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Greetings!
I just finished reading an article titled, The "Mars Curse":
Why Have so Many Missions Failed? It
began by asking "Why have nearly two thirds of all Mars missions failed in some
way?" It talked about the "Galactic
Ghoul" and the "Mars Curse."
Now, I don't take stock in all the superstition stuff, but as
we begin missions month at Grace, the article did cause me to think about how
we measure the success of the missions God sends us on. If we don't see (with our own eyes) people
making decisions to follow Christ, is our mission a failure? When we're unable to treat every medical
need, is our mission a failure? Jesus
talked about His goal simply being to do the will of His Father and to stay "in
the game", and that there may be extended periods of time before the "harvest"
is seen.
In these days of instant everything, our Lord is still sovereign
and is still on a perfect timetable. As
you begin this new year with missions month at Grace, I pray you'll be "in the
game." How about being a seed planter, or
what about the one who waters, or even the one who keeps the weeds out of the
field? - why not begin to plan now for a mission trip in 2009?
Blessings,
Sheila Hoekstra
Grace Church
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Do You See What He Sees?
As I write this article,
we are engulfed in a heavy fog which has settled over us. It makes driving difficult. It makes seeing things difficult unless you
are looking at something directly in front of you. I can say with some degree of certainty, that
the fog will lift one of these days and once again it will be easier to see what's
around us. But the fog gave me an
opportunity for a little spiritual reflection.
How well do we see through the "fog" of life that so often obscures our
spiritual vision. Do we see what God
sees?
We are going to begin the
year 2009 with a short series I call "Beyond the walls." It is an attempt to help us all see beyond
the walls of Grace, to see what God sees as he looks at the world for which His
Son died. It is an attempt to help us
live with a vision beyond ourselves and the needs in our lives that so often
get all the attention.
One of the things we will
focus on this month is the concept of mission.
Not just missionaries, but God's desire for us to be people with a
mission. We are going to be highlighting
the ways in which the body of Grace and the people of Grace can be involved in
mission; both locally and globally. We
have a mission to reach our community for Christ, and we have a mission to
impact our world for Christ.
I am sometimes asked "why
do we promote mission trips" here at Grace?
I'm reminded that we have a mission field right here in our
community. This is true, but I believe
we need to realize that both of these work together to create in each of us a
stronger vision to "see what God sees."
The benefits of a church participating in short terms mission
experiences are significant. Mission teams energize the church. They instill in the
congregation a healthy sense of pride in their church. Not everybody has the
time or interest to participate in the work trip, but they can be partners in
the mission by contributing toward the cost, and by praying for the safety and
success of the team. Additionally,
mission teams are good opportunities for people contemplating a life in the
ministry. The experience is often a microcosm of a missionary or pastor's life:
visiting the sick, dealing with the unexpected, preaching the Gospel,
addressing physical needs.
Even if team members are not headed for the ministry, watching other
team members and missionaries learn and work together can be a valuable lesson
in developing future leaders. Hopefully,
it will help us to work together here in the local church.
The mission
experience will open our eyes to God's presence in our everyday lives and his
work in other parts of the world. You will be fulfilling your promise to care
for people in need and following directives God set forth in the Bible. Taking
part in a Grace Mission experience will strengthen your faith, touch your
heart, deepen your friendships, and change your life.
Together, let's open our
eyes to see what God sees.
In His Service,
Joel Walters,
Senior Pastor
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Missions
This time of year everything
seems overly busy - buying gifts, traveling, guests... On top of that, we have
the financial crisis! It seems to all
conspire make us focus on things other than things of God. We lose sight of
our fortunate status in the world. We lose sight that Christmas is really about
celebrating this great work of God in Jesus Christ. ...more |
What are Mission's Trips all about, anyway?
by Charles Hannon
Last September, Donna, my wife and I traveled to the Dominican Republic. It had been some time since I'd been on a mission team, but the experience was very rewarding - so meaningful that I returned to the D.R. in November.
In the daily struggle to live a life honoring God, we can become so focused on the tiny part we play in God's plan that we lose sight of its true scope. In our world of relatively inexpensive travel, global Internet, cell phones, etc., visiting other countries has become possible for most Christians living in First World countries and I would encourage everyone to seize a mission opportunity.
Although we may not change a country or its local Church in any fundimental way by showing up for a few days, there are two important reasons for doing just that.
First, we have resources to share. God does not need us to fulfill His plan, but He chooses to use us when we are willing to yield to Him. Christians can provide an infusion of badly needed spiritual and physical resources - combine this with the work others are doing, and the impact can be revolutionary.
Second, the Christian walk is not an individual effort, but a group experience. Our tendency is to gather with those who look like us, those of like-minds, and those who even act like ourselves. While we may not leave our comfort-zones while at home, the bond between believers when reaching out in other cultures and situations takes on a new level of reality. It is nearly impossible to come away from a mission experience unchanged by the reality that God is more than Lord of a few local believers. He is Lord and Savior of people of all languages - Can there be any better reward for the cost of a short trip and a few days of effort?
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Rebecca Miller
 The following interview was conducted with Rebekah Miller who is 15 years old and attends Lucas Christian Academy. Bekah currently serves in Little Blessings and child care for Fresh Encounters and served in Grace global missions by going to Belize in 2008. Rebekah is passionate about serving ...more |
| Ministry Opportunity
The C.A.R.E. Team has an opportunity for someone to serve making and serving coffee Sunday mornings. If that person is you, contact Sue Harmon at 972.742.9795.
Prayer
Following Ephesians 6:18 which says, "and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Please pray for:
Phase Three Building
1. Praise for God's provision of funding to date, 67.5% ($398k) of pledged gifts with an additional 20% ($117k) unpledged gifts.
2. Pray that God would give us vision for the ministry that will happen in the new facility, not just the bricks and mortar.
3. Pray for those who are doing the actual construction work, that they would all grow in or begin their relationship with Christ.
Pray that God would use the building process to grow our faith and add to His Kingdom.
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www.grace-efc.org
2005 Estates Parkway
Allen, Texas 75002
972.727.4512
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