Reaching 6,000 per Week

Last evening we shut down our small groups and assembled at the church for a mission presentation. Maria Gusmao, from BCM International, gave a fascinating talk on her work with the street kids of Brasil. What an amazing evening! It started with Maria giving a monologue, playing the role of a little boy living in an abusive situation and his utlimate conversion to Christ. Then she gave a presentation of the ministry.

Currently, Maria and her staff are allowed to teach Bible clubs in the public schools. These clubs, and the clubs they run in the slums of Recife reach 6,000 kids per week! Also, she takes about 150 street kids to camp every summer. There they learn of Christ, make decisions for Him, and also learn that they are loved by Maria and the counselors.

Take time to explore the BCM website, http://www.bcmintl.org/. Also join us in prayer for Maria and these children. Also one other prayer request - I would love to see Wakefield put together a team to assist Maria at her camp. I am certain they could use the help, but more importantly it would be a life changing two weeks for us.

-Mark

Please visit our church at http://wakefieldbible.org/templates/System/default.asp?id=40157

2,800 Opportunities

This week I was pleasantly surprised to learn that our website, www.wakefieldbible.org has received 2,800 visits during the past year. I am smart enough to know that 2,800 is a small number for some websites, however for Wakefield and what we are attempting to accomplish, I find the number thrilling. For me, they are 2,800 opportunities to share Christ, His grace, and Wakefield Valley Bible Church.
Now that I am aware of the 2,800 I am looking with a critical eye at our website to make sure it is accomplishing its purpose, to share Christ and the church with all who visit. So check back in the weeks to come and give me some feedback.
-Mark

Missions Conference

On Sunday we started our Missions Conference. Our conference runs Sunday - Wednesday. Monday-Wednesday we meet in the evening at 7:00 PM. This year we have been blessed with three missionary families. They are featured below. Please take the time to read the short bio. I will add some pictures to this post in a day or two.

Greg and Chris Miller (CrossWorld)
have served for over 30 years in Brazil. Their ministries varied from Third Culture Kid education and care to theological education to leadership development. Now they are part of the Source of Light Ministries International Ministries team developing and producing quality educational and discipleship material in 23 languages and in 90 different countries. They have a website: gregandchris.org.

Chris and Joy Konop (Missionary Aviation Fellowship)
Due to the Missions Conference
this week, there is no choir practice this evening.Chris, originally from Maryland, prepared to serve the Lord at Moody Bible Institute. While training in their aviation program in Spokane, WA, he met Joy who was a nursing student at Whitworth College. They married in 2006 and plan to serve the Lord in the Congo using their aviation and nursing skills.

Thom and Carolyn Cunningham (New Tribes Mission)
served in evangelism, discipleship and church planting for 23 years in Austria, England and Scotland. Later their ministry expanded to teaching in Papua New Guinea at NTM’s Interface Program. Thom specializes in partnering with local churches through teaching seminars – “Each One REACH One – Each One TEACH One” and “Opening the Scriptures”. Their burden and passion is to assist churches in mobilizing believers to make disciples at home and to the ends of the earth. The Cunninghams now serve as NTM representatives in New England.

Preparing Workers for the Next Harvest

We recently completed our missions conference. Dave Wall, of New Tribes Mission, Linda Reynolds, of Biblical Ministries Worldwide, and Dan & Barbara Keys, of Interact were our visiting missionaries. God truly blessed us with their presence. Because of this, and my recent visit to ABWE, my mind has been centered on missions.

Wakefield has a wonderful history with missions. I believe that this is due in part to Pastor Horner's vision and love for missions. Additionally, the people of Wakefield truly love and support their missionaries, committing almost 100,000 dollars per year to missions. This coming from a church of approximately 100 on Sunday mornings.

What then could be added to such a church? I feel that to build on a such a strong foundation, Wakefield must work harder at becoming a sending church. There are some from within our congregation that are on the field. However of late, we have not focused on training the next generation of missionaries. Where are these trainees? I believe they are now approaching retirement, making themselves ready for a new career, and are in middle school and high school.

To then motivate this upcoming class of missionaries, it is essential that we do the following: 1) Constantly put missions, both local and the "uttermost" in front of the congregation. This must include our children, for according to many missionaries, they sensed God's call on their lives when only kids. 2) Provide opportunities for local evangelism. This should include purposeful outreach events and frequent training. 3) Seek to plant churches in the local area and surrounding counties. It is my understanding that many missionary candidates have never led a person to Christ and have never been involved in a church planting program. Therefore, it is essential that our people experience such.

These are three simple steps that I will expound upon in time. I pray that God will continue to use Wakefield in His missionary program. I am certain that the current congregation will lovingly and enthusiastically support missions. However, we need to begin now to train the next congregation.

-Mark

The Entire Mission of the Church is Missions

I'm sorry that I have not posted in the past many weeks. There have been many conflicts for our time and focus.

This week I am at ABWE for the Pastors' Consultation. The training has been outstanding. (If you are a pastor you should request the opportunity to attend or send your missions' pastor.) I have taken much away from the training and I will relay parts of the training on this blog as well as preach on portions of it in the near future.

One thing to share with you is the false idea that missions is what is done overseas and evangelism/outreach is what is done at home. Rather, churches need to quit separating the two and understand that the entire mission of the church is missions, that there is no difference between local church outreach and foreign missions.

I'm excited about what God will be doing in coming years at Wakefield in the area of missions. We have always had a desire to send the Gospel overseas. Let's now add to that focus the desire to take the Gospel across the street.

-Mark