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When God first started working in our hearts about Maine, I prayed that if that is here He wanted us to be, that He would give us a crushing burden for the state. I was not prepared for how God would answer that prayer.
Stephen and I have been burdened for many years about the unchurched areas of the United States. We always thought we would end up in the Midwest.
Then God put us in contact with two different church planters in Maine, and He began to burden us for the communities there with no Gospel presence.
As we spoke with these two men (in opposite parts of the state), we began praying about whether or not God would have us there. Stephen was asked to go preach, so the airfare was bought and we kept praying.
Since then, God has burdened us immensely. We are so spoiled here in South Carolina, in the Bible Belt. There literally are churches on every corner. There are hundreds of churches within a short driving distance of our home. Granted, not all are solid, Bible believing, Gospel churches, but there are many near us.
And we sit here in our comfortable homes with our comfortable churches…..comparing our standards to theirs, our meetings to theirs, our music to how they sing…….and there are souls lost, dying, and going to Hell in our own country – because there is nobody in their communities to share Christ with them.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
Romans 10:14-15a
How will they know? How will they hear about Christ without a preacher? God has greatly burdened our hearts.
Currently there are two ministries we know of that need a pastor immediately. Both are remote. Both are small. Both are in need. Stephen will be up there preaching this weekend, and learning the area. We don’t know yet if God wants us at one of those two, or if He wants us to start a church in a different town entirely. We’re really looking forward to seeing what He wants for us.