Looking for a summer mission project? It is not too late to jump on board with the HIS project this summer in Fargo, ND, June 19-22.
You could join the HIS ride! The Baptist Bikers and their friends are starting at Midwestern Seminary with a BBQ. If you are biking, you need to register at mobaptist.org. As they go north, they are stopping in several I-29 cities to pray, to witness and distribute Bibles.
Remember, you don’t have to have a bike to make the ride. I am personally planning to make the drive on four wheels instead of two. I keep thinking Sharon would look really cool in some top down rig. Any suggestions? You may be driving a church van/bus. Whatever the ride, the goal is to intercede and to sow down the Gospel along the I-29 corridor and then assist Baptists in Fargo with an evangelistic outreach.
There are several things to consider about this particular mission project:
- This would be a great road trip for a pastor and his deacons or for a youth pastor and his youth group.
- This could be an amazing opportunity to connect Baptists in the south with the Gospel work to the north where ministry is much more challenging than we in Missouri could ever imagine.
- This could also be an incredible opportunity for disciple making. In the Gospels and the Book of Acts, we learn the value of spending time with a young believer for an extended time. The call to “make disciples” is not relegated to a few who “go” somewhere else to obey Jesus. Rather, Jesus is saying, “As you are going, make disciples.” It is a simple, straightforward command to all the followers of Jesus. This event could be a wonderful opportunity to pour your life into those the Lord has called you to disciple.
The ride to Fargo culminates in a special evangelistic outreach including Missouri’s own “Real Encounter” team. These guys are amazing and they give a clear presentation of the Gospel.
The host of the event in Fargo is Tim Brown, pastor of LifeChurch. He could really use help from some churches to connect the Gospel with the people in his city. If you want to take a group or to volunteer, you can contact Tim at tim.brown4life@gmail.com.
Tim wrote the following note to explain something about his church plant and the hope he has for this summer:
Thank you for your interest in the HIS initiative this summer. Your partnership is a valuable asset to me as a church planter in a pioneer area. Fargo is the largest city in ND and the second largest city in the Dakotas; a third of the population of two states is on the I-29 corridor (Sioux Falls SD & Fargo ND). More than half the population of the Fargo area is unchurched, de-churched, or claim no religious affiliation.
This summer churches in the Missouri Baptist Convention, Missouri Baptist Biker Fellowship, and LifeChurch Fargo are partnering together to host an outreach geared toward the motorcycle and hot rod community; the Show and Shine will be held Monday June 22, at the Red River Valley Fair Grounds in West Fargo.
The event consists of: a car and bike show, inflatables, face painting, clown and balloon animals, food (being prepared by MO Baptist Disaster Relief), prizes, and the chance to win a custom built Café Racer motorcycle.
This event is so important to LifeChurch for several reasons; first it is a huge bridge building opportunity for us to reach into a large portion of the population that no church in the area is reaching out to. It is another opportunity for LifeChurch to plug into and serve our community. It also serves as a way for us to gauge the openness and receptivity of car and bike enthusiasts to gospel centered community.
Leaders like Tim Brown need our participation, intercession and support. You already financially support his work through your church’s Cooperative Program giving that flows to the North American Mission Board and then out to church planters all across this nation and Canada. His work and others like it need our participation, the rubbing shoulders in the work of reaching the Heartland with the Gospel.
Evangelicals are “slim pickins” north of Missouri. The heartland is “ripe unto harvest but the laborers are few” (Matt. 9:37). Pray and ask the Lord to send the laborers, even short termers to assist those who are planting their lives in these areas for the sake of the Gospel.
Southern Baptist Convention Registration Change
On March 2, Online Registration opened for the Southern Baptist Convention in Columbus, Ohio (June 16-17). More than 80% of messengers use the online preferred method of registration at www.sbcannualmeeting.net. You may also use the older method of acquiring the registration cards from the MBC. If so, you may request them through Carla Stegeman in the Executive Director’s office. If you have any questions regarding SBC registration, contact Jim Wells, SBC Registration Secretary at jwells@mobaptist.org.
Prayer Across Missouri Prayer Summits
There are two “Praying Across Missouri Prayer Summits” this month. One is hosted by the Northeast Missouri Baptist Associations and Hannibal LaGrange University, Saturday, April 18th at HLGU from 10 am to 2 pm. The Southeast Missouri Prayer Summit is hosted by the Southeast Associations at the Fruitland Community Church, Tuesday evening, April 21st at 6:30 pm. Participants can expect praise and worship, challenges from the Scripture and concentrated prayer for Revival and Spiritual Awakening. “Oh, that Thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down . . . that the nations may tremble at Thy presence.” Isaiah 64:1-2