You are more than an Engineer                                                                  

 

You are more than an Engineer! 

 

Have you ever thought that you are already in a mission field? When hundreds of people who don’t know Jesus Christ are around you, in your 0ffice and right where you live, you need not wait for a Sunday evening outreach or wait till God calls you for a “full-time ministry” -- to go and reach them. You are the most appropriate person to reach the people around you (the people of your own calibre and profession). In short, you are a “missionary” (who shares the gospel with others).

The office and the place where you stay and work are your mission fields. “Christian Professionals” like you can also contribute a lot in fulfilling the command “GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOOD NEWS TO ALL CREATION” (Mk: 16:15 NIV). We call them “Tentmakers”. You too can become a tentmaker by spreading the gospel to the people around you.

 

One Step Beyond:

 

The world is rolling on and advancing.  Here is a chance for you to think beyond and act for the kingdom of God. Why should you be a witness in the same company where there is another person who shares the Gospel? Why should you be in the same geographical area where somebody else shows the love of Christ? You can take it as a challenge to go (get a transfer, find a new job...) to an un-evangelised place or country as an “IT Professional” with the single motive of spreading the aroma of Christ in that place or country. Many companies, places and countries, which are closed to the gospel, are open for IT Professionals. You can use your professional skills to gain access to a place for the purpose of communicating Christ through your life and witness.

 

“Tentmakers are disciples of Jesus Christ, called by God and commissioned by God's people to make disciples and build His church, who use their professional skills to facilitate their ministry”

 

TAKE A STEP BEYOND FOR CHRIST

 

Mission Fields at Your Reach:

 

Ø       Your company people.

Ø       People of the same profession from other companies.

Ø       People living around you.

Ø       People in closed countries but open for IT professionals.

 

What Can You Do?

 

Ø       Consider yourself as a missionary and show the love of Christ in words and action.

Ø       Build good relationships with your colleagues and neighbours and spend quality time with them.

Ø       Make use of every opportunity to share the gospel in a meaningful way.

Ø       Start an evangelistic Bible study with the people who are open to the gospel. This can be changed to discipleship Bible study later.

Ø       Connect new contacts to any good local Church.

Ø       If no churches are there, start a worship group and contact missions for help.

Ø       Use the remaining time in helping the local churches / missionaries / ministries.

Ø       Motivate / encourage others in becoming a tentmaker.

 

Where to Start?

 

Ø       First seek God’s will to find where He wants you to go.

Ø       Collect information about that place and start praying.

Ø       Look for new job openings / get a transfer to that place.

Ø       Prepare yourself for this new task.

·Start learning the language.

·Build relationships with local people and colleagues.

·Learn to share the gospel in practical, creative and effective ways.

·Lead Prayer Groups or Bible studies.

·Spend quality personal time with God.

·Develop good personal character.

·Gain basic, biblical and mission knowledge.

·Gain / develop talents e.g. to play a musical instrument.

 

Ø       Find a good support system (e.g. a church / mission / prayer group). This is needed very much for your prayer support, pastoral care and, if necessary, financial support. This will also be helpful in your accountability.

 

Dare to Be Different:

 

You are to be prepared to be different from other IT Professionals.  Since a Tentmaker’s challenge is to go to a new place with a mission -- to make disciples and help build His kingdom, you may be open for the following:

Ø       Ready to take up a new job or to get a transfer to an unreached place.

Ø       Be willing to take up a low profile job.

Ø       Choose a job, which will give you some free time. (Like 8hrs duty/5 days work in a week/with long holidays between projects etc.)

Ø       Avoid taking overtime responsibilities that will take away your precious time and strength, which can be invested in God’s kingdom.

Ø       Don’t compare yourself with a person who is going to a new place / abroad.

Ø       Go to a place for ministry and work for your living. Don’t go to a place for job and do ministry whenever time permits.

 

An example:

 

            Mr. Ravi (name changed), a believer, is a post-graduate in business administration, who later changed his field to computer science. He got a job as a mainframe engineer in a multinational company in a city in north India. He spends time with his fellow IT Professionals and spreads the love of Christ among them. He joins with other believing IT Professionals and believers of that area for Bible studies and goes for outreach programs. He uses his free time and weekends to build the local EGF work. Now his vision is to help the UESI in pioneering students ministry work in a nearby unreached place, which is around 100 km from the city. With prayer he is planning and working on that.

 

 

Wait a minute….

 

Do you have a specific call for “fulltime ministry”? If YES, “Tentmakers” ministry is not for you.  If NO, dare to be different by becoming a “Tentmaker”.

 

For more information:

Log onto http://imaindia.org to view job opportunities

 

India Missions Association

Post Box 36, 1-300/118, Arul Colony,

ECIL Post, Hyderabad 500 062, AP - India.

( (91) 040 - 27134530 / 5

E-Mail: tentmakers@imaindia.org

 

Interserve (INDIA)

2/22 Annapurna, New Era Society

Marketyard, Pune 411037

( (91) 020 - 4274849 / 4272768

E-Mail: isvindia@vsnl.com