The Miami Pursuit

Skype-ing Brazil

Blogger: Matt

Monday was an absolute blast for me. I had the opportunity to talk via Skype with my friends Zeca and Gabia who live in Brazil. What was even better was getting to "meet" two of their three delightful daughters, Talita and Larissa (I still have yet to have the privilege of meeting Melissa). Brent Foulke also joined us on the call.

As I've said before, Zeca and his family are passionate about starting new churches that are good news to the city and helping people find their way back to God. They've been doing that together in Brazil for years. But it appears God is leading them to a new location.

After meeting them in May, while they were in the States, we felt an instant bond with them. We shared the same values and vision. There are thousands of Brazilians who have relocated to South Florida, which is already one of the most unchurched regions in U.S. There is a great need for leaders, like Zeca, who are willing to take a risk and do whatever it takes to start more and more Jesus-loving, Jesus-centered churches in SoFlo.

Here's the news: The Pursuit, Zeca and his family are "pursuing" the possibility of them joining our team. Zeca, would officially become a Campus Pastor at the Pembroke Pines / Miramar campus for a period of time but then he would start another campus of The Pursuit in another area of South Florida (where there is a high Brazilian demographic). Our hope is we can begin working together in early 2009. There are obviously several hurdles we have to climb before this becomes a reality. Support raising and the visa process are the two biggest.

We would appreciate keeping this entire process in your prayers.

Thanks Tomoka Christian Church!

Blogger: Matt

Tomoka Christian Church has quickly become one of my new favorite churches. They sent 10 people to The Pursuit this weekend. Janie and I went to dinner with them on Saturday night at a local Cuban restaurant and instantly felt among friends.

It's very easy to feel disconnected from other churches in the area we live (for a variety of reasons) but Tomoka is a church that loves to help new churches reach their full potential. Mike Waers, the Teaching Pastor and leader of the trip, asked me several times, "What's your greatest needs and how can we help?" Gotta love that! We were also able to give many of our hard working volunteers a much needed day off yesterday because of them.

This is a church The Pursuit can learn a lot from. Thanks, Tomoka!

Team Pursuit Getting Bigger!

Blogger: Alex.

I once heard a poet say this: "friends are the family we make among strangers." I have experienced this in great ways! Ever since I arrived in this country I keep finding brothers and sisters who are not afraid to treat me and my wife as the family we are in the Lord. Such is the case with those who are part of the Team Pursuit, and we are excited to announce that it keeps getting bigger! Check it out:

- Robert and Lori Simmons: Erin's parents, who make life and ministry so much easier for us! They have been helping us and this church so much that we consider them members honoris causa et in absentia!* Actually, partial absentia. They both have trips planned for the rest of the year to come down and help out. What a great example and help they are to The Pursuit!
- Richard and Buff Clark: Like family to us as well. The Clarks have been close friends with the Simmons for many years. Richard is also the senior minister at Central Christian Church in Carmel, IN.
- Donna Baker: One of the best leaders we have ever met, and just a  great daughter of Christ and friend, Donna is one of the leaders at Crossway Community in Northern Kentucky, which keeps producing amazing leaders even as a young church plant. (Love the bike, Donna!)
- Post Road Christian Church: we met with their missions team while we visited Indy, and we had a blast with them! That group is doing great things for the Kingdom!

Our thanks to each and every one of you for your support and love. We are proud to partner with each one of you in this amazing journey!

Do you want to be a part of the Team Pursuit? Go to www.miamipursuit.com and check out the different ways to be a part of the team!

__________________________
* Honoris Causa: honorari degree.
In absentia: in absence.

IU's Best Team is not the Basketball Team

Blogger: Matt

This weekend a group of seven people (5 students and 2 adults) came from Indiana University's Christian Student Fellowship. Bill and Rebecca Kershner have done an amazing job with this Campus House and the proof is the students who came to serve The Pursuit this weekend. They went above and beyond the call of duty and I wish we could keep them all. Unfortunately, they are leaving tomorrow.

Our very own Erin Diaz, was a part of the campus house when she was at IU and it was an instrumental part of her spiritual walk. If your church has students attending IU you need to be supporting this ministry financially and doing whatever it takes to get your students connected to this group. I am kicking myself for not connecting with CSF all the years I was Student Minister at Traders Point.

To Bill, Rebecca, Sophie, Laura, Luke, Nathan and Spencer ... thank you for being Jesus to us and to hundreds of people this weekend. You have made an impact on all of us. I hope you all graduate and move to Miami. Seriously.

Merry Christmas, Miami!

Blogger: Matt

Even in a city where it hasn't snowed in 30 years, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Christmas is the celebration of the Incarnation, a fancy word for God becoming man and living among us. God's great and perfect gift to His creation was Jesus, His Son. Three decades later, after Jesus accomplished the rescue mission he was sent for, he placed the Gospel in the hands of his followers along with the mission to take it to the ends of the earth. Just as Jesus was the physical presence of God, now the Church is the physical presence of Jesus.

The city of Miami is the second most unchurched city in the United States. Millions of people from all across the globe who call the Miami area home do not know of God's precious gift to all of us.

That's why we are here and why we need your help.

The Pursuit Christian Church is being planted in the Miami area to help point people to Jesus Christ. Our official launch date is January 27, 2008. That is about a month and a half away.

This Christmas season we are asking churches, small groups, families, and individuals to give generously to help The Pursuit Christian Church become a reality.

There are many tangible items we still need such as:
- Bibles for new guests
- Cribs for the children's area
- Sound equipment for the worship service
- Translation headsets for guests who do not speak English
- Communion and offering trays

You can even purchase items from our Children's Ministry Target registry.

Financial contributions are also needed. You can even make an online donation.

All contributions are 100% tax deductible.

Please take a moment and go to The Miami Pursuit website, watch the Merry Christmas, Miami video, download the Wish List and pray about what God maybe putting in your heart to give to the people of Miami, Fl.

Thanks for helping Miami have a Merry Christmas!

New "Team Pursuit" Partners: Rick and Janalyn Ferguson

Blogger: Matt

Tomorrow is exactly TWO MONTHS FROM LAUNCH SUNDAY! That being said, there are a billion things to do and I have fallen behind on many things.

One of those is updating the Team Pursuit list. This team is very important to us because it consists of our financial and prayer partners and the groups coming to serve on mission trips. Without them The Pursuit Christian Church would not be possible.

The Ferguson's (Rick and Janalyn Ferguson and their kids: Elizabeth, Ben, Sarah and Noah) are like family to Janie and me. One of my biggest regrets while at Traders Point Christian Church for the past 10 years is I didn't get to know Rick until my last few years. He is like a brother to me and I miss him. The Ferguson's joined Team Pursuit a couple months ago and it's great to have them on board.

We still need more churches, small groups, families and individuals who will join Team Pursuit. Click here to see how you can join Team Pursuit.

Our Prayer Peeps

Blogger: Janie

I can't imagine how lost we'd be without our Team Pursuit partners.

Today, I'm specifically thankful for the 52 people who have committed to be Prayer Partners . . . lifting the praises and requests for The Pursuit Christian Church faithfully in their prayers. This week I saw God answer prayers in two very specific ways, right before my eyes. God is tangibly surrounding us. He's oh so good!

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matt. 21:21-22

Prayer peeps . . . thank you, thank you, thank you for praying and believing.

The Pursuit prayer list is updated monthly on the website. If you would like to become a Prayer Partner and receive these requests via email when they're updated, subscribe to our Prayer E-news here (subject line: Prayer Partner).

Do you know Bob and Linda Smith?

Blogger: Matt

I just got off the phone with Bob Smith. He and Linda are thick into moving details. What moving company should they use? When do they leave for Miami? What stuff do they take and what stuff do they leave behind?

I hate the moving process. Can't imagine how hard it must be to completely relocate after being somewhere for 32 years! Unlike their last name, there is nothing ordinary about this couple. There are not many people I know who look more like Jesus than Bob and Linda. I can't wait to see them unleashed in an area not used to seeing people who are so compassionate, generous, patient and externally focused. Needless to say, they will stick out, which I think is Biblical (something in Matthew about being salt and light).

Just like all of the staff at The Pursuit Christian Church, Bob and Linda are in the midst of raising financial support. It takes generous people for churches to be started.

My request is this ... if you know Bob and Linda Smith and your life has been touched by God through them, take it upon yourself to partner with them financially as they take a major risk in sharing Christ with the 2nd most unchurched area in the U.S.

There are two ways to give:

1. Online at The Miami Pursuit website - Click here and you can setup either a special gift or a systematic gift. Your gift will come directly out of your bank account or you can use your Visa or Mastercard.

2. Through the mail - You can send your gift to:

The Pursuit Christian Church
18520 NW 67th Ave #198
Miami, FL 33015
(Please make all checks out to: The Pursuit Christian Church)

Please specify on the check in the memo line, it is for Bob & Linda.

Note: All contributions are 100% tax deductible.

October E-news

The October issue of our monthly e-news hit email inboxes yesterday. If you're not on the list but want to receive these regular updates about the Miami Pursuit, sign up here.

Catch up on the past few issues by clicking here.

Thanks SO MUCH to our regular blog and e-news readers. Your prayers, blog comments and emails of encouragement have come our way at the perfect time . . . just when God needs to remind us that this is completely a TEAM project.

We love you all!

Our First Work Team

posted by Janie

A lot of generous people have offered to come down and help get The Pursuit Christian Church rolling through short-term mission trip partnerships. Last week, we had our first official "volunteer" group. But instead of coming down, they were mobile.

We had a major mailer to go out, which I had planned to fold, stuff, post, etc. on my way down and back from MinistryCom. Of course, I waited until the last minute . . . the trip home. So, being the servant-minded folks they are, my trusty fellow MinistryCom attenders rallied around the envelopes and we cranked it out before we even got out of downtown Nashville traffic. Hooray!

Thanks guys for enduring paper-cuts and travel sickness to get that mailing done. You're the best!