Dominican Recap #1

I am sitting at my desk in my office at home and I am reading my journal entries from my latest trip to the Dominican Republic. I continue to marvel at how awesome the Lord really is. He continues to do exactly what He says He will do. He continues to meet me at the deepest point of my needs but has no desire to leave me there. He continues to push me further in following His leading. He continues to extend His loving grace and blessing upon my life and my family. He continues to show me that He is GOD.

Before I left on the trip, I read through John Piper's book, called Let The Nations Be Glad. It was once again, a beautiful reminder of why missions exists. In Piper's own words he states,

"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Mission exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever."

Once I arrived back in the Dominican Republic, I fell immediately back in love with the country. This was my fourth visit and I am already looking forward to my return. We worked closely with Mercy and Julio DeRuiter who connected us with Pastor Manny and his work in the villages of Dos Hermanos and Monte Largo located in the San Pedro de Macoris region of the Dominican Republic. This is a different area than I had been in before but I really feel in love with the people of the villages and Pastor Manny's heart to plant churches in that area.



We spent several days working in the villages and had some time available to us to work on the church by putting in a new floor, painting the worship area, planting flowers and bushes around the church (so the villagers would understand that God's things are beautiful and need to be taken care of~ this was Pastor Manny's idea and I loved it) and then we were able to go and paint some of the houses that belonged to the men who worked and served in the church there. We also had the opportunity to lead a few backyard Bible studies in the schools and villages that we were at. Here is a clip of one of the villagers singing for us.



I will be sharing more over the next few days, and or weeks about our trip and all that the Lord has done in us, to us and through us. What an amazing journey the He has us all on and i am excited about what is around the corner.

Wow, what a week

It is 6:39 am in Santo Domingo, and I think I may be the only one up. It has been almost two weeks since my last post and I have so much to share. I have been in the Dominican Republic with 14 students and 2 adults since December 11th. This is my 4th trip to this country and I fall more in love with it every time I come. I tend to always leave a portion of my heart here, when I leave.
The Lord allowed us to do some amazing things while we were here and I am looking forward to transcribing my daily journal into a blog over the next few days and weeks. We worked with the bateys called Monte Largo and Dos Hermanos and started some amazing relationships with the men, women and children of those bateys. Mercy and Julio, our Dominican contacts, were a joy to work with. I am really looking forward to our future together, as we schedule and plan more trips. We also spend some time with Pastor Manny and his family. They are church planters here in the Domincan. We are gettings things ready to fly back to Dallas today, so I have lots to do but will be sharing very soon all that the Lord has done in us, to us, and through us

Reflections From Sunday

The Lord continues to amaze me at what He is doing in the life of our church. There is not a week that goes by that I am continually reminded why He placed us here for this chapter in our life. The conversations and prayer times that I have had after services the past few weeks, have all been subtle reminders. Thank you Lord. If you have missed the services the last few weeks, you can catch them here at GatewayTV

We have been studying the "I Am" statements that are found in the Gospel of John as we look at what Jesus said about himself. We see that He tells us that He is the "I Am". He tells us He is "The Bread of Life". He states that He is "The Light of the World", "The Gate" and this past week we looked at the fact that He is "The Good Shepherd".

Here are the notes from Sunday's Message::

John 10:11-21


11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.This charge I have received from my Father."

19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20Many of them said, "He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?" 21Others said, "These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

The Shepherd::

* is authoritative (sheep know and hear His voice)
* is a protector (He lays down his life for his sheep)
* is a rescuer (He leaves no one behind. He goes after those who have gone astray)
* is devoted (He is invested in his sheep, he commands authority, provides protection, and rescues us)

I will be leaving on December 11th to the Dominican Republic for a mission trip with Greenville Christian School, where I teach and Bible and serve as the Spiritual Life Director. Will you please pray for our trip and our team as we share the Gospel of Christ with the Haitians and Dominicans.

Zach Snow will be teaching on December 12th and 19th. He will be walking the church through the statement made by Jesus that He is "The Resurrection and The Life" and the fact that He is "The Way, The Truth and The Life"", which will conclude our series over the "I AM" statements

We will have "Family Worship" on Sunday morning, December 26, 2010. We will have coffee and conversation, as usual, at 10:100 am and worship at 10:30 am.

Here are a few things coming up in the life of our church::
...Pastor's Open House on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
...Family Worship on Sunday, December 26, 2010



ConnectGroup Schedule::
TuesNite @ 7pm @ The Snow's
WedNite @ 7pm @ The Brown's
SunMorn @ 930am @ GFchurch (Youth)


I love our church
I love our people
I love our team
I love what He is doing in us
I love what He is doing to us
I love what He is doing through us

GFchurch

It has been a few weeks since I have posted a "Reflections From Sunday" post, so I will try to catch up now. The Lord continues to amaze me at what He is doing in the life of our church. There is not a week that goes by that I am continually reminded why He placed us here for this chapter in our life. The conversations and prayer times that I have had after services the past few weeks, have all been subtle reminders. Thank you Lord. If you have missed the services the last few weeks, you can catch them here at GatewayTV

We have been studying the "I Am" statements that are found in the Gospel of John as we look at what Jesus said about himself. We see that He tells us that He is the "I Am". He tells us He is "The Bread of Life". He states that He is "The Light of the World", "The Gate" and this week we will look at the fact that He is "The Good Shepherd".

I will be leaving on December 11th to the Dominican Republic for a mission trip with Greenville Christian School, where I teach and Bible and serve as the Spiritual Life Director. Will you please pray for our trip and our team as we share the Gospel of Christ with the Haitians and Dominicans.

Zach Snow will be teaching on December 12th and 19th. He will be walking the church through the statement made by Jesus that He is "The Resurrection and The Life" and the fact that He is "The Way, The Truth and The Life"", which will conclude our series over the "I AM" statements

We will have "Family Worship" on Sunday morning, December 26, 2010. We will have coffee and conversation, as usual, at 10:100 am and worship at 10:30 am.

Here are a few things coming up in the life of our church::
...This Friday, December 3, 2010 is the GFchurch Ladies Ornament Exchange
...Pastor's Open House on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
...Family Worship on Sunday, December 26, 2010


In case, you did not get a chance to see this, here is an article about our Food Drive in the community. Thanks @GFchurch for being the church on mission!!


Neighborhood event raises food for Helping Hands

By JIM HARDINHerald-Banner

Rockwall County — A Royse City Church held a neighborhood-based food drive Saturday to help Helping Hands of Rockwall County restock its food shelves.

Signs in Royse City led to a residence on Mockingbird Street. And in the home’s driveway were several boxes of food and another sign promoting the food drive.

Donna Webb, who hosted the food drive at her residence, said the food drive was sponsored as a community event by Gateway Fellowship Church.

Few Royse City residents dropped off food, so church members started going door-to-door. Webb said that effort was more productive.

“We’re doing this to provide a service to the community and to meet the community,” Webb said.

Several families from the church helped Webb and her husband, Max, with the project.


Here is the link to the article in the Herald Banner
http://roysecityheraldbanner.com/local/x2055606979/Neighborhood-event-raises-food-for-Helping-Hands



ConnectGroup Schedule::
TuesNite @ 7pm @ The Snow's
WedNite @ 7pm @ The Brown's
SunMorn @ 930am @ GFchurch (Youth)


I love our church
I love our people
I love our team
I love what He is doing in us
I love what He is doing to us
I love what He is doing through us