In ministry there have been words and concepts that I have struggled with — one of these words is ambition. Webster defines ambition as;
“1 a : an ardent desire for rank, fame, or power b : desire to achieve a particular end, 2 : the object of ambition <her ambition is to start her own business>, 3: a desire for activity or exertion <felt sick and had no ambition>”
Servant leaders are supposed to be humble and not point others to themselves but instead are to point others to Christ. Right? As a pastor of a small church, I have for a long time told myself, “What do you have to add?” People want to hear from the Andy Stanleys and Mark Driscolls, or other big name persons. What does Drew Boswell of small church USA have to say, and why would anyone care? My church produces cds of the sermons — but I would tell myself “other than the congregation, who is listening, or would care?”
My thinking changed when I came across a principle I am currently calling, “the principle of multiplication.”  It’s the idea that if I put 10-20 hours in a sermon, or 4-5 hours putting together a training workshop, or some other labor intensive work, would’t it be great if I could do something else with that same material?  So I have experimented with blog entries, taking parts of sermons and using them as articles, etc. I really liked the idea of the Bible being shared with the world via the internet. So, I started my web site. I have been amazed at how many people are listening, reading and taking serious the things that God has laid upon my heart. There is a huge desire to hear the Bible preached and taught, there is also a huge desire to learn how to preach God’s Word and lead in  church.
Recently, I have received two separate e-mails from pastors in other countries asking me to come and teach their pastors theology, and to preach the gospel. I have been so blessed by God. I have been able to go to seminary, and even complete my doctorate. I am not saying this to brag, but to point to what God has done in my life. I have been so blessed — yet there are so many who need help! How many pastors in the world would give their right arm for a seminary education? Wouldn’t it be sinful if I did not respond in some way?
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. [20] And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, [21] who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.(Luke 16:19-21 ESV)
I checked airfare costs — $1,600. That’s really all that is stopping me from telling people in the Phillipines, Australia, India, Africa, “the utter most” and sharing with them what God has lavished upon me. 1,600 dollars is what it will cost for me to share the gospel, and equip pastors. I am praying that God will continue to move, and I am seeking to stay faithful. Wouldn’t it just be wrong for me to ignore their pleas. The rich man would have seen Lazarus every time he left his home. I see those who need help every time I boot up my computer and my heart is heavy.
In this picture, these are two of the teachers in a school in Honduras that I gave a teaching workshop at last summer. We discussed learning styles and they were given the assignment to put together a visual aid to teach the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. They were so excited to learn about how to teach a lesson. I was blown away with their excitement and willingness to receive the information. They will take this information and apply it to the teaching of orphans.
God has given me a gift, and treasures beyond my ability to count. I am seeking to be ambitious for the sake of the gospel, not so that I may be great. It has been through this process that God has shown me that I have a gift, and that I should use it for all that it is worth to reach as many people as I can with that gift (I didn’t say it was a great gift, only that it is my gift). God does use men (and women) and he has said in Genesis 12:2, “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” God blessed Abraham so that he could bless others in God’s name. I believe that God has given you and me a gift — be ambitious to maximize it for His glory!
Please pray about how you can help me in equipping pastors, churches, and sharing the gospel around the world (and at home). I have copied one (of several) of the e-mails that I have received so that you can read it;
Dearest Beloved Pastor and Family;
Greetings!
It is my honor and pleasure to take this opportunity to write as I came across your ministry over the Internet. I believed that my letter is a big surprise to you yet, it is with great joy to share my ministry work here in the Philippines through letters. I believed it is not by accident but by God’s grace He really made it possible.
Let me introduce my name, ministry, and family and a little background about my work here in the Philippines. I am Lloyd J. Labus, 30 years old, married and I was blessed with one Son and I am grateful that the Lord nurtured him into His Divine ways. I am an independent minister of the Lord for the great commission. I have started this very rewarding missionary work way back 2001 as its started from one of the indigenous family in one of the small mountain village here in Davao province, until it grew up to many families in an adjacent and neighboring villages. The Lord moves in a tremendous ways through miracles until I finally was able to put up 10 indigenous churches that right now I oversee.
I am engaged in church planting, outdoor meetings, home bible studies, pastoring church, handing out Gospel tracks to bus terminals, hospitals, prison cells, as well as feeding children. My vision is focus on tribal and indigenous cultural communities and less fortunate in our societies, as I found it more interesting to served the Lord despite of hardship for the sake of paramount need for soul’s harvest. Hence, I am glad to witness it with my own eyes that lost souls are save for Christ.  I just cannot afford to see them die without Christ.
This ministry that I have is self-supporting, self-propagating, and self governing. I run this very rewarding missionary work by faith through the generous contribution of our poor tenant brethren who love the Lord despite of their poverty living conditions.
This place of ministry that I engaged in is thickly populated with muslims and paganism a religious belief coming from  the  ancestral religious taboo, were people are used to worship stone and etc. there are always strong pressure on our part because me and my family are being harass, mock, and even harm, my heart bleeds seeing them lost yet, despite all the pressures that we encountered, hardship that we faced, we are not discouraged we are seeking God to our fervent prayer that somehow God will open up their minds and hearts to the genuine truth that we both preach and live.
As I came across your website over the computer, I was prompted to write assuming that you can help us with sound, accurate, vibrant, spirit filled messages and enriched wisdom to your teaching materials, as the Lord surrounded us with many gifted and willing men and women who are ready to take the gospel of salvation to the unreached souls in all provinces, cities, rural areas, mountain villages here in Mindanao even to the entire island of Philippine archipelago.
To do this, I believe we need also prayer support from you, who are willing and be able to endow us with spiritual cover and mantle of authority to put their shoulders to wheel with us and stand with us in this great calling for us to lay down our lives for our brethren. I strongly believe that we are one in the body of Christ; I do hope that you are open to welcome us as part of your family ministry there though we are here in the Philippines.
How we really wish as well to see you personally and it is our honor and privilege should you have time someday to visit and share the gospel here in the Philippines. You are very welcome to visit and see our work personally here in the Philippines and it is a big blessing for us to work with you together in the Lord’s work. Lastly may God bless and your family and all your Divine undertakings rest assured that we will keep in touch with you with our prayers and reports of our work here in the Philippines.
Looking forward to hear from you soon…………
Sincerely yours,
LLOYD J. LABUS
Native Tribal Pastor
Prk narra magugpo east
Tagum city, Davao Del Norte
8100 Philippines
Drew,
There are several Mission agencies that have seminaries in countries like the Philippines that equip native pastors to reach the people of their countries by just these means. I know a man involved with one in Manila and would be happy to put you in contact with him.
Phil,
I would love to talk with your contact! hook me up!
Drew