Willing Shepherds - Dan, Sam and Lucas

Dan Tietz, Sam Bondy and Lucas King are happy to be in Istanbul. The coolest thing in the Bul lately is that “Sadie” invited Christ into her life last weekend at a Turkish church service.

“Sadie” has been searching for Jesus for almost three years. She made built some relationships with the team at their coffeehouse outreach last year, and this year attended the Turkey Christmas Conference. Through weekly studying the book of Luke with two of Dan, Sam and Lucas’ teammates, ‘Sadie’ fell more in love with the person of Jesus and desired to follow him.

Last weekend one of the gals took ‘Sadie’ to a church to meet some Turkish Christians and worship with them. There she met a Turkish woman on staff who showed her answers to some of her questions about Jesus. ‘Sadie’ invited Christ into her life confessing her belief in Jesus and His death for her on the cross. This staff announced her to the church as their new sister in Christ and the whole church joined in the celebration. They all hugged and kissed her and welcomed her into the family of God. Sam said, “It was a sweet picture of the role God has called us to here: ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ ”

Sam writes, “God is drawing people to himself here and we’re asking Him to lead us to them that we may bring them into his body here in Turkey. Please pray for ‘Sadie’, that she would be rooted in the love of Christ and would stand firm against lies of the enemy. Pray for God’s protection and that His Sprit that lives within her would lead her into all truth when she has moments of doubt and confusion.”

Sam also writes that, “As servants in leadership of our team, God has been challenging us to step more boldly into shepherding the men and women on our team, especially initiative discipleship and encouragement. It’s easy to forget how important this aspect is of our role because we expect ourselves to be just as involved in Turkish ministry as everyone else. Yet, God has really called us to disciple and oversee our team, they are our ministry. To walk alongside them in what God has called them to in their ministry, to encourage, challenge, and be humble vessels of God’s love in their lives.

A scripture that God has laid on her heart since August is:

1 Peter 5:2-4 “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be, not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

“It has been sweet to see God’s work in the women and the men on our team,” Sam continues. “I think, Dan, Lucas and I often think they don’t really want nor need a shepherd per say in their life, yet they really do and God has called us to this role. But it’s not about us and it’s not for us to depend on ourselves to fill it, but for God to do the work in and through us. Moses was a great example of this: he was NOT capable but God wasn’t asking him to be, God said to trust Him and that God will do his work through him. God equips the called, not the other way around. In being example to the flock, God has and I trust he will continue to help us in living in weakness, vulnerably and humbly alongside the people on our team. God will be the one to do his work in and through us, it’s not our job ‘to do’ anything. Yet that expectation (that its our job ‘to do’ something) can often keep us from moving forward in boldness and courage in Christ.”

May we all shepherd God's flock under our care...

• not out of obligation, but willing because God wants us to
  
• not out of greed (for money, reconigation, strokes or whatever), but eager to serve
• not lording it over, but leading as examples to the flock