I had the opportunity to in an EE mission to Bangladesh in 2010, and it was the first time that I met people who literally had their homes burned because they had decided to follow Jesus. Throughout the whole week of conducting the XEE clinic, even though we could only teach the class through an interpreter, yet all the pastors and leaders put in their best effort to learn the XEE outline, all in Bangladeshi. This impressed upon me how much we had taken for granted the XEE training, and how precious it was for them to be able to learn it.
A few years later, I was part of another overseas EE mission team. We told the host beforehand that we could take a maximum of 30 students in the class, but when we arrived, we saw 60 students packed into a small classroom! The believers in this town were so hungry for training opportunities because there were not many training events that came to this small town. Here in Malaysia, we have so many Bible teachers and seminars that we have to choose which ones we want to make time for. I understood then, that God was calling believers everywhere to get involved in missions because there are still many people all around the world that have not yet heard the gospel.
The EE mission team to Bangladesh comprised of brothers and sisters from the US, Singapore, and Malaysia.
My trainee receiving his cert.
1. We must seek God’s direction (Acts 16:6-10)
Every church is a church born of God’s design. God directed Paul by giving him a vision of a man from Macedonia begging them to go there to preach the gospel. Paul obeyed God’s direction even though it was different from his own plans. We must seek God’s direction in every mission endeavour because we are merely participants in God’s plan. God has been at work to redeem mankind to himself since the very beginning, and he now invites us to join in his plan to finish the work. If we attempt to do missions based on our own wisdom, we are being very foolish and very presumptuous. God is already at work in every community, and it would be wise to ask God to reveal to us what He is doing so that we can follow his plan and not do anything contrary to His goals. Let us take time to seek God in prayer each time before we share the gospel, each time before we start an EE semester, and each time before we go out to do missions.
2. We must disciple people from all backgrounds (Acts 16:11-34)
The new church at Philippi probably was made up of a varied group of people: a socially important businesswoman, a slave girl freed from demonic possession, a jailor and his family, and maybe some prisoners too. After more than 10 years from the founding of the church, Paul calls the believers in Phillipi his partners in the gospel (Philippians 1:5-7). The church gathers in Lydia’s home for regular worship services. This church sent money gifts on two separate occasions to Paul – this shows financial independence and stability. Epaphroditus, a leader in the Philippian church, was sent to Paul to become his assistant. Wow, look at the fruits of discipleship! If we want to see the church being built up through our missionary efforts, we must disciple people from all backgrounds, all languages, all ages, all etc. As long as God opens the way, let us be good stewards of the gospel and make disciples of all nations.
3. We must expect supernatural activity (Acts 16:16-24)
Paul and his friends were harassed by a demon-possessed slave girl. Satan is surely not going to sit still when we align ourselves to God’s mission in this world. But at the same time, when we go out boldly to proclaim his word, we can expect God’s presence to go with us and deliver us from harm just as protected Paul and Silas in prison. Our God will go before us, and he will surely make firm the steps of the godly (Psalm 37:23). We are not afraid because we go in the power and in the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus is coming back soon, and he is coming back to redeem his bride, the church. God is inviting each of us to participate in his plans. So, dear friends, let us get involved in missions and in building the church. There are still many who need to hear about the good news of the kingdom.
Written by Vivienne Voon
13 August 2025
