Musical Mission Team 2009

Hello all. 

During this summer I am on the Musical Mission Team from Bob Jones University led by Drs. Bill and Janie McCauley. I had the privelege of traveling on this team last summer and I am very thankful that the Lord has has placed me on this team once again. This is the 19th year that the Musical Mission Team has traveled, all in consecutive summers. This summer we will be ministering in six countries: Switzerland, Germany, Slovakia, Austria, Italy, and France. In 65 days we will perform nearly 100 concerts in churches, schools, nursing homes, and in the streets. Wherever we have an opportunity we will sing. We will “attempt” to sing in the local language wherever we are. We are doing well in German and Italian but have found French and Slovak to be quite challenging.

The team has been preparing for this trip since last October when the team was finalized. During the first semester we rehearsed once a week and twice a week during second semester. There are 28 members on the team. One is not traveling with us because of heath reasons, but we are thankful for his ministry during our preparation and deputation. I know that he must be very disappointed he couldn’t go, but our thoughts and prayers are with him. For part of the summer Danny Reuter, a 6’8” German giant, will travel with us and be our translator. I am really glad that some of the members from last years team are able to go again. I am also excited about all of the new members that I will get to know better over the next 9 1/2 weeks. It is really special to know that God has brought each one of us to this point. Although we are very divers in our personalities and interests, we can have unity through our shared salvation in Christ and our common work for Him.

We are not called to convert people. We are called to proclaim the gospel. With the Lord’s help we will do that this summer. We hope that we can see some fruit, but we know that some plant and some water. Those things are just as important. Even if we do not see anyone come to know the Lord through our ministry this summer, it will still be worth it because God is worthy to be proclaimed just because of who He is. Pray that we would be able to proclaim the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ to many lost people this summer.

Another part of our ministry is encouraging the local churches of Europe. Many times the christians we meet in these churches are a very small minority in their community. They often do not have another church close enough for them to fellowship with. We hope that we can be an encouragement to these faithful people. They certainly encourage us by their example of faithfulness. Pray that we would be an encouragement to the local church.

I am also looking forward to how the Lord will change me and my team members this summer. Being on a mission team can be a humbling experience, because it shows you many things about yourself. It can show reveal your own selfishness and your lack of compassion. But it can also teach you the joy of serving others and the thrill of sharing the Gospel. Pray that the Lord would use these 9 1/2 weeks to draw us closer to Him, that we would become more like Christ, and we would have a greater zeal in sharing the Gospel.

God doesn’t need us to carry out His work. But He allows us to be involved in the work. Kevin Oberlin will be doing a lot of the preaching this summer and he shared with us several weeks ago that God commanded Moses to “stretch out his hand.” Did God need Moses to stretch out his hand to perform mighty works? No, but God wanted to him too. I find that amazing. I am a weak vessel, but the Lord can use me. I don’t know why the Lord desires to use me, but I am so glad that He does. I hope that I am willing to “stretch out my hand” every day this summer and see what the Lord will do.