Steve's Blog
For many years now, our association has financially supported Rev. John Landrum in his ministry to casino employees as chaplain. Each month, John sends a letter with an update on the ministry. Here are a couple of excerpts from his latest update:
"I have told you about a casino employee we have counseled who has made a complete turnaround in her life. She continues to attend church regularly and always brings at least one perosn with her. Last Sunday she brought a whole family with her, one of whom works with her at the casino. It is really gratifying to see how she is responding to her new fellowship with the Lord. Thank you for helping make us available to her."
"We have recently begun working with a woman who says she is a Christin who has lots of questions and apparently lots of problems. Please pray for us, and the woman, as we try to help her find her complete freedom in Christ."
Thanks, John, for allowing us to enter into your labors. May the Lord increase your effectiveness in this dark and needy place.
People are hurting all around us. Will you open your eyes and hearts to them and their need? It has been said that while people are turned off by "church" they are more than willing to talk about Jesus. Will you talk about Jesus with them? Indeed they are more willing to talk to us about Jesus than we seem to want to talk to them about Him.
Just a thought....
You may recall that our association took several folks on a mission trip to Trinidad last August. We worked with Dr. Roopchand Benny and his church "Power and Signs Ministries" to conduct an evangelistic crusade in a village called Bamboo. We had good attendance in this community which is largely Hindu and Muslim. We keep in regular contact with Bro. Benny. Here is an exceprt from his last email:
"Bali is feeling a lot better and is moving around. He's doing the chemo-therapy. Trust that he'll follow the Lord in water baptism. The convert classes in Bamboo are almost completed and we should be having a baptism soon. Kamal & Joanne (They hosted the crusade meeting at their home) had a big thanksgiving service last Sunday night at their house, 250 people came."
250 people is HUGE!!!!
Sometime we wonder if all the effort and expense is worth it. When we get reports like this it just strengthens resolve to carry the gospel where it is needed...whether across the street or across the sea.
Continue to pray for the folks in Trinidad as they make Christ known.
This is the time of year when our attention goes to International Missions. Please give generously so that the world may hear, because. It truly is worth it!
If you missed the Fall meeting of the GCBA this past Monday evening, you missed a blessing. We had a good representation from our churches but, unfortunatly, not all our churches were represented.
I want to express my thanks to Al Green and Israel Cox, Moderator and Vice-moderator respectively, for their service in those capacities this year. Thanks also goes to the chairpersons and members of the Strategy, Finance and Administrative Teams for all their hard work throughout the year. You guys make the association hum!
If you weren't there, I want to share a challenge I presented to the assembled messengers regarding how we can impact our communities and make disciples. Simply put, I challenged our association churches to begin 40 evangelistic Bible studies each year beginning in 2013 through 2016.
You can fiind the text of that challenge by clicking on this link: http://www.gulfcoastba.com/content/kingdom-growth-3d-discipling-disciples-disciple
I urge you to consider prayerfully how you and your church will accept this challenge. We must put our eyes on the harvest of souls existing outside our faciliities. For everyone who reads this, there are 7-8 more on the Mississippi Gulf Coast who are far away from God. To fail to work this field is tantamount to saying, as Dr. Hankins did in his message Monday evening, "there are enough Christians already."
We are in the process of gathering the materials we will suggest to be used in these Bible studies. Additionally we are working to set a training event for those who want to lead an evangelistic Bible study, but need a little help in doing so. Keep an eye out for these things.
If you have questions, please give me a call.
I received this from my friend Dr. Waylon Bailey and thought you might enjoy sharing it with others. If you are not subscribed to his blog, that information is included at the end of his comments.
SM
Getting Ready For Sunday
My answer, “most any orthodox Christian church will work if you are ready for Sunday.”
Having a good, worshipful experience has more to do with God and me than with who’s preaching or leading.
What can we do to get ready for Sunday?
First, prepare all during the week for what will take place on Sunday. The more you spend time with God (in Scripture and in prayer) during the week the more Sunday will be a better day.
Second, spend time in both Scripture and prayer on Sunday morning. Make Sunday morning a time of preparation for what will happen when you worship with other believers. More than anything, early Sunday should be a time of getting ready.
How should you pray? Pray for the person who will be preaching God’s Word. Ask God to give him clarity and authority. Ask God to help the minister apply the Scripture to the congregation as a whole and to you specifically.
Pray for the people who will sit around you. Ask God to give you the opportunity to make a positive difference in their lives.
Third, look for someone to help and bless. Many people attend church who need encoruagement and help. Ask God to put you in the path of those people. At your church most every Sunday, there will be someone who is giving the church one last chance. Ask God to help you to help that person.
Ask God to speak directly to you. Open your heart and life to God. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.
When you follow these simple steps, you will find the sermon, the teaching, and the fellowship to be a great experience.
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"Atta boy!"
"Good job!"
When was the last time you told, and really meant it, how well he is doing in his ministry to you?
October is set aside in church life as the time when we give an "Atta boy!" to those who fulfill God's call in service to the church. No pastor I know is going to take it upon himself to make this known; he doesn't want to come off as self-serving. Those of you who read this and who are not serving on the ministerial staff of your church need to put your heads together and spend some time talking about how you can give appropriate recognition to those who serve you. When you do don't forget the wives, either. These saints of God serve faithfully in the background supporting their husbands. I know in the years i pastored churches, that when the church gave attention and recognition to my wife, it made me appreciate them all the more.
In these days when times are hard and budgets are tight, you may not be able to give all the raise in salary you want to. Don't let that stop you from doing something special for those God has sent your way to minister among you. Paul would remind young Timothy that those who serve well are "worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching." 1Tm 5:17. Indeed they are!