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WHY ATTEND MISSIONS WEEK?

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”  Luke 10:2

These words of Jesus inspire the theme of Black Rock’s 67th annual Missions Week March 9-17. Watch Pastor Jeremy’s invitation here and join us as we celebrate the work of our global partners and hear God’s call for us all to get involved.

The harvest IS plentiful. During Missions Week, our global partners will share about how God is blessing their work, but there’s also much work to be done to reach the 2 billion who have never heard the gospel. God wants to use each of us as we PRAY, GIVE, and GO! Come discover your next step in helping spread God’s love worldwide and bringing in the harvest. See you there!

Click here for the Missions Week page where you can see a list of speakers, events throughout the week, and ways you can participate. We would love to have you join us! Programs are free, but please register here to pay for meals and sign up for childcare where available.

 

Schedule of Events | March 9-17

Saturday, March 9 | Women’s Event + Breakfast

Breakfast at 8:30 | 10 AM Program

 

Sunday, March 10 | All Services – Dr. Mary Ho  International Executive Leader, All Nations

 

Monday, March 11 | Pizza with Prayer Partners

5:45 PM Pizza and Prayer

 

Monday, March 11 | Messianic Seder Demonstration – Dr. Mitch Glaser  Chosen People International

7 PM Program 

 

Wednesday, March 13 | All-Church Program

5:30 PM Dinner | 6:45 Adults Program 

 

Saturday, March 16 | Men’s Event

Breakfast at 8 | 9 AM Program

 

Sunday, March 17 | All Services – Abu  Black Rock Partner, Middle East

Curious About Our Summer Mission Trips?

Check out this video.

It’s January and that means it’s time to consider if God is calling you to go on a mission trip this summer with one of our Black Rock teams. Registration for our 2024 Summer Missions Trips is now open and we believe God has something for you. See below for a complete list of our eight great trips and to sign up online. 

Here are some of the top reasons to go as you pray and consider which trip is right for you:

  • You will grow spiritually through new experiences and build meaningful relationships both with those you serve and those you serve alongside
  • Our Global Partners are asking for teams to come and you can make a positive difference through discovering and using your unique gifts
  • You will develop a global perspective by experiencing and enlarging your understanding of different cultures around the world

If you are curious, watch Pastor Jeremy give a video overview all about trips here. If you are interested in specific trips you can click on the links below to watch video invitations from each of our team leaders and check out the trips page here for more information and to sign up.

Level 1 Trips:

Florida // April – Learn More Here

 

Level 2 Trips:

Honduras #1 // June – Learn More Here

Honduras #2 // July – Learn More Here

Dominican Republic (Adults & Families) // July – Learn More Here

 

Level 3 Trips:

Namibia // June – Learn More Here

Egypt // July – Learn More Here

Rwanda // July – Learn More Here

Kazakhstan // July – Learn More Here

Bosnia // July – Learn More Here

THE GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS

Check out this video.

Christmas is a time of giving and receiving gifts and God has been good to Black Rock Missions this year. Join Pastor Jeremy in reviewing and rejoicing over some of the many gifts we’ve received. Click here

Also, Ximena Jordan, who went on a short-term trip to Nigeria in January, shares a thought on generosity. She highlights the need not just for those who can GO but for those who can GIVE to enable the mission. Click here.

Black Rock, we celebrate your generosity! If you would like to make a year-end gift out of how God has blessed you this year, it will go to supporting our partners in the front-line work they are doing to Love God, Love People, and Serve Our World. Click here to give.

 

CULTIVATING CONNECTIONS IN SPAIN

Check out this video.

A short-term team of Black Rock members just returned from Spain where they encouraged BRC Global Partners Emil and Sarah. For a video recap click here. Cultivating relational connections was at the heart of the trip. Among other things, the team distributed Spanish and Arabic copies of the Sermon on the Mount and helped with a community cleanup initiative. As Spanish speakers, many of the team members effectively participated in evangelistic outreach. Spain is less than 2% evangelical with a huge influx of Muslim immigrants. 

Emil grew up at Black Rock and he and Sarah welcomed the team with joy. They took the team to see beautiful sights in Spain as well as to meet local partners doing good work. They explained that their ministry often challenges our Western expectations, especially on short-term trips where much of the outreach work revolves around building relationships rather than structured activities. 

This model of investing time for deep discipleship is validated by stories like that of a Somali family that had a spiritual encounter during Ramadan 17 years ago. The wife grew up loving the Koran but was curious about Christianity after witnessing the violence of extreme Islam. She had a life-changing experience when Jesus appeared to her in a dream, twice. A man in shining light appeared saying that he was God. She was puzzled until she had a second dream where this same person told her, “I am the way, the truth and life.”  When she Googled that phrase, she saw an image of the man in her dream. Curious, she sought to learn more. 

It took her husband a few years, but he also joined her on the path of faith. They were the first local Somali believers. God has used them to bring thousands along the same journey, a testament to the transformative power of time, prayer, and patience in fostering genuine connections and spiritual growth.

PRAISE and PRAYER

  • Three pastors have taken the Perspectives course Emil coordinates. Stay tuned for opportunities to take the class at Black Rock in 2024.
  • Sarah continues acquiring skills in cyber security which is helpful for workers serving in closed countries. Pray for wisdom in taking advantage of AI for initial-interest responses requesting feedback.
  • They are looking forward to an upcoming team retreat. Pray they bond with new teammates as they continue to grieve the death of a colleague.

 

Reflecting On God’s Blessings: Our 2023 Mission Trips

Check out this video.

Chris Bruno, our devoted Mission Trip Coordinator, provides a heartfelt recap of our year in missions. With seven impactful trips and the participation of 67 individuals, we witnessed God’s answers to prayer as we ventured beyond our comfort zones to embody Christ’s love, support our partners, and share the gospel.

Chris talks about his third trip to Kazakhstan calling it “the best trip yet.” He also celebrates the wonderful things that God accomplished in and through the teams. We saw Christ’s church around the world and had the joy of welcoming folks into the kingdom, including family members who traveled along with one of the teams.

We’re already planning our trips for next year, revisiting some places and exploring new partnerships. Look out for our trip launches in January and consider joining us; your life will never be the same!

For more trip details and recaps, click on the links below.

Mission IS Possible

Living Out Black Rock’s Mission

Honduras

Follow The Adventure

Dominican Republic

Kazakhstan

 

Two Women On A Mission

Check out this video.

Kaitlyn and Sue are two Black Rockers with a shared passion for missions. These ordinary women are taking an extraordinary step of faith to make a difference in the lives of those in need. Kaitlyn is returning to Uganda this fall to work with Good Shepherd’s Fold, a home for orphaned and vulnerable children, as a Sponsorship Coordinator. Sue is heading back to Nigeria to work with the Leah Foundation as their first missionary, as well as serve with City Ministries at the Hope and Freedom Center.

Their paths first crossed when Sue hired Kaitlyn at her coffee shop, and their shared faith drew them together as friends who would grow to become like family. As you hear their stories, you’ll hear their heart for God and helping the lost in both practical and spiritual ways. 

Sue’s desire is to stand by the Nigerian people, especially women who are overcoming the challenges of addiction, sex trafficking, persecution, and more. Her mission is to show these women that they are beautiful, strong, and not defined by their past. Most of all, she aims to share the joy and hope of Christ. 

Photography is one of Kaitlyn’s talents, and she loves using it to capture the beauty and value of the children she meets. She hopes her loving presence and creative work will illuminate the true worth of these precious children.

Grateful for the community and support they have found at Black Rock, Kaitlyn and Sue encourage others to explore short term missions as a way to discover their own calling. They believe that missions is an invitation for everyone to be involved. By praying, giving, and going, we can all play a part in spreading God’s love and joy to those in greatest need.

Their journeys inspire us to discover our unique mission in life, and to step out in faith. Watch here.

 

PRAY

To become a prayer partner to Kaitlyn or Sue you can sign up here

GIVE

To help us financially support Kaitlyn, Sue and our other global partners you can give here

GO

To go on a trip to Nigeria this January, check out our trip info page here.

Sowing Seeds in West Africa

Check out this video.

This year we’ve chosen Justin and Sarah as one of our Featured Partners. They are involved in many important projects including living among the beautiful people of West Africa during turbulent times, leading a Bible School that trains indigenous believers, and creating Chikondi, an outreach to children and families through media (a ministry which Black Rock also supports). Let’s take a closer look at this inspiring couple.

In a recent Sunday service at Black Rock we saw a video greeting from Justin and Sarah where they expressed their longing to see a harvest of faith in “Muslim majority nations where the word of God is most needed but access to solid biblical teaching is less available.” They also gave us an update on how God is multiplying their impact to sow many seeds of faith through the availability of smartphones and internet access across their region. They’re even developing an app, with a focus on West and North African nations. 

Justin and Sarah send their love and thanks to everyone at Black Rock. They appreciate our prayers, moral support, spiritual encouragement, and financial provision. Despite the challenges they face, they continue their work by abiding in God’s love.

To watch their video greeting click here.

PRAY

If God is stirring your heart to be a Prayer Partner you can sign up here

GIVE

To give financially and support Black Rock Missions click here.

GO

We celebrate our short term mission trips this summer as they took literal steps of faith to GO and bring the good news around the world. Check out our YouTube page for videos from our summer teams.

Meet Manami

Check out this video.

Our New Chair of the Missions Board, Manami Tsutsumi sends greetings from Japan while there on a short term mission trip. She also invites all of us to joyfully continue and increase our support of God’s work through Black Rock Missions by taking advantage of opportunities to PRAY, GIVE and GO. Click here 

PRAY

If God is stirring your heart to be a Prayer Partner you can sign up here

GIVE

To give financially and support Black Rock Missions click here.

GO

We celebrate our short term mission trips this summer as they take literal steps of faith to GO and bring the good news around the world.

The Benefits of Empowering Indigenous Believers

This month we are taking a closer look at the Harvest Training Center in Nigeria. Black Rock is supporting this new ministry initiative of our long-time global partners the Fretheims. Click here to hear from Ed Jordan, who is leading one of our short term trips this year and has served on our Board of Missions, as he shares about this initiative. Click here to see a video about the opening of HTC and see first-hand what God is doing. 

In recent years, there has been a significant shift in church missions towards training indigenous believers to spread the Gospel. Black Rock supports this approach, but since it looks different from historical mission practices in some ways it raises the questions whether it is Biblical and effective? Let’s explore the advantages to understand why Black Rock has recently changed our 4th strategic priority to align more closely with this idea.

Biblical model: We see the Apostle Paul encouraging and equipping local believers like Timothy and Titus for ministry. Training local leaders reflects the biblical principle of empowering all believers to participate in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

Cultural Relevance: Empowering indigenous believers honors their cultural identities and enables them to effectively communicate the timeless message of salvation in ways that resonate with their own people. They bridge cultural gaps, increase receptiveness to the message, and remove language barriers with their understanding of local culture, fluency in the language, and pre-existing relationships. This approach aligns with Paul’s philosophy of becoming all things to all people (1 Corinthians 9:22).

Sustainable Discipleship: Developing local leaders ensures the continuity of Gospel work, even in the absence of foreign missionaries. Training disciples who make disciples allows for multiplication that results in planting churches that create thriving and sustainable communities (2 Timothy 2:2). This is also more cost-effective, reducing expenses related to travel, language acquisition, and cultural adaptation.

Holistic Ministry: A comprehensive approach encompasses the big picture of Gospel transformation. Equipping local believers empowers them to address spiritual, social, and practical needs and aligns with the biblical call to love our neighbors and seek their welfare (Jeremiah 29:7). By combining proclamation of the Gospel with practical expressions of love and care, training indigenous believers allows for a more holistic ministry.

Black Rock supports the vision of the Harvest Training Center to do all of these things. By equipping local leaders to plant local churches they follow a biblical model that emphasizes cultural relevance, sustainable discipleship and holistic ministry, thus maximizing the impact of spreading the Gospel. 

 

PRAY

If God is stirring your heart to be a Prayer Partner you can sign up here

GIVE

To give financially and support Black Rock Missions click here.

GO

We celebrate our short-term mission trips this summer as they take literal steps of faith to GO and bring the good news around the world.

The LORD has done great things!

Check out this video from Jeremy!

Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:1

At our Annual Meeting last night, we celebrated what God has done through our Mission Program this last year and looked forward to what’s ahead in the year to come.  Here are a few highlights.

  • Our church members approved our 2023-24 budget of $1,260,000.  This means together we get the privilege of giving to Missions to support God’s work throughout the world.
  • This last year over 140 people signed up to become new prayer partners.  We are just a few away from having 1,000 people actively praying for our partners and their work.
  • We have added new partners this last year: Erin Duerr (Nigeria), Joshua and Taylor H. (Middle East), Hunt Family (working with Refugees in France), Chris Camarro (Special Needs Students in the Philippines) and Mission of Hope (Dominican Republic and Haiti).
  • We continued to share about our newest priority:  Equipping global Christians for evangelism and church planting among unreached people groups.  We are giving a combined total of $100,000 a year for the next three years to these partners: Palm, Go Pioneers and City Ministries, as they help train nationals. 

Thanks again for being a part of a Missions Program that is changing the world for Jesus.  Your Giving, Praying & Going is vital to us supporting the work of our partners throughout the world.  

Pastor Jeremy

 

PRAY

It’s true! We are only 18 away from our goal of 1,000 prayer partners. It’s not too late to sign up. You can join by clicking here.

GIVE

To give financially and support Black Rock Missions click here.

GO

If you’re stirred to GO on a trip this summer there is still one trip available to Spain. For more information or to sign up click here.

 

Finishing the Great Commission

We are fast approaching the 2000 year anniversary of the famous commission of Jesus to “Go into all the world and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). How close are we to finishing the task? 

Click here to watch Pastor Jeremy’s monthly update, where he recommends a video he found helpful. It sketches out the remaining finish lines in the Great Commission with relevant statistics and hope filled exhortation. The video illustrates the work remaining to complete the great commission. If we are to get the message of the Good News of the King and His Kingdom to where the message is NOT, we need to focus on four B’s: 

  • BIBLE – This is a story that needs to be told. 
  • BELIEVER -Those who know Jesus are to reach those who do not.
  • BODY OF CHRIST – The work is to plant churches everywhere on the planet
  • BREAKTHROUGH PRAYER – We cannot accomplish God’s work without God’s Spirit. So prayer and worship arising in every place is both the goal and the way.

It might seem impossible to some but this is the remaining task. To watch the video he mentions click here.

Thank you Black Rock for doing your part to finish the task. You attended our Missions Conference. Many of you made a Missions Commitment pledge to support our Global Partners who are involved with bible translation and church planting. One hundred and forty of you signed up to become new Prayer Partners and some of you signed up to go on one of our summer mission trips. We celebrate your involvement.

PRAY

It’s not too late to sign up to be a Prayer Partner and you can join by clicking here

GO

We also still have 2 trips available this summer to go to Spain and the Dominican Republic. For more information or to sign up click here.

GIVE

To give financially and support Black Rock Missions click here.

Check out this video from Jeremy.

How God stretched our ImagiNATIONS - Missions Week 2023

Our recent Missions Week entitled ImagiNATIONS brought many of our Global Partners to Black Rock. We heard great speakers, connected in person with our wonderful global partners, and spent time together as a congregation listening to what God is doing around the world to further His great commission. We are grateful for all who attended and especially to those who extended themselves to drive partners to and from airports, open their homes to host them, and invite them to share a meal. To watch Pastor Jeremy’s video about what he learned, click here.

Check out this video.

We were encouraged to hear about what God is doing now that seemed impossible to imagine in years past. As we are inspired to imagine what He can do in the future we ask, “Now what?” Let’s ask God how we can get involved in what He is doing. Consider the following ideas as you imagine how He might ask you to pray, give, and go in new ways. 

PRAY

Jesus exhorts us to “PRAY earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His field.”  Thank you to those who signed up to be prayer partners. It’s not too late to pick one or more partners who you will commit to pray for this coming year. 

God hears us when we pray and is eager to answer (1 John 5:14-15). To encourage you, here are a few prayer requests we lifted up this week that God has already answered:

  • On Wednesday morning, a mission trip leader mentioned her desire for a father to apply to help with leadership. So we prayed. By evening two different fathers had signed up! 
  • Saturday during the men’s breakfast, some ladies gathered to pray. One thing they asked was that God spark interest in missions in the next generation. Later, we found out that a dozen young men (under 22) had joined their dads at the breakfast. 

Of course, God doesn’t always answer prayers that fast, but how encouraging! If you’d like to become a prayer partner you can sign up here

GIVE

God has generously gifted some of us so we can GIVE generously. (‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭AMP‬‬) One of our global partners serving in the Middle East shared a story that highlights the amazing multiplication that is happening as we invest in the BRC Board of Missions’ fourth strategic priority, equipping global Christians for evangelism and church planting among unreached people groups. If you missed the video, it is available here.

Check out this video.

If you would like to submit your giving pledge or give financially you can do so here.

GO

While some of our trips are full, sign ups are still open for the following destinations:

  • Honduras | June 24- July 1 (Deadline is Sunday, March 26)
  • Rwanda | June 24- July 4 (Deadline is Sunday, March 26)
  • Kazakhstan | July 5 – July 13 (Deadline is April 1)
  • Dominican Republic (family trip) | July 15 – July 22 (Deadline is May 1) 

You can get more details and apply here.   

Join us for ImagiNATIONS (Missions Week)

Missions Week is coming up and we are so excited for this opportunity to learn more about what God is doing around the world. You will hear how God wants to grow our imagination for the nations and how we all get to participate. 

Check out this video from Jeremy.

There’s all these events:

  • All-church gathering and dinner on Wednesday
  • Saturday programs & breakfasts for both men and women
  • Monday Worship & Prayer night following Pizza with Prayer Partners
  • Sunday services where you will hear messages from keynote speakers 

Please register for meals here. Come be part of what God wants to teach us and see how God wants to transform our world through us! 

Missions Trips 

We are excited that, after the last couple of years of Covid travel restrictions,  we can go on mission trips again this year! This year is your opportunity to GO and serve with Black Rock Global Partners. There are trips near and far with various service opportunities. Please pray about how God wants YOU to participate and which trip may be right for you. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) begins with the word “GO…” and continues “into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” We all have a next step we can take to fulfill this assignment so let’s be asking God to make it clear and give us the power and provision to follow Him. You can find out more about all the available trips and sign up here. Deadline for most applications is March 1.

ImagiNATIONS - Missions Week 2023

We couldn’t be more excited to introduce our upcoming 2023 Missions Week. Throughout that week, the theme, “ImagiNATIONS,” will draw our attention to what God is doing around the world that no eye has seen and exceeds even what we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Many of our Global Partners will join us in person. We are excited to hear their stories of what is happening in their parts of the world.

Check out this video from Jeremy.

One of the things we’re most excited about is hearing how God is moving among people of Muslim faith. It’s really extraordinary! You will want to hear our March 12 keynote speaker, David Garrison, who spent several years researching this topic. If you can’t wait for March and want to hear more about this, he’s featured on season 2 of the Maverick Podcast. These 25-minute episodes are worth your time and will prepare your heart for our 2023 Missions Week. Listen to an introduction here.

David tells amazing stories from his research in his book, Wind in the House of Islam. Pick up a copy at our Resource Center or place an order on Amazon.

Your story matters in God’s story. If you are curious about how you might play a part by going on a short-term mission trip this year, stay tuned at the end of January when we will release the dates and locations we’ll be sending teams to!

The Persecuted Church

Every year, the global church sets aside a Sunday in November to join in prayer “for those who share our faith but not our freedom.” We at Black Rock commemorated Persecution Sunday by hearing from Black Rock Global Partners in creative access countries. In this video we hear about their experiences with persecution and stories of how God is at work even where being a Christian comes at a great cost. Please be advised: This video contains mature content that may not be appropriate for children.

Check out this video.

As we remember our brothers and sisters around the world who face persecution, please pray for their ability to “press on.” (Philippians 4:13)

To become a prayer partner click here