The other night we had some friends over for dinner, a couple we first met in our youth ministry many years ago. Now, just turning 30, they’re on the verge of taking a big step of faith. They’ve decided to quit their comfortable careers as a CAT Scan Tech and Dental Hygienist to pursue a new future as small business owners. This decision means leaving all that is familiar and safe, to relocate and start all over. It’s an action, which requires a big step of faith.
Their story took me back to a time in my life, when my wife and I did a similar thing. It was March of 1999, and we were about to leave our comfort and security to move to Oregon and serve on staff at a church. This was a big act of faith for us.
These types of decisions require faith and action. James taught us that faith and action are a partnership. In James 2:17 he wrote, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Faith with NO action is no faith at all. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was correct when he said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was correct when he said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”
Over the past few years, NextGen Ministries has been taking big steps of faith and action to re-introduce, re-educate and re-connect our OMN Leaders, to the importance of two Assemblies of God, age appropriate missions programs. Speed The Light (STL) for youth, and Boys & Girls Missionary Challenge (BGMC) for kids.
In 2016 we began to reap the rewards. BGMC saw an increase of over $8,500 in their giving. Our church in Yoncalla came in second in the nation for their size, giving $12,979 to BGMC. Additionally, participation with STL went from less than a quarter of our churches participating in 2015, to over one third in 2016. This is a significant increase. As a result, we were able to complete our STL Project for the Varis’s, Chi Alpha Missionaries to Portland State. Our next STL Project is for new OMN Missionaries to Northern Asia, the Craigs. They are requesting a Public Transit Pass, which will enable them to travel the city, building relationships with people so that they can share the good news with them. These are some Big Steps of Faith.
What Big Steps of Faith will you take this year for Missions?
Note: You can download a STL Project Bio and other resources to help us complete this project.
5745 Inland Shores Way N
Keizer, OR 97303
503.393.4411