Last Sunday Vision Baptist Church accepted the Thomas and Seifu families to be part of the Vision Family. Haile and Valeria have been going to Vision now for almost two years now and this last Sunday they decided to make Vision their church. The Thomas’ moved to Cumming/Alpharetta area last year and they too made the decision to make Vision their Church. We have been so blessed as God continues to add to Vision. Please join me in welcoming the Seifu’s and the Thomas’s.

On Sunday, March 31, 2013, Vision Baptist Church welcomed our newest members.

This is such an exciting opportunity for the Come and See India team! It is a huge endeavor but we are excited to work with Fundamental Media on this project we both feel so strongly can be used of God to help awaken people to the incredible need in northern India.

A God-given desire.

I would hope, pray, and expect that by now if you know me you know I have a great desire to see Gospel-preaching churches planted among the people of northern India. My desire is the same for the whole world but with special emphasis in places where so little is being done, as is the case in northern India. I do not believe that this is just a “great desire” but a God-given desire.

From God’s Word I have learned of the exclusivity of the Gospel, the importance of the local church, the urgency of the need, and most importantly the sufficiency of the Gospel! From studying history, seeing the field first-hand, and spending time in conversations with those who work in this area of the world I have learned some things that have helped illustrate the lessons learned from God’s Word. I have learned that there is a super high attrition rate among the missionaries that attempt to work in northern India. I have learned that many groups do not value church-planting. I have even learned that many groups have been inclusive in their view of other faiths as a means of salvation. All of this helps increase my desire, my God given desire, to see God do a work among these people!

A God-given dream.

With the aforementioned desires God has given me I have dreams to do something about the situation. It is what some would label a “holy discontent” that I must do something lest I die pulling at my heart!

These are not dreams that happen at night, they are not dreams that contradict God’s Word, and they are not dreams that are promised to me to be fulfilled. With the doctrine of the Bible coupled with the desires this understanding gives me I ask God to give me wisdom to know how to serve His will. The dreams that come from God-given desires from God-given doctrine are in my opinion what I refer to as a “God given dream.”

A God-given dream I have had for the people of India is that I would be given an opportunity to “tell the story of India that has changed my life.” In the context of what I knew, my time in India has radically changed my life (schedule, hobbies, reading, talking, and praying.) I felt such an overwhelming desire to tell the story to my wife that I just had to take her there eight months after I went there for the first time. This was not an easy decision financially – but I felt it necessary for my wife to have the same things burning in her heart that burn in mine.

When given an opportunity to speak to a new group of people I typically use the opportunity to tell of what I saw in India and what we should want to see there! One of the main ways I have wanted to tell this story is through the form of a non-fiction documentary! I had been praying that I would be given this opportunity someday. I had been expecting it to be 10 – 20 years down the road.

A God-given opportunity.

Three months ago I had the opportunity to meet Daniel Irmler, President of Fundamental Media. He was in the area visiting some family. His brother-in-law, Jeff Bush, and I accepted an offer by him to meet for lunch. I was looking forward to it. I have great respect for him and the ministry that he leads.

Over lunch he began to share with me their desire to use their God-given talent in film making to help direct hearts towards the needs of the world. As he spoke my heart almost leaped out of my chest as this was a discussion about something I had been dreaming about for the last couple years.

Towards the end of our time together we had decided to look at the possibility of a joint venture between Vision Baptist Missions and Fundamental Media to tell the story of India! Today, March the 18th, I am headed to Fresno, California to spend the week at the offices of Fundamental Media to work on this project!

A friend’s appeal for help.

As you can understand I am extremely excited about the potential of this documentary to make an impact and wake up my fellow Americans who are in a deep sleep having the American dream! I would love to take all of my family, friends, every church, pastor, Sunday school teacher, and anyone else to India to see it first-hand. This documentary is my best opportunity at doing this!

If you are reading this there is a good chance that we know each other and there is a great chance that you know the Jesus that I love and serve. As a friend I would like to ask for you to help me in this God given desire, dream, and now opportunity!

Would you commit to pray for us as we ask God to lead us in making plans for the documentary?

Would you email me at Trent@VisionBaptist.com and let me know that you are in this with us!  There will be need for help in the area of research, promotion, and distribution. Doing so would also serve as a great form of encouragement to us!

Would you be on the lookout for an opportunity to help fund this project? Fundamental Media has purchased the needed film equipment for a project of this level. They have not only given thousands of dollars towards the project but they have also donated thousands of dollars in man hours. Vision Baptist Missions will be behind the project 100% as well. I will be asking for your help to see this dream become a reality.

by Trent Cornwell

Please join in welcoming Ms Sherry P. our newest member to the Vision family. Mrs Sherry has been coming to our church for some time now and she is always helping out in whatever she can. We are proud to have such a sweet lady to be part of our family. Welcome Ms Sherry.

Please pray with the pastoral staff of Vision Baptist Church. Here are some dreams and desires we have for this year as we launch as a church to do more for the cause of Christ.

Yoke Fellow Families
We would like to see a faithful family in our church connected with every missionary family in our church. They would serve as their ambassadors here at home. There will be a meeting for all those who are interested, the first Sunday of March.

Greater Involvement on Thursday Nights

We would like to see a higher percentage of our church participating in our mid week service. Also, with the addition of walls we would like to expand our kids ministry on Thursday nights as well, requiring more volunteer involvement.

Trips to the Mission Field
We are praying that God will allow us to see many new people visit the mission field somewhere, and let it make a major difference in their lives.

Supporting Missionaries

We want to be able to take on about 15 new missionaries as a result of seeing our faith promise offering reaching the $150,000 mark (not counting additional giving).

Greater Visibility

In addition to the sign we were able to put up in 2012, we are looking for a team of people to help place signs in strategic locations around our church on the weekends.

50,000 tracts distributed

We are asking God to help us get 13,000 homes again and give out 50,000 gospel tracts.

Choir continue to Grow

We are asking God to strengthen our choir so that it sings in every service.

Growth in our Spanish Congregation

We are asking God to cause our Spanish church to grow like never before.

Increase the amount of Deacons & One Full Time Secretary

We are asking God to give us more deacons, and help us build more and more super strong men that can lead our church. We are asking God for a full time secretary for the church.
Pastors for New Church Plants.

We are asking God for a pastor for the new work and other men we can train that will become pastors of new churches we start in Atlanta and other parts of the USA.

Growth in the Our Generation Training Center & VBM

We are asking God to give us more students for the training center especially from our church. We would love for God to allow us to see more missionaries go out through VBM.

More Effective Use of Our Current Building & Find Land

We are asking God to let us complete a needed build out for offices and a wall. We are asking God to show us where He might provide land for the church someday.

Growth in our Adult Bible Fellowships and Sunday School Classes.

We are asking God to help us consistently break 200 in Sunday School attendance.

Produce Materials

We are asking God to increase our ability to produce materials and media that can be used here and around the world.

Many of your who will be attending the Growing Together Couples Retreat know this beautiful young couple. To know this couple, is to love this couple. It is Pastor Tony Howeth and his wonderful wife, Mrs. Stacey.

So here are the rules of the game. 

• You do not have to attend the conference to play but you will have to attend the conference to win!
• Post in the comment section below the caption you think is best for this picture! (yes, the comments will be moderated before they are posted).
• We will narrow the list down to 3 and vote on them at the retreat!
• Example Comment: “Al Gore has identified the source of 67% of all aerosol use in the 80s!”

Unofficial Sponsor

In honor of Pastor Tony’s permed mullet the winner will  receive a $10 gift card to the Huddle House! Winner will be announced of the first night of the couples retreat.

If you still haven’t signed up for the Growing Together Couples Retreat remember you only have until February the 3rd!

We would like to congratulate David Clapp and Nancy Gonzales for getting baptized this past Sunday! Their baptism serves as an outward sign of their inward belief in Jesus Christ. We are excited that they decided to take this important step in their walk with Christ. Please welcome them to the Vision family!

Here is a picture of Nancy Gonzales’ being baptized by Pastor Ronald Tubillas:

We would like to welcome the Pepperdine family. Ty, Rebecca, and their two daughters, Abigail and Emma, joined the Vision family this past Sunday. They have a great love for God, and we are very excited about them joining us. Please welcome the Pepperdines!