Ministry Update- Nov 1, 2018

Hello Everyone,
The Lord has been keeping us busy. Here are some of the things we've been doing...

Awana Ministry Conference- Every year, Awana Missionaries host an Awana Ministry Conference. The purpose of these conferences is to provide ongoing training, equipping and encouragement to both new and existing Awana Volunteer leaders. This year, we trained approximately 300 leaders at our Awana Ministry Conferences. Praise God! Our hope is that these trainings will equip these volunteer leaders to reach more children with the love of Jesus.

Awana Ministry Conference- Henderson, NV

Awana Ministry Conference- Carson City, NV

Training Team from the Awana Ministry Conference in Carson City 

Nevada Baptist Convention- I had the opportunity to attend the Nevada Baptist Convention Annual Meeting. This is a great opportunity to meet pastors and other church leaders that we already serve through Awana as well as to talk with new pastors of how they might use Awana to reach out to their communities. So much fun to see old friends.

Growing Faith Conference (Bullhead City, AZ)- I also had the chance to attend and present breakout workshops at the Growing Faith Conference in Bullhead City. GFC is a conference for children's ministry workers in Mohave County, AZ designed to equip these workers to disciple children to a deeper relationship with Jesus. I presented training on "Why Midweek Ministry" and "Recruit, Retain and Disciple Your Volunteers". I met with pastors and church leaders of a new church in Bullhead City that is considering starting Awana- Stay Tuned.

Church Visits- I try to spend time visiting churches that we serve on Sunday Morning. It's a great opportunity to connect with the congregation to cast the vision that "Awana is a ministry of the church" rather than simple a parachurch ministry that is hosted at the church. This is vital for the long term success of the Awana club. This month I met with the congregation at First Baptist Fort Mohave.

Baja, CA Mexico Training- I had the opportunity to partner with SOW Ministries and travel to Calvary Chapel Rosarito and Calvary Chapel La Mision to train leaders how to use the Awana Truthseekers materials to evangelize and disciple the children of Baja with the love of Jesus. It's especially exciting to meet with the leaders from Calvary Chapel La Mision as that church serves children from the Door of Faith Orphanage. Praise God!

Bi-lingual Ministry Team Member Marigrey Francis providing training at Calvary Chapel Rosarito.

After we demonstrate how to use the Awana materials, we ask the local volunteers to "Teach Back" what they learned from us. Exciting when we see that "They Got It".

Calvary Chapel- La Mision

Club Visits- We love having the opportunity to visit Awana clubs to thank and encourage leaders for their ministry, talk with the children and to see God working in these Awana Clubs...good times!!

First Baptist Battle Mountain

Awana Grand Prix Check in at Parkside Bible Fellowship- Fallon

Sparks Gametime at Sierra Bible Church- Truckee

Sheri Knuutila giving T&T Awards at Highland Hills Baptist- Henderson, NV

Large Group Time at Green Valley Baptist- Henderson 

Notice the costume...it was Super Hero Night

Opening Ceremony at Summit Christian Church

Thank you again to everyone who prays, supports, encourages, shares, serves, laughs and seeks after God. Together, we are reaching children with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I praise God for you and the work He is doing in and through you. See you again down the road.

If you'd like to be a part of our ministry, and support our efforts to reach children with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, you can send donations to:

Awana/ Jeff Gilpin

PO Box 697

Truckee, CA. 96160

*Make a note on the memo of the check "Gilpin Acct 319" 

Or

Donate online at:

 awana.org/donate-to-a-missionary

   Choose North America - U.S.

   Then choose Jeff & Judy Gilpin

My Week Sept 22-29

4246 Miles Traveled
2 Flights
3 States
2 AirBnB's
4 Different Beds Slept in
2 Car Rentals
4 Starbucks
Awana Ministry Conference
Spoke at a church
Leader Training

Helped Awana Missionaries Dan & Geraldine Bylsma at the AMC in Anchorage, AK

Gametime at Granite Hills Baptist Church in Reno, NV

Granite Hills Baptist Sparks Director Tiara does a GREAT Bible lesson and review game.

BUNCH of kids at First Baptist Sparks

First Baptist Sparks- Sparkies

Sparky Attendance Chart

T&T Large Group Time at FB Sparks- there wasn't an empty seat.

Leader Training at Valley Christian Fellowship- Gardnerville, NV

 Had a chance to share with the congregation at Mason Valley Baptist Church about how they could use Awana to reach the children and families in Yerington with the love of Jesus.

Ministry Update June-August 2018

Hello Family, Friends and Ministry Partners,

Summer is over and the Awana club season is underway. God has been keeping us busy. Here is some of what we've been up to over the summer.

• Missionary Meetings in Reno- I had the opportunity to meet with other missionaries from around the country to plan and strategize how we, as a ministry can reach more kids. We heard from Chris Marchand from Awana on the new updates to T&T. It was a wonderful time of encouragement and information.

• West Coast Honor Camp- West Coast Honor Camp is a partner ministry that "honors" Awana students from Northern California and Nevada who have reached a level of achievement. WCHC is staffed by Awana leaders from our ministry area. I attend every year as "Camp Missionary" so that I might encourage and thank these leaders for their service, and also to spend time with these teenage achievers. For many students, WCHC is very much a highlight of their club year. It is also a very encouraging time for me to spend time with so many who have a love for the Lord and a passion to reach kids.

West Coast Honor Camp Chapel

• Nevada Summer Mission Trip- I took a team of teens and adult leaders to Battle Mountain, NV. The purpose of this trip was to engage both the church and the community to help them develop a vision for reaching kids with the gospel and to show them that children's ministry can be fun and a very key strategic ministry for long term church health.

Pastor Jim Disbro from First Baptist Battle Mountain sharing a devotional to start our outreach

We asked teens to play a big role in our outreach

We never know how God will use our efforts. He just asks us to be faithful and continue to share His message of hope.

Loving on kids!

• Church Visits- Over the summer, I have the chance to visit our Awana churches on Sunday morning. This gives me an opportunity over the summer when club is not on session to meet pastors and encourage leaders. I also had the opportunity to speak at the "Iron Men of God" at First Baptist Sparks about our ministry, about God's heart for children and the statistical importance of reaching children with the gospel as according to Barna research, 80% of Salvation decisions are made under the age of 14.

Mountain Vista Baptist Church- Carson City

First Baptist Sparks

Granite Hills Baptist Church- Reno

• Summer Trainings- Over the summer, I have the opportunity to travel our ministry area and provide either start up or ongoing leader trainings

 

Summer Connection Meeting at First Baptist Sparks

Summer Connection Meeting at Summerlin Community Church

• 
• Summer Connection Meeting at Oasis Baptist/ Henderson, NV. 

Leader Training at Calvary Baptist- Bishop, CA

Pastor Meeting at New Life Fellowship in Lovelock, NV. Pastor Verna Vetter will restart Awana in Lovelock...great news!

Basic Training at First Baptist Battle Mountain, NV. Can't wait to see how God will work here.

Leader Training at my home church, Sierra Bible Church- Truckee.

Thank you again to everyone who prays, supports, encourages, shares, serves, laughs and seeks after God. Together, we are reaching children with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I praise God for you and the work He is doing in and through you. See you again down the road.

THIS YEAR...an exciting time in Awana

I was thinking today, what an exciting time of year in Awana! As leaders, pastors, and directors from our area and indeed all around the world all begin to come together in small meeting rooms, in living rooms and dens, on back porches, in coffee shops, in fellowship halls, and in basement game rooms for prayer and planning meetings and for trainings to get the new club year started, there are anxious moments for sure, ie who will be the game director? How many kids will come this year? How much should we order? How can we get everyone trained? Those are all part of ministry.

But there are EXCITING things to think about as well...

How many children will hear about Jesus for the first time?

How many children will know that they are loved unconditionally by the God of the universe?

How many children will know that the same God who causes the sun to rise and to set knows them by name!!

How many children will hear that this same God came to earth as a man and sacrificed His life so that they can be free from sin?

Indeed, how many children will be in heaven some day because of these prayer and planning meetings?Because of the trainings that are happening now? Because of the boxes that are shipped, the powerpoints that are created and shared...this year.

All over the world, there are over 4 million kids hearing about Jesus because of the ministry of Awana!! How many more this year will hear? How many more this year will know Him?

How many new moms and dads will bring their children to Awana, hear the Gospel from a pastor or a leader and put their faith in Christ. 

How many teenagers will feel God's call on their life to full time ministry as a pastor or missionary?

How many churches will be revitalized because they decided to invest in young children and as a result new families join and become involved in their church?

How many new leaders who came "just to help" will soon realize that God wants to use them in a much bigger way to disciple and train these young children?

Yes, there is so much to be excited about as we all get ready for another club year in Awana.

Thank you all again for all you do to make this happen. For those who serve, those who pray, those who give and those who lead. THANK YOU!!

Because of you... all this happens! Children will be reached... THIS YEAR!

THANK YOU!

Is Independence Day a Civic or Religious Holiday?

Is July 4th (Independence Day) a civic holiday or is it a religious holiday? Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter are generally recognized as Christian holidays as they celebrate God’s goodness to our country, Jesus birth, death and resurrection respectively. But what about the 4th, a civic or religious holiday? I would argue that Independence Day is a religious holiday.

Why you ask? Many think of the 4th as a celebration of the adoption of the Declaration of the Independence and the birth our nation. That’s true, but not the whole story.  The key to understanding the birth of our nation is in the first sentence of the Declaration of Independence;

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The founders of our nation believed that our rights as people came from God, not from any man, monarchy or government, and as long as we held onto that truth; that our rights do come from God, then no man could take them away. After living under the tyrannical British monarchy, they understood first hand the sinful nature of man, so they deliberately wrote in our country’s founding document, that we are a free people not because our government says we’re free, but because God created us as free people and no one can take that away. Truly something to celebrate!

So this year as we all spend time with families, engage in July 4th activities, eat hot dogs and watch fireworks, remember...that you live in the only country in history that guarantees and celebrates your God given right to freedom...don’t ever forget.

Ministry Update March-May 2018

14,000 miles traveled
5 states
10 plane flights, 4 rental cars, 5 Uber rides
11 different beds slept in and 3 different times zones
1 Moose seen
1 Navajo Taco and 1 Alaskan Salmon dinner eaten
Coffee, coffee and more coffee (I don't know how much...a LOT)
Club Visits
Awards Ceremonies
Lot's of new friends met and many laugh's shared

Thank you again for your faithfulness in supporting our ministry through prayer, financial support, missionary housing, loaned cars, meals, late night coffee and gift cards that help so much with our on the road meals and fuel when we drive. Most of all, though, thank you for your friendship and for sharing your lives with us.

Please know, Judy and I feel incredibly blessed to know you and partner with you to reach children with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. When we became missionaries, we thought that we would be the ones to minister to others, but we soon discovered that in many cases others minister to us just as much...what a unique partnership we have. Indeed, we are very humbled by our relationship with you.

I hope you are all well and enjoying God’s goodness. The Lord has been keeping us busy over the last few months. Here is report of what we've been doing...

In March I was invited to MC a very fun and unique Games Day/ Parent outreach event hosted by Green Valley Baptist Church in Henderson. I purchased banana's, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and Oreo cookies, and we played some food games. We used the traditional games props of batons and games pins but also added some of our own; bike tires and hoola hoops. We played old games like Sparky Safari and the Sparky Crawl, but also played new games like T&T Balloon blow and Bike Tire roll. Afterwards, Green Valley donated and cooked hot dogs for parents and children and we had a great time of fellowship (thank you Carmen). Highland Hills donated Peppermint Patty candies and turned them into award medals (thank you Shari). Although it was a little different, most importantly...kids and parents had FUN (smiles were everywhere) and the Gospel was proclaimed as Pastor Brian Jenkins shared the message of Jesus. What a great day.

Judy and I attend Journey Weekend in Sacramento, CA. Journey Weekend is a high school event featuring a Fine Arts competition, AwanaGames and Bible Quizzing. We attended this event to thank and encourage Journey volunteers from our area who spend all year ministering to these high school students. It is so much fun to see these students serve God by showing their talents in music, art, sculpture, Bible Quiz and athleticism.

We were invited to be quizmaster at the T&T Bible Quiz hosted by Spring Valley Baptist Church in Las Vegas. What a joy as I listened to these T&T students share from and recite God's word. I wondered what our Lord experiences when he hears His word being declared by these children. 

2018 Nevada Summit Bible Quiz Team

Summit 2018- Coaches Dan and Karla Harker from Summit Christian Church in Sparks lead our team from Nevada to the National Summit Competion in Springfield, MO. Summit is a national high school event holding Fine Arts, Volleyball, Bible Quizzing, and AwanaGames competitions. This year, the keynote speaker was Sean McDowell.

See my Summit photo album here

Basic Training at Gallup Church of God in New Mexico- we provided training for this church and also made connections for future training and equipping on the Navajo Reservation. Please be praying for this ministry. 

Navajo training photo album here

Our ministry team member, Marigrey Francis trained a new club in Las Vegas at Church of the America’s. What a great ministry team we have...THANK YOU to all of our Ministry Team members.

We also attended a SEND NORTH conference at the Alasks Christian College in Soldotna, Alaska with our missionary colleagues, Dan and Geraldine Bylsma from Anchorage. SEND NORTH is a missions agency that sends missionaries into the Alaska bush to minister to Alaska Native villages. We went to build partnerships and look for ways to partner with these folks to help and support them in their efforts to reach the children in these Alaskan Villages with the love of Jesus. There is a huge need for the gospel in these villages. We also met and built relationships with the Alaskan Baptist Convention and Arctic Barnabas, an organization dedicated to serving and supporting these missionaries. Stay tuned for future developments.

I was blessed to 16 clubs over this time. This is one of my favorite things to do as I get to see God working, thank and encourage leaders as I see their passion for reaching children and spend time with clubbers as they are discipled in the word of God.  Sometimes I'm asked to share and sometimes I just get to go a be a spectator. I was blessed to visit clubs in Reno, Las Vegas, Carson City, McDermitt, Bullhead City and Fort Mohave. ..What a joy!!

Club Visit Photo Album Here

Thank you again to everyone who prays, supports, encourages, shares, serves, laughs and seeks after God. Together, we are reaching children with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I praise God for you and the work He is doing in and through you. See you again down the road.