SEND magazine Fourth Quarter 2003: I Saw Love
I Saw Love
Neal Pirolo traveled to Asia earlier this year to visit a number of GFA Bible schools. He is the founding director of Emmaus Road International and the author of Serving as Senders.
The Queen of Sheba had heard plenty. King Solomon's fame had preceded her visit to Israel: His enormous wealth, beautiful palaces, famous gardens and unparalleled wisdom. She had heard all about his kingdom. Or had she? Her words after her state visit: “…The half was not told me.” (1 Kings 10:7).
As I stood before my Christian brothers and sisters to share a devotional at Gospel for Asia's headquarters in India, I had the same overwhelmed feeling.
I had followed the ministry of GFA since around 1983, when K.P. Yohannan was introduced at a pastors' conference I attended. I had read his newsletter, which became a newspaper, and then a full color magazine. I read his book Revolution in World Missions. We had chatted from time to time through the years.
Now I stood overwhelmed, in absolute awe at what God's grace has entrusted to K.P. and these faithful soldiers of the cross—more than 20,000 indigenous churches and mission stations; 13,000-plus trained Christian workers; over 6,900 students in training in 52 Bible schools. All pointed and worked toward the goal of planting churches in Asia among the thousands of towns and villages without any Christian witness.
God's Word declares His banner over us is love (Song of Solomon 2:4). His banner over this ministry is certainly love: A love for the lost, a love for young Christians to be discipled, a love for teaching future missionaries, a love to send them out—even into harm's way—in a hostile world.
I saw this love. I saw it expressed toward me. I saw it expressed among the faculties of the seven schools I visited. I saw it in the students' serious commitment to study. I saw it as leaders related with the local business people. That love was refreshing—and real.
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