MINISTRY TEAM RETREAT
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
OUR FIRST IN-HOUSE MEETING FOR THE BAYOU OAKS MINISTRY
What excitement to be in the house that we have been praying about for over a year! We had almost the entire team together and were able to pray in the house that God had given us. Before the meeting, I was in my bedroom with my Bible praying and God showed me this chapter of Psalms. I knew God was telling me to share it. It is more somber than exciting, but what I kept getting from it is that there is a deep sense of urgency. We need to build up our community quickly because God has given us this one year to do something with. What are we going to do that will make a difference? And a reminder that on our own, we can do nothing so we need to resiliently pursue intimacy with God and rely on Him for our strength.
This is a prayer of Moses - they faced the desert wilderness surrounding them as they pressed forward to the Promise Land. They were being humbled by God. They were still pursuing their destiny in Him. They had not grown apathetic.
1 Lord, through all the generations
you have been our home!
2 Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
from beginning to end, you are God.
3 You turn people back to dust, saying,
“Return to dust, you mortals!”
4 For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,
as brief as a few night hours.
5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear.
They are like grass that springs up in the morning.
6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We wither beneath your anger;
we are overwhelmed by your fury.
8 You spread out our sins before you—
our secret sins—and you see them all.
9 We live our lives beneath your wrath,
ending our years with a groan.
10 Seventy years are given to us!
Some even live to eighty.
But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
soon they disappear, and we fly away.
11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
so that we may grow in wisdom.
13 O Lord, come back to us!
How long will you delay?
Take pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
Replace the evil years with good.
16 Let us, your servants, see you work again;
let our children see your glory.
17 And may the Lord our God show us his approval
and make our efforts successful.
Yes, make our efforts successful!
Thursday
- Helped students move into their dorms and talked with them about what the BSM had to offer and prayed with students if they allowed us.
- Set up a Prayer Labyrinth with about 20 stations of interaction where students could 1) nail their sins to the cross, 2) encourage the body of Christ, 3) write a story of how Jesus has transformed their life. While the student walked through the labyrinth, a band led us in worship through music.
- Evangelism training helped students know how to share what they have experienced through God working in their lives with their friends and families.
- The CAMEL Method was one of the tools shared. This uses the Koran to point to truths found only in the Bible.
Friday
- Continued to help students move in for the semester.
- Jeremy and I had our big move!!! We moved into our new townhouse also occupied by 20 BSM students (10 ladies and 10 gents!). Be on the look out for a video tour of the house!
- Small group training taught students how to plan for, initiate, and maintain small groups this semester!
- I AM SECOND training taught by one of our campus missionaries - Derrick Thomas
- GROWTH groups are small groups intended for Christians that desire to grow further in their commitment to Christ. This is your typical Sunday school model.
- SEARCH groups are small groups where we meet our non-Christian friend where they are. Usually it begins with an activity that a group of people enjoy together such as skateboarding, arts & crafts, musicals, and after that activity or during it questions are asked to stir up spiritual conversation where Christian students can point to truths in the Bible
Saturday
OUR FIRST IN-HOUSE MEETING FOR THE BAYOU OAKS MINISTRY
What excitement to be in the house that we have been praying about for over a year! We had almost the entire team together and were able to pray in the house that God had given us. Before the meeting, I was in my bedroom with my Bible praying and God showed me this chapter of Psalms. I knew God was telling me to share it. It is more somber than exciting, but what I kept getting from it is that there is a deep sense of urgency. We need to build up our community quickly because God has given us this one year to do something with. What are we going to do that will make a difference? And a reminder that on our own, we can do nothing so we need to resiliently pursue intimacy with God and rely on Him for our strength.
This is a prayer of Moses - they faced the desert wilderness surrounding them as they pressed forward to the Promise Land. They were being humbled by God. They were still pursuing their destiny in Him. They had not grown apathetic.
1 Lord, through all the generations
you have been our home!
2 Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
from beginning to end, you are God.
3 You turn people back to dust, saying,
“Return to dust, you mortals!”
4 For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,
as brief as a few night hours.
5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear.
They are like grass that springs up in the morning.
6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We wither beneath your anger;
we are overwhelmed by your fury.
8 You spread out our sins before you—
our secret sins—and you see them all.
9 We live our lives beneath your wrath,
ending our years with a groan.
10 Seventy years are given to us!
Some even live to eighty.
But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
soon they disappear, and we fly away.
11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
so that we may grow in wisdom.
13 O Lord, come back to us!
How long will you delay?
Take pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
Replace the evil years with good.
16 Let us, your servants, see you work again;
let our children see your glory.
17 And may the Lord our God show us his approval
and make our efforts successful.
Yes, make our efforts successful!
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