Missionary Orientation

July 14, 15, and 16, 2008 was my last official missionary orientation session before retirement. The Assistant Director called me about two weeks before these sessions and asked if I would lead the devotions on Tuesday morning. I felt honored to be asked because not everyone has this opportunity. On Monday morning I called the director and asked his permission to sing. He laughed a nervous little laugh and said something like, "That will certainly get their attention." Then I called Terrell Brinson, our Administrative Assistant, and told him I was planning to sing and asked him if he could play for me. After he had his laugh and started making excuses about his memory, his fingers having some arthritis, and other things, it began to filter through to him that I was serious. Then he said, "O.K. Fred. I'm with you. I'll do it."

Guess what? They loved my song and several wanted a copy. I had several sincere compliments throughout the remainder of the orientation sessions which ended at noon yesterday. Someone said, "Fred, I had no idea what a good singer you are." My reply was, "Well sure. I'm a professional. I once sung at a little Baptist Church and they gave me $200. Do you know the difference between an amateur and a professional? A professional gets paid. An amateur does it just because he loves it." Also I had several compliments on the 15 minute devotional I shared. Would you like to hear a synopsis? LoL. O.K. Here goes.

Three "C's" For Successful Missionaries"
1. C - Call
My thoughts about call are probably different than what you've heard. You've heard it said, "You know Fred, I admire you for what you do...but you know people have to have a "call" before they can do anything like that. I often say, "No! I don't believe you have to have a "call" to go to Africa...or Asia...or anywhere else in the world. All you need is a "want to". I've seen young people go to Africa - and stay - just because they wanted to. Some went for Anheiser-Busch; others went for the spirit of adventure; some went for the United States Government. So why not us?"
So if we have a directive from our commander-in-chief (and we do in Matthew 28:19) then why can't we go if we have the "want to". Besides - who do you think it is that puts the "want to" in you? God is the one who causes us to will and to do of His good pleasure. (Cf Phillipians 2:13) Yes, it helps to understand that God is who made us want to; especially when we get into sticky situations and frustrations and tough times; AND THEY WILL COME.

2. Culture
Two things about culture. Your culture and Their culture. Of course you know what culture is: "Learned ways of doing and being."
Let me be right up front with you. You are who you are and you will never be one of them. Accept the fact that you are different from the people where you are going and respect those differences.
Don't allow "culture" to become an excuse for sin. If it violates the teachings of the Bible but it's culturally acceptable, culture does not make it o.k. to be polygamous, or to lie, etc., and etc. Got the picture?

3. Creator
God created you. You are unique. He knew all about you - your warts and freckles - the good parts and the bad parts of you when He called you. Or should I say when He put the desire to go to the place of service you are going. He knew you - yet he loved you. Awesome.
So when the frustrations begin of going through customs and immigration, and they will; when the frustrations with headquarters come, and they will; when the disagreements with fellow missionaries come, and they will; when it dawns on you and you realize that you are imperfect, and you will ... Just remember your CREATOR is who designed you and He is still on His Throne in Heaven. And I concluded with these verses:
Romans 8:26-31 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [27] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. [28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. [30] Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. [31] What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"
Then I sung the song titled "I Need Not Leave With The Burden". and concluded by asking them to sing with me the chorus of, "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go" Many had tears in their eyes.
The conclusion yesterday was a commissioning and anointing service led by our General Director, Roland Vaughan. It was most powerful and I'm sure a great source of inspiration and blessing to all the missionary candidates.

Realignment

I must complete this task shortly. August 9, 2008 there will be an announcement to our entire Church constituency of the new person taking on the role of Field Director for Western Central, and Eastern Africa. So re-alignment of priorities, time and creativeness will be my task. For fourty seven years I have been full-time in the ministry, serving through the Church of God. The last twenty years of this have been with the World Missions Department while serving in Africa. I will never be the same. The urgency to spread the gospel is still within me. I will continue to pray for Africa. I will continue to go there and preach when possible. However, my time of rest has come. God has wonderfully provided for me and I look forward to the new challenges that are before me.

What will I be doing? First, what will I NOT be doing? I will not be coming to the office each day (Monday through Friday) when I am not out of town. I will not be dealing with administrative headaches such as revoking credentials, auditing projects, presenting budgets to the board, raising budget money, answering official questions and officials questions about the work in Africa, promoting missions in our local churches, representing missions at our Schools and Colleges, etc. and etc. and I'm sure you don't want to read the long list under the job description.

So - what will I be doing? I will resting some at "Pumzika Acres" (my cabin in the mountains), visiting friends, loving my children and grandchildren, reading, writing, putting together some videos and some cd's, encouraging whenever and wherever I can. And, who knows what else the Lord has in store? O.K.