill a well, or teach a Vacation Bible School.  

Community has defined WGM from its very first days. WGM is still built on community, and you are a very important part of the team. So, I say thank you “because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

Thank you for being a missionary right where you are. Thank you for going to the field to support and encourage our missionaries. Thank you for praying for WGM leaders, missionaries, and the harvest. Thank you for praying that God will send additional workers for the harvest field. Thank you for speaking words of encouragement to a missionary. Thank you for being obedient to God’s call upon your life. Thank you for your commitment to be part of a community that is daily changing lives. You’re not alone; we are in this together! 

PRAY: Is God calling you to grow your community? Beyond being a reader of The Call, is God asking you to expand your missions impact? Prayerfully consider what else God is asking you to do as you read through this issue.