Our Mission

"For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything." (1 Thessalonians 1:5-8, NKJV)[1]

The church in Thessalonica understood their mission. Their proclamation of the word was exemplary. They spoke the word in the surrounding regions and wherever they went. This means that when believers from Thessalonica went to the market they shared the gospel. When they traveled to visit relatives they shared the gospel. When they attended social events, they shared the gospel. On vacation and while involved with their vocation they shared the word. Yes, it’s clear that the believers in Thessalonica understood the privilege and opportunity they were given to be a part of reaching their world with the gospel. Evidently, they didn’t see evangelism as and activity that only great evangelists like Paul embraced; nor did they see it as a part of some greater church program. No, the believers in the Thessalonica were so radically changed by the gospel, they were eager to share the good news with others. They seemed to understand their divine assignment.

Jesus said it simply after His resurrection, before His ascension, in each gospel in a slightly different way. In Matthew’s gospel He said, “Go therefore and make disciples…..” (Matthew 28:19). In Mark’s gospel He said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel….” (Mark 16:15). In Luke’s gospel He said, “….repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations…” (Luke 24:47). In John’s gospel He said, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21). Jesus clearly left “marching orders.” He gave them a mission, a critical mission, to reach a lost and dying world with the hope of the gospel.

Reading the book of Acts, it’s not too hard to see that the early church took their mission seriously. When persecution came against the church in Jerusalem, the believers were scattered and Acts 8 verse 4 says,
" Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word." [2]
Wherever they went they were conscious of their mission, looking for opportunities to proclaim the word of God. They saw themselves as “ambassadors” (2 Cor 5:18-20) of the Lord, the King of Kings, proclaiming His offer of reconciliation to a rebellious world. They firmly believed that they had been saved, rescued, redeemed, and forgiven by the Lord Jesus and that there was no other hope for this world. They preached “Christ crucified.” They were not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, knowing that it is the power of God to salvation (Rom 1:16). They were saved by God’s grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8 & 9) and they wanted others to experience God’s abundant grace. They had a passion to proclaim the truth. The Lord’s love in their hearts (Romans 5:5) inspired broken hearts for the lost and therefore a zealous focus to reach their communities with the gospel. They understood that they had an opportunity to participate in this great work – that it wasn’t a work for professionals; but rather for all believers (Ephesians 4:12, 1 Peter 2:9). Yes, it’s clear from the testimony of scripture that the earliest Christian believers understood that the purpose of their lives was not for selfish pleasure or worldly pursuits but to fulfill the mission they had received from the Lord. We can all be thankful as we look back that the believers before us were faithful to share the gospel from generation to generation.

The commission of the Lord still stands. His “marching orders” are still valid. Our opportunity to be His “ambassadors,” has not ceased. The Lord has saved us out of this world, forgiving us, and giving us new life. He has saved us on purpose for a purpose. We’re here to continue to the work, to allow the Lord to use our lives, our talents, and our abilities to reach this world with the gospel. As believers in Jesus, as followers of the Lord, His agenda must be our agenda (Luke 6:46), His life is our life (Colossians 3:3), and His invitation is our invitation (Revelation 22:17).

Have you embraced the mission?





[1] The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2] The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Update from DR Trip, Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Yesterday was a travel day. Today was our first day out in the community sharing the gospel. At least 30 people came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior today.
My day began with Matthew 9:27-29 in my personal devotions. This is the account of Jesus healing two blind men. After we prayed as a group, an 82 year old man who lives accross the street named Gabriel asked us to pray for him. When we asked what he needed prayer for, he said that he was having trouble with his eyes. So we prayed -- and then went out. It was the beginning of a day "themed by the Lord". We then shared with a woman who was spiritually blind. No matter what we said, she didn't see. The Lord opened the next man's eyes spiritually and he received the Lord. After he accepted the Lord we asked how we could pray for him. He said he was having trouble with his eyesight -- so we prayed for him. In the afternoon, we saw a couple sitting playing a game. We began to share with them. They were not Christians. The man told us that he had just been telling the woman with him about a dream he had where he was preaching to a group of people who had drug and alcohol problems. He said that the Lord showed him that people who are blind to the truth are people who don't want to see. He knew the Lord was calling him into ministry; but he was confused. He said there were so many churches that he didn't know what to believe. We shared the gospel with him from the word. He and the woman with him prayed to receive the Lord and they desire further training in the word of God. On the way back we met a group of people -- shared the gospel with them and five men came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. We asked how we could pray for them. The woman who was sitting with them was a Christian. She asked if we could pray for her son. He was about 9 years old. When we asked was was the problem she told us that he had trouble with his sight since he was born. We asked him if he believed that God could heal him. We laid hands on him and prayed for him. Afterward we asked if he could see better. Praise the Lord, he said his vision was better -- that he was seeing better. The Lord is doing awesome things. Please keep praying. There are so many more details of how the Lord is working -- using us, in spite of us, for His glory!

Tomorrow we'll be on the mountain again -- sharing the gospel house to house.

Christmas, The Word Became Flesh

" And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, NKJV) ^[1]

God has been communicating to humanity since the beginning. He has certainly sent a clear communication of His power and intellect through His creation. He has sent a message about His morality to the conscience of every human. He has given us His word, which provides for us direct revelation from God, commands, prophecies, and historical records that communicate to us about His character and His plan. Yes, God has spoken. Yet, historically, we know most did not understand what He was saying. In fact, presently, many don’t understand what He’s saying.

So John tells us “the Word became flesh…” God’s communication actually became human. This is what we celebrate this Christmas Season: Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, becoming man, the Creator entering His creation. He came to communicate clearly God’s love for the world. He demonstrated God’s love by leaving heaven, becoming a helpless baby, living as a human, and then dying for us, for our sins. Yes, He sent an unchanging message as He stepped into history. He came to clear up the confusion, to give clarity and hope to a lost and discouraged world. He came to show the world the way, the truth, and the life.

Remember, we have an opportunity this Christmas to allow God’s word to become “flesh” in our lives, to help a world that doesn’t “get it” to see God’s love through our lives. During this Christmas season, I’m sure we’ll all find opportunities to leave our comfort zone to step into various situations to serve, to share, and to die to our own plans for the sake of the world around us. So, in the midst of all the busyness, let’s determine to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us to make us His letter, His communication to the world that He loves.

I’m praying that God would bless you and your family this Christmas as you reflect on the greatest gift ever given: Jesus Christ.

---

[1] The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Walking Worthy

" I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3, NKJV)

Our “calling” is what we’ve been invited into. When Paul wrote the church at Ephesus about “the calling with which you were called,” he was addressing the whole church. Thus, he was referring to the invitation every believer has received, the invitation to walk with Jesus, the invitation to enjoy a relationship with Jesus, the invitation to be a part of God’s family, and the invitation to be Jesus’ witnesses on this earth.

Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, instructed the church to walk worthy of that calling. In other words, he encouraged them to conduct their daily lives in a manner that is consistent with the privileged position we have in Christ. He was saying, “It’s time to walk the walk; not just talk the talk.” It’s time to live in such a way that our lives demonstrate what we claim to believe.

So what does “walking worthy of our calling” look like? How should we conduct ourselves?

According to this passage, we should be walking:

“….with all lowliness ,” which means having a humble opinion of one’s self, possessing a sense of littleness compared to others, being modest.

“…..with….gentleness,” which means being “meek.” It’s being considerate of other people’s feelings and thoughts.” It’s not snuffing out a smoking wick and not throwing out a bruised reed.

“....with longsuffering,” which means being patient with others, enduring with others, persevering through difficulties.

“….bearing with one another in love…” which means to stand with one another with God’s love, being willing to lay down our lives for one another.

“…endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace....” which means that we’re to work diligently to guard, to protect oneness, to keep from being divided, to work to be spiritually bundled together , resting, without conflict.

Living this kind of life is ultimately for the glory of God. As we represent Him in this world, this is the kind of life that will help the world see Jesus. But this kind of walk is not only for the benefit of the world, it’s also good for each of us individually, as we seek to move forward in our walk, growing in our relationship with the Lord. Think about it….

If I commit to the concept of “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace,” then I will also refuse to accept the modern notion that the way to solve problems in relationships is to walk away from them. With the easy option of walking away is gone, there’s some work ahead, work that will result in the need for love, for patience, for wisdom, for gentleness, and for humility. Being committed to seeing problems resolved and relationships maintained will therefore result in a greater personal dependence on the Lord, an opportunity for purification and maturation. Anyone, even an unbeliever, can get upset because things aren’t working out the way they want them to and leave a relationship. It takes the strength of the Lord; it takes the empowerment of the Spirit, to stick it out, and to make every effort to work the differences out. Walking away from relationship problems will stunt a person’s spiritual growth, hinder their walk, and hurt the church’s witness in the world….

Are you at peace with fellow believers? Are you thinking about walking away from a relationship where you have a disagreement? Is there a situation you’ve walked away from instead of working for unity and peace?

Please pray and consider this life changing concept.

New Ministry @ Calvary

DR Update

Dominican Republic Update: 8/15/2008

Our team just returned on Saturday the 9^th from our latest trip to Barahona, Dominican Republic. We went to share the love of Jesus in word and deed with the children we sponsor, their families, and people in the community.

As we walked around the mountain visiting, we were able to encourage believers, to share the gospel with many (including the local drug dealers), and to spend time with children who desperately need to know that they are loved. I took the photo to the right as we were walking through the community where we serve. The man on the left is Lewis. He oversees our ministry to the children on the mountain. The young man on the right is Johan, one of our translators. As we walk through the community it’s a common experience to be surrounded by children like the ones in the above photo. Some of these children have been abused and neglected. Many of these children eat one meal a day at best. The little boy in the red shirt shines shoes to help support his family. Instead of going to school, he walks to the center of the town 30 to 45 minutes away where he competes with other boys for the opportunity to earn a few pesos. Sometimes he walks home by himself at 11 PM at night. I spoke with his mother about their situation. She said that she really wants to be able to send him to school instead of sending him to work; but at this time, it’s necessary for him to work. She can’t feed her family on her income alone (she makes about $3 per day, washing clothes when she can). I assured her that we’re going to try to find sponsors for her children so that they can go to school instead of work.

The sponsorship program makes a huge difference in the lives of these people. Unemployment is high and food costs keep escalating. It’s common to meet families who are hungry and children who are malnourished. When a child is sponsored his or her family gets $20 per month in food and supplies. Unquestionably, this is a great help to families. I spoke to several of the families who have children who are sponsored. These families are extremely grateful for the help they receive. Please pray for more sponsors for there are many more children in this community who need help.

We handed out some clothing to children as we went through the community. It was a blessing to see their response to these simple gifts of love.

In addition to our time on the mountain in Barahona, we also visited Tamayo, Batey 7, Batey 6, and Batey Central. We praise God for the people who received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This time we had the privilege to pray with more than 30 people who made a commitment to Christ.

Whenever a person receives Christ, we do our best to connect them with a local church or Bible Study. Many pastors are thankful for our efforts and look forward to our time together. It was a joy to see Pastor Mariñez from Batey 6 whose church continues to grow as he teaches the word and shares the gospel in his community. Additionally, we stopped by and visited with Pastor Francisco from Tamayo. We joined with Pastor Francison and visited a young man whose five year old daughter died 20 days ago. We shared the gospel with him and prayed for him.

We’re planning a trip in January 5^th though 13^th, 2009. If you would like to go, look for an application on the “DR Table” in the lobby or send me an E-mail for more information.

Serving Our Savior, Sharing His Love,

Pastor Doug

doug@ccdeltapa.org

Abundance for Every Good Work

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8, NKJV)^[1]

God is able. He gives enough. In fact, Paul tells us in this passage that God gives “an abundance for every good work.” This means that if it’s a good work and He wants it done, He will give more than what is necessary to do it. Thus, we can conclude, if the Lord doesn’t provide for what you may have in mind, for the good work you’re seeking to do, then that "good work" must not be something the Lord wants you to do (at least not now). No matter how good the idea seems, if the LORD doesn’t provide the resources to do it, then it must not be something He wants done at this time. Remember, the question is never “Is God able?” He is able to provide. The question is “Is God willing?”

This is a simple yet wonderful guiding principle as you walk through life. If it’s a good work, if the LORD is leading, He’ll provide because He is able to give abundance for every good work. There’s a great example of this whole principle in the Old Testament. When the Tabernacle design was given by GOD – as Moses told the people about God’s plan - -the word says in Exodus 35:21:

"Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments."

They had the opportunity to give from the heart. It was not to be seen an obligation. It was not a response to a pressure sales job. What were the results?

Later in Exodus 36:3-7 the word says:

"And they received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of making the sanctuary. So they continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning. Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was doing, and they spoke to Moses, saying, “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do.” So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.” And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much."

People had an opportunity to give and the Spirit stirred their hearts and there was “an abundance for the good work,” for doing what the "good work" that the Lord had commanded them to do.

It's true for us -- for me and you. We can trust the Lord. If He’s leading you into a “good work” for Him, He’ll always provide.

---

[1] The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.