The Harvest is plenty; Pray for Labourers

posted by Navigators on May 6th, 2024 in Blog | Discipleship | Evangelism

By Paul Bailey, Melbourne Labouring Community

As there are two sides of the same coin, I am often wrestling with the feeling of weak, lost, afraid, anxious, impatient and concerned, whilst on the other side a deep sense of peace, trust, comfort and belief in God, and His sovereignty and will to be done in all things.

picture of group of people during O-Week

_{Some of the team after a long day at campus during O-Week. Photo: supplied}

That’s how it’s been for the start of the year. We’ve had our welcome back NavNights, we’ve gone through Orientation week (O-week), we’ve had our Mid-Sem break and now on the final quarter of the semester. Here is a short summary of the latest news.

A few of our Key People have joined in on our Melbourne Leadership Development Training and have been growing and looking forward to each Monday.

We have also started a Labouring Team for Monash Uni, made up of students, fresh graduates, and a Monash Graduate. We have been meeting weekly for devotionals, prayer and planning for the ministry. Each member of the Labouring Team is also committed to one of our existing studies or has completed some of our Equip studies.

Speaking of our Equip Study, we have been so blessed to have six students take part. We have four men and two women, and they have taken it in their stride. Our aim in this study is to equip them with tools to share their faith but also disciple others.

Our Dinner & Discussion (DnD) has taken on a new look this year as we had to make a few changes with schedules. Dinner is no longer being cooked but God is ultimately sovereign, as it opened the door for one of the Labourers (Hans) to now take ownership and lead that study.

_{Friday study sessions – getting work done together! Photo: supplied}

Fridays are great for the continuing of rubbing of shoulders. We get a room for the day and students perpetually and periodically join in and study, have a chat and keep each other accountable. It’s sometimes through these little moments that help open the door for future endeavours.

Our latest NavNight saw Frank Tully visit (from the US) and share on the “Traits of a Disciplemaker”. He honed in on the importance of the Word of God not just being about knowledge, but for it to become transformative and applicable to our daily living. This was also the first NavNight for which the students took full ownership. It resulted in being our biggest NavNight on attendance with roughly 40 people squeezed into my house. One of our student labourers said, “you better look for a bigger place”, to which I replied, “well, start praying!”

Prayer Requests

We are now finding ourselves with a harvest field which needs labouring. Whether it be planting, watering, or reaping in this harvest, we are asking the Lord of the harvest to raise up labourers amongst the students.
As the harvest field enlarges, I am finding myself meeting a number of first years which is exciting, but the dynamic has been different. Please pray for wisdom as we look to engage these relationships well. Though it is late in the semester we have just begun a small group with them on Mondays.
Please pray for the Lord to sustain me by His grace. I am finding that the days are getting longer due to more people and more preparation. Pray I get adequate and consistent refreshment in the Word.

_{Featured image: Casual hangs with new connections. Supplied.}