Mission: Brownwood July 2009 Report

Grace Pointe MBM makes most of rented facility

The mission moved into the new facility that it rented in June, and immediately went to work making the necessary improvements to bring the building up to a place of worship.

Following weeks of intense painting, flooring, and trim work, the mission hosted the Southwest Association Mission Rally on July 25.

Grace Pointe MBM hosts mission rally

The Southwest Mission Rally was a beaming success.
Fifty three people from 11 churches gathered to hear mission reports, give reports, and fellowship as we shared our passions for missions and reaching lost souls.

The district ladies auxiliary shared testimonies and planned a retreat, while the men’s brotherhood enjoyed an informative program presented by Bro. Marion Reed on state missions.

Bro. Jim Slocumb preached the afternoon message, and really challenged those in attendance.

The next Southwest Mission Rally is scheduled to be in Clovis, N.M., in October, but Grace Pointe is eager to host again.

Sizzlin’ summer months not so hot in Brownwood

While the city of Brownwood enjoyed above-normal rainfall and below-normal temperatures in July, the mission did not enjoy lower attendance. Attendance fell off slightly in July, and is on pace to be down in August due to vacations and illnesses. Offerings were up in July, but will likely be back to normal in August.

There are ups and downs in mission work, and we are not phased. We are, however, renewing our outreach efforts, follow up efforts, and ministries such as VBS.

Mission: Brownwood surge!

We are currently reaching a turning point in the discipleship process where emphasis will be placed on fundamentals, and where the mission will have to learn to be a church. The added strain of this, along with the ever increasing need of evangelism, combined with an increased workload at my job, has prompted me to request Rocky Springs to recommend me for full salary at the MBA of Texas meeting this fall. Rocky Springs has honored that request, so we ask you to pray about our pending request for full support. Those with questions may call me directly at (325) 200-8531, or we can discuss the conditions on the field at the pre-associational meeting at Rocky Springs in October. Thank you, and God bless.

By The Numbers…

Attendance
(Sunday Mornings)

7/5 – 17
7/12 – 18
7/19 – 13
7/26 – 24

Finances
Grace Pointe MBM

Offerings –$1,252.75
Memorial MBC (Rusk, TX) $100
John Nickle (Rusk, TX) $25
Northcrest BC (Andrews, TX) $86.44
Jim Slocumb (Jacksonville, TX) $200

Expenses:
TMD - $62.64
Texas state missions - $62.64
Electricity - $70.91
Water - $26.22
Rent - $600
Leland salary - $100
Banking - $3

Mission: Brownwood Fund

Support:
MBA of Texas $1,911
Denson Springs MBC (Grapeland) $300
Salmon MBC (Elkhart, TX) $65
Hickory Grove MBC (Newport, AR) $113.05
Ridgecrest MBC (Levelland, TX) $25
White Rock MBC (Center, TX) $100
Heritage BC (Missouri City) $200
Memory Lane MBC (Palestine, TX) $50
Bassett Road BC (Palestine, TX) $75
Muse MBC (Grapeland, TX) $200
Quaker Ave. BC (Lubbock, TX) $100
Bethel MBC (Tatum, TX) $50
Rocky Springs MBC (Jacksonville, TX)$200
East Side BC (Jacksonville, TX) $100
58th Ave BC (Amarillo, TX) $111.09
Nevill’s Chapel MBC (Mt. Pleasant)$184.13
Sublett Road BC (Arlington, TX) $50
Wyndrock MBC (Abilene, TX) $40
First Baptist Church (Arp, TX) $240

Expenses:
Salary: $1,911
Radio ads: $400
Tables and Chairs: $882.50
Refrigerator: $388.73
Paper goods: $88.56
Mission Rally food: $63.85
VBS Art Supplies: $128.46
Pulpit supply: $101.69

New message boards added to Rocky Springs MBC Web site

My friend, sister and fellow church member Shelly Lipe, who spearheads a lot of the efforts in youth ministry at Rocky Springs MBC has come up with an awesome idea. She added a message board to the Rocky Springs Web site for church announcements, bulletings, youth activities and missions news. Check it out here.

Welcome Beacon Baptist Church

Beacon Baptist Church in San Angelo, Texas, voted to send Mission:Brownwood some support that should be arriving in May. The church has also been collecting love offerings along the way.

Beacon is pastored by Bro. Roy Ramon, who was saved and surrendered to preach under the ministry of Jim Slocumb, director of TMD, who I have had the pleasure of working with at Rocky Springs MBC.

Bro. Ramon and Beacon were some of the first responders to my initial requests for assistance when I surrendered to go to Brownwood.

Mission: Brownwood monthly report

January was our biggest month so far for Mission: Brownwood. Rocky Springs MBC of Jacksonville, Texas, voted unanimously to sponsor me during their regular monthly business meeting on Jan. 13. Rocky Springs was the church that I grew up spiritually in, being saved in November of 2002, and being called to preach in February 2004. They saw me off to seminary in August 2004, and helped me with VBS when I was pastor at Denson Springs MBC in Grapeland, Texas.

Rocky Springs has set up a missions account for the Brownwood work. Those wishing to send special offerings or monthly support may do so by sending to:

Rocky Springs MBC
PO Box 1840
Jacksonville, TX 75766

My deputation calendar for January was mostly full. We visited Ebenezer Baptist Church in Henderson, TX on January 6, where we had great fellowship and good hamburgers. Pastor Matt Gholson has children about the same age as mine, so they had fun.

We visited with Second Avenue Baptist Church of Corsicana, TX on Jan. 13. Again, we enjoyed good fellowship, though the night was slightly dampened by news of the Dallas Cowboys loss to New York. Second Avenue is currently seeking a pastor, so please be in prayer for them.

We enjoyed a great Sunday service with Memorial MBC of Elkhart, TX on Jan. 20. There were members there who had worked in Brownwood. It helped to share the work with people who were familiar with the mission field. I was blessed to fellowship with Pastor Michael Parker, who surrenderd to the ministry when he was a member of Denson Springs (long before I got there). I also enjoyed fellowship with Bro. M.T. Blackmon, a retired missionary who started works in Rockdale, TX, and Buffalo, TX. His son coaches at Rusk, so I get to see him often.

We had a big weekend January 26-27 in the Texas Panhandle. We shared the Brownwood work with the Southwest Association of Missionary Baptist Churches during a mission rally held at Ridgecrest MBC in Levelland, TX, on Saturday. I presented the work to Ridgecrest the following evening. Sunday Morning, I shared the Mission: Brownwood vision with Quaker Avenue Baptist Church of Lubbock, TX. The churches of the Southwest Association are unmatched in hospitality and generosity. They have welcomed me and my family with open arms and gone above and beyond in helping us during our time of deputation.

Upcoming Dates:

Feb. 9-10: Nevill's Chapel MBC Missions Conference, Mt. Pleasant, TX

Feb. 17: AM Service - Mt. Herman MBC, Center, TX; PM Service - Whiterock MBC, Center, TX.

Feb. 23: Old Cherokee Baptist Assocation Mission Rally, East Side Baptist Church, Jacksonville, TX, 6 p.m.

March 30: AM Service - Memory Lane MBC, Palestine, TX.

All other dates are open. Please call me at (903) 625-1005 if you would like me to present Mission: Brownwood to your church.

Special Requests:

1. Monthly Supporters - We are still seeking churches to partner with us to get a New Testament church established in Brownwood, TX.

2. One-Time Love Offerings - We will also need help to cover the costs of relocating to Brownwood, TX. We plan to move to Brownwood at the end of May or early June.

Goals:

1. Relocate to Brownwood, TX, by June.
2. Establish a core group within a year.
3. Self supporting New Testament church within 3 years.
4. Send out missionaries within 6 years.

Financial Report:

Monthly Supporters -

58th Ave. MBC, Amarillo, TX - $121
Rocky Springs MBC, Jacksonville, TX - $150
Denson Springs MBC, Grapeland, TX - $50

Deputation offerings -

Ebenezer MBC, Henderson, TX - $100
Second Ave. BC, Corsicana, TX - $100
Memorial MBC, Elkhart, TX - $400
Southwest Association - $100
Ridgecrest MBC, Levelland, TX - $156
Quaker Avenue BC, Lubbock, TX - $604

Special Offerings -
Bethel MBC, Tatum, TX - $250

Expenditures -
Travel Expense - $660
Deposited into missions account - $654

Thank you for reading my report.

In Christ,

Leland Acker
Missionary to Brownwood, TX
(903) 625-1005
lelandacker@aol.com
www.lelandacker.blogspot.com

Sponsored by:

Rocky Springs MBC
PO Box 1840
Jacksonville, TX 75766
Pastor: Charles Swilling