“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they may also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

John 17:20-21

This prayer of Jesus describes how the LORD has led our Go Group into new depths of unity during the month of November. In the prior month, our group of men and women (who by then had been living in close community for two and a half months) were not all moving in one accord toward our team’s overarching goals. Some of our goers were not embracing ministry as a team sport and were instead choosing to go out and engage in evangelism and prayer for the lost by themselves, versus with one another. Although the Lord was moving in our goers' individual efforts, the design of Go Group as a team is intentional so that our people would learn to work together with other believers as they will on the mission field. By a mighty work of the Holy Spirit and at the challenge of leadership, our goers decided to trust each other and collaborate to plan a thanksgiving potluck meal to invite our international friends to as a means of team outreach. Since most of the international students at Auburn didn’t want to make the long journey back home for thanksgiving break, there were plenty of guests ready to feast with us!

The picture attached to this update shows a glimpse of more than 75 guests who came together to share friendship and food at our apartment complex! During the time, PHD and Master’s students from places like Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Bangladesh all came to contribute their own ethnic foods and to eat turkey with our Go Group and some other believing friends. We were able to care for and engage these international friends on a relational and spiritual level! Several groups of believers have planned times to read the Bible with some spiritually interested persons of peace (Luke 10:6), and even some believers from the local churches who aren't a part of our Go Group have developed earnest relationships with internationals as a result of this event. Although this dinner, referred to by our Go Group as a "Matthew Party," took two weeks of planning and coordinating and delegating to accomplish, the LORD was pleased to move through it not only to touch the lives of countless lost friends, but also to draw our own Go Group into deeper intimacy and working trust with one another! The Lord is proving that he is the LORD of the Harvest and that he is the one who changes hearts and produces maturity in his children!