The Priority of the Gospel

Four years ago good and I were on the cruise and on the cruise. We met an English couple good to show on the prejudice against the English, we befriended them a little bit and very quickly. The young man asked me if I had an interest in British soccer and I said I had and asked me if I particularly supported any English team as opposed to Struthers team and I sent you like Manchester United. He was absolutely overjoyed I find out that this was the most avid Manchester United find there must've been in the world.

Not only did you go to all of their home games. He tried to travel to see them away.

And while I have an interest in mind. United his interest in its seem to be almost infinite. I had almost encyclopedia knowledge, and while I'm quite happy on vacation to talk about my favorite team a little bit. He began to be a bit of a bore because he continued to talk about it and usually he was fortified by quite a bit of beverage and it certainly wasn't wanted a Coca-Cola that was through the seven or 10 days would on the cruise.

We ate together sometimes and I was amazed that this man's life literally revolved around Manchester United that to him. He would freely acknowledge was the most important thing in his life, his wife, with only a passing interest in it. My wife is an even quicker passing interest in Manchester United and clearly his wife didn't share his enthusiasm for my United but undeterred. This man had done on usual uncanny knack of bringing any conversation back to my United and I thought about it sent to good news. We joked about device. Again, this is really serious this man is I go is Manchester United. Of all of the priorities in the world's top priority clearly was Manchester United. His wife said when these when the team lost and we don't lose often, but when we do, he was plunged into despair. It was terrible to live with in the house want to ask you what is your priority in life.

What do you spend your money on. What do you talk about what you think about where do you spend your time. If I knew what you talked about what you thought about what you spent your money and your time. I would know your priority this morning.

Our subject is the priority of the gospel in Romans the great theme is the gospel, the good news which comes from God concerning his son Jesus Christ. As we saw last week, and there is no doubt that for the apostle Paul, the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ is his top priority in the writings of first century Rome.

Paul could've talked and could've picked up. He spent the talk of many injustices many problems in the Roman Empire, but is very very interesting that as he writes, as were finding out his top priority has passion is not in social injustice. And there certainly was much in Rome's priority is the gospel. I think the church of Jesus Christ becomes very weak and he becomes very compromised when it allowed was the unbelieving culture to set your agenda is amazing the emails I get is amazing the conversations I have with people who would like Calvary church to do all kinds of things, but almost invariably the gospel if it's there is on the fringes, political action, educational reform, social justice, economic opportunity these and many other subjects certainly have their place and should concern us as authentic followers of Jesus Christ. But the gospel, the gospel of God concerning his son Jesus Christ must be our top priority is not what Jesus said just before he ascended to his father in Matthew chapter 28 of all of the things he could've said to his followers. He said I want you to go and make disciples of all of the nations that is the gospel is to be your priority and then the verses were going to look at this morning. Romans chapter 1. Open your Bibles there, please. Romans chapter 1 verses eight through 15. We have a wonderful model. A wonderful example of how to keep the gospel as a priority.

Manchester United your sports team, your business can I say even your family and your work.

All of these are important. I understand that you don't need to convince me of the importance of that. But I'm saying if were followers of Jesus Christ of top priority is the gospel of God concerning his son, Lord Jesus Christ's limited this passage through Romans 18 Paul says, first, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of your because your faith is proclaimed in all the world for God is my witness to my side with my spirit in the gospel of his son, that without ceasing I mentioned, you always in my prayers asking that somehow by God's will, I may know at last succeed in coming to your what I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you.

That is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know brothers that I have often intended to come to you, but thus far have been prevented in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are enrolled. That was really the first verses eight through 10 were going to see that one of the ways that we show that the gospel is our priority is our prayer life. The priority of the gospel is shown in our prayers.

Here in verse eight Paul is thanking God that the Romans are gospel centered, verse eight.

First he says I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of your because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. In this passage we see Paul's personal care for the Romans and for his love for the gospel. Paul loves to pray for people and to give thanks to people thanks to God for the transformation of the gospel in the lives of the people.

For example, first Corinthians 1. First Corinthians chapter 1 verse four Paul says to the Corinthians. I give thanks to my God always for your because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 1 Ephesians 1 verses 15 and 16. Paul says, for this reason because I've handled your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all of the saints.

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. Cautions Colossians 1 verse three we always thank God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints. First Thessalonians 1 verse two we give thanks to God always for all of you constantly mentioning you and our prayers, remembering before� Father your work of faith, your labor of love and steadfastness of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ's will marvel at Paul's prayer for others and notice the common theme is thanking God for their faith is thanking God for their hope is thanking God that through them the gospel is being displayed and proclaimed to others is thanking God that they love that they have received from God is being spread whatever they are. And here in Romans 18 notice what he's thankful for that.

Your faith is proclaimed in all the world that this is not faith and faith is not faith in themselves, but this is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is faith in the gospel we see his priority for the gospel. Paul understands that the deepening understanding of the Romans as to regards to the gospel will results in the ever increasing spread of the gospel and he prays here in verse eight he prays he says my God through Jesus Christ's notice to me, spraying is not praying to the saints is not praying to Mary the mother of Jesus. He's praying to God the father.

This is the apostolic pattern that we see throughout Paul's letters and the other apostles that we pray to God the father through our Lord Jesus Christ is ready told us in verse three that the gospel of God concerns his son verse four.

He refers to the spirit of holiness. The Holy Spirit that is the gospel involves the Trinity. Some people only speak of God the father. Others only speak of Jesus, others only speak of the Holy Spirit how important it is that we have the balance of Scripture.

Remember we are Trinitarian's. I sometimes think, although we affirm of the Trinity in a doctrinal statement.

I think sometimes practically we act and we speak and we operate as if we have our Unitarians know we believe in God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit. And they always act in perfect unity. And Paul is praying in the power of the spirit to God the father through Jesus.

Christ is like a little further. Paul's prayer in verses nine and 10 says for God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his son, that without ceasing I mentioning you always in my prayers asking that somehow by God's will, I may know at last succeed in coming to your conscious passion. This is no halfhearted cups and this is not as glibly saying for some, though I'll pray for you and five minutes later with forgotten all about it. Now he saying God is my witness, verse nine, we see the priority of the gospel in his prayers and their safety. Thanks God because the Romans faith is being proclaimed in all the world.

Now he says in verse nine he serving God with my spirit in the gospel of his son. His focus is the gospel, and as your pastor, that is to be my priority not promoting a political agenda people absent me very ungracious emails that somehow I have not promoted a particular political agenda from this pulpit. I don't intend to. After all, I can run for president because I wasn't born in the country so I don't promote a particular political agenda on a sense of political social agenda of the gospel and nothing to do with politics. Of course it has the gospel of anything to do with social justice. Of course it has been a member. Paul in first Corinthians 15 says that the gospel is off first importance what the first importance who gets into the White House. No, what happens in terms of Obama care is that of first importance, no what kind of school system we have is that of first importance, no you can have views on it.

I can abuse on their mother first importance what is the first importance sampling to the church of Jesus Christ is the gospel, but Christ died for their sins, that he was buried, that he rose again, this is the message that the whole world needs through here under these Roman believers understood that these first century believers with all of the project duration with all of the difficulties with all of the injustices with a corrupt nasty Emperor Nero the head of the Roman Empire. They were on the tired and they're spreading the gospel is interesting here as I read this poem doesn't hesitate to tell the Romans that he's praying for them and he says verse nine, he's doing that without ceasing, he says in verse 10, always in my prayers and about half of my fellow pastors and elders and deacons are seven when the thank you Calvary church for your prayers for us but is the greatest thing you can do. We pray for you. I ask that you are diligent in praying for us. We have a wonderful ministry called watchmen prayer wall that it is with a different number of years now, some many of you will just pastor than you think. What is always that one is the watchmen prayer wall. It is a vital ministry of Calvary church.

Yes, behind-the-scenes of vital ministry that hundreds of you are involved in using what is it John you select one hour a week whether it's 3 AM on the Thursday or 5 PM on the Saturday that you will pray for the ministry of Calvary church that you will pray for us as pastors as directors and staff as elders or deacons for one another. The spread of the gospel. I don't want to thank many of you who signed up for it to have signed up for it and who do that diligently week after week. Thank you ever so much. Every month, myself and the other leaders we give prayer requests a particular focus that we want for that week you get that by email. You pick up a copy of it and you pray for us. You may be running amount is then you may be on the treadmill instead of watching television or counting sheep or whatever else you do, you can be praying for as you know, for a walk into during your lunch hour and get up at 2 o'clock in the morning you choose the time and can I say if you're not signed up for that in a challenge and as you are today.

I watched her there certain people that will give your contact. This group designates June with the prayer requests and the spirit of God we are humbled by your prayers. I pray for you. Keep praying and also be available as you pray, as Paul is doing here for the Lord to use you as you see fit. Most prayers are not ritualistic. The nonmechanical not uttering pious platitudes, praying in an abstract way what our routine way he is praying vast and also for personal involvement is great love for the Romans is great love for the gospel is seen in this that he wants to be with the Romans, so he can help them and strengthen them in their faith. He's prepared to be used by God and serving the Romans even though it means a long trip for him. He's prepared to do that for his love for the Romans and does love for the gospel. When you see this, he says here in verse 10 that somehow by God's will, I may know at last succeed in coming to you. He's praying about this is very significant is that we pray notice his goal is to be with the Romans, but he doesn't dictate to God how that prayer should be answered. He doesn't put a time on it is not really a mistake.

He says right somehow.

By God's will, to say the obvious that God's that your plans like Paul's plans like my plans are always subject to God's will.

Doesn't James say that in James four James four verse 15 instead, he says, you know, when you say what I'm gonna do this big deal tomorrow and all of the essays is what your life you like a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Instead you want to say if the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that Paul is saying to the Lord.

I really want to go to the to minister to the Romans. I want to go there and to preach the gospel and these praying that somehow he doesn't know the time he doesn't know the circumstances but somehow but you will.

Lord, I'll get to Rome, don't put yourself in the center of your plans is hard for us not to do is in the if you've been following Christ for some time. You know that God's ways are often serious and your praying for a particular thing, and God can use someone else to accomplish his purposes, and perhaps that much better than you would ever do it. Paul realizes that God is sovereign. These praying that God's will would be such that he would be permitted to spend time with the Romans, and Paul's prayer to go to Rome was to be answered not in the way that Paul plans. I was he to go to Rome I was going to go to Rome as a prisoner as he appealed to Caesar. God was going to answered his prayer in a very unexpected way you find as you pray, you really saved on how this is going to work at Lord. This is my desire somehow by your will. May it be accomplished. Here is the priority of the gospel shown in the prayer life of Paul. So ask you how much of your prayers about the gospel. Our prayers reveal our priorities. When you pay your prayers all just about you about your family were suddenly to pray. Give us this day our daily bread. Of course we to pray for a family of course we are to pray for God's blessing on us as individuals, as a family as a church, but the prayers need to be more than that they need to reflect the priority of the gospel of you know this in your life group you notice in your Bible study that when asked for prayers with the majority of them about health issues buying and selling houses. Praying for someone's cousin then called telephoning the next-door neighbor to an end on growing toenail and I was good yet passionate about this and were asking ourselves the suspension of the large, how often you praying for the spread of the gospel. How often are you praying for a family member and neighbor the city. This country to come to saving faith in Christ praying for people yes your friends or family. This charge and beyond that praying that they will grow in the grace of the Lord Jesus the priority of the gospel is shown in our prayer.

Secondly, the priority of the gospel is shown in note of encouragement to one another. Verse 11 pauses along to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you.

That is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both universe and mine. Paul wants to bless the Romans the spiritual gift verse 11.

The Greek word charisma is not a miraculous gift that Paul is going to give them is the Holy Spirit who dispenses these gifts not Paul but Paul's desire is to bless them is to encourage them is to teach them is to pray for them and wants them to be established and strengthened in their faith so that they will have strong spiritual roots he understands is going to be persecution wants them to be ready for that, so that more and more. Their faith is being proclaimed in all of the world. These are tremendous goals unfit that we should have for one another, but my desire for you and your desire for mind is that would be strengthened in our faith. This is our goal at Calvary church not to amuse you not to entertain your that we hope you enjoy coming, but that it is to be and make authentic followers of Jesus Christ that if you don't know Christ would have the joy of introducing you to Christ and if you do know Christ. We want you to follow him more lovingly more humbly that you would be a blessing to others that you would be strong in your faith that your faith would have roots so that whatever God has for you that you will be ready equipped for every good work.

I find it fascinating that the apostle Paul desires mutual refreshment verse 12. The notice that mutually encouraged by each other's faith, yours and mine. This is the apostle to say this, and possibly to be spiritually refreshed as an apostle need to be encouraged just as Paul when I'm coming, I'm looking forward to being with you. I'm looking for this wonderful time of mutual encouragement. Mutual refreshments this time is a time use for encouragement, refreshing, comforting at achieving opposite were who doesn't appreciate encouragement doesn't take much does it effectively today with all our technology attacks and email a phone call little notes a handshake, a hug, smile, ways of encouraging. How does this spiritual strengthening and encouragement come about through one another. That's why the Bible is full of one another's with one another every single one of us. We need one another.

We need the body of Christ unity people say as I hear them say all I love Jesus but not the church massacre. Can you love Jesus. If you don't love the church which is the very body of Christ couple years ago I spoke to someone who hadn't seen at Calvary for a bit. I met them and I said I missed you at Calvary. Have I you still coming are you sitting way up in the Balkan or and and the women said no I don't come very much and then she said this in one of these, the pious pseudo-spiritual forces.

No I don't come much. I just sifted home learning at the feet of Jesus over the sentence so nice I thought I could shock this woman. I said, you know, that's more spiritual than the Bible. Jesus what you mean. I said the Bible doesn't say that I meant was she suggesting that Jesus was in her home, but not in the church and the writer of Hebrews say. He says no you don't sit at home as a habit of some, is but that you meet together. He says, encouraging one another. The very word that Paul is using here.

Yes, we are to read our Bibles and pray at home. Of course we are within the wisdom of God and we must never make ourselves wiser than God are more spiritual than God is at work that God gives us in his grace, just as he gives us families in the society he gives is this new society.

The church of Jesus Christ that when I come to saving faith in Christ site. I realize I'm part of the body of Christ. God is my father Christ as my Savior. But no, I have millions of brothers and sisters all over the world. One of the great joys of being a follower of Christ, isn't it is being involved in this mutual refreshment.

This mutual encouragement. The apostle Paul values the church in these expressing his desire as an apostle for mutual encouragement is going to tell them about his mission, his proposed mission to Spain is going to describe in some detail in chapter 15. Don't you agree that we all need spiritual refreshment and encouragement.

Don't you sometimes feel spiritually dry and you feel spiritually diamond and you need someone to get alongside you of your calm and we stand and begin to praise our great God of the word of God is opened.

You go to your life group you go to that Bible study group without you man. As you get together and you realize that this is one of the great joys of the Christian life and not only one of the great joys. One of the great necessities. That's why I encourage our pastors or encourage our elders and deacons to spend time with people we don't want to be a church where is it faster to come and teach you and teach you and then disappear. No, we are here to shepherd you are to pray with you to encourage you. We trust that we we do that, however, an adequate attempts are so I ask you this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Such a priority in your life that you take time and it does take time to encourage others in their faith.

Don't be the kind of person who's quick to criticize but slow to encourage the kind of person who's always receiving but never giving the kind of person who loves to have hospitality in other people's home, but never extend hospitality to others dumping the kind of individual who is very grateful you that you got friends you can call in time of need, but you never take the initiative to reach out to someone who is in need.

You need and I need mutual encouragement and this and that one of the great guys at Calvary. I thought of that last Sunday nights after the evening service. As we were expressing our appreciation to John and Sandy, Mandeville for hundreds of years in the in the Galleria, talking, laughing, encouraging one another is not what you go to life group. Yes, it centered on Scripture but don't you realize that you need the love of God in a visible way for someone to put their arm run just to say I'm praying for you that you can help someone. Is this why we have watchmen prayer, so that we can support one another. One of the great joys of salivating and worshiping together is that there is that mutual encouragement I was at Calvary yesterday morning as I'm leaving III see one of the teams coming back from the street ministry and their their their praying with each other. Yes there serving others.

What in serving others that also encouraging one another being strengthens and that's one of my great joys as a pastor to see so many of you growing in the grace salivating. The Lord will blessing and praying for the others, that's a sign of Christian maturity assignment of the transformation of the gospel others, 1/3 one in verses 13 through 15. The priority of the gospel is sadly shown in our prayers and our encouragement of one another and then in out active evangelism. A church which is strong in prayer us church which is strong and encouragement and we have to grow in these areas will make an impact for the gospel. Verse 13, Paul says I want you to know brothers dive often intended to come to you, but thus far have been prevented and order Pierce's goal that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both the wise and to the foolish. So I'm eager to preach the gospel to you also brought in room what Paul say is longing for a spiritual harvest in room he wants to win people for Jesus Christ.

He looks for the harvest piece told us in verse one that is set apart for the gospel of God to share Christ to tell someone about Jesus Christ is the greatest thing that we can do is give you great joy, all you do it in fear and trepidation. Some of you went down to the Indian festival for the first time perhaps you talk to someone about Christ, you are really rather hesitant. But is not one of the greatest thrills in life to tell someone the story of Christ to know there's people in the city who don't understand the gospel and other people in the city who are opposed to the gospel and yet think of it thing. What was happening to these believers in Rome. Our Lord Jesus was crucified somewhere around A.D. 3380 36 Paul is writing to these Romans in 57 A.D. during that time that short time 20 years or so. Not only had the gospel gone to Rome with other without last week not only what was that a church is a word in Rome. These people are so on fire for the Lord that Paul says your faith is proclaimed in all of the world that is in the non-Roman world.

They wouldn't keep keeping it to themselves.

The gospel had penetrated the very heart of the Roman Empire, with all of his pagan nose paganism with all of its immorality with all of its slavery, the gospel of Jesus Christ had come to Rome and people's life would be changed, but I didn't keep it to themselves. They're proclaiming it throughout the whole world.

That's the polluter of the gospel is in the thing of this here we are in this beautiful city in Charlotte North Carolina and it is a beautiful city is not a bad place to live in. Here we are here we are a church, Calvary church with tremendous gifted people with tremendous resources with tremendous facilities and the tremendous location, God has in his grace blasts this congregation tremendously impact, are we making for the gospel. The Romans certainly were, and we praise God for the average that we have reaching out with the good news of Jesus Christ in our neighborhoods in the city in the state.

But beyond that, to the remote parts of the world. Think of all of the people thousands of them. Some of them refugees and immigrants, whether they're legal or not they all need the gospel and they are here on our very Dorsett the God has brought them to the city to this area and here we are the Church of Jesus Christ that we can look in woodworking of life comfortable for ourselves, or we can be like the Romans and reach out with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not just coming sitting in the pews getting a lot of information not just going to find Bible studies a week, but actively involved in the spread of the gospel. Paul says here is under divine obligation to preach. He says I'm going to preach to the Greeks and to the barbarians.

Well the barbarians were people who didn't speak Greek. They didn't understand Greek culture. Paul doesn't care he's going to preach to the Greeks is going to preach to the Jews preach to the barbarians is going to preach to the wise is when a priest of the foolish, everyone must hear this message as eagerness to preach the gospel to Rome and beyond these unashamedly committed to this all important message that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life is going to say that it was when we were spiritually dead when were enemies of God, Christ died for us and rose again so that in trusting Christ we can have a sins forgiven and can have for the transformation of life purpose in living to be the kind of people that God created us to be understand the gospel is for everyone that's our mission at Calvary to communicate the gospel to every single one I ask is that your priority are you eager to use Paul's words in verse 15. Are you excited to tell people about Jesus Christ. Do you have a sense of this gracious obligation to tell others about Jesus, those around you know that your follower of Jesus's relevance as early church, which was threatening the world upside down on the people in your office know that your followed of Jesus students in your school. People see, by the way you live you don't cheat your non-kind you live a different life. The people see Jesus Christ and you and me in our society, business people, when you do business as a priority to make money as a priority to get up the ladder orders are priority to see yourself there is an ambassador of Jesus Christ's masking of this week to speak to someone about Jesus to explain the way of salvation and to make sure as I complete this morning that your trust is in Jesus Christ that starts their first you as an individual must place your trust in Jesus Christ.

Don't tell me you believe this all your life. Don't tell me you grew up in the church. I mentally have believed that all my life I grew up in the church for that to come up point in my life when I personally called her to Christ to come to save me and he did that and he forgave me and changed me that this priority of the gospel would be shown in our prayers and our encouragement to one another. Don't be afraid to encourage someone, don't be afraid to reach out to someone doesn't take much. I understand it's always easier to be the critic not asking you to be a critic. I'm asking you to be an encourager to tell people about Jesus so that we would say with Paul as he says in verse nine for God is my witness, whom I sound with my spirit in the gospel of his son.

I understand Paul was an apostle, but all of us who love Jesus Christ are called to take this message to others, are three challenges as we close first pray pray pray for the advancement of the gospel. Here is the watchmen prayer ministry card.

My commitments but on the playable.

You haven't filled one and do that. Just get your name, email address so we can send you the prayer request the telephone number and then when you'd like to pray any day of the week anytime a.m. or p.m. We really like people to be praying it to three and 4 AM you choose it you to visit and pray with you. Would you do that thank you, for many of you could do some of you need to renew your commitment you. You fill this out, but you've not been to diligent that we would commitment be committed to pray, pray, secondly, encourage this week would you reach out and encourage someone plenty of opportunity. Some of you are wonderful encouragers. Some of you really have the gift of encouragement. Others don't have that gift others find it more difficult but I'm asking you to reach out and encourage someone you know what it is for a child who is not encouraged in the home. Parents, you encourage your children, don't you, they need that you know what encouragement has meant to you when you've been done when you've been struggling when you've had that bad medical report when you lost your job, whatever it is you know the value in the midst of a crisis for someone to encourage less a true friend is in the good you do not could you be in encouragement to one person today. Perhaps the me you may shock them, encourage someone and then thirdly share Christ. I'm asking you this week to tell someone about Jesus Christ. I'm asking you this week, not just to go from the file but to go into practice.

Some of you here have never yet told someone about Jesus Christ. Some of you have told many people about Christ, but it's been a while.

Maybe need to call someone that is a family member may be as a neighbor. Maybe it was a colleague at work. Maybe someone you just made casually, but would you pray that God would open the door you would tell someone the way of salvation that God loves them that Christ died for them and has risen again and can forgive their sins and give them hope and joy and peace in Jesus Christ and help us to do that we did today at Calvary is our ministry. Local ministry fair, open, saying that right but we are very much committed to overseas missions, but were also very committed to local missions and we have tables in the Galleria today and that we have representatives from a number of ministries I'm going to introduce them right in a minute and that they're going to come up and join me here and I want you to see them the pit of face to them.

Each of them represents a different ministry. The ministries are detailed in looking up as we can get the details. There and what will happen is you go interact with them in the table find out some more about their ministry and also you will see in the looking up. There is a point of action is often what were not good.

That was always great. Really love you Sharon you do a great job with the operation Christmas boxes and so on. We leave it to others. I want you to take action, not all of you not going to get involved in all of these ministries. But these are all wonderful ministries and I want to introduce these at our partners, we support them financially. We pray for them and I'm going to start here with one of our great members Sharon, thanks both effects that who does the operation Christmas. If you have been involved in operation Christmas in the past, many of you some of you don't have a clue what it is you can learn about this and that Sharon is there.

We have pizza at Delahunt, who heads our street ministry. Many of you been involved not over the years feeding at people in the in the streets, people who can cook people who go there. People who can help and that Pete does this Debbie does community impact by getting involved in the political process.

Being aware of what's happening in these elections are coming up with a very very important and Debbie had heads that top we have Caleb ministries dealing two women who going through difficult circumstances in terms of the death of a child Caleb ministries and Ellen Daniel is the sewing coordinator unit allow people to so I'm going to move on that one. But it's not not my gift, but I know that many people can do that changed choices here is Connor and Kovach to ministry two women who have been incarcerated, helping them to make wise choices and to live for Christ in the community.

Tremendous ministry loss launch here to stay on Nunnally, who is a program director by the Collins is involved in this ministry than we have the church support this ministry tremendously caring for women who have an unexpected pregnancy that we would take care of them.

Help them medically. I get them off the streets in some cases and the help them make a wise decision regarding their child.

Great ministry loss launch most of you know Jim Caswell one of her former pastors. He was not fired, some pastors wanted to do that but I love you Jim he is with Johnny and friends ministry to the those with disabilities. Jim is passionate about that.

I know many of you have been involved in that ministry and Jim can give you ways to get involved in that pregnancy resource Center germane at Patterson Smith is the at risk client advocate. Thank you for what you do. I know you've had a lot of negative press as you stand for the unborn. Thank you for your strength being courageous. It's a privilege to partner with you in caring for women so that they will not support their babies so ablation germane at Jill ministry Judy Michael heyday that does not mean that she's been a prisoner in jail. Have you were never never Jill ministry throughout women locally again takes a special type of person to do that ministry and to the heads that up and then finally my brother prison ministries Abu moving from the drums to prison ministry. He is our director of I reach and oversees our prison ministry, which was very ably led by the coral and dinosaur lentil recently. All of these ministries depend on volunteers. Sometimes it's easier to get money into actual volunteer so I'm going to pray when asked you to stand and pray after I pray these are going to go to the tables and as you exit.

Spend a little time of the tables are the will be there after the ALG's as well so you'll get a chance to speak with them. No at that when you leave the ALG's. There will also be there for a few moments. Our father and the God we thank you for the gospel and for the difference.

The gospel makes and lives, and we pray particularly for our local ministry partners. We thank you, brothers and sisters in Christ. They work hard this ministry is tough that on the front line. Thank you that we can partner with them not only financially but also in prayer and also in participation and so we pray that you will work in our hearts that the gospel will always be our priority in our lives.

We pray in Christ name, amen