Special Needs Community - Responding to the Delight & Challenge: Bill & Lynette Mathews
People with special needs are not on the radar of most pastors. They represent an unreached people group right here in the United States. Bill & Lynette Mathews are now embarking on an ambitious, unexpected adventure: Establishing a new ministry, Safe Harbor Homes and Services---Christ-centered homes for people with special needs.
After pastoring a wonderful church in Pleasant Hill, California for 42 years, Bill and his wife Lynette are now embarking on an ambitious, unexpected adventure: Establishing a new ministry, Safe Harbor Homes and Services---Christ-centered homes for people with special needs.
While the idea to do this came unexpectedly, God has been preparing the Mathews for this adventure for decades. Their special needs son, Kevin, is now an adult in his thirties. They have seen firsthand how the special needs community can be an unreached people group. Thousands of families face insurmountable challenges, often without practical options or hope.
We are touched by how God is already blessing this dear couple as they continue to make themselves available to serve the Lord wholeheartedly. As Bill shares, this is not a season to simply coast on to heaven...we'll have plenty of time to relax there.
You'll enjoy listening to this podcast and sensing the joy and passion of this holy adventure. Please visit their website and pray for this ministry. Also, consider ways God might use you to help move this new ministry forward.
The Joys of Connecting with International Students: Peggy Pollard
If you live near a university, chances are good that an incredible opportunity to touch nations is just around the corner. We invite you to prayerfully consider becoming involved with International Students Inc., a Christian ministry reaching out to college students and visiting scholars from other countries.
If you live in a community with a university, the opportunity to befriend international students is a wonderful privilege, with far-reaching benefits.
Other countries send their best and brightest into American universities, and while these students and visiting scholars are deeply committed to their studies/research, they also want to experience American culture in a deeper way. Most of these students are not Christians but are very open to experiencing friendship with Christians, often for the first time.
The nation-wide ministry of International Students, Inc. has staff in many communities in the United States who will help give you the tools to make these connections. We have many YES! folks in the Santa Cruz area who are actively partnering with Peggy as friendship partners and in other roles, and our experiences have been so rich. We invite you to listen, click a link above to learn more, and prayerfully consider this amazing opportunity.
Hurting World Just Looking for Someone Who Cares: Chuck Stecker
We must go beyond simply acknowledging the existence of younger people. We must engage with them, invest in them and help them thrive.
Chuck is passionate about bringing generations together for God's glory. For those of us who are older he stresses how we must go beyond simply acknowledging the existence of younger people. We must engage with them, invest in them and help them thrive.
With practical advice on helping others share their story, Chuck emphasizes that nearly four out of five people are open to discussing faith with you.
Chuck directs the ministry of A Chosen Generation and is a strong voice for helping people catch a vision for fruitfulness at both ends of the age spectrum.