Update on search for a Mongolian pastor

"The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest." This words from Matthew's gospel are a reminder to us of the importance of prayer in the raising up of workers for the salvation of human lives and the establishment of churches around the world. This also frames the prayer request that I have for you.

In January I realized that I would be traveling to Oregon for our church's 25th anniversary. I determined that I would prepare our little group of believers as best as I could for our absence and trust that God would use our time away from Mongolia to strengthen our young believers and perhaps raise up a Mongolian man who would recognize God's call upon his life to lead the church. Towards that end, I spent many weeks during the spring preparing Ganpurev to teach a series of lessons while I was gone. I wondered if God might use this experience to reveal to Ganpurev His call to pastor this Mongolian church.

While I was gone Ganpurev did an admirable job preaching. The Mongolians seemed to respond to having a Mongolian preaching. Of course, he speaks Mongolian better than either Roland or I do. I was encouraged by these reports.

I had a chance to sit down and talk with Ganpurev recently and discovered that he felt relieved that it was over. Rather than the opportunity giving him a greater desire to preach and teach, the opportunity seemed to show him the difficulties of it. My hope was that upon my return Ganpurev would say to me, "I believe that God has called me to pastor this group." Instead, he seems to be saying, "I'm glad that's over. I'd rather not preach again." Certainly, I expect that he will preach again; it is my job as his spiritual father to help him grow and mature. However, it seems that God has another way of supplying the need for a Mongolian man to pastor this church. Please pray that the Lord of the harvest would send us some men to be the leaders of this church.