The most enriching time that I spend with the General Conference and Division presidents (which is at least three times a year) is when we share mission stories from within our territories. Below are a couple of those stories (names and details changed).
Ibrahim was an overseas university student in a European country, seeking religious understanding. This was mainly satisfied by reading The Great Controversy online. Ibrahim was so zealous for faith—he immersed himself in Bible study and found the 28 fundamentals were true. Not knowing who to contact he baptised himself in a bath. At the end of his studies he returned home and wanted to associate with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He contacted a church via their webpage. The church was suspicious and scared, wondering if this new person wanting to meet them was an agent for the government or religion. Finally after much prayer the pastor chose to visit with Ibrahim at a café. Ibrahim was no fake—he had shared his new-found faith in Jesus with family and friends and a whole new people network opened up for the gospel.
Another pastor in a very tough country was asked to move to a new area in a city and start a church. After prayer and a month of daily visitation to people in the area, no-one had shown any interest. His wife met a lady, Emiko, who was abandoned by her husband and needed support. The pastor and his wife gave it—this lady started a small group and told people that Jesus had changed her. The change was noticeable and they believed her. Eventually so did Emiko’s estranged husband and now 12 of her family and friends are followers of Jesus and part of the new church in the area.
God is at work in the world. He uses us in the Church. He can use you and me if we are willing, as He used Ibrahim and Emiko. God dreams of His people becoming disciples.
