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Women on Mission - June 2019

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Make Holes in Their Darkness
By: Dianne Swaim

A story is told of British author Robert Louis Stevenson when he was five years old.  According to the story, his nanny was putting him to bed, but he slipped over to the window when he knew it was time for the lamplighter.  As he watched the lamplighter light each street light individually, he excitedly called, “Come quick, Nanny! That man is making holes in the  darkness.”

That story has impacted me for years as I have traveled to several third world countries and viewed hunger and poverty for myself.  In Zimbabwe, I held a 10 trillion dollar bill in my hands, worth only 50 cents in the United States.  Meanwhile, there was no food on the grocery store shelves, hospitals and schools were shut down, and there was a cholera outbreak.

The darkness of hunger hovers over almost 1 billion people in the world.  As they always have, Southern Baptist keep a global eye on hurting people and develop programs, raise funds, and send people to meet their physical and spiritual needs.

Organized to Serve

Global Hunger Relief seeks to put structure to the vast resources possible when God’s people give.  Seven Southern Baptist entities collaborate to observe Global Hunger Sunday.  These partners include WMU, the International Mission Board, and the North American Mission Board.

Every dollar goes directly toward meeting hunger needs.  The Cooperative Program covers all administrative costs.  Eighty percent of funds are directed toward International causes and 20 percent focus on North America.  In 2017, 14 million meals were provided in North America, and nearly $4.5 million helped feed more than 600,000 people across the world.

These numbers certainly indicate the work has been successful.  However, until every person across the world has enough food, we dare not claim success.  Our church’s involvement will make a hole in someone's darkness of hunger.  Hunger banks will be provided June 2nd at the Welcome Desk.

Women on Mission will meet Monday, June 10th at 6:00 pm at the church.  All our ladies are invited to join us.           

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Pastor's Points - June 2019

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How to Pray for Pastor Alan While He is on His Sabbatical
(Excerpts taken from “8 Prayers You Should Pray for Your Pastor” by Stephen Altrogge)

In some ways, pastors are sustained by the prayers of their people. Obviously, God is the one who ultimately sustains pastors, but one of his primary means is through the prayers for pastors. When it comes to why you should pray for your pastor, take the words of Charles Spurgeon to heart: “No man can do me a truer kindness in this world than to pray for me.” Do your pastor a true kindness today. Pray for your pastor.

#1 – For Protection From Satan - (1 Peter 5:8) - If Satan can take down a shepherd of God’s people, the odds are much higher that God’s people will scatter. That they’ll  become bitter and disenfranchised. They will question everything they’ve ever been taught by that pastor. Satan targets pastors because the damage is exponential if they fall. Pray for your pastor that he would be kept safe from Satan.

#2 – For Protection Against His Own Sinful Heart - (James 1:14-15) - Pastors don’t fall because one day, out of the blue, they decide to dive headlong into sin. The slide into sin happens slowly, over time, in small increments, as the pastor believes the lies presented to him by his flesh. Pray for your pastor that he would be on guard against the lies of sin. Pray that he would have a proper fear of God.

#3 – For Deep Spiritual Encouragement - (Romans 1:11-12) - Pastoral ministry can be brutal, discouraging work. Pastors find themselves in the midst of terrible situations on a regular basis – divorce, death, apostasy, and much more. It’s also challenging because they don’t see progress in the sense that other jobs do. Christians are always in progress. Because of this, discouragement and depression can be a regular companion of the minister. Pray for your pastor to be encouraged.

#4 – For Wisdom - (James 1:5) - Many elements of pastoral ministry are not black and white. A husband and wife are in serious conflict, and the husband has one story while the wife has another. A church member needs financial  support but has a history of mismanaged finances. A young man struggles with same-sex attraction while still wanting to follow Jesus. Pastors need God’s wisdom to navigate these gray areas.

#5 – For Doctrinal Faithfulness - (2 Timothy 1:14) - Pastors can be tempted to modify or even abandon biblical  doctrines for a variety of reasons. Cultural pressures, vocal church members, even legal actions can press hard upon pastors, making them feel that the only way out is to give up the clear teaching of Scripture. They need God’s grace to stay faithful to the good deposit of God’s word.

#6 – For A Healthy Body - (1 Corinthians 9:27) - Ministry can take a tremendous toll on a pastor’s body. Yes, our bodies are temples, but they are often broken temples. Long nights at the hospital, high-stress situations, and ever-present discouragement can quickly lead to burnout and body betrayal. Not only do pastor’s need spiritual strength, they need physical strength as well. Pray for your pastor that he would be sustained in body and mind.

#7 – For A Strong Marriage and Family - (1 Timothy 3:2-6) - Church history is littered with the skeletons of pastors whose marriages and families fell apart under the strain of pastoral ministry. And as 1 Timothy states, if a pastor can’t manage his family, how can he manage the church of God? Satan loves to sabotage a pastor’s family, and your pastor needs prayer that God will give him a healthy marriage and family.

#8 – For Meaningful Friendships - (Proverbs 18:24) - Pastoral ministry can be surprisingly lonely. Something about being in a position of leadership isolates the man. People look to him to be a teacher and leader, not be their close friend. Pastors need close friends who will encourage them, hold them accountable, and push them toward Christ.

 

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