I'll be keeping this blog up with daily posts at the end of each day of our trip. The purpose is to keep our ABF class in the loop about what is happening, what our prayer needs are, and to share the praises of what God most certainly will do to bless this mission.
TODAY'S REPORT:
For those who aren't familiar with the goal of this mission, it is really quite exciting. Second Baptist has been working with local people in Chicago to establish a church "plant" in the south side of the inner city (read more about that here). It is an area in desperate need of God's transformational power and of a true, Bible-believing church. It is our prayer that City South Church will be what God uses to meet that need. A quick browse through the City South Church website gives you a really good flavor for what the goals of the church are. I am particularly encouraged by the "Non-Negotiables" link in the upper right hand corner of the site. Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself.
The most exciting thing to me about the whole project is that it is precisely the model described in the New Testament for church growth. I have nothing against big churches (I love being a member of one, in particular), but the New Testament model for church growth was never for a single church to grow to the size of a stadium. Rather, it was for small church-plants to take hold all over the place, receive God's blessing, and bring Him glory, honor and praise as they spread and grew. A lot of people say the believe in God's word. But the best way to demonstrate that is to actually follow the Biblical model, in spite of what popular opinion and the latest trend (even in church circles) might otherwise suggest. I love that Second is doing this!
So, what is our role in this important mission? Well, God has granted us an unbelievable opportunity to penetrate the surrounding neighborhoods in the city-south area. This year, funding was cut for the area's summer school program, so the program was reduced from its normal full-day schedule to half-days. Parents and students alike wanted to keep the full-day program, but there appeared to be no options. Eric Arnall (Second Baptist member who has moved to Chicago to plant this new church) offered to provide a Vacation Bible School program for the kids in what would be the second half of their days as a sort of "after school" program. The school jumped at the chance. This in an environment where the church can't even get a permit to host a picnic or recreation ministry in a public park in the same city! Instead, we actually are inside the public schools, sharing God's love and hope! Only our sovereign God could providentially orchestrate such an amazing opportunity, and we are so honored to help carry out His mission with these kids (K-5th grade) this week!
Rachael and I will be part of the Bible story team & Jim and Heather will be part of the recreation team (although I suspect there may be some trading around). There also is a crafts team and a music team. The kids will bounce to all four "classes" each afternoon.
PRAYER NEEDS:
Perhaps the most important reason for sharing this blog daily is because we are counting on your prayers to support and strengthen our mission. Please continue to pray for us daily! There are many challenges facing this effort and it is only through God's grace that any success will come. So, each day I will share a few specific items that we would ask you to pray over for us. Thank you in advance for your commitment.
As we prepare to depart, please pray for:
- Rest. I'm a better dad and husband when I'm rested. My kids are more agreeable when they are rested... well, let's face it - all of us are. With a nine-hour van ride ahead of us tomorrow, we could arrive exhausted or we could arrive ready to hit the ground running. Please pray for the latter.
- Cooperative kids. The adults are outnumbered! Jim, Heather, Rachael and I are outnumbered by our combined five kiddos on this trip. We are trusting God that they will cooperate and be blessed by this trip as well. Please pray that they will not be a distraction to the children we are trying to reach or to the others on this mission trip. Pray also that they (even as little ones) would grow closer to God through this experience.
- Safe travel. It is a nine-hour van ride, after all. And we are told that the part of town we will be in, while not the most dangerous we could have found, is also not an area where one would want to be found alone after dark. Please pray that God would protect His servants on His mission.
Finally, I know that each of you have friendships and circles outside of our class where you may also know people who you can count on to pray. While I'm blogging primarily for you, as our prayer support for this mission, please feel free to share these posts with others you know who will pray along with all of us for God's name to be glorified. You (or they) can sign up at http://ourabfclass.blogspot.com (upper right hand corner) to receive this blog via email. You can also share it on facebook, twitter, or just by plain old e-mail via the links that appear at the bottom of this (and every) post on this blog.
We love you and are so thankful for you. Please know that you all remain in our prayers daily as well.
God Bless You.
Matt
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