Destination Myanmar
Chris Sinkinson shares about his upcoming trip to Myanmar.
We used to sing a song: It's an adventure following Jesus! I have learned more and more what an adventure it is. When Lansdowne Church launched the School for Discipleship we may not have realised quite how much God's church global has a need for this. Beyond the UK there is an interest in what we are doing.
I have been invited to be part of a tour of Myanmar churches and seminaries to see if we can support the work there. Having agreed to this, I then discovered the Lord has already gone ahead of us. The footprint of Lansdowne Church ministry is evident in the impact of former Pastors, Francis Dixon and Harry Kilbride. Words of Life ministry, which was a pioneer of theological teaching by distance learning was founded by the Lansdowne Bible School in 1946. The use of those resources in Myanmar has been extensive. Could Lansdowne's School for Discipleship engage in this global ministry again?
I will be posting content on social media sensitive to the political circumstances. Apart from a civil war that has been raging since 2021 there has been a catastrophic earthquake earlier this year. Formerly Burma, Myanmar gained its independence from Britain in 1948 but has had a troubled history. It is majority Buddhist with a significant Muslim minority. In the midst of all that there is a bright and shining Church.
I am flying out on Thursday 23rd October and will be teaching on most days either at one of the seminaries, the local churches and at a Pastor's conference. Travelling for just over two weeks, I will have three Sundays to preach at local churches in the Yangon province. We fly back on 11th November.
I have never been before and would appreciate your prayers for a full schedule. The entire trip is funded by the legacy of Glyn Macaulay, the founder of Tear Fund. His passion that the resources of the west would support the majority world is reflected in a concern to support theological education in developing countries. I know the Lansdowne Church family are a people of God's global kingdom and grateful for this opportunity to support world mission. For some of the time out there I will be joined by Antoine Thenin from Charminster Chapel and Chris Webb from Above Bar Church, Southampton and the team is led by Chris and Philippa Hughes from Southampton.
- Chris Sinkinson