Tag: Missions

God called us to “go into the world”. We intend to.

River Falls: Church, Gingerbread Houses, and Cookies

December 19, 2021 River Falls Ministry

What do church, gingerbread houses, and cookies have in common? This is how we ended out the semester in River Falls. Keep reading to find out more!

Church in the Heart of Campus

We recently had our final meeting of Believers Campus Church for the semester. We’re thankful to have the space on campus this semester and meet a lot of people looking for church. Many came and went, but some stuck around to hear God’s word taught each week. Complying with the university mask mandate is a relational barrier that we’ve needed to overcome, but people have really made the best of the now-familiar strangeness.

Christmas Party

This is where gingerbread houses and cookies come in. Street Level ended the final meeting for the semester with a Christmas Party. With the students help planning and executing, we baked (and ate) cookies, had a gingerbread house making contest, played trivia, ate pizza, and overall had a good time of fellowship. The party was during finals week, so was a good way to spend the last meeting together.

Looking into 2022

Overall, 2021 has been a challenging and blessed time. We’re thankful for work God has done in our lives and others, and now we have another year ahead of us. We will be using winter break to pray and prep for 2022. Before we know it, Campus Church will be back in our familiar room, Street Level will be fellowshipping, and we’ll no doubt have new stories to share about God’s work.

Please pray for….

The Spirit to work in individuals lives, giving them a desire to fully serve God.
Wisdom as to what and how to plan for the next semester.
The effectiveness of coffeehouse ministry to both disciple and outreach.

For Further Information

Missions Season – River Falls Ministry Update

November 19, 2021 River Falls Ministry

Over the past month we have been involved in the missions season which consisted of two trips to Louisiana. Because of our involvement several people have stepped up to support the ministry and fill the gaps for those travelling. Many thanks go out to those people and we are very thankful for those who have made our involvement in missions season possible.

Campus Church and Street Level

One Wednesday we met at the coffeehouse with the students to watch the Free Burma Rangers video. There was discussion and a lot of thoughtful questions. The material was difficult to process and it was a good challenge for all involved.

Matt came down from Duluth on a Wednesday evening to teach in church on Campus. We continue to have new students come to both the Monday study as well as church. As we draw closer to the end of the semester, it can often be easy to coast into the Holidays. Please pray for consistency in attendance and desire to for fellowship in the church community.

Campus Church in the Trimbelle River Room

Word on the Street

Several students are showing interest in service opportunities and getting more involved in the community. This month there was a writing event for WOTS at the coffeehouse in River Falls on a Thursday night where we hosted the Menomonie crew. The WOTS team from Menomonie will continue to engage collaboratively with the students in River Falls. This is a great discipleship and fellowship opportunity for those involved.

Prayer Requests

Future planning in River Falls for the winter and spring months to come.

For students who are travelling home for the holidays that there is focus on desire to engage God and other Christians in their community.

Students as they are completing end of semester projects and exams.

Pray for a desire in the students and the rest of the church community to step up their service and commitment to things that God has planned for them.

Domestic Missions 2020

April 1, 2020 Ryan O'Gara

The Domestic Missions Team from JF Believers Church headed out from our perspective towns heading to the airport… We checked our bags, received our boarding passes, and started heading for Napoleonville, LA… and Southern Hospitality.

The Work

Upon our arrival we were greeted at breakfast like long lost family, we ate together and started our devotions going through the Book of Philippians. We talked through three of the biggest projects that needed to get done and where there was the greatest need with Rick and Ray. These two were the guys on the ground that have been working on this church for over the last two years since it was burned down when it was struck by lightning. We then split off into our perspective workgroups for the day… coming back together for lunch getting to know our extended family, how they came to Christ and eating some homemade Louisiana Cuisine. After lunch, heading back to our perspective work areas, working hard until we received the cue to wash up, get sanitized and head in for some more Southern Cuisine provided by the different members of the church. After dinner was bread pudding, cherry cobbler, and if that wasn’t enough there were two tables full of snacks… We worked from 8 am-5 pm Tuesday-Saturday. By the end of the week, we finished the three main projects and were able to knock out about two or three more… Finally, on the last day of work we ran out of supplies to do the work as the church portico was finished off. We all signed the last piece of wood going up, JFB Missions 2020… It is going to be covered by vinyl siding, but we all know it is there

The People

When we first met the people we understood why God put us together and why Tim said this was the place. We met 15-20 people who were finishing well, they loved the Lord, and they were serving him in any way they can. There was a video that Tim shared of Miss Bobbie, an 85-year-old widow who is serving any way she could, making dessert, bringing silverware and napkins to the table, not sitting down until everyone is served. To Joyce, Kim, and Linda and other church ladies that were providing the meals, getting to the church at 6 am and leaving after us @6pm and sanitizing everything for the next day. We were blessed to hear the stories of Rick, Ray, Dean, and Bill an 82-year-old man who helped us in any way he could through just the right tool, sharing well-placed wisdom when needed. Then there is Pastor Chuck who is 82 and preaches like he is 40 who received the Lord at age 37 and kept moving… Ending our week off with worshipping together. At the end of the day, we don’t have enough time or space in a blog to share all of the names, faces, stories, tales of fine Louisiana Cuisine, and the Southern Hospitality we all experienced. If you want to hear a little more just grab one of us and we can share a little.

We want to thank you all for your prayers… We had a safe, successful trip and gained some new family members through your prayers… this did not go unnoticed.

The Pictures

What’s Going on in the Philippines?

February 25, 2020 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read the latest update from the mission field and Shofar Mission Cebu.

Team Preparations

Have you noticed that the JFB mission’s season has turned into mission’s year? Plans for the spring team are already in the works, so we’ve been able to do some of the advance prep for them to come. We recently took a trip south of the city to present Shofar Mission and the upcoming ministries to a regional group of pastors. As a parachurch organization, we’re always thankful to make new friends and be a part of what God is doing in local churches throughout the Philippines. We’re looking forward to seeing what He has in store for the next team and glad to be a part of all the teams that come here…

Exploring Creation Science

This branch of Shofar Mission seeks to equip young and developing minds to know why they believe what they believe. A variety of lessons are taught to primary and secondary students in both private and public schools. In February, lessons were taught to grades 4-12 at four different schools (two new schools). Each lesson includes a mixture of lecture, PowerPoint, video, discussion, and experiments. For the younger students, there is more lecture and experiments, whereas the older students engage more with video teaching and challenging group discussions. Many of the high school students have already made up their minds about what they believe about creation, science, and how we all got here. Through Exploring Creation Science, they are challenged to consider if what they believe is actually true, or if perhaps God’s good design in creation and science actually work together.

Not only does God use this branch of Shofar Mission to reach students, but it also provides opportunities to build relationships with teachers, principals, and pastors of churches that have schools. We’ve found that many of them run in the same circles, so a lot of the new schools bridge off of relationships with previous schools! God continues to open new doors as this ministry keeps growing and expanding. On the docket for the upcoming school year is the development of new curriculum for both senior high and elementary lessons as well as reaching out to new schools (public and private).

Campus Outreach

Did you know that in 2018, there were over 2.3 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW’s) throughout the world? Over 50% of them worked in western Asia, many of them in closed nations that are hostile to the gospel.[1] For Filipinos, it is quite easy to find work in these nations. So, what does this have to do with campus ministry? A lot, in fact. In many conversations with young people (both high school and college students), their dream is to work abroad so they can send money home to their families. What would happen if while they’re studying here in the Philippines, the gospel really got a hold of them, then propelled them into closed nations where they can go and make disciples? We could change the world for King and Kingdom…

Through Street Level Ministries, students are able to participate in God’s Kingdom work and be equipped for whatever God may call them to in the future. Members can volunteer for Word on the Street Magazine or Street Level Radio, receive solid biblical teaching, engage in Christian community, and have multiple opportunities to reach out to other students. During the past month, we held two live radio broadcasts (one on-campus and one off-campus), passed out WOTS magazines, held weekly dinners and biblical discussions, launched the next issue of WOTS, met on campus for a verse-by-verse Bible study, and took an early morning hike to see the city. We were even able to have an informational booth on campus during Student’s Day at the University of the Visayas.

It’s amazing to be a part of all that God is doing among the university students here, and our prayers are that the seeds we plant would grow and bear fruit for years to come… in the Philippines and to the ends of the world.

Prayer Requests

Team Preparations – that God would open and close doors as He sees fit as we plan and prepare, and that we would be able to reach the people He wants us to.
Exploring Creation Science – meetings with new schools, scheduling of lessons for the next school year, and development of new curriculum.
Campus Outreach – for the students to make the most of their remaining school year (many of them graduate in May) and seek the Kingdom first at their university.

[1] https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/survey/labor-and-employment/survey-overseas-filipinos

Shofar Mission Cebu Update

October 25, 2019 Shofar Missions Cebu

Greetings from the Philippines! Read the latest update about what God is doing through Shofar Mission in Cebu.

Three Years Later

It is hard to believe that November first marks the third year since Laura and I moved to the Philippines. In many ways, it seems like it happened just yesterday. However, when I look back on it all, it’s hard to believe it has only been three years. A lot has changed in that amount of time – let alone since Shofar Mission’s conception many years ago! I’m sure a lot more will change as the years go by, and I hope that what we are doing now will bear fruit long after we’re dead and gone. As I think about what has changed, is changing, and will change, I’m comforted by the fact that our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

Campus Outreach

Since our last update, Street Level Ministries had an informational booth on campus during Intramurals week. At the booth, we gave away free coffee, Word on the Street Magazines, and fliers for our Orientation Meeting scheduled for the following week. At that meeting, we cast the vision for Street Level Ministries and invited students to participate in God’s mission on their campus.

Currently, we are putting the final touches on the newest issue of Word on the Street Magazine, and preparing to start the next issue. Since we implemented SLM membership in September, we have two new students volunteering for the magazine. We are also training three students in as DJ’s for our internet radio station, Street Level Radio.

WOTS Cebu – Laura, Garie, KC, Brittany

It’s exciting to see God at work in the students’ lives and at their university. In the midst of it all, I have often been reminded that when we are faithful in the little things, God will entrust us with the big things (Luke 16:10).

Exploring Creation Science

During the first half of the semester, Laura was able to teach grades 4 through 9 at three different schools. Classes are slated to finish at two other schools before Christmas Break. Three different curriculum sets were taught. During these lessons, students discover how science and creation go hand-in-hand to help them learn why they believe what they believe. As we approach the semester break next week, we are actively pursuing new schools (both private and public) to teach the curriculum. It’s amazing to see God open doors at new schools – usually, it’s through a friend or contact with a previous school that leads to the next one! There really are only four people in Cebu…

Prayer Requests

The Street Level students to grow in their relationship with God and passion to reach out to their classmates.
Upcoming meetings with new schools to teach Exploring Creation Science and curriculum development.

Shofar Mission Cebu Update

August 25, 2019 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read about what God has been doing through Shofar Mission in the Philippines.

Team Ministry

During the latter part of July and early August, our short-term missions team taught four Ministry Training Institute classes, three women’s discipleship classes, hosted a youth leader’s follow-up, taught in the Bantayan Jail, preached at six different churches, led a children’s outreach in Cebu City, taught science lessons at two city schools, hosted a 3-day summit for university students, and held two live radio broadcasts in downtown Cebu City. Whew! What a ride it has been. We’re thankful for all the ministry that God has allowed us to be a part of in the Philippines. Our heart is to build up local churches and disciples for the furtherance of Christ’s Kingdom.

After the team left, we jumped right back into our normal rhythms of campus outreach and primary/secondary education.

Campus Outreach

This semester, Street Level Ministries is meeting twice a week for dinner and bible study to accommodate students’ schedules. We’re also actively pursuing more ministry opportunities at one of the universities in the city, as God continues to point us back to students there. Aside from weekly meetings, we’re also utilizing our new “banana stand” to get out on the streets for live Street Level Radio broadcasts and Word on the Street Magazine distribution.

Exploring Creation Science

Primary and secondary schools are in full swing (well, aside from a holiday nearly every week!), which means more students are being taught why they believe what they believe. Through Shofar’s Exploring Creation Science lessons, students from grade 4 all the way to grade 12 discover how the sciences of biology, geology, astronomy, chemistry, and human anatomy support God’s creation.

Prayer Requests

Thank you for your continued support and prayers for Shofar Mission. If you are compelled, please remember to pray for the following:

That the team’s endeavors would continue to bear fruit that remains in the lives of those whom we ministered to.
For the Street Level students to grow in their faith, maturity as disciples, and passion to reach out to their classmates and universities.
For continued relationships with primary and secondary schools that we’ve worked with in the past, as well as new schools to teach Exploring Creation Science.