Well, if your reading this, you can see that our Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia Missions Blog has undergone a major (and much needed) upgrade. Much thanks to Bill who put lots of time into this new layout, and design. With this new look will be coming a renewed commitment (on my end) to post more about what is going on here at C.C. Philly in regards to fulfilling our missions vision, as well as more post of articles that will help to equip us all for the task at hand - completing this Great Commission!
Now, speaking of finishing the task at hand - I wanted to share with you guys a great website appropriately named "Finish the Task". You can get to it by clicking HERE. The purpose of the website is to get the church to engage in reaching those people groups around the world that currently have no churches working with them, and no witness for Christ among them.
"Today there are currently 639 unengaged, unreached people groups with populations over 100,000, together numbering over 535,000,000 souls that are still beyond the reach of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are spiritually lost, and helpless like sheep having no Shepherd. Among them Christ remains unknown, unacknowledged, and unadorned."
Go on their site, it's great. When you go on, you can also see some updates on some of these groups, and how they have now been adopted by some churches. That being said, though they have been adopted, the work is far from over! I think on average your looking at a 30-50 year commitment to really influence these people groups in all areas regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm praying that this site will motivate you to pray for these groups, and also to ask the Lord what part you should play in getting the gospel out to them. I can tell you that our church will be adopting another people group to go along with the Tarahumara of Northern Mexico who we adopted years ago and have seen the N.T. translated, and Lord willing will soon see the complete Bible translated in their language. We are praying about two specific groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that are very closely related to the groups that we are working with in Northern Zambia. The difference is that no one is currently working with these groups (one of them is 800,000 strong) ! Please ask the Lord to give us wisdom on choosing this people group, and then wisdom as we begin to start forming a plan to reach them, and to begin to share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The area that they are in is extremely remote, so please also pray that we can make the right connections in regards to traveling to them in the most safe and timely manner.
I'll be keeping you posted in regards to this group, as well as what we will be doing this summer. All very exciting stuff ! Check back soon for more updates.
Blessings,
Carlos
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Little Nuggets from Israel.......
Hello everyone, as I mentioned last month, I wanted to have a couple of people write about the things the Lord showed them while on our trip to Israel. After being home for a month, I still constantly find myself thinking about the trip, and the things that the Lord revealed to me while there. I'm starting to think that it really does take at least a month to process all of the information given, and all the things that the Lord showed us. Anyway, our first "little nugget" comes from Megan Petock.
Before traveling to Israel, several friends who had been to the Holy Land, told me it would be a life changing experience. While excited about the trip, I doubted it would be life changing. “Israel is just a place,” I thought. However, a few weeks later, as my plane touched down on Israeli soil, I had the distinct feeling that I was about to be proven wrong.
******
On my third morning in Israel, I headed to the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, carefully carrying a hot cup of coffee and a napkin filled with pita and hummus. I found a large rock by the water, used my rain jacket as a picnic blanket, and sat down. I opened my Bible and began reading. Like the disciples who lived 2,000 years before me, I was having breakfast with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee.
I turned to Matthew 14, the story of Jesus walking on water. It was a story I had heard since I was a little girl, but being there gave it a new and deeper meaning. Looking out at the water, I could almost hear the voice of Jesus calming speaking to the frightened disciples, who sailing on a fishing boat, “"Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." I imagined the calm water suddenly becoming stormy, and wondered what Peter was thinking when he stepped out onto the violent Sea. As my friend Sara put it (when she first saw the Sea of Galilee), “It’s real water.” I was looking at a real Sea, with real water, and real sand. Peter had some serious faith.
All morning, the words of my Bible came alive. I no longer had to imagine their scenery the way I had to imagine Narnia of Middle Earth. I was seeing it with my eyes. It transformed what I was reading.
This was one of many similar experiences, as numerous Biblical passages were given new life and depth, as I walked where Jesus walked. Throughout my time in Israel I prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, stood at the temple gates, gazed at Golgotha, and walked inside the empty tomb. With each experience, I gained a greater appreciation for the authenticity of Scripture and the faithfulness of God. I was tasting and seeing that every Word of His is truth, and every promise He has made has been kept.
When I walked on Israeli soil I knew in my heart that Israel, both the land and the Jewish people, were set apart unto God, and being in Israel was, in fact, life changing. Not because if it’s beauty, history, or Biblical context. It was life changing because Jesus had been there and still was. This was the setting He used as a background to His story of redemption. Through that land and people, He chose to bring Salvation to the entire world. It’s a truly Holy place.
*******
Standing in the Philadelphia airport waiting to receive my luggage, I fiddled with the silver ring I had purchased in Jerusalem. It was engraved with the Hebrew words for the phrase, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” I was quietly amazed as I thought about my experiences in Israel, and realized that the same God that orchestrated the plan of redemption and faithfully preserved His Word over of thousands of years, was my shepherd. He was leading and guiding me today, and He is life changing.
Whether your in Israel or Philadelphia.
Before traveling to Israel, several friends who had been to the Holy Land, told me it would be a life changing experience. While excited about the trip, I doubted it would be life changing. “Israel is just a place,” I thought. However, a few weeks later, as my plane touched down on Israeli soil, I had the distinct feeling that I was about to be proven wrong.
******
On my third morning in Israel, I headed to the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, carefully carrying a hot cup of coffee and a napkin filled with pita and hummus. I found a large rock by the water, used my rain jacket as a picnic blanket, and sat down. I opened my Bible and began reading. Like the disciples who lived 2,000 years before me, I was having breakfast with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee.
I turned to Matthew 14, the story of Jesus walking on water. It was a story I had heard since I was a little girl, but being there gave it a new and deeper meaning. Looking out at the water, I could almost hear the voice of Jesus calming speaking to the frightened disciples, who sailing on a fishing boat, “"Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." I imagined the calm water suddenly becoming stormy, and wondered what Peter was thinking when he stepped out onto the violent Sea. As my friend Sara put it (when she first saw the Sea of Galilee), “It’s real water.” I was looking at a real Sea, with real water, and real sand. Peter had some serious faith.
All morning, the words of my Bible came alive. I no longer had to imagine their scenery the way I had to imagine Narnia of Middle Earth. I was seeing it with my eyes. It transformed what I was reading.
This was one of many similar experiences, as numerous Biblical passages were given new life and depth, as I walked where Jesus walked. Throughout my time in Israel I prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, stood at the temple gates, gazed at Golgotha, and walked inside the empty tomb. With each experience, I gained a greater appreciation for the authenticity of Scripture and the faithfulness of God. I was tasting and seeing that every Word of His is truth, and every promise He has made has been kept.
When I walked on Israeli soil I knew in my heart that Israel, both the land and the Jewish people, were set apart unto God, and being in Israel was, in fact, life changing. Not because if it’s beauty, history, or Biblical context. It was life changing because Jesus had been there and still was. This was the setting He used as a background to His story of redemption. Through that land and people, He chose to bring Salvation to the entire world. It’s a truly Holy place.
*******
Standing in the Philadelphia airport waiting to receive my luggage, I fiddled with the silver ring I had purchased in Jerusalem. It was engraved with the Hebrew words for the phrase, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” I was quietly amazed as I thought about my experiences in Israel, and realized that the same God that orchestrated the plan of redemption and faithfully preserved His Word over of thousands of years, was my shepherd. He was leading and guiding me today, and He is life changing.
Whether your in Israel or Philadelphia.
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Our Goal.. .
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This site is for the edification of the body at C.C. Philly,and beyond. Through information on our missionaries, weekly exhortations from the Word, and pictures and video from recent trips, I pray that this site will not only encourage the body to be actively praying for the missions at C.C. Philly, but to take an active role in "The Great Commision".
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