Church Extension Special Recognition

After graduating from Circleville Bible College (now Ohio Christian University), Dan and Pam Jordan went to pastor a small church in 1980. Both the pastor and his wife were willing to work secular jobs to meet the financial needs of the family. They never quit working, dreaming and visualizing a great church for God. Now they pastor a great church in a beautiful multipurpose building and have housing for missionaries on home assignment at Xenia Grace Chapel.  They continue to lead the way in revitalization and planting churches.

Congratulations to WCD Ministers

Fifty Years of Ministry
    Rev. Connie J. Harper was recognized at District Council for serving fifty years in ministry. Through all of her afflictions, she has served the Lord faithfully.  
    Dr. David Van Hoose has also served fifty years in ministry but was not able to be in Council for the presentation.

Ordained
    Rev. Jeffrey Rogers II and Rev. Justin Siler were ordained at Mount of Praise Camp in June. Rev. Gregory Davis was also ordained and he chose to have the service in his local church. 

Council License
    Rev. Robert Cichon, Rev. Brett Dague, Rev. Justin Dishong, Rev. Ronald Goodling, Jr, Rev. Dennis McFarland, and Rev. David Murray received Council License at the West Central District Council in July.

RESOURCES TO TEACH KIDS ABOUT MISSIONS
By Ele Thompson

God wants His people to have a passion for reaching the lost and this involvement in missions has to filter down to reach the children!  I am sharing ten ideas with you.

1.  The first logical place to begin was with my own three children. We invited missionaries over for dinner.  We placed prayer cards on the door of our refrigerator. We wrote letters. We sent packages to missionary kids. We prayed and took out shares.

2.  At church I chose to teach on missions one Sunday each quarter in children’s church. I asked the question, “Do your parents have a missionary share?” I informed them how much money our church gave monthly to missions.

So teaching about God’s mission was a must. Sometimes we singled out a certain mission field and learned about it and our missionaries there. I tried to make it fun! We used artifacts from the country, ate food from that country, and prayed. I asked missionaries to talk with the children.
For prayer, we glued popsicle sticks to the back of the prayer cards and then passed them out to the children so they could see the picture of the missionaries as they prayed. Missions need to get down to the kids’ level.

3.  I bought missionary stories from Child Evangelism. Life stories are so powerful that they touch every heart that hears these life adventures. The story of Amy Carmichael is an example. Let’s keep telling the stories. Everyone loves a story.

4.  We made Kid Power Banners for Nipgen Camp. Of course, we spent the year raising funds for our missionaries.

5.  Each year I would have a big “Children’s Day” at church. Sometimes it would be a mission theme. One year, we did it on the Mexican border and had Perla and Melvina to speak in Spanish. We ate Mexican food, sang in Spanish, and prayed for our missionaries there. I remember Oliver Wallace sharing on the Island of Dominica. Oliver sang with his tambourine and we ate fried planton.

6.  I remember helping Cheryl Benner teach seminars for our districts on Kid Power and how to make it a great ministry. The Missionary Department has had many of these seminars over the years. We gave out ideas on teaching kids about our mission fields, our missionaries, prayer ideas, Bible memorization fun, missionary stories, fund raising, and making missions fun. We need parents and Sunday School teachers to help us teach about missions.

7.  Music is a great way to teach kids about missions. I started out with Jesus Loves the Children of the World. Recently we have used the Dubbelds’ songs such as Run to the Darkness.

8.  We took our Vacation Bible School to other cultures. Mission trips! Our first trip was in June, 2000, taking the youth group of Beulah Chapel to Laredo, Texas. We have been to Dominica, St. Croix, and the Cocopah Indian Reservation.

9.  Several years ago, God began laying it on my heart to provide some materials to our churches to teach kids about missions. I wrote a lesson on Hungary, on Honduras, China, etc. and offered them to churches. Now Janene Dubbeld is writing lessons of our missionaries. A year ago, we sent out a lesson on Papua New Guinea and Bethany Waugh. This year we give you a lesson on the Hawk family of Honduras. Amber Kasper wrote on the country of Honduras. This story will be given to the churches.

10. Another resource is using animated movies of the missionaries’ lives. They are from the Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith series and our missionary department has it available for our churches in the lending library.

You see, the heart of God is all about missions and kids develop a heart for missions while they are young.

Kid Power? Yes, have you heard the story of Hudson Taylor? His father, at their family table, spoke passionately about the heathen in China who needed to hear about Christ. Hudson’s response at 5 years of age was, “I’ll go and be a missionary, father, when I grow up.”

Kid Power?     There is power in kids praying for their missionaries!
                        There is power in learning Bible verses!
                        There is power in raising finances for our missionaries!
                        There is power in caring and encouraging our missionaries!
Kids? Yes, there really is Kid Power because they have the Spirit of God’s power!

So, let’s get busy and tap into the power that lies within kids and raise up powerful workers who will fulfill God’s mission!

Resources for Teaching Kids about Missions

1.  CCCU’s lending library: www.cedept.com       
Click on resources. Then below “How It Works,” click on Complete Lending Library
List, scroll to “Missions”.

2.  Child Evangelism Fellowship: www.cefpress.com
Click on Bible Lessons/Missions Lessons.

3.  World Gospel Mission: www.wgm.org
Kids Helping Kids

PRAYER IS THE MIRACLE

Lord, I am praying for all the churches and all the people in this city, and from there, touching all the people on the earth; especially those whose thoughts are against Christian principles. Let your Love and Mercy be extended. For this moment, let your Spirit move upon all mankind like a flood. I bind, with Your Power, all the powers of Darkness everywhere (Mat. 18:18).

Lord, forgive us of every sin. Your Blood is the testimony and source of our power - the Power to overcome, the Power to break down every barrier, the Power to break the chains of bondage, the Power over every unclean spirit, and the Power to heal all manner of sicknesses and all manner of diseases.

The Promise, “ask anything in Faith, without doubt, and nothing shall be impossible for you.”

The Question, “Is anything too hard for GOD?

Lord, in the name of JESUS CHRIST, I release all those Bound to Freedom. Let their hearts and minds be filled with spiritual understanding and knowledge. Open up their eyes and ears to righteousness. Help them to be mindful of their thoughts. Give them a hunger for Your Word. Guide them with a mighty hand through the pitfalls and hidden traps. Increase their faith and let peace and righteousness prevail.

Amen

Change the World When You Pray

Lord, I am praying for the churches and our entire city with its area - and the people within 200 miles in every direction. Forgive us of every sin - for this moment in time, let your blood cleanse our hearts, our minds, our souls and bodies. Let this be the dawning of a new day in every living soul touched. Let your spirit fill every heart with knowledge and understanding. Help our minds conceive your message of love, righteousness and holiness. Make us more aware of our thoughts and our personal responsibility to others. I bind with power all the powers of darkness within the area touched. Matthew 16:19 and Matthew 18:18 say "Whatsoever I bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever I release on earth shall be released." I speak in the name of Jesus against every stronghold that holds this people in bondage; I break the bonds of alcohol, drugs of all kinds and idolatry as it incorporates all forms of lust and greed. I release each of those bound to freedom. Let the Holy Spirit make this freedom known to each individual with knowledge and understanding and power. Let Faith in God and Righteousness abound.
Give Us a Revival.
Amen
Submitted by Walter Davitz