Ministries
"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Where do you want to get involved? There are a variety of areas in which you have the opportunity to serve the Lord at Huntsville Church of Christ. Browse the following ministries to find a place that the Lord can use you. Be sure to contact a ministry leader about ways to begin today.
Missions
Objective
To evaluate and select mission opportunities, both domestic and foreign, that are realistic for the Huntsville Church and to promote involvement in same.
Rex Davis
Missions
Scope and Method of Accomplishing
Keep abreast of activities and needs in the mission field including communication with our missionaries.
Promote a "mission mentality" among the membership by keeping them informed as to what is being done and with what successes.
Supervise the men and women in the mission field and the expenditure of funds for same. Coordinate with the missionary workers to provide Bibles, songbooks, Bible school materials, etc.
Supervise the men and women in the mission field and the expenditure of funds for same. Coordinate with the missionary workers to provide Bibles, songbooks, Bible school materials, etc.
Solicit funds for support of mission efforts and work cooperatively with the Youth and other ministries on joint missionary efforts.
Places We Support
SINGAPORE
Shelly Bryant has been our missionary in Singapore for the past thirteen (13) years. She works with the Hollywood Church of Christ in Singapore, which currently has about forty (40) members, and continues to thrive. There have been two baptisms this year. Shelly speaks fluent Mandarin and is currently working with the teen age girls. The Huntsville congregation has supported Shelly from the time she began her mission work. The elders of the League City Church of Christ oversee this work and that is where her father, Ralph, is the minister. Ralph spent a few years in Huntsville working with our teens so many of us know Shelly personally.
KHON KAEN THAILAND
Kim and Rebecca Vorarotskul have been in Thailand for several years where Kim has worked with the Khon Kaen church and served as Director of the Church of Christ Preacher Training School. There have been eight students graduate from the Preacher Training School this year and there have been 58 graduates since the school was established. These graduates are going out into Thailand and establishing congregations and spreading the gospel in that country. The congregation in Khon Kaen currently has about 80 members and a gospel meeting brought 150 members and visitors to hear God’s message. This work is overseen by the Elders of the Silver Springs Church of Christ in Maryland.
POR LOS NINOS (For the Children)
Por Los Ninos is a home for children located in Catacomas, Honduras and is under the oversight of the Elders of the Church in Starkville, Mississippi. It is a part of their Family Life Missions program. The children brought to this home are children who have no hope or future. Some of them became orphans when Hurricane Mitch hit that country about five years ago. Many of the children come from such large families the parents can not provide for them. Sometimes the mothers are left with more children than she can care for after the father has died. Many of them come to Por Los Ninos malnourished and sick. These children are given hope, they are loved, they are given an education, they are trained in their own culture, and most importantly, they are taught about God and all He has done for all of us.
MATLAPA, MEXICO
This work is now a joint effort of 9th and Elm Church of Christ in Orange, Texas and Huntsville. This work began in 2001 after solely being supported by Huntsville for two years. Nicolas Hernandez Medina is the minister at this location and is one of the most productive preachers in the state. Nicolas graduated first in his class at the Huichihuayan Preacher Training School. In 2001 land was jointly purchased by both congregations and a new building is now completed seating one hundred twenty five in the auditorium. The congregation has grown to about seventy-five and there has been seven baptisms this year. Our college group has worked many hours at the location and built all the benches in the building.
HUICHIHUYAN, SAN LUIS POTOSI, MEXICO
Ciriaco Felix Martinez is the sub-director of this Church of Christ supported Preacher Training School which has been very successful. There is a congregation of about seventy members located in the school. All the ministers we support in this state are graduates of the school. In addition to working closely with the school, Ciriaco and Maurilio Salinas-graduates that we support, preach at five locations in the area every Lord’s Day. These locations are: Huichihuayan, La Pimenta, La Purisima, El Nacimiento, and Francisco Villa. Most of the congregations are small and struggle financially, but continue to grow. The work is overseen by the Huntsville Eldership.
THE BAXTER INSTITUE of Biblical and Cultural Studies
The Baxter Institute is located in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, C.A. and is a college of Biblical studies training young men and women from many countries, especially Central American and Spanish Speaking Countries. A graduate will have completed four years of Bible study, served a congregation for one semester and worked and taught in various areas to qualify for a diploma. Baxter also offers medical clinic services to those in need, trains local citizens in nutrition and furnishes them with some food, offers sewing classes and hygiene to local women. One of our elders, Frank Price, has been on the Baxter board for many years. Members of our congregation are invited each year to attend their graduation. There will be eleven candidates for Licenciatura of Theology Degree in 2006, their 37th graduation.
CIUDAD VICTORIA, TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO
Arturo Martinez, a graduate of Sunset School of Preaching, is the director of a Preacher Training School located in Victoria which is the capitol of Tamulipas. Quality ministers are being trained and sent out to different areas of Mexico. These students are required to meet minimum standards for conducting bible studies and conversions in order to graduate. Through the work of the preacher training school, five other congregations have been established in Victoria. The school houses students year round and is very successful. Arturo also oversees all the work we support in Tamulipas. The Camino Real Church located in Victoria has about 150 members and there have been at least 10 baptisms this year. This work is overseen by the elders of the Garland Road Church of Christ in Plainview, Texas.
GONZALEZ, TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO
After supporting the work in Mante, Mexico for some thirty years, the work began declining and, as approved by our Elders, the work was moved to Gonzales. Gilberto Garcia Salinas is our minister at this location and the church is growing rapidly. Gilberto has baptized eleven persons this year and Gonzales is a favorite location for students mission trips. Land is being purchased and plans for a church building are under consideration. This work is also overseen by the Plainview Eldership. Arturo Martinez monitors this work from Cd. Victoria.
SANTOS, SAN LUIS POTOSI, MEXICO
Julio Martinez Garcia is our missionary preacher at this location and is a graduate of the Huichihuayan Preacher Training School. There is no large building facility and the church is made up of two congregations that are about one quarter of a mile apart. Julio ministers to both congregations that have a total membership of one hundred and ten members. There have been four baptisms this year and the church continues to grow.
CIUDAD VALLES
There are three congregations of the church in Valles. North Residential Church of Christ, Montezuma Church of Christi, and Colonel Rafael Curel Church of Christ. There are about 135 members in the Monteauma congregation, about 50 in North Residential and about 25 in Colonel Rafael Curel. Huntsville supported Theodoro Vallejo at North Residential for about thirty years. Theodoro was killed in a commercial bus accident in 1996. Huntsville no longer supports these congregations but the work continues at all three.
Other locations in Mexico we visit:
San Fernando, Tanlajas, Aquismon, Xilitla, Axtla, La Purisima, and La Pinienta.
