Month: September 2021

September 25, 2021 Shofar Missions Cebu

God’s Design

Learn what has been going on with Shofar Missions.

With semester one underway we look forward to seeing all that God will do. Ministry wide we planned for all digital ministries. September also led to hearing that a lot of people are “busy.” In August, Cebu City was under a stricter quarantine status. Churches went to online services due to seating capacity requirements set by local governments. As more things opened this month it seems many went right back to being “busy” despite the sermons that have been taught during the various quarantine statuses in the last year.

Street Level Ministries

Though the bulk of what we do remains online we have continued to have a few people join for a meeting or two after seeing a Facebook or YouTube ad. This month we started a new series on Friday nights at Street Level. We continue trying to meet in person when we can.

Writers reviewed issue 88 of Word on the Street Magazine and are hoping to send it to print soon. Due to the lockdown last month, we were unable to distribute the new issue to universities as they were closed for walk-ins. Volunteers for Street Level Radio continue producing short sermon excerpts for the air, updating promos, and recording audio for the new WOTS website. One DJ has been going live on the air every Wednesday. We have also had a chance to take a couple of students to church with us. Pray that they would want to keep attending and get plugged into a local church since Street Level is not replacement for church.

Exploring Creation Science

With the school year underway, lessons will continue virtually. Again, this year multiple schools and grade levels are tuning in for online lessons. New Explore Booklets were developed with short videos available on Facebook for students receiving printed learning materials. Another set of booklets will go out in October. Some students also received the booklet on USB with their courses.

The first week of October, lessons for a Nazarene School in Banawa will begin. The grade 4 students have a few lesson and experiment requests (some have older siblings that have learned about the human body and fossils before). A couple of schools have had curriculum requests. They are for the same series for grades 7-12. Opportunities to visit or team teach a lesson or two with classroom teachers from schools are in the works. A special lesson for Believers City Church homeschool group is also planned.

We continue to see God at work in other areas of ministry as well! Shofar TV viewers have continued to reach out letting us know they are watching, and we have been asked to provide some curriculum for possible use at a youth event in December.

Prayer Requests:

  1. For vaccines to be available to the general population soon and that people would get vaccinated.
  2. For new and continued relationships with school staff and local churches.
  3. That the SLM students we have brought to church would want to get plugged into a local church.
September 22, 2021 Street Level Radio

Burning Dog Radio – STREAMING ONLINE

Since Burning Dog Radio started streaming online in March 2021, the Menomonie crew is not the only radio crew anymore! Both the Duluth/Superior and the River Falls ministries are able to serve at the station since the station is worldwide! If you listen to the station regularly, that’s why you might have heard some less-familiar “radio voices!” It’s so awesome that we can all share BDR as our own station now.

We have been advertising by billboards, buses, posters, social media ads, and selling merch in the Blind Munchies Coffeehouse. 

This is Church? billboard from this year – promoting Believers City Church and the station.

Pray for the new locations and their servants and the listeners in those areas – that God would use our station in their lives to bring them closer to Him. 

Who is listening?

We have been tracking the listeners of our station since we started to stream, which is really encouraging. We can’t track who listens through the radio frequency, but the stream does make the station more accessible for people to listen anywhere. 

Since March first, we have had….

  • 3,318 individual listeners listen for…
  • 2,102 hours.

Praise God! Please pray for all of these people. Many are not local to Menomonie, Duluth, and River Falls. Some are in other states in the USA, others are across the pond(s) in Ireland, China, Russia, Spain, Germany, and more.

Community & College Broadcasts

Over the summer, we were fortunate to broadcast at some community events! 

Menomonie broadcasted the Music Over Menomin concert at the public library on July 1st when Good Morning Bedlam played. It was a great turnout and we hope to do it again next summer.

We also got to join the fun of National Night Out on August 3rd. We met a lot of people and had a great time being a part of it. 

River Falls was able to broadcast live from Music in the Park at Veterans Park alongside the Blind Munchies Coffeehouse serving coffee. 

The Duluth/Superior crew had their first live broadcast on Sept. 20th promoting Twin Ports Street Level Ministries on the UW-Superior college campus! They were able to meet a lot of people and did a raffle for prizes from companies around Superior.

Please pray for these in-person efforts, as the devil loves to mess with technology… Pray for us to keep Jesus central and not the technology…our station is pretty cool, but God is WAY cooler! 

Believers Campus Church Broadcast

Believers Campus Church

Since the launch of the campus church plant at the Street Level House this past month, Burning Dog Radio has been broadcasting the service of Pastor Ben teaching at Believers Campus Church. This broadcast takes place on Wednesdays right after Pastor Tim’s Wednesday Rewind at Believers City Church. All the broadcasts have sounded good and we are so thankful we can do this, and fairly easily.

Prayers

Thank you for your prayers and support (sharing, merch, sharing, posters etc) with this new endeavor. Please pray for our listeners and us as we continue this year!

September 19, 2021 River Falls Ministry

Brace yourself; they are coming.

We have been preparing for this semester and are excited to see what God will do. We appreciate all the prayers leading up to the beginning of the semester and hope you all will continue to pray for the various things going on in River Falls.


Over this past month, we ended the summer and transitioned into a new semester. Beginning Believers Campus Church in River Falls, on the UW River Falls Campus brought a lot of change for us. It also brought a flux of new people into our lives.

Street Level Fall Semester

We officially kicked off Street Level for the new semester last Monday, with a new series called Alpha. Alpha is a series that will help bring discipleship and evangelism to the forefront of our minds as the campus ministry.


Also, we hosted multiple events geared toward fellowship and meeting new people. It’s been nice to start seeing some consistency in new faces at these events. Check out the photos we included from the UC bonfire pit, a grill out at the coffeehouse, and a death-defying hike (or so it may appear).

Believers Campus Church

We are on the college campus for Church on Wednesday night and grateful that it’s possible. Now it’s time to see where the preparation and prayer will lead. As you read, last month, we sent out over 1000 postcards advertising both Believers Campus Church and Street Level. Another wave of advertising will go out with the newest WOTS to all the freshmen in the mail and around the campus/community.

On Wednesdays, we are looking to build a desire for God and a hunger for his word through the campus church. We are going verse-by-verse through the book of John during the services and look forward to what God has to teach us through it.

  • Before Church
  • Believers Campus Church
  • Fellowship after Campus Church

Coffeehouse

The coffeehouse is still used as a hub for a lot of our ministry opportunities. These first few weeks have been a rush. We have seen higher numbers and an excellent response to the postcards. We also handed out about 800 free coffee coupons to students.

The Tuesday after the Church campout, we had the opportunity to be on campus and hand out several hundred iced coffees, and a few hot coffees. Of course, it was a hot day, so I don’t blame people. We had some help from a few Menomonie volunteers, and a couple of River Falls students also stepped in.

  • Selling Plants
  • Coffe Giveaway on Campus
  • Freshman Move in Weekend
  • Do people like coffee or what!

Prayer

All in all, we have a lot to thank God for and trust he knows what he is doing. But, of course, we are always grateful for your prayers and help as well.

  • Thanks. We are very thankful for those we have gotten to meet and the support of a Church. 
  • Fruit in students’ lives. People are starting some good consistency, but we pray this continues throughout the semester.
  • Service. We are hoping that students are interested in serving God and people. Those students can receive the true love of God and want to share it.
  • Events. We have more events coming and some that are not set yet. But that we would see fruit, not just some short-term enjoyment from them.

For Further Infomation…

September 13, 2021 Believers Church Duluth

I’m writing this Duluth update between making espresso drinks in the coffee trailer while listening to Burning Dog at the Street Level House and talking with students who actually read the Word on the Street magazines that we mailed to them. At this moment, it is abundantly clear to me how incredibly good God has been to us and how blessed we are to serve Him through all these different avenues. As I think back to last year and even further back in Believers Church history, I am reminded of God’s sovereignty to get us to this moment. What a journey it has been, and how many people have been involved all along the way.

This past Wednesday at church (at the Street Level House!), Pastor Justin said that everything we do should have an impact on generations to come. It is easy to forget that in the day-to-day routine of life, doing tasks that don’t seem directly related to furthering the kingdom of God, that everything we do does have a purpose behind it. I know I will be eternally grateful for those who have pitched in, doing those day-to-day tasks all along the way, and who were faithful to do what God asked of them.

The past month has been a whirlwind, but it sure has been an enjoyable one. After preparing the Street Level House all summer, we were thrilled to have church service there for the first time this past week. Now that students are moved in, we have also been trying to cross the street to get on campus as much as possible – playing kickball, attempting hackysack, and letting students know we are here. Our rummage sale combined with a plant and espresso giveaway for students was been quite busy. We would appreciate prayer for the interactions we have had – that us handing a student a latte or plant would be the start of something that will have a lasting impact on their lives, long after the caffeine has worn off. We are looking forward to the rest of the semester with regular SLM meetings on Mondays, church at the house on Wednesdays, and something happening in the yard every Friday. We will also be doing a live radio broadcast at the student organization fair. Our first Friday event was an outdoor movie. Please keep Street Level in prayer – specifically that we are in tune with what God would have us do, and who He would have us meet.

Street Level isn’t the only facet of the church that has been busy. The Community group has carried on with weekly outreaches at local parks and beaches as well as blanketing the greater Twin Ports area with posters. They also did a coffee giveaway right in front of the church. Currently, they are gearing up for a large festival in Duluth where the coffee trailer will be used to let people know who we are and, Who we are all about.

If you tune your TV to one of the local stations, you might see our faces in our latest commercial for the church: Live Like You Mean It. That slogan is plastered on billboards, city busses, online, and on posters all around town. This is one of our most intentional and widespread ad campaigns for the church that we have ever done. The message is clear and something we believe wholeheartedly, which is that there is more to life than just getting through it. 

-Chelsey

September 10, 2021 Pastor Justin Thomson - Duluth

I’ve never been as interested in working for McDonalds as I have been recently. Not because of a long-suppressed desire to wear a polo shirt & headset, and not because I want out of the job I’ve already got, but because operating the griddle at Mickey D’s is more lucrative than ever. And I’m qualified.    

In order to get my last job I first had to invest 2 years of my life and several thousand dollars to secure an associate’s degree. It required a professional resume, character references, and a full background check. I even wore a suit to the interview. After all of that, I felt pretty lucky to get the position. It was the highest paying gig I’d ever landed, even though it offered me no health, no dental, and no PTO. Yet even after 7 years of faithful service, it still paid less than McDonalds is offering me right now as a walk-in. It felt like a fair-shake at the time, until I drove past the Golden Arches yesterday and saw that sign in the window.

And it’s not just McDonalds either. Gas stations, factories, & businesses all over town are doing the same thing. Not because they have gobs of money to spend on their staff, but because they can’t even find people to pay. I still remember the olden days when education & experience were mandatory for any position that offered more than fifteen bucks an hour. Now, the top two requirements are your physical presence and a pulse.

HAVING IT YOUR WAY…

Have we suddenly become a people that won’t serve without a bribe? That might explain why hiring incentives have doubled since last year, and why companies have to ‘bait’ people into employment. The industries that offer the biggest kickbacks right now, are driving-related occupations and personal/home health care. Cash bonuses on those fronts range from $100 to $30,000. Other places are offering bonuses of $100 to $2,500…just to prepare food!

Some would blame this trend on the pandemic. Others might point their finger at a covert political agenda. But what if the real problem was nothing more than personal irresponsibility? Selfishness & sloth weren’t born yesterday, but they certainly seem to be growing stronger with every passing generation. When offered a choice to serve or to be served, many nowadays are choosing the latter. The last 18 months have really exposed some underlying health conditions in our country.

This crisis, however, isn’t unique to America. The church faces a similar predicament, and it’s nothing recent either. Jesus once said, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few”. There’s always been more work to be done than there are personnel willing or able to do it. We’re surrounded by piles of unmade money, unpicked fruit, and unsaved souls, all for a shortage of laborers. Maybe we’re all waiting for bigger incentives.

YOU DON’T DESERVE A BREAK TODAY…

What would you do if there were no incentives? What if serving Jesus garnered you nothing at all? No praise, no promotion, no actual wage. How much does it take to convince you that the giving of your time is worth the time you give? Be careful of withholding or discontinuing your service just because it doesn’t seem ‘worth it’ anymore. If you require a fifteen dollar bribe just to serve Jesus, you’re already halfway to betrayal without even realizing it!

Instead, let’s appreciate the opportunities we have to serve the Lord no matter how unprofitable they seem. I know it can sometimes feel like the investment we make far outweighs the return, but that’s just because we haven’t seen the full return yet. “Don’t get tired of doing what’s good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9).

WE’RE LOVIN’ IT…

It’s never been easier to be counter-cultural than it is right now. All it takes is a little service. Giving of your time and energy to help out where help is needed. Working yourself to exhaustion for no greater incentive than the pleasure of knowing that God is pleased. We’re called to shine in this world, and one of the ways it’s done, is through our work. “So, my dear brothers and sisters, always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” (I Corinthians 15:58).

While Kwik Trip struggles to find someone who’ll get out of bed and run their cash register for $30,000 a year, the servants of Christ are gladly giving up their evenings & weekends for free. Because we love our Employer. We aren’t in it for the money, but for joy.

Keep up the good work.

September 7, 2021 JFB Books and Media

By: Warren Wiersbe

The greatest prayer ever prayed is recorded in John chapter 17. The Son of God opened his heart to his Father, and prayed for us. Here Jesus reveals his priorities for the church he came to create. In this book, Warren Wiersbe shows us how these priorities must be ours too: God’s glory, truth, assurance, obedience, a unity that impresses the world, and holy living.

The Believers Bookstore is available to the public 9:00 am to 4:30 pm Tuesday through Friday. Also, look for the sign near the front door. Feel free to browse the shelves during the week.

Any questions? Contact: bookstore@jfbelievers.com