It's not good to carry the burden alone.

Dear Friends,

For much of last week I was holed up in a cabin in the Slovenia Alps with a very special group of leaders. Coming from ten countries of Eastern Europe, this team of 22 men, called the Josiah Venture Council, provides leadership for the work of Josiah Venture on the field. Besides that claim to fame, they are great friends, and gifted servants of God.

When I am with them, I often think about what it must have been like to be part of Christ’s team of twelve. Actually, studying his life gave us the inspiration for our regular meetings, which happen three times a year. We try to learn from each other, and carry both the joys and the burdens of leadership together. There is regular accountability and coaching as well.

This time I led them through a study of the life of Moses, and we explored how to “raise the ceiling” in our ministries by strengthening and empowering teams. For me it was a real challenge to see how Moses shouldered the load of caring for over a million people on the move, and how he waded into difficult problems with his eyes firmly fixed on God.

Like him, our task is huge, and we often feel the “spiritual desert” caused by the years of government sponsored atheism in this area of the world. There are many “red sea” roadblocks, and places where we need God’s supernatural “mana” provision. Yet it is precisely in those circumstances where we have the most opportunity to experience the powerful work of God.

This month I would like to ask you to pray in particular for this group of men. Several of them are facing key challenges in these next months as veteran members of their teams come to the end of their service and rotate back to the States. Others are in demanding times of expansion and several are experiencing focused spiritual attacks on their families.

Every one of them is in a key place of leadership where their spiritual health and empowerment by God impacts the lives of thousands across Eastern Europe. You can be sure the enemy knows that as well. Will you stand with them this month in prayer?

Because, just like Jethro told Moses, it is not good to carry the burden alone.

Dave Patty
President, Josiah Venture