Explaining the Actions

Here's sort of Matt's transcript from yesterday's service. If you weren't there and would be interested in reading it.


Announcements –
Welcome – fill out card
FamilyTime – Wed. Patience - May
Monday Night Men – cancelled
Other Announcements

Songs:
Holy is the Lord
Here is our King
Breathe

Communion (PLAY VIDEO)
Offering

VIDEO – CHRIST Follower - It’s easy to call yourself a Christian, even look like a Christian, but another whole thing to be a Christ Follower.
Acts 10 – Peter has a major transformation in his life – He had been following Christ, but now it was time to break through all the religious rules and regulations and see something new happen.
Cornelius wants to know God – God wants to be known, but the new followers of Christ were keeping it among the Jews. It was time to get the word out to everyone. So God appears and tells him to call on Peter
God starts from the top down – Peter needs to be in on this! So Peter has a vision – learns that everything God does and creates is good. God sends Peter to Cornelius. They all get saved and baptized. God is breaking through to set people free.
Chapt 11 = Peter explains his actions – and the church starts something new = reaching out to gentiles

Explaining my actions – I told you last time I spoke that I have been going through some hard times, frustrated and worn out. But not seeing the big picture. After I spoke to you, God started to show Myra and I some things. Myra has a very discerning spirit and often can tell when something is wrong, even if most people can’t see it. After real encounter and having Jim and Vicky Gross here, it hit me… I have lost my passion. I had gotten into a rut. Call it burn out or whatever, but I was simply going through the motions of ministry. If you have known me for a while, you know that I am passionate about a few things… Youth, Worship, discipleship and missions. I wasn’t being passionate about any of these. I wasn’t even planning on going on a mission trip this summer. As I realized that I had lost my passion, I knew that I had to have it back to be effective. Myra and I started praying about how to do that. Could it be done here? Yes. Would it help if we moved to some other church? Maybe. Should I just get a secular job and do ministry as a volunteer? Maybe. IS IT TIME TO GO???(meaning "go ye therefore into all the world") Every time I have ever come a crossroads in my life and now in our life, I have asked, is it time to go(meaning for us overseas in missions)? I have a heart for overseas missions. Myra has it too. As we started to pray about it. We got a contract on our house. It’s not sold yet, but when we realized we would be debt free. That was a big obstacle that had kept us from going in the past. We contacted Operation Moblization and asked them about the process. This is who I had been with for two years after H.S. and My sister is serving with in the middle east now. It is an amazing organization that is both international and inter-denominational. So we have started the application process with them to become missionaries. Usually this takes from 6 months to a year, but because I have gone before we are being able to go through it much faster. I have shared this with the deacons and some people to ask them to pray with us. The deacons have been through much of the hard stuff with us these last few months and they have agreed to serve as our sending church if God leads us that far. There are still a few things that could hold us back from going, but each day God seems to be smoothing those through. I don’t know what the future holds for our family or this church family, but I know that God is faithful and just like with Peter, when God wants to do a new thing, he works different things together to make it happen.

We are not sure where we might go yet, but the probable option is to London to help reach out to Muslims. This is a training program and they bring in short term people to do many different types of out reach. At the same time, they need training and support. I would probably be involved in that training and support for the team there. Another option are the Ships, though they don’t usually take big families, this would be an awesome opportunity.

So our time line looks like this – close on house on or before may 21st and get out within 10 days
Out bound conference in Atlanta at OM USA hq. first week of June
???? JUNE AND JULY – raising support, getting visas, and preparing for mission field
August 2nd – Hannah’s wedding in O.S. MS
Third week in Aug – Debron Conf. in Belguim
Sept – on the field

There is so much that could happen between now and then. Please pray with us so that we can do what God wants and not anything else. I started with a video – Christian or Christ Follower – I have told many people in McMinnville about missions and even taken some with me for the last 8 years. I wonder and pray is it time for me to be the example and go for a while. I want to follow Christ not matter what – no matter where. Will you follow Christ today???? What does that mean for you?



I surrender all

Family Prayer time

CFC

We welcome and open the floor to any questions or discussion.