Monday is for Missions :: Typhoon Haiyan

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Please pray for the Church and missionaries in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan devastated many parts of the island.

Former members of First Baptist Belle Glade, Mike and Marti Foster, lead a ministry there called “Word of Life Philippines.” Here is some correspondance that I just received from Mike asking for prayers as well as a few updates and praises.

It is interesting how we had just talked about prayer in our services yesterday. Ironically, I believe it was preparing us to put into action what Jesus taught us in Luke 11.  We need to boldly approach God with our prayers for our brothers and sisters all around the world. We also need to pray for the devistation there in the Pacific. We pray for God to be glorified in every situation, much like the raising of Lazarus in John 11.

Here is a link to the letter Mike sent on Sunday evening…

Here is an email update from Mike early this morning…

Jesil Bambie Asaph PhilippinesHow You Can Help:

Many of you have written asking about how you can help! When things are under control and roads clearer we plan to send an evangelistic relief team. The biggest need will be trying to rebuild shelters for those who have lost their entire homes and possessions. We hope to bring a generator, rice, canned goods and roofing materials along with other supplies. Financial help is going to be needed to purchase these things. Please let people know!

There is so much looting and chaos right now. One pastor who was able to buy food for his family was robbed before he could get back to them. Our fellow believers need protection from the Lord!  We want to make sure funds go to help the ones who lost everything. Please pray that we will have wisdom and discernment! Thank you for your care and for being willing to get involved!

How to Give:

Project Name: Philippines Evangelism Trip Funds Project 07036C
Online  – https://give.wol.org (use the project name above)
Check – mail your gift to:
Word of Life Fellowship – Donations
PO Box 600
Schroon Lake, NY 12870
Please include the project name with your check!
Phone – call our NY office at 1-800-965-7177 to give with a credit card, debit card, or check

Monday is for Missions–James Calvert

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When James Calvert went out as a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands, the ship captain tried to turn him back, saying, “You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages.”

To that, Calvert replied,

“We died before we came here.”

See: Galatians 2:20

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

KC Church Responds to Murders

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Talk about a church and a pastor that is living out the gospel in its context! Pastor John Mark Clifton and the Wornall Road Baptist Church in Kansas City are having a “Longest Night” event to pray for the over 100 homicides in Kansas City this year. They are gathering to pray for the victims and their families as well as peace over their city. Check out their story of a church almost at death just 5 short years ago that has been reborn and is thriving, and making a huge impact in their community. They are a great motivation for me as I lead our church through similar change. Check them out on their website.

Hard Times Generation

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This story breaks my heart. Just days after one of the biggest “Black Fridays” in history, there are millions of Americans who are out of work and living in their cars. This is the reality of ministry here in the Glades. This piece from 60 Minutes that aired last night looks at the situation through the eyes of the children involved. It is truly amazing to see the resolve in these children–but just as amazing to see them speaking as adults…dealing with adult problems as children.

As with anything in life, you can look at it as a problem or an opportunity. I hope that God will help me and others in the Church in Belle Glade to look at these “problems” as “opportunities” for God to do something extraordinary here in the Glades. This 60 Minutes piece is a powerful story of the reality of life for many people here in central and south Florida, but also many other places all across the country. I pray that this recession will force us to look to the Lord of Heaven and of Earth with fresh eyes and look to Him alone for help. May the song of the Psalmist be our prayer.

    I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
(Psalm 121:1-2 ESV)

 

I Like Giving

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[tentblogger-vimeo 29298921]

Ran across this yesterday and think it is a really cool concept! I love to watch these great stories of how someone was a blessing to another person. What I love about it is that they are seemingly small acts of kindness that make a lasting impact. I know that we have been the beneficiaries over the last several months of many people who simply gave to us no strings attached. I hope that we can do the same as we get our financial feet under us and be a blessing to those around us. I believe that generosity is the antidote to greed and I know that I want to be able to kill that greed my own life and teach our boys how to live a generous life.

On the same topic, I watched an amazing sermon last night from Andy Stanley and their series “Recovery Road.” Absolutely nailed it. He challenged every believer to use what we’ve been entitled, to bless and serve those around us. [pullquote]He challenged every believer to use what we’ve been entitled, to bless and serve those around us.[/pullquote] Spot on…hit me like a ton of bricks. I am going to go back and watch the entire series (I don’t think yesterday’s message is up yet on their site) because it was such a powerful message at such a poignant time for America as well as here in Belle Glade. We talk a whole lot about entitlement up in here, but we don’t often talk about using that entitlement to serve and bless others with that entitlement!

All of these things (coincidentally, because God surely isn’t trying to speak to me about my greed;-)) dovetail nicely with what I am learning in my coaching network as well as several books on missional living that I’ve been reading. There is a pastor in Springfield, MO that always says that “we are blessed to be a blessing” AND that the Church is “in the blessing business.” I hope that I can apply these principles in my own life and the Kingdom will be positively impacted because of Christians getting out and blessing others around them!

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

(John 13:12-17 ESV)

About | I Like Giving.

Ed Stetzer – How to Get Involved in Disaster Relief: Helping Before and After a Disaster

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Here is a great article on how you can get involved in Disaster Relief. We are entering the heart of the hurricane season around here in South Florida and just missed Hurricane Irene. However, millions of people were not so lucky as she moved north along the Atlantic Coast. I pray for our friends and neighbors who are picking up the pieces today after a horrific weekend of storms. May we take and apply some of these principles and make a difference after these events. We may have a few more major storms come through this season…remember Hurricane Wilma came through Belle Glade very late in the season.

Ed Stetzer – How to Get Involved in Disaster Relief: Helping Before and After a Disaster.

Advent Conspiracy

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Check out this video about how much we spend each year on Christmas alone…staggering. ?Because of our reduction in income this year, we have decided to make our presents this year for people, which I hope will help our boys (and us) realize that Christmas is much more about giving than getting. ?Wow, what we could do if we leveraged what we had to help others instead of spend all of what we have on ourselves!

Enjoy…And then maybe do something about the contradiction. ?Learn more here at Advent Conspiracy.

You can also give to a great missions organization’s Christmas Offering?here that churches all around the world participate in each year. (By the way, 100% of this goes directly to the field…no administrative costs are taken out of this offering). ?You can drill wells. ?You can serve at your local homeless shelter. ?Give new toys to children who won’t have a Christmas this year. ?There is so much to do. You know the drill.

Thanks John for the gentle nudging, I had this post in my “drafts” for a month or so now–it needed to come out in the open! ?I needed to preach to myself here for a little bit, too!!

Advent Conspiracy.

Are You a Goer, a Sender, or a Mobilizer?

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Check out this video from The Austin Stone Community Church. They have a goal of helping 100 people start the process of being sent out in 2010 to the unreached people groups in the world for 2 years terms. ?Very cool. ?Check out the website at 100peoplenetwork.com. ?Something that really resonated with me as I looked at the website was the fact that they have done an excellent job in breaking down missions to three distinct roles…Goers, Senders, and Mobilizers. Many times we say “I’m just not called, wired, gifted, etc. to do missions.” ?But what I love what Matt Carter says in this video is that, in?essence, yes, we are all wired differently, but we ALL need to be a part of the Great Commission.

For more information about Forest Park’s missions opportunities and how you can be a part of the Great Commission, simply check us out on the web at carthage.fpbc.net/serve.

100 People from The Austin Stone on Vimeo.

Pay Attention to People

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“One of the greatest expressions of love is simply to notice people and to pay attention to them. If you really want to know God, go to his people….. Rather than read twenty books on servanthood, get the idea, and then serve people. Some of us have experimented with this little prayer: “Lord, lead me today to someone whom I can serve.” – Richard Foster

Saw this quote as a friend’s FB status. ?Good stuff.

Wonder what would happen if I would “experiment” with that prayer today?

Sunday Sum Up and Monday is for Missions

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Wow, what an awesome day at FP Carthage on Mother’s Day 2010!? We had two great services with two baptisms and four baby/child dedications.? Very cool stuff, indeed.? One of the baptisms was unplanned…the second in about a month.? We had another spur of the moment baptism on Easter Sunday and another yesterday! I think it is really cool to see God moving in the hearts of people so strongly that they disregard their own personal plans for the day, “what will people think of me,” etc., and simply respond to the moving of the Spirit of God.? Reminds me of a group of men that Jesus called out to be his first disciples early on in his ministry. The Bible talks of their reckless abandonment in Matthew 4:18-22

The Calling of the First Disciples

18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20At once they left their nets and followed him.

21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Monday is for Missions. . .

I have talked previously about my friend from high school, Matt, that is works for Convoy of Hope in Springfield, MO.? He is currently in Haiti on a exploratory trip for his Convoy of Hope interns going to serve later this summer in July.? Check out this video of him talking about the “capital C” Church “getting it done” in Haiti after the devastating earthquake this spring.

Forest Park is also going to Haiti this summer. Check out more info. here on our website. You can also email our missions pastor, Brock Cummins-[email protected] for more information about our missions trips this year.