Continued from: Foundations of missions: Disciple Making

You will receive power…and you will be my witnesses…
(Acts 1:8)

God's power is foundational for our outreach.

The best modern example I know of this is in Mozambique. Heidi and Rolland Baker were at the end of their rope six years ago. Floods had covered much of the country. They were struggling with persecution from government officials. More and more refugees poured into their camp, and then on top of everything else, a cholera epidemic hit. It looked like the end - time to pack up and head back to America.

But the Bakers hung in there, depending on God for healing and provision. And then, suddenly, something broke in the spirit - some spiritual corner was turned. Everyone with cholera was healed simultaneously. The doctors had never seen such a miracle. And a country in great desperation for hope began to find it in Jesus Christ.

Everywhere the Bakers went, this desperation for God was manifested. Thousands began giving their lives to Christ. Many other sick people were healed. People began to have so much faith that they prayed for the dead and saw them raised back to life. Stories of these miraculous events spread like wildfire. New churches were planted at an astonishing rate. Everywhere the Bakers went, great crowds gave their lives to Jesus.

People in neighboring countries began to hear of what God was doing. The same revival caught fire and spread. And it continues unabated in southern Africa today. The Bakers have seen over 5000 churches planted.

Jesus said that we disciples would receive power. Some theologians in America want to say that all that has stopped. There aren't any Bible verses that say that; they take verses and try to twist them to support their position because they have never witnessed miracles themselves and figure there must be a good theological explanation for it. But we have received power. The power supply never got shut off when the apostolic fathers died. You have same access to it as the people of Mozambique.

Continued in: Foundations of missions: local, national, regional, global strategies