There are several verses in the Bible I come back to repeatedly. Verses that remind me what it’s all about. One of those is the Great Commission, “Go into all nations and tell everyone the good news, baptize them and teach them to obey everything I have taught you.” The other is the Greatest Commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
When you put these two verses together and live them out it looks like…
Youth going to Buffalo
Reaching out to orphans in Honduras
Disaster relief in Haiti
It looks like my family in Burkina Faso.
It looks like regular Scotts Hill teams in Ghana.
When you are doing missions and being God’s hands, God’s heart, and God’s voice, it turns into something else:
Mustafa
Victor
Cesare
and others loving God with their whole heart and loving their neighbor as themselves.
For over 6 years we have partnered together, sharing a burden for the lives of the Bissa people living in Ghana. Most have moved there in search of work, or grown up there because of parents who left Burkina Faso looking for work. Although surrounded by churches and Christians, the Bissa were overlooked because of their strong ties to Islam. “Why bother to share with them when others are more responsive?” was the prevailing attitude. Accra, Ghana, is a 2 day drive for us. As our responsibilities changed and grew, our dream of reaching the Bissa in Accra began to fade. It was just too far for regular ministry. But not too far for prayer! Shortly afterwards, Scotts Hill Baptist Church accepted a call to engage the Bissa of Accra. And the teams started to come! With the gospel story on their lips and its life changing power in their lives. They told it on the streets and in homes, in schools, storefronts, and movie houses. Several recognized the story. “When I was growing up in my village in Burkina Faso”, one said, “I heard this story from an American missionary named Shafto”. “We know him, too”, they replied. The gospel story - sown in one country, harvested in another! It knows no borders or barriers, be they political, ethnic, or religious.
What started out as sharing the Good News has led to changed lives, and a community of Bissa believers working together to love God, love each other, and love their community. I was recently in Accra and met with Mustafa and Victor, two Bissa believers who have come to know Christ through Scotts Hill’s ministry. They had two burdens: 1. a place for the group to meet and worship without being harassed. 2. A way to help Bissa immigrants integrate into life in Accra without pressure to turn to Islam. Loving God, loving their neighbor.
Through your praying, giving and going, you are making a difference in reaching the unreached peoples of Africa. If every Baptist church and every one of her members would do the same, imagine what a difference we could make together.
Blessings,
Jay
