Calvary McAllen

LITTLE CHRISTS

The church at Antioch was started after the diaspora from Jerusalem. You'll remember that after Stephen was stoned to death for preaching the gospel there was a brief period of persecution against the Greek Christians in Jerusalem. The Jewish Christians were left alone, but the Greeks ... different story. It's hard to be different. From the time we're little we just want to fit in ... we want to feel a part of the larger human family ... we want people to like us. That's why we gravitate to those who are most like us ... being different is tough. The Greek Chrisians were different. They didn't belong in Jerusalem in the first place. Their preaching about the heretical rebel Jesus was a convenient excuse to get rid of them. And so they ran them out of town ... I told you ... Being different is tough.

Some landed in Samaria, others in Galilee, and some went as far as Antioch. Antioch was located in Syria, on the river Orontes, about 16 miles from the Mediterranean, and some 300 miles north of Jerusalem. It was the metropolis of Syria, and afterwards became the capital of the Roman province in Asia. It ranked third, after Rome and Alexandria, with respect to importance, of the cities of the Roman empire. It was called the "first city of the East."  Those who landed at Antioch started a church. At Antioch, like Jerusalem, they were different. Antioch was a pluralistic city. It wasn't that they were Greek ... this time it was Jesus. They were followers of Jesus. That made them different. It was the distinguishing factor. And so they called them kristianos, which means"little Christs." It was a term of derision. They laughed at them as they called them "little Christs." They had no idea that they were, in fact, complimenting them. What an honor to be called a "little Christ."

When people see your life do they point a finger and say, "There goes a 'little Christ'?" Do you carry Jesus on your sleeve? Is it the distinguishing factor of your life? At some point you have to break away from the natural desire to be like everyone else. You have to accept who you are (a "little Christ") and what that makes you (different). The rest of the world can go wherever it chooses to go. Your destiny ... your only place in the world ... is with Jesus Christ. Until you come to terms with that you will never BECOME all that God wants you to BECOME.

blessings,

pastor ellis

NO TOMORROW

I want to finish my series on our church's vision. When I stopped to cover the Africa mission trip I was on the final leg of our vision: BECOME. You might want to go to the categories section of this blog, click on Church Vision/Direction and then look for the blog entitled, "CALVARY VISION, PT.3." Reading that post will refresh your memory.

A quick review (in case you don't have time to re-read the post) -- If you are to BECOME all that God wants you to BECOME then you must understand three big biblical facts: 1. You are a minister, 2. You are a missionary, and 3. You are a "little Christ."  I've already addressed #1 (see article, entitled "Pit Falling" -- June 11). So, today I will address #2.

If we are to BECOME all that God wants us to be we must understand that we live our lives ON MISSION for GOD.  That means that each one of us is a missionary. It seems almost redundant to talk about this now since that's all I've been writing about for the last 3 weeks. Forty=One of us went on a 3 week trip with a very specific mission in mind. We were focused and commited to carrying out everything God wanted us to accomplish on this trip. We did just that. We did it in spite of the obstacles (distance, finances, and an asortment of other mountains and moehills). We did it with focused attention, unswerving commitment, and utter dependence on God. We did it in spite of our own frailties, fears, and failures. We did it because we knew that it was exactly what God wanted us to do.

My contention is that every day of your life should be exactly like that. Every day of your life is a little mission trip. And when you add up all the days they form one great big mission trip called, YOUR LIFE. Every day of your life should be a focused attempt to accomplish exactly what you believe God has called you to do that day. It may be a small thing that takes you closer to the big mission for your life ... that's fine ... focus on what God has for you to do today. Remember, all you really have is TODAY ... tomorrow may never come. Have you accomplished HIS will for your life TODAY? Are you happy in the Lord TODAY? If the honest answer is, "Yes," then you are one step closer to becoming all that he wants you to BECOME.

blessings,

pastor ellis

THE SIMPLE LIFE

The Simple Life is a reality show that places Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, two real-life spoiled rich girls, out in the country where they have to live a "simpler" life. I do NOT recommend the show. I DO recommend the simpler life. I'm preaching on it tomorrow. I'm not asking everyone to go live out in the country. I am asking you to examine your lifestyle and ask yourself some hard questions.

If there is a message that comes to us in 10,000 seductive voices, in our culture, it is that life consists of the things we own. You see it as you drive down the highway on hundreds of billoards -- it is sent to you through the sponsor on the television program -- it is sung to you in jingles on the radio -- is is blared at you in four color ads in the newspapers, magazines, and emails -- the message of our age is that life consists of the things that a person posesses.

Jesus says that this is not true. Covetousness (the greatest enemy of the life of simplicity), according to Jesus, is the desire to have more of that which you already have enough. Yesterday's new car becomes today's trade-in, and on tomorrow's junk heap. Yesterday's mansion becomes today's boarding house, and tomorrow's slum. When we acquire things and believe that they will satisfy, we discover that we are still empty. The shiny new toy loses its luster almost as soon as it comes off the shelf. And the emptiness is overwhelming. That's because we have come to believe the message that we are what we own. We are constantly measuring people by what they have rather than what they are.

Jesus calls us to the simple life. Kierkegaard captured the essence of that life well in the profound title of his book, Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing. I'm not as good as Kierkegaard. I'll break it down to three things: Knowing God, Being known by God, and Making God known. The rest is gravy.

blessings,

pastor ellis

SOME TO BE PROPHETS

A month ago I preached that God has gifted his Church with everything it needs to do His work. Calvary has proved me right. During my absence (for 2 weeks in Africa) a lot of things happened. Numerous people went through surgery (including my wife -- unplanned), others had close family members pass away, and we had two deaths in our own congregation. That's on top of the day to day running of the church's affairs. Everything was well taken care of. That's a tribute to our pastoral staff, the spiritual leaders of our church, and the many people in our church who see themselves (every day of their lives) as ministers and missionaries. I want to say, "thank you" to all of you who helped during my time away. I pray that God will richly bless you. Your rewards are building up in heaven!

I especially want to send a huge thanks to all those who filled the pulpit while I was in Africa. God has indeed gifted Calvary with everything we need to do God's work. You don't need me to do that (I'm glad you want me ... but you don't need me) -- God is ready to do it with or without me.

Thanks to Tom Weaver for preaching in my absence. Tom is a natural-born communicator. He loves to preach and it shows. God has gifted him and anointed him to deliver HIS WORD. I am so grateful that Tom is a part of our team.

I also want to thank Doug Funk for preaching on Father's Day. Doug is Lead Minister for Men's Ministries. He was the perfect person to preach that day. I read his sermon before I left and I knew it was going to be powerful. Doug preached that sermon from his heart. In some ways, he had been writing it all his life. He was God's man for that day! Thanks also to Scott Hollinger for his part in the sermon. I've been privileged to hear Scott's testimony before and I know it to be powerful and true. Thank you, Scott and Doug, for blessing our church.

Finally, I want to thank Victor Valenzuela for preaching the 12:34 worship. Victor's authenticity and love for the Lord shine in everything he does. He is a brilliant teacher and I am very proud of him for sharing from his heart. He is a blessing to all who know him. God has used Victor in incredible ways in our church and I look forward to many more years laboring for the Lord together.

I asked these men to "speak the truth in love" to you in my absence. I'm thrilled at the way God used them to do just that. There are many more in our church that could have done it as well. God has truly blessed us with "some to be prophets." Don't ever forget that God has equipped HIS church to do HIS work HIS way. We are blessed ...

blessings,

pastor ellis

HATS OFF

A big "hats off" (pun intended) to W.I.T., Calvary's Women's Ministries, for their Mission Kenya project of knitting hats for the children and shawls for the workers of the Lemoru Children's Home. It was a huge success. We gave the kids their hats on our second day at the home. The children were overwhelmed with excitement as they approached us to pick their hats. I was swarmed with children anxious to recieve their special blessing from the ladies of Calvary. For me, distributing those hats, and watching the joy on the faces of those children in receiving them, was one of the highlights of the trip.

Before we broke the news to them of their special gift, Pastor Susan let them know that the hats had been hand-knitted by the women of our church. Each hat had pinned to it a special note from the people who made them. After handing out the hats I spent some time reading the notes to several children. They listened to the words with great attention. They hugged us and sang a special song of thanksgiving for the hats. They wore their hats with pride and refused to take them off.

Most of them slept with the hats on that night. The next day they were still wearing the hats. I thought it interesting that many of the kids did not take the safety-pinned notes off the hats. They were walking around with the notes still attached. I asked about that. Didn't they know that the notes were not meant to stay on the hats? I was told that the notes were thought to be very special and it would be rude to dispose of them. Some of the children had taken the notes off the hats and had pinned them to their shirts. They wore them that way to school the next day, like a special badge of honor that seemed to say, "I am loved." I have rarely seen so much appreciation for so little.

They wanted us to express their thanks to all the ladies who spent so many hours knitting the hats and shawls. By the way, the women of Lemoru loved the shawls as well and are equally appreciative. Ladies, you have impacted those children from thousands of miles away. Because of your love and care they have been touched ... Be blessed.

Blessings,

pastor ellis

FREEDOM

Today marks the 230th anniversary of the birth of our nation,the day when brave and dedicated patriots founded a nation based on freedom. And from that day to this, the world has never been the same. As Lafayette put it, "Humanity has won its battle. Liberty now has a country." Indeed it does. For more than 200 years, America has stood for freedom.

On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to approve a complete separation from Great Britain. Two days afterward, July 4, the early draft of the Declaration of Independence was signed, albeit by only two individuals: John Hancock, president of Congress, and Charles Thompson, secretary of Congress. Four days later, on July 8, members of Congress took that document and read it aloud from the steps of Independence Hall, proclaiming it to the city of Philadelphia, after which the Liberty Bell was rung. The inscription around the top of that bell, Leviticus 25:10, was most appropriate for the occasion: "Proclaim liberty throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof."

Perhaps the clearest identification of the spirit of the American Revolution was given by John Adams in a letter to Abigail the day after Congress approved the Declaration. He wrote her two letters that day; the first was short and concise, jubilant that The Declaration had been approved. The second was much longer and more pensive, giving serious consideration to what had been done that day. Adams cautiously noted: "This day will be the most memorable epic in the history of the America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival."

It is amazing that on the very day they approved The Declaration, Adams was already foreseeing that their actions would be celebrated by future generations. Adams contemplated whether it would be proper to hold such celebrations, but then concluded that the day should be commemorated, but in a particular manner and with a specific spirit. He told Abigail: "It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty."

So, on the Fourth of July we mark more than a birthday. We celebrate our God-given rights to liberty and life, and we honor all those who, over the centuries, have been willing to fight and die to keep our country free. Most of all, we honor our God who has given us our freedom. Today we are engage in a struggle as great as any America has faced throughout her long and honored history. It is a struggle every bit as much a fight for freedom as the war that was fought in 1776. Once again it is a battle for humanity, for the right of all people -- not just Americans -- to live in a world free of terror and fear.

Today, the words of James Stewart writing in the 1940's in The Strong Name, ring true ... just as true as the day he wrote them -- "We are standing helpless before the towering mystery of evil's tragic dominions as we face the grim fact of sin and chaos and man's inhumanity to man." So what do we do? We remember the words of J.W. Nowling -- "In the midst of this turbulent, often chaotic life we are called upon to look with courageous honesty within our innermost self and relentless care toward our fellow human beings and increasing prayer to God." And then we thank God for our freedom and those who gave, and those who are still giving, their lives for it.

blessings,

pastor ellis

KIMBERLY AND SHANNON

David Chan forwarded an email from Kimberly, the director of the Lemoru Children's Home in Kenya. She spent a lot of time summarizing what we accomplished in Kenya so I thought it would be good reading. This was part of her newsletter to her family and friends. Although I have not changed anything she wrote, I have edited out the material before and after this section because it did not apply to our church. I've also inserted some pictures that Kimberly provided. It's a long email, but worth the read.

Chamge Tugul,

(Greetings to all)

This past team was primarily from Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen.  They had their first annual aids conference in Nairobi.  It was led by an aids doctor who deals with thousands of patients in the Rio Grande valley and surrounding areas.  Shannon, I, and two of our local pastors (Joshua and Peter) loaded up in our vehicle and went to Nairobi for the weekend to attend the conference.  It was a great success and a beginning to many in the future to impact the country of Kenya and surrounding countries.  I know personally that it impacted our pastors, Shannon and I tremendously.  It was very informative.  There were breakout sessions titled anywhere from Grassroots on Fire: HIV ministry through the local church to Raising the HIV+ child to No longer a victim: Coping with the impact of sexual abuse and rape to Tradition or Mission Leading a church through transition to Love to Lead: Servant leadership in the local church to When one day is too long:  HIV and subatance abuse to I.M.A.G.I.N.E: a network for the missional Church of the 21^st century (www.theimaginenetwork.org) to true love waits and many more.  There were many key government officials involved as well as college professors, teachers and medical personal from all over the U.S and various countries.  (Calvary Baptist, valley aids council, family of faith tabernacle, interactive life forms, pinnacle relief centre, united nations, mission psychological center, Kenya, Australia, Nigeria, Mexico, Uganda, Puerto Rico, ect.)  Their theme of the conference was “a disease without borders demands a partnership in spite of borders”.  It was a blessing to be a part of and even a greater blessing to have most of the team that helped, to come and spend 5 days in our home.  They came a couple days after the conference and did vbs, school assemblies, training our teachers and staff, medical team, agricultural team, construction team, and pastors to train those in our community.  There was a children’s pastor on the team and many children workers that put on a vbs for three days in the afternoons for grade 3 and under.  We had a child’s psychologist that was able to assist us with some children in the home as well as a few in the school.  There was an agricultural specialist that was able to get the funds from his company to put in a drip irrigation system which will help us yield more crops in the dry season such as potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, and various vegetables.  The construction team did a few repairs around the home such as fixing the generator (for pumping water and giving us light… praise God!) and most importantly made a condo for the chickens.  Ok maybe not a condo but its definitely the size of my room!  Now we’re able to maintain our garden better and not have chicken poop on our firewood that stays in the kitchen.  (Don’t ask, we’re just not in Kansas anymore)  They started the makings of a cow pen and left the design with the Kenyans to finish (so maybe in a year or two it’ll be finished J).  Also left a donation for when our cow coup is put up to buy a really nice milkin cow to put in it.  The construction team spent their first full day here in town getting the real Kenyan experience of time and politics (you remember that eh cliff?) There were teachers on the team that was able to go in and focus primarily on the school here.  Most teams go around traveling to many but this team’s vision was to focus primarily on our home and school to impact them most effectively.  The teachers went in this school and were shocked by the highly implemented discipline by using a cane to hit the children for any misbehavior, the lack of training, most of them having only a high school degree and teaching only because this was their last resort for a source of income, and the lack of materials used for teaching.  After going in and giving motivation to them and showing them there is such a thing as having a calling and passion for children and teaching, the results are tremendous.  One teacher expressed a change of heart towards the children, one said they would no longer use a cane and many other positive impacts.  Every night a few of the team members would sneak off and go to be with the children for night devotion.  This was also a great impact on the children.  Some of the teachers who specialize in child development were able to pull the staff aside and train them on children, relating to them, loving them, and training them up in a good way.  There was a doctor on the team and a few nurses who were able to open up a mobile clinic in our nearby church for a few days.  They saw over 400 patients!  They were able to provide a lot of free medical treatment with medication and also with the help of a nurse and lab technician from the hospital in Ziwa they were able to direct those that needed further treatment and attention.  The medical people also were able to assist me in getting official medical books started for each child and gave them a full general medical exam.  We also just started giving each child multi-vitamins daily.  There was a jack of all trades of the team that came for a short time on the leadership team back in January.  His name is Mike and I can’t even begin to tell you all the impacts God used him to make in this community.  Literally he’s had over 90 professions in his lifetime and is using some of them here in the village and home.  One huge one was that he is a karate instructor (has a black belt) and has started in the home and school a karate class.  There happens to be a teacher in the school that took karate in college and is now able to be the teacher while mike is away.  They plan to start it here and every time they come back they’ll possibly start it up in a nearby school so that eventually they will have competition and maybe even train some of them up to be in the Olympics (supposedly they have perfect bodies and quickness just right for it).  This is a wonderful thing for them because not only do they have a fun sport to be involved in, they also get the training of growing up to be a respectable and responsible young men.  They learn not to use anger and violence as a means to get what they want but rather are taught self respect and control which will enable them to become responsible young men.  I’ve continued to see a change in them.  What more could I say about this team except that I give a huge thanks again for sacrificing your time to impact these children, school and community in ways you’ll never know.  God truly had a purpose for EVERY single one of you on this trip and the ripples from your impact will go on into eternity.  (And just to keep you humble you’ll probably never see it all till you get to heaven)  Even there were four families that brought some if not all their children.  This was a first to have American (white) children in the village.  The children went CRAZY when they first saw them.  They always wanted to touch them to see if they’re real.  The only things they’d ever saw of white children were in books or in movies.  There was a 2 yr old boy, two 4 yr old girls, 6 yr old girl, 6 yr old triplet boys, 12 yr old girl, and three teenage boys.  (the children of the home say thank you, and they miss all of the children! (..especially the children of the school miss Meagan!)  Did I mention the team consisted of 33 people?!  So next time you’re contemplating on bringing your children and worried about safety or sickness or whatever the excuse may be, bring ‘em on, its safe as can be and an experience I think every American child should have.

Now that I’ve written your ear off, Ill close with some prayer request.  There are many more things to update and God-willing ill put more of them in another email here in another week or so. 

Pray for:

-children finishing their medicine and God using it to bring them all back to great health

-positive encouragement and strength for our 9 staff members

-understanding for the children that are taking mid-term exams

-continued discipleship for our children and for them to take it and impact the other children in the village and even beyond (you do know we’re raising the next president right?)

-violet, caroline jepkorir, and georgina away at high school (especially caroline)

-preparation and all needs met for our last team coming this year (through katalyst ministries in san angelo, tx-katalystministries.org)

-bud and jim, who are coming next month, jim will be here for a few weeks and bud for 6 months or more

-continued unity amongst board, staff, children, Shannon, and I

-healing emotionally for Julianna, Lillian, Gladys, Ronald, Brian, and probably many others that we don’t know of. (and for God to show us those we don’t know of)

-for Shannon and I to learn the language, stay healthy, and keep our eyes on the task at hand

created for this,

kimberly mckinney

manage/mom

Lemoru Children's Home

P.O. Box 6362

Eldoret, Kenya, Africa 30100

kimberly (on left) and shannon -- they need our prayers!

blessings,

pastor ellis

TEAMWORK

Well, it finally happened. I have been your pastor for 6 years and 7 months, and this is the first Sunday I have ever missed due to illness. Thank you for your prayers. I am feeling better ... still a little weak ... but better. I think it's a 24 hour thing. I'll spare you the gory details. I look forward to being back in the office tomorrow and back in the pulpit next Sunday. I hope to see you even before then at the 4th of July Tailgate Party!

I do want to say thanks to our pastoral team. I hear it was an amazing Sunday. God always knows what he is doing. I called Pastor David Chan today at 6:30 in the morning (2 hours before my first sermon) to let him know that I wasn't going to make it. David sprung into action and organized an all-star list of preachers to cover for me. I also called Tom Gillespie to let him know. It's good to have such a seasoned Worship Pastor -- very little throws him off. Tom, David, Patrick, and Tom Weaver took care of all the little details that come up every Sunday.

Meanwhile, David was on the telephone organizing the team. Ingo Topheoven, pastor of Valley Fellowship Church (a church we helped to start), preached the 8 o'clock worship. Pastor Patrick Hamilton preached the 9:30 worship. Pastor Tom Weaver preached the 11 o'clock worship. Vidal Muniz, pastor of Journey Church (another church we helped to start), preached the 12:34 worship. What a great team!  What a blessing for Calvary!

A big thanks to David, Tom, Patrick, Ingo, Vidal, and Tom. A big thanks to all of you at Calvary for being the Church God wants you to be. We have a great team at Calvary. Please keep praying for my health and I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday (July 4th)!!

blessings,

pastor ellis

WOW!

I got a note from David Chan reflecting on all we accomplished in Kenya over the last 3 weeks. I want to post his note here, unedited.

Hey Ellis,

I have been thinking about and summarizing what the people of Calvary and our colleagues accomplished in Kenya in June and wanted to share it with you:

Our teams of 30 adult professionals plus children...

* ... put together the 1st Annual African HIV/AIDS update and Leadership Development Conference with 160 participants, representing 13 countries, from various Kenyan towns and districts and at least 20 different organizations. We met our goals of (1) reaching organizations from rural areas and (2) reaching multi-sectoral organizations, i.e., orphanages, churches, women's groups, and clinicians.

* ... participated in field work that accomplished the following:

-- Checked successful progress on the construction of a Primary School for an Unreached People Group, the Munyoyayas of Malkhamanza, Kenya. Assisted in furthering their funds.

-- Scouted and prayer walked sites in Garissa, Kenya for Development and Relief Center, a strategy for reaching the Muslim groups of the area through development and youth centers. Potentially linked Valley Fellowship of Mission, TX with this project.

-- Performed informal consultations in Child Development with the Abandoned Baby Center in the Dagoretti, Kenya site of Feed the Children. We learned more about the ministry, participated in the infant nursery, and sent a team to serve with their staff for a day.

-- Community and Spiritual Development within Lemoru Children's Home and village of Lemoru, Kenya.

We completed a Poultry pen, started a Dairy pen, set-up a Drip irrigation system, conferenced with and inspired educators, trained the orphanage staff in Early Child Development, built a basketball court, held Karate lessons, conducted a medical clinic for +400 people plus 45 children of the Home, and led several hundred children through Bible lessons, crafts, songs and games.

-- Launched IMAGINE, a network to link churches and other service-organizations with individuals and resources for synergistic partnerships that can change the world. Initially focusing on Africa and our Kenya field sites, IMAGINE has stirred the hearts of Kenyans and North Americans to find ways to serve together and contribute to one another for cultural transformation for the Kingdom.

-- Worshipped in a Masai-led church and learned of their needs and strategies to reach more Masai with the Gospel.

A lot of great things were done -- For the fame of Jesus!

Multiple lives were blessed and touched - for the fame of Jesus.

Hopefully, our folks returned with expanded worldviews and deeper devotions to the work of God in the world -- for the fame of Jesus.

dc

Wow! All I can add is ... AMEN! God will use ordinary people in extraordinary ways when they lay their lives down for HIM.

blessings,

pastor ellis

KENYA THE BEAUTIFUL

Kenya is a beautiful country. She has many problems … many obstacles to overcome … but still beautiful. I’m not being naïve or unrealistic (at least I don’t think I am). I know that Kenya has crime and corruption and people with sinful lifestyles (just like any other country), but there’s something else about her – it’s hard to describe – something young – something innocent – something pure and raw – something beautiful.

I guess, a little like all of us – problems … sinful … corrupted … obstacles to overcome … but still beautiful. That’s how God sees us. When he sees us, he sees something worth saving. I don’t always see it. I rarely understand it. But God sees it. God understands it. And thank goodness for that.

I’m not sure what the future holds for us in Kenya. I just know that those of us who are called there must keep going back. We have no choice. I’m not sure how we’ll do it. I just know that when God calls he provides the way. Pray that we will be faithful to Him. Pray that we will not allow the impossible to stop us. Pray that we will see the obstacles, that are too great for us, from God’s perspective. Our mountains are His ant hills.

blessings,

pastor ellis