"Message from Terry Mathis: Director of Missions"
I wanted to share with you this
month the Mission Challenge that I presented at the 147th Annual Association Meeting on
October 20, 2014. I used Acts 1:8, which is a very familiar passage used for missions and
witnessing. The verse says, “And after you have received power, you shall be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” I ask
that we focus on the first place that Jesus says we are to take His witness and
that is Jerusalem. Hopefully, we all understand that our Jerusalem is where we
live in our communities. So, I set the challenge that for this coming year, our
churches focus on 35 homes around their church building.
Next, I shared ways we, as an association, want to help our churches to reach the families in these 35 homes around them. All these forms of help come directly from the success of the early churches in the Book of Acts. The first thing we notice is that the early church prayed about everything. So, we have challenged our churches to pray like never before for these selected 35 homes around the church. The association wants to come along beside the churches and pray with them for these homes.
Secondly, we notice that the early church was in unity. The Bible says many times that they were in one accord. If we are in unity as a church and even as a group of association churches, we will be focused on what Acts 1:8 tells us – we are “witnesses.” We, as an association, want to help train people in the churches on how to witness to the families in these 35 homes by using a simple program for witnessing called, “Three Circles”.
Thirdly, the early church gathered together often and celebrated the blessing of God upon them. We encourage our churches to celebrate God’s blessings as they reach out to these 35 homes and then we will all celebrate together at next year’s Annual Meeting.
It’s important that we have a focus to start somewhere and I pray that our association churches take this challenge and reach out to the 35 homes around their church. If we are faithful in reaching our Jerusalem, then we can do a better job when called out to reach the areas of Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.
I’m looking forward to what will be done as we work together with the same focus. I believe there are some days of celebration ahead! Just remember the challenge: 35 homes around your church!
Serving the Lord Together,
Terry Mathis, Director of Missions
Next, I shared ways we, as an association, want to help our churches to reach the families in these 35 homes around them. All these forms of help come directly from the success of the early churches in the Book of Acts. The first thing we notice is that the early church prayed about everything. So, we have challenged our churches to pray like never before for these selected 35 homes around the church. The association wants to come along beside the churches and pray with them for these homes.
Secondly, we notice that the early church was in unity. The Bible says many times that they were in one accord. If we are in unity as a church and even as a group of association churches, we will be focused on what Acts 1:8 tells us – we are “witnesses.” We, as an association, want to help train people in the churches on how to witness to the families in these 35 homes by using a simple program for witnessing called, “Three Circles”.
Thirdly, the early church gathered together often and celebrated the blessing of God upon them. We encourage our churches to celebrate God’s blessings as they reach out to these 35 homes and then we will all celebrate together at next year’s Annual Meeting.
It’s important that we have a focus to start somewhere and I pray that our association churches take this challenge and reach out to the 35 homes around their church. If we are faithful in reaching our Jerusalem, then we can do a better job when called out to reach the areas of Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.
I’m looking forward to what will be done as we work together with the same focus. I believe there are some days of celebration ahead! Just remember the challenge: 35 homes around your church!
Serving the Lord Together,
Terry Mathis, Director of Missions