Paul Lawler is the founding Pastor of Chase Valley Church and serves as the Torchbearer of the Greater Huntsville Pastors Prayer Summit in Huntsville, Alabama. He recently returned from India and shared some of the following reflections.

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THE "FEAR OF THE LORD" BRINGS LIFE TO OTHERS

Dr. Peter Keshung serves Jesus Christ faithfully in West Bengal, India. His grand-father was a head-hunter, collecting over 200 heads in his lifetime. Peter's father became a Christian through the witness of a British Christ-follower one generation ago. Upon professing Christ, his father was exiled from his village and forced to live in the jungle. The jungle can be a dangerous place in India -- it's filled with tigers, wildlife competitively scavenging for food resources, and a variety of poisonous snakes. He only survived through the graciousness of a few Christians who made regular forays into the jungle to offer food for his survival. Through the faithful and life-imparting Christian witness of Peter Keshung's father, Peter became a Christ-follower at a very early age.

Educated and equipped for ministry in the United States at Dallas Theological Seminary, Peter Keshung now leads one of the most dynamic Christian ministries in the nation of India. With its mind-boggling population of over 1 billion people, God has placed this man in one of the most strategic venues on the entire planet. Dr. Keshung has led in evangelism efforts in hundreds of villages throughout the nation of India, followed by prompt follow-up in equipping new converts in methods of sharing their faith and overall discipleship. Pastors are quickly assigned to villages where new converts exist; thus the planting of new churches happens in virtually every village where conversions are taking place. Dr. Keshung leads a Leadership Training Center he founded where young people (the majority of which are in their 20s and early 30s) are trained as pastors and evangelist. The persons in the LTC are not only learning in the classroom, but are actually going out into the villages on a regular basis sharing the gospel and planting new churches.

While the atmosphere continues to improve in parts of India, being a devoted follower of Jesus Christ can be costly. Dr. Keshung's life has been threatened many times. He has had to move his family on several occasions for the sake of their safety. Why does Peter Keshung persevere? Because he realizes, based upon God's revelation, that millions of lives are at stake in eternity. Because he realizes, based upon God's revelation, that he is called and commanded by God to share "good news" and "make disciples." Because he realizes, based upon God's revelation, that he is "to fear the LORD" and not fear what man can do to him.

For many persons in Western Christianity, the "fear of the LORD" is a truth that has faded from our spiritual radar. Despite the fact that references to this important truth are abundant in scripture (Exodus 20:18-20; Psalm 2:11; 19:9; 33:8; 34:9; 103:11; 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 14:26-27; 19:23; 1 Peter 1:17; 2:17), it seems we have overlooked a vital portion of God's intent for our soul-orientation in relation to HIm. The "fear of the LORD" does not primarily denote that we are to be afraid of God; but instead this truth conveys that we are to hold God in the deepest reverence, awe, and respect. In fact, the root word for reverence is "revere." The word "revere" means to intensely respect. In other words, God calls us not to be bound up in earthly fears -- but to be freed up in such "intense respect" and awe and trust and adoration of Him, that all other fears become pale and anemic. To "fear the LORD" is to have intense respect for God, His holiness, and the things He calls and commands us to do in HIs Living Word.

For the 50 million born-again Christians in North America, we too, are regularly learning and learning and learning and learning and learning in the worship centers and classrooms of our local churches. Most of us can quote the words of Jesus' command in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) If we are willing to take an honest look at ourselves, maybe we haven't personified an "intense respect" for what God has called and commanded us to do right here in our own country. Maybe we need to take a fresh look at journeying to the villages of people that make up our neighborhoods, offices, family and friends. Maybe we need to share the gospel and plant some new works for the glory of God. Realizing there will always be a price to pay when sharing Ultimate Reality (John 15:20), perhaps we need a fresh discovery of "the fear of the LORD" in coming to grips with what we have not been faithful in doing.

As I spent time in the nation of India in February of 2005, I was amazed at how God was using Dr. Keshung and the team of young pastors and evangelist enrolled at his school. I was challenged by the willingness of Dr. Keshung and the ministry students to "count the cost" of what it means to follow Christ, move forward fearing nothing but God, and then seeing the abundant fruit of God's harvest as Hindus came to know Christ and new churches were planted.

In a culture where the phrase "head-hunter" conjures only the image of a job broker, we don't always relate to the culture of our fellow Christ-followers in India. I contend, however, that we need to begin relating. We need to begin to freshly engage the fact that some people still read and feed on God's Word and tremble. There are still those who read the Great Commission, seek out the lost, and then begin to share testimony of God's salvation. There are still those who "fear the LORD" and carry an intense respect for Him, His holiness, and all that He taught.

Out of Dr. Keshung's intense respect for God and HIs calling and commands, God is making a great difference in the nation of India. The "fear of the LORD" is bringing life to multitudes. While I realize the following statement is a reflection of an ideal, imagine the following: If 1% of 50 million born-again Christians in North America began to look at the Great Commission in the lens of a fresh "intense respect" for God, our country (as well as other countries and people groups) might even cross the thresholds of a third great awakening.

God is waiting and ready to support those who are willing to follow Him out of healthy reverence. "The fear of the LORD leads to life" (Proverbs 19:23a NIV).