The missionary house will be a center of Christian hospitality and godly influence across the road from the respected Uganda Christian University in the heart of Africa.
Mark and Margaret will lay out the welcome mat for students and others to drop by for tea, friendship, discussion, encouragement, prayer, teaching and biblical guidance as needed.
The missionary house is the first step in developing the Kingdom View vision. It not only will provide a ministry home for teaching and fellowship, but also serve as home for the Noblins as they oversee development of the entire Kingdom View plan.
The ministry of Priscilla and Aquila, whose lives and ministry are summarized below, is the model.
(From the NIV Study Bible):
Some couples know how to make the most of life. They complement each other, capitalize on each other’s strengths, and form an effective team. Their united efforts affect those around them. Aquila and Priscilla was such a couple. They are never mentioned separately in the Bible. In marriage and ministry, they operated as one.
Priscilla and Aquila met Paul in Corinth during his second missionary journey. They had just been expelled from Rome by Emperor Claudius’s decree against Jews. Their home was as movable as the tents they made to support themselves. They opened their home to Paul, and he joined them in tent making. He shared with them his wealth of spiritual wisdom. Priscilla and Aquila made the most of their spiritual education. They listened carefully to sermons and evaluated what they heard.
When they heard Apollos speak, they were impressed by his ability but realized that his information was not complete. Instead of open confrontation, the couple quietly took Apollos home and shared with him what he needed to know. Until then, Apollos had only been aware of John the Baptist’s message about Christ. Priscilla and Aquila told him about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and the reality of God’s indwelling Spirit. He continued to preach powerfully—but now with the full story.
As for Priscilla and Aquila, they went on using their home as a warm place for training and worship. Back in Rome years later, they hosted one of the house churches that developed. In an age when the focus is mostly on what happens between husband and wife, Aquila and Priscilla are an example of what can happen through husband and wife. Their effectiveness together is the result of their good relationship with each other. Their hospitality opened the doorway of salvation to many.
The Christian home is still one of the best tools for spreading the gospel.
Strengths and accomplishments:
• Outstanding husband/wife team who ministered in the early church.
• Supported themselves by tent making while serving Christ.
• Close friends of Paul.
• Explained to Apollos the full message of Christ.
Lessons from their lives:
• Couples can have an effective ministry together.
• The home is a valuable tool for evangelism.
• Every believer needs to be well educated in the faith, whatever his or her role in the church.
Vital statistics:
• Where: Originally from Rome, moved to Corinth, then Ephesus.
• Occupation: Tentmakers
• Contemporaries: Emperor Claudius, Paul, Timothy, Apollos
• Key verses: “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them” (Romans 16:3, 4).
Their story is told in Acts 18. They are also mentioned in Romans 16:3–5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19.
