Mission Learning Center

Mission Learning Center (MLC) interest has gained momentum over the years and workshops have been scheduled where Sylvia and I and the Webb Chapel MLC workers are working together to make the workshops more informative by including an actual "simulation" at the next two workshops. First, in Garland, Texas, at the Saturn Road Church of Christ we do a 1 1/2 hour workshop and demonstration with actual students in an MLC 'simulation of Chile.' That will be Saturday September 8. Contact Saturn Road Church (Wayne McReynolds) for details on the entire workshop.

Then, Lord willing and the creeks 'go down' in Arlington, Texas, at the Global Mission Conference next summer (2008) we will do the same type workshop, this time doing the actual simulation on China. The discussion part will be about 1 1/2 hours with the real demonstration with children studying about the culture of China and getting their Christ-centered bible lesson at the conference. Joyce Hardin at MRN has the details on this agenda and curriculum.

More is going on than the MLC workshops. It is great to note that the eldership at the Lewisville Church of Christ in Lewisville, Texas, have given approval and encouragement for an MLC to be established in the congregation there where we will teach children three years old to 8th grade to be mission-positive as a part of their bible and christian education by the members of Lewisville. We have been members at Lewisville since December 31, 2006.

In May of this year we discussed a study we made with the help of many of you in the brotherhood, on the Decline in Membership of the Church of Christ and what some Solutions would be. I actually spoke an hour on the subject to about 75 mission-minded people at the Maywood Christian Camp in Hamilton, Alabama. From that presentation we were invited to discuss the work to increase our membership at Winona, Mississippi, at the World Evangelism offices. J.C. and Betty Choate and Wayne and Janet Barrier are moving that work forward and adding help to expand and further reach the lost with, not only the printed page in books and articles and magazines and papers, but now are planning a World Evangelism School of Missions.

A planning session was held there in Winona with about 25 mission-minded people discussing the school and the ways to increase our membership here in the U.S. and abroad. Curriculum and students, ideas and operation were all under the careful and watchful eyes ofthe leaders there, the Choates and the Barriers. But I believe many good ideas were generated to help that work move forward.

Then, from all this flurry of study and brain-storming and idea-generating discussions, we approached the elders at Lewisville again and they approved a workshop next year (in 2008) to address reaching the lost and working as strong christians to do the work as set forth in the New Testament. This will encompass both missions and serving the local community with service and teaching. This is a workshop that everyone in the brotherhood will be invited to attend. It will address some of our passivity in the church and some of the things we must do to regain our momentum as New Testament christians. We have many things, topics, and speakers already in the agenda and program. We are hoping to offer something for all members...evangelists, personal workers, missionaries and good members who work to help the cause of Christ, like bringing in the stranger, clothing the naked, giving food to the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, visiting the sick, and visiting the prisoner. Sound familiar? How about reading it in Matthew 25: 34 - 40. Those are some pretty critical "commands" by Jesus.

Okay, Christian People, let's shake any passivity or defeatism and get back in the game. We have sat on the bench long enough...we are players, not spectators in this battle. Let's give it what we have. God bless you as we work to glorify Him, Don Petty

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