If our Missional ministry framework was a question on Jeopardy it might sound like this: Ethiopia, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Presidio, Antwerp, Beirut and Istanbul? “Alex, what are the countries and far flung places in which JCBC does missional ministry?” That’s correct for $1000!
While we are not likely to be a featured answer/question on Jeopardy, this is the month we highlight and celebrate our various missional activities. So let’s highlight a few:
Puerto Rico: Our youth pastor and I are freshly back from a scouting trip to this hurricane-ravaged island. Up to 25% of the population remains without electricity six months after the storm. There seems to be as many tarp roofs as rebuilt ones and there is a startling number of displaced people. We will be taking a rebuilding team to San Juan May 3-7. Our College-Young Singles will be working there July 22-28.
Dominican Republic: Our long-term work continues this year as our youth ministry will be on-the-ground with our Baptist partners during Spring Break and our water purification work in partnership with Water @ Work remains on track in the Third World areas.
Presidio: This Texas border community has been our partner for ten years. We sent a team there in January and the Presidio students will be with us for a week in July.
Antwerp: Janee Angel and her Syrian-born husband Hari work with Syrian refugees and assist Muslim women as they assimilate into Belgian culture. Their ministry to Islam has been very successful.
Istanbul: Elam Ministries operates a college for Persian-Iranian refugees who are Christian and wish to be trained to start home-churches. These students then locate around the world doing evangelism. We have partnered with Elam for eighteen years.
Ethiopia: We work with Water is Life in Ethiopia in many ways. David Harding is the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship missionary to Ethiopia and leads Water is Life. He will be with us on Sunday March 25 and will offer two options for learning more about this work. He will speak at 9:00 and again at Noon in the Heritage Room. This will be an opportunity to ask questions and be informed, and also for people who are interested in a possible immersion trip to Ethiopia in 2019.
Missional Saturday: Our annual day to mobilize and work in our local missional fields is set for Saturday March 17. We will be in a record 9 locations that day. If you are not part of an Adult Sunday School Community and want to be involved, let me know.
Ta Da: So how do we support all of this work? Six national and international partners and 15 local partners must take a lot of support! Yes, you are correct. Giving to the church through the 2018 Ministry Budget with tithes and offerings goes a long way in making our amazing missional framework successful. We also fund specific missions through the Annual March Missions Offering. Giving to the March offering allows for one to two international partners and several local partners to do special projects. The March offering is how we fund the water projects in the D.R. and Ethiopia. So it’s March and it is time to give!
Michael McCullar
Formations Pastor
Johns Creek Baptist Church
