I have a confession to make.
EAST has never been on my list of bible schools I want to go to.
Too small, too close to home, too obscure.
After taking two classes (Effective Writing & Theology 1), and for this quarter, History of Missions & Biblical Preaching, I see the hand of God in this place and on the teachers who teach not with words but in the power of the Spirit.
When I read Ruth Tucker's "From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya" (text for the Missions class), my spirit quickened as I discovered that some went to the mission field not because they had a call from God. They went simply because they saw the need and they knew God's heart in the Word -- that none should perish but all to come to know Christ Jesus. And God blessed the work of their hands. Francis Xavier was one (he brought the gospel to India and Japan).
There were others who had a clear calling to go and they obeyed. They toiled for decades and saw no fruit (e.g. David Brainerd -- missionary to the American native Indians -- heard a stirring message at a missions meeting).
Brainerd fell very ill and was taken in by Jonathan Edwards. He also fell in love with Edwards' daughter but died at 29 of consumption before the marriage could take place.
His diary entries compiled by Edwards later went on to inspire many others to surrender their lives to God and bring the name of Christ to unknown lands.
Neither group is holier than the other.
But both groups understood the crux of the matter -- they allowed God to take hold of them and their lives.
It's not commitment that makes the difference.
It's simply surrender.
"And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's."
1 Cor 3:23
