I just finished KP Yonanna’s Revolution in World Missions tonight. KP is the founder of Gospel for Asia, a missions organization whose policy is sending native missionaries to reach people in their own countries, regions and cultures. As a non-native missionary, it reminds me of some things I’ve been mulling over anyway:
First, it reminds me of the importance of presenting the Gospel in a way that is culturally relevant to the people I’m trying to reach. We need to “speak their language” both literally and figuratively.
I’ve also been thinking about the importance of discipleship. Ultimately it’s the Japanese who are going to reach the Japanese. My vision is to not only share God’s love with those who don’t know Christ, but also to disciple Believers to the point where they will be motivated, prepared and mobilized to minister to their fellow-Japanese.
Here’s some other stuff that stood out to me:
“When the Holy Spirit moves and does His work, we become restless because we want to control it. It is an inherent weakness of the flesh.”
“The life of the missionary is the medium of his message.”
“The only ones who can win others to Christ are men and women who are so lost in Jesus that they are like Him.”
Lord, make me like Jesus!