Over this last year, I have had the joy and opportunity to be discipled by Pam Cabrera, along with a few other girls. Participating in discipleship meant engaging in what we have been called to be a part of.
Personally, it has taught me the reality of living out the gospel. I have learned the gospel is our saving grace, not to make our story complete and over with, but to transform us every single day. The gospel is not a part of what my testimony "was", but is a part of my testimony right now! It is because of this discipleship process that I have learned how being called a "follower of Christ" means we have the joy of living each day with our identity being justified and dignified.
Meeting with Pam, I have learned that reading the Word and understanding what it is saying is something that is tough, yet so very important for a follower of Christ to engage in because it is God's own breath written to his sons and daughters. When we try to capture the beauty and mystery of what God has for us stored in His Word, we enter into a new way of living out something that we would never want to hide, and never want to keep quiet about.
This journey of discipleship is not just a study of the Bible, but actually doing life with others who want to walk alongside you and turn you back to the gospel because they themselves have seen and understand the love that our Heavenly Father has first shown us. Through this discipleship process, God has led me to understand this call for my life and has allowed me to disciple a girl of my own and from here on out I hope to continue following after the call He has given me to be one of His disciples.
-Sarah
In just over a week and a half, on August 13th, we will be re-launching our Saturday night services at our University Campus with a new time of 6pm. We are very excited to be going back to three services on the weekend. As a staff we see the need to offer a third service as a true blessing from God and as an opportunity to continue to move His mission forward.
We continue to be amazed God’s activity and thankful to Him for His continual blessings and faithfulness to us and to our ministry. We are seeking and trusting God for greater things (Eph. 3:20) in this next season of ministry, for the good of our people, our community and for the glory of His name alone. As we get ready for this re-launch there are a few things we want to keep in front of you and ask you to consider….
#1. First, as we move forward with this re-launch we want you to keep in mind that our Saturday night service, like all of the other services we offer at Summit, is first and foremost about worshipping God in Spirit and in truth. When we gather, we gather with the aim and chief desire to exalt the name of Christ. When we gather it’s about engaging the Lord through His Word, as we sit under its teachings with a desire to be taught, challenged, lovingly corrected and transformed by it through the power of God’s Spirit. It’s about being encouraged, renewed and sent out for God’s mission. Recognizing that the power of our gathering is seen through our scattering as we live sent lives for the sake of the Gospel. Our gatherings are about creating a space where those who are outside of a relationship with the Father can come in and have the opportunity to hear the saving message of the Gospel and hopefully respond to it’s life-giving claims. So with all that stated, as we get ready to re-launch our Saturday night service, let’s remember that this gathering is not primarily about freeing up chairs on Sunday and it is not to be a thing of convenience for ourselves, but may we hold with great intentionality the purposes of why we gather as the church. May we see Saturday night as both an opportunity to engage a living God, as well as an opportunity to press into the mission He has given us.
#2. Secondly, if Summit University is the campus you attend would you prayerfully consider making Saturday night “your service.” We would love for you to be committed to attending that service with a true missional spirit and intentionality. Filling seats is not our goal---the mission is “to glorify God by making disciples who will represent the Gospel to every man, woman and child.” So not only do we need and want many of you to make the switch to Saturday night, we also want you to do it with an eager and expectant heart. We want this type of focus and commitment to be reflected in an attitude of service.
#3. Third, if Saturday night has been or becomes your service, then get involved from jump. Connect into an area of service. There are plenty of opportunities within our different age-based children’s ministries, Big Enuf and KidZone. There are also opportunities to serve on the Host Team or our AVL Team. One of the ways in which we grow in our spiritual maturity is through service. Joining one of our service teams not only connects you deeper with the body of Christ but it also moves you closer to the center of God’s redemptive activity and mission. So make the move to Saturday night, but don’t just attend, get engaged in what God is doing and what He desires to do.
#4. Lastly, if you can’t make the move to Saturday night or don’t feel led to, or you attend one of our other campuses, here is something we ALL can do and must do, and that is PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. What we have been called to and what we are trusting the Lord for must be bathed, grounded and fueled through prayer. Leonard Ravenhill, an old time preacher, says in his book, Why Revival Tarries “the lack of prayer from God’s people is a subtle yet bold declaration that what God has initiated by His Spirit we now think can be accomplished our own strength…” May this never be the case for us as the people of God who call Summit Church home. May our dependency upon God through prayer grow and grow and grow in this next season. And may our prayers be filled with thanksgiving, intercession for the lost, accompanied with pleading for God to pour out more of His Spirit on our communities that results in a revival of Gospel proportions.
Thank you Summit for your continual commitment to the mission. We love you guys and look forward to seeing many of you on Saturday night.
- Orlando Cabrera
Summit family, we're so encouraged by the stories of God's activity in our lives. Below are several excerpts from some of the stories that were shared with us throughout our summer series, 'Say So'. We hope you are encouraged by the goodness and grace of God!
About 3 years ago I was devastated to discover my husbands affair with a young co-worker. I was in total shock. I was in such pain and hurt and I didn't know how to go on after my life, my future, fell apart. After everything failed, I put my trust in God. I knew it was all out of my control. It was the most difficult time of my life but I am so grateful that I put my trust in God. He fought my enemies and in the end I have the victory. Forever blessed. - H
Reading through Psalm 107:10-16 this morning reminded me that I was once "so blind". Those verses describe me perfectly. I sat in sin and darkness, a prisoner of my sin. A slave to its call. Desirous of its momentary pleasures. Rebellious towards God...prideful and covetous, lustful and irresponsible. In the pit of darkness on June 10th, 1985 verses 13 & 14 were also true of me. "Then they cried out to the Lord in their troubles, and He delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart". Praise be to God. The chains were broken and I was redeemed. Free from my life-dominating sin. He has taught me more than I could have ever imagined. He is a good, good God and I owe Him all! - C
My grace story is my wife. When I felt like throwing in the towel, her prayers kept our marriage alive. This summer we celebrate 9 years of marriage. When I deal with struggles within myself, conviction kicks in and my wife's love kicks in. Summit family, keep pressing forward and remember in our weakness, He is our strength. - S
I am so thankful for a faithful, honest place to call home. Most of my life I thought I knew what church and a Christian walk should look like until I left the only church/city I knew and came to Fort Myers/Summit. I'm so thankful for the community of Summit, (Recovery included) that the Lord continues to use to teach me the beautiful importance of vulnerability, His overwhelming goodness, and that He works in ordinary days and routines, not only in big moments. - C
When I was 18 years old I lead a life full of darkness. My friends and I were actively into drugs, alcohol, and partying. My life was lost and full of emptiness. I literally remember waking up most mornings feeling empty and having nothing to live for except another fleshly experience that would leave me feeling more empty than the experience before. Just a few months before I turned 19 years old, I was at a camp. During this time they had Christian speakers that spoke about God and His Love and forgiveness. During one of the nights I came forward to give my life to Jesus. I can remember it like it was yesterday. It was the most wonderful feeling I had ever had. It was literally like the Pilgrim's Progress story where the character Christian has his burden lifted and the burden is gone! The thing I think about is this... Sometimes I say 'what has the Lord done for me today?' But I forget that today would look much different without Him. God has saved my life in more than one way. - R
My wife and I have been married for seven years and God has really grown us through adversity. Within the last three and a half years we have experienced four consecutive miscarriages. Although it has been extremely difficult to understand and grievous, the Lord has given us “a peace that surpasses all understanding” as Philippians 4:7 says. We believe we will meet the children one day in heaven in Jesus’ presence. Despite the sadness and grief that has come with the losses, the Lord has grown are faith, love, trust, and knowledge in Him; not only has He grown us in Him, but He has grown our love and intimacy towards each other in our marriage. To Christ’s glory and praise, we are almost 20 weeks pregnant. We have never come along this far and everything looks healthy. To God be the glory and we are entrusting ourselves and this pregnancy to Him. We have experienced and thoroughly believe Job 1:21: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” - R
This year started off with my mom being diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor. I could not even imagine walking through this storm without the Lord by my side. The knowledge of His goodness and the bondage He has pulled me from brings me peace in the storm because I know He will rescue me in my distress. He has done it. He has proven it. My greatest fear with my mom's illness is her salvation. And even that the Lord has taken from me and has whispered to me, "I've got this." So no matter what happens, I know I can rest in Him because He loves me and He cares for me like no other. He is still my God. -D
WHY FAST?
– Fasting was an expected discipline in both the Old and New Testament eras. For example, Moses fasted at least two recorded 40-day periods. Jesus fasted 40 days and reminded His followers to fast saying, “when you fast“, not if you fast.
– Fasting and prayer can restore the loss of the “first love” for your Lord and result in a more intimate relationship with Christ.
– Fasting is a biblical way to truly humble yourself in the sight of God (Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:21). King David said, “I humble myself through fasting.”
– Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition, resulting in brokenness, repentance, and a transformed life.
– Fasting can transform your prayer life into a richer and more personal experience.
– Fasting can result in a dynamic personal revival in your own life and make you a channel of revival to others.
POINTS OF FOCUS.
1. Pray for our community, specifically for those who do not know Christ. Pray that the uprising we are seeing of crime and violence throughout our communities would cease. Pray that the light of Jesus Christ would continue to push back darkness and set captives free. Pray that God would continue to draw those who do not know Him into a loving relationship with Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. (“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9)
2. Pray for our nation. Pray that God would bring revival. Pray that the Church, the people of God would stand up and be the ambassadors that the Lord has called us to be. Pray that the Church could lead the way in love, grace and unity amongst all people. Pray for our leaders at the local, state and national level. (“I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4)
3. Pray for the surrounding churches in our area. Pray that God would continue to bless these expressions and grow their influence and efforts into their communities for the sake of the Gospel. Pray for our latest, church plant resident, Bill Vecchio, as he continues to gather and train up a launch team for his church plant, Ecclesia, which will be launched near the SWFL State College area. Pray for God to provide for the different needs of these works as they strive to bring the Gospel to every man, woman and child. (“…and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” Romans 15:20-21)
4. Pray for our mission partnerships and missionaries around the world. Pray that God would work in mighty ways in and through these different organizations that are striving to bring the Gospel to every man, woman and child. (A list of these partners can be found on our website www.summitlife.com/missions/) (“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20)
5. Pray for our Life Group Ministry that will be getting ramped up again this fall. Pray that in this season God would raise up leaders who would serve in this crucial area of our ministry. Pray that as a church we may see a greater number of people living in biblical community and intentional discipleship. (“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42)
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." - 1 Peter 2:9
This week at Student Life Camp we are learning about being 'set apart'. Early in the week the Holy Spirit began to move and stir in the hearts of our teenagers, as at least 12 students stood and declared Jesus as their Savior.
After our second night of worship we had a church gathering of all 3 Summit campuses and gave the students an opportunity to share what was on their hearts. We are truly witnessing heart transformation. The students shared boldly what the Lord has placed on their hearts and was a great encouragement not only to their peers but also to the leaders.
We are excited what God has planned for the rest of the week! Please be in prayer for us that God would transform the lives of our students!
We began our journey somewhere around 2am Saturday morning headed for Ft Lauderdale to board a plane with 20 moms, dads and kiddos flying to Haiti to serve alongside one of our Xpansion partners Mission of Hope, Haiti. Our first two days have consisted of us entering the local villages to meet families, playing soccer and other fun games with the children, and seeing all the great things MOH is doing for the country of Haiti. They truly desire to see every man, woman and child transformed by the power of the Gospel.
On Sunday we worshipped in their Haitian-led church services and toured the main campus along with the Bercy campus where our team is staying. It has been very eye opening to our team as they have seen MOH President, Brad Johnson's vision come to life from his willingness to answer the call God placed on him and his wife Vanessa in 1997.
There are 91,000 meals a day sent out by this organization and still 81,000 on a waiting list. There are so many other great things they are doing here like building a technical school, an elderly home, orphanage, schools, medical clinic and many other great things.
The beauty of this ministry is that everything they do leads with the Gospel. The hope for mankind is Jesus and as they make disciples here they will see radical transformation of this country. Men, women and children who are saved and begin following Jesus will now live on mission in the places they live, work and play so that many other will hear the Good News.
Please continue to pray for our team as we have some who are sick and rundown already. Pray for God’s continued favor on MOH and for our team to be vessels He uses for his glory as we are here this week.
We are halfway through our week in Haina, Dominican Republic, and it has been a truly amazing experience so far. Last Saturday we set out with six young adults from Summit to serve alongside The Refuge Church "El Refugio" in the urban community outside of the capital city, Santo Domingo.
We joined with 30 others from churches in south Florida, Tennessee, and Ohio, to engage with, encourage, and empower the local church here in the D.R. in conjunction with our partner Love Serves. It really has been a partnership with the local church and Love Serves as they have already been doing the ground work, planting seeds, and reaching the lost, and we have now joined them in their mission.
We have helped finish the floor of their trade school that will serve to equip men and women with opportunities to provide for their families, as well as to give the young people of this community outlets from the typical lifestyles of gangs and prostitution. The team has also enjoyed getting to care for the children of the community by hosting camps in conjunction with The Refuge.
Besides serving with The Refuge, we have also learned from the Dominican men and women what it means to love the community God has placed us in. It's humbling to see every household being prayed over, invested in and engaged in evangelistic conversations. This church has truly become a light in the darkness and we have all grown from witnessing their faithful representation of Jesus to their neighbors and family.
In the midst of so much poverty, pain, and seemingly hopeless situations, God is displaying his love and goodness through this faithful expression of His body.
As we enter the final half of our week would you consider praying for our team?
1. That God would continue to provide opportunities for us to engage with the community in Gospel conversations leading to growth and salvation.
2. That our six from Summit would embrace the mission that God has given us, not only for the Dominican Republic but for out own homes and family.
3. That our partner, Love Serves, would feel encouraged by our team's presence here and would feel the love and support from our summit community.
I have tried over the past week to sit down and collect my thoughts and try to write some of what has been running through my mind and heart over the last week as I have, along with the rest of the world, observed the events that have unfolded in our country. Especially concerning the shooting deaths of Alton Stirling, Philando Castile as well as the shooting deaths of five police officers in Dallas who were killed in the midst of a peaceful demonstration.
This blog post is in no way a statement of what side I am on regarding these horrific cases and the many like it. And whether we want to admit it or not, there are sides. But what we need to realize is the fact that these sides have existed and have been present long before these incidents. I am a pastor, the brother of a police officer, the friend of many who are from different nationalities and backgrounds and the son of two parents who were not born in this country, so all of those things seem to flood my mind as I try to discern and come to grips with events like this and I am sure it’s the same for many of you.
So again this blog is NOT about what side I am on. It actually grieves me that there even has to be a side. So for the sake of clarity I repeat, this blog is not about “my side”. In fact, part of what grieves my heart is that there are so many “sides” in events like this. I am seeking desperately to remember and remain on God’s side of these unfortunate events. I am praying that God keeps me in a place that is cognizant of the fact that ultimately in my life there were two sides…darkness and light, bondage and freedom, truth and lies, death and life and before the Gospel, I was on the wrong side. My life was filled with darkness, bondage, lies and death with my imminent reality being a Christ-less eternity, BUT GOD in His grace through His Gospel rescued me. I don’t ever want to lose sight of that and I desperately want to remain on the side of light, freedom, truth and life, especially in moments like this.
This blog post is also not an attempt to bring closure to these events as though to say let’s hurry up and turn the page, and go back to our regularly scheduled reading of statuses concerning people’s workouts, food and/or recaps of the latest Bachelorette episode. No, my heart and hope is to just set out a sober call to us as the Church and the people of God. I stated that I wanted to be on God’s side as I come to and continue to reflect upon the events of the past week and the real growing possibility of similar events or retaliatory type of events that may come in the future, because it’s only in the Gospel that I can find rest for my angst and peace for my troubled soul. So with that stated I humbly and prayerfully share these thoughts that I hope will in some way cause us to slow down and reflect, and then lead us to more earnest and deep prayer as the Lord brings us to a place of resolute hope in Him. As I consider and view these events from God’s side and through the lens of the Gospel I must remember that…
#1. The hostility between people due to race, color, religion, and/or ethnicity is not a new problem, (though it may feel like one because it’s become more relevant to us). But it is a real problem and tension that is part of the basis of Jesus’ mission.
The Apostle Paul in the Book of Ephesians tells us that the agent of reconciliation between people groups is in fact Jesus. He writes in chapter two verse fourteen, “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,” (NIV).
There has never been “the days of yester year” whatever that means. There have only been two individuals in the history of humanity that ever experienced the reality of life without hostility and they blew it. Their names were Adam and Eve, the place was the Garden of Eden, the time was the beginning of the world, the result was sin and brokenness. Sin has given birth to all sorts of diseases, like racism and hostility. Trying to refute the reality that there is in fact a wall or trying to make light of others whose lives are in fact impacted on a daily level by the wall of hostility and racism is not the answer, and we must see that it only perpetuates the problem further. The answer for our growing problem is and will forever be Jesus.
I know what you’re thinking-“I know that, but…” and there in lies the problem. Our “but” if we are not careful can turn into a sign that we either don’t truly believe there is an actual problem, don’t think it can ever change or don’t actually care because we ourselves aren’t being impacted, or don’t care about those whose lives are dramatically effected by such a wall of division. The Gospel breaks down walls, and reconciles people together and we must never lose sight of that truth.
#2. God has and will never be silent on the issues of injustices in all it’s forms (whether it be the abuse of authority that results in the unfair treatment or killings of black males, any and all forms of unjust treatment of people or the assaults and murderous slayings of police officers) and God desires that His Church act as His voice of Truth while representing His heart of mercy and love.
The Church cannot afford to sit this one out, so to speak. This is not the season or time to fade into the background and hope the current narrative, temperature or reality of our time some how changes. We have been called by God to a relationship with Himself, through the finished work of Jesus Christ and we have been commissioned and granted power to be His agents of change, His mouthpieces and His ambassadors. God’s Word is clear, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Now this is not a license to scream at the culture, but rather a command to be present in the midst of the culture’s weeping. It’s a call to move with greater intentionality towards those who are hurting, marginalized or mistreated and seek to bring hope and help in whatever form the Lord will lead or call us to. We have been instructed to speak Truth in the midst of the culture’s twisted agendas, fully aware that such a stance may draw critics as well as opposition. So through the power of the Holy Spirit, we must bring with that Truth both boldness and graciousness…The Apostle Peter wrote, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” (1 Pet. 3:15–17).
God has ordained us as His people to stand as those committed to being a conduit of His grace and love that ultimately brings reconciliation with Him and opens the door for reconciliation to be had with others. We must take to heart the words of the Apostle Paul, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:20-21)
I know the problem is so big…I get it, but we mustn’t allow the immensity of the problems we see around us be the excuse for our inactivity and disobedience. Be fully present, be committed, be sensitive, be vocal in both your words of Truth seasoned with grace and be LOUD in your selfless acts of love and service that speak to your love for God and more importantly His radical, furious love for people.
#3. A day is coming that is much greater than this day and the vision of that coming day is what fuels our missional zeal and aligns our hearts with the Father.
Hopefully you know the day I am referring to is the day that the tension of this now and not yet is finally lifted and the yearnings of our hearts to be home with Him will be fully experienced without hindrance or delay. That DAY in all it’s glory will surpass, trump and close out this Day of pain and suffering. That DAY will bring full understanding to all of the Father’s providential and sovereign workings in human history. That DAY will usher in a new day for us and will open for us the place and person we were designated to be in relationship with, God the Father. And as I close let this picture encourage you, break your heart and fan your passion to share the loving, victorious Gospel of Jesus Christ…
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 9:9-12)
Our hope is in the One who is the finisher of our faith. Our hope is in the One who reigns right now and forever, so let’s fix our eyes on Him and let’s seek to live as sent ones in a world that is desperate for hope, change, healing and joy. We may not know exactly what change needs to be brought, but we do know that the Gospel is relevant, is powerful and is the source of real change, so let’s speak GOOD NEWS. Let the redeemed of the Lord SAY SO…
The Pereiras
“ He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
-1 Thessalonians 5:24
I have always loved the clarity, simplicity and urgency of this verse for as long as I can remember: clarity in the sense that the Lord calls you to the work He has placed before you, simplicity that the Lord who calls is also faithful, and urgency to be obedient as you trust in the One who will ultimately do the work to which He has called you.
Our family has been so blessed to have had opportunities over the last seventeen years of pastoral ministry to hear the Lord’s call to gospel works, experience His faithfulness in and through our lives, and participate in His activity through those works.
In July of 2011, our family was led to be a part of Summit Church and I became the Naples Campus pastor after having been a part of church-planting in Naples since 2007. Words cannot express the gratitude and privilege it has been for our family to be a part of the Lord’s work at this church. We have been so humbled to work alongside this amazing staff, pastor fantastic people, and see the gospel at work in this region, nation, and world. I am not the same man and my family is not the same since being at Summit. In our pastoring of you, God has shepherded our hearts to mold and make us more like Himself and for this we will be eternally grateful.
As much as we love Summit Church, we believe the Lord’s desire and calling for our family is to obediently follow what He has prepared us for next. We believe the Lord has directed us to join a church-planting network called Harvest Bible Fellowship (HBF) and plant a Harvest Bible Chapel.
www.harvestbiblefellowship.org.
Since 2003, HBF has started 152 churches in 19 countries on five continents and much like Summit Church, has a heart for gospel proclamation to every man, woman, and child.
Our family wants you to know that this decision has not been an easy one. We love Summit Church. We love its leaders and pastors. And we have cherished the opportunity to lead and love the people of the Naples campus! But when God speaks, we must obey.
A passage of scripture the Lord used to confirm this “next” calling in our lives was…
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
-2 Corinthians 5:5-9
We leave Summit Church knowing the Lord has prepared us for this very thing and so we obey with courage and we walk by faith knowing that our aim in life is to please Him.
What is unique about what the Lord is calling us to, is we do not yet have a clearly defined place where we believe God is calling us to plant a church. We just know He has called us to join Harvest Bible Fellowship and plant a Harvest Bible Chapel. In many ways we see this as God asking us to be obedient like He did with Abraham in Genesis 12:1 - …go to the land that I will show you.” So we are obeying the call of the Lord in our lives expectantly, joyfully, and faithfully believing in the “one who calls us is faithful and will surely do it.”
As you read this I am sure there are some questions and I want to answer what I believe would be the two most frequently asked:
1. When will your family be leaving?
Our family will need to be in Elgin, IL at the Harvest Training Center the second week of August. Lily and Lucas start school August 16th. This gives us a week to move into the Training Center housing and get settled before the kids start school. We would live in Elgin from August through December as Lori and I attend the Training Center and the children would go to the school through the fall semester. In January, we will move to where the Lord gives us direction to minister.
2. What is the plan for the Naples Campus?
As we make this leap of faith trusting in the character and provision of the Lord for our family, we also take great confidence in knowing the Lord will also provide for the Naples Congregation. Aaron, Jason, and Wendy already carry much of the weight of the weekly administration, programming and ministries of the Naples Campus. Jamin will step into the primary communicator role at the Naples Campus through the end of this year. This was Jamin’s role at the Naples Campus for five years before I came to the campus and the Naples Campus thrived under his teaching. Jamin coming down to step into this role through the end of the year gives time for the Lord to reveal his long-term plan to the Directional Edlers for this position in Naples. The Naples Campus is in good hands and in a healthy place to experience God’s BEST!
As I stated at the beginning of this blog, 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” This is true for our family and this is also true for the Naples Campus and Summit Church as a whole!
We love you all!
Johnny Pereira
We are super excited for Sports Camp 2016!
This year we will have 750 students between our two Sports Camps and this creates great opportunities for us to have gospel influence in our communities. Nearly a quarter of of our attendees (22%) indicated that they have no affiliation with any church, so we’re excited about the opportunity to represent the gospel through this camp to families who otherwise might not have any connection to Christ.
Each day we will be sharing the gospel through large group rallies as well as small group breakouts as our 230 volunteers engage these kids on a daily basis. As we head into these next couple of weeks of camps, we would like ask the church to pray for us in the following ways:
1. Pray for God’s continued favor to connect with these families in our communities.
2. Pray for all our volunteers that they’ll be able to engage in gospel conversations with the kids in their small groups.
3. Pray that the weather will cooperate with us and the rain will hold off.
4. Pray for endurance for the leaders who will be leading out in back to back camps this year.
We were really privileged to have the Principals from Osceloa Elementary and Barron Collier High, Dr. Brian Castellani and Mr. Jose Hernandez, join us this past weekend at our Naples Campus to celebrate our School Partnerships! We celebrated them and got to hear from them how we at Summit have been a blessing to their schools and administrations.
We're so thankful for all the schools in our Circles of Accountability (especially our 11 school partners!) and we're praying that God would give us more favor to reach every man, woman and child in our schools.
A couple of weeks ago, a team from Summit Church traveled to Haiti to do God’s work of spreading the Gospel to every man, woman and child. This was done once again with our partner, Mission of Hope. Our team was Kevin Potter (me), Gabby Foglia, John Keller, Courtney Blackmer, Stephanie Elwell and Liv Santana. We also met our partner churches from Buffalo for a full team of 35. During our week in Haiti we set up four mobile medical clinics, two in Leveque and two in the village of Bercy. We saw a total of 495 patients in that four days dealing with issues ranging from blood pressure and blood sugar issues to vague neck and back pain. And of those, 25 accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior with 13 decisions for Christ on Friday alone. We also were able to paint two homes inside and out, join in a goat dedication(!) where a family was selected to receive a male and female goat and agreed to share the offspring with their neighbors. We also helped several families gain access to clean water and taught them how to maintain the system to keep providing it, planted several trees around some homes in the villages and other various projects.
I’ve been asked what has impressed me most from this trip, with this being my third time going to Haiti and to MOH. As the team leader I had the opportunity to watch my teammates from a different perspective. And it was awesome to watch how God’s love became clear in all of them. If you have ever seen that time-lapse video of a flower opening, well that’s what it seemed like. The physical part of what we were doing was sometimes difficult but seeing the looks of appreciation for our effort made everything worth it. Some of these appreciative looks would come from Hatian women who would be carrying heavy loads perfectly balanced on their heads. This can help explain some of that vague neck and back pain we had mentioned earlier. Another moment that has always moved me is attending the Church of Hope on the main MOH campus in Titanyen. With most of the service in Creole many of us are unable to understand the spoken words but when you close your eyes the feeling is powerful. They worship with no fear of judgment from others and I think we can all learn from that.
God will call us to serve Him as He commands and for me this has come as service in Haiti. Every trip has been unique with the experiences they have provided and it becomes clearer and clearer how God is working in and through all of us. There is a lot of planning that goes into these short-term trips and there are many ways to be involved. Supplies that are required, both food and medical, need to be collected and these supplies may need to be prepared and packed for travel. In addition some team members may need sponsorship as these trips can be a financial burden to some.
For anyone interested in any of our upcoming trips click here to see those dates. Our next missions are both in July, one a family trip to Haiti and the other to the Dominican Republic. Please keep us all in your prayers. Thank you and God Bless.
Kevin T. Potter
We just wanted to share the grace stories of two college students who were baptized this week. Praise God for his activity in our college ministry, Ignite!
“I’ve always believed in God, but I never really knew what it meant to “follow God.” I didn’t grow up with a Christian family and I never went to church when I was younger. Coming to college, I was so excited about all the freedom, parties and nights out. I didn’t realize it would be so much more than that. I met Liz at work in the fall and she asked me if I wanted to come to ignite. I was a little skeptical at first because I wasn’t sure what to expect. After that first night, I knew immediately that I wanted to change my life and I needed to keep coming back. Ignite has changed me so much and has definitely made me a better person. Being surrounded by such positive, God-loving people has really opened my eyes and encouraged me to follow God’s Word, not societies. I want to be baptized to start over and live a new life as a child of God, and to show everyone my newfound love for the Lord. I believe that Jesus died on the cross so I can live. He is my Savior, my hope, and my light, and I am forever grateful for His sacrifice. ”
“My whole life I had been clenching my fists and denying a truth that is undeniable. In January of this year I finally accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. The second I said those words I felt a weight that had been on my shoulders my whole life lifting away. I was overcome with joy and could barely contain myself. Since that night, when I was saved and made new, God has been shaping my heart. There were so many times in my life when something worked out perfectly exactly when I needed them to and I said to myself “that’s crazy, I can’t believe that happened.” Now I say, “I can believe that happened because I know my God is good!” Through the word of the gospel and worship I have begun to pursue Jesus with fervor. I know that he paid the ultimate sacrifice for me, so that a broken sinner could be saved. I was saved despite being so undeserving, because Jesus’ love for me is unending. Now I get to be in relationship with my Savior forever, and my life has never been so amazing. It took my whole life until now, but just like the gospel said he would, God took a broken me and made me whole this year, and for that I’m blessed.”
An update from the Valiquette family and Nuova Vita in Salerno, Italy.
While there are great things going on within the body of Nuova Vita right now, (and I’ll get to that in a minute), the past few months have been really significant for us as a family. Over the years of living here, we have built many friendships and relationships. It has taken a while to really get to know people, either because of language or just the need for time to build trust. This year we have found ourselves very much in the middle of the community, with many, many opportunities to serve, love, and point people to the grace and love of Jesus. We have seen more and more how just by living here, building relationships, loving people, seeking ways to serve, having an open home for our kids friends after school, and being present and active in the community and kids school, has made way for so many opportunities.
Recently, through a class of one of our kids, we have been able to become friends with a family who recently got kicked out of their apartment. We have come alongside of them and helped them with whatever need they have in the moment. Whether it is food, or their kids coming to our house, or helping them move apartments, or find a job. A girl involved in our church who recently graduated from University is helping the 8-year-old son get caught up with his reading and writing. Some friends in the city we have been getting to know for almost 2 years, have recently gone through a really hard, really sad rift in their marriage. Trust has been broken, hearts are hurt; yet we have found ourselves in the middle of the husband and wife, and able to love them and point them to Jesus. On the outside, we are so different from these dear friends. Heart level communication is hard. And some days we feel so out of our league, so insufficient. But we are faced with needing to desperately remember and cling to the promise our sufficiency comes FROM Him, and our part in the story is to remain faithful. To be faithful to the broken, hurting people. The marriages, the children, the families hurting and in need. Sometimes it is overwhelming. But then we look around and see that He has placed us here for a reason. In this city, and in this time. To love these faces. These kids. These husbands and wives, and to point them to something greater, to the One who gives hope and heals.
And while the Lord is using us just by living life here in Salerno, He is also building His church. These past 2 months have been significant in the area of community for our church. We are learning how to love each other well, how to serve where there are needs and gaps, and how to give generously. A man in our church, Antonio, who has been a believer for nearly 20 years, and has had many different church experiences told Justin recently that for the first time in 20 years he is truly understanding the depths of grace. People are growing in their understanding and knowledge of the gospel, and experiencing it more profoundly in their everyday lives. God is doing significant things!
This Spring we have a busy few months. In April, Justin will be taking 6 men to the Acts 29 Europe conference in Rome. Pray for them as they go to this. We also have a few groups coming from America to serve in the city and on the university campus. Pray their time is fruitful. And then in June, John Piper will be speaking at a conference that will be held here in Italy, and we are hoping to take a group to hear him speak as well. It is quite the buzz that he is coming, and will speaking on the subject of missions, especially when his message had such an effect of Justin and I as young college students entering into ministry. For us, it is such a gift and dream to hear him speak on missions while living in Italy!
We are so thankful for your prayer and support. Please write to us and let us know how we can be praying for you as well!
With love in Christ,
Justin and Abbey Valiquette
On March 28th a team of 21 made our way to Alajuelita, Costa Rica. When we were planning out the trip we really encouraged our team to be flexible. We wanted to go and be willing to serve in any way.
After arriving in Costa Rica, 6:8 Ministries put us to work right away. They gave us a tour of the city of Alajuelita and challenged us to pray over some of the most drug-ridden areas and for some of the local churches. They let us know that their goal for us while we were there was to be “100% safe and 50% comfortable.” They wanted us to serve the community and love the people in it even when it wasn’t the most comfortable thing to do.
While we were there we were able to bless the community both spiritually and tangibly. One morning we were able to purchase bags of fruits and vegetables from a local produce stand and go into a slum and bless families with this food. While we were there we prayed over the families and asked that the Lord would reign over their homes. Later on in the week we went back to the same area and helped a local church with a feeding program for some of the local children. We worshiped along side of them and listened to a message about how our God is greater than any super hero. Then we handed out bowls of food so that those children could eat.
Our students were able to work hard and get dirty as we made our way to the Children’s Ranch; a place being constructed to care for vulnerable children. One of our tasks was to carry up from the river, rocks that ranged between “grape fruit sized and guava sized” and place them strategically to create irrigation for the septic system of the ranch. We were also able to mow and clear the area surrounding the property so that those living there could be a little more comfortable.
Our students encouraged us and each other more than we could have ever imagined. God started to break our hearts not only for those in Costa Rica but also for those in Fort Myers. As we were doing prayer walks and serving the community, some of the students began asking why we weren’t doing this in Fort Myers?
Now that we have we returned, we ask that you would pray that our students would not lose their passion to share the Gospel and serve others. Pray that we would remember that the same God that is in Costa Rica is the God of Fort Myers.
We want to sincerely thank all of you for your prayers and support while we were on our trip. We saw God do some amazing things in the hearts of our students while we were there. Thank you for supporting and encouraging our students to live on mission.
Sincerely,
Matt Cantwell
For more information on 6:8 Ministries, you can visit their website.
As I write I’m sitting on a plane having just left Italy. To be honest, I’m excited about being home with my wife and kids, and I’m coming home a bit heavier. I’m also blown away that God has allowed me to see first hand what he is up to around the world. I’ve been in Rome for the past week at a gathering for the Acts 29 Europe Network. Acts 29 (acts29network.org) is a diverse, global network of churches planting churches, and at Summit Church we are proud to partner with them as part of the Acts 29 US Southeast Network. At this conference, 280 people from 27 different nations came together to sit under the Word, to worship and pray together, and to be encouraged by what God is doing through Europe and the nations around it.
It’s no small thing that the meeting took place in Rome. It is a city that looms large in the scope of Church history, a city whose buildings and ruins whisper of times when the gospel was aggressively opposed and times when it was given room to flourish. The same city that boasts of the Colosseum where Christians were killed for sport and the prisons where the Apostles Peter and Paul were kept captive also holds the Vatican, the historical center of Christian thought, art, and practice. It is a fascinating, thought-provoking, and important city.
While taking in the sites and stories of Rome, it becomes all the more evident that we live in a time like none other in history. Sure, there has been technological advances and the quality of life is seemingly better, but there is something far greater taking place. The kingdom of God is advancing and the gospel is spreading like wildfire through Asia, Africa, and South America in ways we have never seen. Nations that were once gospel poor are now experiencing an explosive move of the Spirit of God, and it is happening in our lifetime!
Yet as we witness God moving on those continents, we also see in Europe and North America a church that was once thriving now spiraling toward decay and, in many regions, already dead. Embroiled in conflict with secularism, consumerism, false morality, and wicked ideologies, the church in the global west finds itself licking its wounds and crumbling at its core. And while this might catch us off guard (it shouldn’t, but it does), the Father is not surprised at all. He still sits on the throne, the nations still belong to him, and he is still building his Church. In fact, the 280 people from 27 nations I just spent the last few days with are evidence of it.
If there is anything that Rome convinces me of, it is that God can and will glorify himself no matter what. He will do it in good times and in bad, in healthy seasons and decaying ones, in life and in death. And how amazing that he has created us to be a part of it! This is a time to rejoice in what the King is doing around the world. But it is also a time to cry out to him to heal that which is broken and to waken the Church, his chosen instrument to bring the gospel to every man, woman, and child in Europe, North America, and around the world.
Is it any secret that we need Jesus? And not just us. Southwest Florida needs Jesus. America needs Jesus. And the world needs Jesus. Jesus is and always will be the only hope of the world. This never changing, rock-solid, life-altering certainty is why we plant churches, and it is why we partner with ministries and networks like Acts 29. It is why we give financially to gospel work around the world, and it is why we go, even to the farthest reaches of the globe, when he bids us come.
Though they were men and women of faith, Jesus’ disciples and the early Christians who were eaten by lions to satisfy a blood-thirsty crowd would marvel at the global impact the gospel has made throughout history. How could they not? We marvel at it now. And as I fly home, reflecting on the things I’ve experienced and remembering the promises that are ours through Christ Jesus, I know that we will marvel even greater still.
- Jamin Stinziano
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
I recently had the opportunity to join our one of our Directing Elders, Jim Hines, on a vision trip to the city of Puebla in southern Mexico. The purpose of our trip was centered on connecting with and deepening the partnership that we at Summit have with an organization called “Esperanza Viva” (Living Hope); a mission organization that serves as an orphanage to the homeless and orphaned children in the city. They are doing amazing work that is impacting the lives of many.
One aspect of the organization that I found to be deeply encouraging and inspiring is their ministry training school called, La Viña, or The Vine. Students, ages 18-24, come from around the country to attend this training school that offers a rich theological and practical ministry experience. These young people are a shining light in a country that is filled with corruption, violence, orphaned children and unimaginable pain.
During our time in Puebla I was offered the opportunity to share with these wonderful young men and women about some of the things that I have learned in my own life and ministry experience. Together we focused our time on looking at the inner man through a biblical perspective, and discussed why it’s so integral to our spiritual life and connection with God to know what we were created for and how our minds and hearts work. The students were engaged, inquisitive, and thoughtful as they began to interact with the content and one another. It was a difficult topic of study because it so often connected with their own hearts in areas like major life struggles, how we cope with pain, trust issues, and emotional and spiritual battles we face.
I was most encouraged during our question and answer time as the students asked questions about addictions, why they are so significant in our world and culture, how to find help, and how they can help others who are struggling. As we spent time together it was as if I had never left our own city. The hearts and minds of the students were like any other young adults I’ve encountered at Summit, engaging with the purposes of God for their lives and deeply burdened for the lostness and suffering of their city and country.
I look forward to our continued partnership with Esperanza Viva (Living Hope) and for the transformation that God has planned for the city of Puebla and the country of Mexico, because we know the Gospel gives us hope for the future, as it works in and through the lives of every believer.
-Evan Lemkuil
You can find out more about Living Hope by visiting their website, lovehopemercy.org
Hey Summit family,
We are so excited to announce that the record is officially released today! Thanks to everyone who came out last weekend to celebrate with us! This journey has been such a wonderful experience and a blessing from the Lord and we are excited to see what he continues to do through these songs.
These songs belong to all of us. They are our collective story and are written out of what we as a church have been walking through and give voice to what God is doing among us as his covenant people here in South West Florida.
Its our hope that these songs would be a blessing to you, become prayers for your devotional life and help cultivate a deeper intimacy with God. We pray that as we continue to run this race together that they would help cultivate a posture of thankfulness as we remember God’s faithfulness and his mercy towards us. That they would help spur us on to continued obedience to where God is leading us and become our corporate prayer as we continue to ask the Lord to move among us and the great region of SW Florida.
Thanks church for being such a blessing. Your prayers, support and encouragement are a constant source of joy and strength for us.
Love
Andy & Rach
AWAKE is available here on iTunes
