Missions Conference 2010

Our Missions Conference at Sulphur Springs has been great so far!

We had Bro. Davis, missionary to China, in our morning service on Sunday. He shared with us about the work he and his wife are doing in China and read from 1 Kings 17:7-16. Bro. Davis encouraged us to just believe in God and to focus on God.

• If you just believe God, He will do things beyond what you imagine!
• Sometimes we feel like we don't have anything to give, but we have to see God instead of focusing on what we don't have.
• If you trust God and walk by faith, He will provide your needs.
• We more often find God in the bad times than we do in the good times.
• Ministry not only changes the people you minister to. It changes you, too.

Check out his blog at http://davis-adventures.blogspot.com/ for more information about the ministry in China.

On Monday night, I wasn't able to attend, but I heard that the service was great! The missionaries that attended were Bro. Jeff Goodman and Bro. Josh Bennett. They are going as a team to plant a church in Marana, AZ. Check out more about their ministry at www.themaranaproject.com/pastors-blogs.

Bro. Josh and Ashley Bennett

Bro. Jeff Goodman Family

Tonight, Bro. Dexter Guin was in our evening service. He is a missionary to Colorado Springs, CO. He shared with us about the growth in Colorado Springs and about the new building project that has just begun there.

Bro. Dexter Guin Family

For more information about Bro. Dexter and his ministry in Colorado, visit http://www.homemissions.net/ and click on the Missionaries tab or go to http://www.woodmenroadfwb.com/.

Please keep all of these missionaries and their families in your prayers as they "go...and teach all nations..." (Matthew 28:19).

Missions Banquet and Missions Conference

Tonight I was blessed to be able to attend the 18th Annual Free Will Baptist Area Wide Missions Banquet in Northport. The Missions Banquet is a time when pastors and members of our area churches can get together and fellowship with the missionaries that we support.

After a great meal and music by the Fields Family Trio, Bro. Dexter Guin (Missionary to Colorado Springs, CO) spoke.

He read from Ezekiel 22:30: "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none."

1. God has a place

• God has a specific place of service for each believer.
• "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few: Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." Matthew 9:37-38
• God is still calling people into the ministry!
• When God opens a door for a ministry opportunity, no man can shut it. (Colossians 4:3 and Revelation 3:7-8)
• You have to take the opportunity when God gives it to you - don't miss it!
• Are you doing all that you can do where God has placed you?

2. Jesus has the plan and the program

• The plan is to GO, the program is to PREACH!
• "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:19-20
• "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15
• "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Luke 24:47
• "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." 2 Timothy 4:2

3. The Holy Spirit has the power

• "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8
• "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 4:6
• "And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Luke 24:49
• It doesn't matter where or in what capacity you serve God - you are powerless without Him!

Don't forget that our Missions Conference begins tomorrow during the morning service! We will have a guest speaker tomorrow in the 8:00 a.m. and the 10:30 a.m. services. Also join us Monday - Thursday at 7:00 p.m. each night as we host missionaries in our services.

Missionary Family of the Month

The Long family is currently trying to raise enough support to go to the mission field in the Denver, Colorado area. They are originally from Alabama and currently live in Georgia.

Barry and Jessica and their children are excited about traveling to raise support and getting to meet so many wonderful believers. They have currently raised almost 50% of their necessary support.

Last month at our VBS, we supported the Long family with our nightly offering. The kids raised over $700 for the Long family that week.

During this month, please keep the Long family in your prayers. They have the following requests:

• Pray that they will be able to sell their house in Georgia. This will be a huge burden lifted off their shoulders. It has been on the market since January without an offer, but they are trusting God will provide.
  
• Pray for Barry to recover from his recent sinus surgery. He is doing well, but will be out of commission for a few weeks while he recovers and will not be able to travel during that time to raise support.
  
• Pray for the Long children as they adjust to home school. They are beginning a home school program in order to be able to travel with their parents to raise support so they can get onto the mission field.
  
• Pray for the mission field that the Longs will be going to. The Denver area is growing and ripe for harvest. Pray that the Lord will begin to prepare the hearts of the people that the Longs will come in contact with in their ministry.

Thank you so much for your prayer support for our missionaries and our missions programs! Please continue in prayer for these wonderful people and their willingness to follow God's call.