“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6). Paul shared this secret of church growth to the Corinthians. He and Apollos were mere ministers who worked in the service of the Lord. When a farmer goes to his field he brings along several tools. His shovel, rake, and fertilizer are just instruments that help accomplish his task. In a similar way, the Christian is an instrument of the Lord’s. We all operate on the same level under the Lord’s guidance. Remember, the Lord spoke of Paul and told Ananias, “he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Our success in Peru rests upon this idea. In order to accomplish our mission, we must allow God to use us in his service, and this will be a joint effort between the team, the Peruvians, and the many supporting churches back home.

Placing God at the center of our plans will allow us to experience the final phase: sustenance. The team has made a commitment to sustain the work that we’ve started. We hope to keep it alive through many ways. First, after the five year milestone, we plan to add more team members. Some from the first group may decide to return home and will need to be replaced. Second, we will work to grow the church to a sizeable number that will be self-supportive. This will mean numerical growth, but also we must develop within the number men who will capably lead their church family. Third, one of the most important intentions of our team is to teach the church to plant another church. Like the church in Antioch (Acts 13), the Christians in Cusco, Peru will be a mission-minded group that will influence the surrounding region.

Ultimately, it is our prayer that in 10-20 years we can look into this region of Peru and find many mature, healthy churches of Christ. What a privilege it is for those who give of their resources in the mission field. Moreover, it is a greater honor for all of us to be used as an instrument by God. We are all partners in this work, and to God be the glory.

Published in Seeking Things Above and at The Cusco Chronicles.