The Reformer's Post

Well Goodmornin' Newfoundland!!

2010-06-25T06:13:00.004-02:30

It's 6:00a.m. and I am enjoying a great cup of coffee and looking at my long list of things to do today. In the midst of my early morning "frustration" I laughed to think to myself why in the world am I getting frustrated, I am doing what I love most to do. Things have been a little crazy last couple of weeks, Brad and myself have been busy planning events, talking and ministering to those in our Bible Studies and Sunday services. We have a lot of great things planned so it should be exciting, oh and yes the Texas Missionaries come today! YAY!! Brad and I are about to take Brother Dennis to the airport, since he is going home for a few weeks for a visit, so we are definitely doing some transitions today. I finally finished Biblical Manhood by Stuart Scott and am halfway done with The Gospel and Muslims. I have truly rediscovered my deep love for reading and for learning. I suggest any of these books for anyone!

Well, in regards to the ministry, we are trucking along...doing our normal Bible Studies (Tues. and Thurs. nights), prayer meetings on Monday and Services on Sunday morning and evening. On top of that we are planning a week long concert so Brad and I have been organizing and coordinating that, so exciting!! Also, we got a phone call from a local single mom who saw our church poster on a billboard and was wondering if we did humanitarian type work stuff, and of course we said "YES!!!" So July 1 we are helping this great woman move from one house to another so that we might get the chance to love on her and show Christ to her. The Lord has been opening doors left and right for our ministry to really get involved with the community. Also we are just starting one of our first partnerships with an organization here on the island, RIAC (The Refugee and Immigrant Advisory Council). This is a great opportunity to both help out our local community of immigrants, which is a great, and to be able to share the Gospel to them in love, action and word.

So please pray for the ministries, please pray for the missionaries, please pray for open doors...

please pray for: Claire Wilcox (RIAC Coordinator)

Nazi (Iranian immigrant who has been going to church with us)

Texas Missionaries (Chelsea, Cassie, Jourdan, Charley)

Pastors (Steve Grissom, Adam Dorsey)

So I know this seems long and out winded, but I PROMISE PROMISE PROMISE to start doing a better job at keeping my blog updated and information and pictures. Also, to those who have been supporting me financially and spiritually, keep a weary eye on your mailboxes here in the next few weeks ;)

Well I think that is it for now, off for a warm shower and a ride to the airport!!

God Bless!

Soli Deo Gloria

- Michael Smith

So sorry follower and supporters.....Update on Newfoundland

2010-06-15T10:08:00.002-02:30

So it has been almost 5 months since I last blogged and for that I sincerely apologize. News from Newfoundland: its cold, cold and....cold. The ministry here is growing so much, thanks to God's providence. I had the awesome opportunity to meet an Iranian student here with his wife. He gave his heart and life to Christ a month ago and to see him seek the Scriptures for understanding and how the way he witnesses to his wife and shares the Gospel not in anger or aggression but in love and tenderness. Praise the Lord for the examples of humility and love that He puts in my life. Outside of the ministry God has been turning my world upside down, in the most positive way ever. I have been studying biblical manhood and humility and pride for the past month and God has really just pricked my heart in so many places in showing me my downfall. Oh and for those who do not already know Laura (my amazing girlfriend that God has soo graciously blessed me with) and I are seeking counsel and direction in seeking marriage so I ask those who read this to pray for us as we seek God's will and His direction during this scary but soo amazing time in our lives. Continue, please, to pray for Steve and Sheena Grissom, Adam and Christi Dorsey, and Dennis Melton ( they are the missionaries here). Pray for them specifically and for the their families. Also please continue to pray for the church here in St. John's (Newlife Newfoundland) and the church in Ferryland (Ferryland Bible Fellowship). Pray that God will continue to show His amazing favor on us and that we and the those who are the locals here will seek Christ in a new way and that we will stay faithful unto the call He has put on our lives.

Books I am reading: "Biblical Mangood: Masculinity, Leadership, and Decision Making" (Stuart Scott)

"Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream" (David Platt)

"The Gospel For Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence" (Thabiti Anyabwile)

"Ephesians, and 1 John" (Apostle Paul and John)

At Work...

2010-02-16T18:40:00.002-03:30

So I am sitting at the front desk of my Dormitory working and I find myself with the tune of "How Deep The Father's Love" in my mind and lookly my guitar is to my right, so this tune wont stay in my head forever...How I love hymns and hope that you do as well!!! :)

Snowy Sabbath

2010-02-14T16:12:00.002-03:30

This morning I wake up to the sound of "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" and I found myself asking the fundamental question, "Am I really longing for my expected Jesus?" A lot of times in my life I find myself not living like it is the last day, whether its in my evangelism, reading of the Scriptures or even proclaiming the Gospel to all people daily through my actions. I feel that when we find out selves slipping we also find ourselves proclaiming, unintentionally, a sugared gospel, a false gospel. A gospel that doesn't proclaim the realness of sin, and the truth in the returning of the coming again of the Messiah. Let us never loose site of the true Gospel and its Truth, no matter where it may apply departmentally in our lives.

"Avoid a sugared gospel as you would shun sugar of lead. Seek the gospel which rips up and tears and cuts and wounds and hacks and even kills, for that is the gospel that makes alive again. And when you have found it, give good heed to it. Let it enter into your inmost being. As the rain soaks into the ground, so pray the Lord to let his gospel soak into your soul." CHS

The human body as the spiritual church

2010-01-23T16:17:00.003-03:30

As I sit here at work and listen to Indelible Grace"s song " The Church's One Foundation" I can't help but think of my brothers and sisters in Haiti right now suffering. Ya know the human body is kinda like the Church. When one part of the body is hurting or cut and bleeding the rest of the body sending things from their respective areas to help the situation and to make sure the body stays as one. This is how we should treat the Haiti situation, they are not just a people in need or a country that is suffering. They are a part of us, the Church. And as the church we are to help them just as much as we would a family in our own respective congregations. So be bold, pray and/or send help to our brothers and sisters in Christ, because what a witness it shows to those who are on the outside looking in.

2010-01-21T22:08:00.001-03:30

alittle brief update!

2010-01-18T19:41:00.002-03:30

So it is almost a month into the new year (2010) and things are already looking crazy busy and just plain chaotic lol.....but all in all things are good. Starting next week I am starting a new devotional to help prepare my heart and mind for this coming summer. And yes the rumors are true I am returning back to Good Ol' Newfoundland for Summer 2010, so get excited!!! I am so forunate and blessed to have another opporunity to go and serve the people of Newfoundland to be help out the amazing ministry already going on there with Pastors Steve Grissom and Adam Dorsey. Please continue praying for the people of Newfoundland, for the members of New Life Newfoundland Church and for me. May God be honored and praised through all the areas of our lives!!!

- Mike Smith.... no worries there will be more to come soon and a new, awesome layout and background!!! :)

2009-09-21T12:22:00.002-02:30

This post is to let people know, who are following, that Gwen and I loved Newfoundland and now are back in the States and back in school. I get to see her this weekend at our NC-Baptist Campus Ministry Fall Convention! yay!! This is a short blog but just an update about whats kinda going on. I will blog hopefully tonight to give a much more detail account of our last days in Newfoundland, the crazy and present Fall Semester and a few others details! :)

Maniac driver mows down missionary Mike!

2009-06-20T21:42:00.000-02:30

so apparently this is a better title for the blog that I posted before this one ....so here ya go! lol

Cheeseburger+timhortons=getting hit by a car LOL

2009-06-20T20:16:00.002-02:30

So yes I know I haven't blogged in forever, but don't judge me! Gwen and I have been busy doing awesome things to prepare for the mission teams coming in July and we've been doing stuff for the bible studies and stuff. We had dinner last night at Jeremy and Amanda's house, which was awesome! I love meatloaf!!! We've had bible study on tuesday and wednesday which was good! Oh and on Wed. night Gwen and I got a chance to talk to and witness to a "Christian White Antisemitic Separatist" which was, least to say interesting but at the same time very said. It is said that he is worshiping and honoring a God whose love is only able to encompass one ethinicity. His name is Roy, so please pray for him. Yesterday, Friday, we went to Sierra's graduation ceremony which was awesome, especially the food. The only thing that was kinda akward was everyone singing the "O' Canada" song and I was just like "um...ok?!" lol. It was interesting but not as interesting as today lol. So Gwen spent her usual Saturday with Sheena and the kids and I spent my morning and afternoon working on finalizing worship stuff, devotional stuff, and just personal alone time in reading and just enjoying the day. This evening I decided to go grab a burger at Churchhill Square, little did I know that I would end up getting hit by a car on my way there lol. So I am walking across the road, in a crosswalk friendly area, when a Honda Civic runs a red light, slams on breaks and then slides into me. I was like "Really??" it didn't really hurt or anything it was just a huge SHOCK moment. I jumped up on the car the hopeing that it wouldnt drag under or anything so it just kinda gambled my emotions and roughed up my knee but I'm good. Soo after that life taking moment I walked over to A&W and grabbed me a burger which was AMAZING!!! If you ever go to an A&W in Canada you must get a number 3 with a side of gravy...it is just absolutely amazing....so now im here bloggin about my awesome time here in O' Canada lol...I suppose I will spend the rest of my evening reading and practicing for tomorrow. Well I'll blog more tomorrow...goodnight blogspot.com lol

Greetings and Salutations!!

2009-06-12T21:57:00.007-02:30

So I officially apologize for the lack of "blog posts" recently. I have been super busy with the Ministry here and just running around doing stuff with the Pastor and Gwen. So in light of that, I am going to take this time to update you on how this week has unfolded and just some of the great things that have happened. :)

Well first, Tuesday we had the usual bible study at MUN, it was great! We are now studying chapter by chapter the book of Romans. Tuesday night we spent our time understanding and reading Romans 1. I am so encouraged and amazed at the same time by the eagerness that the Chinese Students here have for the Scriptures. I can say this with honesty that the majority of Bible Studies back home in the States are not this deep and the people do not, in a general sense, have the passion and desire to have a DEEP understanding of God, the Scriptures, Doctrine, and Theology. It is truly awesome to see that, and I am thankful that their spirits are in such hunger for it.

Wednesday Rolly, Yang, and I went to the field house to play basketball when I ended up having the awesome opportunity to meet one of Yang's co-workers Chris Ryan. This guy is a freshman here at MUN and thinks he is a Christian because of the family in which he grew up in. He and I got the chance to have some great and meaningful conversations about salvation and what that looks like according to the Gospel. Also he will be joining us Sunday for worship, which for me and Yang is super exciting and just awesome that he is curious and wants to know more about this 'Gospel" stuff. So I ask that who ever is reading this please pray for him and for his soul, that it would become broken by the Holy Spirit and that he would then cling to the Gospel message and embrace the gift of salvation. Also we then went to the MUNCF (Memorial University Christian Fellowship) international bible study which was awesome. They are doing manuscript studies on the book of Acts, this past night we studied Acts 2.

Thursday was an interesting day for me and Gwen. We, for the first, well at least for me, went downtown and did some public witnessing and some open air preaching. It was a different experience, but it was an amazing experience in which I began to understand what it might have felt like to be like Peter or Paul preaching the Gospel on the corner of streets in the "downtowns" of the cities that they were in. We got a lot of negative feedback but we also got a lot of awesome opportunities to witness to individuals and share with them the love of Christ and the Good News which is offered from Christ. Lately, since I have been here, I have started to get a whole other perspective on missionary work and the "sharing of the Gospel". Here in St. John's only 6.6% of the people are evangelical Christians...6.6%!!!!!! There are not even 5 Baptist Churches here on the entire island, and apparently this area could be considered an "evangelical christian" area of Newfoundland and Labrador. Steve mentioned to me the other day that there are parts of the province where someone could drive for hours with out seeing a church...any kind of church! While back in the states and especially in the South there is a church on every corner. It has just really made me realize the importance and the just burden for missions and the sharing and spreading of the Gospel to areas where it hasn't been spread.

Well, now that I am done preaching lol...Today we spent with Rolly traveling around town on the City Buses so that we can get to know them and be familiar with them, we took the bus to the Village Mall then to Dominion and then to Eric and Tina's house. Oh my goodness!!!!! Tonight Gwen and I had dinner with Rolly at Eric and Tina's house...IT WAS AMAZING! AND AMAZINGLY HOT!! Apparently Eric and Tina are from the province where food is the hottest in all of China. Well, despite the spiciness it was still amazing and it was fun to fellowship and to just talk about Scripture and Doctrine over an awesome authentic Chinese dinner.

Tomorrow, I am doing laundry, practicing music for worship on Sunday and then I believe eating with Rolly again.

I promise to be consecutive in my postings and to give detailed descriptions of our time here in beautiful Newfoundland! Please, continue to pray for the people here of Newfoundland, Steve and Sheena and their amazing kids..please pray for Jeremy and Amanda and their beautiful little girl and pray for Gwen and I as we venture out to areas of the unknown, sharing and proclaiming the Gospel and praying for those who are lost and dying here in St. John's. Thanks for all ya'll's support and know we are praying for you all too!

OOHH and P.S. Stephanie Richey, a student from GU in N.C. is flying out tomorrow for N.Y.C. She will be working for a church there in the city and doing similar to what Gwen and I are doing. So please pray for her and her traveling as she flies tomorrow. Thanks and God Bless!

- Solia Scriptura

SORRY GUYS!! :(

2009-06-06T23:37:00.002-02:30

HEY GUYS, SO SORRY FOR NOT BLOGGING LAST NIGHT. I CRASHED AT STEVE'S AND JUST NEVER GOT AROUND TO IT AND IT WAS AN INTERESTING NIGHT SAY THE LEAST, BUT HEY IT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S A BABY IN THE HOUSE. I STILL LOVE HER LOL. ANYWHO..TOMORROW IS CHURCH, AND I AM SOOO EXCITED!!! I'M PLAYING IN THE MORNING AND AM TOTALLY EXCITED BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER DONE IT ALSO I'M TOTALLY STOKED ABOUT HEARING STEVE PREACH, IT SHOULD BE AMAZING!! IT'S GOD'S WORD, WHY WOULDN'T IT! HAHA ANYWAYS...WELL IM OFF TO BED BUT I PROMISE YOU GUYS I'LL POST SOME PICTURES AND BLOG ABOUT GWEN AND I'S ADVENTURES FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS. GOD IS TRULY REVEALING HIMSELF THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES AND RELATIONSHIPS HERE IN NEWFOUNDLAND. OH AND WHEN YOU HEAR OF PLACES THAT DON'T "HAVE THE GOSPEL" YOU NEED TO REALLY LISTEN UP BECAUSE IT'S TRUE! I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH A NEED FOR THE GOSPEL IN AN AREA LIKE THIS IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. IT SADDENS ME BUT EXCITES ME BECAUSE IT TELLS ME THAT THEIR ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT HAVE NEVER HEARD THE GOSPEL AND THE GREAT LOVE STORY OF THE CROSS AND GOD HAS BLESSED GWEN AND I BOTH WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IT AND SHOW IT TO THEM. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEWFOUNDLAND, PRAY FOR THE GOSPEL AND IT'S RECEPTION HERE, AND ALSO PRAY FOR THE MISSIONARY FAMILY WE ARE HOSTED BY (STEVE AND SHEENA GRISSOM, OH YEA AND THEIR AMAZING KIDS) THEY ARE TRULY FOLLOWING WHAT CHRIST SET BEFORE US IN MATTHEW 28. WELL I'M OUTTA HERE, BUT I'LL SEE YOU GUYS SOON! GOOODNIGHT NEWFOUNDLAND!!!!

OH WOW..I'VE BEEN IN "CAPS" THIS ENTIRE TIME..OOPS! LOL :P

- Solia Scriptura

Venture downtown St. John's and historic Signal Hill

2009-06-04T22:27:00.008-02:30

Well.....today was a good day to be a Newfy..I woke up this morning to hear the sounds of city buses and students littering the streets as I try to find the coffee lol..I woke up and went venturing through town to Church Hill Square where I met Jeremy who then graciously took me to the airport to pick up a lost piece of luggage, thanks to the craziness at customs in Toronto LOL.

Today Gwen and I got showed around downtown by Steve, our awesome summer pastor. He showed us all the HOT places of St. John's which was interesting. We went to Signal Hill which is known for making the first transatlantic transmission back in like 1901. Also we learned that the Titanic is only like 300 hundred miles away from us, which is kinda cool to think about. What was interesting was the change in people. Here in the heart of St. John's near the University people are very European and just "Canadian" but as soon as you head downtown and toward's the fishing villages it feels as if we go back in time a hundred years. The people are very Scottish and Irish, lots of local folk music and drinking...it was interesting to see these old fishermen on their decks drinking and just talking about their days at sea or doing whatever they did that morning, it was truly something to behold. Afterwards we came back to MUN and enjoy a "ghetto" style dinner composed of nachos, cereal, and easy mac as we talked about our day and what we planned for the rest of this week and as we enjoyed a few episodes of the office on my laptop....Good times! :) That all may seem fun and sound great, but there are alot of problems here.....only 6.6% of the entire population are evangelical...almost 5,000 out of the 15,000 students here at MUN don't even believe in a sense of a "God". Today I think I started to get a grip on the idea that the Gospel is LACKING here and God has definitely put Gwen and I along with Steve, Adam and their families here for that reason.

I am excited to see how God works through us and the relationships we build with the students and the locals of the island and how the Gospel will affect the lives of these individuals. Tomorrow we are meeting up with a guy named Mark Puckett, I have no idea who he is lol, but it should be great! Constantly pray for the people here of St. John and pray for their salvation mostly. Pray that God would divinely set up appointments for us to get the chance to share the Gospel and the beauty and majesty of it. God is truly good and sovereign and His Word is the same, for God's Word will never return void. ................OH YEA...interesting fact, the motto of Newfoundland is "Quaerite prime regnum Dei" which means "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God" I think this is ironic and alittle sad when looking at the staggering numbers of evangelicals here on the island.

Goodnight, and God Bless!!!! (there will be more to come)

-Solia Scriptura

My first Blog....

2009-06-03T20:09:00.003-02:30

So its my first official day in Newfoundland, and let me just say that it is amazing...cold but amazing! Today Gwen, the girl I am up here with from App., and I toured the campus with one of the chinese students from the Tuesday night Bible study. The campus here, Memorial University, is beautiful and just stunning. We went into the library and I almost died, it was something to be in "ah" over. Their Biblical Studies section was just beautiful, I actually might have cried LOL.

Afterwards we, Gwen and I, went and had lunch in the University Center's food court, it was really good. We ate at "Extreme Pita", I recommend it for anyone who comes here..haha. Then we went back to our rooms and read and just enjoyed some good ol' fashion quiet time until the St. John's Fire and Rescue came because someone decided to burn something in a toaster on my floor. Gwen wasn't to happy about that since she was asleep when the alarm went off. (lol) Tonight we had dinner at Rolly's house, he cooked up some great authentic Chinese food and it was just amazing!

But tonight we are relaxing, enjoying the amazing evening God has bestowed upon us here in the beautiful providence of Canada. I plan on reading some..showering...and just hanging out, maybe make some small talk down in the lobby. Oh and did I mention the people here are ridiculously nice! It's great! Well I'm off here, this is just something quick and easy for me to write up to figure out how to do this whole "blogging" stuff. Stayed tuned for more great stories of our days, and how God is working in my life and the lives of those that God are putting in our lives.

- Solia Scriptura