re|thinking end-times

Since we haven't posted a blog entry in a while, we thought we would re-post this thought-provoking blog entry that we stumbled across. Enjoy.

Groans from Within: Conversations on Joining God's Mission in the Way of Jesus...

Servolution Sunday - Sharpen Conference 2010

Teams from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Barrie invaded their community with planned service projects this past Sunday.
One team visited a seniors home and ministered to them with a hymn sing.
Another team visited some patients in the hospital, and did some singing as well.
A team of fifty people cleaned-up a local park.
And a couple of dozen people went door-to-door in the local community, and in just one hour, collected over 600 pounds of donations for the Barrie Food Bank.

How to Make an Eternal Impact... Kid-Style

A little girl decided to sell an old scooter that she had in the garage. A friend from down the street bought it from her for ten dollars.

The girl put the ten dollars into a glass jar. She is collecting money to give to her church's building campaign, called Impact (see previous post).

Her father asked why she was willing to donate the whole ten dollars. "You don't have to give all of it," he said. "Just give a part of it."

"I want to give the whole ten dollars," the little girl said. "The church needs more space for kids, and we need a bigger youth room, too!"

Lord, what do you want to do through me to accomplish your will?

Impact: kid-style

Kids at Emmanuel are learning that they can have an impact, too: through the power of a penny or through individual acts of kindness.

Every Sunday, until May 16th, children will be encouraged to give two kinds of special offerings to the Lord: Acts of Kindness & Service to Others, and Gifts of Money.

The children are encouraged to write their act of service toward someone on a piece of paper. They can put these offerings to the Lord in a special offering jug, which will be presented as an offering to God at Emmanuel's Impact Celebration on May 16th.

Our children are learning that anything we offer to God can be used for His glory and purpose!

Command them to be good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:18

Evangelical Activism

An interesting article appeared in this month's issue of Faith Today, the magazine published by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. It points to a shift in the focus of evangelicals toward a broader view of the Gospel.

Author Bruce Clemenger had this to say about the social conscience of evangelicals following the establishment of a government social safety net that seemed to have replaced (displaced?) the Christian's responsibility:

Many began to “keep their faith to themselves” while serving in these agencies. Some began new ministries to fill emerging gaps. So there was a shifting and splitting of opportunities and expression which in turn led to the idea that faith was something that could be split from everyday life or that it only expressed itself in private or charitable terms. This again is shifting. There is a renewal of a broader understanding of the gospel and its implications for all of life – and with this latest shift, evangelical activism has been refocused.

I think he's talking about -- dare I say it? -- a servolution! Read the entire article here.

Matthew 5:13-16

What if we really lived the way that Jesus wants us to? Everytime I go back to the words of Jesus, and really reflect on my own life in light of his teaching... Well, if I'm completely honest, I fall way short. We all do. That's why we need grace. That's why, when he tells us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, his words are founded on what he says first: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). To be a Christ-follower is to recognize and acknowledge our own poverty of spirit before almighty God. We have nothing to offer Him, and yet He gives us grace.
The words that follow are about our response. If we have acknowledged our own poverty to God and accepted His grace through His everlasting mercy, then the change in our heart, the change in the very fibre of our being, changes how we look at the world and how we live in the world. A Christian is defined by their regenerated life (see Galatians 2:20), but we're fooling ourselves and just paying lip-service to Jesus if the new life He gives us is not demonstrated in every aspect of how we live.

The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. (1 John 2:4-5)

It is right to stress evangelism as the mission of the Church. It is equally right to stress "good works" and social justice as the mission of the Church. How can this be so? Evangelism and good works are like the two sides of the same coin... Faith in Christ and the resulting actions in the life of the believer are like the two wings of an airplane. If one is missing, what will happen to the airplane? That's what John is saying in the quote above. Knowing Jesus means obeying Jesus. Obeying Jesus means telling others about Him and caring for the poor, the oppressed, the sick, and the imprisoned... While salt of the earth is meant to preserve, and therefore act to arrest the decaying action of sin, light of the world is meant to actively display Christ and the holy, loving, royal kingdom of God's reign in the people and community that He has established.
Bible scholar and renouned preacher John Stott says it like this:

Good works are works of love as well as of faith. They express not only our loyalty to God, but our care for our fellows as well. Indeed, the primary meaning of 'works' must be practical, visible deeds of compassion. It is when people see these, Jesus said, that they will glorify God, for they embody the good news of his love which we proclaim. Without them our gospel loses its credibility and our God his honour. ("The Message of the Sermon on the Mount", John R.W. Stott,62).

What if we really lived the way Jesus wants us to? If you believe in Jesus, if you have acknowledged your poverty of spirit and believe that Jesus has given you new life, the challenge today is to act on it and to be the Christians that we say we are. The needs are all around us. Go, now, and shine your light.

Haiti Mission Update

Due to a complicated government situation, the mandate for Josh's mission trip has changed and the orphanage has been closed. Many displaced orphans have been reunited with extended family. Josh will continue to be involved with the local church as they distribute the container of donations to local families in desperate need.

Please continue to be in prayer for Josh, for the orphans, and for the people of Haiti who have been impacted by the tragic event of the recent earthquake there.

Haiti Mission Update

Our missionary, Josh, has landed in Haiti on the weekend with Emmanuel's Wish Foundation (EWF). His initial reaction, he told us, is this:

The kids (at the orphanage) are unreal and it was amazing meeting them. They literally mauled me...they've never seen someone with "rouge" hair before and they noticed everything about me. Chris and Johanne (the missionary couple) are amazing but the condition of this country is horrible, beyond what I ever would of thought. Chris and Johanne are real tight for money and there's a lot of things they need that they cannot get. They live day to day and they need continuous money in order to keep these orphans alive.....

The orphanage is desperate for immediate financial assistance. Here are some of the top needs:

• A generator: This will provide water at the childrens' home as well as provide electricity at the church (one-time cost of $1000);


• 27 Direct-debit sponsors at $35 per month to feed and clothe the children. Download a sponsorship form here;


• An individual, business, or church comittment of $400 monthly to send all of the orphans to school;


• Support for the local missionaries in Haiti: There is currently a $500/month shortfall, and the funds are being taken from other programmes that are also in need.

Christine Eisses, President of EWF, says that "we have a lot of desperate life or death needs over there right now", and has asked for immediate assistance with the above list.

Religion that God our FAther accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27 NIV)

Motivation - the Heart of Servolution

At the heart of servolution lies this important question: What motivates me? Am I really motivated to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness"...? Do I pray with conviction the words given to us by Jesus: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven"?

In the first chapter of his book Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World, C.J. Mahaney writes this about being set apart from the world:

What are your goals? Do they drive you forward--to financial security, more friends, successful kids, a certain position at work, learning a craft or trade? Or do they drive you upward--to obeying and glorifiying God above all else? What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Try this: What dominates your mind and stirs your heart? Is it discontentment with your life? Longings for earthly pleasures? Does outward prosperity appeal to you more than growth in godliness? Or is your prayer life characterized by heartfelt supplications for God's will to be done and his kingdom to come?

Demonstrating sacrificial love, as Jesus taught us, isn't about trying to earn favour with God or boasting about the work we do for Him... It's the result of the internal change of a regenerated life through Christ. If we're really following Christ, if we're really focused on His eternal Kingdom, and if His love is really at work inside of us, then that is going to be expressed visibly in our lives.

The most loving thing that we could ever do for someone is to share the Gospel message with them, but at the same time, God cares about their circumstances now... If we don't show the world that we care enough to get involved, why would they listen to our message? God is a god of justice and mercy and love and compassion.



What motivates us? Is it to demonstrate those Godly characteristics and to invest in the eternal Kingdom? Are we working for the Kingdom as we wait for Jesus to return, or are we too focused on our own earthly kingdoms?




"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8 NIV)

Responding to the Call

Josh is going to Haiti to work with Emmanuel's Wish Foundation to help establish an orphanage to meet the tangible needs of orphans of the Haiti earthquake.

On Sunday, February 14th, Josh shared with the young adults at Emmanuel Baptist Church about how God has led him to respond to the need in Haiti. Josh shared how he feels like he doesn't a have choice but to respond in obedience to God's call on his life to go and serve the least of these in Haiti.

This trip is happening on very short notice, and it's amazing to see how God has not only called Josh to respond, but how He has opened the doors for Josh's mission and even his travel. We heard how no new teams are being allowed to travel into the area, but Josh's travel plans have already been set. Josh will be on the ground for at least three months, doing whatever needs to be done there in order to meet the needs around him. Please see our previous posts about Josh's plans and the need in Haiti.

Please be in prayer for Josh as he travels later this week and as he begins the work in Haiti.

Josh sharing to a group of young adults on Sunday evening.

Josh being commissioned and prayed for by his peers.

"Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:18 NIV).

Haiti | Sacrificial Love

This is Josh.

Josh saw the destruction and the suffering caused by the earthquake in Haiti, and decided that he had to respond.

Josh is dropping everything to go to Haiti in order to help establish an emergency orphanage with Emmanuel's Wish Foundation (EWF). He will be leaving February 19th to spend three months in the village of Deskoyte, an impoverished community of about 100 residents approximately four hours drive outside of Port au Prince. The EWF missionaries that are already on the ground have had to change gears quickly as they committed to the care of up to 150 earhquake orphans.

While in Haiti, Josh will:

• help to take care of the children;


• do odd jobs around the property as required;


• visit the injured children in the hospital until they are well enough to be released to the orphanage;


• deliver clothing and emergency supplies while waiting for the container of supplies to arrive;


• anything else that needs to be done to meet the tangible physical, social, and spiritual needs of these children.

Josh has caught the meaning behind the words of James, the brother of Jesus, who said that,

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress" (James 1:27).

Josh's financial needs for the trip have already been met, but if you wish to donate toward EWF's work, you can contact them directly here.

Please be in prayer for Josh, for his travels, and for his work for the Kingdom.

An Outpouring of Love - Part 2

The response to the need of the emergency orphanage in Haiti has been awesome! Servolution has had to suspend the acceptance of any further donations of items on behalf of Emmanuel's Wish Foundation until they can deal with the logistics at their own facility. Please see our previous update about this outpouring of love here.


Thank you to all who gave toward the needs list that we published previously. Monetary donations are still being accepted directly through Emmanuel's Wish.

Chris, Johanne, and Hannah Ried: Emmanuel's Wish Missionaries on the ground in Haiti

Christine Eisses, President of Emmanuel's Wish Foundation, with some of the children of Deskotye, Haiti (prior to the earthquake)

Then the King will reply, "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 NIV)

Compassion in Haiti

Please pray for the children in Haiti.

Click here for the latest update from Compassion Canada.

An Outpouring of Love

It's awesome to see God work through His people!

Here are some highlights from the past few days and weeks:

• The Emmanuel church family has donated over $10,000 dollars to FAIR for Haiti Relief. This amount will be matched by the Canadian government, and will be used in a coordinated effort by this fellowship of churches;



• Christians from across Barrie participated in the Barrie Cares: Hope for Haiti concert last Saturday at Mapleview Community Church. Almost $27,000 was raised!



• The Atrium of Emmanuel Baptist Church was used as a donation point for the Emmanuel's Wish Foundation Haiti Relief effort. Truckloads of donated items from the needs list were delivered to Emmanuel's Wish to be transported by container to their emergency orphanage;



• A young man from Emmanuel Baptist Church has stepped forward and is making plans to travel to Haiti very soon to assist with the immediate "hands and feet" work at the emergency orphanage set up by Emmanuel's Wish.

To further assist in these efforts, please contribute directly to Emmanuel's Wish or your charity of choice. Please read more about what your donations to the Fellowship FAIR programme are doing here. Thank you to all who stepped up to sacrificially give their items, money, and time.

Just some of the donated items that will be loaded into a container for the orphanage in Haiti.

Follow You

Listen to it. Pray it. Share it.

You live among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy
For me to turn away
All my needs You have supplied
When I was dead You gave me life
So how could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll...
Follow You into the homes of the broken
Follow You into the world
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God
Follow You into the world

Use my hands, use my feet
To make Your kingdom come
To the corners of the earth
Until Your work is done
Faith without works is dead
On the cross Your blood was shed
So how could we not give it away so freely?

And I give all myself
I give all myself
I give all myself to You

Servolution is not associated with Youtube, Leeland, Brandon Heath, or whomever posted the video, and the opinions expressed in the youtube comments or any of its links do not necessarily reflect the views of servolution... We just think that it's a very appropriate song.

Haiti Response Update

The need is great, but people have been responding as the hands and feet of Christ by donating much of the needed items for Emmanuel's Wish and the emergency orphanage in Haiti.

Much is still needed, however, in order to fill a container to ship to Haiti.

Money is also urgently needed, and can meet emergency needs much quicker than our donated items. Please consider giving to Haiti relief. Here are some options for giving:

- Emmanuel Baptist Church is accepting targeted donations for Haiti in the regular Sunday offering. These funds will be added to the response of the fellowship of churches;
- Emmanuel's Wish is accepting donations online as well as the items listed in a previous post. See our previous posts for contact information, links, and a needs list;
- A special fundraising concert will be held at Mapleview Community Church in Barrie, this Saturday evening at 7:00pm. Paul Turner and Jody Cross will lead worship, and there will be Haiti updates from Compassion Canada and Emmanuel's Wish.

One of our very own young adults is exploring the possibility of responding to the Haiti orphan crisis in a very tangible and personal way: by going there himself. This mission trip will be arranged hastily as God opens the doors and makes the arrangements possible. Please be in prayer for this young man and for the necessary arrangements and funding as he pursues this partnership in service with Emmanuel's Wish.

This crisis in Haiti, along with other critical physical, social, and spiritual needs around the world and in our very own communities, is an opportunity for Christ-followers to "act justly and love mercy" (Micah 6:8), as we shine our light for the world to see (Matthew 5:16).

What Do You Have?

We're not all pilots with an airplane at our disposal, but the people that started Agape Flights are. They saw a need, they had the ability to meet the need, they prayed about it, and they began meeting the need. Their website states that "They help bridge the gap between the perception and the reality of things needed for missionaries to accomplish their calling to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and help the people around them". (see www.agapeflights.com).

The local news in Florida and even some networks have picked up the story of Agape Flights because they are flying critical supplies into Haiti, and are even flying orphaned children out of Haiti to their adoptive parents in the US.

This is an example of an organization--of people using their skills and resources--to shine their light for Christ in a very dark time. We're not all going to start up mission agencies or fly around the world, but we each have been given skills, knowledge, tools, resources, and time to use for the demonstration of the Kingdom and the proclamation of Christ.

The question is: What do you have?

Let's consider the example of the Apostle Paul, who, while in prison, wrote that his hope was for "sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in [his] body" (Philippians 1:20 NIV).

Do we have the courage to demonstrate Christ with what we have been given?

What do you have?

Perspective

Emmanuel's Wish Foundation is accepting donations for their Haiti container directly at:
The Teamworks Building
164 Innisfil Street
Barrie

Drop-off Saturdays 9:00am - 12:00pm

Donated items can also be dropped off at Emmanuel during normal business hours, or on Sunday mornings.
Emmanuel Baptist Church
4120 Salem Road
at Essa Road
Barrie

The Haiti earthquake is tragic, and the people affected need both immediate and long-term aid. We are very privileged and blessed to be able to respond, especially for the orphans that we have comitted to help.

The Bible says that God "comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God" (2 Corinthians 1:4 NIV).

Meanwhile, let's not forget this: "As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people" (Galatians 6:10 NIV).

The spirit of Servolution is to be aware of the social, physical, and spiritual needs around us... to reach out and to intentionally help others in their need, because we want to share the love of Christ with everyone. Don't stop offering a helping hand, a word of encouragement, or a visit or donation to the people and organizations right here in our own communities. Point people to the servolution website, where they can choose to explore the love of Christ further, or even decide to join this revolution of love and get involved! Read the About Us page to find out why we do what we do, and tell us your stories of how God gave you the opportunity to serve someone, or how God used someone to serve you in your time of need.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

(1 John 3:16-18 NIV)

Relief for Haitian Orphans - Part 2

The people of Emmanuel's Wish Foundation didn't expect to open an orphanage in Haiti! But following the earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince, the small, impoverished village of Deskotye began receiving refugees.


Chris Reid, a missionary from Barrie, pictured here with his wife Johanne and daughter Hannah, have committed to meeting the immediate and long-term needs of 150 orphaned children.

Christine Eisses, President of Emmanuel's Wish Foundation, said this about the challenges that the missionaries are facing in Haiti:

This disaster has taken us by surprise and all of our resources are tied up right now with the opening of a brand new AIDS hospice in South Africa. We are not sure how God is going to provide for these children but we are trusting that he will.

Emmanuel's Wish urgently requires help to meet the following needs:

1. Emergency funding to feed these children, clothe them and put a roof over their heads. Donations can be made directly to Emmanuel's Wish Foundation here.


2. Long term sponsors are required for these small victims. Many of them are being torn off the bodies of their dead parents, are completely traumatized, and need to see the hands and feet of Christ in action. We are desperately looking for 150 people to sponsor these refugee children at $35 a month indefinitely.


3. We will be sending a shipping container to Haiti to help us out fit the new orphanage and to care for the children. Please see the list of needs here.

Emmanuel's Wish Foundation is a local Christian organization run entirely by volunteer power. Their board of directors absorbs any administration costs in order to ensure that donations go directly to the need, and their offices and utilities are provided at no cost. For more information, see their website.

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress... (James 1:27 NLT)

Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. (Jesus, Matthew 25:40 NIV)

Relief for Haitian Orphans

Servolution is responding to an urgent appeal by Emmanuel's Wish Foundation to help homeless orphans of the Haiti earthquake. Will you partner with us?

Busloads of children have been arriving at a Haitian church funded by Emmanuel's Wish, and the church has been recommissioned as a temporary orphanage for children who require immediate need.

Not only do they need ongoing financial aid, but they have provided a wish list to meet immediate needs. Our goal at Servolution is to assist the filling of a 40' Container with the following items:

• clothes of all sizes, especially kid's clothing
• diapers
• formula
• bibs
• soap
• baby wipes
• body wash
• baby lotions
• play pens
• bouncy chairs
• Canadian Tire money
• exersauers
• strollers
• pottys
• bumbo chairs
• high chairs
• carseats NOT expired
• towels
• bed lines for single beds
• bunk beds
• baby toys
• toddler toys
• children's books
• Bibles
• inspirational books for all ages
• black dolls and inspirational books about black people
• children's bikes
• adult bikes
• utensils
• plastic or non breakable plates, bowls, cups
• large cooking pots
• kitchen linens
• non perishable food
• school supplies/office supplies
• pencils
• pens
• paper
• white out
• envelopes
• computer (new)
• computer paper

... and of course, your prayers.

Please bring your donation to Emmanuel or contact us at Servolution.

A final thought from an Emmanuel's Wish Foundation volunteer:

We are also in need of long term commitments to care for these children. When the media coverage dies down and the rest of the world turns to the next news story- we will still be committed to caring for these children.

Please also remember that there will be a special offering for Haitian relief this Sunday at Emmanuel, which will help to support relief efforts through
The FAIR programme and Emmanuel International.
Please prayerfully consider how you can help us to share the love of Christ in this very tangible way.

Haiti

Jesus said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

Here is just one of the many agencies that we can partner with in this time of dire need.

Compassion Crisis Advisory - Haiti

Speaking Louder than Words

I had the priviledge the other day to serve with the homeless, and it's amazing to see God show up in unexpected ways.

It happened in a casual conversation between a few of us volunteers and a homeless fellow. The client of the shelter was very engaging, well-spoken, and intelligent... We had a great conversation about life, addiction, and about God.

The interesting thing about the conversation was that there was another volunteer present who actively listened to our entire conversation. While we were talking about faith and the struggles that we share and how we rely on the Lord, this young man showed genuine interest and was engaged with the exchange. This was not the first opportunity to share with this non-Christian co-worker, either.

Our actions validate the good news... This young man is witnessing the love of Christ in action, and not only that, but is hearing about faith in Christ from an unexpected source, a homeless man.

Someone once said, let's just act and see what God blesses. Well, let's show God's love, then.

Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.