Sun Ministries is looking
for dedicated Christians that feel called to the mission field of
America. This is not a clergy only position. Ministering in the
desperate places in America requires all kinds of gifts and skills.
Perhaps God is nudging you to take what He has gifted you with and
dedicate it to building His kingdom.
If you think this might
be the case, just submit the simple form using the link below. We
will send you a list of available positions and locations along with
an explanation of how you can get involved. Some positions are part
time and some are full time. Some require the missionary to raise
support and others can be done as a volunteer.
Sun Ministries has
launched a new APP for your smartphone or tablet. It is the best way
to get all our tools and information in one place. It has training,
events, videos, and connections to all our social media. You can see
staff bios, learn about volunteering, listen to our Podcast or
download a devotional.
The APP is free and so
are all the tools and materials offered on it.
The Community Pastoral
Care Network was born out of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is an effort
to identify the at-risk individuals in the areas where we minister
and connect them to the resources they need in order to shelter in
place. We utilize our missionaries on the ground and our virtual
volunteer network to contact these individuals, identify their needs,
and do our best to care for them.
What we have realized at
this point is that we started too late. We are behind the curve.
Identifying the at-risk during lockdown is less than ideal. Getting
the word out has been difficult. As needs rise exponentially it
becomes more difficult to find resources and to locate the at-risk.
Now that our eyes have
been opened to this hole in the fabric of society we intend to
address it. We are looking for concerned Christians that desire to
provide care to their community. Our desire is to come alongside them
and help them to implement what we have learned and set up a network
in their community. If this describes you then contact us today to
discuss the possibilities. Terry@sunministries.org
636-544-2151
It has been said that
necessity is the mother of invention. When it looked like the country
was heading toward lockdown I began to think about how that would
affect our elderly and at risk neighbors. We knew that many of them
had very little income or support network. Some relied upon public
transportation. What was heading our way would be very difficult on
many of them. How could we respond?
We met with Alderman
Brandon Bosley, Committeewoman Lucinda Frazier, and Linda Primer to
discuss some ways we could help. We had staff on the ground but
connecting with the at risk was the hard part. Going door to door was
out of the question. The solution that was birthed out of this
necessity was the concept of virtual volunteers.
The Alderman provided us
with a phone list and we recruited people to work from home calling
the at-risk in our neighborhood. We have now called about 1200 phone
numbers. We are providing care to many as they shelter in place. Our
missionaries on the ground are delivering groceries and doing minor
emergency repairs like fixing roof leaks.
As the pandemic moves
along and people struggle to embrace a new normal, we too are looking
at how things get done. We are currently brainstorming other ways to
volunteer virtually. Much of the country has ground to a halt but the
needs of people have only increased. Use the link below to sign up as
a virtual volunteer and help us meet needs during this trying time.
written by Dr. Terry Goodwin, executive director of Sun Ministries.
America is in a crisis of biblical proportions. People are alone, isolated, scared and losing hope. The places they once turned to in times like these are closed. Some turned to bars, entertainment venues, sports, and others to churches. Many of life’s distractions are gone but so are the spiritual support structures that many Americans relied on for the functioning of their faith. Churches, ministries, support groups and other programs are not functioning or are at very reduced capacities. Many Christians are finding it difficult to minister under these conditions.
Our vision has not changed but the world has changed around us. We are still dedicated to launching apostolic movements of disciple multiplication that reach the whole world. As a result of the pandemic we have launched a new way to train and connect Christians to the mission of God. The goal of Virtual Discipleship Small Groups is to continue to equip people and multiply disciples during this pandemic.
Our groups meet virtually and are organized virtually. Our tools are made available digitally, free of charge. Sun Ministries is organizing and launching this movement. It is what we see God doing at this time. Our role in it fulfills our vision. We come alongside others to empower and release ministry.
Each group is designed to meet for 12 weeks and cover the very basic disciple multiplication tools that have been developed by Sun Ministries on the mission field over the last 14 years. These are proven basic tools of disciple multiplication. Our hope is that many will start more groups and repeat the 12 week training with others. We have a window of opportunity to raise up and train a large number of people during this time. If we focus and succeed we may change the course of Christianity in America for years to come. We are laying a foundation for revival to come after the virus has left us.
Watch this short video to hear the vision explained.
You can participate by joining a group or hosting a group. Group Hosts can be trained to become Group Teachers that will offer teaching support for other groups. There are many groups and times available to choose from. More are being added all the time. If you don’t find one that works for your schedule or if you want to host a group just email us and we will work out the details.
Download our APP on your smartphone or tablet. It is the best place to access all the tools in one location. Once downloaded you can go to settings and turn on Push Notifications to stay up to date on what is happening.
Go to our Facebook page to Like and Follow us. Groups will appear as an event on our Facebook page. You may register for any event that is still available or email us to request a group at a different time or day.
Sun Ministries Facebook
I am hoping you will join this movement of God. I look forward to working with you. If you have any questions please contact me. We are here to help.
Dr. Terry M. Goodwin Founder and Executive Director Sun Ministries, Inc. 636-544-2151 terry@sunministries.org http://www.sunministries.org
The coronavirus pandemic has stopped life as usual for millions of people across the globe. Stay-at-home orders are in place, schools and businesses are closed, and everyone has to stay at least 6 ft. apart. As of today (4/4/2020) there have been more than 60,000 casualties. Seems like the "new normal" changes every two days, and no one knows what the next few weeks, months, or even years will look like. The economy has been rocked, and everyone has to find new solutions to things we took for granted just 4 weeks ago.
It feels a bit like living in an occupied country. Maybe there aren't soldiers posted on the street corners (at least not in America right now), but there's a risk to every daily activity. Sure, you're free to go to the store, but not REALLY free. Our entertainment destinations are all closed. Even our cultural and religious institutions have been taken away.
Church buildings have been closed. The main form of faith expression for many American Christians has been removed from them. We can no longer legally gather. Obviously, this is still a far cry from "closed countries" that have persecuted Christians, but it gives us Americans a small taste of what our brothers and sisters have experienced through the centuries.
Jesus was born into an occupied country. It's where He lived and died. The Romans scrutinized their every move, and there was a presence of threat in the air. Sure, they were free to live their lives, but not really free. Even the most devoted to the religious system proclaimed their ultimate devotion to Caesar when confronted (John 19:15).
Easter is arriving very soon, and for almost every American Christian, they cannot rely on their traditional ways of celebration. No big family meals, no easter egg hunts, no passion plays or Easter musicals, no packed pews. We may even have trouble finding the kinds of food we like. Families will be locked in their homes, maybe sharing a meal and some Scripture with whomever is there, and likely with a weight of uncertainty hanging while they try to celebrate the Resurrection.
The meaning of Easter is certainly the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Our hope is in the power and promise of Jesus' death and resurrection, forgiving our sins and granting us the Holy Spirit, regaining our communion with God. It's the ultimate expression of God's victory over sin and death. However, this season is resembling a much more ancient festival that God gave to His people, when they were locked inside surrounded by death. The festival of Passover.
For many Christians, Passover is something maybe mentioned around Easter, but few of the symbols or even story make it to our celebrations. But this seems like a good year to start. Passover is a very symbolic, yet simple, meal. It is somber and meditative, but celebratory by nature, praising God for his power and faithfulness to save His people. It is a reminder that we have been saved from death and slavery by a mighty God, not for our own sakes, but for His purpose - to go out and be His priests in the midst of a broken world, proclaiming the Good News that the Kingdom is here, that love of neighbor and enemy is the new law, and death is no longer in charge.
The Keener family, from outside Tulsa, OK, has been celebrating Passover for years, and agreed to make some helpful videos to guide your family (or quarantine partners) in observing this festival and remember our Lord and why He saved us.
You can click this link to download a PDF of instructions, and watch the videos below.
Written by Jessica Sanford, a Sun Ministries missionary.
Think about the Church like a chain.
One single link is still technically chain, but it cannot accomplish its intended purpose.
A bucket of unjoined links is useless.
Multiple links held together by one link doesn’t do what a chain is supposed to do. It makes the links easier to find and maintain, but it doesn’t do what it was made to do.
When you join multiple links together in the shape it was made for? That’s when you have purpose.
Homothumodon is a Greek word used in the New Testament to describe the community of the early Church. If you break it down, it literally means “to rush along in unison.” The Church has a purpose, and it achieves that purpose by way of homothumodon.
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)
Community (homothumodon) is built on the unity of shared purpose.
Without homothumodon:
-Accountability from leadership can feel like legalism.
-Our version of community will serve only our own pleasures.
-The Church is not mobilized in Her true purpose.
Homothumodon in the Church is built by responsibilities being fulfilled. The corporate responsibility is braced and bolstered by the individual responsibilities.
A message from our executive director, Dr. Terry Goodwin
Did
you ever get that feeling? It is as if fear, anxiety, calm, and a
sense of destiny all roll into one. The feelings are so intertwined
that you can’t separate one from the other. As I watch a surreal
scene unfold around me I can’t shake the feeling that I was made
for such a time as this.
I
have been preaching about the decline of Christianity and the
institutional church for many years. Sometimes to opposition. Many
times to deaf ears. Occasionally someone connected to the message.
Now here we are sitting in the new normal. A world of “social
distancing”. Churches around the country scramble to get live feeds
online and add electronic giving options.
The
survival of the institution appears to be at stake. Limitations and
restrictions on gathering divide churches and leaders. What are we to
do? We are the church and Jesus said the gates of hell will not
prevail against us. He was not speaking of the building or the
institution. In fact , not many years later He destroyed the very
symbol of that institution – the Temple.
We
are in fact living in one of the greatest opportunities for the
church in my lifetime. We have the hope of the world – Jesus! The
very things that many people have placed their hope in are crumbling
around them: stocks are plunging; government structures, the
healthcare system and public schools are all struggling to adapt.
Things are changing rapidly around. The fear of the unknown future
grips more people each day. God is not shaken.
People
are scared. Many are shut in their homes. They are lonely, afraid,
concerned about getting food, medicine, help if an emergency arises.
It is time for God’s church to rise up and meet the challenge like
David met Goliath on the field of battle. We have the technology to
organize and mobilize. We can still make disciples even if we can’t
assemble and that is the greater command of Christ.
My
destiny is to help Christians see the opportunity, get equipped to
take hold of it and unite us all to serve the poor, widows and those
most at risk from this pandemic. Please don’t do nothing and wait
this out. There are millions of vulnerable people around this country
that need us now more than ever. They need our Lord and Savior more
than ever. If we rise up together the church will come out of this
stronger and more united than ever before. It might not be wrapped in
the institutional form you have grown so used to but God never
promised to sustain the form. He promised to sustain His church,
which is you and me.
Please
connect with us. Fill out the virtual volunteer form. We can help
those most at risk from this virus and we can do it from the safety
and comfort of our homes. We can still fulfill the commands of Jesus
to love our neighbors as ourselves. We can be the bearers of the hope
of the world. We can still fulfill the Great Commission and build
God’s kingdom through this pandemic. Go to this link and fill out
the form.
written by Jessica Sanford, a Sun Ministries missionary
“God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.”
I’m sure by now, millions of people— Christian or not— have heard this statement. It’s interpreted most often through our individualistic filters. God wants me to be a pastor! God wants me to get married! God wants me to be a poodle groomer!
There is one caveat. The thing most people don’t tell you about God’s wonderful plan for your life... This plan is the same plan for every person who submits themselves to His will.
It’s not a plan to make you comfortable and rich. Not to fan the flames of your ego. Not to make you “the man” or give you a long, fulfilling ministry. It’s not even for you to be a designer dog groomer.
“You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 12:18-29
If we look to the whole of scripture, we see a different plan. We see something wholistic. We see a plan that is about much more than our own desires.
His plan for you: to refine you by fire in order to bring you into His Kingdom purpose
What is His kingdom purpose?
God is gathering His people to Himself. John 4:34-38 paints a picture of a field that is ready to be harvested, and all of the people involved in the growth working together to gather. We have the privilege of being a part of this harvest, even if we didn’t do the work of sowing or growing.
God is setting apart a people. (Titus 2:11-14) This people keeps itself from the corruption of the world and fervently seeks to do good works.
He is adorning His Bride (Revelation 21). The fulfillment of His kingdom purpose is that Christ’s bride would be spotless, pure, and adorned with good works.
The thing most people aren’t told about God’s plan for them is that It has very little to do with YOU and everything to do with what God wants to do in partnership with you.
Are you willing to lay yourself down in order to accomplish His Kingdom purpose?
Clint Eastwood once said “A good man knows his limitations”. I am trying to be a good man. I have spent the last ten years investing in a group of young and gifted leaders in Sun Ministries. They are exceptional people. They live their whole lives dedicated to Jesus. They hold nothing back. They are brave, intelligent and spiritually gifted servants.
What I have done very poorly is connect with you – those outside the ministry. That is going to change. In the next few months you will see a roll out of a variety of tools that help you connect to the vision, mission and people of Sun Ministries. The start of this process is an updated web site and a mobile App.
We are defining the roles available for you to connect to the work. We are defining pathways for volunteers, missionaries and work groups. We will help connect your church to the training that God has given us to help you connect to your community and reach the nations from right where you live. Look for the roll out coming soon. The Facebook page is the best place to stay informed until these upgrades happen.
A message from our executive director, Dr. Terry Goodwin.
We started Sun Ministries in 2006 with no experience at running a ministry or non-profit. We have been in training for many years now. As we begin 2020, I feel like we are just getting started with the growth of the mission. God has shown us how to enter the most devastated areas of our country. He has given us teaching and resources to launch a movement of disciple multiplication in America. The movement will take place outside the institutional church.
We are now focused on recruiting, training and relocating Missionaries to America. We currently have locations in St. Louis, Missouri and Barnsdall, Oklahoma. We have pathways to help you engage in an active and authentic Christian faith. We can connect you to the mission field right here in America. We can train you and support you, no matter if you want to be a part-time volunteer doing your part in the bigger picture or a full-time laborer in the field.
God has brought the nations to us. We don’t need to travel overseas to reach the nations. This great melting pot called America has lured them to our shores. Maybe it is time for you to send that email and explore the harvest fields of God. The harvest is ripe and plentiful. It is the laborers that are few. terry@sunministries.org
A message from our executive director, Dr. Terry Goodwin.
It has been a long time. Life goes on and the ticking clock pushes us closer to the end of this life. Tick – tock – tick – tock clicks the passing of the chronos - the finite time we have on this earth. A few years ago I came face to face with my mortality. I had 16 surgical procedures in 2 ½ years. I thought I may never work again. The end of my calendar was staring me in the face. In that dark and desperate time I found a second chance at life. The Kairos of God swept in and I was lifted up again to continue the work He had called me to do all those years ago.
I am no different than you really. We all will leave this earth. We will all succumb to the Chronos ticking clock. No one gets out alive. Throughout the New Testament there is an urgency proclaimed: Repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand. They lived and acted as if the return of Christ could happen at any time. The measure of our service will not be placed upon scales balanced by wealth, possessions or church attendance. The other side of the scales of God’s justice are balanced by obedience, sacrifice, and the deeds we do in service to God on behalf of others.
Now I am focused on the Kingdom of God. I am looking at my mortality as an unknown deadline to complete the work I have been assigned to do. I cannot afford to waste another moment of self-indulgence or indifference to the hurting. We all end up in the cemetery. The Chronos seeks to put us there. The Spirit of God seeks to give us life in this age through the selfless service to others on behalf of Jesus. That is where I found life. I will not exchange it for the fleeting temporary pleasures of this world.
Posts
