2011/10/28

Decision Dilemma

Over the past several months Titus applications have been trickling in -- until we reached the deadline the beginning of this month, at which point they flooded in!  The current grand total? = 36!

As far as I know, this is the most applicants we've ever had for one program.  It is exciting but also frustrating:  The other night, as we had the applications stacked up on our coffee table and were reading through a few I got tears in my eyes.  We were reading various answers to the question, "Why do you want to do Titus?"  with answers like:
  • I want to teach the Bible more than anything else 
  • I realize the importance of knowing truth from the Bible and want to share that in places where they are hungry and in need 
  • I want to give what I have learned to other people 
  • I want to see people saved and lives transformed 
  • I want to learn how to teach the Bible effectively so that I can teach it to those who have never heard before...
Would YOU turn down any of the above?  Of course not!  Yet, with the high number of applicants we have, but only a small number of staff, that is what we are somehow going to have to do (hence the frustration).  Because of the nature of Titus -- we try to go into the more remote/harder places and bring Bible teaching to those who otherwise may never have the opportunity to get Bible training -- we need to keep our teams small.  Small teams with that many applicants means lots of teams, and we just don't have that many staff to go around.

This morning we had a very long staff meeting, laying out the names of each applicant on our coffee table, where we prayed over, re-arranged, prayed again, switched people around, prayed again, etc.  We are really seeking God for wisdom as we continue to make decisions through the acceptance process and form up the teams.  Although frustrating/sad that we can't take on everyone this upcoming January in Taiwan, the good news is that there are several Tituses running all around the world, and if they can't join this one, they can come this next June (we'll run again) or join another one of our Tituses around the world! :-)

May God's Word continue to go forth by His grace and in His power!

(And) Please join us in prayer for more long-term Titus staff! :-)




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