june 2015–idc mckinney

JUNE 2015 | IDCMCKINNEY.COM | PASTOR: JORDAN STONE

IMAGO DEIGospel Partner Spotlight: Gospel Partners in Asia

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness… For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden

causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.”

ISAIAH 61:10-11

Embrace Picnic Pool PartySun 6/28, 4pm-7pmWe have the wonderful opportunity to serve

Embrace’s foster and adoptive families again this summer at their annual picnic held at Towne Lake in McKinney! IDC will provide a meal to serve at this event. If you would like to contribute food and/or help serve the meal, please contact Jenny McBrayer at [email protected].

Embrace’s Fairway for Families & Family 5K

Mon 6/8Come and support Embrace’s work

through golfing or walking/running! This family-friendly event is a wonderful way to include your children in a mission effort! This year’s event will fund the Kendrick family’s Hometown Tour where they will travel throughout the U.S. equipping churches that are starting adoption/foster and orphan care ministries. For more info or to register, click here: embracetexas.org

Gospel Partner CARE TeamsPlease reply by 6/20With the heart of 3 John 6-8 in mind, IDC

is forming CARE Teams who will provide care and support of IDC’s Gospel Partners. While the IDC Missions team will maintain direct relationships with all of our Gospel Partners, the CARE Team model will provide more opportunities for IDC body to engage in the work of our Gospel Partners, as well as for our Gospel Partners to feel more deeply supported by our church family. To start this ministry, each existing small group is asked to submit three preferences of a Gospel Partner by 6/20, and then the Missions team will make the assignments. For more info, contact Mindi Polny ([email protected]).

Upcoming Missions Events

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.embracetexas.org




1) What are a couple of your favorite aspects of the culture where you live?

We love that the people here are always so welcoming and friendly. We love their history and traditions and seeing how the Father has designed them and given them specific at-tributes. Even though they don't believe, they are hard workers and live practically. Person-ally to us they are always kind and thoughtful. They are always giving even when they don't have much.

2) What are a couple of short term (within 1-2 years) objectives of your work? What are a couple of long-term (3-5 years) objectives?

In terms of short term objectives we want to learn the language well, and begin net-working with the believers here so that they can come and help with our work in our next city. We would like to partner with them, like we are partnering with you, and help pass on the desire to help the people here.

In terms of long term, we want to make contacts in the area surrounding our city and begin to bring people to share in this task, building them up to do the work, as well as see new churches planted and new believers brought into the body creating a strong foun-dation for their work.

3) Is the host culture a slow-paced culture or fast-paced? Are the people task-oriented or people-oriented?

It is a slow paced culture that puts a heavy emphasis on community; however they are very money driven.

4) Are the locals generally open to interacting with foreigners? What is their attitude toward Americans?

They are very open towards foreigners and love Americans, but they think our beliefs/re-ligion is just a “Western” thing and no matter how much they like the teachings they believe it’s not for them, because they are “Eastern.”

As we continue in our series of taking an in-depth look at each of our Gospel Partners, we are ex-

cited to share about our Gospel Partners who serve in Asia. For security purposes, we cannot

to reveal their identity, mission agency or specific location. However, we can share that they have

been located in an Asian country for about six months, and their primary focus right now is learn-

ing the language and culture. After completing language training this team will move to a different

area within their country to invest in an unreached / unengaged people group with the message of

the Gospel. Even now in their free time, they seek relationships with nationals for the purpose of

building trusting relationships and proclaiming the Gospel among those people.

We hope this Question & Answer format will spur our Body into deeper understanding of this team

as well as deeper prayer for them.



5) What is/are the prevailing religion(s) and/or beliefs in the area?

The number one belief they would claim in is a belief in themselves. However, underneath the surface they believe Buddhism, Taoism, Animism, as well as luck, spirits, time travel, and many other things.

6) What is the level of spiritual oppression in the area? And, how does this affect you?

Where we are currently is very different from the previous place we lived, which will be very different than the next place. The local gov. plays a heavy role in its openness. Where we are right now is one of the more open areas, and the city we will move to in a year or two is one of the most closed. However, some of our team members are having nightmares, and in the more closed areas you can feel the oppression on us. We are fortunate at the moment to have a strong team praying and walking through it with us now. Please continue to pray for all of us here.

7) How healthy is the local Body?

They are strong in many ways, but they are prone to following the many cults that prevail here. One of the most difficult problems they face is one of their translation of the Bible. It is similar to the KJV and most people can't un-derstand it. Many people insist that it is the only inspired translation and even though they have other ones that are easier to read they refuse be-cause there is a mistrust to them. Which means when a nonbeliever picks up the Bible, most of the time, they will have no idea what it means.

This makes it easy for other people to teach any-thing unchecked, and nonbelievers can easily fall into the many cults that prevail here. We have been blessed to meet several church leaders that are extremely biblically solid! When I hear what they teach I wish that many Americans had this amount of strength and truth in their churches. The Father is bringing up strong people to



counteract the evil here. Please pray for us up to be able to speak wisely and clearly as many of our fellow believers here already do.

8) What kind of interaction do you have with the local Body?

Currently not too much, we have spoken with several of them and as our language increases so will our interaction. We are hoping to join them in some of their smaller meetings. Sadly, it’s just too dangerous to join them on Sunday. Again please be praying for the local churches and believers.

9) Can you share some ways how the IDC body can encourage and lift you up?

The most important thing you can do is lift us up in prayer. It is hard to focus day in and out

on learning a language. We spend 8-10 hours a day studying and it only shows a little improve-ment, so it can be hard to keep our spirits up. Also, it’s always good to hear from y’all and all the encouragements you guys are sending back to us. We would also enjoy it if when you meet people from East Asia that you begin to talk with them and ask about their home/country. As you listen think of us, as we are most likely encountering the same issues and problems as they were. It will give y’all a good sense of what you will face when you come here to visit.


IMAGO DEIGospel Partner Prayer Requests

John & Jessie ChengCru — Dallas, TX

John and Jessie continue to seek God’s direction as they invest in several communities here in the Dallas area including UTD international students, refugees as well as Children’s Hospital. Please PRAY:

• For the summer project in Kansas City where John and Jessie will serve this summer. They will be investing in a refugee community there along with other Cru staff and students.

• For God’s wisdom in strategic planning regarding ministry opportunities they have here in Dallas, and for God to use their time in Kansas City to help shape those opportunities.

Trace & Christa HaglerTo Every Tribe — Oaxaca, Mexico

Trace and Christa focus on sharing the Gospel with an unreached Zapotec people group outside of Oaxaca. Please PRAY:

• For their summer furlough in the U.S. as they visit churches, supporters, family and friends. For God to direct the plans they make and for their family to be refreshed and recharged.

• Praise for the relationships and connections that God has given them in recent months with those living in the village. Pray for continued favor and opportunities to share the Gospel with people there.

John & Kristen MurphyVeritas Church — Fayetteville, N.C.

John and Kristen lead Veritas Church, which was planted in 2013 in order to serve military families near Ft. Bragg. Please PRAY:

• For the individual discipleship John is doing with a few men in order to prepare them elder training and eventual local elder leadership.

• For continued spiritual protection over John and Kristen’s family and three young children, as their surrounding community is filled with much struggle and darkness.

We are thankful for how the Lord has allowed IDC to partner with many

incredible individuals, couples and families who faithfully work to share Christ,

help plant churches in unreached areas and care for orphans. Here are ways

we can intercede on behalf of our Gospel Partners. To learn more about IDC’s

Gospel Partners, please visit idcmckinney.com/go.

http://www.idcmckinney.com/go



JoannaCrossover — Columbia, S.C.

Joanna’s role at Crossover is both the Care Coordinator and

Prayer Coordinator of all of Crossover’s field staff who serve unreached peoples throughout the world. Please PRAY:

• For discernment as she enrolls field workers into Clarion, a comprehensive development and training program. Also, for mental strength as she continues be trained and equipped for using the Clarion model.

• For wisdom and creativity as Crossover plans children/youth activities for missionary children (now known as “third culture kids” - TCKs) at their upcoming Crossover conference in August in Turkey. They expect all their workers’ kids there!

Kyle & Carrie WileyLifeVesting International — Mobile, Alabama

Kyle and Carrie are launching LifeVesting, which is a sending agency that will connect North American churches with churches in Southeast Asia, specifically Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, where there is little access to the Gospel. Please PRAY:

• Because the Wileys just recently moved from Prosper to Mobile, for their family to quickly get settled in their new home and community.

• For wisdom in forming this mission agency – everything from corporate support raising, planning trips this fall and glorifying God in all aspects of this new organization.



Gospel Partners In Asianames/location withheld

This team is based in a remote area of Asia in order to reach an unengaged people group with the Gospel. Please PRAY:

• Praise for the progress they are making on their language learning; it is a difficult language, so to God be the glory!

• For a young woman (a national) who will live with them this summer; may they have opportunities to clearly share the Gospel and for God to prepare her heart to receive His truth.

Gospel Partners in Western Asianames/location withheld

This team is currently raising support in the U.S., and they will soon move to a country in Western Asia to serve refugees and proclaim the Gospel. Please PRAY:

• For God to continue raising up people and churches to be a part of their support team in order for them to meet their goal by August so they can move as scheduled. Praise for the provision He has already provided!

• For God to prepare the hearts of the refugees this team will serve so they will understand God’s immense love and truth for their lives.

Training Leaders International

TLI mentors and sends pastors, seminary professors and graduate students to bring theological education around the world through short-term trips, long-term sending and school planting. Please PRAY:

• For spiritual protection over Darren & Amy Carlson as they lead TLI initiatives to train and disciple global pastors.

• For more churches to partner with TLI in educating those pastors, specifically at a new location in Bhutan.

Bruce & Denise KendrickEmbrace — Dallas, TX

Bruce and Denise Kendrick lead Embrace, a ministry serving at-risk, foster and adopted children

and their families. Please PRAY:

• For continued favor with the Child Protective Services and God’s discernment regarding the Second Story initiative where Embrace will strategically partner with churches in Collin County to see every waiting child in a loving Christian family

• For God to help all logistics come together as the Kendrick family departs for the Hometown Tour this month; may He use this family in significant ways to inspire and equip churches around the country to care begin foster and adoption ministries in order that orphans would be placed into loving and supportive families.


IMAGO DEIOther News

Warren Small Group Garage Sale – Despite the rainy weather, Todd & Leah Warren’s small group held a garage sale benefitting mission trips of other members in IDC. They donated half of their sales to John & Jessie Cheng who are serving in Kansas City this summer, and the other half to Allison Moline who is planning to go to Mozambique later this summer. Their group plans to make this an annual event!

Allison Moline’s Trip to Mozambique – Allison will be traveling to Mozambique in July for two weeks! During this trip, she will be part of a team who serves a community there by sharing Christ’s love through discipleship, skill training, orphan outreach, VBS, home based care, serving at a handicapped center and a primary school. Please pray for God to prepare their team heart to serve sacrificially in a way that demonstrates Christ’s love and truth in all they do, and for the hearts of those served to be eternally impacted.

Jacob & Haley Robbins & Rebecca Parham’s Trip to Turkey – In partnership with Joanna (on staff with Crossover), these three IDC members will travel to Turkey in August where Crossover will hold an international conference for all their field staff. Jacob, Haley and Rebecca’s role will be to minister to the children and youth during the conference while their parents are in training. Please pray for God to give this team creativity and wisdom regarding the activities to plan, as well as for the hearts the children and youth to be open for God to reveal Himself in a deeper way.

We would love to highlight some missions efforts of some IDC members! It is beautiful to see how God is inspiring our

church body to take an active role in missions in various ways. If you have events you would like to share, please contact

the Missions team at [email protected].


june 2015–idc mckinney

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