Teamwork!

The Women's Ministry at LJBC has teamed up with the Missions Committee and Mark West, Program Director for the Theotherapy Project and the Rivera Homes in Nashville, TN, for an exciting new project.  As women transition from the Tennessee correctional facilities back into society, they are in need of many basic clothing and toiletry items.  The goal of the LJBC Women's Ministry is to send each new woman a personal note, a gift card for Target or Wal-Mart, and a personalized, embroidered pillowcase as she enters one of the Rivera Transition Homes.

Beyond providing for a few of their physical needs, the Women's Ministry is hoping to touch the hearts of the women on a spiritual level with the message that they are created unique and are precious to God.  For women who have known a life of rejection, abuse, and violence, an unexpected message of hope and a personalized gift might be something they have rarely, if ever, experienced before.

A special thanks goes out to the Womens' Ministry at LJBC!

Fun & Fellowship

Lone Jack Baptist Church had the pleasure of having the Michael Busenitz family in town for the weekend of June 19-22.  On Saturday night, church members and the Busenitz family had fun at the Woodall home chowing down on burgers and hot dogs while the kids (and Tom Cornwell) jumped on the trampoline.  The kids also had fun taking turns at driving Jimmy's tractor in laps around the yard.

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On Sunday morning, Michael shared with the older children and the adults about the work they are doing in Mexico. The drug wars have caused them many setbacks but God is more powerful than any drug cartel, and His work is continuing.

Finally, Michael shared during the worship service and then had a great time visiting with many people afterwards.

It's a Nnnnneeeeewwwwwwww Car!

Can you hear the voice of the announcer on the gameshow "The Price is Right" as you read the title of this article?  The excitement level is that high for Joseph Akakpo, missionary in Togo, Africa. 

The purchase of this new vehicle will enable him to minister more effectively and more economically.  Having a vehicle of his own will enable him to travel at the times and to the places necessary for his ministry.  In addition, it will save him the expense of unnecessary taxi fares.

On behalf of Joseph, thank you so much to all of you who made this purchase possible.  May God bless you for your generosity.

The Effectual Fervent Prayer

Last night, May 5, the Missions Committee got together for their regular monthly meeting.  However, this meeting was a little different than the usual "Old Business / New Business" agenda.  This month, the agenda was set aside and we all joined together to lift up each of our missionaries in prayer before our Holy God.  Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Jimmy, the committee chairman, decided that would be the focus of the meeting and before it had been announced to anyone, my email inbox filled up with prayer requests from our missionaries.  Our all-knowing God knew that our team of missionaries are facing many challenges in their fields of service and that the time has come for us to increase our prayers for them. 

One unexpected theme seemed to emerge as we worked through our list, discussing the specific situations of each missionary.  In Matthew 24, Jesus Himself tells us "nation will rise against nation...there will be famines and earthquakes...you will be persecuted and hated by all nations...many will turn away from the faith...because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."  Natural disasters and an increase in wickedness are intensifying in our world and many of our missionaries are in the heat of the battle.

Of our missionary team serving around the world...

3 are currently in places they can't say the name of for fear of being found out and killed for serving Christ

1 is traveling into areas where drug wars are being fought

1 is battling an increase in wickedness within their own family

1 is trying to save their place of ministry from severe floods

2 are battling illnesses that are keeping them from their ministries

1 is opening their arms and home to orphans following a devastating earthquake

2 are readjusting their lives as they deal with people whose love has grown cold

2 are dealing with government bureaucracy that is stifling their growth and ministry

1 is facing a lack of personal hygiene, "interesting" food, and wild animals to serve God

Yet, many of them report people are seeking them out, sometimes traveling miles or waiting days, to hear the message that our missionaries are taking into the world.  The people our missionaries are serving are starving for the message of hope, love and forgiveness that the gospel of Jesus Christ offers.  And in the words of one missionary, he "would be willing to go without baths and food for the rest of his life, if he could just keep doing this."

Many of us will never be called to put our lives at risk for the message of the Gospel or willingly take ourselves into areas where drug lords may be in control.  We may never even have to forego a daily shower to live our lives in service to Him.  But there is one thing that God does ask of each and every one of us.  In James 5:16, we are told "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."  Or, in the NIV, "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."  Many of you take time often to pray for our missionaries.  Please know that God hears you and is answering your prayers.  (Jeremiah 29:12 - "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you")  As we see the world crumbling around us, let all of us join together and be faithful prayer warriors for those who are living their lives on the front lines of the battlefield, whether that battlefield be here locally or on the other side of the world.

For a complete list of the missionaries that our church supports through prayer and giving, please visit the Missions page of the Lone Jack Baptist Church website.

Wah-Hooooo!!! LJBC Rocks!

That was the response from Mark West, director of the Theotherapy Project, when he read the list of items that had been donated for their newest prison transition home, Rivera Home-Rosebank.  The items were delivered by three men from church on Feb. 3-6.

The items were meant to bless and help the women who are transitioning out of the Tennessee Prison System and back into society.  I'm sure they fulfilled that purpose, but, as the men reported back to the congregation, the mens' lives were blessed and changed as well as they reached out to help those in need.  Indeed, time and time again I have heard stories about people who reached out in mission projects only to find that they were also the recipients of the blessing.

Thank you so much to all of you who donated time and household items to make this experience possible.  To quote Mark in his most recent newsletter, "Between the two Rivera Houses, we now have the space to provide safe transitional housing and programming for up to seventeen women. We could not have pulled this off without the help of our faithful financial supporters and God's provision thru them. Special thanks to Lone Jack Baptist Church for bringing furniture, clothing, beds, lamps, dressers, chairs, etc. Also, special thanks to Gari and Angelo Distefano for beautiful furniture, pictures, knick-knacks, etc. Just look at the picture above! Most of what you see came from different places but it all fits together beautifully! I didn't know God was so into interior design! We couldn't have asked for it to be any more amazing."

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged.

Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.

Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 

Give, and it will be given to you.

A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.

For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Luke 6:37-38

Women's Ministry Has Fun Making Blankets for Haiti Home of Hope

Feb. 27, 2010

Several women came together Saturday morning for a fun time chatting and visiting while they worked together to make baby blankets.   Organized by the Women's Ministry, the blankets and other donations will be shipped to the Haiti Home of Hope.  Jennifer Campbell, who runs the orphanage with her husband Bill, will hand out the blankets, along with cloth diapers and formula, to babies who are part of their Milk Clinic.  If you would like to make a donation of receiving blankets or cloth diapers (not pre-folded), please contact a member of the Missions Committee or Women's Ministry.

In addition to the orphans they care for at the home, Bill & Jennifer work tirelessly to reach out to malnourished children in the community through two different feeding clinics.  The Milk Clinic is one of those two clinics, designed to meet the needs of children under two years old.  When children are brought to the clinic on a bi-weekly basis, besides handing out supplies, Jennifer weighs each child to track their growth rate, assesses other health problems, and provides spiritual and parental information as needs and opportunities present themselves.

A special thank you goes out to the Women's Ministry for organizing this annual event and to Bill & Jennifer Campbell for all they do in the poverty-stricken country of Haiti.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" 

Matthew 25:40