Developing fully-devoted followers of Christ in Cambodia

Today, Wed Oct 25, I depart for Cambodia to share with our Cambodian Ministry Partners in Battambang who serve with CASA in partnership with Encompass World Partners. I will serve with Kent Good, Becky Sheffer Good, and Jill Kane. Below is a photo of the CMP (Cambodian Ministry Partners) of CASA.

I will serve with Kent & Becky Good, Faline Jones, and Jill Kane (Grace too).  

 
On this short trip, I will also get to visit our Orphan Homes in Battambang as well. On a later trip, I will visit our Orphan Homes in Thailand too. 

Please pray for me as I go to develop fully devoted followers for Christ in Cambodia. I praise God that Grace Church sends me to develop leaders for Christ. #savedpeopleservepeople

Saved People Serve People--Praying for the Persecuted Church

Why Pray for the Persecuted Church

You and I are part of a global group of believers who seek to develop into fully devoted followers of Christ. Millions of fellow believers are living under persecution. We can support them in prayer!  We can pray on their behalf to stand strong, to persevere, and to honor God with their testimony. 

Prayer is taking action.  When you pray, you discover how hard a spiritual endeavor prayer can be.  The time that you spend in prayer has an eternal impact on the lives of men and women throughout our world. Through prayer our world is changed, closed doors are opened, resistant people are made receptive, leaders are put down and raised up, and the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ is extended.

Hebrews 13:3 says, “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as - being yourselves also in the body.” 

The first request of persecuted Christians is always the same:

 

"Pray for us"

How to Pray for the Persecuted Church

The Word of God remains our best guide for knowing how to pray for our persecuted sisters and brothers worldwide.

One prayer that you can pray follows Ephesians 6:19-20.  Ask God to give the persecuted believers the right words to speak and that they would fearlessly make Christ known.

Paul tells believers in the Church of Ephesus how to pray for him when he was suffering for Christ in jail.  Note Paul's prayer request. He did not ask for release. 

Ephesians 6:19-20

"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains.  Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." 

You could pray something like this,

"Heaven Father, I pray for the persecuted followers of Christ. Lord, help them know what to say and have the wisdom to know when to speak up and when to be quiet. I pray that you give them courage to share their story of life change with everyone they meet. Make me also fearless as I share how God has changed my life too. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen."  

Please comment below what country you are praying for--Syria? North Korea? Saudi Arabia? Iran? I am praying for North Korea today.

Helpful link  
Visit Open Doors USA to get more resources to pray with purpose and focus.   

Saved People, Serve People--Missionary Partners develop fully devoted followers of Christ

Kevin and Jill Kane (Encompass, Cambodia)

All around the world, Grace Church values people.  We believe that a relationship with Jesus is life's most important relationship. Therefore, we are committed to sharing the Good News about Jesus in this community and around the world. 

People matter to God. People matter to us.  

As Jesus said of the lost sheep and applied it to all people, "In the same way your Father in Heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost (Matthew 18:14)."   

Lisa, Jonathan, and Bruce Triplehorn (Encompass, Brazil/Chad)

The Bible challenges us to pray. Join us today to pray for our missionary partners around the world as they prepare for reaching out to develop fully devoted followers of Christ in North America, South America, Europe, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa.  I am highlighting our missionary partners who have come from Grace Church. Grace Church partners with over 75 different organizations, families and individuals.

Dave and Susie Hobert (Encompass, France)

Pastor Tom Peters (VisionTrust)

Andy and Sara Royer (New Tribes, Braziil)

Ben and Sandie Dyke (Cru)

Mark and Roxanne Johnson (Cru)

If you would like a list of Grace Church Missionary Partners, then email Pastor Daron, dbutler[at]woostergrace[.]org.  

Saved People, Serve People on the college & university campuses

Grace Church partners with a group of people who serve on the university and college campuses. One of our missionary partners is Ben & Sandie Dyke.  

 

We praise God Ben & Sandie Dyke. Please pray for them as they develop fully devoted followers of Christ on the university campuses. 

Ben & Sandie Dyke with Cru

Ben & Sandie Dyke with Cru

Ben & Sandie serve with Cru. Ben is the Director of Operations, Great Lakes Region.   Their family lives in Fishers, IN.

Please pray for Ben & Sandie. Ben recently lost his grandma Bonna. Ask God to help the family mourn and process their grief. They will miss great grandma Bonna. View her story here.
You can read more about the ministry of Ben & Sandie from these links:

• Learn more about Cru
• Check out Ben's FB profile

Caring for the orphan and neglected children with VisionTrust

As I scroll through the pictures posted by Pastor Tom Peters of VisionTrust on his recent visit to the Central African Republic. I was encouraged and reminded of God's love for the orphan, the widow, the least, and the last.  

My family sponsors Stephanie. And it scares me when I hear news reports of violence in Bangui, the capital city of the Central African Republic.  Civil unrest and alarming violence erupts in parts of the city.  Families are in danger. Children live in fear. And our family prays for Stephanie and her family.  May God protect and give courage to Stephanie and her family.  
 

Stephanie

Pastor Tom returned with a new photo of Stephanie for us.  She is growing up and appears peaceful amid reports of unrest in the city.  I praise God for Pastor Tom and VisionTrust as they seek to develop fully devoted followers of Christ by caring for orphans and neglected children around the world.  

Our sponsorship provides good meals, basic health care, access to Learning Centers where teachers can offer good education, and Bible teaching.  Children are given the opportunity to grow in their faith to keep trusting Jesus even amid fearful situations. 

You too can sponsor a child with VisionTrust.  You can also peruse sponsorship opportunities for orphaned children in the Central African Republic with VisionTrust.  

Saved People Serve People--Your Next Step, Serve your school

As the new school year approaches, Grace Church has challenged everyone to provide help for teachers who are returning to school.  We want you to serve your school. 

But, how?

First, you contact your local school district where you live. Even though you may not have kids in the district, discover how you can help.  Each school will conduct a back-to-school open house. Visit the school district website to contact a local school secretary who can direct you how you might help teachers in your school. She may refer you to the PTO. Ask for name and contact information. Sometimes, the school district will list contact info for PTO leadership. 

Then, gather your family, friends, Grace Group, people from your ABF, or neighborhood to join you in serving teachers in your school district/local school. 

Ideas to encourage local school teachers:

•  Helping hands:  Offer to assist a teacher to unpack boxes, to put up posters, to cut out things in the homeroom.  Confirm a two hour block to help and schedule it with the teacher.
• Strong muscles: Ask to come for one-hour to move heavy items for the teacher.  Bring a strong friend. And borrow or a furniture dolly or a hand truck to move hefty things for the teacher.
• Thoughtful gift:
• Purchase a gift card. Hand to the teacher within a card writing how grateful you are that they get to teach children/students this coming year. 
• Provide a gift bag. For example, fill a small paper lunch sack with snacks, mini-hand sanitizer, travel lotion, and chocolate of some combination.
• Words of encouragement:
• You can call or text a reading of Philippians 1:3-4.  You can say, “I praise God for you,  _(insert teacher’s name) .  In Philippians 1:3-4 the Bible says, ‘I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all.’ I pray that God blesses your every effort to educate children this year. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.”
• Prayer Card.  You can write a note saying “I am praying for you.”  Then write out the bible verse, Philippians 1:3-4 in the card. Sign it. And bedazzle the card with decoration.

Photo from giftcardkarma.org

You may discover other ways to encourage. If you come up with other ways to offer encouragement, then please let me know. I’ll add them to a list of helping things to do to encourage local school teachers.  

In sum, contact schools/teachers. Gather your group. Encourage teachers.  

So, serve your school. Bring encouragement at the start of the school year.  Fully devoted followers of Christ serve others because saved people serve people. 

Saved People Serve People--Caring for Orphans around the world

 
Email tomp@visiontrust.org

Country Lead: Central African Republic,Togo, Sierra Leone, Haiti
Sending Agency: VisionTrust
 
Our Missionary Partner: Pastor Tom and Sue have served in our church for many years. Pastor Tom served as Missions Pastor for ten years.  Sue has always worked helping special needs kids in Smithville at Green Local Schools.

God called them to develop fully devoted followers of Christ first in Africa. Then God called pastor Tom to serve at Grace Church.  Later, God called him to serve in Africa with ICDI, now with VisionTrust as country lead for orphan care in Central African Republic, Togo, Sierra Leone, and Haiti.  We support Pastor Tom as our missionary partner from Grace Church.  


Their Mission: Pastor Tom oversees the orphan care ministries of VisionTrust in Africa and Haiti.  He travels a lot. He has logged over 78,000 air miles in one year for VisionTrust. He quips that it is no wonder he has a sore seat. 

The needs of orphans and their extended families is exacerbated with war, displacement, and disease.  In the Central African Republic civil unrest hampers the care of orphans.  In Haiti, the recovery efforts from the devastating 2010 earthquake are slow and challenging.  In Togo, sustainable income to support families is daunting, but God is making a way for families to support themselves. In Sierra Leone, Ebola ravages families and brings death and despair.  If you want more information, please contact Pastor Tom Peters via email. Or you can learn more about the ministry of VisionTrust by visiting their webpage.


How to Be Involved

PRAY:

• Please pray for consistency & perseverance in their walk with the Lord.
• With helping to oversee four countries for VisionTrust, sometimes it feels a bit overwhelming.  Please pray that Pastor Tom will see the work through God’s eyes, and with the end in mind, so that the immediate challenges don’t overshadow what God is doing in each country long-term.
• For the last three years, the Central African Republic has been subjected to war, continued violence and a virtual total lack of law & order.  For a period of time under the rebel Muslim government, it looked like there would be restrictions enforced on the ability to share the Gospel.  God intervened & the rebel government was overthrown, but the violence continued.  Please pray that as the Gospel is presented, not only will it touch people individually to turn to God for salvation, but that it would also touch the society as a whole so that the violence would subside & people can live at peace with God and with each other.
• Please pray for an effective, fruitful ministry (John 15:16). A couple of the countries that we’re working in are looking at trying to expand their outreach to orphans and vulnerable children.  Two of our national leaders in particular need special wisdom from the Lord right now; Josué, and Semira.
• We praise God for His grace in our marriage!  Pray that we continually keep that grace in view so that we keep short accounts with the Lord, and with each other.
  
  

ENCOURAGE: Pastor Tom's birthday is April 28.  Sue's birthday is December 15.  Anniversary is June 25, 1982. 

CONNECT: Pastor Tom on FaceBook

 

Pastor Tom with their sponsored orphans. Scan his blog