My focus for our church and my family this year is so very simple, yet so Biblically profound.  3L’s is all you need to remember. I am so guilty of “ministry” distractions and losing God’s mission directives.  Brand New Church and more of God’s Churches will be focused on three things:

The Last
James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
I am passionate internationally for the orphan and the widow, but God has called me to rural Arkansas. I am asking God for a passion to help the orphan and widow right where I live. I want to have a burden for foreign soil, but a passion for familiar soil. Brand New Church will be leading the charge to assist the orphan, the widow, the hurting, and needy.

The Lost
Lk 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
I do not want to be guilty of leading a church passionate about reaching the saved, but fanatics reaching the lost. I have noticed, that every Christian wants to see the lost saved, but not every Christian wants their church to cater to the lost. Ed Young Jr. says it best, “everyone is passionate about reaching the lost, until you start reaching the lost.” Church begins to look different, increases in size, sounds different, and service opportunities are not typical. We will unashamedly continue to do anything, short of sin, to reach the lost.

The Least
Lk 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.”
November 25 through December 25 Brand New Church gave over $53,000 to help the poor. Toys, shoes, electric bills, rent, turkey baskets, and clean drinking water was our focus. Social compassion is a “vogue” opportunity for actors and musicians, but eternal hope is our reason for ministering to the least. Jesus’ directive was the poor, lost sheep of Israel and we are His Body right here in rural America.

Our mission is simple this year, but possibly more biblical than ever! I am so proud of you Brand New Church and churches around the world with a heart to reach The Last, The Lost, The Least.