Jonathan and Joyce Lueken's Personal Missions Statement and Calling from the Lord
In March 2013, after feeling a call to serve the Lord in
cross cultural mission, I, Jonathan Lueken, took a two month missions trip to
South Sudan. I did not know what God’s long term plan would look like, but
enabled by faith, I took the step to go.
The result was that through working with Operation Nehemiah
Missions, I was blessed with the opportunity to preach on the radio, work
in agriculture, learn various skills required in rural Africa, and just do
life with the people. I fell in love with South Sudan and decided
I would go back. Little did I know that one of the young women from the
village who was preparing food for me and the missionary family
I was with, would become my wife and lifelong partner in serving
the people of South Sudan and preaching the Gospel. Returning trips of
increased duration confirmed to my heart that the Republic of South Sudan
was where God was calling me, to join hands with and live alongside the
people.
While I was a boy raised by parents in New England involved in
domestic missions and ministry work, Joyce grew up as a South Sudanese in a
refugee settlement in Uganda. She helped her father and mother take care of
their large family - and they didn’t return to her homeland until she was
eighteen. Joyce always felt a desire to serve others and her love of
hospitality easily translated to serving others medically after finishing her
nursing assistant’s course in 2015. With me working in
Eastern Equatoria state, South Sudan since 2013, Joyce and I began
working together medically in 2015. Then, in 2016, we were married and
blessed with our daughter, Patience Rozana Lueken, just one year
later.
In Africa, we have seen the stark contrast between what is
often spoken in the pulpit and the actual fruit of believers’ lives.
Cultural Christianity and works-salvation produce only an outward
religiosity that blinds us to our own sin and brings forth an attitude of
judgment, instead of love and grace for ourselves and others that fall
short. Joyce was rescued
by the Lord, coming from a nominal religious family that was involved with the
religious activities of their church. She sees now how the teaching she
received was focused on outward works and not the motives of the heart. “My
major concern for my people back in S. Sudan is that they understand the True
Gospel. It is NOT: If you do good, you will be saved; But to know that apart
from the Mercy and Grace of God there is nothing we can do to be saved. We are
weak all the time and need a Savior!” Joyce and I
have needed the Lord to show us our blind spots to the
Gospel - and through trials in our lives, He has begun to reveal
to us the great love that is found in Jesus Christ. Oh, what joy!
We desire that others would know this love, that we
might share through the preaching of the Word and the
living out of our daily lives before the community God puts us
in. I personally feel overwhelmed as I think of the 3.5
billion + people who have not heard or understood the Gospel. I am unable to
effect the change of any sinner’s heart, including my own, but look to amazing
power of the blood of Jesus and His Mercy that delivered my soul from
death and can do the same for others.
“For we ourselves were once
foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures,
passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But
when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he
saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness,
but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration
and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us
richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being
justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of
eternal life.” Titus 3:3-7
We desire to live and raise our family in Africa and Lord
willing, specifically South Sudan. God has put a passion in
our hearts for those in South Sudan and in Africa to truly understand the
Gospel of Grace and the gift of life through Jesus Christ.
“ He himself
bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been
healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned
to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25
A personal burden we have is for Joyce’s immediate family
who are spread out in
various refugee camps in Northern Uganda. We are praying
that they can soon return to their home in South Sudan, but more importantly
that each one who has not discovered God’s Love would be transformed by
the Gospel. We are asking God for opportunities for Joyce, Patience, and I
to love and serve them as vessels of God’s Grace.
We do see the need to be equipped and prepared to fully present
the Gospel. We are asking the Lord how we might be directed to specific
training in the next few years, as it will take time for my
wife’s immigration status in the USA to stabilize - which will
then free us to live in South Sudan full time. Theological or seminary
training, along with some practical internship opportunities are options that
we are currently asking for the Lord to direct us in.
“At the same time,
pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to
declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in
prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to
speak.” Colossians 4:3-4.
Our single desire is that the truths of God’s Word would be
heard in a clear and understandable way through us - directed by the
Holy Spirit to the hearts that need to receive him.
“ Until I come,
devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to
teaching….Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this,
for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1
Timothy 4:13; 16
While sharing the Gospel will always be our primary goal,
secondarily we hope to continue to help others medically and
through preventative health education. The medical skills
which God has given Joyce through her Nursing Assistants
training, and me through EMT work and other courses, will
continue to be a part of showing God’s mercy to others. Opportunities to
pray with and for those who are sick, as well as speak of their spiritual needs will
be a door for us to extend the Gospel wherever the Lord brings us.
“ Is anyone
among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray
over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the
prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
And if he has committed sins, he will be
forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for
one another, that you may be healed.” James 5:14-16
There is a definite long-term call for Joyce and I in South
Sudan, but we are willing to go anywhere in Africa that God would lead us. We
are weak people depending on a powerful Savior and want others to
know His love throughout the continent.
“For God, who
said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that
the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us”.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
Thank you for allowing us to share our hearts with you. We
deeply value your input and continuing prayers for our lives.
“For to this
end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living
God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” Timothy 4:10
