It's football season once again! The temperature cools down, the arm chair quarterback begins to share his wisdom, and fans pack stadiums to watch their favorite high school, college and professional football teams chase championship glory. To celebrate this American tradition, we even have a new anthem to remind us how close we are to this game. Kenny Chesney's "The Boys of Fall" is currently being played at every country radio station, can be heard from the windows of pickup trucks and is hummed at the checkout line at Walmart.
This year in Brownwood, fans have the added excitement of their team being ranked #1 in the Class 3A Associated Press football poll. Football is good and fun, and it highlights some core values that we should all hold dear.
Everything in Life is Temporary - Last season's success of failure is over. Can you tell me, off the top of your head, who won the Class 2A state championship in Texas last year? Who lost last year's Superbowl? What was the record of the 1983 Dallas Cowboys? If you correctly answer these questions, you either looked it up on the internet, or are too obsessed with football. Mike Leach said it best, "That catch you made last year, well, that was last year!" Most of our accomplishments on this earth will be short lived. My grandfather desegregated the Dawson (TX) public school system, and secured the funding to build a new high school for Latexo, TX. Neither town remembers who he is. Dawson, TX, does remember their most successful football coach ever, and named the stadium after him, but they forget that my grandfather hired him. Most of what we do will be forgotten.
Invest in That which is not Temporary - When the Dallas Cowboys signed Terrell Owens, most fans knew that TO would only be around a few short years. Still, Jerry Jones signed the receiver to a huge contract. Even after TO was cut from the team, the Cowboys still owed him millions of dollars. That is not a wise financial investment, neither is investing in something that won't last wise. While most footballers see the value in bringing in rookie talent and developing it into superstar talent, many don't understand the value in investing in the eternal things of this life.
Football is for a short time, but eternity is forever - Brownwood is full of men walking the streets who played on the 1960 state championship team, or any one of the other 6 state championship teams from Brownwood. These men, for the four years they were in high school, invested every ounce of their being into their football careers. Most of these football careers ended at graduation. A few went on to play in college. While they recognize how fleeting those football days were, and how important it was to get an education and gainful employment to take them through the rest of their lives, most fail to realize the importance of preparing for eternity. My four years of high school ended 14 years ago. It seems like it was in the distant past, and it seems very short. That's how your life will appear to you when you go into eternity. The life we lived on this earth will have seemed short and fleeting, yet, just like the decisions I made in high school still affect me now, so will the decisions we make on this earth affect you throughout all eternity.
And so now we get to the meat of the matter. Isn't it sad to see a man whose best days were while he was in high school? Don't make that mistake with your life in eternity. No matter how good or bad things are in this life, they will be but a blip on your eternal existence. The key decision you need to make in this life is to repent of your sins and trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior. If you do so, you will spend eternity in Heaven. If you choose not to do so, you will spend eternity in Hell. The choice is yours.
Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
The front of the church building we are trying to buy.
In June of 2008, my wife Jessica, my children and I moved to Brownwood, TX, under the authority of Rocky Springs MBC, for the purpose of starting a local New Testament church. Brownwood is a town of approximately 24,000 people, with 37,000 living in the county. It is home to Howard Payne University, 3M and Kohler, and the nearest ABA church is located 84 miles away in Abilene, TX.
Over the past two years, we have seen 17 souls saved, four follow the Lord in Baptism, and numerous additions by letter and statement. Our attendance ranges from 15-30 on Sunday mornings, and we have been holding services in a rented facility that is only able to accommodate 40-50 people comfortably.
In order for our mission work (Grace Pointe MBM) to grow to become self-supporting, I feel that we will need to be able to grow numerically, as well as spiritually. While our current congregation is growing spiritually, the numeric growth will continue to be a challenge in our current facility.
Sanctuary from the back row
There is a vacant church facility located on the south end of town, adjacent to the youth sports complex, which includes the high school football stadium. To the north of this facility is Brownwood Middle School. This facility is also located adjacent to Brownwood’s largest residential neighborhood.
The proposed facility has a sanctuary that will seat 125 comfortably, has five classrooms, a kitchen and fellowship hall, and sits on five acres of land that will offer room for future growth. We have begun to canvass this neighborhood and have received great feedback.
The asking price for this facility is $195,000. Aside from some minor repairs, this facility is a turnkey operation. The church pews and church furniture is still in place, including a working baptistery, sound system and projection system. This facility is the most cost-effective option in obtaining a permanent worship facility for this new work.
Our goal is to raise the funds necessary to purchase this facility without going into debt. Any and all contributions to this project will be greatly appreciated, and will ONLY be used to purchase a worship facility for Grace Pointe MBM.
View from the pulpit
Should this particular facility be sold before we can raise the funds, there are two other facilities available for purchase. Please consider sending us a one-time offering for this project.
Support for our building fund can be sent to:
Grace Pointe MBM
PO Box 1828
Brownwood, TX 76804
Thank you for your consideration.
In Christ,
Leland Acker
Missionary to Brownwood, TX
(325) 200-8531
July saw Grace Pointe hold their first revival meeting (led by Bro. James Snyder of Central MBC in Jonesboro, LA), its third VBS (with a high attendance of 19 children), two professions of faith, one baptism and one addition by statement.
Ramping up Our Efforts
Grace Pointe has three major projects we are working on right now in an effort to reach the unchurched of Brownwood, TX, and eventually grow to be self-supporting. (1) We are currently going door-to-door sharing the Gospel and distributing tracts. When we finish giving out the current batch of tracts, we will have given out 3,000 Chick Tracts. That means that roughly 15% of Brownwood residents have received a Chick tract from us, not including the 15,000 people who received tracts from us at last year’s Brownwood Reunion. (2) We are also preparing to spread the Gospel at this year’s Brownwood Reunion. For this outreach, I plan to purchase 10,000 custom printed tracts for $920 shipping included. On average, this event is attended by 15,000 people. (3) We are looking to raise funds to acquire a worship facility. More on this to be posted in the near future. By The Numbers:
Income:
Offerings: $1,222.50
Memorial MBC (Rusk, TX) $50
Marvin Acker (Jacksonville) $100
Roy & Cynthia McMullin $25
TM and Eloise Jones $25
Jim Slocumb ; $100
Northcrest MBC (Andrews, TX) $69.25
Arp First Baptist (Arp, TX) $120
Expenses:
Rent: $600
Sound System: $432.99
Leland Acker: $200
Brownwood Water: $84.51
James Snyder (Revivalist) $500
Lake Brownwood State Park (Baptismal Service) $27
VBS Budget (Details provided as soon as available) $500
Checks: $32.67
VBS Banner: $96
VBS Booklets: $192.50
Rich Cone A/C Repair: $298.50
TXU: $144.75
Mission Fund Support:
MBA of Texas $3,058
Rocky Springs MBC (Jacksonville, TX) $515
Denson Springs MBC (Grapeland, TX) $100
White Rock MBC (Center, TX) $100
Heritage MBC (Missouri City, TX) $200
Expenses:
Leland Acker Salary + Housing: $3,622
Building Materials $279.93
Newspaper Ad for Revival $97.50
Revival $451.51
Outreach Luncheon $120
VBS supplies $373.67
We are studying the book of Revelation at Grace Pointe MBC in Brownwood, TX. For the past few months, we have been studying the seven churches of Asia, and the significance of the contents of God's throne room as is described in Revelation 4-5. This week, we begin chapter 6, which depicts the opening of the seals and the events that unfold during the Tribulation, the seven year period at the end of our current era also known as Daniel's 70th week.
At this point of the study, members at Grace Pointe will expect to hear teaching regarding the timing of the events of the seven-year tribulation. Growing up, I was always taught the following order of things:
The Rapture occurs.
The seven-year tribulation begins.
The four horsemen of Revelation 6 appear.
The two witnesses appear at the Temple or temple mount in Jerusalem.
The "Wrath of the Lamb" worldwide earthquake.
The Anti-Christ, who has appeared on the scene at some point during all this, assumes power.
The Anti-Christ is assassinated, but then healed.
The two witnesses are assassinated, then resurrect after three days in full view of the entire world.
The final 3.5 years of the Tribulation, known as "The Great Tribulation," begin.
The mark of the beast, total war, total judgment, total destruction, Christ returns and establishes His kingdom.
However, as a result of my personal study, and some teachings I received in seminary, I have concluded that the above list is inaccurate. First of all, in all passages of end time prophecy, the rapture is not mentioned. (The rapture is only described in 1 Thessalonians, and briefly in Matthew 24). Furthermore, I find it interesting that there is no mention of the Rapture in Revelation before the opening of the seals, which tells me that there is no Rapture that occurs before the Tribulation begins.
Furthermore, the two witnesses are not mentioned until Revelation 11. They will prophesy 1,260 days (or 3 1/2 Jewish calendar years.) The Antichrist (The beast) will be given power for 42 months (3 1/2 years).
This information, along with the understanding of the purpose of Daniel's 70th week (to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, and to reconcile God to His people, the Jews... Daniel 9:24), we find that the contemporary Christian understanding of the Tribulation is incorrect. Most Christians understand that the seven-year tribulation is God's wrath executed upon an unbelieving world. According to scripture (Daniel 9:24), the purpose is to bring Israel to repentance.
The fact that the Tribulation will be brought about to bring Israel to repentance means that it is not ALL God's wrath being poured out on the earth, meaning that God's children, those who know Jesus as Savior, will in fact endure at least part of the Tribulation. Scriptural evidence of this includes the martyrs mentioned in Revelation 6:9-11 and Revelation 7:9-16.
As for the two witnesses, I am thinking that their prophetic ministry happens during the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation, the Great Tribulation. Why? First of all, when they minister. Revelation 11:1 tells John to measure the Temple of God, meaning the Temple will exist during the duration of the ministry of the two witnesses. Secondly, they witness for 3 1/2 Jewish years... the exact length of time of the Great Tribulation (the second half of Daniel's 70th week). Thirdly, the entire world rejoices at their demise... meaning that the world believes that its trouble is over because the two witnesses are gone. Notice also that 1 Thessalonians 5:3 says the world will say "peace and safety," then sudden destruction comes upon them. That is exactly what will happen at the end of the Tribulation.
As for the timing of the Rapture, I think I have found a passage in Revelation 14:14-20:
Rev 14:14-20 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
In this passage, you have one on the cloud like unto the Son of Man with a sickle, who reaps at the cry of the first angel who comes out of the Temple (the Rapture of the Saints?), and another angel who came out of the Temple with a sharp sickle who gathers the grapes of the earth (the fruit of the world, the unsaved) at the cry of the angel from the altar.
This incident happens immediately before the last seven plagues in Revelation 15, which are filled up with the wrath of God. If the rapture is in fact in Revelation 14, then it still occurs before the wrath of God is poured out upon the earth, thus we are still not appointed unto wrath.
With this (and many other thoughts in mind) my new timeline is as follows:
The seven year Tribulation (Daniel's 70th Week) begins at the signing of a covenant between the man who will go on to become the Beast (the Antichrist) and Israel. The covenant (probably will be called a treaty) will be a seven year treaty. (Daniel 9:27)
The seven seals and the 144,000 sealed.
The seven trumpets.
The midpoint - the two witnesses emerge and the beast (Antichrist) assumes power after having a fatal wound healed. The talking statue and the mark of the beast begin.
Rapture
Wrath (seven plagues and seven vials).
Fall of Babylon.
Marriage supper of the Lamb
1,000 year reign.
Destruction of Satan.
Final judgment.
New Heaven and New Earth, New Jerusalem.
One objection some will have to this timeline is the timing of the rapture. Paul wrote that it would be at the last trump. It is possible that the seven trumps extend beyond the midpoint of the Tribulation. Regardless of the accuracy of my timeline, God's timeline is set and secure. This means that regardless of the timing of the rapture, God's saints will endure persecution and times are set to get harder. Be prepared and shore up your faith through the study of God's word (Romans 10:17).
I am not an end times expert, nor a scholar in the book of Revelation. These are conclusions I am basing on a study of Revelation in and of itself, with a background of having previously studied Daniel. Should you have any thoughts to offer, corrections to make, or arguments to advance, feel free to do so, as long as all is done in brotherly love and is supported by scripture in context.
During our mad rush to make the publishing deadline when I worked at the Cherokeean Herald, my managing editor and I were lamenting the Texas Legislature's refusal to continue to fund the Texas State Railroad. Under a new Republican-controlled House and Senate, the legislature was leading the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to cut expenses, even if it meant shutting down some of the top attractions in Texas.
The Texas State Railroad was on the chopping block because it operated at a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. What was unscrupulous about the whole situation was that while the railroad brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars annually just by providing rolling stock for movies, that movie revenue was not credited to the railroad. So, when the annual financial reports came out, the train showed the expense of providing engines and rail cars for the movies, but wasn't allowed to show the income received. That income went straight to the TPWD in Austin.
Surely, I lamented, that the state could continue to fund this park, given the movie revenue and the fact that the transportation department operates some of the best rest areas in the nation. That's when my boss (a life-long Democrat) looked at me and said, "Leland, you are beginning to sound like a Democrat."
I must confess, I had to rethink my position. At the end of the day, however, I came to the same conclusion. The state railroad had to be funded.
Sometimes we can say things that make perfectly good sense to us, but shock us when we find out that our statements are in agreement with our enemies. Now Democrats aren't my enemies (my boss and I were good friends), but I do oppose their platform. Politics aside, when we get into eternity, state parks funding, tax rates, foreign debt and national defense will be forgotten. What won't be forgotten will be the judgment we receive for our actions. For this reason, we must be very careful that we are fighting on the right side of Spiritual warfare.
Satan is the master-deceiver. Confusion is one of his best weapons, and often he uses it to turn the brethren against each other. Often times, Christians who both serve the Lord, who agree on 99% of things, wind up at each other's throats for the 1% of things they disagree upon. Fellowship is broken, fingers are pointed, accusations are made, and cautions to avoid Brother SoAndSo are issued. These things ought not to be true.
1 John 2:11 says "But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."
To hate means to detest. Do you detest your fellow Christians? Are the fundamentalists too stuck in the mud? Are the contemporary worshippers destroying worship? Is the ABA a liberal organization? Or a traditional pharisaical one? If you can not stand other Christians, it's not because you have surpassed them in spirituality. It is because you are blinded and walking in darkness.
Be not deceived. Detesting your brothers and sisters in Christ is indicative of a relationship with God that has grown distant. It is indicative of one who is stumbling around in darkness and not following Christ. Worse yet, satan can use that confusion and darkness to use you as a tool to wreak havoc on the Lord's church. Even worse still, when you spout those anti-Christian opinions, you sound just like satan.
In Zechariah 3, we see Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with satan at his right hand to resist him. Heaven help us if we find ourselves right there next to satan.
Oh, and just in case you were wondering, the state decided to transfer control of the Texas State Railroad to American Heritage Railways, the same company that operates the Silverton-Durango Railroad in Colorado.
I need to know how those who follow the TULIP doctrine harmonize their beliefs with the follwing passage from 1 Timothy 2:4-6:
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
It would appear to me that the Who (God our Savior) wants ALL men to be saved (verse 4), Who gave Jesus Christ to be the mediator between God and man (Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for ALL, not just the elect).
It would appear that this passage contradicts unconditional election and irresistable grace. For if God will have all men be saved, and gave Christ as a ransom for all, then wouldn't God extend His unconditional election and irresistable grace upon all men.
Furthermore, if Christ gave Himself a ransom for ALL, then wouldn't that contradict limited atonement?
Robert McNamara may have earned the position as the most controversial secretary of defense in U.S. history. His decisions to consolidate U.S. military bases angered congressmen and the citizens of those districts, the opposition to the war in Vietnam demonized him, and he has been widely criticized for his involvement in the acquisition of the F-4 Phantoms for the U.S. Air Force. The jets were made without machine guns, because McNamara believed the pilot could fire a missile on the enemy from 75 miles away. That would have worked, if the Sparrow didn't have an 89% failure rate in Vietnam. (The tropical conditions hindered the missile).
There are many things you can criticize about McNamara, but in some ways he was a man ahead of his time. He wanted to develop combat aircraft that could both serve as bombers and air-to-air combat jets. Though that development failed during his tenure, the military later achieved that goal with the F/A-18s and the F-16s.
McNamara made many mistakes, but his decisions were driven by a core belief that the U.S. could not afford to be wasteful when spending money on defense. He believed that the U.S. could afford whatever was necessary for national defense, but that it shouldn't just write the defense department a blank check. McNamara understood that the U.S. could bankrupt itself on defense spending, a lesson that the former Soviet Union learned the hard way in the late 1980s.
Few things will cause hurt feelings and lost fellowship quicker than financial issues. Looking at the associational mission funds of the American Baptist Association and the Missionary Baptist Association of Texas, I can tell you that financial issues are in our future. That is, unless the level of support these funds receive from the churches is greatly increased. Looking across our association at the state of our churches (not being critical, but many churches are struggling right now), the idea that more support is coming is not very realistic. Therefore, missionaries, the messengers that vote to support missionaries, their sponsoring and supporting churches will all have to make tough decisions in the years ahead.
At Mission: Brownwood, we have tried to be as cost-efficient as possible. Our biggest expenditures have been on my salary, building refurbishment and massive outreach campaigns. As time progresses, the new work will undertake more of those expenses on its own, but the work is only growing so fast despite our best efforts. None-the-less, when I look at the financial state of the MBA of Texas mission fund, I face the reality that there are not going to be many years of full salary for myself left. In fact, if something doesn't happen, the fund could be broke by 2012. At the same time, out direct support from sister churches has dropped off in the past couple of years. Two years ago, we averaged $1,800/month in direct support. In May of this year, we took in $1,200 from sister churches.
The fact of the matter is that missionaries are going to have to begin to make tough choices, because the well can run dry. We need to have a plan in place to keep our works going should that day ever come. Gone are the days when a missionary could go on salary and know that he was going to be able to draw that salary until his work organized (usually after the completion of an expensive brand new building). We're going to have to learn to purchase older church structures from protestant groups who have folded. We're going to have to learn to work out of school buildings, civic centers, and apartment community rooms. We are also going to have to learn to organize before land is purchased, buildings are built, and possibly before the pastor can draw a full-time salary from the church. We are going to have to streamline our expenses and learn to do more with less.
At the same time, it wouldn't hurt to see more support going to our associational mission programs. Over the past few years, especially when the fund balance was high (in both the Texas and national associations) men began to stand up and promote the idea of withdrawing support from these funds and directing support elsewhere. Some wanted to expend the reserves to purchase land in large cities. Others wanted to just expend it altogether. Others began to rail against our associational mission programs and call them waste of money. The discourse took its toll, and support began to erode. Now we are in a time when that support is needed, but getting the support back is always much more difficult than losing it.
There was a time when Missionary Baptists were proud of their mission programs. There was a time when having a healthy balance in the fund was a good thing, and the prayer was that more men would engage in true mission work so we could see that fund put to use. There was a time when men liked to see missionaries well-supported. Today, it seems that has all changed.
Satan is on the attack. Seminary enrollment is down, support for our associational mission programs, seminaries, mission development funds and mission efforts in general is down. Discourse on how to get new works started has been replaced with finger-pointing and back-biting. All the while, missionaries struggle on the field and supporting churches struggle back home. Let's all get back on the same page, and remember that our purpose here is to make disciples, baptize them, indoctrinate them and organize them into New Testament churches.
My pledge to you, as a missionary, is that I will do my best to streamline expenses and minimize my need. All I ask from you is that you engage in our associational mission work and help promote the Gospel in Texas, the USA, and around the world.
Satan has launched an all out assault on Grace Pointe, resulting in lower attendance and tough times financially for the work.
He is attacking our younger families with discouragement and even led a man to try to lead a significant portion of our congregation into a local church of Christ.
Though these attacks came leading into the summer, which traditionally is a time of lower attendance, We are standing firm. We will hold VBS the last week of July, and a revival July 5-9.
Outreach efforts continue
We are approximately three weeks away from completing our door-to-door canvassing efforts in northwest Brownwood. Once this territory is completely canvasses, we’ll begin canvassing the Southside neighborhoods. Once the entire city has been canvassed, we’ll start all over.
Meanwhile outreach efforts at the Market Place and Wildwood Trails apartment complexes continue. These have yielded some fruit, as the bulk of our core group came out of Market Place apartments.
FINANCES: Offerings: $1,003.16 Memorial MBC (Rusk) $50 Jim Slocumb $100 Northcrest (Andrews) $95.31 First Baptist Church (Arp, TX) $120
Expenses: Leland Acker: $400 James Snyder (fill-in) $100 TMD: $31.12 MBA of Texas $31.12 ABA $31.12 Abel Dimatulac $31.12
Mission Fund
Support:
Heritage Baptist Church (Missouri City, TX) $200 White Rock MBC (Center, TX) $100 MBA of Texas $3,058 Hickory Grove MBC (Newport, AR) $78.85 Muse MBC (Grapeland, TX) $200 Ridgecrest MBC (Levelland, TX) $25 Hickory Grove MBC (Newport, AR) $17.14 Quaker Ave MBC (Lubbock, TX) $100 58th Ave. MBC (Amarillo, TX) $148.15 East Side MBC (Jacksonville, TX) $100 Wyndrock MBC (Abilene, TX) $40 Nevill’s Chapel MBC (Mt. Pleasant, TX) $224.46
Expenses: Salary: $3,422 Housing: $950 Appliances for new home: $987 Outreach: $374.81 Travel Expenses: $255.68
Brother Ken and Sister Barbara Sibley held a youth revival at Grace Pointe April 28-30. Bro. Sibley presented the Gospel by using his illusions as illustrations. Meanwhile, Sis. Sibley led worship and taught lessons with Zeke the Dog. We averaged 21 in attendance each night, had several first time visitors and saw three souls saved.
Grace Pointe Attendance Spikes
April saw attendance reach into the 30s for the first time since we have been in Brownwood. We had 30 on Easter Sunday, 34 the following Sunday and 25 two weeks later. We have had several first time visitors who continue to visit, have had one rededication, one come forward for baptism, and now have solid prospective members in the souls saved at the youth revival.
Offerings Drop During Tax Month
I’m not sure if it was the woes that come with tax month, or the possibility that members who give sacrificially during tough attendance months took a breather during this month of high attendance. Either way, offerings have been down by $700 per month for the past two months. As a result, Grace Pointe has operated at a deficit for two months. We have had the funds in reserve to cover the expenses, but will need to make adjustments in our budget during our May business meeting.
Deposits: MBA of Texas $3,058 Hickory Grove MBC (Newport, AR) $82.60 Muse MBC (Grapeland, TX) $400 Nevill’s Chapel MBC (Mt. Pleasant, TX) $392.11 Wyndrock MBC (Abilene, TX) $80 Rocky Springs MBC (Jacksonville, TX) $200 Heritage MBC (Missouri City, TX) $200 East Side BC (Jacksonville, TX) $100 Ridgecrest MBC (Levelland, TX) $75 Memory Lane MBC (Palestine, TX) $50 White Rock MBC (Center, TX) $100 Denson Springs MBC (Grapeland, TX) $200 58th Ave MBC (Amarillo, TX) $114.43 Quaker Ave BC (Lubbock, TX) $100
Expenses Salary + Housing $3,422 Radio Ads for Youth Revival $220 Newspaper Ad for Youth Revival $195 Youth Revival Supplies $87.77
For the past few years, church growth enthusiast have heralded Starbucks as a model to be followed in regard to church growth and multiplication (for those who haven't internalized the new vocabulary, multiplication is mission work). Starbucks has been heralded as an example for creating repeat customers (repeat visitors), opening new stores (starting new churches) and how to create "community." While I can appreciate a person admiring a company that makes a product they can enjoy, I can only hope that Starbucks closing 900 locations will abate the rise in "let's do it like Starbucks" churches.
My first and foremost problem with comparing church methods to Starbucks and modeling church growth strategies after the coffee giant is the fact that Starbucks is your quintessential liberal corporation. Based in Seattle, the chain has been widely criticized for promoting unGodly causes and lifestyles if by no other means than the "The Way I See It" cups.
The Bible says "I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? (1 Corinthians 6:5)" The context for this verse was the fact that church members were suing other church members in court. Paul was shaming the Corinthian church for seeking wisdom in heathen courts, when they possessed God's wisdom. Comparisons between the church and Starbucks, as far as I am concerned, amount to seeking worldly wisdom from worldly organizations and applying it to God's church. Did not God give us a formula for church growth? We have God's Word, we have His wisdom. Why on earth are we seeking wisdom from an organization like Starbucks?
My second problem with the often made parallel between Churches and Starbucks is the fact that they are not related. Sure, many churches have diminished valuable seating space in their sanctuaries by building coffee bars in the church buildings, but you can no compare true churches to Starbucks, neither will the marketing approach of Starbucks really benefit the churches.
First of all, Starbucks markets a product that, despite the downturn in business and the closing of 900 locations, people desire to purchase. People like Starbucks coffee, hence they are willing to pay $6 for 24 ounces of it. Contrast that with the churches. The churches, true churches, propagate the Gospel (the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins according to the scriptures.) People don't need Starbucks coffee, but they want it. People need the Gospel, but they don't want it. Disagree with me? First check Barna statistics, then check your Bible. John 3:19-21 clearly teaches that most people turn away from the Gospel because they don't want to have to own up to their sin.
You see, I could open up a coffee shop, spend $1,000 to advertise it, and be covered over in business. On the other hand, I can "start" a church, I can rent a building, put up a sign, spend $2,000 to advertise the new church, and not one soul will show up. Why? Because men liked darkness rather than light, because they didn't want their deeds to be reproved.
Seriously, I have personally designed effective marketing campaigns for clothing retailers, restaurants, cattle exchanges, horse sales, car dealerships, computer stores and repair shops, garage sales, boot repair shops, and pharmacies. These campaigns were very successful. To date, I have never designed and implemented an effective marketing campaign for a church. Why? Because people don't want the product.
So the idea that if we just adopted an image like Starbucks and marketed ourselves accordingly, we'd have first time and repeat visitors is flawed.
My third problem with the concept of modeling churches after Starbucks is closely related to the second. Starting a coffee shop is remarkably simpler than starting a church. To start a coffee shop, all you need is a name, equipment to make the coffee, knowledge of how to make the coffee, and a location. If you have the budget, you are in. Obtaining funding is the hardest part.
Starting a church is not so simple. First, just having knowledge, supplies and location is not enough. You must also have (1) the leadership of the Holy Spirit and (2) the desire, determination and perseverance to continue to share the Gospel one-to-one with lots of rejection. You see, unlike starting a coffee shop, starting a church requires you to convert people to an unpopular Gospel. Starting a coffee shop involves just letting people know you have a popular product. Many differences there.
My fourth problem is that I don't see what is so attractive about the Starbucks model of expansion. The Starbucks business model, at least up until 2009, included opening many locations in a small area, operate them at a loss to drive all competitors out of business, then jack up the prices. If a competitor opens up, buy out his lease!
What part of the model of "let's put other churches out of business" do we want to follow? (Sure, I am all for shutting down cults and false churches, but that's not what we are talking about.)
My fifth problem with the Starbucks model is that, like the video above, it is often used to criticize other churches. Notice in the video above, the producers took all that is stereotypically wrong with churches and applied them in a Starbucks setting. The video also poked fun at visitor cards, Christian bumper stickers, and outreach training methods. I saw no indication that the video's maker admitted that his church wasn't perfect. Nope. Just, "here's what's wrong with the way other churches do it. We're different. We're culturally relevant."
The Bible says "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. (Romans 14:4)" Who are you to go so far as to make a video to question methods other than yours?
My sixth problem with the Starbucks model is that it assumes that Starbucks has it all together in making new customers feel right at home. They don't. I've been there on more than a few occasions. I didn't know what to order, ordered a Mocha Latte (Thank you Kramer), drank my drink, and moved on. If I were to apply my experience to a church setting, it would be as if I were a first-time visitor who came in, sat on the back seat, sat for the duration of service, then left without any interaction with the church members. These scenarios happen in church. First time customers also get alienated at Starbucks. Quit idolizing them.
My last problem with Starbucks is that they are not nearly the jaggernaut that everyone believes them to be. At the outset of the recession in 2008-2009, they were one of the first companies to announce closings. More than 900 locations closed almost instantaneously. Can you imagine the panic if more than 900 Missionary Baptist Churches closed in 2009? Of course, the advantage the churches have in this regard is that they don't have to worry about their value on the stock exchange.
Of course, with the way things are going, it wouldn't shock me to hear someone laud Starbucks' closings as economic genius, and then promote the idea of closing all of our rural churches, selling the property, and using the money to open up new churches in metropolitan areas. Stranger things have happened.
God's churches were founded by God, are preserved and prospered by God, are led by God, and have been blessed and instructed by God. The church is an institution higher than any other on the face of this earth, and no organization is worthy to be compared to the church, nor is any organization worthy to become a model for the church. Get your wisdom from the Word, not Wall Street. Come on, people.
During Grace Pointe's youth revival, Ken Sibley discussed faith and America. So far, after two days, we are averaging 20, have three professions of faith, one rededication, one confirmation (they wanted to confirm they were saved).
In 2006, I accepted an offer from the Cherokeean Herald newspaper in Rusk, TX, to be promoted from part-time to full time employment. My new job was reporter, ad sales and radio personality. Yep, three positions, only one me. To this day I remember those days with fondness (no joking or sarcasm. I enjoyed the work.)
One of my first assignments as reporter was to interview Dr. Ray DeSpain, the new Superintendent of the Alto Independent School District. Dr. DeSpain was taking over a school system that enjoyed a great amount of success in athletics (The football, track, baseball and softball teams were perennial state playoff powerhouses), but struggled academically. In fact, as Dr. DeSpain was taking the job, the Texas Education Agency (T-E-A) was in the process of deeming Alto High School as "academically unacceptable."
Dr. DeSpain had just one year to work with the high school principal to bring the rating back up to "acceptable," or else the T-E-A would step in and offer "assistance."
After working long, hard hours to extend the school day by 20 minutes, offer after school programs and peer-mentoring programs to bring up test scores, Dr. DeSpain began to work to insure that the "unacceptable" rating would never again be applied to any Alto ISD campus. He instituted "Vertical Curriculum Alignment."
Vertical Curriculum Alignment works like this... The school received a list of TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) from the state. This list included what the state felt that a kid should be able to do by the end of each grade. These skills were tested by the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) test. Should a school fail to have an acceptable percentage of kids in all grades and/or ethnic/economic subgroups pass the test, the school is deemed "unacceptable."
So to make sure the students were being taught up to the level that the state demanded, Dr. DeSpain instituted a program, Vertical Curriculum Alignment, designed around those TEKS. If the state wanted 1st-graders doing long-division, the Alto had better make sure Kindergartners had a firm understanding of numbers, counting, and possibly even some light arithmetic. Instead of repeating what was learned the year before, there would be a quick review and then the teachers would build on what was taught last year.
The goal of vertical curriculum alignment was to make sure that all teachers and educational professionals were on the same page as to where a student should be in his educational development. There were goals for what a high school graduate should be able to do, and there were benchmarks to be met along the way to make sure that the student was on track to meet those goals.
It was well planned, well executed and successful. Alto High School got the acceptable rating, and the football team celebrated by winning the state title. In addition, some of the teachers and students received national recognition. Alto High School was a sudden success story.
Contrast that to the approach to youth ministry employed by most modern New Testament churches. If a child were raised in church (and I understand that this is becoming a rare scenario these days), where should he be in his Bible education when he is in Kindergarten, 3rd Grade, Junior High, High School, and then College and Career class?
What basic Bible concepts should a grade-schooler be able to grasp? When should we begin to see enough maturity for a child to be able to make a reasoned decision regarding salvation? When can we expect that child to begin to understand a call to the Lord's service? How are we preparing them for these developments? Have we even thought about this?
I submit to you that the vast majority of churches in America today approach children's ministry by handing out a story sheet and coloring page, maybe a craft, with little regard being paid toward the big picture of that child's spiritual development. It's not that children's ministry workers and teachers are bad or lazy, it's just they haven't been trained.
I also submit to you that pre-teen and teen ministry in America has been reduced to "don't do drugs, don't have sex, don't get a tattoo, now let's go play ball." Again, it's not that the youth workers and teachers are bad or lazy, it's that the critical training of these volunteers is non-existent. Don't blame the workers, they are doing the best they can (in most cases) and are overwhelmed by the non-stop onslaught of Satan's forces.
That being said, I am sure that there are churches that have it all together... and praise God for them. In the meantime, what should the rest of us do about preparing to bring our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? What should we do to teach them about the Lord and what expectations should we have at certain ages? What should the benchmarks be?
If you study the history of military aviation in the United States, and don't learn about a man named Chuck Yeager, then you didn't really study the history of military aviation.
Yeager had a flight career spanning 60 years, was an accomplished fighter pilot in World War II, earned the title of "ace" in just one day (to earn the ace title, you have to score five air-to-air combat victories), scored the first victory over a figher jet, was the first man to break the sound barrier, then broke another speed record at Mach 2.44 (2.44 times the speed of sound), and commanded a figher wing to success in the Vietnam War.
Yeager's success in aerial combat and his survival through World War II (where he was shot down once) and Vietnam were the results of his committment to knowing his aircraft. Whenever he was assigned to a new aircraft, he got the instruction manual for that aircraft and learned it. He would learn its capabilities, its systems, its emergency backup systems, and emergency procedures should something go wrong. He knew his aircraft's abilities and shortcomings.
Lack of understanding of their aircraft cost many figher-pilots their lives or freedom during Vietnam. Airforce training showed the pilots how to fly and safety procedures, but many pilots didn't know their aircraft's capabilities in combat, an ignorance that cost aerial combat victories, F-4's and pilots alike. Furthermore, those pilots weren't trained in aerial combat maneuvering (a.k.a. dogfighting). Then men like Yeager, Robin Olds, and Steve Ritchie arrived in Vietnam, and taught the younger pilots those skills. A lack of knowledge killed Air Force pilots, but proper training, reading the books on the jets, and applying that knowledge saved many pilots and gave the U.S. the victory in the air.
Yeager's success was based on the fact that he took the time to read the book and learn his aircraft, then apply what he learned in combat situations. He read the book! It works the same in ministry and the Christian life.
All too often, ministers wreck their ministries, and many times their churches, because of a lack of knowledge. This lack of knowledge comes from a lack of reading, not commentaries, but the Word of God.
God gave us the Bible to thoroughly equip us for whatever forms and points of service for which he has called us. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) If a minister knows the scriptures, he will know how to counsel and work with a couple that is facing the prospect of divorce, he will be able to encourage a woman who is married to an unGodly husband, he will know that he is responsible to intervene when he knows child abuse is taking place, and he will know how important the roles of him and the church are, more importantly, he will know what those roles are. To quote the preachers from years ago, "It's in the book!"
The book is only as good as it is read, however. Those instruction books for those planes would have been little use had Yeager not read them. In order for that information to help Yeager, he would have had to read it and learn it before taking off. Imagine what would happen had Yeager taken his flight wing into the air, detected enemy aircraft at 11 o'clock, then decided, "Hey, I think I'll consult the book for this!" With most aerial combat situations (dogfights) lasting less than 60 seconds, he'd be dead before he got the book open.
It is important to make sure you are studied up on scripture BEFORE you find yourself in a Spiritual battle, position of service, or counseling session. If you wait until then, then your only hope is to consult Strong's Concordance, and at that point, scripture is likely to be taken out of context and misapplied, leading to further devastation. Or, you can just shoot from the hip, give your own advice, and disregard God's instruction.
The Bible says to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)."
Study your Bible, learn God's will, apply His truths to your Christian walk and ministry. You might just find that you have a successful 60-year ministry ahead of you.
Did anyone notice the slap in the face the Philadelphia Eagles handed their longtime starting quarterback Donovan McNabb? The slap didn't come in the form of being traded, the slap came in the form of to whom McNabb was traded. What in the world am I talking about? Let's go back a couple of years.
February 2008, Brett Favre announces his retirement from the NFL and the Green Bay Packers. However, by July 2008, Farve decides that he wants to go back into the NFL. The Packers told Favre that they would not guarantee him the starting QB position, at which point Favre demanded to be traded.
Favre's desire was to play at Minnesota. The Offensive Coordinator for the Vikings was a coach that Favre loved and desired to play under. However, Green Bay, who still owned Favre's contract, refused to release him from the contract and allow him to play at Minnesota. Why? Because the Packers realized that while Farve might not be good enough to be their starter anymore, he was still good enough to start in the NFL, and could possibly do some damage to his opponents.
Green Bay was not willing to release their former star quarterback to a division rival, Minnesota, and have to play against him twice per year. They didn't want to be on the receiving end of his offensive prowess. So a deal was worked out that sent Favre to the New York Jets, where he played one season before retiring again. He was later released from the Jets, and then came out of retirement yet another time, and being a free agent, was finally allowed to sign with the Vikings.
Contrast this with the saga of Donovan McNabb. McNabb, 34, six years younger than Farve, was considered by many to be past his prime in Philadelphia. Sure he had better days with the Eagles, made good plays, and even led the Eagles to a SuperBowl appearance, but the past couple of seasons, Philly fans booed him instead of cheering him on.
Though he was once the face of the franchise, he was now being regarded as the man who was holding the franchise back (this from a team that signed Michael Vick). During the offseason of 2010, McNabb lost his starting position with the Eagles to Kevin Kolb. McNabb, like Farve, had seen great days with his team, but was no longer considered good enough to start. Unlike Favre, however, the Eagles placed very little confidence in McNabb's ability to compete in the NFL. Why else would they agree to trade him to longtime NFC East rival Washington?
In the NFL, you never send good players to division rivals. (1) You have to play against them twice per regular season, and possibly a third time in the playoffs. (2) If they succeed against you, you'll hear it from ownership, media and fans about how stupid you were to let them go to your rival. (3) You never want to give a division rival the ability to outperform you. It's bad enough to lose in the playoffs and miss the Superbowl. Even worse is to lose while your rival excels, mostly because you handed them your ace.
So when the Eagles traded McNabb to the Redskins, they basically said, "This guy is totally expendable. He's a bum, and has no potential in the NFL." Once the face for the franchise, now the garbage to be hauled away.
There's a lesson to be learned here. Many are the church members and preachers who think that the sun doesn't rise until they awake in the morning. Many are the church members who think if they leave, the church will have to close its doors. Many are the preachers who think that if they leave, the church will not be able to find another pastor as qualified as himself. Friend, you are a fool to believe such folly.
The churches of the Lord are preserved, prospered and built by the Lord Himself. Sure, He uses the labor of those willing and obedient to accomplish His will, but He doesn't NEED us. He allows us to serve by His grace.
Consider Ephesians 4:7 "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ."
Christ gives us a gift, the gift of a position of service. That gift is given by His grace (the undeserved favor he extends toward us.) So your position of service and leadership is not given to you because of your credentials and the fact you've earned it, it's given to you by God's grace, which means you don't have credentials and you haven't earned it.
Now if this does not convince you that the Lord's churches will not survive without you, consider 2 Corinthians 4:7, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."
God's word is the treasure, we are the earthen vessels. Earthen vessels (clay pots) are not pretty, but are easily breakable, and easily replaceable.
So, the next time you think you are high and mighty, just remember that you are nothing more than a sinner saved by God's grace, put in a special place by His grace, all because He loves you.
I don't write this to berate you, nor to discourage you, but that we can all keep things in perspective as we serve the Savior.
One final thought, Old Time Farmer wisdom teaches us that when we think we are a person of great influence, we should try to boss another man's dog around.
Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Let's face it... ministry can be downright discouraging these days. While there are churches that are growing and bursting at the seams, chances are you see empty pews when you stand behind the pulpit on Sunday morning.
Not only that, but it seems that no one is interested in hearing about God's salvation when you go out door-knocking. There have probably been days that you felt like the prophet Jeremiah, who preached his entire ministry without a convert.
Lack of "results" can have any preacher questioning his call, his methods, and questioning if he is where God wants him. Don't be discouraged.
For the past several weeks, a member of Grace Pointe and I have been knocking doors in Northwest Brownwood. The vast majority of these doors have gone unanswered, others tell us they are not interested, some don't want to hear our message and some have even refused to take our tracts. One rather famous exchange went like this:
GP Member: Sir, would you like to know about Heaven? Resident: No. (slams door shut.) GP Member: Wow. Times are hard when they don't want to hear about Heaven. Leland: Actually, times aren't hard enough.
Quitting our mission of canvassing Brownwood was never an option, though we did discuss the fact that our job was to merely share the Word. That's when we had a break-through day last week.
We were invited inside twice, had four quality conversations about Christ, and even had two men pray. While their prayers stopped short of "asking Jesus into their hearts," we feel that they were made more aware of the reality of God, His coming judgment, and the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. Besides, the transaction of salvation is between them and the Lord, not between us and them.
One thing I have noticed is that those who are giving thought to eternity are highly interested in what God has to say through His word. Study after study and survey after survey tells us that people are abandoning organized religion in droves. While there may be a mass exodus of people from churches, I don't think it's the organization that they are leaving. They are not leaving church, per se, they are leaving empty religion.
To put it another way, they are not rejecting the idea of church, they are rejecting the churches of which they have been a part. Why? Most will share stories of empty traditional arguments, or hypocritical pastors and leaders, some even point out doctrinal error (what the pastor teaches doesn't match up with what their Bible says.) So, to these people, church isn't bad, they just haven't found a good church. You see, it's not the church they are abandoning. They are setting aside a church that has abandoned God.
The question has often been posed, "Has the church become irrelevant?" If the church has abandoned God's word, or the Gospel, it has. This empty establishment is being left behind in the dust, despite its efforts at marketing, contemporary worship, reducing preaching (ironically), and increasing its appeal to "seekers."
I submit that the vast majority of churches have abandoned God's word in favor of crafting a message and looking for validation in God's word. Many pastors have left expository preaching for topical preaching. Often, these topics and sermons are crafted entirely in the mind of the preacher before God's word is even consulted. An example might be using Proverbs 29:18 to promote building and expansion programs. I once heard a preacher preach on Christ's prayer in the Garden while the disciples slept. His main point was that we need to be better friends to each other than the disciples were to Christ. (The theme here had more to do with Christ preparing to go to the cross than with the sleeping disciples.)
The modern "seeker" isn't looking for a rock concert with a how-to sermon attached to the end of it. The "seeker" is seeking God's word and its counsel. The church and preacher that are able to exegete God's word and teach what it says will be the church that is successful in the coming years. The American people have had their fill of cattle excrement over the past couple of generations. Substance will now prevail.
So, don't seek to convey what you think or say, and don't try to teach what other great preachers have taught. Preach the word and teach what God has to say. It will bear results. I'm not promising that you'll have a Billy Graham style crusade, but you will see the Word work in the lives of those who listen, and you will see God move. After all is said and done, isn't that really what it is about?
In keeping with our emphasis on becoming active in mission work, Grace Pointe invited Bro. Jason Clark, missionary to France, to visit and tell us about his work. Bro. Clark has completed language school, has relocated to southern France where he has started a Bible study in his home. The Lord has really blessed his work. Bro. Clark is sent out by Walnut St. Baptist Church in Hillsboro, Texas.
Grace Pointe increases mission offerings
During our Feb. 14 business meeting, Grace Pointe voted to increase missions giving to 12% of our local offerings, and added the ABA Insterstate and Foreign Missions Fund as well as Missionary Abel Dimatulac to our mission budget.
Attendance increases for February
Grace Pointe enjoyed two consecutive Sundays at 27 people in attendance. All in all, we averaged 22 for the month and collected a record amount of offerings. It is our sincere prayer that this trend continues.
PO Box for Grace Pointe
We have a new mailing address for Grace Pointe. Please address all correspondence to me personally, or to Grace Pointe MBC, PO Box 1828, Brownwood, TX 76804.
Offerings: $2,212.31 Jim Slocumb (Jacksonville, TX) $100 Bonnie Rhodes (Snyder, TX) $100 Memorial MBC (Rusk, TX) $50 Northcrest MBC (Andrews, TX) $90.67 First Baptist Church (Arp, TX) $120
Expenses:
Rent: $600 Natural Gas: $169.31 Secretary of State: $25 Texas Mission Development: $100.06 MBA of Texas State Missions: $100.06 Jason Clark: $150 Leland Acker: $100 TXU: $69.61 Ladies Auxiliary: $40
Mission: Brownwood Account
Deposits: Muse MBC (Grapeland, TX) $200 Nevill’s Chapel MBC (Mt. Pleasant, TX) $212.10 Denson Springs MBC (Grapeland, TX) $100 Memory Lane MBC (Palestine, TX) $50 Heritage MBC (Missouri City, TX) $200 White Rock MBC (Center, TX) $100 MBA of Texas $3,058 Quaker Ave MBC (Lubbock, TX) $100 58th Ave MBC (Amarillo, TX) $119.48 East Side MBC (Jacksonville, TX) $100 Nevill’s Chapel MBC (Mt. Pleasant, TX) $100 Nevill’s Chapel MBC (Mt. Pleasant, TX) $159.97 Wyndrock MBC (Abilene, TX) $40 RidgeCrest MBC (Levelland, TX) $50 Heritage MBC (Tyler, TX) $100
Expenses Salary + Housing $3,822 Postage +Outreach materials $279.87 New Computer + Software $1,125.70 Home Depot (building materials) $26.41
When God first called me to Brownwood, Texas, to start a new church, I felt silly explaining my call to others. I didn't call myself a missionary, because I didn't feel worthy to have the same title as the men who went to foreign countries to preach the Gospel, some in the face of persecution. Explaining my calling to those who are not members of a local New Testament church was equally odd, because, after all, doesn't Brownwood have enough churches? (At one time, Brownwood had more churches per capita than any other city in Texas).
In some circles, state missions is seen as a second-tier priority, because they believe that people in America have had ample access to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have a friend in another Baptist association who once told me that "The sun never sets on our mission programs" (meaning the association had missionaries worldwide), but "We're not that good at state missions."
So, why should we give state missions and state missionaries the same consideration we give foreign missionaries? Here's why.
In my two years I have been in Brownwood (it'll be two years come June), I have observed that despite the large number of churches (and buildings with "church" on the sign), there is a large percentage of the population that (a) has not heard the true Gospel (the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins according to the scriptures), (b) have not been reached out to with the Gospel, and (c) many do not have ready access to solid teaching of the whole counsel of God. This is in Brownwood, Texas, a hub for various Baptist groups, and home to many Charismatic churches and organizations as well.
I'm not going to criticize these groups because I have no knowledge of what they teach or how they endeavor to spread the Gospel. What I am saying is that despite the presence of these churches, and a theological school at Howard Payne University, many in Brownwood still live without having heard or without knowing or understanding the Gospel.
Over Spring Break, Jessica and I were priviledged to travel to Corpus Christi (pictured above). We passed through cities like Llano, Fredericksburg, Boerne, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Aransas Pass and Port Aransas, as well as Ingleside, Goliad, Gonzales, Austin, Leander, Lampassas and Goldthwaite. What kept pressing on my heart were the multitudes of people in these towns that still had not been reached with the Gospel.
I understand that many will not receive the Gospel, I recognize that most will reject Christ. Still, we must be busy reaching people with the Gospel because (a) we were commanded and (b) some will receive.
Corpus Christi alone has more than 200,000 residents, all without the lighthouse of an ABA church. McArdle Road MBC was there at one point, but a series of unfortunate incidents led to the church's disbanding a few years ago. If we can find those who still need to be reached in Brownwood, Texas (population 24,000), think of how many need to be reached in Corpus? Yet it seems difficult to get anyone to go there with the Gospel.
It's not just Corpus. Aransas Pass and Ingleside both have populations at approximately 10,000 people, plus a few thousand more in nearby Port Aransas. All three of these cities are within a 10-mile radius of each other. Look at all the growth around Austin. Thousands live there unreached.
There is a great need for state missionaries in Texas, and missionaries all over the U.S. There is a great need for missionaries worldwide. Don't discount the value of a mission work based on its location. Evaluate it based on what the Spirit is leading you to do in regard to supporting it, or even going to the field yourself.
