“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:9 One important part of our ministry is to bring the frontlines to us. We recently did this by inviting international basketball coaches to America for a high-level training course. By having the coaches on our “home court”, we were able to share our faith more openly and expose the coaches to the Gospel message through presenters’ testimonies and ministry partners’ functions. While we certainly provide them with the high-level training they expect, we also want to show them something unexpected. We want to show them the love of Christ in a way that will break through any walls built up by false teaching or preconceived ideas. Our hope is that they will be touched by the presence of Jesus in such a way that they will not be able to return home in the same spiritual condition in which they came. That they will either leave with a personal relationship with the Father through Christ or at least a desire to know more. Thanks to many prayers, this year one of the national team coaches did acept Christ! HALLELUJAH! Another coach came to the doorstep of the decision during a conversation, but had one important question that he couldn’t quite reconcile in his mind, “How can I become a Christian, when I am Muslim?” While he did not make a decision to follow Jesus during the event, the Father has continued to draw him to Himself by providing opportunities for more conversations.
Pray for our new brother as he takes his new friend, Jesus, back to his country, family, friends, and team. Pray for him to stand firm on the Word of God and not be blown to the left or the right. Pray for strength in the face of persecution that is sure to come.
Pray for the other coach. Pray that the truth he heard would penetrate his heart. Pray that his eyes will be opened to that truth through dreams and visions. Pray that our upcoming trip to his country will provide opportunity for important conversations and that it will be the time of his salvation.