Sharing the Treasure: People Who Participate

Throughout history, God has chosen to work through people. In His sovereignty, He moves men and women to places where they can be channels of His work and message.

He took Joseph to Egypt so that the lives of many could be preserved in the midst of severe famine. He brought Esther into the Persian palace “for such as time as this” so that the nation of Israel was preserved from annihilation. And, He moves us so that we can be instruments of His goodness in places where few know Him. God creates access into least-reached communities, and we have the privilege of being involved in what He is doing in the world.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Though He doesn’t need us to accomplish His purposes, our Lord continually creates access for us to serve Him and invites us to participate in what He is doing. In Christar, we respond to this invitation by serving people groups with little or no access to the gospel presented in their language and in a culturally relevant way.

In 2019 we revised our core values, replacing the words “Personal Development” with “People” to better reflect our recognition of the great worth of the individuals, families and teams that comprise Christar. This is far from a new conviction; however, by changing the way we describe this value, we seek to clarify a principle that has long been at the heart of our ministry.

Even as we changed these words, we could never have foreseen the new ways in which we’d experience the value of people just a few months later in the wake of COVID-19. As social distancing has left us longing for connection, we realize anew that God redeems and transforms us to be instruments of His grace to others. And, we see Him open opportunities in the midst of great challenges for His people to convey the hope of the gospel in least-reached communities. Just as God worked through hardships and trials so that Joseph and Esther could carry out His purposes, He is moving so that we can serve Him in unprecedented circumstances.

We invest in, support and love the people who make up our organization because we recognize that the members of Christ’s body are the messengers of His good news. Because God values people from every people group, He sends people to them. We gladly go to the least-reached to communicate His love, compassion and mercy, and invite them into a relationship with Him, because He has placed tremendous value on each one through His sacrificial love.

As we consider our God’s unceasing faithfulness in providing pathways for us to serve Him, we reinforce our confidence that He will continue to do so in the future. Our 2019 annual update provides numerous examples of the doors He has opened and the ways Christar workers and those who partner with them have been blessed to be involved in His work among the least-reached. It’s a reminder of His sovereignty and goodness and an encouragement that He can and does use us, His people, for eternal purposes.

God creates access. We participate. I invite you to rejoice with me in the opportunities our Lord has opened for the gospel and eagerly anticipate how He will continue to invite us to be part of what He is doing in least-reached communities.

Dr. Steve Coffey, Director of Christar U.S., began work with Christar in 1989. He and his wife, Beth, initially served among North African immigrants in France. In 2001, they returned to the U.S. for Steve to lead the Christar Church Planting Division. In 2005 he became Director of Christar. Before serving with Christar, the Coffeys worked for a year in a humanitarian project in the Red Sea hills of Sudan among the Beja people. Dr. Coffey’s education includes an undergraduate degree in history education from Liberty University, a Master of Divinity from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Strategic Leadership from Regent University. The Coffeys have three children and four grandchildren.