Follow Me
It has been five years since Frontlines International began. Our vision was to raise the awareness of people we knew to the opportunity to serve and learn from our fellow Christians who live in places where faith in Jesus is repressed. My vision was small. It was limited to what I could do. Raising the awareness of people I knew. But God had something far greater in mind.
God has enlarged the leadership team at Frontlines International with followers of Jesus whom I had never met until God brought them to the task. God has provided opportunities to serve and strengthen His Church in places of great persecution while, at the same time, highlighting the authentic faith and great endurance of those who persevere in difficulty. God has provided resource for the strengthening of His people through your partnership, your prayers, and your generous giving to Him.
In Genesis 12:1, God told Abraham, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation . . .” Abraham followed God. He gave Him all, even his son Isaac. And God said, “. . . in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” Abraham had no knowledge of how great the nation would become. He did not know how God would bless all nations through his descendant, Jesus. He simply followed.
This is the invitation Jesus offers, “follow me.” As we have followed God’s direction for the last five years He has enlarged our vision greatly. Our prayer is that as you read the articles, the prayer requests, the praise reports, you will sense the great work which only God can accomplish and your vision will enlarge as well.
Thank you for partnering with us as God leads.
Something Greater
Nepal is best known for the highest mountain peak on earth, Mount Everest at over 29,000 feet (8848.86 m). This year over 1000 people will crowd the mountain between the beginning of April and the end of May in an effort to reach the summit. It is a dangerous endeavor. Over 200 frozen bodies litter the mountain. Climbers prepare for years honing their skills on smaller mountains before they undertake Everest. The cost to try is from $40,000 to $100,000 to spend two months in below-freezing temperatures and a few brief minutes at the summit, if you are successful.
Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit first in 1953. In a Forbes interview, Hillary said, “Clients are spending a large sum of money just to trek up our route, mainly so they can go back home and boast about it more.” Climbing is a welcome industry in Nepal that attracts adventurers looking to accomplish something “greater.”
What is not particularly welcome in Nepal is a testimony of the power of Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, in whose name salvation resides. Over 80% of the country is Hindu. Less than 2% is Christian.
Imagine believers gathered in a pastor’s home to pray, study, and sing. When suddenly local Hindu extremists surround the house, shouting abusively, demanding the Christians cease their worship, finally torching the home and burning it to the ground. What do you do? You move to a relative’s house where you continue to, quietly and humbly, pray, study, and sing while rebuilding the pastor’s home. You stay the course knowing that God is at work. You live daily prepared to respond to any who would ask “why?’ (1 Peter 3:15).
Christ calls us all to live as our Nepalese brothers and sisters on the frontline of Satan’s attack against His Church. Resolute. Confident in Christ. Given fully to God, all we have, all we own, all we are. Knowing we need look no further. We have found the Greatest. We boast in Christ alone.
