Reliance on God

MetroBeat

Volume 3, Issue 2

July 2011

Learning to Rely on God

“Why aren’t more people coming to the fellowship meetings?”

A few months ago this was the question that always seemed to be looming in the background as our core group of faithful attendees gathered week after week for our worship and Bible study times. The Chinese Fellowship had dwindled down to just a handful of believers, and many of us were struggling to understand just what God was doing.

So we prayed. It sounds so simple, and yet how often do we try to come up with our own solutions to life’s dilemmas. Experience shows us that there is no better way to learn God’s will than to sit at his feet and ask for guidance. We realized anew during these tough months that only God can give the increase; we just needed to be faithful in what He had called us to do and to rely on Him.

God led us to change our format a bit, continue to trust Him, and to wait on his timing. The result has been dramatic. Three Korean families have joined the group, making us truly more of a Pan-Asian Fellowship than mainly a Chinese one. Visitors show up frequently, and several non-Christians come, as well. Our numbers now are always in the double digits, with people sometimes having to sit almost in the kitchen or entry hall. During special events like potlucks we have even had to move to the University Center to have enough room.

We have learned once again to rely on God. This is his ministry, and even if our numbers decrease we have to recognize that we are not playing a numbers game. We are simply being faithful to what God is calling us to do. Please pray for that spirit of submission and trust to continue in our group.

Prayer Requests

Continue to pray for our finances. God is ever faithful in providing for our needs. Pray that we will be equally faithful in our trust and sensitive to his leadings.

Please pray for our work here in Yukon among the Japanese. Sasha has been helping me with this ministry by amusing a little girl while her mother studies. We would also request prayer for a teenage Japanese girl new to America who is having family and adjustment problems.

The Bible study with the Haitian couple is still beset with timing issues. Pray that if the study is to continue that the Lord will provide the opening. 

Please pray for Joyce’s heavy workload as wife, mother, and caregiver.

Yours by His Grace,

John for the rest of the Ropers