SEND>>West Palm Beach: ‘Phenomenal and life-changing’

Julie White provided the following update on Temple college students’ activities in West Palm Beach, Fla.

This summer in West Palm Beach, Fla., was phenomenal and life-changing to say the least. God worked through and in our team these past eight weeks and has grown each of us in ways we never thought possible. I have seen brokenness restored, hearts changed, and life plans turned inside out. It is amazing to see how God is working in Palm Beach County and the vision that Family Church has for reaching the county for Christ. The goal of Family Church is to have planted 100 churches across the county within 10 years. There are already five church campuses, and now there is one being planted in Jupiter, Fla. It is amazing to see the core values of Family Church lived out in everything they do, including student ministry, family ministry, and community outreach.

To end the summer, July 13-17, we went to student camp, better known as Jurassic Camp. For Jurassic Camp students from grades six through twelve came to camp where they were always in constant worship and fellowship with one another. Two-hundred and thirty students went to camp along with over 90adult leaders and pastoral staff. It was amazing to see how many students came to camp and how all of the work for the summer was put into action and carried out that week.

Each morning and night a different pastor would speak and the series they went through were the seven stories of hope:

• Hope for the Rejected: The Sinful Woman (Luke 7:36-50)
• Hope for the Non-Religious: Pharisee and Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-17)
• Hope Changes Things: Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)
• Hope Forgives: Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)
• Hope Through Death: Thieves on the Cross (Luke 23:32-43)
• Hope Rose from the Dead: Resurrection (Luke 24:1-20) and
• Hope is Waiting for You: The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).

Through these seven stories of hope, it was amazing to see how each one applied to the students’ lives and how they responded to them. I saw God break down walls of a few students whose hearts were hard against God and who doubted He even existed. There were many students who made decisions at camp to turn their lives over to God for the first time, or back to God because they had run so far from him. There were also students who made the decision to be baptized because they had not taken that step of faith yet. When returning home from camp, the students who made a decision to be baptized were baptized in the ocean that Sunday evening.

Members of the SEND>> West Palm Beach team are (front row) Olivia Loewer, Sol Boehm and Julie White and (back row) Spencer Morris and Brennan Edwards

I am so thankful that I, as well as my team, was given this opportunity to serve South Florida this summer. Thank you for all of your support and your prayers for the team and me because we could have not done it without it. Also, a huge thank you goes out to Family Church for everything they have taught us, for the life-long friendships, and for being so willing and excited to allow us to serve with them this summer. This was an experience of a lifetime and I will never forget the things God has taught me through this season in life.

Thank you,
Julie White

Advertisements

SEND>>Los Angeles: ‘People here are opening up and being more receptive and interested’

Seth Scriber provided the following update on Temple college students’ activities in Los Angeles. Previous posts related to this summer’s SEND work in Los Angeles are available here and here.

First of all I would like to again thank everyone for your continued prayer and support! It’s hard to believe I only have 2 weeks left in this city! This past week we’ve been really pushing to be intentional with the relationships that we’ve made here and share God’s love with them.

The people here are opening up and being more receptive and interested in what we have to say and why we are here. The team is really getting into a “rhythm” in the city and through that we can continue build relationships. On Wednesday we all went to the beach down in Santa Monica for our much needed off day. We all got a little sunburned, but overall was a fun and relaxing day!

Yesterday we were able to meet with a church planter and pick his brain about his successes and failures in church planting here in Los Angeles. We also got to meet representatives from the Golden Gate seminary and hear the programs that were offered as well as opportunities that go along with going to school there. It was overall a great week as we continued working and constructing the relationships while showing Christ’s love to the people of the community.

Please keep praying for us here that we would not grow weary but run with endurance the race that is set before us (Heb. 12:1). There’s only a couple weeks left and we really need to push ourselves out of our comfort zones even more and be even more intentional with people as our time here comes to a close.

SEND>>Chicago brings ‘fresh wind in the Windy city’

Participants from Temple Baptist Church are among those who are active in Chicago this summer as a part of SEND>>North America.

Fewer than 10 percent of the residents of the metropolitan Chicago area are affiliated with an evangelical church. As the Send>>> Chicago website says, “It’s time for a fresh wind in the Windy City.” Temple’s people and other volunteers are working to provide that “fresh wind” — to reach more people with the Gospel.

Please pray for the following workers from Temple as they are on the SEND>>Chicago mission:

• Lane Brister
• Jen Cook
• James Davison
• Anthony Ellis
• Emily Head
• Caitlyn Henedricks
• Roberto Puig
• Elizabeth Smith
• DeDe Willis

SEND team’s efforts reach many in south Louisiana

Jenna Price provided the following update on Temple college students’ activities in Grand Isle, La. See SEND North America for an overview of similar efforts that are going on nationwide.

July 10, 2015

Seven weeks ago, Andrew, Riley, and I left the city of Ruston with its rustic features, agricultural influence, and prominent Christian atmosphere for Grand Isle, known for being settled by pirates, overrun by drugs and alcohol, and funded by its prime fishing spots. Throughout the summer on almost any given weekend, the population of Grand Isle could expand up to 10 times its residential size (which is around 1,000).

First Baptist Church of Grand Isle, pastored by John Boss, was placed strategically on the island to reach the residents that come to the southernmost region of Louisiana to isolate themselves and give into abusing sins and to reach those who only come to the island for a weekend at a time. This is the ministry that we have been blessed with this summer.

The children of Grand Isle love love love to dress up and preform skits to Bible stories. Andrew was a part of this particular production. I bet you would never guess that it was the story of when Jesus walked on water. Complete with a princess, witch, lamb, and puppets.

The first six weeks of the summer, we ran a children’s day camp where 30 to 40 of island locals participated in day after day. Very much like an extended VBS, the three of us Temple students were able to build strong relationships with the children and youth helpers through bible study, games, Scripture memorization, and songs. In addition to each week, we, as the summer missionaries, put to work mission teams that come from all over the country to serve in Grand Isle.

Elizabeth (the other girl missionary to my left) and I lead a Girls’ Night each Tuesday night where we participate in a Bible study, bake cookies, and play board games, volleyball, or Just Dance. The youth may be few on some nights, but they are very eager to learn God’s Word.

We also lead youth on Wednesday nights (and Thursday nights at the church plant up the bayou in Galliano), teach children’s church on Sunday mornings in both locations, put on a Girls’ Night for the youth girls on the island, pass out Bible tracts to fishermen on the piers, and plan outreach events on the island and up the bayou. The rest of the summer will include directing a youth camp for over 30 youth, helping with a sports camp at an Indian reservation in Mississippi with a partnering church, and preparing for Tarpon Rodeo (the largest fishing event for the island and outreach event for the church).

Andrew Thompson, Jenna Price and Riley Thompson

Although I cannot speak personally for the Thompson boys, we all can attest to the vast amount of spiritual warfare that is taking place on the island. The enemy is throwing his hottest fiery arrows at this church and church plant to bring down one of the last evangelical ministries in this region. A number of incidents have occurred at the beginning of the summer which caused repercussions that are still beating down on us today. But our God is mightier than any puny, pathetic arrow Satan fires at First Baptist Church of Grand Isle.

Making Grand Isle #BulldogCountry, of course!

We have celebrated over 10 known salvations the past couple of weeks and continue to reap what God has sown here. The harvest is ready in South Louisiana and Satan is having a hard time stopping what God is doing and plans to do.

I thank God every day for Temple Baptist Church, Temple Tech, its members, staff, and students who have been consistent, constant, and relentless in their prayers for Andrew, Riley, and I and this ministry. I could not have asked for a better summer mission opportunity, a better team, or better church. I now know how Paul felt when he said he longed to see the church because I long to see Temple so that I recount the victories God has had in Grand Isle. But this summer is not over yet, and we have much work still to be done.

I love you all. Please continue to pray without ceasing. Love, Jenna Price

During our Fourth of July outreach, Riley made balloon swords. It was serious business as depicted here.

‘Workers are multiplying’ in efforts to reach Washington, D.C. for Christ

Casey Casady provided the following update on Temple college students’ activities in Washington, D.C. For an overview of mission efforts in that area, see the North American Mission Board’s SEND>>Washington DC page.

Our teams just got in on Monday (July 6), of course as you know, which is already making a great difference. So yeah things are a lot different here. Only 8-12% of people in DC proclaim to be Christian. So about 9 out of every 10 people I pass on the street are lost.

It’s not a social norm like back home to be a Christian. It’s not a cool thing to be a part of. But despite that, you can really tell people here are searching for Him but they just don’t realize yet that it’s Christ they’re seeking.

There’s 5 SBC churches in the city right now and 4 of those are new church plants. There aren’t many Christians here, but the ones that are here are completely sold out for Christ which is awesome. There’s over 650,000 people in DC and about 6 million in the greater DC area. So the harvest truly is plentiful.

An SBC church I’ve been plugged in with here started 8 months ago and has 100 or more on Sundays and has baptized 16 people all while meeting in a hotel ballroom on Sundays, so the workers are multiplying. It’s a really great experience so far to be able to live in a city and actually feel the social sacrifice that comes with being a follower of Christ, and also making being “sent” a part of your everyday life on a grand scale.

One thing I appreciate is that Christians here aren’t lukewarm. You’re either hot or cold. So it makes the work easier because you can tell who is the body of Christ and who needs to be reached. I definitely miss everyone back home, miss my Temple family, but I am really loving my time here with the people I’ve met so I think it’s a good spot to be in!

Please pray for these students on mission in Washington, D.C., and for the people with whom they come in contact:

• Brett Hooks
• Sarah McCorkle
• Cameron Young Wisher

Hey we’re good! Been going to our neighborhood every day and we seem to be getting a rhythm. Today a few of us helped in a local garden that James, Lane and Hannah found.

Los Angeles: Fertile field for ministry

Amid the glamour associated with Los Angeles, Calif., the need for a Savior often goes unmentioned. More than 10 million people live in the metropolitan Los Angeles area, but fewer than 1 million of them are affiliated with an evangelical church. 

Can 11 college students make a difference in Los Angeles in one summer? A group from Temple Baptist Church would say, “Yes!” The students are in L.A. as part of the North American Mission Board’s SEND>>North America campaign. Seth Scriber, a member of the group, wrote in a previous post: “Everyone is doing such an amazing job of meeting new people and being intentional with those relationships as they continue to get to know them. People are finding coffee shops, gyms, comic book stores, skate shops, and volunteer opportunities to be regulars at.”

Please pray for these students on mission in Los Angeles and for the people with whom they come in contact:

• Charissa Aalgaard
• Matt Beard
• Scott Felder
• Sarah Fogle
• Tim Gregoire
• Dakota Oxford
• Matt Martin
• Mandi Rose
• Seth Scriber
• Christian Smith
• Allison Whittenburg

Los Angeles team reaches people through variety of venues

Seth Scriber provided the following update on Temple college students’ activities in Los Angeles.

I apologize for not writing an email last week, it was very busy! My sister and girlfriend came and visited me last week and it was so good to see them both! We had so much fun going around and seeing all the sites LA has to offer. Other than being a tourist for a couple days last week it has been great seeing the team find their respective “niches.”

Everyone is doing such an amazing job of meeting new people and being intentional with those relationships as they continue to get to know them. People are finding coffee shops, gyms, comic book stores, skate shops, and volunteer opportunities to be regulars at. It has been such a blessing over the past couple of weeks to see the team branch out into the community and find things they enjoy doing and others that have similar interest.

I’ve also been so impressed with how intentional everyone is being with the people they’ve just met and showing them a love like no other. Every night we have “debrief” to share stories from that day of conversations or events from that day and it has been so encouraging to hear everyone’s stories.

I want to thank everyone again for your continued prayer and support! It is still overwhelming to me the support we are receiving from back home. Please keep all of us in your prayers over the next month that we would continue to be intentional with the people God is putting in our paths and that they would come to know Him. Also be praying for the people we have met. A few of their names are: Zach, Kebron, Luna, and Jeff.

Activities increase in Los Angeles

Seth Scriber provided the following report on Temple members’ activities in Los Angeles, with accompanying photographs.

Hello everyone,

This week has been a blast! The teams arrived on Monday, and I couldn’t have been happier to see all of my friends. It’s been great showing them around the city and where we are staying. We’ve been in orientation for the week which has included meeting with our city coach to discuss expectations for this summer, encouraging messages from him, going out to see the city, finding central locations where people spend their free time, and meeting new people. Last night was a lot of fun because we got the chance to travel down to El Segundo (where the Temple youth are living while on mission here) and speak with them about Generation Send. It was also a treat for us because Dr. Vessel cooked muffulettas for us! Seeing the youth and hearing their stories was so encouraging to all of us. Overall it has been an exciting week! Again I want to thank everyone who is supporting the work that God is doing here and the many, many prayers! It is such a blessing to have this tremendous amount of support from back home!

Thank you all,
Seth Scriber

More pictures from Hungary mission trip are posted

Here are some additional pictures from Temple’s 2015 mission trip to Hungary, during which Temple members are using Bible stories as they teach English to Hungarian students. Please continue to pray for that mission effort as well as those in Los Angeles and other places where Temple people are ministering this summer.

Advanced class

Intermediate class

Intermediate class

Beginner class

Pictures show efforts in Hungary

Here are three pictures from Temple’s mission group in Hungary, where our members on the mission trip are teaching English through use of Bible stories. The photographs show advanced, intermediate and beginner groups being taught.