Summer Update…A Grace Outreach in Jerseyville

As the summer of 2010 approaches in final few laps, Phyllis and I would like to pause and thank the Lord for “grace” opportunities this past five months. We have made the transition to a church “replant” opportunity in Jerseyville, IL. Jerseyville is some 30 miles north of St. Louis. The church is called Grace Community Baptist Church. This small group of 40 has struggled with outreach and some organizational issues. We came here to do initially do three things: beef up the outreach, teach and teach some more, and lastly build up leadership. The process is off and srunning, albeit slower than we would like (The Lord is still trying to teach me patience!).
What have we done? In April we had Jerry Smith come and teach two days (5 hours of teaching time) how the church should be fleshing itself out. He is this via Biblical Ministries Worldwide’s (BMW) Companion Church Ministry. BMW's Companion Church Connection is designed to enable and encourage churches to equip their own people for ministry. The local church is not to be a one-man-show. THIS was a novel idea for some in the group! The teaching that came from these sessions needs still needs to be reviewed and lived out!
In May we began outreach by inviting many folks to our First Annual Grace Wingshoot instruction clinic. This clinic was performed by qualified skeet shooting experts. We invited the community to this event. About 30 new folks turned out plus some of our own GCBC members. A fun three hours of shooting was had by all. Literature and a brief explanation of the gospel and of Grace Community Baptist Church’s ministry were provided.
In June we had the concert ministry of Cornerstone Bible Institute choral group perform for us. We had a packed house with some 30 new folks in attendance. The CBI Singers sang a message of true hope and change!
In July our church family put together a float and entered that float in the annual Jersey County Fair Parade. The theme of the parade was “Beauty Through The Ages”. The centerpiece of our float was the cross with the verse Psalm 90:17 – “Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us…” Hundreds of pieces of literature were handed out during this parade as we at the booth we had at the fairgrounds.
In August we finally found a buyer for our home in South Dakota. We praise the Lord for allowing us to sell our home for a good price in spite of the economically hard times we live in these days. It closes on the 27th at 9 a.m.
In all our ministry pursuits we rest on the promise that the Lord Jesus Christ said He would build the church. Our focus in ministry is the DEPTH of ministry; the Lord will take care of the BREADTH of our ministry. He is the One who causes growth both evangelistically and in Christ-likeness.
Please continue to pray for us. The church in America is floundering. We live in unique days. Our country seems to be moving faster and faster away from the Lord. The need of the hour is for the Word of God to be proclaimed and taught without apology. The Apostle Paul expresses his place in ministry when he said in 2Corinthians 10:3-5 – “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…”
The above verse states what we are trying to do every day which the Lord gives us to minister. Please continue to pray for the work of church “replanting” here in Jerseyville, IL. Missions exists where ever there are people who need the gospel. We thank the Lord for His care for us in this outreach to the homeland of America.
Always By His Grace,

Dave & Phyllis Georgeff

Our Contact Information:
914 W. County Road
Jerseyville, IL 62052
Tel. (605) 890-6454
Email: dgeorgeff@gmail.com
Blog: georgeffsjournal.blogspot.com
Churchwebsite: gracetojerseyville.org