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Did
you
know?
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Four percent (4%) of the people in the world control 90% of the wealth.
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Purpose Statement
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The CEPC mission teams strive to bless others and be good stewards of the tithes and offerings entrusted to us. We strive to innovate, create and offer opportunities for members to personally participate in missions and care for those who do. Through communications with missionaries, we strive to provide appropriate feedback to the congregation sharing the blessings of their missions' heart.
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Our household was in the midst of a normal chaotic morning of getting ready for school and work when the power went out. Instantly the chaotic went to hysteria, how does one go to school without their hair curled? Later that day I heard from the garage, "Dad, something is wrong with the batteries in my garage door opener, it's not opening the door." That night as I sat in the darkness I thought of how disruptive a small issue like losing power is to our daily routine. Then I thought back to the disruption God had caused in my life a few years ago.
I was busy with life, raising a family, running a business, going to church, everything was perfect. But God had other plans for my perfect life. I had not been seeking first His kingdom; I had been chasing after all the 'things' in my life. In the economic downturn my business was close to bankruptcy and we nearly lost everything. God used this to change the desires of my heart. Although I resisted the changes, God was gracious in working through my stubbornness. While He was working on me, He had been busy working all around me, and He had to disrupt my life to cause me to see the work He was doing.
As I looked at the world around me in a new light I had a choice to make. Just like when the power to our house came back on and the disruption is forgotten as everything goes back to normal, I could choose to ignore the work God was doing around me and return to my daily routine. But God was faithful to equip me for the tasks He had planned for me. He was showing me what it meant to work together with Him as John 15:5 states, "I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
For many years I had looked at the great work other believers were doing and became discouraged at my own lack of ability. I never realized it is God that works in us to accomplish His will. "Now may the God of peace...equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, though Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Hebrews 13:20-21
As I look now at the body of Christ it is amazing to see how He enables and equips each of us to accomplish His purposes. God has given me the privilege of seeing the work His saints are doing with Him right here at Cornerstone, across our great nation and around the world. Each one stepped out in faith and had a willingness to follow where He was leading.
Allow God to disrupt your daily routine to show you where He is working. Be open to new tasks He has for you as He calls you into the service of furthering His kingdom. Be encouraged that He will equip you for the work He has for you, all He needs is your willing heart.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8
Jay Chamberlin, Elder
Stateside Missions
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Mid Course Correction
Changing the lives of troubled teens...
It is the kind of story that makes you cringe when you read it in the news. The mother of seven children was home alone with her 2-year old son. Her husband was away for the week on a business trip and the six older children were away at summer camp. She suffered from female "issues" that would go on for 3-4 weeks at a time. Feeling particularly weak, she locked the doors, pulled down the shades, put a box of saltine crackers on the living room floor for her son and went to her bedroom to lie down. She hemorrhaged to death that afternoon. During the second night, the oldest of the children, a 12-year old daughter had a dream: "Something is very wrong with your mother. Go home." She told her counselor about it in the morning. She was told that bad dreams are common at camp, but if she had it again, they would do something about it. She put it out of her mind, but the following night had the same dream. This time she immediately got up, dressed and went to the camp administrator. They woke up the other 5 children, packed their bags and he drove them home, leaving them at the door to go in alone. They found their little brother on the bed with their mother's body, trying to get her to wake up. She had been dead four days. This was the 1950's.
The six oldest children were sent together to an orphanage, but the youngest went to a foster home. In fact, he spent the next 16 years of his life with 16 foster families. He failed two grades. He was bitter and angry with God. By his junior year in high school, he was nearly an alcoholic, living in a hotel room, stealing to get by, and considering suicide. But this is a story of redemption. The custodian at his school needed a part-time assistant and got permission to hire this troubled boy. Gradually he shared both his life and the gospel with him and he, Rich Wood, accepted Christ as his Savior.
Fast forward a number of years and Rich made his way from his home state of Montana to Detroit, Michigan where he worked with troubled teens...
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Coming to a Mosque Near You?
A Muslim Altar Call; Calling American
Girls to Islam (somewhere in the United States)
The YouTube link shown below was sent to us by a Cornerstone supported missionary who served overseas. He originally was called to reach the lost among the Muslim peoples. For the safety of his family he was recently forced to return to the States. Please follow the link below and watch this disturbing video where young American girls are being called to come forward (similar to a Christian altar call) to profess their faith in Islam and to repeat that Jesus was a 'prophet' - not the Son of God. This is happening in America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1yNQzz1oSk
This missionary is back in America and finds that his burden and the call on his life continue, and, providentially, he is finding a rich missionary field right here "at home." For security reasons he has asked to remain "unnamed". Here is his report:
"What we want to do is what we had planned for
overseas:...
Additional links to show how the Muslim movement is adapting itself to be presentable to the U.S. culture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQavjtpYEkk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAfUMfCtcDA
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This story is a great reminder that we never know how God will use the public practice of our faith.
In the following correspondence, two Cornerstone supported missionaries stationed in Turkey with Crusade for Christ describe not only their ministry effort in general, but the result of an initially inadvertent witness to a young Islamic woman they call "Amy". In the process they also help us to understand the overall problem both of witnessing to and receiving witness that people face in the Islamic world.
A Continued Friendship
Every year our ministry offers our staff a week long training on the Bible. This August, 75 staff came from all over the country to attend this conference and study a Biblical Worldview. As a part of our ministry, we organize these conferences to not only build up our staff for the work God is calling them to, but to also offer a time of refreshment for them. I mentioned in last month's update how some people who worked at the hotel we attended for our conference loved playing with our then 6 month old babies. One of them was a college student we'll call 'Amy'. She was always finding us during meal times and would take turns holding our children while we ate. It was such a blessing to us!
This last month we visited some staff that live in the city where Amy goes to college. (We got to know this couple better while at the conference. They have worked with our company for many years on a team that travels throughout their region handing out materials and copies of The JESUS film; as well as meeting with believers to encourage and train them.) This couple has a one year old boy and had also gotten to know Amy at the conference. The wife still had Amy's phone number, so we gave her a call to join us so she could see the kids again.
During our short time together, we learned that Amy had been so curious about our group...
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We thank you for your interest in the activities of our CEPC missionaries in the field and for taking the time to read Cornerstone Touches the World. We would welcome your feedback.
Sincerely,
World and Stateside Missions
Cornerstone EPC
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