Matt Craig, pastor at Don Valley Bible Chapel (Toronto, ON) and Chris Atkinson, pastor at Pinewoods Bible Chapel (Angus, ON), travelled together to Kenya this past fall to visit and encourage the pastors and churches of Vision Ministries Kenya (VMK). As often happens, the trip was encouraging, humbling, and challenging to Matt.
The eagerness to learn and grow as pastoral leaders was evident as VMK pastors gathered together for training and discipleship. Because VMC has established relationships and gained trust with Kenyan pastors and congregations, people came because they saw the value in what was being offered. Being away from work and family for a week was a sacrifice for many VMK pastors, and yet they realized that it was a week well spent – for the kingdom of God, their congregations, and their own spiritual growth.
Matt was also humbled by the dedication and sacrifical love that the VMK pastors demonstrated. They were often doing a number of things to sustain their ministries. Being a pastor in Kenya often means holding another job to pay the bills. Especially for the pastors in more rural contexts. He said being a pastor almost feels like taking a vow of poverty for some of these pastors. Yet – their enthusiasiam and sense of urgency for sharing the gospel compels them to figure out a way to make it work.
And Matt was challenged by his Kenyan brothers and sisters. He wondered – here in Canada, do we sometimes shy away from sharing the gospel? Do we step back when maybe we ought to step in? Should we allow ourselves to be stretched outside our comfort zones – for the sake of the gospel?
The encouragement and sharpening one another was mutual. The affection and love between VMC and VMK continues to grow and there’s a real sense of the unity of the body of Christ. It’s bigger than our own thing and we’re actually participating in something that is outside our control and is fueled by something that is not us.
This is the kingdom of God and this is the Spirit of God at work