Each year at Family Week, the daily sessions focus on our missions family, while the evening messages include the host church family. Four speakers are selected to challenge and encourage hearts for the cause of missions.
Each message below contains links to the audio via our Uplift podcast site. In order for the direct links to work, you must be logged in with the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel.
The Spirit of the Lord GOD
John O’Malley
Isaiah 61 is the only passage that uses the phrase, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD.” Christ referred to this passage at the beginning of his own ministry. There are great parallels here for us. We learn that we have a manager – one who manages. We do not need to wonder about our future or tasks, because the manager is in charge – we can simply ask Him. A manager brings a mess into order, gives marching orders, and is responsible for the strength, stability, success, safety, supply, and sustenance of the workers. Christ our manager reassures us that He bought us, loves us, wants us, and we are His! We also have a multitude. We have people to whom we are to bring good tidings. We have a message. We must proclaim the year of the Lord and the day of His victory and vengeance. We have a mandate to produce an exchange of beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, and praise for heaviness. The supply for this exchange is limitless and comes from our manager. We also have a mandate to plant trees of righteousness. The purpose for it all is so that Christ will get the credit and glory.
Pure Hearts and Fervent Love
Bill Wingard
Our purpose is to make Christ known, that men may know Him, and that the world will know that we know Him. We have evidence they may not like, but cannot dispute, when we show our changed life and our love for others. The love of God flows through a life that has been genuinely changed. The world knows we are disciples when we love. Love is an international blessing from God. It is a defense in our lives against sin. The blood cleanses our sin, and love covers our sin. (I Peter 4:8) I Corinthians 13 compares faith, without which we cannot please God; hope, without which we have no confidence; and love, without which our service is worthless. Love is the greatest of these three!
Missions and the Modern Generation
Caleb Rollins
What does the future hold for the next generation? When facing Goliath, David had a vision of what had to be done. He was able to do one simple thing by stepping out in faith and being willing to attempt what nobody else would do. As a young boy, Samuel kept listening to the call of God. His circumstances were not good. He was in the place of the ark yet did not know the Lord. His mentor was failing spiritually and could not help him. He slept while the flame went out. Yet in spite of circumstances, he listened and answered the call of God. When being held captive by Naaman, the little maid saw a need and answered her master’s cry for help. She was willing to realize that God had her in that place for a reason. Each of these young people had a vision, heard the call, and acted on the call of God for their lives. We must keep the vision, keep listening, and act upon the call of God in our lives as well.
Beyond Our Fondest Dreams
Danny Whetstone
Paul begins Ephesians 3 by calling himself a prisoner, not of Rome, but of Christ. He knew God had him in that place for a reason and believed he was right in the center of God’s will. He was willing to face great persecution for a cause he knew to be right because he had a cause – the ministry and mystery of sharing the Gospel with the Gentiles. He desired that God would strengthen these believers with the Spirit, that Christ would dwell in them, and that grounded in love they would be able to comprehend Christ’s love which passes knowledge. With this cause in mind, he closed the chapter with a challenge to dream big in ministry. This God who fills our lives is able. We can live this life beyond our wildest dreams. No dream is too big until it exceeds the ability of God. Nothing is impossible for the One who can hear the dreams of our heart. We fear that men will laugh at our dreams, but just because they don’t know how to dream doesn’t mean we should not do so. What dream do you have for your life that will honor God and bring glory to Christ? Rise up in humility and in the knowledge of the love of God, ask Him to grant you your wishes, and watch Him fulfill your fondest dreams.