Mark Gillmore: Hello and welcome to our Go Mission podcast. Today we have the privilege of speaking to you from the beautiful country of Uganda, here on the amazing continent of Africa. We’re sitting here at Murchison Falls, which is in one of the national parks. I’ve got the privilege of being the sponsor of a group of eight young people from our college, Baptist College of Ministry. Many of you may know about that college. And we’ve taken a trip to Uganda for two weeks of ministry. And I’m sitting here with the team as well as with our missionary contact, Brother Phil. And George, you are the team leader. You lead the Taylor Fellowship, I believe. Yes, sir. Could you just summarize how God laid this trip on your heart?

Taylor Missions Team: So we’ve had a burden to take a missions trip for about two years now. and it took a little bit of time to work out the details and get it all worked out. And as leadership of the fellowship going into the missions trip, we had a burden that God would do a work in our hearts as well as use us in a foreign country in a way that we’ve never experienced before. For many of us, it was our first opportunity to leave the country and to do ministry in a different way, a different place. And God has definitely done a deep work in each one of our hearts. And even he’s done that work for us, but he’s also done a work through us, enabling us to reach the Ugandans here and even seeing several of them saved even here last night.

Mark Gillmore: That’s great to hear, George. I’ll come back to you in just a second. Brother Phil, would you just come and give us a summary of just how the team has brought the good news to this land, how God’s used them?

Taylor Missions Team: This has really been a blessing. We’re so thankful for the BCM team. a group of spirit-filled young people that wherever they went, the presence of Christ was made very real. We tried to use some specific things to show the community our love. A lot of times just sitting with them, playing games with them, talking with them, and then other practical things like medicine, balloons, other things like that. And our prayer was that God would really use us to demonstrate the love of Christ in such a discernible way that the whole community would clearly be touched and become aware of the presence of Christ in our midst. And we saw that. Everyone on the team was able to personally proclaim the gospel from village to village and little groups of people, which was wonderful. And a lot of them, some freshmen, some have already graduated. some maybe sophomores and juniors, but everyone spiritually growing in their boldness in proclaiming the gospel and believing God to do the impossible. So through the ministry, in four days’ time, there were over 1,000 people, probably more like 1,500 people who heard the gospel in a very thorough way and then also saw it demonstrated by the lives of these young people in a place called Mariokolo. And we really appreciate their ministry to four of our students who are planting churches right now. Just giving a great example to them that communities can be one for Christ, that they can be proactive, that they can really just show the love of Christ and walls will break down. Ronnie’s church that he’s planting that we were helping normally has about 20 people to attend on a regular basis. But on this particular Sunday, over 200 came. And many people were asking questions and wanting to know more about how they can be a part of this new church plant. So it was a very real impact on a community and also on one of our students who’s doing the very best he can to plant a church. So we’re just so grateful for that. The other thing I’d mention quickly is we had a tremendous ministry at a high school, really kind of a Catholic high school where we were welcome to come for four days and spend about three hours with the students. And again, proclaiming the Word of God, breaking up into small groups. And we just saw progressively the eyes opening to the truth. And 23 of these young people came to know Christ as their Savior. It was really just tremendous to see what God was able to do.

Mark Gillmore: I think one of the key roles a missionary has is introducing new laborers to the field. I’m sure it’s a sacrifice on your part to put this trip together for us, but we’re sure thankful. And I’m excited just about how God’s going to use this trip in the lives of those who got to be on our team. So thank you. Brother Phil, I’ll come back to you in just a moment. Lydia, I’m looking at our team here, I think six of the eight. This is your first time in Africa, but not for Lydia, who has ministered in South Africa. I just want to take a moment to ask each team member here just to give a quick word of testimony of how this trip impacted your life, what you saw God do in your own heart. So we’ll start with you, Lydia. Go ahead.

Taylor Missions Team: Well, one truth that the Lord really reinforced in my own life on this trip was the fact that the ministries he allows me to take part in, they’re not ultimately mine. They are his. During our team meetings, we went through a book this trip by a Chana Inland missionary. And she addresses several different areas of surrender that are necessary, particularly on the mission field. And at our last meeting, she was comparing two different missionaries and just the great difference between the outlook of whether your ministry is your own or whether it is God’s. And it’s just so freeing to know that he is in control of all of it. He can move me around. He can give me different kinds of ministries, and I can just trust him with it all.

Mark Gillmore: Thank you very much. Liberty is another one of our team members. How did God touch your life on this trip?

Taylor Missions Team: It was really glorious to go around to different villages proclaiming that the purpose for their life was to have a relationship with God. But another incredible aspect of being here in Uganda was to get up early each morning and to fulfill the purpose for which I was created. and to spend time here in Uganda, just the same as back home, spend time in the presence of the Lord, and to just bring all my weakness and my insufficiency to Him and know that He was meeting my need, even as I went about telling others about this relationship they could have with Him. It was just the most, it brought such joy to know Him in that way.

Mark Gillmore: Thank you. That is a thrilling testimony. Often I find in a missions context, that kind of walk with God comes to the fore. It’s not easy, but he’ll make his presence and his fellowship very real. Well, Ellie, give us your take on this trip.

Taylor Missions Team: One of my burdens coming into this missions trip was that nothing that I did would be of myself and that Jesus would only shine through me and that nothing would be of myself. And through that, in many of my devotion times and team meetings, the Lord showed me how much I need to be spending time in prayer. And we could see so many different times where the Lord answered prayer, giving us favor with police, letting it not rain, and just see a true victory the last night of dealing with the teens at the Nile High School. And it just really showed me that God does answer prayer, but it’s not of me at all.

Mark Gillmore: Amen. Thank you. Isaiah was one of our team members. He’s been on the team here in Uganda for many years now, so he was, as it were, coming back home. But was this a little different for you? How did

Taylor Missions Team: God give you some new opportunities on this trip? It definitely was a new experience despite being my home for the past six years before I came to school. Particularly, God used this trip to show me that he can help me overcome and have victory over the spirit of fear. Particularly using the passage of 2 Timothy chapter 1, God reminded me at the outset of the trip that he has given me his gift, his spiritual gifting to do gospel work. And I should not let fear hinder me from using that gift. And as I entered into the first week of ministry, I felt incredibly weak, incredibly unprepared for preaching the gospel, standing in front of people, and I almost backed out of it several times. But every time that I resisted that spirit of fear and chose to look to the Lord, He gave me victory over that spirit of fear, and I saw the gospel go forward like I’ve never seen it come from my life before. And in the second week of ministry, as we were ministering at the high school, I had the privilege of leading a small group, and I was burdened to see someone saved as I’ve never personally led someone to the Lord and clearly seen God work, and yet there was a fear there as well that I had to overcome, that a fear of the unknown. How do I do this? I’ve never done something like this before, and yet each day as we came back, I gave that to the Lord. I resisted the spirit of fear, and He gave me victory, and I was able to see three people saved. Amen. I think

Mark Gillmore: all of us were involved in taking steps of faith like that, which is an exciting part of a missions trip where you know you’re stepping out into the unknown. A really neat angle in coming to Uganda is that English is a common tongue so that all of us English speakers can actually interact with the local population, with the teens, lead some souls to Christ. I love to be able to have that kind of a bridge language when we’re going on a trip short term like this. So Annie,

Taylor Missions Team: share what God did in your heart. One thing the Lord taught me these past few weeks is that he has a plan for every moment of our lives for us to serve him. And the Lord taught me that through an opportunity that I had to give the gospel in an unexpected way. The team was planning that evening to show the Jesus film to a different part of the village that we were ministering in. And I had an opportunity to go apart from the team with Mrs. Gilmore to minister to some ladies and children. And as we came back, we kind of had some free time in the evening as the rest of the team was ministering with the Jesus film. And I was just sitting, not expecting anything else to happen that night. But as I was sitting just in the courtyard of our motel, a little girl came in and just sat down right in front of me. And at that moment, I knew that that is why the Lord had caused me to stay back from the team. And I knew that the Lord wanted me to share the gospel with her. And pretty soon after I’d started talking with her, a whole flood of children just kept coming in and wanting to hear what I was saying. And it was so neat just to be able to share the gospel with so many children and just know that it was God who put me there at that moment to let his word go forth.

Mark Gillmore: Yes. Sometimes God changes our expectations just a little bit. But if we keep our eye on him, he gives us new opportunities. And that was an awesome opportunity that God moved you into. Polly, how did God work in your heart?

Taylor Missions Team: On the first night of preaching that we had at the high school, Brother Prettyman preached on just starting out with creation and Adam and Eve, talking about the purpose that they were made. And it was just so encouraging to me just to know that you can find the most joy and happiness when you are under God’s control. And when you are surrendered to His will for your life, that is where you are going to find the most worth and the most purpose is when you’re under Him. And over the past few years, it’s been truly just the testimony of my life just to see that when you do surrender your life to God, that is where you find the most joy. You may not know what all God is going to bring into your life, but no matter what, that is where you’re going to find the ultimate joy. And so it was just so neat after that preaching time just to be able to bring that truth to the teen girls as well. just to know that they are loved and they do have worth and they do have purpose. And they are going to find that when they place themselves under God’s control.

Mark Gillmore: Amen. Thank you very much. Jack, one of the young men on our team, three guys, four, five young ladies. Jack, how did God work in your heart?

Taylor Missions Team: One thing God has showed me was that when you’re walking with him, he can use you. Even when you don’t feel like you’re capable of doing it, I had the opportunity of giving the gospel many times throughout the villages and then again in the school, in the small groups. And I just saw God work, especially in the small group, that I did not think that God could use me. But because I was walking with God and had that relationship with God and was praying, God had used me.

Mark Gillmore: in a way that I did not expect. I saw you on the last night taking numbers and exchanging WhatsApp contact. Yeah. Because you’ve connected with some lives. Yeah. Three, four, five guys by the end of that. Yeah. So. Yeah. And that’s an investment that is going to bear eternal fruit. So that’s exciting. Praise the Lord. George, our team leader, we’re back to you. Give us just a nugget of a key truth that God worked into your heart.

Taylor Missions Team: On our first full day here with the Prettymans in Uganda, Mr. Prettyman was sharing with us some of the burden behind the ministry. And one of the things that he teaches his students is from the life of Joseph. As Joseph is called out of prison and he stands before Pharaoh to interpret the dream, he says, it is not in me. God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. And I was stirred many times on this trip as I had opportunities to present the gospel in a village or to speak or to preach at a gathering of men or even to preach the Sunday morning service here through an interpreter. How many times I thought, it is not in me. And it is not some right that I have to go and preach the gospel. It is a privilege that God has given. And I’m as unworthy as anybody, and yet God has made me worthy and sent me forth as that messenger. And I was stirred by that concept. It’s not that God calls people who are worthy or those who have some measure of whatever it is to offer to him. But rather, God calls those who are willing to say, It’s not in me, but it’s in my God who will enable. And God always comes through as he calls us to branch out and to take steps of faith to serve him.

Mark Gillmore: It was a real privilege to push these opportunities out into the hands of you all. George, you got to preach a couple of times, and God really did use you. He gave you liberty, and that’s what this trip is all about, seeing God use young people. Brother Phil, we’re back with you here, and you’ve labored in Uganda here now for how long is it now? About eight years. About eight years, and I know my heart sure has touched this coming into the country. How would you just summarize the need and opportunity that’s in this land?

Taylor Missions Team: We really do appreciate this team that has come and really made a big impact. We’ve spent about an 8-10 day missions trip. And I think sometimes people will think, you know, what could honestly happen 8-10 days with a group of 8 college students. But these students have sacrificed. They’re trying to pay their way through Bible college, and that’s not easy. And I know the Lord honored that sacrifice, but they have a desire to see the full capacity of their love for Christ on display and the gifting that God has given them and to use that. And they really made a huge impact. They brought to our work here a lot of energy, a lot of love, and what was accomplished in you know this short time would take us probably eight months to do the impact and of course that helps us a lot there is a lot that goes into hosting emissions trip there’s a lot of energy expended but as i said the work that has been done here has been six to eight months of what would take us to do so well if you’ve ever considered a mission strip and just thought, wow, would that really be worth it? Am I just going to be a hassle to the missionary? It’s really not true. If you come with the spirit of faith, whatever you have, God will use it. God will multiply it. You don’t have to be an expert. Some of the students here had relatively little experience sharing the gospel and the type of context that we were in, and yet they grew incredibly while they were here, and God used what they did. But the fields really are wide into harvest. The doors here are wide open, and I’m sure in other places around the world. And a missions trip is a great way to find out that capacity of love that is inside of you for service, to get away from all the routine and all the busyness, and to be in a place where you’re praying as a team, you’re focused on spiritual goals, and God just works through that in a mighty, mighty way. And, of course, we hope there will be people out there who would consider more long-term ministry, not just short-term trips, but somebody that God’s calling to give their life to come. And, boy, this has been a great 10 days. I think every one of these students would tell you this has been a wonderful journey. They would love to do it again. And hopefully God will even call some of them, perhaps, to join us here in Uganda. And maybe you as well who are listening to this podcast. Maybe God is calling you. Maybe you took a trip to India. Maybe you took a trip to South America or Africa or Europe. Is God calling you full time to give yourself to that work? If so, I encourage you to follow through.

Mark Gillmore: We were encouraged as we began this trip with a thought from Psalm 126. He that goes forth, weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. And just that confidence that the gospel bears fruit. It’s the power of God, and we’ve been able to channel that gospel 1,500 times, and that’s going to bear a lot of fruit. Uganda is a beautiful country. We’re sitting here at Murchison Falls, which is in one of the national parks. Just a beautiful place. Africa has got amazing beauty. We’ve just seen elephant and giraffe and water buffalo and baboons. And quite an awesome experience. But Africa, not every part of it’s beautiful, though. Some of it is actually kind of broken. And it breaks your heart. We thought of that verse, your eye affects your heart. And you look at a land that is in desperate need. People whose lives are very broken. And it’s really only the gospel that has any hope or any power to change just the common, ordinary life. And we’re trusting God to do those kinds of miracles. So thank you, all of you, for joining me on our podcast. Just a reminder, as we always say, that in a world of turmoil and uncertainty, The only way to stay at peace is to be on mission with Jesus in his go mission.

Mark Gillmore: Thanks for joining us for this episode of the Thee Generation Podcast. If you have an issue you need help with, we have a resource that can help you. The Battle Plan for Victory is an online resource designed to help young people deal with personal sin issues through the Word of God and ultimately