Benny’s Blog

THE 2ND ANNUAL SNEMN “MARCH MISSIONS MADNESS”

 John Flower, Missions Awareness Team member for the Northest region, helped organize and conduct the second annual “March Missions Madness” for the Southern New England Ministry Network. The following is the article he wrote concerning that event:

The 2^nd Annual March Missions Madness (MMM) was held at the Southern New England Ministry Network (SNEMN) Office on March 22^nd.  We centered around a theme for this year’s District Network Missions Event; “Remember the Poor” with an emphasis on Compassion.

District Network Pastor, Bob Wise, started off the day with an admonition to the more than 100 Pastors and Church lay-leaders in attendance; “Luke 15 lays out the greatest cause that the world has ever known; where Lost is found in this chapter 5 times. This cause that we are in is all about the Lost!  Ask yourself what business is your church in? Because we are in the redemption business as a movement the challenge of “being about the Father’s business” was quickened in each of our hearts.

Before Pastor Joe Sapienza, Celebration International Church in Weyland MA spoke about their “Bread of Compassion” ministry; all were moved by the “Remember the Poor” video.

Joe Sapienza gave us practical truths that Jesus taught on How Evangelism and Compassion Ministries work together; and how we as a church can apply that in our own communities.

We heard updates from Shane Adams, on the World Missions Summit 3 in Dallas/Ft Worth and how to target your Young Adults to attend. 

Chet Cauddil gave us an inspired word on Speed the Light and how this very worthy program is meeting the needs of our Missionaries.

Justin Beiler presented the Eurasia Café opportunity to have your coffee purchases   minister to those in dire need/the unreached of Eurasia.

Brenda Flower then spoke about how Jubilee Market (purchase with a purpose) is ministering to the after-care needs of those who are rescued from Human Trafficking, an “unreached” people group.

Key note speaker was Dr JoAnn Butrin, Director of International Ministries; as well some of her Team: Dr. Beth Davis Dir. Health Care Min; Carol Young Dir of Sustain Hope (Andy Rogers).  The challenge to everyone was that there are many options to personally participating in Missions Trips/Ministries; not just frontline Preaching, but lay-leadership ministry of helping people improve their lives through community-initiated and sustainable solutions & engaging healthcare professionals in your churches to be involved in Medical Evangelism.

Pastor Joe introduced the upcoming SNEMN Network wide Medical Missions Trip to Haiti which was followed by a Convoy of Hope Video visit by Rick Ryan!

The highlight was the personal Skype word from our Executive Director Greg Mundis, to “keep the faith, press on in the Power of the Holy Spirit so we can reach to the regions beyond; to the billions that have yet to hear of the name of Jesus and to receive that greatest gift”.

2012 SNEMN  March Missions Madness; a great day where we were provoked in “unconventional” but unique ways to participate in the Great Commission, “but you will receive Power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and YOU will be My witnesses, to Everyone; Everywhere; by Everyway possible:    So All Can Hear!

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65 MORE LABORERS HEADING FOR THE HARVEST

One of the largest classes ever of new Candidate Missionaries was in Springfield in March for candidate orientation. One way of describing this class of candidates is “A Cut Above.” A part of my missions assignment is to work with newly appointed missionaries It was an honor to work with several of these couples.

You can read the full story at http://bit.ly/HgurJt.

Matthew 9:37-38. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Your fellow laborer,

Benny

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Senatobia

The Missions Awareness Team continues to provide missions training for our districts, pastors and churches. David Reddout invited me to assist with training in Senatobia, MS on April 12. Here is his report of that event:

“I hosted my second missions training for Mississippi on April 12. The first training session was in Biloxi where 10-12 churches were represented. The second was in Senatobia, North Mississippi.  About 5 or 6 churches were represented. Both pastors and lay leadership were in attendance.  We met for about 5 hours and covered the need for a missions team in the local church, importance of missions convention and faith promises.  Four missionaries were in attendance and they were given a few minutes to speak. Pictured below are Tim & Ellie Bentley. They are new missionaries going to the Balkans.

“These meetings compared to the previous District Flashpoint meeting that was reaching 5-6 pastors.  Both of these meetings this year have now reached at least three times as many pastors.

Results: Interest in doing more for missions. This keeps coming through in our meetings. It is the ‘I want to, but don’t know how to factor.’

Results: ‘I know I can do more attitude.’ I am seeing more missionaries being booked for services and/or receiving commitments.  It seems when you get pastors and missionaries together in a meeting focused on missions commitments happen.

“I had a Skype call with David Lee and also with a Mississippi AGUSM missionary. The Skype call communicates so much more than just a phone call.  It is giving the pastors another tool which hopefully is opening a bigger door of creativity.

“My next meeting with Mississippi pastors is scheduled for October 18.”

David Reddout

David Reddout is Missions Awareness Team rep for the Gulf Region. He can be reached at (337) 397-2185.

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TGHD

  You ask what is TGHD? TGHD is the newly formed Texas Gulf Hispanic District, which was formerly a part of the Gulf Latin American District. But more importantly, this district is determined to have a strong and robust missions ministry. Let me invite you to view a TGHD video (YouTube) at:

http://youtu.be/uZKn-7ZVLlU

TGHD had its inaugural meeting February 25 to launch missions for their district. Some of their goals (not an exhaustive list) are:

·         Strengthen their churches so they can be stronger for missions,

·         Increase missions giving to support their current missionaries, new missionaries, missions projects and missions emergencies.

·         Every TGHD church be a “Fast Track” church.

·         Fast Track churches will agree to support every TGHD missionary, add each new missionary, have an annual missions convention and support the TGHD missions department at the same level the church supports its missionaries.

·         Plant new churches.

·         Raise new missionaries in their district and send them into missions.

Let me introduce you to Pastor Ricardo (Rick) Reyes who is the Missions Coordinator for TGHD. He is a man with great passion for missions and has a “fire in his belly” for the propagation of the gospel.

Dino Espinoza, the District Superintendent, has already set the course for this dynamic ministry. Eddie De La Rosa is the District Missions Director of this great district. These men are leading this ministry in a way that will make TGHD stand out in the field of missions.

Only eternity will reveal the number of souls that will be added to heaven’s rolls because of their passion for the lost.

God bless you,

Benny

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PUERTO VILLARTA

What a beautiful setting! The area could easily be called a “tropical paradise.” And yet the surrounding contrasts are ever present. It was hard not to have the political struggles that are on-going in Mexico in the back of one’s mind. I was told just a few blocks off the main thoroughfare the reality of poverty and other issues become apparent.

The annual Combined Regional Conference was held in that beautiful city last week. Ninety four delegates gathered there for the purpose of advancing missions in their respective districts. What a thrill to hear the great victories for missions around the world. We also heard of the great needs of so many unreached people groups.

The Missions Awareness Team gave a presentation Wednesday night. Jose Portillo and Rick Reyes reported about the work they have begun in their newly formed Hispanic districts. David Reddout and Doug Fulenwider, from Louisiana, gave a report about missions in Louisiana. Tommy Carpenter gave an update on his work with the Prayer Task Force ministry. Wayne Huffman, along with Craig Carter, reported on the Missions Awareness Team work being done in the Arizona district as well as the work in the Southwest Hispanic District and in New Mexico. Bob Crabtree concluded the report, along with Kevin Stone, on the work in Kentucky and also Bob’s work with the new missionaries who are struggling with their budgets.

The old song says it well, “We’ll work till Jesus comes!”

Benny

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“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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