Month: November 2004

The Call

Mid 2004, two elders felt the prompting of God to incorporate a church and a seed of a church that will cross the racial divide in the United States.  

Rev. Ira Schilling at 80 years of age and Rev. Bedford Landers at about 65 years of age with the blessing of the General Conference  set out in 2004 with a vision to share the gospel message with all people. With the help of John Roach of Harris Chapel Southern Methodist Church in Tyler, they incorporated Victory Fellowship,  a conservative, evangelical church in USA absolutely convinced that God will raise a people for himself to worship him and continue the legacy of standing upon the Word of God and the fundamentals of the faith. Following incorporation of the church, Rev. Landers, invited a pastoral couple to turn the vision into reality. Today the journey CONTINUES!

The Journey

The journey of ‘victory’ began  inauspiciously October 2004 as a FELLOWSHIP in sacrificial giving towards God’s MISSION at HOME {i.e North America} so that the lost, the searchers and the next generation of Americans might hear the good news;

~ that we have the victory-  {over Sin, Satan and Death} –   through the finished work of Jesus at Calvary. We have the victory for Jesus has bruised the serpent’s head; there breaking Satan’s regal power, clearing a way out of sin, destroying death by resurrection and granting believers the hope for heavenly procession in the greatest show the world has ever seen – the day of ascension at the hour of His triumphant return and appearance.

 

The Kingdom of heaven shouts in VICTORY when those who have been added to Heaven’s Book of life begin to WALK IN VICTORY. There is more that God can do than simply a few Kenyans and Mexicans bursting forth in a song of victory. God is calling the church in America and all people to WALK IN VICTORY over the sin that easily entangles.

God’s people must walk in victory over racial, and all other forms of harassment; victory over stinginess in the name of frugality; victory over greed hidden in form of stewardship; victory over pride hidden in form of doing all the good you can to all the people you can, ~ and so many other sins that has crippled the work of the gospel in the land for so long.

 

 

HEAR THE WORD

sowing in good soil

“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.

Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.

Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Matthew 13:2-8, 19-23

The Call of Joshua

In Joshua 1 we read;

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, “My servant Moses is dead. Now arise and cross the Jordan.You and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them,to the Israelites. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses.

Joshua (which means “savior” and in Greek is “Jesus”) is first introduced as one of the spies Moses sent to spy out the land.

Joshua and Caleb reported that the land was good, flowing with milk and honey, but the other spies reported that the cities were formidable. So the people were too afraid to obey God and enter the land. God was very angry. For a whole generation the Israelites had to wander in the wilderness.

At the end of Moses’ life, God calls Joshua, as God called Moses, to be a leader for God’s people. God says, “Arise! Cross!” They were to cross River Jordan to posses the land.

“The land” was an expression of covenant — a gift of a holy place from God in exchange for the promise of service. The land meant :

Safety, peace, economic prosperity
Identity as a community, a sense of belonging
Right relationship with God