“The Church is the Agent of Change in a Changing Age”

Sunday Morning March 8, 2009

Today our mission team met up with the missionaries after a restful night of in a breezy, coastal area. Our team headed down to Redemption Church which is a church we visited last year.

“Having the opportunity to visit Redemption Church again this year was such a privilege. It is a blessing to be able to worship with other Christians across the world. The pastor is so passionate when he preaches, and we’ve continually found the people here to be very warm and welcoming.” - Faith Morris, Furman University Grad 2006.

Today Pastor Burke didn’t preach, but he had one of his deacons bring God’s word. Our group has many members that are new to Barbados and had the privilege to experience the culture and worship styles at church for the first time. One of these new members is Chris Bowers.

“During the visit to Redemption Church this morning I realized that when we all get to Heaven then truly it will be ALL of us! From every nation! The style of worship was a little different from what I am accustomed but you could tell that God was there and that they truly knew they were doing God’s work. I truly believe that as a “Church” church whole, we need a change. This morning’s message was right on track with that. There is nothing except God that we can lean on for change!” - Chris Bowers the 9:30 College Bible Fellowship Teacher

God Has blessed our team so much already that many people feel like they have been here more than just two days. God is definitely at work on this island and we are excited to get involved.

Prayer

· Tonight we are attending a different church named People’s Baptist and we ask if everyone would be in prayer for that.

· Tomorrow we are starting our relational ministry with the students on the campus of UWI (University of West Indies)

Please keep in your mind
“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thess. 5:16-17

Correspondent Josh Gibson

“Let God Blow Your Mind!!!”

Saturday Night:

The venue was a church in Bridgetown, Barbados. While there we met with UCCF, one of UWI’s Christian organizations, to observe a drama. The drama was about the lives of 4 different people, each of which the people of Barbados could relate to in their struggle of finding God in everyday situations. It also showed how we can still praise him through the hard times that we all face. The drama group did an excellent job! At least 2 people got saved through this production!

 

Pray for the people that got saved.

Ryan Campbell, Anderson University Grad, 2007 had this to say about the drama, “It’s truly a blessing to see such passion and such desire amongst young singles and college age students such as ourselves radiating throughout the service last night. The music, presentation through drama, and then even the invitation to closing prayer was all filled with a fire that only God can instill amongst his people. God is AWESOME!!! And I pray he continues to use this group to ‘blow minds’ throughout Barbados! Such an encouragement.”

 

 

There are several differences in the culture here in Barbados and in America. One of the main things that one will notice in Barbados is the dialect.

Oh my word!

When we got here I wasn’t worried too much about the language, because Bajan people speak English right? The fact of the matter is that the dialect is so thick that sometimes they can be hard to understand. Although, thanks to God’s great provision, so far, nothing has been too hard to decipher.

Despite the cultural barrier, we were still able to make the connection with the Bajan people. Keri Gibson, Senior Elem. Education Major at North Greenville University had this to say about her first Barbados Experience, “Last night was the first service that I had the opportunity to go to in Barbados. It was great to meet high school and college students and worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. God truly was moving in among the students. Many decisions were made after watching the drama. I was spiritually encouraged and filled from attending this event.”  

 

Along with dialect, several different colloquialisms came up that really intrigued my interest. One, for instance, is that Bajan people call what we think to be French fries, chips. Like if you were to get a burger and fries, you would say,

“Hey! I wanna burger and chips, mon!”

But the colloquialism that I want to talk to you about is one that I heard at the UCCF worship/drama that we saw upon arriving Saturday night. The pastor/leader of the drama troop, Raphael Saul, was giving the invitation after the service, and used the expression,

“Let God blow your mind!”

The words hit me like a semi truck! This week, above anything that I could ever imagine I hope that God absolutely “Blows my Mind” to anything and everything that I have every tried to conceive about His awesome provision and goodness. This week I want you to pray that God uses us to reveal Him in a way to “Blow the Minds” of the people that we encounter in Barbados. Our God is Awesome and deserves all our praise.

Correspondent: Jonathan Bishop 

Testimonials Foot Note:

Ryan “It’s truly a blessing to see such passion and such desire amongst young singles and college age students such as ourselves radiating throughout the service last night. The music, presentation through drama, and then even the invitation to closing prayer was all filled with a fire that only God can instill amongst his people. God is AWESOME!!! And I pray he continues to use this group to ‘blow minds’ throughout Barbados! Such an encouragement.”

 

Keri “Last night was the first service that I had the opportunity to go to in Barbados. It was great to meet high school and college students and worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. God truly was moving in among the students. Many decisions were made after watching the drama. I was spiritually encouraged and filled from attending this event.”   

"It's A God Thing"

Saturday Afternoon March 7, 2009

As we reached the airport in Barbados around three we meet up with Rick and Cindy, the missionaries. It was a time great time of reunion with lots of hugs.
Rick then volunteered me to ride in the taxi with the luggage and complete stranger. I wasn’t frightened by this, but more excited to be able to sit in the front of a van that drives on the wrong side of the road.

Rick mentioned, “if you get lost going to our house, you won’t freak out” as being the reason I was volunteered. So we got lost as you could imagine.

Although I didn’t get scared I prayed that God guide us to a place that he has never been before and that I have only been to once, over a year ago. I noticed a lot of places that I have seen before, so I began to lead my new friend Condre, if that’s how you spell it.

As Condre and I were driving to find the group at a place we were both unfamiliar with I was able to create a relationship with him. We talked about general Bajan culture to music then to church.

Even though I believe Condre is not a believer, by what he said, he was a delightful person to converse with. I told him what our group was in Barbados to do and invited him to join us a church on Sunday. He said would try even though he was busy, but no promises. God truly is an amazing God never ceases to amaze me.

Condre Keep saying “No worries mon, this is Barbados we’ll find it.” We did find it.”
With God’s help and guidance we did find it. Rick, the missionary, stated once we got to our destination without following them, “It’s a God thing.”

Correspondent Josh Gibson

In The Air

Why Hello There!

This is Jonathan Bishop, Directly corresponding to you from in the air somewhere on the way to Barbados.

This is my first flight ever and I will have to admit that the take-off was the most nerve-racking thing of all, but we felt your prayers and things are going quite swimmingly.

Before the flight, we got to experience the wonderfulness of baggage check, things went smoothly there too, and despite our efforts we made it onto the plane and will be safely arriving in sunny Barbados shortly. 

The thing about flying is that it gets you thinking about your life and how finite (temporary) it is. While I was up here, in the air, I had the opportunity to read a few things for school and pleasure:

It seemed like everything that I had to read was about making more of God and less of me; to become less selfish so that His glory may increase. 

Our lives are so short in respect to the vastness of eternity, and our purpose while we are here on earth is to live for His glory. We are told by the Word of God to worship God in all circumstance, “weather by life or death” we are to glorify the Lord.

Wait …

By death?

That’s right! Even by death we are to Glory in the power of God, and the salvation that he saved us by the deserved justice of sin. 

We, in life, are to rejoice in knowing that we serve an awesome God. In death we should be satisfied in knowing that we are going to see Him that has saved us from Hell for Him!

That’s the realization that finally hit me, while I am hanging here miles above the surface of the earth. The truth is, Barbados may not be a hostile nation towards the preaching of the Gospel, but the reality is that none of us know our time to die.

Each moment that we live could be our last.

 We should live our life accordingly, in the reality of God’s Grace and Mercy. We are going to give our all with a lot of help from the Amazing God we serve.

As you read this I hope you are praying for the mission team as well as the missionaries that will be directing our efforts when we get there. Pray for the 4 teams that will be split to minister while we are there:

 

Team 1:

• ·         Scott Allen
  
• ·         John-Mark Morris
  
• ·         Faith Morris
  
• ·         Jonathan Bishop
  

Team 2:

• ·         Steve Epperson
  
• ·         Josh Gibson
  
• ·         Keri Gibson
  
• ·         McKenzie Martin

·         

      Team 3

• Ashley Bowers
  
• ·         Ryan Campbell
  
• ·         Robin Shultz
  
• ·         Emily Danuser
  

Team 4:

• ·         Chris Bowers
  
• ·         Matt Brown
  
• ·         Alyssa Martin
  
• ·         Quenton McClure
  

Local IMB Missionaries:

• ·         Rick Jenkins
  
• ·         Cindy Jenkins
  

Please take into consideration everyone that is going and pray for us all. If we delight ourselves in Him, the Lord is able to grant us the desire of our hearts. Our desire is to spread the Light of God while we are in Barbados, please pray for the people of Barbados to have receiving hearts and for our words to not be our own, instead, that God would speak though us for His eternal glory.

Psalm 37:4           Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Here is what to be expecting in this next week:

As the week wares onward, we will keep you informed of all things related through the mission trip. This will be done through video testimonials, written testimonials, and various pray requests.

During the remainder of the week we will be ministering to the people on the campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). On the way to the college, to minister to the people, we will be riding the local bus transport system and be using that as additional evangelism opportunities.

Again, while we are in Barbados, just like any other mission adventure, things are subject to change and we will inform you accordingly. Once again any and all of your PRAYERS are appreciated.

PRAYER is the main way you can help us complete His work for people.

Talk to you again soon!

Correspondent: Jonathan Bishop