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I have had the pleasure of
leading two mission teams from my church over the past year
and I wish I could convey to you the blessings and the joy
that I have received. The first trip, to Acuna, Mexico last
Christmas, was a turning point in my ministry at East
Mountain Baptist Church. God used the time we spent together
to break down walls and really draw us together as a family.
Since then I have watched our people become more and more
excited and passionate about the mission work that we do. We
don’t simply want to support missions by sending money; we
want to spread the gospel by sending people.
We just returned from our
second trip. This time we went to a town called Allende,
about forty miles across the border. We had the privilege of
working with a wonderful pastor and church there. I could
give testimony after testimony of the wondrous works of our
Lord but let me share just one. After arriving in Allende
Monday afternoon Glen (Pierce) and I went to meet with the
pastor and make plans for the week. Part of that plan
included our group attending the regular Wednesday evening
service. Of course the key thing to remember in doing
mission work is to “be flexible”. By mid-day Tuesday the
pastor decided to suspend the regular Wednesday meeting at
the church in favor of holding a service in the village
where we were working. He then asked if I would like to
preach. Of course I said I would, but I found myself more
than a little anxious because I didn’t have a sermon ready,
I didn’t have much time to prepare one, and I really didn’t
know what these people needed to hear. Besides, I had
preached through an interpreter once before and it can be a
difficult thing to do, just about the time you get wound up
you have to stop for the translation. I immediately started
fasting and praying. When Wednesday evening rolled around
there we were, about twenty-five or thirty of us gathered
outside, it was sprinkling rain, the wind was blowing hard,
dogs were fighting in the background, chickens were running
under our feet, and the youth were, well, being youth. I
found myself thinking about all the times I have prayed at
home that the temperature in the sanctuary would be just
right, that the babies wouldn’t cry (oh hush you know you’ve
prayed it too), that everything would be just right, and
that there wouldn’t be any distractions… Oh well so much for
that. After my sermon I turned the service over to the
pastor for the invitation and began to repent for the
terrible job I had done when to my amazement ten people came
forward to receive Christ as their Savior and the Lord of
their life. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will
draw all peoples to myself” (John 12:32). God will do the
saving but we must be obedient to lift Him up by taking
every opportunity to present the gospel.
God has put our church
together with this church in Allende to further His kingdom.
This was the beginning of a fellowship that will last for
eternity and it truly is a sweet fellowship. I miss them
already and look forward to seeing them again this December.
Every church ought to know the joy of being on mission with
God. Thank You Father.
Be God’s,
Paul Bryant
Associate/Youth Pastor EMBC
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Faith Baptist Church
took a 13
member mission team to Acuna, Mexico for a
medical/dental/evangelism trip. This was by far one of the
best trips our church has experienced. The most important
aspect of making this trip so successful was the
spiritual preparation and prayer as a team before we
left. We rejoice in the fact that about 50 professions
of faith were made in Mexico and that our hearts
were revived for missions in our community, state
and foreign lands. Several members were able to experience
the power of salvation as they witnessed tears of confession
give way to tears of forgiveness as the power of the Holy
Spirit transformed ones soul to a child of God. Some
members of a team were able to pray with a dying woman in
her home, she was unaware of their presence but her family
was revived by the presence of Christian brothers and
sisters who took the time to lift their concerns to the One
and only who knows all our needs. One member of the team has
felt the Lord affirming his call to a pastoral position in
the future. We truly experienced revival and this
revival has initiated the first step in reaching our
community through prayer walks. In others it has encouraged
them to step out of their comfort zones and step across our
borders to reach those for Christ and to encourage a brother
or sister to do the same.
Rejoicing in Him,
Misty
Bridges
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