If you haven't already heard, Bri and I are leaving Tennessee and moving to Northern Idaho/Western Washington on the 24th of August. We're moving to work with Real Life Ministries on the Palouse. Quite simply, we want to learn how to plant new churches from those who are the most effective at helping people find their way back to God. RLM on the Palouse has offered to train me in a one-year leadership residency. This preparation is only the beginning to what Bri and I hope to be a lifetime of service to planting new churches in a culture that is increasingly post-Christian.
I believe a healthy relationship with God is nurtured and grown within the community that is the church. A wise man named Kierkegaard once said, "If God is our father, then the church is our mother." The church is the place where individual Christians learn, grow and reconnect to the One who brings life. I also believe it is the place where we truly start to reconnect with others in ways that lead to higher levels of love, faith, peace, joy, forgiveness, and selflessness.
We strive to learn how to plant new churches because we believe God is the only one who can change the human heart, and God is the only one who can make someone who feels dead come back to life. We believe that planting churches is the best way to reconnect people back to God through the saving Grace of Jesus Christ. We ask for your partnership over the next year, through your prayers, encouragement and constant communication. I will be blogging throughout the year to keep you posted on what is happening and what I am learning. Also, we are raising 100% of my salary for the year and we are currently only 40% of the way to our goal of meeting our financial needs. I will be working full-time with RLM and it is unlikely that I will have time to work on the side to supplement our income. Please contact me if you are able to help financially at derekrmurphy@gmail.com, and please do keep in touch regardless.
Love, Derek and Bri
I believe a healthy relationship with God is nurtured and grown within the community that is the church. A wise man named Kierkegaard once said, "If God is our father, then the church is our mother." The church is the place where individual Christians learn, grow and reconnect to the One who brings life. I also believe it is the place where we truly start to reconnect with others in ways that lead to higher levels of love, faith, peace, joy, forgiveness, and selflessness.
We strive to learn how to plant new churches because we believe God is the only one who can change the human heart, and God is the only one who can make someone who feels dead come back to life. We believe that planting churches is the best way to reconnect people back to God through the saving Grace of Jesus Christ. We ask for your partnership over the next year, through your prayers, encouragement and constant communication. I will be blogging throughout the year to keep you posted on what is happening and what I am learning. Also, we are raising 100% of my salary for the year and we are currently only 40% of the way to our goal of meeting our financial needs. I will be working full-time with RLM and it is unlikely that I will have time to work on the side to supplement our income. Please contact me if you are able to help financially at derekrmurphy@gmail.com, and please do keep in touch regardless.
Love, Derek and Bri
R3COV3RY Now
I got my family on my mind like all the time
I can't seem to get them off my mind like every rhyme
Its like its ripping holes through space and time
My girl Paige on my mind like every sick line
Gotta find the time to make up my mind, to stay in line
Need to find things to occupy my time so I don't end up in the kitchen
hot, sweety, and itchin
I'm all about recovery now
So Ima make up my mind now
God told me its my time now
To do something with my life now
So I don't end up in jail or shot
Cause I don't want to die now
Don't want to run from the cops no more
So I think its time to change cause I know there's going to be consequences
Repercussion for every time now
So I gotta come down, so I can be there for my family now
-Devin
da best thing I ever had
Close my eyes and see my daughter
Man she really need a father
But, I got locked up, should have played it smarter
Was gettin strung out on da drugs
Wish I could'v see how bad dat it was
But, now it's to late
Done sealed my own fate
Won't see her blow out da candles on da cake
Kno it wouldn't matter to some other dads
But, my daughter's da best thing I ever had
Went threw more in a year
Than some do in a lifetime
and if she died, so would I
because she is my lifeline
-Patrick
Due to your support we were also able to help with some needs in the country. You helped give money to buy a laptop, clothes, school supplies, bricks and you helped meet some personal needs as well. Thank you, you made that possible!
I cannot thank you enough for your generosity, you have met many needs and you have spread the good news of the Kingdom! I want to inform you of some of the ideas that I have for meeting future needs. There are several immediate needs if you wish to send further support. One of the churches I preached at in Harare (Kuwadzana) is working on a building project and a small donation of $10 will buy 100 bricks.
I am also considering a future trip that will be much more extensive. God has given me a dream to take needed supplies into the country. Supplies that we take for granted and throw away could meet great needs in developing countries like Zimbabwe. Specifically I am thinking of used school books and retired computers. School books that we throw away because of some changed details would make a great impact, computers that are no longer used by businesses can help children in schools learn much needed skills for their future. If you have ideas for meeting these needs I would love to hear from you.
Mostly, I want to communicate how amazing you are and the magnitude of what you have accomplished. Thank you, keep spreading the Kingdom!
If you would like to download photo's click this link
We have to go finish getting ready. I will give you a more detailed update when we get home. Ephraim and I arrive in Tennessee on Wednesday 12:30 EST.
We are now back in Harare. We have come full circle and we are leaving tomorrow (Tuesday). It has been an amazing trip, but I will debrief the trip later. After we left Chiredzi we visited the game park and we saw antelope, deer, buffalo, zebra and giraffe (and many other animals). It was amazing, were blessed to see so much game. The Pemberton's go to church with people from the national park service, so they took us out further into the restricted area in their Land Rover. It was an amazing experience.(I have to leave so here is the short version)
We traveled to Mutare for the youth conference after the game park. Thursday through Sunday were packed full of preaching, teaching and counseling. Ephraim, Joel, Kara, Jenn and I all spoke. Ephraim preached, Joel preached 3 sermons and I preached 2. We had many who rededicated their life and others who decided to pursue ministry. Joel and I counted and I think we have both preached about 10 times a piece since we've been in country. I only brought 3 sermons to preach, so it has been amazing to see God fill us with his message.
We love you guys!
(Picture of baptism in Chiredzi)
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