What a Privilege We Have!

By Pastor Bennett

It is amazing the privilege that God has allowed us to enjoy as a church. Throughout the week, we as a congregation, have the privilege of enjoying a beautiful new building and the ministries that it allows us to be involved in. Almost every night of the week an activity, a Bible study or a meeting is taking place here at The Chapel. Hearts are being changed, lives are being stretched, and the name of Jesus Christ is being praised. What a privilege!

I am also amazed by the privilege we have as a church to impact Russia for Jesus Christ. A few years back, God opened the door for The Chapel to provide the financial support for our two Russian pastors, Dimitri and Slava. That financial support allowed these two pastors to impact the city of Yaroslavl.

Next came the opportunity to supply the financial help they needed to complete their church building. What a beautiful building they now worship in and what a great testimony that building is to the community surrounding the church. It provided the Yaroslavl church with a sense of credibility to its neighbors, who were amazed at what God was doing at their church. And much of the work completed was because of the support from The Chapel.

Now, this year, we as a church are expanding our impact upon Russia by being involved in a training school for pastors. Seventeen men come to the church in Yaroslavl each week to study and gain an understanding of what the Bible and the ministry are all about. Many of these young men are being targeted to plant new churches not only in Yaroslavl but throughout Russia.

We as a church have joined forces with another local church to supply the financial backing for the school, as well as the teachers needed for the school. 

I wish that somehow all of us at The Chapel could go to Yaroslavl and meet these young men and sense how God is going to impact Russia in the years to come, and all because of your support and giving. What a great privilege God has given to us.

There is one final privilege that our God has given to us. That is the privilege of impacting for Christ the communities surrounding The Chapel in North Canton. Yes, there are many people in Russia who need to hear about Jesus Christ, but there are also many people right down the street from The Chapel, and right down the street from where you and I live, who need to hear about the difference Jesus Christ can make in their lives. The amazing truth is that God has given us the great privilege of ministering to these people, as a church and as individuals.

Along with these great privileges also comes the great responsibility of fulfilling our part to make sure that these people hear about Jesus Christ. Will you join with me in expressing our gratitude to God for the great privileges He has provided for us? Let us also renew our commitment to share Jesus Christ with not only a needy Russia, but also with the people we see every day who need Christ.

What a privilege we have!

Serving Together,

Pastor Bennett 

"May I Share Something with You Someone Once Shared with Me?"

(An Exciting Seminar)

Saturday, November 17   9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

The most important thing we can ever share with another person is The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here's an opportunity to learn a unique, non-threatening, comfortable method to share your faith which will take away your Fear of Rejection-Fear of Failure-Fear of Ridicule-Fear of Not Knowing Enough-Fear of Losing a Friend-and all other fears which are holding you back.

• Learn easy ways to broach the subject

• Learn to be a questioner, not a lecturer

• Learn how to keep the conversation on track

• Learn how to use The Heller Illustration (developed by a prominent Columbus dentist after being accused of being a phony Christian)

• Learn how to ask decision-making questions

And much, much more.

"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."    Daniel 12:3

Now more than ever before, they are asking. Will you answer? Register now by calling the church office at (330) 494-3419.

FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION

It is the responsibility of every church in Christ to take part in fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28.

The elected members of the Mission Board at The Chapel in North Canton strive to seek the most effective and efficient methods of reaching the world with the gospel. As our church has grown, so has our vision for reaching the uttermost parts of the earth. The board has made concentrated efforts to choose new missionaries who are primarily church planters serving in the least evangelized areas of the world. The ultimate goal is to help nationals establish self-reproducing churches. In fact, the purpose of the Strategic Bible Institute we support in Russia is to train national pastors who are church planters.

We hope you will be encouraged as you read the following up-to-date list of who you support in world missions through your tithes and offerings:

Missionaries/Foreign

• Philippines - Steve & Mary Bucy, SEND International - Church planters

• Bulgaria - Ed & Linda Cox, Navigators - Church planters

• Various countries - Matt Durant, Operation Mobilization

• Russia - Paul & Sherilyn Hostetler, Pioneers - Church planters, train nationals

• France - Jesse & Kim Johnston, Wycliffe Bible Translators - Church planting; UNESCO liaison

• Taiwan - Tim & Jennifer McCracken, World Team - Establish self-reproducing churches

• Spain - John & April McDuffee, SEND International - Church planters

• Russia - Bob & Louetta Provost, Slavic Gospel Association President

• Canada - Bob & Marlene Reed, Central Missionary - Church planters

• Philippines - Jeff & Julie Sanders, ABWE/HARA - Church planting

• Various - Charles & Phyllis Spicer, Overseas Council President

• Spain - Sam & Jill Tabiendo, Evangelical Free Church Mission-Church planters

• Japan - Bryan & Marcie Williamson, SEND Int'l - Church planters in training

Russian Partnership (via Slavic Gospel Association)

• Pastors Levdansky and Pleskach: monthly salaries for Yaroslavl Baptist Church pastors

• Strategic Bible Institute: partnering with Faith Bible Church to sponsor school for Biblical training of Russian pastors and church planters

Missionaries/Stateside

• Bowling Green University - Mike & Teresa Brown, Campus Crusade for Christ

• Florida - David & Nancy Dickens, Campus Crusade for Christ Headquarters, temp assignment

• Alaska - Bill & Michelle Diggins, Gospel Missionary Union - youth camp, discipleship, evangelism (SE Alaskan islands are part of least evangelized parts of the world)

• N. Carolina - Steve & Myra Ellis, Quest Ministries - reaching the lost and equipping others in evangelism

See the Chapel Missions Prayer Calendar page for current missionary prayer needs

HELPING ASIANS REACH ASIA:

The Sanders Family and their "Carabao" (Us!)

Submitted by Linda Troyer (for The Chapel Missions Board)

On Sunday, October 14, we were blessed to have Jeff, Julie, JoHanna and Jacob Sanders (the newest missionary family we support). They shared with the Adult ABFs how God is working in the hearts of Filipino Christians who have had 70 years of missionary influence.

The Sanders will be training and recruiting Filipino believers with a burden for missions and church planting. Filipinos can travel freely in nations often closed to American missionaries, and they adapt easily to different Asian cultures and can easily learn the languages. Because of the strategic location and strength of the established national church, efforts are being made to help them fulfill the Great Commission to neighboring unreached Asian countries, as well as to the Chinese and Muslim populations within the Philippine islands.

A gift was presented to The Chapel by the Sanders: a woodcarving of a Philippine water buffalo called a "carabao", which will be placed in a new display case budgeted for 2002. They explained that at their commissioning service, these figures were set on the platform with them to represent their supporting churches. A tag attached to The Chapel in North Canton's carabao reads as follows:

"Together, the Filipino farmer and the carabao work the wet and muddy fields that eventually yield rice. The farmer relies on the strength of the carabao to plant his crop. Without the carabao, his efforts would be in vain to plant and harvest the field. It is the unique partnership of the two that enables the farmer to turn the rich potential of the seed and the soil into a fruitful harvest.
As we work in the fields where God places us, we are ever mindful that we do not toil alone, but we are blessed with a team that allows us to plow, sow, and someday harvest. We thank God for our unique partnership, and we pray that our labors will bring forth much fruit for our Master. ~ The Sanders Family"

Please pray for the Sanders family during this time of uncertainty and possible dangers in the Philippines. They are scheduled to depart for the mission field on November 13, 2001.

Operation Christmas Child is Underway

Operation Deadline: Sunday, November 18, 2001

Operation Christmas Child is an outreach project run by the Samaritan's Purse organization, founded by Franklin Graham, which now delivers over 3 million gift boxes each Christmas to various parts of the world. Each box includes a gospel storybook. You can participate in this missions project by picking up a brochure in the lobby and following the instructions on how to complete the gift box. You can bring your gift-filled shoe box to the church kitchen no later than Sunday morning, November 18. If you have any questions, please call Sheri Miller (330) 896-6496 or Ruth Lair (330) 453-6819.

Please help spread God's love and peace to a world in need, by being a part of this special Christmas project!!