On Sunday evenings, many of the Evangelists and Women’s Ministry Leaders in the SoldOut Movement graciously send me their 'good news' for the week. On Monday mornings, I gather the most exciting of the reports and send them out to all of our leaders around the world, accompanied by some heartfelt admonitions for the movement. This keeps us connected and encouraged by the Spirit of God working in our family of churches. The following is this past week’s 'Good News Email!' KM
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| After Marcus’ baptism, Brittany – who met Marcus – celebrates alongside Nate and Ryan! |
Dear All,
Just 24 more days till the 2010 World Missions Jubilee! Andrew Smellie, the Director of the Jubilee, shares that 685 have registered and that 143 have signed up for the Global Leadership Conference to be held on August 4, 2010 - the day before the Jubilee!
Chris & Theresa Broom of Chicago encourage us with this report: Today we celebrated the fourth anniversary of the Chicago International Christian Church! Chicago is the third largest city in the United States with a population of nine million souls and over 500,000 campus students. Sergio Muerson graduated from CR today and Blanca Gonzalez placed membership. Blanca is the mother of Juan Carlos and Luis Garcia, our Spanish Ministry's version of the 'sons of thunder!' Of special note was a performance at the end of service that we recorded as an audition tape for The Kingdom's Got Talent. Many of our disciples have joined forces to put together a 'collage' of their talents that is sure to fire you up and confirmed in my mind that we need to begin a new ministry this fall: the ministry that God used to baptize me in New York City in 1990 ... AMP! (Arts Media Professionals) Finally, as of today we have 84 people registered for the Jubilee and more that are still hopeful. Please keep praying for our goal of 100 registered adults. Can't wait to see you!
From Kiev with love, Oleg & Aliona Sirotkin report: Dear brothers and sisters, From the first day of the church on this June 13, we study the Bible about God's love, which strongly touched the hearts of disciples, as well as saves. God richly bless us. This week was baptism of Valentine! When he was four months old, his mother left him at the bus station and he grew up in an orphanage. At the first Sunday service that he attended, he said, 'All my life I was searching for this family!' Now, Valentine returned to the Father and became a family of God! We are already 78 disciples! Today our attendance was 103 with $1,000 in contribution! Thank God and all who support, transmits instructions, and financial support of Kiev Church.
..."There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in our land." Deuteronomy 15:11
"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Matthew 9:35-36
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| The Orange County Region deep-cleaned two youth shelters – pictured is the Laguna Shelter! |
These two passages of Scripture teach that no matter where we live - London, Santiago, Los Angeles, New York City, Washington DC, Chicago or any other city within or outside the United States - the poor and those who feel helpless, hopeless and harassed will be among us. This is illustrated by the statistics compiled by the Dartmouth professor Donella Meadows in her "State of the Village Report" first published in 1990. (We have adapted her findings for 2010. Interestingly, 20 years later, these statistics have not changed significantly.)
A VILLAGE OF 100
In the world today according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population is 6.8 billion. If this world were shrunk to the size of a village of 100 people, what would it look like? 59 would be Asian - of these 20 would be Chinese; 14 would be African; 12 would be European; 9 are from Central and South America and the Caribbean; 5 would be from the United States; and 1 would be from the South Pacific.
Quite revealing, 20 are undernourished; 1 is dying of starvation, while 15 are overweight. Of the wealth in this village, 6 people own 59%, 74 people own 39%, and 20 people share the remaining 2%. Of the energy of this village, 20 people consume 80%, and 80 people share the remaining 20%. 20 have no clean, safe water to drink and 44 have no access to sanitation. Educationally, 15 adults are illiterate; 7 have computers; and only 1 has a university degree.
..."Above all, love each other deeply…" 1 Peter 4:8
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| Lynda’s appointment as Women’s Ministry Leader inspires her young disciple Shay to dream for the ministry! |
What a huge victory for God and an incredible inspiration to God's family (especially our sisters) to witness Lynda appointed a Women's Ministry Leader at our Sunday Congregational Service on June 6, 2010. My heart is so stirred by how deeply Lynda loves God, His church and His mission. God has powerfully worked through Lynda's gifts - in both the English and Spanish Ministries - as our Orange County women have been one of the most fruitful ministries in the entire City of Angels Church!
Lynda was born in Bogota, Colombia on March 14, 1972. When she was six months old, she moved with her parents to the United States. They eventually settled in Tampa, Florida and this is where Lynda spent the next 24 years of her life. Lynda grew up in a strict Latin home, where only Spanish was spoken. She learned English while attending public schools. In 1989, she participated in a pageant and won the title of Miss Colombia of Tampa. This led to opportunities to become a runway model, as well as to do "print work" to earn the finances needed to attend college. Lynda graduated from the International Academy of Merchandising and Design with a BA Degree in Interior Design in 1995.
Upon graduation, Lynda worked as a receptionist for an architectural firm and soon was promoted to assistant designer. While working at this job, Lynda shared, "I was going to clubs every weekend, sometimes traveling to parties as far away as New York City. I got involved in a serious, yet unhealthy relationship with a guy that I met at one of these clubs. I eventually became engaged to this man thinking that this would fulfill me. Yet sadly, I was so unsure of what I actually wanted that I began a relationship on the side with a man at work. Even as a non-Christian, I knew this was messed-up."
It was at this point of desperation that Lynda's cousin invited her to a Women's Day in Miami, so aptly entitled for Lynda, Courage Under Fire! Lynda wanted to go and get away from the confusion and emptiness in her life. The Women's Day was nothing like she ever experienced before. Lynda shared, "I saw God for the first time and had hope for my life." Two months after the Women's Day, Lynda was baptized into Christ on September 9, 1997 largely through the efforts of the Tampa International Church of Christ (ICOC).
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