Missions week

From the Pastor's Desk

In case you missed the announcement, on November 10, Wellspring will launch our Missions Ministry.

"Making disciples who hear God's voice beyond Wellspring." 

The week of November 10, we will have three mission-focused events: First, during our Sunday morning service, we will have Missions Sunday. We will invite all our local and non-local ministry partners, including representatives from two church plants. On Sunday evening, we will have our Adopt-a-Mission event, where you will hear from each of our ministry partners. We will have our Bless Our Partners event on Wednesday evening during our prayer meeting, during which we will pray for and bless our ministry partners. Afterward, we will have dinner together at the FLC. Visit our registration page to register for these events. 

Here is a list of our local ministry partners:

1. Mid Cities Women's Clinic - A crisis pregnancy center in our area.
2. Community Enrichment Center - A resource center that helps people out of cycles of homelessness and poverty.
3. My Father's Work - A ministry helping single parents and their children, run by Chuck Watson, a member of Wellspring.
4. I Can Still Shine - A ministry helping women and children fleeing domestic violence, run by Brenda Jackson, a member of Wellspring.

Here are our non-local missions:

1. Mission Barnabas - A Kenya-based ministry providing sound biblical training for church leaders, run by former lead pastor of Wellspring, Ronnie Matheny
2. Count Me In Global - A Kenya-based outreach ministry serving schools, prisons, and neighborhoods, run by a disciple raised under Mission Barnabas leaders, Karis Kirai.
3. Nation 2 Nation - A foreign mission agency that provides biblical training across Latin America and Africa, run by Brick Cliff, a Wellspring member.
4. Convergence Church OKC - A new church plant run by former lead pastor of Wellspring, Michael Rowntree.
5. Reclamation Church Denver CO - A church plant run by former Wellspring member Michael Miller.
6. MiCAF Iglesia Cuba - A nationwide discipleship movement in Cuba that baptized hundreds of people per year, run by Norlan Perez. Because of the nature of the ministry, there is no website, but you can find out more on their Facebook page, and you can meet him during Missions Week!

See you at Missions Week!

Notes from the Sermon

Sermon Title: "Hearing God's Voice through Signs & Wisdom"
Semon Video: Hearing God's Voice through Signs & Wisdom
Scriptures: Numbers: 22:32-33 | Prov 3:5 | Prov 15:22 | Prov 11:14 | Prov 12:15 | 2 Cor 11:30 | Acts 6:1-3 | John 11:49 | James 3:16-17

What we Believe:

• The Balaam's Donkey Approach–God sovereignly speaks through someone or something without their knowledge. 

• In the story, a nation asks Balaam to curse Israel. He refuses at first, then sleeps on it and decides to go, but the donkey tries to run three times before speaking to him. Balaam then sees the angel opposing him.

• God sovereignly speaks through people and things through signs, symbols, and directions that may require interpretation. Can God speak through circumstances or people that don't seem associated with God? Yes. God can move in very unexpected ways to impact those He will. 

• Ask the Lord for guidance, seek counsel, and recognize patterns in what could be aligned with what you need guidance for. Then, ask God for an interpretation of those things. God sovereignly speaks through people and things through signs, symbols, and directions that may require interpretation.

• The Wisdom of Others Approach-God speaks through the wisdom of others. 

• He wants us to seek advice from others. Proverbs 3:5 (trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding). Don't be a lone ranger Christian.

• Proverbs 15:22 (without counsel plans fail, but with many advisors they succeed). What if it's our job to get as prepared for what God has told us to do and not jump in blindly if not told to?

• Proverbs 12:15 (The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice).

How to Obey:

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

• Don't try to be an island or pursue guidance from God by yourself. God has encouraged us to lean on a community for counsel and support. A wise man listens to advice. Don't lean on your own understanding; God has a way to provide deeper understanding. Many times, this is in the form of the people around you rather than a loud, obvious voice from the heavens. 

• If you struggle with mistrust of spiritual leaders, remember that leaders need to be willing to share their shortcomings. 2 Corinthians 11:30 ( If I must boast, I will boast in my weakness). When we own our failures, God comes in and cleanses us. Make sure the community you participate in meets this description:

• Find a community that is willing to be vulnerable, listen, and confront in a biblical way. 

• When you find that group, seek their counsel. 

• The Bible tells us how to respond and confront in a godly way. The Word provides the structure for confronting and responding to a conflict. Confrontation is loving the other person.

• Being alone in your faith is not biblical. Community helps us on our path as believers. 

How to Walk Intimately with God:

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

• "…But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." James 3:17 lean into this verse. Wisdom from God is shown this way. Open your heart to trust the Word.