SERVICE Module - Serving with Humility - Hudson Taylor

Bump! Bump! Thump!

    Fourteen-year old Amelia Taylor ran to the stairs to see what was causing all the commotion. “Hudson! What in the world are you doing with your feather bed?”

    Amelia’s seventeen-year-old brother looked down the stairs with a smile. “I’m getting rid of it--they don’t have comfortable mattresses in China, you know!”

    “Getting rid of it? Mother is not going to like this!”

    “Oh, she’ll come ‘round. Remember, China was Mother and Father’s idea in the first place! People there don’t have it as good as we do--sleeping on hard boards ought to toughen me up.”

Amelia jumped aside as the heavy mattress landed on the kitchen floor. “I’ll help you drag it outside,” she said. “Let’s store it in the shed in case you change your mind. Those hard boards are going to be awfully uncomfortable!”

    When he was born, Hudson Taylor’s parents had dedicated him to serve God in China. At age eighteen, Hudson felt the call to China and began getting ready. Now that Hudson was doing all he could to get ready for China, Mrs. Taylor grew concerned. Getting up extra early every day to study was one thing, but going out into the cold for rigorous exercise was another matter.

    “Hudson, you’ll catch your death of pneumonia! Come in and sit by the fire,” she begged. Hudson had been a sickly and weak child, so Mrs. Taylor had pampered him for many years.

    “Now Mother, don’t worry,” Hudson replied. “I’m feeling stronger already! The outdoor air and hard work are just what I need.”

    Reluctantly, Mrs. Taylor allowed Hudson to follow his plans. He rose early to study languages; he exercised outside; and he learned to live with few comforts. God even provided Hudson with a way to learn medicine so he’d be better able to serve people in China. But there were some lessons that only life’s trials could teach the young man. Hudson wanted to learn to trust God and follow His voice before heading to China. This would take some practice.

    One day young Hudson walked through a dirty, crowded street in the town of Hull, England. Reaching into his pocket, he felt his last coin. “Lord, please remind Dr. Hardey to pay me. My rent is due soon and I’ve only a bit of food. This coin won’t last but a few days. Help me to trust in you, Lord.”

    Hudson walked on when a man who recognized him as the doctor’s assistant grabbed his arm. “My wife’s in there an’ she needs help.” Hudson was quick to respond. His heart went out to people in need, and this man’s need was obvious.

    When they came to the grimy door, a boy opened it a crack, his hollow eyes staring into Hudson’s. He’d seen that hopeless look far too many times before. “Yes, sir?”

    “I’m studying to be a doctor,” he said. “Your father brought me to see your mother.” The boy swung the door open and stepped back to let Hudson and his dad pass.

    The smells of unwashed bodies and tobacco smoke rose to meet him. Hudson walked across the single room to a cot on which the mother lay. Four other children huddled in the shadows, dressed in tattered clothes, too hungry to move. A newborn baby lay next to the poor mother. It didn’t take Hudson long to realize there was no hope for the woman. He hung his head, knowing there was nothing medicine could do.

    “Please, won’t you pray for her?” The husband’s voice came from the doorway.

    “Yes, of course,” Hudson replied. Even as he asked the Lord to send them food and heal the mother, he became aware of the coin in his pocket. He knew he should give it to her so that she could get something to eat, but it was his very last money and he would soon be hungry, too! Hudson knew that he should give them some of his clothes and money, but then where would he be? Could he trust God to take care of his needs if he gave his belongings to others? He felt no peace until he stopped arguing with himself, took off his coat and sweater, and handed them over to the mother, along with the coin.

    “God bless you,” she whispered, eyes filling with tears. And He did. Hudson left with only a song in his heart to keep him warm.

    The next day the mailman handed him a letter. When he opened it, the envelope contained four times as much money as he had given that family! He learned a lesson that would help him again and again in his work in China--as he cared for others in Christ’s name, he could trust God’s provision! Hudson would trust in this principle during the years to come.

    The town of Hangzhou, China was bustling for the Chinese New Year in 1867. A new missionary family was just arriving to serve with the China Inland Mission. As they made their way among the noisy street vendors, they saw a strange sight ahead. An Englishman, wearing Chinese clothing and a long Chinese pigtail, stood on a table outside the mission clinic. It was Hudson Taylor preaching to a gathering of Chinese people.

    Hudson had first arrived in China 13 years before, in 1854. He had surprised other missionaries with his decision to dress like the Chinese, but he had caused an even bigger uproar when he decided to give up the comfort of living in the cities in order to reach the poorest people in the middle of China.

    Hudson paused from his preaching just long enough to wave and smile at the new missionaries. He’d been expecting them, for he had prayed for 24 new workers, and he knew God answers prayer! These new recruits would be joining the others in making great personal sacrifice to further the Gospel. Yet as Hudson Taylor continued to pray over the years, more and more missionaries came to serve.

    Hudson served in China for over 50 years, and eventually there were enough missionaries to realize his goal of reaching all 18 provinces of China. Now that’s the result of living as a humble follower of Christ! He was willing to give up his privileges and comforts, demonstrating humility. He once said, “Let us in everything not sinful become like the Chinese that by all means we may save some.”

    China today needs missionaries who can demonstrate humility and serve the Chinese people. Over one billion people live in China’s cities. Who will go and serve them with love of Christ?

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/church-history-for-kids/hudson-taylor-fit-to-serve-11635124.html

Application

How was Hudson Taylor humble in his approach to missions? (Did not consider himself or his culture (England) more important than the people that he ministered to.) How can we serve our family and friends with this same attitude?

LEADING AT 80 - Fred Thurner

For years, Christian Service Brigade has assisted men in their ministry to boys.  It has been happening for more than 75 years. Well, 54 years ago a young man by the name of Fred Thurner came on the scene and began to have a huge influence on teenage boys in the Winnipeg area, as well as in the entire province of Manitoba. Fred was instrumental in organizing sporting events through Area Activities and Camporees.  It is now common for men to ask about Fred wherever Christian Service Brigade is being displayed.  The impact that Fred has had in the lives of boys is astounding. He is still serving as a Lieutenant in the Calvary Temple Battalion.

Recently, CSB Unit 590, held a birthday celebration in his honour as he turned 80 years of age. Fred has been a leader in that unit for the past 54 years and has served with distinction, never missing a year. Join with us in praying for God’s Blessing on his life, as he continues to impact the lives of many more boys, and serves as an example of a man dedicated to his Saviour’s Calling.

Bob's Return on Investment in Ministry

Dan works late into the evening with solar power running the lights and laptop. There is no other choice on the high mountain plain of Cameroon. He is heading Wycliffe’s cluster project in the village, translating the Bible into nine different dialects, languages that had no written form until Dan, with his wife Melody and three kids, initiated the project in 2000. It is the product of God’s calling in his life.

Meanwhile, halfway around the world, his twin brother Steve also works late into the evening on his laptop, writing and editing rather than translating. He pastors a small church in Saskatoon and heads up CSB’s curriculum update projects: reVISION for Stockade and INNOV8 for Battalion.

Both Dan and Steve are products of their dad’s investment in ministry. Forty years ago, Bob supported CSB Canada with a monthly donation to the general fund. For six years, he faithfully provided support while his twin sons were involved in CSB as boys. He could put a dollar amount on that investment, but the return on his giving far exceeded anything he imagined, because at God’s urging, he decided to also invest in his local Regional Director.

The Regional Director helped run several camp programs for those six years. He was the Captain for one week of Battalion camp for teenage boys, and he ran the Tree Climber Weekend for fathers and sons for those same years. During those Battalion camps, he led eight boys to Christ personally, but also saw 40 other boys make first time decisions with other counsellors. At the first Tree Climber Weekend, he saw 3 dads rededicate their lives to both God and their family. Bob knew he had invested well, but the big payoff was yet to come.

For two of those Tree Climber Weekends, the Regional Director worked with Bob’s 15-year-old young son, Steve, helping him learn how to lead camps, tell stories, and lead boys. Steve ended up working for the next seven summers at Camp Kakeka, the last two as Program Director in charge of both the camp and counsellor programs. Seven hundred boys each summer were reached though the camp, with 70 of them making first time decisions for Christ each year. Bob’s son, in fact both of them, were being “called” to serve the Lord.

During the time of Bob’s support, the Regional Director visited 60 units, while maintaining a leadership presence in his own unit as Captain for four years and Lieutenant for the other two. He participated in organizing and leading almost 20 Advanced Leadership Training courses, six Basic Leadership Training courses, helped with some curriculum development, and worked with five young men who received their Herald of Christ awards. The Regional Director was involved in Camporees and Shape ‘n Race Derbies, as well as a host of other activities, all because of Bob, and people just like him.

Now it is today. Bob had to deal with cancer a few years back, and has back and nerve issues that limit his mobility. While he continues to support CSB, his only personal involvement in ministry is prayer. He prays for his wife, kids and grandkids, his church, and all the different things he has been involved with over the years. CSB get special attention, and the reasons are plain.

Of those 48 boys who accepted Christ forty years ago, 35 of them are still actively involved in church, and have led hundreds of their friends and others to Jesus since then. Six of them are pastors, others are teachers and businessmen and tradesmen – but they live within a Biblical worldview. God is part of their lives and conversations.

Of those three Tree Climbers dads, two continue strong in their faith, and are involved in their churches. The third one passed away ten years after that weekend; his son became a church leader in his own right.

Of those five Heralds of Christ, two ended up on the foreign mission field, one is a pastor, one is a schoolteacher, and one is an entrepreneur. All five are family-oriented men who have worked hard to raise their kids to stand firm in their faith in Christ.

This year, CSB Canada had display booths at several Missions Fests, Promise Keepers and ISI conferences, and elsewhere. At those booths, all kinds of men greeted the Brigade leaders with words like “I was involved with Stockade when I was a kid” or “I was in Battalion. It was the best time of my life”. Everywhere the Regional Directors go today they run across these alumni.

And, what of the Regional Director that Bob supported so long ago? Well, he’s been a businessman for the last twenty years, but for the last ten, he has been supporting Bob’s son, Steve, whom he worked with at those two Tree Climber Weekends. Steve is now a CSB Regional Director, himself.

If you asked Bob which investment is bringing him the greatest reward today, he would look you in the eye and say. “Those six years I invested in CSB… There is nothing like CSB out there, in the church or otherwise. It is tremendous.”

For six years of investing in the ministry of CSB Canada, Bob saw some 3,600 boys hear the Good News of Jesus Christ at camp; thousands more heard it through the weekly Christian Service Brigade ministry; and hundreds responded to the call of Christ to follow Him. Countless individuals continued to grow to be spiritually mature and they are found all over the Church today. All of those boys became men who are influencing the next generation, and on and on, multiplying down through the years.

The truth is, when you invest in the ministry of CSB today, just as Bob does, you are investing in the church of tomorrow. Whether your support goes to funding the ongoing curriculum updates, the revision of the Leadership Training materials, or allowing a Regional Director to lead units and camps, your support will have an effect that will span the generations.

In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul asks Timothy to entrust to faithful men who will be able to also teach others that which he heard from him in the presence of many witnesses. That’s four generations: Paul – Timothy – Faith Men – Others!

Those who invested in CSB when it was founded in 1937, and planted in Canada in 1943, have received a Return on Investment far greater than those who joined Apple or Intel when they were founded. The ROI they received from Brigade reaches forward not just through the generations, but into eternity. How can you calculate that? You can’t, so instead, take time today to consider investing, just like Bob, in the work of CSB. 

Donate to CSB Canada by clicking here.

WELCOME to CSB CANADA’S First Edition of The TORCH

We have been looking forward to this day, and for the first time we are communicating with you, the leader, pastor, parent, alumnus, supporter or friend, through a regularly scheduled electronic newsletter. In times past, CSB Canada had The Torch Runner and Brigade Leader. Our title “The Torch” draws from one of our founding symbols which reminds us to shine Bright for Christ.

There are many good things going on within our ministry that we’d like to share with you. We are about to go public with a new website which includes the online CSB Store where churches and leaders can purchase all of the resources they need for CSB. There is important information telling of how CSB is moving to the far horizon and expanding God’s Kingdom one boy at a time. There are ways listed showing how to support this ministry with time, talent or finances. The new website includes information and tools to help churches who are looking for a ministry that their men can engage with to impact the next generations for Christ, and help them become godly leaders of today and tomorrow.

We expect this newsletter to be something that will build you as a leader as you work with the fellows in your group helping them become godly men. We have developed a whole new set of Stockade Guide Books, both for the boys and the leaders. They provide many more action-packed choices and Bible-based ideas. More are in development. Check them out. We have started developing new Battalion resources.

This newsletter also includes details of a more cost-effective approach of the Annual Registration Process for churches who are partnered with us in ministry. There are couple of articles about some special men who have impacted not just their own churches, but also their communities and the world.

Our plan is to publish The Torch every two months to keep you up to date on what the Lord is doing through this ministry across Canada. If you have ideas for future articles, we would like to hear from you. Also, we need your help in increasing the number of people who receive this newsletter. All the leaders in your church should receive it. You can ensure that happens by sending their e-mail addresses to us at office.ca@christianservicebrigade.ca

We wish you and your family a Blessed Christmas and the Lord’s best in 2016.