The first tendency that you have when writing year end reflections is to immediately start looking at all that we have accomplished. This is not inherently wrong, but I believe that when looking back, you should do so with a very sober mind. Were it not for the grace of God, our church wouldn’t exist, our mission, wouldn’t exist, and all our efforts would be in vain. So as I start to reflect on 2011, I first give praise to God for all things we accomplished that glorified God, and I look back with sorrow on all of the opportunities that were wasted on ourselves.
Now that playing field has been leveled, I think that we can rightly look upon the accomplishments of Apex working out God’s mission. Through various Apexers, we were able to reach the following locations: Monterrey & Cancun Mexico, Malawi, India, Pikeville KY, Jamaica, Haiti, Honduras, South Dakota, New York, Zambia, and all of the countries touched by the World Race. This list is not exhaustive, but gives a sampling of how God has mobilized our body to over a dozen places outside of the Miami Valley.
Apart from sending people, we have also sent our money to many places around the world. The missions elders have a heart for the unreached people groups of the world. While many churches choose to send much money and people to places where the gospel has been heard, God has burdened the hearts of the elders to support initiatives that raise up indigenous Christians to take the gospel to their own, many times under oppressive governments. Much of our effort is spent with the organization called TENT that raises of groups throughout India to take the gospel to unreached places. They also focus on creating wealth among the world’s poorest people through reproducible and sustainable microenterprise efforts. Apex Going funds also support many gospel efforts within the 10/40 window, covering areas of North Africa, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia. Many of the places that supported are sensitive areas that cannot be reported on, because Christian persecution is so rampant.
Apart from going, we have also seen many people couple. We had the opportunity to see Dr. Vijayam and his wife com from TENT as well as Sunil Daniel who works closely with us, helping to create foundations among some of our ministries, where the mindset among the people for microcredit and microenterprise does not yet exist. Through his efforts, people have been supported in both Honduras and Zambia.
Consistency has defined much of the missions efforts of our church body. One great pillar of world initiatives is our missions cafe. Through Apexers support of the cafe, programs in Mexico for orphans as well as missionaries have been supported. Rita Haworth, who takes on the bulk of the responsibilities of the cafe has been able to travel back and forth to Mexico, establishing relationships and sharing love with orphans who have seen know more of abandonment than of affection. As the new gathering has launched in Xenia, another missions cafe has opened up in that facility to also support missions efforts, with a primary focus on local mission.
This year we were graced with the opportunity to send some of our own into the far reaches of the world. Kaleb and Stacey Elderidge recently departed from America to live amongst the hurting and the poor of Honduras. They are in the process of identifying which village the should choose to become a part of. They are partnering with Heart for Honduras in their efforts. We also had the joy of sending off Kristen Paulick to Cambodia. Kristen traveled on the World race and found her heart burdened for the sex trafficking industry there. Kristen left to live among these hurting girls, sharing the gospel with them and working on ways to teach them to support themselves so that the cycle of slavery can end.
Many ministries have happened this year, too many to mention them all. Our ministry to the world does not overshadow our ministry to our own neighborhoods. Ministries like the Shoes4theShoeless, Target Dayton, Dayton Gospel Mission, Brief Blessings, Family Violence Prevention Centers, ESL Training, Elderly Care, and a host of other efforts have been seen this year, many coming from house churches trying to love on their community.
So Apex, much has been by our church to take the life giving and freeing gospel of our savior to those who are dying and lost. I praise God for His blessing on our church and I pray that He would continue to bless has we abide obediently in Him. We must never be satisfied that we have done enough. Our efforts should grow as our church body matures. We did much in 2011, but we can serve our God more in 2012. Philippians 3 must be our foundation as we look to a new year. What has been done in the past year is done, but we are on a constant ascent to true obedience in Christ. As we serve our Lord, we must remember to invite others who are not yet rapture by God’s heart for the lost and show them the joy that they are missing, if they do not obediently serve. God has blessed Apex and may He continue to bless Apex, and to Him be the glory for all things!