It Doesn't Mean What You Think it Means
A lot of people don’t even know what repointing is.
So it can come as a surprise that repointing -- maintaining and repairing masonry joints -- is part of the ministry of Shane Cateriny. That, and just about any other work needed on the building for New Tribes Bible Institute in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Pointed in this direction
Shane became a “jack of all trades” because of his upbringing.
“I grew up around my dad, around my uncles,” he said. “They’re always doing some remodel job, always helping somebody. ... I was always around that.”
Today, as a missionary on the school’s maintenance team, “I’m doing what I love. ... We’re making it [so] teachers can teach, the students have a place to live, the kitchen staff’s got a place to do their cooking, all the faculty’s got their offices to prepare all their lessons.”
God repoints Shane
Shane’s road here started simply enough -- with a Bible study that brought God’s Word alive to him. “That started my process of actually saying, ‘Hey, there is some validity in what this Book has to say,’” he said.
That led to a visit to NTBI, where he sat in on a few classes. “I started to see all these different points about the Christian life that I never heard about before. Instantly, I was sold. I was like, ‘This is really interesting. … I want this.’”
As Shane finished Bible school, he wrestled with what God had in mind for him. “I said, ‘Lord, I don’t know what I really want to do.’” That’s when he was asked to join the maintenance team.
“My ministry here is obviously the maintenance and construction of the building,” he said, “with the end goal of getting people to the tribe.”
Do you need repointing?
New Tribes Mission is made up of a lot more than church planters and Bible translators. Opportunities abound for people with skills and experience from building maintenance to computer network engineering. There are openings for teachers and accountants and writers and eidtors. I mean, editors. See?
All these roles are vital to getting people into unreached people groups, and making it possible to stay there and establish a church. Please pray for these often-overlooked members of the team. Pray for their encouragement, and for God’s provision. Pray with a heart that is open to God repointing your life.