Free E-Book: The 52 Week Epidemic
My friend Trent made available a free e-book on his blog (a call for pioneer senders) and I also want to share this resource with you. The free e-book is called “The 52 Week Epidemic”. Here is a quick description about the book:
“The fifty-two week epidemic of passion for God’s worldwide glory. Learn what it takes to spread missions excitement and commitment on your college campus or at your church. Filled with unique ideas for becoming a contagious world Christian.”
As he stated on his blog:
“The 52 Week Epidemic is a great resource for youth and campus ministries looking to mobilize young people for the cause of missions. The ideas come from several missionaries and was compiled by … a missionary in China. We put together this book for the Our Generation Camp in 2007 with the theme Spread the Epidemic. They have given me full permission to use the book however I see best for raising awareness for world missions. Thank you Jake and team.”
I also was able to be apart of this team when the book was being written and compiled. I wrote and submitted the idea for week #9 “Language Distribution Week”.
I hope this book will encourage you to spread missions excitement and commitment on your college campus or at your church.
Of Coffee Shops, Indigenous Worship Leaders, English Classes, and Boy’s Homes
Here is a great article from a missionary friend who was just in our city. He and his family are missionaries serving in a creative access country and reaching Muslims with the Gospel. I wholeheartedly agree with his perspective in the article below. I too, with the one life I am given, want to preach Christ, disciple men, and plant churches. May there be more laborers raised up to do the same!
Of Coffee Shops, Indigenous Worship Leaders, English Classes, and Boy’s Homes
I am in Northern China right now and in a city with over 300 missionaries among 10 million people. I spoke with one of these missionaries at a house church on Sunday. He is attending the church after being in the country for three years he has no disciples and no real results from his specific efforts. I asked him what his goal is in being in the country and he said, “I would like to develop indigenous worship leaders in the country.” This missionary’s goal is to ignite church planting movements among college students whom they have identified as the future influencers of society.
Another missionary in the same city has been here even longer with similar results, measurably speaking. He has started a coffee shop in the downtown area where I ate breakfast this morning to the sound of Casting Crowns and Third Day. Their goal in being here is also to assist in and ignite church planting. I sat in their shop for over an hour and the only Christian influence being exerted were the subliminal messages you could get from the music. The owners have a strict rule to not use words in their shop like Jesus, God, church, missionary, etc so as not to cause their front problems with the police.
I was speaking with a local pastor named Stephen who was reached by my friend Jake here four years ago when Jake first arrived. I asked him if he had ever met a Christian before Jake. He said, “Yeah, sure! I had many teachers at the university who are all here to spread Christianity but I never knew it. They never told me about the Gospel or invited me to church. I learned English from them but not Jesus.” Jake and his wife shared Christ with Stephen and many others. This week I worshipped Christ together with almost 80 Chinese in the church they started. They are one of maybe 5 missionaries in this city of 300+ missionaries who have started a church.
Several months ago I was speaking on a Bible college campus about missions to Muslims. A student approached me and shared with me his plan to start a boy’s home in the West of the U.S. He wanted to know what I thought about this. I told him in so many words, and would still tell him: Mathew 4:19.
Jesus called his disciples here to be fishers of men. He spent two to three years with them teaching them to be bold preachers of the Kingdom of God. He modeled for them everything they were to do. He sent them forth to replicate what he was teaching them. He continued to instruct, mold, and build their faith and skills. After his time of training by fire he sent them out, equipped with the Holy Spirit to fish in all the world for men. He taught them to start churches and make disciples.
Would the disciples have started a boy’s home? Would the disciples, having learned at the feet of Jesus, have made it their goal to train indigenous worship leaders? Would the disciples have started businesses and café’s in every city where they would enter? NO!
While there are still cities in the world by the thousands without churches, while there are still billions who have not heard of Christ, while there are still young lives ready to be trained, how can we “disciples of Christ” do anything but focus our efforts on the preaching of the Gospel, the discipling of men, and the planting of churches? Can we not trust the methods of Christ to be more effective than all our plans? With the one life I am given, I want to preach Christ, disciple men, and plant churches.
Source: projcectna.com
| Posted in Articles, BCWE, Church Planting, Discipleship, Evangelism, Missions | No Comments »
Missionary Wife Robbed at Gun Point
Please read the following from our Pastor about the Bush Family. They Bush family is a tremendous family serving in Argentina as missionaries (I as able to visit and stay with them back in 2005). I hope you will pray and consider giving to help this family recover the things stolen. Read the following:
Missionary Wife Robbed at Gun Point
I just got off the phone with missionary Jeff Bush in La Plata, Argentina. They were just robbed in their home at gunpoint. If you remember Mindy is pregnant. Two thieves met them as they opened the door to their garage and home.
They put a gun to Mindy’s head. They stole their wedding rings, engagement ring, both laptop computers, camera, cell phone, jewelry, all the cash in both dollars and pesos that they had, which was about $1,000.
The thieves went into the house. They grabbed the necklace around Mindy’s neck and were going to jerk it off but were kind enough to take it off as they held the gun to her head.
There were two men and with two guns. They were told that if they report this to the police that they will come back and steal the baby, Alexandra.
This is a horrible set back. They have lost down to their wedding rings. They have been held at gun point, they were threatened. The $1,000 was money that is needed for ministry needs this week and must be taken out in cash so it is gone.
They are ok. That is the good news. Mindy, Jeff, and the girls are all ok. But this will be a scare for the family as you know.
Will you pray for them? Would you consider giving a love offering to help get their rings, their computers, camera, etc.
If you want to send a special offering you can send it to
Jeff Bush
MWBM
P O Box 519
Braselton, GA 30517Their web site http://reachingall.com/main.html
If you would like to get more information you can call me at 770-500-8021.
I ask you to help. They are in real need!
Source: austingardner.net
05.26.11
Training Should Be The Priority Ministry!
Here is a six part series from my Pastor Austin Gardner called, “Training Should Be The Priority Ministry!” We desire to train Chinese leaders who can train other leaders to reach their own people with the Gospel. These articles will give you a better understanding of not only our pastor’s desire and perspective, but our desire as well.
Here are the links to the whole series. Enjoy these great insightful, helpful, and encouraging articles!
- Training Should Be The Priority Ministry! (1 of 6)
- Training Should Be The Priority Ministry! (2 of 6)
- Training Should Be The Priority Ministry! (3 of 6)
- Training Should Be The Priority Ministry! (4 of 6)
- Training Should Be The Priority Ministry! (5 of 6)
- Training Should Be The Priority Ministry! (6 of 6)
Let me know what you think in the comments!
| Posted in Articles, BCWE, Church Planting, Discipleship, Missions, Project China, Training, Training Leaders | No Comments »
How To Pray For Your Missionaries
I came across these post from a Missionary friend, Aaron Vance. They were an encouragement to me as I read them over. I hope these thoughts will help you be better prepared to pray for missionaries. I summarized the list below with the correlating verses but encourage you to visit and read the full articles with his comments. Here are the links to the three articles and a short summary of all three:
How To Pray For Your Missionaries: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
- Get To Know Your Missionaries! (Philippians 1:3-8)
- Pray For Laborers! (Matthew 9:35-38)
- Pray For An Open Door! (Colossians 4:2-5)
- Pray For Wisdom! (Ephesians 1:15-23)
- Pray For Boldness! (Ephesians 6:18-20)
- Pray For Protection! (2 Thessalonians 3:1-3)
- Pray for Help In Trials (2 Corinthians 1:8-11)
- Pray For A Fruitful Ministry! (John 15:16)
- Pray For A Missionary’s Personal Battles!
“So how do we put all of this into practice?
Well, as I mentioned in Point 1, you have to connect with your missionaries to know what’s going on in their lives and ministries. After you know these things you can more efficiently pray for them and their families.
Get a burden for their ministry. Make it your ministry! Put yourself in their shoes and pray for their family as if it were your own.
Set aside time to pray for your missionaries. Make a list of missionaries to pray for and pray for them. Pray for them individually. Pray for them as a family. Pray for them with friends from your church. Pray for them continually!
Pray for missions collectively and specifically. What do I mean by that? Pray for the missionaries as a whole, but then also take time to mention them by name. Then, beg God to do a work in the world as he raises up laborers for His harvest.”
| Posted in Articles, BCWE, Mobilization, Prayer Request | 2 Comments »
Exciting Things are Happening!
On of the exciting things that I get to do is work with a team of missionaries stationed all around the world. It is exciting to see the Lord bless and work in their ministries as well as get to have a small part through friendship, prayers, and giving. If you have been following our updates for awhile, hopefully we have communicated that our desire is not to only see China but the whole world reached with the Gospel.
Here are some of the exciting things that are happening. You should pray and see how you can be involved!
Plans for Africa | Watch the VIDEO
Austin Gardner, my pastor, is working on plans to reach groups of people no one else is reaching. Watch the video to see his heart and plan. Here is a small excerpt from his blog:
“I am begging God to give us a man to take over some projects for Africa that we have. It means a man that will help us get materials and media to a needy continent. I see this need in India, Indonesia, Thailand, and many other places. We are asking God to allow us to be used in that!
More Info: austingardner.net
Church Building in Peru | Watch the VIDEO
Jeremy Hall is raising funds to help be a blessing to a church and pastor. Below is some details from his blog.
“The video above will show you what it is for. This church is working so hard at raising money, and they will continue to go forward with or without our help. They have never asked for help, I just want to be a blessing. I want to see if we can raise …. the remaining amount needed to finish their project, $15,000. This Church has been saving for quite a while and has managed to raise s/.9,000 from their own people. That is a huge amount for them, just over $3,200. There plans were to finish this project in years to come. I would like to see them in their new building
Okay, I have some really exciting news. We have had an incredible response to the video these past couple of days, so far sixteen different individuals, a group of business men, and one Church (Vision BC) have donated,totaling $5,380. Also, another surprising thing happened, someone has decided to match what ever is given over the next two weeks up to $6000.
This match will go through March 27. If you are going to give, now is the time. ”
More Info: jmhall.info
Vision Baptist Missions
It is exciting to watch our mission board send out new missionaries. We have had three guys that have recently started and are out on the deputation trail. I know each of these guys personally and I am excited to see what the Lord is going to do through them! They are:
- Scott Newton – church-planting missionary to Spain. Video | More Info
- Philip Bassham – church-planting missionary to Thailand. Video | More Info
- Chris Waye – church-planting missionary to British Isles. More Info
If you are looking for missionaries to have into your church, look no father!
Get involved in missions this stuff is exciting!
| Posted in BCWE, Missions, Mobilization, Prayer Request, Teamwork | No Comments »
Our Generation Camps in 2011
If you have been following my updates over the years, then you know that every year I say something about a camp. This camp has had different names throughout the years but has had the same focus “to see young people turn their hearts and minds to bringing God to glory through global missions.” Our desire is to see our generation surrender their lives and take the Gospel message to the world.
This year we have two camps taking place. The new Our Generation Camp is for middle school and high school students (7th – 12th grade) and another one is the 8th Annual Our Generation Student Leadership Camp for collage age students.
You can find all the details about the camps by CLICKING HERE (GIVE ME MORE INFO!)
It you are looking for a youth camp for your church or something for your college and career class, these are great opportunities for them to be impacted for world missions. I hope you will look over the information and give it some consideration (then GO!).
Here is a testimony from a young man who attended the camp and is now preparing for the mission field.
“In the summer of 2009, I took a trip from Jefferson, Maryland to Alpharetta, Georgia, for 10 days. What I did not know is how much this trip would change my life, and how God would use it to work in my life.
A few years before that, in 2005, and in 2006, I had taken trips to BCWE camps, and through them, felt that the Lord was leading me to give my life to full time missions.
However, after 2006, I went back to Maryland, and quickly burnt out. I had a desire to serve God, but I did not have the know how, or the instructors to guide me. Rather than seeking God with my life, I went to college to run track, and during that year God would radically shake my life. I was miserable. I got back in contact with David Gardner, missionary from Vision Baptist church, and he invited me to the 2009 BCWE Summer Camp.
At that camp, God worked in my life, through the preaching, time spent with the missionaries and staff of Vision Baptist, and the mini-missions trips to different temples in the area. I can look back, and say, with full assuredly, that during that week, God changed my life not just for a week, but the rest of my life.
Before the camp, I had a desire to serve God, by was torn between serving Him, and serving myself with my life. After the camp, there was no doubt as to what I needed to do. Instead of enrolling in another semester of college, I moved from MD to GA, to enroll in the OGTC.
This camp was, without doubt, greatly used of God in directing me in the path of His will. I would definitely say, with full confidence, that this camp can be greatly used in your life to help you find out what it is that God wants you to do with your life.
If you are interested in serving God with your life, if you know that God wants to use your life, and if you want to see your life have an eternal purpose, the 2011 BCWE camp would be an extremely great place to start seeking.”
| Posted in BCWE, Events, Missions, Mobilization | No Comments »
Heading into the New Year!
The New Year arrives about 13 hours earlier for us this year. For the past several years at this time of year we have been at the Our Generation summit in Gatlinburg, TN (which you can watch this year’s event live at www.bcwe.org) being motivated and trying to motived others for missions. This year we are on the mission field.
And come to think of it, we have the summit for this reason. To move people from excited to action. Move them from off the field to on the field. This is the purpose of the conference to see more surrender their lives and take up residents in a foreign land for the evangelization of that people.
As we are entering our first “New Year” here on the mission field, we are not surrounded by a group of individuals who have the same passion and desire the we do to see the world reached with the gospel. There is no rallying together. We are on the other end of the missions call. The pep rally is over and we are in the game.
Three months of language school have been completed and the more I learn the more I realize I don’t know. Culture shock comes in many different forms and disguises itself so well. Stress on our marriage is different than what it use to be as simple things seem to be magnified. Sickness seems to come much easier. I have been out of commission for almost a week do to the flu or something of the like and though that doesn’t seem to be very different, my wife has been sick with something just about every other week at the least. Every time she gets on her feet is seems like she is nocked down again.
So is it worth it? Is it worth all the hype the we make about it? You better believe it. As we are heading into 2011 we are with the rest of our fellow laborers shouting to the theme of “for the sake of His name.”
11.29.10
3 Great Upcoming Events!
The first two events are close to my heart as I have been involved in them from the beginnings. I have been to all of the camps and summits that have been held by BCWE and this is the first year I won’t be able to attend (for obvious reasons). These two events have impacted and helped shape my life to the point where I am today. I first started attending as a student simply with a heart that wanted to do something for God. I knew I wasn’t anything special but I wanted to be used. When I attended these events and saw a passion for the Glory of God, I knew I wanted to be apart of it. I was hooked. And over the next several years I was able to be apart of the team to the point I was helping organize and even speaking at the events.
It has been awesome to see how the Lord has used theses two World Evangelism events to recruit more laborers, motive more Christians, and lift His name high! Let me challenge you to go. Let me challenge you to do more than just “consider” about this amazing opportunity, but take the next step and actually register and attend one of these events. You truly will be challenged and need to evaluated what you are doing for the cause of Christ. Maybe you are thinking about missions and how you can be more involved. Maybe you were like me and just kinda out there in limbo but wanted to do great things for your Great God! Whatever it may be, go! You can take my seat!
Here is some information about each event with links to each of them:
#1 – Our Generation Summit
Description: The Our Generation Summit is an annual gathering in Pigeon Forge, TN, of Christians with a heart for world missions. Pastors and missionaries, teachers and students, businessmen and families join for three days to address the needs of a world waiting for the Gospel.
Located once again at the beautiful Music Road Hotel in the center of action-packed Pigeon Forge, the OG Summit provides a fantastic venue for any church or youth group seeking an easy-to-organize winter retreat filled with excitement and passion for Christ.
Dates: December 30, 2010 – January 1st, 2011
Location: Music Road Hotel in Pigeon Forge, TN.
For Who: Anyone!
More Info: www.ogsummit.info – Go here and watch the video!
#2 Our Generation Camp and the 8th Annual Our Generation Student Leadership Camp
Description: This a summer youth camp unlike anything you have ever been to before! We have missionaries from around the world coming in to spend time with teenagers and spread a passion for world evangelism.
We will also have the 8th Annual Our Generation Student Leadership Camp going on at the same time and on the same campus. This is an unique opportunity for college age students to meet with others with a like faith and passion for missions while being instructed by veteran missionaries. The college ages students will be involved in a separate track then the teenagers. We will combine for the evening service and meals.
Dates: May 30 – June 3, 2011
Location: Fort Bluff Camp in Dayton, TN.
For Who: High-school and College Students!
More Info: http://bcwe.org/events/our-generation-student-leadership-camp/ – Download the information packet, it is filled with tons of great stuff that you need to know!
The last event is a expository preaching conference at our home church, that I wanted to make you aware of in case you would be interested in going.
#3 Bible Expo 2011
Description: Hosted by Vision Baptist Church and the Our Generation Training Center the Bible Expo 2011 will be a Conference on Expository Preaching. Preaching the Bible verse by verse and chapter by chapter. Being a voice for the text and not getting a good thought and finding a verse to match! Pastor Scott Tewell will be the main speaker.
Dates: April 5-8, 2011
Location: Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, GA
For Who: Pastors, Preachers, Missionaries, and Students.
More Info: http://austingardner.net/2010/11/11/bible-expo-2011/
If you have any specific questions, you can ask in the comments below, and I will try to answer them for you or direct you to the right place.
06.26.10
Our Generation Student Leadership Camp
We had a great time at the Our Generation Student Leadership Camp June 14-18. We were able to see somewhere around 50 students come out and participate for the week. I believe many decision were made to give Christ all and to be “”willing and desirous to go to the mission field.”
The Lord moved throughout the week in the hearts of His people. Our prayer is that we can know Him and that the world might know Him.
It was another great year of camp and the team is already planning for next year, so pray about getting your student ministries involved in this intense week of getting a vision for world evangelism.
Here are some of the pictures from different “missions trips” throughout the week:
