Ministry in Ankara
On Sunday I preached at a new and growing fellowship here in Ankara. This was the first time that I've preached in a "traditional" church in Turkey (as opposed to a house church). It was actually our first Sunday at this church, and for the next few years we will be doing ministry with this small church on the western edge of the city. My message was about the Fruit of the Spirit and about our role in our spiritual growth. In reality, spiritual growth is beyond our ability. We can't just decide to grow any more than a farmer can force a seedling to sprout. Our role is to cultivate the spiritual conditions in which God will cause the seeds of maturity to grow and bear fruit in us. I described three things that we can do to work the soil of our souls: 1. We can consume the Bible not just for information, but for transformation. 2. We can engage in prayer as a transforming friendship with God which includes a lifestyle of listening. 3. We can commit ourselves to serve o...