Duplication and Disciple Making

What a wonderful week! God is making headway in this ministry! Imagine that, He is the God of all creation. The kids have undergone some rough stuff the past two weeks, two had a break in at their home, two involved in altercations at school involving bullies and gangs, one is being shifted from place to place due to parental problems. There is more, but I'm sure you see a pattern. So why would it be a good week? Because we know that when God takes an interest in someone, so does His enemy. These kids are not giving up! God has a plan for their lives that He's had since the beginning of time.

Last Saturday morning we had the opportunity to sow into the lives of a child and parent. Some went well, some did not. When you reach out to help, you reach all the way out! Don't hold back, do what God directs you to do! The results are up to Him and people have the God given right not to respond like we would want them to which is giving up to God completely. I walked right past God's grace, even turned my nose up and railed against Him for twenty two years. What right do I have not to offer God's grace even if it is not accepted or respected. But in the balance lies two lives who desperately need the Master's care. Please pray for this situation.

Last Friday we enjoyed another segment of the Bible study from Facing The Giants. What an awesome movie. The kids are still learning and can relate to the material. Bobby did an excellent job and it was great to see the kids learn! We have such a great time studying God's Word and celebrating a birthday. Good times. I think I'll send a note to the Sherwood Baptist Church Pastor to tell him how we're enjoying it.

But this Wednesday was such a wonderful day. One of my young men from the Next Door Bible Study, Greg, started a ministry with his younger brother Doug and the younger brother of Tayler (also from TNDBS) who's name is Heath. It is called U-Turn ministry and it began as Greg and these young men began to reach out to their friends. For a little over a year they have been sharing their testimonies and speaking about randomly selected Bible verses. But this year, God has called these three young men to buckle down and study their Bibles to begin to tell people about God. Greg said, "I've been talking about what He's done for me, now He wants me to talk about Him." Amen to that! They plan to begin in Romans, do verse by verse inductive study with their materials checked by a more seasoned Christian, and print study guides.

As Greg shared his plans he spoke of how he learned to study the Bible through The Next Door Bible Study. He said that the young men in the group were pressing him to say what to read and study (praise God!) but that he and another young man knew that we didn't complete whole chapters at a time. Sometimes we could only do part of one in a lesson because the Word was filled with so much to discuss. My heart was completely thrilled as I thought about how I learn from my Pastor, Dr. Johnny Ellison, and Dr. David Jeremiah and Adrian Rogers. These men poured into me their knowledge and I have poured into these kids as much as I can and now Greg is pouring into others! That is every teachers' dream. I can do nothing but praise the One who is the Author of it all!

I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am that God's Word is spreading from these humble walls that I call home. I don't own the walls, I rent them, with money from God's hand. He gives me everything! My ability to read and understand His Word, to move and be and to minister to others. That is why I say to God be the glory! Please be a part of this ministry through prayer, or however God leads you. Better yet, begin your own! Make yourself available to God and see what He will do!

In Christ,
Jamie