Mission Trip 2010

In less than 10 days, Wayne Jones (preacher of the University church of Christ), Cliff Caskey (a deacon and president of the McCarty Student Center Board of Directors), my wife Lisa, and I will be working in St. Ann’s Bay Jamaica along with 7 current and 2 former Texas State students from the McCarty Student Center. Calls, emails, orders, and pleas for prayers and money have filled the past couple of weeks as we all prepare ourselves for this great opportunity. Wayne will be preaching a gospel meeting each night. During the days, all of us will be walking around St. Ann’s Bay to say hi, invite people to the meeting, and (most importantly) sit down and study the Bible with people. Last year, a group our group of 12 from the University congregation and the McCarty Student Center were able to study the Bible with 99 individuals (most on more than one occasion) in Jack’s River Jamaica. Before we left town, 11 souls had been added to the Lord’s church. I am not sure if we will have that many doors opened or be able to see God give that much increase this year, but I know that we will teach people the truth of God’s word.
In Romans 10 we see the necessity of hearing the gospel in order to have saving faith (10:17). As a result of that faith we will call upon the Lord (10:14). The result of that call is salvation (10:13, Acts 22:16). However, something must precede the hearing of the gospel: preaching. God has placed a great emphasis on preaching, Mrk 16:15, Rom 1:16-17, 1 Cor 1:21 and Romans 10:15, “and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!” The feet of a gospel preacher are beautiful. In the first century (and before even back to Isaiah’s day), a preacher’s feet (as the feet of any herald) would have been dirty, bruised, worn, callused, beaten-down, and aching. The Bible says that these feet are beautiful. They have been used for the cause of Christ, and they show the proof. Whatever is used for the cause of spreading the gospel of the kingdom is beautiful in the eyes of God and in the eyes of faithful saints. I am writing this article with Jamaica in mind, and I hope that my feet and the feet, hands, hearts, minds, bodies, strength, and soul of the mission team will be seen as beautiful in God’s eyes. I would like to thank everyone who has given of time and money and prayer for the successful execution of this trip. May the glory go to God!
Trent