Published September 27, 2016
Southside Baptist Church, Sebring, Florida
Ryan
Ministry Highlights
l stand amazed at the years upon years of godly examples at this church. It has been a great blessing to my family and I as we’ve been able to listen and see how the Lord has worked in and through them.
Our first young adult small group had three couples and four singles! This is a huge answer to prayer as we look for the Lord to build this demographic of our church. We are praying that this initial group will grow to be leaders and catch the vision to multiply and see the area of Sebring as their mission field.
I’m greatly encouraged by our church family this week. Two of our younger girls in youth group have invited friends to join us on Wednesday nights, and they both have come back for the entire month of September. Praising the Lord for His grace and mercy as we desire to reach those without knowledge of the gospel or a church home.
After our young adult class in which we looked at the biblical definition of love, one of the young single ladies who was living with her fiancé for nine years let us know to be praying for her as she was convicted to leave him and move back home with her parents back in Vermont. She made the decision and left Sebring. While I joked with the group that my teaching drove her “out” of the church back to her home, it was a great testimony of putting faith and God’s Word into a radical action as we align our walk with the conviction of God’s truth.
A 5-year-old brother of a girl in our youth group got saved at Awana last week! What a praise!
My family came forward with three other families to become members of Southside this past week! In addition we are praising the Lord that our 10-year-old daughter has asked to be baptized. She accepted Christ at the age of 5, but we have waited until she fully understands believer’s baptism and she is now excited to follow in obedience.
Key Prayer Requests
Be in prayer for Herman, a neighbor whom I shared the gospel with. We haven’t had another opportunity to connect, but I’m praying the Lord uses our conversation to draw him closer to Christ.
Pray for the countywide outreach event being hosted by Youth for Christ and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Our church and youth group will be attending the event as well as having a booth with activities, food and places to hang out. Please be in prayer for the opportunity to build relationships and share the gospel.
Pray for the Lord to bring a family to Fargo, North Dakota, to buy our home.
Pray for my wife, Nicole, as she studies and prepares for a Critical Care Nursing Exam that she needs for her position as a RN in Endoscopy and Post-Surgical Recovery.
Prominent Lessons
One of our members asked me to pray for his granddaughter who is struggling with Lupus on Sunday morning. I said that I would be in prayer, but then the Lord prompted me to ask him to pray right there and then. I asked if we could pray right now; he said, “Yes, thanks.” After the service he mentioned how much that meant to him, a good reminder that prayer is powerful, effective, privilege and a blessing.
God opens doors! I was offered and accepted the head coaching position at the local high school for the boy’s tennis team. This is an answer to prayer as it allows me greater access to the students at the local high school (1,700 students) as well as an opportunity to interact with other coaching staff, administration and the players . Looking forward to seeing how the Lord uses me in and through this position. The school district is very open to prayer as long as it is student led. This is a great opportunity for discipleship and living out Christ in the midst of a number of unbelievers. 1 Chronicles 16:34, “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” The church body has been praying for this opportunity as well, and it’s a joy to report of God’s hand in opening doors as we rejoice together, “Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, In the company of the upright and in the assembly”(Psalms 111:1).
The Lord gently reminded me this past week about the power of prayer and of making radical changes in one’s life due to the revelation of His Word. Although we can often preach and teach that we need to build our biblical knowledge, meditate on it, believe it and then allow the Spirit to convict us and lead us to action, the progression through these steps are often interfered with, or we are distracted before a radical life change takes place. With the outworking of this process happening in the lives of some of those we are ministering to this past week, not only was I encouraged, but I was thankful for the transforming power of gospel. Personally, I started to look at areas in my life that I’ve been resistant to allowing the Word to “transform” me.
After church on Sunday evening we drove back home and as we were going into the house a young gentleman pulled up and asked about buying one of our vehicles. He lives about 10 or so houses down from us, and as we started talking he shared about his “past life” in Chicago where he was imbedded deeply in gangs.
He shared that the move had saved his life. I asked him if I could share how my life had been saved. He said yes, which allowed me to give my testimony and open up God’s Word to share the gospel of hope for sinners such as we both are. I gave him several opportunities to get out of the conversation but he was truly interested in hearing more. Before he left, I asked if I could pray and he was thankful for my time and for sharing. There was not a decision, but he said that I had given him things to think about that he had never heard of thought of, prayerfully the Lord will work and prepare his heart for a response. I laugh at how God uses the simple things of this world for Him and His glory (both my ’99 Toyota and a ’74 sinner saved by grace).
Key Goals for the Next Month
Attending assimilation seminar later this month and will use a lot of the information gained there to set the foundation for one of my projects. Praying for wisdom and discernment on aligning the information to fit the context of our church.
Planning, preparing and training our youth to participate in a city wide outreach event that is open to all middle and high school aged youth in the county. There will be Christian entertainers as well as churches that have been invited to have booths and activities. We are planning on setting up a tent with activities and areas to build relationships and have both our youth leaders and youth group members praying and prepared to share their testimonies and the gospel with their peers at this event.
Encourage and guide our young adult class to set up a time of fellowship outside of Sunday.
With a number of homebound people in our church, the Lord has put on Nicole’s heart to visit one shut-in each week. This has been a huge blessing to us personally and as a couple as the gift of time and of showing love has encouraged us and these dear members of our church family.
Nicole
Ministry Highlights
I was able to share my testimony to a missions group of ladies and other women from our church family. This opportunity made me feel closer to the ladies.
I was able to pray with a youth who had a couple of friends in need of prayer and encourage her boldness.
The visit from Dr. Pyne and Debbie. It was a great blessing to finally meet them!
I was able to revisit a homebound couple from our church. She had asked me to find the nurse who sang “Amazing Grace” to her before she went into a big surgery. I was able to visit with her and share the name of the lady whom I had come to know at work!
Key Prayer Requests
For our home to sell back in Fargo, North Dakota.
Specific prayer for a friend, Lisa, who needs the Lord.
Prominent Lessons
The Lord put it on me that even though my story of how my family and I came to know the Lord was significant, it is just another amazing story of how God has worked in my life and in the life of others. I learned that it can impact others in a great way. Many saved ladies have told me how it blessed them to hear my story. I’ve also learned that I have a lot more than just my testimony to share and encourage others with.
In praying for a dear lady in the church, the Lord used that prayer time to work in my own life.
Key Goal
To find specific time with my oldest daughter, which has been a challenge due to differing schedules.
An opportunity came up to become a church liaison for Choices, a women’s ministry in town. I prayed about it and have reached out to the leaders of the organization. Please be in prayer of how I might be able to be a part of this ministry.
