Missions Week 2022 Magazine by Faith Assembly

F A I T H A S S E M B LY. O R G / R E A C H G L O B A L

A GLOBAL MOVEMENT

PRAYING CHANGES EVERYTHING

TEACH US TO PRAY

GIVING EXPANDS THE KINGDOM

THE COST OF COMPASSION

WE BOUGHT A BROTHEL

GOING STARTS A STORY

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

2023 MISSION TRIPS

OUR DAYS IN CAIRO

MISSION TRIP STORY-TELLING

LIVING FULFILLS THE CALLING

LIVING ON A MISSION

By Pastor Margarita González

I would like to share what’s been on my heart throughout these last four months. As I took this amazing opportunity and challenged myself to fulfill the position of Associate Missions Pastor, God has been tugging on my heart and almost demanding of me to partake in His Great Commission in a more personal and practical way. Leading up to Missions Week 2022, my heart grew heavy knowing that a big percentage of the world does not know Him yet. How can they

know, if we don’t go?

Even more devastating, statistics show that over 70% of American believers do not know The Great Commission. How will they go, if they do not know? The Great Commission, Do you know it? Have you heard about it? If so, Do you believe it? Do you share it with others? Do you LIVE it?

The Great Commission

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 In a way, the Great Commission is our version of, “to be continued,” in a movie. We are to carry the second part. We are the protagonist, and Jesus is our director. He left us instructions on what to do. It is our time to shine. This is our mission to complete. And He is still with us until the end of times – what an honor! Just to think that JESUS wants us to partake in the advancement of His Kingdom brings me to my knees. I can tell you that I am not worthy of such a call, nevertheless, He wants me to be a part of it. Jesus wants you to join Him in this call! Are you willing?

At times, the task might seem overwhelming and impossible, but He has given us all the tools to continue and to persevere. If you are like me, I often ask, “how do I do it? How can I go on a Mission Impossible like in the movies? How do I accomplish all of my daily tasks and also fulfill The Great Commission?” I’d like to share with you four practical ways to help you fulfill your part in The Great Commission: Pray - Praying changes everything. Pray daily for our missionaries. Pray for their safety, for God’s provision, and for supernatural boldness so that ultimately God’s Word can spread far. God will give you specific areas or countries to pray for as you practice praying for missionaries. A great way to do this is by joining one of our GlobalFaith Prayer Groups. Learn more about how to get involved in the “Prayer” Section of this magazine! Give - Giving expands the Kingdom. We do this by planning, setting a vision, and dreaming: Plan - Make a plan to give! If you’re not currently giving, start small. Plan to give consistently. If you are already giving, set up recurring giving to help you stay on track! Vision - Ask God to give you a vision of what He could do through you with His help. Talk as a family about what you can do together. Dream - What would be a dream amount you could give? Hold on to it. Watch as each step of faith takes you closer to it. Going - Going starts a story! Experience how it feels to personally take the Good News of Jesus to an unreached country. Make a goal this year to go on a Faith Assembly Mission Trip. Tell others about your experience and invite others to go too. You will not regret it! Live - Living fulfills the calling. The truth is: it’s an everyday thing. You can not take God’s Mission out of the equation. God will not let it happen. God’s heart is Mission. Continue to grow in prayer, ask God if you need to be giving more, prepare to go again, prepare to go for the first time, period. Share your story for the advancement of His Kingdom. We are called to go and make disciples. God is with us, so let’s do it!

By Missionary Doug Haag “Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of his disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray….” Luke 11:1 NLT At this point in Luke’s Gospel, the disciples had been with Jesus for a little over two years, and they were coming to understand the connection between His wondrous life in public and His secret life of prayer. Jesus would get up while it was still dark to find a quiet place to pray. He would pray all night before a major decision. No one prayed like Jesus. When He gave up heaven and took on flesh, Jesus became our ultimate example of living a life of absolute dependence on the Father. If we want to be like Jesus as He lived on earth, we will spend much time in prayer. In describing Jesus as our High Priest, Hebrews 7:25 says that “He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him” and that “He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” Prayer played a vital part in Jesus’ life while He was here on earth, and prayer is the most important part of Jesus’ ministry at this moment. He is bringing our salvation to completion through His prayers for us right now. We are never more like Jesus than when we pray. As we pray for others, for our missionaries, and for the nations, our prayers literally mix with His own before the throne. Lord, we were made for You. Teach us to pray.

FROM 52 DAYS TO 52 WEEKS Every year, for the 52 Days leading up to Missions Week, hundreds of prayer warriors gather both in person and digitally to pray. As part of living missionally every day, we’re bringing this initiative from “days to weeks.” Join our Facebook Group as we commit to pray year-round! To join the Group, scan the QR code below or visit facebook.com/groups/52daysglobalfaith

by Pastor Johnnie Wilson

Injustice is evident everywhere – in our backyards and across the globe, in everyday scenarios, and in breaking news catastrophes. You may lean toward one type of injustice as the “greatest”–poverty, racism, gender discrimination, or environmental mistreatment. Most injustices, however, are temporal and confined to the world we experience today. The greatest injustice that exists goes beyond our today and into eternity. The greatest injustice is for someone to die without hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This injustice prevails because many Christians seek self-preservation, harmony, popularity, and approval rather than being controlled by compassion for the people in our world who are lost, broken, and dying without Jesus. The Bible illustrates being, “controlled by compassion,” in Mark 6, the story of “Jesus Feeding the Five Thousand.” Jesus and His disciples attempt to go to a solitary place when thousands of people follow them to hear Jesus teach. Jesus was stirred with compassion for these people. He instructed His disciples to accept the responsibility of feeding the people rather than turning them away to their homes. Then, Jesus has the disciples assess the resources at their disposal–five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus thanks God for the food and hands it to the disciples to distribute to the people, activating the miracle. Five loaves of bread and two fish fed over 5,000 people until all were satisfied. At first, Jesus’ disciples tried to pawn off the responsibility of feeding the people by sending them home. We act in the same way when we expect that our coworkers will hear about Jesus from someone else, or we fail to give generously because someone else is probably more financially blessed. Later in the story, Jesus’ disciples focused on what they lacked; their compassion was incapacitated by what they did not have. Our emergency car repairs, busy schedules, and demanding kids

can incapacitate our compassion for the lost too. The story concludes with the disciples’ obedience activating God’s reaction. The food was multiplied not when Jesus gave thanks for it or after it was counted. It was multiplied when they began distributing it to the people. Goals, plans, discussions, and even prayer alone do not activate a reaction; our obedient action in line with God’s will does. Our involvement in the call to compassion must go from dreamed to demonstrated, from aimed to activated, from intent to initiated. Ponder the question, “Am I doing everything I can do with everything God has given me to make sure everyone has a chance to know Jesus Christ as their savior?” Missions Week is about just that–being controlled by compassion so that every person has the opportunity to know Jesus. When we act with compassion, we do whatever it takes, give whatever it costs, and go wherever necessary to help people encounter Jesus.

We are believing for :

$126,000 IN MONTHLY GIVING COMMITMENTS. 500 NEW PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR RECURRING MISSIONS GIVING. THE FINANCES TO SUPPORT 1,350 MISSIONARIES GLOBALLY.

Eighteen months ago, Project Rescue had an incredible vision. They dreamed of purchasing a running brothel in the third largest red-light district in India and restoring it to become a red-light district outreach center, education center, and a church. How two churches came together to make this vision happen became a great story of unity and generosity. It all started Easter Sunday this year, when I visited my daughter at her college-age service at the University of Florida in Gainesville. While attending Greenhouse College’s Easter service, I heard for the first time about their goal to raise the $800,000 needed to purchase this brothel.

by Pastor Marcos González

That morning alone, they had raised over $400,000 for it. My wife and I looked at each other in that moment and we both thought: we have to be a part of this awesome project. When I presented the idea to Pastor Johnnie, he immediately said, “let’s do it!” Long story short: Greenhouse ended up raising $600,000 and Faith Assembly raised the remaining $200,000. That’s what I mean when I say, “we bought a brothel.” Prior to this purchase, more than 40 women were forced to work in this brothel every day. Today, we are thrilled to say that this building has been beautifully renovated and is now a beacon of hope to this community. It is literally in the heart of this red-light district, bringing the name of Jesus to women and children who otherwise would have no exposure to the Gospel. Hundreds, if not thousands, of men, women, and children will encounter Jesus in a powerful way, and for that, we celebrate together! Here is a brief report from the team at Project Rescue: “The Thitali outreach center is a shining light to the community. The word thitali means “butterfly.” The staff at the outreach center provide a space for women and children to learn about Jesus. Children can get away from the brothels and continue their learning through our elementary and teenage

education programs. We dedicated a classroom for the children to continue their education as well as learn computer skills! Children were playing with the staff as the dedication was going on. A few of the children had a dance they shared with us during the dedication! “As part of the transformation, bright colors are used throughout the building to show the joy and hope offered here through the love of Jesus Christ. Before, Thitali looked like every other building around, but now it stands as a light! One of the more sobering moments was when we went to the basement of the building, which was used as a torture chamber for new girls to break them into obedience. It had no lighting and consisted of 5 small concrete rooms. Now, there are lights throughout the basement, and the torture rooms have been transformed into prayer rooms. We spent time down there praying for the women and children that will be transformed because of this outreach center. Anytime guests come to visit, they will be encouraged to spend time in the prayer rooms interceding for those who are caught in sexual slavery around the world.” “We offer several different skills training to women who are looking to get out of the sex trade. We have a few sewing machines where the staff teaches the women to sew different things. Those items are then sold, and that money is used to pay the women and to buy supplies for them to continue to sow.” “We also teach women how to bake. We have a baking room where women have everything they need to bake. A very exciting thing happened shortly after we started this training. A local 5-star hotel heard about the Thitali project and agreed to consistently purchase our baked goods for their hotel buffet!” “We don’t have the words to describe the transformation that has taken place. Thank you Faith Assembly for your generous support to missions. This beacon of hope in India is one example of the many ways your generosity is transforming lives for Jesus.”

Praying: Have a burden for missions, but don’t know where to start? Join our GlobalFaith Prayer Team every Sunday morning in Room E204 at 10:25am. Here you will be interceding for prayer requests submitted by the 1,000 missionaries that Faith supports. With 42% of the world still waiting to hear the name of Jesus for the first time, our prayers are more important than ever.

Giving: Can’t go? Why not give! Every November, we launch a new Giving Commitment campaign for you to join. A Faith Promise is your personal monthly commitment to give towards the 1,000 missionaries and ministries Faith Assembly supports on a monthly basis. Another way to give is during our monthly Missionary visits. Twice a month, we have our missionaries visit Faith Assembly to share real-life stories of what God is doing across the globe. We are trusting God to be able to support 1,350 missionaries.

Going: What is a short-term mission trip? A GlobalFaith mission trip is a short-term experience where small teams serve with our international partners, meeting the physical and spiritual needs of people all over the world. Our vision is for GlobalFaith mission trips to be opportunities for people to pursue spiritual growth and healthy relationships through serving. Interested in a longer missionary assignment? GlobalFaith provides a track to help you serve shorter assignments in increments of two months, a year, or two years, as well as even pursuing a career in missions. Feeling the call of God? Talk to us.

Living: Living starts with serving. Opportunities to serve our missionaries are endless! Email faithmissions@faithassembly.org to get involved in one of our many teams or projects, including Hosting visiting missionaries, Missionary Care, and Missions Week.

2023 Mission Trips About the people, Not the places.

Our updated list of Missions Trips is finally here! Join Faith Assembly in 2023 as we travel to eight extraordinary destinations to help spread the hope of Jesus across the globe. Short-term trips allow us to partner with some of the missionaries our church supports year-round in a more tangible way, by physically serving in unique local projects and evangelism.

Japan

Colombia

Poland

Kyrgyzstan

Japan needs Jesus. Even its leaders called it, “a superpower without a moral compass.” High suicide and divorce rates, economic decline, and social isolation leave many people open to spiritual things. Though resistant to the Gospel in the past, missionaries have experienced a new openness to the Good News of Jesus. This team will focus on prayer walking and friendship evangelism among college students in the capital of Tokyo. This trip is ideally suited for college students, young professionals, or anyone with a specific missionary call to Japan. In recent years, the political situation in Venezuela has caused a humanitarian crisis forcing thousands of refugees to cross the border into Colombia seeking relief. Missionaries Jim and Jill Susa do a fantastic job with these caminantes coming down the mountain. Colombia is a beautiful country full of very sweet and hospitable people. If you have a heart for demonstrating the love of Jesus in tangible ways or have any medical experience, this trip is for you. For years, our missions work in this picturesque Eastern European country has consisted in building churches. For years, very few missionaries worked in this war-torn part of the world. Like never before, the Polish church is uniquely positioned to assist the millions of refugees pouring into the country from Ukraine. This trip is perfect for those willing to serve refugees in various types of compassion ministries. This nation of ragged and wild mountains and nomadic traditions is in the center of what is historically called the Silk Road. Nearly 400 million people live in this area – roughly the size of the contiguous U.S. states –with almost no access to the Gospel. Countries along this road form one of the least reached regions in the world. This prayer walking trip seeks to support missionaries working among the least reached. If you are called to this region of the world, or you want to explore what it means to serve in this part of the world, this trip is for you.

The Book of Romans was written to the Church in Rome, which was the center of intense persecution for the early Church. Today, only about 1% of Italians are Evangelical Christians. There are many parts of the country where a Christian testimony or a Spirit-filled church just doesn’t exist. In fact, the Southern tip of Italy is located within the 10/40 window. If you have a heart for the lost, join us as we support the evangelism and discipleship efforts of local missionaries working in this country.

Italy

Brazil’s border touches all countries on the South American continent except Chile and Ecuador. The city of Manaus in the north is the portal to the Amazon region, where some of the least reached people of this country live. Our very own missionary Brookelynn Chesser works among these people to bring the hope of Jesus. Join us on this trip as we serve Brookelynn and her team to help win Brazilians for Jesus.

Brazil

Because of the availability of more than 20 hours of sunshine per day, fruits and vegetables in Alaska grow larger than usual. In fact, Alaska is known as the land of the midnight sun. On this trip, we are supporting Assembly of God missionaries working among the native tribes. We believe the Lord will give us great fruit there. If you love evangelism, this trip is for you.

Alaska

You can call this country the Hummingbird Capital of planet earth. This country has a quarter of the 300 hummingbird species found on earth, impressive for a country its size. Last year, several church families visited San Jose to work with missionary Mary Mahon. They served local children in various evangelistic and compassion efforts. They had an absolute blast. This year we want more families to join us on this amazing trip.

Costa Rica

by Alex & Jocelyn Stiner

Ten days in Cairo made it clear that we must take advantage of the opportunity to share Jesus, to talk about His Name. In Egypt, you’re born as a Christian or a Muslim. It’s printed on your birth certificate and your ID. You can convert to the Muslim faith, but you cannot reverse back ever again. Legally, Muslims cannot become Christians. In the US, we take for granted of the opportunity we have to share Jesus. One of the places we discovered is named “Garbage City.” Hundreds of years ago, this Christian exile city carved out a “Cave Church” into the side of their little town, able to seat 20,000 people. To get to this masterpiece, you must drive through narrow streets of children and young women as they sort through “The Majority’s” trash. We take advantage of the freedom we have in Jesus. On this trip, we also met our host there who moved from the states years ago. Humbled and rocked by His radical love for Jesus, he was the most humble man we’ve ever met. He recognized that Jesus was all He has. It broke him. Often he would be having a simple conversation and just weep out of the overflow of Jesus in his life. He would give up anything for Him. “Would you give up anything for Jesus?” Getting home, we were surprised how good it felt to be in America. Clean, white sheets and being able to wear short-sleeve shirts while talking about Jesus. We must not forget those who are still in the fight. We must choose to stay in the fight with them. The city of Cairo has over 4,000 mosques around the city. Five times a day, every mosque across Cairo audibly announces the Islamic “call to prayer” for all to hear: “Allah (god) is the greatest. I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that Mohammed is god’s Prophet.” This call is a direct denial of the deity of our one, true savior Jesus. As professing Christians, we know that there is no God but our God ... but nearly 20,000 times a day in Cairo alone, Our Savior Jesus, the one true God, is explicitly denied. On one of our last days in Cairo, our team got to tour one of those very Mosques. At the end of the tour we climbed the tall tower where the call to prayer is announced from so we could pray over the city. As we got to the top, their prayer started. The sound from each one of those mosques covered the city, with nowhere that couldn’t hear its call. As we heard it, we couldn’t help but cry out to Jesus for mercy over these people. May we not forget the work that is yet to be done for Jesus. May we feel the urgent, personal call to serve. May we pray over Cairo and the Middle East often, even five times a day.

MISSION TRIP

STORY-TELLING by Alexis Stuart

The fast-paced social media culture that we live in seems to merit a post for every minute detail in our lives — from the milkshake we’re drinking to the milestone we’re celebrating and every moment in between, we often find ourselves consumed with the pressure to post. Contrary to this lifestyle we’re familiar with, when entering the mission field, it is important to shift our focus away from technology so that we can be fully present to soak in every detail and remain available to be God’s vessel. So, how do you tell the amazing stories of what God is doing around the globe, while still being sensitive to your context? Compiled below, you’ll find a few tips and guidelines from those who have gone before you on the mission-field, to help you preserve the dignity of all people as you process and story-tell from your global experiences.

When Asking Questions... Proper timing is key! Use context clues to observe when the best time to ask questions might be. Your team is there to serve the missionaries and locals, not burden them -- especially when they’re in the middle of a project; on their way somewhere important; or in the process of giving instructions to the team. Read the room. Meal times, long car rides, or working on mindless projects (i.e. sorting supplies at a donation site; painting a wall a solid color) are good opportunities to break the ice and ask questions.

Build a relationship first. Make building relationships and respect a priority. This not only allows you to convey a more accurate portrayal of their character, but it also assures them that you care about them on a personal level (and not just for what you can get out of the conversation). Build trust, respect boundaries, and don’t force people to share parts of their story that they may not feel comfortable with.

Have questions prepared. In some contexts, the host or local may open up the floor for questions and answers. Have questions already prepared going into the trip, or write down new ones in a journal as they come up so you can reference them when it’s time. There’s nothing worse than the crowd going silent. Make the host feel important, valued, and heard. The Bible talks about being ready in season and out of season, and that principle applies here too.

Phrase things respectfully. The last thing we want to do is offend people with our words and actions. A good way to refrain from this, is by replacing judgmental comments or observations with questions that show curiosity and a willingness to understand. Avoid making any negative implications with your tone, body language, or word choice. If you’re unsure of whether your question is appropriate, filter it through your Team Leader first. To enhance your questions, here are a few ideas to get you started: • • • • • • • • • •

How can I pray for you? Is there anything extra that our team can do to lighten your daily workload? What’s a meaningful encounter you’ve had, a favorite memory, or testimony you can share? Can you tell me more about the ____ here? (culture, government, economy etc) Are there any misconceptions you had to overcome, or lessons you had to learn the hard way? What are some specific ways life has been richer because of your experiences? Tell me the best and most challenging parts of being on the mission field! What has God been teaching and showing you recently? What helps you to persevere in the hard times? Can you elaborate on the_____ project and how God is using it?

When reflecting on your experiences... • • •

KEEP A DAILY JOURNAL ON THE TRIP. TAKE AN INVENTORY ON YOUR MOTIVES. ASK YOURSELF IMPACT-PROVOKING QUESTIONS.

By asking the right questions, you get the right answers. What good is your whole short-term experience, if you’re not changed by it in some way? Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to help you apply all that you’re learning: • • • • • • • • •

What is God already doing in this community? What is God teaching me through this community? What lessons does God want me to take back home? What made today special? Any fears or anxiety about today or tomorrow? One major breakthrough, miracle, or blessing today? What cultural moment stuck out to you the most? Did you discover new potential in yourself today? What surprised you? What is one thing that made you smile today?

LIVING ON A MISSION by Sofia González

Be Prayed Up Prayer is the most important factor in preparing yourself for a mission trip. It is like talking with your teacher before you are about to complete your assignment, which usually brings the best results. Prayer is our way of expressing to God our expectations, concerns, and our availability. Since prayer is direct access to conversation with the Lord, prayer will open doors on a trip that listening to a sermon or reading a devotional can not. There is a serious need for preparing yourself spiritually since missions trips are huge testers of faith. (And a big tip is to invite those you love to join you in prayer during the trip so that your trip is constantly being bathed in prayer.) If you don’t know where to start, begin to pray for an open heart and a giving spirit. Always keep in mind that many times it is less about us asking God to use us and more of God asking us if we’re willing to be used.

Be Focused When a spy is on a mission, they are faced with many obstacles, but more than strength, skill, or talent the most successful spies are ones that are focused. Being focused is essential to preparing yourself for a mission trip because it is a mental training to keep your mind on the goal. This focus is one that is not affected by outside circumstances which are to come when taking part of breaking down the kingdom of darkness, just like a firefighter rescuing people out of a burning building, where nothing matters or is getting in between the firefighter and his job. The reality is that on a mission trips we have to prepare ourselves to be okay with things not going our way. When dealing with people things are going to be difficult and plans are bound to change, but how will this affect your attitude? It shouldn’t! A mind that is focused on telling people about Jesus will not allow the enemy’s distractions to stop them from expanding the Kingdom of Heaven.

Be Active

In soccer, I was constantly told by my coach to stay on my toes, this was simply due to the fact that he wanted his team to always be ready on the field. I believe strongly that God is asking the same of those He has on the field. As a team headed into the mission-field, we need to be ready for anything both spiritually and physically. Almost every mission trip is going to require a high level of physical capability, which is the outcome of working hard for the Lord. This is why it is vital to keep your body healthy, so that you can be ready to be able to walk miles to reach remote places, mix mortar for building projects, or even play soccer with orphans. Leading up to your trip, some practical ways to prepare include: consistently going on some jogs/ walks to stay active, getting any required or recommended medications ready, and stocking up on high-protein snacks for the trip. At the end of the day, remember that the Bible says, “how beautiful are the feet that carry the Gospel,” so let’s make sure our feet are ready!

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