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| Oh yes...fun times on the ferry! :D |
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
A Chosen Priesthood, A Holy Nation
There is no better place, there is no better time to experience excitement, joy, unity and friendship than when believers are gathered in Christ's name for the sake of the call of missions. There is something in my heart that stirs every time that missions is mentioned, or I get together with other believers, celebrating what God has done. For the Christian, I think there is no greater joy to know that the name of Christ is being glorified around the globe. In this pluralistic and secular society, it can be very disheartening to see the blatant rejection of faith or religion around us. It is vital, then, for believers to gather together, strengthen each other, and remind ourselves of what God is accomplishing in his world.
Missions Fest in Vancouver is one of the prime examples I have seen of believers gathering together for the sake of the gospel. A city-wide conference, Missions Fest displays God's work on earth through organizations, ministries, camps, speakers and films being highlighted of God's name going into all the earth through individuals who love him. I've personally been going to Missions Fest every year for almost a decade now, and each year I am touched with the power that is in the name of Jesus. Video clips of believers singing praises in Egypt, trafficked girls being rehabilitated in Cambodia, a husband and wife praising God in their captivity in the Philippines and three teenage boys who started a tie-dyeing company to support Rwanda are only a few examples of how God is using his people. I absolutely love the goals and vision of Missions Fest, to show believers the work God is doing and to get them involved, especially because these are the same goals and vision that God has shown throughout the entire Bible. There was a general session where they told the people who had gathered that although Missions Fest had started in British Columbia, Canada, this was not the only location of Missions Fest for this year! There have been countless Missions Fests in the United States and all over Africa, especially the Congo. Next year, many more countries are planning on getting on board such as New Zealand and Brazil, just to name a few. God is really softening the hearts of believers around the world as they catch his vision for missions and the importance of reaching out to the lost. I support Missions Fest 100% and I am just so excited to be involved with it ever single year!
A huge highlight this year for me was being able to have some amazing Christian fellowship and community while I was there. Since I am from the Lower Mainland, I had the opportunity to be able to see many of my friends and family at the conference. My entire family actually came on either the Friday night or the Saturday and although they were disappointed that I was unable to spend the nights at home, they were really happy to see me! I got to give my brother a big hug and realized how tall he had gotten and how talented he was getting as he showed me a song on his iPod that he had recently recorded. I am so proud of him :) I got to sit in Tim Hortons after one of the sessions and have a long chat with my dad and my sister about how life is going here at Kaléo, and what God had placed on my heart that weekend. My sister talked to me about how life was going on at home and the struggles she was having with friends and schoolwork. I was also able to have some dinner and talk to my mom about how things were going with her, and just catch up. It was so encouraging to remember that my family was the one who introduced me to Missions Fest in the first place, and how truly blessed I am to have a family who loves God so much. I also got to catch up with a few friends while I was there, and even meet a few new friends from Capenwray Bible School and from the Make a Difference or Die Tieing Organization! It is such a blessing to see how God brings believers together in unity, no matter where they are from. The love of Christ unites us all, and we are all together for the common purpose of glorifying God's name wherever we go. Praise be to His name!
"After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, "Salvation comes from our God who sits in the throne and from the Lamb!" And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God." - Revelation 7:9-11
"I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me." - John 17:23
Missions Fest in Vancouver is one of the prime examples I have seen of believers gathering together for the sake of the gospel. A city-wide conference, Missions Fest displays God's work on earth through organizations, ministries, camps, speakers and films being highlighted of God's name going into all the earth through individuals who love him. I've personally been going to Missions Fest every year for almost a decade now, and each year I am touched with the power that is in the name of Jesus. Video clips of believers singing praises in Egypt, trafficked girls being rehabilitated in Cambodia, a husband and wife praising God in their captivity in the Philippines and three teenage boys who started a tie-dyeing company to support Rwanda are only a few examples of how God is using his people. I absolutely love the goals and vision of Missions Fest, to show believers the work God is doing and to get them involved, especially because these are the same goals and vision that God has shown throughout the entire Bible. There was a general session where they told the people who had gathered that although Missions Fest had started in British Columbia, Canada, this was not the only location of Missions Fest for this year! There have been countless Missions Fests in the United States and all over Africa, especially the Congo. Next year, many more countries are planning on getting on board such as New Zealand and Brazil, just to name a few. God is really softening the hearts of believers around the world as they catch his vision for missions and the importance of reaching out to the lost. I support Missions Fest 100% and I am just so excited to be involved with it ever single year!
A huge highlight this year for me was being able to have some amazing Christian fellowship and community while I was there. Since I am from the Lower Mainland, I had the opportunity to be able to see many of my friends and family at the conference. My entire family actually came on either the Friday night or the Saturday and although they were disappointed that I was unable to spend the nights at home, they were really happy to see me! I got to give my brother a big hug and realized how tall he had gotten and how talented he was getting as he showed me a song on his iPod that he had recently recorded. I am so proud of him :) I got to sit in Tim Hortons after one of the sessions and have a long chat with my dad and my sister about how life is going here at Kaléo, and what God had placed on my heart that weekend. My sister talked to me about how life was going on at home and the struggles she was having with friends and schoolwork. I was also able to have some dinner and talk to my mom about how things were going with her, and just catch up. It was so encouraging to remember that my family was the one who introduced me to Missions Fest in the first place, and how truly blessed I am to have a family who loves God so much. I also got to catch up with a few friends while I was there, and even meet a few new friends from Capenwray Bible School and from the Make a Difference or Die Tieing Organization! It is such a blessing to see how God brings believers together in unity, no matter where they are from. The love of Christ unites us all, and we are all together for the common purpose of glorifying God's name wherever we go. Praise be to His name!
"After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, "Salvation comes from our God who sits in the throne and from the Lamb!" And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God." - Revelation 7:9-11
"I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me." - John 17:23
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