“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters;
I will praise you among your assembled people.” — Psalm 22:22
Lately, that phrase—assembled people—has been echoing in my heart.
Who are God’s assembled people?
Are they the people in the seats beside me on a Sunday? The familiar faces in our church halls? The voices I recognize in worship? After spending time in Senegal among the Wolof people this past year, I’m reminded how much bigger and more beautiful the answer to this question can be.
At Browncroft, we’ve been part of God’s assembled people – His outreach community – across the continent of Africa for more than 25 years. Through long-standing mission partnerships among the Wolof people of Senegal, in Kenya, and in Arab North Africa, our church family has been praising God far beyond the walls of our own sanctuary. This isn’t new. International missions are woven into our church history. Browncroft has sent a multitude of teams to Senegal specifically. These were mostly different people, in different seasons, but with one shared calling. It has struck me that these weren’t just our team trips or their team trips. We are participating in something much larger. Separate teams, yes, but as one assembled people. And this is true not just of those who “go”, but also without exception, those who uphold the mission and people of Africa in prayer, and those who give of their time, talent, and treasure to make the work and the meeting of needs possible.
We are participating in something much larger. Separate teams, yes, but as one assembled people.
When we worship in God’s global assembly, perhaps the Great Assembly gets greater. Because the people here and the people there belong to one body and one family in Christ. “Anyone doing the will of my Heavenly Father is my brother and sister and mother.” Participating in that truth by praying or going or giving is worshipping as a part of the assembled people, and that is a precious honor.
Lord willing, I will return to Senegal again – to stay connected, to keep showing up and showing His love among the assembled people. At this time, being more involved in this ministry hasn’t just been about mission activity; it has felt like a form of surrender, obedience, and spiritual formation. It has felt more like assembly worship, stretching across cultures and continents, to proclaim Jesus’ name in a place where that proclamation is rare and cautiously shared by those who are seeking.
And although it is quite a distance away, there are memories of our time spent there that make it nearly impossible to stay distant.
Moments like learning a worship song in Wolof from one of the girls at the women’s training center or singing along with the radio worship that plays in our mission partner’s car as she taxis you to the next serving opportunity. In those moments, my prayer was simple: Thank you, Lord. You are everywhere, all of the time. Let’s do this again.
If you believe the Lord is leading you to learn more about this Outreach opportunity, here’s how you can get involved:
You’re invited to our PRAY GIVE GO: AFRICA. It is Sunday, February 8, from 10:15-11:45 in the Browncroft Gym. There you can hear from three of our mission partners in Africa, have table conversations with Browncrofters who have recently gone, and learn how you can be more a part of the great assembly.
RSVP here
To support the team going to Senegal in April, you can give here
To stay connected to the Outreach community, you can subscribe to the Outreach Newsletter here
