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Prayers for missionaries serving in North Carolina, North America and the world
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January 6 Missionary Highlight Ma( Morgan, Church Planter/Pastor Escalate Church, Hickory, NC
Ma( Morgan and a core group of supporters launched Escalate Church in 2010 in Hickory.
They want to reach people that other area churches have missed. They began meeHng in a rented room upstairs over a business on First Street in Hickory.
Today we pray for Ma( and the church. We pray that he and the members would so reflect the light of Christ that many will be drawn to Christ in faith and join the church.
We have supported this church start through our CooperaHve Program giving. For more info: www.escalatechurch.com
5
Our Part of the Bargain "A +the of everything…belongs to the Lord.” LeviHcus 27:30-‐32
Soon aSer God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He started teaching them about stewardship, as reported in LeviHcus 27.
The Israelites had a unique covenant with God that was affirmed many Hmes over the years, Scripture records. Out of all the naHons, they would be blessed as His "treasured possession."
In return He expected the Israelites to both follow His teachings and give a tenth of their income to Him.
The people were to give the Hthe first, not from later leSovers. Animals given were to be without blemish. In other words, giving to God was a holy responsibility that called for giving one's best, not one's minimum.
Temple priests were to be compensated from Hthes, just as today’s ministers of the gospel are to be compensated, according to 1 Corinthians 9, the same chapter which teaches that God loves a cheerful giver.
These days most of us do not have farm animals to give. But God's principles on giving stand.
When we set our budget, whether in a notebook or in accounHng soSware, shouldn’t we dedicate the first money to Him — cheerfully?
6
January 13 Missionary Highlight Sco( and Ashley Venable, North American Missionaries Chicago, Illinois
Today we pray for two of our North American missionaries, Sco( and Ashley Venable, who are planHng a church in Chicago, IL.
Mosaic Church meets in the Wicker Park secHon of Chicago. But the church has set up small groups which meet in homes and coffee shops for prayer, Bible study and encouragement. Seventy young people a(end Bible studies.
Mosaic is also training people to start more new churches in this city so troubled by crime and violence. One ChrisHan group reports that 900 Chicago churches have closed their doors in the last 10 years, so many churches are needed here.
Let us pray that God will keep our missionaries safe while they serve Him there where missionaries are needed so badly. And let us pray God will give them a steady increase in believers, bapHsms and new churches.
We support Sco( and Ashley through our CooperaHve Program giving.
7
Rooted in Jesus! “I am the vine, you are the branches…apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Roots are important to the life and health of any plant. Walking in a new park, I noHced that a very large tree was dying from the top down.
The branches were losing their leaves—and this was the middle of summer, a Hme when the tree’s branches should be full of leaves.
As I studied the tree I noHced that it was very close to the newly developed trail. In construcHon a fatal mistake had been made regarding the tree. Its roots were disturbed and many were cut away to make room for the trail.
The tree was dying because adequate nutrients were not being absorbed to sustain the life of the tree. The end was imminent—the tree would die.
In John 15:5 Jesus describes a proper relaHonship between His followers and Himself. He is the Vine, they are the branches.
Because He is the Vine, He is the ulHmate source for nutriHon and growth. Apart from Him, nothing is accomplished for the Kingdom. NoHce that He said “nothing.”
If we as believers are not a(ached to Jesus — abiding, communing, having fellowship in His Word and walking with Him in our world —the outcome will be that we will not bear fruit. We will wither, dry up and blow away (see verse 6). Like the tree, we will not have an adequate source providing nutrients necessary for a fruimul life. The result will be tragic.
Are you rooted in Jesus? Are you a(ached to the true vine? Or have your roots been cut by disobedience, unconfessed sin or prayerlessness? The Kingdom moves forward when the church is rooted properly in Jesus.
8
January 20 Missionary Highlight Josh and Tiffany Lenon, North American Missionaries CincinnaH, Ohio
Josh and Tiffany Lenon are two of our North American missionaries we support near CincinnaH, Ohio.
They are in Fairfield, a CincinnaH suburb, where many people live in low-‐income apartments and have many problems.
Josh and Tiffany started Red Door Church there in 2010 and by mid-‐2012, a(endance had grown to more than 100; they have led many to faith in Christ.
The church holds block parHes and members work with neighborhood kids so they can get to know families in the area and talk about Jesus Christ. Josh plans to start other churches in the area as soon as possible.
Today we pray for Josh and Tiffany and their ministry there in Ohio as they build a growing church and present the gospel to many.
9
All for the Cause “I urge you therefore, brethren…to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God…” Romans 12:1 In April of 1942, just four months following the sneak a(ack by the Empire of Japan on U.S. Naval forces at Pearl Harbor, sixteen B-‐25 bombers flew over Japan and bombed strategic military targets.
The now famous “Dooli(le Raid” was an a(empt by the US to slip behind enemy lines with a carrier, launch the planes and leave immediately. The airmen who volunteered for the raid knew that there was a chance they would not be able to get their planes back to friendly territory before they ran out of fuel. Despite the risks these brave men were prepared to pay the ulHmate sacrifice to see the mission accomplished.
Why? Because they believed the cause of freedom was worth the sacrifice of their lives. Miraculously, only seven of the 80 airmen died as all 15 planes either crash landed in
enemy territory or ditched at sea. In the above text Paul reminds believers that the cause of Christ is worth the offering
of ourselves as a living sacrifice that Jesus can use for His glory and honor. Sacrifice and dying to self are never easy, always costly. In the ChrisHan life, through daily death to self, the believer becomes an instrument of Christ in this world. That is why Paul’s challenge is so important to the cause of Christ worldwide.
A believer’s life is not about personal agendas, desires or ministries. It about seeing the cause of Christ and His mission furthered among the naHons. Are you prepared to sacrifice all for the cause?
10
January 27 Missionary Highlight Tim Heerabout, North American Missionary Great Commission Partner with NC BapHsts, Toronto, Canada
Toronto is Canada's major financial, entertainment and banking center. Whatever happens in the city influences all of Canada. This is sad, because
Toronto has become increasingly distant from Christ and His church. Today we pray for Tim Heerabout, one of our North American missionaries
who has started a new church in the heart of this huge city. Mosaic Church has been building relaHonships with the arts community in Toronto. Tim wants Mosaic to influence the enHre city with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Let us pray today for Tim and other church planters trying to reach Toronto for Christ. And let us pray that hundreds of North Carolina BapHst volunteers will go this year to help these churches reach out all over the city.
11
Coopera<ve Missions! “He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.” 1 Corinthians 3:8 ESV
12
February 3 Missionary Highlight Shaun & Deshni Pillay, North American Missionaries Norwich, ConnecHcut
Norwich, ConnecHcut, is a city of about 40,000 residents. Like many northeastern ciHes, it is rich in history.
But these days the city struggles with the bad economy, homelessness and drugs. Many people here have come from other lands and most of them need to know about Jesus.
That's why BapHsts have two of our North American missionaries serving in Norwich.
Shaun and Deshni Pillay are reaching out to people from other lands. The Pillays are themselves from another land — they came to America from South Africa in 2007.
They have started Cornerstone InternaHonal Church and have been reaching people for Christ. But they also meet in places around the city — Shaun witnesses to people in a barbershop, for example.
Today we pray for our missionaries Shaun and Deshni as they serve the Lord there in ConnecHcut. We support them through our CooperaHve Program giving.
13
Our Wealth? “fix their hope...on God” 1 Timothy 6:17-‐19
Many Americans who travel overseas return humbled because they saw how richly our naHon has been blessed compared to most other naHons.
An income considered modest here would rank as wealthy in many overseas lands. Paul instructed Timothy to tell rich ChrisHans to do good, to be generous and
ready to share, which would assure them a good foundaHon for the future, "so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed."
In other words, real life in Christ is not based on acquiring more stuff, but in using one's wealth for ministry to others. We BapHsts do that best as we give through our churches and missions offerings.
The wealthy should not fix their hope on uncertain riches, but rather on God "who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy."
Even a millionaire is impoverished compared to the future life promised to followers of Christ. We are told in Deuteronomy 8:18 that even our ability to make wealth is itself a giS from God.
14
February 10 Missionary Highlight Kelsey, InternaHonal Missionary, Estonia, Northern Europe
Kelsey is one of our internaHonal missionaries who serves in Estonia, a small country that is one of the BalHcs in Northern Europe.
She serves at a center where she teaches Bible stories through art and English lessons. But the children mock her faith in Jesus Christ. Many of the kids come from impoverished and broken families.
She said, "It grieves me that many of these young ones are already so hard-‐hearted and resistant to His Word."
We pray today for Kelsey, our missionary, as she serves her Lord in a difficult, distant place. We pray that as she reaches some of those children for Christ, they will grow up to be faithful ChrisHans who carry the gospel to the enHre country.
15
Prayer Warriors “Epaphras…always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers…” Colossians 4:12 In this passage, Paul reminds the Colossians that earnest intercession on their behalf is being made by Epaphras, a faithful servant of the Lord who was deeply concerned for the believers. The phrase “laboring earnestly” refers to an earnest or strenuous and zealous endeavor. In other words, he worked diligently serving the body of Christ at Colossae through hearmelt prayer as a “prayer warrior.”
Mrs. Mary was also a “prayer warrior.” As a student walked through the living room headed to retrieve another glass of tea from the kitchen, he noHced that the elderly lady’s fireplace mantel was covered with pictures.
Some were new photos and some were faded and worn. All were posiHoned so that one could clearly see the faces of the people in the photos. The student also noHced that a picture of his family was taped to the mantel. When he returned to the front porch to finish his Greek lesson with the lady, he asked her about the pictures, especially the one of his family.
She responded, “That’s my prayer altar! Those are students, pastors, missionaries and ministry families serving Jesus around the world that the Lord has given me the honor of praying for. I walk by the mantel and pick one out, pray for them and conHnue on my way. The next Hme I pass by the mantel, I pick another family. It is a great joy!”
16
February 17 Missionary Highlight Sunday Ogunwobi, Church Planter/Pastor First Fruits InternaHonal Chapel, Raleigh, NC
People have come to North Carolina from all over the world — more than 230 language/culture groups now call our state home.
Many of these visitors have se(led in the Raleigh area because of the universiHes and the Research Triangle Park.
African-‐born Sunday Ogunwobi started a new church, the First Fruits InternaHonal Chapel, to reach these immigrant North Carolinians.
We pray for Sunday and his team, that the Lord will help the new church grow as it brings people yet another ciHzenship, this one in His Kingdom.
17
First Things First! “They liPed their voices to God with one accord and said, O Lord…” Acts 4:24
Peter and John had been released by the authoriHes and were told not to preach the gospel any more in Jerusalem. They went to be with fellow believers and shared their story about the healing of the lame man, their arrest and eventual release. At that point they had a decision to make concerning the proclamaHon of the gospel. Would they obey man or God? What would happen if they did not obey the religious leaders? Would they be crucified like Jesus? What they did next spoke volumes concerning their faith walk with God.
Their response was prayer. They prayed a hearmelt “one accord” prayer that focused on the sovereign
God of the universe who had the situaHon under control. They also knew that they could not shy away from proclaiming Christ to the masses. What they needed was “boldness” to speak and God’s assurance of His presence through miraculous works to confirm changed lives through Jesus (see vs. 29-‐30).
The Lord answered immediately and filled them with His presence, gave them “boldness” of speech and shook the place where they were praying (vs. 31). The gospel moved forward and God conHnued to pour out His amazing grace (vs. 33).
Having troubles and not sure what to do? Are barriers keeping you or your church from seeing God glorified in your community? What has been your response?
18
February 24 Missionary Highlight Melanie Lawler, North American Missionary Northwestern Nevada
Today we pray for one of our North American missionaries, Melanie Lawler, who serves across northwest Nevada.
She helps the more than 30 churches of Sierra BapHst AssociaHon to minister and reach out to communiHes like Reno and Carson City through block parHes, food banks and programs for children and senior adults.
Ninety-‐five percent of the people in this part of Nevada have no relaHonship with Jesus Christ.
Our church is supporHng Melanie through our CooperaHve Program giving and we pray today that the Lord will keep her safe as she works to bring people to faith in Christ.
19
They Gave Too Much! "The people are bringing more than enough...” Exodus 35-‐36
Exodus 35 tells how Moses led the Israelites to build the Tabernacle, the portable tent temple that symbolized God's presence with His people.
The people contributed the treasures they had brought from Egypt. "Everyone whose heart sHrred him and everyone whose spirit moved him
came and brought the Lord's contribuHon," and indeed, "all whose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all arHcles of gold," it says in Exodus 35:21-‐22.
Similarly, each ChrisHan today must give as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, according to 2 Corinthians 9:7.
Note that the Israelites contributed so much that Moses had to tell them to stop, according to Exodus 36:6.
When was the last Hme your heart was so sHrred that you cheerfully gave a significant giS to your church?
When was the last Hme members of your church were told to stop giving, because enough had been received for ministry and missions?
20
March 3 Missionary Highlight Tony & Kelly Manning, North American Missionaries Indianapolis, Indiana
Tony Manning and his wife, Kelly, are two of our North American missionaries serving in the huge city of Indianapolis, Indiana.
They are based in Fishers, one of the fast-‐growing suburbs. This is where they started Hamilton Village Church two years ago and they have been working to get followers of Jesus Christ into relaHonships with people throughout the community.
The church has held marriage enrichment conferences and block parHes in order to make contact with local people.
Many church plants have failed in this area, but we praise the Lord that, aSer two years Hamilton Village Church had 60 members.
Today we pray that our missionaries, Tony and Kelly, will start not just one church but several new churches in Fishers and that through them many will come to faith in Christ. We support this couple through our CooperaHve Program giving.
21
Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions Whatever It Takes…Reaching the One Acts 8:26-‐31
Our North American Mission Board is sending church-‐planHng missionaries all across our naHon.
They are most focused on serving in 27 major urban areas like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston — places that are famous for resisHng the influence of the ChrisHan gospel.
Yet as our missionaries start churches and witness one on one, people do respond. Our naHon can be reached!
Our church supports this mighty missions effort both through our CooperaHve Program giving month by month, and through our giSs to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.
We oSen say about missions, "Whatever it takes." We also must commit to "Whatever it costs."
22
March 10 Missionary Highlight Zach & Amy Weihrauch, North American Missionaries Cleveland, Ohio
When missionaries Zach and Amy Weihrauch first visited Cleveland, Ohio, they stopped at a visitor center and asked for direcHons to an evangelical church that loves Jesus and teaches the Bible.
The a(endant said, "What does 'evangelical' mean? There's nothing like that here." The answer was not surprising. Only 5.5 percent of Cleveland's populaHon is
involved with an evangelical church. Zach and Amy set out to change that. They started Gateway Heights Church in
2011 with 52 adults. The church has been growing. Today let us pray that Zach and Amy will be able to reach many through their
new church and that the city will be filled with churches that love Jesus and teach the Bible. We are supporHng Zach and Amy through our CooperaHve Program giving.
23
Help me hear what you are calling me to do! “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1:18
24
March 17 Missionary Highlight John and Pam, InternaHonal Missionaries in Paris, France
Today we want to pray for two of our internaHonal missionaries serving in Paris, France.
Many Americans go to Paris on vacaHon. But John and Pam moved there from Alabama to share Christ with the many immigrants who live around the city.
Their first assignment was to convert their Alabama southern English to French, so they could communicate. They began going to cultural centers and cafés so they could pracHce French. They found this was also a good way to tell people about Jesus.
More than a tenth of the people in Paris are now Muslim. Both the city and the naHon are huge mission fields.
Our church is supporHng Southern BapHst missionaries like John and Pam and many other missionaries across France through our CooperaHve Program.
25
God’s Plan for His Planet “The heavens are yours...” Psalm 89:12
Psalm 89 affirms that God created and sustains the universe: "You founded the earth and everything in it."
This affirmaHon of His creaHon is found throughout Scripture; Colossians 1 affirms that everything was created through Christ. Further, Jesus sustains the universe: "in Him all things hold together."
Despite His ownership, though, God expects us to give our Hthes and offerings through our church for His Kingdom. God's nature is to give, and He wants us to be like Him.
As someone once said, "Giving is not God's way of raising money; it is God's way of raising people into the likeness of His Son.”
26
March 24 Missionary Highlight KosHantyn Goncharov, Church Planter/Pastor Slavic BapHst Outreach Church, Charlo(e, NC
People have se(led in Charlo(e from all over the world and many of them are from Eastern European countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland or Czech Republic.
KonsHantyn Goncharov has started a church to reach these people, known as Slavic peoples because they share an Eastern European cultural outlook.
Many Slavic people are atheists, because their countries taught for many years there is no God. Some of the people have an Eastern Orthodox Church background, but even these usually have not heard the gospel.
Today we pray for KosHantyn as he and others in the new Slavic BapHst Outreach Church as they work to bring these newcomers to faith in Christ.
27
Prayer-‐para<on “When they had fasted and prayed…they sent them away.” Acts 13:3
God called evangelist Charles Finney to play an important part in the Second Great Awakening in America (1787-‐1843). Thousands came to faith in Christ under his preaching.
One reason Finney saw such success was prayer support. He lined up supporters who prayed on their knees as he preached. He also challenged local believers to gather and pray for revival. Finney believed prayer was an all-‐important factor that precipitated the Holy Spirit's work during revival meeHngs.
In Acts 13:1-‐4, Barnabas and Saul (Paul) were sent out on mission to take the gospel to the world during their First Missionary Journey. They were sent by the Spirit (vs. 4) as Simeon, Lucius, Manaen and others fasted, prayed and laid on hands.
They knew that Paul and Barnabas would face many religious, ethnic and cultural barriers as they preached the resurrected Jesus to a pagan world. They were going to do spiritual work and they needed spiritual power to accomplish that work. They also realized that spiritual power while on mission does not come via any means except spiritual prayer-‐paraHon toward the mission.
Can the same be said of you and your congregaHon?
28
March 31 Missionary Highlight Jessica*, InternaHonal Missionary in Northern Africa
One of our missionaries serves in a country in North Africa that is mostly Muslim. Of course it is dangerous for her to even be there, much less telling people
about Jesus, so we'll just call her Jessica. Here's what we want to pray about for her today. She witnesses to Muslim
women who have grown up living under very harsh Islamic law. They have a very different concept of who God is.
Jessica says it is hard for them to understand the freedom that comes to ChrisHans because of the grace of Jesus Christ. She asks us to pray that she will develop enough wisdom to know how to present the gospel strongly, despite cultural limitaHons.
We praise God that, in some parts of North Africa, many people have come to faith in Christ and hundreds of churches have been started. We ask that God will bring about that kind of response across all the North African countries, whose people need to know the grace of Jesus Christ.
29
Bearing your cross and following Christ “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come aSer me cannot be my disciple. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27, 33 Jesus was willing to do whatever was necessary, even death on a cross, to provide a way for man to be reconciled to God.
30
Divine Appointments “We are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” Acts 10:33
As the prayerwalking team walked and prayed for the lost people who lived in the apartments, they had no idea that inside one of the apartments, a man was kneeling, looking out his window and crying out for God in prayer.
When he saw the team out he immediately went out to talk to them. “What are you doing in our community?” he asked. “Praying for the community. Can we pray for you?” they answered.
The man broke down with sobs and tears. “Yes!” he said, “I was just asking God to send someone to tell me about Him, if He was real.” One of the team members raised a hand and said, “We are here.” The team shared Jesus with the man and he was saved.
In the above passage, as Cornelius the centurion prayed, he encountered the Lord through a vision that sent him on a search for the apostle Peter. At the same Hme Peter, while in prayer, also encountered the Lord in a vision that somewhat perplexed the apostle.
What happened next is an example of a divine encounter. Cornelius’ servants soon arrived at Peter’s residence while he was sHll contemplaHng his own vision. When both parHes put their stories together they realized that God had spoken and brought about this encounter.
31
April 7 Missionary Highlight Jonathan Boyd, Church Planter/Pastor True Vine RestoraHon Church, Gastonia, NC
Jonathan Boyd grew up in the Bronx, New York City, where he sold drugs and did many other illegal and wrong things.
But when he was saved, his life turned around. He got an educaHon and now works in Gastonia with the government, helping needy people in and around the city.
He also started True Vine RestoraHon Church to bring spiritual healing to those who need more than economic restoraHon. One Sunday in 2012 he bapHzed 26 new believers.
Pray that True Vine can grow and that Jonathan can start other churches as well. We are supporHng Jonathan's ministry through our church's CooperaHve Program giving.
32
April 14 -‐ Coopera<ve Program Sunday
Today we celebrate our CooperaHve Program, which is how BapHsts across North Carolina and across the naHon support missions and ministry together.
It is a simple system. Each November during our BapHst State ConvenHon’s annual meeHng, we set a budget. This represents all the ministries we want to support.
During the year churches send in CooperaHve Program contribuHons to the convenHon office, where accountants divide up the contribuHons according to the budget. It’s that simple.
But since 1925 this has allowed us to support some 10,000 missionaries around the world and across the country, plus six great seminaries, including Southeastern at Wake Forest, NC. This is in partnership with the Southern BapHst ConvenHon, some 45,000 churches naHonwide.
In North Carolina the CooperaHve Program supports almost everything our BapHst State ConvenHon does, from starHng new churches to evangelisHc programs, youth programs, campus ministry, the work of our convenHon’s staff that serves the churches, plus the BapHst Children's Homes and Fruitland BapHst Bible InsHtute, to name just a few of the ministries.
We can do more for the Kingdom when we work together, and when we combine our money in work we all agree on.
33
Missionary Highlight Dan and Lori Upchurch, InternaHonal Missionaries Kiev, Ukraine
Dan and Lori Upchurch are two of our internaHonal missionaries in Kiev, Ukraine. They are teaching students at the BapHst theological seminary there how to
plant new churches. The students don’t just study theory — they must go out and help start new churches.
When the students graduate, many will go to other countries to start new churches. Some of those countries are ones where our missionaries are not allowed to serve.
Today, we rejoice that we are supporHng the Upchurches in their important work of sharing the gospel and geyng churches started in many countries of Eastern Europe and beyond.
We support their ministry as we support our CooperaHve Program.
34
April 21 Missionary Highlight Paul Yoo, North American Missionary Great Commission Partner, Boston
Today we pray for Paul Yoo, one of our missionaries in Boston, Massachuse(s. Paul is a Korean and he is working to reach Boston’s thousands of Koreans
with the gospel and to get churches started for them. North Carolina BapHsts have a long-‐term, Great Commission partnership with
Boston area BapHsts and we have sent hundreds of volunteers to help start churches there.
Today let us pray both for Paul Yoo, and for all the volunteers who will be visiHng to share Christ.
35
How many? "Go and make disciples of all na+ons...” MaUhew 28:18-‐20
Our church supports nearly 5,000 internaHonal missionaries serving around the world.
They are working with almost 800 people groups to share the gospel and start new churches.
This is one way we BapHsts have responded to the Bible’s command in Ma(hew 28 to go into all the world and share the gospel.
But sadly, there are more than 3,100 unreached people groups, millions of people who have no opportunity to hear the gospel because nobody has been sent to tell them.
Our CooperaHve Program giving supports all our missionaries. Let us commit to increase our CooperaHve Program giving, because we want every person in the world to hear about Jesus.
36
April 28 Missionary Highlight Victor & Susan Xingh* InternaHonal Missionaries in Thailand
Today we pray for Victor and Susan, two of our missionaries in Thailand, a country in Asia where most people are Buddhists.
Victor is a naHve of Laos, a country that adjoins Thailand. He had to flee from Laos during the Vietnam War. He later became a ChrisHan.
Today as our missionary, Victor works in video producHon, photography and graphic design to help spread the gospel throughout Southeast Asia.
Some of our CooperaHve Program giving goes to support Victor and Susan in far-‐off Thailand and their ministry to make Christ known far and wide.
We pray that God will bless their ministry and keep them safe.
37
Amazed by God “So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.” Acts 12:5
Ben Purcell was shot down over enemy territory in Vietnam in 1968 and taken capHve. His wife, Anne, had no idea if she would ever see him alive again. The helicopter he was on was shot down and no bodies were found in the wreckage.
One morning while praying, God revealed to her that she needed to move to another base and wait on Him to bring her husband back. From that point she did not waver. For five years she believed, prayed, hoped and waited. In 1973, when the war was over, she received the good news that she had hoped and prayed toward for five years: Her husband was alive and was coming home. She was amazed — God had answered her prayer and kept His promise.
Acts 12 tells how Peter was put in prison aSer the beheading of James by King Herod. It was obvious that Herod was conHnuing his quest to please the Jewish leaders and mistreat believers who were associated with Jesus and the early church (vs. 1-‐3). The church responded with fervent prayer on behalf of Peter (vs. 5). What happened next somewhat surprised everyone involved, including Peter and even those who were praying.
As Peter was surrounded by guards and bound with chains, an angel appeared. He woke Peter up, removed his chains and slipped him past the guards, out of the jail and out of the city. Peter proceeded to a home occupied by fellow believers and knocked on the door. When Rhoda, a servant-‐girl, told the believers (who had been praying for his release) that Peter was outside, they responded “You are out of your mind!”(vs.15).
They eventually believed and the Scripture says they were “amazed” when they saw
38
May 5 Missionary Highlight Tim DeGroot, Church Planter/Pastor 24/7 ChrisHan Church, Greensboro
Tim DeGroot says the 24/7 ChrisHan Church he and his team have started in Greensboro will reach people in several communiHes through small groups.
The church was started in August 2010 and aSer a year a(endance had grown to more than 80. Services are held in a school on New Garden Road in northwest Greensboro, not far from the Piedmont Triad Airport.
Today we pray for Tim and his wife, Jennifer, as they give their lives to get this new church started and reach people for Christ.
39
Staying on Task “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” Acts 6:4
ASer Charles Hadden Spurgeon was converted in 1850 he never wavered in his commitment to preach Christ.
His growth as a believer was phenomenal. He quickly began serving as a Sunday School teacher, then local preacher. At 17 he accepted a call to pastor his first church in England. From there he went to two other pastorates, one of which was the New Park Street Chapel in London, which was a dying congregaHon.
The church soon was alive with new converts and bulging in numbers. The congregaHon moved to a larger locaHon that eventually became too small. The famed Metropolitan Tabernacle was then built, which seated 6,000 people, and for 30 years Spurgeon preached to overflow crowds. When he died, some 60,000 people came to pay their respect to the “Prince of Preachers.” Spurgeon a(ributed the success of his preaching ministry to the “furnace,” which was a group of believers who prayed in the basement as he preached. His ministry is a tesHmony to God’s faithfulness and work when His servants stay on task.
In Acts 6:1-‐7, the apostles were faced with a decision of whether or not they would stay on task as leaders. The ministry was growing and the needs of others were mulHplying beyond their ability to keep up. They also knew that their calling was to pray and proclaim the Word of God.
40
May 12 Missionary Highlight Devin & Callie Ballew*, InternaHonal Missionaries in South Asia
Today we pray for two of our missionaries we'll call Devin and Callie. That's not their real names, because they serve in a Muslim country in South
Asia where it is dangerous to be ChrisHan. Teaching people about Jesus is also difficult, because Islam teaches that Jesus
was just a prophet, but not the Son of God sent to save the world. SHll, Muslims someHmes have respect for Jesus.
When Devin and Callie gave a man named Tagore a New Testament, he happily read all the Gospels in a couple of days. Later Devin gave him the complete Bible.
Leading people to faith in Christ in Muslim lands is oSen slow. But today we pray that Devin and Callie will be able to stay in their country long enough to see many come to faith, churches be born and a gospel movement launched that will see thousands become followers of Jesus Christ.
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Faithful to the Finish “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith…” 2 Timothy 4:7
John Huss (A. D. 1372-‐1415) was used by the Lord to advance the Protestant
ReformaHon, especially following his martyrdom. Huss was influenced by the wriHngs of John Wycliffe, who was devoted to translaHng, expounding and promoHng the use of Scripture as the final authority for the church (as opposed to the papacy). Huss defended and promoted Wycliffe’s wriHngs at the University of Prague among faculty and students.
In 1411 the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated Huss because of his views toward the Eucharist. This led to his decision to leave Prague and begin an iHnerant ministry of preaching and teaching. When the Council of Constance met in 1414 Huss traveled there to present his case. He was arrested, despite le(ers granHng him safe passage from King Sigmund, condemned as a hereHc and sentenced to be burned at the stake. While the flames were rising Huss was heard singing and commending his soul to the Lord. Huss became a naHonally known figure following his death. He was faithful to the finish.
In this passage Paul is nearing the end of his life and ministry. He is teaching and mentoring young Timothy through his words, encouraging faithfulness in the proclamaHon of Christ to the naHons. He reminds Timothy that the mission is dangerous and difficult because it is a fight. He urges Timothy not to waver from
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May 19 Missionary Highlight Brian Moon, North American Missionary North Bethesda, Maryland
Here's a missions quesHon to think about today. How can we share the gospel with Asians living in Maryland? Answer: We need to send someone who speaks Asian languages, right? That's what we have done in North Bethesda, Maryland. We sent Brian and
Jessie Moon, naHve Koreans, to start Life Mosaic Church. About 50 people, including Anglos, Japanese and Koreans, were a(ending the
church before the first year was ended. Brian preaches in Korean and his sermons are then translated into other languages.
Most of us cannot speak Korean. That's why we sent our missionaries, Brian and Jessie, to Maryland — to present the gospel to people in language they will understand.
Our CooperaHve Program giving helps them serve there.
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Sheep Without a Shepherd “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. (Psalms 78:72) Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plen+ful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.’” Ma(hew 9:36-‐38 In our society today we think the word “compassion” means having sympathy for another.
While this is certainly an element of compassion, it doesn’t include the totality of the true biblical meaning of the word.
The original meaning of the word compassion was gut-‐level depths of empathy for another person. Ma(hew records that when Jesus saw the people, He felt compassion for them because they were distressed and dispirited – very similar to how a sheep looks and acts when it is not with its shepherd.
When Jesus saw lost people, He didn’t judge them; He had compassion on them. How do you view the lost people around you? Do you have compassion on
them? They might not look like you – you might encounter people who wear different clothes, who are from different cultures and who speak a different language.
But, do you treat them with the compassion of Christ, realizing that just as much as Christ desired to have a relaHonship with you, He, too, longs to have a relaHonship with them.
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May 26 Missionary Highlight Sherry Benne(, InternaHonal Missionary, Mexico
Today we pray for one of our missionaries in Mexico. We are always reading about drug cartels and other problems in Mexico, but
today we rejoice in some good news from there. Sherry Benne( is one of our missionaries serving in Puebla, a large city
southeast of Mexico City, the capital. She has been working in Puebla with 18 Bible study groups around the city,
teaching them to share the gospel with family members and neighbors. The groups have been growing as those contacted respond by placing their faith in Jesus Christ.
The Mexican believers have found that witnessing can be as simple as inviHng someone for a cup of coffee to give an opportunity to talk.
The believers also have come to understand they have a responsibility to grow God’s Kingdom through evangelism.
We thank God today that the news from Mexico is about the Good News! And we pray for our missionary, Sherry Benne(, as she serves there
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How Much Must I Give? "They first gave themselves to the Lord...” 2 Corinthians 8:1-‐5
First, this is the wrong quesHon for a ChrisHan to ask. "When a ChrisHan asks, 'How much must I give?' any answer is flawed
because the quesHon is flawed," wrote the late Cecil A. Ray in his 1989 book, Witnessing-‐Giving: These Go Together.
"It is only when a ChrisHan asks, 'With God's help, how much can I give?' that he may find an answer that reflects true ChrisHan giving.
"Everyone who is serious about serving the Lord will earnestly seek to give a porHon that is worthy and generous according to his ability. And he will seek ways, under God's guidance, to make that porHon grow," Ray wrote.
In 2 Corinthians 8:1-‐5, Paul liSs up the Macedonian ChrisHans as worthy role models in giving. Based on this passage, the following quote gives Ray’s five key principles to guide the ChrisHan asking how much to give:
“(1) He first gives himself to Christ, then uses all he is and has to serve Christ. (2) He never considers freedom in Christ as an excuse for giving few or sHngy giSs. (3) He faithfully measures the porHon to be given to assure that it reflects a
true love for Christ. (4) He follows a systemaHc plan that commits a worthy porHon of one's
income to Christ's work and gives it regularly.
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June 2 Missionary Highlight Sarah, InternaHonal Missionary, Middle East
Is the Middle East closed to the gospel? No! In many areas people are coming to faith in Christ. Sarah is one of our missionaries in the region and she talks of a woman she
has worked with. We’ll call this Middle Eastern woman MuSuha. She dreamed God told her she could be healed through Jesus. Our missionaries presented the gospel and the woman prayed to receive Christ as her Savior and then was bapHzed.
The woman returned to her village and told family members about Jesus. Now MuSuha's sister, her father and half a dozen of her friends also have come to faith in Christ. So far, four more have been bapHzed.
Today we pray both for our missionaries who cannot be named and for this new church, which is growing as people decide to place their faith in Jesus Christ. Because of the country’s laws and Islamic culture, these new believers risk their very lives by joining this new church.
May we learn from their faithfulness as we pray for them.
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The second greatest commandment! “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30,31
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June 9 Missionary Highlight Tim Epling, Church Planter/Pastor RelaHonship Church, Fuquay-‐Varina, NC
RelaHonship Church meets in a theater in downtown Fuquay-‐Varina, but Tim Epling, planter/pastor, wants Jesus Christ to be the real star on his stage.
A(endance has grown to several hundred people, drawn by the powerful ChrisHan music, warm fellowship and Bible messages.
We pray for Epling and the other leaders working with this new church today. We ask God to mulHply churches that will reach the many lost people across Wake County.
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The Lord’s Command Israel was commanded to show sympathy to needy strangers. When we give to God through our church, part of what we give reaches out beyond our church to help others in need.
Exodus 22:21-‐27
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June 16 Missionary Highlight Ellis Prince, North American Missionary BalHmore, Maryland
Today we pray for Ellis Prince, one of our North American missionaries. Ellis worked with a team of BapHsts to start Gallery Church in BalHmore,
Maryland, in 2010. They began meeHng in a hotel on Eastern Avenue. BalHmore is a city of more than 600,000 people, but few evangelical churches.
There is only one Southern BapHst church for every 37,000 people. Gallery Church has begun reaching people for Christ by offering tesHng for
HIV/AIDS. Ellis says people have begun to trust them. "We exist to engage people with the gospel," he said.
We support Ellis and his ministry as our church contributes to missions and ministry through our CooperaHve Program.
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What Time is It? “Because you did not recognize the +me of your visita+on.” Luke 19:44
In the above passage Jesus tells the people of God why judgment is coming. They had not recognized, embraced or even been aware of God’s opportune Hme in
their day. They had missed the greatest revelaHon of God in History —Jesus, God in the flesh, Immanuel. Their spiritual eyes were not sharp, their hearts were hard and now it was too late. They had missed the Christ. Judgment was coming and there was nothing they could do to turn things around. They had missed God’s deadline, because they did not know what Hme it was.
In 1785, the moral landscape in America was reaching an all-‐Hme low. Alcoholism was rampant. Bank robberies were common. People were afraid to go out aSer dark. All the major church denominaHons were experiencing decline and apathy. The chief jusHce of the United States even declared that the church seemed too far gone to ever be redeemed. Dark days were prevalent and the situaHon seemed hopeless.
Would the people of God respond before it was too late? The people of God eventually did recognize the Hme and began to pray and return to the Lord. His deadline was not crossed.
Thankfully, God had mercy and the Second Great Awakening swept America and the naHon was spared. Do we recognize God’s Hme today? Will we see revival come or will we cross God’s deadline? Response to God’s opportune Hme begins with me and it begins now.
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June 23 Missionary Highlight Eric Reese InternaHonal Missionary, Brazil
Sadly, the United States is not the only place where the senseless shooHng of innocent people takes place.
In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a gunman shot a number of people in a school. Eric Reece, one of our missionaries serving there, joined with Brazilian
BapHsts to provide comfort and hope to the grieving families and community. We support Eric Reece and his ministry there in Brazil through our
CooperaHve Program and today we thank God that he and others who follow Christ were able to minister in the middle of a tragedy.
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Rela<onship with our Father “In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them.” Psalms 22:4
Pray that God would conHnue to inspire men to live for His glory and that He would give them wisdom, courage and humility to lead their families and others to know Him more.
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June 30 Missionary Highlight Keith & KrisHne Carpenter, North American Missionaries Sea(le, Washington
Keith and KrisHne Carpenter are two of our North American missionaries serving in Sea(le, Washington.
Two years ago they started Epic Life Church to reach homeless people, addicts and other people who are down and out.
Today we pray for the Carpenters and the church as they work to renovate a motel into a help center; they're also starHng a second church on Sea(le's south side. Sea(le has many people who need the gospel in their lives and Jesus in their hearts. That's why the Carpenters are there.
The Carpenters are "our" missionaries, because we support them through our CooperaHve Program.
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“Yes, Lord” “For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.” 2 Corinthians 2:9
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July 7 Missionary Highlight Salomon Orellana, North American Missionary Great Commission Partner, New York City
Today we pray for Salomon Orellana, one of our North American missionaries serving in New York City.
He is pastor of two churches in the city and also leads the Hispanic church planHng center that helps start more new churches.
North Carolina BapHsts have a Great Commission Partnership with New York City BapHsts. During 2012, volunteers from North Carolina helped plant two more new churches and saw 31 people accept Jesus Christ as Savior.
Today we pray for Salomon; we are supporHng him financially through our CooperaHve Program support. We also support Mike Sowers, who coordinates Great Commission Partnerships for the BapHst State ConvenHon of North Carolina.
We pray God will bless the work of both missionaries and volunteers, that many in New York will come to faith in Christ.
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Oneness in Prayer “These all with one mind were con+nually devo+ng themselves to prayer…” Acts 1:14
In this text, the followers of Jesus were waiHng, watching and praying. He had ascended to the right hand of the Father, and they were gathered together in the upper room praying. This verse describes their unique oneness in prayer. They were of “one mind,” meaning that their hearts were united with one focus and one desire.
They were content to seek the Lord together unHl the Spirit would come to give them power as witnesses. They were also devoted to praying together. They knew that if they were to be effecHve followers, it would only happen as they prayed together. Having one mind and heart in prayer was not an opHon; it was a necessity. The results were Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit and fruimul ministry in which thousands were converted.
In 1858 the Layman’s Prayer Revival that began at the Dutch Reformed Church on Fulton Street in New York City was marching forward across the American landscape.
Prayer meeHngs were springing up in many ciHes throughout the Northeast, Southern and Midwest regions of America. In Kalamazoo, Michigan, the power of concerted prayer was seen at one gathering when a woman prayed for her lost husband.
In that meeHng seven such men stood and said that the request must be from
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July 14 Missionary Highlight Steve & Marilee Flook InternaHonal Missionaries, Bolivia
Steve and Marilee Flook are our missionaries in Bolivia, a country in the middle of western South America.
Steve and Marilee have encouraged their six children to also be missionaries as much as they are able. The children, who have learned Spanish, oSen help build bridges of friendship to neighbors as they go about their daily lives in the community.
Even Elizabeth, age 4, has been able to make friends with children her own age. Today we pray for this courageous family as they work together in Bolivia to
share the gospel of Jesus Christ and draw people into church membership. We support them through our CooperaHve Program giving.
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Looking for God’s Plan “For I know the plans I have for you…plans…to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
The tree with pink blossoms in our front yard always gives us a refreshing sight during the hot summers in eastern North Carolina.
The only problem is that the tree is located right over our front walkway that leads from the driveway to the front door. When the blossoms fall from the tree they land right on the walkway and then, literally, they melt on to the concrete walkway. The melted flowers sHck like glue and become a gooey mess that, if stepped on, adheres to shoes, and is tracked into the house. Get the picture?
One day I thought, “I’ll just cut that tree down and get rid of that mess.” A few days later, early one morning, I saw a deer under the tree—she was eaHng all the blossoms that she could find. She loved them!
Since then, the deer comes and literally vacuums up the blossoms that have fallen. Who would have thought that a li(le pink blossom that creates a mess for us could be food provision for a deer?
The people of Israel were in exile and facing difficult days. They thought that the Lord had abandoned them. Through the prophet Jeremiah God’s purposes and plans were unveiled. His message was that, despite the exile, God had purposes and plans that went way beyond their expectaHons.
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July 21 Missionary Highlight Ben and Shauna Pilgreen, North American Missionaries San Francisco, California
Today we pray for Ben and Shauna Pilgreen, two of our North American missionaries serving in San Francisco, California.
This is one of California's most beauHful ciHes, but the culture here is very secular. Many people here need a personal relaHonship with Jesus Christ.
So it is great to know that the Epic Church they started in 2011 has been very successful. ASer a year the church had grown to 170 adults, meeHng in small groups across the city. Ministries have included a homeless shelter and moms’ club, but evangelism has remained their main focus.
Epic Church meets on Howard Street, not far from the Oakland Bay Bridge. Let us pray that God will conHnue to bless the ministry of Ben and Shauna,
and that many in this city by the bay will come to know Jesus Christ personally.
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Overwhelmed by CluWer “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path.” Psalm 142:3
It was a classic case of prioriHes that were out of sync. The house was full of discarded papers, trash, clothes and containers of
outdated food. At places the piles of stuff were three feet high. The single man living in the home was a clean-‐cut, ex-‐military guy with a decent job. What had happened?
He had misplaced prioriHes which resulted in being overwhelmed by clu(er. When it came Hme for trash removal, something always got in its way. When it
came Hme to replace clothes or food—the same thing happened. One thing led to another and the man soon found himself in an impossible situaHon. Thankfully, a local church and a local social service agency partnered together to clean and remodel this man’s home. The result? He came to faith in Christ and started a new life in a newly refurbished home.
No longer was he overwhelmed—and now he had Jesus in his life! David’s words in Psalm 142:3 bring great comfort and hope to overwhelmed
and hopeless people. He was hiding in a cave from his enemies and things looked pre(y hopeless.
Yet, his confidence was not in himself—it was in His God Who knew where he was and saw the situaHon through divinely sovereign eyes.
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July 28 Missionary Highlight Adam & Trinity Wems InternaHonal Missionaries, South Asia
Poverty is present in most countries of South Asia. Our missionaries, Adam and Trinity Wems, feel called of God to minister to the
poor in one of those countries. We do not name the parHcular country or use the missionaries' real names because it is a dangerous place.
Adam helps desHtute people get off the streets and get medical care and rehabilitaHon. Trinity, his wife, leads a women's group and gives abused women a safe place to gather and hear the gospel.
Adam and Trinity also train local ChrisHans to become church leaders who will help start new churches. There are enHre groups of people in this country who have no gospel witness.
We know the Lord knows exactly where Adam and Trinity are and we pray that He will bless their ministry as He keeps them safe and in His will.
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Been with Jesus Lately? “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John…they…began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13
The influence of a believer who walks in close inHmacy with Jesus can make an eternal difference in people’s lives.
Just ask John Wesley, the preacher who was the founder of Methodism, He came in contact with some godly Moravian believers while en route to the American colonies. While at sea, Wesley would later bear witness to the calmness and peace that the Moravians exemplified during a severe storm.
Because of this encounter, the sparks of conversion were kindled within John’s heart. This encounter led John to further discussions concerning salvaHon and eventual conversion at a gathering on Aldersgate Street in London in 1738.
His heart was strangely warmed and he felt that he trusted Christ alone for his salvaHon. He became a prominent leader in the Evangelical Awakening in England. He was an evangelist at heart, preaching 40,000 to 50,000 sermons during his ministry.
In this text, Peter and John did not have to give tesHmony of their relaHonship to Jesus. The religious leaders all saw that they had been with Jesus. Peter and John had great confidence, despite the fact that they were untrained men. This very thing began to make the authoriHes understand their relaHonship with Jesus.
People know when we have been with Jesus—it shows.
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August 4 Missionary Highlight Drew Carson, InternaHonal Missionary in Somalia
Somalia is a disaster of a country situated on the Horn of Africa, on the northeastern Hp of the African conHnent.
Constant fighHng, a breakdown of government and deep poverty have led to chaos in the country for many years. That partly explains why most of Somalia’s 3.7 million people have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. More recently the country has suffered famine and late in 2012 it was esHmated 400,000 children could face starvaHon.
Southern BapHst workers like Drew Carson, not his real name, who lives outside the country, have organized relief efforts to help. Let us pray that many in Somalia will come to know the peace of Jesus Christ, which is the only hope for this troubled land.
We pray for our missionaries who are risking their lives every day to make that happen.
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Jesus is broken over lostness. 1.7 billion have liWle access to the Gospel. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His Harvest.” Ma(hew 9:38
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August 11 Missionary Highlight DusHn & Jonathan, InternaHonal Missionaries, Angola
Today we're going to pray for two of our young missionaries in Angola, a country on the east side of southern Africa.
We'll call them Jonathan and DusHn. They serve in Angola, a poor country which has suffered from many years of fierce fighHng. Many people here have no hope.
As they walked through a village one day, it began to rain. A man who lived in the village invited them to come into his modest home to stay dry.
As Jonathan and DusHn talked to the man, they told him the story of how Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again. That day, as rain fell outside, the village man accepted Christ as his Savior.
Today we pray that Jonathan and DusHn will have many more opportuniHes like this to share the gospel. And we pray that more people in this village will come to Christ and that a church can be started.
We support missionaries across Africa through our CooperaHve Program giving.
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What’s slowing you down today? “(Jesus) ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.” Mark 6:8,9
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August 18 Missionary Highlight Joeli & Tai’tupe Sovea, North American Missionaries South Pacific island of American Samoa
Look at a globe. Move from California almost to Australia and look for a li(le speck of an island in the southern Pacific. That's American Samoa.
Because the island is a territory of the United States, we have two North American missionaries there, though this island is nearly 5,000 miles southwest of California.
Today we pray for Joeli and Tai'tupe Sovea, who minister to sailors, fishermen and seamen through their Pago Pago Seafarers Center. They provide people who arrive by boat or ship helps such as showers, toiletries, Internet and phone service and the like. They also distribute Bibles and tesHmonies about Jesus Christ.
The Soveas and their three children also work with Seafarers ChrisHan Fellowship as they reach out to people on the island.
Our church is told in Acts 1:8 that we're to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Today we rejoice that through our CooperaHve Program, we are doing just that, to an end-‐of-‐the-‐earth place like American Samoa.
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Are your feet beau<ful? “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will
they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is wri(en, ‘How beauHful are the feet of those who bring Good News of good things!’” Isaiah 52:7 & Romans 10:14-‐15
Feet are one of the most interesHng components of a person’s body. Some people have long, skinny feet with long skinny toes. Others have short, stubby,
wide feet with similar toes. Some people have high arches, while others have no arches. Some have that second toe that is longer than the big toe, while others have stair step toes. Feet are funny and there are very few people that would say feet are beauHful.
This passage of Scripture, however, says that everyone can have beauHful feet. BeauHful feet are a(ributed to those who bring the Good News. A different translaHon of Scripture translates verse 15 a bit differently, “…how welcome are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things!” (HCSB). The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of good things! What an incredible privilege and responsibility to announce the gospel.
There are six billion people all over the world who would welcome the beauHful feet of one who is coming to share the gospel. No ma(er how we might feel or think about our feet, the Lord says that when we are sharing the “Good News of good things” our feet are beauHful!
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August 25 Missionary Highlight Ma(hew Kepner* InternaHonal Missionary in East Asia
Missionaries tell people about Jesus, of course. But when missionaries can mobilize many others to talk about Jesus, their ministry is mulHplied.
Training others to witness is especially important in some Asian countries that try to keep ChrisHanity out.
One of our missionaries we'll call Ma(hew works in one of those closed countries. He trained local ChrisHans to prayerfully choose five friends or family members, pray for their salvaHon, perform one act of service for each of them every month and share the gospel — simply, lovingly and boldly.
That simple plan resulted in 200 people becoming ChrisHans in the first four months. We pray today that Ma(hew and our other missionaries in this country can
mobilize thousands more ChrisHans to share their faith, enough to reach the whole country for Christ.
Our CooperaHve Program dollars are geyng the gospel into many countries that are supposedly "closed."
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Passion with Purpose “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling…” Ephesians 1:17
Spiritual work requires spiritual discernment and fervor. Spiritual discernment
and fervor are made possible through the revelaHon of God as a believer encounters God through His Word and Spirit.
Paul understood this fact as he prayed for the believers in Ephesus. He knew that they needed to know without a doubt God’s certain call, presence and anoinHng to impact their world for Christ. Thus, he prayed for their spiritual eyes to be opened. Human or fleshly abiliHes could never accomplish the work of taking the Gospel to the world. A burning heart that had been enlightened and anointed by the Spirit was needed.
George Whitefield lived out this truth. Whitefield possessed a burning desire to tell others about the salvaHon he had experienced through Jesus. God used him to fan the flames of revival during the First Great Awakening in America and the Evangelical Awakening in Britain from around 1736 unHl the late 1740’s.
His passion flowed from a heart that had been transformed through his conversion experience. His passion was also the result of many hours spent with Jesus in prayer and His Word. Once converted, Whitefield never looked back, preaching to thousands. He was giSed with a tremendous “organ-‐like voice” and oSen preached to the huge crowds from pulpits in churches, open fields and parks. His contemporaries
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September 1 Missionary Highlight Eddie and Martha Williams Shelby Mission Camp, Shelby, NC
Today we pray for Eddie and Martha Williams, two of our North Carolina missionaries.
As they coordinate the Shelby Mission Camp, they help thousands of volunteers to get equipped for missions and to do missions in and around the Shelby area.
The camp was dedicated April 29, 2012. It is situated on 45 acres of land just off the 74 By-‐pass in Shelby. The camp provides a place for volunteers to stay and have meals, then use equipment and supplies from the warehouse to go out and minister in the area.
Today we pray for the mission camp, which is operated by NC BapHst Men and funded through our North Carolina Missions Offering. And we pray for Eddie and Martha as they help mobilize BapHst volunteers for Kingdom service.
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North Carolina Missions Offering (NCMO) As September starts, many churches are re-‐launching fall ministries aSer summer’s more relaxed pace. It’s a good Hme to remember missions. It’s a good Hme to think about why churches labor to educate and train members: We as God’s people have been called by Him to partner in redeeming a lost world. From Genesis to RevelaHon, the Bible repeatedly tells how God has sought to have a loving relaHonship with all people. He gave His people the task of missions, helping share the Good News of Jesus, His death on the cross and His glorious resurrecHon. To be His people and to live for Him, His purposes, His plans for the world, must become ours. As we think about the North Carolina Missions Offering in September, it is clear, then, that missions support is not just an “opHon.” Missions is basic to the purpose of why we have the church at all. When we learn that there are 5.6 million people in North Carolina who do not have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, we are also compelled by their lostness – and we want them to know the same Savior we do. NCMO will fund the people and ministries who will share the gospel with many of these. Your offerings will help start new churches across our state. Your offerings will also empower NC BapHst Men to mobilize thousands of volunteers for disaster relief, dental and medical ministries and many others.
The challenge calls for more than pocket change! The challenge calls for serious, sacrificial giving that is reflecHve of how Jesus gave on the cross.
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September 8 Missionary Highlight Naina Monger, Church Planter/Pastor Nepali Churches in Charlo(e and Winston-‐Salem, NC
Nepal is a Hny country between India and China; the Himalayan Mountains and nine of the world’s 14 tallest mountains are there.
Despite the distance, thousands of Nepali people have se(led in North Carolina. Church planter Naina Monger is working full-‐speed as he helps Nepali
newcomers get se(led into their new homeland, and also pastors two Nepali church plants. One new church is in Charlo(e and the other in Winston-‐Salem.
We pray for Naina today, that he can stay strong and faithful to the challenging assignment God has given him. We join with North Carolina BapHst churches across the state in supporHng Naina's ministry through our CooperaHve Program giving.
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Prayerful Dependence “Father . . .” John 17:1
John “Praying” Hyde, Presbyterian missionary to India from 1892-‐1906 would spend hours praying for the Indian people.
Fellow missionaries would oSen hear him cry out, “O Heavenly Father.” He was so burdened for lost souls that he would sob, with tears flowing down his cheeks and pray, “Give me these souls or I die.”
Mary Campbell, a missionary in India with Hyde, told the story that aSer 30 days of fasHng and prayer, John Hyde walked out of his tent only to be greeted by a group of lost Hindus seeking salvaHon in Christ. Such passion and desire did not originate from human hearts. This passion was from God! John Hyde prayerfully depended on his heavenly Father. His secret lay in the prayer room where he dwelled in his Father’s presence.
In John 17:1 Jesus demonstrates a prayerful dependence upon His Father. In John 17:1-‐26, Jesus uses the term “Father” six Hmes. His desire to focus on the Father is evident. In so doing, Jesus allows His followers to get a glimpse of His inHmate relaHonship with His Father.
In the midst of the worst of circumstances, Jesus is holding true to His character of walking with the Father in prayerful dependence.
What about you? Are you prayerfully dependent or prayerfully independent?
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September 15 Missionary Highlight Barry Lawrence, Church Planter Fusion Church, Spring Lake, NC
The word "fusion" means bring together, and that's what Barry Lawrence is trying to do with Fusion Church in Spring Lake, north of Faye(eville.
He and his team want Fusion Church to bring together people of many ethnic and cultural backgrounds under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Spring Lake is near Fort Bragg, the large military base, and people from all over the world live there.
Today we pray that through Fusion Church people of many ethnic backgrounds can hear the gospel and grow in their faith. Our church's giving through the CooperaHve Program supports this church plant.
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Bear One Another’s Burdens “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” GalaHans 6:2 We honor Jesus when we help people in need and are ready to give credit to the one who is Love and has given us all good things.
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September 22 Missionary Profile Bounthavone Sombatsaphay Church Planter, Rockingham
Most North Carolinians think of NASCAR racing when they think of the city of Rockingham in Richland County.
But many immigrants from Thailand and Laos now think of Rockingham as home, for this is where they have se(led.
Bounthavone Sombatsaphay is our church planter who has been witnessing to these newcomers and sharing the gospel as he organizes a new church. But he says many of the Asians are very closed to the gospel.
Today we pray for our brother in Christ and ask that God will keep him strong as he serves. We pray that God will open the hearts of the immigrants from Thailand and Laos, that they can come to know the saving power of Jesus Christ in their lives.
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September 29 Missionary Highlight Phillip Easterling, Church Planter/Pastor Asheville Deaf Church, Asheville, NC How can Deaf people "hear" the gospel?
Church planter Phillip Easterling thinks part of the answer is to start churches just for Deaf people, so they can understand the gospel through signing, which is their "heart" language.
Asheville Deaf Church, which Phillip started, will be reaching out to Deaf people throughout the Asheville area.
We pray today for Phillip. We pray that Asheville Deaf Church will reach many Deaf people for Christ.
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Where will he lead if I choose to follow? “Follow Me…go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:59, 60
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October 6 Missionary Highlight Peter & Liv Reed, InternaHonal Missionaries, Asia
Many people in Asian countries are not hearing the gospel, because we have not sent enough missionaries to make that happen.
But what about the Deaf people? Sixty percent of the world’s 36 million Deaf live in Asia. There are seven
million Deaf people in China alone. Those numbers represent a staggering missions challenge. But we have begun
sending missionaries to the Deaf around the world. Peter and Liv Reed are two of those missionaries we have sent to share the
love of Jesus with Deaf People. They are fluent in American sign language, but Asian sign languages are different, and they are learning to sign with the Asian movements.
We thank the Lord that He has called Peter and Liv to share the gospel with people who are both imprisoned within closed countries and too oSen are also imprisoned in silence.
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His call
The journey of taking the gospel to the ends of the earth starts with being a devoted disciple of Jesus. His call to seek, know and truly love Him is paramount…and costly.
He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Ma(hew 22:37
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October 13 Missionary Highlight Ma( & Tammy Hoke North American Missionaries in Alaska
Today we pray for two of our missionaries serving in a cold place. Ma( and Tammy Hoke work with the First BapHst Church in Kotzebue, a town
on the west coast of Alaska, just across the Chukchi Sea from Russia. The Hokes have seen tremendous spiritual growth in their church. They also
help spread the gospel in other remote parts of Alaska. They do this by installing AM radio transmi(ers that allow ChrisHan music and Bible teachings to be broadcast.
Today we pray for our missionaries Ma( and Tammy, as they share the warm gospel of Jesus Christ in a land that is too oSen spiritually cold because the people have not heard of Him.
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We Advance the Great Commission when we: Personally go and do missions
Personally give to support missions Personally pray for missions
Acts 1:8
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October 20 Missionary Highlight Steve Davis, Church Planter/Pastor River Rock Church, Concord, NC Steve Davis and a support team started River Rock Church in 2011 to reach people missed by the many other area churches.
River Rock's contemporary music and informal worship style have helped the church to grow, though they meet in a converted store building.
We pray today that God will guide Steve as he leads the new believers to share their ChrisHan faith with others, and that River Rock Church will grow as a result.
Our church is supporHng this new church through our CooperaHve Program giving.
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The Fountain of Life “They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.” Psalms 36:8
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October 27 Missionary Highlight Harold Johnson InternaHonal Missionary, Czech Republic
The Eastern European naHon of Czechoslovakia got free of Soviet control in 1990; in 1993 the naHon divided into the separate naHons of Czech Republic and Slovakia.
While Czech Republic has fared be(er economically under poliHcal freedom in recent years, spiritually the country remains poor. The Roman Catholic Church claims some of the naHon's 10.5 million people, but 60 percent of the people claim no religion at all.
That's why our missionary, Harold Johnson, asks for prayer. "I'm in a ba(le," he says, "and I need prayer 24/7." The ba(le he speaks of, of course, is a spiritual ba(le.
Let us pray today for Harold and our other missionaries serving in this very difficult mission field, where people need so badly to know the love of a Savior Who died for them.
Through our CooperaHve Program giving, we support missionaries across Europe.
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Steady “They were conHnually devoHng themselves to…prayer.” Acts 2:42 The Moravians were steady people who believed in being faithful to a cause. Nicholas Ludwig Von Zinzendorf, founder of the Moravian Church, believed that his
congregaHon could make a huge difference in world evangelizaHon by being devoted to prayer.
Shortly aSer the churches incepHon in 1727, Zinzendorf organized 48 adults into a prayer team that covered each 24-‐hour day in prayer. This prayer pracHce conHnued for an amazing 100 years. The impact on the modern missionary movement is staggering. By 1776, some 226 Moravian missionaries had been sent to the world. Their steady commitment to missions was unparalleled.
In the verse above Luke provides a glimpse into the everyday life of the first century church. Among other things, they were steady in their devoHon to prayer. This meant that they were commi(ed to gathering together for regular Hmes of corporate prayer.
It also is a reference to their belief that spontaneous seasons of prayer were important to the life of their praying culture. Their steady devoHon to a praying life, both corporately and personally, whether fixed or spontaneous, is reflected in this summary statement.
The result was a moving forward of the church’s mission as the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (see Acts 2:47). Are you “steady” in your devoHon to missional prayer?
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November 3 Missionary Highlight Our missionaries in South Asia and Middle East
Across the Middle East and Asia, women use a temporary dye called henna to draw intricate pa(erns on their hands.
It only lasts a few days, but is oSen used for special events. A bride will have her hands "done" in henna for her wedding, for example.
Our missionary women serving in these areas have begun to use henna designs for witnessing. As they draw elaborate designs, the missionaries tell Bible stories that lead to Jesus.
While we cannot name these missionaries because of the dangerous areas where they serve, we thank God that our missionaries are looking to all sorts of creaHve ways to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
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Imprisoned with a Passion “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them…” Acts 16:25
As our group leS the women’s prison in Rusca, Moldova, we were simultaneously filled with graHtude and deep sadness.
While we had encountered approximately 300 female prisoners who live in the prison, it was the 12 ChrisHan prisoners that impacted us the most. These “12 disciples,” as one of the women on our team dubbed them, allowed us to meet with them in the small “prayer room” where they meet for Bible study and prayer.
It was in that room that they began to share their stories with us. Many of them had come to faith in Christ while they were in prison. Now they were trying both to grow in their walk with Christ and to share Him with the other prisoners because “the prisoners were listening to them…”
These ladies are living out their sentences behind bars in a very dark place – a prison where 30 percent of the incarcerated were convicted of murder and another 30 percent were convicted of theS.
Yet, these ladies desire for the women around them to come to know a Savior who has set them free, even in the midst of prison walls. The “12 disciples” at the Rusca women’s prison live with a passion – a passion to make the Lord Jesus known within the walls and boundaries of the earthly prison.
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November 10 Great Commission partnership with Moldova
Moldova is a small country in Eastern Europe, situated between Romania and Ukraine, that was once part of the Soviet Union.
North Carolina BapHsts have a Great Commission Partnership with Moldovan BapHsts, who are eager to reach their country for Christ. Last March a team of North Carolina BapHsts went to Ungheni, one of Moldova’s 33 districts, for an evangelisHc campaign.
Home visits and a crusade resulted in many coming to faith in Christ. But picture what happened on a Saturday night: A young Moldovan pastor
came running up to the van which held the North Carolina team preparing to leave. In breathless excitement he pounded on a van window. “One in my village believed! One in my village believed!”
It was a moving scene! But it was also sad to think that there are more than 1,000 villages in Moldova with no ChrisHan witness at all.
Today let us pray for that pastor, that he will stay forever that posiHve about seeing one come to faith in Christ. Let us pray for that new believer, that he or she will grow in faith. Let us pray that many more North Carolina BapHsts will go to Moldova and help reach that naHon for Christ!
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November 17 Missionary Highlight Lentz & Amy Upshaw, North American Missionaries Madison, Wisconsin Lentz and Amy Upshaw are our North American missionaries in Madison, Wisconsin. More than half a million people live in and around Madison. The Upshaws are seeking to reach people in two main ways: through the Red Village Church they have started and through ministering to the more than 28,000 students a(ending the University of Wisconsin-‐Madison. Their church provides Bible studies, worship and outreach, primarily through small groups which meet throughout the city. Today we pray for the Upshaws and their five children as they work to make Jesus Christ known there in the north.
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Submission to God “I bow my knees before the Father…” Ephesians 3:14 In this verse Paul bears witness to his life of prayer and submission to the Father. Paul knew that success in life and ministry is never the product of one’s own abiliHes
or accomplishments. He knew that his success in life and ministry was dependent on His heavenly Father. So what did he do? He bent the knee.
This is not just a tesHmony to prayer. Paul certainly believed in the power of prayer. But this was also a witness to Paul’s unwavering submission to His Father’s agenda and purposes in and through his life and ministry. In a sense, with this verse, Paul demonstrates a lack of pride in self and a confident submission to his Father’s wisdom and understanding.
Chuck Colson had to find this truth out the hard way. In 1974 Colson was in trouble. He was Richard Nixon’s special assistant and hatchet man. He was sentenced to prison for his role in the now-‐infamous Watergate scandal.
Leading up to that Hme, his life was about his accomplishments, his success, his poliHcal savvy and victories. Because he and others had depended on their own prideful ways and resorted to dirty tricks and illegal acHviHes to defeat poliHcal foes, Colson suffered under the long arm of the law.
But through the honesty and witness of a dear ChrisHan friend, who told him that his acHons were wrong and his answer was God, Colson recognized his need to surrender to Christ. Colson would later become an influenHal ChrisHan leader and writer with a heart to reach prisoners.
Once he submi(ed to God’s wisdom and ways, God could use him. What about you and your church?
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November 17 Missionary Highlight Dante Randolph, Church Planter/Pastor Grace Park Church, Durham, NC
Dante Randolph started Grace Park Church to reach people in Durham. Dante, his wife, Shenita, and the startup team began meeHng in the building
of another church on Cheek Road, on the northwestern side of downtown Durham. Today we pray for the Randolphs and their ministry with Grace Park Church.
We pray that God will bring new members who are passionate about serving and compassionate about the needs of Durham people.
We have helped this church plant through our CooperaHve Program giving.
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November 24 Missionary Highlight Mark, InternaHonal Missionary, Central Asia
Almost everything in Central Asia is different from the southern United States. But some things are similar. Mark, one of our missionaries who serves there, found that people here like
to go out by a river and have a picnic that includes watermelon during the summer. He has found people relaxed for a picnic are open to listening to him talk
about Jesus Christ. This is good, because these people have never even heard of Him. Today we rejoice for Mark, who is risking his life to be where he is. We are
thankful that even watermelons can be used to help share the gospel! We are supporHng Mark through our CooperaHve Program giving.
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What could happen if…? “Pray for us that the Word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1
In the above verse Paul is praying toward the rapid spreading of the gospel through the proclamaHon of the Good News of Jesus.
He believed that it could happen again just as it had before with the Thessalonians. He longed to see great fruit from his labors. Is the same true of you and your church?
Do you desire to see God reach the mulHtudes that are without Him in your community and world? You know that He can! He has done it before in the past. What’s keeping God from spreading His Word rapidly today through your life and church?
The year 2012 marked 200 years since the first ChrisHan missionaries were sent to India from America. In 2010, approximately 127,000 missionaries were sent from churches in the United States to internaHonal fields. The United States is sHll the leader in sending believers overseas. Brazil was second with 34,000 missionaries sent in 2010.
What is interesHng about those numbers is that the church in America is sending that many missionaries despite the economic, spiritual and moral downturn that is happening in the American church and culture. It really begs the quesHon: What could happen regarding the sending of missionaries to the world if the church in America could experience revival and spiritual awakening?
What if churches could experience a fresh moving of the presence of God through a fresh anoinHng of His Spirit? Talk about impacHng lostness! Will you pray?
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December 1 Missionary Highlight Andy & Laura Peygrew InternaHonal Missionaries in Botswana, Africa
Today we hear a story from Andy and Laura Peygrew, two of our missionaries serving in Botswana, a country in southern Africa.
The Peygrews work with college students, who oSen do not have a lot of money, especially in Africa.
Andy and Laura planned a missions trip to Lesotho, a small country surrounded by the larger naHon of South Africa. They taught the students that, as followers of Christ, they should take part in missions.
One young man with li(le income skipped dinner every night so he could raise funds for the trip. During the trip he was one of the most effecHve students at witnessing and ministering.
We pray today for Andy and Laura and ask God to bless their ministry. And we ask God to give us a commitment to sharing His love, like the commitment of that poor college student who gave up meals so he could be faithful.
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Pray for global missions! Give to the Lo_e Moon Christmas Offering for Interna<onal Missions Where will He lead if I choose to follow? “Follow Me… go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God” Luke 9:59, 60
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December 8 Missionary Highlight Karen Wright, InternaHonal Missionary in Chile
SomeHmes telling someone about Jesus is easy. That happened recently to one of our missionaries, Karen Wright, who serves
in Chile. She and some volunteers were going through a neighborhood distribuHng
food when she sensed God direcHng her to a parHcular house. Karen went to the house, knocked on the door and offered food. A young woman named Carmen came to the door and she wept as she took the parcel.
Karen prayed for the young woman and shared the gospel with her. When she asked Carmen about praying to receive Christ as her Savior, the young woman responded, "That's what I've been praying all week!"
We thank God that our missionary was responsive to God's leadership and so was able to meet a young woman already eager to hear and respond to the gospel.
This is one more example of how our CooperaHve Program giving changes lives, even in a far-‐off place like Chile in South America.
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He is the hope they are searching for!
Christ commanded us to proclaim the gospel to the enHre world. He is the hope the naHons are searching for. During this Week of Prayer for InternaHonal Missions, pray for people around the world who have never heard the name Jesus. Let those of us who have hope give to share the gospel so others may find Christ.
Colossians 1:27-‐28
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December 15 Missionary Highlight Tawng Khual, Church Planter/Pastor Zo ChrisHan Church, Charlo(e, NC
Thousands of people from Myanmar, the Asian country formerly known as Burma, and se(led in North Carolina.
Some of these are the Zo people, one of Myanmar's many language/culture groups. Tawng Khual is commi(ed to reaching his Zo people with the gospel of Christ
through the new Zo ChrisHan Church. Today we pray that many Zo people will come to know Jesus Christ as Savior.
Our church's CooperaHve Program giving has helped Tawng's ministry.
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It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
One accomplishment and fulfillment that comes through using our money is in helping the helpless. The offering we give through church helps minister to people in need. Acts 20:35
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December 22 Missionary Highlight Martha Moore, InternaHonal Missionary in Germany
Just about every town or city in Germany has one or more impressive old
church buildings, usually Roman Catholic or Lutheran. But few Germans a(end services. That's why we rejoice when we hear that Martha Moore, one of our
missionaries there, has been able to reach German college students for Christ. She started her "Connexions" ministry on one campus in 2000. Now the
program has 14 staffers in four ciHes. Most of those staffers became ChrisHans through Connexions.
Martha says she is seeing God at work in the lives of these German young people who are looking for more in life than a secular educaHon can provide.
We praise God for what He is doing through Martha and her ministry. And we thank Him for leyng us be part of that ministry through our CooperaHve Program giving.
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The Priority of Prayer “First of all, then, I urge that entrea+es, prayers, pe++ons and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men…” 1 Timothy 2:1
The woman was troubled by the words of the young teenager that morning. She immediately sent a text to her family asking for prayer on his behalf. The ministry she was a part of ministers to troubled teens through connecHng horses with emoHonally and behaviorally challenged youth and children.
The young man was 13 years old and said he was leaving his “group home” living situaHon (he was living there because his parents did not want him) to live with and join a LaHno gang. The equestrian ministry had been working with this young man for close to a year.
Much progress had been made tearing down emoHonal and spiritual barriers in his life. The young woman was broken-‐hearted at the prospects of what would become of this young man if he did join the gang. She knew that a ba(le for his heart and soul was raging. She asked for prayer on his behalf.
Paul reminds Timothy in this verse that prayer is the priority in seeing people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
In verse 1, Paul uses four different terms to describe this call to prayer. Each word has a different focus but demonstrates the urgency and priority that Paul places on prayer that is made on behalf of their salvaHon.
Paul was very much concerned for the lost. He understood the ba(le for the souls of people that was raging. He also knew that young Timothy needed to be reminded of the
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December 29 Missionary Highlight Donald & Helen McKinney, InternaHonal Missionaries, India
Most of the ciHes in India are large compared to American ciHes. Today we pray for two of our missionaries, Donald & Helen McKinney, who serve in one of those large ciHes. We're not using their real names because it would be dangerous to idenHfy them.
Many people in India now make enough money to live in comfort, yet untold millions sHll live in the streets, permanently homeless, without access to clean water or bathrooms. Electricity is a hopeless dream for many of these.
The McKinneys tell of a Hindu woman named Vena. They were able to lead this former Hindu woman to faith in Christ; she sHll comes to the McKinney home several Hmes a week for prayer and Bible studies.
In some parts of India, church planHng movements have started in which many come to faith in Christ in a short Hme and the starHng of new churches is almost explosive. That kind of response is not happening yet in the part of India where the McKinneys are serving. Today we pray that God will start a movement of His Spirit that will sweep millions into faith in Jesus.
The McKinneys can serve because our churches and many others across America contribute through the CooperaHve Program.
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An Ambassador with a Mission “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-‐20
When an ambassador is deployed overseas, he has two main objecHves. The first is to represent his sending country. The second is to act as a peacekeeper, or
mediator, between his home country and the country to which he is deployed. Through all of this, however, the ambassador is to never forget his sending country and the values of the country. He is to stand for and defend those values at all costs.
The same is true for believers today. We are ambassadors of God. This passage of Scripture from II Corinthians says that believers have been given the ministry of reconciliaHon. Just as we have had a relaHonship with God restored through Jesus Christ, we have now been sent out by God to tell others how they can have a relaHonship restored with Jesus, as well.
We are ambassadors for Christ. He is using us to make His appeal for a lost and dying world to come into a relaHonship with Him.
But, do we see ourselves as ambassadors – ambassadors represenHng a different Kingdom and as a reconciler between that Kingdom and the kingdoms on earth?
Hopefully we do, because that’s what we are.
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2013 Offering Dates: March 3-‐10 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions www.anniearmstrong.com April 14 CooperaHve Program Sunday www.ncbapHst.org/CPsunday September North Carolina Missions Offering www.ncmissionsoffering.org December 1-‐8 Loye Moon Offering for InternaHonal Missions www.imb.org
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