God Is Already At Work Providing for the Team

Dacula Georgia (ACN)

The following is from Debbie a team member.

---------- A Note From Debbie ---------

I just wanted to let you know the exciting thing God has done in regards to the Russia trip. I know you have been saying that God will provide what ever we need in order to go on this mission trip, and for most people this is a financial issue. For me, I wasn't worried about the finances, but rather getting the time off work. It is next to impossible to get time off work over the Christmas period in the hospital, and not for both Christmas and New Year, especially when I had planned to change jobs.

I had originally thought of two possibilities, one was to stay working at my current job until December, then resign and have a new job ready to start in January. That didn't work out because the stress of staying at my current job made the thought of waiting until then unbearable. The next possibility I thought of was to start a new job now, and then either resign at the end of the year or transfer departments at the end of the year - possible, just complicated.

Well, I had prayed about a job that I had applied to last week, and had the interview on Friday. During the interview, I was asked if I had any holidays or events coming up that they should know about it. I told the manager and assistant manager that I had planned to go to Russia over the Christmas period, and was prepared to work every other holiday in order to get that time off. I was praying along with friends and family that they would agree to the time off, and it wouldn't jeopardise my chances at getting this position. I was offered the job on Monday, and today spoke with the manager and asked about the possibility of taking leave at Christmas time to go to Russia, and its approved!

God's way is so much less complicated than my way, and it is totally his doing that I have the time off! I wanted to share this with you, and anyone else who wants encouragement that God will provide the means necessary to do his work, for me it was getting the time off, which I now have.

---------- End of Note From Debbie ---------

Debbie, you have encouraged another team member already. I don't know if she wrote to you or not but Lori Hedberg said that she had been hoping to go, praying to go, but she wanted her husband's approval. He was dead set against her going, and now he not only wants her to go he is excited for her and their daughter to go.

I don't normally say I told you so, but to all of you team members and potential team members let me just say without fear of contradiction, "I TOLD YOU SO."

If you are feeling God move you about going on a mission trip HE WILL PROVIDE EVERYTHING YOU NEED. So when considering going on a trip with us, please know that God will deal with your hangups. In 2004 we had a guy go with us who had NEVER flown before and had never been outside the US. So his first airline flight was over the deep blue sea. Can you imagine that your very first mission trip was over the ocean and required a 9 hour flight and you had never flown before.

His remark after we took off from Altanta was, "Can we turn this sucker around and do that again." Jesus provides!!! He always provides!!!

Even so Lord Jesus come soon!!!

We Have A Destination

Dacula, Georgia (ACN)

We have been awaiting a response from Mike Campbell, an IMB missionary in Russia for approval to work with a church in Novosibirsk and the approval finally came to day. Praise God we have a destination.

Why is it so important now, nearly 11 months in advance? Because we need to make our airline and hotel reservations NOW, to get good prices. We can make airline reservations up to 330 days in advance and we are now just inside that window. The 330 days is measured from the end of the trip (the return flight) not from the beginning.

Praise God for all the bleesings he bestows.

Andy

Thoughts About the Next Trip

Dacula, Georgia (ACN)

We have only been recruiting for a few weeks and already we have 20 people actively discussing the possibility of going on a mission trip to Russia. I feel confident that of those 20 who are discussing it, that 14 will actually go. The others may decide that this trip is not what God wants for them right now, or fear will hinder them from going, or life will just get in the way.

Stephanie and I are excited though, that so many people are thinking about taking a mission trip. People are considering getting out of their comfort zones and serving Jesus in a land that is strange to them. They would then be "strangers in a strange land", to use the title of Robert Heinlien's book. This takes courage and a confidence that Jesus will take care of them and the families they leave behind.

Going on a mission trip to Russia is no small matter. We will literally be halfway around the world. Novosibirsk is 11 time zones away from the east coast of the USA. There are always dangers when you travel, so yes it takes confidence.

To those who are considering going to Russia, I encourage you to pray about the trip, and ask Jesus if it His will that you go. I can't imagine it not being His will that you go unless of course, you are lost. If Jesus wants you to go, then He will provide the funds for you to go as well as give you confidence while you are there.

Stephanie and I thank you profusely for just getting to the point where you are discussing the trip and considering going. Now let's take the next step and commit to going.

Andy

Why Some People Don't Go on Mission Trips

Dacula, Georgia (ACN)

I am about to whine. I know it and yet I feel the necessity to write this entry, so here goes.

Every year about this time I am heavily recruiting for the next mission trip, which at this time of year is 11 months away, but that is when the recruiting must occur if we are to be prepared by December. Recruiting involves speaking with people about the next trip and what we will do, where we will go and what it's like to be in Russia in the winter time. And each year I must deal with the same questions.

Who chose to go in the winter time? What will the food be like? What is the housing like? How long is the airline flight? As I answer these questions, I know that if I give a certain answer to each question, that person will not go with us to Russia, or if they do go with us, then the topic of their question may very well prove to be the very thing that causes them to whine and complain on the trip.

The thing that is frustrating is that we let these petty things keep us from being involved in one of the most rewarding experiences of a Christian's life. The sharing of the Gospel. If we are not careful we will have spent a lifetime here on Earth and not gone on a single mission trip. And yes, every Christian needs to go on multipe mission trips during their lives. But let me explain how easy it can be for a Christian to come to the end of their life and never having been on a mission trip.

Before the age of 14 you really don't need to go on a mission trip, because you need to 1) find Jesus yourself, 2) mature in the faith, 3) learn responsibility so that you can take on responsibility on the trip. So let's start at age 14 for most Christians. At age 14-17, the typcial Christian says, "I am too young." or their parents say "He is too young," or "I can't let them travel that far away, how would I get to them if something happened." As it turns out, in reality you couldn't do anything here in the states either. An accident happens and they are in the hospital, before you know anything has happened. You can neither prevent things from happening here nor there, and even here what are you going to do that actually helps them once something happens. It is up to God to do the healing and fixing not you, but I digress...

So between the ages of 18-23 there is a good chance I will get you to go on our mission trips as long as you don't attend my church. We have yet to have a college age person from CMC go on our trips. I am not sure why this is but it is true. However, most of the people who go on our trips that don't attend CMC are college age. Go figure!! So where are these young people from CMC going? I don't know, but they don't go to Russia.

After age 23 many young people are too busy at work to go on our trips. Either they don't recognize that they can and should take time off for spiritual work or they have left the church for a time. Then they get married.

Young marrieds are just too much "in luv" to leave one another for a mission trip or they think they can't afford to go. Actually the break from each other would improve their marriages wonderfully. The money excuse is a non-starter with me. Stephanie and I have not been able to afford to go on a misison trip since 2002, when we met with financial disaster, and yet God provided for us on every trip since 2002 (2002, 2004, 2005. 2006, 2007, 2008). You get the picture!

Shortly after entering marriage our young Christian friends who have yet to go on a mission trip, now have children. Now they have the perfect excuse, in their mind, so they don't go because of the children. You can kiss these two goodbye until the children leave the nest.

Twenty years later we are still asking for people to go and we see this young couple and invite them again, but alas their children are into drugs, or have children of their own and on an on. Once their grandchildren are on their own, well the young Chrisitians we began asking as college students are now nearing retirement or have already entered it. We couldn't possibly, we don't have the money. We are too old. Yes, years ago that would have been fun, but we are too old.

So as you can see, we American Christians have an answer all throughout our lives as to why we can't go on missions. In other words, even though we are not ready to admit it openly, we will NEVER go on a mission trip, because we might have to make a sacrifice. And I know this will come as a surprise to American Christians, but suffering is a large part of the Christian faith.

Would you examine your life right now? What do you do for God? How do you serve? Maybe you can honestly say that you serve your church and serve it well. Then my hat is off to you, because you ARE serving and I thank you for that. But don't forget that the Bible says we are to witness in Jerusalem (your home town) and Samaria (other towns and cities in your native country and nearby your homeland) and to the utter most parts of the earth. So I ask you, "Where have you served that you could say were the utter most parts of the earth?"

If you have served in Jamaica, or Mexico or the Caribbean then wonderful, you have been to other countries. those countries are near your home, thus making them a part of Samaria, but you have been to other countries and I applaud you for that. But...what about "the uttermost parts"? Don't the people in countries far from the US have a need for Jesus? Less than 1% of Russians have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Would you consider Novosibirsk, Russia to be the "uttermost parts?" I do! Wanna go? Wanna complete the task God has given to you? Look, all I can do is ask, it is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict and convince. If in reading this, you are now feeling convicted, by the Holy Spirit, would you please get down on your knees, nay get down on your stomach and face and pray to God Almighty, abba Father and ask Him if He wants you to go. If He wants you to go, He will overcome your fears, He will provide a way and we will make you a part of the Four in the Fire family. As you love on others in Russia, we will love on you and you will become like family with the rest of the team. God is looking for you! You know it and I know it, or you would have clicked off of this page, long ago.

Go with us and see people find Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Isn't that what being a Christian is all about in the first place? Come go with us and love on some kids, love on some old people, love on some teens, love on some alcoholics and drug addicts. Let go and let God take over and guide you to your destiny in Russia. He has a place for you to serve and to be served on our team.

If you are thinking about going then click here http://www.4inthefire.org/StepsToGoToRussia.


If you would like to see all of the reasons people give us as to why they can't go and maybe even find your reason and our response to it, visit our page of "excuses". Click here http://www.4inthefire.org/Excuses/ReasonsNotToGoOnAMissionTrip.html.

May God richly bless you and your efforts in your Christian witness. May his face shine upon you and may your life be a witness for Jesus.

Go and witness!!!

Andy