january 2017 newsletter- share -planning meeting -...
TRANSCRIPT
Lost Sheep Ministry News – January 2017--
The Great Commission: Matthew 28: 18 - 20 is a commission for all Christians to go, make Disciples, and teach them to OBEY all that I have commanded you. LSM is dedicated to evangelizing the lost and making Disciples of Christ that make Disciples of Christ according to II Timothy 2:2. Notes from Pastor Bob: We conducted our annual LSM
share and planning meeting for 2017 in the home of John and Dot Overton in Dickinson, Texas on Saturday, January 7, 2017..Our fellowship was sweet and the sharing was inspirational.LSM members that participated were from left to right: Lazarus Vargas, John Dainwood, Dot Overton, Carol Gibson, Jon Friesen, Elspeth George, Mark George, Mary Gordon, Robert Lemley, Me, and David Wright. John Overton made the photograph.
The following account of the meeting is being written by John Overton from his notes which is sketchy and misses much of the depth and conviction of each one present.
Pastor Bob opened with prayer and moderated the meeting. He and introduced each speaker and inserted comments about their LSM involvement.
John and Dot Overton started the sharing times with a Power point presentation about Christian Discipleship for Addicts during which time he introduced John Dainwood who is a co-laborer in this ministry.
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Discipleship for Addicts started in a Nicaragua Hodera (addiction recovery center). While accompanying Pastor Bob to Nicaragua to teach their discipleship materials to churches in Managua and Bluefields, they visited a Hodera near San Marcos. Nineteen men were converted to Christianity but there was no time for discipleship. Upon returning to Dickinson, TX, a Hodera (Bay Area Recovery Center [BARC]) was discovered 50 feet from their church. Weekly church (discipleship) sessions have been provided to the men at BARC for the past five years with wonderful
results.Upon release for the Texas Department of Corrections, John Dainwood was asked to help the
Overtons and he has been a fantastic asset in renewing the minds of the men seeking recovery from their addictions.
John Dainwood (John D.) was introduced and he shared about his incarceration for over 36 years in Texas maximum security prisons for capital murder. John credited the faithful prayers of his Mother for his salvation, over 15 years of Christian service while in prison and ultimately released. He now preaches every Monday night at BARC, teaches a Sunday school class and baptizes the BARC men requesting baptism (28 since May of 2016).
John O. then introduced a process that he and Dot have been working on for over a year entitled, Let's Change the World. This is a three phase process whereby a Christian or preferably a Christian couple will take phase I, Curriculum for Christlikeness then advance to phase II by discipling 2 to 3 parent couples to become committed disciples of Christ. Finally leading these couples to disciple 3 to 6 students to the level that they will take the Gospel onto their campuses and
start a sustained discipleship movement. All of the Powerpoint presentation materials and manuals are available on s DVD and may be downloaded from their website: www.equippingstudents.com.
Lazarus Vargas then shared his passion for evangelism in Mexico. Though
Lazarus is handicapped from childhood polio, he is faithful to take the Gospel across the International border in Mexico.
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Mark and Elspeth George told of their ministries as Chaplin in Lockhart (Texas) prison and orphanages and prisons in Mexico. In February of 2016, they sponsored the Olympic Games in the Coahuila State Prison – the first time the Mexican prison system had allowed such a competition. In October of 2015, they began to work on these games, and a month later, they had the approval of the warden. Moreover, we began to plan the games. The sports represented were soccer, baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, and boxing. For the next several months, the inmates recruited players and began to play against each other for a chance at the playoffs in February. Every day they heard the word of God and were instructed on how to behave as a child of God. When it came time for the playoffs, the entire prison was focused on working together, as well as competing with one another. During this time, the prison had very little disciplinary problems, so that when they got there in February they were given the entire yard without any guards. Wow! What a difference God makes. At the end of the games, the winners received trophies and each player got a small financial gift. After the awards ceremony, we all went back to the church where over one hundred inmates gave their lives to Jesus.
Much love and laughter was enjoyed over lunch.
Robert Lemley they told of his rebellious youth on the streets after being ejected from home for refusal to attend school. Robert shared how God has revolutionized his life from an uneducated addict to hold more than one college degrees, have a beautiful wife and family and Christian counseling ministry.
Pastor Bob told of traveling with Robert to Lockhart, Texas to the home of Mark & Elspeth George where they switched over to Mark’s
truck. They had a lot of clothing donated from San Leon Community Church in San Leon, TX which they delivered to ministries across the International border from Piedras Negras, TX.
David Wright told of the influence Gene Edward's books (Revolution and Revolutionary
Bible Studies) have made on his Christian walk. He now plans to develop a video series, Walking Through the Bible based upon Edward's research on the chronological order and setting of the books of the Bible. We will soon incorporate links from the www.lostsheepministries.com website to these resources.
Mark George and Jon Friesen told of plans to install a mobile medical hospital in Nicaragua. X-Ray and other medical equipment have been donated and land in Nicaragua has become available to the set up of the hospital in an area where there is no medical facilities. Medical personnel from Nicaragua and Texas will staff the facility.
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Mary Gordon has been a prayer & financial supporter for many years for LSM. She also has joined us on many Mexico trips.
New friendships were networked at the meeting and the attendees email addresses all follow to encourage follow up with one another.
Bob and Carol Gibson - [email protected] and Dot Overton - [email protected] Vargas - [email protected] Gordon - [email protected] Dainwood - [email protected] Friesen - [email protected] and Elspeth George - [email protected] Lemley - [email protected] Wright - [email protected]
In conclusion, Pastor Bob told of planned International trips by LSM as follows:
I need volunteers to accompany me on these trips so if you are available and either have a passport or will get one; please let me hear of your interest in helping.
Recommended Reading: Revolutionary Bible Study by: Gene Edwards. Are you looking for a radical way you practice Christianity? This book lights the fuse. Be advised, it is a dangerous book. It changes everything about the way we study the Bible. It opens completely new vistas into what the New Testament is saying to us. Had this book been released in the year 300, Christianity would be totally different than it is today!
Tax Deductable Donations to LSM: Lost Sheep Ministries is a 501(c) non-profit organization. Donations may be made to LSM, 2951 Marina Bay Drive, Suite 130-144, League City, TX 77573. We seek funds to travel, equip, and commission others to take the Gospel of Christ to all nations.
Note: All of our Newsletters and Power point discipleship presentations along with student manuals are available free from our web: www.lostsheepministries.com
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Jan India Jan 20 - Jan 30 - Feb Nicaragua Feb 10 Feb 20Mar Brazil Mar 10 Nar 20April Pakistan TBDMay France TBD June South Africa TBDJuly Australia/Vietnam July 7 - Aug. 4 with Kirkwood ChurchAug Mexico TBD Weekend then to Nigeria - Aug 11Aug Nigeria, Uganda, Ethiopia Aug 11 - Aug 31Sept Nicaragua Sep 15- Sep 25Oct France TBDNov Philippines TBD