Rob Wilton

The Gospel is alive in Mumbai! I am so proud of Scott and Wendy and their faithfulness to the Lord. I am also extremely excited that God has used them to lead Vintage to be on mission in Mumbai.

On the last day of the trip, I preached a sermon from Scott and Wendy’s apartment that overlooks Mumbai. On June 24th we are going to show this sermon and launch our Global Mission. I preached on a passage of Scripture that I preached in 2008 when we started Vintage Church. Matthew 9 & 10 guarantees us that people need Jesus, people are ready to receive Jesus, few people are willing to share Jesus. Jesus has called us, empowered us, and sent us out with the Gospel. This mission is going to be difficult but we can trust that Jesus will continue to bless His name advancing around the world. These truths about Jesus and our mission came alive while we were in India. The Holy Spirit has encouraged my soul by exposing these truths about the Gospel:

1 – Surrender to the Gospel

On our first day Wendy led a devotion talking about the importance of the spiritual world in Mumbai. She shared how vital it is that we soak our time up in prayer believing that we are waging war against the enemy. Too many times I’ve tried to accomplish the mission of God without God. Don’t try and act like you haven’t done the same. To be honest (and this will hurt a little), we don’t really need the Gospel because we aren’t looking to do something radical for God. Our mission is too safe and we aren’t looking to “battle within a foot of hell” (CT Studd). When you truly engage in a spiritual battle, there is desperate surrender to the Gospel.

2 – Power of the Gospel

Pastor Gary is a regional pastor of New Life Fellowship. I am really looking forward to our partnership with him and this church in the future. Pastor Gary grew up Muslim in Mumbai and was radically saved by the Gospel. Not only did God save him but he called him to preach the Gospel. For the first years of his ministry he worked extremely hard trying to be a Christian, reading and living out the Word of God, and leading others to Jesus. After seven years of ministry he came to a bad place. There was major depression and doubt and he considered throwing in the towel. Around that time a preacher from another country came to Mumbai to preach the Gospel. The book of Acts came alive through this man’s ministry and many signs and wonders took place. Pastor Gary sought out this preacher and asked him if he could spend some time learning from him. This preacher went back to Pastor Gary’s home and shared something that changed his life. He basically said, “Stop trying to live for Jesus and simply enjoy and surrender to the Person and work of the Holy Spirit”. This one message changed everything for Pastor Gary. That week he was leading a house church and instead of trying to lead anything he told everyone that the Holy Spirit would lead their time. What happened next can only be explained by the power of the Gospel.

From that moment on the power of the Gospel has displayed itself throughout Mumbai. Right now they are praying for a great movement to spread throughout the Muslim community. As I asked Pastor Gary how that was going to happen. He kind of laughed at me and said “SIGNS AND WONDERS”. God has used this conversation to help me not only believe in the power of the Gospel but to expect it. I too believe that God will do amazing signs and wonders in New Orleans in order to bring glory to His name by the power of the Gospel.

3 – Transformation of the Gospel

The city of Mumbai is an incredible city with incredible people. 22 million people packed on top of each other. As you drive a rick shaw through the city you come across a ton of different types of people. For the most (and I’m overgeneralizing) people are pretty stone cold. They don’t show a ton of emotion and they definitely don’t show a ton of joy. Most people are jammed into this city with very little hope.

I was really bothered by how depressed everyone looked until I visited a house church and interacted with some believers. Of course what a person does externally isn’t the most important thing, but it was extremely obvious the difference between those in the city and those who were the church. The transforming power of the Gospel is clearly evident on the faces of those who have experienced Jesus. Their smiles and their joy is contagious.

I have been challenged by this as we proclaim the Gospel in New Orleans. There should be a significant difference between those who have been saved by the Gospel and those who haven’t. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are new creation”. Unfortunately we have made salvation in Jesus something that is culturally convenient and watered down. When someone meets Jesus there should be a real difference internally and externally. The transforming power of the Gospel is real and we shouldn’t settle for a simple prayer or emotion to be what determines salvation. We are certainly saved by grace alone through faith in Christ alone, but when we meet Jesus there should be a real difference.

4 – Sufficiency of the Gospel

One of the most powerful stories that I heard was the story of a widow. They call a widow a Moeshie or Auntie. New Life Fellowship has a ministry that cares for widows and orphans. They house them, feed them, and love them in the Gospel. One particular widow had been given a tough dose of life as she lost her family through death and because she became a Christ follower. Pastor Gary led the church to raise money for her to move her out of the slums and into a nice apartment. After a few days of living in this apartment the Moeshie contacted pastor Gary and asked to be placed back in the slums. She explained that she was very grateful but that all she needed was Jesus and her church family. The new apartment was away from her new family that loved Jesus. Wow!

When you walk through the slums of Mumbai and experience the poverty immediately you want to fix their lives by providing a nicer place for them to live. The superficiality of the American dream has certainly brainwashed our lives. People somehow think that if they can acquire enough things or live in prosperity then they will have everything that they need. This is a lie from Satan himself.

There is amazing sufficiency in the Gospel. I pray that as we continue to serve Jesus that we will display that He alone is all that we need. Nothing will ever satisfy this world like the beauty of the Gospel.

Thank you Jesus for this amazing trip!