Shannon and I were recently training at Summer Institute of Frontier Missions, learning how to plant a church among the Northern Khmer of Thailand. Perhaps you’ve wondered what sort of things future AFM missionaries study.

Quick answer: Lots! Here are some examples. We learned how and for what purpose Jesus established the church, and, in particular, the Adventist Church. We discovered that the church exists for mission. Therefore, there is no true church without mission.

We also learned how to apply the Bible to foreign cultures. While the American way of doing things is not wrong, neither is it the only right way. Our goal is cultural sensitivity with Biblical fidelity.

We’ve also enjoyed activities like the high-ropes course which teaches team-building, faith, and accountability. We learned to walk by faith, trusting that, if we fell, our safety harnesses would keep us from plummeting to our deaths. Soon we were able to cross the crevasses with reckless (foolish?) abandon. Shannon walked backwards and hopped across. I tried to walk on my hands. Afterwards I thought, “Do I trust in God like I trusted that harness? He’s far more trustworthy than a nylon harness. And soon He’ll return to take us much higher than 20 feet off the ground! By God’s grace, many Northern Khmer will rise, too. To that end, we pray and study. Thank-you for your prayers!

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