Uganda (MNN) — Be honest. Do you really believe that to pray, give, and go can make a difference for the Great Commission? Well, these are acts of faith because you will never know the full impact of what you give to God out of your time, talents, and treasures. That’s up to Him.
Dean Vander Mey, Executive Director of Set Free Ministries says these three categories are vital for the work they do. It’s not just about logistics, either, but about the battle each follower of Christ is engaged in.
The Gospel of Jesus sets us free from our slavery to sin. This is the great victory. However, Christians can still fall prey to the lies of the enemy. Set Free Ministries helps believers embrace the truths of Scripture that negate these lies.
In addition to this, they also fight the physical bondages of slavery and poverty through their international support of schools and orphanages.
It is this work that makes Set Free Ministries a target of both spiritual and physical enemies. Vander Mey brings to mind Revelation 12:17 which mentions Satan making war on those who keep God’s commandments and represent Jesus.
“If you’re truly engaged in doing the mission of Jesus, it is war. There will be attacks. There will be pushback, just like there was on Jesus,” he says.
This is why it is so important for the Church to support one another in whatever way they can. Vander Mey shared a beautiful example of this.
Uganda ministry
About a decade ago, Set Free began assisting a group of young orphaned children in Uganda. You can read a little more about the work they’ve been doing there through schools and orphanages here.
What they didn’t know was while they were pouring into the lives of children by supporting the orphanage, the children were ministering back.
(Photo courtesy of Set Free Ministries)
Vander Mey explains, “I went there last year to visit some of them, and I didn’t know this, but those young kids who we first helped remembered us as little children. They are now 15, 16, 17, they say they pray and fast for us on Wednesday to Thursday, they don’t eat for 24 hours. They have become our intercessors.”
While these children weren’t able to give any treasure, and they weren’t able to directly give back in talent, they knew they could give of their time. They could pray.
It’s because they know that the work Set Free Ministries does to rescue people from spiritual and physical bondage makes them a target of spiritual and physical enemies.
“We need prayer warriors. We need a lot of people interceding and praying for us because we are on the frontlines every day, not only here in West Michigan, but globally we’re impacting and reaching places that are unreached,” Vander Mey says.
What about you?
So the question is, how will you help? Can you give of your time, treasure, or talent?
(Photo courtesy of Set Free Ministries)
You can pray for Set Free — that God would give them strength, perseverance, and protection.
Set Free offers training to churches and individuals to learn how to lead people through the Seven Steps of Freedom. You can contact them here if you’re interested.
If you’d like to support Set Free financially so they can continue to offer free counseling sessions, click here.
And finally, if you’re needing to talk to somebody about a spiritual struggle, give Set Free Ministries a call at (616) 726-5400, or visit their website to fill out an application.
