by Gene Cornett, Teaching Elder 

In August 2022, I had the privilege of meeting Jason C., an IMB team lead who serves with his wife and three children in Nazareth. I asked him then how trips to the Holy Land could be helpful to their work. At the time, I did not think that I was going on this recent trip. Among other ideas for working with him, Jason said that if people from our church could meet his family for dinner while in the country, that would be encouraging to them. Bob and Susan Morris confirmed for me that it can be very useful, especially to a young family with children serving on the field to meet people from home. So, on the Saturday night when we were staying just about 30 minutes from where they live and serve, Jason and his wife and 3 young children came to our hotel where we hosted them for dinner. Following dinner, we had a wonderful conversation where we got to know them and hear them share about their work seeking to reach Israeli Arabs with the gospel. Bob and Susan, having been in their shoes, laid hands on them and led us in prayer for them.  

This meeting accomplished several goals relevant to our work of missions and evangelism at Bethany Place. The evening encouraged this young family who work hard and serve faithfully in this place. An example of the unique circumstances in which they serve; their oldest son is 9 and attends an Arabic language school. He is the only non-Arab in the K-12 school, and he is flourishing. We loved meeting their children and have good reason to believe that this meeting was helpful to all five of them.  

But there was also much benefit to each of us on the trip. No church and no follower of Jesus can be considered faithful that does not persist in keeping an outward look toward reaching those who have not trusted in the work of Jesus in his life, death, burial, and resurrection and so do not know God. This involves a local, national, and international focus. Though our specific involvement in the work of missions and evangelism varies from person to person and church to church, God calls every believer to persevere in an outward focus in each of those areas.  

So, our meeting with Jason and his family while there helped to personalize the work for us internationally. We now know someone by name and face and story who serves in a challenging place in the world with three young children. This experience now prompts our ongoing praying, giving, and going ourselves. Our meeting with this family helped to enhance our experience here in the holy land and kept us from seeing that experience as only being of personal spiritual benefit to us. It helped to keep us focused on this outward look as we delighted in the experience of putting our feet on the ground and seeing with our eyes the physical locations where so much Biblical history took place. 

In Christ,  

Gene