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Stonecreek Church is Sending 14 Volunteer Missionaries to Haiti

The earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010, resulted in widespread destruction and chaos. Buildings of the government, schools, universities, churches, commercial institutions, and homes crumbled and become piles of debris. More than 230,000 were killed, an estimated 300,000 people were injured, and nearly 250,000 homes were either destroyed or damaged, displacing more than 1 million people.

But the Church in Haiti rose up amid the rubble. And, April 1-6, 2012, I have the opportunity to serve as a volunteer missionary alongside a team of 10 high school students and 3 adults from Stonecreek Church. We are setting aside our Spring Break holiday to help rebuild and offer hope to the Church in Haiti and her most vulerable children through our partnership with Compassion International.

Your donation is an intangible investment in the life experience of students and leaders of students who feel set apart to serve the Lord as a volunteer missionary to Haiti. Each of our team members is committed to trusting God with the resources needed to send them to minister among Haiti's most vulnerable children and families. 

Will you consider helping our volunteer missionaries reach their individual goals of raising $1,650 for this missionary experience? You can give as little as $10, fully fund one missionary for $1,650 or give any amount as God leads you.

To learn more and to give securely/conveniently online, visit our team's fundraising page.

Thank you for your generosity and prayers as we make preparations in faith for this missionary endeavor.

One Day Without Shoes

I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. Psalm 140:12 (NIV)

I took this photo while visiting Uganda with Compassion International. As Tom's Shoes leads it's national One Day Without Shoes awareness campaign today, I couldn't help but remember the feet of so many shoeless children subjected to disease. Considering the many choices of shoes I had to wear this morning, Tom's Shoes campaign has helped remind me to be thankful for the simple things and the importance of sharing from my abundance with the poor.

 

High School Students Extend Compassion for Spring Break 2011

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. Proverbs 14:31 (NIV)

Remember to pray for our team of 12 students and adult leaders from Stonecreek's High School Ministry as they travel to the Dominican Republic with Compassion International.

Dustin Dozier, Stonecreek's student pastor, has organized an opportunity for high school students to extend the life of Jesus by serving the poorest of the poor in the Dominican Republic over Spring Break. Our team will be serving a local church in Blanco Arriba that partners with Compassion International in releasing children in their community from poverty in Jesus' name.

April 2-9, please pray for protection, provision and the empowering spirit of life in Christ Jesus over: Latonya, Adam, Jared, Dylan, Dustin, Wade, Nick, Abby, Jordan, Ryan, Lori and Kristen.

You will not want to miss Compassion Sunday at Stonecreek Church, April 17, 9:30 and 11 a.m., as we explore the virtue of compassion and are inspired to extend life by releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name. Child sponsorship is the first step. After that, we must consider, "is compassion written on our hearts?"

Experiencing Compassion

Me, Chanel, his Mom, younger brother and Dad in the Dominican Republic

When our leadership team believed God was asking our church to sponsor a student through Compassion's Leadership Development Program, we wanted our congregation to experience a taste of the individual impact that sponsorship can make in the life of an LDP student.  We were committed to actively engaging our congregation in the sponsorship process, but our greatest challenge was, how? How do we connect a suburban professional in sprawling North Atlanta to comprehend the significance that sponsorship can have to a college student in the developing world? How can we communicate the personal impact of Compassion's Leadership Development Program in the life of the student and sponsor?

Our conclusion? Let's take them there. And that is exactly what we did.

Through interactive live video via Skype and the World Wide Web, Stonecreek Church in Milton, Georgia was able to meet and interact with Chanel, a young college student hundreds of miles away in the Dominican Republic. As Chanel and I huddled in front of my computer screen in that small Dominican hotel room, we watched Stonecreek Church unite and demonstrate their collective support and belief that God created this young man as valuable and set apart to make a difference in the Kingdom of God. Little did Chanel know that the congregation he was sharing his story with, would be his new sponsor.

At the close of our interview, every seat in Stonecreek's auditorium was left empty as hundreds of individuals stood in applause to encourage this bright, young leader, committed to seeing his program fully funded and his dreams ignited. As Chanel and I watched from my computer screen, I was left speechless as I observed a young man filled with indescribable joy and enthusiasm for God's provision in his life. His first response was to express thanksgiving to God, for He had answered his prayers in providing a sponsor. In that moment, he asked to pray for Stonecreek Church. And in his own language, Stonecreek Church experienced a young aspiring leader in the developing world pour out his heart in gratitude to God asking for God's provision for them.

That day at Stonecreek Church, we didn't merely learn about Compassion. We experienced compassion. And, perhaps, the greatest model was not our act of sponsorship. That day, the greatest model of compassion was Chanel.

Through our partnership with Compassion International, Stonecreek sponsors two Leadership Development Program students, and has influenced individuals to sponsor 532 children through Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program. Visit compassion.com for more on how you can release a child from poverty in Jesus' name.

May 2: Live Via Skype from the Dominican Republic to Stonecreek

When the darkness of abject poverty engulfs a place, evil takes over. But in the middle of desperation, you can intervene. One act, one decision in Jesus name, is all it takes to allow hope to overwhelm the darkness. Through our strategic partnership with Compassion International, we will take part in this liberating grace.

On Sunday, May 2, 9:30 a.m. & 11 a.m., I will be broadcasting live via Skype from Compassion International in The Dominican Republic back to Steven Gibbs at Stonecreek Church, as we unite as a church and experience the impact one decision can make in releasing a child from poverty.

We have a few surprises planned that are sure to make a lasting impact. Bring a friend. You will not want to miss this!

Haiti Relief Through Compassion International

In response to the recent earthquake, 100% of donations received through Stonecreek Church's "The Gift Fund" through February 28 will go directly to Compassion International's Haiti Relief efforts. Compassion serves over 60,000 Compassion-assisted Haitian children and families through partner churches in Haiti.

I have personally visited dozens of Compassion International projects and partner churches in Ethiopia and Uganda and know your donations will be administered with integrity in Haiti. Compassion has had a significant presence in Haiti for 40 years--and they're not leaving. Compassion is committed to being an active solution to rebuild and restore Haitians through their ministry in partnership with Haitian local churches.

Links: Sponsor a Compassion child, here. Give through Stonecreek Church for Compassion's Haiti Relief.Charity Navigator gives Compassion it's highest "four star" rating.

Benefit Concert Streaming Live for Haiti Relief

Compassion Child Meets His Sponsor

In 2007, live at Stonecreek Church, I had the opportunity to introduce Compassion International program graduate George Jowi to the person who sponsored him through Compassion's child sponsorship program. It remains one of the most significant moments of my life!

At a recent gathering of over 12,000 ministry leaders, Compassion worked with the people at Catalyst to surprise Jimmy Wambua with an introduction to his sponsor of 19 years. Hear Jimmy share what sponsorship meant to him and experience the introduction... begin at minute 3:45.

Catalyst 2009 Compassion Moment from Catalyst on Vimeo.

Join me in releasing a child from poverty in Jesus' name. Sponsor a child through Compassion International, here.

"Lead Now" Conference in Dallas, Texas

I will be joining hundreds of young adult leaders in Dallas, Texas this Thursday for the Lead Now '08 Conference and The Fusion Experience '08.

I have the opportunity to speak to 100 pastors who have registered for a Compassion International ministry lunch. I'll be interviewed about our strategic partnership and how child sponsorship through Compassion serves as one of Stonecreek Church's core global ministry extensions.

Each person in attendance will receive one of Stonecreek's "George Jowi Meets His Sponsor" DVDs, which captured (for the first time ever) the live introduction of Compassion project graduate George Jowi with his childhood sponsor. Thank you, Stonecreek, for your generosity through our Raise Your Game giving initiative, that made the message of Compassion available on DVD to leaders across the United States!

Join me in praying that more churches engage with Compassion through strategic partnership to "release children from poverty in Jesus' name."

You Can Release Children From Poverty

At a recent event at Stonecreek, 59 children were sponsored, bringing our total to over 300 children sponsored through Compassion International. Take this quiz on poverty, and share Compassion with a friend today.

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