Keeping up with SOS Ministries
Dear Friends - in addition to the newsletters, we've included a few new informational items below as well as encouraging you to directly connect with our Missionaries. And always, should you have any questions, please feel free to call or email Kevin Thomas or Shannon Hurley (Kevin is at kevin@sosministries.com or 714.269.7427, and Shannon is at shannon@sosministries.com or 011.256.793.702.502). - Kevin Thomas, Executive Director
NEW SOS Ministries Highlights Video (back by popular demand) including an aerial view of the entire campus.
Uganda 2016 Highlights
NEW - 5% of Amazon Purchase Goes to SOS Ministries!!! -
please click the link HERE , and add this special extension to your Chrome web browser, then visit smile.amazon.com whenever you purchase on Amazon and select SOS Ministries for your charitable organization. 5% of purchases go to SOS!!! Thank you!
Keep up with our Missionaries - see Facebook links below and additional information at the bottom of the Newsletter.
A Devotion from Dr. Shannon Hurley
"For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus." Titus 2:11-13
If I were to ask you, are you a godly man or woman? What would you say? Most would say, "Of course, I am godly!" Yet, most would answer without really considering what a godly man or woman really is. We read verses like Romans 1:18, "
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness..." and we think of other people and never really consider that could be us, too. What does it mean to be godly? Or what does it mean to be ungodly? Well, to be ungodly is to live a life with no regard for God. So a godly man is one who lives his life with great regard for God. Wait! Stop! What? Stated differently, an ungodly man is one who lives day by day and moment by moment with no consideration of God. Whereas, a godly man lives every moment mindful of the fact that God is His glorious Master, His sovereign Lord, and His all-authoritative King. Listen to what the legendary Jerry Bridges says about ungodliness in his well known book
Respectable Sins: (Ungodliness is) "living one's everyday life with little or no thought of God or of God's will, or of God's glory, or of one's dependence on God...for the godly person, God is the centre and focal point of his or her life. Every circumstance and every activity of life, whether in the temporal or spiritual realms, is viewed through the lens of this God-centeredness" (Bridges, 58).
We need to live in God's presence. We need to live God-soaked, God-saturated lives, so that we are mindful of His greatness all day long. We need to learn to deny ungodliness and live godly in this present age. And this godliness is only produced by Godwardness. I believe our problem is that we fail to trust and obey Him because we actually fail to live everyday mindful of Him or consumed by Him. In another book, The Practice of Godliness, Jerry Bridges concurs with this assessment. He proclaims, "So often we try to develop Christian character and conduct without taking the time to develop God-centered devotion. We try to please God without taking the time to walk with Him and develop a relationship with Him. This is impossible to do" (Bridges, 12).
Wow! I wonder if we can be honest with ourselves and declare that surely we are not as godly as we need to be? I wonder if we have become so immersed in the affairs of our daily lives that we have forgotten that God is to reign over us? I wonder if we get so emotionally attached to the world's enticements that we are lured away from the soul satisfying feast of Christ Himself? I wonder if our immersion into the voices of the world have drowned out the voice of God? I wonder if we have failed to understand that godliness is more than a character trait? It is THE foundational spiritual quality that makes the entire Christian life dynamic, effective, joyful, and pleasing to God. I wonder if we need to repent and return back to our first love for God Himself (Rev 2:4-5)!
- Shannon
Baptism Report
" Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" - Matthew 28:19 (ESV)
It is a miracle of Christ's work each time a church gathers together. It is a testimony of the power of the Spirit, when believers from multiple cultures and languages gather together for church on a Sunday morning. In addition to these amazing realities about church life in Uganda, it was the amazing power of the Gospel to transform lives of sin into lives for Christ that had the church family gathered in front of the Hurley house on the afternoon of Sunday, May 29th. The church family was in a buzz due to the baptism service that was taking place on this afternoon, as they came together in celebration of the public professions of faith that family and friends were making.
Nine individuals, dear friends, students, sons, daughters, and husbands, came forward to boldly and publicly declare that they were not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, as it was the power of God for their salvation. They each shared a powerful testimony of the transforming ability of the truth of God's Word, saving them from empty religion, alcohol, apathy, and living in the unfulfilling pleasure of sin. Each of them confessing with their mouth and meditating in their hearts, as evidenced by the visible fruit in their lives, that Jesus Christ is Lord as they entered the waters of Baptism, and publicly declaring that He was now Lord of their lives.
One of the most encouraging things about this event was hearing about how God used many of the church members in attendance as the catalysts, through which these 9 individuals came to see their need for salvation. While SOS Ministries played a role in each of these lives along their journey to the cross, it was the faithful and intentional witness of friends to friends, brothers to brothers, wives to husbands, and soccer players to soccer players, that showed the heart of this church. This church truly seeks to live out the calling to go and make disciples as they engage their family and village with the reality of Christ's work and seek to expand His Kingdom here in Uganda.
While every baptism is a miracle and reason to celebrate, the last one of the day may have taken the cake for the Hurley family, as 10-year-old Evan Hurley made his declaration of faith and entered to be baptized by his very proud father, Shannon. Not only is the verse above a command for all Christians to follow, but it was Evan's verse that he specifically mentioned in his testimony that was his wake up call that he was not producing the right fruit as he was not making disciples. The joy of his salvation was clearly evident as he proudly declared that it was no longer in sin that he found his happiness, but in Christ.
We give thanks and find great encouragement in the baptism of Evan and the others, as evidence of the Spirit's continuing work here in Uganda.
Ministry Update
Please pray for SOS as we enter our annual planning for next year - there is so very much to be thankful for, to see the Lord's work in East Africa through SOS. And we praise God for His provision and protection! With the Basaba and Bisagni families now joining the Hurleys and Cupps, alongside an amazing Senior leadership team and staff, we are excited to see what the Lord will do. Over the next several weeks and months, you will see announcements on our website, Facebook and newsletters including:
* Pastoral Training Center construction status,
* a new Legacy Uganda student sponsor website,
* a 2017 conference and training schedule,
* Short-term Missions team opportunities,
* campus facility and infrastructure improvements, and
* community outreach.
In the meantime, we thought you might like to enjoy a few photos to get a better glimpse of life and ministry at SOS... (please check our Facebook page and the missionary links below for more news and photos!)
Sports Day
As you make plans for giving this year, please consider part n ering with SOS with the Pastoral Training Center, Legacy Christian Academy and community outreach efforts to transform the village of Kubamitwe and nation of Uganda. Contact Us for more information, or
SOS Prayer Requests
Please join us in prayer for Legacy Christian Academy as it has just begun its new school year with 250 students (K-3). Pray that the families of our students will grow to love the Lord through the examples of our teachers and their children's growing faith!
Please join us in prayer for our local church (Community Bible Church) as we continue to disciple men and women within our community to follow and serve Christ in all areas of life.
Please lift up our (Hurley) family as we seek to exalt Christ in our home and community. Pray that we would grow in humility as we serve one another.
Please continue to pray for our SOS family to love Christ more so that His love would impact the lives around us!
.
Anthony & Mary Basaba - in Uganda!
The Basaba family has arrived in Uganda!! Anthony will focus on Community Outreach as well as support the biblical training conferences and other key areas. Mary will use her giftedness for medical aid and women's ministries.
See additional updates and Follow them on Facebook.
Check out their monthly newsletter and considering supporting them by visiting the SOS website.
NEW - Support SOS through Amazon Smiles - 5% Link
When you shop on-line, please consider shopping on Amazon and select SOS Ministries for you charitable organization. Amazon now contributes 5% of all purchases to SOS when donors use Amazon Smiles and select SOS ! Just click this link and set your preferences..
Francis & Caroline Bisagni
The Bisagni family has arrived inUganda!!!. The Bisagni family joins the SOS Senior Management Team to facilitate the Pastoral Training Center and other critical support areas.
Follow them on Facebook.
Please consider supporting them by visiting the SOS website, under "Donate Now".
Bosco Andama is finishing his biblical training at Southern Seminary (SBTS). Please pray for Bosco as he readies to return to SOS Uganda next Summer.
Edward Kintu, SOS Senior Leadership Team member and Pastor of Kubamitwe Community Bible Church, is at Southern Seminary pursuing an MDIV to return to SOS in three years.
ABOUT SOS - Sufficiency of Scripture (SOS) Ministries is a unique 501(c)(3) faith-based organization, dramatically impacting the precious people of Uganda through sound Biblical teaching and training in God's Word, and through sacrificially demonstrating Christ's love.
Learn More about SOS.
