This past weekend we had two celebrations. One was the 4th of July which we enjoyed on American soil with our family and a church picnic, plus we watched the Capitol extravaganza on TV. But even better than that was receiving the news that we passed the 80% mark in our support raising! That means we can now start the application process for our visa for Spain.
Here is what part of that will involve. Our field office in Spain will send us a letter of invitation to work in Madrid. We understand that this letter will be from the National Church organization with which TEAM partners. Together with that invitation we will need to submit a police report and our marriage certificate translated into Spanish to Spain’s consulate in Washington DC. It will generally take two months or more from the time Spain’s Consulate receives our request for a visa till it is approved. Trust and pray with us that the remaining 18% of support will come in by the time our visa arrives.
Also on the 4th our church planting partners, Scott and Lorna Muha, flew out of the Miami airport for Madrid. We received word that they arrived safely and were even out apartment hunting today!
Right now our son Ben and his wife Hannah are in Taiwan. Ben will be there for a week and Hannah will stay for a month. They are helping out with camps and teaching English as a second language.
Heather is looking forward to a week off from her teaching job in South Korea at the end of this month.
Melissa is into her third week at Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center.
April Trip North & West: Louisville, KY: Lavalette, WV; Gainesville, VA; Tupelo, MS; Siloam Springs, AK; Longview, TX; Jonesboro, LA – See more pictures on our blog at www.psmcmillan.blogspot.com
Three weeks from now we will have been back in the USA for a year. We are encouraged that from 65% our monthly support is now up to 76% of the needed $8090 monthly. Three more churches and two more families have pledged to take on our support for which we are grateful!
Of the other 170 new churches in VA, NC and SC we have contacted there are about 27 that have expressed interest in partnering with us. Pray that Peter would have wisdom as he emails and calls them to set up a time to speak at their church. 7 churches are praying about what their partnership should be. For those whom God has chosen to be our partners pray that the Lord will give the faith to trust him for the resources for that partnership.
I find myself asking the question; “How many more churches will I need to contact?” “Do I have faith that the Lord will raise up the partners we need?” I was encouraged by something that I read by Alexander Hay about George Muller:
George Muller, being called of God to care for orphan children in Bristol, England, and having no resources of his own with which to do it, trusted God to supply all his material needs…It is said that George Muller had great faith … but in what aspect was it great?... Faith, moreover, is not a commodity that we can have in store, and add to until we have much of it, and employ to accomplish great things. It would be wrong also to believe that faith gives power in proportion to the amount we may possess… The power is not of us at all; nor is it wielded by us. The power is entirely of God. It is He who works. Our part is only to believe He will do it…In George Muller we find a man, who in first place, was obedient to God’s call…Muller’s faith consisted simply in obe
dience and believing God would do his part.”www.ntmu.net (answer for workers/Faith’s Simplicity)
As a couple we know that the Lord has called us to be part of a church plant in Las Tablas, Madrid. We are encouraged by 1 Corinthians 1:9 “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”
By Faith Our Tentative Schedule:
May 16th: Sunday am and pm. -Flat Creek Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA
May 19th: Wednesday pm. - South Strand Community Church, Surfside Beach, SC
May 30th: Sunday am. - Sumner Baptist Church, Greensboro, NC
June 15th : Move from Chapin, SC to Virginia
June 15th- July 9th: Visit churches in NC & VA
June 25th: Covenant Community Church, Fredericksburg, VA
June 30th:Apply for Spain visa
July 10th – August 1st: Visit churches in PA,NY,MA,NJ
One day in 1793, William Carey, the Father of Modern Missions and some friends were discussing the need for foreign missions. Andrew Fuller, a fellow minister who was at that gathering, recalled, “We saw there was a gold mine in India, but it was as deep as the center of the Earth.” Fuller asked who would venture to explore that mine. Carey spoke up and addressed his friends: “I will venture to go down, but remember that you must hold the ropes.” By “holding the ropes,” Carey meant consistently praying for him, financially supporting him, and regularly communicating on his behalf with the churches in England. His friends agreed.
Since 1988 many of you have been our faithful “rope holders” and we want to thank you for the time and effort that you have put into bringing us and our ministry before the throne of grace, and for faithfully supporting us. It has been an honor to be serviced by you. However, to get to Spain we will need more “rope holders”. The expenses are higher and the spiritual battle will most like be harder. We live in a day when “holding the ropes” is considering just praying and sending money. Holding the ropes also includes staying in contact, providing feedback, constructive criticism, and maintaining lines of accountability
(The following is a interview between the McMillans and a potential “rope holder”)
RH: What is a “Faith Mission” and how does that relate to a “rope holder”? Mc: A “Faith mission” is a term used among evangelical Christians to refer to a missionary agency with an approach to missions that encourages its missionaries to "trust in God to provide the necessary resources" These missionaries are said to "live by faith" as they trust the Lord to provide “rope holders”, those who commit to hold the ropes.
RH: How does TEAM assist the McMillans as faith missionaries?MC: TEAM assists us, our sending church and “rope holders” by handling our finances, providing tax deductible receipts, medical insurance, a retirement program, and on the field helping with documents, orientation, supervision, training and encouragement.
RH: How does a “faith promise” and “rope holding” fit together? MC: A “faith promise” is set between a potential “rope holder”, God and the missionaries. By faith you will trust the Lord to enable you to give that amount over a period of time.This amount is generally give on a monthly basis but can also be given quarterly or once a year.
RH: Do you need more “rope holders”? MC: Yes, since we left for the mission field in 1988 we have needed replacement “rope holders” as some have gone to Glory and others have ceased to give for various reasons…. plus the “load” or “weight” has increa
sed! We will need “rope holders” for about 15 more years until we retire.
RH: How can our church or a family “hold the ropes” for you? MC: First of all you can pray. This is the hardest to do.We will provide you with updates with specific ways you can pray. Secondly, you can make a commitment to help support us financially. Thirdly, you can be a part of a work team that travels to Spain.
RH: What is the financial support level that TEAM has recommended for you? MC: Each TEAM missionary is responsible to raise his own support from churches, family, businesses, organizations and friends. TEAM has recommended that we raise $8090 a month. When commitments equal the support level set by TEAM we will receive final clearance for departure.This support includes: salary, housing, medical insurance, retirement plan, social security, taxes, MK Education, travel expenses, ministry funds (office, documents, phone, internet, materials, resources, etc)and 8% to TEAM for their expenses.
RH: How many supporters do Peter and Sharon have now? MC:We currently have 515 people who receive our prayer updates. Each month we have 34 families giving a combined average of $2307 and 14 churches giving a combined total of $2935. This total of $5242 makes up 65% of our total recommended level of $8090. In January of 2010 our salary was cut to 51% until our income goes up again.
RH: How can a “rope holder” send their support into TEAM? MC: Missionary support can be sent via check, on line or electronic funds transfer. Gifts and commitments can be made online using TEAM’S web page. http://www.teamworld.org/give/give-online-now.html. Or by sending a check for the McMillan’s to: TEAM, P.O. Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187.
RH: When do you plan to leave for Spain? MC: Our original target date was June of 2010. However we cannot apply for our visas until we have 80% of our support pledged. If 7 additional churches would give an average of $300 a month and an additional 20 families would give an average of $50 a month we would be at 100% and could leave this summer.
We are currently at 65% of the $8,090 recommended for TEAM Spain. Here’s how this looks on a graph:
Upcoming schedule for visiting our old and new “Rope Holders”
Sunday a.m.: April 11: Salem Baptist, Richmond VA
Sunday p.m.: River’s Edge bible Church, Hopewell, VA
(Monday – Thursday, 12-15:Together For the Gospel Conference in Louisville, KY)
Friday 16: May’s Chapel, Huntington, WV
Sunday 18: Grace Church, Gainesville, VA
Wednesday, 21: Marvin Newsom, Littleton, NC
Thursday - Friday 22, 23: Rich and Libby Unverzagt, MS
Saturday - Sunday 24, 25: Harvard Ave Bap, Siloam Springs, AK
Mon –Wed the 26th-28th: The Newmans, Jonesboro, LA
Wed., 28th: Siloam Springs Community Church, Jonesboro, LA
Sunday a.m. and p.m. May 2: Providence Baptist, Asheboro, NC
Sunday a.m. May 16: Missio Die Church, Asheville, NC
Sunday p.m.: Flat Creek Baptist, Lynchburg, VA
We are excited to visit each one of you as we share what we know about 2 corners of the world where God is building and will build his church.Not only that, but we get to be encouraged as we hear how God is working in your corner!We have faith and confidently expect that we will soon begin to work in Madrid and be able to send you more interesting reports!
