Some Statistics on Giving

Here are some statistics our pastor, Pat Hood, recently posted on his blog.

"80% of the world's evangelical wealth is in North America and that total represents way more than enough to fund the Great Commission... We must give generously in order to be a Sending Church...

In 2007, 1.9 billion worldwide (28% of population) had yet to hear the gospel...we MUST be a Sending Church...

In 2004, church members gave 2.5% of their income to the church.  If they had tithed obediently, there would've been an additional $164 BILLION to fund the Great Commission.

Annual giving $19 billion between now & 2015 could eliminate global starvation.  An additional $15 billion could provide universal access to clean water.

Conservative estimates indicate that $1 billion a year could be all that's needed to complete the Great Commission.

In 2000, American evangelicals collectively made $2.66 TRILLION in income.

Only one third to one half of all American church members support their church financially...

In 2007, it was estimated that Americans spent $40 billion on their pets... by 2010, Americans will spend $60 billion on weight loss... How much on the gospel?

America has 40% of the world's wealth & only 2.5% of the population.   We are blessed to be a blessing.

Income has increased 10 times in the last 20 years while giving has decreased by about 50%...

These stats are shocking to say the least.  They reveal that Americans have major spiritual heart disease when it comes to giving.  If every Christ follower would obediently tithe, the church could eliminate poverty, provide clean water for the world, provide loving care to all the world's orphans & send missionaries to preach the gospel to all peoples..."

November 15, 1989/2009

My father, Bill Christensen, died on the first day of gun deer season a half mile from his house in Peck, Michigan, 100 miles north of Detroit. After Christmas and Easter, Nov. 15 is the next major holiday in that region. Some schools close for the day, people get off work for the day and there are those who don't just go. My brother and my Dad were hunting together and had walkie-talkies. My dad shot a large buck first thing in the morning and called my brother to tell him that he was going to wait for a while before he did anything else so that he would not interfere with anyone else's hunting chances. After that last communication, my brother didn't hear anything for a really long time so he went to check Dad. He was dead from a massive heart attack. It was very shocking, of course, because he was only 54.

We had to drive up to Michigan as quickly as we could. We drove through a tornado in Kentucky, just missing it by half an hour. We drove through a terrible thunderstorm; the wind was strong and stuff was blowing everywhere. When we finally arrived in Michigan, the weather there seemed to match our mood as well. The graveside service was very cold and wet, really miserable. But lots of people came to the funeral and told us that Dad was a wonderful man and that he made a big difference in their lives.

My mother Carol contracted breast cancer the following year. She had a mastectomy, went through chemotherapy surprisingly well and seemed to settle in to her radically different life. She was more active in her church; she traveled with her sister and friends. In 2006 the cancer came back and she went through everything again, bouncing back well and continuing her life as before. In the fall of 2008 she had back pain, leg pain and double vision. Again she went to all of her doctors and they sent her for test after test, but they couldn't find anything. Then, in the spring of 2009, my brother went with her to the doctor to find out what was going on and they finally figured out that the cancer had come back and that it probably had spread throughout her body. There was nothing that could be done except hospice care, and one of the hospice nurses said Mom had two or three months left.

She doubled the time they thought she had left and she lived it to the fullest way possible while using a walker, then being confined to a chair with electric lift. My aunt and niece, with help from my brother and sisters, did a wonderful job helping her. I went through 150,000 airline miles to visit her once a month.

Even toward the end, she was always positive. Lots and lots of people from her church visited her and brought her food over and over again. When I saw them they reported to me that they always came away very blessed after visiting Mom. Eventually the disease progressed and she became bedridden, but she continued to be a blessing. This was a lady who served her church and community well. She just kept on the best she could, accepting whatever came her way, still blessing everyone around her. When she made it past September, I predicted to Elizabeth that she would die on Nov. 15, 20 years to the day after my Dad passed away.

Thanks to Skype, I was able to talk with her very often. We would tell her that we loved her and she would tell us that she loved us. We told her that we were going to Belgium, and for a second she was shocked, but then realized it would be OK because she would be in heaven. I told her that the reason Christians suffer is so they can glorify God by testifying to how wonderful He is in the midst of their suffering and that she was finishing the race well. That made her happy.

As predicted, my sister called at 5 a.m. Nov. 15 with the news that Mom had gone to heaven. We were ready. We left soon after we finished the laundry and called our sons to keep an eye on the house. The weather was beautiful, too. It was a happy funeral because a saint had gone home. Mom was running now, not confined to her bed.

I have been blessed by wonderful parents. Their love for God and each other has molded me into who I am today, giving me a legacy to give to my children and grandchildren.

I love you Mom and Dad!

Our Story Part II (LifePoint's Story)

Several years ago God gave our church the vision of a mission partnership on every continent. Our church had always been involved in missions through giving money, praying for missionaries, and sending teams for a week at a time. In January 2004 our church began to feel that God wanted us to be involved at a deeper level. We began to pursue some long-term partnerships with missionaries on different continents. This led to three families from our church going as missionaries to South America, South Asia and Africa.

Then in the summer of 2007 our executive pastor, Kyle Goen, began noticing the country of Belgium. He began to feel that this might be a country where God wanted our church to become involved. In Belgium only 1/2 to 2 % of the population are Christ-followers. 80% of people say they are Catholic, but of these only 4 - 8 % attend church on any given weekend. Many people in Belgium do not have any idea what it means to have a relationship with Jesus. We feel God wants us to be a part of making that happen. We will be part of a team of five families who are committing to live in Belgium for at least three years.

We have a three-fold vision. We hope to start an English-speaking international church in Brussels. Brussels is the home of the European Union. It is a very cosmopolitan city. Out of that church we would train internationals, who are living temporarily in Brussels, to start churches in their home countries when they return. Also out of that church we would train native French-speakers to start French-speaking churches in nearby French-speaking cities.

Grandma Christensen

I Corinthians 1:4-6 The Message: Every time I think of you — and I think of you often! — I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There's no end to what has happened in you — it's beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.

7-9 Just think — you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.

When I was a teenager, my brother and I mowed my Grandma Christensen's lawn every week from the time the snow stopped in the spring until it started in the fall. Our father wanted to teach us, love, charity and the value of hard work, so he wouldn't let her pay us anything. This tore her up, and she would even cry sometimes. It was pretty sad.

When I was a senior in High School and I was starting to feel called to ministry, I asked her if she would give me a Living Bible. That was a gift that was OK with all concerned. At the end of summer or my birthday (this was 30-plus years ago so I don't remember exactly when), I received it and decided to read the Bible through every year.

I have been truly blessed by that 20-dollar Bible. I didn't read it every time, actually only once. But I have enjoyed reading or listening through the Bible each year since. I have been blessed every time. What I've learned by doing this hasn't been Earth shattering, becuse everyday life is like that. But I find new blessings regularly.

This is a passage that spoke to me recently. I am reading through the Bible in the order that it was written. So the epistles, the letters to the various churches, show up before the Gospels.

Think about what it says: You have everything you need when you become a Christ follower. It doesn't matter where you live, how much money you have or your level of education. He will never give up on you! He gives you all of the gifts you need! Maybe that is why Christ followers I have met in India, Africa and South America are so much more content than people from North America. They have a simpler faith that is not as influenced by an excess of training resources, music, videos and books that tell us how to live a life of following Jesus. They just have His word and very few teachers. It also costs more to be a follower when you are not part of the majority religion.

Thanks, Grandma Christensen. You influenced more lives than you ever knew.

Our Story

Throughout our marriage, we have always felt that God wanted us to be involved in church ministry of some sort. For four years Elizabeth was the youth and children's director in another local church. When she left that position we felt that God wanted us to be involved in a church ministry where we could work together. We were not sure how that could happen. After some time we began to make preparations to go to Canada to start churches. (Elizabeth is a Canadian native.) This plan did not work out and we were disappointed, but we continued studying and learning about starting churches. We now are finding that this was great preparation for what we are about to do. Also, we think our experiences played some role in our church catching the vision for getting more involved in missions to other countries.

Dan's Story

I also became a follower of Jesus as a young child. One night there was a bad thunderstorm. I wondered what would happen to me if I died. (It must have been quite the thunderstorm!) I remembered what my Sunday School teacher said about Jesus dying for me so that I could go to heaven. That was when I decided that I wanted to follow Jesus. When I was a senior in high school, I felt that God wanted me to be involved in church ministry. I ended up at the same Bible College as Elizabeth. We've been married now for over 31 years.

Elizabeth's Story

The story of how God brought us to where we are today begins a long time ago. This is Elizabeth's story:

I became a follower of Jesus at a very early age. Even though I was so young, I think I understood that I had done things that were wrong. I learned that Jesus was punished in my place. When I was about five and a half years old I was at an evening church service one Sunday. I don't remember the sermon but I will never forget the song we sang at the end of the service. We sang about the untold millions still untold about Jesus. It broke my heart. When we shook the pastor's hand as we left, he wanted to know why I was crying. My mother said she thought I must be tired. I knew the real reason, but I didn't have the words to explain.

As I was growing up missionaries were my heroes. The missionaries that I knew of were also doctors. So I thought that to be a missionary, I had to be a doctor. I wanted to be a missionary doctor when I grew up. As I grew older I did not see how that would work out. When I realized I would probably never be a doctor, I also forgot about being a missionary.

When I was seventeen, I felt that God wanted me to go to Bible College, although at that time I did not have a specific career in mind. I only knew that I wanted to learn more about the Bible. In Bible College I met Dan.

September trip to Belgium

Hi all. Here are a few photos from Dan and Elizabeth's trip to Belgium on an exploratory trip as they prepare to enter the missions field in Brussels.

Back from Belgium

We had a great time in Brussels!  We walked and walked, rode the subway more than we have in any other city,

plus we rode trains, trams and buses and a European van owned by a missionary friend.  Most of the cars are so small.  Not very many people actually drive cars though, the public transportation system is so good.

We met with missionaries from several groups not just our own.  They all said that the work is very difficult in Belgium.  We knew that and that is a large part of why we want to go.  We want to have conversations with people who would only be interested in us because the Holy Spirit is drawing them.  No cultural attraction.  The 6'3" man with the red headed wife did not look the least bit unusual.  Traffic did not stop and people didn't even wave.

The food was good but we were looking for hungry hearts and they were everywhere!

More later

We are going to Brussels tomorrow August 29! More news and pictures to follow!

How to help

Ways to Partner Financially

1. Monthly Support
* Electronic Funds Transfer (http://www.lifepoint church.org/give)
* Electronic Bank Check (your personal bank website)
* Mail Check to:
LifePoint Church
attn. Belgium Church Planting
506 Legacy Dr.
Smyrna, TN 37167
(Please place a note in the envelope that is for the Christensen's not on the check itself)

2. Yearly Support (http://www.lifepoint church.org/give)

3. Special Needs Offering (http://www.lifepoint church.org/give)
* Towards special projects or needs that may arise (i.e.) children's educational supplies and fees.
*Initial housing setup. (email for amounts)
*Language Tutors (email for amounts)

4. Airline Reward Miles
* Once a year return trip to U.S. for Partner Meetings

(All financial gifts given through LifePoint Church are tax-deductible. You will recieve a statement of giving following the year end closing)

Belgium Links

Links O’Belgium

kylegoen » 26 July 2009 » In Belgium, Mission » 0 Comments

Here are a few links to help you know a little more about Belgium to help you know a little more about where God has called LifePoint.

Overview

Visit Belgium

Belgian Waffles

Belgian Chocolate

Belgian Lace

Belgian Beer

Frites

How to Call Belgium

Embassy of Belgium

The Country of Festivals

Have fun readin

News you can use!

Elizabeth and I are getting ready to move to Belgium with our Executive Pastor at LifePoint Smyrna, Kyle Goen, his wife Amy and their family. There will be other families also. We have been working diligently to see this happen for the last few months. Elizabeth has been studying French and I have just ordered the Rosetta Stone. We have been writing our testimonies filling out questionaires etc. All has been going well, we feel very blessed!

The reason we are choosing Belgium is that it is a strategic country in the European Union and NATO. People live there from everywhere around the world. They need to know about Jesus!
The problem is that there aren't very many Christ followers - less than 2% nationwide. We want to be a small part of changing that!