Well we are just 5 days now from Virgina and our Candidate Conference.
Continue to be humbled by Gods providence and am overwhelmingly aware of His plan and His provision. Almost daily He reminds me. Even Kim's daily devotion is speaking everyday to us.
Today's,"You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet. Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control.Hebrews 2:7,8a
Jesus is the only one who can claim having had human form and having complete control. So, if we're trying to control situations, people, or our future - we need to stop. Not our job. Do what God shows us to do and let that be all. Not try to do His job. He is clearly more qualified than we.
God has shown me what can truly happen when we submit to His will and way.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Urgent Plea
IMB trustee chairman: History suggests sacrifice needed now to support missions12/1/2008
By Paul Chitwood
RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--In my seventh year as a trustee of the International Mission Board, I continue to stand in awe of the incredible thing God has done by bringing together Southern Baptist churches. The largest missionary-sending agency in the world is not our invention. It is an act of His grace. This work, however, has required the enthusiastic and sacrificial support of Southern Baptist churches from day one. With very few exceptions, Southern Baptists have provided all the resources needed for every called, qualified and willing Southern Baptist missionary candidate to be appointed.
The only recent exception to that fine record occurred about seven years ago. After 9/11, the downturn in our nation’s economy and the resulting drop in charitable giving caused us to restrict the number of new missionary appointments. When Southern Baptists received that news they responded as never before. Within one year, all restrictions were lifted and workers once again began to flow to the harvest fields. Still, the fallout of that financial crisis continued for several years. What did we learn? Two lessons stand out.
First, we learned that restricting missionary appointments is not a temporary move with temporary consequences. It takes a long time to regain lost ground — years. The seriousness of the decision to restrict appointments cannot be overstated. Every time a missionary is delayed, a witness among an unreached people group is delayed, new church starts are delayed, baptisms are delayed and salvations are delayed. For the sake of those dying without Christ, we cannot miss that lesson.
Second, we learned Southern Baptists respond to needs when they know about them. As reports of insufficient funding and delayed missionaries began to circulate among our churches, we witnessed an immediate and unprecedented response. Record gifts began to pour in from our churches. In one year’s time, gifts received through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering increased by more than 18 percent!
Why do I share these lessons with you? Because we are on the verge of repeating history. With a record number of missionaries depending on Southern Baptists for financial support and the ongoing worldwide financial crisis, the 2009 IMB budget is now under strain to support growth in our missionary force.
I am sounding the alarm. If nothing changes, we will do well to support our current missionaries and replace those who complete their service and choose not to return to the field. Growth will be restricted as new missionary appointments are slowed for want of funding. This news comes at a time when we are seeing record numbers of missionary candidates attend candidate conferences to learn about opportunities to serve overseas.
In a step of faith, the IMB currently has placed no restrictions on new appointments. The dilemma is obvious. With more missionaries ready and willing to go than ever before, but no money readily available to send them, Southern Baptists have a decision. Either we will say no to the missionaries, no to the unreached, no to baptisms and salvations, or we will say yes to unprecedented, sacrificial giving to the 2008 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. The consequences of saying “No” are too great. Join me in saying “Yes!” Paul Chitwood is pastor of First Baptist Church, Mt. Washington, Ky., and chairman of trustees for the International Mission Board.
I have challenged my church who which is already in the top 1% of all Southern Baptist church's in IMB giving to give like never before. Anyone who visits this blog may also give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Mission by sending your offering made out to Faith Temple Baptist Church, please put Lottie Moon on the check. FTBC 11214 FM 1565, Terrell TX 75160
By Paul Chitwood
RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--In my seventh year as a trustee of the International Mission Board, I continue to stand in awe of the incredible thing God has done by bringing together Southern Baptist churches. The largest missionary-sending agency in the world is not our invention. It is an act of His grace. This work, however, has required the enthusiastic and sacrificial support of Southern Baptist churches from day one. With very few exceptions, Southern Baptists have provided all the resources needed for every called, qualified and willing Southern Baptist missionary candidate to be appointed.
The only recent exception to that fine record occurred about seven years ago. After 9/11, the downturn in our nation’s economy and the resulting drop in charitable giving caused us to restrict the number of new missionary appointments. When Southern Baptists received that news they responded as never before. Within one year, all restrictions were lifted and workers once again began to flow to the harvest fields. Still, the fallout of that financial crisis continued for several years. What did we learn? Two lessons stand out.
First, we learned that restricting missionary appointments is not a temporary move with temporary consequences. It takes a long time to regain lost ground — years. The seriousness of the decision to restrict appointments cannot be overstated. Every time a missionary is delayed, a witness among an unreached people group is delayed, new church starts are delayed, baptisms are delayed and salvations are delayed. For the sake of those dying without Christ, we cannot miss that lesson.
Second, we learned Southern Baptists respond to needs when they know about them. As reports of insufficient funding and delayed missionaries began to circulate among our churches, we witnessed an immediate and unprecedented response. Record gifts began to pour in from our churches. In one year’s time, gifts received through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering increased by more than 18 percent!
Why do I share these lessons with you? Because we are on the verge of repeating history. With a record number of missionaries depending on Southern Baptists for financial support and the ongoing worldwide financial crisis, the 2009 IMB budget is now under strain to support growth in our missionary force.
I am sounding the alarm. If nothing changes, we will do well to support our current missionaries and replace those who complete their service and choose not to return to the field. Growth will be restricted as new missionary appointments are slowed for want of funding. This news comes at a time when we are seeing record numbers of missionary candidates attend candidate conferences to learn about opportunities to serve overseas.
In a step of faith, the IMB currently has placed no restrictions on new appointments. The dilemma is obvious. With more missionaries ready and willing to go than ever before, but no money readily available to send them, Southern Baptists have a decision. Either we will say no to the missionaries, no to the unreached, no to baptisms and salvations, or we will say yes to unprecedented, sacrificial giving to the 2008 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. The consequences of saying “No” are too great. Join me in saying “Yes!” Paul Chitwood is pastor of First Baptist Church, Mt. Washington, Ky., and chairman of trustees for the International Mission Board.
I have challenged my church who which is already in the top 1% of all Southern Baptist church's in IMB giving to give like never before. Anyone who visits this blog may also give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Mission by sending your offering made out to Faith Temple Baptist Church, please put Lottie Moon on the check. FTBC 11214 FM 1565, Terrell TX 75160
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Thoughts before Conference
I know I have not posted in a while and really probably will become much more active after our Conference next week. I ask you for prayer this week as we seek to prepare ourselves. As I have prepared to go into the mission field I have been preaching on the Disciples and their time with our Lord. This is the result of having gone through a sort of metamorphosis myself in what it means to truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
One thing that has become so apparent is that God is truly speaking to me as I dive deeper into the time when Jesus called and taught these 12 men. The past few months have been spent searching the Come and See stage of Jesus' ministry found in John 1-4. I now am exploring deeper the Come and Follow me stage and for maybe the first time truly understand what was going on here in Mark Chapter 1 and Luke Chapter 5.
Andrew, Peter, John, Phillip and Nathaniel had been with Jesus for four months and gone back home to their fishing. And now Jesus has come to them after giving them time to consider their calling. They had tasted new wine and now the fish stunk and the net cleaning and mending which was their life before all seemed so trivial. He approaches them with the ultimate choice, "Follow Me."
I have known the Lord for many years. But it has been in a very real sense never beyond the Come and See stage. I have sought the Will of God and answered His call, but in many ways only as those first five did in the first four Chapters of John. I continued to fish and mend nets in my life.
I now find myself on the banks of the Sea of Galilee, tired if fishing and mending and fishing and mending, and Jesus is saying Greg, go out into the deep, and cast down your nets once more. And I'm ready. Ready to be faithful. That is what next week is about for us.
Pray for us. The closer this reality comes the more I find myself forced to fish and mend nets. That is what happens to us all. We are called by Jesus to "Follow Him" and we keep going back to our fishing and net mending. In a few short weeks I will be homeless, car less, furniture less, probably even job less for a while. Might even be money less. But I know for the first time in my walk with Christ I will truly have forsaken all, to follow Him, and become a fisher of men.
Who will go with me.....
One thing that has become so apparent is that God is truly speaking to me as I dive deeper into the time when Jesus called and taught these 12 men. The past few months have been spent searching the Come and See stage of Jesus' ministry found in John 1-4. I now am exploring deeper the Come and Follow me stage and for maybe the first time truly understand what was going on here in Mark Chapter 1 and Luke Chapter 5.
Andrew, Peter, John, Phillip and Nathaniel had been with Jesus for four months and gone back home to their fishing. And now Jesus has come to them after giving them time to consider their calling. They had tasted new wine and now the fish stunk and the net cleaning and mending which was their life before all seemed so trivial. He approaches them with the ultimate choice, "Follow Me."
I have known the Lord for many years. But it has been in a very real sense never beyond the Come and See stage. I have sought the Will of God and answered His call, but in many ways only as those first five did in the first four Chapters of John. I continued to fish and mend nets in my life.
I now find myself on the banks of the Sea of Galilee, tired if fishing and mending and fishing and mending, and Jesus is saying Greg, go out into the deep, and cast down your nets once more. And I'm ready. Ready to be faithful. That is what next week is about for us.
Pray for us. The closer this reality comes the more I find myself forced to fish and mend nets. That is what happens to us all. We are called by Jesus to "Follow Him" and we keep going back to our fishing and net mending. In a few short weeks I will be homeless, car less, furniture less, probably even job less for a while. Might even be money less. But I know for the first time in my walk with Christ I will truly have forsaken all, to follow Him, and become a fisher of men.
Who will go with me.....
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
4 MONTHS
Today marks 4 months in our journey to become International Missionaries of the 10 it will take. That is 2 months less than normal. (Harder than adoption, but much quicker, unless you count Emma Jane's unheard of adoption!) We are currently getting our reference packages into the hands of those who will be sharing what they know of our lives with the Trustees of the IMB. We have prayed over them and we have only two left to give out. Many will probably wonder why they were not asked. Well, for many we have not known you long enough.The IMB was specific in the length of our relationship, and many of the 34 we had to hand out were very specific people. It was actually very very hard to get all 34 and meet their criteria. We also could not use family.
Next up is to spend the next two months getting things organized and then in December we go to Richmond.
Next up is to spend the next two months getting things organized and then in December we go to Richmond.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Reference Questionaires
We received our package of 30 reference questionnaires today. We will be asking many of you to take the time to answer questions about us and our children over the next week. This is the final step besides our Candidate Conference in December before Trustee Vote on January 27th.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
WHY PUEBLA
When we began our application with the IMB there was a job in Belize that I had thought was the perfect job for me. It was in the area of Theological Education and the job description described all these Baptist church's that had drifted away from proper doctrine and had lost their power and presence in the community. This excited me and I was sure this was the job for Kim and I. The setting was safe and secure with a missionary owned home and the teaching setting was one of a classroom and there would be contact with and interaction with seminary professors here in the states. I was very excited.
Then one day I read about the work in Mexico. A work that was not so safe and secure. The "Urban Transformation Initiative" The IMB has launched this initiative on the largest cities in Mexico. Puebla is the fourth largest. I read the job description over and over. It had hold of me, let me share a bit of it.
"This is one of several requests that are on the leading edge of our work. The requirements should be taken very seriously-counting the cost-before entering this work. The commitment required, the trusting faith required, and the potential for spiritual breakthrough are all at the highest level imaginable."
"Less than 2.5% know Christ at this time. Responsiveness to clear Biblical expression of the Gospel is expected to be high. Poor evangelism has resulted in expressions of a superficial faith in Christ. We must be thoroughly Biblical in all we do. Puebla is an incredibly influential city; when it is reached, the impact will be massive within the country and beyond!"
"In the job description addendum there were some further clarifications of the expectations. These caught my heart. "We will release personal dreams of position and status. We will make a break and will not plant 'traditional', churches. All churches we plant are radical agents in the world-Salt with Saltiness!"
On Saturday night June 21st, I read the job posting many times and prayed over it. I had also searched myself and asked does my choice utilize the gifts and capabilities the Creator God gave me? Would I be utilizing them in my service to Christ? And the answer for both jobs was yes. Then I searched myself further and my desire and wants and needs. I then asked myself, am I willing to tune into God's inner voice and ignore my own. Am I willing to follow God as He opens and closes doors in accordance with "His Calling."
In the middle of the night I awoke and Acts 11:21 was on my mind. I thought Acts 11:21, I have no idea what it says. I tried to fall back to sleep, and could not, I turned on the light and looked it up, then ran and woke Kim up and read it to her. Acts 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
God had given me His answer. The Belize Job was filled by another and Kim and I reserved the position in Puebla. Why Puebla, because God said Go. Go tell the world that Love has come.
Then one day I read about the work in Mexico. A work that was not so safe and secure. The "Urban Transformation Initiative" The IMB has launched this initiative on the largest cities in Mexico. Puebla is the fourth largest. I read the job description over and over. It had hold of me, let me share a bit of it.
"This is one of several requests that are on the leading edge of our work. The requirements should be taken very seriously-counting the cost-before entering this work. The commitment required, the trusting faith required, and the potential for spiritual breakthrough are all at the highest level imaginable."
"Less than 2.5% know Christ at this time. Responsiveness to clear Biblical expression of the Gospel is expected to be high. Poor evangelism has resulted in expressions of a superficial faith in Christ. We must be thoroughly Biblical in all we do. Puebla is an incredibly influential city; when it is reached, the impact will be massive within the country and beyond!"
"In the job description addendum there were some further clarifications of the expectations. These caught my heart. "We will release personal dreams of position and status. We will make a break and will not plant 'traditional', churches. All churches we plant are radical agents in the world-Salt with Saltiness!"
On Saturday night June 21st, I read the job posting many times and prayed over it. I had also searched myself and asked does my choice utilize the gifts and capabilities the Creator God gave me? Would I be utilizing them in my service to Christ? And the answer for both jobs was yes. Then I searched myself further and my desire and wants and needs. I then asked myself, am I willing to tune into God's inner voice and ignore my own. Am I willing to follow God as He opens and closes doors in accordance with "His Calling."
In the middle of the night I awoke and Acts 11:21 was on my mind. I thought Acts 11:21, I have no idea what it says. I tried to fall back to sleep, and could not, I turned on the light and looked it up, then ran and woke Kim up and read it to her. Acts 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
God had given me His answer. The Belize Job was filled by another and Kim and I reserved the position in Puebla. Why Puebla, because God said Go. Go tell the world that Love has come.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Time To Catch Up
After my last post we have since completed our dental clearances, our mental health evaluations, our children's educational and development evaluations, done our Life Sketch, statement of beliefs, our autobiography, our background checks were done, and we completed our reference lists. My College and Seminary transcripts were sent, and we reserved a specific job in Puebla, Mexico and today.....We had our In Depth Interview.
And we were told all the hard stuff was now behind us. Amen!
We were told today, I guess amidst all this financial crisis, that the IMB would not allow us to have any debt when we leave. So that made very clear some prayers on how to handle our home. But as you know after Sunday we are so ready to be free of everything. Debt and possessions. We are relatively debt free so it was really simply a confirmation. Anybody looking for a babied Mustang!
Thanks for your prayers.
I will get back up to speed soon on my blogging.
Tomorrow, Why Puebla?
And we were told all the hard stuff was now behind us. Amen!
We were told today, I guess amidst all this financial crisis, that the IMB would not allow us to have any debt when we leave. So that made very clear some prayers on how to handle our home. But as you know after Sunday we are so ready to be free of everything. Debt and possessions. We are relatively debt free so it was really simply a confirmation. Anybody looking for a babied Mustang!
Thanks for your prayers.
I will get back up to speed soon on my blogging.
Tomorrow, Why Puebla?
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