AIM stands for Apprenticeship In Mission. As Sharon and I begin to head
up this program in Spain under Operation Mobilization we want to operate as
closely as possible to how Jesus operated. We will take a limited number
of apprentices (starting around October 2015) and share life together as we
share the gospel in the towns around us. Jesus, with his 6 teams of 2, took the
Gospel of the Kingdom to the 200 Jewish towns of Galilee in about a year’s
time. I don’t have quite that many towns on my list. But we have a big job here
between the mountains and the river.
How
do we go about this? Not by doing anything new. From our earliest days in Spain
we have worked with children, engaging young people as helpers and leaders. We have
learned to let people offer their homes, and gather small groups of children
who participate in activities based on the video teaching that they receive. We
connect with parents so they know what their children are learning. We also
have included picnics and camps.
Who
do we work with? I guess there is a new factor here. In the past all our
volunteers have been from our church. Now we want to give the opportunity to
anyone who wants to help in a Christian venture. If they are not clear about
the faith they will begin to understand as we have retreats together to show
them how to minister to children.
One thing
we need to learn from Jesus is to go to the synagogues (Matthew 4:23 and 9:35).
The reason for this, of course, is that this is where the godly Jews met. And also,
outside of Israel, the Gentile seekers, which was why Paul visited synagogues. What
represents the synagogues in Spain? It’s Catholic parishes. That’s where people
look for God. We want to be more direct than in the past, and offer the gospel
in a very straightforward way.
Of course,
Jesus warned that the synagogues would be a source of persecution. Paul discovered
this also. But we want to give it a try.
What
part will the apprentices play? One of the first things we must do when they
arrive is to see where each one is: their level of Spanish, their experience
and their gifts. Then we want to find the exact place where they fit in. They will
also be doing studies in discipleship and missions, perhaps linking up with
some of the missionaries around here who work with Muslim immigrants. Some key
areas of need would be to work with the logistics of our outreach, preparation
of new videos and being friends with people their age.
This
is not a new idea. Over 20 years ago I started writing out the Galilee Plan. With
God’s leading it can catch on like a brush fire. We are ready to commit
ourselves to the apprentices. If you know of someone who might fit, put them in
touch with us.
