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This is the Eighth 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! How’s the fishing? Remember missions starts at home. You can not expect to do on a missions trip what you are unwilling to do at home! When Jesus called us to a worldwide vision, he told us to FIRST look at our home. (Acts 1:8) Jesus said, “I WILL make you fishers of men”, therefore fishing is NOT an option. Start today to look for a place to fish; perhaps it’s the girl who has the locker next to you at school, or the boy in your history class, the man who occupies the desk next to you at work or your neighbor across the back yard. Before you go fishing this week, go over the Elements of a Gospel Presentation found in item number 6 below. I heard a great idea this week. One of our Bible Fellowship churches places a white rose in the front of the church to celebrate a person who came to faith during the previous week! WOW! When a person comes to new life in Christ the church should celebrate after all, all of heaven celebrates! Luke 15:7
1. Think Christmas! Urbana is Coming! 2. Here is a Movie for your Consideration 5. Trips in the works (updated weekly) 6. Elements of a Gospel Presentation 1. Think Christmas! Urbana is Coming! Now is the time to begin to plan for URBANA MISSIONS CONFERENCE. The Board of Missions and the Board of Youth and Young Adults will do everything possible to organize a Bible Fellowship delegation. If you are going to be a senior in high school the next school year or are a young adult interested in missions URBANA is a must! Four things you must begin to do. Register. You can register for Urbana on line at Urbana.org Recruit. Work with your church to get others to go. Plan. There is no doubt about it Urbana is expensive! If you register by August 31, the conference will cost you $415 ($560 if you are not a student). You will also have to plan on transportation costs. The BOM and the BY&Y will do what we can to provide convenient and inexpensive transportation. Here is why you should plan. IF you begin to save now, the whole conference including transportation is doable by setting aside $60/month. Every month you delay, it becomes harder to raise the money. Don’t forget your birthday and Christmas presents. When Uncle Johnny asks you what you want, ask for a donation to your Urbana fund! Connect. Keep in touch with me. I need to know ALL who plan to go in order to coordinate transportation. Let me know as soon as you decide to go since transportation will be on a first come first served bases. 2. Here is a Movie for your Consideration The Harvest - A Modern Day Parable The Harvest is a dramatic story of a young family pushed to the edge. A crisis at harvest becomes a race against time. Inspired by a true story and set to an original musical score, this modern day parable will stir every person young and old. Let this video challenge and captivate you and your friends with the urgency to become part of the spiritual harvest. This video is a MUST for your short term team prior to going on the field. Even if The Harvest has been viewed before at your church, I still highly recommend your team’s seeing it again! Call toll free 800.827.2788 to place your order.
With the political situation the way it is many are rethinking the advisability of going on a Short Term Ministry overseas this year. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind: DO: Pray! Seek God’s will and guidance on this matter. After all you are an ambassador of HIS kingdom and not of the USA! DO: Count the risk. There is always a certain amount of risk in an overseas trip. IT is never completely “safe”. Everyone on the trip (as well as parents if minors who are going) should understand the risks and be ready to accept the costs. Reminder, America may go to war, BUT the church of Jesus Christ is already at war! Every trip is a serious matter since we step into the fount lines of the battle between the Kingdom of Darkness and the Kingdom of Light. DO: Calculate both the advice you receive from your host missionary, and the latest State Department publications. There is a host of wise counsel on international matters at: For heath matters contact the National Center for Infectious Disease at: Don’t: Stand out in the crowd! This is not the year for matching tee shirts with “Missions USA” plastered on them!!! Also leave home your WWJD type tee’s. IF the group is six people, sit in groups of two or three at airports. Don’t have group meetings during layovers. Remain quiet and inconspicuous at all public transportation places. Don’t: Take large amounts of luggage. Dress simply and travel simply. Leave designer labels at home and wear generic type jeans and sneakers. Don’t look American! Don’t: line up at the internet café to write “Hi Mom” e-mails or use public phones for unnecessary international calls. Keep communications to the States short and simple. Do: Have an emergency plan in place. Work with the Host missionary to have a second place to meet other than his home or church should something major happen and it becomes inappropriate to attempt to get back to base camp. Each person should know where that place is and how to get there on their own should they become separated from the group. Each person should know how to use the local phone system and have the necessary coins or calling card to make an emergency phone call. Of course they also need to have a list of emergency numbers. Don’t: Get involved in ANY political demonstration or debate. If a crowd forms to protest, go the opposite direction. Don’t stay to observe or take pictures, LEAVE! If anyone strikes up a conversation about US policy, change the subject immediately. Don’t give your opinions. You represent Christ on this trip. Do: Keep on your person at all times your passport and other important documentation. Keep at base camp copies of all of these documents. Do: Make sure the US embassy knows the dates you are in the country of their jurisdiction and has clear information about your whereabouts. Many US embassies now are capable of receiving your travel agenda on line. Do: Make every attempt to not allow the political climate disrupt your desire to serve the Lord overseas. Do: Have an army of intercessors praying for you and your team daily.
Good Morning Dana, I really appreciate receiving, Let's Fish. It really helps me stay connected to our missionaries and what is happening in their part of the world for Christ. The world certainly seems to be shrinking while our knowledge of world events is expanding. Sure gives us much for which to pray. I found interesting your remarks about the movie of the life and ministry of Gladys Aylward. I thought you might be interested in knowing that in 1960 when I was pastor in our Bible Fellowship Church, Denville, N.J. Gladys Aylward spoke in our little congregation. At that time I didn't know who Gladys Aylward was but one of our church families had been praying for her and supporting her and ask me if she could come. What an experience! While she was small in stature physically, she was a giant in faith and just radiated the love of Jesus. It is no wonder the Chinese came to love and appreciate her. She was so much like our Lord. We could all learn from her example. Have a great day. Ron Mahurin PS Your choice of the hymn, Am I a Soldier of the Cross, is one of my all time favorites. I frequently sing it; to myself that is, I find it a good question to keep before me during these days of spiritual warfare. The news media continually asks, "When are we going to war?" We of course know we are already at war. Go forth to battle today , my brother, with God's speed and blessing.
Keep those letter rolling in!!!
5. 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 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. April 11-26 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) May 14 - Aug. 6 Rachel Moyer (Coopersburg) with Kim Stengele, Tanzania 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! June 7-13 Paris Prayer Conference 2003 www.david.riddell@wanadoo.fr June 11 Rebecca Zubrick Costa Rica with Lillian Solt June 21-28 Coopersburg trip to work with Bob & Donna Sloma at Blueberry Mountain Bible Camp along with Chris & Becki Merrick. July 4-18 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) 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 10-24 Cedar Crest trip to Pollock's Team of 25 for work and ministry August 15-30 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) 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. Sep. 26-Oct. 11 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) October date to be determined Cedar Crest to Kosovo Work and ministry. Nov. 7-22 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available)
6. Elements of a Gospel Presentation
Gospel Outline Below is a basic outline of the Gospel. It would be good to get to know this outline so that you can share with a seeker. First Steps to God God
Us
Christ
Response
I was just ready to send Let’s Fish when this news item flashed across my screen: Serbian prime minister assassinated Djindjic played key role in delivering Milosevic to U.N. war crimes tribunal MSNBC NEWS SERVICES BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro, March 12 — Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic - a key leader of the revolt that toppled former President Slobodan Milosevic in October 2000 - was assassinated Wednesday by gunmen who ambushed him outside the government complex, police sources said. “He’s dead,” a source from his Democratic Party told Reuters. DJINDJIC, 50, was shot in the chest by two large caliber sniper bullets fired from a distance, a police source told Reuters earlier. Police arrested two suspects. The government building where Djindjic was ambushed was sealed off by heavy state security, and three ambulances were parked in front. Police stopped traffic in downtown Belgrade, searching through cars and checking passengers. Djindjic, 50, appeared to have been targeted last month, when a truck suddenly cut into the lane in which his motorcade was traveling to Belgrade’s airport. The motorcade narrowly avoided a collision, and Djindjic later dismissed the Feb. 21 alleged assassination attempt as a “futile effort” that could not stop democratic reforms. “If someone thinks the law and the reforms can be stopped by eliminating me, then that is a huge delusion,” Djindjic was quoted as saying by the Politika newspaper at the time. This demonstrates how international events affect us. We have two missionary families in Serbia and a host of short term trips planned for this area (see item #5). Please pray that the ministry in the former Yugoslavia will continued unhampered by the events of the past hour.
Fill me up so I can overflow so that the world will know You are the Answer. So when they look at me, it’s really You they see. Oh Lord, I want to be a vessel of honor for You. Leah Settles If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. -Paul See you in TWO WEEKS! I leave for Morocco on Friday. (See item 5 March 14-24 above). Please be in prayer for this trip.
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