Tag: Missions

Guest Post: Zach and Jenn Sportsman

Sportsman

It is said that the journey of 1000 miles begins with one step. Our journey of 1000 miles is actually 6000 miles to be exact: the distance from Kansas City Missouri to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (West Africa). That journey began in 2008 in a missionary deputation service of Bro. Steve Willoughby. I walked into that service a sin-sick drug addict and walked out forever altered by the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. With every chain broken and with a fresh fire in my soul I began to take my first step by seeking God. In prayer God began to plant seeds of Africa in my spirit. I met my wife not long after this experience in prayer, and she too had a burden for Africa. We were married in 2010, went on AIM to Burkina Faso in 2012 and were appointed as Intermediate Missionaries in 2015. Everything that has happened in my life from 2008-Present has served as preparation and training.”

I want to share with you a quote that paints the picture of my point: ‘To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.’ (Winston Churchill) God tapped me on the shoulder in 2008. What is He tapping on your shoulder about today? We encourage you to attend Global ConNextions and every training that is within your grasp. The season of your finest hour is approaching. Will you be prepared?

Isaiah 6:8: Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am. Send me!”

Zach and Jenn Sportsman

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The Dreamers that Rocked my World

Three and one half minutes rocked the world. The memorable rendezvous was January 21, 2009. It was the day that, out of obscurity, Susan Boyle, with her Celtic twang, encumbered by learning difficulties and shyness, stepped onto the stage of Britain’s Got Talent in Glasgow.  She literally shocked the panel, and mocking crowd, when she started to sing eight words, “I dreamed a dream in time gone by….” One of the judges gave her the biggest yes ever awarded in three years of the contest. She captured and then liberated the hearts of millions. There have been more than three hundred million hits on the YouTube video incarcerating those short moments. Susan’s “I Dreamed a Dream” holds the global record for the most preordered albums of all time. She defied preconceptions, probabilities, and set the stage for anyone and everyone with a dream.

About eight weeks ago my wife and I stepped off the plane in Guam and met fourteen young dreamers. Over the next three weeks of classroom instruction and interaction each of you, in your own way, crawled into our hearts, and took residency in our hope for the future. Then, after we left Guam to return to the States, you continued on to a further fruitful time of ministry for another five weeks. You—we—became family. As you pack your bags and leave in the next few hours, I know tears will be flowing in Guam. But, I also know there are a few tears flowing here in St. Louis as well. We love you! We believe in you!

Next Steps participants 2015, Brother and Sister Brott (our wonderful team leaders), Brother and Sister DeGuzman and Pacific Revival Center; Brother and Sister Prieto and Apostolic Bible Fellowship; Brother and Sister Buckland (Regional Directors, Pacific); Angie Clark; other instructors; and Sister Pat Morgan (faithfully working behind the scenes here at World Evangelism Center)—thank you for all you have done to make Next Steps 2015 such an overwhelming success.

As I prayed for you this morning a song softly pumped its lyrics through my earphones, “Spread your dreams and fly away.” That’s it! Spread your dreams, all across this world, as you fly away today. Fly into your future! Fly as high as God’s Spirit wants to take you! You rocked my world. I know that you can rock the world, at large, as well!

Thank you for being the dreamers that rocked my world!

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Myriad of Feelings Generated by Young People

You may have thought from the title that this is a blog about gripes concerning young people. Nope. Far from it! Recently, I spent three marvelous weeks on Guam, where they say America’s day begins; probably because the island is fifteen hours ahead of us in places like St. Louis.

Myriad_Of_Feelings_Generated_By_Those_Young_People___Next_Steps_Program

Each day, a couple hours after the sun rose, we staggered into a waiting classroom. We covered over seventy sessions equipping young—and not so young—minds for missionary and ministry service.

Each day I looked into the faces of fourteen amazing, anointed, able, apostolic, developing individuals.

I …

  • Sensed their passion
  • Saw their vision
  • Felt their burden
  • Listened to their devotion
  • Studied their gifting
  • Discussed their future
  • Dreamed of their destiny
  • Heard their prayers
  • Applauded their inspiration and perspiration

I was…

  • Touched by their kindness
  • Impressed by their togetherness
  • Strengthened by their courage
  • Motivated by their desires
  • Humbled by their sacrifice
  • Stirred by their desires
  • Awestruck by their possibilities
  • Enthralled by their sensitivity

They left me…

  • Convicted
  • Corrected
  • Challenged
  • Captivated
  • Changed

Three weeks with these world-changers wildly, well, and wisely spent. An amazing investment!

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Got a call? Feed it!

GUEST POST BY AIMER MIKE LONG

We have just come through the annual World Missions Conference at our home church, Mission Point, in Saint John, NB (Canada). From the time I was a young person growing up in the Baptist church, missions conferences have had a special place in my heart and this year was no different. Being involved in the planning, in my role as full-time Assistant to the Pastor, is a real treat for me, as it gives the opportunity to get “up close & personal” with some incredible people!!

Sis. Else Lund… “Mother Ghana”

photoSis. Else Lund was appointed as a missionary to Liberia, Africa in 1962 and spent three weeks sailing to the land of her calling on a ship named the African Glen. She fulfilled a number of roles in multiple west-African nations until retiring from Global Missions in 2004… some 42 years after her initial appointment. A great deal of those 42 years was spent in Ghana and at one point, every ordained minister in the UPC of Ghana, had been taught by Sis. Lund… hence the nickname “Mother Ghana.” What a heritage.

Let’s Talk Missions!

Saturday morning, as we did during last year’s conference, we organized a brunch for anyone who either (a) felt a call towards or (b) was curious about, short term missions. It was a chance to glean from the experience of our guest missionaries who discussed a particular part of their journey toward missionsfollowed by discussion afterwards.

Our panel: (beginning top left & clockwise):

  1. photoRev. Jim Poitras,
    (Director of Education & AIM, UPCI)
  2. Sis. Colleen Carter, (Missionary to Ghana, West Africa)
  3. Sis. Else Lund
  4. Lauren Summers, (Her parents, Rev. Stephan & Debra Summers are UPCI Missionaries to Cyprus)

Here are a few highlights from that panel discussion:

Colleen Carter: (Colleen spent eight years in Ghana, West Africa, under AIM appointment before receiving missionary appointment in 2007.)

“My call to missions goes all the way back to and began in childhood. As a girl in Sunday school we all had to pick a missionary to whom we’d write to and for whom we’d pray. I chose the Everett & Lois Corcoran family, at the time missionaries to Pakistan. Sis. Corcoran always wrote back and God used that connection to draw me, over time, into missions.”

Lauren Summers: Lauren was the youngest voice on the panel but a valuable one. As an MK (missionary kid) she was in Cyprus because of her parents’ call, not her own. Quiet by nature, Lauren said a LOT in a few short words: She reminded us of the need to uphold missionary kids in prayer and to encourage them whenever possible.

“Initially, I wondered how I’d fit in, what I’d do, but I loved kids and loved doing puppets and the like so I sort of found my place. Sometimes, though, it got lonely and the only thing that kept me was the fact that I’d get messages on my (Facebook) wall from friends back home.”

Else Lund: Sis. Lund spoke longer than the first two ladies, but her tale was riveting! Just two short quotes from her… one, a testimony from her past, the second… a call to those present.

“It was polio that brought our family into truth, so I’ve never regretted having polio.”

“If you have the smallest feeling or hint of a call on your life… FEED IT… PRAY!”

Rev. James Poitras: Bro. Poitras was the last member of the panel to speak, but did a superb job of tying together all that the others had shared. He began by stating that “Whom God calls, he equips.” From there I’ll pull out what is, in my estimation the…

TOP 5 List

…of things to know about the equipping process, as shared by Bro. Poitras in that brunch meeting:

  1. It involves work… preparation.
  2. It involves partnering with, or at the very least paying heed to, the apostles,prophets, pastors, evangelists & teachers that God has placed in your life. He put them there for the purpose of equipping you.
  3. It (the equipping & preparing process) never stops!
  4. It involves academic preparation, spiritual preparation andministerial preparation* (meaning: the basic needs of humanity are the same everywhere. If you learn how to minister right where you are, you’ll learn how to do it in the land of your calling).
  5. It is like finding the will of God for your life: …you must find the next right step and just do it. All those steps together, lead you into the will of God or, in this case, into that state of prepared-ness.

In short…

What a great time of inspiration and formation all rolled up into one!  If you’ve got a call… Feed it!  That’s what we’ve been doing and what we continue to do as we prepare ourselves for our departure in January.

Come back Saturday morning when I’ll have an update on our financial preparations… Exciting news that you won’t want to miss. We’re praising God for great things!  We capped off the weekend by having the Poitras’ in our home for supper the night before their departure back to St. Louis. We’re thankful for their enthusiastic encouragement and their friendship and for believing in us!

See you Saturday!

photo

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Where’s Your Heart this Morning?

Kenna Graves:

After being up for thirty-seven hours straight and then getting between twelve to thirteen hours of sleep, I made my way to the kitchen and opened up the screen door. It was empty and quiet and it hit me all over again. My family is no longer here. That’s what you all became to me. You were like my sisters. It was an honor to travel this beautiful country and experience this culture along with some of the most amazing, strong, and hardworking people I know. You’re all part of the reasons Next Steps 2014 was life changing and forever remembered.

Courtney Boyd:

– Sitting in my favorite chair.
– Cuddling with my favorite blanket.
– Drinking from my favorite mug.

I used to cherish the things above, which are on “My Favorite Things” list. And even though these things still warm my heart, they don’t make me feel at home. My heart just isn’t the same after leaving Africa. Looking back, most of those things were simply material. Now my favorite things are not material, rather the little things and moments that helped mold my life.

– I miss sitting under the Africa sky being completely overwhelmed by how beautiful the moon was, and how it was as if I could reach out and pluck it from the galaxy’s abyss.
– I miss cuddling (nugging) with my girls in the “safe space.”
– I miss drinking from my favorite coconuts that I’d freeze beforehand.

Brandi Young:

How weird it was waking up to a cold, quiet house this morning. No sounds of kids laughing through the village, no woman yelling and selling bread, no sound of motorbikes or trucks passing by. Those sounds drove me crazy at 5am in Africa and I never thought I would miss them! But man, waking up to silence; that was hard. Saw the pic my best friend painted me this morning and lost it because it is so, so true.

Where_is_Your_Heart_this_Morning

If it’s true “home is where the heart is” I have a feeling there is a group of young people today with bodies in one continent and hearts at home in another.

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