A Summer Of Missions Trips
An update from Leo Parris, Pastor at Covenant Fellowship in Glen Mills, PA and US Global Missions Coordinator…
Have you ever wondered if it is a waste of resources to send short term missions teams? I’ve wondered that myself, but after participating in several over the last 7 years, I’m absolutely sold on their importance.
Our bibles are full of greetings, trip summaries and promises to send others. They were a family of churches. That’s what we aim to be in Sovereign Grace. An ecclesiastical union bound by confession, but also a people committed in prayer, finances, and relationships. Missions trips are one way that we deepen these ties and catch a vision for what God is doing in His global mission. I’ve seen God transform my own church by visiting Costa Rica. I’ve seen aspiring missionaries move towards the field after spending time with our missionaries, and generous gospel patrons inspired to give by seeing first-hand the opportunities of gospel progress.
We are fresh off a summer full of trips that have strengthened our partnership, by God’s grace. Here’s just a few of them…
Latin America
In August, Bob Kauflin and Jeff Purswell from SG Louisville travelled to Juarez, Mexico to join Carlos Contreras in leading the Fieles Conference. This conference skillfully cares for the pastors and their wives in Mexico and in many other places in Latin American.
Rancho3M
Lakeview Christian Center (New Orleans, LA) has cultivated a partnership with a school and orphanage called Rancho3M just south of the U.S. border in Texas. This summer they led a 3-night Alpha course along with a mini-VBS. More than 200 people joined each night.
Six other SG churches also took trips to the ranch this year. Most of these teams focused on VBS-like activities for the kids, but also included evangelistic outreaches. One church sent a team of dentists down to provide dental services to the kids there. God is doing amazing things at the ranch!
Iglesias Biblical de Playa Azul, Costa Rica
This summer 5 different SG churches worked together to send 2 teams to continue strengthening our partnership in Costa Rica.
Iglesias Biblical recently planted another church in nearby Jaco. Covenant Fellowship (Glen Mills, PA) focused their team on construction work. They helped to prepare the new building in Jaco and to continue to improve the community in Playa Azul. Risen Hope (Prospect Park, PA), focused on a VBS for the students in Playa Azul.
But more than their specific activity, the biggest thing that these teams accomplished was taking our partnership one step deeper relationally.
Africa
Jim Brown (Crossway Community, Crestview, FL) and Keith Bunting (Risen Life, Melbourne, FL) along with one of his church members teamed up to visit Ector Makiliki and Christ Community Church in Ndola, Zambia. After spending time with the leadership team, Keith preached on Sunday. Then they travelled to more rural villages to minister to people there.
Doug Hayes travelled once again to visit Covenant Mercies locations in multiple places in Sub-Saharan Africa. This picture shows his most recent time with Zicki Chanda. I love how this represents our long-term partnership in Ndola with Wilbroad and Zicki, and now the current elders of Christ Community Church.
Asia-Pacific
At the end of the summer, I joined two other SG pastors to strengthen one of our partners in south east Asia. We were blown away by the progress of the gospel there. We ministered to the sick and ran a kid’s camp with the folks nearby. But the highlight of the time was when the church celebrated its first 4 baptisms. We heard people who did not know Christ at all 3 years ago testify to how God has transformed their lives. Marriages marked by conflict now full of peace, the lame now walking.
Because of the sensitive nature of many of our partners in Asia and some other places, we can’t provide information on many of our partners there. But much work is going forth in the harder soil of unreached people groups as well. Praise God!
Europe
This summer, two different teams were sent to encourage Grace City in London led by Pat Tedeschi. Trinity Cambridge (Cambridge, MA) sent a small team earlier in the summer, and Sovereign Grace (Marlton, NJ) partnered up with Greentree (Egg Harbor, NJ) to send a team later in the summer. These teams focused on street evangelism and passing out invitations to the church. As a result of their work, several new people have come to visit the church.
Praise God that He has made us a family of churches working together to join God in His global mission!
Maybe you’re wondering how these churches learned of these opportunities? If you’re interested in getting involved in a missions trip, I’d encourage you to first look to see what your region of SG churches is doing. Jump in on that as a starting place. But even if there are no trips planned, consider if God wants to use your church to start a regional trip.
If you aren’t sure where to begin, don’t hesitate to reach out to me (lparris@covfel.org). I’d be happy to point you in the right direction.
Leo Parris
