July Newsletter

Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief.-Dr. John Piper

God is good! Julia and I have been amazed at the love and generosity which has been shown to us over the past month. God has answered our prayers for prayer partners, finances, and a great time of transition. As of today, we have 180 prayer partners and have raised $7,601.33 (well over our goal)! Thank you for your prayers and partnerships. 

We have had a busy six weeks. After moving out of our apartment in Wake Forest, NC we spent a week with my family to celebrate my sister's wedding. We were honored to be a part of their special day. After Williamsburg we drove seven hours to Myrtle Beach, SC to spend a week at the beach with Julia's family. We had an exciting time body-boarding, tanning, watching fireworks, talking, and even seeing a shark!!! After the beach we drove back to Charlotte, NC and spent three weeks at Julia's parents house. While in Charlotte, Julia perfected her ability to cook from scratch. She made spaghetti, granola, syrup, pizza and chicken & pastries from scratch. Have no fear we will be eating good in Africa. I began to teach her how to drive stick, she is getting the hang of it, but yes my neck does hurt. We left North Carolina and drove to my parents house in Williamsburg, VA. The next day we drove twelve hours to New Hampshire. I was able to spend time with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We stayed at an amazing house on the lake, thanks to my Uncle. Finally, we spent three days in Williamsburg relaxing and gathering everything for training.

Julia and I leave for training on Monday, July 23. While at training we will be immersed in African culture and classes. We will be busy from sun up to sun down seven days a week and will not stop until we leave on September 19th. Training will include immersion in African culture. For example we are required to read at least three books relating to village/city life, issues related to money, and how to relate to individuals within an Animistic culture. We will learn the vision and the mission of the International Mission Board as well as how the organization operates overseas. We will learn how to balance school, work, and leisure time while living overseas. We will learn how to stay healthy as well as how to self diagnose and medicate when we are living in the "bush" without any access to medical personal. We will be required to work-out four days a week and maintain a low BMI. We will learn how our identity is rooted in Christ as opposed to our identity being rooted in how well we speak the language, our vocation, or our income level. Finally, we will learn how to share the Story of the Gospel in a West African context. (Here is a link to the story we will learn...The Story). 

Prayer Requests:

1) Please be in prayer for our time in training. Please pray that we would focus and engage in the classroom. Please pray that we would make friends with the fellow missionaries who will be at training. Please pray that we would enjoy our time and not solely focus on leaving in October. 

2) Please be in prayer for all of the paper work we will be filling out. Please pray that we would be able to think through the logistics and fill out the paper work correctly. Please pray that we would receive our VISAS and one-year Residence status. Please pray that we would receive (without crying) all of the seven shots needed for Ghana and our medical paperwork would be approved.

3) Please pray for the people of Nalerigu, Ghana whom we will minister to. Please pray that God would raise up believers from the many villages which surround the hospital. Please pray that our ministry would be fruitful.

4) Please pray for our team already in Ghana. Please pray for the Gibbs (missionary couple we will be working with), pray that they would continue to learn the language and the culture. Please pray for the doctors working in the hospital that they wouldn't get burnt out but would have the energy and patience needed to work there.

5) Please pray for our families. Please pray for our parents and siblings as we will be saying good-bye.

Thank you very much for committing to pray for Julia and I. We can not do this alone and need each of you. Thank you!

Serving Him,

The Welchs

A Godly Leader: Dr. Jerry Falwell

I found this letter on Facebook. The letter was written by Pastor Dwayne Carson and was written to student leaders at Liberty University. This letter helps to give a picture of the type of man Dr. Jerry Falwell was and the legacy he left. My prayer is that I would be able to leave a legacy like this man
............................................................................................................................................................

To our Fall Leaders:

As we wrap up the month of May we move into the summer very, very different. Our beloved Chancellor, fearless leader and wise pastor is no longer with us. The passing of Dr. Falwell on May 15, 2007 has brought about an indescribable pain in my heart. I was greatly impacted by his wisdom but more so his encouragement. I find myself today enjoying a deeper relationship with the Lord and knowing without question that I, along with thousands of others involved in TRBC and Liberty University will need to increase in our faith. I have been greatly helped by reading Joshua 1; Joshua 3; I Kings 2; I Kings 3; Isa. 6; Heb. 13; II Tim. 2; II Tim. 4. I
encourage you to read over these passages for yourself.

Ministering with me one of the things you will learn is that I believe in taking periods of time to reflect. I believe we need to pause to reflect on where we have been, what we have been achieving and accomplishing as well as pause to reflect on where we are headed. We are told in Hebrews 12 to run the race that is set before us - we are not just to be running.

I would like to take a moment of your time and share some reflections on things I learned from Dr. Falwell. It is my desire that the things that I share encourage us for our future.

I learned first from Dr. Falwell to be a person of Faith. Dr. Falwell can be described in many ways, with many terms. I think without question he first and foremost should be described as a man of faith. He believed God. He believed in the power of prayer. He stated that nothing of eternal significance ever happened apart from prayer. He preached many times from Heb. 11:6 - reminding us that it was impossible to please God without faith and that God was a rewarder of those who did express faith. Dr. Falwell was a man of faith.

Dr. Falwell was a man who had a great attitude. How many times did he state “you don’t determine a man’s greatest by his wealth or his talent, as the world does but rather by what it takes to discourage him.” I remember early on in my association with him that he stated “remove all negative people from your inner circle.” I believe his faith in God made him always look at life with a positive view. He just believed God could do the impossible. For me, I will always remember his positive attitude.

Dr. Falwell was without question a leader - He implemented ideas. He made things happen. What will have the greatest impact on me more than his leadership of his family, or TRBC, or LCA or LU or the Moral Majority or many of the other organizations he started, will be his leadership of himself. I am convinced that the greatest leaders lead themselves first. You never had to ask Dr. Falwell if he had his quiet time - early in the morning he was alone with God, reading through a one year Bible - reading the devotional My Utmost for His Highest - writing out his prayer requests. He lead himself in the area of integrity - being very careful of never giving the appearance of evil. He was a phenomenal Christian leader but I will take from his life the importance first of leading myself before attempting to lead others.

Dr. Falwell was a dynamic witness for the Lord. Over and over on TV he would share the gospel. I loved to watch him being interviewed by Larry King or some other reporter, knowing that he would be sharing the gospel. He witnessed personally - he started a church by going house to house. He would witness in front of a grocery store. Sometimes he would talk with a person, sharing the glorious story and sometimes he witnessed with a handshake. That is how he impacted me - the first time I met him I was 18 and was very involved in a sinful lifestyle - I jokingly say that he created Moral Majority because of people like me - I was in a store purchasing beer when I came face to face with him. He, seeing my long hair, seeing the beer in my hand, moved toward me and then to my surprise stretched out his right hand toward me and said “how are you doing, young man?” I will admit to being a little taken back - I expected a sermon – not a hand shake. Later, after getting saved, I read in Luke 15 about how Jesus was known as a friend of sinners. I thought about my meeting Jerry Falwell for the first time and concluded he was acting like Jesus - being friendly toward sinners. Dr. Falwell was truly a witness for Christ.

Dr. Falwell was an exhorter. He just believed that people could be Champions for Christ. He knew how to get you to want to excel at whatever you were doing. I know that what I will miss most from him is his encouragement. I am one of thousands that will state “he believed in me when I did not believe in myself.” I can tell of several times in which he called to just see how I was doing. He did that with so many people. I will take away from his words to me that he wanted me to be all that I could be for Jesus Christ.

Dr. Falwell was a man who loved to laugh. He told jokes - he pulled pranks - he loved to hit you - if in his truck he would love to try to run over you, to blow his horn at you. It did not matter who you were either - I saw him pull pranks on the Chairman of the board. My children will remember him for grabbing them at baseball games and tickling them. I often thought that Dr. Falwell was a man who truly enjoyed life.

Lastly, Dr. Falwell was a man deeply in love. He loved his Savior. I cannot prove this, but I think his favorite song was My Jesus I love Thee. He loved his wife. Hardly anyone ever saw Dr. Falwell cry. The first time I did was in a convo in the early 90’s when his wife was sick and had to be hospitalized - as he talked about her he choked up. You could tell he loved her deeply. Some of the greatest words ever spoken to me from Dr. Falwell were words that spoke of me keeping my relationship with Donita top priority and keeping it fresh. I can truly say I have had a role model in being a husband. He not only loved his wife, he loved his children. Over and over he stated “what does it profit a man if he gained the world and lose his family.” I not only learned from his example and teaching about being a husband but about being a father! He loved his church – TRBC – but let me quickly say that it was not the building – it was the people. Because of my role with the viewings that took place after his passing I was privileged to see thousand of people walk past his casket. I marveled at how many people just stood and wept. Some would come over to me and tell a story of something that Dr. Falwell did for them. It was so clear that the people of TRBC loved their pastor because he loved them. I will never forget the love he showed me and my family when my mother died. He and his wife drove out to my father’s home to visit with us and pray for us. And yes - he loved Liberty University. He was its #1 sports fan. He attended as many events - whether it be sports or music or plays or debates. But once again I have to state that will all that he loved he loved most of all his Savior.

I will never be same because of meeting – knowing – ministering with Dr. Falwell. And may that be true of all who knew him. I conclude my reflection by giving this challenge
May we all find ourselves living by FAITH
May we all daily have a positive ATTITUDE
May we strive to be a mighty LEADER
May we always be a WITNESS
May we strive to exhort and ENCOURAGE
May we enjoy life with much LAUGHTER
May we be known for demonstrating LOVE

Continue Strong,

Dwayne Carson

Monday Morning Humor

Last Letter: Deleting Facebook & Twitter

Dear family and friends,

As many of you know Julia and I will be leaving for Ghana, Africa very soon. We will be in Ghana for the next two years working with Chaplains in a local hospital. If you would like to watch a video of where we will be working here is a link (Baptist Medical Center). We are nervous and excited for what God has in store.

We will be living and working in Ghana for the next two years. Due to the internet access as well as the economic condition of where we will be living I will be deleting my Facebook and will be inactive on Twitter. This is a decision I have not come too lightly, as you know I love to Tweet, post, and blog. I came to the decision in large part because of the distraction Facebook and Twitter could cause overseas. We will be living without comforts of America and I believe the pictures and posts could cause our hearts and minds to covet America. Facebook and Twitter could cause us to covet time with family, friends, Air Conditioning, food, parties, etc. Also, while in Ghana we desire to be a good steward of the money which has been donated to us by the Southern Baptist Convention as well as by our supporters. We feel that spending time on Facebook/Twitter and never really engaging the Ghanaian people would not be what God has called us to do. Therefore, I will be deleting Facebook and going dark on Twitter on Saturday, July 21st at 9:00 pm.

I understand a lot of you have been following Julia and I via Twitter and Facebook and would love to stay connected with us while we are overseas. There are two options:


Number one, we will send out a bi-monthly/monthly e-newsletter. If you would like to be on the distribution list please send me a message with your e-mail address and I will add you to the list. This is the best way to stay connected with us.

Number two, we will be revamping my blog to focus solely on our work in Ghana. The blog will include written updates, a daily diary, as well as pictures. You may follow the blog in order to stay updated.

Thank you for your support and encouragement on Facebook and Twitter. We will be back in two years and if Facebook and Twitter are still utilized we will jump right back into the conversation. We love you.

Serving Him,

T Elliott & Julia Welch

Monday Morning Humor: 4th of July edition

Sermon: God's love for sinners

INTRODUCTION:

·        Good Morning!

·        My name is T Welch

          Married to Pastor Bledsoe’s oldest daughter Julia

·       Many of you know Julia and I will be leaving in October in order to travel to Ghana, West Africa. 

·        Thank you for holding the rope and the privilege of sharing our heart for ministry.

This morning I would like to share our heart for missions from 1 Timothy 1:12-17.

          1 Timothy 1:12-17

          1 Timothy 1:12-17

Main Point: God loves sinners

                   God’s love for sinners saves

                   God’s love for sinners motivates

                   God’s love for sinners compels praise

Read: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

          ¹² I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry— ¹³ one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief. ¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.¹⁵ This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” —and I am the worst of them. ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only^[a] God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

PRAY

1) God’s love for sinners saves:

PAUL’S TESTIMONY: (1:12-15)

Paul shares his testimony in verses 12-15. You know the story, the Apostle Paul when he was an unbeliever was incredibly zealous and devoted to Judaism. He was so zealous that he hunted down and killed Christians. He was responsible for the deaths and persecutions of many, many Christians-truly a mass murderer. On his way to kill Christians in Damascus, it was there on that road, where the  risen Christ appeared to Him. Christ blinded His eyes! It was on this road where the man who thought he saw had to become blind in order to truly see. This was an encounter he never got over. And he would write in verse 15, “This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-and I am the worst of them.

God love for sinners saved Paul and God’s love for sinners saved me:

MY TESTIMONY:

I grew up living for myself and living for the moment. After high school I became a fire-fighter, I continued to live recklessly and for myself. I would work hard in the fire departments, but on my days off I would cope with alcohol. I spent many nights passed out on bathroom floors. Through a series of deaths and bad accidents, I began to realize I wanted to help people on a larger scale. I approached my boss and asked him where I could go to learn how to help people, my boss said Liberty University. All I wanted to do in college was party, drink, and learn. When I arrived in August and learned Liberty students took their Christian faith seriously, I was furious. I hated everyone. Even though I hated everyone the Christians at Liberty loved me, through their love and self-less actions the walls around my heart came crumbling down. One night I struck up a conversation with a leader on my hall. He explained to me through the use of the law that I was a sinner. At the end of the conversation, I understood that I was guilty before a holy God and if God were to judge me by the Ten Commandments He would send me to Hell. He left that night without explaining the story of Jesus. He understood that I was not ready to hear the Good News and needed to spend the night thinking about the weight of my sin. I spent all night terrified before a Holy God. I knew if I were to die I would go to Hell and I did not know how to fix myself. The next morning a traveling evangelist came and spoke on the love of God found in Jesus Christ. Not finished with his sermon yet, and I knew that I wanted Christ. I had seen others going down to the altar and I thought that is what you had to do to be saved. Therefore, ¾ of the way into his talk I stood up and went down. In October, 2006, I was able to say with the Apostle Paul, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-and I am the worst of them.

1) God’s love for sinners saves.

2) God’s love for sinners motivates:

          (1:16) ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 

Paul never got over his salvation. Paul was motivated to be involved in missions because of God’s love extended to him (the chief of sinners). Paul’s reasoning was that if God saved the chief of sinners than he could save any one. Pastor John Piper writes, “God saved the chief of sinners to demonstrate that no-one is beyond the saving arm of Christ.” (REPEAT)  God’s love for sinners motivated Paul to be involved in three missionary journeys and in less than twenty years, he would be able to say that all of the known world had heard of Christ.

God’s love for sinners motivated Paul and God’s love for sinners motivates Julia and I. God’s love for sinners is the reason why Julia and I are putting our belongings into storage and traveling to Ghana, Africa. We will be moving to the Northern most part of Ghana and working in a Baptist Hospital. We will work with the chaplains at the hospital; engaging the patients in evangelism. I would like to direct your attention to the screen in order to watch a video which will provide a picture of where we will be working….

VIDEO: (Baptist Medical Center)

Our mission may be broken down into three points:

Engage, Advance, and Co-labor. We will engage the patients in evangelism, advance the Gospel in the villages, and co-labor with the Chaplains at the hospital.

Engage: (African Tribal Religions: Spirit and Ancestor Worship and Islam) most individuals who come to the hospital live in remote villages and have little to no access to the Gospel. There is only a 2% evangelical witness in Nalerigu. Men are typically the hardest to reach, however the hospital provides inroads. The doctors will engage the patients with their physical needs and we will engage the patients with their spiritual needs. The doctors will give a cup of cold water and we will share about Jesus who is the living water.

Advance: We will have an opportunity to advance the Gospel among the villages. As individuals in the hospital become believers or desire to learn more about Christ we will follow up with them in the villages. Our goal will be to disciple new believers, evangelize, and plant churches which plant churches.

Co-Labor: We will be working with a team of seven chaplains. Part of my job will include training the chaplains in the area of evangelism as well as discipleship. Julia will also have an opportunity to train and disciple Pastor wives.

1) God’s love for sinners saves

2) God’s love for sinners motivates

Finally, God’s love for sinners compels praise:

1:17: ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only^[a] God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

King: God’s sovereign right to rule. He is in complete control, nothing takes him by surprise. Great comfort as we prepare to go; lots of unknowns, however, God will not be surprised He knows it all.

Eternal, immortal: He has always existed. He is alive. He was the living God when the universe was created. He was the living God when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth. He was the living God when America was founded. He was the living God when each of us were born and He will be the living God ten trillion ages from now when this building has fallen apart, and all of us in this room are dead, He will still be alive!

Invisible: Spirit, Our words cannot fully explain Him. He is greater than us.

Only God: Jehovah, God of Christianity is greater than the demons found in ATR and the demon Allah found in Islam. The people of Nalerigu must be told about Christ because Allah is NOT worthy of their worship, NO Christ is the Only God worthy of their worship. The hundreds who follow ATR must be told that there is a God and He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Honor and Glory: All individuals have been created to bring God glory. The problem is God’s glory is dishonored among the people of Nalerigu. Julia and I will leave behind everything in order to proclaim God’s glory among the people of Ghana, Africa. We go to proclaim…

A valuing of God above all that is valuable.

A loving of God above all that is lovely

A savoring of God above all that is sweet.

A prizing of God above all that is precious.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, we must remember that God loves sinners. His love for sinners saves, His love for sinner motivates and His love for sinners compels worship. If you would like to partner with Julia and I there will be sheets in the back you may sign to receive an e-newsletter. Fill out your name and email address. If you do not have an email address fill in your home address and the church will print out the newsletter and mail it to you. We would love to talk with you more about our ministry in Ghana. We would love to answer your questions. (LUNCH.) (Thanks).

Dear Cancer:

Dear Cancer,

I hate you! I hate that you have destroyed families for years. I hate how you have taken millions of individuals from this Earth. I hate how you have widowed husbands and wives; how you have taken parents from their children and children from their parents. I hate how you have affected millions upon millions of individuals. I hate how you have been able to evade our best scientists. I hate that a cure for cancer has yet to be found. I hate you!

However, I know that your reign will NOT last. You will be destroyed. You may be destroyed when God in His common grace opens the eyes of scientists to discover a cure, however, you will definitively be destroyed when Christ returns. One day Christ will return and establish His Kingdom on this Earth and you, cancer, will be no-more. I long for that day. I long for the day when I will join in with the trillions of individuals who have been affected by cancer and we will celebrate your demise. Cancer, you, are not eternal, or all powerful though you appear to be. No, Christ is the only eternal, all powerful one and HE WILL DESTROY YOU. One day, cancer, you will be no more!

Longing for that day,

T Elliott Welch

Monday Morning Humor