2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... ·...

10
Prayer Guide 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Week of Prayer for State Missions: September 15-22 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7 EACH OF YOU SHOULD GIVE ...GOD LOVES a CHîRFUL GIVER.” WHAT YOU HAVE DECIDED IN YOUR TO GIVE... * Names changed in each instance where an asterisk appears.

Transcript of 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... ·...

Page 1: 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... · MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of

Prayer Guide2019 Missouri Missions Offering

Week of Prayer for State Missions: September 15-22

2 CORINTHIANS 9:7

EACH OF YOU SHOULD GIVE

...GOD LOVES a CH�RFUL GIVER.”

WHAT YOU HAVE DECIDED IN YOUR

TO GIVE...

* Names changed in each instance where an asterisk appears.

Page 2: 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... · MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of

Christian stewardship, like other service to the Lord, should flow from a heart of love for God and

others rather than from a sense of duty. The apostle Paul urged believers at Corinth to follow

through on their pledge to aid the ailing Jerusalem church, and to do so as

cheerful (Greek – hilaros) givers.

As you focus on giving through MMO, use this prayer guide in your daily devotions, or with your church or Bible study group, during the eight days of prayer for Missouri missions.

These eight stories represent many more who benefit from

your prayers and sacrificial giving.

YOUR GIFTS THROUGH THE MISSOURI MISSIONS OFFERINGHELP TRANSFORM LIVES AND COMMUNITIES WITH

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

To learn more about the Missouri Missions Offering, or to donate, visit mobaptist.org/mmo

Page 3: 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... · MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of

DAY 1

“Three minutes?”

Thomas* scoffed at the suggestion as he stopped by the Baptist tent at the Missouri State Fair.

A volunteer invited him to sign up for a gift card giveaway. The only thing he needed to give in exchange was three minutes of his time. Thomas wagered $5 it would take longer than that.

Every August, volunteers from across the state descend on Sedalia for 10 days of service at the Missouri State Fair. MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of people stop by to sign up for the giveaways in exchange for a few minutes of their time.

In these moments, volunteers share testimonies of how Christ saved them and how He extends the invitation of new life to everyone. Each year, about 50 people come to faith in Christ, and others renew their commitment to the Lord.

For Thomas, a volunteer accepted his wager and shared a brief testimony. But after three minutes, Thomas didn’t leave. He stayed for half an hour, engaging the volunteer in meaningful conversation.

Three minutes can make a difference for eternity.

Pray for:• The people who trusted in Christ this year at the fair• Planners preparing for next year’s State Fair

A Few Minutes for EternityMi�ouri State Fair Ministry

Page 4: 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... · MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of

The W�kend Everything ChangedMinister’s Ju�ling Act

Sam* had been so busy serving the Lord by ministering to his church that he didn’t realize what he was overlooking. Until that weekend.

That’s when he and his wife joined 50 other ministry couples in Branson to relax and recharge in a nurturing environment. And something incredible happened.

“I was able to turn off ministry and focus on my wife, who I have neglected,” Sam acknowledged.

Marriages have been saved, and ministers and wives have been revived through the Minister’s Juggling Act, which MMO supports and the Missouri Baptist Convention hosts once a year to encourage pastors and their families. Some of those who attend are at their wit’s end – ready to give up on their marriage, their church, their calling. But God works through the weekend retreat to restore their vision.

“It was a breath of fresh air that has filled my cup and heart!” one participant wrote afterward. MMO makes the event possible, and even provides scholarships to defray the cost for ministers and their wives.

Pray for:• Missouri Baptist pastors who need encouragement• Minister’s Juggling Act to be an effective event to rejuvenate pastors and their marriages

DAY 2

Page 5: 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... · MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of

DAY 3

The men and women in Jagat and Nani Lamsal’s living room in Rolla come from all corners of the world – Saudi Arabia, China, India, Iraq. “What happens to your soul after you die?” asks Jagat. It may be the first time many have seriously considered the question.

Jagat himself comes from a Hindu family in Nepal. But he came to vibrant faith in Jesus Christ, and now he has a heart for reaching students with that life-giving message. Missouri University of Science and Technology has about 1,200 international students. Many have spouses and children with them, creating a sizeable international mission field in Rolla.

Through group events such as picnics, roller skating, and hay rides, Jagat and Nani reach out to students and visiting scholars who are far from home. They meet their needs by helping them find furniture, teaching them how to drive, and sitting with sick children. Some of the students join a Bible study. Many come to faith in Christ.

The MBC International Student Ministry, which MMO supports and state missionary Ed Moncada leads, is active on campuses and in communities across the state. Like Jagat and Nani, Ed has a passion for sharing the gospel with students who are preparing to become leaders in government and business around the world.

Pray for:• New international students arriving in Missouri to hear that Jesus is the only way to God• Christians returning to their home countries to be strong in faith as they face persecution

The World Comes to Mi�ouriInterna�onal Student Ministry

Page 6: 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... · MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of

You Understand MeDeaf Youth Camp

Games, crafts, Bible lessons, making new friends. The week had been filled with fun and adventure for Toni,* but on the last night of camp, she looked troubled.

The camp pastor used sign language to ask what was wrong. Toni replied that she was sad because she didn’t want to leave. “Because everyone here accepts me for who I am,” she signed. “You understand me and use my language!”

Missouri’s Deaf Youth Camp fulfills a special mission. For one week each summer, hearing-impaired youth learn the gospel in their native language – American Sign. The curriculum is tailored to the way they learn best. The staffers, who include many former campers who have returned to serve, encourage the youth with God’s love.

Even for children who attend church with their families, Deaf Youth Camp is likely the only time they learn the Bible from teachers who communicate in their language. This vital MMO-supported ministry makes a tremendous difference in the deaf community, which often goes unreached by the hearing church.

Pray for:• The pastor and staffers to follow God’s direction as they prepare for Deaf Youth Camp• Campers to experience the presence of the Holy Spirt every moment of camp next summer

DAY 4

Page 7: 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... · MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of

DAY 5

The signal came over ham radio. Antonio* was in his home, which had been damaged by a tornado. He was diabetic, with limited vision, and the ham radio was his only way to reach out for help.

Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief workers were serving nearby in Marshalltown, Iowa, and heard Antonio’s plea for help. They dispatched a team to his home. The workers ministered to him, and there on the foundation of the garage that had been destroyed, he prayed to receive Christ.

Disaster Relief provides help, hope, and healing in times of crisis. Missouri Baptist volunteers have responded to hurricanes, flood, fires, ice storms, and more. They show up with warm meals, hot showers, cleaning crews, building repairs, and open arms.

Their response often reaches those who feel they have lost everything, only to discover new life through faith in Christ. The Missouri Missions Offering enables Disaster Relief to be there to answer the call.

Pray for:• Missouri Baptist DR volunteers to be the "light of the world" during the darkest times that follow a disaster• The transformation of lives and communities with the gospel through the ministry of our statewide DR efforts

When the Ca� Comes Disaster Relief

Page 8: 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... · MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of

One Sma� Church, One Great Co�i�ionPartnership Mi�ions

“We’re just ordinary people willing to step out of our comfort zone,” said Nicole Patterson, a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Russellville.

Last summer, Nicole helped organize her church’s mission trip to Marinette, Wis. The volunteers worked alongside their mission partner, Cornerstone Community Church. While encouraging the small congregation, they helped with outreach during a community festival. In addition, they supported Cornerstone’s first Vacation Bible School in several years.

“It’s exciting to think we can touch people’s lives across the country and make a difference,” said Nicole.

Missouri’s Partnership Missions, supported by MMO funds, connects local churches with congregations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Other current partnership opportunities are in Mexico and Italy.

“Sometimes as a little rural church, the world seems so big we just don’t think we can make a difference,” said Alan Earls, pastor of Mt. Olive. “That’s certainly not true. This gives us an opportunity to be true ministry partners.”

Pray for:• Missouri churches to partner with fellowships in Minnesota and Wisconsin•Souls to be saved through partnerships in Minnesota /Wisconsin, Mexico, and Italy

DAY 6

Page 9: 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... · MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of

DAY 7

Kendra* was in awe the entire weekend. She traveled with a group from St. Louis to Branson to see the musical “Samson” as guests of Sight and Sound Theatre.

She had never before ventured out of St. Louis and was overjoyed with the whole experience. At every stop – the theater, a fast food restaurant, the hotel – she took pictures and called her mom to tell her what a wonderful time she was having.

This teenage girl is a client of Human Trafficking Rescue, a ministry of the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home, which MMO funds support. For her, and for others the rescue ministry serves, life has been filled with traumatic experiences. Excursions like this are an opportunity for new beginnings, wonderful memories, and an introduction to the transforming power of Christ.

For more than 130 years, the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home has been providing hope and restoration to children and families. In addition to ministering to victims of human trafficking, they also provide residential care, foster care, services to adults who are developmentally disabled, and support for those with unplanned pregnancies.

Pray for:• Healing and salvation for the women and minors who have been victims of human trafficking• Children separated from their parents to know the eternal love of their Heavenly Father

A Chance for New LifeMi�ouri Bap�st Children’s Home

Page 10: 2019 Missouri Missions Offering Prayer Guidemedia.mobaptist.org/public/mmo/mmo2019/mmo-prayer... · MMO funds help provide a prominent space, a tent, and gift cards. Thousands of

A Work in the HeartStrategic Mi�ionary Development

Located in America’s heartland, Kansas City has more than 2 million people – and four out of five of them don’t know Jesus.

“There is a great gospel need in our city and around our state,” says Jason Allen, a pastor at LifeConnection Church.

LifeConnection started with a small group of college grads in 2007 and has grown to a family of churches with three congregations reaching the lost throughout Kansas City.

One couple started attending when their marriage was hanging on by a thread. “The Lord changed their lives by the gospel and they are now growing tremendously,” said Jason. “They are sharing their faith, actively involved in our personal disciple-making process, and taking steps to grow as leaders.”

Coaching and mentoring future leaders are made possible through the Strategic Missionary Development program supported by the Missouri Missions Offering. The heart of the mission is the Great Commission.

“We may be sending them across the street to their neighbor, or across the state as a church planter, or around the world as an international missionary,” said Jason. “This is what we are working toward as a church.”

Pray for:• The lost of Kansas City to hear and receive the message of salvation• The Holy Spirit to empower church planters working throughout Missouri

DAY 8