Back from Nepal

I am back from Nepal and right into the flurry of the beginning of term with a backlog of things to post about.

Special thanks to those who prayed for me and this trip. It was a great trip and so much could be said about it. Various things cannot be commented on for security reasons and a basic overview was provided on the trip ‘plog’ at the website of Eagle Projects International, who organized the trip.

I had the opportunity to teach verse-by-verse through 2 Timothy, Titus, and Romans (which was interrupted by our need to leave early the last day) as well as a few other topics. I hope it was beneficial to the pastors, students and other leaders. After commenting on false teachers in Titus, one of the leaders told me this was an increasing problem in their area as more Jehovah’s Witness and Mormons come in from other countries. In the next session I took some more time to discuss dealing with false teachers pointing especially to Paul’s comments in 2 Timothy that Timothy knew from whom he had learned his doctrine (3:14). It is always important for people to receive teaching from trusted sources and when something ‘new’ comes along to search the scriptures themselves and look to their pastors (whose life and ministry they have seen and verified) for discerning help.

I was impacted in numerous ways by my time with these brothers and sisters. It is always encouraging to me to see the body of Christ in other cultures- a visible reminder that God is indeed at work in every tribe and language. These people have little, suffer much, but have real power- power persevering in trials, being joyful with little, evidences of lives radically transformed, and evangelistic passion pushing back the kingdom of darkness. It was a privilege to ask them their stories and hear them- with no melodrama whatsoever- tell of how the gospel came to their family or village, how they were persecuted for believing and how grateful they are to have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Christ. I was humbled by watching these brothers and sisters.

There is much more to tell. In the coming days I will hope to do so.

(The two photos at the top are from one morning watching the sun rise over the Himalayas. It was spectacular)