Acts 1
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
For this Christmas, we are trying our best to follow the pattern set in Acts 1:8 of ever-widening concentric circles of discipleship, evangelism and compassion. Our church resides in Pasadena so our immediate area of focus is meeting the needs of families in our city. This is our Jerusalem. Toward that end, we are partnering with Friendship Baptist Church to provide Christmas gifts for Pasadena families, including families of the Walter Hoving Home.
As the circle widens, we want to meet the needs of families in the greater Southern California area. This year, we have decided to provide bicycles for kids through the Set Free Ministry in Yuicapa, CA. This is our Judea and Samaria.
Finally, we want to reach the ends of the earth. We are encouraging all of our members to sponsor a child through Compassion International. I love their slogan–“Releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ Name.” As recipients of abundance, may we do our part to release children, one child at at time, from the grip of poverty and to extend to them the message of hope found in the gospel.
