Are you on your own mission or are you aligned to God’s mission?

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Paulson Pulikootil

Paulson PulikootilWHEN you talk with the tall and wirelike Paulson Pulikottil about God’s mission, his voice gets excited.  You can almost feel his pulse quickening.  You get the sense of a man who is simultaneously grateful, active and eager to be God’s tool.

Then if you spend a little more time with him, you will likely hear parts of the book of Isaiah quoted with breathless anticipation. Perhaps it will be chapter two’s prophecy, “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths,’ ” (verses 2,3).

Or maybe Paulson Pulikottil will cite Isaiah 25 and how God will wipe away our tears (8th verse) or even the prophet’s declaration, “LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago,” (verse 1).

Paulson’s intent is to focus us on who God is, His magnificence and power – and then will come the deep and convicting questions: Are you on your own mission?  Are you pursuing your own calling?  Or are you joining the God of history’s mission?

With a deep sense of humility before God and His mission, Paulson has put to use his doctorate in Old Testament by framing for people in India a clear identity of the God of Scripture.  For Paulson, the Scriptures have come alive, a fact that motivates him to teach others.  In fact, later in 2011, Paulson will have the privilege of welcoming Chubaongba Ao to Union Bible Seminary in Pune, India.  Chubaongba is another in a continuing chain reaction of grace and transformation that John Stott Ministries and the Langham Partnership are privileged to invest in for their doctorates – and for lifelong transformational ministry!

But Paulson’s ministry has not simply been in the academic realm. Paulson soon recognized that India is one of the fastest growing nations in the world, a country of over a billion people bristling with possibility and diversity.  He also acknowledged that his own city of Pune (just east of Mumbai) is home to over 5.5 million people, mostly Hindu or Muslim.  That is why Paulson planted an evangelical multiracial congregation in the city.  In his words, “Besides being a congregation, this is a place where I mentor some of my seminary students in real-life ministry. This is in a sense my extended classroom. Being a pastor has earthed me to real life-situations. I have to break big theological chunks to small chewable bits for the sake of men and women in the pew every Sunday. This is incarnational ministry.”

Paulson embodies the possibilities for global ministry in the 21st century. He maintains a blog, teaches at institutes across continents, runs an online book review site, and operates a TV ministry for pastors in his home region. “I am so excited to live in this age!” he exclaims. “The “world is flat” as Friedman puts it. The opportunities are immense. Access to information and sharing resources is now no one’s monopoly. This is certainly empowering the church all over the world.”

Paulson’s ministry began before many of these communication technologies were available.  While pursuing his Ph.D. at Sheffield, Paulson struggled to raise enough financial support to study. “A professor (this was before email was born!) said I should write to Dr. John Stott. A few months later, Dr. Stott was visiting Kerala, India and asked me if I would like to come and see him, which I did. We had a talk, and Uncle John was so pleased that I had a place in Sheffield!”  Paulson received scholarships through John Stott Ministries’ Langham Scholars Program, successfully completing his doctorate in 1995. “Without my professor pointing me in the direction of Langham, and Langham stepping in, I would not have done a Ph.D.!” Paulson’s study and mentorship in India embody the hope of the Langham Scholars Program, as we witness each generation of international scholars and church leaders turning and helping to raise the next generation.

Paulson is currently working alongside John Stott Ministries and Langham Literature on the South Asia Bible Commentary, writing a commentary on Isaiah for this one-volume commentary on the entire canon. He is also completing a three-volume commentary on Psalms in Malayalam for an independent project. These projects are crucial to developing what Paulson calls a “strong church” in India and the rest of Asia. “A strong church is one which is built on the foundation of the Word of God, being able to join the public discourse, and plays an important role in national integration and nation building,” he explained. “For that I would like to see more theologically informed men and women both inside the church and outside in the public arena.”

Please continue to pray for church scholars and leaders such as Paulson, as they look to utilize the mass communication tools of today to spread the Gospel. Pray also for the students and church members who learn from leaders like Paulson, that their faith may continue to grow deeper and stronger. Finally, consider financially supporting John Stott Ministries as it works toward a “strong Church over a ‘big’ one.  Praise be to the God who allows us to share encouragement, kindness, and love over mountains and oceans, and who builds the information bridges that bring His Church closer together.

It is this God of history that invites us on His mission.  And, so the question remains, “Are you on His mission – or on your own?”

To know more about John Stott Ministries, click here.

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