March 15, 2011
By Susan Smith, serving at Salem Alliance Church in Salem, Oregon
Corrine was in court for drug abuse and prostitution. Her baby would be born soon. The judge in Corrine’s case had ordered her to a drug rehabilitation home, Her Place, for pregnant women or mothers with children. The judge also had heard that I was beginning a ministry to single moms, providing clothes and other resources to those with limited means. The judge called and asked me if I would talk to Corrine and try to help her. Our ministry had not officially opened, but I agreed to the judge’s request.
I picked up Corrine and took her to Starbucks, where she told me her story. Her mother was a prostitute, who began “selling” Corrine to men by the age of eight. Repeatedly evicted from one place after another, mother and daughter lived on the streets, in ditches, or wherever they could find a place to sleep, and were used by men. It was a way of life.
Corrine didn’t give her heart to Jesus, but the Lord showed me that day that this is the ministry that He was bringing to us-women who lived completely different lives than I knew of or understood. I thought it would be an outreach to teenage mothers—15 and 16 years old—never dreaming that would include mothers who were drug addicts, prostitutes, and involved in the court system. But God has used Her Place as a catalyst for reaching pregnant women and mothers from age 11 to 48 with the hope of redemption through Jesus. His ministry has reached beyond the scope of my imagination and brought me to a humble understanding of His great mercy toward me.
A Clear Call
New Beginnings Baby Boutique began as a seed planted in my heart by the Lord. I sensed His call on my life to reach into other people’s lives in a way that glorified Him-through a ministry to young mothers. But I argued with God. “I’m not a baby person,” I told Him. “You’ve got the wrong person.”
When my husband and I attended General Council 2004 in Sacramento, California, we heard Erwin McManus talk about being on mission for God. We walked out of Council realizing that our lives had to be different. God had called us to be missionaries. I was hesitating, but the Lord spoke strongly to me. I heard Him say in my spirit, “Susan, are you going to obey me or not? Or are you going to disobey me and walk away from what I’ve called you to do?”
I fell to my knees and surrendered my life to Him, saying, “Lord I will do whatever you’ve called me to do, but don’t you realize I’m not the right person?”
He answered me. “Susan, don’t you get it? It’s not about you. It’s about Me. I am the One who will raise up the ministry. I will bring the women. I will draw them to Myself. I am the One who will save them. And you need to be obedient because I want to do a work in your life as well.”
God began speaking clearly to me about what New Beginnings Baby Boutique would look like. Each morning, I wrote God’s instructions in my journal. This must be a faith ministry; God will supply all items needed, and I need to trust Him for everything.
I took God’s plan to my church leaders. They encouraged me by offering a small house that had been purchased a block away from the church. Except for the church’s small allowance for utilities, all clothes and children’s material needs, as well as furniture and other supplies for the house, would come from donations. There would be no cash on hand. God would supply all of our needs; this has been the foundation of New Beginnings Baby Boutique.
Laying the Groundwork
I began by visiting service organizations throughout the Salem area, laying out my heart for the ministry to single pregnant women and women with young children; they would come and hear God’s message of hope, and we would provide clothes for them and their children. Without exception, in each organization the Lord had a believer in place to hear my plan. Through word of mouth, New Beginnings Baby Boutique became known in the community as a place where women receive help and love with dignity.
We have many volunteers at New Beginnings, but I call them servants. Many people from the church serve the ministry through prayer, time, donations, and hard work. One woman, who cannot spend extended time at the house, bakes cookies, which are provided fresh for the women when they come in. A photographer takes pictures of the women and their children as he ministers to them, frames their pictures, and displays them on the walls of New Beginnings. Some women cried when they saw their picture, saying, “No one ever valued me enough to take my picture and hang it.”
Also, Bible study is held on Fridays for women who are interested. My husband and I host a Wednesday night discipleship group for the women who have made commitments to follow Jesus.
Love in Action
By the time the doors opened in October 2005, several women from Her Place had given their lives to Christ. We had baby shower after baby shower that summer, going to the in-treatment facility and ministering to women who longed for change in their lives.
Megan was one of the first who accepted Christ. She lived at Her Place with her two-year-old son while pregnant. She was being discipled, attending Bible studies, and growing spiritually. But when she left Her Place, she reconnected with the father of her children, began using drugs again, was arrested, lost custody of her children, and has been in and out of rehabilitation. Megan returned to New Beginnings, recommitted her life to Christ, and now is in the Wednesday evening discipleship class. Also, she is expecting another child. She has a lot of work to do and much healing is needed, but she is off the drugs and ready to know her Savior.
I soon came to understand that we cannot fix the women; we cannot change their living situation. They face countless obstacles when they decide to trust in Jesus, and it takes hard work. We can be here for them and pray for them, but we cannot rescue them. Only Christ can do that.
Mentoring the Mentors
Judges who hear the cases of the women at Her Place are aware that many women we serve have life-changing experiences after hearing the gospel at New Beginnings and order community service to be performed with us. Other agencies also refer their clients to New Beginnings, including the county’s social services.
Barbara works for the social services office in a mentoring program for the women with children who are involved with drugs. She brings the women she mentors to New Beginnings, and it was here that we became friends. An unbeliever, Barbara came from a family of addicts and had been sober for 17 years when she first came to New Beginnings in 2006. I invited her to our Wednesday night discipleship group, where she enjoyed the socialization. Barbara had been through the 12-Step program but longed for community, which she found in our group. As our friendship grew, Barbara came to the realization that she was not a believer and gave her life to Christ. “It’s not a higher power,” she told us. “It’s Jesus Christ.”
In August 2010 Barbara was diagnosed with lung cancer and given less than a year to live. She chose not to undergo traditional cancer treatment but instead asked to be baptized. Knowing as she was sub-merged into those waters that her body was full of cancer, she emerged clean in Christ and proclaimed, “My life is in the hands of God, and He will sustain me as long as He wants me here.” We have prayed for healing, and right now, she is doing great.
“I Was In Prison”
When God began this ministry, if you had asked me if I had any biases or prejudices against these women, I would have said absolutely not. But as I began to serve with these women, I realized that I did have some. I had never lived in their world. I grew up with Christian values in a Christian home. I honestly thought I was better than they were. But as I began to share the gospel, I was convicted that the cross was level; we all go to the cross the same, we all need Jesus to save us from our sin, and not one of us is better than another. God has begun to rip those prejudices out of my life in the past five years.
We’re not serving “those people” but people who were raised in different lifestyles. That’s why we are here-to share the good news. Prior to New Beginnings, I knew no one who had been in prison, but now most of my friends have come from jail. They have brought new dimension into my life. I am so grateful that God would allow me to serve Him through their lives, where His glory shines bright.
Learn More
For more information about New Beginnings Baby Boutique, contact Susan at susan@onetreasure.org.
Read how other Alliance churches are impacting their communities.
What You Can Do
Pray that the Lord will continue to provide for the needs of New Beginnings. Also, pray women who receive help at New Beginnings will want to receive the greatest gift-Jesus.
Give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries.
February 16, 2011
By Brad Reynolds, serving in France
It was a surprise for us to learn at the end of January, mid-way through our home assignment year, that our young church plant in southwestern France had a grand total of 67 euros ($97) in the bank account. Due to recent renovations on the rented facility that we use for worship and Sunday school, the final bills had depleted the account that normally covers all of our costs. Facing invoices of more than 3,500 euros ($4,700) due in a week, the church board had no idea how they would come up with the funds. From the very outset of this church plant, the first church to be established in this community in more than 700 years, God had been teaching us to live and walk entirely by faith. This would be one of the greatest challenges we had faced.
The weekend prior to receiving this news, Tina and I had spoken at Risen King Alliance Church in New City, New York, where several members of the congregation had given us words of encouragement from the Lord at the conclusion of the service. One member told us that she had received a picture of trucks loaded with provisions, waiting in a warehouse and ready to leave for our church. She believed that this was God’s encouragement to us that all that was needed to purchase our rented facility would be provided. A few days later, we learned of the church’s need.
Requesting prayer from those who support us, Tina and I were waiting for God’s answer as we left for a special tour of two churches in the South Pacific District, leaving our regular tour of Metropolitan District churches. During our time in Arizona, we learned that on the last Sunday of January, the French church had received one-fourth of the needed amount in the offering and another member had promised a gift that would cover another fourth of the amount. But where would the rest of the funds come from to pay the rent and other bills?
While traveling to the second church, we told Pastor Steve Redden of Cross Point Church in Murrieta, California, about how God was teaching our church to live and walk by faith and how the members were excitedly waiting to see how the final amount would come in. At that point, Pastor Redden told us that we could phone our church and tell them not to worry because Cross Point would take care of the rest. He said that as a young Alliance congregation, the Lord had met all of their needs and that they had a heart for other church-planting situations. He said that they were “a warehouse church” because they meet in a space that was used in the past for a small business. We were so excited and touched by the generosity of this church that we had never even visited.
Later we realized that this was the picture that our friend had received, a warehouse with all of the provisions that we needed-the trucks just waiting to leave. God had provided once again as we waited in faith and trust.
On Sunday morning, Pastor Redden told his congregation about the gift that had been given in their name. Spontaneous applause filled the room. On the other side of the ocean, EPI members had learned of God’s provision and were deeply touched by their caring Father and the partnership of the Alliance family. Tina and I believe this is one more expression of what it means to “live the call together.”
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in France.
What You Can Do
Praise the Lord for this pioneer ministry in Léguevin. Pray that all those who hear the life-changing message of the gospel in this house of prayer will receive Him as Savior.
Help keep Alliance workers such as Brad and Tina on the field.
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries.
February 15, 2011
Rev. Terrence Nichols pastors New Hope Church Community in Vallejo, California, is president of the C&MA’s Association of African-American Churches, and has been a voice of hope in the journey of reconciliation within The Alliance. As the United States celebrates Black History Month, Pastor Nichols shares his story of how God prepared him from his youth to cross cultural barriers with Jesus’ love.
My eyes swelled with tears as my mind filled with hundreds of memories of the past. All of my emotions were engaged as I recounted my days as a youth in the segregated southern town of Pelham, Georgia. As a guest lecturer in Dr. Ken Castor’s Social Justice class at Crown College, I wanted to make an impact, but I was not ready for the affect that my story would have upon me. My tears were not of sorrow but of joy and gratitude for the journey of racial reconciliation that God has called me to passionately embrace.
The Deep South
The memory of growing up in a world of two cultures that were separate but not equal is vivid. It was the ’60s. In Pelham, African-Americans were forced to order take-out food at a window in a side alley that was unappetizingly sandwiched between two “slop” buckets where the farmers retrieved feed for their hogs. Schools integrated, and riots broke out, with fires and fighting on the streets.
In schools, students were separated into groups. I was the only African-American male in the “A” classroom, while all of my other friends were placed in “B” or ”C” groups. Most of the white students were in the “A” and “B” groups, which were instructed by white teachers. It was classism at its best in the heart of America. I will never forget being slapped in the face by a white teacher and called the “N” word because I was in the hall before the bell rang, even though I showed my hall pass.
These painful experiences prepared me to be a reconciler. Allowing the pain of the past to paralyze me would have left me bruised and bitter. The apostle Paul says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). I became broken-and better-as I allowed the peace of God to heal me.
Against the Wind
God began to shape my worldview of reconciliation through two instances. The first was when I was in third grade. The winds of integration had upended the schools in Pelham. High school students fought with bricks and bottles. Students in my elementary school fought with their fists. Teachers locked the doors before school, during breaks, and at lunch while students expressed their aggression outdoors.
I was not a fighter and did not understand why people were so angry. I relished the opportunity to sit next to a white student and learn from his culture. It was a challenge to me, not a crisis. One day while I sat on a bench, a white student, who also had grown weary of the hostilities, sat down and started talking. Neither of us could figure out why everyone was fighting. Our meeting developed into a lifelong friendship, and, fittingly, we are both ministers of the gospel today.
The second instance that impacted my path to reconciliation happened when I was a student at Simpson University in San Francisco. Some of my white friends came to hear me preach at one the black Baptist churches in the city. I was excited to welcome these students to experience our exuberant and participatory style of worship. For many, this would be their first time attending a black church. It was a dynamic worship experience, indeed, but I forgot one thing. It was February, which meant that it was Black History Month. Every speaker that Sunday used racial innuendos to describe what had happened to African Americans in this country.
The entire service was summarized in one speaker’s comments, “The white man brought us here in chains, and the white man still has us in chains.” Needless to say, I was horrified and embarrassed. I understood the hurt of my people, but I also saw the humiliation on the faces of my white friends. We had long conversations after this worship experience that helped to redefine our world view. This began a journey to unmask what the Bible says about reconciliation.
The Face of Reconciliation
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated that the most segregated time in America was at 11 a.m. on Sunday morning. Why is it so difficult for Christians from different ethnicities to worship together? Must we continue to be so divisive, even in the church? I began researching the subject of reconciliation and multicultural churches. The works of John Perkins and Dr. Howard Thurman impacted my approach to ministry. Both men referenced Acts 10:34-38 as a developmental foundation for their core values:
Then Peter began to speak, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”
God was shaping my mind and my heart, molding me as a reconciler as I discovered His love for all people. As a new creation in Christ, I examined how my theology and my practice match up in life. As a reconciler, I believe that I need an internal conviction. We all have prejudices, and we must allow the Holy Spirit to reveal them to us and show us how to reconcile with others.
Additionally, I must make an intentional commitment. In order for reconciliation to be sustaining, I must make it happen, ensuring that my staff, friends, influencers, and life experiences are multicultural ones. God wants us to not only be hearers of the Word but also doers of the Word.
Finally, reconciliation is an incessant lifestyle commitment. In this ever-changing world, our commitment to reconciliation must be never-ending, as we persevere in our journey to discover and grow as reconcilers. Paul said in Philippians 3:12-14, “Brothers I not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
No Color Lines
Eventually, I left the black church and chose to work with The Alliance, which gave me the opportunity to minister with Christians from a variety of countries and ethnicities. This step was viewed as courageous by some and with great consternation by others.
For 11 years, it was my privilege to pastor one of the most diverse churches in the C&MA, the San Francisco Neighborhood Church. Also, I became a representative for The Alliance at the historic joint meetings between the National Association of Evangelicals and the National Black Evangelical Association in their reconciliation conferences. My wife and I planted a C&MA church in Vallejo, California, and purposefully gathered a multicultural core planting team.
Just off the coast of Senegal on Goree Island is, pointedly, one of the most preserved slave trading outposts. It was there that C&MA leaders from all walks of life met and forgave each other for the atrocities of slavery. These ministry moments have forged healing and hope for the future.
As an Alliance pastor, I have opportunity to minister in a wide range of ethnically diverse churches and districts around the world, where, as Alliance founder A. B. Simpson said, “Your Master knows no color line, save that of His blood-red cross.” The C&MA is not perfect, but it is a good representation of the multiethnic Body of Christ, working together to reach lost people locally and globally.
Although Crown is not the most diverse of our Alliance colleges, a vivid picture of reconciliation is apparent in its classrooms. Through tears, I saw African-American students working and studying side-by-side with students who represent other ethnic groups. I shed tears of hope and joy in knowing what Christ-our Hope of glory-has done and can do in our lives.
Learn More
Read more about reconciliation in alife.
Find out how New Hope Church Community is impacting its San Francisco Bay Area community
What You Can Do
Pray for U.S. Alliance churches that are reaching multicultural urban settings with the peace of Christ.
Support Alliance Great Commission Ministries
Adolescent children in California who have lost parents to AIDS are finding hope through a strategic Alliance outreach. Camp Hope hosts children from the Vallejo, California, area, many of whom are in foster care. Terrance Nichols, pastor of the northern California city’s New Hope Church and president of the Association of African-American Churches of the C&MA, established the program to impact disenfranchised children who may never hear about Jesus.
The six-week summer program includes group discussions, Bible stories, and project lessons to help the young people put into practice what they have learned. Recreation is a key ingredient to the recipe of building relationships with the initially reserved youth. Field trips to the San Francisco Zoo, the Vallejo Museum of Naval History, and Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk bring excitement and wonder into their lives.
“It is always amazing to see these youngsters have their eyes opened to possibilities that God may have for them,” Nichols says. “We do not view the field trips as just a fun time, but we challenge them to set high goals for themselves in life.”
“Camp Hope requires a lot of time and patience,” says Nichols, “especially if campers have lost their parents to AIDS or are estranged from them. But the Lord has blessed us with an extremely effective ministry.”
After a week or two, some campers feel safe enough to express their feelings of loss. “One girl cried, saying that she misses her dad and wants him back,” says Nichols. “Two sisters who recently lost their father shared how the camp has helped them to cope.”
The 2007 summer ministry culminated with three young people giving their hearts to the Lord, seven rededicating their lives to Him, and three families joining New Hope Church. “Five youth are praying about full-time ministry,” says Nichols, “and two of them want to be missionaries. The Lord worked miraculously this year.”
For more information about Camp Hope, contact Pastor Nichols at TNEJ@chevron.com.
What You Can Do
Pray for Pastor Nichols as crosses ethnic barriers and promotes cultural diversity within the Body of Christ.
Give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries.
February 2, 2011
The alumni of Alliance Marriage Encounter (ALMA) from Genesis (Alliance) Church in Foley, Alabama, set sail Monday, January 10, 2011, from nearby Mobile for a five-day cruise in what was a long-awaited, exciting reunion. Hosted by Clarence and Rachel Hager, U.S. coordinators for the highly successful ministry to married couples, 16 couples from Canada, New York, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Alabama met for the first time in the Nachez Room on the Carnival ship “Elation.”
“While we have nine area Marriage Encounter weekend retreats across north America,” says Clarence, “this gave coordinators, presenters, supervisors, support team leaders, a musical couple and other alumni who have served behind the scenes an opportunity to get better acquainted and enjoy this unique fellowship.
“As a national coordinating couple, Rachel and I realized a dream come true. This was the first time in 14 years that Marriage Encounter alumni couples have met like this. Let me encourage readers to seek out and register in a Marriage Encounter weekend.”
In 2003, the Hagers officially became national coordinators of ALMA, with the purpose of helping more U.S. Alliance churches make ALMA a vital part of their church ministry. Since then, many Alliance couples across the country have attended ALMA, with life-changing benefits.
Learn More
To find out more about ALMA contact:
Clarence & Rachel Hager, coordinators
251-943-6176
Email: crh6951@gulftel.com
What You Can Do
Pray for the Hagers and their teams that facilitate ALMA retreats. Pray for couples to be drawn to Jesus and for marriages to be restored for His glory.
Help The Alliance complete the Great Commission by giving to Alliance Great Commission Ministries.
December 23, 2010
Leanne pulls up in front of the building where an after-school program is located and gives her 13-year-old son, Peter, a hug as he gets out of the old car. The single-parent mother promises him that he can have whatever he wants for Christmas, because she’s getting a substantial Christmas bonus from her employer. But her hope of granting her son’s request is shattered later when her employer informs his team that because of budget cuts, there will be no Christmas bonus this year.
Leanne and Peter are characters in a video production that will be presented at Community (Alliance) Church of Jesus Christ in the Bronx, New York, on Christmas Eve. Written and produced by church member Christian Igbinovia, “The Perfect Christmas Gift” is an evangelistic outreach designed to bring God’s message of peace on earth to residents of the New York City burrough.
The project is the brainchild of Igbinovia, who incorporated the gifts and talents of believers from Community Church as well as other area churches to form One Body Productions. Each of the churches that participated in the production will present the video as well. The story revolves around a woman and her son, a student in an after-school program, and how their lives are impacted by the compassionate touch of the Savior.
“When the idea came, I knew it was from God,” says Christian. “Instead of the customary traditional Christmas presentation, I wanted to do something different. That’s when I thought about making a movie. Once the thought was there, the script came quickly and clearly. It was all God.”
The church, pastored by Das Misir, had no budget for the project. But Christian believed if he was willing to obey God’s call, he wouldn’t have to look for the resources. “The Lord would provide everything we would need,” he says. “And He did!”
Christian’s passion to reach the lost is especially piqued this time of year when he observes people getting into a celebratory mode and participating in the rituals of the season. Many can’t explain the feeling the wells up within, but their yearning for the hope and joy that Christmas offers propels them on. “As the season comes to a close,” he says, “they are left disappointed because the peace and joy for which their hearts longed appears to have been nothing more than a fantasy captured only through stories of Santa and happy-ever-after Christmas movies.
“This Christmas, we want to seize the opportunity to point people to that Bright and Morning Star of whom an angel from God proclaimed, ‘I bring you good news of great joy that will be to all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2:10-11). This is the heart of ‘The Perfect Christmas Gift’- a message greater than any fantasy the mind could ever dream and more valuable than the production of any movie.”
This Christmas Eve, as New York City residents look for things to do, places to go, movies to see, and fixes for their inner thirst, the Community Church of Jesus Christ will open its doors with love and invite lost and lonely people to experience the perfect Christmas gift-Jesus.
Learn More
To find out more about the Community Church project, visit www.wix.com/wopchristmas/2010, e-mail wopchristmas@hotmail.com,
or call (718)-933-2812.
What You Can Do
Pray for God to draw people to the film presentation at Community Church of Jesus Christ in the Bronx as well as to the churches showing the film in other areas of New York City and in New Jersey. Pray for logistics to run smoothly without interruption. If you live in the area, take family and friends to the event.
December 1, 2010
Don’t blink as you walk through San Jose Christian Alliance Church (SJCAC); you just might miss one of the myriad outreaches taking place at this diverse mission that exemplifies the heart and vision of Alliance founder A. B. Simpson. The church, established in 1975 by Rev. Abraham and Lillian Poon to reach the Chinese community in what is now known as Silicon Valley, has grown into a multicultural, multi-ministry center that is meeting the physical and spiritual needs of thousands throughout the world.
Services are held in languages for six ethnic groups, including Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Khmer, Spanish and English. The English congregation is pastored by Ted Kang, who, along with his wife, Sandy, have been at SJCAC since 2002. Sandy oversees local ministries of the church, including the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program.
Teaching English
“Immigrants from Cambodia, Vietnam, Mexico, and other countries learn the English language from faithful volunteers who work long days and then devote their evenings to teaching English,” says Sandy. “God has brought many people to us.”
Students are placed in beginner, intermediate, or advanced classes, which meet in community rooms at the church as well as at a nearby apartment complex, where residents are comprised of large numbers of recent immigrants to the United States. At the conclusion of each class, the teacher reads a Bible verse in English, relating a personal story that makes the Scripture relevant and life-applicable. Teachers are open about sharing their faith and ask students for prayer requests. An annual year-end party is held, where students receive a full gospel presentation. “Many hands have been lifted to receive Jesus by students who were moved by these selfless volunteers who teach them all year,” says Sandy.
Services in Jesus’ Name also are provided to senior citizens, “who arrive every morning via public transportation to the church’s Senior Center, a ministry that recently celebrated its 17th anniversary,” Sandy says. ESL and citizenship classes, singing, ping pong and line dancing give the area’s elderly immigrants an opportunity for socialization. The seniors receive lunch daily before going home.
Meeting the Healer
The area’s homeless receive medical and dental treatment from medical professionals at the Silicon Valley Christian Health Alliance (SVCHA), located a few miles from the church in a building operated by one of San Jose’s oldest Christian mission organizations, City Team Ministries. Dr. Cheryl Thieu, SJCAC church member and internist at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, founded SVCHA with a like-minded colleague.
“God placed recognition of His provision in my heart at an early age,” says Cheryl. “I grew up in an environment where I never lacked any material thing, but I saw people around me who clearly were in need,” Cheryl says. “Through a local VBS in Cincinnati I learned about Jesus as a child, and I began attending church regularly in high school. It was during medical school that I began to hear the Spirit say, ‘I put you here on earth for a finite time. What are you going to do with the time and skills I have given you?’”
Cheryl’s journey brought her to the San Francisco Bay Area, where she met and married her husband, Douglas, whose Alliance heritage goes back to Vietnam. Douglas’ grandparents were members of a Chinese church established by Alliance workers in Vietnam, one of whom remained a close family friend until her passing. “Betty Arnold was our dear friend and attended our wedding. We are grateful for our Alliance roots,” Cheryl says.
Christian medical professionals from other churches participate in the ministry as well, and equipment for the medical and dental offices was donated. “The focus is really the work of God and His healing,” says Cheryl. “The more I do this, I realize how small my role is. I’m the gatekeeper of meds, but God is the one who heals.”
The Least of These
Halfway around the world, the wounded spirits of disabled abandoned children in China also receive the Healer’s touch through Living Stones, an orphanage founded by SJCAC in 2005. When the final payment of SJCAC’s mortgage was made in 2000, the pastoral couple, Abraham and Lillian Poon, had a vision for the church. “Pastor Poon said since God had provided so much, we would use our resources to help the fatherless, poor and needy,” says Amy Lee, SJCAC member. Five years later, the vision was realized in Living Stones Village, a home for the fatherless in Nankang, Beihai, China.
The facility is located on 80 acres of land, where construction of a self-sufficient community is under way. Children with missing limbs, polio, blindness, cerebral palsy, hearing loss and crippling burns are being cared for and treasured at the orphanage. Living Stones’ unique mission is to provide a loving family, education, training, and career opportunities for the orphans and the underprivileged in the community.
The multi-outreach mission also includes Living Stones Academy, an English language instruction school (K-12) that provides high quality education with a comprehensive and holistic curriculum for students of all races and creeds. Additionally, houses have been built on the grounds for “parents” who provide a home and family for children who otherwise would not have the experience. “Children whose heart cry was for a mom and dad are now living with ‘parents’ in homes at Living Stones Village,” says Amy. ”Most children with disabilities [in China] are institutionalized for life. At Living Stones Village and its education center, they are trained in how to live productively in community and contribute effectively to society.”
Relying solely on a donor base with no advertising, the construction is gradual. “We don’t have flowery days every day,” says Amy. “Sometimes we wonder where the resources will come from. Then these nameless lovers of Christ give and bless us with what we need.”
Equipping the Laity
Abraham and Lillian Poon also have established Pastoral Care School, an international, cross cultural, Kingdom ministry endeavor to equip Christian ministers and lay leaders to pray for the sick and set the captives free. The Poons, together with their ministry team, have conducted Pastoral Care School conferences in the United States and worldwide since 2002.
The school is a five-day experience of “living in God’s presence, experiencing His healing and being equipped to shepherd others,” says Lillian. With a heart to minister to Christian leaders, the Poons are empowering the laity to shine the light of Christ into some of the spiritually darkest corners of the earth. There are more than 2,000 Pastoral Care School alumni worldwide.
The Rest of the Story
Abraham and Lillian Poon are relentless in their endeavors to proclaim the risen Christ, His healing power, and His soon return. From their humble beginnings 35 years ago to the extensive ministry outreach today, the power of God at work through San Jose Christian Alliance Church is evident, but it’s not over yet.
”The first 15 years of [SJCAC] was about getting established and having our own church home,” Abraham says. “Then the Lord renewed the church for the next 10 years before giving us His vision in the year 2000: ‘Every believer is a missionary, either here or there.’ In the last 10 years, we have sent out more than 20 workers into various mission fields, and a number of local outreach efforts for the church’s immediate neighborhood are providing compassionate care for the poor and needy. The story has only just begun.”
Learn More
Read how U.S. Alliance churches are impacting their communities.
Find an Alliance church near you.
What You Can Do
When you give to the Great Commission Fund, you partner with Alliance workers at home and abroad in sharing Christ’s message of hope with those who need good news.
November 1, 2010
There were no tricks for the children who attended Kapahulu Bible Church’s (KBC) alternative to Halloween in Honolulu. Kids were treated to games, balloons, and the gospel message at the church’s annual Light up the Night Halloween event. “We see close to 500 people because this is seen as a safe neighborhood,” says Pastor Jim Stern.
Nearly 40 church members participated in the outreach to build friendships with local children and their parents. “Its good when people can realize church is a safe and a fun place,” says church member Dave Sakoda. “It can break the stereotype that everyone has of the church. It’s a great opportunity to reach out to the community.”
Light up the Night is one of several KBC Waikiki area outreaches, which includes Common Grace, a mentoring program in which the church partners with public schools to give needed assistance to non-English speaking elementary students. Pastor Stern and his wife, Anna, who served as Alliance international workers in Hong Kong for 12 years before moving to Hawaii, use their ability to speak Cantonese to bridge the gap not only with the students but also with their parents and teachers. “As trust with the children and their parents builds, new doors open up for us to show the love of Jesus,” the pastor says.
Providing fun, entertaining activities as a substitute to the traditional door-to-door solicitation for sweets gives KBC believers an opportunity to share the love of Jesus as they open their hearts to the children in a safe environment with no cost to the parents. “This is a way to bless the community, and it’s all free,” says Natalie Poon, church member and Campus Crusade for Christ intern. “[Church member] Auntie Donna shares the gospel through her balloon animals, and the kids get a yellow magnet with the gospel message.”
Other activities included a duck race, pumpkin toss, and bean bag toss with free snow cones for everyone as the high school youth group helped the children through the maze of amusements. “And with plenty of candy for all, their ‘sweet tooth’ was satisfied,” says church member Steven Phillips. “It’s great to have our congregation work together to give kids an alternative Halloween celebration, knowing we are impacting lives for Jesus as we shine His light into a dark night.”
Learn More
For more information about Kapahulu Bible Church, contact Pastor Stern at kb.church@hawaiiantel.net.
Read what other U.S. Alliance churches are doing to impact their communities for Christ.
September 30, 2010
By Pastor Dave Prosser, Onamia Alliance Church, Minnesota
When leaders at the Northwestern District Office contacted me about the pastoral opening at Onamia Alliance Church, there was one piece of information they did not know—I had been praying for 17 years to be the pastor of this church in the town of Onamia with a population of only 905. God has a plan, and He knows the times.
When I came to Onamia, an average of 23 people attended each Sunday. The District Office had considered closing the church. Now, two years later, 50 people call Onamia their home church. My wife, Leslie, leads children’s ministry with 17 members. On Wednesday evenings, Awana youth ministry hosted 25 children in 2009, and we are gearing up for a larger number this coming year.
There have been numerous decisions for Christ during the past two years. Recently, 14 people were baptized, ranging from ages 4 to 90. Dick, the oldest, was born and raised in Minnesota and, like many, was baptized as an infant. But when the 90-year-old man heard the biblical teaching about the believer’s baptism, he said, “I knew it was time for me to publicly follow Jesus.” Dick is loved by everyone at our church, and he knows he is truly loved by Jesus.
The first to enter the cold waters of the Rock Lake, Dick led the other 13 in their commitment to follow Jesus in baptism. The result of his decision to go public was a huge statement to our church and to people in our community; it was as though many who came wanted to witness his baptism.
Since joining The Alliance in 1987, I have continued to hear then District Superintendent and now President Gary Benedict say, “Keep the main thing the main thing.” Here at Onamia Alliance Church, we are ordinary people empowered by an extraordinary God who wants us to reach, serve, and grow our community and our world for Jesus Christ. If anyone ever wonders about God’s timing, I would give a word of encouragement-hold on and keep praying.
Learn More
Read how U.S. Alliance churches are impacting their communities.
Find an Alliance church near you.
What You Can Do
When you give to the Great Commission Fund, you partner with Alliance workers at home and abroad in sharing Christ’s message of hope with those who need good news.
August 30, 2010
“The woman was suicidal,” says Guaren Long, administrative director and treasurer for Hillside (Alliance) Community Church in Wrightwood, California. “Honestly, counseling someone with such hopelessness was out of my realm, but I survived cancer 20 years ago and understood what it meant to be at a low point. I was not threatened by Mary’s* words and boldly shared my hope in Jesus.”
Approximately 700 people attend the Alliance church in Wrightwood, a close-knit community nestled in southern California’s San Gabriel Mountains. Two neighboring towns, Phelan and Piñon Hills, create the basis for the church’s original name-Tri-Community Alliance Church, established in 1982 and pastored by Terry Morrow since 1995. Mary, a Phelan resident, is one of many people who are finding Jesus through Hillside’s inclusive outreaches.
Through Christmas events, sports camps, and ministries to women, children, and homeless people, Hillside is making a Kingdom impact in the tri-community. “Some of our outreaches are spontaneous,” Guaren says. “When we see a need in the community, we try to fill it. Mary was here because her daughter had been invited by a friend to a mid-week kids’ program. Instead of driving back and forth to pick up her daughter, Mary decided to wait. The other mothers participated in a Bible study, but Mary was hesitant to join them.
“‘Do I have to stay here?’ she asked me. She looked like she’d had a pretty rough life, and I saw this as an opportunity to share Christ. When I invited her to talk with me in another room, Mary opened up about her desire to end her life. We talked for an hour. She began coming to church, accepted Jesus as her Savior, and I’m still discipling her. It’s been a long, hard road, but Mary has seen God work in her life.”
Lighting the Way
With church growth came the need for expansion, and the Alliance Development Fund (ADF) is playing a key role in Hillside’s building project. With a loan from ADF, a new sanctuary is under construction. Currently, there are two services in the church, with a “chapel/coffeehouse” that broadcasts the service into another room to about 50 people. “It’s a safe place for visitors who aren’t so sure they are ready for the whole church thing,” says Guaren. “But they get the same music and message. It’s a good spot for people to check us out; some just prefer a more casual environment.”
The building campaign also includes a soccer/baseball field that “will be open to the community,” Guaren says, “using it as an opportunity to draw more families. We also open the church to groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Alanon, and Weight Watchers, providing a place to meet free of charge.
“As Hillside Community Church grows into a multi-ministry center, it will be a shining light in the community, bringing the hope of Jesus to lost and hurting people.”
*name changed
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