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Frank Viola | Beyond Evangelical

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Where Are the Workers?

Welcome to another Thursday UNFILTERED blog post, the only blog that’s not afraid to tell you what it really thinks about your homemade meatloaf.

In the last article, Straining at Gnats, I answered questions on the blog. If interested, you can check them out there.

Now for today’s subject.

Many years ago, a godly woman who became part of the ministry of Watchman Nee is reported to have asked the Lord repeatedly, “Where are the workers?”

She regularly interceded for God to raise up young men to be workers to raise up His ekklesia.[i]

(This isn’t a slight against women who are equally a part of the priesthood of all believers. In fact, this woman was a missionary herself as well as a stalwart saint in the kingdom. But her specific burden was for young men in the lineage of the Twelve and the men Paul trained in Ephesus.)

As the years roll by, this same question and prayer beats in my own heart.

I meet a lot of young men who are in ministry or who are going to seminary. But so few have spiritual insight and experience. So few have a deep hunger for the Lord Jesus Christ. So few gravitate to the deeper things of God or even recognize them when they’re presented, despite their schooling, degrees, zeal, and ability to speak publicly.

Back in January, we released a new episode on THE INSURGENCE PODCAST. Many of you said it was the best interview you’ve heard me do to date, some hearing it multiple times.

In it, a dean and professor at Asbury Theological Seminary grilled me with questions that no other interviewer has ever asked.

One of them had to do with this prayer – where are the workers?

Another has to do with my vision for a ministry dream team.

During the interview, I also respond to questions about my old books on radical church restoration.

If you are in ministry, know people who are, or have a heart to serve the Lord, I hope you’ll take the time to listen to it. And share it with any young people you know who are called to God’s work.

Check out the full interview at Needed: A Ministry Team. The interview is preceded by a short introduction.

*** If you or someone you know is going through a difficult trial right now, check out the new book, Hang On, Let Go: What to Do When Your Dreams Are Shattered and Life Is Falling Apart ***

P.S. If someone wanted to change your life and zealously forced this blog post on you, you can appease them and subscribe here. It’s gratis and comes with a dozen Super Fire Hot Wings … the kind you can only eat after you sign a set of release forms. (No lemon suckers please. They won’t understand the humor.)

—

[i] The term “worker” is used throughout the New Testament to refer to the apostolic work of planting kingdom communities. For details, see Finding Organic Church which discusses the differences between “the work” and “the church.”

Category: Mission

About Frank Viola

Frank Viola is a best-selling author, blogger, speaker, and consultant to authors and writers. His mission is to help serious followers of Jesus know their Lord more deeply so they can experience real transformation and make a lasting impact. To learn more about Frank and his work, go to 20 Years of Projects. To invite Frank to speak at your event, go to his Speaking Page. Due to a new problem with persistent spam that we haven’t figured out how to control, comments are closed for the present time. To contact Frank, use the “Contact” page in the top menu.

Previous Post:Straining at Gnats
Next Post:Needed: A Ministry Team

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ken Walker

    September 24, 2021 at 2:33 PM

    I believe the workers are few because Christians who have TRULY experienced God are few. I need to experience God in such a way that makes me choose Him over every other thing in this world, including my marriage or my own needs. Experiencing God’s love is the key and we need to seek that, forsaking all else, until we find it. That experience of God’s love isn’t found in seminary, in a degree, or through public speaking abilities. Actually, all those things elevate one’s pride and focuses our attention on “self” which interferes in experiencing God.

  2. Ashley & Ben

    September 23, 2021 at 5:14 PM

    POWERFUL interview. thank you!

  3. Dylan

    September 23, 2021 at 5:10 PM

    Loved the interview. Blown away. Thank you!

  4. Curtis

    September 23, 2021 at 3:58 PM

    Brilliant! I’m loving the Insurgence podcast.

  5. Taylor

    September 23, 2021 at 3:52 PM

    I’m a pastor in his 30s. Amazing interview. thank you! I’ve written you a personal email.

  6. Dale

    September 23, 2021 at 3:51 PM

    I heard the interview. WOW! I’m deeply impacted. Please keep these things coming!

    Dale, 32 years old

  7. Jared D. Clark

    September 23, 2021 at 9:24 AM

    Although I discovered your work later in life than I would have liked, I’m thankful ever day that He has shown His light in my life through your work; He is still breaking through the religious system to introduce His beloved to His eternal purpose. Such is my story. I thoroughly enjoyed the interview you referenced and “Finding Organic Church” (along with the other books in the series) stopped me dead in my tracks and prevented another episode in my life where I was trying to carry the ark of God on a wooden cart. So thankful for your work, brother! May a company of laborers be raised up in this generation!

    • Frank Viola

      September 23, 2021 at 3:47 PM

      Thank you, brother. May your tribe increase!

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Frank Viola

Frank is a bestselling author, speaker, podcaster, and blogger. He helps serious followers of Jesus know their Lord more deeply so they can experience real transformation and make a lasting impact. His blog – frankviola.org – is regularly ranked in the top 5 of all Christian blogs on the Web and his podcast – Christ is All – has ranked #1 in Canada and #2 in the USA on Apple Podcasts. He and his conversation partners also host The Insurgence Podcast. Frank’s books have sold over 600,000 copies and they’ve been translated into many languages.

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