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January 31, 2013
2013 Missions Application
January 18, 2013
2013 Mission Trip Opportunities
Apex Baptist Church
2013 Summer Mission Trip Sketches
INDIA TRIP
Where: Tenkasi, India
When: June 13-21, 2013
Point Person: Ron Fincher - ron.fincher@rsfincher.com
Who: Adults only – Bible teachers & leaders
Cost: Airfare, room & board - $2200 - $2500.
Registration deadline: ASAP
Also: Each team member will send out a minimum of 20 support letters to enlist prayer and possible financial support. Yes, you may send these to your life group members and Apex Baptist Church members with which you have a close connection. We will supply you with a sample support letter.
Passport required? Yes
What we will do: We will lead a Bible Conference for Emmanuel Ministries, one of our long time ministry partners. From Sunday through Thursday, we will teach classes on books of the Bible, Bible doctrine, pastoral care, leadership, counseling, etc. to the Bible College teachers & students, local pastors, and the high & middle school teachers & students. In the evenings we will lead outreach services with the local churches. Pastor John Mark and Chuck Thompson are both excited about serving on this first trip of this kind for Apex Baptist Church.
Other notes: We want at least 10 members on this team so we can get a group rate on our airline tickets. Sheri Fincher will help us get our Visas. Some of you may want to get some inoculations, and we will provide you with a list of those recommended.
MICHIGAN TRIP
Where: Dearborn, Michigan
When: June 13-17
Point Person: Nathan Stam – Nathan@apexbaptist.org
Who: Families (even with elementary aged children), youth, college students & adults.
Costs: Travel, room & board, food - $650-$700
Registration Deadline: March 1
Also: Each team member will send out a minimum of 20 support letters to enlist prayer and possible financial support. Yes, you may send these to your life group members and Apex Baptist Church members with which you have a close connection. We will supply you with a sample support letter.
What will we do? Each year on Father’s Day weekend, the American Arab Chamber of Commerce hosts a street festival for the citizens of Dearborn, Michigan. This 3 day event is a free, family-centered, cultural celebration that will attract more than 300,000 people from Michigan, the Midwest and Canada. This celebration of Cultures will feature ethnic performances representing the diverse heritage of the people of Metropolitan Detroit. We will be serving the Arab people through providing hospitality during the festival, food services, set up and tear down of booths & exhibits, operating a children’s tent, etc. We will also spend time prayer walking and engaging those we serve as opportunities arise. It’s a perfect family trip! If you would like to be a part of this trip contact Nathan Stam ASAP.
Other notes: It is a privilege to go and minister to the Arabs in order that they might come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. These workdays will be long, but rewarding!
CALABASH TRIP
Where: Calabash, NC
When: June 14-16
Point person: Matt Wyatt – Matt@apexbaptist.org , 362-6176 x236
Who: Families (even with elementary aged children), youth, college students & adults.
Team size: Maximum 27
Costs: 2 nights in a motel plus meals (being determined)
Registration deadline: May 12
What we will do: Our primary task for this trip is to help River of Life Baptist Church (ROLBC) promote its Vacation Bible School, but we will help them in any way that we can. Tentative plans include conducting at least 2 block parties and distributing VBS promotional materials in targeted neighborhoods. If you want to help with their VBS, June 17-21, that can probably be arranged.
Other notes: The pastor of ROLBC, Tom Gore, left Apex Baptist Church to become a church planter. He and his family have planted a church in New Hampshire and are now doing the same in Calabash. Our Lord is blessing & stirring in ROLBC. After just a couple of years, it looks like they may be building a facility they can call their own!
GUATEMALA TRIP
Where: Guatemala City, Guatemala
When: July 22-27, 2013
Point person: Pastor John Mark Harrison
Contact person – Amanda Forsythe – Amanda@apexbaptist.org - 362-6176 x222
Who: Adults and college & senior high students
Team size: 15-20 persons
Cost: Airfare, room & board - $1500-1700.
Registration deadline: February 17
Also: Each team member will send out a minimum of 20 support letters to enlist prayer and possible financial support. Yes, you may send these to your life group members and Apex Baptist Church members with which you have a close connection. We will supply you with a sample support letter.
Passport required? Yes
What we will do: This is mostly a mercy ministry trip. We will be help purchase, prepare, serve & clean up after breakfast & lunch meals for 300-500 children each day. In the afternoons & evenings we will engage the community in various ways through activities like: tutoring, community restoration projects, light construction, family photos and sports ministries. Personal evangelism will take place throughout this trip.
Other notes: Speaking Spanish is not required for this trip, but would be helpful. We will be serving in a poverty stricken area, but we will be housed at a local seminary. Some inoculations will be required, and we will provide you with a list of those recommended.
TORONTO TRIP
Where: Toronto, Canada
When: July ??, maybe June ?? To be determined - ASAP
Point person: Chuck Thompson – Chuck@apexbaptist.org
Contact Person: Kimberly Bratton (Kimberly@apexbaptist.org -362-6176 x223)
Who: High School & College Students & Adults
Team size: Maximum of 14
Costs: Flight - $225-300, room & board to be determined ASAP
Registration deadline: to be determined
Also: Each team member will send out a minimum of 20 support letters to enlist prayer and possible financial support. Yes, you may send these to your life group members and Apex Baptist Church members with which you have a close connection. We will supply you with a sample support letter.
Passport required? Yes
What we will do: We will serve with a new church plant in the Toronto area in any way that we can. This may involve door-to-door evangelism, sports clinics, back yard Bible clubs, block parties, prayer walking, community service projects, etc.
Other notes: Apex Baptist Church is joining forces with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and other North Carolina Baptist Churches to help plant churches in Toronto. We are currently in the process of identifying the church plant which we hope to partner with for 3-5 years.
Toronto is the fifth largest city in North America and according to the United Nations, is the most multi-ethnic city in the world. More than half of its population was born outside of Canada. In helping reach this city, we help transform the nation and impact the world.
Most of these 50 church plants that NAMB is supporting in the Toronto area rent their facilities or meet in homes - only 3 have their own buildings. We may be serving downtown or in the suburbs. Our housing may be in a hostile, university suites or motel.
August 14, 2012
August 2, 2012
A Thank You & Ministry Update from Heather Brookshire
I just wanted to thank you again for your financial donation towards my trip to South Africa and all of the prayer support. I had such an amazing trip and was so comforted to know that so many people were supporting and praying for me. God is at work in South Africa and did awesome things in and through our team!
We spent most of our time running, essentially, a day camp for teenagers in Mamelodi, an impoverished township outside of Pretoria. The students (or learners as they are called in South Africa) were on their three week winter break in between semesters and spent their days from about 9am to 3pm with us on one of University of Pretoria’s satellite campuses. My South African co-teacher and I spent the mornings with a small group of about ten ninth graders helping them catch up in Math and English. We provided lunch for all 240 learners in the program, which was an awesome help to them and their families. Then, we spent the afternoons doing workshops with different groups of student, helping them improve their skills in different sports and performing arts. I got the opportunity to help lead the netball workshop with a group of South African co-teachers. Netball is the women’s version of basketball over there; it is basically basketball with no dribbling or backboard. It was such a fun opportunity to bond with some of the female co-teachers and students. I also helped with the debate workshop; it was so cool to hear the learners’ opinions on different issues and on faith.
I formed amazing bonds with my class of ten ninth graders in the mornings. God really gave me so much patience and wisdom in working with them. They were such a crazy, fun, group and I really miss every one of them. They have such loving and generous hearts. One boy came to class one day with some nice Nike shoes on and a few days later he was wearing more worn out shoes. He later told me that he had given his Nikes to a boy he saw walking on the railroad track that did not have any shoes. The generosity and love of people who have so little really convicted me.
I got to have great spiritual conversations with the learners in my class. We went through a tool that Cru uses called Perspective cards with our classes; it gets them thinking and talking about how they view God, where their faith comes from, and who Jesus is. It was so cool to hear them express their faith. Many of them had such a strong faith in God and really knew the gospel even though they had very little Bible knowledge. I got to talk to them about what it means to live life for Christ and how to share their faith. I also got to have amazing one-on-one conversations with a few of them. I got to explain to one boy that he didn’t have to conquer his anger management struggles to be a Christian, that Jesus loves Him right where he is and that God could work miracles in His life. I got to explain to one boy who had such a love for Jesus and desire to follow Him that He didn’t have to do a certain number of good things to get to Heaven that God’s grace and love is enough and he could let go of his struggle to be perfect.
It is so cool to me how similar South African teenagers are to American teenagers; many of them have cell phones, listen to the same music we do, and that desire to be liked and popular transcends cultural boundaries. It was also amazing to meet so many Christians and worship with them in different languages. God is so big and His kingdom crosses all cultures and languages. On the weekends we had many adventures across the country. We got to go on safaris and see zebras, lions, elephants, hippos, and many more animals. I even got to pet and play with baby lions and a cheetah! One Saturday we went on a day trip to Swaziland, a small country inside of South Africa, we got to go on an amazing hike and see the beautiful sunset on top of a mountain. We had so much fun and I formed bonds with the people on my team that will last forever.
This summer was so amazing and I learned so much. God’s timing is so perfect, I have a social work at internship at a middle school this school year and I’m excited to use what I learned to help share God’s love with teenagers in Wilmington. Thank you so much for your support and prayers! If you have more questions or want to know more about my trip feel free to email me at hdb7209@uncw.edu or call me at 919-624-7034.
July 21, 2012
July 20, 2012
Anika Goslen India Update
Oh my goodness, what an amazing week! I am so excited to tell you about all that He’s been doing so far! I have been so overwhelmed with God’s faithfulness in the past three days! He has shown me His ability to work through weakness, and His ability to love like no one else can.
It started on Tuesday. Tuesday was probably one of the longest days I’ve had in a long time. First, the classes I had were very misbehaved. There are four classes in the school that give me trouble, and I had two of those classes on Tuesday. They would not listen, they were screaming the entire time, they were throwing things across the classroom. I have tried absolutely everything I can think of to get them to be well-behaved but nothing has worked so far (still open to any suggestions). I started despairing a little bit, thinking that everything I’ve done is in vain, that they’re never going to learn the things I’m trying to teach them, and so forth. I immediately took these thoughts to God and He told me to be patient and reminded me that the word of God never returns void.
After school every day I help the kids with their homework (and make sure they do it in general). This particular day, it seemed as if it would never end. Most of the boys finished in no time, but there was one boy that refused to do it. He didn’t really understand what he was supposed to do, but every time I tried to help or explain something he would growl at me. He started telling me I was dumb and that I wasn’t as smart as I thought I was. It was very frustrating, and it took four hours for him to finish.
On Wednesday, Andrew (who normally takes 9-12 classes) had to go somewhere and needed me to take an 11th grade class. I was so excited to get to teach a high school class because it would be a nice break from the elementary classes that give me so much trouble. Andrew had also promised me that this class was always good. And they were; they were well-behaved, they sat still, they didn’t talk while I was talking, they raised their hands to ask questions, they were listening, and I think they even understood what I was saying. But it was no fun. I didn’t enjoy teaching them one bit. It was a very interesting feeling, to have such a good class and not enjoy it. I found myself wishing I was in that third grade class that always gives me trouble (which was weird). But I definitely felt like God was telling me, “I have you where I want you. Don’t worry about anything else.” It was super refreshing to feel like I was in the right place, doing something right.
Then yesterday was amazing. I was trying to plan something to say at Friday night ladies’ meeting. There is this one passage that I love, but I’d decided that there was nothing I could say in addition to what Paul had already written. However, I felt convinced that this was the passage God wanted me to talk about. I sat down to start taking notes on the passage, and as I did, it felt like I was just taking dictation for God. My pencil could not move fast enough across the page (and my handwriting there looks atrocious). I wrote three pages of notes that I know could only come from God (because I am not smart enough to make all those connections).
There have been no lack of days where I’ve felt like “what am I doing here” or “what am I kidding myself, I can’t do these things”. It was so nice to experience God work through me in such a way where I knew that it was only Him working and not myself. I got to experience what it is to boast in my weaknesses. I’m not a preacher; I’ve never been to seminary, I’ve never taken a year off to study the Bible, I’ve never even been brave enough to lead a Bible study. But even so, God can work through me. And so, the fact that I’m not a preacher is something to boast in because it means that I can boast in the fact that God worked through me.
I am falling so much more in love with God! I cannot begin to express how good He’s been. Please continue to pray for me, Andrew, and the family. Also, next week the team is coming, so pray that they will be a blessing and that we’ll work together well. Pray that we finish strong these last two weeks (I can’t believe it’s almost over!). Thanks for all your love and support! None of this would be possible without you!
July 20, 2012
7-19-12 Mexico Missions Update
Please be in prayer for our team as several of our members have a stomach bug. Anson Carroll had it the worst and we had to take him to the Hospital. They have given him an IV and antibiotics. The doctor says that he thinks that by tomorrow Anson will feel much better and should have no problem to go back to the US on Saturday. Lisa Marley spoke to Barry and Amy; let us lift them up in prayer too.
On the ministry side, we had received so many blessing working with a church-start in a town called San Francisco del Rincon. This church-start moved to that location five months ago. Several children from the neighborhood came. At first they were very reluctant to participate in the singing but after a while they were very excited, learning Bible stories and memorizing verses of Scripture. It was amazing the pouring of love from them to our team. We all have been deeply touched by them.
We also worked on another town called Silao with a pastor that has been working with children there. We had over 80 children siging praises to Jesus. It was also amazing to know that about 50 of those children were first time comers to the ministry. They also poured out their hearts to us and we shared with them the gospel of Christ. They all made the sinners prayer. Lets continue to pray that the seed that has been planted in their hearts will flourish and bear much fruit.
July 20, 2012
July 18, 2012
Missions Update from Mexico
Hola amigos, This trip has been so exciting! All of our flights and security checks went smoothly and our team is awesome, which is such a blessing. When we stepped off of the plane in Leon, Guanajuato, the first thing I saw was the outline of the mountains with the sun setting over the stormy clouds. I was so grateful to see this picturesque view first thing, and it made me really appreciate God’s creation. It was a perfect way to start my adventure.
After getting through customs we met up with the Pagans, and it was neat to see them after almost three years. We’ve been able to catch up during travel time and it has been really encouraging to hear about their time serving in Leon.
Sunday was our first full day and it was spectacular. This is my first mission trip and first time out of the country so it has been really eye opening to see how different it is here compared to America. Pastor Alex preached twice at two different churches and it was awesome to be in a service in another language and country. Even with somewhat of a language barrier, I could see that by the smiles on these peoples’ faces that they genuinely loved Jesus.
On Monday, we had a team meeting and prayer session, and Jaime told us about the city’s response to Christianity. Leon is extremely closed to religious change with an estimated 2% of the population being professed Christians with a miniscule growth rate. After spending some time praying for God’s provision and the other missionaries here we prepared for our first day of Vacation Bible School. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect but I knew that God had a plan for us being here so I didn’t worry.
I can’t quite explain how humbling it was to watch God work that night. There were 21 kids the first night with the majority not having attended the church before. Most kids came with either an invite from their friends or having heard us when walking by. Even though most of these kids were not being raised in a Christian family, they all responded to the music, games, and bible stories. Watching their enthusiasm while dancing and singing just showed me that God is greater than any circumstance we can imagine. He was working in their hearts and it was clearly visible.
On Tuesday morning we began another VBS at a new church. This church is specifically for children and is run by a couple named Walter and Dula. The kids there had been meeting for a while so when we came in they greeted us with a couple of songs. Later I found out that these kids were so excited about us coming that they came an hour and a half before it started to wait for us. Pretty sweet, right? It was a busy day working two different Vacation Bible Schools, but it was well worth it, because the kids and leaders of these churches have been such a blessing to all of our team.
If you read this I want to ask you to take a moment to pray for Leon. Pray for the missionaries, the Christians, the children, and especially the souls of the lost. We serve a mighty God, and prayer is powerful, so we believe that he can do amazing things here in Leon. Thank you all for your words of encouragement and various support. I love this country and these people more and more every day. Thank you, God, for putting me here.
Anson Carroll
July 18, 2012
Josh Wilkinson Kenya Reflections
Going to Kenya was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I saw God work in ways I had never thought possible, and I also watched God stretch me through my many experiences.
Our preparations for the Kenya trip started in December, and we left in June. During our many weekly meetings on Sunday afternoons, we did all kinds of things, from practicing our testimonies to sharing the bridge illustration and evangelizing at the flea market. Chuck constantly reminded us that this trip was going to stretch us, and that we would have to be prepared for all kinds of situations outside of our comfort zones. The constant mention of “being stretched” made me nervous enough, but it got worse when Chuck informed me that I would be preaching in a Kenyan prison. In addition to sharing my testimony, and having one of the lead roles in a skit we would be performing, I would now have to prepare a sermon, and preach in front of a large crowd of prisoners.
As our departure date drew closer, I became more and more worried about all the things I had to do and how I would be stretched. Our first full day at Build The Village was a Sunday, and team members had to share their testimonies at the local church. After we did this, I had to go up alone and share my testimony again with a translator in front of the adult congregation. I was nervous as I walked up to the stage, but as I began to speak I could tell God was giving me the words to speak.
As the trip continued, the stretching continued. A couple of days later, we were doing vacation bible school at a local school. I was in the middle of doing games with the kids, when Chuck came over and informed us that we would be sharing our testimonies with the kids since we had extra time. With approximately thirty seconds of notice, I had to share my testimony again, this time in front of an entirely different audience.
Wednesday, the big day when I would be preaching a sermon at the prison, finally arrived. That morning I prayed and reviewed my notes as we drove the long road to the prison. When we arrived, we split into three groups and I learned that I would be preaching to a group of roughly two hundred prisoners. When I began, however, something unexpected happened. I didn’t feel nervous in any way. I felt a sense of focus, peace, and calm come over me. I could tell that the Holy Spirit was giving me the words to say to these men.
Later in the week, we traveled to another prison where we were told to focus on discipleship. Each of the guys in our group was asked to share for five minutes on the five pillars of discipleship; I was asked to share on fellowship. Already more confident after my earlier sermon, I didn’t use any written notes this time. Instead, I made some mental notes and prayed for God’s guidance and direction. During my talk, additional thoughts and illustrations from the Old Testament that I had never thought of before randomly popped into my mind. I could tell that God was at work as he used me to communicate to others.
Therein lies the reason I enjoyed the Kenya trip so much. Chuck wasn’t lying when he said it would be a stretching experience. However, through this stretching, I gained further confidence that Jesus works through all of us in order to share the Gospel.
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