On January 23, 2025, the first Olivet Leadership Institute (OLI) Leadership Training session of 2025 concluded after six days of intensive schedule with a grace-filled Closing Service, giving the trainees a review of the training and to prepare for their journey of faith and ministry ahead post-OLI.
Meditating on the message that was delivered from 1 Corinthians 9:19-27 and entitled, ‘I Have Made Myself a Slave to Everyone, to Win as Many as Possible’, the trainees were challenged to examine their motivation for walking the path of faith and committing their lives to preaching Jesus Christ as they prepared to head back to their respective mission fields.
Just as Apostle Paul, in defending his apostleship, declared, “Am I not free?” (1 Corinthians 9:1), his willingness to conduct missions was not out of compulsion, but a willing response to the freedom granted through Christ. Upon this foundation of taking up the God-given commission by freewill, the attacks from the enemy can be mitigated as the trainees have strong conviction of freely taking the path marked with suffering.
In spite of the difficulties encountered in the mission field, there is true rest in following Jesus Christ. Referencing Matthew 11:28-30, the trainees were encouraged, “As we give our burdens to the Lord, we have gained this freedom, but the next step is to take Jesus’ yoke for He is gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest in your souls. True rest is not being idle and doing nothing, but to rest in the love of Christ. This enables us to experience the love that set us free, and we enter into a deeper world of love.”
Imitating Jesus’ life of kenosis in Philippians 2:5-8 to willingly obey the Father despite His prayer of tears in Gethsemane to not take the cup, Apostle Paul boldly testified that he too willingly preached the grace He received that Jesus Christ is Lord (1 Corinthians 9:16-18; 2 Corinthians 4:5). In sharing the grace of Jesus Christ, Apostle Paul subjected himself to be a slave to all to win as many as possible.
Apostle Paul’s ministry was with humility and tears (Acts 20:19) in seeking to lead as many to Christ, to the point of His willingness to be cut off from Christ for his people to know Jesus (Romans 9:3). Similarly, contextualization to evangelism is crucial to be able to bring many to Christ without compromising on the Truth (1 Corinthians 9:22). This should be done through active prayer with tears for the lost souls in one’s mission field to understand their pains, and seeking to convey the Gospel of light to them.
Finally, with the firm foundation of freely taking their commission and seeking persistently to share Jesus with heart of servant, the trainees should set goals and clear direction of doing mission (1 Corinthians 9:26). This is the heart of Apostle Paul to save as many as possible for God’s Kingdom. Running with eyes fixed on a clear finishing line of the mission goals that they have been set for this year, the sermon was concluded with a call of all trainees to set up determination to maximize each day with deep joy to share the Gospel and witness God’s Kingdom come one day sooner.
May God strengthen all trainees with the power of Holy Spirit to retain the precious grace received as they returned to their mission fields, that they will boldly go forward without hesitation to preach Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God, toward saving even one more soul with urgent hearts.