|
|
|
|
|
|
bfc board of missions |
||||||||
|
|
May 14 2003 Edition Issue 16 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! 226 days till URBANA!!!
Plan, save, but most of all register!
1. Seventeen Year Old Murdered along with three others 3. Nine Year Old Beaten For Her Faith 4. New Openings Is God calling you??? 5. Trips in the works (updated weekly)
1. Seventeen Year Old Murdered along with three others COLOMBIAN PASTOR, 3 CHURCH MEMBERS MURDERED IN BRUTAL ATTACK
Violence in Colombia continued to escalate last week as four Christians were murdered in the northern town of Tierralta the evening of Tuesday, May 6. Twenty-five armed men entered a rural evangelical church and murdered its 80-year-old pastor and three other believers, reported Compass Direct. Those killed include Miguel Mariano Posada, pastor of Sardis, a church in the Association of Caribbean Evangelical Churches denomination; teacher and church treasurer Ana Berenice Girardo Velásquez; 80-year-old Natividad Blandón, the wife of another pastor; and 17-year-old Julio Torres, who was visiting the church. Police said all the victims were apparently known to the murderers. The attackers slit the throats of Posado and the church treasurer and shot the other two victims before fleeing. Since neither of the country's main guerrilla organizations (FARC and ELN) are known to have a presence in the area, it is believed the attackers were paramilitaries loyal to the government. The Council of Evangelical Churches of Colombia has issued a statement calling for armed groups to respect life, expressing concern about the latest killings and the need for justice and equality in the country. (Voice of the Martyrs)
Greetings Dana! Just was wondering if you found any people interested in doing the children's program for the AIM missionary kids in Tanzania. Still not getting any affirmative responses - do have someone willing to donate VBS material for the program but they are unable to get time off from work to come. Let me know if you have any leads. God Bless! Kim
Original communication:
Greetings from Usandawe!
Just was wondering if you could help me with the need a short term team for some MK children's ministry. Each year the AIM missionaries of Tanzania have a week long conference in November. I'm in charge of the children's program this year - what had been done in the past is for a group of people from someone's supporting church to come - it has been a real blessing to the missionaries and kids as well as to the team that serves. Usually the team that comes just does the VBS program from their church - the MK's really look forward to this - it is like their camp and VBS. Here is a quick outline of the purpose of the team:
1. Encourage the MK's of AIM Tanzania.
2. Fellowship with AIM missionaries in Tanzania - learning about different ministries within Tanzania.
3. You will also be working with national Bible college students who help with the children's work - it is a great opportunity for them to learn about children's ministries. ( Don't worry they know somw English and like the opportunity to practice it as well) This outreach can be as short as about 10 days or if they want to visit Usandawe it can be extended to include that.
Kim Stengele ( Three or four people needed November 19-26)
Dana,
Berean BFC in Terre Hill will be doing a couple of outreaches this summer. First, July 18 & 19 Terre Hill Days. We will have a booth and do Sketch Board Meetings all day Saturday with literature distribution taking place all weekend. Then, August 1-6 they will be sending a team to Spruce Lake Retreat to assist in a VBS. Lastly, we will be doing our annual Day Camp and Teen week, Aug. 11-15, where we will be reaching out to our community's kids and touch the lives of over 200 kids from grades 1 thru 12 during the week. If any one is interested in assisting with the two local ones they contact the church. 717 445 4401
Thanks. Kevin Kirkpatrick
Keep those letters rolling in!!!
3. Nine Year Old Beaten For Her Faith
9-YEAR-OLD PAKISTANI GIRL BEATEN IN RETALIATION FOR IRAQ WAR A 9-year-old Christian Pakistani servant girl was recently beaten severely in retaliation for the Iraq War. Razia Masih, whose father is deceased and whose mother has a mental illness, was forced to work as a servant in the home of Mohammad Asim Malik in Faisal Town, Lahore. When the girl's brother, Farooq, heard his sister's complaints about abuse in mid-April, he repeatedly sought her release, but was rebuffed and warned never to return. When Masih tried to escape on April 26, Malik and his wife beat her so severely that she had to be admitted to the intensive care unit of a local hospital. She suffered a broken right arm and numerous cuts, bruises and burns. Masih said her employers began beating and torturing her during the bombing of Iraq. The wife told her, "We will take revenge on you for the American bombing of Iraqi Muslim children because you are an infidel and a Christian." Violence and persecution against Christians has intensified in Pakistan since 9/11. (International Christian Concern)
4. New Openings Is God calling you???
URGENT
////////////////
We are in desperate need of a ministry team to come to Blueberry for July 6-11 to present the gospel to 8-11 year olds through puppets, songs, stories or skits. Please pray that we might find a church who can help us reach kids for Christ. If we do not find a group top help soon, we will need to look at other options. The only difficult thing is this week has been advertised as a week where puppets will be featured. We are also looking for older teens to come and be counselors for three weeks. We have none yet. If you do nothing else besides pray, for this need of puppet ministry as well as guy and girl counselors for the summer camp program you have blessed us. Thank you.
////////////////
Pinebrook Bible Conference and Retreat Center is in need of some volunteers to serve our guests here during the Memorial Day Weekend which is May 23 - 26, 2003. If interested please call Pastor Mark at 570.424.1212 ext. 21.
////////////////
Pinebrook Bible Conference and Retreat Center still has some great summer ministry opportunities available for college students and other college age or older individuals: Head Lifeguard Girl's Dorm Supervisor One Guys and One Girls Counselor Activities Director If interested, please call Pastor Mark at 570.424.1212 ext. 21
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 29-May 2 Frances Sears will take the third short missions trip to be with the Lawrence children while Brian and Carol Ann go to Canada. May 6-13 Sinking Spring team of 9 church planting in Mexico City. 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! May 23 June 6 Emmaus to The Fold (Hash) room available May 26- Aug. 5 Alicia Billups Team Coordinator for RGBI June 7-13 Paris Prayer Conference 03 www.david.riddell@wanadoo.fr June – August Rachel Bechtel CF summer missionary June 12-15 . Mt. Pocono trip to Blueberry Mountain (Slomas) June 21-28 Coopersburg trip to work with Bob & Donna Sloma at Blueberry Mountain Bible Camp along with Chris & Becki Merrick. June 26-28 Paradise at Lighthouse for VBS June 26-July 3 Emmaus to The Fold (Hash) room available July 4-18 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) July 5-12, Paradise team to Thompson, CT, to assist with VBS both at the church and at a nearby park. July 5-25 Elizabeth Studenroth Moscow with the English Exchange July 11-26 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) July 26- August 3 Q’town & Lehighton missions trip to Asheville, North Carolina. July date to be determined Cedar Crest to Morocco Work team and ministry. August 1-6 Terre Hill at Spruce Lake VBS outreach 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 Pollocks Team of 25 for work and ministry Aug. 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)
Title:
Speaking of Jesus:
How to tell your friends the best news they will ever hear
Downers
Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1996
Why is it scary to talk about Jesus with those who don't know him? In part, because Jesus is not content being a quantifyable and predictable force in our lives. He will be king, whether we like it or not. He has an amazing way of getting under people's skin: You just can't know how people will respond to the mere mention of his name. "Following God is a strange business, filled with wonder," (pg 28) says Mack Stiles in his book, Speaking of Jesus. Through lively, humorous and often moving stories about everyday people sharing their faith in everyday situations, Mack shows how we can talk about Jesus so people will listen. Mack knows it’s not easy being a witness in the real world. For instance, when he was a student, one spring break he decided to join InterVarsity’s Fort Lauderdale beach evangelism project. The beach itself was a zoo - all those almost-naked people ... Everyone’s sound system roared loudly enough to drown out the noise of the surf ... Then it dawned on me: “I’m supposed to share the gospel with them!” I felt I was trying to invade Normandy in a rowboat with a squirt gun. I felt daunted, then ill (pg 44-5). He could have turned around and gone home. But he didn’t. Mack hung out where the action was, made friends with total strangers and found numerous opportunities to talk about Jesus! He had expected to “do evangelism”; instead he learned to love and pray for people, be equipped to tell the truth about Jesus, and to seize opportunities to share the Gospel naturally and relevantly with others. Mack helps us see evangelism differently — that God works through people who are available, not only those with the weighty seminary degrees. He says, “I can be a positive evangelist today not because I’ve hypnotized myself in front of a mirror, but because I came to believe what the Bible says about me is true” (pg 105). Speaking of Jesus is a book that every Christian should read, who has ever struggled with being a witness. It gives a healthy, biblical perspective on how Christians can “go physically and mentally into all the world: to Africa and non-Christian cubicles at work, to Congress and smoking sections of restaurants, even to Florida beaches” (pg 45) to tell others about Jesus.
This book can be purchased at www.amazon.com of $8.80 OR can be purchased with Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer for $17.60. Now there is some great reading to prepare you for your outreach ministry!!
Only you can be you. Your gifts, background and calling is uniquely you. Look in the mirror. What do you see? There staring back at you is you! The you God created. Paul tells us that “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.” God has uniquely created a place for you this summer. You need to know what and where He wants you to serve. Only you can accomplish His call for you! If you do not willingly go and willingly do what God calls then you dropped the ball. You dropped the ball big time! James puts it this way: Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.
Lord I
don't want to do one thing on my own Old Bluegrass song.
Most of all, Keep Fishing!
Dana
Reminder
November 14-16 BOM Missions RWR This annual work/study weekend sponsored by the BOM is for high school and post high school young people serious about knowing God’s will for their life and the possibility of career missions. This weekend fills up quickly so register early by e-mail to office@bfcbom.org. Name, age, church, e-mail and snail mail address, and phone # required.
Registrations are already coming in! Don’t miss out!
A cooperative effort of the churches of the BFC to win the world for Christ Your response is always welcome at: office@bfcbom.org 610 398-8776
|
|||||
|
|
 |
|
|
