TIL Update: 2009 NANC Conference and Radio Interviews

We just returned from a good time of teaching, fellowship, and serving Christ in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Several of us attended from TIL and I hope more will attend with us next year.

For me, this conference was full of new experiences. First, this was my first time to teach a workshop at NANC’s annual, national conference. I taught on the TEAM approach (co-counseling) to biblical counseling. I prayed that the Lord would be glorified in the sight of the attendees and I believe He was. If you’d like to purchase a copy of my teaching, you can go to www.soundword.com and order the 1 hour CD (wait a few days for them to get it on their site).

Second, radio host, Pastor Kevin Boling, was at the conference and I was asked to speak on my Strength in Numbers book with 2 other authors (Dr. Stuart Scott and Pastor Mark Mann) on October 6th. If you’d like to hear the broadcast for free, click on this site and go to Oct. 6th’s broadcast: http://knowingthetruth.org/content/view/749/26/ . If you don’t want to hear the entire broadcast, I am on the end of the show in the final 15 minute segment (start at the 43 minute mark).

Third, I was asked to do a 5 minute “Moment of Truth” segment critically evaluating a secular article about TV, Internet, and Videogame “Addiction.” I did that radio segment yesterday and I’m not sure when it’ll be up on the same website, www.knowingthetruth.org . That was a chance to demonstrate the difference between worldly thinking and biblical thinking on that topic.

Finally, the most important experience for me was getting to spend time with Jason, Shirley, Sonya, Richard, Ronny, and my family. We had a fun time together with a busy schedule. Most amazingly, we are all still friends after spending so much time “cooped up” together!

For me, all of this is new. I am learning a lot and thankful that the Lord has given me opportunities to glorify Him on a national level. It is truly scary and humbling when I look at my own lack of abilities, but it is wonderful when I look at how God can use a foolish, regular guy like me to do His work.

-Mark (thankful for your prayers – please keep praying for me to keep my eyes on Jesus!)

Pray for Jason C.!

Hi, All,

I want to ask you to pray for my dear brother, Jason. The reason that TIL is where it is today is because of Christ Who has worked through and used Jason to further His cause at TIL. Jason is an encourager and is helping so many people through this ministry. I cannot tell you how many lives he’s touched this month alone! Well over one hundred!

I want to urge you to pray for Him now. Pray that he would be encouraged and that Jehovah Jireh would continue to provide him with the finances he needs to meet his obligations!

-Mark (thankful for a committed man named Jason C. who is growing in Christ daily)

Please pray for men serving in Ukraine!

2 men who serve in TIL Ministries are in the Ukraine teaching PASTORS the Word of God. We are so thankful to God for providing the opportunity for these men to serve Him.

What a vital ministry to teach pastors who are going to be equipping their flocks in the Ukraine! One Ukrainian pastor said that this is the best opportunity they have to learn the Bible accurately so that they can grow.

Our ministry is primarily designed to grow Christians and that includes pastors! We love to train pastors.

Please pray for these men during the two weeks that they are there!

Also, if you’d like to make a donation to support this work, please do so online or mail a check to our PO Box. Thank you for your financial and prayer support!

-Mark (excited to be a part of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20)

Everette Shoub – final post

Thank you all for praying and for your encouraging words to me. One of my dearest friends died today and it’s really thrown me a curve. There will be a memorial service for him on Monday, October 13th in Mobile, Alabama. I’m not sure when or where, but I’ll be there to grieve my friend. I think it’s important to grieve, not as those without hope, but as one who has hope in Christ.

I Thessalonians 4:13-14 says: “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.“** Those who are “asleep” are meant to be those who are physically dead. 

My hope is only in Christ. I only trust Him to resurrect me from the dead when I die just as He was resurrected from the dead by the Father when He died on the cross and was buried in the tomb.

**The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.). Good News Publishers: Wheaton.

One bit of good news from all of this is that I have re-acquainted with some of my closest friends from the last 25 years. Many of them I’ve not spoken to in over 10 years, I’m ashamed to say. Everette brought us back together and I plan to stay in touch with them.

A final note – Everette was an organ donor. Because he was so young, some of his organs were very strong and will end up helping many people. God is redemptive meaning He brings good from bad situations.

-Mark (grieving my own sin but recognizing that I’m forgiven in Christ because Jesus is Lord)

Numbers for August 2008!

In just our 4th full month of ministry at only 2 locations for 2 days per week (keep up with all of that if you can), here are our August 2008 numbers for Truth in Love Ministries, Inc.:

74 people were counseled this month in 9 days of biblical counseling

23 of those were brand new to our ministry

13 of those new counselees were referred by their PASTOR

2 NEW TIL biblical counselors volunteered with our ministry this month

50 biblical counselors worked on those 9 days of counseling – 5 per day on average – some of those were obviously repeats but that’s the most cool stat to me!!!!

80 hours of biblical counseling took place

70 counseling slots were offered; only 51 were utilized (we are correcting that problem next month with an “intake” day since most of those “no shows” would have been first time counselees)

19 of the 51 slots were MARRIAGE reconciliations

Demographically, we counseled our first persons in their 60’s and over (age)

Most counselees are in their 30’s (second place tie for people in their 20’s and 40’s)

We worked with children this month, too! We will be increasing our capacity to work with children in the coming months.

Finally, and most importantly, we trained 20 people in biblical counseling. 8 of those will be volunteering with us as we will give them an opportunity to serve Christ in this ministry!!! I can’t wait to produce more biblical counselors for the kingdom of God!

-Mark (wowzers!)

Giving to our ministry!

We are so thankful to those of you who have and continue to financially support our ministry! It is such a blessing for us to partner with you.

At the cookout celebration, we posted some incorrect numbers. I want to post the right numbers for you now:

1. A $10 gift to TIL enables us to provide biblical resources to our counselees free of charge.
2. A $25 gift to TIL enables us to provide one discipleship/biblical counseling session free of charge.
3. A $100 gift to TIL enables us to provide a biblical counseling class for a lay person.
4. A $300 gift to TIL enables us to provide a day’s worth of discipleship/biblical counseling at one church location for one week.
5. A $1000 gift to TIL enables us to provide biblical counseling training for 10 students both in the classroom and in actual observations.
6. A $1500 gift to TIL enables us to provide biblical counseling for one week at 5 church locations.
7. A $2500 gift to TIL enables us to send one biblical counseling TRAINER to the Ukraine to equip pastors to learn biblical counseling skills and practical discipleship.

Thank you for partnering with us in this ministry! We look forward to seeing what the Lord will do through this ministry in coming years!

-Mark (looking to the God of the Bible to provide for His ministry called TIL)

Encouragers!

When I graduated from seminary the first time, our commencement speaker said: “Get encouragers in your life because you’ll need them!” He was certainly right.

Thankfully, the Lord has provided me with them: my wife, Mary, is my biggest fan and encourager. My partner in ministry at Truth in Love, Jason Cooke, is an excellent encourager as well and ought to write a book on the subject! Even my parents and children encourage me, too! What a blessing to have these encouraging people in my life! Thank you, Jesus!

By definition, an “encourager” is someone who “imparts courage to someone else.” Rather than complain or criticize, these encouragers say things like, “God can do it through you, Mark” and “Keep your eyes on Christ Jesus, Brother!” That’s what I need to hear – not “you can do it” but “He WILL do it – through you!” It’s a truthful, loving, and balanced type of encouragement that is authentic.

One other very important aspect of these encouragers is that they PRAY for me! I covet their prayers (and yours) and greatly need them to uplift me in prayer because there are so many distractions and criticisms levied against me. Even my young children pray for me (with my wife’s urging, of course!).

Romans 8:26-27: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” – The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.) . Good News Publishers: Wheaton.

I plan to stay “crazy for Christ” and to follow His leading wherever that may be and I am so thankful for encouragement from fellow believers. God gave me this vision for Truth in Love and He will see it to fruition according to His will and His time plan. All I must do is remain faithful, committed, acknowledge Him as my head, and simply be obedient to do what He asks me to do.

 

 

-Mark (undeserving of God’s grace of providing me with such great encouragers in my life)