Trip to London
After a few rainy days, plenty nice cups of tea and some delicious pastries, Mariana and I have returned from London with a fullness that comes from being in fellowship with Christians in different walks of life.
Our trip to London was centered on the main objective to meet with a few specific people that have been supporters of Bob and Becky and Salt Ventures, in order to give an update on Pink and its operations. We had the opportunity to speak briefly at St. Stephen’s Church on Sunday morning about these things and to share some of our own stories of how God lead us to Bulgaria. It was really wonderful to meet a broader circle of people what have been impacted by Bob and Becky throughout the course of their lives and ministry, and it was encouraging to be in brief community with people, in another part of the world, who have invested in Pink and in Bulgaria.
As someone who appreciates the “big picture” and who often sees things through a zoomed out lens, this brought back into perspective the fact that, wherever we are, in our corner of the world, and whatever work we are doing to further the Kingdom, whether its work that has global implications or communal, there is no such thing as truly working alone. What I mean by this, I think is what’s communicated in the familiar set of verses in 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul talks about the body of Christ and its members each playing a part. The section that stood out to me specifically is verses 26-27, which say, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
I’ve never really considered applying this chapter of scripture to God’s global church, I’ve always applied it to small communities of Christians. However, as we were meeting with individuals and hearing about their kingdom work and then their involvement with Pink or connection to Bob and Becky, I was struck by how truly vast the body of Christ is and how across the world, we share the same calling of glorifying God with our lives and ushering in His Kingdom. In the same way that some communities have adopted the idea of individuals “doing their part” when it comes to living with greater focus on sustainability, I think that there is an element of this same spirit in the global church, as each member does their part to further the kingdom. Whether that be in an insignificant or significant part of the world, no matter how underwhelming or overwhelming the work may be.
For me, this picture elevates the meaning and significance behind everything I choose to do or not do. These reflections were no doubt encouraged by the fact that the people we did meet with were truly wonderful and inspiring individuals that we felt blessed to be making acquaintance with. We returned to Sofia grateful for the moments we were prayed over, grateful for the support and hospitality of the people we met and grateful for our great God.