Starting July 23rd, Pastor Ray will be going on Sabbatical. This much needed time of rest and study will allow him to collect his thoughts and return with a renewed vision and energy as we seek to reach out to our community. While he is away, we will be having some guest speakers. The first one is Greg Raynes. Greg is preparing to go to the Middle East. Here’s his story in his own words:
The call of our Lord to “follow Me” is a mystery indeed. I’ve served nearly eleven years as a police officer in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. During my career as a police detective, I specialized in working with victims of sexual assault, trafficking, physical and sexual child abuse. In recent years, God began to nudge my heart in the direction of ministry. I pursued a seminary education and served my local church as part of a church planting effort. Along the way, Jesus placed a burden upon my heart for Arab Muslims. I began to pray, asking God how I was to be a part of His work in the Arab World. Then, during a visit to the region, Jesus spoke clearly and definitively to my heart: I was to leave my career and my life in America behind and follow Jesus to the Arabian Peninsula.
God has granted me the opportunity to serve with a Live Dead church planting team in the Arabian Penisula. Live Dead teams labor to establish the church where it does not yet exist. As a language student and team member, I will serve and be mentored, participating in team life through the ministry of the AEI language school begun by the team. Our team has had the privilege of sharing Jesus with our six Muslim Arabic instructors, their families, and others. Your support in prayer and giving enables the precious people of the Arabian Peninsula to hear the gospel for the very first time! While there, it is my desire to work with my field leadership to develop a sustainable platform with which to put my unique skill set to work for God’s kingdom.
Greg will be with us July 23rd through August 6th. Don’t miss out! If you’d like to give to Greg’s work in the Arabian penisula, click here.