by Ramesh Richard

My first public communication of 2007 is only partly devotional and partly a declaration of our perpetual vision and continual action. I ask that you read on to catch on.

Each New Year, RREACH declares a Bible verse to focus and govern our upcoming months of ministry. This time, not only have I secured a verse for the year and for the next year (since our 20th anniversary extends from June 07-08), but really a prophecy by our God-Jesus that claims the next year and the rest of earthly history—His, mine, and ours.

I hadn’t seen the full geographical scope of our Lord’s declaration before. Matthew’s parallel reads, “Many will come from East and West and recline at the table.” (Matt 8:11) Even though the phrase “East and West” is a technical word for everywhere, I wondered what happened to “North and South.”

Well, our Lord hadn’t disappointed me. Luke makes sure not to exclude those who may feel left out. Check his version: “They shall come from East, West, North and South to recline at the table in the Kingdom of God” (Lk. 13:29). That is geographically extensive and inclusive!

If you hadn’t noticed it, RREACH dropped “International” from our name a couple of years ago, to reflect the changing global realities of the world, of Christianity, and thus our thrusts. We wanted to be limited by our burdens, strategies and resources, but not by geography. Truly, God has given us a ministry to everywhere.

Let me make all this more memorable for you by playing off the contemporary and ubiquitous prefix i (like in iPod and iPhone). As you possibly know, iTunes is the resource center (music, video, gifts) that services all those avante-garde gadgets. Just like those innovative companies that are on the cutting-edge of technology, we as Christians should also be forward looking.

If I change the pronunciation of tunes to local Texan, I get TEWNS from, “They shall come from East, West, North and South.” And then I add the prefix “r,” to get rTEWNS. A colorful stretch indeed, but you will not easily forget rTEWNS—simply a mnemonic technique for making information easier to remember.

For the “TEWNS” banquet concept is really God’s Mission—HisTEWNS and my vision too. Hence, MyTEWNS. Since that final banquet is brought about by God in a partnership of many around the world for many around the world, rTEWNS contracts the plural, possessive pronoun “Our” to “r.”

Shall we embrace Jesus’ prophetic tunes as OurTEWNS to hear and live by? To sing and give toward? To really service the rest of our earthly lives? Make Histunes, yourtunes, and together it will be rTEWNS until we all sit together at the global messianic banquet. We only get to increase the invitation, but not the representation. We will one day recline and rejoice at the King’s table with those from the east, west, north and south.

In the Inexhaustible One,

rr signature

GPA-Shield-w-RReach-below-1-dark-e1364920067699P.S. Twenty-five young pastoral leaders from East, West, North and South will attend the RREACH 2007 Global Proclamation Academy from June 3-24 at Dallas Seminary. Seventeen have already been selected. Pray for the total impact of this flagship program.