Benny’s Blog

“Skepticism And Hope”

Young missionaries! To meet them is to feel their sense of anticipation, excitement and sense of mission. Our Lord is still sending “laborers in His harvest.” One such missionary couple is Chris and Rebecca Green. Let me introduce them to you:

“In 2004, the Lord spoke to Rebecca and me both about pastoring in Holland. This was, however, one year before we met each other.

Holland is a nation steeped in historical Christianity and yet riddled with skepticism and doubt. It is the most densely populated country in all of Europe and is home to more than 16 million people. Of those 16 million people, only 5% claim any kind of Evangelical faith. As a result, there are entire cities that have no effective Gospel witness within them.

That is what we aim to change. We are being sent to plant life-giving churches that reach out to the seekers and the skeptics. Now, with our two boys, Charlie (2 yrs.) and Oliver (4mos.), we are preparing to launch into a ministry that has been seven years in the making.

We have raised 70% of our monthly commitment budget and are slated to complete our Itineration by the end of February. Here on the brink of all the Lord has called us to, we’re asking you to push us over the edge by committing to support us on a monthly basis at any dollar amount.

To get more information and discover how you can partner with us, visit our website: www.allwillsee.org ”

Chris Green | Missionary to Holland

315-532-0897

Please consider partnering with this couple who are anxious to get to the field.

God bless you,

Benny

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Who Is “MAT”?

Everyone knows at least one Mat(t). But let me tell you about another “MAT.” I am asked on occasion, “Who or what is MAT?” when someone sees the MAT logo on one of my shirts or sweaters.

MAT stands for “Missions Awareness Team,” which is part of Assemblies of God World Missions. The Missions Awareness Team is made up of missionaries and missions leaders from around the country. (To see a complete list of the team members, go to MAT.ag.org/members.cfm).

The Missions Awareness Team works in three primary areas:

*Districts, helping train and prepare pastors in the area of missions.

*Local churches, teaching them how to build a missions strategy, including how to conduct a missions convention annually and build missions monthly in their congregations.

*New missionaries, working with those who are struggling, especially with their budgets.

Our annual winter planning meeting took place in early December in Springfield, Missouri. We discussed and laid groundwork for several areas of strategic ministry. Did you know that 2000 Assemblies of God churches gave nothing to missions in the last 12 months? Other churches give only a small amount annually to missions. The team is now in the process of developing a strategy to help these churches cast a vision for missions in their local setting.

How long will the Missions Awareness Team do this? The Lord established this in His Word:

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” He said, “Go and tell this people….” Then I said, “For how long, Lord?” And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant” (Isaiah 6:8,11, NIV).

This team is committed to pursue the Great Commission until Jesus returns!

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Not Just Another “Liftoff”

What is a “FlashPoint”?

Dictionary.com defines flash point as “a critical point or stage at which something or someone suddenly causes or creates some significant action.” This is also true with a missions FlashPoint: a significant action occurs in the lives of each attending pastor and spouse.

In November the Southern Missouri district sponsored its second FlashPoint for 2011. Five pastors and their wives gathered at the Southern Missouri district Cross Pointe campground for a weekend of intense missions training. These meetings are always meaningful and have a deep impact on the participants. One pastor and his wife told me they made new lifetime friends. In addition, every pastor committed to:

·         A deeper level of missions involvement both personally and as a church.

·         Contacting a missionary within 30 days with an invitation to speak in their church.

·         Conducting a missions convention at their church during 2012.

Last weekend Sherri and I conducted a missions convention in a church pastored by one of the May 2011 FlashPoint attendees. The church exceeded its goal by 50 percent!

Does missions work in local churches? That can only be answered by pastors and their congregations, but it is, yes if they choose to be involved in missions; no if they choose to do nothing.

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Meet a Great Lady

On Wednesday, October 26, we celebrated the home going of our dear friend and fellow team member, Nelma Carpenter. It was a day for grieving, but it was also a day of great celebration!  The memorial service was so very appropriate. The music, the eulogies, the reminiscing-these were all so fitting. Of course there were tears, but there was also laughter as this dear lady was remembered.

Nelma’s obituary can be found at: http://www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/services.asp?page=odetail&id=25503&locid=25.

Nelma was an accomplished musician as well as an outstanding minister in her own right. She served as a member of the Missions Awareness Team, and also as the assistant director of the AGWM Prayer Task Force. This Ministry is led by her husband Tommy Carpenter.

She always had a smile and a kind and encouraging word for everyone she met. The last time I saw her and Tommy was in King of Prussia, PA. As I was leaving she said to me, “Tell Miss Sherri hello.” Nelma and Sherri had a strong bond between them.

Nelma loved life. She was a lady who had a passion for her Lord, souls, and her family. We all will sorely miss her.

The words of the song are truer than ever when we sing, “Heaven’s sounding sweeter all the time.” Please pray for Tommy, as well as Thomas and Angelia who also lost their son Buck.

Until we meet again,

Benny

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KING OF PRUSSIA

King of Prussia is a beautiful suburb on the west side of Philadelphia. Itis filled with beautiful tree lined streets and abundance of shopping. Contrasted to that is the inner city Philadelphia. Much of which is decaying and filled with poverty and crime.

The decay of the inner city is only surpassed by the decay of lost humanity. I was recently in a meeting at King Of Prussia where the needs of the lost were top priority. Greg Mundis, the new AGWM executive director, led this meeting. He stated “we value the next generation.” Missions leadership from six of our AG districts were in attendance. Each of these men and women feel passionate about reaching the world.

Let’s not become intoxicated by our surrounding comforts, but let’s invest ourselves in reaching the lost.

Benny

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A New Definition of “Drive-In”

I grew up in a small town in northeast Texas. One of the big things to do on any weekend was to go to the local “Drive-In” movie theatre.

In early October, the New Jersey District had a different kind of “Drive-In”…a missions event. This meeting was developed and led by Rich Leksell, New Jersey Missions director, and John Flower the Northeast regional MAT representative. They knew the pastors would not be flying into Holly Mount, NJ as AGWM no longer conducts their “Fly-Ins.” New Jersey decided to conduct a missions “Drive-In.” They invited pastors to attend this meeting which was held on a Saturday to make it possible for bi-vocational pastors to attend.

The district leadership presented a missions program to inform and inspire those present. Pastors left the meeting anxious to move missions forward in their local congregations. If you are interested in attending one of these events in your district please contact me at Benny.ferguson@agmd.org.

Till He comes,

Benny

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The Grand Tetons!

This beautiful mountain range was appropriately named. They are truly grand.

The meetings I attended last week, in the shadow of the Grand Tetons, were equally grand. A team from AGWM met with the district leadership from the Northwest Region. These men and women carry a common passion! Missions! Reaching the lost and helping the hurting of our world.

This group of passionate individuals spent a day and a half strategizing how to best do this. Their desire is to empower our AGWM missionaries. Forty-eight individuals with “one mind!” This is God’s way!

I am glad you are on this journey with us! Till Jesus comes let’s be “about the Master’s business.”

Your fellow harvester,

Benny

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It’s Called FlashPoint

Recently I had one of those moments! Watching the transformation happen in front of my eyes was amazing. What am I talking about? Six pastors and spouses were at Cross Pointe Camp in Rocky Mount, MO for about 18 hours of intense missions studies and preparations. We were participating in a FlashPoint event where those deeply interested in missions gather to further their understanding and knowledge of missions.

These six pastors walked away Saturday afternoon saying their lives had been changed and their perspective of missions broadened. Using an old cliché, they “put their money where their collective mouths were.” Missions is not just another “program” to take up time and money in the local church. Missions is the heartbeat of God. Loren Triplett once said, “The Great Commission was God’s idea.”

If God is so interested in the lost that he gave His only Son, shouldn’t we be interested enough to give ourselves to his cause?

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Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor’s passing was all over the news last Wednesday. It was said she was Hollywood’s last screen goddess and “the end of an era.” Her accolades have been all over the press. After hearing this over and over I asked myself why I should care. Then of course I remembered she is an eternal soul that has passed into eternity. America has idolized many Hollywood types and the press has accelerated this behavior. We all should care about Ms. Taylor’s eternal destination. 

But just as quickly I asked myself why do so many people care about someone like Elizabeth Taylor, while tens of thousands pass into eternity every day and we hardly notice? God did care for her soul, but our Lord also implores us to seek the lost wherever they may be.  

Let us ask, “Am I infatuated by a celebrity like Elizabeth Taylor, but indifferent to the plight of the multiple millions who have never once been presented the gospel?” Remember, God is not willing that any should perish and that includes the famous and not so famous.

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Citizen Soldiers

The National Guard has played such a key role, especially during the last several years, fighting for our freedom on so many different war fronts. These men and women are often referred to as “Citizen Soldiers.” When I see one of these soldiers in an airport I try to make the effort to say thank you for their service to America.  

This week I have been with a new group of Candidate Missionaries. These men and women are enlisting in the highest “army” of them all. I like to call them “Citizen Soldiers” in the Master’s army. They will be going into some of the most dangerous parts of the world to do the business of the King. They are going to places like Northern Asia, Afghanistan, Somalia, etc. 

May I encourage you to get behind these “Citizen Soldiers” when they come to your church? As the National Guard’s “Citizen Soldiers” go in our place to fight for peace, these “Citizen Soldiers” in the King’s army are going to the far outskirts of the world in our place. 

Why not have special prayer in your church next Sunday for these dedicated men and women. 

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