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Missionary Moments Planning Guide
JANUARY 2013
| January 6, 2013: |
SHARE YOUR STORY |
Morning: (SSAP) Two young missionaries walked through the Angolan forest with their translator. They were working hard to fulfill God’s plan for their lives, but they were questioning His purpose for them in this place. As DUSTIN and his teammate, JONATHAN, walked and talked with their translator they found themselves in a small, remote village. As it began to rain a man appeared and offered them shelter inside his house. Inside, Dustin and Jonathan were able to share the story of Nicodemus with the man and his friend. Both men accepted Christ on that rainy afternoon. God confirmed to these missionaries that their work is not in vain.
Bible reference & statement: COLOSSIANS 3:23
The new year brings new opportunities for us to practice our faith through our giving. Our giving provides the resources for us to help reach the lost for Christ. Let’s resolve to work to be able to grow in our giving this year for God’s glory. |
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| January 6, 2013: |
LEADING THROUGH DISASTER |
Evening: (Kansas) One effective way to share the gospel with people is by showing Christ’s love on a physical level after a disaster. As Southern Baptists, we are leaders in disaster relief aid, thanks to missionaries like JOHN LUCAS. As a North American missionary serving the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists, John is dedicated to meeting both physical and spiritual needs of disaster victims by coordinating feeding assistance and offering Christ-focused chaplaincy. He assists churches in starting and maintaining programs that help people in need. John and PATTY are thankful for your support of the Cooperative Program and ask that you pray for those who experience disasters this year. |
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| January 13, 2013: |
STARTING NEW CHURCHES |
Morning: (Pennsylvania) Baptized in an inner-city church in Kansas City, North American missionary DAVID PEARSON has a heart for big cities and seeing new churches started in places where there aren’t many Bible-teaching ones. As church planter and pastor of The Journey Church in West Chester, Pennsylvania, David is leading the church to become a multiplying church center to train more church planters. Thank you for showing your love for God and for people by giving through the Cooperative Program and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering which allows missionaries like David to multiply his works by finding and training more church planters.
Bible reference & statement: ROMANS 5:8
Our giving should be understood in light of God’s giving to us. God’s purpose for giving—to bring people to Himself— should also be our purpose for giving. |
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| January 13, 2013: |
SHARING A MESSAGE OF HOPE |
Evening: (Southeast Asia) Many of our Southern Baptist workers have a calling to minister to women trapped by prostitution and human trafficking. They are grateful to share in this ministry with national believers. One of these believers is HASAN* who has been walking through a red-light district for 11 years, sharing her faith. Hasan says that many of the women have a desire for money that obscures Christ’s calling. One prostitute accepted Christ but refuses to leave her lifestyle until she has saved enough money to move to her home village. Though few women in this district have accepted Christ and left the business, Hasan and other Christian workers continue to bring the message of hope.
*Name changed. |
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| January 20, 2013: |
A DEVASTATING FAMINE |
Morning: (NAME) More than half of Somalia’s population—more than 3.7 million people, including 400,000 children—is at risk as Somalia continues in a devastating famine. The famine, coupled with military unrest and anarchy in parts of the country, has complicated the already volatile lives of Somalis. “It’s a sort of disaster on a disaster,” said DREW CARSON,* a Christian leader among the peoples of Northern Africa and the Middle East. Southern Baptists are actively involved in giving and going to minister during this time of crisis. May we continue to be obedient in our giving so that lives might be saved on earth, and for eternity. Pray for Somalia’s population and others in need as we remember the value of life today as we observe the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.
*Name changed.
Bible reference & statement: DEUTERONOMY 14:22
Giving has always been an expectation of God for His people. Christian giving, however, is for a larger purpose than when the Israelites gave a tithe; we give to reach the lost for Christ. |
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| January 20, 2013: |
STRENGTHEN EXISTING CHURCHES |
Evening: (Arizona) JERRY MARTIN is a church planting catalyst in the Valley Rim Southern Baptist Association in Mesa, Arizona. He and his wife, BONNIE, help strengthen existing churches in the areas of prayer, evangelism, leader development and congregational strengthening. Sixteen churches in the Valley Rim association are involved in church planting, but they need help. There is only one church for every 24,000 people in this area. They need 50 or more couples to begin ministry in the more than 30 multi-family housing communities. Pray that the Spanish-speaking churches will send planters into the largely Hispanic population. Your prayers for the Martins and your continued support of the Cooperative Program are needed to begin new churches in Arizona. |
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| January 27, 2013: |
PRAY FOR MISSIONARIES |
Morning: (Minnesota) Missions has been on the heart of STEVE MELVIN since childhood when his family would spend time in prayer for missionaries around the globe. Steve felt the call to missions at summer camp as a child and is currently serving with pastors and church planting catalysts to plan and prepare for new churches in Minnesota and Wisconsin, where there is only one church for every 72,300 people. Your commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission through the Cooperative Program makes it possible for Steve to recruit, develop, train and fund churches in these two states. During your prayer time, ask God to grow and develop strong, healthy congregations that will have a passion to reach people with the gospel message.
Bible reference & statement: 2 CORINTHIANS 8:7
The Corinthians apparently wanted to excel in Christian living, but they had fallen short in the grace of giving. Paul challenged them to grow by including generous giving. Giving helps us grow in Christlikeness. |
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| January 27, 2013: |
ENGAGING PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH |
Evening: (Europe) “I’m in a battle,” missionary HAROLD JOHNSON says. “I need prayer 24/7.” Czech Republic is one of the most secular countries in Europe, with 60 percent of its population claiming no religion at all. Most Czech people who have been exposed to church have heard about it in a negative context, he says. “We find that Czechs have less of a problem with Jesus than they do with the Church.” So Harold and his national church partners find ways to engage people outside of the church. They have picnics, go on hikes and have cookouts. “We want to get into their culture instead
of inviting them into ours,” Harold says. Thank you for joining Harold in the work of bringing the Gospel to Europe. |
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