“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:6.
Gabriel, a Frontier Mobilizer with the CMM, was living for the world rather than for God, professing with his lips but not his heart. His ascent towards healing began when his youth pastor noticed his habits and brought them into the light, boldly yet lovingly telling him that his actions did not align with what he was claiming to be, that he was a “lukewarm Christian.” Shortly after, Gabriel’s habits landed him in the hospital for a time, and when he woke up he realized the emptiness of the path he was pursuing. His hopeless circumstances made him think that there is surely more to life than deadly indulgences. Prompted then to give weight to the words of his youth pastor and pursue God instead of the thorns and thistles of worldly pleasures, Gabriel began searching the scriptures and seeking God’s heart to find meaning for his life. Gabriel’s eyes were opened to God’s burden for the world and what this meant for those who chose to follow Him, and suddenly he began to realize that eternal purpose was within his grasp.
Gabe expresses how God’s Word convicted him with the fact that “there are areas of the world where people don’t have access to the gospel. There’s no Bible for them to purchase, no Bible written in their language, there’s no church for them to go to, and they can’t go to anyone who knows anyone who knows anything about Jesus.” After this paradigm shift, Gabriel was prepared to adventure into the front lines of the mission field. He was encouraged, however, to participate in the same strategic mindset as Jesus when preparing to spread the gospel: invite and equip people to go with him. Gabe then began to realize that there are countries with vast numbers of Christians, surrounded by unreached people groups, with no plan, knowledge, or means to reach them.
Drawn to the Center for Mission Mobilization because of our desire to ignite mission movements to the unreached, Gabriel made a commitment to come and serve with the CMM in Kenya for three years. “It’s so near to the unreached population of not only the world, but Africa specifically… There are a bunch of believers here in Kenya who are passionate about Jesus,” says Gabe. Almost half of Kenya’s population claims to be followers of Christ, but the concept of making their salvation known to their unreached neighbors has escaped them.
Since he has moved overseas, Gabe has established a relationship with numerous Kenyan college students, two of which are highlighted in the video. Patrick, Marcus and Gabe have a relationship that is centered around the significance of mobilizing global missions in a strategic way for God’s purpose through the Xplore study. As the three continue to gather together and sharpen one another by dissecting and discussing lessons in the Xplore booklet, their heartbeat for the unreached around them continues to quicken. Through meeting up on Wednesdays during lunch, Gabriel was able to lead Patrick and Marcus to the conclusion that salvation is not reserved for the well-behaved individual only but that it is offered, unconditionally, to the whole Body. “I’ve learned so much just by hanging out with Gabe… there are people out there who are not as privileged as we are,” says Marcus, “and it is our responsibility to take the gospel to those people.” Taking intentional time to mobilize does not inhibit Marcus, Patrick, and Gabriel from employing the lessons they’ve learned through their time in Xplore.
One characteristic of the Xplore study that they think the most influential is the availability of application. “What I used to believe, is that to spread the gospel I’d have to be like a pastor. But see, the Xplore study teaches you the different ways. You can go, you can part with your money, you can send… you can pray. And that is why I’m so eager and enthusiastic to share the Xplore study with my friends in college,” says Marcus. Because Gabriel was a wholesome steward of that which was entrusted to him, Marcus and Patrick were able to gain more knowledge of and be mobilized towards their evangelical advantage. The potential, therefore, for mobilizing able Kenyan college students to more effectively reach the unreached is exponential. Just as Gabriel’s heart was opened by the gospel and thus was able to mobilize, so exists the potential for all others living in spiritual darkness to be exposed to light by those close to them who have been previously mentored and mobilized. Pray for our Kenyan brothers and sisters who are learning to share the gospel with their unreached neighbors, that they may be bearers of light to their neighbors in a dark world!