Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of being with some of the greatest ministers and large ministries we’ve heard of around the world. It is staggering as they’ve shared all that the Father has and is doing through them. God works through the big, the bold, and the prominent. This has had a very strange effect on me as I’ve reflected on these giants of the faith and their ministry—I long for us a simpler path. I find myself longing for our team to:
- dream bigger than we ever have;
- build smaller than others might think wise;
- simplify everything to the lowest possible measure; and,
- remain hidden, serving the frontline shepherds of this world.
Dreaming big is the language of the Holy Spirit. He longs to capture us into God’s designs and plans for His world. For years, we have said that Prepare International is a leadership training and development ministry, but that is no longer true. We were born, called, and set in place to be the birthplace of 100s of disciple-making movements in the remote places of the earth. We will raise up 10,000 master-disciple makers who follow the Son of God in such a way that they will be intensely fruitful and multiply 1,000,000 disciples of Jesus who love, believe, and follow the Son. 1,000s of life-giving, Christ-manifesting churches will be born. We are the birthplace of movements in Jesus!
Building small and keeping it simple is the only way forward for our family at PI. We don’t seek to be big but terribly fruitful, for often, with the increase of size comes the onset of complexity, and complexity must be served. Complexity takes time, mental and emotional energy, and other resources we must use for people.
Recently, a great leader said, “I don’t want to build a big ministry, I only want to build big people.” Oh, if we could just help Gary in the Southern Cape of South Africa build “big people.” If we could only help Madelaine and others in Belgium develop “big people.” If across Europe, the nations of Asia, Africa, and our Spanish-speaking families of Latin America, we could only help to build “big people!” Never forget YOU are our partners—this is a team effort. Some are called to go while others are called to send with all living in the same great dream of Jesus—that the kingdoms of this world would become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, and He shall reign forever. Thank you for your faithfulness in generous, sacrificial giving and committed prayer. Together, we will bear much fruit in 2023!
