Ministry Highlight - Missions

       Rene and I were walking through “The Garden”, this morning as we read of Esau
after Jacob leaves for Paddam-aram. (Genesis 28:6-9) Esau had turned his back on
his “Birth-right”. He no longer could receive the Blessing, just as God had foretold
to Rebekah. The older would serve the younger. The blessing is singular and travels
in one seed. Even in a set of twins. It cannot be split. There is one Way and one
Door. Even after Esau is told this and cannot get it, though he seeks it with weeping
and tears, he sees that Jacob obeys and that the Canaanite women displease Rebekah.
Through this, Isaac hears his wife and acts accordingly. Esau thinks, “Jacob got the
blessing. Jacob obeyed and avoided the Canaanite women. If I do the same, I will get
a blessing.” The whole world, and particularly Christians, think along this line. “If I
obey and if I avoid sin, then I will be blessed.” There is only one Blessing. God ordains
it to travel in one family only. It has continued in that line forever. We are all outside
of that family. However, John 1:12-13 says “But to all who did receive Him, who
believed in His name, He gave the RIGHT to become children of God, who
were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but
of God.” What glorious news! We can be in the Family! We can receive the Blessing!
Not by obedience or by avoiding sin (if these were possible) but, by the gift of God.
He gave us the “right”. This word for right, exousia, means “the power of choice”
(liberty of doing as one pleases/the power of rule). This now made the whole idea of
“choosing Jesus” make sense to us. If we believe in Him, He gives us the power to rule
over ourselves and to choose Him over our most desired god, our self. There is only one
choice. Me or God. I choose God. Thanks be to God alone!
       What does this have to do with missions? Well, if you believe, you have the right to join
the family. But how will you believe if you do not have faith? Faith is indeed a gift from
God but it comes through hearing the Word. How will you hear if someone does not
tell you? And how can someone tell you if they are not sent and do not go? This is His
Mission. He commands us to tell others... our family, our town, our nation, our world.
You choose where you will go and where you will send others. You choose how you
will apply your prayers and God given resources. The mission team is here to help you
walk through this. We all have to tell others the Good News. We have the Right to be
Children of God and inherit the blessing.
       NLCC mission team is in a new season. I am moving out of the chair and Ben Wilson
has agreed to step in and continue to lead us as we seek to do God’s will. I have
thoroughly enjoyed the years of service and look forward to continuing with missions
and the team in the years to come God willing. The following is a summary of the
mission team to this point.
       NLCC supports 12 missionary Families. To keep everyone up to date and informed, we post their biographies and newsletters on the wall at the back of the sanctuary, and some are posted online through Connect. The Mission team has many “connectors”. People willing to partner more closely with the missionary family to connect their hearts with the hearts of the people of the church. Their task is to try and keep everyone up to date and to coordinate needs and requests.
       In the fellowship area you will find plastic table bios with prayer requests and praises from various missionaries throughout the year. Fellowship time is an excellent time to read about the missionaries and share with others about the mission. This provides a means of extending ourselves in the Lord’s work and joining together with the body of Christ through our prayer and God given resources. You don’t need to travel to commit yourself to God’s mission. We have the privilege of participating right where we are, in the work and testimony of the Lord.
       Often, we get the chance to have missionaries visit. It is our goal to have each missionary present once a year in person or by a video, often occurring on Rice and Beans Sunday. “Adopt-a-Missionary”. This is an opportunity for individuals to get involved with specific missionaries as they feel called. New Life firmly believes that it is not only the responsibility of the corporate body to get involved in missionary work, but it is the direct call and enabling of God on each individual to go and make disciples of all nations. 1Corinthians 12:7 “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” We are developing an Adopt a Missionary webpage. Look forward to it in the near future.
       The mission team is a group of interested, like-minded believers gathering for monthly meetings in the Word, supporting the mission, organizing ideas and supporting local or overseas mission groups. In the process we desire to develop deeper relationship in the body with God and others. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

To God alone be the Glory!!
Lorraine and Rene

“... missions is the overflow of love from the enjoyment of divine fellowship “ - “Overflow,” by Michael Reeves (pg. 56)