We’re proud of so many things our shepherds do on a daily basis.
Near the top of the list is the financial commitment our shepherds make to provide cost-free soul care for ministry leaders. In order for our shepherds to freely give their services to pastors, missionaries, and parachurch workers, our team members raise monthly support from generous, Kingdom-minded donors.
The Standing Stone National office equips shepherds to do this well by providing high-level, ongoing training. We implemented more rigorous training three years ago, and the benefits have been astounding. Little did we know that this training would also lead to new areas of ministry. Here’s how one of our shepherds recently described her experience:
“A couple months ago, I started meeting with a young missionary who has committed to serve an unreached people group. Before she can head to the mission field full-time, she needs to raise her monthly support.
This young woman’s fervor for the Lord and for His work is amazing. It’s been difficult for her to understand how some people respond after she shares the vision for her ministry. Because we talk about this extensively in our SSM training and have experienced this in our own support raising, I was able to walk her through trusting God with the outcome after each support-raising conversation.
She assumed, like I had at one point, that if someone didn’t respond, she had done something wrong or possibly even offended the person with whom she had spoken. We discussed–and then surrendered to God in prayer– those thoughts, worries, and expectations.
A day or so after one of our meetings, she heard back from one of the people she’d been concerned about. This person had an entirely legitimate reason for not getting back to her and wanted to say that she was “all in” with my friend’s missionary vision.
During our next meeting, we explored trusting God’s sovereign plan more fully. This young missionary expressed how grateful she was for Standing Stone’s ministry to equip, encourage, and challenge her. Who would have thought that even our support raising training would provide such fruitful avenues for ministry? Of course, God wastes nothing, so we’ll just keep paying forward everything He gives us to build up His Kingdom!”
WEEKLY ENCOURAGEMENT
After Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000, the Apostle John records,
“When they had all had enough to eat, he [Jesus] said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ (John 6:12)
Let nothing be wasted.
It’s a simple phrase with powerful implications. In our ministry, it means using everything for God’s glory, whether it’s something we expect or something beyond what we planned or imagined.
What does “let nothing be wasted” look like in your life right now? Are there things–relationships or resources, perhaps–that God might want you to reengage or repurpose for His glory? Together, let’s waste nothing!
