When God desires to nudge His children into an area where He wants His Kingdom extended, He will often times put the beginning steps on the heart of one of His children in the form of a burden. Certainly because our Holy Spirit is working ahead of us in building His church, I witnessed this phenomenon when I had the great privilege to meet with Texas Area leadership and hear some wonderful testimonials of His work. He is actively working to stretch and to call new leaders to step through some new doors to join with Him in ministry.
Chase and Kristina Davenport have worked for a number of years in the area of youth ministry serving Friends Community Church of Angleton Texas. As they shared the story of the transition they see ahead for their ministry, they spoke of the reality of the cultural differences in the north and south of Brazoria County Texas, and how their burden to serve young people may open some new doors. Over the last few years most of their students have resided in the northern communities of Alvin, Pearland and Angleton Texas. As they anticipate the growth of their youth groups, it appears that many of their future students will reside in the southern communities of Lake Jackson, West Columbia, and Angleton, Texas. So they shared their burden for these young adults whom they feel now could be open to allowing someone to step in and disciple them further as a potential new core group for a possible new church in Alvin Texas. We were asked to pray for Joey Fleming, who may be the person of peace at the core of this group, and for his girlfriend, Jessica, along with numerous others.
Don and Shar Owens, who have labored over the last few years in the ministry with Bayshore Friends Church in Bacliff, Texas also shared. We were encouraged to hear other stories of how their burden moved them to a vision for ministry. Don and Shar saw struggling people with addictions and many other issues of life in their communities of Bacliff, San Leon, and Texas City. They also told of the community outreach that they call Texas Tent Ministry, where they organize and serve with other area churches to hold old-fashioned revival services occasionally in their city. They shared of individuals who are now in new relationships with God and with others and how they are sharing in ministry. Their burden for these ones has grown over time, to include a Thursday evening gathering for praise and worship around a fellowship meal and encouragement for all. A good number of these new relationships have provided a growing edge for the Bayshore Church. We praised God for how these burdens had grown into significant visions for new ministry.
In addition, Texas Area leadership was thrilled with an impassioned testimonial from Walter Ginn Lawson of Friendswood about his desire to help each one he meets to know Jesus and to understand and obey God’s Word. Walter shared from his background as the son of a Korean mother and an American soldier father that he was able to track down and meet after coming to the states as a young adult. He later served in the naval forces as a sea captain and eventually retired from the management of Houston’s largest commercial airports. He currently teaches aeronautical engineering at a local college and teaches and serves in the church at every opportunity. Certainly the stories of the evening were an inspiration to all. Pray with us as we strive to determine how to come alongside what our Holy Spirit is doing among us.
-Randy Littlefield, Associate Superintendent of Multiplication Ministries
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