Anchor Point Church plant - August 23

August 23 Jeanne and I joined the Anchor Church Plant, which is presently meeting in a Lions Club building in Centerport, PA.

The desired target community of Shoemakersville is where Anchor Point members would like to see a new congregation. In July, Ron Goff, lay leader for Anchor Point, the mission group made a request of the township to meet in a building in Shoemakersville. The township officials denied the request without giving a clear reason. At church this Sabbath, Ron shared that the day after the denial, he had been with his parents-in-law for their 50th anniversary. While with them, he learned the story of the “Riverwalk” in the center of San Antonio, TX, a beautiful downtown region of inter-connected wandering canals, walkways, trees, plants, stores, office buildings, hotels and restaurants that has become an attractive tourist destination, and makes center-city San Antonio one of the most attractive downtown regions in the country. When the engineer who was the architect and had the vision for the Riverwalk first proposed it to the city in 1929 no one thought is was a good idea. However, in 1939 WPA funding was offered for the engineers concept and work was begun on the Riverwalk. When the Riverwalk was completed, the engineer’s firm was the only business/office located on the Riverwalk and it wasn’t until 1946 before the second office was located there. Today, anywhere along the Riverwalk is prime real estate.

Ron’s observation to the Anchor Point group today, was that it was just one day after the township denied the Church Plant approval to meet at the location they had requested, he learned the story of this engineer who had the vision for San Antonio’s Riverwalk. Sometimes we need to be persistent, not give up, and keep continuing to work toward a goal that others may not recognized has any value. Especially, I would add, when we are church planting. Church planting is one of God’s directed way of enlarging the kingdom of Heaven. And the evil one will oppose the enlarging of the kingdom of God at every step. So, when it comes to Church Planting, let us not become weary in well doing. Let us press ahead, even if it takes years, for the vision God gives, will catch hold, and will mean the salvation of many precious souls.

Mt. Jewett and Derrick City August 16

August 16 Lynn Gatz invited me to share the worship hour message with his churches as he had to be away caring for the necessary family issues surrounding the loss of his father.

During the Service in Derrick City, several testimonies where shared about the ministry taking place at the County Fair and ending that night.

After last year’s PA Conference Equipping University, the Derrick City Church members in attendance with their pastor went home and asked God and each other what they could do together for outreach. They were led to utilized a booth at the Fair in a specific outreach way. The whole booth is filled with message books and magazines which they pass out, and which are eagerly requested. They play two CD films on large TV monitors simultaneously, one showing either Kenneth Cox, Shawn Boonstra or Doug Bachelor, and the other a CD film about Pathfinders and Adventurers from the Oshkosh camporee. Most of their Adventurer club is made up of non-church members. They also had a drawing last year and this year at the Fair to give away 2 Three Angels Broadcasting satellite receiver systems and they get a large amount of names for those. The names received are then followed up with offers for Bible studies. Before the Fair is over, the church members also give our spiritual books and materials to the carnival workers. These traveling carnival workers seemed to really appreciate that someone took time to give them personal attention.

Pictured at the Derrick City Church are: Karen Ames, Jan Graffius, Melinda Tyler and some of the youth who have ministered at the Fair booth.

ASI -- August 6 - 9

Last week, Jeanne and I attended the annual ASI convention in Tampa, FL. Here are some highlights of that we shared in:

* Over $8 million was pledged on Sabbath for various ASI mission projects, including the One Day Church building project which I will tell you more about below.

* Met with the General Manager of 3ABN and discussed ways to increase broadcast coverage in Pennsylvania.

* Served on the Board of “The Hope of Survivors”(THOS) which had its meeting Thursday morning at ASI. The Hope of Survivors (a Seventh-day Adventist supporting ministry) ministers directly to victims abused by Pastors of any denomination. THOS helps to restore and even bring back to church fellowship, women who never thought they would ever attend church again.

* Met and talked at length with Gary Gibbs, director of Hope TV, the GC sponsored TV Ministry. Pray for HOPE right now as they are close to being available to 17 million new households in the US.

* Met with the director of a NAD ministry that might have some job opportunities for students at BMA

* Heard inspiring messages by Jim Gilley, Mark Finley, Shawn Boonstra.

* Talked with Shawn Boonstra regarding a good potential for him to conduct a metro-wide evangelistic meeting in Philadelphia or Allentown.

* Attended the NAD President’s council with Don Schneider. Items discussed were legal issues surrounding church plants and conference ownership of buildings and properties, stipends and courtesy payroll issues, cost-of-living raise discussions, and the year of evangelism for 2009.

* A recently re-converted couple who have come back to the SDA Church in Vermont, were guests at our supper table, and told us that they had attend the PA Conference camp meeting this summer, and how it blessed them. They were especially excited about the Family Worship segment.

AN ASI ATTENDEE GAVE US HER PERSONAL TESTIMONY REGARDING HER LAY PASTOR-LED CHURCH

As we were attending the ASI convention in Tampa, Florida, Jeanne and I happened to sit next to Kathie Shanahan at supper Thursday evening. After we met at our assigned supper table seat, I learned that Kathie is a nurse from Vero Beach, FL. Her church is a very small church by Florida standards, about 30 attending. She was excited to tell me that one of the best things to happen to their church was to have a lay pastor! I asked her why? She said, “A lay pastor lets the church be the church. Pastors start things and ministries, but then they are gone. Now, with a lay pastor, it helps us to have to do the work. And the Conference gives us more funding for evangelism. Also, now there are more of us in the church who can preach. You can’t believe how successful it is. We had the best evangelistic series we ever had, and we are planning to do it again.”

ASI 1 DAY CHURCH PROJECT

Each day 11 new SDA church buildings are needed around the world. One pastor is wishing that his members would not have to walk more than 10 miles each way to their church building. There is a need for 400 church buildings just in this coming year alone.

ASI has started a “One Day Church” project which provides a roof and steel frame that can easily be erected on location and the local church can start meeting under the roof and finish the church building. The structure is earthquake proof. It is made of 14 gauge galvanized steel, manufactured and formed in the US, then shipped in a box/container measuring 20” x 20” x 7’ and weighing 1,240 lbs. The only tools needed for assembly in one day, on site are a drill, hacksaw and pliers. This church building will seat 150 and only costs $3,000.00 to manufacture. Shipping is very reasonable. Right now, there are matching funds available that will go dollar-for-dollar, so for every $1,500.00 contributed, matching funds will provide the rest to supply a church.

Wouldn’t it be great for a church family or SS class in PAS to sponsor a 1 Day church or to join with another PA church to sponsor a 1 Day church.

Right now there are 40-50,000 church families in need of a building that could benefit from this, with more church plants coming on line every day.