When Jesus Says “Stay”

We all know that God calls many people to go. He calls them to leave behind all that is comfortable and familiar so they can minister in his name. But it’s clear that God also calls many to stay. He calls them to remain in comfortable and familiar surroundings so they can minister in his name. And one favorite example of this is in the tale of the man we call The Gerasene Demonaic. This man had been oppressed by …

Faithful: The Story of Dr. Charles Woodrow & Grace Missions Ministries

For nearly thirty years, Charles Woodrow has been serving as a missionary-doctor in Nampula, Mozambique. (All the while he has also served as a conference founder, church planter, theology teacher, bookstore owner, and much more.) For a good part of that time, my church has been supporting him. Recently, on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the annual pastors’ conference he founded, I traveled to Mozambique to bring him a letter of encouragement and to finally see his work …

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“Our Missionaries”: A Message of Thanks

This summer I had the privilege of traveling to Mozambique to pay a surprise visit to Charles Woodrow, a missionary-doctor my church has supported for many years. This was the twentieth anniversary of the founding of a conference for pastors, and I was asked by his church and family to read a letter expressing my congratulations. This is a recording of that letter set to video we captured in Nampula, Mozambique. I’m thankful to Thaddeus Maharaj for accompanying me and …

They Call It “The Rock”

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of spending some time in Newfoundland—Canada’s easternmost province (and the easternmost point of North America). It was a joy to be there and to explore some of what the Lord is accomplishing  through his people. With the help of Thomas Heidman, I put together a little video I thought you might enjoy. It shows both the great beauty of the island and its great need. Please also consider checking out Mile …

On the Death of John Allen Chau

Suddenly the whole world is talking about Christian missions. In his own way, John Allen Chau has sparked a conversation that now rages within the church and outside of it. I’ve spent the past week gathering my thoughts about his situation, and would like to offer a few points I hope you find helpful. First, we don’t need to rush to judgment. One of the consequences of this digital world is that it demands immediate responses. News spreads quickly and …

When the Mission Field Comes To You

What Christian hasn’t been moved by the beautiful vision of Revelation 7? John sees a powerful display of what God means to accomplish—and, indeed, what he is accomplishing and will accomplish—through the gospel of Jesus Christ. “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying …

Window on the World

We pray. We pray because we believe prayer matters, we pray because God hears, we pray because God chooses to act on our prayers. We pray because we can and we pray because we must. These prayers are not hopes whispered into a void or wishes cast into a cold and empty universe. They are supplications that reach the ear, mind, heart, and hands of God. We pray, and we also teach our children to pray. We teach our children …

The Joys and Challenges of the Church in India

While I was in India, I had the privilege of sitting down with a dear friend who pastors a key local church in northern India. I got to ask him questions about some of the joys and some of the challenges of ministry in that great land. Here is our brief discussion. Transcript Tim: What are some of the evidences of God’s grace you see in the church in India? Pastor: I think first and foremost, just the growth of …

Thank God for the IMB

As I continue my year of so much travel, and as 2018 begins to draw to a close, I find myself pondering themes. What are some of the themes I have seen or experienced as I’ve traveled 16 countries across 5 continents? What are some of the common elements I can identify? I’ll have much more to say about this in the future, but for today I want to tell about the one that continually that rises to the top: …

An Army Without Supplies

I am an avid reader of books related to the Second World War. In my estimation, no conflict in history has been more interesting than this one. It has generated a wealth of fascinating stories and riveting accounts of unbelievable heroism. And even though countless thousands of books have already been written, new ones pour off the presses every day. Not nearly all the good stories have yet been told. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of these stories have recounted …