ANNUAL
MISSIONS CONFERENCE
(Friday – Tuesday)
EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM GOD
------------------
ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD
----------------
William Carey, May 30, 1792 Isaiah 54:2-3
Dr. Paul Kooistra
Coordinator of the PCA’s Mission to the World
Rev. Paul Alexander
Veteran PCA pastor and missionary to Ukraine
and visiting missionaries
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is an evangelical denomination, organized in 1973, with a strong commitment
to the inerrancy of Scripture , to the historic doctrines of the Reformed faith, to the task of world evangelization,
and to the teaching of a consistently
Biblical world-and-life view.
From Missions Committee Chairman, Dick Miller
It is Missions conference time again. We have always been asked to think “Faith Promises.” Give in faith knowing that God will provide for our needs. 2009 will be a test of our faith. We have to commit with good sense, and still stretch in faith. We cannot plan to have or lose our jobs, or investments. If we lose, we cannot give, if we don’t - thank God.
I always think of the missionaries who went in faith, compared to our giving in faith. Who has to have the most faith? They gave up most things we enjoy in life. They are well trained to think seriously about expecting the unexpected when they are preparing their budget and collecting promises for funding for their mission journey–that they must expect. These kinds of times come upon us, and the promise givers run into problems out of their control. Still they went. Now they have to depend on us, the promise givers. They must keep their “eye on the ball,” and tend to their mission. They know the many donators to their mission are in threatening circumstances. Any one of the entities who keep them funded could fail, leaving them “up the Amazon with out a paddle.” Or in Europe, Spain, the Philippines or anywhere with no recourse - they are at the mercy of the donors.
In past years it was routine to see our collections for the church in general and missions funding in particular to dwindle from the Summer through November, and “get well” with heavy giving in December. But, not in 2008. December did not pick up the pace. We were blessed with a $20,000 fund balance to begin the year which went up a little and back to the balance by September, and left the year $5,000 below what we started with. We have never missed our promised giving to any missions promises. Let’s keep that promise with a good 2009. Start the Missions year off right by attending the conference starting Feb 27th and ending Mar 2nd. The committee has worked most of the year planning the program, and preparing for a smooth and interesting presentation. We added one new element, a Saturday morning program. The purpose of this is to avoid the common frustration of speakers not having enough time to tell you about what they are doing, and how exciting it is in their mission area. You will hear about the work of God in one of our Ecuador missions, in Guayaquil. I was fortunate enough to hear it when I took the “Vision Mission” trip in November. They could point to dramatically answered prayers, and achievements only prayers could provide you will be amazed. That program is one that demonstrates that our giving pays off. We hear so much negative news and problems, it is hard to keep going.
I want to add one more thing I came across. You can read about it in Dinesh D’sousa’s book “What’s so Great About Christianity”. In his book, in which he uses non-Christian statistical data, he makes the following two points in Part One: “The Future of Christianity”:
1. “We often hear that Islam is the fastest growing religion. Not true. Christianity is the fastest growing religion in the world today. Islam is second.
2. Although “the West is more secular, the world as a whole is becoming more religious.” “America is the most religious country in the Western world.” “This third world Christianity is coming our way.” “Only the United States sends more missionaries to other countries. We may be seeing the beginning of a startling reversal.” I have heard of missionaries from other countries coming to America– God knows we need them.
My take on all this (you have to read the book) is that we have taken Christ’s word to all the world (most of it anyway), but those we converted may be called to return the favor. The point is, we are not dumping money into a black bottomless hole-full of useless wide-eyed missionaires. Our efforts in Missions is paying off. Be encouraged, don’t give up, or even let up. The battle is being won, and we don’t want all that to go for naught.
2009 MISSIONS CONFERENCE
We will be blessed with two excellent keynote speakers …
Born and raised in Minnesota, Dr. Paul D. Kooistra holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Minnesota, a M.Div. from Columbia Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Alabama. He served as assistant pastor of Pinelands Presbyterian Church in Miami, Florida, 1967-1969; and associate pastor of Seminole Presbyterian Church in Tampa, Florida, 1969-1973, where he assumed the role of principal of Seminole Presbyterian Day School during the 1972-73 academic year.
In 1973 Dr. Kooistra assumed the position of Assistant Professor of Christian Education at Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi. In 1975 he became Associate Professor of Christian Education and Homiletics at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Clinton, Mississippi, until 1983 when he was named Professor of Practical Theology. In 1985 he accepted the presidency of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he also taught Practical Theology. He served the seminary until 1994 when he assumed the position of Coordinator of Mission to the World in Atlanta, Georgia, for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). In 2008 Dr. Kooistra was elected as Moderator of the 36th General Assembly.
Rev. Paul Alexander was born in Ithaca, New York. He attended Bob Jones University, Temple University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Columbia Theological Seminary. As a pastor in the Reformed Presbyterian Church (Evangelical Synod), he joined the PCA when that denomination was received into the PCA. Prior to that, he served as moderator of his former denomination’s annual assembly. He served as Senior Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, AL for 43 years (from 1958 until his retirement in 2001). During that time he led the church in the founding of Westminster Christian Academy.
Since his retirement, he and his wife, Lorraine, have been MTW missionaries to Ukraine. He has worked with the church planting team in Odessa and provided significant training for lay leaders in congregations there. He continues to work from his home in Huntsville in raising support for “Covenant Partners,” an MTW work which is seeking to provide guidance in establishing Christian schools for covenant children in the churches of Ukraine.
We will also welcome missionaries Jim Tate (Ecuador), Jim Patterson (Philippines), Howard Sheldon (Texas- Bible translation), Franklin Beaver (Muslim world).
MISSIONS CONFERENCE
SCHEDULE
Friday, February 27
7:00 pm Opening Message from Dr. Kooistra
Congregational Prayer
Saturday, February 28
9:00 am Missionary presentations from Jim Tate and Franklin Beaver
Messages from Dr. Kooistra
Question and answer session
6:00 pm Catered dinner (gourmet chef, Brian Goodner)
DVD showing of MTW’s work
Message from Dr. Kooistra
Sunday, March 1
9:00 am Sunday School hour with Dr. Kooistra
10:30 am Morning worship with Dr. Kooistra
(Faith Promise challenge)
Noon Covered dish luncheon
6:00 pm Evening worship with Rev. Alexander
Monday, March 2
6:00 pm Catered dinner (Vicki Backus)
7:00 pm Missionary presentation from Howard Sheldon
Message from Rev. Alexander
Tuesday, March 3
6:30 am Men’s breakfast with Missionaries
Noon Covered dish luncheon with Missionaries
6:00 pm Ethnic covered dish dinner
7:00 pm Missionary presentation from Jim Patterson
Closing message from Rev. Alexander
(No Wednesday night ministries this week only)
Sunday, March 8
10:30 am Morning worship
Faith Promise challenge from Pastor Roff
5:30 pm Evening worship DVD – The Story of Missionary William Carey
whose famous sermon on Isaiah 53 is this year’s missions theme
and whose work in India led to the modern missions era