We're all influenced by the performance model in our lives. We were taught from the earliest ages that success and failure are based on our performance. If you do your work well, you will be rewarded. If you perform poorly, you will find no reward and perhaps even punishment. Performance appears to be the key to success.
Unfortunately since reward is positive and punishment is negative, it became very easy to interpret relationships in the same way. Positive relationships come from good performance; negative from bad performance. I am accepted if I do well; rejected if I do poorly. I am loved if I do well; “unloved” if I don’t do well.
You see how the process works. We could refer to this as “performance-based relationship.” Many people inherit that from their family values.
A form of this performance system found its way into the Philippian church. It took the form of a performance-based spirituality. And we will learn what that means as we study Philippians 3:1-14
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Message from May 22, 2016 - West Los Angeles Holiness Church
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Monday, May 16, 2016
Alternate horizons
Reaching Brazilians in Japan? What?
There are over 250,000 Brazilians of Japanese descent currently living and working in Japan as dekasegi or short term workers. The economic crisis in Brazil and globally has caused many to return to the home of their grandparents to seek better opportunities for themselves and their families. While many dekasegi make a short-term commitment and return to Brazil after six months to two years, many choose to stay on in Japan perhaps due to uncertain prospects at home.
This has created a unique opportunity for the church to reach out and encourage a displaced and often, disheartened community. Marital, family, acculturation problems have all created challenges for the Brazilian Nikkei. The Nikkei church in Brazil has responded by sending missionaries and pastors to open churches in Japan with a specific calling to minister to that community.
One of those churches has invited JEMS to work in partnership with them. As a result, we are now in the process of recruiting Brazilian Americans from here in LA to respond to that invitation to go to Japan. I met with the Primeira Igreja Batista Brasileira de Los Angeles to invite their church members to consider serving the Lord with JEMS this summer. After talking and praying together with the church's pastor, we are trusting God and moving forward.
With flyers in hand, I visited the church's worship service on Sunday, May 15th and gave a missions appeal in Portuguese. Praise God for his provision and that the language gifting continues! In addition, I was able to show a short video describing the ministry in Toyohashi.
It's wonderful how God was already speaking to hearts at the church. I was received with openness and met with about eight people who indicated their desire to either go or (in one person's case) to support the team financially.
I ask you to pray for these folks pictured who are now considering a "YES" to the invitation to serve this summer in Toyohashi. An additional Brazilian friend of mine in Northern California contacted me last week to ask if he could also participate in this project and join this team. Let's pray that God will bring this all together!
There are over 250,000 Brazilians of Japanese descent currently living and working in Japan as dekasegi or short term workers. The economic crisis in Brazil and globally has caused many to return to the home of their grandparents to seek better opportunities for themselves and their families. While many dekasegi make a short-term commitment and return to Brazil after six months to two years, many choose to stay on in Japan perhaps due to uncertain prospects at home.
This has created a unique opportunity for the church to reach out and encourage a displaced and often, disheartened community. Marital, family, acculturation problems have all created challenges for the Brazilian Nikkei. The Nikkei church in Brazil has responded by sending missionaries and pastors to open churches in Japan with a specific calling to minister to that community.
One of those churches has invited JEMS to work in partnership with them. As a result, we are now in the process of recruiting Brazilian Americans from here in LA to respond to that invitation to go to Japan. I met with the Primeira Igreja Batista Brasileira de Los Angeles to invite their church members to consider serving the Lord with JEMS this summer. After talking and praying together with the church's pastor, we are trusting God and moving forward.
It's wonderful how God was already speaking to hearts at the church. I was received with openness and met with about eight people who indicated their desire to either go or (in one person's case) to support the team financially.
I ask you to pray for these folks pictured who are now considering a "YES" to the invitation to serve this summer in Toyohashi. An additional Brazilian friend of mine in Northern California contacted me last week to ask if he could also participate in this project and join this team. Let's pray that God will bring this all together!
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| Interested members of PIBBLA with PJ |
Sunday, May 08, 2016
Training for summer mission is underway
JEMS is preparing its workers for the 2016 season in South America. We are grateful to God for providing two workers who will be serving in Brazil and Paraguay this summer. The news out of Brazil has not been conducive to our recruitment efforts. Reports of government instability, corruption and violence associated with the Olympics, the spread of the Zika virus, have discouraged many from considering serving in Brazil this year.
Although JEMS has had a stellar history in South America regarding the care and safety of its workers, it's difficult to offset the influence of CNN. Hopefully we will have better success in 2017.
That notwithstanding, we are pleased that Holly (pictured below, right) from Los Angeles Holiness Church, and Diana (pictured, left) from Crossroads Community Church in Mission Viejo, have responded to the invitation to serve this July in South America.
Holly will be serving her third mission to Brazil with JEMS. This July, she will be serving the Holiness Church in Presidente Prudente for her first week and the Free Methodist Church of São José dos Campos during her second week and a half.
Diana will be serving as a JEMS worker, seconded to a missions team from the Mission Valley Free Methodist Church. In a new model, this JEMS/MVFM hybrid team will be an effort to create new partnerships with local churches. Diana will be serving at the Free Methodist Church in Sorocaba, Brazil and at the Free Methodist Church in Pedro Juan Caballero, Paraguay. Diana continues the long tradition of ministry in Paraguay which JEMS began in 1992.
This past weekend (May 7th), training was conducted for both workers. I am grateful for the willing participation of Darryl Wong and Rianna Wong (no relation) in providing insights and practical lessons.
Both Darryl and Rianna have had prior experience in working with the churches in which Holly and Diana will be serving.
On a personal level, it was exciting to hear about Rianna's own plans to serve on a six-month mission trip to Brazil, beginning in June.
She, together with former JEMS summer worker, Alyssa Gozun (and another friend) will be serving with the organization, 27 Million which addresses the issue of human trafficking. 27 million is the estimated number of labor and sex slaves in our world today. Our prayers are with Rianna and Alyssa as they serve in various cities in Brazil through the end of the year.
Although JEMS has had a stellar history in South America regarding the care and safety of its workers, it's difficult to offset the influence of CNN. Hopefully we will have better success in 2017.
That notwithstanding, we are pleased that Holly (pictured below, right) from Los Angeles Holiness Church, and Diana (pictured, left) from Crossroads Community Church in Mission Viejo, have responded to the invitation to serve this July in South America.
Holly will be serving her third mission to Brazil with JEMS. This July, she will be serving the Holiness Church in Presidente Prudente for her first week and the Free Methodist Church of São José dos Campos during her second week and a half.
Diana will be serving as a JEMS worker, seconded to a missions team from the Mission Valley Free Methodist Church. In a new model, this JEMS/MVFM hybrid team will be an effort to create new partnerships with local churches. Diana will be serving at the Free Methodist Church in Sorocaba, Brazil and at the Free Methodist Church in Pedro Juan Caballero, Paraguay. Diana continues the long tradition of ministry in Paraguay which JEMS began in 1992.
This past weekend (May 7th), training was conducted for both workers. I am grateful for the willing participation of Darryl Wong and Rianna Wong (no relation) in providing insights and practical lessons.
On a personal level, it was exciting to hear about Rianna's own plans to serve on a six-month mission trip to Brazil, beginning in June.
She, together with former JEMS summer worker, Alyssa Gozun (and another friend) will be serving with the organization, 27 Million which addresses the issue of human trafficking. 27 million is the estimated number of labor and sex slaves in our world today. Our prayers are with Rianna and Alyssa as they serve in various cities in Brazil through the end of the year.
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