“The God of heaven will give us success,
and we God’s servants will start to build”
Nehemiah 2:20
“Like good stewards of the manifold
grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.”
I Peter 4:10
Dear Friends,
The above two scripture verses capture for me two of the
most compelling reasons for engaging in a mission trip.
From Monday, July 30 to Saturday,
August 4th, I will be leading a group of 12 youth (which is every
member of the confirmation class) and 7 adult sponsors to Joplin , Missouri Joplin with the ongoing rebuilding efforts. (Joplin , Missouri
I believe that we engage in this
kind of mission work for two main reasons. First, we go to help out because we
are called to make a difference in the world. Simply, we go because the people
of Joplin need
our help. We might not have the skills to build houses, but because we go in
the name of God, we do have the skills to make a difference in the lives of
others. We are going to drive nearly 600 miles to a small town in Southern Missouri (in hot August, no less) because there
is a need, and as a Christian people, we are called to respond to the needs of
the world.
But we also go for a second, I
believe, more compelling reason. We go because the experience will change and
transform us. I believe that the very act of setting aside one week to serve
others has the power to transform us. Our world will expand. Our preconceived
notions will be challenged. And, because we will encounter God in the lives of
others, our faith will be stronger. We will be different when we return. To be
sure, we might learn a new skill – like hanging sheet rock or how to paint –
but we will also learn that when we act on our faith out of love, then we
deepen our relationship with Jesus Christ.
I hope to use this space to reflect on how I am different because of my work in Joplin and with young people. Thanks for reading!
Pastor John
P.S. If you are near Plainview and would like to witness this growth and transformation, I invite you to worship with us on Sunday, August 12th at 10 a.m. We have designated this Sunday as "Mission Trip Sunday." The youth and their adult leaders will lead us in worship. I trust that this will be an opportunity for them to share tell their stories about the work that they accomplished - as well as how they have changed, in faith. It would be great to see you in church! Check us out at www.cpcplainview.com
