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This is the Fifth issue of Let’s Fish. Bible Fellowship Churches sharing resources to evangelize the world. A place for the exchange of ideas on short term missions projects and local outreach. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." All responses can be sent to office@bfcbom.org Current and past issues can be found on the web at: www.bfcbom.org look in “Mission Events” then Let’s Fish
Greetings from Allentown! Can you believe this is the fifth issue of Let’s Fish? Last week we offered for participants of Let’s Fish an opportunity to attend the Global Focus Seminar at Wallingford. Frances Sears from our Paradise Church has responded and will be the special guest of the Board of Missions at the upcoming seminar. Pastor Denis Lawrence from our Quakertown Church will also be attending having responded from a similar invitation extended to BFC pastors.
The February 4-12 trip to partner with Duane & Joetta Moyer & family in Guadeloupe was immensely profitable. The 25 person team - 13 from Coopersburg and 12 from Blandon- accomplished their primary task of installing fire-rated ceilings in the girls' dorm at the Centre Evangelique. The team enjoyed week-long interaction with the Moyer family, and the teens on the team provided welcome fellowship for Justin, Caleb, & Amanda Moyer. The team ministered in one church and had additional interaction with Guadeloupian Christians and exposure to the culture.
2. Multi-church Missions Teams Recommended
The Coopersburg and Blandon churches highly recommend multi-church teams. The inter-church relationships that form among team members far surpass the extra coordination involved. These two churches are willing to coach other churches open to the concept. We encourage a church to find another that shares your vision and combine efforts in forming work and ministry teams.
I copied the following paragraph out of a letter from Dr. Dick and Flo Gehman. Dick and Flo have just retired from missionary service in Kenya. Check out the underlined sentence. Perhaps some of you reading this will be our next career missionaries! Pray about it!
In this our final Activity Report to the Bible Fellowship Church Missions Board we conclude by expressing our heartfelt thanks to you for all the help you have given to us so that we could fulfill the calling God gave to us. This was a calling received when we were both teenagers. By God’s grace we have been faithful to that calling. The Bible Fellowship has been faithful in supporting us. And by God’s grace we desire to be faithful until we are called heavenward.
4. What in the World is sub rosa?
sub rosa \suhb-ROH-zuh\, adverb: Secretly; privately; confidentially.
sub-rosa, adjective: Designed to be secret or confidential; secretive; private.
I do hope this is a sentence you would never use. “I prefer to live my Christian faith sub rosa, after all Christianity is a private matter.”
Jesus said:
“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
The words sub rosa and missionary are like the words oil and water. Let another saying of Jesus influence your life:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
5. Pray for the Persecuted Church
BRUTAL PERSECUTION CONTINUES IN VIETNAM, 67 ETHNIC PASTORS JAILED
Reports received by Christian Aid Mission indicate that 67 Christian pastors have been imprisoned in undisclosed locations by Vietnamese authorities. These include 11 Hmong pastors from the northern part of the country and 56 Ede and Mnong pastors from the central highlands who were taken from their homes without any reason given by the police. Their families have not been successful in locating the whereabouts of their abducted husbands and fathers. Recently discovered secret government documents describe a program of systematic persecution of Christians called "Plan 184." In one recent example in Lai Chau province, a Hmong pastor was tied up and tortured at his house until he was unconscious. Two policemen then carried him to the local police station and put him in jail. Later police forced him and all members of the 21 families that attend his house church to perform public work. Then, in an effort pressure the believers to renounce their faith, police set fire to several of their homes. In desperation, the Christian families all fled to the jungle, fearing for their lives. Vietnamese police often enter house churches, breaking up worship services, ripping Bibles and songbooks from worshipers' hands, driving them from their homes and threatening them with death. Many have been forced to sign papers recanting their faith. More than 356 house churches have been closed by the authorities. (Missions Insider)
6. Trips in the works (updated weekly) The Board of Missions is keeping statistics of all short term missionary trips (both by teams and individuals). Please let us know all the important information about your trip. WHO, WHAT, CHURCH, MISSIONARY, COUNTRY, and DATE. Contact: office@bfcbom.org To Date the following ministries being done by BFC’ers have been registered with Let’s Fish. Feb. 4-12 - Coopersburg, York, and Blandon doing renovation work in Guadalupe. (See item 1 above) Feb.19-22 - Frances Sears to stay with the Lawrence children. Feb. 21-March 2 - Coopersburg Kenya Trip. March 14-24 LBC trip to Morocco including team members from BFC churches in Lebanon, Newark, York and Emmaus. (See item 7) March (Date not established) Cedar Crest work team to Newark N.J. with missionaries Toto Felecia Baran. May 10 One day ministry blitz through out the tri-state area as part of Emmaus Mission Conference. May 14-28 Cedar Crest & Quakertown Tanzania Trip Building Dispensary. Skilled builders may still be needed! August 10-24 Cedar Crest trip to Pollocks Team of 25 for work and ministry. July date to be determined Cedar Crest to Morocco Work team and ministry. August 2-18 - Emmaus Ukraine Trip doing puppet shows, drama, music and coffee house ministry as well as a morning camp program with Push-the-Rock each morning. August 16-23 - Emmaus going to Wissinoming BFC for VBS and evangelistic puppet shows. August 22-24 - Walnutport BFC Weekend Block Party. Emmaus will be doing puppet shows and a Saturday block party.
7. BOM
Director on His way to Morocco 8. Outreach Project for your Church or Youth Group
Subject: Help put our door hangers
We are looking for churches to help distribute door hangers on Saturday April 12th 2003 from 10am-2pm. Youth and adults wanted. Lunch will be provided by Lighthouse Church. It will be for our Easter Service. Contact John Pello at 610-437-4657 or jnjdygr4277@msn.com
Thanks -John Pello.
I attempt to keep you abreast of what is happing with our brothers and sisters who are persecuted around the world. Today it was Vietnam in the past it was two different instances in India. It seems unusual that in the same publication we would talk about persecution and being ashamed of the gospel of Christ. There has never been a stirring of people around the world to get involved in God’s vision of world evangelization like is taking place right now.
Is God stirring your heart? Be bold for HIM! Step out right now and be a kingdom player. Don’t let this day go by without sharing your faith!
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