“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

As the Holy Spirit led Paul from Galatia to Macedonia, so we see the Spirit leading our “army of youth”1 as they pursue a degree, learn a trade, choose to enter the missionary field for a gap year, or God-willing, continue serving for a second year.

The Spirit imparts gifts of cultural insight and language acquisition to these young disciples in order to cultivate friendships and woo the unreached into a saving relationship with Christ. As relationships grow, the Spirit adds other gifts to meet the moment or to direct missionaries down new paths while increasing their love for the lost. This results in repentance, rebirth and renewal among the unreached and the missionaries alike.

As these missionaries listen and obey, they become more accustomed to following the Spirit’s still, small voice and receive His blessings more fully. And no wonder! Jesus said it was better that He should go away and send the Helper.

Even now, the Holy Spirit is leading many into service as student missionaries or short-term missionaries. Join them in laboring for the salvation of souls.

1 Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists {HS 284.4}

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