October 23, 2011-Spiritual Warfare

Today was our 3rd team meeting in preparation for our January trip to South Africa. Andrew started off our meeting with a devotional geared towards trusting in God’s plan for our life. This led us into an opportunity to grow as a team in an unplanned, unexpected way as we shared the incredible influence that spiritual warfare can play into our lives. Our team leaders advised us several times that from the moment we turned in our applications, we would be faced with spiritual warfare of varying degrees. Today we had the opportunity to share how we have all been challenged in different ways as we prepare for our trip. Spiritual warfare is powerful but allowing yourself to open up and trust that your team members will support you is what will help us overcome. So for all praying for this trip, please pray that each team member will continue to trust in God’s plan and overcome any and all negative influence that may attempt to deter us.

On a lighter note, we had the opportunity to debrief following our trip to Watts. What an amazing experience for all of us! I loved the chance to serve alongside my team members. Through discussion and reflection, we came to realize that what the children and people of Watts need more than anything is love, compassion, and a feeling of community. Watts has an amazing group of people that are passionate about loving God. Our prayer is that they are able to spread this love further, into their community…That Powerhouse Church in Watts will continue to reach more and more people…And that every member of this church will feel God’s love and spread it to every person they come into contact with.

A special thanks to everyone who is supporting our team with prayers and with finances. We are so humbled by your generosity. Please continue praying for each team member as we continue to raise money for this trip.

Ephesians 6:10-11 Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

POWERHOUSE CHURCH VIDEO BLOG

Hello All,
Our South Africa team was all about diving into Fellowship with the Powerhouse church community. We cooked, cleaned, played, taught, worshipped, shared, and played some more with these bright eyed kids and after talking to a member of the serve team group Clint Robinson, I too also felt that I was the one who was more touched with humility, praise, and God working on me from the inside out just from being around these kids. Here's a little Video Clip shot and edited by our team Videographer: Amanda Phelps.
We hope to bring more of our team expeditions through videos as well as pictures shot by Kari Messina. Have a good weekend all and please share this blog to anyone you think may be inspired by it as much as you and I. Speak and share Jesus without fear.




Rock Harbor South Africa Team: Watts Serve Day in LA! from Amanda Peck Phelps on Vimeo.

Mission Series

[This blog post was written by one of the August team for the Rock Harbor Main Blog. The post continues the discussion that the church is having on Family, Mission and Identity.]

I remember my first mission trip ever. It was with my high school youth group and we were going to Mexico for spring break through Azusa Pacific’s Mexicali ministry.

I was so excited. I had been waiting for what seemed like forever to get a chance to go on this trip. There was planning, prepping VBS curriculum, and so many other aspects. Every Sunday leading up to that week I would stay after church with my team and work hard. Finally the day came where it was time to leave.

And all of a sudden I was so nervous. I didn’t know if I wanted to go. I didn’t know if I could sleep in a dirt field for a week in a tent surrounded by thousands of people. I got in the church van and headed for an adventure that unbeknownst to me would hide in my heart for years to come.

Since that spring break over nine years ago I have had the opportunity to return to Mexicali one other time and also spend three weeks in China teaching English in a summer program. Even with those three trips I never felt that mission was a calling in my life. I didn’t feel called to mission in any way.

I was wrong, God had other plans. Isn’t that always the case? Over the last year God has stirred a fire in my heart for the country, the people, and the kids of South Africa. So this year I decided to apply to go on the ROCKHARBOR trip to South Africa. So in April I started a journey of planning, prepping, fundraising, with a team of 22 amazing other Christ followers.

In August we set out on two long plane rides to get to South Africa. And then for two weeks we ministered to, loved on, laughed with, and had deep discussion about God with the students of Bridges of Hope Academy. These students had been through more pain and struggles then I could comprehend, but had such joyful hearts and such passionate faith. I truly lack the words to describe the ways that these students touched and impacted our team. Though they have been broken, they know Christ brings them together.

There are so many moments and stories that I could think of personally to illustrate how I saw South Africa and how I saw my teammates and friends serving God. Looking back the verses that we have been reading in church from 2 Corinthians keeps coming to mind. Christ’s love urges us. It compels us to serve out of the overflow of His love in our lives. I learned on this trip that this is what mission truly is no matter where you are. While in Africa I went through some incredibly low, stressful, anxiety ridden times. I was being attacked in places that are my weaknesses and my team came around me and prayed. They encouraged me, served me, and blessed me. And in this same way they blessed, encouraged, and served the people we come into contact with. My team taught me what true mission was in Christ.

And because of these lessons I am empowered and ready to keep my mission going. One of my wise teammates stated in one of our late night debriefs that while the people of South Africa were our short-term mission WE were part of a long-term mission. The people that we are in contact with daily are our long-term mission. Out of the overflow of our hearts, the overflow of Christ’s love for us we need to be urged on to serve the people around us everyday.

This is why it is so important to learn of Christ’s mission for us and to not be afraid of it. I never thought after that first trip to Mexicali nine years ago I would now being feeling a calling and burden for people in a country across the ocean. I never thought that I would desire and strive to live mission in my daily life. But that is what Christ calls us to do. We need to not step away from it or say it’s not for us. We are Christ’s ambassadors to the people we see everyday.

POWERHOUSE CHURCH OUTREACH

FELLOWSHIP

On Sunday Our South Africa team went for a fun adventure to Powerhouse Church in Watts, CA. Powerhouse is a church that brings people together and one of the main reasons why our team was there to learn fellowship and unity within our team. We arrived early to help prepare breakfast for the Children service. We plunged right in with connection with the kids through playground activities and serving them pancakes and eggs.

As I walked through the spaces and looked through artwork and the motivational praises that's abundantly surrounding us all through out their walls, I saw that this church provides a safe and loving environment to all that seeks God and its people. Taking the passage right from their mission statement on their website: (http://www.wattspowerhousechurch.com/) "Bring our neighbors to Christ through works of love and the Work of the Holy Spirit!" (Mathew 22:39)

CONNECTION

After worship held by our own Rockharbor members and a powerful message by our own Alan Freedman, we served the church members lunch and had more time to get to know more about the people. From my own experience, I saw that people of this church had a real strong faith and connection with God. Just from looking accross the room, I saw a unity within a neighborhood that might be challenged by the economical and social hardship that enatils in their city. I pray that our team will grow in faith and unity learned and practiced by Powerhouse Church.

September 30, 2011-Team Social

We are so excited for our next trip to South Africa! The January team has already started some training sessions and this past Friday, we had our first team social. This gave us all an opportunity to get to know each other in a laid back setting. Our team member, Amanda, was gracious enough to ask her parents for permission to use their amazing house in Laguna Beach to hold our event. The night started off with us playing Catch Phrase while we waited for everyone to arrive. Claire brought us food from Wahoo’s as we were able to share our first meal together. After a wonderful tour of the property given by tour guide, Amanda, we had an opportunity to listen to our leaders share their “defining moments.” These are moments in our lives that we had to rely on God in a real, tangible way. It was a great opportunity to watch our leaders be open about their relationship with God. We plan on all being able to share our own “defining moments” in future meetings. For now, we are looking forward to our serve day this Sunday at Powerhouse Church in Watts. Please pray for our time at Watts. Please also pray for each team member as we continue our fundraising for this trip!