Covenant Church

The nearer you see to the end of your nose, the more likely you are to look at your toes. No affliction is more acute among mankind than short-sightedness. Love of self has killed more good ideas, more families, more churches, and more businesses than any other malady.

Short- or near-sightedness (of course we are talking about the mind not the eyes) has multiple symptoms:

1. Conversation is about me.
2. Conversation includes lots of “I”.
3. Conversation includes lots of feelings.
4. Conversation includes lots of opinions.
5. Conversation includes lots of "I heard"...or gossip.
6. Conversation is mostly about things past.
7. Conversation is about "what's in it for me?"
8. Conversation resists change.

You can finish this list; even thinking about it wearies me.

Allow me to share a little story about how short/near-sightedness becomes so ingrained it is revered as tradition.

I watched in Bangladesh as a group of men toiled to demolish a two-story brick and mortar building. Their only tools were a pry bar, sledge hammer, shovel, and hoe. In flip-flops, and skirts, no helmets, no gloves, no safety glasses, they pounded hour after hour doing what their fathers had done, the way their fathers had done it for hundreds of years.

It occurred to me to take off my coat and try to educate them on how to more systematically, efficiently, and safely demolish the building. Caution held me back. As a stranger, it was not prudent for me to challenge the process.

Allow me to shift my thoughts more directly to the purpose of this letter. March 3-5 will be Covenant's annual Building the Kingdom Together Mission Conference -- including banquets. Yes, BANQUETS. For the first time, this year we will have two banquets -- one on Friday night and one Saturday night.

Two native mission speakers will be with us as we address the theme: "Widows and Orphans." Both speakers are dynamic, excellent with English and doing highly respected work for Jesus in their native lands.

Back to the original statement about vision – Jesus, in Acts 1:8, is the one who gave the predicate of going to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost (all the world). Covenant Church is strong. Attendance is at an all-time high. Finances last year reached a record high. Extension ministries to the city and surrounding hinterlands are strong and growing (additional home Bible groups are forming). We reach out to other denominations, to elderly ministers, to jails, hospitals, nursing homes, and other care facilities. We issue a constant evangelism challenge to every parishioner to be a missionary in his/her home, community, job, leisure, school, etc.

In summary, we seek diligently to target Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria with biblical evangelism. The last part is to reach the world. God has graciously provided Covenant Church with people from many nations. We praise the Lord for this blessing. We are humbled for the trust of Our Lord of the precious people who allow us to serve them.

We can do no less than lift our eyes and see the harvest (John 4:35). It is ripe. It is waiting on missionaries, Bibles, and teachers to come and share the Good News! You are invited to the summit where there are noble and countless wise persons who have decided that laying down life for Jesus is the best and only life to live.

Covenant Church wants, desires, and loves being a part of the Great Commission. We, therefore, have committed to having two banquets this year. Last year we reached capacity. This year we must lift our eyes and see that the Lord is using us. We are a vehicle. The Lord will bless us as we bless others.

On two nights, we will dress in native dress, fill the tables with native foods representing our various cultures, and celebrate that we are children of God who are fully committed to go, send, and help in every way possible so that those who do not know Jesus will have a chance to hear the gospel.

I am looking far off -- far above every trouble, every care, and every challenge. I am looking to that great day when we stand before the Lord and hear a multitude lifting their voices in worship and saying: "We are here because Covenant Church was far-sighted! Covenant Church made it possible for us to hear the gospel!"

I will be at both banquets. See you there!
Much Love

Pastor Bare

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." --Matthew 28:18-20 (NASV)