How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
— ROMANS 10:14–15
Why is global impact work important?
We want everyone to know Jesus. There are people in our community who don’t know Him, and there are people on the other side of the planet who don’t know him. We aim to change that by reaching into the community and sending into the world.
Three billion people live on less than $2.50 a day.
of all people groups are completely unreached with the gospel.
of the world’s population lives in religiously restricted countries.
How can I get involved with facMISSIONS?
Although most of us won’t go into the mission field, we still have a key role to play in missions work. Here are some ways you can be involved in expanding the reach of the gospel throughout the world (click to expand):
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This is the most important part of missions! The Apostle Paul says, “Devote yourselves to pray with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Don’t forget to pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to preach about His secret plan...” — Colossians 4:2–3.
Here are some ways you can pray for our missionaries throughout the week:
Sunday: spiritual health; stand firm in the faith; consistency in Bible & prayer
Monday: relationships with team, unity & love, a servant’s spirit
Tuesday: emotional well-being, encouragement & friendships, sense of accomplishment
Wednesday: physical well-being. strength & safety, support needs are met
Thursday: family relationships, husbands & wives, adjustment for children
Friday: language acquisition, perseverance, clearly share Christ
Saturday: nationals & their country, open doors, salvation
FAC’s Prayer Guide for World Missions pamphlet (printed copies available at FAC) can be used to give you vital information about where our missionaries are and what they do.
Another excellent tool is a book called Operation World by Jason Mandryk, available at amazon.com and christianbook.com. It can also be downloaded on to your mobile device as an app.
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Don’t think of it as a classroom experience; instead, plunge into the world of missions by reading the biographies of ordinary men and women that God has used in extraordinary ways. A great collection of biographies can be found in one book called From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya by Ruth Tucker.
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We all love to be encouraged, don’t we? Just think how much more that would mean if you were thousands of miles away from your family and home church. It only takes a few minutes to send an email to brighten a missionary’s day. If you’re not sure who to email or what to say, contact Pastor Scott (sshuffield@facerie.org) and he’ll point you in the right direction.
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FAC has three missions funds you can choose to give toward:
Great Commission Fund: supports missionaries serving with the Christian & Missionary Alliance (C&MA).
FAC Missions: for members of our church family that serve as missionaries with agencies other than the C&MA.
Short-term Missions: helps support our church family on short-term missions trips.
You can give toward any of these categories by marking it on your offering envelope, or selecting them through our secure online giving platform.
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It is currently much easier to visit another culture than it was even a generation or two ago. You can take a step of faith and travel outside the country for a week to share the Good News. Or, maybe you think God is leading you overseas as an international worker or as a “Finisher” (those who are 40 and above and want to give the “second half” to serving God overseas).
To find out more about how you can go on one of these trips, or take the next steps in fulfilling God’s calling for your life, contact Pastor Scott (sshuffield@facerie.org).
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Meet our International Workers (IWs)
(CLICK ON THEIR PICTURES TO LEARN MORE)
CREATIVE ACCESS COUNTRY / 10–40 WINDOW
MACEDONIA | NEW INTERNATIONAL™
SPAIN
GUADALAJARA, MEXICO | PROJECT SOUTHPOINTE
MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY
In March 2015, the FAC family was made aware of the horrors of child sex slavery throughout the world and was given the opportunity to do something to end it by partnering with Remember Nhu. The response was overwhelming!
We are ending child sex slavery through prevention: one child at a time, one family at a time, one village at a time. Find out how prevention is the most effective way to keep children safe and end child sex slavery.
FAC sponsors multiple homes through Remember Nhu:
One home in Mae Chaem, Thailand (6 boys)
Two homes in Nairobi, Kenya (18 girls)
One home in Myanmar (11 boys & 1 girl)
One home in Tanzania (13 girls)
One home in Laos (17 girls)
WHAT IS SPONSORSHIP?
Sponsorship is at the heart of Remember Nhu and what makes prevention possible. Without the faithful monthly support of Sponsor Parents we would not be able to keep these children safe and well cared for.
A Parent Sponsorship of $60 a month covers physical, educational, emotional and spiritual needs. Commitment should include faithfully praying for your child. You can also communicate with your sponsored child, or even visit, in some countries, via a short term mission trip.
We also have Cousin Sponsors for $40 a month, or Sibling Sponsors for $20 a month. This helps cover the additional costs of completely caring for a child.
Meeting God in Missions (MGM) is a non-denominational Christian organization providing short-term mission trips to the Dominican Republic since 1998 with the goal of encouraging participants into a closer walk with God while serving the needs of the poor. People of all ages have come away from an MGM mission trip with a renewed sense of faith and a deeper passion to serve those in need.
There are many types of ministry in the Dominican with MGM including prayer, construction, medical, dental, optical, children’s ministry, gardening, and more.
If you have an interest in joining a short-term team, contact Pastor Scott at sshufield@facerie.org.
HOPE | English as a Second Language Ministry
Our Mission
Transforming our communities by introducing people to a transformational relationship with Jesus through ESL Ministry. As a resettlement city, Erie is now home to thousands of immigrants and refugees who don't know Jesus. Many have been here for years with no one approaching them to share the gospel. Through ESL, we’re mobilizing the church to offer a service they can use plus the “felt need” of friendship. Our goal is to offer hope in Christ as we offer hope of a better future in America through English classes. Volunteers are always welcome.
Contact Amy McCullough at amccullough@facerie.org for more information and to receive an application. Multiple class times are being held at different locations around Erie. Students are welcome to show up to any class for a free evaluation, click the link below to see times and locations. Classes are free but a book is $10 for 15 weeks of instruction.
Operation Christmas Child (OCC)
Operation Christmas Child is a ministry that shares the love of Jesus with children around the world through gift-filled shoeboxes and the Gospel. This summer, First Alliance Church is hosting the NWPA OCC Shoebox Packing Party, where volunteers will help pack more than 22,000 shoeboxes for global distribution. Learn more about the ministry, this year’s packing party, and ways to get involved below.