We’ve had an addition we need to make to the media coverage that was listed under the last blog’s post. Check out this story too!
http://www.whig.com/story/news/World-Changers-080209
A thundering boom filled the air Friday morning as a plane broke the sound barrier near Hannibal–literally making World Changers go out with a bang as the project came to a close. However, it wasn’t just the sonic boom that rang loud and clear throughout the city. It was also God’s mighty hand at work.
God really did some amazing things here. He took a group of around 200 participants and allowed them to complete 22 different projects, present the Gospel 116 times, and hand out around 20 Bibles. The best part though is that at least six participants discovered what it means to have a relationship with Christ by accepting Him as their personal Lord and Savior. What a week!
Countless lives are changed each year at World Changers as students and adults learn what it means to live a life of missions. The people from Hannibal openly invited and loved World Changers, and we thank each and every one of them for that. One homeowner was so touched by the work that the Paint Chips crew did on her house that she even wrote a letter to be delivered to them at Closing Celebration Friday night. She said:
Dear Chelsey, Grace, Wynnsol, Josiah, Seirra, Jessica, Rebecca, Kenny, Max, Drew, Craig, Paula, Cecil, Steve, and Kevin,
At the beginning of the week you faced what seemed to be an insurmountable task. You had a huge (and I do mean huge) house to scrape and paint. All week long you focused on the task at hand, did whatever was asked of you and gave me a beautiful dwelling place that I call home. Everyone who passes by looks and smiles. Everyone who calls says it looks great.
Maybe more importantly is the fact that you shared Christ with Hull. You went door to door and spoke and prayed with people. You also showed them Christ’s love just in the fact that you were here and painted the house. People noticed and it will make them think.
Thank you again. May God bless each one of you wherever He leads you.
Mary
P.S. To the group that came and lent a hand–Thank you also. You had completed your house and still found energy to help. Many hands make light work. Thanks for helping.
We are so excited about the work that World Changers completed, but are more excited about the life-change, like Mary pointed out, that took place and the six salvations from the week. It couldn’t have been done without great participants and an even greater God. All glory goes to Him! Thank you so much for all of your prayers.
We will miss World Changers Hannibal, but are excited for next year! It truly was a booming finish for 2009, and we hope to see you next summer!
Check out the links to the media coverage we had!
http://www.hannibal.net/news/x1551836922/World-Changers-reconstruct-lives
http://www.wgem.com/Global/story.asp?S=10814365
http://www.connecttristates.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=330538
RIGHT CLICK on the image above and click “Download Linked File” (Mac) or “Save Target As” (PC) to download the video.
In addition to giving time and service to God, World Changers participants from across the nation also take part in an annual offering that goes to financially support other missions opportunities. Hannibal World Changers raised $1,351.56 for three amazing ministries.
Check the specifics! This years offering supports the following opportunities:
*Kaleo Conferences- These are specialized 2-day events for high school, college, and seminary students exploring or pursuing God’s call to a Christian related vocation. Many students feel God’s calling on their lives but don’t know what He wants them to do. Kaleo is a great way to find the answer, and the money the World Changers give will help keep the conferences around $25-$30! For more info, visit www.kaleoconference.com!
*Canada- 93% of Canadians are unevangelized. The 7% that are Christians, however, are ON FIRE for God, and they need our help to keep growing. The money that World Changers give this year will go to a ministry called Current Canada, to church planters, and to students to reach out to other students who need Christ.
*Urban Evangelism- In order to fulfill the Great Commission, we as the Church need to see the need for urban evangelism and respond. Therefore, the World Changers offering will fully fund four US/C2 missionaries (people who make two year commitments to serve in the U.S. or Canada) to go to urban areas where they will find out specific needs for the city, network with local churches, work with youth groups, and do many other things to evangelize to the lost.
Through the offering it is our prayer that students have learned the value of trusting earthly assets to the Father. However, the Summer Staff mostly hope that through their experience with World Changers, students and adults have learned that it is also vital to tithe time and service to Him—He can do so much with what little we have!
Please continue to be in prayer as the World Changers go out on site for the last day tomorrow. Pray for good weather and for God to complete His work!
Check out pictures of Hannibal World Changers this week!
Our God is an awesome God. World Changers have only been working for two days and already it’s clear that He is doing something amazing in the city of Hannibal and in the lives of the participants.
Awesome stories of God’s hand at work flood World Changers every year. Summer Staff refer to these stories as “WOW” moments. We love hearing them and encourage students to share “WOW” moments with us. Right now we’d like to share a few “WOW” moments with you!
On Monday a group of participants in a 25 passenger bus got stuck on the road. After quoting Philippians 4:13–I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength I need–they were able to push the bus back into operation!
A crew shared with us how one of its members was afraid of getting on the roof. She climbed up, worked for awhile, and then got back down. Fear set in again as she did not want to return to the roof. She mentioned how she went and evangelized to a nearby person before fearlessly and courageously returning to the shingling. She said, “I know why God let me be scared. He wanted me to talk to the person on the ground!”
Emily from the Cool Caulkers turned in another “WOW” moment. She told how three other members from her crew went with her to pass out World Changers booklets and how they invited three people to their devotions that are held at the worksites each day. She said, “I’m so happy we get to go out and talk to the people about our ministry and our love for God.”
God hasn’t just been at work in the community of Hannibal though. He’s been at work in the lives of the World Changers as well. At least three participants have given their lives to Christ and made Him their personal Lord and Savior this week. Truly, our God is an awesome God.
Keep praying that God reveals His awesome nature to us this week as World Changers serves Him and the people of the Hannibal area.
At 7 a.m. Monday morning 200 World Changers participants gathered in the parking lot of Hannibal-LaGrange College for the special commissioning service known as “The Great Send-Off”. After Associational Coordinator Trey prayed over the group, students loaded in vans and buses, and with horns blaring, paraded through the parking lot on the way to their worksites for a day full of service.
For some World Changers participants this day literally marked a day of firsts. For many, this week will be the first time they sweat out manual labor. For others, it will be the first time they share their testimony with a stranger. Still for a few, this week will mark the first time they have ever made friends outside their normal circle at school. The true World Changers experience, however, encompasses all of these things. It is our prayer that all students and adults will rely on God to carry them outside their comfort zones this week so that they can rise to new heights in their walk with Him.
Enjoy pictures of the Great Send-Off below!
Early this morning World Changers participants eagerly checked their Encouragram envelopes to see which of the seventeen “crews” they would be working with this week. Behind names such as the “Goofus Roofers”, “Plumb Bobs”, and “Shingle Bells” lies a group of students and adults who are ready to go out and revolutionize Hannibal by reroofing and painting houses, replacing siding on homes, redoing porches, and much more.
After crews met during their “chats”, they got the chance to attend a local church, visit their worksites for the first time, do a ‘meet and greet’ with the homeowners and neighbors, and prayer walk through the streets.
For many, this was the first time that they realized that World Changers encompasses so much more than just working on crews and doing construction projects. It’s about learning a lifestyle of worship and service to our mighty God.
Each night World Changers Hannibal participants attend a worship service at the lodging facility where the theme is “Set Apart”. Through praise songs and a message, Summer Staff Music Leader, Brian, and Worship Speaker, Chris, challenge participants in their faith. So far, based off passages in James and Isaiah, students and adults have reflected upon what it means to be holy and the power of God’s glory.
As we continue to worship God through our services and in our Concert of Prayer on Tuesday night, we ask that you at home pray for us. Pray that the Holy Spirit would fill the auditorium at Hannibal LaGrange and that God would mold lives to be ‘set apart’ for Him and his Kingdom’s cause.
Take a look at the World Changers of Hannibal!
World Changers Hannibal 2009
After much preparation and anxious awaiting, the campus of Hannibal-LaGrange College was changed dramatically with the arrival of 200 World Changers. They moved into their bedrooms for the week and are ready to make an impact for Christ in this small town.
Let’s see who all is here:
Calvary Baptist Church- Enid, Oklahoma
Cornerstone Baptist Church- Winchester, Illinois
First Baptist Church Cameron- Cameron, Texas
Macoupin Baptist Association- Brighton, Illinois
Malvern Hill Baptist Church- Camden, South Carolina
Maplewood Church- Sedalia, Missouri
St. Louis Chinese Baptist Church- Chesterfield, Missouri
Summersville Baptist Church- Opdyke, Illinois
Trinity Baptist Church- Reedsburg, Wisconsin
Woodland Baptist Church- Jackson, Tennessee
Woodland Baptist Church- Peoria, Illinois
After getting settled in, having a welcome celebration, and eating dinner, the participants heard Rev. Chris set forth some great challenges for us to be set apart in our lives and to speak out for Christ. The summer staff and coordinating team cannot wait to see what God has in store this week for the community, the homeowners of the houses we will be working on, and the students here who are ready to change the world for this small town of Hannibal, Missouri.
Here are some great pictures of all our World Changers arriving and unloading in Hannibal!
In a small town like Hannibal, located on the Missouri bank of the Missippi River, World Changers are sure to make a profound impact. With a World Changers project beginning tomorrow, the Summer Staff and Coordinating teams are sure that a great week is about to take place in the city. Let’s take some time to get to know the people your students will be working with this week!
Summer Staff
Team Leader and Missions Communications Specialist: Emily Trammell
Emily was born and raised in the tiny Valley Springs, Ark. (population 167) before she entered Missouri State University in the fall 2005. As a recent college grad, she’s excited to return to her Alma Mater as an Admissions Counselor this fall! As the MCS, it’s her job to share with your students how they can get involved in missions with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the International Mission Board (IMB). However, it’s her heart’s desire to see students learn how they can be missionaries in their own hometowns too.
Office Manager: Caroline Hadley
Caroline just finished her freshman year at Vanderbilt University, but is originally from Knoxville, Tenn. Random fact: she fell in love with American Idol’s Season 7 runner-up, David Archuleta, as he sang “Sweet Caroline” on her 18th birthday! As the OM, Caroline will be in charge of all the World Changers paperwork for the Saint Louis project. After being a World Changers participant for four years, Caroline is excited to serve on Summer Staff!
Audio/Visual Tech: Adam Davis
Adam is an all around good guy and Georgia native who resides in Statesboro and attends Georgia Southern University. This week he will be in charge of creating the World Changers “Action Cam” that will allow students to share with people at home what their week at World Changers has been all about. It’s Adam’s first time to be in Missouri and second time to be on Summer Staff!
Music Leader: Brian Wattier
After living outside the U.S. for six years with this family on the mission field, Brian now lives in Alabama and attends the University of Mobile. This summer is Brian’s first World Changers experience, and we are excited to worship with him as he leads us each night in giving glory to the Father. Besides leading worship, Brian will also be in charge of photographing the week’s events!
Project Coordinator: Julie West
As the PC, Julie works hard with participating churches to get World Changers rolling in Hannibal. She’s more or less the “Head Honcho” and will be overseeing all that takes place this week!
Julie West
Associational Coordinator: Trey Hall
Trey partners with local churches in the area to make sure that participants and crews eat well while working for World Changers this week!
Trey Hall
Construction Coordinator: Moe Hays
Moe is the main go-to when it comes to construction on worksites this week. Your students and adults will be seeing a lot of him as they hammer, nail, and paint!
Mo Hays
First Aid Coordinator: Lisa Lehenbauer & Trey Thompson
Lisa and Trey will work to make sure all participants stay safe and healthy during the project week. Between the two of them, they will be around 24/7 to make assist adults and students as needed.
Worship Speaker: Chris Wells
Each night World Changers participate in a worship service. This week Chris will be challenging students to take their faith to the next level.
Known for being the hometown of legendary American author Mark Twain, Hannibal is a great place to be! We cannot wait to see what God has in store for this small town about to be filled with students ready to change the world!
Take a look at our new home for the week. We really appreciate Hannibal LaGrange College for supporting World Changers now for the second year in a row!
World Changers Office
Cafeteria
Boys Dormitory
Girls Dormintory
One final note: please pray for safety as the participants begin to arrive tomorrow, and pray that God changes lives this week!
