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Debbie and I were celebrating Cultural Night in Medan, Indonesia, with nearly 1,000 people representing over 20 nations from Asia and the South Pacific. National leaders, missionaries, youth pastors, area FMI coordinators and several U.S. pastors were there. I thought it would be a good time to initiate Jonathan Hall as the new FMI director. They had honored Mike Larkin for his fruitful leadership the night before.

They did engage Jonathan, but they also corralled him and me into doing a typical Indonesian dance (it was not very pretty) with about seven other people. Jonathan and I wore some typical local attire (including skirts). I insisted we keep our pants on underneath. It was good advice since my skirt came loose! I am now wary of YouTube postings at this juncture!

Memories came flooding back of my younger days at church when Mason and Virgene Hughes (New Guinea), Olga Robertson (Philippines) and others would itinerate through and share with us powerful stories and artifacts of their profitable ministries in circumstances that were often life-challenging. It helped chart the course for my own global interests and passion!

The LA Times recently posted a front-page headline stating that a solution to the present economic crisis will require global decisions and partnership. It’s equally true that the call to worldwide evangelism necessitates effective communication and global integration as never before. There is a sense that the economic flattening of our world is opening the doors for evangelism.

To that end, Pastor Jack, Jonathan and I believe that inserting a global emphasis into this weekly prayer e-mail is not only timely, but imperative. The fourth Monday of each month, Jonathan will be writing the devotional thought and we will be focusing entirely on a global prayer emphasis. I’m excited! Our initiatives should always be measurable. Building silos is territorial; building bridges is kingdom stuff! There’s coming a “time when no man can work” (John 9:4), so roll up your sleeves (work), flex your knees (pray), and consider a global partnership (give and go)!

Worldwide evangelism has been our heritage. Make it your legacy!

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'” Isaiah 6:8 (NIV)

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By: Glenn Burris Jr., general supervisor

served as the president of The Foursquare Church from 2009-2020.
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