Mayflower Church meeting at FBC Midland, Texas, Local churches essential for missions, Tips on defeating anger

A persecuted church from China now worships in the facilities of First Baptist Church in Midland, Texas.

Pastor Pan Yongguang (Yawn-Guan) and members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church – nicknamed the “Mayflower Church” for their pursuit of religious freedom – relocated to the Permian Basin about a month ago.

On Feb. 4, they met the first time for worship and fellowship in the youth center at First Baptist Church. The Midland congregation is making its facilities available to the Mayflower Church three times a week.

“It’s a real blessing for us,” Pastor Darin Wood of First Baptist Church said. “Our church has a heart for missions. … This is a further reflection of that.”

The Mayflower Church fled persecution and harassment in China more than three years ago. After being denied asylum in South Korea, they relocated to Thailand on tourist visas before being forced to leave the country.

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Missionaries can’t get to the mission field without churches, and churches enable missionaries to remain in the places God called them to serve. Churches also play a crucial role in raising up a new generation of missionaries.

Jeff Ginn, vice president of mobilization for the IMB, said the role and goal of the mobilization department is to encourage and equip more churches and Christians to engage in the missionary task.

“Mobilization seeks to awaken the church to pray more, to give more, to go more, and to send more,” Ginn said. “We’re resolved to address the world’s greatest problem.” Which they believe is lostness.

Ginn believes Romans 15:24 is a crucial verse understanding and application of church mobilization. In the verse, Paul tells the church in Rome, a church he hadn’t visited yet, “I hope to see you on my way to Spain and have you help me get there.”

He says, “That text is so precious because it points to the local church and its importance in the mission. Three words come to mind from it that relate to mobilization from the IMB’s perspective: heading, hope and help, hope, heading, and help.”

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Every day, hundreds of thousands of people die without the hope of Jesus. Your faithful prayers will make a difference. That’s why the IMB created a free 18-month calendar, called “Impacting Lostness Through Prayer”. It provides guidance, reminders and encouragement as you pray for individuals and communities who have yet to hear the gospel. Learn more about this free resource at IMB.org/prayercalendar.
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In the Baptist Press Toolbox, Mark Dance offers two tips to deal with anger.

1. Guard your heart.

Jesus is the only cardiologist who can solve this heart issue. Since patience is a fruit of the Spirit, God can extinguish the anger we can’t manage.

So, when my blood begins to boil, I release control of the situation—and myself—by simply praying for patience.

“Be angry and do not sin; on your bed, reflect in your heart and be still … and trust in the Lord” (Psalm 4:4).

2. Control your tongue.

Even as I write this in an airport terminal, I’m waiting on my second delayed flight of the day. My last trip included so many delays and cancellations that I arrived home a day and a half late! The temptation to transfer my frustration onto innocent airline workers is real, but it’s never helpful.

“The intelligent person restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:27).