Why would I quit my job during a recession to pursue full-time ministry in Salerno, Italy? Why would I leave a ’secure’ paycheck behind to build a financial support team? Why would my wife and I leave our family, friends and comforts of the U.S.? Answer: because I can’t do anything else…
I don’t mean to say that I’m incapable of succeeding at any other vocation (though I am incapable if God does not bless it); rather, I cannot be at peace with any other endeavor because God has called me into full-time missions, and my eyes are set on Italy. How did God awaken such a calling in my life? Below are the various means God used to do so.
Through the Bible.
God’s inerrant word teaches to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” However, this is not a distinct call for everyone to engage in vocational ministry. So I needed to hear in other ways.
Through other missionaries.
Jim Elliot, Hudson Taylor, Adonairam Judson, David Livingstone, and Jonathan Goforth. These lives of great heroes of the faith inspire me to daily surrender to God’s leading in my life.
Through prayer
After a long time praying for laborers to be raised to help with the harvest, and after praying that the Lord would send me, I began to see he was granting my request.
Through corporate worship at Orlando Grace Church
OCG has a strong missions component and is tireless in expressing and serving the need for missions. OGC’s passionate heart for the lost in all nations is contagious.
Through spiritual leaders
Vince Purpero (moved his family to Italy in faith)
Lee Cooksey (gave up the opportunity to be a prosperous architect to pursue God’s call for his life)
Justin Valiquette (gave up the opportunity to run his dad’s business to follow God and move his family to Italy in faith)
Curt Heffelfinger (this man’s faith – in all areas of his life – is an enormous example for me)
Rob Farnsley (faithfully served God in Bosnia for 11 years, and continues to be involved in global missions through Pioneers)
Through spiritual gifts
1 Peter 4:10-11; Romans 7:15-24
Through the understanding that God is sovereign over the recession, and His net worth has never changed.
God’s resources are not limited. His bank account has always stayed the same. Just because we as a country may have been poor stewards with what He has given us, does not mean that God is now crippled in His ability to provide for those he has called into the mission field.
Through the surrender of all I am and have to Christ
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple…So therefore, any one of you who does not renouce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26-27, 33
I (Brett) will be traveling along the east coast of Florida starting down in Ft. Lauderdale on November 14th, and working my way up to Jacksonville by November 22nd. The primary purpose of this trip is to meet with people who are excited about an opportunity to hear about our ministry to Italy. So far, there has been a good response from people (almost 60 individuals/families have committed to partnering with us on a monthly basis, and hundreds of others have committed to supporting our ministry through prayer). The journey continues, and once again you have the opportunity to help out. How?