Over two years ago I was asked by the Pentecostal European Mission group to speak on tentmaking at their upcoming missions course. Even though they did not have the finances to cover my flight, I made a commitment to be there as at the time it was under $900.

As the date came closer, the price of the flight was nearing $3000 which was way beyond my pay scale. Either it was by faith or by being reckless, I went ahead and booked it a few weeks before the course. By that time, it had dropped to $2000. The day before the flight, God provided for it in full.

I arrived in Lisbon and was picked up by a lovely church planting family of Assembly of God missionaries who immediately made me feel welcome and brought me to Mount Hope Bible School – Monte Esperança Instituto Bíblico.

The students were on their second week of the missions course having just completed the Kairos Course. It was a great segway to the tentmaking component.

My translator was a 24-year-old nurse who did an excellent job. I learned that one evening she left the venue to go and do a night shift at the hospital only to return the next morning for breakfast and a full day of translating. Talk about commitment! She told me afterwards that learning about tentmaking was so interesting that she is asking for God’s guidance in her life and making herself available to go where He sends.

Together with the school’s leadership it was decided to make tentmaking a part of every missions course so a return to Portugal is on the calendar.

Due to the positive reports by the students to PEM, future courses in Europe will also include tentmaking. Part of the report below.

The classes you held were well received and received a good response. We have previously organized a short mentoring session with everyone at these courses. Unfortunately, this time it was missing, and I think there would have been a need for it. We will include that in future courses.

At least one person said they were being called to be a tentmaker and that your teaching was the start of that calling.

Portugal is waiting for you to come back again.

And this from the Bible school dean:

“The course ended last night and several of the students commented on the impact of your teaching. Thank you for investing in Portugal through the PEM course!”

By Ari Rocklin