"Don't Ask for Just a Few"
“Don’t Ask for Just a Few”
Our current economic crisis reminds me of the events told
in 2 Kings 4:1-7. A widow with two sons had nothing but a
small jar of oil. Elisha encouraged her to gather empty jars from
her neighbors. “Don’t ask for just a few,” he said. The woman
and her sons collected the jars from their neighbors and poured
oil into them from their one jar. The oil flowed from their jar
until they ran out of containers. The widow sold the oil and had
money for her family to live on.
I have an old canning jar on my desk. It reminds me that
God’s provision is as large as our faith and obedience. God has
blessed Central Virginia Baptist Ministries with the next step in
our development. We have incorporated and been awarded nonprofit
status as a 501(c)3 organization. This will open the door
for CVBM to apply for grants and accept direct, tax deductible
donations.
God will provide for the churches of Dover, Richmond, and
Middle District in 2009, and God will provide for others through
the churches. CVBM will offer conferences that relate to
ministry with single adults and the ministries of deacons. We
will sponsor a project to collect Bibles to be used in jails and
prisons. CVBM will offer a workshop to help our churches
offer better Vacation Bible Schools. We will call volunteers
from churches of Middle District, Richmond, and Dover
Associations to spend a day together working on local housing.
• January 13, 2009 CVBM will partner with the BGAV to
present a training conference on “Making Your Church
Single Adult Friendly.” It will be held at Parham Road
Baptist Church. Church leaders can learn realistic ways to
increase a church’s appeal to single adults.
• February 2, 2009 Ironbridge Baptist Church will host the
CVBM conference for deacons and pastors. Last year’s
conference drew people from churches in nine associations.
The CVBM web site lists conferences and leaders.
• March 2009 CVBM is also sponsoring a mission project to
share God’s Word. We are collecting new and used Bibles
and money to purchase Bibles to be given to inmates in jails
and prisons all across Virginia. Bibles can be dropped off
at your association office.
• April 21, 2009 Winfree Memorial Baptist Church will host
the CVBM Vacation Bible School Conference. Most adults
who acknowledge Christ as Savior and Lord made that
decision in childhood. Research tells us that children make
this decision more readily than adults. VBS and other
summer events for children can help make that happen.
• April 23, 2009 As last year, CVBM volunteers will support
Affordable Housing Awareness Week in conjunction with
Habitat for Humanity projects in the Richmond area.
You can get more information about these projects and
other mission and ministry opportunities from CVBM. You can
also register yourself or your group. Go to www.cvbm.org or
call 804-598-6350 or 888-598-6350.
When the widow told Elisha of her plight, he first asked,
“How can I help you?” Then he asked, “What do you have?”
What will you ask God to do in your life as we begin this New
Year? God’s Word shows us that He can do so much more than
we can ask or even imagine. Start asking for “jars.” Don’t ask
for just a few.
—Nita May
