As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire… -Isaiah 55:10-11
By now you are aware that we are focusing on Bible translation for this fall’s Mission Emphasis. Recently we sent a check to the mission agency that undergirds the ministry of Andrew and Ann Sims for $20,000 to continue the process of translating the Old Testament, translating the Bible in audio format, and providing additional outreach resources (e.g. The Jesus Film) for the Lik and Ketengban people groups of Indonesian Guinea. In addition, the gospel of Luke is being translated for a people group that the Ketengban are now reaching out to with the gospel. Andrew and Ann have been working with these people groups for three decades. The Sims, in case you were not aware, are missionaries that we at LifePoint have supported for thirty years in the ministry of Bible translation and church planting, primarily in the Papua and Indonesian people groups.
Our theme for this fall’s Mission Emphasis - 1,671 Waiting on God’s Word - is a direct reminder to us of the vast amount of human language groupings in this world who have yet to have the Scriptures translated into their heart language. We want to do our small part in seeing that number diminish. One way we can do that is by seeing this translation work for the Ketengban people brought to completion.
Over the next month you will be hearing much more about our Missions Emphasis and the importance of hearing and knowing the Scriptures in one’s own heart language. For now, I want to give you a head’s up concerning our Faith Promise that we will take up on Sunday, September 16, during both worship services. Many of you are aware of the process by which we support both local and global missions work through LifePoint Church. For you, this will simply be a reminder. For some, however, this may be your first introduction to the process.
Each year at LifePoint we spend a few weeks emphasizing the importance of missions, followed by a one-time offering in which we provide you with the opportunity to support missions through the ministry of the church. Our Faith Promise is not a cash offering or a “love gift.” It is a pledge by which those who feel led to give promise a certain amount of money, above and beyond your regular giving to the work of the church, that goes directly to missions work. Last year, that amount was $404,087. At LifePoint we keep our missions and general budgets separate. We never “dip into” the missions budget to support the general work of the church. Every dollar received in the missions budget goes to missions support. There are no exceptions. In 2018 we supported missionaries and missions work to the tune of approximately $20,000 each month. In addition to that, we helped send over seventy people from LifePoint on short-term mission projects, ranging from a few days to a few months. Our Missions Team has also designated over $58,000 to missionaries and mission agencies in one-time gifts this year. Your missions dollars are doing important work in 2018.
As we approach September 16, we will talk more about the Faith Promise. A few weeks prior to Faith Promise Sunday we will make the pledge cards available so that you (and your spouse and family if you are married) can prayerfully consider if (and how) you will participate financially in our missions work at LifePoint. Then, on Faith Promise Sunday, we will collect the pledge cards, count what has been promised for the year 2019, and budget accordingly.
My obvious hope and prayer each year is that our Faith Promise will increase both in the number of those who participate and the amount of funding raised. More important than those numbers, however, is our overall commitment here at LifePoint to the Great Commission that Jesus has given to all believers. That we …go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you (Matt. 28:19-20). One of the ways we try to obey this call is to give to legitimate missions work, and to go when we have the opportunity.
I hope you will prayerfully consider continuing to partner with the church in missions in 2019, or to begin that partnership for the first time this fall. We give so that others may hear the same good news that transformed our lives and gave us a hope not only for today, but for the future as well.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Jym