Lifting Our Eyes

What could happen if the reproductive power of the church were unleashed?

Could there be a movement of God among the churches in Central and Eastern Europe that would bring about more fruit: more coming to Christ, more disciple-making, more churches planted?

Those are the questions being talked about, prayed over, discussed, and taught on this week-end during our "Advance" conference at Malenovice.

Advance is Josiah Venture's church planting thrust. Our prayer and heart's desire is to see a movement of vibrant followers of Jesus who are planting healthy, reproductive, disciple-making churches across this region.

Dave opened the conference tonight with a vision casting talk for this particular group of people who are working in the area of church planting around the region.

He walked through the story of the Samaritan woman from the book of John, chapter 4, where he compared the disciples viewpoint with Jesus. The disciples said, "Not here, not now, not the place or time; we're not ready, the people aren't ready."

What did Jesus say? "The fields are white unto harvest!"

We believe that's true right here, right now in our part of the world. And what do you do at harvest time? Figure out how to bring in the fruit!

Benjamin Francis from India is here at the conference to speak this week-end. He shared some of his story this evening which was unbelievably inspiring. This man has been part of SO much harvesting in his part of the world.

This humble, winsome and dear man is responsible for a church movement that has planted 17,800 churches, in twenty countries, over the past 14 years. That's some good harvesting!!

I'm excited for what he's going to share this week-end, and pray that people here at the conference will be like Jesus, lifting their eyes to see the potential for increased disciple-making and church growth in our part of the world, and that much fruit will result from his time here.