Worship for the World: How Are They To Hear?

“How Are They to Hear?”

Passion for the Gospel
In Romans 10 Paul expresses his own passion for reaching his people, the Jews, with the gospel message for their salvation. He writes: “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” (Romans 10:1) This passion wasn’t just expressed in words or good intentions, he devoted his life to that end. Inevitably God would direct Paul to become the apostle to the Gentiles; focusing his ministry on missions into the West, reaching all the way to Rome. He was obedient to that call, and the book of Romans stands as a testimony to his faithfulness to establish the church in Rome. Clearly, Paul felt a passion for the whole world and worked tirelessly to spread the truth wherever God directed.

But passion isn’t enough. In the very next verse Paul addresses the misguided passions of the Jews. “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal (passion) for God, but not according to knowledge.” (Romans 10:2) They sought after God but missed Him by overlooking His Son; the exact representation of the Father. They were ignorant of the holiness of God. They refused to obey the commands of God. (Romans 10:3) And they killed the Christ who came manifesting righteousness and fulfilling the demands of the law. (Romans 10:4)

Those four verses shape the foundation of all missions; the commitment of the church to the Great Commission.

  • A heart of compassion for the lost.
  • A compassion that drives a passion.
  • A passion that is fueled by prayer.
  • A passion that is committed to the gospel.
  • A passion that shapes a mission to spread Christ to the nations.

In this same chapter Paul takes his passion and allows it to speak in questions:
A Passion to reach the unreached: How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?
A Passion for sound preaching: How are they to hear without someone preaching?
A Passion for engagement: How are they to preach unless they are sent?

The answers are obvious – THEY CANNOT BELIEVE IF THEY DO NOT HEAR – THEY CANNOT HEAR UNLESS SOMEONE PREACHES – AND THEY CANNOT PREACH UNLESS THEY ARE SENT.

This must be our passion. This must be our commitment. We were reminded this past Sunday that the spread of love depends on our obedience. The command to go into all the world demands our participation.

Sending Dube Belini
We have the great privilege to share in the spread of the gospel in Shimabala, Zambia, Africa. The man called to lead that endeavor is Dube Belini. He is already engaged in the new church plant there, fully committed and, like Paul, filled with passion and zeal: “I am unable to keep this to myself and withstand the longing and desire to minister to the lost Souls. Despite so many years having passed by, my passion, conviction, conscience, and the extension of this call … has humbled me so much and added a blazing zeal that has already been in motion.” He adds: “None is qualified for this task, I am not worthy for the assignment, and I am gripped with inadequacies.”

My prayer is that you will carefully consider your own participation in this sending opportunity. The need is one I’m convinced we can meet through your generous single gifts or monthly pledges. The Wooden Box that identifies needs for us will be available for your giving these next few weeks. Also, this week in the bulletin you’ll find a Pledge Card that you can use to help us budget this support in the coming months. No gift is too small – and none could be a large enough expression of the gratitude we feel for God’s grace in our own lives and in our church.

Monthly Need: $1,146 (details in last week’s letter)

In Romans 10, Paul expresses his heart for Israel. In Romans 11, Paul makes clear God’s heart and purpose for Israel. The final response of Israel to the gospel awaits the fullness of the Gentile church. We work toward that end anytime we spread the saving knowledge of Christ around the world. “In this way all Israel will be saved.” (Romans 11:26)

I’ll close with this admonition:

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)

His life; a perfect righteousness for us.
His sacrifice; a boundless mercy for our sins.
Our lives; an expression of worship and praise.
Our sacrifice; a response of gratitude, a heart of obedience.

May God be pleased to use our giving for His glory!


Worship for the World: The New Normal

“The New Normal – How and Where Christianity is Lighting the World”

 

The Shift to the South

In my first post, I wrote: ‘God desires worshipers and He has charged His children, the church, to be engaged in the seeking endeavor so that the world might be found worshiping Him in spirit and truth.’ For most of my years in the church, this mission was decidedly American and European-centered. In other words, the West was leading the mission charge around the world. Christianity was spreading from that center. But today there is a dramatic shift. Consider:

  • At the beginning of the twentieth century, about 71 percent of professing Christians in the world lived in Europe. By the end of the twentieth century, that number had shrunk to 28 percent. 43 percent of the Christians now lived in Latin America and Africa.
  • In 1900, Africa had ten million Christians, which was about ten percent of the population. By 2000, the number of Christians was 360 million, about half the population of the continent.
  • “Last Sunday . . . more Christian believers attended church in China than in all of so-called ‘Christian Europe.’” (The New Shape of World Christianity, Mark Noll)
  • Last Sunday “more Presbyterians were in church in Ghana, Africa than in Scotland” (Ibid)
  • “This past week in Great Britain, at least fifteen thousand Christian foreign missionaries were hard at work evangelizing the locals. Most of these missionaries are from Africa and Asia” (Ibid)

These areas of growth are grouped together in what is being called The Global South. Soon, most of the world’s missionaries will come from that area – and the United States is quickly becoming the targeted mission field.

  • “The country that received the most missionaries in 2010? The United States, with 32,400 sent from other nations” (The Surprising Countries, Christianity Today, July 25, 2013)

The Gospel Dilemma in Africa

Whenever we consider world missions and the statistics that offer us a glimpse into what is going on, we must account for the challenge of separating the wheat from the chaff. In other words, all so-called Christian churches are not, in fact, Christian as defined by the gospel. And even if we focus on growth in one area, ‘evangelical Christianity’, we are left with an unclear picture. You see, much if not most of the growth in Africa (it would be the same most everywhere in the Global South) is driven by the mission and church planting zeal of the charismatic movement: preaching a Prosperity Gospel that is NO GOSPEL.

Conrad Mbewe, Pastor of the Kabwata Baptist Church in Zambia has insight into the dilemma that the gospel faces in Africa. Many of you are familiar with Conrad’s ministry – he has been a frequent speaker at the Shepherds’ Conference in California and was our own Rostern Tembo’s pastor when he was in Africa. He writes:

Jesus said, “…whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!” (Matthew 18:6-7)

  • Think of what this means especially to those “prophets” who are wooing female congregants into the bushes and hills and sexually abusing them in the name of cleansing them from spirits that are interfering in their marriages or preventing them from getting pregnant.
  • Think of what this means to so-called “men of God” who are fattening themselves and their bank accounts at the expense of their congregations whom they are hoodwinking into parting with their money through misapplied texts of Scripture. I really tremble for them.
  • Think of what this means to the many pastors whose bad example in this realm has opened the door to the current flood in the church of Jesus Christ. Many are now thinking that the best way to make yourself rich is by becoming a pastor, a bishop, a prophet, or an apostle.
  • Think of what it will mean on the judgment day for those preachers who have turned many from seeking God to seeking gold, from extoling self-denial to pursuing self-aggrandizement, and from looking up to the cross daily to looking up to them for earthly blessings.

The Gospel Hope in Africa

Despite the dross, the chaff, the weeds that the enemy has sown in God’s field in Africa, the growth of gospel-centered, faithful churches is also happening. God is at work. His desire that the world would be found worshiping Him in spirit and truth continues. Wherever the gospel is clearly proclaimed, hope looms large!

In Zambia, a faithful work is expanding:

  • Kabwata Baptist Church is focused on spreading the gospel through mission endeavor.
  • In December 1998, Heart Cry Missionary Society, USA (Paul Washer) offered to help underwrite the salaries of any church planting missionaries Kabwata sent.
    • Kennedy Sunkutu (a dear friend of Rostern) was one of those men. A church was established in Kafue, Zambia
  • Since then, Kabwata has planted churches within Zambia and outside Zambia. In Zambia, the Eastern Province; there are church plants in Chitawe, Katete, Nyimba, Petauke and Sinda. In Southern Province: Mazabuka, Monze and Choma. In Western Province: Kaoma, Senanga and Sesheke. In Central Province: Kapiri Mposhi. In Northern Province: Kasama. In Lusaka Province: Chamba Valley, Crossway, Ibex Hill, John Laing, Kabanana, Kafue and Matero.

Each of these churches worship in the Reformed Baptist tradition with unwavering commitments to the exposition of Scripture and the spiritual growth of its members.

An Invitation from Africa

The Kafue Reformed Baptist Church (Pastor Kennedy Sunkutu), planted by Kabwata Baptist Church, has invited us to join with them to support a new church plant in Shimabala (10km north of Kafue town). Kennedy first contacted his friend, Rostern, and then in August sent the elders here at Grace a formal invitation.

  • KRBC’s work in Shimabala has been running for about 8 years. The growing population of settlers in the area now demand the formal establishment of a church. For about two years the church has been praying for the Lord to raise someone to take up the work. The church has finally found a candidate for the area. He received training from the then Reformed Baptist Preachers’ College (a jointly run venture between Lusaka Baptist Church, Kabwata Baptist Church and Mount Makulu Baptist Church), over a decade ago. He also participated in caretaking John Laing Reformed Baptist Church, a church plant of Kabwata Baptist Church for several years.
  • The man we are calling is Mr. Dube Baleni. He is married, and he has four children. One is getting into college next year; two are in secondary school with the last one in primary school. Dube and his family are excited to serve the Lord in Shimabala. He holds on to reformed theology convictions as expressed in the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith statement. He is also very fluent in the local dialect spoken in the area.
  • We are making this request because as a church we are not able for now to take on an additional expense on our budget. But we are persuaded that this work should not be delayed any further.

An Invitation from Your Elders

The elders and I are anxious and excited to be a part of this opportunity. We are hopeful that God would produce a shared excitement in your hearts. At the end of this post you will find additional resources: sermons from Conrad Mbewe addressing the African Opportunity and Challenge, the invitation we received from Kafue Reformed Baptist Church, planting pastor, Dube Beleni’s testimony and family information, and Dube’s testimony of his call to the ministry in 2002. Rostern is in Ohio for the holidays, but I’m sure he would welcome any inquiries regarding the work in Zambia. He is close to these men and is hopeful we can be a help.

Any response by Grace Community Church can only be informed by your response in financial support.

The financial burden includes:

  • Salary: $445/month
  • Housing: $311/month
  • Book Allowance: $5/month
  • Internet: $23/month
  • Transportation: $22/month
  • Telephone: $22/month
  • Education: $340/month

Please join us by giving.

The last three Sundays in 2017, in the midst of this season of giving, could be a cause for celebration and an affirmation that we share in God’s desire that He be worshiped in the world. We’ll point to the Wooden Box and trust God’s provision to guide our intentions to join in the spread of the gospel in Zambia.



Additional Resources:
Conrad Mbewe – Strange Fire Conference, 2014

KRBC Proposed Church Plant Invitation
Dube Belini’s Testimony and Family Information
Dube Belini’s Call to the Ministry

STEVE WILSON,
PASTOR-TEACHER

    

Midweek @ Grace

Midweek @ Grace

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

@11:30 AM – Women’s Fellowship & Bible Study

This Week … “Submission, Part One” 1 Peter 2:13-25

Friday, February 19, 2016

@6:15 AM – Men’s Fellowship & Bible Study

The Gospel of Mark – – This Week … “Authority” Mark 11:27-33

 

Facing a Task Unfinished

The classic hymn, “Facing a Task Unfinished,” was recently updated and released by Keith and Kristyn Getty – to empower today’s church for God’s global mission. The hymn reminds us that the God of our heroes moves through us today. Through prayer and dependence on His Spirit, we can take the life-saving message of the gospel to the lost. We can face the unfinished task of building God’s global church with confidence, no matter what obstacles are before us.

“Facing a task unfinished

That drives us to our knees

A need that, undiminished

Rebukes our slothful ease

We, who rejoice to know Thee

Renew before Thy throne

The solemn pledge we owe Thee

To go and make Thee known”

On February 21, 2016, churches around the world – including Grace Community Church of Bowling Green – will join together to sing this classic hymn in an event called: The Task Unfinished.

To learn more about the story behind the song, take the time to watch this video from Keith and Kristyn Getty. | Listen to “Facing a Task Unfinished” here.

 

Coming Up @ Grace

Some men from Grace will be traveling to T4G in April; if you’d like to join them just call or email your interest to the Grace Office and we’ll sync you up.

Come together to remember the burning truths of the Reformation, apply its spirit of protest in our times, and take courage for life and ministry.

For more information, or to register, visit t4g.org.

 

This Weekend @ Grace

The Lord’s Day, August 16, 2015
@9:15 AM – Prelude to Worship
@9:30 AM – The Family in Worship
Hymns, Prayer, Praise and Worship in the Word
This Sunday… The Mountain “The Truth About Truth” Exodus 20:16; John 8:31-47 | Pastor Steve

Following Morning Worship…

Haiti

@6:00 PM – The Theology Program
Humanity & Sin
“Original Sin: Augustinianism and Arminianism, Part Two”

This Weekend @ Grace

Mother’s Day 2015 – Pancake Breakfast
Proverbs 1:7–9
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
9 for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
John Piper writes: “God ordained the family not just to be fruitful and fill the earth with people, but to fill the earth with instructed people and taught people. The family is the place where the next generation is born and where the next generation learns how to live.”
Raising our children in the nurture and instruction of the Lord is a high calling – and for most families, it becomes the primary task of the mother. On Mother’s Day, people from all walks of life will send warm greetings to, and share fond memories of, their mothers. And this is as it should be. But for Christians there is something more … the reality that our mothers have, in so many cases, “bejeweled” us (graceful garland and pendants, Prov. 1:9) with the life-changing teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Moms – and ladies – we’ve planned a breakfast for you this Sunday @ 8 … we surely hope you’ll come out and enjoy our small gift of honor to you.

And, at the same time (we’re multi-tasking here!), this is one of our tri-annual opportunities to focus on funding for Bethesda School in Haiti. There, moms in the Cap Haitien community are benefitting from the blessing of an excellent education in a nurturing, Christian, environment. Your gifts through the year are essential to keeping this vital asset working for the future of Haiti – and the glory of the Gospel for the next generation. Your support allows the teachers a working wage through the year ($2,000 monthly support for a staff of 15 – around $135/month each), and ensures over 200 children become equipped to be a positive force for Haiti’s future. This annual commitment ($24,000) is made possible through your gifts.

And (like I said – multi-tasking here) in the late summer of 2015, Pastors Steve and Mike will travel to both Cap Haitien and Grand Goave to teach 100 pastors God’s principles for Biblical Eldership (Team 2 of 4). A $4,000 budget is set for travel and conference support for the 100 men (food, supplies, etc.). Your support is essential to make this trip possible.

So bring a healthy appetite some glad wishes for mothers – and joy-filled gifts to continue our mission ministry in Haiti!

The Lord’s Day, May 10, 2015
@8:00 AM – Mother’s Day Pancake Breakfast
@9:15 AM – Prelude to Worship
@9:30 AM – The Family in Worship
Hymns, Prayer, Praise and Worship in the Word
This Sunday… The Mountain: Scenes from Sinai “At the Foot of the Mountain, Part One” Exodus 19:1-7 | Pastor Steve
@11:00 AM – The Family in Fellowship
A few minutes to build relationships… coffee and snacks served.
2nd Hour Discipleship is dismissed.

This Weekend @ Grace

The Lord’s Day, November 23, 2014 – MISSIONS SUNDAY
@9:15 AM – Prelude to Worship
@9:30 AM – The Family in Worship
Hymns, Prayer, Praise and Worship in the Word
This Week: THE EXODUS
PLAGUES “Death” Exodus 11:1-10; 12:28-32 | Pastor Steve
@11:00 AM – The Family Fellowship
A few minutes to build relationships … coffee and snacks served!
@11:15 AM – Haiti Missions Bazaar

@6:00 PM – The Theology Program | Introduction to Theology
This Week: “Unity and Diversity” Session Ten

Coming Up @ Grace

Join us this Sunday (8/31), immediately following 2nd Hour Discipleship, for our HAITI LUNCHEON with Bake Sale & Silent Auction! Lunch! Fantastic Food for Fellowship! • Bake Sale! Savory Sweet Sensations! • Silent Auctions! Baskets Galore!

 

Cookies, Cakes, and Pies …OH MY!
Thank you for the overwhelming response and commitments to donate tasty treats.
There will be a nice variety of baked goods available for purchase during the luncheon!

The Theology Program – Introduction to Theology – Beginning Sunday, September 14th @ 6:00 PM!

Women’s Fellowship & Bible Study
Beginning Wednesday, September 17th
@11:30 AM – Light Lunch Fellowship
@12:00 PM – Bible
Study
No childcare provided.  Contact the office for more information.

Restoration Movement: The History & Heresy of the Church of Christ
Beginning Wednesday, September 17th @ 6:00 PM

 

Hospice of SOKY: Candy Drive

Hospice of Southern Kentucky: Candy Drive


What:
At their annual Chocolate Festival, Hospice will be having a Kid’s Candy Store.  A free store for children to fill up goodie bags with candy!

How:  You can help Hospice by donating bags of individually wrapped candies!
Where:  Drop off any candy at the Grace Office and we will make sure it gets to Hospice.
When:  Anytime between now and February 10th!

All proceeds from the Chocolate Festival will be used to care for patients with no insurance.  If you are interested in purchasing tickets to the festival (taking place on Sunday, February 23rd at the Sloan Convention Center), please visit hospicesoky.org or call 270-782-3402.