January 27, 2017

Mission and Outreach Update: Jesse Witt, Story Team Austin Stone

Signs of Faithfulness

As a filmmaker, I often try to measure success by how many “plays,” “likes,” “shares,” “views,” etc. that my stories get. However, what I’m learning is that God’s measure of success isn’t found in statistics and metrics, but in people’s lives.

Because of this, it’s essential to ask the question, “What is God doing through our work?” By God’s grace, I recently heard a testament of God’s faithfulness through a story that we told.

Last week, my team and I returned from a mission trip to Spain where we captured stories from missionaries serving all across the world. From the Middle East and Northern Africa to Central America and Southeast Asia, it was incredibly encouraging to hear stories of God’s faithfulness in their personal lives and ministries.

While there, a missionary couple approached me and thanked me for the work that our ministry (Story Team) is doing. Last year, we told the story of their ministry—a deaf community in a remote area of Honduras where they teach sign language and share the gospel.

I quickly turned the compliment back on them. For my team and I, it truly is an honor and privilege to get to share stories such as theirs. The wife went on to explain just why she wanted to thank and encourage me. They have been faithfully serving in Honduras for more than six years. Those first five years were incredibly difficult. They have seen fruit, but it has come at the cost of much personal suffering for them and other members of their team. While on furlough, they stopped by the church office to consult with our missions board about leaving the field.

Unbeknownst to them, we had coincidentally just finished a story that we had captured throughout their time on the field. While in the break room, we bumped into this couple and proudly showed them their story—a film called, “Signs of Love.”

What I learned next is that God used that video that day to remind them why they had been called to the field and of all the good work that has been accomplished in Jesus’s name. Our film directly motivated them to stay on the field. It is has since served as an incredible resource for their ministry in both generating awareness for prayer and sustainable financial support.

She shared with me that not only had God used one of our stories to keep them on the field, but they had originally felt compelled to go to the Nations when they saw one of our first films almost eight years ago.

As I stood there listening to her tell this story, I wept. What an amazing testament of God’s providence and faithfulness. I hope that this serves as an encouragement in your own ministry and walk with Jesus. Beyond numbers and metrics, we serve a living God who is moving radically in the hearts of His elect.

Your brother in Christ,
Jesse

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” –Psalm 46:10

Things to know this week…

• Sunday, Jan 29 is the last day to register for Men’s & Women’s Bible study
• Sunday, Jan 29 @6pm – RockHouse Youth Doer Groups
• Wed, Feb 1 @6pm: Etch
• A Night in Little Italy tickets on sale at the Youth Info Desk