Reaching Out to Future Spiritual Leaders

All the students are back in school this month (and many parents are relieved).  Summer has been great, yet we are excited about a new schedule and focus for fall.  In the summer there are lots of great relationship building times: home visits, BBQs, late-morning events with the youth, outreaches in the park and camps.  This fall we will have some more discipleship times with the adults and start-up our tutoring ministry again (after a short break for summer) and start the second year of our internship program.  Please be in prayer for these ministries – that they would be even more effective and fruitful in sharing the love and grace of Jesus and building up the Christians in our church and community.  This month we would like to share a little bit about summer camps:

Camp is always a huge part of summer.  It is where we get to know the children and youth better, where they grow closer to one another and where many of them meet Jesus or have a mountain top experience that they can then bring back with them to share with friends and family at home.  The energy and momentum gained in the weeks following camp is contagious to the whole church, even those that did not go to camp. 

It is powerful to watch the hardened facades melt away as the week progresses at camp.  Walls come tumbling down and relationships are forged.  This year several of our youth made a decision to make Jesus their Lord & Savior.  Our older students were able to minister to the younger ones.  (See the last and the next post for pictures from this year's summer camps.)

It is powerful seeing how unique outreaches brought different individuals into our lives. We met one family through our weekly park outreach.  Two other families we met through our tutoring ministry.  Another we met through a special event we held in the community.  One of the youth was invited first to youth group as somebody that didn’t even believe in God, but was willing to check Him out.  And then we get to take all these unique individuals to camp!

One young girl, Andy, and her family, were invited to church by a cousin whom we met at a park outreach and has been attending for a couple years.  On her first visit to our church Andy’s mother gave her life to Jesus.  A few months passed and it was time for camp…which ended up being the time and place for Andy to connect with her loving Father.  If you ask Andy what her highlight of the week was she will excitedly say, “When I dedicated my life to Jesus!”.  She had no idea what life could really feel like or be like…her eyes have been opened and she is not turning back. 

Our children and youth have such a powerful time at camp, which then gets parents asking more questions.  We had a family camp last month and for the first time many of the fathers came out to see what this camp experience was all about.  We had a powerful time as an entire church worshipping God, going deep in the Word, fellowshipping and just having a great, fun and relaxing time. 

We are praying that these men become spiritual leaders in their homes and commit to being a part of the church.  We are also praying (and please join us in this!) for these families to really press into their calling and purpose in Jesus.  While they lead outreaches and share with their family and friends that we would see more salvations.  And that next summer we would be able to bring even more children, youth and families to a life changing experience.  

You Are Not Alone

“You are not alone,” Fabiola said.  Pedro collapsed to the ground and began to weep right in the middle of the big field where he and all the other children were playing soccer.  Pedro, age 6, had already caught the eye of every one of our coaches during the first two days of sports camp - not because of his athletic ability (though he had that), but because of his extremely rebellious and rude behavior. 

Prior to Fabiola’s conversation with Pedro he had socked a teammate in the face and we were trying to find his parents, but learned from his neighbors that his mother and some other close family had been deported and that he and his siblings now lived with their grandparents who allow them to roam the park all day unsupervised.   More frequently these days it seems we just do not know what to do.  That is when we best see God intervene and show us His heart for this community.  Fabiola prayed to God asking for wisdom and she caught His heart for Pedro.  Once Pedro was on the ground weeping – she was able to pray and speak the important truths the Holy Spirit wanted Pedro to hear.  The truth that Pedro needed to know. 

It is for the children like Pedro, and so many other adults that also feel alone and abandoned, that we live and share God’s love and hope in the city.  All Pedro knows is a life of roaming the street without his parents and the abusive yelling of his family inundated by drugs and a survival mentality.  God really loves Pedro.  During sports camp Pedro was able to hear the gospel, but more than that he was able to see the gospel acted out in front of him.  He broke and was brought into God’s embrace by tenderness, love and the truth.  He does not want to be bad.  He wants to be loved.  He needs to be reminded that he is not alone. 

We too are comforted that we are not alone.  Ministry is hard.  Seeing, feeling and living amongst brokenness for a long time is difficult.  But we feel the strength in your prayers.  We feel lifted up by your encouragement.  Together we are investing in people like Pedro and together we celebrate as we reap spiritual and emotional transformation.  Through sports camp and other outreaches we held this summer we were able to share the gospel with thousands of people.  We prayed for hundreds of people and have shared the truth – something that will not return void. 

Thank you for bringing the hope, love and truth of Christ to the city to Pedro and many more to come through your prayers and financial gifts!

Chad, Fabiola, Rebecca, Justice and Beniah 

We Reach Out - So Others Can Reach Up

As missionaries we realize our mission is not ultimately about filling a church with people or fixing a broken neighborhood, but leading people to experience and worship Christ Jesus.  John Pipers said: “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't.”  Though our shadowy part of Los Angeles is filled with church buildings many are virtually empty.  Cultural Christianity does not necessitate a life of worship.  And so our mission is huge – to lift Jesus up so that all might know the reality of the amazing love and grace of God.  This last month has been filled with outreach…all with the purpose of introducing more people to Jesus, training up true Christ followers in sharing their Spirit-filled life with others and really sandwiching all of this with sincere worship to our God. 

Updates…

Sports Camp

We had about 80 kids come out.  Our church took care of all the details leaving us to guide and encourage them in this endeavor.  There were a couple fist fights between some of the tougher kids, but it lead to some powerful ministry time and in the end 13 of the children accepted the Lord – then we got to baptize 2 of them a couple days later. 

We had a great group of volunteers from our church at our welcome and registration table.  This same group of ladies helped with the water and snack breaks and shared about the church to all who came by – whether they were participating in the sports camp or not. 

Here are a couple group shots.  The picture on the right is of the cheerleader group who put on a special finale for us all to enjoy after the final scrimages.

We taught soccer, basketball, football and cheerleading – all this along with a lot of great songs, object lessons using sports figures and Bible stories.

 

The weeks theme was having a game plan and we talked about Moses and how God had a plan to save Israel from the beginning….he used Moses and wants to use us too. The lessons applied to the camper’s sports just as much as it did to their life at home and at school – preparing them for victory both on and off the field. 

 

Many of our youth served during the week by helping set up and by being coaches. They lead a daily coach’s huddle time where they related their life stories to the Bible lesson of the day and had time to hear from and get to know their campers. 

  

We ended the week strong with a huge prayer time and a hot dog lunch for all the campers and their families. 

WOW Jam

We also had WOW Jam in the park with over 250 people responding to the altar call.  Our youth danced on stage to a gospel song and we had a group of trained altar workers sharing and praying with those that responded to the gospel.  One of our youth, who is currently going through our ADAM program (Worship & Music Academy), sang a worship song up on stage. 

 

The L.A. Fire Department came out and filled the baptismal pool and at the end of the event as the sun was setting Chad along with another pastor baptized 85 people, causing a bit of a sore back afterwards.  (Definitely worth it J.)

One of the men from our church who had come out to help at the event ended up getting stirred up and convicted about dragging his feet on baptism and jumped into the pool and was baptized.  The next day at church he shared a powerful testimony of how God has been speaking to him about stepping-up his faith inside and outside of his home.  He realized that by not being baptized he was playing games with God and not presenting his best testimony to others. 

 

Summer Camps (Grades 1-3 and Grades 4-6)

We have sent 10 kids up to camp so far in our first two weeks of summer camps.  This is a time for the children who have been coming to church for a while to really connect with God and be challenged in their faith away from the family dynamics and home environment – all while having an amazing time of adventure and fun. 

 

One of our campers had a really hard first few days and wanted to come home.  Bravely his mother prayed and got others in the church to pray too.  This camper pushed through and ended up having one of the best weeks of his life.  He even overcame a fear of rock climbing and conquered one of the mountain faces.  He made lots of new friends and was able to answer a strong “Yes” to his mother’s question: “Did you hear from God while you were at camp?”

 

The pool is always a favorite for all the campers – if they don’t know how to swim they get lessons and it is a refreshing place to cool off and splash around. 

 

This year’s theme was about Jonah – there was a huge fish mouth sticking out of the wall in the cafeteria reminding them of the story.  Every morning and night they were taught the Bible creatively reinforcing, among other ideas, the fact that God wants us to listen to Him and is a God of second chances.  Their memory verse was “…Is it right to be angry about this?” Jonah 4:4

 

 Fire circle every night is a powerful time of skits, fun, worship and a relevant heart-to-heart message. 

Daily team games build the unity of our groups as they compete against other cabins for points. 

 

On the last day there was a fun carnival…and some of our campers were awarded special recognition.

Youth Movie & Bonfire 

While our kids (well not Beniah) were at camp we pulled a group of the youth together for a movie and bonfire and hang out time.  It was good for us to connect and grow some of those relationships in a real relaxed time where we could talk about how God intersects all parts of our lives…and roast some marshmallows.

  

Family News

One of our favorite parts of visiting all the kids from our church at summer camp is being able to jump into the pool for a few moments. Our baby, Beniah (just about 4 months now!) experienced the pool for the first time and loved it.

Sports camp, WOW Jam and summer camps have been great for Rebecca and Justice.  Thank you for continuing to pray for our ministry activities and our family – we so appreciate that covering.

Please Pray with Us…

Our purpose for being here in the city is to evangelize the lost, empower and equip those that have come to know Jesus and plant churches. 

Please pray for each of these events as each one has a strategic part in evangelizing, empowering, equipping and eventually planting more churches:

·      Summer Camp (Grades 7-12): July 20-25

    Chad will be at camp for the whole week with the 10 youth (6 boys; 4 girls)

    Please pray for life change and deepening relationships with the youth and endurance/rest for Chad during this long week.  Also pray for Fabiola and the kids in the city, while Chad is away.

·      Church Work Day: July 26

    The church is getting together to work on some projects, do some deep cleaning and have a meal together along with some volunteers. 

·      Family Camp (Our whole church): August 15-17

     Please begin to pray with us for fertile hearts.  We are going to have a special time of teaching and are praying that the whole family will be able to receive what God wants to do in their lives.  Some of the men who generally don’t come to church hopefully will be there too.  This may be the only ‘vacation’ the family gets all year and we pray that it would be restorative to their family – time to relax, think, dream, build/deeper/fix relationships all with God at the center. 

Thank you for lifting us up in prayer so that we may lift up the name of Jesus in these communities of South Central Los Angeles.  

May everything that we do be soaked in purpose towards the end that Christ is worshipped and exalted.

Chad, Fabiola, Rebecca, Justice and Beniah