SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Your children will learn more about our missions partnership with Central Asia and Ecuador and about the missionaries serving there.  Register your children for this fun missions learning experience by calling the church office or in your Adult Sunday School class.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm

We will need volunteers to help in the following areas:

Hygiene Kits Team, Children’s Ministry Team, Preschool Ministry Team, Grounds Teams, Hands of Christ Paint Team, Shepherd’s Staff Paint and Light Construction Teams, Housekeeping Teams, Servant Evangelism Team, Neighborhood Outreach Team, Friendship Mission Team

Sign up sheets available Sunday morning or you may call the church office at 272-2304 to sign up and reserve childcare.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Childcare provided by the Preschool Ministry Team (Please sign up).  Mark this date on your calendar now and make plans to be involved in this day of service to our community.  Sign up sheets will be available beginning Sunday, September 19.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

The term Reached refers to an area where over 2% of the population are believers.  This term does not mean that the task of reaching people is complete, but it is simply a category that missiologists use to describe a population where the missionary task has surpassed the 2% mark and much of the focus is on discipleship.  Our Ecuador seminary partnership falls into this category.  Steve and Carol from Ecuador will be with us for our missions conference and you will have the opportunity to hear the latest about what is going on in Ecuador–specifically with the work at the Ecuador Seminary.

Another area of partnership is with the Unreached.  While there are many individual unreached people around us, including here in Montgomery, this category refers to a people group or ethnic group where less than 2% of the population are believers.  We have adopted an unreached people group in Central Asia, and our missions partner for our adopted people group, Ted, will be with us for our conference as well.

Our third missions partnership is with a Last Frontier group.  A Last Frontier group is the term used when there is no gospel witness among a particular ethnic or people group and there is no work being done to reach them.  Our Last Frontier group is also located in Central Asia, and we are partnering with Jeremy to reach them.  Jeremy will also be with us during our missions conference, and we will get to hear more about the future of our partnership with him to reach this people group.

Ken will also be speaking, and I know you will appreciate hearing from him once more.  There will be breakout sessions for adults, youth and children in K-6 grades.  This will be an exciting opportunity for our children to hear directly from the missionaries for whom they have been praying.  Childcare will be offered for those with nursery age children, but you must sign up for this.  There will be fellowship dinners on Friday (5:15 pm) and Saturday (5:30 pm).  Saturday’s dinner will be from Chick-fil-a and will also include a sampling of foods from the regions where our missionaries are serving.

This is an exciting time in the life of our church and we are blessed to have a senior pastor and staff who have a strong biblical understanding of missions and therefore have a passion for missions as well.  Please make our Third Annual Global Missions Conference a priority and set aside September 10-12 to be with us.    If you plan to attend either of the dinners or require childcare for the conference, please call the church office at 272-2304 to sign up.  I am looking forward to seeing you at the conference.

Jonathan

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Save the dates for the Global Missions Conference: September 10-12.

Friday, September 10
5:15-8:00 pm

Saturday, September 11
3:00-7:00pm

Sunday, September 12
Regular Schedule Times

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Dear Parents,

In case you haven’t already heard, we have some big plans for our community mission’s day on Saturday, March 27th.

While you go to your various areas of service, the children will be doing community missions by performing our G321:Music songs at a local nursing home, Crown Healthcare.  In addition to this, we’ll be taking some of our time at the church to do our final rehearsal for our G321: Music night at 6:30pm on Sunday, March 28th. While children do not have to be active in G321 to participate with us on Saturday, if they are in G321, it is really important that they come on Saturday, since this will serve as our final dress rehearsal for the following evening’s concert.

We’ll start our day at 8:00am with a Donut Breakfast and warm-up before leaving for the nursing home.  We should be done along with the other service teams at or before noon.

Please make plans to pick up your children at 12pm sharp.

Since we’ll be at health care facility, please send the children in clothes appropriate to the context and be sure to send them with shoes that will not come off while we walk from place to place.

As a final note, we could use about 6 adults to go along as chaperones in addition to the G321 teachers.  If you would like to spend the morning with us, please contact me or sign-up for our team on the community mission’s day signup sheets at the church.

With you for God’s Glory in our children’s hearts!

David Hardgrave

Pastor for Music and Worship

Morningview Baptist Church

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Generally speaking, we often find it very easy to complain about problems and shortcomings in our communities, and those problems are real.  However, at the root, the problems we face here are no different then the problems faced in China or Brazil or Pakistan or England or Nigeria or Canada.  The universal human problem is sin, and the only universal solution is faith in Jesus Christ.  Thus, just as we would labor to reach the unreached on the other side of the globe, we should labor to reach the unreached on the other side of the street.

On March 27th, we will have a Community Missions Service Day where we will have the privilege of serving our own community and, Lord willing, opening many doors for true gospel witness.  The event will last from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon (a few teams may go slightly longer).  Child care will be provided for nursery age children and those in grade school will have a ministry activity to participate in.

We will have teams serving our Hands of Christ Ministry Center in Chisholm, some serving our shut-ins, and some serving other community needs organizations.  We will also have teams engaging in evangelism and outreach projects, our children will be singing in nursing homes, and we will have events here on our campus for our senior adults to participate in.

I hope you will set aside this day on your calendar, because all of us have a role to play.  This event is structured to include every able-bodied member of our congregation.  By God’s grace, we will be able to touch many, many lives with the Gospel, and the joy we will glean from our obedience and witness will be an immense blessing.  I love you all!

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

The Ecuador missions trip will be June 18-26.  Have you considered how God would have you be involved in this partnership this year?  Will you send or will you go?  Please be open to being involved in our Ecuador partnership this year and consider whether or not God would have you go on this trip or financially and prayerfully support those going.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

1.  It will awaken and embolden your heart to God’s global purpose.  Evangelism and Missions are commissions given to each believer – they are not options.  We are to share God’s burden for the salvation of persons from every tribe, tongue, and people group.  Going on a short-term trip serves to widen our perspective and instill us with a passion in this regard.

2.  It will contribute significantly to your spiritual growth.  A short-term trip takes us out of our daily habits and comforts and stretches us in ways we cannot anticipate, thus deepening our dependence upon God and our experience of His grace.  No true Christian will ever go to a foreign field and remain spiritually unchanged or unchallenged.

3.  It will provide you with new venues and opportunities for obedience.  Quite often, we allow the comforts of our Christian “bubble” to insulate us from new ministry opportunities.  A short-term trip will take you out of your bubble and provide new ways for you to use your spiritual gifts to further global missions endeavors.  It is a spiritual delight to discover these outlets and to experience new ways of investing in eternal things!

4.  It will reawaken your zeal for personal evangelism.  If you can travel to another part of the world to tell people about Christ, then you can also cross the street or the aisle to tell a neighbor, co-worker, or classmate.  God has an amazing way of using short-term mission trips to lead us to repent of our apathy in this area and to renew our passion for personal evangelism.

5.  You will love interacting with vocational missionaries.  These men and women have sacrificed the relative ease of American culture and their relationships here to follow God’s calling upon their lives.  As you spend time with them on the field, their love for lost persons and their dedication to sow the gospel in their chosen people groups will touch your heart and open your eyes to aspects of God’s work that you have never before considered.

6.  You will either be called to vocation mission work or you will develop a fervor to send more missionaries.  God commonly uses short-term mission trips to call persons into full-time mission service, to confirm callings He has already put in place, or to develop in us a passion for sending more workers to the field.  I have even seen entire congregations driven to prayer and shaped into fertile seed-beds for future missionaries.  We could want nothing better for our children or our church!

7.  You will gain first-hand experience of new cultures.  We are a very “Ameri-centric” people who largely choose to remain ignorant of the beauty of other cultures.  Trust me when I say that we are missing out on so much.  When you go to interact with people in other cultures, you will experience the joy of seeing how much we have in common with them, but you will also be struck by the beauty of their unique traditions, perspectives, foods, and family dynamics.

8.  You will appreciate what God has given you here in America so much more.  Visiting other nations deepens your appreciation for the religious and political freedoms we enjoy as Americans.  Being away from home for a time will likewise make you appreciate your parents, spouse, and children even more.  It also makes you realize how wealthy we are when compared to the rest of the world.

9.  You will build deeper relationships with members of your own church family.  As fellow members in one local body, we worship and learn and serve along side of one another in many ways, but often we still lack “deep” friendships in the church.  Traveling together, rooming together, and serving together in a foreign land will build bonds of friendship that will last you the rest of your life.

10.  Your example and testimony will touch your congregation and build a passion for global outreach.  When we go, we pray that the passion of those going will be matched in the congregation by a passion for sending and supporting.  When we share testimonies upon our return, we hope to foster in our spiritual family a common joy and unity in striving for the completion of God’s global purpose.  God wants to use you as a catalyst for this kind of congregational growth.  Regardless of your age, your occupation, or the current constraints of your life, you NEED to go and experience the glorious privileges and challenges of sharing Christ among the nations.  I love you all!

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Continue to use the prayer guide for our team.  Please also pray for the families of the team members who are still stateside.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

“World Missions: The Purpose, the Promise, and the Price”
By John Piper October 21, 1997

The purpose of world missions is to spread a passion for the supremacy of God into people groups where there is no indigenous, evangelizing church. This assumes something about “disciples” and something about “nations.” These terms are used in Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” My assumption about “disciples” is that they are people who have seen “the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6), and who cherish “God in Christ” as the supreme value of their lives (Philippians 3:8). My assumption about “nations” is that they are not geographic, political countries but “tribes, languages, peoples and ethnic groups” (Revelation 5:9; 7:9).

Based on these two assumptions, then, the purpose of world missions is to spread a passion for the supremacy of God into people groups where there is no indigenous, evangelizing church.

According to one research group (Joshua Project 2000), in June of this year there were 579 peoples in the world with populations over 10,000 which did not have any church planting missionary effort in them. In July, the Global Consultation on World Evangelization (GCWE ’97) met in Pretoria, South Africa with the result that all but 172 of these peoples were targeted by mission agencies. This is a remarkable progress toward finishing the real missionary task of the church.

But the real source of hope in world missions is not the statistics of man; it’s the promise of God. Namely, Matthew 24:14—“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations.” The “shalls” of God are backed by omnipotence. This great work of spreading a passion for God into people groups where there is no indigenous, evangelizing church cannot fail. This is the great hope of the missions enterprise. The word of God will not fail.

But the price will be very high. Not so high that it is not worth it. But very high. Jesus expresses it in Matthew 24:9: “You will be hated by all the nations because of my name.” The purpose and the promise will not happen without the price of opposition and suffering. In fact, the price is not just the result but the strategy of the purpose. God has a certain number of martyrs appointed (Revelation 6:11). Jesus said that when you are arrested and taken before governors, “this will be a time for you to bear testimony” (Luke 21:13). The purpose, the promise and the price are all bound together.

Did you notice the phrase, “all the nations,” in the purpose, the promise and the price?  The PURPOSE – “Make disciples of all the nations.”  The PROMISE – “This gospel . . . shall be preached. . . to all the nations.”  The PRICE – “You will be hated by all the nations.”  I call all of you with Hebrews 13:13 (again!) to “go out to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.” What will this mean for you? It will have to do with “all the nations.”

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Ecuador Theological Seminary In-Gathering

Sunday, September 13

10:30 am

Missionaries Steve and Carol Thompson (our missionary contacts in Patate) have been serving faithfully in Ecuador for over twenty years. They have detailed plans to open a much needed theological Seminary in Patate by January 2010. They have secured the initial leadership for this Seminary and are ready to complete the first floor and phase of this pastoral training center.

At the recommendation of our Pastors body and the Missions and Ministry team, we want to help support the Thompsons by helping to fund this Ecuadorian Seminary. Please know how exciting this opportunity is for us and these Ecuadorian pastors.

There is no available conservative theological seminary in the entire country!

The Thompson’s camp (Camp Chacauco) already serves as a strategic base of operations for planting churches among unreached people groups. With the addition of this Seminary, by God’s grace, it could grow to become the epicenter for sound theological training for pastors and lay persons for decades to come. In some ways, the hope of training and sustaining pastors to continue to ‘preach the gospel’ to this entire country rests on the opening and operation of this Ecuadorian Seminary. What a glorious privilege it is for our church to give sacrificially to meet this need to continue allowing pastors to ‘preach the gospel’ in a spiritually needy place like Ecuador.

Approximate costs for the seminary

Level 1 *
Construction of the First Floor and basic facilities for Start-Up
This includes completion and furnishings of first floor of the building, including the Auditorium, Kitchen, Dining Hall and Library
A total of $ 24,000 is needed to complete this portion

Level 2 *
Construction of the Second Floor
This floor will include Classrooms, Administration areas, a Lecture Hall and the Main Entrance
A total of $ 45,000 is needed for completion of the 2nd Floor

Furnishings *
A total of $ 15,000 is needed to furnish the building for seminary use.

Total Funding Needed for Entire Seminary: $ 84,000

As you can see, the task of single-handedly meeting this need is far beyond the reach of the vast majority of us as individuals, but as a church (and especially one in the wealthiest nation on earth!) this is, by God’s grace, very attainable. For less than the cost of almost any one of our homes here in Alabama, an entire seminary can be built! What a privilege it would be for us to play such a part in impacting an entire nation with the Gospel!

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Please be in prayer about what God would have you give to the Ecuador Theological Seminary In-Gathering on September 13.  As you consider how God would have you involved financially in supporting this ministry, consider the words of Randy Alcorn:

“The opportunities for using our financial resources to spread the gospel and strengthen the church all over the world are stronger than they’ve ever been. As God raised up Esther for just such a time as hers, I’m convinced he’s raised us up, with all our wealth, to help fulfill the great commission. The question is, what are we doing with that money? Our job is to make sure it gets to his intended recipients.”

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

A Uighur Christian has been imprisoned for a year and a half for “his Christian faith and witness among the Uighur people” in Northwest China.  He was finally granted a trial last week.  Chinese authorities did not permit his wife, two children, and mother to attend the trial.  Authorities warned his wife that she should not have become involved in advocating  and speaking out about her husband’s case.  Please be in prayer for this believer and his family as they await the outcome of the trial in 2 weeks.  Ask God to strengthen the Uighur church in the midst of this persecution.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Praise God for the great trip our team had to Ecuador.  I trust that you heard their wonderful report this past Sunday night.  Continue to pray for the church, the pastors, and the political situation in Ecuador.  Please pray that our church would have the Lord’s wisdom in knowing how we should be involved in the seminary project at Camp Chacauco.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Please continue to pray for Bella Epps and her missions trip to Kenya.  Please pray for the aftermath of the drought that has been occurring in Meru, Kenya.  The lack of rain has caused waves of doubt in many people in Meru, especially in the families of the farmers.  Please pray for the doors that have been opened through their doubt, and for the Lord to speak through Bella in this incredibly difficult time.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Friday, July 3

7:30 Breakfast / Devotional

8:30 Load Bus / Travel to Apátug

9:30 Visit Apátug (Quichua Indian Village)

10:30 Travel to Old Hacienda

12:30 p.m. Lunch at “La Ciénega”

2:00 Travel to Equator

4:00 Shop at “La Mitad Del Mundo”

6:00 Travel to Quito

7:00 Supper at Food Court

8:30 Head to Airport

8:45 Arrive Airport

11:30 Fly Out – Delta

Please be in prayer for our Ecuador team as they embark on their missions trip.  Pray specifically for the people on the missions teams going to Ecuador:  Randy Breedlove, Billy Cox, Emily Cox, David Hardgrave, Monica Lott, Caleb Quave, Erin Sellars, and Jaelyn Smith.  In addition to this team, remember to pray for Bella Epps as she serves in Kenya.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

7:30 a.m. Breakfast / Devotional

8:30 Camp Clean Up / Construction

12:00 p.m. Lunch at Camp

1:00 Travel to Waterfall – “Pailón del Diablo”

2:15 Stop at Swinging Basket – “La Tarabita”

3:00 Walk Through Catholic Cathedral in Baños

3:30 Return to Camp

4:30 Prepare for Evening Session

5:30 Travel to Ambato

6:30 Supper with Pastors and Leaders

7:30 Pastor Training Time Session 4

9:30 Return to Camp

10:30 Rest

Please be in prayer for our Ecuador team as they embark on their missions trip.  Pray specifically for the people on the missions teams going to Ecuador:  Randy Breedlove, Billy Cox, Emily Cox, David Hardgrave, Monica Lott, Caleb Quave, Erin Sellars, and Jaelyn Smith.  In addition to this team, remember to pray for Bella Epps as she serves in Kenya.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

7:30 a.m. Breakfast / Devotional

8:30 Camp Clean Up / Construction

10:30 VBS Begins

12:30 VBS Ends

12:30 p.m. Lunch at Camp

1:30 VBS Preparation Time

2:30 Team Travels to VBS Site – (Ficoa)

6:30 Supper with Pastors and Leaders

7:30 Pastor Training Time Session 3

9:30 Return to Camp

10:30 Rest

Please be in prayer for our Ecuador team as they embark on their missions trip.  Pray specifically for the people on the missions teams going to Ecuador:  Randy Breedlove, Billy Cox, Emily Cox, David Hardgrave, Monica Lott, Caleb Quave, Erin Sellars, and Jaelyn Smith.  In addition to this team, remember to pray for Bella Epps as she serves in Kenya.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Please be in prayer for our Ecuador missions team all week.  Pray for all of the people we sent to Ecuador: Randy Breedlove, Billy Cox, Emily Cox, David Hardgrave, Monica Lott, Tyson Lott, Caleb Quave, Erin Sellars, and Jaelyn Smith.  Be sure to keep your prayer guide handy and lift up their needs during your prayer time this week.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Part of the change involves the requirement that all ministers who preach or lead churches must be registered with and licensed by the government.  It is anticipated that part of the requirements for licensing will be some degree of formal religious training at the college or seminary level.  Unfortunately, 95% of the Baptist pastors in Ecuador have no formal training and are thus unlikely to secure proper certification status with the new government.

It is expected that these new restrictions will begin to be enforced within 2 years, after enough time has passed for the registration process to be completed.  After that, pastors who are caught preaching without government certification will be arrested and sentenced to 8 years in prison.  Right now, the Baptist network in Ecuador is working with the government in an effort to establish certification criteria that most Baptist pastors could achieve through training seminars and classes.

The good news is that the classes that our team will be leading with 22 pastors this week will count as credit toward their certification.  In terms of our future involvement, it means that the Pastor Training efforts we have initiated in Ecuador are now absolutely critical to sustain the preaching of a biblical gospel in that region of South America.

What can we do right now?  First, we can add this new development to our prayer list for our mission team that is on the field right now and for our missions ministry here at Morningview.  I have no doubt that God is using these political developments to create in us a sense of urgency that should guide all of our missions efforts.  Furthermore, we are privileged to see His providence at work through this situation.  He sovereignly put this burden to train pastors on our hearts long before we were ever aware of the needs resulting from this political shift.  What else might He providentially have in store for us?

Second, each of us should consider how we can help meet this need.  As Dr. Sills told us at our last missions conference, if you can teach Sunday School in the United States then you can train church leaders on the mission field.  Perhaps God would lead more of us to be invested in this work in Ecuador.  If we cannot go, there are also others ways to be of help.

One of the greatest needs that now exists for these pastors is the availability of training resources.  The average pastor in Ecuador earns only $200 per month, yet the books they need are the same price as they are here in the states.  It would take their entire monthly income just to purchase a dozen textbooks, leaving them nothing left with which to feed their own families.  Thus, one of the most immediate needs we can continue meeting is for theological books and resources in Spanish, like those we just sent with our mission team.

There will be other needs and ministry possibilities that arise from these developments in Ecuador, and I look forward to bringing them to our attention as our Missions and Ministry Team prepares to respond.  I truly believe that God has chosen Morningview to be in this partnership “for such a time as this,” and I am excited about how He will lead us and use us.  I love you all!

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

7:30 a.m. Breakfast / Devotional

8:30 Camp Clean Up / Construction

12:30 p.m. Lunch at Camp

1:30 VBS Preparation Time

2:30 Team Travels to VBS Site – (Ficoa)

4:00 VBS Begins

6:00 VBS Ends

6:30 Supper with Pastors and Leaders (Ficoa)

7:30 Pastor Training Time Session 1

9:30 Return to Camp

10:30 Rest

Please be in prayer for our Ecuador team as they embark on their missions trip.  Pray specifically for the people on the missions teams going to Ecuador:  Randy Breedlove, Billy Cox, Emily Cox, David Hardgrave, Monica Lott, Caleb Quave, Erin Sellars, and Jaelyn Smith.  In addition to this team, remember to pray for Bella Epps as she serves in Kenya.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Sunday, June 28

7:30 a.m. Breakfast / Devotional

8:00 Bible Study at Camp

9:00 Travel to Ambato for Worship

10:30 Worship

12:30 p.m. Lunch (Sandwiches or Chicken)

1:30 Travel to Quisapincha (Leather Shopping)

2:30 Shop

3:30 Return to Camp Chacauco

4:30 Preparation Time for Conferences

6:30 Supper

7:30 Share Time

8:30 Rest

Please be in prayer for our Ecuador team as they embark on their missions trip.  Pray specifically for the people on the missions teams going to Ecuador:  Randy Breedlove, Billy Cox, Emily Cox, David Hardgrave, Monica Lott, Caleb Quave, Erin Sellars, and Jaelyn Smith.  In addition to this team, remember to pray for Bella Epps as she serves in Kenya.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Saturday, June 27

6:30 a.m. Wake Up / Pack

7:30 Devotional with Breakfast

8:00 Load Bus / Travel to the Historic Downtown Quito

9:00 Travel to Patate

1:00 p.m. Lunch at Camp

2:00 Check In / Tour of Camp

5:30 Visit from Apátug Group

6:00 Supper at Camp

7:00 Visit with Pastor

7:30  VBS Preparation / Bon Fire

9:00 Rest

Please be in prayer for our Ecuador team as they embark on their missions trip.  Pray specifically for the people on the missions teams going to Ecuador:  Randy Breedlove, Billy Cox, Emily Cox, David Hardgrave, Monica Lott, Caleb Quave, Erin Sellars, and Jaelyn Smith.  In addition to this team, remember to pray for Bella Epps as she serves in Kenya.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

We have arrived safely in Quito, Ecuador and tomorrow we will begin making our way to Patate where we will minister.  Everyone is in good Spirits and and we are grateful to God for giving us a seemless day of international travel.

We so appreciate all of your words of encouragement and your continued prayers.  We will especially covet your prayers for the week ahead, so please keep checking back with Morningview.org for updates as we have oppurtunies to send out word of our progress over the course of the week.

Pastor David for the Ecuador Team

Ecuador Team

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

10:30 p.m. Arrive Quito

11:30 p.m. Arrive Hotel “Howard Johnson”

Tel. # 011‑593‑2‑226‑5265

Please be in prayer for our Ecuador team as they embark on their missions trip.  Pray specifically for the people on the missions teams going to Ecuador:  Randy Breedlove, Billy Cox, Emily Cox, David Hardgrave, Monica Lott, Caleb Quave, Erin Sellars, and Jaelyn Smith.  In addition to this team, remember to pray for Bella Epps as she serves in Kenya.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Our team will be traveling to Patate, Ecuador, with many of our resources provided by this gracious Morningview congregation.  Thank you for giving to fund pastoral packets, backyard Bible club supplies and donating to the general expenses of our mission.  We’ll be providing a four –day Pastor’s conference for over 20 pastors/lay leaders in the area and serving in a three day backyard Bible Club. We’ll additionally do some construction work at Camp Chacauco in Patate to help complete there expanding campus.  Below is a daily prayer guide so you may intercede for our team.

Friday, June 26th
Pray for safety as we have a non-stop 5-hour flight from Atlanta to Ecuador.   Pray for opportunities to witness for Christ during this transit.  Pray that all of our luggage and supplies arrive with us.
We’ll stay the night in the capital city of Quito at a hotel.

Saturday, June 27th
Pray for our 4-hour bus ride from Quito to Patate.  Patate is where Camp Chacauco is located and our home for the week.  We’ll visit with a local pastor tonight and have a visit from a local group of believers from Apatug.   Pray that we’ll encourage & challenge one another in our faith.

Sunday, June 28th
Today we’ll worship in an Ecuadorian church in Ambato (about 45 minutes from Camp).  Pray for God to use this time of worship in our lives to prepare us for the ministry of the week.  Pray for some effective group preparation time, in the evening, for our respective conferences/Bible clubs.

Monday, June 29th
Today is a busy day.  Pray for organization and group unity as we do construction at Camp Chacauco, begin our Backyard Bible Club and commence our first night of the Pastors conference.  Pray for us to have boldness to share the gospel with the children and preach with clarity to the group of pastors.  Pray for our first day of backyard bible club.  Pray for our bible story,  recreation and craft teams to serve with the aim of sharing of the gospel in all we do.

Tuesday, June 30 & Wednesday, July 1st
Both days will be identical in schedule.   We’ll build at our Camp, serve at backyard Bible club and lead two evenings of the Pastors conference.  Pray for us to rely upon God’s strength and wisdom as we develop relationships with all groups we’re working with.  Pray that God would give us favor with the  children and pastors.  Pray for our safety as we do construction tasks.  Pray for our team’s health and ability to adjust to the Ecuadorian food.  We’ve been in country for 5-6 days now.

Thursday, July 2nd
This is our final day of construction at camp; we also visit some tourist sites today.  Pray for our opportunities to share our faith in the public arenas that we’ll visit.  As Americans in Ecuador, many will ask about our reason for visiting their country – pray for us to share boldly about our Lord.  Tonight is our final night at the Pastor’s conference.  Pray for the preached word and the great Biblical resources in the Pastoral packets to be effective in transforming the hearts of these ministers.

Friday, July 3rd and Saturday, July 4th
We’ll be traveling from Camp back to Quito for our return flight.  Pray for our safety in our return flight and witnessing opportunities at different popular spots we visit – such as the ‘Equator monument.’  Pray for the alertness and effectiveness of our Delta flight crew.  We arrive in Atlanta at 6:00 am on Saturday morning.  Pray that God will grow the seeds we planted during our mission with the people of Ecuador.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Please be in prayer for our Ecuador team as they embark on their missions trip this week.  Pray specifically for the people on the missions team going to Ecuador: Randy Breedlove, Billy Cox, Emily Cox, David Hardgrave, Monica Lott, Tyson Lott, Caleb Quave, Erin Sellars, and Jaelyn Smith.  In addition to this team remember to pray for Bella Epps as she serves in Kenya.  She has arrived in Kenya safely and will be ministering there for the next 4 weeks.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Please be in prayer for our team going to Ecuador later this month. Pray that God would give the team a heart to see the Ecuadorian people as He does: lost and helpless without a Savior. Pray for the pastoral training group as they discern how to effectively lead Ecuadorian pastors in ‘how to shepherd their own souls as well as their congregations’. Pray for the entire team as they prepare to lead a children’s Bible club, in Spanish. Pray that God would use the bible stories and activities to clearly present the message of Christ’s love to these children and families. Pray for the opportunities our team will have to encourage Ecuadorian believers in their faith and for many witnessing opportunities during the week. Pray for their safety during travel and stay.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

UIGHURS OF NORTHWEST CHINA (WEE-ghurs). Pray for A, a Uighur believer who has been under arrest for many months but who has not been brought to trial. Recently there have been indications that A’s treatment in prison has progressively deteriorated. There is fear for this believer’s life by the hand of prison authorities. People saw A being escorted to a hospital, at which time A called out to people there to contact A’s lawyer. Please pray that pressure can be brought to the right people to seek an immediate release for A. http://www.pray4them.com/

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Pray for Muslim-background believers who are experiencing persecution. Some are in prison or are enduring increased government scrutiny, restrictions and opposition. Others have been opposed by their family and community. They may have been kicked out of their homes, beaten, or harassed because of their decision to follow Christ. Pray for them to stand firm in their faith, with their eyes fixed on Christ. Pray for their lives to reflect the character of Christ and for their words to bring honor to the One who suffered and died for them. Pray for them to respond to hatred with love. Ask the Father to comfort, strengthen and encourage them and to use their testimony in life and words to call their family and friends to faith.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Pastoral Resource Packets

One of the key aspects of our Ecuador Mission trip next month is the biblical books we’ll provide for Ecuadorian pastors and leaders.  The list we’ve assembled should be helpful in equipping and encouraging these men to lead their families and churches.  We would like for our Morningview families to know the book list and consider giving to help provide these resources for the pastors/leaders.  Each ‘Pastor Packet’ contains a study Bible, a commentary and various Christian books.  The retail value for each ‘Pastor Packet’ is about $165.

Here is a look at some of the books each Pastor or leader will receive in a Spanish translation:

For personal devotion and study:
Pierced by the Word by:  John Piper
Desiring God by: John Piper
Systematic Theology by: Wayne Grudem

For family biblical training:
Shepherding a Child’s Heart by: Ted Tripp
The Cross Centered Life by: C.J. Mahaney
The Gospel According to Jesus by: John MacArthur

For training in biblical truth we have:
How to Get the Most out of the Word of God  by:  John MacArthur
Commentary on Ephesians, by John MacArthur

For Church leadership:
God is the Gospel  by:  John Piper
Let the Nations Be Glad by:  John Piper
The Pastoral Ministry  by: John MacArthur
The MacArthur Study Bible

Please prayerfully consider how you can give towards a ‘Pastor Packet’ to help support these men.  We’d love for each Morningview family to consider giving one fourth of the packet cost or about $40.  To fully fund one ‘Pastor Packet’ would cost around $165.   Whatever part you can have in helping with this resource ministry would be greatly appreciated.  These packets will be a great resource for the Ecuadorian church leaders for many years to come. Our team will be spending four evening sessions in targeted ‘pastoral training’ with these men.  Thank you, church family, for your support of this ministry.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

OF MILESTONES AND MAPS

This Sunday, I will celebrate my 3^rd anniversary as Senior Pastor of Morningview. In some ways, it is hard to believe three years have flown by so quickly. In other ways, it is like I have been here so much longer. Lisa and I feel so content and loved and affirmed in our calling to serve this congregation, and that feeling has grown consistently over the past 3 years. You all have truly become our “family” and we love you all dearly.

As I take time to reflect upon the last 3 years, it is amazing to consider all that God has done in our midst. He is so faithful and He has led us through many changes into a time of growth. One of the areas of growth I have been most excited about is in the area of missions. It has been such a blessing to see our missions vision and involvement grow with a degree of consistency.

In that regard, I would like to point our church family to the Missions Action Plan (MAP) that was recently submitted to the church by our Missions Ministry Team. The MAP is posted on our church web site and it is also available in hard-copy through our church office. It does an excellent job of not only stating the biblical basis for our own philosophy of missions, it also outlines some exciting opportunities and goals for the immediate future.

To introduce you to our evolving Vision for Missions, I wanted to provide you with an excerpt that details the immediate goal of ADOPTING people groups, GOING to specific ministry locations, and SENDING missionaries in both short-term and long-term endeavors. Here’s what it says:

4.3 Going – Without setting arbitrary numerical goals, in 2010 we would like to add an additional missions trip to our two current international trips that we take each year.  We would like to see MBC send an additional missions team to work cross-culturally among an international focus group (i.e. another people group) somewhere in the United States.  This would potentially increase the number of trips from two to three.  The trips would be as follows: 1. Open Access People Group; 2. Restricted Access Unreached People Group; 3. North American International Focus Group

4.4 Sending – MBC participates in sending through these conduits: finances, prayer, commissioning, organization/administration, and training.  When short term teams are sent, we would like to see the missions team set aside through a formal commissioning service for the teams (Acts 13:3).  The church needs to conduct a screening process that recognizes present character qualities, ministry involvement, and training as prerequisites.

Our goal for 2010 is to adopt at least one unengaged people group and begin efforts to send missionaries to them from our congregation.  An initial goal is to send a short-term team.  The long-term goal is to send those who will serve long-term on the field.

Missiologists state that 98% of missionaries who are sent go to countries where the church already exists.  Only 2% go to the unreached world.  Our goal for 2010 is to adopt an unreached people group and begin efforts to send missionaries to them from our congregation.  The first step in the process is to send a team on an investigative trip to gain information and make contact with people of peace.  The IMB is able and willing to facilitate this process.  Another goal for 2010 is to have financial support for short-term mission teams as a specified part of the annual church budget.

In the months ahead, we are going to be carefully praying and considering exactly where God would lead us in terms of these missions goals. God is already opening up exciting opportunities for us, so I hope you will make time to join us in intentional prayer for these efforts. I also hope you will take the time to read the entire MAP. It will not only be a great resource for developing your own understanding of biblical missions, it will also help open your eyes to opportunities for involvement.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

MP3: On Missions

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

mens-conference-session-2

mens-conference-session-3

mens-conference-session-4

mens-conference-session-5

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Many families have family gods, and build them mini shrines.

Praying that a dead pet will make it to "doggy heaven."

Photos on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017527&l=577ca&id=135300193

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017551&l=164a6&id=135300193

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017580&l=de943&id=135300193

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017582&l=7bb6f&id=135300193

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

The team once again departed from the hotel at 7:45 for breakfast at the Royal Host.  To continue the morning ritual they then drove the the Heyoshedai park for a time of prayer and bible study before beginning their ministry in Togane.  Shannon this time shared numerous passages about godly women as this narrator has pointed out in past times that their are significantly more female believers in Japan.  See below for the complete story on why this has occurred.

After morning worship the team set out for prayer in the neighborhoods and to finish the distribution of the New Testaments and other Christian literature.  Near about noon time Shannon and Jeremy wandered around the international college to try and speak with English speaking Japanese students.  There they met no success as many students either did not know any English or simply just did not care to talk.  Meanwhile the rest of the team finished passing out the rest of the literature, bringing the amount to around 2,000 for the three days.

The team then set out for a small pastry and coffee shop in Togane where they met the Toda family and heard two of the daughters perform an original song.  See below for the full story on the Toda family.

With the last hours of the afternoon and the evening approaching the team then set out to pray over a Buddhist temple.  Many Japanese come to pray at this temple to their gods or any god who will listen, to give incense or money offerings, and pray to dead ancestors.  Pray that God will tear down these strongholds in Japan and prepare the soil as missionaries and local Japanese believers take the word to the local communities.

The story of the Toda family

The Toda family owns a small coffee and pastry shop and vineyard/garden off the beaten trail in Togane.  Mr. Toda for reasons unknown to the family decided that life was no longer worth the living and was found by his oldest daughter not that long ago.  This left the mother to take care of the shop, the garden, and the vineyard along with her 3 daughters.  The vineyard was Mr. Toda’s responsibility and no longer brings in the income as it did and the oldest sister is off to school in Australia leaving Mrs. Toma, Isuzu, and Tomie (toh-me-eh) with the shop to bring in their only income.  Toma and Isuzu are also small town artists who produce music, perform, and sell their CD’s in the family shop.  Emiko, Lana, and Tak have shared with the family before and today the team had a chance to meet them and give Isuzu some Christian literature for her 2st birthday (May 28th).  There is still no change in the Toda’s families hearts towards the gospel and they still find difficulties physically and spiritually since losing a husband and father.  Please pray for Christ to draw the Toda family unto himself and take their burdens to Christ.

The problem with many Japanese men

As many know the Japanese take work very seriously and are expected to work many days and long hours.  For working men this could mean leaving before the sun is up and coming home well after sundown 5-7 days a week.  Many will stay at work the entire 5 or 6 days because they commute an hour or two and may need the time to sleep rather than drive home causing many Japanese men to live a separate life from their families who the hardly ever see.  All of this causes great stress on the men and is much of the reason that the rate of depression and suicides in Japan is the highest in the world.  Sometimes daily men will jump in front of trains even to the point that the train station will not charge money to the families for inconveniencing them and their passengers.  To add to the stress, many Japanese men have a great feeling of need for independence, to rely on no one and provide for themselves and their family.  Thus many Japanese men see Christianity, a religion of dependence on Christ, as something for women, children, and weak men.  Please pray for God to breakdown this stronghold in the minds of Japanese men.  Pray that they will see that by giving up their independence, their life, that they will gain it.  Pray that God will raise up godly men to lead the church in Japan.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

Next, pancakes and eggs (mmmmmm) at the Royal Host made for a rather large and needed breakfast.  As our new friend Karen put it: “You always wake up hungry when jet lagged.”  Never spoken so true Karen.  After breakfast the team drove from Tobu Narita over to the city of Togane where they would spend the rest of the afternoon.

Stop one: The Heyoshedie neighborhood.  Here is where the team met for a short morning worship together in order to give praise and thanks to God, to give him glory and to ask for his will to be done.  The team then spent the next hour and a half or so in prayer over the neighborhood and the next hour and a half passing out New Testaments.  Lunch at Jonathan’s and then stop number two: another neighborhood in Togane that this narrator can’t seem to recall the name of.  We spent about the same time on prayer and the passing out of New Testaments.  Tak tried sharing with a lady at her house who “already had a religion” while Jonathan and Shannon shared with another lady who was “91 years old and was just sitting down to take a rest from her walk.”  She was more receptive and took the literature we passed to her. The team passed out about 600 New Testaments total.

After that much walking, the team stopped for beverages at a small coffee shop in down town Togane where the owner was a fellow believer in Christ.  Jeremy played the guitar and they sang a few songs, then headed home for dinner at the mall (sushi for some of us including the protected whale) and finally rest at the hotel in preparation for another day.

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

We are presently having orientation for the team and it is 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning so if any of you are awake there in Alabama, I am sure they would appreciate your prayers to be able to stay awake. J

Thank you for your prayers for the safe arrival of the team. Continue to pray for them. Pray for them to quickly overcome jetlag.

Also pray to God for divine encounters and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit as they go prayer walking, distribute literature, share testimonies with non Christians they meet this week.

Ask God to give them just the right words as they share in meetings with the Christians (and some son-Christians) at Tabiji group home (Thursday) and the house churches (Tuesday and Wednesday) in Togane.

Claiming His Promises for His Glory,
Lana (writing for the team)

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church

MP3: Global Missions Conference

SOURCE: Morningview Baptist Church