The Great Expansion
I never knew what it was like to be a missionary full-time until I took the step of faith into what God was calling me into. See the truth is that a missionary is working to fulfill the mission of Christ! I find it amazing to think that God has had a mission from the very beginning. From the start of creation, God has this marvelous plan of making His name great! If I didn’t need saving then I wouldn’t need a savior. And if I didn’t need a savior then there is nothing to life, but to live life for my own selfish gain. However, because I am sinful, God created a way to free me from that sin, He sent a Savior! And now I can share the message of this Savior to the world to bring glory to His name! And the amazing thing about this is, God allows us to have joy in the whole process.
“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me’” (John 14:67).
Jesus is that way I am set free from sin. It’s the only way I can be restored and have a renewed relationship with the God of the universe. And because of that alone, I will praise His name!
What is even more amazing, to think that not only did God have a plan and a mission from the beginning, but He has included you and me to play a part in the mission!
“Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).
We as disciples are called to go out to expand and make new disciples of all nations. We get to play a part in reaching the nations with the GOOD NEWS that JESUS came and died for our sins, was raised from the dead all to conquer sin and death forever!
So now, “For everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved”
(Romans 10:13, Joel 2:32).
By calling on the name of Jesus we can be saved! And it is through loving and helping people, God gives us opportunities to expand His kingdom throughout the earth.
God is about His own glory and making His name great in all the earth. Take Pharaoh for example. Even though he never followed God, God used pharaoh as an object to spread HIS power throughout the earth. Romans 9:17 says, “For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, ‘I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.’”
And from the beginning it was all about expanding the kingdom and expanding the praise of HIS name! If we never needed saving we would never need a Savior. However, if we do need saving then we do need a savior. Thank God for JESUS! And because we have a savior we can praise HIS name for we can be restored, renewed, redeemed, and have eternal life.
Now its time for the great expansion to take place. It is time for the whole world to know how great the one and true GOD, YAHWEH, is!
“Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing his praise”
–Psalms 66:8
“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.”
–Psalms 105:1
“Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.”
–Psalms 33:8
“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”
-Philippians 2:9-11
Time to let the world know the GOD NEWS that JESUS Saves! Let the walls expand and let God’s kingdom come throughout the earth for HIS GLORY and for our joy!
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Sort Recap of the Month
This month has gone so fast! Preparing one day at a time and gaining more of a realization that I will be gone for a year.
One of the most fun things that happened this month is I has my 23rd Birthday! I planned a big beach bash as an outreach for students and families around Bismarck. I was praying for around 100 people and God provided exactly that! It was a great time of fellowship and connecting friends to other friends. There were many unbelievers within the crowd, yet many had the opportunity to meet and talk with believers! The weather was perfect, the sand was soft, and the bonfire was big!
Ministry continues to soar and I wish I had more time to spend with everyone. The good thing is the LORD is starting to multiply my time by using others I have been discipling to disciple others!
I can’t tell you how much of a joy it has been to see many know and grow in Christ this month. And when I leave for the race, the same God is going to do the same amazing things overseas!
Something a friend reminded me of that I thought was great to meditate on was this: “Physical healing is a small thing compared to the ultimate healing of someone accepting Christ.”* The craziest thing God does is changes peoples hearts from running to do evil to looking for every opportunity to do good and share the GOOD NEWS.
I hope these things encourage you as you continue to walk with the LORD. Please feel free to ask questions, comment, Facebook Message me, or send me and email anytime. I would love to share more. I would love to be encouraged by what God is doing in your life too.
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Answers to Prayer Requests!
Prayer #1:
I get to travel to Mayville, ND and speak about my trip to the CRU (formally Campus Crusade for Christ) as well as share for 5 minutes at Riverside E. Free Church in Mayville at the end of April. Please pray for hearts to be soften and drawn closer to God through what I have to share. Also, pray that they would have the same heart for the world and be inspired to invest into what God is doing overseas and in the 10/40 window.
Answer to Prayer #1:
My trip to Mayville was excellent! After speaking at Mayville State University’s Cru gathering I feel as if we had 24 students inspired to take a leap of faith toward the missions field or at the least they understood the purpose of global missions. They are young enough where God could take them anywhere and many are going on mission’s trips this summer. My five minutes speaking at Riverside E. Free Church went really well too. We had 124 show up afterward for a meal and over $1,400 came in for my trip! People were definitely inspired to give and encouraged to continue to do ministry where they are planted!
Prayer #2
Our WOW-Worship on Wednesdays- at Charity in Bismarck is coming to an end this year at the end of April. I was asked to speak a little bit about the body of Christ and relate it to my trip (April 19th and 23rd). And then on Sunday during the morning service I have an opportunity to share with the congregation my calling and to invite them to fellowship and partner with me too in this ministry. Pray that these people would have hearts ready to give and be inspired to live a life using their gifts for his glory.
Answer to Prayer #2:
Youth Group is officially over for the summer, however, it ended as good as it could. I got to share what God has placed on my heart. My talk on the body of Christ went really well. And on Sunday sharing with the congregation I had many come and partner with me in this team. After the services there was some pizza and a free will offering and the LORD provided just over $3,000!!!
Our WOW Finally went amazing too! It was filled with energetic students who are way past ready for summer. They took an offering for me and the LORD brought in over $2,200 for my trip!
Lastly, the Charity’s benevolence committee decided to invest in this mission as well. They decided to give $750! This is a huge praise and I am so thankful for the partnership with many individuals and church bodies from all around North Dakota!
Overall, from Charity in Bismarck in one week God provided over $5,950 for this mission! How honored I am to go and serve others through love overseas bringing them the GOOD NEWS that has the power of salvation!
Prayer #3
WARNING BIG REQUEST: Pray that my funds would come in by the end of April! I’m believing that He will do it, would be willing to pray with me for this to happen. It looks like it’s around $7,200 left and 20 days from right now.
Answer to Prayer #3:
It’s amazing how God provided in just the right timing! After these events took place at Charity and after my trip to Mayville… I am FULLY FUNDED!!!! All are in PRAISE BE TO GOD!! I am waiting for the checks to clear and I will be good to go! “God has provided all my needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
I can’t thank each of you enough for blessing me tremendously through your prayers and financial giving! It is incredible how God provides all that we need and allows us to bless others from it. THANK YOU for partnering with me in reaching the UNREACHED with JESUS! May I use these funds to bring glory, honor, and praise to HIM and to expand HIS Kingdom on this earth!
Prayer #4
Continued ministry here in Bismarck. People would continue to know and grow in Him and that he would use my high school and young adult guys to be part of it.
Answer to Prayer #4:
Let’s just say GOD is still changing people’s lives! From the students I have been mentoring all year, even more are coming in. I’m excited to see mentors come along side these kids to continue to encourage them in their walks of faith. Also, these students are being to understand the importance of reaching out and that is so amazing to see!
MAY 8, 2017
I had the privilege of leading my friend, REO (23), to accept Christ! He hit rock bottom and realized His need for a savior. It was a joy filled experience full of thanksgiving to GOD. He hasn’t been sleeping well, and we prayed together for peace and for rest. GOD provided amazing sleep such that he texted me the first thing in the morning! It’s amazing to see God answer prayer and I want to encourage you that God still does supernatural things. I hope one day REO lets me share his story with you, but until then, keep praying!
MAY 9, 2017
We prayed for God to take away some of the things in REO’s past. At the end of the prayer time you could see the difference in his physical body. He even said a tremendous wait was lifted from his shoulders.
During that time of conversation in prayer REO also told me that he restored relationship with one of his best friends as well as his dad. Crazy to think that God can move so fast and so strong as we people cry out for those around us to be saved. Please KEEP PRAYING!!
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NEW PRAYER REQUESTS
- Pray for REO! Pray that He would follow Jesus daily and that the transformation would happen tremendously in his life! Pray that the old sinful desires would fall off and that he would be able to run this race with endurance (Hebrews 12:1-3).
- I’m headed to Colorado for a wedding next week. Pray I make it safely and that my car makes it there and back. Pray that my car makes it until I have to leave for the race!
- Pray for Mentors to come in and take discipleship role that I have currently in these students’ lives. Pray that God would rise up the right people to pour into them and it would be edifying for both people.
- Pray for the boundary waters trip (May 29- June 2). We are taking a group of leaders to do some training on leadership and discipleship. Pray that this trip would come together perfectly and that God would use it as an inspiration to launch into ministry for there young leaders. Pray that the results of this trip would last a lifetime!
- Pray for my brother Benjamin. He is graduating on May 28th and has been ready for about 3 years. Pray that God would use him mighty way to bring many to Christ. He is headed to the Bethel University next fall and discovering who God is calling him to be.
- Pray for people to continue to be reached here where I’m planted. Pray for the mens ministry to continue though the summer and that these yound men would continue tot be inspired to live a life with Christ.
- Pray for Training Camp (June 7- June 17). It’s coming up super fast. Pray that we would learn as much as we can. Pray for our team to be united and ready and inspired to do ministry all over the world. Pray that we would be leaders among the squads and that we would be an encouragement to all who hear what we are doing.
I can’t thank you enough for the prayers! God is good, faithful, and “HE moves on the behalf of his people when they cry out to him”**
*Terri McEvers- Friend from Bismarck
**Elijah N.- Friend from Bismarck
