…from DCO Carole

2 Cor. 9:8… “And God is able to make all grace abound, so that in all things at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work”… the basis for the Grace Abounds Ministry and Mission Fair, Saturday, March 20 in Baxter, MN. Your choice of 3 out of 16 workshops will energize, inspire, and equip you to live out your faith in our world.

What would “church” outside our walls look like? …what is or who is the church? We are, you and I are the church and we live outside the walls of the building. We live and work in the community; we attend functions in the community…and all the while, we are the church. Would people know that (we are the church) from our actions…what do we look like…outside the walls? Grace Abounds Ministry and Mission Fair can give us ideas to inspire and equip us to be the church outside the walls.

We all shy away from the word evangelism or the newer word…outreach. Why? Because we have been told we are to be a witness and that scares us. Does it scare us to live our life as a Christian in the community? Hear Dr. Paul Mueller, Mission Festival speaker last year, speak on “God’s Mission.”– is there one? If so, what is it, where do you find it? And if you can finally find it and define it, then whose mission is it? Through exploration of these questions, Dr. Paul Mueller, keynote speaker at the Grace Abounds Ministry and Mission Fair, will encourage the participant to develop a personal mission statement.

God has provided all we need to live out our faith, but are we in touch with what He has provided?

• His death and Resurrection…what does it really mean to me?
• Proof of His power and love in our lives…do you know what has He done for you? Do you know your story of His love?
• Most important…He has given the Holy Spirit to guide the lost to us and direct our conversation. Do we allow Him to work in us?

At the Grace Abounds Ministry and Mission Fair there will be workshops that will help each of us “get in touch” with our story and equip us to share his story in our lives.

In spite of what God has provided for us, there are barriers we face:

• We don’t know how to understand and relate to today’s “seeker.”
• Sometimes we can’t effectively talk about God’s grace in our own life.
• We may not share God’s passion for the lost

Workshops at the Grace Abounds Ministry and Mission Fair will inspire you, energize you, and equip you to cross over the barriers that cause hesitancy to share his/our story.

The following questions help us understand what we believe and if we believe it, what do we do about it (sounds like a question out of the Truth Project)…

• Why do you believe the Bible?...Why do you love Jesus and follow Him?...Do you care if anyone else does, and why do you?...Why do you have hope in Christ?...What has he done for you?...What would your life be like without Christ?

Once you know the answers in your heart, you can touch the hearts of others. Understanding the grace God has given you will enable you to help someone else see the value of knowing God and experience His grace. Sharing His love and the amazement at what He does in your life can make a difference in the life of someone else.

Good news…the Grace Abounds Ministry and Mission Fair March 20 has workshops that will equip you to be all that God wants you to be. You will find workshop descriptions in this newsletter. Register on line and sign up on Ministry Action Board for carpooling.