Strengthening Gospel Partnerships in Nepal
We believe God calls us to go to our neighborhoods and to the nations to make disciples. One of the ways we can play a part in reaching the nations is by partnering with those in the field who are already laboring among unreached people groups and in hard to reach places.
This past November, a team of 11 men and women representing 4 SG churches went to Kathmandu, Nepal. One aspect of the trip was teaching through the first of our 7 shared values, Gospel Centered Doctrine and Preaching, with a Nepalese church planting pastor (whose name is anonymous for security reasons) and several of his pastors and church leaders. While Billy Raies, Allen Dicharry, and Aaron Mayfield taught through the doctrinal aspects of our values, the other team members embodied those values for the leaders as they spent time with them, prayed with them, and encouraged them. Several of their leaders remarked that gospel-centered leadership is such a missing and needed subject in the church in Nepal. As they got to know us and we got to know them, the Lord knit our hearts together. Our time with these pastors and leaders affirmed that moving forward in partnership and understanding what that looks like in Nepal is the right direction.
Additionally, Pastor Billy Raies and Leroy Kim taught on gospel centered marriage and parenting with another 40 leaders and pastors in the Pokhara region of Nepal. Those pastors were so encouraged that they asked if we could return and gather even more pastors to provide teaching and encouragement as well as to learn more about Sovereign Grace. While in Pokhara, the other 9 team members connected with a group of Nepalese young people for a discipleship trek in the Annapurna Region. The team sang songs together and had times of teaching and prayer. New relationships were formed and a result, folks are going back home with a greater understanding of God’s heart for the nations and the role they can play through learning, fellowship, and care.
We are happy to report that plans are in place for strengthening our partnership with these churches as we seek to finish the mission. Those plans include continuing to go through our 7 shared values with these pastors. Please be in prayer about what part you might be able to play through praying, giving, or going.
(Originally published on SGC Australia)