Wonderful Dialogues Taking Place

Thank you for visiting our blog. Since the blog went live on Saturday, we have been humbled and blessed by the outpouring of support and love by our friends and even the strangers that have found us via this wonderful world wide web. Please know not all comments show up below as we moderate and approve them. We have heard from many believers in 'unengaged' places of the world and their comments can not be public for security reasons.
It is confirming that God is on the move in places that are closed to the gospel. How exciting is this! I am so humbled to serve an amazing God that loves the Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Tribal, and the unbelieving. People are being brought to Christ through visions and dreams in the 10/40 window. Tangible evidence for the gospel to be translated in their heart language, and for believers to go, and establish a body of believers (church) is happening right now.
I am also thankful for the dialogue that some believers have with us on the 'why' we would want to go or why we are going. I am so thankful that these folks stopped to ask us. I hope what we are doing is making other believers search scriptures, have conversations with God, wrestle with the reason and the need for us (or other believers) to go. It is my opinion that the past few generations have outsourced the Great Commission and that many churches have stopped being actively involved. So perhaps it is strange to some believers, that we would want to change 'careers in the middle of life and leave a comfortable life.' Also I wonder if other believers question privately- 'Why them?' We are not the social or spiritually elite at our church. We have not gone to seminary or hold religion degrees. We are sinners, big time, and truly unworthy to be used by the Lord. But I am so thankful that we do not have to have earthly credentials to be used by the Lord. We would be the least of these then. We have truly submitted to God, put our 'yes' on the table and allowed God to place us where He wants us. We are humbled to be part of His mission and to use our business skills, life skills and talents for Him, right now. It is not because of us, it is because of Him. Glory!
What Mike and I have gathered through loving conversations with questioning believers-'The Why's' is what I want to address through this video. It is by Penn Jillette, of Penn and Teller, the famous magicians. Penn is an atheist, and it is his take on believers that is fascinating.  What Penn saw when a man gave him a bible was Jesus, not religion. I hope you are able to take a moment to watch this 5 minute video. Perhaps what I lack in eloquent words can be understood by his video the 'why.' Thank you for stopping by. I pray that you may live out God's mission. May the goodness of our Lord show up in the unbeliever's life. May heaven come down on earth.

 

Welcome to The Bain Perspective

Welcome!! Please take a moment to look around and see what God is doing in the Bain Family life! We couldn't be more thrilled, excited, humbled, scared, exhausted and ready!

About 4 years ago, we felt God wanted us to step out, jump, go and be missionaries. But we weren't sure what that looked like- we just knew that something inside was telling us to GO! and no matter how much we tried to push that feeling down or ignore it, we knew we had to move forward and understand what that 'Go' meant to us and most importantly to the LORD. We bumped into the Perspectives class as we heard that this class is a missions class-so we took it. Well, that assumption was way wrong.  It is a class for EVERY believer!  It is the most amazing 15 week class we had ever been too. They flew in missionaries, pastors, theologians, and church planters to each class and our biblical and spiritual world blew up! Never had we heard this in church, or in Christian schools and colleges. And it was straight from the bible from Genesis-Revelation. It was through this class, God began refining us, focusing us, teaching us and directing us. We had a heart for Africa, and really thought that we would be church planters there. Needless to say, we were totally bummed when God closed that door to Africa- so just know when you put your 'yes' on the table, God isn't always going to send you to Africa. And this is where God wants our family- in the Perspectives Movement. - and we are choosing to give up the comfortable, corporate life to live modestly and simply as missionaries with the U.S. Center for World Missions- working with Perspectives- raising support- meaning no salary. Mike will apply his 20+ years of corporate management and operation experience to assist in the furthering of the Perspectives Movement. We have sold our home, our 'stuff' and are living in a tiny apartment getting ready for the next phase of our life. And it has been hard. and it has been AWESOME! To quote C.S. Lewis in the Chronicles of Naria, "Is He safe?"- "safe? no!, he ain't safe," but He is good!"

Why we feel called to this ministry: We have a heart for the lost, unreached, and unengaged people of the world. We desire all people to be given the opportunity to hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Some unreached peoples are also unengaged—meaning there are no known believers even trying to reach them.  Unless a group of believers chooses to engage them, they may never have an opportunity to hear the Good News. Identifying—much less crossing—cultural and spiritual barriers to find redemptive bridges is an extraordinary challenge and one of the main reasons that over 7,000 people groups remain unreached—and many of these unengaged.
Jesus commanded his followers to “disciple all nations." A closer look at the word “nations” reveals that He was not referring to political countries like Russia or England but the people groups within them. The Greek word is ethne from which we derive English terms like “ethnicity” and “ethnic group.” Jesus has commanded us to disciple all the ethne in the world.  This is His heart—and he has entrusted it to us, his body. This extraordinary challenge awaits us—the 7,000 remaining unreached people groups of the world. We can take hope that even while He has commanded us to go, He also promises that he will be with us every step of the way, to the end of this age.

If you have not taken a Perspectives on the World Christian Movement class yet- then GO DO IT NOW!
It costs $ money, it takes time, it is hard work! but it will "ruin you for the ordinary!" Amen!
For Mike and I, it was the best money ever invested, best time well spent, and the best 'hard work' we have ever had. Classes are starting soon. Register at: www.perspectives.org

As a World Christ follower, we all have a role to play with the mission of the Lord. He has gifted you with spiritual gifts and worldly blessings not for yourself but for His greater purpose. I pray you understand this. I hope you have asked Him, NOT "What is Your will for my life?" but, "Father, What is Your will?" Once you have explored this in the scriptures and prayed about this on your knees, then you understand what God's purpose is for you - and then ask Him to show you where to do this.
It will be different for each of us:  A Goer, A Sender, A Welcomer, A Prayer, or a Mobilizer.
*A "GOER" (missionary in a foreign or domestic land), God may ask you to GO. Not all of us are called to GO, but all of us are called to be missionaries for Him where we are right now.
*You may be called to be a "SENDER" (support by sending a family financially) God's people are blessed to be a blessing! Senders are needed to fund God's work!
*You may be called to be a "WELCOMER." The Nations have arrived in the U.S. folks. Currently in Dallas, TX (2013 stat) 44% of the residents are 'New Americans.' Meaning, many have come from unreached places of the world where the gospel is closed to them. And they are right here in our own backyard! or next door! or grocery store! or park! Show Christ's love by having a family of 5 over from Pakistan! (true story)                  
(stat from: http://www.dfwdiasporamissionsalliance.org/index.html)
*You may be a 'PRAYER'. It is my opinion all Christ followers should be prayers. We should all be on our knees praying for workers to be raised up and for the harvest around the world and for those that do not know of Christ. We should be praying for our pastors, our missionaries on the front lines, our family, our friends. We are all called to PRAY.
*You just might be a 'MOBILIZER'- A crazy term for crazy people whose passion is to see God's people living for God's Mission for the glory of God among the nations. To see every believer living out the mandate of Jesus wherever God places them. (I think I am definitely a mobilizer)

What is your role in this WORLD as a Christ follower? I pray you ask God, and then be brave enough to just do it!- God is up to amazing things friends. For us, we are turning our backs on the 'American Dream,' raising funds to Go, and joining God to be part of a bigger mission than ourselves. I pray you are a part of HIS AMAZING movement for the glory of the LORD and get plugged into where God is working. -Lesley