Ep. 219 - Divine Appointements

Dr. Dennis Wiles is back from Canada, and he joins Michael and Ashley Berryhill to talk about what he learned. He joined a pilot mission trip through the Ascent Movement, hosted by Canadian Baptist Ministries. The trip took the team from the Greater Toronto Area to Montreal and Quebec, where they saw how churches are sharing the gospel in one of the most multicultural places in the world. From there, the conversation turns to evangelism here at home. Dr. Wiles shares two divine appointments: a server at a busy restaurant who asked for prayer, and a Hindu seatmate on a flight from Africa who wanted to add a statue of Jesus to his home altar. These stories show how simply being available can open doors for the gospel. The episode closes with a call to pray, because every great movement of God has begun with a praying church. In This Episode An overview of the Ascent Movement’s pilot trip to Canada with Canadian Baptist Ministries, TMS Global, and Restore Hope Visiting Tyndale University during the 500th anniversary of William Tyndale’s English New Testament Why “multi” isn’t the same as “inter”: multicultural vs. intercultural, multigenerational vs. intergenerational New research from Canada: younger generations aren’t so much secular as pluralistic, and they’re more open to spiritual conversations Why the gospel doesn’t need cultural or political power to prop it up William Carey and the “unusual, mysterious partnership” between God’s power and our availability Two divine appointments: a restaurant server and an airplane seatmate Evangelism as a continuum: being one link in the chain, not just the person “closing the deal” Becoming “come and see” people, like the Samaritan woman Prayer as the “secret sauce” behind every revival and awakening Key Takeaways The power of the gospel doesn’t depend on us, but it does have to be shared. Busyness is one of the biggest reasons we walk right past divine appointments. Try praying for “the one”: ask God each day to put one person in your path. You don’t need a playbook or to have every answer. Just say, “Yes, Lord, I’m available.” Praying together with other believers creates accountability, and lets the whole church celebrate when God moves. Scripture Referenced 1 Peter 3:15 John 4 (the Samaritan woman) The prayer life of the early church in Acts This Week’s Prayer “Father, help me to be sensitive to your leadership in my everyday life.” Join Us The Table meets Wednesdays at 6 PM in the Fellowship Hall for worship, prayer, and a devotional led by Dr. Wiles, plus light bites. Pick up a copy of the weekly prayer guide, and find more at fbca.org. Hosts & Guests Michael, Minister of Worship Ashley Berryhill, Minister of Discipleship Engagement Dr. Dennis Wiles, Senior Pastor