Wednesday, November 26, 2014

He is Greater

Churches across the county will once again be collaborating together in the “He is Greater...” campaign. Last year about 35 churches presented the same theme and series using the same Christmas texts. This year the focus is on “Who is HE?” The series will focus on the angelic names given to the baby that we celebrate at Christmas. The four advent Sundays leading up to our Christmas Eve service will be: He is Savior.... He is Christ .... He is Lord .... He is Jesus!

There is a website available at heisgreater.com that will list the churches participating in the collaborative series, resources available for family worship throughout advent, community outreaches and opportunities as well as resources for community group leaders. New “He is Greater” t-shirts will be available for this year in a holiday red at WBC in the month of November. The plan is to wear the shirts across the community starting Novemmber 28th - “Black Friday!” Last year more than 10,000 t-shirts with the logo were distributed across the 35 churches. As people wore the shirts, people asked questions and conversations were started. I walked into JCPenney’s close to Christmas wearing my “He is Greater..” t-shirt, and the saleswoman asked me, “I’ve seen those shirts around for weeks, what is all this about?” It was a great opportunity to share the true story of Christmas and its meaning. There will also be yard signs available that we would love to see covering our entire community.

This series allows us as churches across the county to stand shoulder to shoulder in collectively declaring at Christmas that Jesus is greater! Be a part of the Community-wide declaration!

Monday, November 17, 2014

Carry Christ's Love

How are you “Carrying the love of Jesus” locally and globally? We would love to hear about it! E-mail us at icarry@waxahachiebible.org.

Interested in getting involved in a community group at WBC or local “Carry” opportunities? E-mail us at icarry@waxahachiebible.org.


At WBC, we just spent a couple of weeks embracing a mini-series where we focused in on a compelling component of our mission. As we worship our Lord and become mature disciples, we are reminded to also “Carry the Love of Jesus” in our community and around the world. Excitement filled the room as the church talked about one of the points of our mission for two weeks in a row! This two week series did great things for reminding us about the “C” component of WBC.

Our Powerful God lives inside of us, church! As we connect deeply with what it means to “carry the love of Jesus,” we hope everyone can discover practical ways we can believe it, know it, discover it and actually carry it locally and globally. What is the “it?” It is - The Love of Jesus Christ.

During the two weeks, we spent time discovering and acting on where we can engage at WBC, locally and globally to “Carry the Love of Christ.” On Sunday, October 26th, missionaries Mike Cloud and Immanuel Christian shared in both morning services to help us remember to Carry the Love of Jesus globally. Several missionaries were also on hand to share in the Sunday morning community classes to encourage all of us to remember and to show us how to carry the love of Christ around the world.

Be reminded of this compelling part of our mission:
CARRY CHRIST’S LOVE TO THE WORLD. Any journey with God must involve reaching outside of our church to be a part of God’s mission in the world. We hope that you will be a part of shining God’s light in the darkest corners of our community and world - Locally & Globally.

The Vision for This
• We envision meeting the needs of Ellis County in tangible ways that live out the gospel of Jesus Christ. We envision sharing the gospel with thousands of people in the Ellis County area. (Isaiah 55:11; Acts 2:43-47; Luke 6:27-36; Romans 5:15; II Corinthians 4:15, Phil 2:14-16; I Thess. 1:8)

• We envision our church as a place where the salvation of souls is the norm, not the exception. (Luke 15:4-6; Luke 19:10; John 14:6; Colossians 1:4-6; I Timothy 4:10; I Thess. 1:5-6; 2 Peter 3:9)

• We envision welcoming people into our body who are seeking to grow together in love and experience healing in their lives, families, relationships, and marriages. (Luke 9:48, Acts 28:30; Luke 14:21-23; I Cor. 13:1-3; I John 4:7-10)

• We envision recruiting, training, and sending out all of our people as missionaries, church planters, and church workers all over the world.We also envision all of our people pursuing short-term mission’s service in various countries. (Psalm 22:27; Isaiah 49:6; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Matthew 7:13-14, Acts 13:2-3; Romans 10:14-15, I Corinthians 3:5-11)

• We envision planting churches in Ellis County, America or abroad as God leads and provides. We also seek to fully develop the leadership for these church plants. (Acts 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1-10)

• We envision a facility that will accommodate our growth and be accessible to all of Ellis County. Thus, we desire to grow as God prospers us and uses us to reach a lost and dying world. (Acts 2:43-47; Mark 4:1-9)

Local Carry Opportunities
- Daniels Den
- Hallelujah party
- Women’s Christmas dinner
- Bread of life
- Prison Ministry
- Camp Fire Creek Therapeutic Riding Center
- Common Ground
- Connections ministry
- Drug Prevention Resources
- Firstlook
- Mission 75165
- Gabriel’s Project
- Habitat for Humanity
- Little Ray of Sunshine
- Impact
- Meals on Wheels
- Mercy Heart
- Mobile Manna
- Salvation Army
- Soul’s Harbor
- Waxahachie Care
- First Christian School

Global Carry Opportunities
- OCC
- Short term missions
- Echo Ranch
- Honduras
- Arizona

How are you “Carrying the Love of Jesus” locally and globally? We would love to hear about it! Interested in getting involved in a community group at WBC or local “Carry” opportunities? Email us:  icarry@waxahachiebible.org

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Ministry Partner of the Month - Ken & Gwen Baker

October 15 through next April, we will be teaching advanced missions courses at the Institut Missiologique du Sahel (IMS) to French-speaking African mission leaders and mobilizers in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The IMS is in a small village 25 kms outside the capital city.

1. Pray for our health to be strong and resilient.

2. Pray that we will develop effective, contextualized courses.

3. Praise that we have the privilege to mentor these men and women!

4. Pray for wisdom as we seek to discern areas of growth needed.

5. Pray for us to persevere well in the heat without A/C!

6. Pray that we will develop good relationships with the students and staff.

7. Pray that our computers will work with limited solar electricity.

8. Pray for periodic communication with family back home (we will not have local internet).

9. Pray for wisdom in our teaching.

10. Pray for our French ability, we haven’t taught in French for a few years.

11. Pray for spiritual strength and vitality!

12. Pray specifically for Gwen’s English as a Foreign Language courses.

13. Pray for West Africa during the Ebola crisis, that God would stop the plague.

14. Pray for the IMS students as they study and prepare for mission engagement.

15. Pray for administrative capacity as Ken is interim director of the IMS program.

16. Pray for us as we deeply miss our children and grandson!!

17. Pray for us and IMS in the face of constant spiritual battle.