Effective Missionary Discipleship
Requires "Inreach" Along With Outreach
by Warren Camp (the Web guy)
Two weeks ago, Marti and Dale drove up to visit friends at my church: Chapel in the Pines (in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range town of Arnold, California); one of 10 churches that sponsor the Fisher family with financial support. After greeting them upon their arrival, I congratulated them for their numerous "Kenya 2008" missionary team's accomplishments. Dale immediately countered that credit for all spiritual achievements must, instead, be given to God Almighty. I agreed.
Dale shared with me the purpose of his and Marti's six-day visit. He told me, "Marti and I need to visit supporting churches at least every two years so we can keep up with our friends, pray for them, meet new people, and just 'be there' for them. We very much enjoy this 'inreach' aspect of our ministry and look forward to more times when we can visit with our many church friends from around the nation.
"With Abigail still at home," he continued, "we're sometimes challenged to find visitation times that fit our schedules. With her recent mission trip to the Bahamas, the time to visit the Chapel became convenient."
Let me give you a glimmer of what the Fishers' six days and nights of inreach included.
- Dale's 6 a.m. meeting, Tuesday, with the Chapel's "Working Man's Bible Study Group"
- Breakfast for Dale at 7 a.m., with men from the Chapel's "Hearty Boys Bible Study Group" (shown below)
- Dale's 8 a.m. slideshow presentation to 26 men from the "Hearty Boys Bible Study Group" (shown below)
- Marti and Dale's fellowship and sharing during the church's Senior Luncheon outreach event
- Marti's visit to the Chapel's "Moms in Touch" prayer ministry
- The Fishers' visits to three Bible-study groups (one shown below)
- Dinner with the church's missions committee (shown below)
- Private visits with four individual Chapel supporters
- A missions update and slideshow presentation to the adult Sunday school class of 55 "Searchers." (shown below)
- Speaking about the upcoming "Kenya 2009 Mission," in August, to congregants of two worship services (shown below)
Before their departure, Dale explained to me why the two of them did so much during their brief stay, saying, "Our goals, while visiting your church body, were to see friends and deepen relationships with them, meet new people, pray for all, present our year's upcoming missions, and simply connect with everyone. During each of these church visits, we deepen or start individual relationships and discover how we might pray for individuals, as well as share with them our own prayer and financial needs. Each of us tries to show Christ’s love for people and, in turn, receive love from them. We look forward to providing this inreach ministry to every church family that supports us and invites us to visit."
Continued at the bottom of the page . . .
This pair of photos presents Chapel in the Pines missions committee members, welcoming and praying for the Fishers.
Chapel missions committee members pose after treating the Fishers to a wonderful dinner event, hosted by committee leaders Shaune and Dave (standing, right).
Before the evening ended, committee member Bob (right) prays for Marti and Dale's ministry, as fellow members lay their hands on them in prayer.
The Fishers' "prayer partners" at Chapel in the Pines are those in its Bakery Bible Study Group, currently made up of 14 Bible studiers who have their own Web site.
Dressed in Kenyan attire, Warren (left, the Web guy) greets Marti and Dale who were the first to arrive at the Bakery Bible Study Group's get-together for the Fishers.
Here, half of the Bakery Bible Study Group cozy up for this group shot after everyone enjoyed the Fishers' slideshow, as well as refreshments.
Pat (right) and Marti enjoy a variety of finger-food treats.
After presenting their Kenya 2008 mission slideshow and appealing for financial support for this August's Kenya mission, Marti and Dale prepare to depart for yet another Chapel in the Pines missions event, dedicated to supporting their outreach ministry.
The Fishers' six-day visit with numerous Chapel supporters was packed with meetings, events, and presentations. As needed, they treated themselves to a nourishing "time out," enjoying many of God's creations in the Sierras.
After joining a few small-group Bible studies, luncheons, and dinners with Chapel in the Pines brothers and sisters, Marti and Dale enjoyed a refreshing break, alone, at nearby idyllic White Pines Lake.
One event that Dale very much enjoyed was an early morning breakfast with the Chapel's "Hearty Boys" Bible-study group.
Eager to begin breakfast at 7 a.m., after completing the 6 a.m. "Working Man's Bible Study," are Dale, Pastor Dick (center) and George (left).
A portion of the 26-member-strong Hearty Boys Bible Study Group enjoys breakfast before walking to the nearby Chapel for Dale's presentation.
The Hearty Boys Bible Study Group has been enjoying breakfast before Bible study, every Tuesday, for several years.
Sitting in the Chapel in the Pines worship center, Dales shares his outreach ministry's efforts and aspirations with the Hearty Boys.
Dale presents an inspiring slideshow of his missionary family's ministry that highlights last year's mission to Kenya.
The theme for Dale's slideshow presentation was "The Surprise Appearance (in Kenya) of a Number of Nicodemuses."
Hearing and seeing all that Dale and his family have done and are scheduled to perform, all the Hearty Boys share prayer with Dale.
Between the Chapel's 9- and 11-o'clock services, wherein Dale and Marti took turns speaking to congregants, they also presented their missions slideshow to the adult Sunday school class.
While Dale sets up his computer and projector, Marti describes a few of the amazing miracles God created for the coastal peoples of Kenya during last year's mission there.
Narrating his slideshow, Dale recounts a river journey during last year's exciting Kenya mission when the family rode in a small boat amid crocodiles and hippos on each side of their boat.
Chapel congregants heard Dale speak at the 9-o'clock service while Marti spoke at the 11-o'clock service.
In front of the Chapel in the Pines beautiful, stained-glass cross, Senior Pastor Dave Waterman invites one of the Fishers to speak at each morning worship service.
Marti spoke at the 11-o'clock service, telling the story of one of many conversions, from Muslim to Christianity, that she experienced during her Kenya 2008 Mission, after her showing of "The Jesus Film."
Speaking on behalf of the Fishers' many Chapel in the Pines friends and supporters, I'm grateful, not only for the Fisher family's multi-level outreach ministry that it does so well but for their personal "inreach" efforts that they continue to make for their supporters, inspiring and staying connected with them.
If your church supports the Fisher missionary family and you would like the Fishers to visit with your church body, contact
or
to make arrangements. If it doesn't yet but would like to, let Marti or Dale know that so they can thank you and begin to set things in motion.
The Fishers will enjoy their visit with you. They appreciate your continued support, enabling their entire family to reach out to the unchurched, spread the Word of God, and "go and make disciples, baptizing them . . ."
Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age (Matthew 28:19).
Marti and Dale: I and your other friends and supporters appreciate so very much all of your ministry's outreach and inreach efforts.
April's family photo pages:
