Breaking the Mold - 7

Greetings welcome to another midweek service by means of lifestream from the nearly empty auditorium of beacon Baptist Church on Kirkpatrick Rd. in Burlington, NC, and we joyfully serve the Lord during these days of Copeland continuing to minister at a reduced pace because of the necessity of the covert situation. Nevertheless, accepting all of these circumstances as designed by God and planned by God and applied to the lives of God's people in a way that will assure our good knowing that all things work together for good to those who love God and who are the called according to his purpose. So thank you for joining with me for the midweek service tonight. I hope that you are ready to receive a great deal of information from missionaries.

I trust you are ready to consider prayer requests and I trust you are ready to look at the word of God as we worship him in this electronic way that the Lord has provided for us as my wife and I were viewing the lifestream service Sunday night or past of the tour brought an excellent message where we also heard from missionary Larry onion but on the devices we were listening.

We were listening to, watching on it had a count of how many people were were viewing or at least how many devices were tuned in, how many computers and so forth were were picking up the lifestream if it's like our house. Then one device means to the viewers. My wife and I viewing together as we projected up on our screen television, which really makes a nice but at any rate I was watching, let that number and noticed over the course of the evening. The numbers and increased by 30 started out one number at the beginning and by the time it was it was over we had added 30 along the way and some of them didn't get very much since they got in within the last 10 minutes or so of the service, but we were glad to see people joining us in continuing to join us. I told Marty I think the explanation for that. People joining that light is that when people go to sermon audio.

There is a place where they can scan how many services are being broadcast live at that moment. Of course, ours is one of them at that particular time government others as well. But people are looking for a life service as opposed to prerecorded service than they go to one of those sites and click in, so we probably had a number of folks like that.

Join us joining us on Sunday night.

Well let's commit this time to the Lord in prayer father how grateful we are for your faithfulness, your provision your guidance. How grateful we are for the grace of salvation in Christ Jesus. How grateful we are that we can join together as a body of believers even though we are not assembled together in one location. Nevertheless, we can join our hearts together around our unity in Christ Jesus and around the word of God and around our common interest in the work of missions and we thank you father for that means to meet and to worship in this way, we pray that you will guide and direct and all that is said tonight. I pray that you will open hearts to receive with profit. All that is communicated tonight and we asked those things in Jesus name, amen. We love to sing hymns of doctrinal substance of beacon Baptist Church. As you can probably tell by tuning in and hearing are singing and here's a hymn that we sing from time to time that I really love is called Hill sovereign love. It was written by Jodi Brewer Brewer, who lived from 1752 to 1817 and as I remember hearing the story of this hymn, many years ago and I hope I still have the details in mind. I believe the words of this hymn were found on the body of a slain British officer in the Revolutionary war. In the early days of America and at least that's a story that came to me with any rate, here other words, listen to them hail sovereign love that first began the scheme to rescue a fallen man hail matchless free eternal grace that gave my soul a hiding place against the God that rules the sky.

I flocked with hand up lifted high despised his rich abounding grace to proud to seek a hiding place and wrapped in thick Egyptian night and fond of darkness more than light madly. I ran the sinful race secure without a hiding place, but thus the eternal counsel ran almighty love arrest that man.

I felt the arrows of distress and found I had no hiding place indignant justice stood in view to Sinai's fiery mount. I flew but justice cried with :-( this mountain is no hiding place air along a heavenly voice I heard a bleeding Savior then appeared led by the spirit of his grace I found in him a hiding place. Should storms of thundering vengeance role and shake the earth from pole to pole, no flaming bolt shall daunt my face for Jesus is my hiding place a few more rolling sons at most will land to be safe on Canaan's coast, where I shall sing the song of grace and see my glorious hiding place. Great him couple of announcements. We do want to rejoice in the continued response to our faith promise program for 2021, and we have now through this last Sunday received 47 cards permissions total stands at just under 66,000 and little over 6000 for the building fund. We are grateful grateful for the response that we have received, we are mindful for. However, that we still have a long ways to go simply to have the funds necessary to continue supporting our missions budget at last year's levels and in a year of clover that would be. I think a great cause for rejoicing.

If we are able to continue supporting at last year's levels. Please pray that the Lord will make it possible. I noticed one additional card in the box in front of the pulpit. As I came to the pulpit tonight so I know other people are continuing to respond to them. He also mentioned that the December elders, deacons meeting will be this coming Tuesday night December 8 at 715 in the Fellowship Hall. I should also mention that the tri-state particular Baptist Fellowship will be meeting here at beacon Baptist Church on this coming Monday afternoon from two until 5 o'clock. Two speakers are are currently scheduled. The first one is Herb Taylor missionary to Hispanics urban want to make their headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina. They travel a lot and I was pleased to see the announcement that Herbert will be speaking in the first lot at 2 o'clock on Monday and then at the last lot of pastor Bobby Smith of a church in Winston-Salem which whose name I have forgotten.

At the moment.

Forgive me for that, but he'll be speaking to us in the last lot and only one other speaker that has not yet been announced, but will be present on Monday. I'm sure for third speaker and will also have a time of fellowship. If you're able to join us for all or even part of that time we would be delighted to have you. Now let me cover the prayer requests, praises and prayer requests that are on our midweek sheet and you may have a copy of that because we send that out by email you may have downloaded it. We praise the Lord, the more City Councilman surgery when well that was delicate surgery.

She had it yesterday she went back she had it in Durham and went back to Durham for a follow-up visit today Nelly Hunter has broke her elbow several weeks ago and it is doing well. We praise the Lord for that of Vicki Pope Art Pope's mother recovered from covert which is a wonderful report she's up in years is in a facility in the state of Washington. Her husband passed away Art Pope's father, Charles Pope passed away a few days ago, a government official of the week is Elon Alder member Monte Allison. We continue to highlight these beacon members Don Burns, who is recovering from foot surgery, Drew Guthrie, who is continuing to battle cancer.

Alice moderately recovering from a fractured pelvis and is rehabilitating at White Oak Manor Greg Phillips in the fire damage that his appliance store in Greenville, South Carolina, has sustained about a week and 1/2 ago. That is, thought I could bring up the name of that business. Phillips supply company is the name of it, and please pray the Lord will help Phillips as they recover from that fire. Praying for Jonathan right member of our church has covered but seems to be doing well. Others William Green, one of the staff members at Piedmont rescue mission has covered pretty serious case was hospitalized and not sure if you still the hospital or not we are praying for him, praying for Sandra Lee, a friend of Sue Vestal who is continuing to struggle with a heart situation. Let me see if I can bring that up recovering from having a heart stent implant.

She had to return to ARMC this afternoon to repair a pseudo-aneurysm caused by the catheterization last week. Never heard that term before a pseudoaneurysm I'm trying to guess what that means my guesses. That is one that didn't develop naturally in the body.

The one that was caused by the instrument that implanted the stent last week were also praying for Harold Lynch who is a brother of Aaron Esquivel and Sharon Steve are members of our congregation and their brother Harold is in ARMC. We continue to pray for Stuart Walker, who is recovering from his recent liver transplant and also is being treated for cancer in all of you an update on that in the moment and we recently received word that missionary Mike Webster one of the missionaries we support was serving in France has been diagnosed with colon cancer and if I have time I'll read the prayer letter that gives that information, but please pray for Mike Webster. We have been partners with the Webster's for several decades, the previously served in French-speaking Canada in the account number. The name of the first town with a served and then they moved to Québec and served there for a while and then in recent years. I went to France under the sympathy section. I already mentioned Art Pope's father, Charles Pope passed away.

Please pray for that family was also mentioned body qualities, friend, elderly friend, 97, seven-year-old Helen Sawyer who passed into the presence of the Lord from a rest home in Carlisle, Pennsylvania retirement center for retired missionaries.

She was 97 years old. Please pray for that family and Tony Abernathy's brother or brother-in-law, a rather Wilbur Whitehead pressed away praying for that family to. Furthermore, receipt received word that Shirley Rocky. It will be having a lung cancer biopsy coming up very soon should be having at this Friday, December 4 to determine the type of cancer that she has and the treatment options. Praying for Dean Vaughn, Michelle Lowe's brother who's been diagnosed with cancer that has spread will be undergoing chemo and then Naomi Williams will be having a pet scan on December 22. This is the mother of Amy Freeman so please make all of these matters of prayer. Now hi will turn my attention to some of the missionary communications and I would start with one from Stuart wife. I can bring it up on my cell phone that's never a sure thing with me.

There it is all right that we have two texts from Laverne Waugh.

The first one came in on Sunday but not early enough to mention this in the service Sunday morning. She says the chemo has been a bit rough on Stuart, but he is persevering. We have had to delay our return to Zimbabwe for a few weeks.

As a number of the teachers in my school have tested positive for covert which means that Sarah known to us as Sarah Kate and all our grandchildren have been in contact with them and Stuart cannot go anywhere near that we are disappointed we should be able to go back at the beginning of January. Sarah and Lee came to Johannesburg and will be tested tomorrow. We can see them until they are clear and praying for the vaccines to work and to be available.

Hopefully soon signed Laverne. I guess you may have heard on the news today that Great Britain has approved a vaccine and it's ready to go. That sounds very promising and then here's another text up-to-date. Just today from Laverne. Thank you all for praying Stuart is battling with the chemo and feels really ill. We see the hepatology is tomorrow afternoon and should have a medical update, then, despite feeling ill. He is preparing material to share with the pastors when we returned to Zimbabwe.

Hopefully December 18 all things equal.

Please pray for the Lord's protection first to, especially as Bulawayo is spiking at the moment. Also, for all of our people to remain safe and covert free as they have been praise the Lord for good rain so far and ask for a good season of crops.

After a devastating three years of drought, the hunger has caused a great deal of suffering that the people are trusting the Lord all the more. Please greet the precious folk. We are deeply thankful to you all. So there are two updates from laws serving the Lord in Zimbabwe but presently in Johannesburg for medical reasons. I move on to some other communications. This one a thank you letter from Tony and Tammy Tammy Honeycutt of Piedmont rescue mission dear beacon Baptist Church. Thank you so much for sponsoring the greater vision online event without your help would not of been possible. We feel that it was a success and hope the results will continue to come in during this month.

Please continue to pray for the mission as we forge forward during the pandemic. We are praying that the Christmas event will be a good one, even though it will be a lot different than in past years. God bless you for your financial support for the ministries of Piedmont rescue mission in Christ, Tony and Tammy Tammy Honeycutt. I believe they've had five or six cases of covert among the residents there and Piedmont rescue mission. So pray for for them as they deal with isolating those folks and making sure they're getting the proper care and observation. Okay moving on number of letters here.

Here's the one from Mike Webster in France. It says soon after our last prayer date prayer update rather president Crone declared another lockdown facing a return to technology for our Bible studies in Sunday worship we can tell that many of our folk are worn out from all of this as we are sure you can understand we should Print the same same boat. Thankfully, as of this writing the covered 19 situation seems to be gradually improving. There is even the possibility that some restrictions may be removed in December, though the initial biopsy from Mike's colonoscopy in August was negative.

Later test revealed that the two tumor is indeed cancerous. It has been classified as a tea to what is close to a T. Three he will undergo or undergo oral chemotherapy along with daily radiation for five days a week lasting five weeks beginning December 1, so is basically going to be all the month of December and into the first few days of January.

This will be followed by surgery one month or so after the treatment. Would you please pray that God might be glorified. Every step of the way that the treatment of surgery might be effective. Mike still might still be used of the Lord to minister the word during treatments for Melanie's physical strength that despite covert restrictions, Melanie's sister in Belgium and our oldest daughter in South Carolina might be able to come to help in different time so that helps us to understand what's going on with Webster's. Please pray for them.

I have the latest letter from the dreams this is Jesse and Hannah and their two children, one of the newer missionaries that we added to our missions budget a couple of years ago when we had good response to faith promise and were able to increase our involvement. I'm just going to give you a summary of this but they are like all of us dealing with the requirements of changing circumstances of covert they've had to change their plans about going to the country that they were originally planning to go to an all not mention that because this going out over the web, but they are still on on schedule to go to a neighboring country to start learning the language waiting for their target country to open up so there still on target.

Like all of us there dealing with changing circumstances, but they are trusting the Lord he mentions. In addition, I have extended family members, a great uncle Anaya just passed away from covert. Please pray for God's grace in the lives of their sibling showed siblings, children and grandchildren. May the Lord bless and keep you in Christ side Jesse green I was short email from the Goodmans in Alaska them grew to know and love these folks as they worship with us for about a year while they were here in Burlington doing training at the airport here getting ready for Alaska.

Happy Thanksgiving from Alaska. We are watching snow fall outside, enjoying a cozy holiday.

We have so much to be thankful for this year. Life and ministry for family has been blessed beyond measure and praise God for how we have seen him work. Just this week. Andy and Joe Gehrig flew to airplanes up to the Nana Alaska. They left one of the planes behind to be used by the Masters mission. They are borrowing a kingdom air core training aircraft. That's there with for one of their new missionary pilots to use for continued training events and photos here which of course you can see, they said we are here in Alaska pressing forward in hopes of advancing the work of the gospel.

We, like everyone else on planet Earth have a quote that didn't go as planned year it has been an incredible year of ministry, though.

Although it wasn't what we thought it would be the bulk of kingdom air core ministry occurs during the summer and we were still able to see God work in mighty ways despite covert challenges students and their families still came people quarantined and we did our best to stay 6 feet apart, which isn't too hard in Alaska because there is a lot of space we labor together and aircraft maintenance pilot training, building maintenance in its construction of discipleship. We were unable to have Brooks range Bible camp this year due to covert, but some of our staff got together and send cards to campers out in the Alaskan bush.

We continue to break.

Praise God for the purchase but purchase rather of the kingdom air core ranch property and work that was done on several buildings around the property in many ways.

Our ministry was all the more meaningful because we felt so grateful to be able to continue some of our operations and we saw so much evidence of God's working in our students volunteers and staff. As winter sets in.

Please pray for staff and families.

The darkness is a real thing.

We all contend with in different ways. Work has turned to primarily aircraft maintenance schedule for the winter has a more laid-back feel. Although Andy still works full days and weeks. Please pray for the maintenance work that he does is it makes a big impact on the summer ministry at kingdom air core. We thank you for your continued prayers we praise God for all of you who pray and encourage us. We don't experience days that are practically all night with very little sunlight. As they do in Alaska because we don't have those conditions here. We really don't understand the challenges that they cause, but some of you have have been around long enough to remember missionary that we supported for a while in Scotland Scotland. I don't I don't know the exact longitude is so how it compares to Alaska as far as the amount of sunlight, but it's a similar situation where they have days of with just I don't know two or three maybe four hours of daylight is all they get all day long and the rest of it is all all darkness at night and those missionaries that the wife was not able to continue under those conditions. It really had a very serious health impact upon her and they had to leave Scotland and move further south and they served in England for a while because of that reason. So this can have psychological effects it can have physical effects. We need to pray for missionaries who are in that situation. Well let's see here about a couple of other letters. I will read a portion of each of them. I can't possibly read them all. All read the first part of this one from David Donna Eden's and the writer praying friends as some of you know Donna Donna and our daughter Rachel were involved in a serious automobile accident in October 2 principal vehicles involved were totaled, Donna scuffed suffered three broken ribs, punctured right in love multiple fractures of the right pelvis and a concussion. She was in ICU for three days then in a regular hospital room for four days after which she was released to come home with hospital provided transportation as she was unable to walk or stand upright after two weeks at home. She is able to walk some using a walker.

Several personnel from the hospital have been visiting to help her with rehab. We continue to be reminded of God's protection. Both Donna and Rachel could've been more seriously injured or killed many of our friends have kept it difficult for the Lord in prayer.

We appreciate all of you who pray for us during this time, when to stop. There he goes on to talk about how the believers on the field where they served for many decades. Pray fervently for Donna during this time and how the Lord graciously has answered their prayers and the other lettering at several pages long and read the first few lines at the beginning comes from the Bixby's in France.

We had actually serve our help support three missionary families in the field of France Mike Webster referenced earlier, Bob Bixby, not Bob but Tim Bixby that I'm reading from now and then David Vaughn his wife for Nikki who are way down south these other two missionaries are in the northern part of France but the writing here to talk about the sudden home-going of Ruth's father who lives in the Raleigh area and they didn't think they'd be able to come home for the funeral and God graciously allowed them to do that, dear friends, how could I Ruth ever express our great how grateful we are for your concern for you notes of sympathy and promised prayers for the tangible expressions of love in the form of financial gifts enabled us all to travel to the states with my family. Following my dad's recent and unexpected death. It still amazes us to think back to how God perfectly arranged so many details surrounding his home-going. We praise the Lord that we were able, in spite of covert to travel on our planned furlough to the states last summer, which allowed us to make some precious memories with my dad that have now become even more dear. We also marveled at the timing of his death that occurred during our children's fall vacation from school as well, as at the incredible airline ticket prices. We found in the financial aid. We were given the made it possible for all of us to travel and to be present for the funeral. It's still hard to believe that in the matter. 36 hours we had learned the news packed up and made it to North Carolina to be with my mom and the rest of the family.

We are so blessed by many Christians who sought to minister to our entire family and she goes on to describe her father, who was I did know what he did but he was a small engine aircraft mechanic. The same kind of airplanes that the Goodmans that Andy Goodman works on the others who train over here at the Burlington airport. That's what he did. He was an aircraft mechanic. But he loved the Lord. He was he was deeply committed to missions.

He traveled to the mission field. He used his his skills in that way, and he had a wonderful testimony that he leaves behind another something else in the read this letter before I lay that aside and that's the matter of the ongoing building project in France which is a huge project. As you may recall, the Bixby's are located in a suburb of Paris and property values. They are very high and they rented a restaurant to hold their service and for a while and for reasons that many of you have already heard, I will take time to go into now.

That proved to be very unsatisfactory.

They were given an opportunity to to use utilize a building on a lease with an option to buy basis and given about. I think three years to raise the money to purchase this building which has been an enormous blessing so suitable for the ministry, but it is a very expensive project, and the entire amount to purchase this building amounts to. I meant to say something in the neighborhood of $700,000.

Now I break into their letter at this point. He says we are scheduled. This was written prior to tomorrow, November 24. We are scheduled to meet with the owners of our church building.

We presently have more than one third of what we need to purchase the buildings. That means they have something north of $200,000 in the 2000 or more. However, we still need to have a clear solution in hand for the rest of the funds by early next summer.

In order to purchase the building.

If we are not able to begin the purchasing process. At that point we will most likely have to move out on December 1 of next year.

I would certainly have preferred to be able to go to the meeting with more funds already in hand. However, we are determined to do as we have always done.

Be entirely honest, will tell them what funds we have that is that it is still our strong desire and prayer to buy the building that having seen as a congregation how God has provided miraculously for us in the past.

We know that he can easily choose to give us the approximately $400,000 more. We still need. So that's what they're facing.

Make that pleasing matter of prayer. They need to raise about $400,000 by by summertime next year.

That seems like a very daunting project, but God is able and God and God spread a table in the wilderness. He certainly can. Can God raise funds for building he certainly can tonight and would return to acts chapter 11 in the series that I've been involved with. On Wednesday nights for some time and this'll be the last message with her-he should not. I had gotten to a place last time that I thought I might just say that's the finish and will move on to something else.

Even though I hadn't quite finished but I have received more response from this series than anything I've ever preached on a Wednesday night and even more than many of the messages I preach on Sunday have been quite surprised at the number of people who have communicated some members of the church to listen tonight. No doubt by life separate stream, but others in other places who have picked these messages up off the Internet and have enthusiastically received them and email them to friends so I know the Lord has used the series and I think it would be profitable. Therefore, to continue on the whole, were talking about an extra X. Chapter 11 is the the burgeoning development of what we now call for admissions how that really started the book of acts and even though the details of what they did at this time are not exactly what we normally do now. The general principles are exactly what we are endeavoring to do and I think it's very important that we focus on that because it is possible and I would say at times even even easy to get get on a rabbit trail with missions and to pursue some worthy cause some worthy project. The one that doesn't really fit into the general principles that Scripture lays before us as to how exactly the work of missions is to be carried out. So this passage helps without a great deal so I don't have a lot of time left tonight to finish this up, but I need to do it and I'm going to read the passage and then we will wrap it up, whether redone or not.

But here's the account acts chapter 11 verse 19. Now, those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as finishes for Alisha Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but to the Jews only some of them were men from Cyprus and Sirena who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenist preaching the Lord Jesus and the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed in turn to the Lord. I pause there in the reading because three steps that were following in this passage are number one evangelism number two church planting a church development number three ministry that is the new converts in their newly developed church getting to reach out to minister to others and so what I've read so far is the account of the evangelism now.

What's different here. Normally when we think of missions. We think of missions sending the gospel to faraway places. We think in terms of commissioning and sending a missionary to go in first evangelize and then after he's evangelized to gather the converts together into a fellowship of believers is begin to teach and instruct them so that they understand the doctrine of the local church and how that is such an important part of God's plan and how they fit into the local church and how the church is supposed to be organized and developed in calling upon God to send gifted men to minister the word and that is the second thing that the missionary does. And then, of course.

While that's going on.

He's also encouraging these people to learn to do ministry themselves. That's what pastors pastor teachers. Well, that's what apostles and prophets, evangelism, pastor teachers do, according to Ephesians chapter 4 they equip the saints for the work of the ministry. Now what is different in this situation there were just beginning is that the first stage, the evangelism did not take place by the activity of what we would call missionary.

It took place by the activity of what we call Lehman who were scattered because of persecution. So in this case the missionaries really work. Anybody called missionaries in the really wasn't anybody that was identified as missionaries in those days, but the the preachers who came to the scene first Barnabas and then Saul and develop believers into a functioning local church. They came after the evangelism was already done.

That's not usually the way it happens and I shouldn't say was already done because evangelism continue to more people believed more people believed they came after the initial evangelism had been carried out by godly Lehman which is a reminder that we are all involved in the work of missions in more than one way and what would certainly pray for missionaries and certainly give the missionaries can go, but we are also witnessing. We are also evangelizing and God doesn't need. What should I say what we call full-time missionaries, full-time preachers in order to evangelize.

He may need. He by his designation uses men that are gifted and equipped and appointed by the Holy Spirit for the work of ministry to do the public preaching that is necessary to develop as believers into a church, but the evangelism can and should be done by any and all believers and we see that in the situation now. Another thing we see in the situation is that even though the details here are little different from what we normally think of in terms of missions and that is I just explained the initial evangelism was not done by the missionaries, but by Lehman but will see the same pattern that is laid down here is one that does turn out to be followed by what are probably the first officially recognized missionaries who are Barnabas and Saul. These very same two men who served really as appointed representatives of the church in Jerusalem police. Barnabas was, he was sent there by that church. And then Saul who was who was enlisted by Barnabas who was who was invited by Barnabas to join the ministry and later as the cheapest very church in Antioch grew and developed. We come to chapter 13 and we find that the church had grown to the size that there were now five men recognized as teaching elders or pastors as we would call them and then the Holy Spirit said separate unto me Barnabas and Saul, the first two men the most experienced man.

The most what should I say probably the most valued man in the church and the Holy Spirit said separate them for the work that I've called them to and they laid hands on them and sent them out and now we have some recognized bona fide church sent missionaries going out to spread the gospel throughout the Roman world and what do they do they follow very same pattern we find here in Chapter 11.

First, they go and preach the gospel to evangelize then were God saves a sufficient number of people to start planting a church that's what they do next of the Bible doesn't tell us what number is necessary in order to to plant a church to organize a church but it takes more than three or 45 and as we follow the ministry.

The apostle Paul, we can see there are some cities. He goes into and though there might be one or two or even three or four or five that are that are converted by the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul does not stay and establish a church because apparently there are enough believers. They are yet to do that. Athens is one example of that he preached on Mars Hill. There were a small handful of people who believed Paul moved on to Corinth. Some forgotten how many miles away from Athens, but but the west of Athens and to the other coast really of the Greek peninsula, Athens being on the East Coast and Corinth on the West Coast, but at a narrower part.

I don't remember the number of miles involved in any way. Paul went to Corinth and there he stayed for a year and 1/2 and many people believed God blessed is preaching with greater fruitfulness and money, more people were converted any state established a church.

But the pattern is the same first evangelism that if God blesses the evangelism sufficiently church planting and then when the church begins to be established, challenging the church to begin to minister to take responsibility for ministering to others. Paul did that in part by taking up a project offering for the persecuted saints in Jerusalem among the Gentile churches that he established, including Corinth that I just mentioned several others. And that's exactly the pattern we see her neck Chapter 11.

That's exactly what they do. So first of all, evangelism that I continue reading.

We secondly come to church development church planting we read back in verse 21 of the hand of the Lord is with them a great number believed in terms of the Lord, then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem and they sent on Barnabas to go as far as Antioch when he came had seen the grace of God. He was glad and encourage them all that with purpose of heart.

They should continue with the Lord, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith and a great many people were added to the Lord's evangelism is continuing to go on but Barnabas is even now beginning to establish these believers into a local church. Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul and 20 and found him he brought him to Antioch. So what was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. The church is being developed to church is being established churches being taught the word of God is doing that work now as we come to the final verses we come to this church being taught to minister to others and so we read in verse 27, and in those days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch and one of them named Agatha stood up and showed by the spirit that there is going to be a great famine throughout all the world which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.

Then the disciples each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea this they also did consented to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul so number one evangelism number two church planting number three ministry now this description of the ministry that they were involved in an ice think I mentioned last time there were no doubt other areas of ministry that they were involved in his will, but this one that is mentioned here.

This this raising funds to help the church in Jerusalem that account can be broken down into two parts. There is first of all unneeded. Secondly, a response to the need, the need was the family and that was communicated to them by the prophetic voice and the prophetic warning by activists. It is a great famine coming in economic recession and because the saints in Jerusalem were already in difficulty because of persecution.

Many of them had already left Jerusalem for that reason there was a great need their consult. The need is made known to the church and they respond to the need by making a commitment. The disciples we read in verse 29.

This is a mark of discipleship of your disciple of Jesus Christ you're going to have the maturity to respond to needs like this disciples each one rich poor bond free whatever each one according to his ability.

Not everyone had the same resources. The same financial ability but each of them had the ability and privilege and responsibility of doing something, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea this they also did so first of all, there is a commitment, each one decided what came before the Lord, thought he could do. And then there was a time to make good on their commitment this. They also did consented to the elders in Jerusalem by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

We see a demonstration of love receipt.

We see accountability was sent by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

The two most godly and mature man.

Spiritual leaders officers in the church and they went to do in spite of the fact that there was a great need for ministry in Antioch. There was also a great need for very reputable men who were honest men and were trusted by the church to communicate this offering. It had to be done in the right way and so they they brought it to drought Jerusalem and committed into the hands of the apostles. There now those are the principles now in this matter. Ministry you can follow the same principles first in need and then a response to the needs so I think I said last time that maybe they were some of them were involved in teaching children when we don't know that they were, that is mentioned and really in the New Testament, there is no specific mention of churches conducting children's classes, so maybe they did. Maybe they did, but if they recognize that is a need, then surely some of them responded to the need and they got involved in that ministry. If someone said we have a lot of people in the city of Antioch who are not well there more or less what we would call shoddy and state they can't come to church but if somebody would go to their homes and administer God's word to them they would they would be happy for that opportunity to hear the word of God. I need and so then there are people who respond to the need we see the same sort of thing in our church. You see a need and then God.

God first of all, reveals the need and then God lays upon the hearts of people to respond to the need. That's the way the work of ministry goes. I've learned over the years that the best way to develop new ministries in the church is to let the Lord show them to us. He shows us in the any he lays upon the hearts of people to respond to that need the programs over the years that that have been proposed by the pastors have not always gone well, but every ministry were somebody said I've got a burden for this is a need our Hispanic ministry, for example, someone had a burden for that sneeze.

Here's a need. I'd like to try to to minister in this way and see if we can reach some of these people around us the need was presented in God raised up, people who responded to the need and administer that way that's been shut down. Now because of covert. Looking forward to the day when we can return to that ministry, preaching God's word in the the many senior senior centers arrest home facilities throughout Alamance County is a need for somebody ago one of those homes. I am amazed at how many of those facilities are church goes into again shut down because of covert what is going into those facilities right now but during normal normal times we go into approximately 20 different facilities every month. Some of them once a week.

Some of them not quite that often. And that takes an enormous number of people to do that but it's just developed. The need is there God impresses the hearts of people who are level have a heart for that and the ability for that and they go and meet the need, and on and on a ghost. This is the way ministry develops and we see that in this example, in acts chapter 11.

I'm going to conclude by looking at this account summarizing it in a slightly different way.

But now, moving to four different points. The beginning of missions, evangelism, the goal of missions functioning churches. The method of missions God's word.

They gathered with the church meeting regularly over the course of the year doing what teaching, preaching God's word. That's the method of missions proclaiming God's word. The result of missions ministry. The result of missions sharing people who get the result of missions unity in the body of Christ as these Gentile believers reach out to the needs of Jewish believers that they don't even know personally but bringing together this unity in the body of Christ. That's the result of missions we see it all here and ask chapter 11 is wonderful passage to instruct us and how to carry out worldwide missions. Now we bow in closing prayer Lord God Almighty. We thank you for saving our souls and we thank you for allowing us to be involved in the work of mission. We thank you for giving us guidelines in your word as to how to carry that out.

We pray Lord that you might help us to return to more normal days.

All of the missionaries that we support are struggling with covert which is worldwide, yet father all of the reporting blessing and ministry opportunities that they would not have had if it had not been for covert and so father, we know you know how to carry out your work better than we do. The father, we thank you that Marcie Councilman had successful eye surgery. We pray for her recovery. We thank you Nelly Hunter is responding so well in the in the mending of her elbow.

We thank you that our pope's mother, Vicki Pope is recovered from covert that is a an enormous praise the Lord for a senior citizen as she is and you have brought her through father.

We want to pray for Eli and Alder member Monte Allison our government officials a week you will bless this person a guide and direct them and give them wisdom from above, we pray for Don Burns that she may continue to heal from her foot surgery and we pray for Drew Guthrie that you will give her strength as she battles her cancer and for Alice Marley. She's recovering from her fractured pelvis and we pray for the Phillips in South Carolina as they deal with this. Damages fire damage to their business. Pray for Jonathan right as he is also battling covert. We thank you that his case does not seem to be a heavy one at this time.

We pray for William Green, a staff member at Piedmont rescue mission, who is battling a very serious case of covert we pray Lord that your kindness that you might strengthen him and that you might heal him and that you might allow him to continue the work that he is been doing so well. We pray for Sandra Lee. She's dealing with these hard issues and for Harold Lynch, Junior season the hospital with serious health issues. We pray for our dear missionary brother, Stuart, Juan. Thank you for the reports that we have received pray that you might enable him to go to Zimbabwe to meet with the pastors there. We also pray for Mike Webster's. He is facing colon cancer week we pray for Donna Eden's and for her complete recovery from the serious accident and thank you that she's doing so well already.

We pray for the family of Charles Pope, our pope's father, who passed away in the state of Washington for the family of Helen Sawyer, Bonnie coins friend and for a Wilbur family Wilbur Whitehead Jody Abernathy's brother-in-law passed away in Virginia.

We pray for Shirley Rocky that you might help her give the doctors wisdom is the try to determine the exact nature of her lung cancer and how to treat her.

We pray for Dean Vaughn, Michelle Lau's brother with a serious battle with cancer. And also we pray for Naomi Williams. She has her pet scan on December 22 now father calm our hearts quiet them in the knowledge that you are the all wise and all-powerful and all gracious God, we commit our needs and lives into your care as we ask these things in Jesus name