Summer Stories: Wilson

A refugee is defined as “a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution.” Did you know there are refugees from over 30 countries that have been resettled right here in Tarrant County? While some are actually persecuted Christians, many have never heard the Gospel message.
 
This summer Milestone Missions took a team of 27 men, women and students to Fort Worth to serve refugees in partnership with World Relief. Our team spent 4 days ministering through skits and dramas, a refugee pastor’s gathering, home visits, washing feet, giving pedicures, and hosting a festival for over 200 people. They were able to share with many whose home countries are closed to the Gospel and personally led 17 people from 6 different countries to Christ. Since this trip is close to home, a unique advantage is that members of Milestone are able to form long-term connections and relationships with people from all over the world, right in our own backyard.

People like Wilson, an 8-year-old boy from Bhutan. The first couple of days of the trip Wilson could be seen following our evangelistic teams around yelling “Liars!” and “Don’t answer the door!” as they made home visits. During skits Wilson would steal props and cause chaos as people would give their testimonies. He seemed to carry around so much anger and bitterness, but Wilson’s eternity was about to change forever.

One of our missionaries, Brian, caught up with Wilson after a testimony gathering. Wilson was holding his back after being kicked by several other kids. Brian asked him why he was so angry. Wilson responded, “Because nobody likes me.” Brian used this opportunity to share the message of the Gospel with Wilson and he accepted Jesus.  

From that moment, Wilson’s entire countenance changed. He started doing ministry right alongside our Milestone team members. Wilson had a desire to tell others what God had done for him. Members of our team taught Wilson how to share the message of Jesus, hand out Bibles, and pray for others.
 
On the last day of the trip a man with a walker asked for our team to pray for his shoulder. The man was in tears as Wilson prayed for his shoulder and God miraculously healed him. This is the Gospel at work! 
 
Romans 10:15 says “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”  We pass by and interact with others everyday who don’t know the good news of Jesus and that the God of the Universe loves them. We are called and commissioned to bear the “beautiful feet” of one who brings good news.
 
For more information on our ongoing refugee outreach ministry and other local ministries visit our Milestone Local Missions page.

Summer Stories: Beck Newby

Each summer there are special stories that come out of the week our high school students spend at Revolution Camp. This year there was one story that hit particularly close to home.

Milestone staff member Luke Newby has been praying for his younger brother Beck for years. Although Luke had consistently invited him to Elevate camps and retreats, Beck had never wanted to come. This year Beck was offered a scholarship for summer camp and decided to attend.

Breck Newby (middle) Luke Newby (right)

Before attending camp, Beck had been caught up toxic relationships, addictions, and making bad decisions. Summer camp was the the first time in a long time that he had been healthy, positive environment. Not only did Beck attend camp, but he had a radical encounter with God! After connecting with his leader, spending time with his brother, and being surrounded by an awesome small group, Beck surrendered his life to the Lord. The transformation that happened in Beck’s life that week has been apparent to everyone around him.

The reason we’re so passionate about summer camps is because they are environments that can radically impact student’s lives. We celebrate what has happened in Beck’s life, but also with Luke who has been faithfully praying for his brother. If you have a son, daughter, sibling, or just family friend who is a teenager and seems to be resisting God like Beck was, we encourage you to do everything you can to get them into an environment like camp or the retreats that happen every Spring and Fall.

We value the next generation and are passionate about reaching students and helping build their lives.

 

What Does It Mean To Live A Godly Life?

 

If you ever asked yourself the question, what does it mean to live a godly life? and if your not exactly sure what living a godly life involves, this extract taking from Charles Seet book 'A Christian in a non-Christian world' provides ample guidance on just what to do.

Now it is worth asking the question then, 'What does it mean to live godly?' It does not mean that we are just to confine ourselves within a set of rules and regulations.

Some people reduce godly living to a list of 'do’s and don'ts.' But the meaning of godly living goes far deeper than that.

Godly living means living in the manner that God wants us to live. It means having the same feelings, attitudes and heart's desires that God has. It means that we love the things that God loves, care for the things that God cares for, and dislike those things which He dislikes. And since God loves righteousness, a godly person also loves righteousness. Since God hates sin, a godly person also hates sin, whether it is in his own life or in others. A godly person will seek to abandon every sin in his life. Since God wants His own will to be done and to be glorified, a godly person will likewise want God's will to be done and to glorify God in everything he does. Now, if we have these feelings, attitudes and heart's desires, we will soon find ourselves being quite different from the world we live in. And we will soon find ourselves coming into conflict with the world many times. So you see, being godly is not an easy thing.
But no matter how difficult it may be to strive to live a godly life in this world, no matter how hard and inconvenient it becomes to live differently from the rest, it surely is worth all the effort we put in, because the Lord deserves much more than this response from us, for all that He has done. The more we think of how Jesus gave Himself for us so sacrificially, nothing becomes too great for us to give to Him.

And now it is our turn to respond to the same gift.

About 300 years ago, there was a rich young German noble man, who visited an art gallery. And as he looked at the paintings on the wall, one particular painting caught his eye and he just could not take his eyes off it. It was a painting of Christ dying on the cross. That painting showed the face of Jesus in great agony with drops of blood and tears streaming down his cheeks. As that rich young nobleman continued contemplating this painting, his eyes looked at the little label that was attached to the bottom of the painting. On it were the words, 'All this, I have done for thee. What has thou done for Me?' And as he was reading these words, that young nobleman broke down and cried. And right there he gave his life to the Lord, devoting all his time and treasures to the cause of Christ. And God used the godly life of Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf to build up the famous Moravian missionary enterprise, which sent out hundreds of missionaries in the eighteenth century —and inspired countless others. The self-sacrifice, love, and total commitment to evangelisation of the Moravian missionaries who were motivated through Zinzendorf are unparalleled in the history of missions. They also influenced the Evangelical Revival in England through James Hutton and John Wesley.

It is our turn to answer the same question that von Zinzendorf faced
'All this, I have done for thee. What has thou done for Me?' Titus 2:12 says 'that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.' Will you do this for Him?

Source: What Does It Mean To Live A Godly Life?