January 23^rd – February 12^th 2012

It’s that time of year again! The Annual Corporate Fast will begin on January 23^rd and last until February 12^th, 2012. The theme of this year’s fast is “Wake Up, It’s Time” originating from Romans 13:11, “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out! Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”(NLT) This fast is a Wonderful 21 day journey that if followed, will ultimately bring you closer to the Lord and all who participate, closer as a Church Family. The Corporate Fast Packet is ready and available on paper at the Worship Center and also can be received by email.  If you’d like to receive the email copy, please contact Deaconess Letty Brown

The Packet is also available to be downloaded on the website.  The packet may be downloaded below or found in the Media – Downloads/Media Section of the website. There will also be a sign up sheet for a 24 hour prayer vigil which ends the corporate fast.  We are asking you to sign up for either, 30 minutes or 1 hour of prayer from 9am Saturday morning on the 11^th until 9am Sunday morning, the 12^th the last day of the fast.  The sign-up sheet is available on the activities board today and will also be available on the website soon.

Download the Fast Packet below:

- 2012 Corporate Fast Packet (62)

]]> http://www.amfbgrace.org/2012/01/22/its-time-to-wake-up/feed/ 0 http://www.amfbgrace.org/2012/01/20/operation-gospel-drop/ http://www.amfbgrace.org/2012/01/20/operation-gospel-drop/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:53:25 +0000 AMFB Webmaster http://www.amfbgrace.org/?p=1396 →]]> Operation Gospel Drop

By: Tunde Adepoju

Fiction Writer, Kind-of-a-blogger, Occasional  Poet

www.babatundeadepoju.com

“…Because I used to be one of them, and I know what it’s like,” Henry said, responding to a question which asked why he risks his life sending gospel materials to the guerrillas in a Colombian jungle. Henry is a short, Colombian guy with a warm smile from a video documentary produced by the Voice of The Martyrs organization about a guy named Russell who also risks his own life sharing the gospel with the guerrillas by dropping little packages of Christian books and Bibles out his small single engine Pink Panther airplane.

Yes, Pink Panther!

See, back in ’83, Russell was taken hostage by the same guerrilla group Henry was a part of. Russell had spent six months with them, and shortly after he was released, Henry joined the group. But through the ministry God has given to Russell, he who was against us—Henry—has now become one of us.

Such is the mission of Russell’s, and his little unofficial support team at our church, called the Suffering in The Valley Ministry.

On every third Sunday of each month, the Suffering in the Valley team brings us news, updates, and information about our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted for their faith through-out the world. This past Saturday, the team, consisting of three of God’s most prized possessions—Kendra Chialastri, Jackie Johnson, and Reese Davis—took it a step further. They not only prepared their monthly briefing for the church, but also joined in the efforts to reach the guerrillas of Columbia, and I had the privilege of serving with them, along with our pastor and his wife, and three other devotees of Christ, Tenisha Thomas, Melvina Davis, and Aprile Richardson.

When Russell takes to the skies to evangelize, he takes with him packages of clear plastic bags (prepared by volunteers), each containing a Christian book, a Bible, and a small solar-powered radio that loops gospel messages, tied to a small hand-made parachute which allows it float down gently when dropped from the airplane—the Pink Panther airplane.

That’s what God gave us the privilege of doing on Saturday—making the parachutes.

As the King would have it, the parachute-making required a little team-work. We started out taking a 3×2
sheet of cloth and laying it over a large paper circle, segmented into six parts by lines.

It served as our frame. Then by it, we cut a circle out of the cloth and traced the six lines from the paper onto the cloth with a marker. Let’s call this new product a “pie cloth” to keep track. Making the pie cloth  was done by a team of two. On another table, another team of two carry-out the next process in the chute-making by gluing some red strings onto the lines we had traced on from the paper version. The strings are quite long and dangle at opposite the edges of the circle.

After the glue between the string and cloth had spent some time drying, the last person on the assembly line then took the ends of those dangling strings, put them together and tied them to a clear plastic bag, and voila, a parachute was born, ready to carry good the good news of Jesus Christ to guerrillas.

It was not only satisfying to serve our God in this manner, but we also had a good time fellowshipping with each other.

The lesson we all can learn from this participation is that not all of us are going to suffer for our Lord as some are doing (or will do), or be exposed to grave danger as Russell is, who runs the risk of getting shot down by either the government agents who might mistake him for drug-runner, or the guerillas themselves who might think he’s a government operative doing reconnaissance work on their locations. But we can stand up for Christ by letting our front-line brethren know that we wholeheartedly support them in their sacrifices and risks. And such show of support is not limited to what we at About My Father’s Business have been opportune to do. Anyone who wishes to stand for our King can do something such as putting these missionaries on their daily prayer list, raising or sending money for their causes, writing letters of encouragement, or personally joining them in their doings, if God has put that on your heart. Whatever it is that God has called you to do, there’s only one action to take: go do it! And His presence will always go ahead of you.

Family News Letter

Week of January 15, 2012

Download a copy of the Weekly News Letter Below:

- Weekly Family News Letter January 15, 2012 (14)

GOD. OUR. SINS. PAYING. EVERYONE. LIFE

Reader , be not put off by the title of the post above , for I have seen with my own eyes how the world loves god , but hates Jesus. At first glance the title seems to be a contradiction for us , taking into consideration that a fundamental belief of the Christian faith is that Jesus is God.So how then can the world hate one and love the other? For this truth to make sense , let me re-phrase the Title of the Post until I have laid a foundation: The World Loves Its god , But Hates Jesus.

The world has it’s God , one that is big on Monday and small on Tuesday , that loves all but would never hate , who created us for our own pleasure , one who fixes problems but needs not address the issue that caused it. A sort of  chameleon type God , that seems to always change. He has become whoever or whatever fits them or their lifestyle. So throw out a “God loves you” and surely you will not lose the popularity vote any time soon.

The tables turn however when the name of Jesus is used. Suddenly eyes drop , hearts harden , tensions arise. Utter a curse word and a parent nearby may ask you to watch your mouth , however to the majority of our culture ,  the same profanity would be as unrecognizable as a pin dropping during a concert. Now drop the name of Jesus at the same concert and this sin-diseased world hears you loud and clearly. Even the professed atheist , though he may not admit he is sinful , or that Jesus existed , has to admit that there is power in the name of Jesus (Matthew 28:18). The the name Jesus evokes feelings , some of which make us uncomfortable , others sad , joyous , angry , tense etc.

The world doesn’t mind a little god , and it’s god’s (Satan) power is little anyway.

The problem lies not in the name itself (for it is just five letters of vocabulary combined together) or in the man that was. The problem is that instead of using a generic “God” we are now getting personal by giving Him a specific name. With the name Jesus comes personality , ascribing God particular characteristics. As a result the world is uncomfortable , their new idea of God now cannot change as they do , He cannot be whoever or whatever they want him to be because Jesus had specific feelings and ideas that were clearly defined.

There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9) , even in the midst of a technology driven society. In the days of Moses , many chose to worship idols and many continue to do so today. Only not in the form of golden bulls or statues , but in the likeness of a god that suits their ideology.

” Jesus said that he is the way , the truth and the life , no man cometh unto the Father but by me (John 14:6) ” , the world replies that all roads lead to God.

The world says , do good things and Heaven awaits , Christ says There is none righteous, no, not one. (Romans 3:10).

The world will accept its god , but is diametrically opposed to the God of the Bible. It matters not who we may think God is , but rather who God says He is in his word. It is there that we will come to know Him and there alone. O Follower of Christ let us not just tell the world that God loves them only , let us tell the world who God is , Jesus.

“Ye are Christ’s.” You are his by donation, for the Father gave you to the Son; his by his bloody purchase, for he counted down the price for your redemption; his by dedication, for you have consecrated yourself to him; his by relation, for you are named by his name, and made one of his brethren and joint-heirs. Labour practically to show the world that you are the servant, the friend, the bride of Jesus. When tempted to sin, reply, “I cannot do this great wickedness, for I am Christ’s.” Immortal principles forbid the friend of Christ to sin. When wealth is before you to be won by sin, say that you are Christ’s, and touch it not. Are you exposed to difficulties and dangers? Stand fast in the evil day, remembering that you are Christ’s. Are you placed where others are sitting down idly, doing nothing?

Rise to the work with all your powers; and when the sweat stands upon your brow, and you are tempted to loiter, cry, “No, I cannot stop, for I am Christ’s. If I were not purchased by blood, I might be like Issachar, crouching between two burdens; but I am Christ’s, and cannot loiter.” When the siren song of pleasure would tempt you from the path of right, reply, “Thy music cannot charm me; I am Christ’s.” When the cause of God invites thee, give thy goods and thyself away, for thou art Christ’s. Never belie thy profession. Be thou ever one of those whose manners are Christian, whose speech is like the Nazarene, whose conduct and conversation are so redolent of heaven, that all who see you may know that you are the Saviour’s, recognizing in you his features of love and his countenance of holiness. “I am a Roman!” was of old a reason for integrity; far more, then, let it be your argument for holiness, “I am Christ’s!”

Family News Letter

Week of January 8, 2012

Download a copy of the Weekly News Letter Below:

- Weekly Family News Letter January 8, 2012 (14)

By: Tunde Adepoju
Fiction Writer, Kind-of-a-blogger, Occasional Poet
www.babatundeadepoju.com

On Saturday, I got high! Really high.

Oh, wait! I just remembered—I’m writing to an audience of believers, so let me put that in context, lest you misunderstand me.

On Saturday, January 7, 2012, a bunch of God-loving college students from Virginia Tech and other colleges in Northern Virginia packed themselves into trucks and cars and came to our church. Together, we fellowshipped with our brothers and sisters whose homes are either shelters or, sadly, the streets of DC, and the Holy Spirit of God gave me a high that I’ve been unable to descend from, even three days later.

It. Is. INCREDIBLE!

OK, OK, so let me give you the gist of what our great and awesome God did and how He alone got—and is still getting—all the glory.

Sometime last Wednesday, January 4th, Pops—oops! Ahem, Pastor Joyce, got in touch with Jonathan Smythe, the organizer who just graduated from Va Tech . He expressed to Pops—ahem—Pastor Joyce about his desires to do some mission work in DC.

Hold-up! He’s “Pops” to me. So I’m just gonna keep calling him that.

So, excited, Pops opened up the church to him. John, in turn, put the word out on Facebook to anyone who desired to serve our King in outreach.

About 20 people in total showed up on Saturday.

After a freestyle meet-and-greet, Pops sat everybody down and schooled them on the Dos and Don’ts of the DC streets mission work.

We’re in the hood part of DC, and these were young, white college students. So you can imagine why this moment of education was critical.

After that, we started a discombobulated assembly line, fixing peanut-butter-and-jelly and baloney sandwiches with the provisions they’d brought and those provided by the church. Then, with Little Debbie cakes, we made bagged lunches.

After a round of prayer and armed with Bible tracts and Jesus’s Spirit and love, we took to the streets, in teams of twos. And this is where I began climbing.

At About My Father’s Business, we outreach in a unique way. I call it guerrilla witnessing. See, Pops has a pickup truck, and, when we go out in warm weather, we load lunches and drinks onto its bed. We drive down the street, and, when we see a brother or sister who obviously lives on the street, the driver pumps the brakes, and we in the back—including Pops—hop out, greet and introduce ourselves to the person, and hand them a bagged lunch. Then we ask them if there’s something they would like for us to pray about for them. After the prayer (if any), we hop back in the truck and roll out. And on to the next person. This all happens usually in a span of three minutes. Sometimes, longer.

Surprisingly, very few people behind us, in the mile-long traffic jam we usually cause, complain. Typically those who do complain don’t have any idea what’s going on.

Although it was these guys’ first time doing this, they executed it as if they’ve had plenty of experience.

Shortly after, we arrived in front of a nightclub which happens to be next a men’s shelter where Pops holds a Tuesday night Bible study. Most of the guys there know him and recognize his truck as the little red truck of hope because they know that should that vehicle pass through on a Saturday afternoon, reprieve in the form of love and Words of God, has come.

It was during this scene that one of the greatest acts of God’s love would be displayed by one of our college brothers. After we had transitioned from one street to the next, serving and praying with the street residents, two men approached from a short distance. Both drunk.

One of the students—Geoffrey Mulock—was God-chosen to show His love.

Geoffrey is this dark-haired young man with a perceivable hint of a British accent who looks more Korean than any of his Indian, Malaysian, and English ingredients.

As these two men drew closer, Geoff presented them with a bagged lunch and a bottle of water and asked if he could pray for them. They accepted his offer, and, as he reached for one of the men’s hands, the man began to fall. He quickly grabbed on to Geoff and eased himself onto the ground. On the ground, he remained clinging to Geoff. And, as though desperate for something heavenly, the man touched –and kept touching—Geoff’s face as if were salvation itself. But what was remarkable was not the man’s plea for something, but Geoff’s reaction. He remained steadfast with the man, despite his stench and filth from the stupor of drunkenness, and prayed with him. And, taking the act a little further, he remained with the man a little longer until he was somewhat satisfied with the love of God. We at the church have never seen anything more resembling Jesus Christ Himself.

Is it clearer now, why I’m still high?

After we finished there, we headed over to a larger shelter on Second Street, Northwest.

Here, we shared more of God’s love with the men and women who spend their time on the sidewalks in front of this building too.

There was a man there who was blind. A team of two—a guy and a girl—and I approached him from opposite sides and we gave him a bag and a bottle of water. Now, I always insist on our targets receiving the Bible tracts we give out along with the lunches. I think the tracts are more important even than the lunches themselves. But when God brought it to my mind that the blind man probably would not be able to read the contents, I decided to read it to him. What blessed me about that was that the guy and girl stood with me there while I read to him. I thought they would leave after giving him the water and food. But later on, when I thanked them for that invaluable support, the girl told me that she was really encouraged by the man’s strength, living with blindness after once being able to see.

After this, we went to our final location: the parking lot of a Home Depot near our church, where some Hispanic brothers were waiting around for someone to offer them work. We got to share with these men too, and, although there was a notable language barrier, it was no match for the love of God that showed itself in the persons and hands of these young college men and women who had come to spend time with these brethren in their struggles. One scene that left a mark on me was this: after we’d run out of lunches to give out, a group of guys and girls sat on the ground in a half-circle around two Hispanic men while the rest of us engaged with the others. The students listened to the men as they shared a story in a tongue that none of the audience understood, with none in any haste to go anywhere. In that, God showed me that it wasn’t the comprehension of the story that mattered, or that we succeeded or failed in our efforts that was the point. Fellowshipping with His treasures and obeying Him by going into the world and sharing the good news of the salvation that’s found only in Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, were what mattered.

Do you now see exactly how I got high? It’s the kind of high which only the Spirit of the living God can give.