Acts 15 tells about the council that was held in Jerusalem to discuss the place of Jews and Gentiles in the early church. In the letter to Gentile believers that comes out of this council we find this

very interesting phrase: "For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials…" (15:28). The letter goes on to give some basic guidelines for Gentile believers.

The interesting part (at least for me) is how they discerned what "seemed good to the Holy Spirit" and also to them. Discerning God’s will in a particular situation is not always straight-forward. Yet, in this instance, two things are evident. First is listening and watching for the leading of the Holy Spirit, and second is using our God-given abilities for observation and reasoning.

Last month, I asked you to pray with me that God would reveal the next steps in mission for St. Luke’s Zion. As many of you can attest, answers to prayer do not always come in the same way, either. However, I have remained alert to see what might present itself.

I would like to share with you two things that have presented themselves to me over the past week or so. At the same time, I would like to hear from you what answers you have discerned from your prayers.

The first thing that came to me is global in nature. I was given a book that tells the story of K.P. Yohannan and the Gospel for Asia. His vision is of a different approach to mission, where natives of India, or China, or Bangladesh, or other Asian countries, go to their own people to share the gospel of Jesus

Christ. This is already happening in many places, including K.P.’s home country of India.

The thing about many of these countries is that even $1.00 a day enables somebody to survive and to eat. And so, for relatively small amounts of money by North American standards, one or more missionaries can be supported each year.

Imagine traveling to villages where nobody has ever heard about Jesus, sleeping in ditches, eating only handouts, and often being beaten or imprisoned. This is the life that many in these countries have chosen in order to fulfill the Great Commission and share the gospel. These faithful people have been called by God to go and share the good news. Is this a mission in which our congregation could be involved?

The second thing that was suggested to me is a vegetable garden on the church property. So many people in our city go without proper food and without fresh vegetables. So much of our food supply is imported from ridiculous distances. Could we not be using some of our land and growing food to be given away to those who need it? Are there not some people who could take turns tending the garden – say, a week at a time?

If either of these things (or both!) seem good to the Holy Spirit and to you, I’d like to hear about it. If you have received other answers to prayer, or other promptings of the Spirit, I’d like to hear about it. Even if you have simply read this and don’t know what to say, I’d like to hear about it!

In Christ,

Pastor Lynne Hutchison