To carry on from last time…

When it became evident that Angie’s time in Germany was limited, it seemed “Women of the Holy Spirit” would be short-lived, but a wise old friend advised me that unless I knew the Lord had called an end, I should wait for His guidance for the next step. Almost immediately the Holy Spirit reminded me of Carole Pearce. I had been the nervous deliverer of a personal prophetic word for her one day in a meeting in Johannesburg. I knew she had recently moved to the UK and, urged by the Holy Spirit, I tried all avenues to contact her. She told me later that when her phone rang, she had not yet unpacked her belongings! The ‘how’ of it is a wonderful, rather amazing story for another day.

Carole Pearce was, and still is, one of the finest Bible teachers I know, with a passion for The Bridegroom that pours through her preaching in a remarkable and profound way. She is also a skilled pianist who loves to be “lost in wonder, love and praise” as the old hymn says. We would take turns preaching and leading worship, one supporting the other. Although we are very good friends, we are very different. As Carole says, she never meets a stranger, and everyone seems to love her the moment they meet her. I, on the other hand, tend to be an introvert, preferring to observe from the sidelines till I am comfortable. In this way we brought different strengths to the partnership and only later we came to understand what a powerful witness this teamwork was. Besides Germany, we also ministered in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. She is far more adventurous than I. One of my favorite memories is of her in the Namib Desert, sliding down the notorious, scarily high Dune#7 on her stomach, with only a piece of cardboard between her and the hot desert sand!

It would seem the Apostle Paul was well-acquainted with the way good teamwork operates: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”  The most perfect example of teamwork that I know, is the relationship between the Trinity, where each member is ever ‘others-conscious’. The Trinity is ALWAYS the Trinity, ALWAYS in unity.

My heart yearns to see the Body of Christ earnestly seek to operate the same way – we would be so much more effective in our ministry. But I am encouraged by the knowledge that Jesus knew our human frailty would be a problem, and so, He prayed for us like this, a long time ago: “Father, make them one as You and I are one.”

May we be renowned for our teamwork!

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