Adventures In Missions - Gainesville, GA

Calvary Baptist: Drime in Atlanta, GA

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"God planted here"

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How is God using North Oaks in Little Mexico?

Does being good get you to heaven?

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On the Gator

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Coaching Brian on the Gator

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Jackson 5?

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hand Ball

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Jesus in a pink lamp

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

:-)

Rapping by North Oaks

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is what happens when you are waiting for debrief to happen apparently!

Prepping for Debrief

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes you just got to have fun!

We love Jesus

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It only seemed appropriate to do a typical youth rally dueling chant!

Calvary Baptist with the Euchalalee's

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Made me smile!

Rejoice!

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A story from debrief!

Battered and bruised

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

God using Walmart customers

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The result of peer pressure

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

While this boy has not made a decision yet! God is so much bigger then a peer and He has the ability to draw this child near to Him.

A promise

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Planting seeds...

Translator's Testimony touches participants lives

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Jonathan Rosario, a last minute translator went with the Calvary Baptist Church to lead Vacation Bible School in Little Mexico.

How is God challenging you?

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Julie, a youth volunteer for North Oaks explains how she has been stepping out of her comfort zone and seeing God work!

How's the project going?

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So... this is a little silly but serious at the same time.

Ministry tonight was great at both the VBS sight and the Sports Ministry. Great job groups!

Boys and Girls Club Ministry

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We had the opportunity of splitting up males and females: 5,6,7 year olds; 8,9 year olds, and 10,11 year olds. This video reflects the amount of kids in just one or two age groups.

Both churches stepped up or kicked... as they found the energy to participate in this exercise-- quite literally and was being Jesus to these kids. What a great bunch even after the night before doing sports ministry!

Bumper Cars and Piggy Back Rides...

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This morning we went to the Boys and Girls Club with the understanding we should be able to do our complete VBS plans, but that the director would have to check with management the day we came in. So, our hopes were up... after getting there, I the project leader spoke to the director and he said he wasn't so sure anymore that we would be able to do our full VBS. We were prepared for that answer and the group was willing to be flexible but still it was disappointing... shortly there after I called several of my friends to pray about this ministry and we let the group know- North Oaks Community Church. After going around to the stations I stopped at the VBS and found out that the managers decided it would be fine for them to do their complete program and that we could do basically whatever we wanted. It was an answer to prayer. So, the video below is a result of that... I think this was an organized game... or maybe just organized chaos! Either way... the VBS went well, students were building relationships, and kids were enjoying the program!

Window washing in Little Mexico

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Day 1 in Gainesville GA

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

After arriving safely around 6:00ish both groups had dinner, orientation and worship in music. After orientation and worship we broke up into small groups to pray for the ministries of the week.

Puppetry in the park

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Calvary Baptist Church had the opportunity of doing Puppetry and VBS in the park today... good turn out...

Parachute fun!

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So how did we get kids from the park to hang out with us you ask?

Well, take out a parachute and they come right on over!

North Oaks doing Sports Ministry

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thomasville United Methodist Church - Mission Trip Update

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This week I have had the privilige of working with a wonderful youth group on what we call a rural mission trip. They are sleeping the woods in cabins with no electricity, running water, or privacy. Their leader even took a picture of a bears paw print on the trail this week! Lions, tigers and bears O My! :-)

We have thrown them our own curve balls with team builders, and have attempted to help stretch their faith with some spiritual challenges as well. We all received major curve balls when ministry plans didn't work out but I haven't heard one complaint all week. Even when asked to pick up trash left around in a park and parking lot, they jumped up and complied with smiles on their faces and songs in their heart. (not part of our ministry time - just because it was there and needed to be done!)

The biggest thing I noticed is that they came hungry for the Lord. They are all seeking Him for various reasons but have been soaking up His goodness, asking questions, and really pressing in to the hard things in their lives and allowing God to heal their broken hearts. Worship time has been sweet and prayers lifted up just this week have already been answered. We experienced a major break through with the Lord both as a team and individuals last night. Tears flowed, healing happened and freedom was released! The fruit from this time is sure to be seen for years to come. My prayer is that they will go back to their home town and light some majors fires for the kingdom!

This week has been tough but good. God didn't promise that life won't be hard. He promised that He would be with us in the hard times. Tears will come, but they are signs that healing has begun. We have all been reminded that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning! (Psalms 30:5)

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, It's about learning to dance in the rain! God reigned over us last night and we are still dancing this morning!

Listening to God and obeying: an example

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Listening to God and obeying: an example

Posted in Listening Prayer by Seth Barnes on 6/17/2009

As I was running yesterday morning I picked up my pace - Toya had asked me to speak to her mission team and I needed to rush to get there by 8:45. It was my usual route around the neighborhood - the first mile is fairly flat, but then, after passing Robert Wetherford's house it goes downhill for nearly half a mile.

As I came huffing and puffing back up the hill, there was Robert's wife out in front of of her house. She seemed busy and I ran by her. I was focused on getting home. Then God said, "Go back and pray for her." Earlier in my life, I might not have recognized the voice of God. And I probably wouldn't have obeyed. But today I turned around and went up to her.

I knew that Robert was in the hospital and wasn't doing well - his granddaughter had showed up on my blog about him and told me that. [please read the blog if you get the chance]

"How's Robert doing?" I asked.

"He's not doing well; he didn't recognize me yesterday."

I commiserated with her, "I'm so sorry. It's got to be so hard. Can I pray for you?"

"Sure."

So, there on her front porch, we prayed. First I waited to see what God might say. I sensed that he knew how hard this was for her, how precious Robert was to her. They had been married 60 years. I sensed the Spirit moving and I think she did too. It wasn't long, just two minutes of prayer, but I could tell God touched her heart. And then I was off to finish my run and rendezvous with the team.

Still sweating from the run, I met them in a church parking lot near my house. I said I felt God asking three of them to go with me on a special assignment. Floyd, Patti and Liz volunteered.

After showering, I met them at the hospital in Robert's room. Three family members were there. The air in the room was heavy. Robert was unconscious and struggling in the bed.

Patti had lost her father several months earlier in the same hospital. She knew exactly what one of the family members was feeling and God used her to minister. Before we left, Liz prayed a beautiful prayer. Then I prayed, releasing Robert to go home to Jesus.

Yesterday evening Jake and I met up with the group and prayed for them. We came knowing that God wanted to touch the group, and he did. The tears flowed. Freedom came - it was awesome. All triggered by a simple act of obedience while I was running.

As Jake and I got in the car, I checked my text messages. There was one from Robert's granddaughter. "He just passed away," it said.

We're not human beings having a temporary spiritual experience. We're spiritual beings having a temporary human experience. Robert ran the race well and completed his.

Thomasville FUMC Trip

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thomasville FUMC Trip 1

6/15/2009 By: Rachel Newsome, youth intern

Thomasville First United Methodist Church- Thomasville, GA

We arrived at the AIM training center on Saturday night, and immediately formed chore groups and started to form bonds with the AIM leaders that were with us. On Sunday morning, the team and the AIM leaders went to church at Lanier Hills and worshipped together. We then had lunch at the church and changed to go do some outreach at the park. The team arrived at the park, and one group went to go find some kids to play soccer with. The other group went to the playground to go blow bubbles for kids and hopefully get a chance to talk to some of the people hanging around. We blew bubbles for the little kids, and just had a great time watching them play and getting a chance to serve them. The other group played soccer with a kid Jose who probably had to significantly lower his soccer skills to play with them. They then went to the baseball fields and cheered for some of the kids playing. The girls at the playground ended up getting into a really good and deep conversation, and really had an opportunity to grow closer.
After we returned from the park, we ate dinner and had an amazing time of worship and prayer as a team. The youth group we work with has changed a lot in the past couple of years, and there is a general feeling that this trip is going to be the starting point of growth and change for the better among the youth. This trip is as much about us serving the people in Gainesville as it is about the team growing together and being refreshed by the Lord. God has really been speaking to our team, and has even almost audibly called by name a couple of girls on the team while they were praying or just resting. God's goodness to us has been so evident.
Today we are going to the Boys and Girls Club to do sports evangelism and then we are going to a Nursing Home. We really want to show the joy of the Lord to the kids as well as the elders that we encounter. The Lord has definitely blessed us so far, and will continue to do so!