“The Pittsylvania Baptist are coming.”

How do you measure faith and challenges? One of my most memorial childhood cartoons was about a family of buzzards. The Momma buzzard told the children to leave the nest and search for food. Three were eager to leave the nest and fly out, all streaking to the fields like small jet airplanes. One was a little less eager. His response was, “Oh nope, nope, don’t wanna.” In frustration, his mother booted him out of the nest. The siblings returned with a myriad of lunch items, one that was a cow, I remember. The less eager one returned with his catch, clutched in his talons. His song stuck with me. “Bringing home a baby bumblebee. Won’t my mamma be so proud of me?” Could it be that faith challenges are measured in the size of the challenge? This year we have had some rather large challenges placed before us.

LOUISIANA

Today, the first phase of Team 1 is leaving for Louisiana. Their goal is to frame and dry in a house within three days. The second phase will leave next Thursday and put a roof on the house within two days, no pressure! Both phases are “can do” folks. The end goal is to build an entire house from dirt to kitchen sink. What a challenge! This is not a self-imposed challenge, but in response to two things. One is the actual need in Louisiana and the other is the calling of God to respond.

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (New International Version)

Paul uses “temptation” as the focal point. The word has two meanings, one is the sense of a trap and the other is a trial. Traps come from Satan to defame the Christian, while trials come from God to strengthen. No matter which is used the promise is the same. God will not try us beyond our means, but will provide the way of victory. Another way to apply the text is to say that God’s trials are is direct proportion to His confidence in our ability to accomplish the task. He gives baby bumblebee tasks to some and full size cow challenges to others. I see Louisiana as a full cow sized challenge.

IRELAND

If Louisiana is a full cow sized challenge, then the newest challenge is a whole herd of cows. This past week the Ministry Team and the Finance Team presented a very intriguing challenge to the Executive Committee. The challenge came after several weeks of research and questioning, and in response to one of our church’s request. Calvary Baptist, who has had a connection to Ireland for years, is responding to a challenge to help provide the means for one of their own to move to Ireland and become part of a church start in the northwest portion of the country. Joe Cornell and his wife Darlene have accepted a call to move to Ireland and seek missionary status for the project. Joe has been in the process of seeking missionary status with the IMB and was moving through the acceptance process. The IMB’s strategic missionary vision is to work with “un-reached peoples of the world,” and unfortunately, Ireland does not fit that category and therefore there is no funding available. The challenge is to provide support for Joe and his family in order to meet an Irish Baptist requirement of a of two year residence. The Irish Baptist requires a two-year residence before consideration for appointment. After the two years, he can apply for an appointment through the equivalent of our North American Mission Board (Home Mission Board) of the Irish Baptist. Calvary Baptist is providing a substantial part of the financial support. Churches in Ireland will also provide some support, as well as other churches from the area.

After extensive scrutiny and questioning, the Ministry Team recommended that we participate in the project and the Finance Team recommended a financial participation. The recommendation was that we enter into a covenant relationship with the Cornells and the Irish Baptist Convention to provide $2,000 a month for 24 months for the financial needs and set up partnership trips during the 2009 – 2010 calendars that would help fortify and enlarge the work. The funds are to be taken from the Invested Fund. Space in this article prevents me from addressing all your questions, but feel free to contact the Ministry Team, the Finance Team, or me and we will try to find answers.

WHAT A GOD SIZED CHALLENGE!

In our early history, and not related to Ireland, an alarm of dread settled in, “The British are coming, the British are coming.” I hope we can establish a very positive statement for our Irish brethren and our friends in Louisiana.

“The Pittsylvania Baptist are coming.”

LINKS

Baptist Missions

Gordon Darragh, Director

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS