There are some examples in the Bible that I never want to repeat. Some lessons learned by the old saints that I hope I don’t have to experience myself. One recorded event has impacted me and this Ministry in a large way. It involved David...one of my favorite spiritual forefathers. David purposed in his heart to build a temple for God. The prophet Nathan, without prayerful consideration, affirmed the proposal. God then intervened to stop the well intentioned but misdirected plan. David had a genuine desire to please God, but David had never inquired of God. Neither had Nathan. God, in fact, did not want David to build a temple. It was to be built in the next generation by his son Solomon. And therein lay the Key Warning for all of us: it is not enough to have good intentions. We must follow our Commander’s specific directives. Otherwise we are bringing an unacceptable sacrifice to the altar. And the good “fruit that lasts” will never come.

There as some distinctives we have followed in Disciple Support Ministries based upon such Warnings and Directives. One is His directive that we focus on building people, not projects. Ours is to bring people to Christ, and then build them up in Christ. The “Mission” is accomplished when real lives are changed into Christ-like character and purpose. When the Lord calls me off the mission field, or to His presence, my greatest hope is to have left behind disciples of Jesus Christ. Not buildings, projects, ministry visions or a branded spiritual institution. And therein lay the challenge: it is much easier to build projects, rather than people. Building Christ-like people is messy, tiring, oftentimes misunderstood and rarely applauded. It takes a lot of time...indeed, it will take you and me a lifetime.

As it did Jesus. He lived for 33 years, ministered full time for 3+ years, and ended up with just a handful of fickle, quarrelsome, carnally minded “disciples.” At the Calvary cross, it looked like an utter disaster. By all outward appearances, His efforts had failed. The Bible clearly indicates...

But that wasn’t the end of the story. Three days later, the Seed blossomed into life again. And in short order, the fruitful harvest was manifest in the lives of the disciples and thousands of others. A Biblical principle proved unshakeable...

The Lord also restricted us to a totally indigenous staff. With rare exceptions, the only long-term teacher from overseas has been me. All our Bible teachers have been raised up from within the Bible Schools: first as students, then as volunteers and finally as part time staff. We do not hire Bible teachers from outside. This was not my idea; this was God’s clear directive. Within 2 ½ years of starting the Bible Schools, we had raised up our first Bible teacher. Since that time, we have had as many as 5 part-time teachers and as few as one. Indeed, just 3 years ago, I was back to being the only teacher. It was a season of pruning. Pruning never feels good. But it is necessary for good fruit to abound. As children of God, we must resist any carnal focus on the quantity of “many”...and refocus on the quality of just “one.”

Our seasons without supporting staff have been overwhelming and discouraging to say the least. People often as me if I ever felt like giving up. I tell them the truth: “about 8 times a day!” But I have been up and down the mountain enough times to know that God’s plan and pace of ministry is the only one I want to follow. It has sometimes gotten me into trouble with mankind, but never with Him. It has sometimes caused me to wonder what the outcome would be, but it has always proven to be Fruit, and Fruit that Lasts!

We have earnestly endeavored to keep our hands off the Control Panel in this Ministry. We exclusively follow the Lord’s clear directives regarding His Method of Ministry at Disciple Support Ministries. First, we were directed to make sincere relationships with Pastors and Ministry Leaders in the urban slums. We accomplished this through 3 years of Bible Seminars throughout the ten major slums of Nairobi. The next directive came suddenly and unexpectedly in 2005: open a Bible School. By God’s grace, one Bible School soon became two, and the fruit has abounded beyond our greatest hopes. The schools average 250+ Pastors and Ministry Leaders. Total Enrollment, adding in Unregistered Students, regularly surpasses 300. Numbers are not the point. Changed lives are.

This is God’s Ministry, and we are doing things His Way. The end of the story, therefore, is known, but the daily path challenges us to either submit or resist the leading our Good Shepherd. The “end”, as I’ve said, is transformed lives. The path involves various stages and we are in the midst of a new one. For the past 18 years, I’ve juggled full time teaching, administration, developing Bible teachers, fundraising, newsletters and church visits (in the States). The season of me standing largely on my own has passed. By God’s grace and guidance, we now have 8 Bible teachers. Last semester (Aug-Dec) was the first semester I did not teach. I spend infinitely more time discipling our teaching staff than being involved with the students. It is our now our teachers’ responsibilities to be involved with the students. In December, we hired the Ministry’s first full time administrative assistant in Kenya. Our next major project is to build offices for the teaching staff and administration. A place where they can do their studies and work in one building on the Bible School site. All this to say, the Ministry is growing tremendously...and maturing, according to God’s pace and plan.

With that growth comes new and changing responsibilities. I simply cannot raise the necessary financial support in just two months each summer. The direction the Lord has chosen for the Ministry requires me to be visiting substantially more churches and supporters in the States than before. I expect to be in the States approximately half of my time, and the other half in Kenya. The DSM Board decided (and we concurred) that I cannot leave the family in Kenya by themselves, while I am in the States. If we need to be apart, they need to be in the States. Marcia and the children have shifted to the States (for now, St. Petersburg, FL). The children are enrolled in a new school and going through a tremendous transition, having been born and raised in Kenya. I just began the “commute” between Kenya and the States in February. I will be opening and closing each semester throughout the year, and spending the remainder of my time representing the Ministry in the States through church and home fellowship visits. We will need God and you to open those doors. The financial needs of the Ministry are not less. They are substantially greater. Suddenly, we have a full-time staff of 6, and 3 part-time. This was not the case just 3 months ago. In May, we hope to add another full day of teaching to the curriculum.

This is the leading of the Lord. It is intimidating but exhilarating all the same. It requires us to trust in His Control, rather than our own. It’s time to exercise the Faith that we say we have in our Good Shepherd.

Kindly pray that we keep our eyes fixed on Him...and not the waves.