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Phoenix Area House Churches Newsletter
News from the home-front of the house church movement in Phoenix, AZ.
Greetings!
Greetings and welcome to the May edition. I pray
that everyone
did something good for their favorite mother on
Mother's Day. If you didn't, make plans right now
to make up for it as soon as possible.
I don't know about you, but I just love this time of
year in Arizona. The temps are in the nineties (but
its a dry heat) and it feels great. Its easy to see
how blessed we are during these months although we
all know what misery (more dry heat) is just around
the corner.
I have worked from home for over a year now and, I have
to say, I enjoy it. This year it seems that some
very loud squawking birds have decided to make my
yard their hang-out. I'm sure some of you have the
same problem. These birds are really loud and
obnoxious. A couple of times I have actually gone
out there to run them away. But, so far, they keep
returning. I guess its their way of enjoying the
great weather because I know they will stop when the
temps get into the 3-digits. It seems that when we
think everything is just about perfect, God brings
something before us to remind us that He is still in
charge. He is the one we should depend on on a
daily basis and not get prideful of how nice we seem
to have life.
I hope you are taking advantage of the website
on a
daily basis. A new feature article is posted each
week (or very close to it). These articles are
archived on the news page. Please take advantage of
the links on the shopping
page. I know some people
are using them. All affiliate proceeds are paid
directly to the church account to be used to pay for
this newsletter and the website. Your support is
very appreciated. God bless you all.
Larry
Luke10:2b
Hows your giving?
Resources for reaching the darkest corners of the world
With no salaries or buildings
to support, we in the house churches can become
complacent about our giving. Of course we are
always ready to
help those within our fellowships when there is a
need. But in those times when there is no specific
need, are we using the resources that God has
provided to us to help those outside of our
fellowships?
I want to let you know of some ministries that I
have experience with or have become
aware of recently that are doing an amazing job
ministering to believers and reaching the lost in
some dark areas of the world.
International:
Integrated Community Development
International
http://www.icdinternational.org
This is the organization that I went to Africa with
last year. They are non-denominational and their
work is primarily in the Central African Republic.
They provide orphan care, water well drilling in
some very remote locations, micro-enterprise, aids
prevention, and a short-wave radio station that will
reach a good bit of central Africa when it goes on
line. I’ll be glad to answer any questions about
this ministry.
Opportunity International
http://www.opportunity.org
This is an organization that provides small loans,
as little as $50, to poor entrepreneurs in the
poorest countries of the world. They are a Christian
ecumenical organization that serves men and women of
all beliefs. Through the loans they provide,
individuals, families, and entire communities are
transformed from dependency on outside resources to
independence.
Gospel for Asia
http://www.gfa.org
This ministry is involved in planting churches in
unreached areas of Asia, specifically in areas of
India by training and sending native missionaries.
They have Bible schools that train and they provide
the materials for the missionaries to use in their
church planting travels. Native missionaries can be
sponsored in the same way that children can be
sponsored through some other ministries.
Bibles Unbound
http://www.biblesunbound.com
This is a ministry of the Voice of the Martyrs that
teams
sponsors to send Bibles to believers in some of the
hostile places of the world.
Educational:
Reclaiming the Mind Ministries
http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/
This is a ministry that provides on-line theological
training through The Theology Program and Converse
with the Scholars through http://www.bible.org .
They also provide a Theology Unplugged podcast and
videos that can be viewed on-line or downloaded from
the bible.org website. If you want to expand your
knowledge of theology, this is a great source of
education.
The Pocket Testament League
http://www.pocketpower.org/
This ministry exists to motivate Christians to
read, carry, and share the Word of God by helping
develop a lifestyle of personal evangelism. They
publish and provide free Gospels of John and an
online course in personal evangelism.
House church related:
Whats happening
Happenings within the house church community
April 17,18, May 1,2: Air Assault on the
Kingdom of
Darkness - Monday/Tuesday prayer nights every
two weeks continued for the house churches in
Phoenix and the East Valley.
Jeff Evilsizor continues to pray for and
minister to
the Palm Aire apartments in Phoenix. Jeff asks for
prayer for Greg, who is suffering from mental
illness and for the many undocumented workers
living among us.
April 30: Teen
Challenge - House churches
partnered with Along Side Church in Phoenix to host
some of the men who are currently in the program.
Most of these young men are coming out of lifestyles
in very heavy drugs. The testimonies were
heart-wrenching. One young man from Mesa had
survived 11 drug overdoses. Although he has some
profound medical problems, God has spared his life
for a purpose that only He knows. Thanks to
everyone who took part in this.
Richard Kraemer and another man from his
fellowship visited Teen
Challenge in Phoenix on May 3.
May 5,6,7: Ed Waken traveled to Kansas
City to teach
a Greenhouse Intensive Weekend on organic church.
See http://cmaresources.org/greenhouse/
for
information on the Greenhouse program. See Ed's blog for his
thoughts on the weekend.
Ed has also been meeting with a couple of
young men
in the east valley about organic church planting.
May 7: John Rowden and Debbie Spence
were married in
Mesa in the presence of family and friends, Chaplain
Henry officiating. This is the first wedding
within the house churches that I know of. If you
would like, you can mail cards to John and Debbie at
2163 E. Farmdale, Mesa, AZ 85204. John has been
going to school in
Arkansas and will be returning there at the end of
the month. They have decisions to make regarding a
job location. Please pray for God's will and wisdom
in their decision-making.
May 16: Henry and Cindy Staggs meet
with a judge on the adoption of Emma. Please keep
them in your prayers.
Here are some blog links to take a look at:
The lighter side
A little humor for the month
Fred was in the hospital, near death, so the family
sent for a chaplain. As the chaplain stood beside
the bed, Fred's frail condition grew worse, and he
motioned frantically for something to write on.
The chaplain lovingly handed him a pen and piece of
paper, and Fred used his last ounce of strength to
scribble a note. Then he died.
The chaplain thought it best not to look at the note
just then, so he slipped it into his jacket pocket.
Several days later, at the funeral, the chaplain was
chosen to deliver the eulogy. He realized that he
was wearing the same jacket that he'd worn the day
Fred died. "You know," he said, "Fred handed me a
note just before he died. I haven't read it, but
knowing Fred, I'm sure there's a word of inspiration
there for us all."
He unfolded the note and read aloud, "You're
standing on my oxygen tube!"
__________________________________
Our resident Auntie, whose real name is Cliff, will
field difficult questions concerning
you, your personal life, or your Christian
pilgrimage. Here is an example of Cliff's
counseling wisdom.
Dear Cliff,
I am a soldier in the Irish Army. My parents live in
the suburb of Ballymun and one of my sisters, who
lives in Donnybrook, is married to a Methodist. My
Father and Mother have recently been arrested for
growing and selling marijuana and are currently
dependent on my two sisters, who are prostitutes in
Dublin.
I have two brothers, one who is currently serving a
non-parole life sentence in The Maze Prison,
Belfast, for murder, the other currently being held
in Mountjoy Prison remand centre on charges of
breaking and entry. I have recently become engaged
to marry a former Thai prostitute who lives in Cork
and indeed is still a part time "working girl" in a
Brothel, however, her time there is limited as she
has recently been infected with an STD. We intend to
marry as soon as possible and are currently looking
into the possibility of opening our own brothel with
my fiancée utilising her knowledge of the industry
working as the manager. I am hoping my two sisters
would be interested in joining our team. Although I
would prefer them not to prostitute themselves at
least it would get them off the streets and
hopefully the heroin.
My problem is this: I love my fiancée and look
forward to bringing her into the family and of
course I want to be totally honest with her.
Should I tell her about my brother-in-law being a
Methodist?
Cliff writes:
Not on your life, are you mad?
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phone:
602-524-9400
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As we enter a new month, and the beginning of summer
for us, I want to continue to encourage everyone to
keep me up on whats going on in your individual
fellowships. The website and the newsletter are here
to encourage and edify the members of the house
churches in the Phoenix area. We need to know what
to pray about, what to praise God about, and how and
where we can help our brothers and sisters. Lets
keep the communication going. See you soon.
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