The Final Day Of Orientation

The Lord has blessed us with a wonderful week here at Macedonia World Baptist Mission. The teaching, preaching and fellowship have been very refreshing and helpful. My heart was moved within me last night as the veteran missionaries were brought forward and honored for thier years of service to our Lord. Men and women from all over the world who have given their lives to get the Gospel to the world; my what a sight. Then the families that are raising funds for the field were asked to stand and a special prayer of dedication was made for them. I excitedly await to hear how God will use these new missionaries for His glory.

Pray for Samantha Weber

I just got off the phone with Pastor Bud Marten of Bethel Memorial Baptist Church in Lafayette, GA. He has a 15 year old young lady in his church named Samantha Weber that has been diagnosed with bone cancer. This cancer is spreading in her body. Samantha's family is faithful to church and she helps with the bus ministry. Please lift up this young lady and her family to the Lord in prayer today. Thank you so much.

Congratulations To Bro. Horton

Yesterday was an exciting time here at Macedonia. After a good day of classes, exciting stories from missionaries and a great meal, hearts were ready for the evening service. Dr. Ronnie Simpson with the Carolina Bible Institute awarded one of our veteran missionaries, Bro. Horton, an honorary doctorate. Bro. Horton has spent many faithful years in Canada doing the Lord's work.
Tonight should be a full house as we have Crossroads Baptist Church meeting with us for their midweek service. Please keep us in your prayers that God would do a great work in the hearts and lives of His dear servants.

A Prudent Wife

The longer I serve the Lord, the more grateful I am for the godly wife He has given me. As part of my devotions this morning, I read Proverbs 19. Verse 14 states that a prudent wife is from the Lord. The word prudent means sensible or understanding. I chuckled as I thought of how understanding my wife has to be to live with me! As you are preparing to go to the field, please realize the greatest thing you have is not the support of the churches and the money they have pledged but rather a mate that is sensible, understanding or prudent. If you think about it, how many women would follow you like your wife is doing right now? Give her hug, buy her a rose, let her know she is truly from the Lord.

Orientation 2007

I am here in Braselton, GA at the home office of Macedonia World Baptist Mission for our annual Orientation. Yesterday started well with Dr. Wade exhorting us on the importance of finishing the work and ended with Dr. Wayne Cofield preaching on the Trojan Horse of Missionary work. He dealt with the husband wife relationship and how the devil fights a Godly marriage. Please pray that God would help and encourage the 50-60 missionary couples here this week as they get the gospel to the world.

Are You Living A Clean Life?

In an age of moral decay, may you and I live a life that pleases God and is beyond reproach. Deputation is more than raising money for the field, it is an opportunity to spiritually challenge and encourage churches. Our power is not in an outline or illustration but in God. May we be vessels that God can flow through.
Bro. Tony


Are You Living a Clean Life?

Stay away from sin. We are in a day and age where the easy and availability of sin is literally at our finger tips. Ask God to grow your character. Psalm 15 is a wonderful portion of scripture that deals with the inner man and character. A good friend of mine, Austin Gardner, teaches that before our “do” level is our “be” level. Who are you really? What do you do when no one is watching? Why is that important?

One day you will be in a place where you can do, watch and be whatever you want without anyone knowing you. What will you do? Put accountability into your life. In every area be accountable. In your devotions, work schedule, computer, family, etc.

Many Christians greater than you and I have fallen for a lack of accountability in their life. If you have problems in your personal life, you will be a reproach to the work of Christ on the field. Do not let the little fox of your personal life destroy God’s work.

(Taken from a portion of The Deputation Manual)

Humility

I am alarmed at the rising number of missionaries, and pastoral staff, that think a prideful attitude is one of the fruit of the Spirit. As an ambassador for Christ one of the character traits that should be evident in your life is humility. I pray the following excerpt helps.
Bro. Tony


Are You Humble?

Do you have a humble attitude? Are you ready to be turned down by pastors when you want to book meetings? Are you willing to die to your pride when you are looked down as “not being able to make it in America” because you are going into missions? Are you ready to sleep in a converted Sunday school classroom, be forgotten about when you show up for a meeting and hear, “Were you supposed to be with us tonight?”?

Can you travel six hours one way, pay for your own food and lodging, spend hundreds of dollars and get a $50.00 love offering? And keep a right spirit? We try to live with the disposition, “Expect nothing and be grateful for everything.” Who are we that others should give us their hard earned money? Do you have a humble attitude? What are some things you need to change today?

(An excerpt taken from the Deputation Manual . You will find this under the Deputation Resource section)

The Power Of Words

A friend sent this to me. May God use us in the same way.
Bro. Tony

There have been many things folks have said to me that have stuck to my soul over the years.
Most of them came from my parents, who always spoke life, encouragement, and hope into their kids, and made us believe anything was possible.
But there are a few things that other pastors have said to me at pivotal times that also made an irreversible difference in my life.
I want to share a few of those with you over the next couple days.
Hopefully, as you read them, you’ll realize that your words also have the power to sink deep down into someone’s soul and change his life forever.
Here’s #1:
"I’ve never seen anyone that God has His hand on like He has His hand on your son…"
Pastor Mickey White
Pastor Mickey is over 65 years old. He pastors a mission church that had about 100 people coming at the time (over 10 years ago), and he needed someone to work with the 20 youth who were coming. I was 16, had been saved 6 months, and he thought I was the man for the job.
I thought he was drunk.
So one evening he came to my house, sat down on the floor, and explained to my parents that he believed in me and wanted me to come be his youth minister.
I asked the obvious question:
"Why me? I’m 16. There will be kids in the youth group older than me. And besides, I have no clue what I’m doing. Right?"
I’ll never forget what happened next. This 60 year old man stood up, stared at me for a few seconds, then turned away from me, looked at my parents, and gave a pretty convincing speech:
"I’ve worked with students in the FCA program for many many years.
I’ve seen lots of talented Christian kids come and go. But I’ve never seen anyone that God has His hand on like He has His hand on your son." Now remember, I was blessed to grow up in a home where my confidence was built up regularly. I was always believed in and celebrated.
Always.
But there was something about a preacher with gray hair telling me, a high school junior, that I was uniquely and powerfully gifted by God in a great way.
I believed it. And that belief became an integral part of me.
God has His hand on me. I served as Pastor Mickey’s youth minister until I went to college.
I did lots of dumb things. And he told me they were dumb.
I preached for Pastor Mickey sometimes on Sunday mornings.
I said a lot of dumb things. And he told me they were dumb.
But he believed in me through it all. I probably wouldn’t be pastoring a church with almost 2000 people showing up weekly as a 27 year old punk if Pastor Mickey hadn’t believed in me as a 16 year old punk. Because he saw God’s hand on me. And he told me so.

New York Church Planter

I am excited about Wayne Cooke's church planting ministry to New York City. Recently Bro. Wayne went to New York for another survey trip and the Lord provided a place to meet for $100 a week! That is wonderful anywhere, but especially in New York! After talking with Bro. Wayne today, please keep in prayer the following:
1. For a quick sale of his house in Dawsonville, GA
2. For the necessary funds needed to start the church. (Appx $60,000)
3. That God would already be at work in the hearts of those who will one day be apart of this ministry.

Self Starter

The following is an excerpt from the Deputation Manual, a resource that will greatly assist you in your pre-field ministry.

One of the most important character traits for one on deputation is initiative. I pray the following will be a help and encouragement to you.

Are You A Self-Starter?

Be a self starter. You may have worked for a boss all your life and now you come to the point where you are the boss. What will you do? Who will motivate you? Who will set your schedule? How many hours will you put in? When will it be quitting time? If you have a difficult time setting your own schedule, you will not make it as a missionary.

Discipline in your life will be mandatory. As I write this, it is beautiful outside! My flesh wants to fish, play golf, throw the ball with my boys or just weed the flower bed. There is nothing wrong with that but I have a job to do. I just finished a meeting with a man in Atlanta and in one hour have another meeting.

Do not be a waster of the time that you have. I read that D.L. Moody gave account of every minute of each day. We wonder why he got so much done and was so used of God! Fight your flesh and ask God to give you some holy motivation for His work.

Asahel

II Samuel 2 we find an interesting story concerning Abner, commander for the house of Saul, and Joab the commander for the house of David. Abner fled from the battle and in so doing was chased by Joab’s brother, Asahel. The sad end of this story in vs 23 is Asahel ends up impaled on a spear….dead. What happened? What was the cause of this?
We are in a crisis amongst missionaries. When I speak of missionaries coming home, I am not speaking of reasons such as health or a change in ministry. I am referring to the many who come home and now are no longer in the ministry at all. What happened to these men and principles from the life of Asahel may help us understand a bit clearer.

1. (vs. 18a) – Asahel came from the right family. Notice that his brother was the great Joab. Your family may have been missionaries or even missions minded. That, in and of itself, is not enough for when you reach the field.

2. (vs. 18b) – Asahel had natural abilities. It states that he was as light of foot as a wild roe. In the south we would say he could run like a scalded dog! You may be able to “preach”, “shuck the corn” or “bring the house down”. That does not mean you are ready at all for the field in which you are headed. A camp meeting service and a Chinese service are not the same thing. What will be successful for one may not be for the other. Just because you can “preach”, does not mean that you know people and how to work with them. Sadly, these days being able to “preach” does not even mean you are spiritual. If you are trusting in your speaking ability for success, what happens when you can not speak their language?

3. (vs. 19a) – Asahel was Motivated. He took off running after Abner with all he had. You also may be a man that is highly motivated yet that in and of itself does not mean you are ready for the field. What does your motivation lead you to do? You can be a motivated golfer but if you do not learn how to swing correctly, you will never improve. You will just do wrong with enthusiasm!

4. (vs. 19b) – Asahel was Focused. He did not turn to the right or left from following Abner. You talk about looking straight ahead and no wavering, Asahel was our man. You and I may also be focused even to the point of affixation. I can look straight ahead trying to get across the street and get hit by a car. Asahel was so locked in the he would not listen (vs. 21) or change. Being focused becomes dangerous when we no longer are willing to change.

5. (vs. 23) – Asahel was Dead. The sad end to this story is the young man ended up dead. He was finished and the people just stood still in amazement.

So it is today that many who have admirable qualities end up impaled by the spear of missions. They possess good characteristics and yet are still not ready. Asahel was a good warrior, Abner a great one. Asahel had a lack of experience and preparation compared to the task before him. We have to be very careful taking a guy who has taught a junior high boys class and then say he is ready to start a church 4,000 miles away in a different land with a different culture and a different language. He is motivated, focused, excitable, enjoys teaching his class and his dad is one of the deacons in the church. The only problem is the experience of teaching a junior boys class or running a bus route is only the foundational block of experience need to see this man successful and victorious on the mission field.

May each day of your pre field experience (if you are on deputation) be filled with learning, growing and gaining of experience. Prepare yourself the best you can for what is coming ahead. Pastor, please allow your missionary family the exposure and experience they need to have a chance on the field. Do not let the first time he baptizes, does the Lord’s Supper, preaches, sits in a deacon’s meeting, or is in charge of a funeral be when he gets to the field. When he is able to take over your church then he may be able to go to the field and start a church. Help prepare him so that he does not end up with a spear run through him and everybody in your church “standing around” looking at him.

Later I will give some suggestions of books to read as you get ready for the field. May God bless you as you serve Him.