Covenant Church

Nine missionaries faced the congregation in a question and answer session. "Would one of you please share an experience when a gift made a significant difference in the work of the Lord?" I asked.

A hand from Kenya went up. "Yes," Tom Malande said: "We were blessed to receive funding to bring in 300 pastors of 27 different denominations for several days of training. One pastor who wanted to come walked 4 hours, borrowed a bicycle and rode 7 hours, and then someone gave him money for public transportation and a 6 hour ride. After the conference, we gave each pastor enough money to pay for transportation home. Later this particular pastor sent us a report that he walked all the way home with joy, not spending the money to ride-so that his family would have money for food."

Covenant's annual BKT (Building the Kingdom Together) missions conference this past weekend was a tremendous praise to Our God. We reached 100% of faith pledges for last year's goal-$84,000. This year, banquet attendance was about 550 people. Attendance in seminars and worship on Saturday more than doubled last year.

On Saturday night Covenant members from Ghana and Sudan formed an ensemble and sang native songs. It was too wonderful for words.

Missionaries shared their hearts, their passion, and their calling: to mentor and train pastors in the Philippines and around the world; to preach the gospel to Muslims in a bitter environment of hatred and persecution in northern Ghana; to reach families with health and the gospel in Kenya; prepare/train pastors in Peru; win, to the Lord,Indonesian students studying in the United States and discipling them to return to their native country as powerful witnesses; and to minister to street children, train pastors, and build churches in Siberia.

Make a difference? You be the judge. Have you ever considered the power of $1,200 to put down a well for Christians in a village where Muslims have not allowed Christians to drink from the public well? Christians must walk a long distance to bring back their water.

Have you thought about the difference a $60 bicycle would make, and how much farther and faster a missionary can travel to share the gospel?

Have you thought about a farm tractor to plow a snow road to a Siberian camp where pastors are being trained?

Have you thought about building a church in a village for $2,000? Did you know that when you bless people in many countries, every time they enter their place of worship, they kneel and thank God for the person/business that blessed them with a place of worship?

Maybe you can see the joy of Dr. Kim, 83 years of age, of North Korean ancestry, traveling to China every year. He purchases goods,and goes to refugee stations on the border of North Korea where he shares food and the gospel, trains, and encourages. Can you imagine the blessing of Dr. Kim leading precious souls to Christ? Can you imagine inheriting for yourself part of the divine rewards for fulfilling Romans 10 and helping to fulfill the Great Commission?

Even as I write this one of our missionary friends is inside North Korea. He is a brilliant business person who has been favored with a fairly open visa to North Korea. While there, he does underground missionary work, and has led numerous high ranking officials to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Lord. Imagine the joy of being part of the victory of HOPE to North Koreans!

It is said that there are churches in the United States that are cutting back on missions giving to fund their local church budget. God forbid! How can we ask for God's favor while we steal His tithes and forsake the call to send the gospel where we cannot go: "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" -Romans 10:14 &15.

Islam is growing because of the generosity of Muslims. Shall those who have laid down their lives, died, and taken up their cross to follow Jesus be selfish and stingy? Shall we Americans live as the richest people on earth and think only of ourselves? Shall we build homes with carpet and air-conditioning, ride in comfortable cars, and plan our leisure while our brothers and sisters suffer for Christ?

Dr. Jonathan Asare, from Ghana, brilliant, dynamic, with ministry to over 20 African nations, stated flatly without complaint: "Since God called me and gave me a vision I have worked. I have had no vacation. The needs are too great. The work must be done." He did not speak judgmentally of others, but only stated the price of his cross in following Jesus.

I heard a minister on TV the other day, and he broke my heart. His fine words in a sermon ended with a challenge to every listener to sow a seed of faith and write a check for $500 to his ministry. It was disgusting. He is building a $50 million complex. He did not say what the money will be used for. He suggested that a gift of $500 to his ministry would bring heaven's blessings. I wonder how many fools wrote a check to him. For shame: preaching the gospel for personal gain.

It shall not be so at Covenant. Your gift will go to missions. We team with Advancing Native Missions and Church of God World Missions. Every missionary supported is validated. Every project is validated. Total gifts are forwarded as designated. Covenant does not keep one cent of mission giving.

There are hundreds of readers of this newsletter. My hope is that you will send an offering. Make your check "Covenant Church-BKT". We will gladly reply with assurance that your gift reaches its intent.

Make a difference. Make a difference in a life, a home, a family, a church, a community, a country. Make a difference in the Name of Christ and for the glory of Christ.

Join with us in this great adventure!
Pastor Bare
Psalms 9:9