Preparing to Serve

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Monica and her husband Ken recently participated in our Faith & Work and Faith & Finances courses in Corpus Christi. They attended Faith & Work because they were looking for a ministry opportunity that could really help people to further the kingdom. Throughout the course, they were reminded, “God loves us and that through the Holy Spirit, He graciously has given us different gifts and skills that help us to do the work that He wants us to do.” Concepts of Vision Maps and Smart Goals were just a couple of the tools shared to help further their career goals and ministry visions. Monica and Ken are thankful for this course and are confident that God will continue to do the work in their lives that He promised when they gave their lives to Jesus.

During Faith & Finances, they learned the value of handling their money in a Godly way, realizing everything they have already belongs to Him. Monica shares, “We were reminded of some principles of saving, budgeting and spending that would help us to be free to be able to share more of our money with others, as God would have us do.” Instilling these principles into their finances allowed them to save money immediately and even share more financially with others.

Monica and Ken share that they were truly blessed by both of these classes and will use the skills they have learned to further their ministry. They are interested in giving back and even plan to be future facilitators for the Faith & Finances course in Corpus Christi! “I know He will use the skills that we learned to bless individuals and companies that take these courses,” Monica shared. We invite you, your family or your organization to participate in one of these courses.

Beyond Fishing – Making Disciples

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“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” Jesus challenged Peter and Andrew. Short years later, Jesus refined and extended His calling, “Go, and make disciples of all nations.”

The key component of Jesus’ command is GO! Into all the world doesn’t eliminate my neighbor or work associates, but it does include the world beyond. Making disciples is substantially more than, “Share the Gospel.” Succinctly stated by David Platt, “We are to share the word, show the Word, teach the Word, serve the World.”

Showing the Word requires relationship. International missional effectiveness requires more than “throwing-seed-out-and-hoping-it-grows.” Consistent, personal involvement, doing “life” together– sharing testimonies over a meal, mixing concrete, building a bed, sewing, sponsoring a child—activities that build relationships. WUBC and Crosspoint churches from Houston (now known as City Rise) have served in the Dominican Republic since 2013. One young lady brought piles of costly fabrics inherited from a beloved grandmother and three sewing machines. Building relationships as they shared interests, and met needs, Dominicans and Americans created garments and curtains. One machine was donated to the orphanage, and the other two machines were awarded to a Haitian mother and an older grandmother. “God sent you! He answered my prayers to help me provide for my family.”

The Guaricanos school ministers to children trapped in cycles of poverty, abuse, abandonment, and alcohol. Jesus and education are their only hope. Each day the team shared the Gospel and taught the Word through drama and songs at  VBS. The staff will visit the families and follow up with children who made decisions.

Small groups of 3-5 shared life with Dominican families at supper one evening. They served other destitute families with donations of food. They sponsored a special tea for young ladies with handcraft and a devotional.

At the medical clinics, patients received prayer and spiritual support, in addition to meeting their physical needs. Back at the IBQ site, others built benches, and helped build a home for a Samuel’s Fund sponsored family—serving Christ through hammering, sanding, digging, mixing cement, and carrying cinder blocks. Lives and entire families are changed through the work of mission teams, who return year after year to live out Christ’s call to “make disciples.”

“I was a falling-down drunk who could only provide a two-room shack with a shared neighborhood outhouse. My family accepted Christ through an evangelistic service. They kept telling me about their Jesus, but I ignored them. Our situation became desperate. Bags of sugar, flour, rice and beans made God’s love real. Soon their Jesus became MY Jesus.”

“My children accepted Christ through VBS and my wife followed. They were chosen for sponsorship. I saw the difference in their lives, and I reached out to Christ. We grew in our Christian walk through continued ministries–VBS, English camps, children’s activities and construction projects. They even rebuilt our house. People have seen the change in our lives, and they listen when I tell them about Jesus.”

WUBC-Crosspoint has shared the love of Christ and helped others to experience the life of Christ through teaching, showing and serving for many years. Not a one-and-done mission trip. International missional effectiveness requires a long-term commitment to the process of making disciples, empowering those disciples to reproduce God’s call in their own language to their own families and neighborhoods.

 
Blessing young women with tea, testimonies and handcrafts 

Bendiciones,

Joanna Berry
Joanna Berry
Vice President of Family and International Ministries
STCH Ministries

iCare 2022

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On Tuesday, August 2nd, STCH Ministries Family Counseling hosted our 6th Annual iCare Conference. STCH Ministries Family Counseling created this conference as a way to reach people who help people. The attendees included teachers, counselors, pastors, church staff and others who work to impact the lives of others. Attendees received continuing education credits for the breakout sessions they attended but more than that, they heard from professionals about various topics that will help them grow in their field.

This year’s breakout sessions included Understanding Generation Z, Raising Highly Capable Kids, The Brain and Body on Stress: How Stress and Trauma Impacts Us and many others. The last session of the day was taught by Cheryl Miller from Quantum Circles Consulting and Training. Cheryl shared about surviving the work of helping others and how to turn challenges into opportunities for the miraculous. Due to the heaviness of the topics, comedian Mike Goodwin brought humor to the lunch break and showed how there is healing through laughter and encouragement. 

STCH Ministries is thankful for all the individuals who made iCare a success, including the presenters for their time and effort in preparing for this event. Also, thank you to Parkway Church Victoria for allowing us to use their facilities for the day. For more information on STCH Ministries Family Counseling visit, https://www.stchm.org/family-counseling/.