STEERing Money to Missions

An excerpt from STEERing Money to Missions
By Tracy Dubois, Support Staff
April-June 2012

Founded in 1957, STEER is a nonprofit organization dedicated to “STEERing money to missions.” The company uses a three-way cooperative concept that enables donors, farm or ranch families, and missionaries to work together using the resources God has given them.

A donor supplies investment funds, or units, to cover the production costs of a crop or head of livestock. A farmer donates his time and feed to raise livestock (cows, hogs, sheep, etc.) or donates land, equipment, and his labor to raise crops (wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, etc.). When it’s time for harvest or butchering, the farmer selects an organization from STEER’s list of more than 80 partners. A missionary with that organization then receives the funds for ministry.

STEER has enough donor investment funds but is looking for more farm and ranch families to join the cause. As of September 2, 2011, WGM had more than 60 donor units available with STEER that just need a farmer to get involved. Are they waiting for you?

ACT: Visit www.steerinc.com or e-mail steerinc@steerinc.com to learn more about partnering with STEER.

I'm a Blogger

An excpert from I'm a Blogger
By Joy Phillips, South Sudan

April-June 2012

I’m a blogger, and I’ve been blogging about my life and Mango Ministries in South Sudan since March 2009 at www.joyphillips.blogspot.com.

My blog was born out of extreme frustration in formatting newsletters, some forced down-time while waiting for back surgery, and a lifelong desire to write for a public audience.

In this world of instant-everything, I believe the most important tool blogging can be used for is to mobilize prayer. Each time I update my blog, I update the prayer and praise section. I firmly believe that without prayer, even the best programs we implement will fall far from God’s intentions. Without prayer, peace will not prevail. It’s so easy to forget that prayer is the work. I consider it a real blessing to be able to communicate prayer needs and praises to you in an instant and know that God is using a virtual community to do His work in South Sudan.

As you read “Journey with Joy” and other missionary blogs, my prayer is that you will be challenged by the condition of our world and respond to invitations to be a part of His kingdom-building activities.

ACT: Add Joy Phillips to your prayer list by visiting her blog at www.joyphillips.
blogspot.com.

Networking for the Cause of Prayer

An excerpt from Ministry Success = Prayer Support
Networking for the cause of prayer
By Frank Martin, International Ministries, with Kay Young, Retiree
April-June 2012

Mother Beezley realized that it would take more than money to get (World Gospel Mission's first) missionaries to China. She knew that unless they were covered with prayer, their ministry would be useless.

She knew that these praying people would need to know how to pray knowledgeably, so she mimeographed (an old method of copying documents) the missionary letters and sent them to these various groups. These letters later became the basis of this magazine, Call to Prayer, now The Call. When other missionaries went out from WGM, their letters were also mimeographed and sent to the praying people.

Can you help carry on the prayer work Mother Beezley started? The success of the missionaries on their various fields can be directly attributed to the prayers of the praying people. This cannot be emphasized enough. And it is still true today.

MORE: Prayer Lifeline is a free e-mail subscription. Encourage others in your small group to join you in praying for missions at www.wgm.org/lifeline.

Faithbooking on Facebook

An excerpt from Faithbooking on Facebook
By Ken Wade, Kenya
April-June 2012

The Internet, including social media such as Facebook, is not good or evil in itself—the use and the user determine that. In a technological world, it is my conviction that the Lord would have us not ignore, or refuse, such avenues, but adopt them and adapt them to further God’s purposes. God wants to use the tools He has given to spread the gospel.

Here is a conversation via Facebook chat with a lady named Lydia in South Sudan:

Lydia: I don’t know how I stumbled to this, but please lead me to Christ!
Ken: Ok. Can you pray with me?
Lydia: Yes.
Ken: Ok. God is speaking to you or you would not be drawn to Christ like this. I will write a prayer, then I want you to pray it sincerely. Ok?
Lydia: Yes, man of God.
Ken: Dear Heavenly Father, I know I have sinned, but I know You love me and sent Christ to die for my sins so I could be forgiven. I am sorry for my sins. Please forgive me. I give myself and my life to You right now. I turn from sin to You. I want You in my life, Lord Jesus. Please come into my heart. Be my Savior. Deliver me and heal me. Help me to serve You and obey You. I trust You now for salvation and ask for You to give me Your Spirit and the gift of faith. Thank You, Father. I pray in the name of Jesus, Your Son. Amen.
Lydia: Thank you; thank you. God bless you abundantly. I’m a new person and it’s a new dawn for me. As I prayed, I felt the presence of God. He knows my name. I love Him for His mercies and forgiveness.
Ken: Praise the Lord. He has been lifted up and drawn you to Himself! You have made a great decision; one never to be regretted and never to be forsaken. Hope you have a Bible. Start reading Gospel of John and also 1 John. Let me know. I will pray with you continually and have our prayer team join me in praying. Thank you for reaching out to me for help so I could point you to Him. Let’s stay in contact.
Lydia: Thank you, Pastor Ken. I would definitely love to meet you when I come to Kenya. I am blessed beyond anything I know. May God increase you so much. (Note: Lydia is from the part of Kenya where we live and work but is working in South Sudan.)

Let’s help people receive the truly Good News of the gospel. Networking by “faithbooking” for Jesus is not a waste of time!

Turning Strangers into Friends

An excerpt from Social Networking: Turning Strangers into Friends
By Elizabeth Carter, Spain
April-June 2012

Confession time: My name is Elizabeth, and I’m an introvert. I love people, but I definitely need my alone time.

Real-life reality: As we’ve been traveling around the country on homeland ministry assignment, I get to meet—and talk to—many different kinds of people.

Here is our quick guide for The Introvert’s Guide: Turning Strangers into Friends:

1.Find common ground with the “stranger.” Take a class or volunteer for a project that will bring you into contact with people you might never have met otherwise. You may have nothing in common except for the class or project, but that’s a great starting point.

2.Use “free information.” (Thanks to my mom, Glenda Moon, for this point!) Using free information is drawing on common topics to start conversations. We have learned people love to talk about their towns.

3.Ask questions. Make sure that you’re genuinely interested in the answers or this one won’t work! Most people are knowledgeable about at least one thing and are happy to share their expertise.

Social media isn’t a substitute for real-life friendships and connections, but if it’s used properly, social media can definitely enhance and strengthen those relationships.

ACT: As you read this article, has someone come to mind that you need to take some steps to get to know better? Reach out to that person today.

Unfriend It and End It

An excerpt from Unfriend It and End It
Progressive relationships
By Michael Johnson, Special Assignment
April-June 2012

After almost 35 years of marriage, I am amazed that my wife has not unfriended me yet. I have given her plenty of reasons to do so. She could just unfriend it and end it.

I thank God that He does not work that way. After 59 years of life, I have given Him plenty of reasons to unfriend it and end it. But He does not work that way. There is nobody on God’s “I am not speaking to you” list. In fact, God just keeps on talking to me, even when I completely ignore Him.

Even though He has good reason to unfriend me, He refuses to do so. I have given Him ammunition moment by moment from the past to the present and even future. But He doesn’t. God does call me friend, and He refuses to end it.

ACT: God calls you His friend, too. Read John 15:15.

How a game of ISpy can change everything...

An excerpt from View Your World Differently
How a game of ISpy can change everything
By Shushan Richardson, Ukraine
April-June 2012

While on homeland ministry assignment this past fall, I had the privilege of speaking at my alma mater, Kentucky Mountain Bible College, for its fall recruiting event/missions conference. The theme was “I Spy…Seeing the World through God’s Eyes.” The premise of the event was Matthew 14:14, where Jesus was with the people and He looked on them with compassion, seeing their real needs and the need for laborers. This is a special verse to me, because God clearly spoke to me through it as I began to understand He was calling me to missions, calling me to see the world differently.

A game was set up on the KMBC Facebook page, challenging people to come and to play every day. Challenges were posted with an activity that would encourage players to see their world differently. Things like “ISpy the work of the Holy Spirit,” “ISpy a prayer warrior,” or “ISpy someone who needs to be encouraged.”

ACT: Create your own ISpy game for missions with your network of friends and family or with your Sunday School class. Look for the examples Shushan listed in this article and create a few of your own. You may just see the world differently too.

An excerpt from Connecting Partners to Ministry
By Kelly Hallahan, Uganda

April-June 2012

Social media is the new normal. If you’re not tweeting, blogging, or Facebooking, you’re missing out on some vital connections with this generation.

WGM Uganda has a variety of options for you if you want to stay connected with what God is doing here:

Prayer Room blog: www.247prayeruganda.blogspot.com

Twitter prayer request feed: 247PrayerUganda

Facebook community: WGM Uganda (your one-stop shop, linked to our blog and Twitter)

Keeping you, our prayer warriors, informed and connected is key for the success of God’s kingdom work here in Uganda.

The possibilities are endless for connecting with missionaries on a daily basis. Are you seizing the opportunities that are available? Can’t wait to connect with you!

Mission-Central.org: Living Your Story

An excerpt from Mission-Central.org: Living Your Story
By Rachel Elwood, Support Staff
April-June 2012

What’s your missions story? Do you come from a missions-minded church? Maybe you’ve been on a missions trip or two (or ten!), or you pour yourself into the kids who attend your church’s Wednesday night kids ministry. Or maybe you’ve just recently discovered this “missions thing” and what it means for believers to share their faith with their communities and the world.

But regardless of whether you’re a wide-eyed newbie or slightly cynical veteran like me (Come on, we’ve seen a lot!), we all share something in common: we truly want to know how God is moving in our world and where our place is in His work. We crave glimpses of hope that those who need Jesus are being reached. We want to know how we can get involved.

That’s why we created www.mission-central.org. On this multimedia blog, you can hear the voices of missionaries on the front lines of the Great Commission. Check out videos from all over, and learn creative ways to participate in missions. By using a variety of media, we want to show missions for what it is—not flashy or polished but real people doing real ministry to make a real impact.

ACT: Have ideas for podcasts or videos that you’d like to see on www.mission-central.org? E-mail Rachel at wgm@wgm.org with your feedback!