NEW CHURCH PLANT

The NorthPointe Christian Church in Providence County, Rhode Island will be launched next Sunday Oct. 25th, 2009.  Here are some interesting facts:

Rhode Island is the smallest land mass of the fifty United State.

It has over 400 miles of coastline and over 100 beaches and is called the Ocean State.

Less than 16% of all residents attend any church.

It is the 17th richest state and ranks in the bottom four states as being the least charitable.

60% of the population in Providence Count is under 35 years if age.

Our Missions budget already supports this new work but please be in earnest prayer for them as the begin to be the witness to the 1.1 million people in RI who need to hear the gospel.

Campus Crusade for Christ reports

In the closed countries of the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, simply asking about Jesus  could land a person in prison.  Today Campus Crusade for Christ has Communication Centers in Baghdad, Cairo, Turkey and 12 other strategic locations.  Where allowed the centers purchase television time and radio spots.  In every center their staff members provide confidental counseling, online help, free Bible literature and private follow-up.  Plus they are able to connect people with local believers.  Because of Tomoka’s support, many people in these closed nations will hear the Gospel  and respond.  Please pray for this opportunity to break down walls of persecutions and bring healing to hurting hearts worldwide.  Tomoka’s missions program is funded by the sacrificial giving of our generous congregation.

August Missions Meeting Highlights

The Team decided on support amount for Bong Barredo, our missionary in the Philippines.  She runs Camp JeLoy (Jesus Loves You),  which includes overnight camps about 6 times a year.  The ministry is also the site for JeLoy Christian Church and  Kinder School.  They are planning to start the Christian Academy in the near future.  Their motto:  Reaching to Save, Teaching to Serve!  Bong’s ministry is called Asian Youth and Children Ministries and  she works under the American organization called Advancing Native Missions located in Charlottesville, VA.  Please add Bong’s name to your prayer journal.

Also new to our Missions program is Mary Williams.  She and her family run a day camp for children called the Bible Witness Camp.  Their  ministry is  to children from the south Chicago area. They pick them up after school and take them to the camp where they participate in Bible studies and games.  Those who memorize the Word and try to learn are rewarded with free weeks at the camp in the summer.  The ministry has started a church on the campgrounds and have other programs available through the church. This is a great ministry to children who live in difficult surroundings.  Please add this ministry to your prayer journals.

Our newest missionaries are Doug and Carol Baldwin who minister in El Oro, Ecuador.  They have planted 3 churches in Ecuador so far.  Pastor Joe visited them and was most impressed with their evangelical ministry.  He pledged Tomoka’s help in the construction of a church building for them next year.  We will be working with another Christian church to accomplish the project.  Please add Doug & Carol to your prayer journal.

Prayer Journals are available in the Welcome Center in the church lobby.  The World Prayer Maps from Every Home for Christ are now available also.  These items are free of charge and are provided to assist you in praying for our missionaries and for the nations of the world.  God calls churches to be His “House of Prayer” and as Christians we are to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.  Together our prayers will circle the earth everyday.  Want to make God smile?  PRAY!!

Pat Bolles, Missions Director

1,000,000 NEW TESTAMENTS AND COUNTING

Voice of the Martyrs reports that in 2006 they launched a new ministry called Bibles Unbound.  They challenged their readers to send New Testaments into countries hostile to the gospel including China, Columbia, and Egypt.  They recently sent their 1,000,000th New Testament and are just getting started.  Think about this fact:  If only one in out of every five Chinese believers wanted to give a New Testament to 10 of their friends, they would need 80 MILLION New Testaments!  The need is also great in Indonesia, India and North Korea and many other countries.  A young man named Shi printed 140,00 Bibles to give away in one of the countries listed above.  The government confiscated all of them.  The cost of his gift was a $22,000 fine, 3 years in prison and two daughters growing up without a father.  What does it cost you to send Bibles and advance the Gospel in these nations?  Give generously to your Missions program to help meet this need.