Archive - January 9, 2010

True Spiritual Leaders

January 9, 2010 in Reading Notes with 0 Comments

A. W. Tozer wrote: A true and safe leader is likely to be one who has no desire to lead, but is forced into a position by the inward leading of the Holy Spirit and the press of circumstances…. There was hardly a great leader from Paul to the present day but was drafted by the Holy Spirit for the task, and commissioned by the Lord to fill a position he had little heart for…. The man who is ambitious to lead is disqualified…. the true leader will have no desire to lord it over God’s heritage, but will be humble, gentle, self-sacrificing and altogether ready to follow when the Spirit chooses another to lead.

Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer (J.Oswald Sanders)

What type of church do we have?

January 9, 2010 in Reading Notes with 0 Comments

The following quote comes from the book at the end of the article. You can click on the link to see about purchasing it.

I do not believe that our church is like the one mentioned in this article. I do believe we should all read the quote and make sure that our church is the kind that the Lord Jesus would want it to be. Read the quote and consider yourself. How are you serving in your church.

We make church a show that requires the audience to make little or no effort. If someone is willing to come to our service once a week for a little more than an hour and sit passively watching others do the work, then they are considered members in good standing, no matter what the rest of their week is like. One can be totally uncommitted to the Kingdom, distracted by the deceitfulness of riches and the desire for other things, and still be a member of our church, complete with a smiling photo in our church directory.

Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens (Neil Cole)

A warm building

January 9, 2010 in BCWE Events with 0 Comments

I thought you might like to know that the building has been sealed, doors and fans covered for your comfort. The heaters are fixed and set. I am expecting a very warm service in the morning for both the preaching and Sunday School.

We will have a joint Sunday School and then, Lord willing, next week we will have our divided classes.

The platform has new carpet laid, the walls painted, the screen prepared, and things are hopping and going good.

Things have been happening so quickly and I am so grateful for all that everyone has done.

Miguel Murillo’s prayer letter from Peru

January 9, 2010 in missions with 2 Comments

a

Arequipa, 04 January 2010

Vision Baptist Church
ATLANTA.-

It’s a great joy to be able to address you again, wishing you a new year full of blessings and service to the Lord.

Last month we were able to fulfill our classes at the Christian School, on Monday December 21st. It was of great joy to see children, youngsters and parents attending. It was also sad to see a new promotion of high school students leaving school. I ask for you to pray for them.

From December 28th to the 30th we had our Pastors’ Camp in Ite (Tacna), 35 minutes from Ilo (Moquegua), where 37 people attended between pastors, missionaries and wives, not counting babies. We spent a pleasant time of fellowship, classes together, preaching and sports. We thank brother John Pearson for helping us with the expenses of the stay.

Our New Year’s Eve at Hunter and Smyrna on December 31st, we had a very special program. We had a night of Vision, where we described what we want to achieve in 2010, besides praying and eating together. I thank God for the hearts of our brothers, and their desire to help.

Sunday January 3rd God blessed us with the attendance of 406 people. We began new Sunday School classes, and more workers were involved. In addition, new families are coming to both churches, event that fills us with great joy.

Every Sunday we continue with the radio program “Families with Purpose” from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. The people from the radio kindly gave us two more hours on Friday, December 25th, 9 am to 11 am, time we took profit of by talking about the true meaning of Christmas, in addition to giving away three baskets of goods, mainly groceries. We had 29 calls in two days, and several meetings with listeners.

I ask your prayers for the next four weeks and some activities planned:

- Launching a new service in the Church of Hunter, at 9 am, the end of the month.

- They will leave three young Hunter Baptist Church, seminarians, to work for two months at three different churches, but more importantly, to learn from the pastors there. Two of them will go to Lima (Surquillo and Callao) and one of them to Ilo (Moquegua).

- We will have classes for pastors in the Seminar on January 5th and 6th also 26-27, 9 am to 1 pm, which will include issues concerning work within the church.

- The V Congress of Women will take place in Macedonia’s College, from January 12th to the 15th, to be attended by many sisters from different churches in the country, as well as wives of pastors and missionaries.

- We will be helping a greater number of missionaries during this year, raising the amount we give between the two churches.

We thank God for counting on you.

Miguel Murillo