August News from Mission Surge

Dear Friends of Mission Surge,

I wanted to update you on the status of Mission Surge so that you can pray more effectively.

First, I have been prayerfully thinking through additional ways to communicate prayer requests besides emails.  I have formed a small, private Facebook page of faithful prayer warriors where I post prayer requests several times a week when my family and I are engaged in outreach or when there is an overseas need.  If you are interested in being a part of this FB page, let me know and we will discuss expectations etc.

Secondly, I wanted to let you know of some changes that are taking place.  Mission Surge over the past several years has taken on the role of supporting and encouraging several missionaries in Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Central Asia, New Guinea, and Indonesia.  It has become evident over the past several months that this is not what we are called to invest our time, energy and resources into.  As volunteers, who have several other responsibilities, it has become very time consuming.  Entrusted Word Ministries in Colorado will now be handling all of our international missionary’s support from this time on.  I will be increasing the time devoted to my personal ministry locally and globally.  I will also increase the amount of resources I produce in an effort to impact individuals, families, churches and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I will be able to invest more of my time in actual “in the trenches” ministry and less time in administrative work.  

If you are currently supporting our overseas partners, I will be updating the website this month so that you can go to missionsurge.com and see where to redirect your funds.

Finally, please pray for me as I preach at my former pastorate, Cleary Baptist Church, September 18-21.  Praying or Revival to begin in the hearts of the people there and the community.  

Please continue to pray for us that God would use our efforts here and overseas to advance His Kingdom….and if you are interested in learning more about what we are doing, please feel free to let me know!

In Christ,

Kevin

May 2016 News

Dear Friends of Mission Surge,

I know that it has been some time since I last wrote, but we made the decision back in December to begin sending out the newsletter once a quarter, instead of once a month, unless necessary.  However, if you have questions or want info in between, please do not hesitate to contact me!

I ask you to please, please take time to read the links below.  Please lift these requests to the Lord.

Please take time to read this Indonesia News and pray for the Johnson family.  This is a very serious and stressful situation.  They will covet our prayers!

Also please read this brief Italy News and pray for Andrea's son and his family as they go through this difficult time.

Also there is a report from the Rizley family found here: Spain Newsletter from the Rizleys

Mandy and I have been very busy as well sharing the gospel each week at the Abortion Clinic in Jackson, as well as leading a Bible study for almost 100 kids at the local YMCA each week.  We are also actively engaging a number of internationals who are temporarily in Clinton.  This is very exciting to us because they are from a country with virtually no gospel access.  It is illegal for anyone of this nationality to convert to Christianity, and if they do, they are put to death.  We are able to openly share the gospel with people from an unreached and unengaged people group in our own language in our own backyard!  I cannot go into detail about this due to the sensitive nature of the situation, but please pray for us as we are seeing God open doors and work!

Thank you for your prayers and your financial gifts.  God has been so faithful.  You are appreciated, your giving is bearing fruit, and your prayers are being heard.

In Christ,

Kevin

December News

Dear Friends of Mission Surge,

I wanted to write you on this first day of December to wish you a happy holiday season.  It is, in my opinion, indeed the most wonderful time of the year.  Thanksgiving is the perfect time to look back and remember all the ways that God has blessed us.  Christmas is the perfect time to look up and remember the gift of God in Christ that makes life worth living.  New Years is the perfect time to look ahead and recalibrate our lives!  I trust that your Thanksgiving was blessed, that you are getting in the Christmas spirit, and that your New Year will be better than the ones before.

I would like to ask you to pause during this busy season in order to pray for a few things if you would.

1.  We are getting moved in and settled in Clinton.  We are looking forward to investing more of our energy in leading Providence, reaching out to college students at Hinds, MC, and JSU, and we are excited about the relationships God has allowed to be formed with increasing numbers of internationals here that are from unreached, unengaged people groups.  We are really anticipating being missionaries to the international community here in the spirit of J.D. Payne’s “Strangers Next Door.”  If you haven’t read his perspective on missions at home you should do so.  Check it out here:  http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=5758      We are really excited about the multitude of opportunities and possibilities.  Please pray that God would lead, guide, direct, orchestrate, and work.

2.  It has become evident that one of three things must take place in my life.  I must either

A.  Raise roughly $600 a month in support so that I can continue pastoring and 

             leading the growing ministry of Mission Surge in a full time basis.

B.  Or I must find a job that will enable me to meet the needs of my family and 

             yet will be compatible with my ministry.

C.  Or, I must increase in faith and trust the Lord to provide for us in 

             supernatural ways.  God has been faithful to provide for us in 

             amazing ways again and again, especially since we started 

             Providence.  I could literally write an unbelievable book. 

So, I am in a position where I need guidance.  Maybe God would have us to press on and trust Him to provide in supernatural ways. There is value in seeing God work in that way.  There is also much in God’s Word about church planters, pastors, and missionaries being supported by multiple churches, friends, and fellow believers.   At the same time there is value and honor in being a tentmaker.  I am happy to take option A, B, or C.  Please pray that God would lead, guide, and direct me!  Please pray that if He would have me raise support that He would move people to give.  Please pray that if God would have me be a tent-maker for the first time in my ministry, that He would open the doors for the right job (I have applied for about half a dozen over the past month and have not had any offers).  Please pray!

3.  Finally, I have been invited to travel to Haiti in January, North India in late March, China in the summer, and the Philippines in late summer.  I also feel an urgency to visit all of our missionaries soon, which will be costly. Please pray that God would lead me to go when and only where HE wants me to go.  Please pray that God would provide, as He always does, for the work.

Thank you for Your faithful prayers and support.  

(SINCE ORIGINALLY POSTING THIS NEWSLETTER, I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT OUR NEWS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A REQUEST FOR FUNDING, BUT RATHER SOLELY A REQUEST FOR PRAYER.  PLEASE, AS YOU READ THE NEWS OF MISSION SURGE, PRAY FOR US AND THE WORK.  GOD WILL BE FAITHFUL TO LEAD, GUIDE, DIRECT AND PROVIDE.  THANK YOU)

Kevin