29 May

Don’t miss the newest update from David Platt

Posted by calliepriest in Global. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Don’t forget…The new Brook Hills Global Blog has moved to a new and improved location!

Why is it we keep reminding you?  Well simply….we don’t want you to miss anything.  Including the newest post from our pastor, David Platt, as he travels with other staff elders in the Horn of Africa.  In fact there is an update on a family we prayed for during the last Secret Church.  You don’t want to miss this.  Here’s an excerpt from his post…

During this last Secret Church, we spent concentrated time in prayer for persecuted brothers and sisters in the horn of Africa. We heard from a particular married couple from a country in the horn…we’ll call them John and Andrea. When John and Andrea came to faith in Christ, John’s father virtually kidnapped John and Andrea’s children and hid them from John and Andrea. They still don’t know where their children are today. So on the night of Secret Church, we prayed that God would restore families to one another, particularly families where new believers are experiencing persecution and separation from the people they love most.  Well today, I had a conversation with a woman in the horn of Africa who is a Brook Hills field partner in this part of the world. She is the one who initially introduced us to John and Andrea. As we talked, she shared how John was going into various villages and sharing the gospel with anyone he can.

To read more visit the new Brook Hills Global Blog.

While you’re there, go ahead and subscribe to the new blog for automatic updates.  You can also receive email updates by visiting the new blog and inserting your email in the field to the right.

Thank you for following the Brook Hills Global Blog.  We hope you will join us over at our new place and participate in the conversation of making disciples of all nations.

Thanks,

The Church at Brook Hills Global Team

27 May

Follow David Platt in Africa

Posted by The Church at Brook Hills in Global. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Hello, everyone.

I wanted to remind you that we’ve moved our Global Blog to a new location.

I hope you’ll check it out because right now Pastor David Platt is traveling with some other pastors and elders from Brook Hills to visit some of our long-term missionaries and church planters in the Horn of Africa. Here’s a little excerpt from his latest post:

Brook Hills members know that at the beginning of 2011, we commissioned two of our members, along with their 1-year-old (at that point) son, to initiate and lead a Brook Hills church planting team among the Arundo in the horn of Africa. “Arundo” is a name we use to refer to one of the people groups that we have adopted and to which we are sending members. The Arundo are one of the most unreached, dangerous to reach people groups in the world. They are extremely resistant to the gospel, and they are desperately in need of the gospel.

Two days ago, we arrived in the city where our members are living. There are now three Brook Hills members here, and we will commission one more to join them here in June. (On a side note, there’s always room for more, if you’re interested!) Together, this team is learning the language of this people and preparing a strategy for engaging them with the gospel.

To read more visit the all new Brook Hills Global Blog.

And, of course, we’d love to have you subscribe to the blog so that you can receive your updates automatically. You can also subscribe to receive updates by email by visiting the new blog and filling in your email address in the field on the right.

Thanks.

21 May

We’ve Moved

Posted by The Church at Brook Hills in Global.

Hello, everyone.

Thank you so much for reading this blog and following along with us all that God is doing through the global ministry of The Church at Brook Hills.

We’re excited to tell you today that we’ve launched a whole new Brook Hills Global Blog.

Unfortunately, this means you’ll need to re-subscribe to be able to continue getting our updates.

But we want to make that simple for you. So, to subscribe to the new blog, simply CLICK HERE.

If you’d like to receive our updates as an email, you can visit the new blog and enter your address in the field to the right.

Thanks, again.

The Church at Brook Hills Global Team

17 May

Meet our Mid-Termers – Day 5

Posted by calliepriest in Global. Tagged: , , , .

Two Sundays ago, May 6th, The Church at Brook Hills introduced, prayed for and sent out 35 members of our faith family to spend 2 months to 2 years of their life serving around the world.  Last week we began to introduce you to these Mid-Termers and show you ways to pray for them as they prepare to leave.  We want to continue this process of introduction and encourage you to commit to praying for these individuals this summer.

 

 

CRAIG – South East Asia

Craig is originally from Indiana and will graduate in a few days from Samford University in Sociology with a minor in Business and Spanish.  He has been attending The Church at Brook Hills for the last year and has enjoyed being part of this faith family.  Last October, Craig began to think about going as a Mid-Termer.  As he prayed and sought out what this might look like he began to realize this time in his life was optimal for serving Mid-Term.  “I have no ties to hold me back which makes it easy to follow the Lord in where he wants me to go.  I see it as an opportunity to give a substantial amount of time in spreading His name to a place that is categorized as unreached,” says Craig.  Through prayer and guidance from the Global Team, Craig and two of his friends will be joining a field partner in South East Asia.  While they are there, they will be engaging college students through sports in order to build relationships to share the gospel.  When asked why he is going, Craig responded with this, “I read in Romans 10:14 that ‘how then can they call on the one they have not believed in?  And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?’ This breaks my heart for the unreached and leads me to go”.  Craig will leave in August to serve in South East Asia for nine months.

Craig’s perfects Saturday would consist of a day with friends hanging out at the park, playing sand volleyball or football and finishing the day with a cookout.

Ways to Pray for Craig:

- Pray for God to prepare the hearts of the college students Craig and his team will encounter.

- Pray that there will be unification grounded in the gospel for their team.

- Pray for Craig to be dependent on God and His word throughout his time there and not to lean on his own understanding.

 

 

JOSH – South East Asia

Josh grew up in Dothan, Alabama and is about to graduate from Samford University with a degree in religion.  He has been part of the faith family at The Church at Brook Hills for two years and has been highly involved with the College Ministry here.  Last year, through the encouragement of his college leaders, Josh began to pray about going as a Mid-termer.  “I decided that I want to spend my first few months out of college overseas sharing the gospel with people who have never heard of Christ.  I do not know of a better way to start my life after school than this”, says Josh.  His team will use their time supporting the work of a field partner by engaging college students through sports in order to share the gospel with those who have never heard it before.  Josh will leave in August and serve for 9 months in South East Asia.

Josh’s perfect Saturday would be waking up with coffee and getting into the Word, doing something active outside, going out to eat with friends for dinner and playing board games at someone’s house.

Ways to Pray for Josh:

- Pray for Josh to serve his teammates well.

- Pray for the Lord to draw college students to Himself.

- Pray for Josh and his team to not grow weary in the 9 months they are there but by God’s grace to work hard during the short time they are there.

 

 

JOHN – South East Asia

John grew up in south Mississippi and currently lives in Birmingham, Al.  He has been attending The Church at Brook Hills for the past year and has been encouraged through the teachings, church leadership and friends in his small group.  This past July, John began to consider going Mid-Term after what he describes as a time when, “God decided to gladly interrupt my selfish life with the joy of connecting the grace of God with the glory of God”.  This process of going Mid-Term has been challenging as this will be his first time overseas.  But he is excited at the same time that even though he doesn’t know what to expect he is sure that God is in the midst of it all.  John approached the Global Disciple-Making team with a willingness to go but with no direction on where to go or what to do.  He was open and willing and when asked about going to South East Asia he said, “sounds good to me”.  This willingness to go anywhere and to be up for anything has allowed for an excellent opportunity to share the gospel with an unreached people group.  John will join a team of Mid-Termers that will be using sports as a means to engage college students in a large city.  By putting on ultimate frisbee clinics, the guys will have ample opportunities to build relationships and share the gospel.  John’s past experience as a program coordinator at a summer camp will definitely help him with this role this year.  John will leave in June and serve for 7 months in South East Asia.

A perfect Saturday for John means having coffee in his left hand and a bible in his right hand.  After that he is good to go.

Ways to Pray for John:
- Pray for God to teach John to rely on the gospel and not himself.

- Pray for John to boldly proclaim the gospel while he is sharing with students in South East Asia.

- Pray the John will wake up dying to himself and live through the crucified life of Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:20).

15 May

Meet our Mid-Termers – Day 4

Posted by calliepriest in Global. Tagged: , , , .

Two Sundays ago, May 6th, The Church at Brook Hills introduced, prayed for and sent out 35 members of our faith family to spend 2 months to 2 years of their life serving around the world.  Last week we began to introduce you to these Mid-Termers and show you ways to pray for them as they prepare to leave.  We want to continue this process of introduction and encourage you to commit to praying for these individuals this summer. 

 

COURTNEY – Zimbabwe

Courtney Dunkerly is a native of Hubbard, OH but moved down south with her family a few years ago.  She is currently finishing up her third year at The University of Alabama in Birmingham where she is studying psychology with the hopes of serving special needs children after graduation.  Courtney volunteers at an intervention program for children with special needs.  Courtney has been a member at The Church at Brook Hills for almost two years and started thinking about going Mid-Term after hearing Katie Davis speak at Brook Hills about her experiences caring for children in Uganda.  “I just remember thinking how wonderful it would be to pour into a child’s life that has experienced so much pain and loss in the world”, said Courtney.  Through prayer and encouragement from the Brook Hills’ global team, Courtney decided to take an opportunity this summer to serve in Zimbabwe.  It has been exciting for Courtney to learn how to trust in the Lord and see His perfect plan develop through her obedience.  “I definitely don’t have any idea of what is going to happen next and it’s humbling to know that I am not in control of any of this”, says Courtney of her experience.  Courtney has had experience on short-term trips but has always desired the opportunity to stay for extended periods of time.  This summer she will have that opportunity while she serves elementary and middle school age children living in an orphanage.  Her main role will be to tutor the children for school and engage them with Bible stories so they can hear about Christ.  Courtney says, “I am most looking forward to investing in a new culture and forming relationships with the children at the orphanage and teaching them about God and His Word”.  Courtney will leave at the beginning of June and serve for 2 months in Zimbabwe.

Courtney enjoys being outside, being active and playing Frisbee or any other sport for that matter.  She also loves hiking and mountain biking. 

Ways to Pray for Courtney:

- Pray for Courtney’s family as they are fearful of the unknown.  Pray that they would trust in Christ with their lives as well as His calling on Courtney’s life to go and serve.

- Pray for God to unify Courtney and her teammate while they serve together on the field.  Pray for God to give wisdom in how best to minister to the children’s needs.

- Pray for the children and people at the orphanage Courtney will interact with daily.  Pray for God to open their hearts and for opportunities to share the gospel.

 

 

 

BRITTANY – West Africa

Brittany Yates grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and is currently in her last semester of school at the University of Montevallo.  Brittany has been a member at The Church at Brook Hills since 2006 and since that time has been encouraged and challenged to think through the command to make disciples and how the Lord is calling her to do this.  Brittany spent last summer living in another context, building relationship and in awe of the way God was working among a people who had never heard of Christ.  “That summer challenged the way I prayed, my dependence on the Lord and the way I served people”, says Brittany.  Through experiences in Short-Term mission trips, her time last summer in Honduras and her upcoming summer in West Africa, Brittany is seriously exploring the calling God has placed on her life to go Long-Term.  These experiences are helping expose Brittany to people groups around the world who have never heard the gospel and give her opportunities to see where God may be calling her full time.  Brittany will be spending the summer among an unreached people group.  She and her other teammates will be living in a village among the Housa people group.  The terrain is very difficult and life is not easy in the village.  When asked what she fears the most about her trip, Brittany answered, “I am most fearful about the physical effects of living in the village.  But I can’t imagine sharing the gospel any other way than by living among the people, getting to know their lives and gaining respect and trust to share about Christ”.  Brittany will leave the last week in May and serve in West Africa for 2 months.

Brittany enjoys reading a good book, learning about different cultures, spending time with her niece and doing something adventurous every once in awhile. 

Ways to Pray for Brittany:

- Pray for her family back home who do not believe in Christ to see her life as an example of the gospel.  Specifically pray for her ailing grandparents to be comforted by God’s promises while she is away.

- Pray for God to give Brittany opportunities to build friendships with the women she is living among.  Pray for Brittany to see ways to really serve their needs and have opportunities to share the gospel.

- Pray for Brittany and her team to be unified with one purpose to serve others and see God’s name glorified among the Housa people.

 

 

ELISA – West Africa

Elisa Coker is a sophomore at Jeff State in Birmingham, Alabama.  She is currently working towards her undergrad in English/ Language Arts with an ultimate goal in teaching English as a second language on the mission field.  Elisa has been a member at The Church at Brook Hills since 2007 and serves as the children’s leader with Brook Hills’ partner church Divine Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Gate City.  Elisa starting thinking about serving overseas a few years ago while praying through Matthew 9:38 and Isaiah 6:8 while leading a vacation bible school in inner city Birmingham at her apartment complex.  At the time she had no idea what that might look like but that she was willing to go and participate in sharing the gospel to those who had never heard.  After experiencing some challenges, God provided an opportunity to go Mid-Term.  This summer, Elisa will be serving with a team living in mud huts in a West African village.  According to the Joshua Project, Elisa will be serving in area that is home to 37 different people groups with 0.1% Evangelical Christians (Joshua Project).  She and her team will be serving among the Hausa people.  The Hausa number more than 20 million and is the largest ethnic people group in West Africa.  Most Hausa live below the poverty line and have little to no access to the gospel.  There has not been much work from missionaries among because of the difficult terrain and extreme climate conditions (Operation World).  Elisa and her teammates will have an opportunity to live the life of a Hausa, learn their language and culture, and engage them with the gospel with recorded audio bible stories.  “I am so thankful that God has included me to serve among a group of people where hopefully one day God’s name will be glorified among this people group”, said Elisa.  Elisa and her teammates will leave at the beginning of June to serve for 2 months among the Hausa.

Ways to Pray for Elisa:

- Pray for God to open the hearts of the Hausa people and for them to be receptive to the Word of God.  Pray for many Hausa to see their need for Christ and repent.

- Pray for the field partners and handful of Hausa believers currently serving to be encouraged by Elisa and her team.

- Pray for God to unify Elisa and her teammates as they serve in the midst of culture shock, language barriers and the harsh environment they will be living in.

 

 

11 May

Meet our Mid-Termers – Day 3

Posted by calliepriest in Global. Tagged: , , , .

Twice a year The Church at Brook Hills sends men and women from our faith family around the world to serve on a Mid-Term basis. This week we have the privilege of sending a new group of Mid-Termers out to different parts of the world.  A Mid-Termer is defined as someone who is serving and sharing the gospel in a different culture and context for 2 months to 2 years.  Each day this week we will introduce you to a few of these Mid-Termers and give you specific ways to pray for them while they are away.

CANDICE – South Asia

Candice grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky until she moved to Birmingham two years ago to attend pharmacy school at Samford University.  She started attending The Church at Brook Hills and after going through the membership process began to pray about going as a Mid-Termer.  It was during this time that Candice became burdened with the knowledge that there are millions of people who have never heard the gospel.  “I desire to go Mid-Term because there is an overwhelming need for workers to advance the gospel in regions such as South Asia”, says Candice.  She will be joining a team of four other Mid-Termers to serve with a national partner who runs an orphanage and ministers to exploited women in the city.  Candice and her team will be providing biblical training to new believers and discipling them as they grow in their faith.  When asked about what she is most looking forward to Candice replied, “I look forward to sharing God’s word and love He has for His people.  I long to see prayer and praise given to our Lord by the people of this region”.  Candice will leave for South Asia the last week in May and serve there for 2 months.

Candice enjoys going to UK basketball games (go CATS!), playing volleyball, traveling and being active in my pharmacy school’s organizations.

Ways to Pray for Candice:

– Pray for God to guide every step and prepare the hearts of those Candice will encounter.

- Pray for the people Candice engages to be receptive to the gospel and to fully realize their eternal destiny depends on their response to Christ.

- Pray for Candice and her team to be constantly focused on God’s heart so they can be used effectively for the glory of God.

 

 

ANNA GRACE – South Asia

Anna Grace grew up in Arkadelphia, Arkansas but is currently residing in Birmingham, studying psychology at Samford University.  Anna Grace has been at Brook Hills for over a year now and is highly involved in a small group.  Through prayer, Anna Grace is being obedient to the desire to go as a Mid-Termer this summer.  The process of going has been a challenging and exciting one for Candice.  “I was hesitant to go at first and felt like I should spend my summer working or taking classes.  But God has changed my heart and I feel eager to go on this trip”, says Candice.  Being a college student means the summer is free to go and serve somewhere.  Candice is taking the opportunity to use her time in South Asia this year.  She will be joining Candice and 2 other girls.  Their team will be working alongside a Brook Hills’ field partner to disciple women and children.  Candice’s biggest fear is learning the language and communicating clearly in a different culture and context.  Candice will be leaving at the end of May and serving for 2 months in South Asia.

A perfect Saturday for Candice would be going for a run in the morning, making chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast with friends, going on an adventure, trying new foods, taking fun pictures, making smores around a bonfire, and watching a really good movie.

 Ways to Pray for Candice:

- Pray for boldness and confidence in sharing the gospel.

- Pray for wisdom to be culturally sensitive and aware when communicating in a different culture.

- Pray for God to give the Anna Grace and her team perseverance as they work to share the gospel.

 

 

MILCAH – South Asia

Milcah grew up in Ethiopia for eleven years then moved to Georgia until college.  She just graduated from Samford University and will be spending her summer serving in South Asia.  Milcah has been at The Church at Brook Hills since 2008 and has received encouragement from the teachings of staff and in her small group.  Milcah started thinking about going as a Mid-Termer after her first Short-Term trip to Costa Rica her senior year of high school.  Since that point she has been praying and seeking opportunities to go and serve for a longer period of time.  “I have a desire to be a mid-termer because I love Jesus and I want to love and share with those who have never heard.  Going Mid-Term gives me more time to build relationships with the people and gain their trust”, says Milcah.  This summer Milcah will be joining Candice, Anna Grace and Kacey to strengthen the work already being accomplished by a Brook Hills’ field partner.  They will have the opportunity to come alongside women and children to share the gospel and minister in difficult situations.  Milcah will leave the last week in May and serve for two months with her teammates.

Milcah enjoys being with people, reading, photography, singing and sweet tea.

Ways to Pray for Milcah:

- Pray for God to show Milcah how to serve in humility.

- Pray for Milcah to love the people of South Asia and her team well.

- Pray for patience and perseverance as she shares the gospel.

8 May

Meet our Mid-Termers – Day 2

Posted by calliepriest in Global. Tagged: , , .

Twice a year The Church at Brook Hills sends men and women from our faith family around the world to serve on a Mid-Term basis. This week we have the privilege of sending a new group of Mid-Termers out to different parts of the world.  A Mid-Termer is defined as someone who is serving and sharing the gospel in a different culture and context for 2 months to 2 years.  Each day this week we will introduce you to a few of these Mid-Termers and give you specific ways to pray for them while they are away.

 

DREW – East Asia

Drew grew up in the small town of Appling, Georgia where his family home is quaintly situated between a cow pasture and a horse field.  Currently Drew is a sophomore at Samford University where he is studying Accounting.  Drew also is intentionally involved with international students at Samford and feels like he has received a crash course this last year in how to relate to and share the gospel with people in other cultures.  While at Samford, Drew has been attending The Church at Brook Hills since 2011.  Brook Hills has been a home away from home for Drew and a place where he feels pushed towards obedience in missions and support in this obedience.  After returning home from a Short-term trip last summer, Drew knew he wanted to spend more time on the field.  So he began to pray and start the process of going Mid-Term with Brook Hills.  Drew will go with Matt, another Brook Hills’ Mid-Termer to East Asia.  Their goal is to meet with believers and encourage them by worshipping together and spending time in the word as well as to engage non-believers with the gospel through friendships and time spent on the university campus.  Drew says, “I have a desire to be a Mid-Termer because Mid-Term opens up many opportunities to develop friendships over time and really engage with people.  There is also time to live with the local church in an area and to really disciple new believers”.  By using his background and love for sports, Drew feels like he will have a unique opportunity to engage other athletes and make friends easily.  When asked about what his greatest fear in going, Drew said, “I fear all the unknown aspects.  How will I be accepted?  Will I be effective? What is it like to spend long periods of time where there isn’t a church on every corner?”  These are the things that he is praying through and trusting God to work out for His glory.  Drew’s biggest hope is to share God’s love and truth of Christ with people who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel before.  Drew will leave with Matt on May 30th and serve for three months in East Asia.

Drew’s perfect Saturday would consist of mountain biking at Oak Mountain with friends, eating his mom’s famous taco salad and playing ping-pong with his dad.

Ways to Pray for Drew:

-   Pray for God to give Drew patience as he serves with his partner, the people and unfamiliar situations.

-  Pray for swift and effective language learning for Drew.

-  The harvest is plentiful in East Asia and more workers are needed.  Pray for God to call more to come after Drew to serve and continue God’s work in East Asia.

 

 

 

MATT – East Asia

Matt grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  He is currently a sophomore in Communication Studies at Samford University.  By God’s grace, Matt ended up at Brook Hills his first Sunday as a new freshman at Samford and has been attending ever since. When asked to describe his time with our faith family Matt says, “At Brook Hills I’ve been challenged to look beyond my personal faith…the gospel is good news only if it is heard, and it’s only heard if it’s shared.  Brook Hills has helped me realize the tremendous blessing of having the gospel and need for Christ-followers to share their faith with a lost world”.  In the fall of last year, God began to press upon Matt’s heart the desire to pursue missions.  Having no idea where to begin this process, Matt started praying about opportunities to go.  Without knowing Matt’s interest in missions, his friend Drew asked him if he’d be interested in going with him this summer.  Four months later, they are both going to East Asia for the summer. Matt will have the opportunity to engage university students by taking language classes on campus.  Outside of class they will connect with local believers and disciple college students in a local church.  Matt is well equipped for this, as he has been involved with international students at Samford.  Matt has been able to develop strong friendships with students from East Asia and begin to engage in their culture.  This will be valuable as Matt begins his journey this summer.  Matt’s desire is to do life with people, build relationships, learn a new language and share the gospel with people who have never heard. “Going mid-Term gives me the opportunity to do all of those things and gain direction for whether God is calling me to go Long-Term” says, Matt.  Matt and Drew will leave May 30th and serve for three months.
Matt’s perfect Saturday would be going to the park with his American and International friends, complemented with Frisbee, fellowship, food and conversation.  Usually best concluded with dinner together and staying up till ridiculous hours of the morning.  And where a Waffle House run after 2am is always a possibility.

Ways To Pray for Matt:

-  Pray for Matt to have patience in travel, relationships, learning a new language, living with others and adapting to a new culture.

-  Pray for confidence in God’s sovereignty regardless of the situation.

-  Pray for God to give wisdom in who and where to invest the limited time Matt will have once he is in East Asia.

 

 

SARAH – West Africa

Sarah Witkowski is a native of Peachtree City, Georgia.  Currently she is a student athlete studying public relations at UAB.  She has been at The Church at Brook Hills since 2011 where she is involved in leading a small group.  Sarah began to pray about going Mid-Term this past fall.  She knew her summer would be a great opportunity to serve for longer period of time.  While she has been excited about going, it has been challenging convincing others that this is a good idea.  Sarah will be going to a difficult area in West Africa that will require great physical and spiritual strength.  There, she will be living in a hut in a village engaging the Hausa people.  The Hausa are one of the largest unreached people groups in West Africa.  Sarah said, “I desire to be a Mid-Termer because one of the best ways to share the gospel with people to is live life together.  It is what Jesus did with his disciples and I will have the opportunity to live among and share Christ with the Hausa in this way”.  While Sarah is in West Africa she will be living among the Hausa and sharing recorded gospel stories in the Hausa language.  She will leave at the end of May and serve for 2 months.

Sarah’s perfect Saturday is going to Crestline bagel shop, hammocking in the park for the afternoon armed with a C.S. Lewis book and a cup of hot tea.

Ways to Pray for Sarah:

-  Pray for the physical health of Sarah and her team.

-  Pray for the Spirit to begin to soften the hearts of the Hausa people who Sarah will come in contact with to hear the gospel.

-  Pray for Sarah to have patience as she learns a new language.

6 May

Meet our Mid-Termers – Day 1

Posted by calliepriest in Global. Tagged: , , , .

Twice a year The Church at Brook Hills sends men and women from our faith family around the world to serve on a Mid-Term basis. This week we have the privilege of sending a new group of Mid-Termers out to different parts of the world.  A Mid-Termer is defined as someone who is serving and sharing the gospel in a different culture and context for 2 months to 2 years.  Each day this week we will introduce you to a few of these Mid-Termers and give you specific ways to pray for them while they are away.

 

 

HALEY – Zimbabwe

Haley Richter is a mature and poised 19-year-old native of Birmingham, Al. who currently teaches 4 yr. olds at a local playschool.  Haley has been a member of The Church at Brook Hills since 2007 where she has been highly involved in her small group. She has always had a desire to work among and serve orphans in other countries. So after praying and finding an opportunity to serve in Zimbabwe, Africa for five months, Haley started the process of becoming a Mid-Termer at Brook Hills.  Though she is not sure where she will end up long-term, she sees this opportunity as a step in the right direction for God to show her where He wants her to serve and to give her experience working with children who have been orphaned and to expose her to another country and culture. Haley will leave in August to begin engaging children and youth in Zimbabwe with the gospel.  Zimbabwe is plagued with urgent physical and spiritual needs.  The AIDS pandemic in Zimbabwe is one of the world’s worst cases with over 2,000 people dying each week and where there are around one million AIDS orphans left in the aftermath (Operation World). “Biblically the only true solution to this challenge is salvation in Christ…and I want to love in truth and deed with all my being to impact this worldwide problem by sharing the hope of the gospel and the truth of God’s Word”, says Haley.  She is excited and cannot wait to be in Zimbawe in August.

Haley enjoys photographs, the woods, talking about Africa, socks, rock climbing, talking with children, red foxes, reading books that are written for people much younger than her, and letting the barista at a coffee shop make her their favorite drink.

Ways to Pray for Haley:

- Pray for diligence to study the word and spend time in prayer.

- Pray for God to move in the hearts of people she is building relationships with.

- Pray for Haley to adjust and integrate into the culture quickly so she can build strong relationships with those she lives among.

 

WESLEY – Middle East

Wesley, a native of Columbus, Georgia, works as a nurse in the Neuro ICU at UAB in Birmingham, Al.  She has been at The Church at Brook Hills for almost four years and is involved in a small group.  For the last two years, Wesley has felt led to share the gospel among unreached people groups in North Africa and the Middle East.  After praying and searching for opportunities to serve, the Lord led her to West Africa last summer for two months to serve as a nurse in a health clinic.  “It was so good to be able to practice nursing on a trip like this” said, Wesley.  After this trip she began looking at serving for a longer period of time.  Immediately, Wesley was drawn to an opportunity in the Middle East engaging a large unreached people group through medical clinics.  But this time she will be going for longer.  While she is excited, this decision has required Wesley to sacrifice her job and her home so that she could be freed up to go.  But Wesley believes this is the right step as she prays about being in the Middle East on a long-term basis.  Wesley says, “I have made plans in the past and am nowhere near where I thought I would be. But by His grace, He has given me purpose and the means to fulfill it.  I am not sure if the Lord has called me to move my life indefinitely, but I am confident that He has given me the means to get up and leave my life here and proclaim His name to the lost now…and now is really my only concern”.  Wesley will leave in September and will serve for nine months.

Wesley enjoys running, reading, competitive games and coffee. 

Ways to Pray for Wesley:

-  Pray for God to focus Wesley’s heart on Him and what He has planned for her.

-  Pray for Wesley to be an encouragement to the missionaries she will be working with and for their team to be unified.

-  Pray for God to soften the hearts of those Wesley will engage with the gospel.

-  Pray for God’s grace as Wesley learns language.

 

KELLY – Central Asia

Kelly grew up in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and is about to graduate from Samford University with a Marketing and Entrepreneurship degree.  She has been at Brook Hills since her freshmen year of college and has grown through the biblical teaching and community she receives there.  Kelly began to consider going as a Mid-Termer last year after the Lord began to move in her life and show her opportunities where she could serve after graduation.  This process has been both exciting and a challenge as she has seen the Lord provide and give clear direction for where she is supposed to go.  All in all though Kelly is being obedient because the Lord has been faithful to reveal the gospel to her and she wants to tell others about Him.  Kelly will leave in August to serve in Central Asia for almost five months.  She will be living on a college campus learning language and culture while investing in college students.  She will also have the opportunity to serve at a local orphanage teaching English and sharing Christ.  When asked about what she is most excited about, Kelly says, “I have seen the value of living life in biblical community and I can’t wait to have the opportunity to invest in others as I’ve been invested in. “While I am nervous about what is to come, I am so expectant of the good that will come from God making Himself known”.

Kelly enjoys dancing, eating, hanging out with friends, eating anything Italian, long talks, and Disney World.

Ways to Pray for Kelly:

- Pray for her language learning so the gospel can be most effectively shared.

- Pray for the hearts of college students Kelly will interact with.  Pray for God to provide opportunities to develop meaningful relationships.

- Pray for God to open the hearts of the children at the orphanage to truly understand the gospel.

- Pray for Kelly to trust in God’s sovereignty.

 

Follow us here at bhglobal.org as we introduce more of our Mid-Termers throughout this week.

2 May

Singer-Songwriter Mandi Mapes on her song “We Will Go”

Posted by calliepriest in Global. Tagged: , , , , , , .

Throughout the month of April, The Church at Brook Hills committed to pray for the Horn of Africa.  During this last Secret Church we spent time praying for our brothers and sisters in the Horn.  At that prayer time, a song was played by Brook Hills songwriter, Mandi Mapes.  Read about how and why she wrote the song and the inspiration behind “We Will Go”.    

WE WILL GO  – by: Mandi Mapes

photo courtesy of Daniel Phillips


When I was first approached with the idea of writing a song for the Horn, I was so excited and just thankful to take part in the work God is doing through his Church in this beautiful, yet broken part of the world.

Sitting at the piano with my MacBook open, I wrestled with this song for quite some time. I read through statistics, looked through pictures, hummed melodies and went to God in prayer and asked him, “Lord, what does this song need to say?”

When I write songs, my hope is for the lyrics to be biblical, for God to be honored, for the Church to be encouraged and honestly, for the song to simply just sound good!

As I mulled over where the direction of this song should go, I finally decided, “I’m just gonna lay out the facts.” The reality is, this whole world is fallen, all men are sinful to the core and there is not a corner of the earth that does not desperately need Christ. At the same time, there is an evident, tangible darkness in the Horn of Africa that is almost overwhelming. Children are left orphaned, people are starving, countries are war-torn and worst of all, with the exception of a handful of believers, the Most High God, who made the heavens and the earth, is not worshipped.  And the sobering reality is that most of these people, for generations and generations have been unreached with the gospel. As my pastor, David Platt, always reminds us, this means that they will live and die and never hear about Christ.

Thinking through these things I wondered, ‘How can I communicate these heavy realities in a poetic way?’ The chords and the melody for the verses were the first to come, then the words. I grabbed my pen and began writing… Lonely lay a little baby crying for her father’s arm / Sunlight seems to be fading as the smoke rises from the war / Woman thirsting for water watching as her life slips away / Men come falling on their faces praying to a god who cannot save.

Naturally, the chorus became a response to these realities. As John Piper puts it, “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” The great commission (Matt. 28:18-20) bids us to go make disciples of all nations… even the scary, hard to reach ones! And we know, with unshakable confidence in God’s word, that this mission will be accomplished (Rev. 5:9)! More than that, we know that nothing can separate us from Christ (Rom. 8:31-39)!

Therefore we can look Hopelessness straight in the eye and say, “There is Hope!” We can walk through the most frightening circumstances knowing with a peace in our hearts that our God is more frightening and our trust is in him! And we can give our lives, even to the death, knowing that it was not in vain.

Last, the bridge of this song is a plea straight from the scriptures. Romans 10:13-15 confronts every single follower of Jesus with this…

 “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written,“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

These words are so simple and yet the implications are so eternal! It seemed fitting to include this particular text in the song, in hopes that the Word of God might pierce our hearts and bid us to embrace his heart for the unengaged, unreached peoples of the world…

 

Download a free copy of Mandi’s Song, “We Will Go” and learn more ways to pray for the Horn of Africa by visiting prayforthehorn.com.

A native of New Orleans, Mandi now resides in Birmingham, Al where she serves on the worship team at The Church at Brook Hills.  Her main role is to help in planning, leading and writing songs for worship.  On most days you can find Mandi at a coffee shop sharing the gospel with as many people as she can.  Mandi’s favorite drink at Starbucks is an iced caramel macchiato and she hates tomatoes.  

11 Apr

Prevailing Prayer – from “Let the Nations Be Glad”

Posted by calliepriest in Global.

Throughout the month of April, The Church at Brook Hills is joining others around the world to pray for the Horn of Africa.  For more information on ways to pray and  join this prayer movement visit prayforthehorn.com.

This post written by Ashley B., Short-Term Coordinator for The Global Team at The Church at Brook Hills. 

 

As I read through chapter two (The Supremacy of God in Missions through Prayer) of Let the Nations Be Glad I was struck with these words by John Piper:

“The supremacy of God in the mission of the church is proved and prized in prevailing prayer.  I believe Christ’s word to his church at the beginning of the twenty-first century is a question: “Will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night?  Will he delay long over them?  I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily” (Luke 18:7-8).

Do you ever cry out to the Lord, “How long, O Lord?  How long till you vindicate your cause in the earth?  How long till you rend the heavens and come down with power on your church?  How long till you bring forth victory among all the peoples of the world?” 

Is not his answer plain: “When my people cry to me day and night, I will vindicate them, and my cause will prosper among the nations.”  The war will be won by God.  He will win it through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  This gospel will run and triumph through prevailing prayer – so that in everything God might be glorified through Jesus Christ.”

 

I want to pray like this.

I want to be part of the global church crying out day and night waiting to see fruition of the war won by God through Jesus Christ.

 

So what do we pray for The Horn of Africa? 

- We pray for the Word of God to advance, as 2 Thessalonians 3:1 says, “to speed ahead and be honored.”

- We pray that doors will be opened for the Word to advance (Colossians 4:3).

 

For we know that the Word of God, the Gospel, will never fail.

 

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11

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