By Jeff Miller
The test of Abraham’s faith and obedience found in the Old Testament led to the revelation of the title Jehovah Jireh. It means “The Lord provides”. We do not always know how He will provide (Abraham didn’t) but we can consistently expect and anticipate that He will provide (Abraham did).
Sometimes Abba provides the resources we need to invest. For example some years ago, while superintendent in another district, the Lord had laid on my heart to bring on a part-time staff member for a specific role. We had clear provision of the right person, but we did not have the money to pull it off. We had determined that if we didn’t have the provision by January 1 of that year then this potential ministry partner would move on to other opportunities. Christmas to New Year’s was vacation time but on December 31, Pam and I stopped by the District Office to bring in the mail. A personal letter addressed to me was in the pile. I opened it and pulled out a check for $50,000, sufficient for two years for this staff hire. Jehovah Jireh.
Sometimes Abba provides the items needed directly, not simply the money to buy them. Pam and I were a typical underpaid youth ministry family with two toddlers at home. Our car desperately needed new brakes – all the brakes, all the pieces and parts, all the work and labor. It was hundreds of dollars that wasn’t in the budget nor the wallet. In an amazing God-orchestrated event, a volunteer in our youth ministry mentioned that her unbeliever husband worked at a local factory that made car brakes. The workers were allowed to take home extras. That very week they were making the brakes for our style of car (happened only twice a year). Not only did this unbelieving man get us free brakes; he came over and installed everything for free. We were stunned. Jehovah Jireh.
Will you join me in praying for the Lord’s ongoing provision for the Ohio Valley District. So many of our churches are incredibly faithful in their financial support and partnership – a huge thank you! Many of our churches are working to step up and increase their support to appropriate levels – a huge thank you! Yet in addition to that I have some things on my heart related to this growing family called OVD. These are items that do not fit well into the revenue streams that we already have. Would you pray with me for Jehovah Jireh to reveal Himself once again as our extravagant provider?
- Ministry Couples’ Retreat. We have held two at Higher Ground Retreat Center. The first with 34 people and the second with 50 in attendance. Our next will be February 10-12, 2023. You can register here. We want to underwrite extensive amounts of the costs so as to make it accessible as an investment in the wellbeing of ministry marriages represented in our district. Needed: $5000 annually.
- Ordination/Consecration Workshop Weekend. Held every year in October (starting this year) we will pull all of our O/C participants together for a developmental weekend. Our whole O/C process is shifting from simply a requirement with a checklist of obligations to a developmental pathway where all of us grow and learn together (and become more effective together). Attending each October will be 30-40 of those who are in their early years of C&MA ministry (plus spouses where possible), district licensing committee members, and those who are mentoring our O/C students. You can register here. Total attendance could be 50-70 of our 200+ licensed district workers and spouses. Needed: $10,000 annually.
- Translation personnel and equipment. We are not just English speakers. Yet we do most of our events in English. Of our 65+ churches currently in OVD we have worship and ministry happening in eleven languages (with two more soon to be added). At events, such as district conference, we want to begin to provide translation into the languages of our district family. We will start with a soft rollout of that at this year’s district conference. But translation equipment and translators cost money. This is actually not a cost for us but a necessary investment. We have already received a onetime $5000 donation to launch this! Needed: $5000 annually. A side note: At the bottom of the Home page of our new OVD website http://ovdcma.org you can click on a language button and have our website in any one of ten languages. It is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction.
- Video production work. We want to tell/show the stories of God’s work all around OVD! There is a reason so much of the Bible is in story form. The stories of the Lord’s work among us and through us are inspiring and faith building. We would like to use video stories as a tool and as a gift to the district family. In many ways video work is like icing on the cake. You can have the cake without icing but it is so much richer with it. Desired: $7000 annually.
- Benevolence. Local churches have a Benevolent Fund to help with needs among the church family. Our pastors and other ministry leaders at times have needs and as a district family we would like to step up and help. This can be related to health needs, home/car repairs, counseling and other crisis needs. Needed: $7500 annually.
- Church multiplication. One of the absolute best ways of advancing the Kingdom of God is by church planting. Abba has provided an avalanche of church multiplication in our area of responsibility. We currently have over 20 church plants in process and have a dozen new projects likely to start soon! This is an incredible work and gift of God. We have goal to support each church plant at $1000 a month for three years as they launch. Our current revenues cannot keep up with to flood of new opportunities. Needed: $12,000 per year per church plant.
I don’t lament any of these needs. They are marvelous opportunities! And I am convinced that Abba will provide in fascinating ways in the coming days. Please pray with me. Jehovah Jireh.