Sunday, August 24, 2008

 

Announcement -- Tim Lauren
Tim and Sally  have been disciples for 20 years now, converted in South Africa
Today is preparation for Missions Sunday
Tim Franklin's father passed away - please pray for his family

 

Frank Radcliff -- Missions
Psalm 35:10
Summers 2005 and 2006 the Radcliff family went to Kenya and Nairobi
Aids has robbed that country of so much we take for granted -- like the ability to care for themselves
Defending the rights of the poor is mentioned in other Psalms
Giving to missions feeds people and saves souls
The church there reflects the community - a whole lot of poor, just a few middle class and rich
They go to the slums, they meet people on the bus
HOPE is very effective there, 1000 volunteers
2 Cor 9:10-15
their trips to Africa have enriched their family more than anything else has
God will bless us incredibly as we sacrifice for Him
VIDEO - Jarrod Facchino put together with CNN clips and Radcliff videos, local church video;   We'll Never Forget

 

Communion - Theora Family

Brian Theora from campus introduced his parents for the Communion - he was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya
His parents desperately prayed for Brian to be a disciple - don't give up, God is still in control
The Theoras have been married 20 years - his wife has been a disciple for 14 years, he saw the changes she made in her life
He studied the Bible for two years
He started HOPE in Nairobi - he was the HOPE director
Last year was the worst year in Kenya - killings, presidential election, different tribes fighting
Great things are happening in the Nairobi church
They had their own missions contribution, broke their own record
Both were baptized in Nairobi, moved to Triangle in 1999 -- consider their mother church to be Nairobi, they are lifetime members
HIV Aids the biggest problem in Africa, so many sick and dying
never give up, continue doing the good work
Elizabeth
works at UNC Chapel Hill as an accountant
she went to church as a child to obey her mother, her heart was not impacted
Mt 23:25-26 
God knew all of her secrets
every thought that goes through your head, God knows.   Confess your sin
When you give, it softens your heart. 
Heb 12:1-4  a time to focus on nothing but Jesus

 

RICK MAULE

 

2 Cor 8:1-7  example of the Macedonian church
in each of us is two people
1)  spiritual, good-hearted, disciple
2)  human, earthly, selfish, fleshly
These are my brothers and sisters in East Africa
In Kenya, their costs have doubled since this time last year (we complain about single digit inflation, they have 100% inflation)
What they normally go through is difficult enough, but to have gone through the worst year in their history this year
When our hearts tune in to God, there will always be enough God
It's about faith and the power of God
God knows we need to do this
1 - conviction
2 - connection

 

1)  Conviction
The Macedonian church first gave themselves to the Lord
We give because it's right to give
God knows we are rich compared to Kenyan poverty
It's wrong to have all that we have and not give generously to our brothers and sisters in Kenya
Those who have, need to be generous
Those who don't have, need to be generous
Like the widows mite, that's all she had

 

2)  Connection
Give because we love folks
Rick is paying for his daughter's wedding because of the connection, not just because it's right, a conviction
This is family
Not just duty but overflowing love
Rick wants us to respond not just out of duty but out of joy
This is not about paying a bill but loving
We're still united, we'll spend eternity together