Open the book of Acts and travel with Paul throughout the first century world. You will experience some amazing things. One experience you are certain to have is meeting lots of new people and seeing their lives transformed as they are introduced to the Gospel. Once transformed, Paul tries to ensure their continued growth, which is why we have a second and third missionary journey carried out by Paul. He doesn’t take these journeys on his own. Each time he has different acquaintances along with him. When you read Acts, you will see that he establishes partnerships throughout the world. These partnerships include financial as well as spiritual support and aid. Sometimes they support Paul and other times he is supporting them. He goes out of his way to never be a financial drain on those he is with but at times he is supplied by these churches so he might take the Gospel somewhere new or to aid other believers who are in need. Today, TBC Cayce, like Paul, has established partnerships throughout the world. As I write this I’m sitting at a table in a home full of children who have been rescued and brought into a loving Christian family. I’ve watched as Christian and Eugenia have stepped out in faith, time and time again and have seen God bless their efforts. Just this week we watched them distribute shoes to 500 children, build a playground and toured their new medical facility, as well as tour the beginning of their new facility for children they will rescue in the days ahead. These partnerships work two ways. TBC Cayce is blessed to have the opportunity to reach places we could never reach without a base from which to launch supplies, translators and intelligence about how, when and where to go. These partnerships are some of the strongest methods available to us to disciple the members of TBC Cayce. Ask anyone who has ever been on a Christ-centered mission trip and they will tell you of the powerful life-change that is wrought by serving the Lord in another culture. On the other hand, we hope and pray we are also a unique blessing to our partners. I believe with all my heart God has led us to some of the most amazing and wonderful people we could ever imagine being partnered with. If in fact our goal is to love, reach and grow fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ then it can only be accomplished as we reach beyond our borders and into the farthest reaches of the globe. We must continue to press on into the spiritually poorest boroughs, villages and cities in hopes of meeting new and unique women and men whose hearts have or will be gripped by the mighty Love of our God. If your heart has never been made tender toward the people outside our borders I’d encourage you to take a journey through the book of Acts. Ask yourself if anyone with a passion for God can deny the call to reach out and help those throughout the world who need our help as they seek to go where we could never go but long to see Christ go. If you aren’t currently praying for our partners on a regular basis, pick up one of our prayer cards and begin to pray for one of our partners each day. If you have a student, please take our challenge to have every student go on a foreign mission trip before their senior year seriously. Never let finances dictate whether you or someone you feel led to send prevent you from going. Share the need with our mission department and allow us to partner with you as we partner with our friends in Guatemala, Hungry, India and Nepal and wherever else God may bless us to go and to serve.
May God bless you and may he bless our partners,
Pastor Eddie
John 3:30
