Lots of NextSteppers

The Chinese Mission Conference

Thanks so much for your prayers! The Chinese Mission Conference was tremendous. Our Next Step team and other coworkers worked smoothly together to counsel about 65 people considering full-time service. Many were making a first-time commitment to full-time service. A few were already involved in ministry but really wanted to talk and pray about the future.

We praise God for this opportunity to serve. I heard again and again from our own coworker team that this opportunity to serve actually helped them in their own journey toward full-time service.

A Good Time of Self-Examination

Paul is very thankful for the messages from Os Guinness at a pre-conference symposium. It was as if God was using these thoughts to help him examine and improve the BFF website. He was shocked to discover that some authors do not really write, but ask ghostwriters to write for them. People can preach and teach what they do not live or believe.

Although the web is a powerful medium, it lacks personal connectivity. Without this personal influence, its effectiveness drops significantly. The advantage of discipleship is that you personally know the one discipling you. God knew this was so important that He sent His only Son.

We need to find some means to break through this modern wall of impersonality. We want BFF readers to see that we do indeed live what we teach. We welcome your suggestions. Some small steps have already been taken. Keep praying that Paul would understand how to be a godly leader.

Thanks to God

• Paul prayed that website activity would increase, and one day the site experienced a spike about 15 times greater than usual in pages viewed.
• The backlog of work was lightened. The Acts maps were reworked, the Home Visitation with Purpose article was uploaded, and the John update was sent out.
• We are thankful for the many people who personally thanked Paul for the leadership training materials. Some are now being translated into Chinese.
• Paul joined two others in training about 70 pastors at the conference. They presented the theory, biblical concepts, and practical church application of The Flow. It was very well received.
• Praise God for Linda’s ability to edit material even with her busy schedule.
• We are grateful to hear that those we know in India were safe from the tsunami.

Requests to God

• Pray for wisdom as Paul thinks of ways to make the website more personal.
• The Faith Counseling series still awaits Paul and Linda.
• The NextStep Team needs to follow up with the 65 people seeking God’s direction, along with their pastors or mission leaders.
• Paul and Linda are both teaching Sunday school during these weeks.
• Pray for Vijay as he leads a pastors’ seminar on marriage in India on January 9–10.
• Paul continues seeking God’s priorities for BFF and his time in the coming year.
• Pray for the many people around the world using BFF materials because of their biblical content, practical topics, and free availability.
• Pray for an East Coast Chinese Christian training center as it prepares to open in the spring.

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