Love in the trenches

  And the King will say, "I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the lest of these my brothers and sisters, you where doing it for me!"

Mathew 25:40

What is ministry?  What does it look like?

A ditch is not the first thing that may come to mind when you say you are involved in ministry.  A shovel, pipe, pry-bar and some sweat equity are not usually tools associated with sharing the Gospel of Christ.  But if you read the New Testament closely you will see these would be the tools most likely for Jesus to have used.  Christ spoke to those in need where they where.  He talked fishing to fishermen, planting to the farmers, and even about debts to tax collectors.  Christ comes to people in need where they are.  He does not wait for someone to bring them to church.  He doesn't depend on organizations to meet there needs.  He loves them now.  Listens to there needs, and helps to meet those needs. 

Sometimes the physical need was meet as a means to introduce the Gospel and yet others the physical need was used a tool to open there hearts to the Gospel.  Christ was about feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and healing the sick.  Should we as His followers not be doing the same.  Look around your city and I would imagine you can quickly identify a need if you look with your heart and not just your eyes. 

Christ came that through His perfect life, voluntary death in our place on the cross, and His resurrection we may be saved to glorify God the father.  It is simple to understand, simple to explain, but hard for us to share.  Why?  We are afraid of conflict maybe.  Afraid we won't know what to say, or even afraid we are not good enough.

We are called to make disciple's in the book of Acts.  Not some of us, all of us.  Give your life to ministry in the name of Christ and see what might happen.  Whether serving in a nursing home playing games with some senior saints.  Cutting firewood for those in poor health, serving in a soup kitchen to share the food of life.  The opportunities are endless, and the reward of being in Gods will is unexplainable. 

Why go to Honduras?

In less than two weeks 36 men, women, and young adults will board a plane from Atlanta and head towards San Pedro Sula Honduras.  Many may ask why leave?  Why risk your family and there safety?  Why not just send money?  Why not someone else?

The simple answer is, God commanded us all to go and make disciple's of all nations.  In a time where there is pain and suffering next door, why go a world away?  The love of Christ was not withheld from anyone due to proximity, color, or economic background.  Plan and simple the Gospel of Grace was given to all so that the Glory of God will be known to all.  As followers of Christ this group seeks to show love to those who are without love.  To help feed those without food, and cover those without clothes.  In James it clearly spells out the works that faith will produce when it is truly alive. 

From November 4th - 12th this group will have many opportunities both planned and unplanned to minister in love.  From holding a abandoned child, to mixing concrete for a house of hope, cooking rice for the hungry, but most importantly a smile and simply sharing some time with a creation of Christ.  You see this trip is about realizing that each and every person is a beautiful creation of the Father.  That we are all worthy of love no matter how much money we may or may not have, the color of our skin, the language we speak.  God calls us simply to love as He loves us. 

Missions are not about the flight, or about the work.  Missions in its simplest definition is loving others where they are and just how they are because Christ loved them first.  What is important to the master should be important to the servant. 

Please pray that this team from 8 different churches, and with a 50 year difference from young to old.  Pray not for safety or comfort.  Pray that each and every member of team will be open to the moving of the Holy Spirit.  Pray for the the hearts and minds of those we may meet to be open and ready to hear the Gospel.  Pray for the needs of those in Honduras.  Remember to lift up the translators as they convey Gods message from one language to the other.   Lastly please pray that not only in Honduras but wherever we may be that we glorify God by our words, service, and actions.

If you would like to give to this trip there is still time to make a donation to be used for ministry to orphans and the hungry.  We will be visiting two orphanage's who are in need of supplies as well as several villages that are struggling to find enough food to survive.  You may make a donation via pay pal at www.carpentersheart.org or mail your checks to PO box 1220, Weaverville, NC 28787 with Nov trip in memo section.    For more infoyou may also call Andy @828-775-6646

Fish Fry Sat Oct 15 from 4-7pm

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily foo, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 
                                                                                                                               James 2 : 15-16  ESV

God truly has blessed thus far this year.  The response from several trips to Tennessee, Operation Soul Saver, and the amount of work done on the orphanage is all far greater than the Carpenter's Heart team could have ever imagined.  We are continually amazed by the outpouring of love and service from the people that have been involved with Gods work this year.  We want to thank you for the continued prayers and support that has poured in this year.  We realize that the hliday season is quickly approaching and know how busy this time can become. 
We will be traveling to visit our brothers and sisters in Christ in Honduras the first week in November and are making a last push to raise money for the orphanage before this trip.  For the past few weeks we have been blessed to keep the guys working on a week to week basis in attempts to finish on or near our November trip.  In response will are having a Fish Fry @ Locust Grove Baptist Churc in Weaverville this Sat Oct 15 from 4-7pm.  This will be one of the final fundraisers for this calendar year.  We will be serving fish(or hot dogs), fries, slaw and drink for $5.  Where can you find a deal  like that.  Please pass this along to any and all of your family and friends.  We realize how much you have sacrificed this year to make this project such a success and thank you form the bottom of our hearts.  Please consider joining us and bringing this verse in James to life as we not only pray for the hungry and naked but work to serve those in Honduras.

The Church is located at 305 Locust Grove Rd in Weaverville NC 28787
Please help pass this along to any and all your friends as we hope to see 150 -250 of our dearest friends come out and help share the love of Christ.

Why do you go?

Church in Sanfrancisco De Yajoa

Typical house in Sanfrancisco



Crib in orphanage.  Why I go



Had a person today ask why I went to Honduras.  Simply said, I was called.  There are many times in my life that I have ignored God calling in my life.  From raising my hand while worshipping in church to refusing to help the man on the street.  For once 4 years ago i said yes.  My walk has never been the same.  I still say no more than I say yes but the truth is.  My heart has been broken for the people of Honduras.  I cannot understand why God blessed my to be born in a country where food, water, and shelter are a given.  The only purpose to it that I can see is that I am supposed to help.  So that is why I go.  God willing that is why I will continue to go.  I feel that I am a better person for getting to meet and serve the wonderful people of Honduras.  In fact I know it has even encouraged me to do more here in WNC when I have returned.  So my question to you is "What has God called you to?"  Say yes this Christmas season it just me the greatest gift you have ever received.

What is the perfect Christmas?

Have you ever thought about the perfect Christmas.  Maybe you picture the family gathered around the fire sipping eggnog as the children open presents.  The picture perfect meal has already been consumed and has been cleaned up and put away.  Family from far away has travelled in and smiles and old stories are swirling around the room. 
Does this sound like what you are expecting?  We all dream of this picture perfect holiday, but is it realistic.  Lets look at the arrival of Christ  and see just how ideal the first Christmas really was.  As Jesus' family travelled the countryside to reach Bethlehem the rumors of the woman with child before she was married.  The husband was trying to move his family to be counted by the tax collector.  A lady nine months pregnant who has been riding a donkey is not quite the picture perfect arrival.  Home was a carved out piece of rock that was home to sheep, cattle, and other livestock.  What a cozy place for the a birth. As the couple tryed to get ready for this grand event I am sure Joseph was so proud that his new bride would be giving birth to there firstborn in a cave shared with livestock.  There where no family present only a few shepards, the trash collectors of biblical times, to share this joyous occasion with. 
So when you are travelling this Christmas remember the perfection of Chrits birth isn't in the atmoshpere or the decor.  The meal isn't what makes the day.  The imperfection of Christ's arrival magnifies the perfection of God and the life that Jesus lived.  We are not to focus on the surroundings or even the beauty of this season.  We are to focus soley on the fact that Jesus came to come into this imperfect world to live the perfect life and die on theh cruel Roman cross for us to have a chance at living in that perfect place at one with God. 
I pray that we all have a wonderful Christmas and that everything falls into place to make this a Martha Stewart Christmas.  When that doesn't happen I pray we understand that our sins cause this imperfect and fallen world to be less than we expect. That is why we have Christmas, the birth of the perfect sacrifice freely given to us on that first Christmas.