|
Greetings Res Family! We are just finishing the final eucharist service and I wanted to give you a quick update before I pack and head to the airport. Today has been an especially meaningful day for me and the Lord has been very gracious to us at the conference and to me personally. The day started with breakfast with Bishop John and Meg Guernsey. Not only did we have an inspired conversation, and not only is John celebrating his 70th birthday today, I was able to thank him personally for inviting me to Gafcon and give testimony to what God has taught me and what I have learned. I was grateful for the unplanned breakfast. After a brief quiet time on my porch from Psalm 13, I walked to the morning session only to find myself walking in with Archbishop Foley and his wife Allison. We had a very special moment of conversation which I am not at liberty to share but it touched me deeply. What a privilege to serve behind the scenes and bless those who are up front in our movement. It very may well be one of the greatest encouragements I have ever received. It certainly motivated me to be more faithful and fulfill my calling. I praise God for our godly Archbishop. The morning plenary was worship and a most amazing and inspiring sermon by the Primate of Uganda from Colossians 3 and 4. His call to pray was unbelievable. He told us 100 members of his church back home SPENT ALL NIGHT IN PRAYER for him and the conference. ALL. NIGHT. And truly there was an anointing on Him and the conference this morning that we have not felt since we have been there. I was so humbled and convicted. It’s no wonder Uganda sees so many come to Christ, get healed, and plant churches. I can barely pray for 5 minutes. They prayed ALL NIGHT! It is the prayers of the church that pave the way for the Work of the Lord. I praise God our church was founded on prayer. I pray that a hunger for God and for prayer might grow in our church. If you get a chance, please watch his sermon (CLICK HERE). After a break, the Archbishop of Nigeria read of the “Kigali Statement”. CLICK HERE to read it. It is clear, gracious, and pastoral. For some reason there was much weightiness and heaviness in the room as it was read. For me there was great sadness that there has been such division and heresy and unfaithfulness in the Anglican Communion. There was a mood of sober mindedness as we have all been called to repentance. I was struck not by any air of triumphalism or superiority in the room, but of humility and solemnity and even grief. We spent time in prayer after it was read. My prayer group has been amazing. I love the men and was honored to have four very distinguished leaders in it. I am committing to pray for them as they had back to their ministries in the UK, Mexico, New Zealand and the US. The final worship service was marked by an absolutely clear and inspiring sermon from Archbishop Kwashi of Northern Nigeria. What a man who has sacrificed so much. He talked about the battle and counting the cost. As one who has been personally attacked, whose wife has been brutally assaulted, had his entire house and church burned to the ground, and whose life is in constant danger because of the gospel, it was truly humbling. “To whom shall we go?” from John 6 was his text and the theme of the conference. I got choked up twice during the sermon and was inspired to continue to pray and proclaim the gospel with greater clarity and conviction. As I head home, I am praying I won’t lose the courage and encouragement we have received from such great teaching and worship this week. I am praying that all of us from the ACNA will return with a renewed commitment and steadfast courage to proclaim Jesus as the Way the Truth and the Life. Look forward to seeing you Sunday, Lord willing! In Christ, David  
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
