Philippians 1:1–6 · Mission’s Great Beginning · Part 1

God’s Intervening Direction and BFF Beginnings

Watch this message on BFFBible — Part 1: He Who Began a Good Work

(1) God’s intervening direction

What does “He began” mean here? God leads, but this includes not only leading but also initiating, motivating, communicating, and providing. He needs to get His people to get involved with others.

Do you remember how God began the work in Philippi in 49-50 AD? The Lord stopped Paul from going to the remaining places in Turkey (i.e., Asia Minor) and gave him a vision. A close reading of Acts 16 suggests that Luke’s visit was somehow connected to Paul’s vision. Clearly, the Lord was at work.

Macedonian vision, Acts 16:8–12: Paul at Troas, Macedonian call, Luke joins the team, and mission to Philippi — The Macedonian vision and the beginning of the mission to Philippi (Acts 16:8–12).

Explore Paul’s journey: Interactive Acts 16 map — From Troas to Philippi. Follow the Macedonian call, the sea crossing, and the beginnings of the Philippian church.

“6 They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; 7 and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; 8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” (Acts 16:6-10)

God shut the door.

No one thinks God would shut the door, but that is exactly what Luke, the author of Acts, says: “Having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.” I’ve been led in many ways over the years. As Paul shows here, it is not always straightforward. Paul thought it was good to go further into Asia Minor, to the East, but no, somehow the Spirit of Jesus did not permit it. Were vigilantes telling Paul he was not to cross the path and spread the Gospel any more in this region? We don’t know.

The shut door, however, did get Paul thinking and praying. If this has happened to you, don’t despair. We recently met a couple who had a wide-open door to reach nomadic people in Chad, but the country then stopped granting visas to American missionaries. They had the language, the dedication, and the burden, but no longer the opening. It’s hard to deal with shut doors. My family faced a different kind of shut door when, after two terms serving in Taiwan as church planters, we had to return due to health issues.

Looking back, we see that behind this closed door, Paul and Timothy were led to cross the sea to a new region in Macedonia. When one door is shut, we become open to a new one. In this instance, the Lord gave Paul a vision. He was to leave the area and sail west!

Everything connected when Luke met Paul. Did Paul see Luke, hear his voice, or simply receive a request? “Come over to Macedonia and help us”? We don’t know, but Luke appeared to join Paul and the team as they went to Macedonia. This is the first “We” in the Book of Acts, marking the time when Luke the author and Paul traveled together.

BFF Beginnings

Let me share how God started BFF. Please understand that I had no idea how to start this work, now known as Biblical Foundations for Freedom (BFF). I think that if the Lord set it before me, He knew I would have rejected it. It’s easy to say, “God can do everything until He tells us to do something!”

He began this good work. The more I look back on life and ministry, the more I see that in these times He clarifies vision, guides us, tests us, and draws us to call out to Him more deeply. He even helps us watch Him work and give Him thanks. If God is not glorified by our efforts, they are of no avail. So God often helps us by putting us in awkward, difficult straits, so He can receive the glory.

One of His greatest works in my life, next to salvation, has been this BFF ministry, but let me be frank: this was not my plan or hope. To me, this ministry felt like a big accident, but to God, He carried out this plan to bring Him glory by building up His church around the world. I share this openly. Some of you are still here, but only a few people know the story of BFF’s beginning—what happened a bit more than 25 years ago, in 2000. I couldn’t share back then because I didn’t know what God was doing. We have prayer letters from that time in our archives that trace our confusion.

Let me share this story, especially as it happened at our mother church (PCC), where I was pastoring and largely overseeing the new English congregation. In my case, God opened a door and encouraged us through it. Once we were through, He closed the door and, through all this, redirected me. I wouldn’t have left that ministry unless the Lord had pushed me; I had a great time serving with our people there. Here is a sequential list of what we went through during these nine months.

Planting a thought: to stretch my soul (Henry Blackaby’s Experiencing God book), making me aware of how I really did want His greatest blessings.
- Can God further bless you?
- What do you love the most?
An email - the call to go to another church, later confirmed by our church elders.
Shortly after leaving, another email notified me that the church didn’t need me; they had hired another pastor.
The crisis. Two months later, when our money ran dry, it was time to cry out to the Lord.
The birth. God led and provided. On my knees, literally crying out to God, with my dire situation in front of me, He spoke.

I say, “God tricked me” (for good). But He also knew me; He knew where I wanted to go but never would. He had to get me out to where everything collapsed beneath me. To those watching us, it looked even crazier than it did to us. Here was a pastor and a family of 7 children, wondering about God’s leading. God led and shut the door, positioning our hearts, minds, and lives so we could seek and accept His calling.

But when I cried out early that November morning, I cried out over my impoverished situation, the lack of finances, the lack of leadership, the responsibility of caring for a large family, and, of course, no ministry. Those two things I dedicated to Him nine months ago, a regular salary and a teaching ministry, were gone. But upon hearing my cry, He immediately filled my mind with a vision for this mission work. Over two days, He not only gave me ideas but also worked behind the scenes in my heart, giving me faith, vision, and confidence. He worked in my wife’s heart as well, though differently. However, I should say, I never understood what God would do. I just went. Paul didn’t know what awaited him either when he first went to Philippi, and neither did I. That was 25 years ago now, and we are amazed to see what God had done in this ministry.