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Missionary Moments Planning Guide
APRIL 2010
| April 4, 2010: |
Meeting Physical and Spiritual Needs |
Morning: CHARLES and BRITTANY SHIREY minister among the
Aukan people group in Suriname. They recall how two
dentists came to Suriname and, instead of spending their time
helping as many people as possible, trained four men to help
them. This way, the work of the dentists was multiplied, and
the local people, especially the believers, felt empowered.
Thank you for meeting the physical and spiritual needs of
people around the world as you faithfully participate in the
Cooperative Program (CP). Please take a moment to ask God
to richly bless the Shireys’ work.
2 Corinthians 8:9-11 8 I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: although He was rich, for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich. 10 Now I am giving an opinion on this because it is profitable for you, who a year ago began not only to do something but also to desire it. 11 But now finish the task as well, that just as there was eagerness to desire it, so there may also be a completion from what you have. |
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| April 4, 2010: |
Outside The Physical Walls |
Evening: North American missionaries KEN and SHARON DEAN
help churches in Los Angeles and surrounding areas reach
outside the physical walls of their buildings to meet people
where they are. Just as Jesus was among the people, the Deans
know the church, as the body of Christ, cannot separate itself
from the community in which it is located. Ministry
evangelism allows church members to be the hands and feet of
Christ, showing compassion while also sharing the compelling
message of Jesus Christ. Your commitment to reaching people
through the Cooperative Program (CP) and the Annie
Armstrong Easter Offering puts hands and feet to the missions
heartbeat of your church. Pray for Ken and Sharon as they join
with churches in the area to meet needs in Jesus’ name.
STATEMENT: Paul reminded the Corinthians that the resurrection of Jesus Christ should motivate Christians to give. Easter is about God’s giving.
Paul remembered the first Easter season when Jesus gave up His richness to become poor for our sakes.
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| April 11, 2010: |
Real Church, Real God, Real World |
Morning: North American missionary MICHAEL ALLEN serves as
the senior pastor of Uptown Baptist Church, a growing
congregation of 200 worshipers that meets in one of Chicago’s
most diverse neighborhoods. With over a dozen different
ethnic groups represented in the fellowship, the church’s
vision is to be a real church of the real God to the real world.
This vision is being realized, thanks in part to our faithful
support through the Cooperative Program (CP). Uptown
provides multiple ministries such as the REST shelter for 50
homeless women every night, feeding 200-300 homeless men,
women, and children every week, and hosting five ethnic
congregations in their building. God will honor the prayers
you lift up this week on behalf of Michael and the Uptown
Baptist Church.
1 Peter 3:15 15 but set apart the Messiah as Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
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| April 11, 2010: |
Worth Any Cost |
Evening: “Will” was baptized on Easter in Turkey. His public profession
of faith in Christ was so important that he invited three
lifelong friends, who lived two hours away, to see it. While
Will was visiting his uncle the next evening, a cousin noticed
the cross hanging from Will’s necklace. Moments later, Will
was called into another room in his uncle’s house. Relatives
brandished a stick, broke Will’s arm with it, and tore his cross
from his neck. DAVID and CAROLYN TEAGUE expected
Will to be discouraged from the attack, but Will saw it as an
opportunity to demonstrate that following Jesus is worth any
cost. Eternal life comes with a cost. It cost Jesus His life, and
you help undergird the earthly cost with your faithful gifts
through CP. Will is planning to bring more friends with him
to hear the Good News. Pray for Will and the Teagues today.
STATEMENT: God expects us to be prepared at all times to give a witness about what Christ has done in our personal lives.
Practicing Christian money management helps us give generously, a powerful witness to other Christians and to non-Christians alike.
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| April 18, 2010: |
Divine Appointments |
Morning: SAM and DELORES YORK write about a recent women’s
conference where Haitian leaders expressed how each of them
had similar illnesses, but had not found medical help. Delores
picked up the phone and called a Dominican pastor who also is
a doctor to see if he could help. Before realizing that she had
dialed a wrong number, Delores shared the women’s dilemma.
To her amazement, the person Delores was talking to was a
doctor living near the community where the conference was
being held. He said he would be glad to stop by before the
conference ended and assess the women’s conditions free of
charge. God is using your prayers for, and participation in, the
Cooperative Program (CP) to arrange “divine appointments”
around the world. The Yorks are grateful for how God
sometimes uses even our mistakes to care for our needs.
They would appreciate your prayers this week.
Acts 2:44-45 44 Now all the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 So they sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need.
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| April 18, 2010: |
On-Mission Lifestyles |
Evening: North American missionary BOB SMITH serves as
administrative pastor of Jacob’s Well and student work
director for the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention.
His responsibilities include preaching, teaching, evangelistic
visitation, and mission enlistment, as well as resourcing local
churches in their ministries to college students and assisting
in the placement and supervision of summer missionaries.
Our commitment to putting love in action through CP allows
Bob the opportunity to model an on-mission lifestyle as he
seeks out unbelievers and encourages Christian students to be
on mission and share Christ with their fellow students.
Please take a minute to pray for Bob and his ministry.
STATEMENT: A distinguishing characteristic of early Christians was their cooperative giving.
Today, through the Cooperative Program (CP), we join our giving to reach more lost persons for Christ.
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| April 25, 2010: |
Mesa, Arizona Church Planting Strategist |
Morning: North American missionary LOUIS SPEARS serves the Valley
Rim Baptist Association in Mesa, Arizona, as church planting
strategist, thanks in part to our participation in the Cooperative
Program (CP). The association, located in the Phoenix
metropolitan area, is a multicultural urban region with a large
Hispanic population and virtually every nationality represented.
In his role, Louis assists church planters with ministries to
multihousing communities and mobile home parks. He also
encourages church planters working with house churches and
Bible studies as they begin new congregations. Louis is helping
share the love of Christ in the Phoenix metropolitan area by
encouraging, training, and multiplying church planters. Pray for
Louis and this important ministry.
Exodus 22:21 21 You must not exploit a foreign resident or oppress him, since you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
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| April 25, 2010: |
Local People Help Tell the Story |
Evening: BOB and ANGIE SULLIVAN are thrilled to report that a
CD of New Testament stories will be available soon for
distribution to thousands of women in Northern Africa and
the Middle East. A local girl has been producing the artwork
for the CD and wants to do more “projects about Jesus.” Also
recently, a friend of Angie’s called to say that a friend of hers
had accepted Christ and is already helping her write poems
and stories to tell other people in the region about Christ.
Bob and Angie praise God for how He is at work in the lives
of local people. They are grateful for our commitment to
reaching these people through CP, that makes a difference in
their ministry every day. Thank you for including Bob and
Angie in your prayers this week.
STATEMENT:Israel was commanded to show sympathy to the needy strangers. When we give to God through the church, a part of what we give
reaches out beyond our church to help others in need.
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| May 2, 2010: |
Your Prayers Have Been Answered |
Morning: HENRY and PAT BARNES praise God that 400 copies of
the JESUS film were delivered without difficulty to two key
cities in a Central Asian country. Henry writes: “Your faithful
prayers have been answered as we now have people responding
to the Good News in two strategic cities. In an otherwise
unreached strategic city, a person has stepped forward to begin
sharing the Good News and to help new believers in that
area.” Your prayers and your commitment to reaching people
through the Cooperative Program (CP) are making a
difference. Please continue to pray for God’s Spirit to move
across Central Asia.
Genesis 14:17-20 17 After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley ). 18 Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said:
Abram is blessed by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth,
20 and give praise to God Most High
who has handed over your enemies to you.
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
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| May 2, 2010: |
From Chicago to Huntsville |
Evening: ROB and LEI PEAVY’s missions journey has taken them
from a community ministry center in an inner-city Chicago
church to North American missionaries in Huntsville,
Alabama, where Rob serves as associational missionary of the
Madison Baptist Association. Lei serves alongside Rob to
disciple women and families. From serving on the preschool
ministries team, to counseling new believers, and representing
Christ in the public school system through the PTA, Lei is
sharing the love of Christ in words, actions, and deeds. The
Peavys appreciate your prayers and your participation in CP,
which empower them to serve the Lord and the people living
in northern Alabama.
STATEMENT: When we experience victory in our lives, the natural response is gratitude to God. Just as Abraham gave tithes to the priest
Melchizedek out of gratitude for victory in battle, we give in gratitude.
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