Time to Evaluate

Celebration Dinner

Next Saturday Christine and I are thrilled to host a special lunch to honour and celebrate our entire team of Evangelists and Intercessors here in Geelong who have worked so hard and closely with us over the last 3 years with Pizza Nights, Tree Planting, Kids Club and Labbo Pop Up Church. I also want to thank YOU who have prayed for us, supported us financially and guided us with words of wisdom, love and prophecy. We're honouring and celebrating these frontline warriors because it is so necessary to acknowledge those who reach out to the lost with the Word of Life. We want to encourage more people to step out and love their neighbours and help them find Jesus' redemption. 

Pop-Up Church is Growing!

Growing team of Evangelists

July was the best Pop Up Church we've ever had! There was so much love being shared around by the awesome Christians God is giving us and the warm-hearted locals who've come to enjoy Pop Up Church. God provided several new Christians who strugle with regular church and are seeking to serve the lost by sharing the gospel. I'm building relationships with these new folks. 

We had a wonderful meeting with the board of One In Christ Church who are committing to learn evangelism from us. Wow! They are younger and bring great worship and the lovely warmth of the Filipino people.

Winter Tree Planting

Six evangelists gathered on a rainy day in a tiny park in Corio, undeterred by the cold. We had blanketed the immediate neighbourhood with flyers and about 15 locals turned up with a positive spirit. They were happy to participate in gum-boot throwing and tug-of-war. We decorated tree-guards and then planted gumtrees in the park. 

We hosted a drama on Zaccheus, the tax collector who climbed a tree to see Jesus. Then we gave people the opportunity of responding to Jesus. Two children said they wanted to follow Jesus.

And Now for the Bad News

After the Tree Planting, we advertised a Kids Club, but no one came except our team. Then the following Friday we 'launched' Cross Training, our discipling course and again, no one came. On both nights we as a team talked deeply and prayed together. There are many reasons why the local kids didn't come, but we don't know what they are exactly. The one thing we know is that they didn't want to come enough to actually get here. Therefore, it's time to change.

Time to Stop and Evaluate

As we stop and reflect, we are weighing up the effectiveness of all our ministry offerings versus the effort and cost to deliver them. We also need the supernatural wisdom of God. Right now our work with the children of Corio (including our Playgroup) has declined in terms of attendance significantly over the last two months. This coincides with a feeling of tiredness I'm experiencing. Plus several intercessors have suggested a time of change has arrived. 

Prayer at Pop Up Church

Therefore, we've decided to pause most of our work with the local children and
families. We will continue Playgroup for Term 3, but pause Kids Club and Cross Training for the rest of term 3 and rest a bit. Instead I will focus more on Pop Up Church. We're thinking of launching a Home Group for interested folk from PopUp Church. I'm also thinking of trying a Men's Prayer Group of men from Bethel Church. 

I want to share these complex thoughts with you because we are an experimental mission group which tries to create new ways to lead the church to love the lost. 

WORDS FROM A PROPHET FRIEND

Thank you for having Pop-up church.

It means a lot to God that His people are at Labuan square touching lives.

God holds us accountable for how we minister to the lost. 

We win the lost by loving them with the love of God.