Helping Haiti Through Compassion

I copied this from Shaun Groves’ Website (Thank you for taking time to get involved):

This message was originally sent out to the generous network of Compassion Bloggers. To join that Compassion blogging network and be the first to act in future times of need, visit http://compassionbloggers.com/get-involved

PLEASE DO NOT SKIM. URGENT REQUEST.

ASSIGNMENT:

Use your on-line voice to generate prayers and donations to rebuild the lives of Haitian children and their families affected by recent earthquake.

SYNOPSIS:

The catastrophic earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12 has resulted in unfathomable chaos and devastation for hundreds of thousands of children and families.

Compassion sponsors and donors serve more than 65,000 children in Haiti. At least a third of them live in the areas that were hardest hit.

I am asking you to please send a generous gift today to help precious children and their families, and to encourage others to give to Compassion International through your blog, Facebook and Myspace pages, Twitter account and e-mail. Please utilize every on-line tool you have access to. The people of Haiti desperately need our help and hope.

Compassion International is working rapidly to assess the situation and determine the full extent of damage:

Shaun Groves
Blogger Manager
CompassionBloggers.com
Compassion.com
1-888-435-3336

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Helping Haiti (UPDATED)

foodforpoorhaiti
As I was driving into the office this morning, I turned on Bill Bennett’s morning show (Morning in America) to try and get an idea about what was taking place in Haiti, either through his program or through the news. As many of you have already heard, Haiti was devastated by a 7.0 magnitude Earthquake, which is being described as a ‘total disaster‘ where hospitals and other buildings have completely collapsed and the death toll is expected to be high. If you are looking to donate towards relief efforts in Haiti, Bill recommended the Organization “Food for the Poor” – This organization is already doing a lot to help the people of Haiti, they’ve currently got missionaries in the area and they have an office and feeding center in the region as well. They’ve released a press release/report from their people in the field describing the situation, HERE. CLICK HERE to go to their site or CLICK HERE to go directly to their donation page.

Other Organizations I Recommend Supporting for Haiti Relief:

Choose an organization, get involved, and make a difference in the Haitian’s lives.

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Gary Lamb’s Next Step…

If you are looking for information on Gary Lamb, his new blog is located at: http://www.garylambonline.com/

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Pray For Matt Chandler

Two weeks ago, we spent some time at New Passion focusing on Isaiah 7:14, where Jesus’ birth is foretold. It says that His name will be Immanuel which means ‘God is with Us.‘ Some of you may have been following the story of Matt Chandler, the lead pastor of the Village Church in Texas. He had a seizure on Thanksgiving morning and since then brain surgery where he found out he has a malignant tumor.

I was thinking today that the very hope that Matt needs rests in the simple promise of Jesus’ name…Immanuel, God is with us. I know that God is with Matt and his family, and by following his videos, tweets, and blogs, though this is an extremely difficult situation and trial, Matt continues to express his desire that this situation serves to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I thought on this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we could pause for just a moment and pray for Matt, has family, and his church; along with the medical team that will be carrying out the upcoming treatment (to begin in just days). Here is their battle plan and the team who will be working with Matt…I pulled this from their most recent blog post: Read over it and take a moment out of a busy couple of days to pray for them:

Let me start by saying, Thank You! The outpouring of love and prayers for my family and me has been so overwhelming that it has moved us to sobs. To see the tangible love of God for us in the saints has been overwhelming and a great comfort…Thanks.

Prognosis: Anaplastic oligodendroglioma

Battle Plan: Radiation and chemotherapy start on Dec. 29, bolstering my system with some homeopathic means.

Dec. 29 at 1 p.m.
Start radiation. This will continue every day for six weeks.
Chemo will be happening right along side of radiation and will go through February, and then we’ll take a four-week break, get an MRI and see where we stand.

The players:

Dr. Karen Fink, neuro-oncologist – Dr. Fink is the quarterback for my team, and she happens to be the Peyton Manning of neuro-oncology. Please pray for her as she monitors my treatment and vitals through all of this. Pray for her wisdom and insight.

Dr. Scott Cheek, radiation oncologist – I enjoy Dr. Cheek very much. He has a refreshing and encouraging personality with a great sense of humor.

Dr. David Barnett, neuro-surgeon – David performed my brain surgery, and it was an amazing success. He is a man of great faith, and I have enjoyed getting to know him as a surgeon and a brother.

Dr. Hammon, homeopathic doctor – He’s working with my other doctors. I have been moved by everyone’s humility and willingness to hear from each other

Prayers:

  • My doctors
  • That God might glorify Himself in amazing ways through all of this
  • The Village Church and our elders
  • Complete healing
  • Healthy appetite
  • Protection from side effects of radiation
  • Protection from side effects of chemotherapy
  • Peace for my family…specifically my children and their salvation
    • Audrey 7 yrs. old
    • Reid 4 yrs. old
    • Norah 6 ½ months

Christ is All,
Matt Chandler

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A Stepping Stone

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Friday night, we had our first annual adult Christmas party for New Passion Church. I believe it was a major stepping stone for our church and that this one little party could serve as a huge turning point for us.

I believe relationships are the key to success in any church and in any ministry. I remember starting small groups in our student ministry at a former church. I believed in creating smaller environments where our growing group of students could be known and cared for. It worked. I remember our high school group starting in Billy’s 3 bedroom apartment. We had 4 and 5 groups meeting in that one apartment. We utilized bedrooms, the living room, the kitchen…anywhere we could fit kids, we did it.

They were successful. I believe for several reasons. Students felt like they were involved, they found out that there were caring adults who were genuinely concerned for them, and they grew spiritually. I think this environment made it comfortable for students to invite their friends, therefore we grew even more.

I saw some great chemistry on Friday night. Wives who literally just met were standing around talking as if they were friends for 18 years. People who literally come through the doors of the school where we meet, drop their kid off, attend service, pick their kid up, and leave for home (in that specific order) were able to stop for a little while and interact with our team and with other people from the church. There was a lot of smiles and a lot of laughter. It was a great night. Sunday rolled around and some of those same people who are in and out of the church in a flash, slowed down just a little bit and enjoyed conversation with some of their new friends from the church. There was a buzz surrounding our Community Groups which will be kicking off on January 10, 2010.

I believe healthy relationships are a key ingredient to a healthy church, and I believe Friday night’s party helped add that ingredient to New Passion Church…I can’t wait to see what happens once our groups get off the ground. New Passion will be an unstoppable force! I guarantee it :)

npcchristmasparty

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Drink Coffee. Do Good

Every two months, we at New Passion Church focus on a new missions organization that we can promote to our people so they know the opportunities that exist outside of the walls of the church where they can help create revolutionary change, either through their local influence or their global influence. In December & January, we’ve decided to focus on “Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee.

A lot of people drink coffee…minus me. So, we figured this is not only a practical way for people to do good by doing something they already do. It is also an opportunity to include others in their efforts with the Christmas and Winter season upon us. When people drink coffee from “Land of a Thousand Hills” they help genocide survivors from Rwanda and their families earn a fair wage for their labor in the coffee fields, they provide ministry opportunities for the villages, and they get a fresh, premium cup of coffee.

We’ve got several neat things in store for our missions focus with “Land of a Thousand Hills,” so if you are in or around Grovetown in December and January….find your way to New Passion and join us!

Learn more about Drinking Coffee and Doing Good. Order Coffee and Merchandise from Land of a Thousand Hills.

Here’s one more video, it talks about the people of Rwanda working side by side now thanks to the coffee cooperatives. Check it out!


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Showing A Little Turkey Love Update

one27-turkey

Don’t underestimate God!

On Friday I posted about how New Passion is “Showing A Little Turkey Love” this Thanksgiving in the city of Grovetown by providing complete Thanksgiving meals (Turkey & all of the fixin’s) for families who are in need during the Holidays.

Our ministry partner, United We Care, received 35 applications for assistance, so we set a goal of 15 complete meals for our church, we then raised it to 30 to challenge ourselves to embrace a faith that’s bigger than ourselves. As of Friday our brand new (little) church bought 20 complete meals, today we added 5 more!!! Our deadline to collect the money has passed, so total New Passion bought 25 complete Thanksgiving meals for 25 families in Grovetown, who otherwise would have had nothing. What if we would have settled for the 15? :)

New Passion…you all rock and I am extremely proud of you for helping create revolutionary change in our city!

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Showing A Little Turkey Love

one27-turkey
Hey New Passion peeps…just a quick note to say that you Rock!

For those who may be wondering what ONE:27 is, especially with a Turkey head attached, I’ll explain! We call our monthly service initiatives ONE:27, from James 1:27 that says, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress…” – our heartbeat is to care for those who are in distress, regardless of what their needs are. I believe that  through the various gifts, talents, and resources of the church there is no issue that can go unresolved if we’ll just put Jesus’ teachings into action.

New Passion is going into our 10th week this Sunday. Our attendance has been very sporadic. We’ve had very low weeks in attendance and then better weeks in attendance. Our November initiative was to provide complete Thanksgiving meals for families who are in desperate financial need in Grovetown. I initially set a goal with some of our team to provide 15 complete turkey dinners, but then decided to shoot for a higher number, so we challenged our people to provide 30 meals. The local organization, United We Care, that we’ve partnered with only received 35 applications from families seeking assistance. As of this past Sunday, our brand new church (through the little we have in missions funds and through the gifts of our people) provided 20 of those 35 meals. Other churches in the area who have also partnered with UWC will help provide the remaining meals (I secretly was hoping we wouldn’t leave them any :) ). New Passion, I truly believe we are the Little Engine that Could…and I believe God is going to do some amazing things through this church.

What’s Next?

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Praying Small and Selfishly

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“So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:38

I read a devotion today in My Utmost For His Highest. It was talking about the key for a missionary in carrying out the Master’s orders.  The focus was on prayer and how prayer seems foolish to us. I guess I got a little sidetracked and off focus, because Oswald Chambers said, “From Jesus Christ’s perspective, there are no nations, but only the world.”

I am guilty of praying small and selfish prayers. I see the big need that New Passion has as a new, small church for volunteers and laborers for the harvest in Grovetown, the surrounding area, and the world. I try my hardest to pray for local churches as well as churches throughout the nation and the world. However, when it come to praying for laborers, I fall short of thinking “the world” and I think “my nation” (New Passion Church). I don’t think I’ve ever prayed that God would provide the laborers for churches in Alabama or South Dakota, or China, or Germany, or the church down the street.

My heart desires to be Kingdom minded, but often times I find myself selfishly living out a small view of God. I know that we are a small piece of Christ’s puzzle called the church. We are no greater than any other church and we are no less. May we continue to join arms for the common cause of the Gospel.

Join the Conversation…What’s your biggest struggle in being Kingdom minded?



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Revolutionary Change through Water

blake-mankinI visited Iamsecond.com today thanks to my friend Dan who tweeted about a video for Sam Bradford from the Oklahoma Sooners. As I was surfing around the site, I found a video for Blake Mankin. Honestly, I’ve never heard of him, but keeping with Sunday’s theme from New Passion and Monday’s blog post on Revolutionary Change through our local and global influence, I liked what I heard. Here’s a little bit about Blake…

In 2007, Blake started Hope for Africa at his school. The club raised more than $6,000 by selling buttons during homecoming. The money paid for two wells in Southern Sudan that now provides more than 10,000 people with daily access to clean water.

It all started with Blake asking a friend “What If?” – I wonder how many people are creating revolutionary change around the world because of those two words? “What If?” – I love that Blake said he believes “Jesus is the Ultimate Thirst Quencher.” Blake is not driven for change based on a desire for personal fame, rather he is out to create revolutionary change so that Jesus might be made known to those who are far from him.

Go check watch Blake’s video on Iamsecond.com HERE. You can also follow Blake on Twitter HERE. You can help Blake create Revolutionary Change through Water HERE by donating to his fundraiser!

Join the Conversation…Who do you know that’s creating revolutionary change either locally or globally?

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