The April/May 2012 Christian Contender Newsletter is Now Online
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WE NEED YOUR HELP TO FEED THE KIDS THIS SUMMER!
It is true that the sense of smell brings about more memories than any of our other senses.
There is a dear woman in Owen County, Indiana who makes the best yeast rolls. She made them often for events at
Rock Haven Christian Camp. The wonderful aroma sparked the phrase, “I remember,” from many who caught a whiff of that
wonderful aroma. Most would share fond memories of home, family, or holidays at Grandma’s house. I also have fond memories of freshly baked yeast rolls. Fifty two years ago I was six years old, in the first grade at Frederick Funston Elementary School on the
south side of Wichita, Kansas. Mrs. Black was the teacher for the first half of the year but passed away from
cancer. She was replaced by Mrs. Shey, who was one of the kindest, most loving teachers of my school experience. One of
the two first grade classrooms was in the basement of the school along with the
school kitchen. Students would pass by the kitchen to get their lunch and then return to the classroom to eat. My class was the one in the basement and around nine o’clock each morning you would begin to smell the food the cooks
were preparing for lunch . . . especially the yeast rolls. This would make it difficult to concentrate
on the lesson at hand especially for those like me who had very little supper the night before, and no breakfast that morning. It didn’t take the teachers long to determine who was in this category making sure these students received an extra portion
when needed.
Recent studies have determined that one in five children in the United States is undernourished at some level. The food that some children receive at school is the only consistent nourishment many of them will receive. Principals and teachers report that these children become more unruly as Christmas and summer break approach because they know they will not have regular, wholesome food again until school is back in session. The federal government provides funding through the Department of Agriculture to continue hot meals for
children during the summer. This is done through the Department of Education in each state. Some schools and communities take advantage of this but most do not because the funding provided is insufficient to cover
all the costs. Consequently the Department of Education will recruit for-profit businesses and non-profit
organizations to take on the responsibility of feeding these children during the summer break. Qualifying for this as
a non-profit organization requires a very thorough investigation of the organization to verify that all legal qualifications have been met for the state as well as the federal government. Christian Contender Ministries has been involved in this program for the
past four summers and has received the highest of marks during the annual reviews by the state.
June the 4th Christian Contender Ministries will begin feeding children again in two counties in Indiana. Since
relocating in Florida, this is the only program CCM still leads in Indiana simply because we have found no one willing to take over this
responsibility. The children have come to depend on this service and we plan to continue serving them as long as
necessary. In the past we have served up to 19,000 hot meals to children during the summer. This may not sound like much in a world full
of starving children but this is what we can do to make a difference at least in the lives of these children. We accepted the challenge to lead this program because many children would not have a hot meal all summer if we didn’t. They survive on cold cereal and peanut butter until they return to school where they can have a good meal. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! We will have three Feeding Sites this year; one in Spencer, one in Patricksburg, and
one in North Vernon. These are some of the neediest areas. We are allowed to feed the children lunch and also have a Bible lesson before sending them home with a snack for the evening. What a great opportunity to share God’s Word and the love of Christ! Breakfast is also served at Muscatatuck Christian Ranch near North Vernon.
Most of the money to operate this program comes from the Department of Agriculture. It is one of the best uses
of your tax dollars at work. Additional money must be raised for us to operate because:
1. We don’t limit the program to children one to eighteen years old. We will feed any child, any
age who comes through the door.
2. We make sure the children receive plenty of home cooked, hot food, even sending
some home for those who need it.
3. We allow parents to come in and eat with their children. The first year we started this
program we determined that this is what Jesus would do.
4. We provide Bible lesson material where needed.
5. We allow local “Senior Citizens” to participate in the program.
This year we project to serve over 2,000 extra meals that will not be funded by the Summer Food Service Program. At a cost of $3.50 per meal it will total $7,000. Some of this will be covered by local community grants, but most of it must come from faithful Christian people who are willing to share a few dollars or even make a greater sacrifice. We are depending on God and His people again
this year.
There is no greater opportunity to fulfill the Law of Christ than to care for the needs of helpless children. James says “Religion
that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress . . .” We would all run to the opportunity to offer food to Jesus in his need yet He, himself said,
“. . . whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” We are counting
on you again this year.
A little eight year-old girl came to one of our locations three summers ago pushing her 18 month-old brother in a stroller. She was left at home all day charged with the care of her little brother while her mother was at work. When she came through the line she only got
one plate. When asked why she stated that she was fine, she just needed something for her brother. She proceeded
to a table and fed her brother, then left. The next day, when the same scenario took place, one of the volunteers took her a plate and offered to feed her brother for her. She said, “You mean it? This is for me?” She then “devoured” the plate of food set
before her. Afterwards she asked if she could take some leftovers home to feed her brother that evening. This eight-year-old child cared more for the needs of her brother than for herself. Jesus said we must become like these little children if we expect to become part of
the Kingdom of God. Would you be willing to share some of your blessings so the least of these can eat?
$3.50 provides one meal. Just that much from everyone receiving this letter or e-mail would help in a tremendous way.
$35 provides ten meals. Would you be willing to give up one meal for you and your spouse so that ten meals can be
served to needy children?
$105 provides 30 meals. Would you be willing to sacrifice one night on the town for you and your spouse so that
thirty meals can be served to needy children?
$350 provides 100 meals. We will need some who are in a position to do this if we are to feed all those who need it.
Is it possible there is someone who could help with 1,000 meals?!
You decide based on how God has blessed you. We need to hear from you by June 1st. The first month is the hardest time because
we receive funding “after the fact” meaning we must fund the program ourselves until these funds come in. Please send your best gift today and mark it for the Summer Food Service Program. We are counting on you. Thank you for considering this.
For Christ and the Kids,
Artie Carnes, Executive Director
Christian Contender Ministries
2830 Frontier Circle
LaBelle,
FL 33935
Anna’a Song
Jesus Christ specializes at turning tragedy into victory if we have faith in Him. I’m growing more and more convicted of this fact: the reason we believe, and the best evidence we have for the existence of God and the truth about Jesus Christ, is what He does in our lives. It can’t be denied. What God does in someone else’s life may not affect me but what He has done in my life is impossible to deny. I would challenge everyone who claims Christ to step out on faith, open your life, and let God deal with you because when He does you will have the greatest evidence that He is exactly who He said He was in the scripture. When I was a young preacher I opened my life up to the Lord and committed to go where He would lead and do what He directs.
Read more by downloading the March 2012 Christian Contender Magazine
The Most excellent Way
There are many things The Apostle Paul says of love. He would for instance, say that love is the only thing that can help you to clear, straight thinking. Lovelessness dims and dulls the mind; it is a sort of myopia which does literally prevent a man from seeing beyond his own nose. His cosmos, as was said of someone, is all Ego; and he lives blind to the rest of reality. And far from making you a sentimentalist, love makes you a realist. For it is a pure illusion to say that love is blind. Love has eyes all around its head; and it sees truth that is hidden from the unloving. Someone has said that you cannot understand Wordsworth unless you love him; but that is universally true. You never truly understand anything or anybody that you do not love; nor will you see or say the truth about men or things until you love them.
Certainly The Apostle Paul would say concerning love that it is the only thing which can enable us to live effectually. The man who lives in pride and envy and hate is living on his moral capital; for these things bring no return to his soul. They eat him up and leave him destitute. But love is that strange commodity whereof the more you give the more you have. Every word or act of love adds to your moral reserves: mercy which is part of love: is twice blessed; It blesseth him who gives and him who takes. It is like some shining seaway that bears on the waves rich argosies that come and go with precious cargoes never diminished, enriching both him who sells and him who buys. Some day we shall be wise enough to see that it is better to make a friend than to make a fortune, to have cultivated a genius for fellowship than to have acquired laurels of fame, to become rich in love than to be replete with things. And whatever else you may lack, you can never fail if you have love and practice it and cherish it. Life does not consist in having a good hand, but in playing a bad hand well. And most of us have bad hands – hands made bad by our own folly and perversity and indolence; but there is a secret for playing bad hands well. And this is what Paul is speaking of here. You can infallibly turn the worst hand in the world into a winning hand, if you play it in “this most excellent way,” this way of love. Love means “to seek the HIGHEST GOOD”!
– Jackie Miller, Associate Evangelist, Christian Contender Ministries
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Dora and I pray you had a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful beginning to the New Year. The Father certainly blessed us with a wonderful holiday season; the best in years. We are now in a position to give you an update on our ministry since we have finalized a major transition which began the end of September. It was determined the project at The Glades Resort, near Moore Haven, Florida, was not developing as hoped so the resort and all its assets are being donated to Cincinnati Christian University. October through mid-November, we assisted with the transition as the University secured a property management company to develop and operate the resort. Their intent is to sell the property with the revenues going to the University.
Although we are disappointed this project did not develop as planned, we are glad the work we did to improve the park will still benefit the Kingdom through Christian Education. We originally committed to giving our best effort to this project for at least two years to see what could be accomplished. During that time the resort saw many improvements including a new Library built in the Clubhouse, a new Pole Barn in the maintenence area, a new Activities Building, improvements on the Golf Course including rebuilding the sprinkler system, and expanding the activities calendar and ministry opportinities. There were three weekly Bible Studies, a Resort Choir, and a Worship Service that grew to 130 in attendance. Additionally, the project saw black ink for the first time during our time there. All of this should contribute to the value when the property is sold, increasing the contribution for the University.
After finalizing our association with The Glades we spent the next six weeks locating a home and office for the ministry, getting moved, and enjoying the holidays with family. All is well and the Lord is blessing us more than we deserve. As always, our greatest interest is to do the will of God and follow His leading in every way. Sometimes it is difficult to determine the direction He is leading and other times it is more than obvious. We are very excited about the doors of opportunity the Lord has opened to Christian Contender Ministries. He has never left us without great opportunities to serve Him and build the Kingdom of God. At this time, the decision has been made to stay in Florida for the following reasons:
This Christmas season we have been especially blessed by the letters, cards, and facebook notes of many from our past service for Christ. A recent country song makes reference to “the tracks that we leave” as we travel through this life. For the servant of Christ those tracks should reflect lives that have been changed. One couple with whom we worked in New Mexico are recently retired and sent us a Christmas letter. The highlight of their year was seeing three of their grandchildren baptized into Christ. This is third-generation result from ministry performed almost 40 years ago. We also heard from a young mother who has three small children, all faithful in the Lord’s Church because, as she stated, “We were willing to share the Gospel with her parents while living in Brazil, Indiana.”I believe the “stars in your crown” are the souls that will be in heaven as a result of the lives changed by your time on the planet. “Will there be any stars in your crown?”the great hymn asks. Those of you who have shared in our ministry over the years have many stars of which you are not even aware. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Who Are We?
Christian Contender Ministries was established in 1990 for the purpose of promoting New Testament Christianity. We are independent, undenominational and committed to “walking through open doors” into whatever opportunities the Lord may lead us. The ministry is registered with the federal government as a 501(c)(3), tax-deductible religious charity, and also incorporated by the State of Indiana. We are involved in many areas of ministry including preaching, evangelism, Christian service training, publishing, and ministries to children.
This ministry operates by three basic philosophies: First, we believe we must be committed to restoring “New Testament Christianity.” We hold Christ as our only creed, and the Bible as our only rule of faith and practice. Second, we think our ministry should have the local community at its very foundation and build upon it. Therefore we are involved with local churches and the community in various ways. Starting at this point the ministry has expanded into the state, the country, and other parts of the world. Third, we are convinced that our focus must be on reaching, recruiting, and rescuing children because they are the future of the Kingdom.
Why Reach, Recruit and Rescue?
We are convinced that our focus must be on reaching, recruiting, and rescuing children because they are the future of the Kingdom. Children are the “Natural Resource” for the Kingdom of God. We see children in two groups. First, the children of Christian parents. These children need opportunities to serve in the Kingdom while recruiting them as leaders for the future. The second group contains the children of non-Christian parents. This is by far the larger of the two groups. These children are truly ”Fellow-citizens” of God’s Kingdom but most never have the opportunity to become aware of that glorious fact. We need to rescue them for the sake of Christ and His Church.
Much of our ministry is focused on rescuing helpless children. These children are as much a part of God’s Kingdom as you and I, but they live in homes where God and Jesus are only swear words and the opportunity to attend church is never given. In our area that group makes up around 70% of all children. Many of these children live below the poverty level, but some are from homes that have plenty of what the world has to offer yet are still without Christ. All of these children need to be rescued.
As Christian parents, we have cut no corners to make sure our own children are raised with every opportunity to know Christ and His Church. We know this is our responsibility, but we must consider the fact that we are also responsible for those children who “live as captives” in homes without Christ. Just as there are two groups of children in the world there are also two groups of adults; Christian, and non-Christian.