Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Jesus has called His church to shine light into dark places. Here at ABC, we always look for opportunities to shine, but we also look to form partnerships with like-minded ministries that are pushing back darkness.
I’m so thankful for our church’s continued partnership with TC Egypt. Last March, we opened a campus in the city of Fayoum to extend the Gospel into a dark area with little Christian influence. I thank God that our Fayoum campus is now serving nearly 100 Egyptians every week. Our campus is offering ongoing discipleship classes, children’s and youth programs, work and faith seminars, and recovery programs for Egyptians in need.
This past week I was also blown away to see how TC Egypt pulled off a massive Christian conference for teenagers. They hosted their first ever student leadership conference in Cairo and saw over 700 teenagers in attendance from all across Egypt! Those students gathered to worship Jesus Christ, be equipped by his Word, and to be encouraged through prayer and community with one another.
But I was also encouraged by the mission work of our Women’s Ministry this past weekend. Our ladies themed their “Sweet Sunday” event around our Egyptian ministry partners. The ladies in attendance learned more about what God is doing in the Middle East, and they prayed over the women from our church who will be going to Egypt next month. Although not everyone can go to Egypt, all the ladies had an opportunity to make encouragement bracelets that will be distributed to women in Egypt. These ladies reminded us all that we can find ways to shine if we simply look for opportunities.
This Sunday we are going to celebrate another ministry that has been shining light for many years right here in Austin, Texas. I’ve invited David Gillian from the Texas Baptist Children’s Home to come and share how God is using the TBCH to push back darkness in central Texas. Our church is a proud partner of the TBCH both through ongoing giving and volunteer efforts. This Sunday you will hear about an exciting new opportunity for each of us to bless this ministry in a special way during this upcoming Christmas season.
I believe God is using this city on a hill to shine light every day. I encourage you to do your part and find ways to let your light shine before others. May God continue to use ABC to light up your life, your home, your neighborhood, and the world. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship.
Onward and upward,
Jonathan Spencer
www.jonathanspencer.org 