We Are Full Participants

April 1, 2014

3:59

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A compelling testimony from U.S. Alliance President John Stumbo about when he first realized his opportunity to be an active participant in God’s work throughout the world. Be sure to visit the Great Commission Sunday 2014 page for more.

Transcript

When I was a kid growing up, my first job was to wash the hearses for the local mortician—$2 an hour. Through the years, I graduated to a lawn crew. By the time I was in high school—raking mowing, thatching—that kind of thing. Meanwhile, I kept hearing stories through the Alliance church that I went to of what God was doing around the world through the Alliance work.

It began to capture my heart, and—and how cool was it—I began to understand it wasn’t just somebody else going out and getting to do great things for God that I had no part in, but through the few dollars that I was earning, I could make a donation and be a full participant in this.

Well, fascinating through the years, I’ve realized increasingly the significance of what I was part of; the God of this universe who doesn’t need my money was inviting me to be a full participant with Him in things that are very dear to His heart—that the name of Jesus would be known across this globe; and not just known but cherished and loved; that as an act of worship on my part back in my local Alliance church, I was now partnering in making worshipers of Jesus  in regions all over the world.

Places dominated by cultures and religious systems that were oppressive and abusive are now embracing forgiveness and hope—seeing life differently, treating marriage differently, seeing their parenting differently, treating woman and children differently; that cultures were being changed as the life of Jesus was taking hold. Look what we get to be part of.

Weather you’ve got 20 cents or $20 million, would you join me in investing in this global cause of seeing the love of Jesus, not only taken to the world but embraced by all the peoples of the world?

But I also want you to know that I’m not only excited about what God is going to do through your generosity, I’m excited about what He’s going to do in your life as you increasingly become a participant in what God’s doing around the world.  You see, the beautiful thing about this whole generosity thing is that not only does God use it dramatically around the globe, but He also uses it dramatically in our own lives. So that’s what I began to experience as a high school student and continue to do so even to this day, that it’s a beautiful partnership; the God of this universe changing me as He uses the funds that I give to change the world.

So I invite you, whether you’re one of the youngest people in the congregation or oldest, whether you are getting your first job or are done with your last job, I invite you to join me and thousands of others, tens of thousands of others around The Christian and Missionary Alliance in being part of this global work. Because Jesus has said to us that His mission on earth is not complete until there are representatives before the throne of God worshiping Him from every tribe and tongue and nation and people.

This is what we’re about—seeing people who don’t even yet know the name of Jesus becoming some of His most joyous worshipers. We’re full participants in this. God bless you.

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