I love it when a plan comes together!

When our training ended last weekend I was really ready to get home to my family. I started wondering, "What am I doing sticking around for more meetings?" Anytime I am away from my bride for long, those kind of thoughts begin to enter my head. It's easy to get depressed out here even when things are going great. The reason is that nothing is familiar. When I'm at home I have pretty regular schedule for my days. Things I touch, smell, see, and taste are familiar. Out here, that's not the case. At any rate, yesterday I got the answer to my question.

What happened you might ask? Did someone come to faith in Jesus? Was a church planted? Nope. I had a day literally filled with meetings. Doesn't sound too glorious does it?

Well, the reason that I was so excited when I went to bed last night is that a truly strategic plan seems to be coming together. It is almost scary how big and how amazing it is. I'm talking God-sized!

The population of India alone is equal to that of North America, South America, and Africa combined! And yet as we sat in a tiny cheap hotel in Hyderabad yesterday, for the first time ever I could envision the completion of the Great Commission. Are there formiddable barriers? YES! What is India? Hindu majority. 2nd largest Muslim country in the world. Soon to be the most populous country in the world surpassing China. 54% of the population here is under 25 years old. Caste system still exists unofficially. Wide-spread poverty. Wide-spread Illiteracy.

But then I've been teaching all week that Jesus said, "I WILL build my Church and the Gates of Hades (I've seen them this week) will NOT prevail against it." So how will those barriers be overcome? Through the power of the Gospel . . . the same way that the formiddable barriers that created your and my lostness was overcome. The Gospel message travels quickly through networks. And what we've been discussing in these meetings is exactly that - the networks that God is using to push back the darkness and let the Light shine in. So I'm going to get up from this internet cafe computer now and step outside. I'll immediately be assaulted by the smog and filth. I'll be approached by the impoverished and asked for a blessing . . . and I'll give them one I'll dodge trucks, cars, motorcylces, rickshaws, ox-carts and the like and cross the street headed back to that modest hotel. And all the while I will be encountering a vast sea of depraved humanity in need of the Gospel that took hold of me and changed me. And given the chance I'll share that message with passion. But my confidence does not rest in the flesh, but in the Holy Spirit who gives life.

Why am I excited? Because God Almighty has been working his GLOBAL PLAN OF REDEMPTION since the beginning of time and we're getting close to the end of it. Things are accelerating at an alarming speed. Networks are spreading throughout this country and beyond that can conceivably present an understandable Gospel message to every single person in our lifetime. And I get to be a part of it. And so do you! I love it when a plan comes together! Look for more details about how you can be involved in this amazing plan in the coming days. For now . . . I'm off to pack and on to Kolkatta (Calcutta) where I'm going to look beyond the barriers and see the Promise.