A central part of our 'Consider Christ' Campaign for September/October 09 is to distribute over 1,000,000 pieces of Gospel literature across Northern Ireland.
We intend to accomplish this in two legs:
(i) Using the Royal Mail 'Door-to-Door' Service, we aim to put one gospel tract based on our Saviour's words in John 14:6 into every home in the country.
This means all 740,000+ residential properties will be covered – something we have never done before!
The cost for delivery alone is £39 per 1000 leaflets (provided the leaflets are under 20 grammes).
(ii) 250,000+ copies of a second tract is to be printed.
This will be different from the first, and will be given to our congregations (churches are completing Order Forms for this tract at the moment, having decided how many they will require to cover as much of their area as possible).
PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT
Rather than having Royal Mail to do 'all the work,' we thought it would be good to give our people opportunity for personal involvement. These tracts will have a space on the back that will allow each local church to advertise their own service times / special meetings / gospel mission. It may be that you will be interested in volunteering to design / print a small label to fit this space; others can assemble at the church and position the stickers, therefore ensuring greater involvement in this crusade.
Initially, the cost for 1,000,000+ had been set at £27,500.
I must pay tribute to others who had 'travelled the second mile' to cut this cost for us: two printers had offered to do the work for us at cost ... approximately £10,000.
However, I returned a phone call to a representative of the 'Every Home Crusade' last week ... and was delighted (too weak a word!) to be told that if we would be happy with Every Home Crusade helping us with our Campaign and, at the same time, fulfilling their vision to place gospel literature into every home in the province, they are willing to print all 1,000,000 tracts at absolutely no charge to us!!
REJOICE!
We praise God for this amazing development, and would encourage our churches to consider hosting a deputation meeting for 'Every Home Crusade' as soon as practicably possible.
This immense saving will now allow us to strengthen the 'weakest' part of our Campaign at the moment – the billboards.
"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits" (Psalm 103:1-2).
Brownlow North was greatly used of God in the great 1859 Revival that swept Ulster.
His grandfather was the Bishop of Winchester, who was the son of Lord North, and once Prime Minister of England. Though of noble stock, Brownlow North was a godless young man.
"For forty-four years of my life," he tells us, "my object was to pass time pleasantly; so long as the day was spent agreeably I was satisfied."
In 1854, God laid him low with a severe illness - and then raised him to life eternal, and propelled him forward to successfully labour for Christ. He became one of the most popular preachers in Ulster in 1859.
'The Rich Man And Lazarus'
A book by him that travels under the title, 'The Rich Man and Lazarus,' is a collection of the sermons that he preached during that great awakening in 1859. (You could pick a copy up from the internet - a worthwhile read, especially in this 150th anniversary year of the Revival).
Six Short Rules For Young Christians
Brownlow North authored, 'Six Short Rules For Young Christians.' In the light of our current Campaign, Rule#3 is particularly relevant: - Never neglect daily private prayer; and when you pray, remember that God is present, and that He hears your prayers. (Hebrews 11:6).
- Never neglect daily private Bible reading; and when you read remember that God is speaking to you, and that you are to believe and act upon what He says. I believe all backsliding begins with the neglect of these two rules. (John 5:39).
- Never let a day pass without trying to do something for Jesus. Every night reflect on what Jesus has done for you, and then ask yourself, "What am I doing for Him"? (Matthew 5: 13-16)
- If you are in doubt as to a thing being right or wrong, go to your room and kneel down and ask God's blessing on it. (Colossians 3:17). If you cannot do this, it is wrong (Romans 16:23).
- Never take your Christianity from Christians, or argue that because such and such people do so and so, therefore, you may (2 Corinthians 10:12). You are to ask yourself, "How would Christ act in my place"? And strive to follow Him (John 10:27)
- Never believe what you feel, if it contradicts God's Word. Ask yourself, "Can what I feel be true if God's Word is true"? And if BOTH cannot be true, believe God and make your own heart the liar. (Romans 3:4; 1 John 5:10-11).
(Special thanks to our Treasurer for this Campaign - and church historian, Mr David Browne, for supplying me with the above info).
The title of a message uploaded to Sermon Audio today caught my eye.
In the light of the Presbytery Campaign, the minister of our Ballymoney congregation, Rev. David Park, has taken the theme, 'Doing Something More For God.'
Using Acts 9:6 as his text, and covering the main headings:
1. The REALISATION that should be Felt;
2. The VARIATION that should be Known;
3. The SUPPLICATION that should be Made;
Rev. Park urges God's people to go further in our labours for the Lord this year. Plus he suggests some very practical ways in which we can 'Do Something More For God.'
Take some time today to tune in to this most profitable message.
A central part of our 'Consider Christ' Campaign for September/October 09 is to distribute over 1,000,000 pieces of Gospel literature across Northern Ireland.
