Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing.” Titus 3:13
These words from Paul to Titus exemplify a New Testament pattern which motivated me in joining in the work of the Malawi Reformation Network. Throughout the New Testament, we see the church expanding in ministry through God-ordained ecclesial means. The ordination of ministers, elders and deacons; the ministry of Word and sacraments; shepherding and accountability; worship; giving (2 Corinthians 9); and the communion of the saints are all examples of patterns that Christ specifically gave and ordered for His church. Through the pages of Scripture we also see that Christ, by his Spirit, has recorded for us the pattern of individual members directly helping each another in informal, organic ways, as part of the communion of the saints. Where local churches, presbyteries, and assemblies are called to encourage the Lord’s people to support the multi-faceted work of the church, individual believers—and groups of believers—should be proactive in the advance of the kingdom, helping build up Christ’s church.
The ARP and PCA are ordaining and sending missionaries to Malawi with ecclesiastical oversight and support. Through the Malawi Reformation Network, we aim to assist these efforts by building up a financial support program for the training of Malawian men for gospel ministry. MRN is working hard to create a scholarship and an internship support system that will do this as the church examines and puts such men forward. Should the Lord be pleased to prosper this, we hope it will become a great asset in the development of a more healthy and faithful Presbyterian church for this nation. I am glad to participate in this work with the prayer that the Lord will guide and direct us, through his church, to the men who need to be helped “on their way,” seeing that they lack nothing as they serve Christ’s church.
Should the Lord be pleased to prosper this, we hope it will become a great asset in the development of a more healthy and faithful Presbyterian church for this nation.Tweet it
Bill VanDoodewaard