The Power of Multiplication!

There is still a clear picture in my mind of the day I began to learn how to multiply. I remember the first day, learning the 1’s, with the nervous anticipation that comes from learning something new. One times anything equals that number. Ok, that’s easy. This isn’t so hard. We move on to the two’s. Hold on a second 2+2 equals 4 and 2x2 equals 4. This is silly, what’s the difference here. Over the next several weeks my eyes began to open. 8+8 is 16 but 8x8 is 64, 12+12 is 24 but 12x12 is 144!!! The numbers got big in a hurry.

Over the past several years of training and serving with e3 Partners our eyes have once again been opened to the power of multiplication. Even through the power and strength of the Holy Spirit there are only so many people I, by myself, can share the gospel with. Those efforts are equivalent to addition. But what if I spend my time teaching, training and discipling others to do evangelism, disciple making and church planting? If I go out and share the gospel with one person, then one person would hear the Good News. If that is my process then every time I do evangelism, one new person will hear each time. But if every time I share the gospel, I also teach THEM how to do evangelism through disciple making, then…multiplication! Watch this from our e3 training.
Addition:
I share with one: 1 + 1 = 2; then I share with one more: + 1 = 3; and so on, sharing with one more each time + 1 = 4; + 1 = 5; + 1 = 6; + 1 = 7; + 1 = 8.

Multiplication:
I share with one and then teach that person to share: 1 + 1 = 2; then we BOTH share with another x 2 = 4; then 4 of us ALL share x 2=8; if then that 8 ALL shares with another, the group doubles again x 2=16; and 16 each reaching another x 2 =32; and so on 32 x 2=64; 64 x 2=128!

What does this multiplication example show us? Evangelism is a ministry of addition. Disciple making is a ministry of multiplication. Changes in the first few generations are not very different. The difference grows greater and greater with each additional generation. Our family wants a ministry of multiplication, not addition.
As we look as Jesus’ time here on earth, yes many times he spoke to the masses, but He invested most of his time teaching the disciples. Paul did the same thing. That is Jenni’s and my heart here in Thailand. If we are teaching Chinese students, we are teaching them to multiply the Good News and make disciples throughout Asia. If we are teaching Thai pastors and leaders, we are teaching them to multiply throughout every village and town in Thailand. If we are discipling prostitutes, may word spread through every brothel until every girl hears the hope of Jesus Christ. In all of these, may God’s passion to reconcile the lost to Himself spread like wildfire so worship will rise up out of the darkness and bring glory to Him from every corner of the world.

So will we continue doing evangelism, disciple making and church planting? Yes. But at the same time we will be teaching others to do the same. So if you are a numbers person or a results person, you may need to adjust the measure of success. You may not hear from us, this many people made decisions or this many churches were planted that we actually had our hands in, but you’ll hear this many people were trained. And by training them we believe that our efforts will be multiplied for God’s glory. We may never know the impact of those we’ve trained until we are sitting around in Heaven and I’m OK with that. Because, after all, it’s not about me, it’s about God.

For the latest updates stay tuned to http://www.jessenfamily.info/

December video update from the field

If you do not see the video above the click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1uL4S6q-cU&feature=player_embedded

A New Year…New Challenges!

Dearest Ones,
May God richly bless you each with His presence and His in the upcoming year. We are learning how to “do life,” here in this upside down world day-by-day, and are seeing His hand at work in all the details. Thank you for your faithful prayers.

Praises:
• Praise God that Scarlet had a better week with much more peace.
• Praise God that we are adjusting to an Asian way of life.
• Oh, and in case you missed it last week, we got our WORK PERMIT!!! This will allow us to work here legally and get visas a year at a time.

Prayer:
• Pray for the “Catamount” people of East Asia still unreached with His grace and peace. Pray for what role each of us has in reaching them.
• We continue to search for a safe and reasonably priced vehicle.
• 2 out of 3 of our computers crashed over Christmas break and both have to have new hard drives. Pray for Kelly as he wrestles with fixing them.
• For wisdom and guidance as we research and survey the Chinese refugees in northern Thailand and how we can serve them
• Lastly, please continue to pray for our students. We hope to see them before the end of the month.

As always, you all are in our hearts and prayers.
In His Grip,
Jenni for the family

Stay tuned to http://www.jessenfamily.info/ for more updates and videos.

Video update from the field for November

Click the video to play, then click it again to see the wide screen version.

For more information about our work or how to join our team please check out http://www.jessenfamily.info/

The first 10 days in Thailand have been days of contrasts and extremes

The first 10 days in Thailand have been days of contrasts and extremes. Here are just a few of the things we have…

found: the training center where we will be working, the famous Night Bazaar (several blocks of street vendors selling everything from home décor to fried bamboo worms) , the “Wal-mart” of Chiang Mai, the emergency room where Jenni was treated for a kidney infection, an English speaking church, a home school group, a home to rent and a scooter to ride.





eaten: traditional Thai food in the night market and traditional happy meals at McDonalds, a variety of exotic fresh fruit smoothies, authentic Indian food and less authentic Pizza Hut. (No, we haven’t gone so far as to try the fried worms yet…perhaps I’ll send an update on that in a few weeks)

seen: God’s hand at work in explicit ways of protection and provision, friends from Woodland Park here in Thailand and friends from Woodland Park on Skype, a baby elephant walking down the street with its trainer, people worshipping devoutly at Buddhist temples, as many as 5 people riding on a moped and more lizards that Maverek can count.

experienced: excitement about the exotic things we are seeing and grief over those we long to see, pulling away from the comforts of our home and pulling into the comfort of one another, public transportation in many various forms, beautiful days of mild temperatures and beautiful people with mild tempers, uncontrollable laughter at fish eating the dead skin off our feet at a “fish spa” and the sometimes overwhelming exhaustion of jet-lag.

Next week we will celebrate KJ’s 40th birthday, hopefully move into our rental home, begin language learning in earnest and navigate the shadowy waters of obtaining visas that will allow us to stay in country, work legally, and have a bank account.

Most fun you can have for 3 bucks.

Stay tuned at http://www.jessenfamily.info/ for more frequent updates, photos and life with us on the field in Thailand.

How God used the Jessens in 2010

Can you believe our transition to Thailand is only 48 days away! When God laid this transition on our heart less than 5 months ago, we were scratching our heads. So much to do, so many places to go, before the move! Well, God has done some pretty cool things in the past few months and we just want to take a moment to share some of those with you with this short video.

Through your prayers, support and God knitting it all together:
3022 people heard of Jesus,
970 made Him their Lord and Savior,
18 churches were started,
11 churches were built up,
493 believers were discipled and trained.

All for His fame and glory.

In His grip,
the Jessen family

for more information on our work check out www.jessenfamily.info.