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It is rapidly nearing the end of summer - at least by our children's definition as school will soon resume.The Autumnal Equinox is not until September 22 when our days do actually become shorter. Until that time comes, here in this Spotlight we will reflect on the opportunities these past long summer days have given us to serve and witness God's kingdom growing in and through our SWCC churches.
As always, we would love to hear from you! Please share stories and pictures by sending them to info@swchurchconnectiong.org.
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 Desert Springs Youth serve in Romani
 From July 7th-16th, fifteen of us embarked on a mission trip to Romania. Our team was made up of college students and high school juniors and seniors. Before leaving for the trip I had three goals that I wanted to see accomplished. The first was that we would minister to the lost and clearly preach the Gospel through our words and actions. The second was that we could encourage the believers in Romania, knowing that they are in the minority and encouragement is needed. The third was that God would make an impact on our students and give them a perspective of how great our God truly is. With these goals in mind, we left for Romania.
While in Romania, we ministered in the cities of Arad, Turnu Severin, Timisoara, Gogosu, Simian, Ostrovul Corbului, and Nadab. Our ministries consisted of VBS, evangelistic outreach, youth rallies, church services and an evangelistic concert in the center of downton Turnu Severin. This concert was two and a half hours long and consisted of the Romanian Baptist church band playing, our youth band playing praise music, our drama team performing a powerful drama conveying the Gospel and a Gospel presentation to the crowd. During and after the concert there was amazing feedback from the Romanians, and many were encouraged and challenged by the clear preaching of the Gospel. Some police officers even invited the Romanian church band to regularly attend the local high schools to give their positive message of the Gospel.
As we flew home from Romania, I contemplated how God answered our prayers and goals for the trip. It was amazing to look back at all the unsaved people that we had the opportunity to share the Gospel with. Some were saved, and in some we planted seeds for future work. It was very encouraging to see how God used us to pull people out of dead religion and into a living relationship with Him. We also were an encouragement to our brothers and sisters who live in Romania and are carrying the torch for Christ as the minority. On numerous occasions we were thanked for the encouragement we gave and thanked for incorporating them as being part of our team. And lastly, God made a tremendous impact on the students we took. Their eyes were opened to how God is at work in other parts of the world and also how we have commonality with our fellow believers. God exposed us to how great He is and how much He loves all people and all nations.
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Prescott Pines Camp
Kingdom Building Summer
 | | Camper memorizes Romans 8 |
"Youth spend more hours here at camp in one week than they do in an entire year of youth group. Here they have non-distracted time with God that is not available at home." Tim Reed, Head of the Christian Education Department at Arizona Christian University and Prescott Pines Youth Camp #1 guest speaker describes the importance of camp. "Prescott Pines is an oasis in the desert, a spiritual refueling station, and a great ministry."
This past summer the camp entertained, engaged and encouraged 327 children in Frontier Village and 317 youth. As campers learned about what it means to be truly WANTED by God, seventy one children made first time decisions to accept that everlasting Love of Christ. The youth were challenged to live our their faith in darkness and to anticipate His Kingdom coming. What part will they play? The summer was full of opportunity as the Pines filled with controlled chaos and unhindered, abandoned play for the praises and glory of the Lord!
Please continue to be a part of this SWCC ministry in prayer and support. Check out our facebook page and become a part of our weekly prayer group. To see pictures and blogs from this summer, visit our webpage here!
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First Baptist Tempe Youth
Reaching the Lost in Ecuador
 | | FBC Tempe team |
"We saw God transform many people's lives," says Brian McDaniel, Pastor of Student and Family Ministries at First Baptist Church Tempe. He shares vividly reflecting on this past summer's third trip to Portoviejo, Ecuador. "One young mother of two had waited for two years for someone to tell her about how she could have Jesus, " he explains in detail. "When her husband and in-laws whom she lived with found out about her decision, she had to make a choice: Renounce it or become homeless. Eventually she chose Jesus, but now she has a church family who will stand beside her and her children as she walks out her new found faith."
Working with e3 ministries, the five college students and eleven high schoolers were partnered with a translator and a national or pastor from the church to be planted. They spent ten to twelve hours a day going door to door sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through their efforts, the Gospel was shared with 1022 people of which 525 people accepted the invitation to follow Jesus! In the evenings these new believers would attend meetings at the new church locations and be taught lessons in the basic teachings of Christianity.
There was reason to celebrate! All gathered to praise God for the six new plants that brought the total of Christian churches in Portoviejo to 70 in less than ten years. Pastor Brian preached the celebration gathering and stressed the importance of unification and working together to continue to reach the lost. When he speaks of the impact on his own students, Pastor Brian shares, "The ten days of hard work had a profound effect on our students, most of which had never shared their faith with anyone. As they watched God use them, many of the students reported having found a new and greater confidence in the Lord."
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From Vegas to China
Coming Alongside Brothers and Sisters Beyond the Wall
 They can build a wall and even make laws but that does not stop the Holy Spirit's movement. The spread of the Gospel in communist China has often been compared to the vibrancy and tenacity of the early Church. This past summer Pastor John Caprine and a team of six from Summit Ridge Church Las Vegas, Nevada were able to come along side our persecuted brothers and sisters in the Middle Kingdom. This was the church's third trip to Fusui, GuangXi in three years.
Enduring the heat and humidity, the team spent days traveling out to villages and outlying towns looking for people to talk with, hoping to come across any believers to encourage them in their faith. Pastor John speaks of the power of witnessing in China, "This is a people group that for the most part have never even heard the name of Jesus. They are unknown to us, but not to God. He knows each one of them. He knows them and cares for them and has raised us up as a church to reach these precious people with the gospel of Jesus Christ."
As they went further into the villages, the team was able to encourage a church that they had previously visited and even had the opportunity to study the Bible with them, "It was so very encouraging. What a joy to encourage a few of the families who have been struggling and suffering under their faith. To point them to our loving Father - YES! Everyone was utilized and shared and was involved in people's lives - wonderful!" On Sunday, the team was able to even worship with local believers. Pastor John was given the opportunity to preach last year. He speaks of sharing with the Chinese brothers and sisters, "The hardships and lack of fellowship among other things is very wearing to them. It was so good to encourage them from His word! I have to say personally, I was quite overwhelmed by His love for us and I truly can't wait until I am with Him face-to-face - Phil. 1:21."
China is loaded with spiritsim, the occult and generations of resistance and persecution but nothing is bigger and greater than our God. Continue to join Summit Ridge Church in lifting up the family in China. Pray for God to call workers for such harvest. Pastor John shares his heart, "It pains me that no other known church is going there, no one that we are aware of will visit for another year. O, that He will raise up new churches and people to come and share the greatest magnificent story ever told!"
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Revitalize - Leadership Retreat, August 15-17
You and your spouse are invited to revitalize in an all new experience during our SWCC Leadership Retreat. This retreat, formerly known as the "pastors and wives retreat," is now an experience for the entire church staff, elders and their spouses.Come join us and bring back to your congregation a renewed spirit ready for your next phase of ministry.
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Women's Retreat September 2013
Put on Your Heels and Follow!
Join us this fall for a girls weekend get-away at Prescott Pines Camp. Gather your girlfriends, find a sitter for the kids, escape the heat and get away to the cool pines of Prescott. Join with your sisters in Christ from across the southwest for a time of refreshment, relaxation and renewal!
With three retreats to choose from, each with a different speaker and theme, we've got something for everyone. Click here for more info!
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Southwest Church Connection is the church ministry of Southwest CBA
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