WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:02.120
<v Speaker 1>That's been going on over the last year or so.

2
00:00:03.160 --> 00:00:05.599
<v Speaker 1>I am just excited to be able to be in here.

3
00:00:05.639 --> 00:00:07.839
<v Speaker 1>Maybe you haven't. If you're new here, you haven't had

4
00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:10.080
<v Speaker 1>me much in here. I've been in the back a

5
00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:13.000
<v Speaker 1>little bit more with the kids, leading the most awesome

6
00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:17.160
<v Speaker 1>children's ministry back there on the planet in the world. Amen,

7
00:00:17.239 --> 00:00:19.239
<v Speaker 1>because of you and all that you do, and you're

8
00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:22.600
<v Speaker 1>volunteering as well. But today we are going to focus

9
00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:27.160
<v Speaker 1>on our missions. And you need to know that as

10
00:00:27.239 --> 00:00:29.960
<v Speaker 1>you are coming to church and you're living your life

11
00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:33.799
<v Speaker 1>and you're participating with what we do around here as

12
00:00:33.799 --> 00:00:37.039
<v Speaker 1>a church. Are you never go to sleep? The sun

13
00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:39.960
<v Speaker 1>never sets on the Kingdom of God here at New Horizon.

14
00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:44.200
<v Speaker 1>How does that sound? Because you are finance, you're giving

15
00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:46.640
<v Speaker 1>the things that you do go around the world and

16
00:00:46.679 --> 00:00:50.719
<v Speaker 1>they're constantly at work. And I don't think any of

17
00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:55.159
<v Speaker 1>us truly understand the full extent of our impact around

18
00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.359
<v Speaker 1>the world. And we're just a little, itty bitty, teeny

19
00:00:57.399 --> 00:01:01.479
<v Speaker 1>tiny church tucked away in five one, Washington. And if

20
00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:04.680
<v Speaker 1>we are doing what we're doing, can you imagine the

21
00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:07.239
<v Speaker 1>light of the Lord going forth out of all the

22
00:01:07.319 --> 00:01:10.760
<v Speaker 1>churches around the world. Amen? God is good. His kingdom

23
00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:12.799
<v Speaker 1>is on the move. And so here today I'm gonna

24
00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:15.319
<v Speaker 1>share some things with you. I am sure hoping that

25
00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:17.920
<v Speaker 1>you all got a magazine as you came through the door.

26
00:01:17.959 --> 00:01:21.159
<v Speaker 1>Did you get a magazine? If you did not raise

27
00:01:21.159 --> 00:01:23.959
<v Speaker 1>your hand, the ushers are going to bring you one,

28
00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:26.760
<v Speaker 1>and you want to have one of these. This magazine

29
00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:30.239
<v Speaker 1>is all about our missions, okay. So these are the

30
00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:33.439
<v Speaker 1>things that we do, the people that we support, the

31
00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:38.480
<v Speaker 1>different ministries locally and abroad. And the pictures, all the

32
00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:42.200
<v Speaker 1>pictures in here are from us, from our teams, from

33
00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:45.439
<v Speaker 1>things that we've done and that the missionaries that we

34
00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:48.920
<v Speaker 1>do to have sent back. So everything no AI here people,

35
00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:53.200
<v Speaker 1>no AI. So those are all real. I the picture

36
00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:56.640
<v Speaker 1>on the front, I took that in Knackapir Piot up

37
00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:01.439
<v Speaker 1>in the Caramel Jung tribe in the northern reaches of Uganda.

38
00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:07.040
<v Speaker 1>So we have a very busy, wonderful missions department. I

39
00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:11.960
<v Speaker 1>operate the Missions department with our Missions Board and this

40
00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:18.000
<v Speaker 1>year it has been Sandy Simms, Karen Conley, Stephanie Owens,

41
00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:24.120
<v Speaker 1>and Tammy Fawcett. And for various reasons, some Karen, the

42
00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:27.599
<v Speaker 1>just various ones are stepping down. So I need a

43
00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:29.439
<v Speaker 1>few more of you to step on up and help

44
00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:33.120
<v Speaker 1>me out. It's not a huge commitment, so come up

45
00:02:33.159 --> 00:02:35.560
<v Speaker 1>and talk to me afterwards if you might be interested

46
00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:37.800
<v Speaker 1>in being a part of the missions board here at

47
00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:40.919
<v Speaker 1>New Horizon. But I want to bring your attention to

48
00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:44.240
<v Speaker 1>a few things in the magazine. At the very front page,

49
00:02:44.280 --> 00:02:47.360
<v Speaker 1>there's a little magnet. So if this is your first

50
00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:49.879
<v Speaker 1>time here doing missions with me, I'm going to give

51
00:02:49.879 --> 00:02:52.439
<v Speaker 1>you a magnet. Every year, you're gonna take that magnet.

52
00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:54.800
<v Speaker 1>You're gonna put it up on your refrigerator. You might

53
00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:57.520
<v Speaker 1>have to tape it if you have a stainless steel refrigerator.

54
00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:01.120
<v Speaker 1>Those things ruin magnets. Those that the whole magnet thing

55
00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:03.560
<v Speaker 1>kind of went away when we got those fancy refrigerators.

56
00:03:04.199 --> 00:03:06.400
<v Speaker 1>But also you can take it out and on the

57
00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:09.039
<v Speaker 1>other side is a giving pledge card. I want to

58
00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:11.439
<v Speaker 1>introduce you to that because the cool thing here at

59
00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:14.719
<v Speaker 1>New Horizon is we have such a high percentage of

60
00:03:14.840 --> 00:03:20.919
<v Speaker 1>our people that give above and beyond their tithe into missions,

61
00:03:21.400 --> 00:03:26.000
<v Speaker 1>and our missions budget here this year is has been

62
00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:30.639
<v Speaker 1>twenty fourth twenty four hundred fifty dollars, and we have

63
00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:33.639
<v Speaker 1>been giving that away, sending that out every single month

64
00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:37.560
<v Speaker 1>because you have been faithful. The cool thing is is

65
00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:40.919
<v Speaker 1>that not only have you been faithful to your monthly pledge,

66
00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:43.520
<v Speaker 1>but we've had people giving into missions here and there,

67
00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:47.280
<v Speaker 1>and that has bumped my buffer up. And so we

68
00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:51.479
<v Speaker 1>have had quite a bit of finance come in on missions.

69
00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:55.199
<v Speaker 1>And I am so, so, so so proud of you.

70
00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:59.919
<v Speaker 1>In fact, Devin, if you would go to the giving slide,

71
00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:01.840
<v Speaker 1>I know I'm gonna. I gave him a list and

72
00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:04.000
<v Speaker 1>a schedule of all the slides and I'm bouncing around.

73
00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:08.560
<v Speaker 1>But here is the giving from you folks into missions.

74
00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:11.479
<v Speaker 1>Do you see that slide, the giving slide? Devin, Yeah,

75
00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:14.599
<v Speaker 1>there it is. Okay, So two four hundred and fifty

76
00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:19.639
<v Speaker 1>dollars every month has come in and gone out. On

77
00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:23.279
<v Speaker 1>top of that are projects that we have presented to you.

78
00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:27.199
<v Speaker 1>Plus additional giving comes to one hundred and fifty five

79
00:04:27.399 --> 00:04:31.439
<v Speaker 1>thousand dollars people come on for a total of one

80
00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:34.560
<v Speaker 1>hundred and eighty four thousand dollars has gone through this

81
00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:40.240
<v Speaker 1>church out into the world for missions. Let that sink in.

82
00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:47.439
<v Speaker 1>Let that sink in. That sets this house apart. Because

83
00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:51.279
<v Speaker 1>you have opened your heart up to be a generous

84
00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:54.680
<v Speaker 1>spirit and looking around, I think that you're all still

85
00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.839
<v Speaker 1>going to Starbucks, and I think you're all still eating,

86
00:04:57.879 --> 00:05:00.519
<v Speaker 1>and y'all still have a house, a roof of your heads.

87
00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:04.319
<v Speaker 1>Because the God of the universe has promised that when

88
00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:09.000
<v Speaker 1>you have a generous heart, he blesses you back. And

89
00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:11.680
<v Speaker 1>God is good. He's taken care of us, and through

90
00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:15.600
<v Speaker 1>our hearts, through our hands, through our giving, we have

91
00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:20.000
<v Speaker 1>been able to make that much impact. Amen. So that

92
00:05:20.199 --> 00:05:22.680
<v Speaker 1>twenty four hundred and fifty that monthly support, I really

93
00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:24.120
<v Speaker 1>want to bump it up. I want to bump it

94
00:05:24.199 --> 00:05:26.639
<v Speaker 1>up to three thousand this year. I want to be

95
00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:29.680
<v Speaker 1>able to increase what we give to our missionaries. Just

96
00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:33.279
<v Speaker 1>like you know, inflation is hit, it's hit there and

97
00:05:32.759 --> 00:05:36.639
<v Speaker 1>I want to raise that up. And I also our

98
00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:39.600
<v Speaker 1>plan is to add a missionary. But before we go there,

99
00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:41.600
<v Speaker 1>I want to show you the list of the ministries

100
00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:47.079
<v Speaker 1>that we cover and we support every single month, So Devin,

101
00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:51.040
<v Speaker 1>that will be our missionaries there we go. So those

102
00:05:51.079 --> 00:05:56.160
<v Speaker 1>are twelve different missionaries and ministries that we give into

103
00:05:56.319 --> 00:06:01.360
<v Speaker 1>on a monthly basis that are giving monthly keeps them

104
00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:06.199
<v Speaker 1>doing their things monthly, and if we didn't, they would

105
00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:08.920
<v Speaker 1>have to come home they'd have to quit cut, you know,

106
00:06:09.079 --> 00:06:11.199
<v Speaker 1>do all the things, and but this is you, this

107
00:06:11.480 --> 00:06:15.800
<v Speaker 1>is you, this is so you. Okay, So that that

108
00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:20.120
<v Speaker 1>covers that. Yes, we want to add a new missionary

109
00:06:20.199 --> 00:06:23.879
<v Speaker 1>this year and his name is Their names are Dennis

110
00:06:23.959 --> 00:06:27.839
<v Speaker 1>and Anya Melnachuk, and they are in the wonderful country

111
00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:30.680
<v Speaker 1>of the Ukraine. You can go to the picture that

112
00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:33.240
<v Speaker 1>shows the side that shows their picture. Yeah, there you go.

113
00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:36.639
<v Speaker 1>So they're friends of Roman and ENAs And a couple

114
00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:39.279
<v Speaker 1>of years ago I got a knock on my office

115
00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:42.000
<v Speaker 1>door and Roman was standing there and he said, hey,

116
00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:47.240
<v Speaker 1>Pastor Joel, would you marry a couple for me? Okay,

117
00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:53.160
<v Speaker 1>like right now, I don't typically do that. We have

118
00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:55.439
<v Speaker 1>six months worth of pre marriage that we must go

119
00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:57.800
<v Speaker 1>through and all the things. And he said, no, this

120
00:06:57.879 --> 00:06:59.639
<v Speaker 1>is a couple that is being sent out on the

121
00:06:59.639 --> 00:07:03.040
<v Speaker 1>mission field. They feel like now is the time to go.

122
00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:06.240
<v Speaker 1>We just they feel like it has to be now.

123
00:07:06.279 --> 00:07:08.959
<v Speaker 1>So they want to get married before they go, And

124
00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:15.279
<v Speaker 1>so I performed wedding out in the foyer. Absolutely sent

125
00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:18.759
<v Speaker 1>them to Ukraine just in time for the war to start.

126
00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:23.519
<v Speaker 1>They were in place. They did tons and tons of

127
00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:26.720
<v Speaker 1>work right in the middle, right in the heart. They

128
00:07:26.759 --> 00:07:29.959
<v Speaker 1>would drive vans in and load up people as the

129
00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:33.600
<v Speaker 1>bombs were falling and drive them to safety. They were

130
00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:38.000
<v Speaker 1>taking out women, children, the elderly, they were feeding people.

131
00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:40.879
<v Speaker 1>They just they hit the ground just in time. Everybody

132
00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:44.399
<v Speaker 1>say amen, And so we want to start serving them

133
00:07:44.600 --> 00:07:47.639
<v Speaker 1>and including them in our monthly support. And they have

134
00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:50.680
<v Speaker 1>a video for us.

135
00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:53.879
<v Speaker 2>Hi I knew Horizon Church. My name is Dennis Melnichuk.

136
00:07:53.959 --> 00:07:57.879
<v Speaker 2>My wife and I are internople Ukraine and are doing

137
00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:01.480
<v Speaker 2>a work here with orphan care. It's also with young adults.

138
00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:04.199
<v Speaker 2>We're seeing the Lord doing an amazing thing in this

139
00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:06.519
<v Speaker 2>country during this war, and we just want to thank

140
00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:09.399
<v Speaker 2>you so much for your partnership. Every single month that

141
00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:13.000
<v Speaker 2>you give and the help that comes through that has

142
00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:17.040
<v Speaker 2>been really giving us the opportunity to change people's lives.

143
00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:19.800
<v Speaker 2>Every single week, we have kids from the orphanage and

144
00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:23.240
<v Speaker 2>kids who've aged out from the orphanages coming to us.

145
00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:26.000
<v Speaker 2>We also are able to run conferences in schools. We

146
00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:29.879
<v Speaker 2>have evangelism taking place almost weekly on the streets here,

147
00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:32.200
<v Speaker 2>and we're seeing the Lord raising up with people that

148
00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:34.759
<v Speaker 2>are hungry for the things of God. So even though

149
00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:38.080
<v Speaker 2>we might not see these headlines on news. Ukraine is

150
00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:40.480
<v Speaker 2>experiencing a move of God and you are a part

151
00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:42.440
<v Speaker 2>of it. Thank you so much for your hand in

152
00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:44.480
<v Speaker 2>the gospel. We bless you and we thank you for

153
00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:45.240
<v Speaker 2>your partnership.

154
00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:49.879
<v Speaker 1>All right, so are you in shall we add them

155
00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:53.799
<v Speaker 1>to our list, our roster. Let's do it. Let's absolutely

156
00:08:53.799 --> 00:08:58.720
<v Speaker 1>do it. Okay. So last year we love to do projects,

157
00:08:58.759 --> 00:09:01.519
<v Speaker 1>you know me and my mission projects and every time

158
00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:04.799
<v Speaker 1>you guys come through. So last year during the Mission series,

159
00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:07.879
<v Speaker 1>I brought to you a young couple, a new pastoral

160
00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:13.000
<v Speaker 1>couple that were from the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

161
00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:16.320
<v Speaker 1>remember the DRC. And it was right at the time

162
00:09:16.360 --> 00:09:19.320
<v Speaker 1>where just a week a couple of weeks prior, there

163
00:09:19.320 --> 00:09:22.600
<v Speaker 1>had been a very heavy persecution breakout and I think

164
00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:26.919
<v Speaker 1>ninety Christians were beheaded and all of the refugees from

165
00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:30.000
<v Speaker 1>that area were running for safety, and they were coming

166
00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:35.240
<v Speaker 1>right through where this sweet pastor Gotina was in the DRC,

167
00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:38.679
<v Speaker 1>and they would be having church in a rental facility

168
00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:40.639
<v Speaker 1>they didn't have. You know, when I say rental, it's

169
00:09:40.679 --> 00:09:45.440
<v Speaker 1>just a little shack, right, And so they were crying

170
00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:49.159
<v Speaker 1>out for land and a temporary structure and seed to

171
00:09:49.240 --> 00:09:51.759
<v Speaker 1>start an agricultural program so that they could not only

172
00:09:51.799 --> 00:09:54.840
<v Speaker 1>feed their own church members, but feed the refugees that

173
00:09:54.840 --> 00:09:58.200
<v Speaker 1>were coming through. You raised up last year and you

174
00:09:58.840 --> 00:10:01.120
<v Speaker 1>I was able to send finance to do that. So

175
00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:04.279
<v Speaker 1>I want to show you some pictures of what you

176
00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:06.600
<v Speaker 1>guys did last year. Okay, you ready. So there's a

177
00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:08.960
<v Speaker 1>picture of a road there. Show the road. There is

178
00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:12.360
<v Speaker 1>the road. The road is going out to the tract

179
00:10:12.440 --> 00:10:14.639
<v Speaker 1>of land that we purchased, and I want you to see.

180
00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:17.600
<v Speaker 1>It's kind of jungly, it's a little rough, that's what

181
00:10:17.639 --> 00:10:20.639
<v Speaker 1>it looks like. Okay. So then go to the next picture.

182
00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:24.559
<v Speaker 1>That is Pastor Goutina and the red sweatshirt there and

183
00:10:24.679 --> 00:10:27.240
<v Speaker 1>they are clearing the land and they are planting their

184
00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:32.639
<v Speaker 1>first crops. And this is vital that churches. Yes, churches

185
00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:35.759
<v Speaker 1>have to be able to support themselves as well as

186
00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:39.600
<v Speaker 1>have food to give. And you don't understand these places

187
00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:43.240
<v Speaker 1>where we go to. They don't understand the idea of

188
00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:46.879
<v Speaker 1>a grocery store. I was talking with one pastor. We

189
00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:49.200
<v Speaker 1>were out in the bush and he was I said,

190
00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:51.480
<v Speaker 1>what do you do during the week, and he goes, well,

191
00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:53.080
<v Speaker 1>we're growing our food. You know, he was talking. It

192
00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:55.720
<v Speaker 1>was all agriculture. He was talking about all the agricultural things.

193
00:10:55.799 --> 00:10:58.039
<v Speaker 1>He said, well, don't you do that, don't you grow

194
00:10:58.039 --> 00:11:01.720
<v Speaker 1>your own food? I'm like, not really, I just kind

195
00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:04.000
<v Speaker 1>of go to the store. The store. Yeah, there's a

196
00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:07.080
<v Speaker 1>store that has everything. Really, you know, it was the

197
00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:09.519
<v Speaker 1>funniest conversation I've ever had, and it was you know,

198
00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:12.480
<v Speaker 1>it was. It was difficult too because the language barrier.

199
00:11:12.519 --> 00:11:16.440
<v Speaker 1>But anyway, I don't think we understand the viteleness of

200
00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:19.759
<v Speaker 1>land for agriculture for these people. So go ahead to

201
00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:23.080
<v Speaker 1>the next one. That was the first structure that he built.

202
00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:26.000
<v Speaker 1>And he's been doing some schooling out of that, and

203
00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:29.279
<v Speaker 1>he's been doing some teaching and some training. And then

204
00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:33.279
<v Speaker 1>I heard I heard back from them the last couple

205
00:11:33.320 --> 00:11:35.759
<v Speaker 1>of weeks ago, and they were getting ready. They were

206
00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:38.960
<v Speaker 1>wanting to have church in their own structure, but the government,

207
00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:41.240
<v Speaker 1>believe it or not, out there in the jungle, the

208
00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:44.399
<v Speaker 1>government was requiring sixteen hundred dollars worth of fees before

209
00:11:44.440 --> 00:11:48.039
<v Speaker 1>they could meet in their building. And I said, you've

210
00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:50.639
<v Speaker 1>been waiting for sixteen They don't have six hundred dollars,

211
00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:53.559
<v Speaker 1>but I did because you have been so faithful with

212
00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:57.240
<v Speaker 1>your giving. I said, Annie, how much money do we have.

213
00:11:57.720 --> 00:12:00.159
<v Speaker 1>She said, we got twenty four hundred dollars left in

214
00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:03.039
<v Speaker 1>our mission's fund. I said, okay, serve it up. We're

215
00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:05.759
<v Speaker 1>gonna send it off, right, And so we were able

216
00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:08.000
<v Speaker 1>to send that money. And this next picture is their

217
00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:11.440
<v Speaker 1>first church service in their building. Go to the next one.

218
00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:16.000
<v Speaker 1>This was last week. This is what you did. Look

219
00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:20.600
<v Speaker 1>at what you do. Look at you. So it's just

220
00:12:20.679 --> 00:12:22.320
<v Speaker 1>I don't know about you, but you just gotta you

221
00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:25.320
<v Speaker 1>gotta feel good about the Kingdom of God because it

222
00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:28.720
<v Speaker 1>is making headway and making strides. So that was last

223
00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:30.399
<v Speaker 1>year's project. Now I want to talk to you about

224
00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:32.519
<v Speaker 1>a project this year. You're like, oh, I knew that

225
00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:40.399
<v Speaker 1>was coming. Absolutely so last dessert dash in November. Well,

226
00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:43.600
<v Speaker 1>in September we took a mission trip and we went

227
00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:47.600
<v Speaker 1>up to the Carama Jung tribe in northern Uganda. We

228
00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:49.679
<v Speaker 1>found a church. I'm going to show you in the video,

229
00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:52.519
<v Speaker 1>and uh, well you know what, I'm just going to

230
00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:54.679
<v Speaker 1>show you the video forget me talking, So go ahead

231
00:12:54.720 --> 00:13:00.879
<v Speaker 1>and show the video. On this year's project Horizon Missions

232
00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:01.679
<v Speaker 1>is on the Move.

233
00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:05.480
<v Speaker 3>The twenty twenty five mission trip included a trip into

234
00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:09.559
<v Speaker 3>Northern Uganda and the Caramel Jung tribe. This tribe is

235
00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:13.120
<v Speaker 3>one of the most remote and unreached in Uganda, being

236
00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:17.240
<v Speaker 3>so primitive, even the Ugandans avoid traveling into this region.

237
00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:21.320
<v Speaker 3>When we visited the village of nakapir Pirit, we found

238
00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:25.159
<v Speaker 3>great need as well as a very beautiful people. Their

239
00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:28.360
<v Speaker 3>stories were filled with tragedy and suffering, yet it became

240
00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:31.039
<v Speaker 3>increasingly apparent that God loved.

241
00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:33.759
<v Speaker 4>Them and that God was the answer to their needs.

242
00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:40.159
<v Speaker 3>Our vision for missions here at New Horizon is for

243
00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:43.519
<v Speaker 3>community transformation that only the spirit.

244
00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:44.440
<v Speaker 4>Of God can bring forth.

245
00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:47.120
<v Speaker 1>We believe that it all flows out of the local

246
00:13:47.240 --> 00:13:49.919
<v Speaker 1>church and the leadership of incredible pastors.

247
00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:51.919
<v Speaker 4>Meet past our lineups.

248
00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:55.200
<v Speaker 3>He and his family live in this beautiful compound in

249
00:13:55.320 --> 00:13:56.159
<v Speaker 3>Nakapira Pirit.

250
00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:05.679
<v Speaker 1>Not pastor Pastor sleeps here, but.

251
00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:04.639
<v Speaker 4>Here is their incredible church.

252
00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:07.600
<v Speaker 3>At the time of our visit, they were renting this

253
00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:18.799
<v Speaker 3>land and gathering under the shade of this tree. Last

254
00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:21.759
<v Speaker 3>November we raised funds to purchase this land and build

255
00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:26.559
<v Speaker 3>a temporary church structure. The next step is to put

256
00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:29.799
<v Speaker 3>in a water well to provide the miracle of clean

257
00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:31.200
<v Speaker 3>water for this little church.

258
00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:34.960
<v Speaker 4>Clean water is so vital to life and is so scarce.

259
00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:37.879
<v Speaker 3>In Africa, people will walk miles each day for water.

260
00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:42.360
<v Speaker 3>Wells become the gathering place for the whole community. When

261
00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:44.679
<v Speaker 3>a well is not available, that people are forced to

262
00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:47.360
<v Speaker 3>gather water from swamps and purify.

263
00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:47.799
<v Speaker 4>It for daily use.

264
00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:52.320
<v Speaker 3>Sicknesses and disease are rampant due to poor water quality.

265
00:14:53.080 --> 00:14:56.200
<v Speaker 4>This well is vital for the practical things of life, but.

266
00:14:56.320 --> 00:15:00.200
<v Speaker 1>Also becomes the Kingdom's calling card as the true church

267
00:15:00.279 --> 00:15:02.559
<v Speaker 1>is then able to offer water for the soul.

268
00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:06.159
<v Speaker 4>Let's jump in and.

269
00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:09.039
<v Speaker 3>Make this miracle happen. The cost for this well is

270
00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:13.039
<v Speaker 3>thirteen hundred dollars. This well will make a difference for

271
00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:16.200
<v Speaker 3>many years to come. Thank you for partnering with us

272
00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:19.720
<v Speaker 3>in this project. You want an opportunity to give health

273
00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:22.200
<v Speaker 3>for the body and healing for the soul in this

274
00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:24.960
<v Speaker 3>far away village called Knockapre of purit.

275
00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:31.799
<v Speaker 1>Amen. That, by the way, was a well that you

276
00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:35.120
<v Speaker 1>put in two years ago. So that well I love

277
00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:37.440
<v Speaker 1>going to visit them, and all the people are coming

278
00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:39.720
<v Speaker 1>from all over the place. We want to put this

279
00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:42.159
<v Speaker 1>well right smack dab in the middle of where this

280
00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:45.279
<v Speaker 1>church is going to be built. And because that way

281
00:15:45.559 --> 00:15:48.840
<v Speaker 1>that when the community comes to find clean water they

282
00:15:49.320 --> 00:15:52.840
<v Speaker 1>get also the water of life. Amen. And so we

283
00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:54.840
<v Speaker 1>want the church, we want the Kingdom of God to

284
00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:56.840
<v Speaker 1>be the center of all of that. This is how

285
00:15:56.919 --> 00:16:00.480
<v Speaker 1>we transform communities. Amen. So that is something we're gonna

286
00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:01.799
<v Speaker 1>do a little bit later on. I want you to

287
00:16:01.799 --> 00:16:04.360
<v Speaker 1>be considering maybe what you might be able to give

288
00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:09.360
<v Speaker 1>into this incredible project. Amen. All right, Well, we do

289
00:16:09.480 --> 00:16:12.399
<v Speaker 1>things all over the world, but we also do things locally.

290
00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:14.399
<v Speaker 1>I've had so many people come to me over the

291
00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:16.519
<v Speaker 1>years and say, passer, Joe's so cool, will we do

292
00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:19.159
<v Speaker 1>over there? But you know what, we need help right here.

293
00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:21.240
<v Speaker 1>There's need right here.

294
00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:22.279
<v Speaker 4>And I agree.

295
00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:27.360
<v Speaker 1>And so we support quite a few local ministries. And

296
00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:31.480
<v Speaker 1>one of them is a group that a couple that

297
00:16:31.559 --> 00:16:34.960
<v Speaker 1>we sent out from New Horizon just a few years ago.

298
00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:40.200
<v Speaker 1>So we have John and ste Soulier. They come on up.

299
00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:44.120
<v Speaker 1>They are working through Wywham. They've been with y Wham

300
00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:50.519
<v Speaker 1>working at maternity homes, keeping single moms out of the

301
00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:55.679
<v Speaker 1>abortion clinic. Can I get a n Amen, keeping single

302
00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:58.639
<v Speaker 1>moms out of the abortion clinic. And you know when

303
00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:00.639
<v Speaker 1>they have no hope, they're going to go, Oh that way,

304
00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:03.960
<v Speaker 1>that is such a welcoming, easy path. But these people

305
00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:08.720
<v Speaker 1>have dedicated their lives to diverting that and helping single mamas,

306
00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:11.039
<v Speaker 1>So let's hear from their heart.

307
00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:15.640
<v Speaker 5>Thank you for having us, Thank you, Pastor Joel, and

308
00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:19.039
<v Speaker 5>thank you for your heart for missions and for supporting missionaries.

309
00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:21.680
<v Speaker 5>Just to share a quick story with you, a few

310
00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:25.160
<v Speaker 5>years ago, I quit my job, the career I had

311
00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:27.079
<v Speaker 5>been working for a really long time, to move into

312
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:30.480
<v Speaker 5>missions full time. At that point, I started to raise

313
00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:33.720
<v Speaker 5>support for our family and reached out to people I

314
00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:36.880
<v Speaker 5>was closest to. I was met with heavy skepticism. They

315
00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:39.160
<v Speaker 5>asked really hard questions like how are you going to

316
00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:43.599
<v Speaker 5>support your family? What about health insurance? And didn't you

317
00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:45.559
<v Speaker 5>just quit your job and now you're asking for money.

318
00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:51.640
<v Speaker 5>I was disheartened, to say the least, but God, a

319
00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:56.359
<v Speaker 5>few weeks later, we came to church. Pastor Joel was preaching,

320
00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:59.880
<v Speaker 5>and she was preaching a sermon called holding the Rope.

321
00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:01.880
<v Speaker 5>It was it was a good one, I remember it.

322
00:18:02.839 --> 00:18:06.799
<v Speaker 5>It was about the partnership between missionaries in the field

323
00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:10.039
<v Speaker 5>and the home church supporting them. And I just wanted

324
00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:13.319
<v Speaker 5>you to know how encouraged I was by that and

325
00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:16.160
<v Speaker 5>how I just felt bold afterwards knowing that we had

326
00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:18.759
<v Speaker 5>your support as well as the whole church behind us

327
00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:21.039
<v Speaker 5>and the work we were doing. So thank you for that.

328
00:18:23.480 --> 00:18:24.880
<v Speaker 4>So true.

329
00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:28.960
<v Speaker 6>Our pastors, Pastor Jole and Pastor Dwayne. Seven years ago,

330
00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:31.839
<v Speaker 6>we came here to this church and we were really

331
00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:35.400
<v Speaker 6>looking to grow and be challenged and to learn more

332
00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:36.359
<v Speaker 6>and have a deeper faith.

333
00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:37.920
<v Speaker 1>And we've gotten that here.

334
00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:41.039
<v Speaker 6>We've gotten that because we've had incredible leadership from both

335
00:18:41.079 --> 00:18:41.279
<v Speaker 6>of you.

336
00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:42.440
<v Speaker 1>Pastor Dwayne.

337
00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:44.480
<v Speaker 6>One thing that I remember, I was on staff here

338
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:48.440
<v Speaker 6>actually for a while too, and my first day working here,

339
00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:51.319
<v Speaker 6>I walked through the front doors on a regular Monday

340
00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:55.640
<v Speaker 6>morning and Pastor Dwayne was vacuuming. And so I just

341
00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:59.160
<v Speaker 6>want to sit point that out that this the way

342
00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:04.680
<v Speaker 6>you've modeled servant leadership for us, has shown us how

343
00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:06.720
<v Speaker 6>to live a laid down life. I've just shown us

344
00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:10.920
<v Speaker 6>how to give and step in wherever you see the need.

345
00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:13.039
<v Speaker 6>And we just thank you for that from the bottom

346
00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:16.319
<v Speaker 6>of our hearts. Yeah, this church has been incredible to us.

347
00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:20.799
<v Speaker 6>You are our family and we love you all. Yeah.

348
00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:24.319
<v Speaker 5>And just to add to that, prior to coming here,

349
00:19:24.359 --> 00:19:26.559
<v Speaker 5>we had been shopping churches for a while. We probably

350
00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:30.759
<v Speaker 5>visited half a dozen churches and that's hard, and walking

351
00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:33.079
<v Speaker 5>through the doors here for the first time, we could

352
00:19:33.160 --> 00:19:38.039
<v Speaker 5>feel the presence of the spirit. And I remember being

353
00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:41.400
<v Speaker 5>greeted as we enter the auditorium by this kind, sweet

354
00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:44.720
<v Speaker 5>man named Maury. I went in to shake his hand

355
00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:47.920
<v Speaker 5>and he just embraced me. He just grabbed me and

356
00:19:47.960 --> 00:19:49.759
<v Speaker 5>just gave me this big hug. And I just knew

357
00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:52.519
<v Speaker 5>at that moment that knew Horizon was our home church.

358
00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:57.359
<v Speaker 6>Yeah, and then Maury's with Jesus now, but some of

359
00:19:57.400 --> 00:20:02.240
<v Speaker 6>you might remember him. So who's missing from us at

360
00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:04.559
<v Speaker 6>the moment is the third party of our family.

361
00:20:04.759 --> 00:20:05.240
<v Speaker 4>Arelli.

362
00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:08.279
<v Speaker 6>Our son is five years old, and he also loves

363
00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:11.480
<v Speaker 6>New Horizon Church. There's actually a couple photos coming. He

364
00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:15.039
<v Speaker 6>also loves this church. He's served in this church. He's

365
00:20:15.160 --> 00:20:18.160
<v Speaker 6>in pick one. He's been a greeter in this church.

366
00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:21.559
<v Speaker 6>In the next one, he's also been an usher in

367
00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:27.160
<v Speaker 6>this church. He's happily with Grandma right now having lunch.

368
00:20:27.319 --> 00:20:30.599
<v Speaker 6>So as a family, we are just so blessed to

369
00:20:30.599 --> 00:20:32.680
<v Speaker 6>be part of this family.

370
00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:33.720
<v Speaker 1>We love you guys.

371
00:20:34.359 --> 00:20:36.200
<v Speaker 6>What we are getting ready to do now and what

372
00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:38.160
<v Speaker 6>I wanted to share a little bit more about is

373
00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:43.160
<v Speaker 6>our calling and we found it. In fact, we realized

374
00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:46.599
<v Speaker 6>it all of the sudden. One day, February first, twenty

375
00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:49.759
<v Speaker 6>twenty three, that was the day as house parents in

376
00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:53.880
<v Speaker 6>a maternity home, we welcomed our very first two pregnant mamas.

377
00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:57.400
<v Speaker 6>And we've got a photo of those ladies. They're stunning.

378
00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:02.680
<v Speaker 6>I know, yes, we we welcomed them, and they changed

379
00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:04.799
<v Speaker 6>everything for us. What we thought was going to be

380
00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:06.960
<v Speaker 6>like a transitional part time, like we were going to

381
00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:09.079
<v Speaker 6>do this for a minute kind of thing became our

382
00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:13.119
<v Speaker 6>calling for our life and our family. Being able to

383
00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:18.359
<v Speaker 6>provide a home that welcomes moms that are experiencing hardships, trauma.

384
00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:22.000
<v Speaker 6>They may be homeless, They may come from a past

385
00:21:22.039 --> 00:21:25.960
<v Speaker 6>so that's very broken, could be addiction in their history.

386
00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:29.079
<v Speaker 6>There could be all sorts of different things. But they

387
00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:33.720
<v Speaker 6>have chosen life, and we love life, and we want

388
00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:36.279
<v Speaker 6>to come around that. We want to support that. We

389
00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:40.440
<v Speaker 6>want to give mothers that are choosing to carry on

390
00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:43.839
<v Speaker 6>the life of that pregnancy to have a path of stability,

391
00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:47.440
<v Speaker 6>to have a way to be protected and surrounded, and

392
00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:50.119
<v Speaker 6>so they get to often live with us. And I've

393
00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:52.920
<v Speaker 6>given tours to women who cry the moment they see

394
00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:54.640
<v Speaker 6>the kitchen table, and I tell them that we eat

395
00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:58.000
<v Speaker 6>meals together because they've never had that, and so being

396
00:21:58.039 --> 00:22:01.559
<v Speaker 6>able to have a family come around them is amazing.

397
00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:04.920
<v Speaker 6>I often tell people that the most important job in

398
00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:08.640
<v Speaker 6>our house is my husband's being a house dad. Being

399
00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:13.279
<v Speaker 6>a male father figure who loves the Lord is incredibly impactful.

400
00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:17.000
<v Speaker 6>By him just being himself, He's changing lives and generations,

401
00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:19.200
<v Speaker 6>and I truly believe that I love that we get

402
00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:23.079
<v Speaker 6>to do this serving these mommies and all of their babies.

403
00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:26.720
<v Speaker 6>The two that you're looking at there, they also gave

404
00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:30.039
<v Speaker 6>us our very first grand baby girl and our very

405
00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:34.640
<v Speaker 6>first grand baby boy, who was an angel baby, and

406
00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:38.039
<v Speaker 6>his mama went on about a year later to have

407
00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:42.160
<v Speaker 6>another child who is a beautiful, thriving little girl, and

408
00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:44.880
<v Speaker 6>we do have a picture of them also, so this

409
00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:48.119
<v Speaker 6>actually is both those same mamas, and this was just

410
00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:51.319
<v Speaker 6>in February. We've gotten to come back and visit and

411
00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:53.880
<v Speaker 6>we held a little family reunion. We had a bunch

412
00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:56.319
<v Speaker 6>of ladies and their children come back and visit with us.

413
00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:59.480
<v Speaker 6>And being able to walk alongside them even after they've

414
00:22:59.559 --> 00:23:02.920
<v Speaker 6>left our home is incredible privilege. But what it's doing

415
00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:05.720
<v Speaker 6>is it's really we want to show God's love. We

416
00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:08.359
<v Speaker 6>want people to know that there's hope in Christ, that

417
00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:11.440
<v Speaker 6>there is an anchor for your soul. And being able

418
00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:14.359
<v Speaker 6>to share the Gospel, to share hope, to see lives transformed.

419
00:23:14.359 --> 00:23:17.160
<v Speaker 6>It's amazing privilege and we are so honored to be

420
00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:20.319
<v Speaker 6>part of it. God is moving and doing amazing things

421
00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:23.839
<v Speaker 6>in their lives and in the other thirty two women

422
00:23:23.880 --> 00:23:26.079
<v Speaker 6>that have also lived with us in the last few years.

423
00:23:26.359 --> 00:23:30.640
<v Speaker 6>So what we're getting started now back here in the Northwest, Yay,

424
00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:34.279
<v Speaker 6>so glad to be here. We have joined Road to

425
00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:37.480
<v Speaker 6>Hope Maternity Homes. They for twenty seven years have had

426
00:23:37.480 --> 00:23:40.400
<v Speaker 6>a maternity home in the Portland area. There is such

427
00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:43.640
<v Speaker 6>a desperate need for more housing and so we have

428
00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:47.000
<v Speaker 6>been invited and answered that with a big giant yes

429
00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:51.279
<v Speaker 6>to help them open a brand new maternity home in Salem,

430
00:23:51.319 --> 00:23:54.279
<v Speaker 6>Oregon where we will be able to serve more moms

431
00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:58.960
<v Speaker 6>in need. Yeah, we're super excited. New Horizon. Thank you

432
00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:01.240
<v Speaker 6>with this is our fourth year. You're in the Missions magazine.

433
00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:03.319
<v Speaker 6>You can read more about us after the service because

434
00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:06.599
<v Speaker 6>we're going to pay attention first. You can also stop

435
00:24:06.599 --> 00:24:08.640
<v Speaker 6>by the table in the lobby. We would love to

436
00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:12.400
<v Speaker 6>send you our once a month text update where you

437
00:24:12.440 --> 00:24:15.799
<v Speaker 6>could just read more about what's going on and see

438
00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:18.720
<v Speaker 6>what's happening at road to Hope Maternity Home. So thank

439
00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:20.960
<v Speaker 6>you all so much. We'll see you out there after.

440
00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:27.359
<v Speaker 1>All. Right, stretch your hands to them, Father in Jesus name,

441
00:24:27.400 --> 00:24:31.119
<v Speaker 1>lor God, once again we set this incredible couple apart

442
00:24:31.319 --> 00:24:33.960
<v Speaker 1>for you. In Jesus name, God, I pray that every

443
00:24:34.039 --> 00:24:36.279
<v Speaker 1>need is met. Lord God, I pray right now that

444
00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:41.039
<v Speaker 1>you are calling women into this house, into this home,

445
00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:44.680
<v Speaker 1>and into these hearts. Lord God, you are preserving life

446
00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:46.799
<v Speaker 1>in Jesus' name, and God, I thank you right now

447
00:24:46.839 --> 00:24:50.279
<v Speaker 1>that theirs is not just a quick get that baby

448
00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:52.359
<v Speaker 1>born and send them out, but they are going to

449
00:24:52.519 --> 00:24:57.599
<v Speaker 1>parent these women and children into their futures in Jesus' name.

450
00:24:57.680 --> 00:25:05.359
<v Speaker 1>And everybody said, Ameneluia, isn't it encouraging, so encouraging?

451
00:25:06.759 --> 00:25:07.400
<v Speaker 4>Hallelujah.

452
00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:09.799
<v Speaker 1>Well, I want you to pull your bibles out, and

453
00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:13.759
<v Speaker 1>while you do, I want you to be considering once

454
00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:18.079
<v Speaker 1>again your pledge card. I want you to be considering

455
00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:21.759
<v Speaker 1>what maybe you could do for the project this year.

456
00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:23.599
<v Speaker 1>We're gonna take some time at the very end, hopefully

457
00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:30.960
<v Speaker 1>I'll have time, but I just yeah, missions I pray

458
00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:35.119
<v Speaker 1>that your heart bursts for missions. I pray that our

459
00:25:35.319 --> 00:25:41.960
<v Speaker 1>life swirl, that we are presently in that we are

460
00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:47.839
<v Speaker 1>able to conquer it, live well, and have enough bandwidth

461
00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:54.000
<v Speaker 1>to where we can do for others. Amen. Okay, So

462
00:25:54.039 --> 00:25:57.400
<v Speaker 1>I want you to open your Bible to Genesis one one.

463
00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:59.920
<v Speaker 1>You know, the question is is where to start, And

464
00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.559
<v Speaker 1>so I start at the beginning, which is Genesis one one.

465
00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:07.839
<v Speaker 1>I do that many times when I'm preaching. So Genesis

466
00:26:07.880 --> 00:26:09.519
<v Speaker 1>won one. If we can get that up on the screens,

467
00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:14.000
<v Speaker 1>I would appreciate it. It says, in the beginning, God

468
00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:18.880
<v Speaker 1>created the heavens. Is it working, Devin, Genesis one one.

469
00:26:19.160 --> 00:26:24.559
<v Speaker 1>In the beginning God created there you go, the heavens

470
00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:28.680
<v Speaker 1>and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty.

471
00:26:28.839 --> 00:26:30.920
<v Speaker 1>Darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the

472
00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:34.559
<v Speaker 1>spirit of God hovering over the waters. And God said,

473
00:26:35.079 --> 00:26:39.880
<v Speaker 1>let there be light, and there was light. Let's say

474
00:26:39.880 --> 00:26:45.079
<v Speaker 1>that again. Let there be light, and there was Amen.

475
00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:50.400
<v Speaker 1>So biblical scholars have always taught that whenever something is

476
00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:54.119
<v Speaker 1>mentioned for the first time in scripture, you need to

477
00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:59.039
<v Speaker 1>pay attention because it means something very important. And this

478
00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:03.759
<v Speaker 1>verse theses are not only the first time that light

479
00:27:04.440 --> 00:27:08.680
<v Speaker 1>and darkness and God are mentioned. This is the first

480
00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:12.559
<v Speaker 1>time anything is mentioned, so this is the first mention

481
00:27:12.680 --> 00:27:17.519
<v Speaker 1>of any mention. So we have to believe that there's

482
00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:23.440
<v Speaker 1>something very powerful in these first three verses, and in

483
00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:34.079
<v Speaker 1>these three verses is darkness, light and God. Darkness, light

484
00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:40.640
<v Speaker 1>and God. Darkness is significant. Darkness has a very strong

485
00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:47.279
<v Speaker 1>imprint in a human soul, the most primal fear of

486
00:27:47.400 --> 00:27:50.119
<v Speaker 1>every human being. Though some of us have overcome it,

487
00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:56.519
<v Speaker 1>you might still remember it's the fear the dark. Darkness

488
00:27:56.599 --> 00:28:01.920
<v Speaker 1>has fear rooted in it. I don't know about you,

489
00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:05.279
<v Speaker 1>but I remember being a little afraid of the dark,

490
00:28:05.799 --> 00:28:07.759
<v Speaker 1>and my mom would come in and she'd flip the

491
00:28:07.799 --> 00:28:11.319
<v Speaker 1>light on. It's like, oh, well, just my bathrobe. What

492
00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:19.039
<v Speaker 1>am I thinking? Darkness? I told a story a couple

493
00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:21.000
<v Speaker 1>of years back, So if this is the second time,

494
00:28:21.480 --> 00:28:23.920
<v Speaker 1>just smile and nod and remember the story because it's

495
00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:26.440
<v Speaker 1>a great one. But if this is new to you,

496
00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:29.519
<v Speaker 1>then come along and enjoy. So a few years back,

497
00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:33.279
<v Speaker 1>probably boy, it's probably been ten years now, I took

498
00:28:33.400 --> 00:28:36.480
<v Speaker 1>our family, we all join and I and the kids

499
00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:38.880
<v Speaker 1>went on a bike ride and we always love adventures.

500
00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:41.720
<v Speaker 1>And on the border between Idaho and Montana, there's a

501
00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:45.279
<v Speaker 1>bike trail called the Hiawatha Trail. Everybody has to try

502
00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:48.640
<v Speaker 1>it once. So on the website it says though that

503
00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:52.079
<v Speaker 1>you must have a light on your bike to do

504
00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:54.920
<v Speaker 1>the trail. And the wolves are a little rogue, a

505
00:28:54.920 --> 00:28:58.839
<v Speaker 1>little maverick, and you know, we kind of do things

506
00:28:58.920 --> 00:29:04.400
<v Speaker 1>like yeah, right, but cooler heads tended to overcome the

507
00:29:04.400 --> 00:29:06.599
<v Speaker 1>whole thing. And I won't tell you who that cooler

508
00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:09.599
<v Speaker 1>head was. So we stopped at the dollar store and

509
00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:12.279
<v Speaker 1>we bought some little flashlights and we duct taped them

510
00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:15.279
<v Speaker 1>to our handlebars, and so we get to the top

511
00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:18.400
<v Speaker 1>and it's a down downhill ride all the way down.

512
00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:19.880
<v Speaker 1>And you start at the top of the mountain and

513
00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:23.400
<v Speaker 1>you go through tunnels and you go over train trestles.

514
00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:26.640
<v Speaker 1>It's actually really cool. Well, the tunnels are really fun,

515
00:29:27.480 --> 00:29:31.759
<v Speaker 1>but there's one tunnel that's over a mile long and

516
00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:36.920
<v Speaker 1>it's curvy, so we didn't really take that into account,

517
00:29:37.119 --> 00:29:38.920
<v Speaker 1>and so the kids were turning on and off their

518
00:29:38.920 --> 00:29:42.359
<v Speaker 1>flashlights and shining it, you know, and all the things.

519
00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:44.960
<v Speaker 1>So when we came to that tunnel, I said, okay,

520
00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:48.279
<v Speaker 1>everybody turn your flashlights on. Blink, and only one came on.

521
00:29:49.960 --> 00:29:51.640
<v Speaker 1>So now we're down to one. We went from four

522
00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:54.920
<v Speaker 1>to one, and the one was very dim and we

523
00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:57.400
<v Speaker 1>got into the tunnel and we're going around the corners

524
00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:59.839
<v Speaker 1>right now. Let me describe the tunnel. It's got about

525
00:29:59.839 --> 00:30:03.680
<v Speaker 1>a six foot wide rock gravel road kind of thing,

526
00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:07.279
<v Speaker 1>and there's big ditches on the sides like that deep

527
00:30:07.400 --> 00:30:09.240
<v Speaker 1>like if you went into it, you would you would

528
00:30:09.400 --> 00:30:12.720
<v Speaker 1>be painful. Right. The walls and the arch and the

529
00:30:12.759 --> 00:30:16.799
<v Speaker 1>ceiling are just dynamite had blasted out granite, so it's

530
00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:19.000
<v Speaker 1>all rough and get jagged, you know, and all this

531
00:30:19.079 --> 00:30:20.720
<v Speaker 1>kind of stuff. You just don't want to touch it. Right,

532
00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:23.440
<v Speaker 1>Drips of water are coming down kind of thing. So

533
00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:26.279
<v Speaker 1>we're riding along. We got one little light and it's

534
00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:29.759
<v Speaker 1>barely on, and so we're pedaling away and that person's

535
00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:32.079
<v Speaker 1>up front and we're like me, and all of a sudden,

536
00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:35.880
<v Speaker 1>that light goes out. Now we are in utter darkness,

537
00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:39.640
<v Speaker 1>and all the fun is sucked out of the tunnel.

538
00:30:39.960 --> 00:30:43.319
<v Speaker 1>There is no fun anymore. We stop, we can't make

539
00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:45.839
<v Speaker 1>any forward progress. We're kind of with our toes going

540
00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:48.279
<v Speaker 1>like this. All of a sudden there's fear. What if

541
00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:50.480
<v Speaker 1>we fall into ditch? I don't know, maybe there was

542
00:30:50.519 --> 00:30:52.400
<v Speaker 1>a curve. There's a curve coming up here pretty soon.

543
00:30:52.640 --> 00:30:54.480
<v Speaker 1>But we don't know where the curve is, and so

544
00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:58.640
<v Speaker 1>we're disoriented and we're confused and we don't know what's

545
00:30:58.680 --> 00:31:01.799
<v Speaker 1>going on, and we're like'ful and it's weird, and the

546
00:31:01.880 --> 00:31:05.599
<v Speaker 1>kids are you know, like you know, it's it was

547
00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:08.519
<v Speaker 1>a moment, and so we're like, okay, guys, we just

548
00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:10.759
<v Speaker 1>got to inch along. We just barely have to inch along.

549
00:31:11.079 --> 00:31:12.920
<v Speaker 1>And so we're kind of doing our best, and I mean,

550
00:31:12.920 --> 00:31:15.880
<v Speaker 1>it's black, you can't see your hand in front of you,

551
00:31:16.160 --> 00:31:19.000
<v Speaker 1>and all of a sudden, up from behind us comes

552
00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:22.920
<v Speaker 1>another little bicycle rider and they had obeyed. They had

553
00:31:22.920 --> 00:31:25.799
<v Speaker 1>a light, and so they came up and we're like,

554
00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:29.000
<v Speaker 1>don't say nothing, don't hurry up, kids, let's go. And

555
00:31:29.079 --> 00:31:32.000
<v Speaker 1>so we we platstered ourselves right behind them, like we're

556
00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:34.119
<v Speaker 1>not here, don't notice us, but don't go too fast

557
00:31:34.160 --> 00:31:35.920
<v Speaker 1>because we got to stay right with you. And so

558
00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:41.279
<v Speaker 1>we were right on their heini and we made it through. Hallelujah.

559
00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:47.319
<v Speaker 1>Light changed everything. When we had light, it was fine.

560
00:31:47.359 --> 00:31:51.880
<v Speaker 1>The light goes out, darkness, fear, disoriented, confused, not knowing

561
00:31:51.920 --> 00:31:54.440
<v Speaker 1>what's going on. Light comes along and all of a sudden, Wow,

562
00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:57.440
<v Speaker 1>this isn't half bad. We can do this. We know

563
00:31:57.480 --> 00:32:01.359
<v Speaker 1>where to go, We can see our future. Did you

564
00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:05.519
<v Speaker 1>know that light carries all beauty? Did you know that

565
00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:10.240
<v Speaker 1>if you did not have light, you would never see beauty?

566
00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:15.000
<v Speaker 1>Think about that. Did you know that light carries all color?

567
00:32:16.279 --> 00:32:19.240
<v Speaker 1>If you didn't have light, you wouldn't have color. Did

568
00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:23.000
<v Speaker 1>you know that light carries all life? If we did

569
00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:26.799
<v Speaker 1>not have the sun shining every day, the food chain

570
00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:31.880
<v Speaker 1>would be interrupted and we would all die. Light carries

571
00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:38.599
<v Speaker 1>life like life. Light is essential. The speed of light

572
00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:42.799
<v Speaker 1>is a constant that the physics of the entire all

573
00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:46.680
<v Speaker 1>the laws of physics rest on the constant of the

574
00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:52.960
<v Speaker 1>speed of light. Einstein's theory of relativity is m e

575
00:32:52.960 --> 00:33:02.079
<v Speaker 1>equals mc squared. Energy equals mass plus constant changes. Mass changes,

576
00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:06.000
<v Speaker 1>but the constant never changes. What is that constant number,

577
00:33:06.039 --> 00:33:12.079
<v Speaker 1>It's the speed of light. Light undergirds the very foundations

578
00:33:12.200 --> 00:33:17.519
<v Speaker 1>of all the physics of the universe. Light is essential.

579
00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:22.480
<v Speaker 1>Light is the most incredible thing, and we take it

580
00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:26.359
<v Speaker 1>so for granted. Light is created from God. It's rooted

581
00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:30.200
<v Speaker 1>in God, and it's sustained in God. Darkness is the

582
00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:35.119
<v Speaker 1>absence of light and my final thing that I will

583
00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:39.519
<v Speaker 1>just declare even now before we go any further. Light

584
00:33:39.640 --> 00:33:47.720
<v Speaker 1>always wins. Have you ever seen darkness like beat up light?

585
00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:53.599
<v Speaker 1>Does darkness ever come in and turn off the light? No,

586
00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:58.079
<v Speaker 1>you turn on the light. Darkness flees. Light always wins.

587
00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:04.640
<v Speaker 1>Light always wins. So that's Genesis one one. Now I'm

588
00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:06.440
<v Speaker 1>going to get you all the way up to Jesus

589
00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:09.760
<v Speaker 1>because that's where we got to go, right. So all

590
00:34:09.800 --> 00:34:15.320
<v Speaker 1>through the Old Testament, light is important. Light is a

591
00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:19.079
<v Speaker 1>central theme. You got the burning bush, You got the

592
00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:22.800
<v Speaker 1>pillar of fire that led the children of Israel in

593
00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:27.519
<v Speaker 1>the night darkness in the wilderness and gave them trust

594
00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:32.079
<v Speaker 1>and safety. You got the light and the power and

595
00:34:32.079 --> 00:34:36.079
<v Speaker 1>the fire and the glory that fell when Solomon dedicated

596
00:34:36.119 --> 00:34:38.639
<v Speaker 1>the temple, and that light came down in and it

597
00:34:38.760 --> 00:34:42.559
<v Speaker 1>resided in the temple, and the people of God could

598
00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:46.039
<v Speaker 1>come to the temple and they could see and sense

599
00:34:46.119 --> 00:34:52.679
<v Speaker 1>the light of the presence of God. So from Solomon's temple,

600
00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:55.880
<v Speaker 1>it's a thousand years before Jesus shows up, and some

601
00:34:56.000 --> 00:35:00.440
<v Speaker 1>things happen in Israel between when the temple is filled

602
00:35:00.440 --> 00:35:03.519
<v Speaker 1>with the light and the glory of God and Jesus

603
00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:09.039
<v Speaker 1>some things happen, and there was a moment in time.

604
00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:17.960
<v Speaker 1>Ezekiel tells us that in the Temple of Solomon that

605
00:35:18.039 --> 00:35:25.760
<v Speaker 1>glory light lifted and left, and from that point on

606
00:35:28.159 --> 00:35:33.840
<v Speaker 1>the light in the temple is just human made four

607
00:35:33.920 --> 00:35:40.639
<v Speaker 1>hundred years of silence from God, Jesus comes on the scene,

608
00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:44.480
<v Speaker 1>and in John chapters seven and eight, it's the story

609
00:35:44.519 --> 00:35:48.239
<v Speaker 1>of Jesus where he finds himself in Jerusalem during the

610
00:35:48.280 --> 00:35:52.280
<v Speaker 1>week of the Feast of Tabernacles, where they light a

611
00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:56.480
<v Speaker 1>huge candelabra at the front of the temple to remind

612
00:35:56.559 --> 00:35:59.960
<v Speaker 1>the people of the pillar of light that led them.

613
00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:03.960
<v Speaker 1>But at the end of the night they blow out

614
00:36:03.960 --> 00:36:11.440
<v Speaker 1>the candles and the temple becomes eerily dark. Well, on

615
00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:18.239
<v Speaker 1>the last night, Jesus stood in the courts of the temple,

616
00:36:18.360 --> 00:36:21.480
<v Speaker 1>in front of the Temple of God and made an

617
00:36:21.480 --> 00:36:27.599
<v Speaker 1>audacious claim. He said to them, he said, I am

618
00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:32.599
<v Speaker 1>the light of the world. He said that I am

619
00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:35.400
<v Speaker 1>the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never

620
00:36:35.559 --> 00:36:41.039
<v Speaker 1>walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

621
00:36:41.159 --> 00:36:46.599
<v Speaker 1>And when Jesus declared that, he set off a firestorm.

622
00:36:47.159 --> 00:36:50.880
<v Speaker 1>The religious leaders and the government people of the day

623
00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:54.079
<v Speaker 1>heard that, and they started like gnashing their teeth, and

624
00:36:54.119 --> 00:36:56.079
<v Speaker 1>they came up to him, and they began to fight him,

625
00:36:56.440 --> 00:36:59.880
<v Speaker 1>and there was a clash. When Jesus declared he was

626
00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:05.119
<v Speaker 1>the light of the world, he came up against darkness.

627
00:37:08.280 --> 00:37:13.880
<v Speaker 1>The darkness thought it had won. The darkness put Jesus

628
00:37:14.039 --> 00:37:16.880
<v Speaker 1>on the cross and then into the tomb. But I

629
00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:21.559
<v Speaker 1>am here to say that the light always wins. And

630
00:37:21.719 --> 00:37:26.840
<v Speaker 1>Jesus rose from that grave and with healing power in

631
00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:31.239
<v Speaker 1>his hands. But I will tell you that was an

632
00:37:31.280 --> 00:37:36.320
<v Speaker 1>audacious claim. I am the light, not just of Israel,

633
00:37:36.599 --> 00:37:39.320
<v Speaker 1>not just of the Jewish people. But Jesus declared he

634
00:37:39.440 --> 00:37:44.440
<v Speaker 1>was the light of the world, the entire world. And

635
00:37:44.480 --> 00:37:48.079
<v Speaker 1>then before he was put on that cross, he made

636
00:37:48.079 --> 00:37:56.880
<v Speaker 1>another audacious claim. He got up in Matthew five, verses

637
00:37:56.920 --> 00:38:00.599
<v Speaker 1>fourteen and sixteen through sixteen. Can you give me that, Devin?

638
00:38:01.239 --> 00:38:06.639
<v Speaker 1>He said, you are the light of the world. Another

639
00:38:06.719 --> 00:38:11.079
<v Speaker 1>audacious claim. What in the world, Jesus, you be the

640
00:38:11.159 --> 00:38:13.480
<v Speaker 1>light of the world. Will just take your light? And

641
00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:17.440
<v Speaker 1>Jesus said, absolutely not. He said, I'm flipping it now

642
00:38:17.559 --> 00:38:19.239
<v Speaker 1>and I am going I am here to say that

643
00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:23.639
<v Speaker 1>you are the light of the world. You are the

644
00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:27.079
<v Speaker 1>light of the world. A city on a hill cannot

645
00:38:27.159 --> 00:38:30.159
<v Speaker 1>be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put

646
00:38:30.199 --> 00:38:33.079
<v Speaker 1>it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand,

647
00:38:33.119 --> 00:38:35.960
<v Speaker 1>and it gives light to everyone in the house. In

648
00:38:36.039 --> 00:38:39.440
<v Speaker 1>the same way, let your light shine before men, that

649
00:38:39.480 --> 00:38:42.480
<v Speaker 1>they may see your good deeds and praise the Father

650
00:38:42.599 --> 00:38:51.519
<v Speaker 1>in heaven. This is the heartbeat of missions. Jesus is

651
00:38:51.559 --> 00:38:57.159
<v Speaker 1>the light up against darkness. He walked this face of

652
00:38:57.199 --> 00:38:59.960
<v Speaker 1>the earth, and he did his thing. And when he

653
00:39:00.320 --> 00:39:03.239
<v Speaker 1>died and went to heaven, he declared that all authority

654
00:39:03.519 --> 00:39:06.800
<v Speaker 1>has been given to me in heaven and in earth.

655
00:39:07.119 --> 00:39:10.480
<v Speaker 1>And I say to you, now, you are the light

656
00:39:10.519 --> 00:39:15.599
<v Speaker 1>of the world. Go and make disciples of every nation.

657
00:39:18.320 --> 00:39:24.440
<v Speaker 1>You are the light of the world, not in and

658
00:39:24.480 --> 00:39:30.119
<v Speaker 1>of yourself. It's the light of the Kingdom inside of you.

659
00:39:30.119 --> 00:39:34.960
<v Speaker 1>You no longer live, but Christ lives in you, and

660
00:39:35.119 --> 00:39:40.840
<v Speaker 1>He is our hope of glory. You are me us.

661
00:39:41.159 --> 00:39:47.239
<v Speaker 1>We are the light of the world, and we must

662
00:39:47.559 --> 00:39:51.280
<v Speaker 1>be that. We must be that. I'm gonna tell you

663
00:39:51.360 --> 00:39:54.360
<v Speaker 1>a missionary story. Do you mind. I'm gonna be a

664
00:39:54.360 --> 00:39:57.800
<v Speaker 1>few minutes late. We're gonna go a little bit late.

665
00:39:58.480 --> 00:40:03.159
<v Speaker 1>Just be prepared. Yeah, everybody's like, oh boy, what's she

666
00:40:03.239 --> 00:40:05.159
<v Speaker 1>gonna do to me. Oh, you're gonna love every minute

667
00:40:05.159 --> 00:40:09.280
<v Speaker 1>of it. Okay, you ready. You are the light of

668
00:40:09.280 --> 00:40:13.559
<v Speaker 1>the world. I am the light of the world. There

669
00:40:13.639 --> 00:40:18.760
<v Speaker 1>was a Massi warrior in Eastern Africa. Now I've been

670
00:40:18.800 --> 00:40:22.000
<v Speaker 1>able to be around these Massi warriors. Look them up.

671
00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:28.280
<v Speaker 1>They're very fierce. They're warlike, they are vicious, they are violent.

672
00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:31.920
<v Speaker 1>They know how to kill, and they know how to

673
00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:37.199
<v Speaker 1>keep a grudge. They are not what you would say kind.

674
00:40:37.440 --> 00:40:40.280
<v Speaker 1>Have you met the Massi? Absolutely am I right in

675
00:40:40.320 --> 00:40:44.719
<v Speaker 1>what I'm saying. Yeah, they're from Kenya, So the Messiah

676
00:40:44.800 --> 00:40:47.199
<v Speaker 1>are all in Kenya. They come down into Uganda, and

677
00:40:47.320 --> 00:40:51.119
<v Speaker 1>I believe they're in Tanzania too. So there's a guy,

678
00:40:51.480 --> 00:40:56.360
<v Speaker 1>one of the warriors, his name is Joseph. He's walking

679
00:40:56.400 --> 00:40:58.960
<v Speaker 1>down the road and he's kind of a leader in

680
00:40:59.000 --> 00:41:03.280
<v Speaker 1>his village, a Messiah warrior. It's all he's lived, it's

681
00:41:03.280 --> 00:41:08.440
<v Speaker 1>all he's known. Someone we don't know who this person is,

682
00:41:09.639 --> 00:41:13.239
<v Speaker 1>stops him on the road, the dusty road, and shares

683
00:41:13.280 --> 00:41:20.960
<v Speaker 1>the gospel. How beautiful are the feet of those who

684
00:41:21.039 --> 00:41:26.360
<v Speaker 1>bring good news? How will they know unless they hear?

685
00:41:26.760 --> 00:41:33.559
<v Speaker 1>How will they hear unless someone is sent? So he's

686
00:41:33.599 --> 00:41:39.840
<v Speaker 1>walking down the road. Somebody shares the gospel. His heart leaps. No, people,

687
00:41:39.880 --> 00:41:41.960
<v Speaker 1>you don't understand. It's not like this man was raised

688
00:41:41.960 --> 00:41:46.000
<v Speaker 1>in church. This man was raised with a spear in

689
00:41:46.039 --> 00:41:51.480
<v Speaker 1>his hand. His heart leaps, his heart is stirred, his

690
00:41:51.559 --> 00:41:55.719
<v Speaker 1>heart has changed. He receives Jesus and they sit and

691
00:41:55.760 --> 00:42:01.559
<v Speaker 1>they talk, and just this exchange happens. And the first

692
00:42:01.559 --> 00:42:04.239
<v Speaker 1>thing that goes into Joseph's mind is, I gotta share

693
00:42:04.280 --> 00:42:09.239
<v Speaker 1>this with my gosspel, with my tribesmen. This happened about

694
00:42:09.239 --> 00:42:12.599
<v Speaker 1>twenty years ago. This is recent. So he goes into

695
00:42:12.599 --> 00:42:16.639
<v Speaker 1>his village and he starts going knocking door to door. Hey,

696
00:42:16.880 --> 00:42:20.159
<v Speaker 1>and he starts sharing the gospel. But he's not met

697
00:42:20.199 --> 00:42:22.920
<v Speaker 1>with the same reception that he had for it. He's

698
00:42:23.079 --> 00:42:26.199
<v Speaker 1>met with kind of a hardness. And he goes from

699
00:42:26.280 --> 00:42:28.960
<v Speaker 1>house to house, and after about four or five houses,

700
00:42:29.000 --> 00:42:31.639
<v Speaker 1>all of a sudden, the men of the village come out,

701
00:42:32.039 --> 00:42:34.559
<v Speaker 1>grab him, throw him to the ground, hold him down.

702
00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:38.519
<v Speaker 1>The women get barbed wire and start thrashing him until

703
00:42:38.599 --> 00:42:42.039
<v Speaker 1>he passes out. They drag him out of the village

704
00:42:42.079 --> 00:42:45.599
<v Speaker 1>and leave him to die. Miraculously, he does not die.

705
00:42:45.679 --> 00:42:48.960
<v Speaker 1>He recovers, he wakes up he comes back to consciousness,

706
00:42:49.039 --> 00:42:52.400
<v Speaker 1>He's able to drag himself to water, and by the time,

707
00:42:52.679 --> 00:42:55.519
<v Speaker 1>once his wounds were healed enough to be able to

708
00:42:55.519 --> 00:42:59.559
<v Speaker 1>get up, he thought to himself, maybe I didn't share

709
00:42:59.719 --> 00:43:07.519
<v Speaker 1>g Jesus correctly. Maybe I'm gonna try it again. So

710
00:43:07.599 --> 00:43:10.239
<v Speaker 1>he gets up. This is a true story. I'll show

711
00:43:10.280 --> 00:43:13.199
<v Speaker 1>you the articles that talk about this. He goes back

712
00:43:13.239 --> 00:43:17.280
<v Speaker 1>into the village and preaches Jesus. Those same men grab him,

713
00:43:17.400 --> 00:43:19.800
<v Speaker 1>throw him to the ground. The women come around and

714
00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:24.119
<v Speaker 1>thrash him with barbed wire, ripping open those freshly closed wounds.

715
00:43:24.760 --> 00:43:27.559
<v Speaker 1>He passes out again. They drag him out and leave

716
00:43:27.639 --> 00:43:34.760
<v Speaker 1>him to die, but the light of the kingdom is

717
00:43:34.840 --> 00:43:42.760
<v Speaker 1>insight of him. He comes back to consciousness, and when

718
00:43:42.800 --> 00:43:46.000
<v Speaker 1>he is able and gathers enough strength, he says, one

719
00:43:46.039 --> 00:43:50.920
<v Speaker 1>more time. My people must hear about this. They are

720
00:43:51.039 --> 00:43:56.039
<v Speaker 1>living in great darkness. And so he goes back into

721
00:43:56.079 --> 00:43:59.719
<v Speaker 1>the village and he shares one more time. One more time.

722
00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:02.480
<v Speaker 1>They throw him to the ground. They get out their

723
00:44:02.559 --> 00:44:05.519
<v Speaker 1>barbed wire, but this time the last thing he sees

724
00:44:05.559 --> 00:44:07.960
<v Speaker 1>before he passes out is that the women are beginning

725
00:44:08.000 --> 00:44:12.440
<v Speaker 1>to weep. And when he comes back to he is

726
00:44:12.599 --> 00:44:16.039
<v Speaker 1>actually in their arms as they are nursing him back

727
00:44:16.079 --> 00:44:18.280
<v Speaker 1>to health. And as soon as he comes back to

728
00:44:18.840 --> 00:44:24.079
<v Speaker 1>they said to him, Joseph, what is it that has

729
00:44:24.199 --> 00:44:28.000
<v Speaker 1>helped you through this? What is your message? We want

730
00:44:28.320 --> 00:44:32.400
<v Speaker 1>what you have. And their entire village came to Christ

731
00:44:34.599 --> 00:44:41.039
<v Speaker 1>the light, the light. He was the light for his village.

732
00:44:41.440 --> 00:44:45.880
<v Speaker 1>And let me tell you something, people of God. Joseph,

733
00:44:45.920 --> 00:44:51.400
<v Speaker 1>his light was not on a dimmer switch when it

734
00:44:51.400 --> 00:44:57.360
<v Speaker 1>gets tough. His light was on. And I want to

735
00:44:57.440 --> 00:44:59.719
<v Speaker 1>encourage every single one of you. You are the light

736
00:45:00.119 --> 00:45:04.519
<v Speaker 1>to your world. And when we do things with missions,

737
00:45:04.519 --> 00:45:07.679
<v Speaker 1>we're being the light to the world. But I am

738
00:45:07.719 --> 00:45:10.320
<v Speaker 1>here to say that you are the light of your

739
00:45:10.360 --> 00:45:16.360
<v Speaker 1>world and you are in conflict with darkness, and it's God.

740
00:45:16.800 --> 00:45:20.440
<v Speaker 1>It's God that gives you the strength and the power

741
00:45:20.880 --> 00:45:32.000
<v Speaker 1>to move darkness because light always wins, always wins. Thank

742
00:45:32.039 --> 00:45:42.880
<v Speaker 1>you Jesus. Remember go into all the nations and disciple them.

743
00:45:43.000 --> 00:45:46.239
<v Speaker 1>I'm going to close with this. You are the light

744
00:45:46.280 --> 00:45:50.119
<v Speaker 1>of the world. You are the light in your world,

745
00:45:50.679 --> 00:45:52.719
<v Speaker 1>You are the light in your family. You are the light.

746
00:45:53.159 --> 00:45:55.480
<v Speaker 1>But you're not just the light for your little patch.

747
00:45:57.039 --> 00:46:03.639
<v Speaker 1>Don't forget you're the light of the world. Missionaries have

748
00:46:03.679 --> 00:46:08.639
<v Speaker 1>been going out since the Apostles, missionaries have been going

749
00:46:08.639 --> 00:46:12.920
<v Speaker 1>out shining their light in the midst of darkness. I

750
00:46:12.960 --> 00:46:17.119
<v Speaker 1>could tell you story after story after story. I love

751
00:46:17.559 --> 00:46:24.719
<v Speaker 1>missions stories. But the question is, after two thousand years

752
00:46:27.119 --> 00:46:32.880
<v Speaker 1>have things changed. What's been the effect. They did a

753
00:46:32.960 --> 00:46:35.639
<v Speaker 1>huge study, believe it or not, let me read this

754
00:46:35.719 --> 00:46:38.519
<v Speaker 1>to you. This was just recently in the last few years,

755
00:46:39.320 --> 00:46:43.000
<v Speaker 1>at the end of a decade long statistical analysis of

756
00:46:43.039 --> 00:46:46.440
<v Speaker 1>the health and development of nations. So the whole point

757
00:46:46.679 --> 00:46:51.039
<v Speaker 1>was to figure out how low income, poverty level nations

758
00:46:51.360 --> 00:46:55.440
<v Speaker 1>can actually rise up. Is it through the government, is

759
00:46:55.480 --> 00:46:58.920
<v Speaker 1>it through NGOs? Is it through money? What is it?

760
00:46:59.199 --> 00:47:06.559
<v Speaker 1>What a need to rise up? Sociologists Robert Woodbury and

761
00:47:06.639 --> 00:47:09.360
<v Speaker 1>his fifty person research team, and this is a decade

762
00:47:09.440 --> 00:47:19.159
<v Speaker 1>long long analysis published a shocking discovery. Missionaries are actually

763
00:47:19.239 --> 00:47:24.639
<v Speaker 1>the greatest catalysts in the development and stability of nations.

764
00:47:25.480 --> 00:47:31.679
<v Speaker 1>Go figure. In an interview that he gave, he said

765
00:47:31.679 --> 00:47:36.039
<v Speaker 1>that areas were Protestant, and these missionaries, they're not just

766
00:47:36.159 --> 00:47:40.400
<v Speaker 1>any missionary. They're conversionary Protestants who preach the Gospel with

767
00:47:40.440 --> 00:47:44.599
<v Speaker 1>the intent of converting others and forming churches, who encourage

768
00:47:44.639 --> 00:47:47.000
<v Speaker 1>everyone to read the Bible in their own local language.

769
00:47:47.039 --> 00:47:52.880
<v Speaker 1>So therefore missionaries are writing languages for just verbal languages.

770
00:47:52.920 --> 00:47:54.800
<v Speaker 1>They don't have a written they're doing that. They're doing

771
00:47:54.840 --> 00:47:56.599
<v Speaker 1>it in the Bible. The people are learning to read

772
00:47:56.719 --> 00:48:01.320
<v Speaker 1>and write. This is what missionaries are doing. He says

773
00:48:01.320 --> 00:48:05.840
<v Speaker 1>that areas where Protestant missionaries had a significant presence in

774
00:48:05.880 --> 00:48:10.800
<v Speaker 1>the past are on average more economically developed today, with

775
00:48:10.880 --> 00:48:17.079
<v Speaker 1>comparatively better health, lower infant mortality, lower corruption, greater literacy,

776
00:48:17.320 --> 00:48:24.039
<v Speaker 1>and greater educational attainment, especially for women. The church and

777
00:48:24.280 --> 00:48:28.960
<v Speaker 1>missions has been making a difference in the nations over

778
00:48:29.320 --> 00:48:33.320
<v Speaker 1>hundreds of years. You need to read these articles because

779
00:48:33.360 --> 00:48:37.360
<v Speaker 1>it is just impactful the way they came to this conclusion.

780
00:48:37.400 --> 00:48:43.840
<v Speaker 1>And this was not a Christian study. It's the light

781
00:48:43.920 --> 00:48:50.360
<v Speaker 1>of the kingdom. When set against the kingdom of darkness

782
00:48:50.480 --> 00:48:59.599
<v Speaker 1>and God is presiding over it, light always wins. And

783
00:48:59.719 --> 00:49:04.840
<v Speaker 1>this is missions. Would you with me pull out your

784
00:49:05.239 --> 00:49:10.360
<v Speaker 1>Missions pledge card? Would you with me consider We're gonna

785
00:49:10.360 --> 00:49:12.440
<v Speaker 1>I'm gonna give you opportunity over the next three weeks,

786
00:49:12.480 --> 00:49:14.159
<v Speaker 1>but I'm gonna give it to you today because what

787
00:49:14.239 --> 00:49:18.519
<v Speaker 1>if you don't come back next week. I want you

788
00:49:18.559 --> 00:49:22.320
<v Speaker 1>to consider and uh, ushers, would you bring some buckets

789
00:49:22.360 --> 00:49:25.119
<v Speaker 1>up front? I want you to consider what could you do,

790
00:49:26.119 --> 00:49:29.440
<v Speaker 1>What could you do on a monthly basis for this

791
00:49:29.559 --> 00:49:37.199
<v Speaker 1>coming year? What could you do twenty forty fifty one

792
00:49:37.280 --> 00:49:42.800
<v Speaker 1>hundred for the spread of the gospel, for the support

793
00:49:42.800 --> 00:49:48.519
<v Speaker 1>of the missionaries. And then lastly, also, would you consider

794
00:49:48.559 --> 00:49:51.760
<v Speaker 1>giving into our project here today? Maybe you might not

795
00:49:51.840 --> 00:49:53.599
<v Speaker 1>be here next week and you're gonna need to do that,

796
00:49:53.800 --> 00:49:55.880
<v Speaker 1>or go ahead and go home, think about it, and

797
00:49:55.920 --> 00:49:58.199
<v Speaker 1>come back next week and give double how's that sound

798
00:49:58.239 --> 00:50:01.760
<v Speaker 1>because you're gonna think about it and it's gonna go up. Amen,

799
00:50:04.239 --> 00:50:10.880
<v Speaker 1>you are the light of your world. Turn that dimmer

800
00:50:10.920 --> 00:50:16.360
<v Speaker 1>switch all the way up. When you are opposing darkness,

801
00:50:18.599 --> 00:50:28.079
<v Speaker 1>light always wins. Please know that let's all stand missions.

802
00:50:28.440 --> 00:50:35.400
<v Speaker 1>We love missions. Put your hand over your heart Father

803
00:50:35.480 --> 00:50:38.360
<v Speaker 1>and Jesus name God. I pray right now that the

804
00:50:38.400 --> 00:50:45.280
<v Speaker 1>hearts of this body, this church beats with your heart.

805
00:50:46.559 --> 00:50:50.719
<v Speaker 1>Father God. Jesus is the light of the world, and

806
00:50:50.800 --> 00:50:53.960
<v Speaker 1>he is in me, and he has declared over me

807
00:50:54.119 --> 00:50:56.920
<v Speaker 1>that I am the light of the world. Father God,

808
00:50:56.920 --> 00:51:01.760
<v Speaker 1>I pray right now that my heart is aware. It

809
00:51:01.880 --> 00:51:07.599
<v Speaker 1>beats with hope and with faith. It beats with generosity.

810
00:51:08.000 --> 00:51:12.599
<v Speaker 1>It beats with love for every nation across the planet.

811
00:51:13.119 --> 00:51:15.079
<v Speaker 1>And Lord God, I thank you right now that every

812
00:51:15.119 --> 00:51:19.840
<v Speaker 1>missionary that's out there even now, in every nation, their

813
00:51:19.920 --> 00:51:26.400
<v Speaker 1>needs are met, their prayers are answered, their desires are realized,

814
00:51:26.440 --> 00:51:35.000
<v Speaker 1>their vision is accomplished in Jesus's name. And everybody said, Amen,

815
00:51:35.400 --> 00:51:37.559
<v Speaker 1>have Alujah, get the Lord a hand.