One Way, the road home

This is not a church article but are some thoughts about some teaching ministry that I have been involved with this week.

I have recently been to a pastors conference in Phalombe East District, this is situated right around the Mulanje mountian massif, over the 3 days whilst driving there and back, the road took me right around the mountain. I was surprised at the variety of views which I encountered on the road, the mountian surprised me again and again with some breath taking views. On the road I encountered the usual bumps and holes, cows and goats, bicycles and trucks which needed to be navigated around. On the way I met up with the Malawian director/pastor of the mission and he showed me the rest of the way from a remote town called Chiringa. I was reminded that we need to shown the Way, I would have been lost far from home. Jesus is the 'the way the truth and the life'.

The 'One Way Mission' is a Finnish organisation that is working in Malawi and it was a pleasure to have been able to go and help in the teaching of 60-70 pastors many of whom have had little or no previous training, the gospel certainly becomes vital, the gospel has been described as a 'good story' a 'God story' and it certianly needs to be. Many of the pastors attending don't yet even have a bible yet are leading congregations in very rural areas. This is both wonderful and yet full of potential problems in Malawi.

We spent the time looking at Malachi in the mornings and Ephesians in the afternoons, this surprisingly went very well together, Gods word complements it self in the most wonderful way. For many of these leaders and pastors the gospel is going to be the most important, as it should be for all reference point in their lives, the obvious poverty, yet willingness to learn from God is wonderful as Luke quoted Jesus 'Blessed are the poor', this true, yet in the midst of it all the similar words of Jesus quoted by Matthew 'Blessed are the poor in spirit' is also vital. Poverty itself does not bring a spirituality which is blessed, rather it is a heart given to Christ, where the self is poor and instead rich in Jesus.

I feel humbled by the grace of the Lord and sense the great need again for people to know Gods word, but more than just hearing, a listening and responding in faith needs to take place, which brings joy unspeakable as we submit to the Lord Jesus on the way to our eternal home.

Matthew Armstrong

Blantyre.