Prayer Guide of Missions and Ministries out of the Piedmont Okefenokee Baptist Association

Transcription

1 Prayer Guide of Missions and Ministries out of the Piedmont Okefenokee Baptist Association

2 Piedmont Okefenokee Association of Southern Baptist Churches Astoria Atkinson Beulah Bridge Community Bristol Browntown Calvary Camp Pinckney Central Crawford Street Deenwood Emmanuel FBC Blackshear FBC Folkston FBC Nahunta FBC St. George FBC Waycross Grace Chapel Hacklebarney Harvest Community Haywood Hebardville Hephzibah Hickox Hoboken Jamestown King Memorial Laura Chapel Lee s Chapel Liberty Lulaton Manor Community Mary Street Mission Mershon Millwood Mt. Calvary New Haven New Union Newbern Newell Nueva Vida Oak Hill Offerman Parkway Patterson Pebble Hill Pine Grove Pineview Pleasant Hill Pleasant Valley Rehobeth Riverside Chapel Sand Hill Satilla Second Shady Grove South Gate Spring Hill Sweat Memorial Sweetwater Ten Mile Twin Rivers Walkerville Ware Terrace Waynesville West Carswell Williams Chapel Winokur Youmans Chapel

3 Day 1 POBA Churches with no Pastor The Piedmont Okefenokee Baptist Association is composed of 67 churches and 2 missions in six counties. The following churches are without a pastor: Hephzibah Pleasant Valley Hoboken Jamestown Twin Rivers West Carswell Pineview

4 Day 2 Appalachian Regional Ministry (A.R.M.) A.R.M. is a Cooperative Program (CP) ministry of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the Woman's Missionary Union (WMU). A.R.M. is supported through CP Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO). Purpose...Appalachian Regional Ministry is an intentional missions response to the spiritual and physical needs of persons living in the Appalachian region to mobilize Southern Baptists and their resources to provide ministries, to evangelize the lost, to assist existing churches and to start new churches in the multi state region of Appalachia. Vision...To accelerate missions and to strengthen and establish Southern Baptist work in Appalachia. Appalachian Regional Ministry will come along side existing state convention and associational strategies and processes to resource and accelerate missions development, church growth, and the coordinated mobilization of missions volunteers. The ministry's action plan is to cooperate with associations and churches in identifying mission needs and opportunities, and to solicit volunteer requests for local and national promotion. Objective...The objectives of the ministry are to meet needs, share Christ, and start new churches among all people of the twelve state region.

5 Day 3 Jamaica Mission Trip FBC Waycross We will be taking 35 youth and chaperones to Jamaica the week of July 8 14, We will be involved in ministries such as Vacation Bible School, Construction, and leading in Bible Study / Worship. We ask that folks would specifically pray that / for: * God to use us as a real tool to further His kingdom * That our youth would gain a real hunger for missions both locally and abroad * Safety as we travel and do ministry * That this would be a life altering experience for all involved Romans 10:14 15

6 Day 4 Mary Street Mission The Mary Street Mission is a benevolence ministry of the Piedmont Okefenokee Baptist Association. The mission of Mary Street Mission is to provide for the physical and spiritual needs of those who contact the mission. 258 people have been helped as of March Sixteen individuals have made professions of faith and two have rededicated their live to Christ. Mary Street Mission opened in Volunteers serve as counselors to provide spiritual support and assistance with utilities and food, as well as some other needs. To serve as a counselor or for donations or to deliver food items contact Johnny Ware at Food Donations: Rice Beans Noodles Peanut Butter Canned Meat Canned Vegetables Powdered Milk Baby Food Spaghetti Sauce Canned Fruit

7 Day 5 Disaster Relief Disaster Relief is a ministry based approach to impacting people for the Kingdom of God. Our motto of Serving Christ in Crisis has two implications: We serve Christ to those persons who are victims of disaster. When we minister to persons in need, we are serving Christ (Matthew 25:40) The goal of Disaster Relief is to provide some measure of normalcy for the victims of a disaster event. Disaster Relief focuses on five areas of ministry: Chaplaincy Child Care Clean Up & Recovery Communications Feeding

8 Day 6 Jahr People, Nigeria Calvary, Deenwood, FBC Folkston If you have listened to the news in the last month you would have heard the city of Jos, Nigeria mentioned as a place where bombings have taken place. This city is home to Unity Baptist Church which is partnering with the 3 churches in our association to reach the Jahr people. The partnership began in 2008 and 5 mission trips have taken place. 1. Vision trip 2. Jesus Film shown in 2 villages 3. Discipleship and evangelism 4. Evangelism and new villages discovered 5. Leadership training Two trips are planned for the fall of 2012: 1. Evangelism & medical trip 2. Discipleship training By cooperating together these three churches are successfully engaging the Jahr. Please contact any of these churches for mission trip information.

9 Day 7 AWANA & UPWARD Soccer FBC Folkston Please pray for our ministry and outreach toward young adults and families with children. We reach many children through AWANA and Upward soccer but have not found many of the parents to be receptive. This is one of our greatest areas of need. +Pray for young adults and parents to be receptive to the gospel and lead their families +Pray for God to bring together a core of young parents for small group/sunday school + Pray that we will faithfully make the gospel known in this age group in our community. Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4 7

10 Day 8 Project HELP Woman s Missionary Union GBC Project Help Child Safe Zone: Hotel Project Many hotels, unknowingly to managers and staff, have become places used by predators where our children are forced into prostitution. Georgia Baptist women have been asked to rise to the challenge of approaching every hotel in every community of our state to make sure managers and staff are aware of the issues and know how to respond. Women will be prepared to make presentations to hotels in their community urging them to become Child Safe Zones. They will be equipped to train others in their local church or community on how to present Child Safe Zone materials to hotel managers and staff. Through a specific reporting process a listing of hotels that have chosen to become Child Safe Zones will be available.

11 Day 9 End Slavery in the 21st Century Bridge Community College Ministry The PROBLEM: Human trafficking is an organized criminal industry that affects every nation. While the statistics can seem overwhelming, it is important to remember that every number represents the life of a victim. The A21 Campaign has recognized a significant need in the region of Europe, and is committed to combating this injustice through rescuing one life at a time. A21 SOLUTION: Prevent people from being trafficked Protect and support those who have been trafficked Prosecute traffickers, and strengthen legal responses to trafficking Partner with law enforcement, service providers and community members to provide a comprehensive front against trafficking.

12 Day 10 Hands to Work FBC Blackshear The Hands To Work ministry is made up of a group of women who sew, crochet or knit, make yarn dolls, string salvation bracelets and necklaces, sew pillowcase dresses for girls and summer shorts for boys, and make signature mission gift bags. Christmas 2011, ladies made and donated 454 gift bags and 306 warm colorful crocheted scarves to the International Seaman s House in Brunswick, GA. Ladies filled 300 bags with personal items, crocheted scarves and other donated items. The ministry has been active with this project for 18 years under the leadership of Bessie Thrift and Amelia Pearson. The Hands To work ladies meet on Wednesday mornings for a time of fellowship, prayer, work, and a nice lunch break at noon. This group stays busy making items for the first Baptist mission teams going to Haiti, Africa, Honduras, etc. Each article is made with love, God s love, and love of the church and prayed over by the ladies. This has been a tremendous outreach that has touched lives throughout the community and on mission fields. We love our hand talented women and appreciate the church donating monetary gifts or sewing items.

13 Day 11 Baptists 4 Haiti On Tuesday January 12, 2010 at 4:34 pm the nation of Haiti was ravaged with an earthquake that measured 7.0. The epicenter of this earthquake was in the town of Léogâne; the residents of Léogâne or the nation of Haiti will never be the same. So far for the year 2012 we have slated for 26 Churches and 75 homes to be rebuilt and that is where you come in. In partnership with the Georgia Baptist Convention, Baptists 4 Haiti, Inc. is continuing the ministry started by GBC Disaster Relief. We are looking for at least 100 churches and organizations to partner with us to carry on God s Mission to the people of Leogane, Haiti. We are asking for each church to contribute at least $1,000 dollars, pray, and send teams in the year Will you see that your church is able to help? Either by partnering or sending teams or both!

14 Day 12 Clothes Closet Calvary Baptist Church What began as the Distribution Center for our association now is the clothes closet ministry of Calvary Baptist in Waycross. The ministry is open every Tuesday from 9am 12 noon. Please pray for those using this ministry as they hear the great message of the gospel with each visit. Calvary welcomes those who desire to serve alongside them in this ministry opportunity.

15 Day 13 Kingdom Care Kingdom Care is a Christian, volunteer based, free healthcare clinic. The medical, dental and vision care (provided by volunteer professional and laypersons) is provided at no charge to those meeting eligibility requirements. The focus of Kingdom Care is the working uninsured and underinsured, including ministers and ministerial staff. Helping meet healthcare needs continues to be Kingdom Care s mission. Helping patients realize their need for a personal relationship with Jesus is the heart of Kingdom Care and is as important to the ministry as meeting physical needs. Our prayer: that we will continue to minister out of a heart of compassion and that many will come to know Jesus through Kingdom Care. We pray for continued resources to meet the needs of our patients. We pray for financial support for sustainability. Matthew 9:35 38

16 Day 14 N.E. Perimeter Church Planting Initiative Vision: We are committed to spreading God s glory through planting healthy, reproducing churches along the northeast rim of I 285 Mission: In order to accomplish this work, we want to engage churches to adopt multi family housing villages with the end result being, the planting of reproducible churches capable of reaching their own and other communities. What do we do now? Come explore a village, hear from God, and respond to what He says about engaging in this work of planting churches along the northeast rim of I 285. If you are interested in more information or to schedule a vision trip, please contact: Kevin Riley: Chris Fowler: riley10sdad@aol.com chris@northpeachtree.org

17 Day 15 Build the Nations, South Africa FBC Blackshear FBC Blackshear is assisting in funding to build The Lighthouse on the campus of Building the Nations, to house orphan children. There are now 7 children in this orphanage sponsored by individuals and organizations from FBC Blackshear. These children are funded also to attend the School of Tomorrow, Venda, South Africa in Shyandima. Build the Nations is a Christian organization founded in 2002 by Brad Palmer and other like minded visionaries. We work together with other ministries in the world, building the nations by putting righteousness into people's lives and hearts through training, teaching, and discipling according to God's word, the Bible! Build the Nations is non denominational and aims to make a difference to this generation and the next. Our primary ministry is to advance the Christian faith, to further Christian Education in Africa and the world, and to help bring relief to the poor.

18 7 Steps to Connect to a People Group From a missions perspective, a PEOPLE GROUP is the largest group through which the Gospel can flow without encountering significant barriers of understanding and acceptance. An UNREACHED PEOPLE GOUP (UPG) is defined as one that has less than 2 percent evangelical Christians. Your church can play a key role in bringing an unreached people group to Christ. 1. Pray for God s guidance: As with any spiritual endeavor, your search for an unreached people group (UPG) must begin with prayer. 2. Discover your church s natural affinity (DNA) Do you already have a connection with an IMB missionary? Has a missionary been sent from your church? Do you have a parent or children of missionaries who are members? Has a team been on a mission trip where they felt a connection to the people group(s)? 3. Determine your church s expectations: The foundation for missions is prayer. To be a prayer partner call (888) or find prayer resources at Is your church ready to pray and connect with a missionary whose assignment includes a UPG on the mission field by going on multiple volunteer trips?

19 Is your church ready to pray and become the missionary to a UPG that has no missionary working among them? Visit 4. Identify a missions team: Who are the individuals in your church who have expressed interest and/ or demonstrated a heart for missions? Share your vision of a mission team that will lead the church to engage the unreached peoples of the world locally and globally. 5. Investigate opportunities: Do your research and prepare your teams. Are there volunteer opportunities now available that might help you discover the UPG or area of the world where God is leading you? Has the GBC or POBA selected an UPG? Work, train and serve with others nearby who share your growing passion. 6. Celebrate God s direction and victories: Once you have selected your people group, follow God s leadership, find ways to bring the whole church into the process and meet with church leaders to plan a celebration time. As God gives them, continue to celebrate victories throughout the year. 7. Communicate, follow through and keep commitments: Communicate with field personnel. Connect with other churches to multiply your efforts. Keep your commitments. Building trust is vital.

20 Day 16 Spiritual Awakening Emphasis Plans are underway for an association wide emphasis on spiritual awakening in April An introduction will be made at S Night. It is the leadership s desire that each church desiring to participate will intentionally prepare themselves to hear from God by walking through intentional steps to humble ourselves, seek God, repent, forgive, pray and prepare ourselves so that when God moves we will not miss Him because we are waiting expectantly in anticipation of seeing transformation that only He can effect in our lives. Resources will be made available to guide the local church in a process of preparation for spiritual awakening.

21 Day 17 Women on Mission Sewing Group Pleasant Valley Baptist Pray for: The Women on Mission Sewing Group God to bless their hands as they work The children and young people who receive the items made by this group A desire for greater missions involvement

22 Day 18 Central Asian Peoples Many of the exciting developments in Central Asia grow out of healthy partnerships of local churches with missionaries on the field. There is so much that God is calling his church to do in Central Asia. If all Central Asian peoples are going to have an opportunity to respond to the gospel of God's grace, it is going to take specific and targeted partnership of all those called to the task. Central Asia has worked with a variety of churches in many different levels of partnership. Each partnership is unique and will depend on the church and the field partner. If you would like to begin exploring a partnership with Central Asia or with one of our people group teams, please contact our Richmond Associates for the Peoples of Central Asia at and they will put you in touch with our Personalization Staff.

23 Day 19 Deaf Peoples International Mission Board (IMB) categorizes the Deaf globally as a people group and not as individual segments of the majority populations of each country... Generally accepted definitions of a people group include terms like "ethno linguistic group," "common self identity," "shared cultural patterns among various members," and "unique." The Joshua Project defines a people group as "a significantly large sociological grouping of individuals who perceive themselves to have a common affinity with one another." The Deaf share a language. The Deaf share a common culture. The Deaf perceive themselves as a people group. More than 225 million people in the world are unable to hear well enough to rely on hearing to process information. Within that number 31 million Deaf function inside unique cultures and languages that supersede other ethnic distinctions.

24 Day 20 East Asian Peoples One of the most heart wrenching verses which keeps our personnel striving to do everything within their power and resources to make a difference in the eternal destiny of East Asian peoples is found in Psalm 9:17. It says, The wicked shall be turned into hell, with all the nations that forget God. The sad reality is not that they don t remember or that they have put God out of their minds, rather they are totally oblivious that God, through Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World exists. They are unaware, because their minds have never been enlightened by the truth of the Gospel. Many of these people have never even heard the first time! You play a vital part in this work in changing the numbers among East Asian people destined for an eternity separated from God in hell. The first thing that the Apostle Paul urged us to do was pray every way we know how, and for everyone we know, because this is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:3 4). I implore you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ, to agonize together with me in your prayers on behalf of these people.

25 Day 21 European Peoples In post Christian Western Europe and post Communist Eastern Europe, Christianity has all but been destroyed and desperately needs to be rebuilt. Europeans show little interest in traditional religion. The vast majority has either never heard the gospel or has rejected it. Although the work of spreading the Good News among these people is challenging, there is evidence that God is at work. Approximately 700 Southern Baptist supported missionaries are currently living and sharing their faith among the world s 817 million Europeans. Through their efforts, 150,000 Europeans heard the gospel in 2010 and 6,500 placed their faith in Christ. 11,000 were baptized, 300 new outreach groups started, 130 churches planted, and new work began among 3 unreached people groups. Praise the Lord for this progress. With hundreds of thousands of Europeans continuing to live in darkness, however, there is much work still to be done. Will you help to advance the Kingdom by passionately interceding that these people will become hungry for God and receptive to the gospel? Pray that missionaries will be encouraged and strengthened as they do the good work of spreading the gospel. If the Lord has burdened your heart for Europeans, please consider adopting a people group for which you will commit to pray regularly and seek to reach, as He leads.

26 Day 22 North Africa & Middle East Peoples Prayer is the foundation for all that is being accomplished among NAME peoples. It is key to the spread of the Gospel and the advancement of His Kingdom. Pray and fast alongside us for the NAME peoples around the world. 584 North African and Middle Eastern people groups are unengaged, unreached meaning nobody is working intentionally to reach them with the gospel right now.

27 Day 23 South Asia Peoples How do you pray for these people? Look to the life of Jesus Christ as a guide. Many of the challenges these missionaries face are the result of living in a different culture. No one ever has crossed cultures like our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the study of His walk on earth, the Holy Spirit will teach you how to pray for those serving anonymously in other cultures. Begin today by reflecting on John 1:14. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us... John 1:14 NIV

28 Day 24 Southeast Asian Peoples Southeast Asia is home to over 2,800 people groups. Of this number, 385 are still unengaged and unreached people groups (UUPGs). You are a part of all work going on in Southeast Asia not only are you a part through giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering, giving to special projects, or by going on trips, but you are an important part through the ministry of prayer. American Peoples If you equate American with U.S. citizens, broaden your thinking to include peoples identified primarily with all of North, Central and South America, as well as nearby islands. Think, for instance, of the modern day descendants of the ancient civilizations of the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas. There are 519 unreached people groups among the American peoples. 327 of these are unengaged.

29 Day 25 Sub Saharan African Peoples 2,845 people groups Around 835 million total population 22% Muslim, 35% Christian, 41% African Traditional Religion Generally value relationships more than any schedule, and friendly foreigners are typically welcomed warmly. A diversity of people including well educated business professionals, subsistence farmers, nomadic herders, fishermen and a large number of individuals who face challenges from civil unrest, disease and famine. A large number of Sub Saharan Africans live in major urban centers around the globe but maintain strong ties with family and friends in their home countries The geographical region of Sub Saharan Africa ranges from rain forests to barren deserts to mega cities and tropical islands. Christianity has impacted many Sub Saharan African peoples. Still, hundreds of people groups have never heard the Gospel. Access to the truth is often hindered by extremely rough terrain or cultural barriers that are difficult to overcome.

30 Day 26 Georgia Baptist Convention Purpose The Georgia Baptist Convention is a living partnership of churches growing in grace, strengthening one another in faith and working together in obedience to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Values Based Upon The Bible Driven By Evangelism Committed To Missions Empowered By Worship Focused On Church Growth Engaged in Christian Education Excelling In Leadership Development Compelled By Cooperation Vision The Georgia Baptist Convention will achieve its purpose by God's grace, through the power of the Holy Spirit, under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and guided by God's Word, the Bible. Georgia Baptist Churches will be assisted in the pursuit of this vision by a Convention Staff comprised of increasingly highly trained, creative consultants clustered in integrated, field based ministry teams committed to quality performance, devoted service and fiscal efficiency.

31 Day 27 STEPUP Ecuador Since churches and 29 people have participated in the partnership in addition to 7 people from a church in our neighboring association have partnered to share the gospel with the unreached Quichua of the Imbabura Province. A total of 15 villages and towns have been prayer walked and where Bibles have been distributed. A pastor s conference was conducted in 2009 providing training to 10 Ecuadorian pastors. God has used the Piedmont Okefenokee association as a catalyst in initiating worship services in two villages and Bible studies in 5 additional villages. On May 27th the 6th mission trip begins. Three new people from two additional churches in our association join in reaching the Imbabura Quichua. We will continue with the strategy God has shown us which involves prayerwalking and Bible distribution in villages needing an evangelical worship opportunity. As God provides, the team will offer training for a local believer to continue leading Bible studies after the departure of the mission team from the area.

32 Day 28 North American Mission Board & Annie Armstrong Easter Offering The North American Mission Board (NAMB) exists to work with churches, associations and state conventions in mobilizing Southern Baptists as a missional force to impact North American with the gospel of Jesus Christ through evangelism and church planting. Southern Baptist Convention Ministry Assignments to NAMB: Appointment and Support of Missionaries Evangelism Establishment of New Congregations Christian Social Ministries Volunteer Missions Missions and Missions Education Communicating the Gospel Through Technology Strengthening Associations Disaster Relief The Cooperative Program is the primary method by which Southern Baptist churches provide regular support to state convention missions efforts and national agencies and institutions including the North American Mission Board. Cooperative Program funds are supplemented at the two Southern Baptist mission entities through special offerings that make up a significant portion of the missions budget, including the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering

33 Day 29 International Mission Board Mission: Our mission is to make disciples of all people in fulfillment of the Great Commission. Vision: Our vision is a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ. As of March 2012 the IMB has 4, 827 appointed personnel. These personnel are supported through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. The Church is called to be on mission. Missions locally and globally is not an option for any church, it is the universal command from the very lips of God Himself (Acts 1:8). A church s effectiveness in missions is not measured by its SIZE, it is measured by its HEART.

34 Day 30 Southern Baptist Convention PURPOSE eliciting, combining, and directing the energies of the Baptist denomination of Christians, for the propagation of the gospel, any law, usage, or custom to the contrary not withstanding. MISSION STATEMENT As a convention of churches, our missional vision is to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations. Since its organization in 1845 in Augusta, Georgia, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has grown to over 16 million members who worship in more than 45,000 churches in the United States. Southern Baptists sponsor about 5,000 missionaries serving the United States and its territories, Canada, and the Caribbean, as well as sponsoring more than 5,000 foreign missionaries in 153 nations of the world. Working through 1,175 local associations and 42 state conventions, Southern Baptists share a common bond of basic Biblical beliefs and a commitment to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world.

35 Day 31 Ministries of the Piedmont Okefenokee Baptist Association Administrative Team Discipleship & Ministry Team Continuing Education Discipleship Ministry Moral & Civic Concerns Music Ministry Senior Adult Ministry Youth Ministry Evangelism Team Evangelism Sunday School Vacation Bible School Mary Street Mission Team Missions Team Woman s Missionary Union Men s Ministries Royal Ambassadors Prayer Team Piedmont Okefenokee Association Staff

36 MISSION STATEMENT The Piedmont Okefenokee Baptist Association exists to equip, enable, serve, and encourage a cooperating partnership of Southern Baptist Churches to effectively build the kingdom of God through evangelism, missions, discipleship, ministry and prayer. Piedmont Okefenokee Baptist Association 2104 Alice Street Waycross, GA