“Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify me.”
— Isaiah 50:15
Many Challenges for Pastors
In a Zoom conversation two weeks ago with our National Director, I learned that there have been many challenges for the pastors in the last couple of years. With COVID government shutdowns, the authorities have found it increasingly easier to close off and prohibit church meetings that they consider illegal. Many of the people in our group are finding it a lot more work to keep their flocks fed, and together. In addition, many of the pastors are bi-vocational, and it is increasingly difficult for them to provide a living for their families in the weakened economy. A number of them are under serious economic distress. Even the Director is feeling the bite.
In my meditations today I came across this passage in Isaiah: “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify me” Isa. 50:15.
Pastors Need Our Prayers
It seems to me right to ask all of you to pray with me for these pastors and their families in the spirit of this verse. Let us ask our God to make his delivering grace palpable and personal to these leaders at this time.
I often tell participants that during our training week you, our friends, are praying for them. And, from their reactions, it is obvious that just the thought of this prayerful engagement by Global Christians is a jolt of encouragement for them.
Thank you for walking beside us during these days of duress. These stories aptly represent the sentiment of many of the countries we serve. Just this week, Silk and I hosted a family where the father was put in jail for his work and had his life threatened. These are often the lives that our colleagues and partners live.
Several weeks ago, one of our National Directors was summoned to his capital city. They were told to move their whole family to a location where they could be watched and asked to stop all ministry.
These scenarios are real. And, our friends in these places could use our prayers. Please lift them up: “Call upon me in the day of trouble… I will deliver you.”
Join Silk and me in praying for these servants of Jesus.
With Christ,
Rev. Joseph W. Handley, Jr., Ph.D.
President, A3
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- Cover photo by Stormseeker on Unsplash
