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75 Years of Answered Prayer
JOHN BIRNIE
Coals to Newcastle? That’s what comes to mind when asked to write to SGA supporters about the place and importance of prayer in Gospel work. We all know Peter Deyneka’s watchword, still fresh and challenging in our hearts in this 75th Anniversary year: Much prayer, much power; little prayer, little power; no prayer, no power! It was true at SGA(UK)’s birth in July 1950, and it remains true today. As we seek Gospel growth across the lands of our ministry, it’s vital to remember that this work has been built on prayer. We must keep returning to this foundation, guarding against the enemy’s subtle attempts to shift our trust from God to ourselves—even slightly.
Every significant forward movement and expansion of SGA’s work in the past has been bathed in prayer. Peter Mihalchiuk, Regional Co-ordinator in Moldova, spoke of a ‘miracle’ which came in answer to prayer. The miracle was the establishment of the Mission School in Balti under the watchful care of Nikolai Malai. For Peter and the Moldovan churches this was indeed a direct answer to their prayers for some means of reaching the many converts in their country who had come to faith in the wake of the collapse of Communism. Here was a school to produce pastors and Christian leaders to care for hungry, needy souls.
Nikolai Malai
A more recent development in Almaty, Kazakhstan, was the result of years of earnest prayer, and brought joy and encouragement to the leaders of the Bible Institute and to the believers in the city. The city authorities, after decades of delay, gave permission for the Institute to purchase the land on which its building stood. For all associated with ABI, this was a definite answer to persistent prayer, and further assurance that God would continue to use its ministry to impact the whole of Central Asia and beyond.
Looking forward, the same utter dependence upon God is the key to the Gospel Expansion we so much desire.
As believing prayer has been at the heart of all past expansion, so it is the only guarantee of God-glorifying progress in the years to come.
So, back to ‘Coals to Newcastle’! God will move in answer to the sustained prayer ministry of His children. Peter Deyneka got it right… ‘Much prayer, much power…’ May God help us to remain faithful in this ministry of power!