Xenos is making a world of difference
By Dave Glover
Missions Division Coordinator
God calls us and empowers us to reach into the world outside Xenos. We are working to change the world through our missionaries, partner organizations like World Relief and India Gospel League, and right here in Columbus through our inner-city ministry Urban Concern.
All of these efforts serve to answer God's call to the church to “Go!” We believe the obedient church is intimately involved in sharing God's love and truth with all nations, and doing so in a way that helps the poor and promotes justice. Our goal is to accomplish this through cross-cultural indigenous church planting movements.
impacting the world for Christ
Since our church has grown numerically and spiritually, we are impacting the world for Christ. God is at work through the people we have sent to the field and through strong financial giving to change the world. Right now, financial support for missions is at an all-time high.
In 2004, Xenos contributed more than $2 million to both foreign and domestic missions. Through our giving people's lives have been changed for eternity.
Our missionaries are seeing people begin personal relationships with Jesus Christ and growing in their relationships with him. Increasingly, we see national workers sharing about God's love and truth with their friends and family. Each of our teams has a plan to help workers in their efforts.
In December 2004, a tsunami destroyed large portions of Southeast Asia. The India Gospel League was there to meet the incredible needs of the people. Our leadership directed $77,000 in aid, which allowed us to adopt the village of Manakudi. This money will rebuild and support the village of 1,700 people for 3-5 years.
In addition, Calumet Middle School students gave more than $7,000 to build a life center in the same village. The Life Center will serve as a base to share about God's love and truth; as well as a school, medical center and vocational training facility.
strengthening the home base
I believe this is just the beginning, and the potential is there for God to accomplish many great things through our church. However, in order to continue to expand our influence around the world, we must maintain a strong home base.
A strong home base will result in increased prayer, financial support and future workers. We must build on the solid foundation we have so future generations in Columbus and around the world can experience the joy of a life fully committed to Christ.
Oswald Sanders in his book Spiritual Leadership states, “The great use of one's life is to spend it for something that will outlast it, for the value of life is computed not by its duration, but by its donation. Not how long we live, but how full and how well.”
As Christians, we desire to make a difference in the world around us, to live for something beyond this life. That's what makes the Christian life exciting. A life which is “life indeed,” as 1 Timothy 6:18-19 says, “Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”
God has blessed our church in incredible ways. He gave us abundant resources and a passion for those who do not know the love of Christ. Let's pray together that God will use each of us beyond our years here on earth. As we work hard and sacrifice to build a strong base here at home, we will be all the more effective at reaching outside our church to the world.