Rev. Crosbert SmithThis past week, a team of 19 from Cross Lanes Baptist Church journeyed to the hills of Jamaica to do mission work. This was our fifth year in a row working in the same area. Rev. Crosbert Smith and his wife Joan serve the Bamboo Circuit of Churches in St. Ann's Parish. The churches are Lilyfield Baptist, Mt. Zion Baptist, Sturgetown Baptist, and Philadelphia Baptist. We have been blessed to be in all four churches at one time or the other.
This particular trip took us to an area that was new to us, Shawberry. There is a work there that is a Baptist Study House that was started by the Sturgetown Baptist Church, and is now beginning to really take shape. People have been meeting there once per month but there are plans for there to be regular Worship and Sunday School. The church that is taking shape will be called Ingram's Memorial Baptist Church. Our team conducted Vacation Bible School there and we also held evening services.
We returned again this year to Sturgetown Baptist and held Vacation Bible School for 180 children as well as evening services. The week concluded with my preaching in a joint worship service of all of the circuit churches on Sunday morning at Mt. Zion.
There are great needs in Jamaica, both physical and spiritual. Our hearts have been blessed to make the connection with the people there and have opportunity to partner with them on an ongoing basis to take the Gospel to those who need to hear it. We are thankful to God for the many decisions that were made for Christ during the week.
As I reflect on the week, several thoughts come to mind related to missions:
1) Participation in mission work expands your worldwide vision for what God is doing. God is at work all around us and He is at work to the ends of the earth. What a privilege it is to be a part of what God is doing in His Kingdom!
2) You always gain more than you give when you participate in mission work. We were so blessed by the people last week and our opportunity to serve them. As you give of yourself and your resources, God leads you to give more. You absolutely cannot outgive God.
3) God changes your heart through mission work- If a person can go do mission work and return home unchanged, something is desperately wrong spiritually.
I would ask for your prayers for the people of Jamaica. Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to bless Pastor Smith and the work there. Pray that a spiritual revival would come to the island. Pray that God's glory would be known among the peoples!
This particular trip took us to an area that was new to us, Shawberry. There is a work there that is a Baptist Study House that was started by the Sturgetown Baptist Church, and is now beginning to really take shape. People have been meeting there once per month but there are plans for there to be regular Worship and Sunday School. The church that is taking shape will be called Ingram's Memorial Baptist Church. Our team conducted Vacation Bible School there and we also held evening services.
We returned again this year to Sturgetown Baptist and held Vacation Bible School for 180 children as well as evening services. The week concluded with my preaching in a joint worship service of all of the circuit churches on Sunday morning at Mt. Zion.
There are great needs in Jamaica, both physical and spiritual. Our hearts have been blessed to make the connection with the people there and have opportunity to partner with them on an ongoing basis to take the Gospel to those who need to hear it. We are thankful to God for the many decisions that were made for Christ during the week.
As I reflect on the week, several thoughts come to mind related to missions:
1) Participation in mission work expands your worldwide vision for what God is doing. God is at work all around us and He is at work to the ends of the earth. What a privilege it is to be a part of what God is doing in His Kingdom!
2) You always gain more than you give when you participate in mission work. We were so blessed by the people last week and our opportunity to serve them. As you give of yourself and your resources, God leads you to give more. You absolutely cannot outgive God.
3) God changes your heart through mission work- If a person can go do mission work and return home unchanged, something is desperately wrong spiritually.
I would ask for your prayers for the people of Jamaica. Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to bless Pastor Smith and the work there. Pray that a spiritual revival would come to the island. Pray that God's glory would be known among the peoples!
