FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

Hopefully you enjoyed the Easter Season this year. Many expressed at how much they enjoyed our service. I pray it was special for you as well and ministered to your soul. The month of April brings our month of recommitment to Missions. Truly if our hearts have been renewed in the burden of evangelism, then Missions will truly follow. We did much to reach out for Easter and now we stretch beyond our borders to the WORLD.

As all evangelism must begin at home according to Acts 1: 8 “…ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem…” and then it continues to reach until it reaches the “uttermost part of the Earth”. The translators say this verse means to the last place on earth, no matter how far, until all have heard the Gospel. Up to this point my call has always been here at home, so far around the central and southern area of Ohio. You may say that is where you feel led to as well. But there are others, like Steve Cartwright, Ruth Tipton, some of our young Missionary kids who will all be in our Missions Conference who were called to those ends of the earth. Dr. Lattimer, our General Missionary Superintendent who will be with us, can tell you all about our various fields and Missionaries. Maybe you one day will have an opportunity to go visit one of these fields on a work team, or maybe yet receive a call to minister there. But until that time comes we still have a great responsibility.

That responsibility involves 3 major things:

1. To support financially. By the taking of Missionary shares and a faith promise pledge which will be presented during the convention. We may also have a little extra at times we can contribute to the Missionary Offerings.

2. Our prayer support. Though we may be financially poor we can all pray for our Missionaries. I try to sign every Missionaries prayer card that comes to the Church for a service. They need prayers for their funds to come in, for guidance, for protection, and for encouragement. Did you know our Missionaries would love to receive a card from you, especially when they are on the field?

3. Attendance in the services. It is hard to have a Missionary Conference without you attending it. We have various jobs to be done in support of the convention and the meal. You can lend a hand, cook some food, offer a ride to someone who has none, and be active in the service.

Do you want to see a Missionary smile? Tell them you are praying for them and are thankful they have accepted God’s call and you appreciate them in their efforts. I guarantee you will get one. And do you want to encourage some lonely young people who are separated from their parents on the field? We will have some MK’s, Missionary Kids, who attend OCU while their parents are serving around the world. Do you realize what a smile, a hug, a word of appreciation to these young people would do for them? Try it and see!

No Christian will ever be complete in their walk in the Lord until they have supported not only evangelism but Missionary evangelism as well. It is all our duty, not an option, for us to support. So let us get behind our coming Missionary Conference and support it all we can. Maybe we will come away from this event with not only a renewed burden in Missions, but a desire to be more involved in the future with Missions. To God be the glory!

In Christian Love,
Pastor Bruce

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