Welcome Journey travelers. I'm Pastor Paris of the Journey Church.

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Last week we saw how God uses women in a huge way with a message of Motherhood.  Moms we ask you to step into your calling from God and help raise tomorrow’s God Followers.  This week I want to cover a very special message about people who are doing amazing things that are a little challenging for any one of us to do on our own.  I want to speak to you about Missions and introduce you to our specific missionaries.

 

Throughout the Bible we see that God uses people to accomplish His plans and purposes and it’s no different in our time.  God has used each of you in an amazing way as a church collective, something that few of us could accomplish by ourselves.  Maybe you didn’t know that your church supports several missions’ efforts?  Let me show you a partial list of the agencies we support with a portion of your tithe.

 

Local

Hastings Family Service

Hastings Area Grief Support

Hastings Total Life Care

Pine Harbor Christian Academy

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Regional

Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge

Twin Cities Union Gospel Mission

All in One Ministries

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Global

Samaritan's Purse

Leah Bloch Missionary to Brazil

Billy Graham Ministries

Ukrainian Refugee support through CCC

 

As you can see, we cover local, regional and global outreach organizations just like Jesus instructed.

 

Acts 1:8 (NIV)  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

 

Whether we go personally or send someone else, makes no difference to God.  One such global missionary effort is being conducted by two amazing people in Brazil.  Let me introduce Lee and Regina Bloch two church planting missionaries. Pastor Lee is called to help others know Christ in one of the least reached areas on the planet, the Sothern Cone of Brazil.  These two precious people (Lee and Regina) are training Brazilian nationals to become pastors who will plant Christ centered churches so that they can reach their own people.

 

Next I want you to meet a dear friend of mine that has been here at The Journey before, but because we have new faces, I thought I would introduce him again to all of you.  Matt Swenson is a family man who has a deep passion for mission’s work.  His wife Suzie also works for Samaritan’s Purse along with Matt.  They have two precious children. Matt has lived his life as a boots-on-the-ground kind of missionary traveling the globe to over 70 countries serving people.  Through Samaritans Purse our generosity is multiplied by empowering talented and gifted missionary warriors to deploy where the greatest need is found.  They seek for ways to impact as many as possible with the gospel and with genuine care.  Matt continually shares with me the most urgent missionary needs that Samaritan’s Purse is faced with and our church responds generously.

 

If you desire to know more about a mission trip, contact the church office (651-432-3960).  You are never too young or too old to serve others.  Remember every cash gift undesignated and every gift marked missions will go toward Samaritan’s Purse this entire month.  At the end we will write a very generous check.

 

Folks, we are not taking an offering today, that’s not the reason for our focus.  We are each called to give benevolently throughout the whole of our lives.  We are not to be motivated by need, or emotional pleas, but rather by obedience to God.  As all of you know, life can be hard and we can pour out of our abundance at times when others suffer from lack.

 

2 Corinthians 8:13–14 (NIV) Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need…

 

Our church’s present abundance has been created by your willingness to make us debt free and also your willingness to meet in a rented space, so that we might serve abundantly.  We purpose to contribute at least 20% of our gross income through your tithing.  We are totally solvent and healthy as an organization.  The Journey Church also chooses to support only a few agencies and individuals well, rather than many agencies poorly.  We vet each recipient to determine if the gospel is front-and-center, followed by substance giving.  We desire partnerships and not just places to write a check to. 

 

May God inspire us to live benevolent lives and may we realize that to live benevolently means we will enjoy abundance.  God cares through people.

 

Next week we hear about Living a Missionary Lifestyle. “Who Will Go?”

  

Community Group Notes

1. Discuss the value of missionaries across the globe

2. Discuss the challenges for missionaries across the globe.

3. Discuss the potential value of participating in a disaster relief effort.