No Wet Wood
On Fire to Serve in Word and Deed
Psalm 67 is a Psalm of the people of God crying out for him to bestow upon them his grace, blessing, and favor so that his way may be known on earth, his saving power among all nations.
Verse 4 says, “Judge the people with equity.” Some see this as pointing to a final judgment, but my mind goes to Moses and to the judges who judged the people of Israel, meaning they provided justice for the people they led.
The nations can praise God, the nations can be glad and sing for joy because he is their refuge, he is justice for the victim and the oppressed, he is Savior for the sinner, he is father for the fatherless, and he is strength for the weak. Isiah says a bruised reed he shall not break, and the smoking flax he shall not quench.
So as the Gospel goes forth with the people of God, the nations can be glad and sing for joy, because there is true transformation. There really is a place for all at the master’s table.
There is a theme of ministry to the marginalized, to the vulnerable through OMS ministries, and this is something I want to highlight. How the Gospel, in the hands of disciple-makers (OMS and our partners) is transforming communities.
Here are a few examples of this:
- Rod and Beth Williamson in Taiwan are serving children with special needs through starting a baseball league, which has impacted families and led to worship groups.
- Prison ministry in Colombia, with106 prisons now in Colombia (with new believers getting to attend Bible Institute while in prison), Honduras, and Ecuador, with ministry to the prisoners’ families included.
- Somos Nos (formerly Helping Hands in Mozambique) – 15% of the population is living with disabilities, which is often seen as a curse, yet our team is mobilizing the church to engage the disabled and their families, meet the immediate and obvious needs, and nourish their soul with the Gospel message and love of Jesus.
- Deaf in Colombia – OMS founded the Confra denomination in Colombia. They recently ordained a deaf minister of the Gospel to minister to other deaf /hearing impaired people in Colombia.
- HOPE 61 – engages and equips the local church to recognize the vulnerable in their communities and engages them so that they are protected from the predators of this world – rather than being used for slave labor or sex trafficked, they are valued, loved, and incorporated into the community of Christ.
- Refugees – Ukraine/Hungary – response to human suffering and serving in word and deed.
- Southern Italy ministry to African refugees – assisting with practical needs that often lead to sharing the Gospel and doing discipleship.
- Migrant ministries- Soy Satura on the Colombia-Venezuela border and offering nourishing snacks to the migrants.
Why would you want to serve at OMS? God has blessed us to make him known among the nations and to see his justice and transformation realized among all peoples.
If you're not excited about serving with OMS, I don't know what's wrong with you. If this doesn't light your fire, then your wood is all wet!
-Chris Williams, OMS Executive Director of Global Ministries