On November 8, 2009 churches across America will be called to remember the plight of 145 million children created in the image of God who are suffering without the love of a family.  At AABC, one of the primary ways our commitment to the fatherless is fleshed out is through adoption. Not everyone can or should adopt, but everyone in our congregation is called to be apart of the process by supporting families who are adopting.

On Orphan Sunday we will gather at 6:00 p.m. to hear a practical conversation about adoption between Pastor David and Pastor Jeremy. Topics will include: the adoption process, financial issues, transracial adoption, AABC’s ABBAA Fund, the personal reward and struggle of adopting.

Even if you never plan to adopt, join us to hear how you can personally walk with those who do adopt and how you can invest in the lives of the children who are being rescued by our church family.

If you have specific questions you would like us to answer, please email us or drop them off in crossroads Orphan Sunday Q&A box.

Wednesday September 23rd

• @ 6pm Peruvian Style Meal
• @ 7pm Hear the stories of the people from Cordova Peru then a Q&A panel discussion with Compassion Cordova Leadership led by Pastor David

Thursday September 24th

• @7pm Missionary Biography - Bill Wallace: One Piece of a Man Scattered to the Uttermost Parts of the Earth Why Only the Humble will Reach the Unreached (1908-1951) - Pastor David Prince

Friday September 25th

• @7pm From Unreached People to Unreached Peoples: Why you must have a 10-40 Window Pane in your living room. - Pastor Jeremy Haskins

Saturday September 26th

• 1030am Women’s Ministry Brunch - Ioana Cosoreanu - hear how a young lady from Romanian is being used by God to help AABC reach the Quechua people of Cordova Peru.
• @7pm Michael Card “Ends of the Earth Concert“

Sunday September 27th

• @915am Missionaries webcasted into our Bible Fellowship Groups
• @1030am Dr. David Sills (former missionary to Quichua People in Ecuador and Mission Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)
• @1030am Finish Sunday Offering

Mission Unreached  ”a global experience for kids” will run alongside our conference, beginning each evening at 7pm and Sunday at 915am. The kids will travel to six unreached people groups around the world, experiencing the living conditions as well as the culture of each of these groups.  Mission Unreached begins Wednesday 23rd at 7pm with missionary training.

Michael Card, the acclaimed singer/songwriter and author will join us for a free concert in the heart of our 2009 World Impact Conference “Unreached.” All are welcome to attend. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come basis. While AABC is offering this concert free of charge, donations will be taken at the door. We urge you to prayerfully consider giving financially as all proceeds benefit the “Ends of the Earth Offering” for world missions. For more information call the church office at (859) 266-4341.  The concert begins at 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. !

(from left: Betty, Pastor Jeremy, Ali)

For nearly five years now, Ashland Avenue Baptist Church has been involved in the process of planting a church in the Andes Mountains of Peru.  We took a couple of years to investigate, plan, and pray.  We then launched our first series of short-term mission teams into the Andes to the village known as Cordova in March of 2008.   In all, we have sent six teams into the village, each team spending a week ministering to the various needs of the villagers.  We also planted 5 college students in Cordova for the months of June and July.  Our overall goal in 2008 was to establish a presence in the village through acts of service and personal evangelism.  After our first year of ministry in Cordova, we can say we accomplished our goal. 

In July of 2008, we were all overwhelmed with excitement upon hearing that there were two new converts in the village.  Along with a nurse named Betty, a man named Ali had come to faith in Christ.  Ali had a reputation of being ‘really bad.’  His background was full of sin and broken relationships.  After a few weeks of being around our summer missionaries, Ali had become interested in hearing how he could change his life.   Then one night, after preaching about the prodigal son, Casey McCall (our college ministry leader) was able to lead Ali to faith in Christ.  Ali humbly got on his knees and through faith in Jesus begged God to change Him. 

Immediately, Ali began to share the good news with others in the village.  Ali’s father, Enrique, told us, “My son has changed!” Pastor Nate Bevier was able to baptize Ali in a frigid pool of water in the Andes.  Our church family watched the video of Ali’s baptism and rejoiced!  We had pled with God for this to happen.  We were beginning to see God answer our prayers and move in village of Cordova. 

Our prayer was that Ali and Betty would be strategic in leading others in the village to Jesus and helping us establish a church in Cordova.  As the year in Cordova came to a close in October, Ali promised us that he would continue to share the gospel in Cordova.  As we drove away from Cordova, we only wondered what would happen over the course of the next four months.  

Anxious to get back to Cordova, our church family has been sitting on edge waiting to hear how Ali and Betty are doing.  Last week, we received the report from Cordova that Ali had died.   Ali fell from 30 feet while installing a satellite dish in the village.  He was taken to a hospital some distance away for an emergency surgery, which was unable to save his life.  Such news was bitter sweet for our church body.

When the announcement came on Sunday there were tears of pain in the eyes of members of our church who have never set foot in Cordova. Hundreds from AABC who have not and probably never will go to Cordova know Ali.  They have seen pictures, watched videos, and heard stories of him and his faith. Even more, they prayed for his salvation and perseverance as a believer.  

It is with heavy hearts that we look back on our encounter with Ali.  But amidst the sadness there is reason to rejoice in the providence of God. 

Ali is originally from the city of Ica, Peru.  Ali and his father were under contract to do construction work in the village of Cordova for approximately one year.   According to the providence of God, the year they were assigned to the village would be the year in which our short-term teams would begin going to Cordova.  We now know that this would also be the last year of Ali’s life.  All of this was God’s perfect timing. 

While we plan, pray, and strategize for the long-term process of seeing a church established in Cordova, we must recognize what God has already done through the efforts of short-term mission teams and the sacrificial support of our church body.  God graciously brought Ali from Ica 70 miles from Cordova for a short time to hear the gospel from a group from Lexington, Kentucky thousands of miles away from Cordova.  He became our friend and brother in Christ whom we will serve the King with together forever.

As you and your family pray about what you may give consider the following quote:

“Why should we not … instead of the paltry offerings we make, do something that will prove that we are really in earnest in claiming to be followers of him who, though he was rich, for our sake became poor?” (Lottie Moon)        

After the 2007 offering, Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, was considered to be in the top 1% (per capita giving) of all Southern Baptist Churches.  Every year, we have exceeded our Lottie Moon goal.  This year our goal is to give over $29,000.  As you consider what you and your family will give to this year’s Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, consider the words of the famous missionary who inspired the offering,        

Need it be said, why the week before Christmas is chosen? Is not the festive season when families and friends exchange gifts in memory of The Gift laid on the altar of the world for the redemption of the human race, the most appropriate time to consecrate a portion from abounding riches and scant poverty to send forth the good tidings of great joy into all the earth?

Special children’s program UNDERGROUND CHURCH runs alongside the regular WIC schedule

Thursday October 2nd

7:00 p.m. Missionary Biography of Andrew Fuller - Pastor David Prince

Friday October 3rd

7:00 p.m. Guest Preacher Dr. Chuck Lawless

Saturday October 4th

9:00 a.m. Men’s Ministry Service Project

11:00 a.m. Women’s Ministry Brunch - Speaker: Melissa Smith  

7:00 p.m. Guest Preacher: Dr. Chuck Lawless

Sunday October 5th

10:30 a.m. Guest Preacher: Dr. Chuck Lawless

Our 2008 World Impact Conference speaker will be Dr. Chuck Lawless. Chuck Lawless is the dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.  He also served as pastor of two Ohio churches prior to joining the seminary faculty in 1996.  The author of several books, includingMembership Matters, Discipled Warriors,Serving in Your Church Prayer Ministry, andPutting on the Armor, Dr. Lawless is also president of the Lawless Group, a church consulting firm The Lawless Group.  He and his wife, Pam, reside in Crestwood, KY.

Dr. Lawless was recently appointed as a consultant for global theological education by the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Theological Convention.

David Prince, Pastor of Preaching and Vision at Ashland Avenue, moderated the discussion with the following conversation partners:

Dr. Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Moore also serves as one of the Preaching Pastor’s at Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky.Dr Randy Stinson, Dean of the School of Leadership and Church Ministry and Assistant Professor of Leadership at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Stinson also serves as the President of the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

According to UNICEF there are around 100 million orphans in the world today and 500,000 orphans (135,000 who are adoptable) in the United States. Would Jesus have 2.1 billion professing Christians and 16 million Southern Baptists ignore their cries?

Join us this Sunday evening (August 10th) at 6:00p.m. in the AABC family center for “To Cordova And Back“.  Beginning at 6:00p.m. we will enjoy some Peruvian cuisine and then spend the evening learning more about Peruvian culture and reflecting on all that God is doing in village of Cordova. Admission is free and you do not have to make reservations.         

On July 10, 2008, Pastor Nate Bevier, Jenelle Bevier, Heather Ledbetter, and I took a week-long trip to Cordova, Peru, in order to continue AABC’s work among the Ayacucho Quechuas in that area. We joined a team of three from Ryker’s Ridge Baptist Church in Madison, Indiana, as well as the five summer missionaries who were already serving in Cordova, for a week of exciting and fruitful ministry.

The trip had three primary goals: to continue establishing a positive presence among the people of Cordova toward the goal of starting the first ever church in that area of the world; to evangelize the lost through music and Bible teaching; and to encourage our summer missionaries who had been diligently working to plant gospel seeds all summer. By God’s magnificent grace, all three goals were met beyond anyone’s expectations.

Much of our time was spent just hanging out with the people and continuing to build relationships and trust. Our team was able to spend time each day talking and eating with various people in the town, playing with children, and cultivating relationships. We had to remind ourselves constantly of the importance of this ministry. It is not common to see North Americans in a small village three hours up a mountain from any semblance of modern society. The people in Cordova need to know that we are there to love them. They need to be able to trust us. These times of day-to-day interaction with the people of Cordova were invaluable in providing a foundation of trust upon which future ministry can be built.

The goal of evangelism was accomplished through personal conversations around town by day and times of music and Bible teaching at night. During the day our team spoke the gospel to whoever was hanging around the town. At night, however, we targeted particular people who had shown interest in the gospel and invited them to our nightly Bible studies. These were people who our summer team had specifically targeted and in whom our summer team had invested much time and effort in trying reach with the gospel. Because of the prayers of AABC, our summer missionaries’ hard work and sacrifice, and God’s wonderful grace, we were able to play a role in seeing the first two sinners saved through our efforts in Cordova! God acted mightily to save Ali and Betty, and he is working in the hearts of even more. Before we left Cordova, Pastor Nate was able to baptize Ali. This might have been the first ever baptism in Cordova!

Our summer missionaries were excited to spend the week with our team in Cordova. We were able to encourage them just by our presence. But seeing the fruit of two new believers was all the encouragement they needed. These five missionaries will come home soon, knowing that God used them to accomplish amazing things in Cordova. Each of these missionaries shed tears of joy when Ali and Betty repented and believed the gospel. It was an amazing time for everyone involved.

Our summer missionaries will return home soon with more exciting stories of what God is doing in Cordova. As our summer efforts draw to a close, we must remember that the work has only begun. Christ calls us to make disciples. While Ali and Betty are now believers, there is still much work to be done toward making them disciples. We must continue to pray, give, and go to Cordova until there is a church there that is working to reach its own community.

Our 2008 World Impact Conference is scheduled for

Check out this BP article concerning Dr. Tson’s view of Suffering and The World Mission. 

In March of 2008, AABC set out to reach an unreached population segment of Ayacucho, Quechua people in the Andes Mountain of Peru. The village we chose to focus on as we begin this work is called Cordova. This video is of the first baptism in Cordova. The man who is being baptized is Ali.

Ali is the son of Enrique, a contractor who is helping to rebuild a hostel in Cordova. Ali was labeled by other villagers as one of the worst sinners in Cordova. However, after hearing the gospel from our missionaries, who plead with Ali to trust in Christ, he has turned from his sin and believed the gospel.

Just one day after believing in Christ Ali was found sharing the gospel with others in the village. Enrique also reported to our missionaries, “My son has changed!” After counseling Ali about the importance of baptism, Pastor Nate and Casey McCall gathered our missionaries and Enrique around a small pool of ‘frigid cold’ water in the mountains and immersed Ali.

Hey everyone, This report is an overview of what has gone on in Cordova since we were in Ica last. The Lord has blessed us immensely these passed few weeks and we believe that God has really begun moving with our people. You have already heard the report that the group gave last Sunday and I just want to say how much we appreciated their presence with us. It was really hard to see our friends leave, but they were a great encouragement to us, and their brief presence was very beneficial to our work here. The classroom that the group worked on has become a great way for us to put our foot in the door with the community. Jimmys table was a big hit and Enrrique really enjoyed getting to know everyone who was with us. This passed week we officially began our English classes in the room and it has already given us many opportunites to share the gospel. Stephen told the story of the song “It is Well With My Soul” and the people really were curious about it and wanted us to sing it several times. We wrote the lyrics of the song on poaster board and have gotten to share the gospel through explaining the lyrics. We have explained to several that no matter what the circumstances of a persons life, through faith in the works of Christ it can be well with your soul. We have also begun teaching classes in the high school and have gotten in well with the youth of the village. I have saved the most exciting news for last. The woman Betty who has been coming to the English classes is a nurse at the medical center in the plaza. When we first arrived she was one of the people most opposed to our presence in the village. She was very skeptical of our work and her exact words were, “It is going to be very hard for you to make converts here in Cordova.” Of all the people in the village, we expected her to be the least responsive to our message. Well, this week Julie has really become good friends with her and she has warmed up to us immensely. On thursday Enrrique invited us to help out install lights in the medical center where Betty works and we met another man named Francisco who was watching us work. We did not pay much attention to the man but the next morning as I was passing by going to the high school both Betty and Francisco wanted to talk with me. They were curious about why we were here and for 2 hours I got to sit and preach the gospel to them. The Lord is especially woking on Franciscos heart, and was almost in tears as I explained that he did not have the capacity to change the hardness of his own heart. We gave them both Bibles and the “Two Ways to Live Tract.” Francisco had his highlighter out and was marking all of the verses that I was showing him about the Gospel. We got to talk about mans sin in Romans 3 and what it means to have faith in Christ from Romans 8. I also told him to begin reading in John and showed him the passage where Nicodemus asks about how to have eternal life. Of all my three summers in Peru, I have never had an opportunity to tell someone about Christ in such detail! You could tell that Francisco was genually convicted and was wrestling with what it meant to repent. Please be in prayer for this mans soul, I believe he is close to believing in Christ. When we return to Cordova we will continue talking with the both of them and call them to believe. There is also encouraging news about Lucy. We learned from Betty that she is an atheist which perhaps explains our difficulty in growing close with her. She has remained on a professional level with us more than anything else. This past week, however, her curiosity finially got the best of her and she asked us why were were here in Peru. We got to explain that we were Baptist missionaries who had come to teach the village about the Word of the Lord. Upon asking what the Baptist church believes, we got to tell her briefly about Christ and the message that we have come to preach. She is still a little distant with us, but is warming up little by little, espically with Julie who she finds hilarious! There is so much more I could talk about that has gone on which I dont have the time to write about. I have written about the key things that have taken place these last two weeks and where we have made the most progress. Every day we are encouraged with a new way that the Lord is woking. It is abundantly clear that you have been praying for us dilligently at home. The success of our trip has been directly connected to your prayers and we thank the Lord for Ashland frequently. The gospel is moving forward with our people! Continue to pray to the Lord for our work here for he is faithful to act on behalf of the prayers of his saints. Pray for our health. Last week was a little rough on a couple of our group. We miss worshiping with everyone at home a lot and cant wait to come home and bring a report of all that God has done. Once again, thank you for your prayers.

Your Brother,
Jacob 

Casey McCall, Pastor Nate Bevier, Janelle Bevier, and Heather Ledbetter will be heading to the Andes Mountains of Peru the week of July 10-18.  They will be accompanied by 3 members of Ryker’s Ridge Baptist Church and a creative ministries team from Reap South.  This group will join our summer missionaries in ministering the gospel in the village of Cordova during a festival week, held in honor of the Virgin Carmen (a representation of Mary).   It is the biggest festival held within the village each year.  A priest from a nearby city travels to the village to the lead the people in a mass each evening of the week.  While the people go through the motions of having their sins absolved and honoring their patron saints, the emphasis of the festivals have more to do with praying for dead loved ones and making offerings to the land.  Furthermore, a major focal point of each week is on family reunions, which include much dancing and drunkenness.               

ways to pray for this team

• Please pray for our summer missionaries and our short-term team as they minister, during this crucial time of the year.
• Pray that our present ministry of the gospel will not be hindered in anyway during this pagan festival.
• Pray that discussions about the events of the festival will be helpful as the villagers consider the true gospel presented by our team.
• Pray that our team will be able to minister effectively through song and music as Pastor Nate leads them in creative ways.
• Pray that new areas of gospel ministry would open up for our summer missionaries because of our short-term team’s presence in the village this summer.
• Pray for Janelle and Heather as they seek to encourage Julie concerning the work that she has been involved with in Cordova this summer.
• Pray for Janelle and Heather as they use their gifts to minister to the women of Cordova alongside Julie and Ashley who are presently serving in the village.
• Pray for Pastor Nate and Casey as they lead encourage and counsel our summer missionaries with the word of God.
• Pray that our summer missionaries will be refreshed and re-energized for the rest of the summer as our short-term team leads them in worship and Bible Study.

Things thus far have gone as well as they possibly could have.  We sort of dubbed our first week “the week of first impressions”.  We wanted to just get out there and try to make friends and see who was friendly towards us.  Things went well and many people in the village quickly warmed up to us. 

As you could imagine we quickly became the talk of the town and a point of curiosity.  We dont want to spend all of our time just building relationships, however, so it has been our prayer that the friendships that we have made would quickly turn into opportunites to share the gospel.  We have been praying hard for that to be the case.  God has blessed us immensely in opening doors for us concerning this.  A key individual in this has been a man named Enrique.  He is from Ica but is working in Cordova as a construction engineer for two years working on different projects in response with the earthquake damage.  He has opened up his home to us and actually has allowed us to convert it into a classroom.  We constructed a wall out of materials that were salvaged from the municipalities hostal which was torn down.  Next week we will begin English classes which we hope will branch off into a Bible study as well.  The town is excited about this and we hope to have a good turnout.  We will use the group which will be here this week to help accomplish a good kick off.  The first night I want to do some english things and also open the floor for questions about God.  We are praying hard for these efforts and we hope that we will be able to quickly turn these classes into a forum for preaching the gospel.  Much more has gone on that I dont have time to explain in detail.  Julie is doing absolutely wonderful with the children using her guitar, she is also doing a great job with the older women.  Her heart has encouraged me greatly.  Charlie is doing good with his spanish and if he continues at the rate he is going he will have good communication by the time next summer rolls around.  We have built relationships with many other people.  Enrique, and his son Ali are really important and we have already had good conversations concerning the Lord with them (and also a bunch of political stuff as well, lol).  Also the woman who owns the restaurant where we eat every day is really on our hearts.  Her name is Charo and we believe she has an abusive husband named Abel who drinks.  Pray for them especially.  There is so much more we could discuss, a whole lot has happened in the first two weeks.  These are the main points of interest however.  That is all I have time for.  May the Lord bless those who are on their knees on our behalf.  Nothing good has happened in our village that has not been a direct answer to prayer.  This has been so evident to us and we are so thankfull for those who are praying on our behalf.  I hope all is well.  Will update again as soon as I possibly can.

The college students are settled and doing well.  Jason and Jacob were able to talk with a few professors and the school administrator, who want our teams in the school teaching English.  A few adults (men!) have asked about evening classes so they can learn English. Charlie and Andrew will be working with some men on a building in the village.  They are laying bricks.  So, they should be working with them everyday.  Pray that some of these men would believe and be saved.  We need leadership for the future church in Cordova.  

Julie and Ashley will be working in the school, as well as, helping a lady named Lucy in her store and hostal.  Lucy has hosted our teams on every trip.  We are praying that she comes to faith in Christ soon, because of her influence in the village.

On the way to the village the team was able to meet with a pastor in Ica named Percy Romana. Ica is a city about 4 hours from Cordova.  Percy is the pastor of a conservative Bible church and a professor in a Christian University.  Not only will Percy’s church make a great partner for AABC, but Percy has several young men who he is discipling who can assist our teams with evangelism and discipleship in Cordova.

Continue to pray that the power of Christ’s Kingdom would be displayed in the village of Cordova through the preaching of God’s grace in Christ.