He can do above and beyond all that we can ask or think. Ephesians 3:20
I like those words. They were written by a missionary who had many years to test those words and many opportunities to prove their validity. From the moment he penned them to the moment of his final breath, nothing in the truthfulness of those words ever changed in the slightest.
And it’s not like Paul was throwing God softballs—he petitioned God to establish entire churches where Christ had never been proclaimed, he prayed to God to raise up elders who used to practice black magic, he pled with God for boldness to preach Christ in the face of death. Paul tested God’s promise to the max and proved every word to be true.
My prayers are almost comical in comparison. “God, help me learn Czech.” “Father, please don’t let the Kladno church die.” “Lord God, save at least a few people while I’m here.” I’m sorry. I admit it. My prayers have been rather pathetic and lacking in faith. I have learned something, however. God delights even in the softballs. He took my ounce of faith and grew it by helping me speak Czech. Then I prayed again that I would be able to preach in Czech, and after six years, He answered that too. A few weeks ago I preached an entire message without notes. It only took twelve years.
When it became evident to Amie and myself that this church might actually survive, we began to pray bigger prayers—at least by our standards. “God, raise up elders.” “Father, save Jarka’s son.” “Sovereign Lord, get the word out that we preach Christ here in Kladno.”
We had our annual church retreat the beginning of July. We had seventy people. The accommodations we had arranged a year in advance were too small. A hotel for seventy people, with a decent price here in Czech with less than a week’s notice? Not possible. Yet there we were, less than a week later, in a lovely hotel in the mountains, worshipping Christ together and rejoicing that our God can do above and beyond all we ask or think. He even brought Logan Long over to minister to the young guys (Logan did an outstanding job)!
God continues to prove His promise. Our average Sunday attendance is now over sixty. Our Sunday meeting place is too small. For the last three months, we have been renting out the large meeting space in the hotel across the street. We are now praying for the Lord to provide us with a place of our own.
Marcus Denny (right) with the elders of Biblický Sbor Křesťanů Kladno church
God is also saving people around us. Last year he saved a family that had been living in utter sin and chaos. The mother of the women is now coming on Sundays and also intently listening.
Not long after, a family of Catholics showed up after a chance encounter with another member. They heard the word preached and have never looked back.
A few weeks ago, while street preaching, I met a young man named Honza. He sat on the bench intently listening. He’s coming to church again this Sunday, and the Lord appears to be greatly working in his heart.
Another young man, twenty-four years of age, came under deep conviction of sin last year. He ended up in the Jehovah’s Witnesses. He began to listen to different sermons and teachings online and began to compare them with the Bible. He soon left the Jehovah’s Witnesses, stayed at home, and listened to Washer, Baucham and Piper. His family saw a change and began asking him questions about the Bible. He answered as best he could but knew he needed more. When we first met, he said, “I literally prayed to God, ‘Help me find a biblical church in Kladno.’” The next day he found us. He and his entire family have been following us online since December. We met last week. He’s coming for the first time on Sunday.
Like most missionaries, I could go on and on. And I need to add the clear caveat that all of these stories did not happen in a day. But they happened! We prayed small, God answered big.
In all of this I have begun to understand, if only a little, what Paul means by “above and beyond all we can ask or think”. Many of the things I have seen God accomplish during my labors as a missionary I’ve never even asked for, nor did they enter my mind. I began to realize Paul’s words are not just a challenge to pray bigger. They are an invitation, an invitation to the theatre of God, an invitation to keep one’s eyes on the sovereign God of the universe and ask in anticipation, ‘What is He going to do next?
The Denny family, from left to right: Sofia, Marcus & Amie, Lydia, and Chloe.
Marcus and his wife Amie were highly involved in ministry here at Faith before being sent down to The Master’s Seminary. During their time in Southern California Marcus completed his pastoral training in a small but growing church. The Dennys have been serving in the Czech Republic since 2009 where they continue to be used by the Lord to establish a healthy church in a highly atheistic country.
