“‘For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.”
Jeremiah 2:13
Beehive Global Collective’s mission consists of three primary principles: Impact the World, Empower Communities, and Multiply the Kingdom. Reflecting on BGC’s mission, for February, we are going to look at IMPACT. You might be wondering how Beehive Global Collective impacts the world for God’s kingdom. Well, to assist in practically explaining the details of what it looks like for BGC to “impact the world,” consider the usage of a cistern.
In the Old Testament, cisterns are mentioned within a couple passages. Cisterns were very useful and relevant tools in the Ancient Near East. As I was preparing for an assignment earlier this week, I opened up to a page in The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia. It read:
“CISTERN. The Heb. word bôr means -pit, dungeon, sepulchre.
Usually cisterns were tanks hewn from the porous limestone rock, or pits artificially constructed, of varying dimensions with sides and bottom sealed by lime plaster, invented about 1200 B.C. Most of the cisterns were roughly bottle shaped with one or more openings at the top through which water was drawn in containers. In a land where rainfall is small, it is exceedingly important that the water supply, collected during the rainy season (November- April), be carefully preserved. Water was essential for domestic use, irrigation, and ceremonial cleansings” (Pfeiffer 355).
Opening to this page and the word “cistern,” I knew that the Lord was giving me an example of what Impact looks like, specifically for Beehive Global Collective. A cistern is something that makes a difference. A cistern provides a way for water to be distributed through the dry seasons and droughts. Essentially, a cistern provides a vital part of life, like water, to be preserved and distributed throughout the year. Strategically placing and building “cisterns” is essentially what Beehive Global Collective does. The “cisterns” are BGC’s missionary partners and projects. Beehive Global Collective strategically plans and supports local missionaries and community development initiatives/projects in different countries. The “water,” which these “cisterns” collect is a combination of the gospel, direction, and the power of Jesus. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Beehive Global Collective strategically places “cisterns” of impact that provide life-giving, Jesus-centered sustainability and support to communities, which are in need of
“water” all-year-round. As BGC Founder and Executive director, Mat Luce, articulates: “BGC seeks to deepen the impact of ongoing work already being done around the world.”
Meditating on the introductory verse, Jeremiah 2:13, Beehive Global Collective exists to create un-broken “cisterns” that sustain workability for others, all for the glory of God. The way that we create these cisterns of impact is based on how we identify our partners. This identification of partners is based on the work of the missionaries and the goal of their specific projects. For BGC, there are certain criteria that we consider as we create “cisterns of impact.”
Beehive Global Collective’s mission includes actively making disciples of Jesus for Jesus. This criterion is foundational for the impact that BGC has by providing people with true living water (John 4:10). Another identifiable feature for Beehive Global Collective’s partnerships and future areas of partnership is the aspect that the strategic project is able to sustain itself financially within 3 to 5 years. Ultimately, how Beehive Global Collective recognizes these partners is by seeing the people and places in need of “water,” the gospel, direction, and the power of Jesus. BGC promotes the accessibility of “water” for others that lasts longer than a season. Overall through these partnerships directed by God, Beehive Global Collective provides impact that sustains His mission throughout the world.
Morgan Lane
Sources: Pfeiffer, Charles F., et al. The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia. Moody Press, 1975.
From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. Acts 17:26-27