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...The Least of These...

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 21:34:00 -0500

Mike Glymph Covenant Lutheran Church Temple, Texas February 26, 2006 �The Least of These� Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' In January/February, 2006, I was blessed to again serve as a missionary in the wonderful country of Honduras, Central America. I have now served on five teams in the past two years, all of which have been in Honduras with Westside Ministries of Ashburn, Georgia. My affiliation with Westside began when my brother, Don Glymph of Appling, Georgia, encouraged me to join him on a mission trip. Having served consecutively each year over the past 15 years in the mission field with Westside, Don had extended an invitation to me to join him and the team for several years. I made my first trip in January 2004, returned in January 2005, accompanied by my wonderful wife, and again served in April 2005 with Westside�s first �shoe� ministry. January/February 2006 was my latest trip and by far my most memorable one. I was blessed to serve two full weeks in-country and to serve on two separate mission teams... more Westside Ministries, established in 1992 by mission director Roger Blanchard and his wife, Linda, is an interdenominational Christian mission organization based in Lizapa, Honduras, approximately 30 kilometers southeast of Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras. Since its inception, Westside has fielded mission teams to go out into the villages in the region/country to administer medical and dental care, to construct churches and mission homes, to drill wells, to finance churches, to distribute clothing (shoes), farming equipment, communications equipment, and Christian literature, and to evangelize through small group training, visitations, and street witness. Around the turn of the century/millennium, two parcels of land were acquired in Lizapa that are now being developed according to the vision that God presented to Roger. This vision includes the construction of a mission �campus� containing a pastoral training center, a hospital for medical and dental treatment, and an orphanage focused specifically on family life. Support facilities include dormitories for transitioning missionaries and support personnel, staff housing for full-time personnel, a dining facility, and necessary utilities and storage facilities. The first week this year, I served with Engineering Ministries International (eMI) based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. eMI defines itself as �a non-profit Christian development organization made up of architects, engineers and design professionals who donate their skills to help children and families around the world step out of poverty and into a world of hope�. eMI initially developed plans for the Westside campus during a trip they made in January, 2004. This year, they returned to Lizapa to focus on continuing with the initial planning and construction as well as adjusting various aspects of the evolving vision. The team, led by Gary MacPhee, vice president of ministry development of eMI, had been a member of the initial team in 2004. Gary�s return this year ensured excellent continuity in the planning, organization and execution for the follow-up team mission. In addition to the eMI team, there were several support members. Of particular interest were Keith and Joanna Daniels and their son Tanner, who joined us from the States in lieu of Roger and Linda. A family illness in Roger�s family had precipitated a last-minute change (This marked the second time Roger had been unavailable to be in attendance on a trip since he began the ministry). NOTE: The Daniels family had been called to full-time ministry with Westside last year. They attended �immersion� language school in Guatemala the end of last year and were scheduled to move down later in January, but were willing to adjust and come early in Roger and Linda�s place. The eMI team was approximately half the size of the medical-dental-shoe team which was to follow. Since we had minimal interaction with the native Hondurans the first week because of the nature of the work, we did not require additional interpreters. Several of the team members spoke varying degrees of Spanish, which sufficed for what we were to accomplish. Two days before the end of the first week, Dr. �Country� James Hattaway arrived. A urologist from the US, �Country� is also the current president of the board of Westside Ministries. His appearance was anxiously anticipated by the team since there were a myriad of questions which had surfaced during the week before his arrival. Many of the questions were of the nature that �Country� could assist with (medical, technical), while other questions were to be reserved for the director. The architects and engineers were very adept at compiling the questions and then briefing �Country� within the limited window of time they had with him. After a long, busy night, the senior architects and engineers accompanied �Country� into a nearby town to use a landline phone to call Roger and talk with him on the remaining questions and issues to be resolved. The phone call, though quite lengthy, was highly successful and enabled the team to complete their planning and organization which led to a successful summary and completion of the first-week mission. Working with the engineering ministry was especially memorable for me. Having retired in the year 2000 from the US Army Corps of Engineers after a 24-year career, I felt a special bond with these servants of God. Though not a professional engineer, I received an associate degree in engineering while at Georgia Military College and was trained extensively in general engineering during my military service (horizontal and vertical construction as well as many leadership schools and courses). I believe my past training and experience helped me to more fully understand EMI�s mission and objectives. I felt quite at home working with each of these Brothers and Sisters and would not hesitate to serve with them again if called. The multi-faceted mission for week two consisted of a medical-dental mission, an eyeglass mission, a shoe mission, a food mission, an evangelism mission, and a haircutting mission. The team was made up of approximately 30 fresh missionaries from the U.S., approximately 25 Honduran doctors, dentists and assistants, and a contingent of interpreters. With almost 60 members now on board and with a variety of missions, living conditions and group coordination now became a challenge. Allen May, the team leader of the US contingent, assumed the overall �pilot� role with various �subordinate leaders� stepping in and assisting where necessary. Allen would assign duties in some cases while, in other cases, team members would simply step up and take on duties. Typical duties included such tasks as coordinating the schedule of daily devotions, changing the large water bottles when they were empty so everyone could stay safely hydrated, washing dental instruments during the actual operation of the brigade, refilling the medications daily from the stock kept back at the campus, and collecting money for the final dinner (a tradition of going to a nice restaurant in the capital city on the last night and having a nice Honduran dinner and reflecting on �God sightings� from the week). And the list goes on and on�. Serving God with Christians who are out of their comfort zones is incomparable to any activity which I have ever experienced in my lifetime. Even after 26 years in military school and the military; after serving with cadets, soldiers and civilians on missions that required the closest of camaraderie and dedication where lives actually hung in the balance, no other experience begins to compare with the intimacy of a mission team that is serving �the least of these�. It is during these times that we are actually doing what God has commanded us to do. It is during these times that we grow in the spirit. It is during these times that we see Jesus face to face.

Apply for Service

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 15:45:39 -0500

Westside Ministries goes on serveral missions trips per year. If you would like to join us on a missions trip you will need to fill out an application for service.

To fill out the Online Application for Service - please click here

Board of Directors

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 10:50:32 -0500

Dr. James Hattaway, Chairman Group # 1 Mr. Craig Black, Group Leader Mr. Bill James Mr. Ronnie Paige Dr. Davis Kinney Mr. David Reeves Dr. Scot Wall Group # 2 Mr. Guy Posey, Group Leader Mrs. Debbie Hann Mr. Myron Johnson Mr. Joe LeBlanc Dr. David Arrington Mr. Tommy Davis Mr. John Turrentine Group # 3 Mr. Allen May, Group Leader Mr. Lloyd DeFoor Dr. Bill Goss Mr. David Morris Mr. Judson Wynne III

Pastoral Board

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 10:46:30 -0500

Rev. T. D. Hall- Pastoral Counselor
Rev. John McNamara - Chairman
Rev. Randy Booth	Rev. Jimmy Mattox
Dr. Vernon Brinkley	Rev. Jeff Mauldin
Rev. Mike DeLoach	Rev. Byron Perrry
Rev. Kyle Floyd	Rev. Archie Smith
Rev. Joe Hester	Rev. Wade Trimmer
Rev. Mike Hobbs	Rev. David Whiteman
Rev. Bill King

Our Projects

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 10:40:31 -0500

In order for Westside Ministries to accomplish the vision God has burned in our hearts, we invite you to have a look at our various projects. At the present time much of our time and efforts are devoted to the construction of the Training Center in Lizapa, Honduras. As you view the construction projects you will see what we are building and what we need to complete the individual construction projects. Medical and Dental brigades are one of our evangelism tools. We are going out into the area surrounding Lizapa and providing medical and dental care for the people. As with all of our projects the gift of salvation is shared

Our Doctrine

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 10:32:52 -0500

What We Believe * In essential beliefs - we have unity. �[There] [is] one body and one spirit...one Lord; one faith, one baptism: one God and Father of all,� Ephesians 4:4-6 * In nonessential beliefs - we have liberty. �Receive one who is weak in the faith, [but) not to disputes over doubtful things... Who are you to judge another�s servant? To his own master he stands or falls ... So then each of us shall give account of himself to God... Happy [is) he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.� Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22 * In all our beliefs - we show love. �And though I have [the) [gift] [of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have faith, so that I could .remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.� I Cor. 13:2 The Essentials We Believe 1. About God God is the Creator and Supreme Ruler of the Universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are one God. �In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.� Gen. 1:1 �Then God said� Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His Own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.� Gen. 2:26, 27 �Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.� Psa. 90:2 �Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,� Matt. 28: 19 �... elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:� I Pet. 1:2 �The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.� II Cor. 13:14 2. About Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is coequal with the Father. Jesus lived in a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven�s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. �So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, �Behold the virgin shall be with child and bear a Son and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated �God with us.� Matt. 1:22, 23 �For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.� Isa. 9:6 �In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.� John 1: 1-5 �Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own [authority), but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also, and greater [works) than these he will do, because I go to my Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep my commandments, And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be with you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live you will live also. At that day you will know that I [am] in My Father, and you in Me, and I in You. He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. Judas(not Iscariot) said to Him, �Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?� Jesus answered and said to him, .if anyone loves Me, he will keep my word,� and My Father will love him, and We will come to Him and make Our home with Him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words,� and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father�s who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you,. not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, I am going away and coming back to you.� .if you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, �I am going to the Father,� for My Father is greater than 1 And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.� John 14: 10-30 �Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God; let us hold fast [our) confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all [points] tempted as [we] [are], [yet] without sin.� Hebrews 4: 14, 15 �For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried; and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,� I Cor. 15:3,4 �Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, [and) declared [to) [be) the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. � Rom. 1:3,4 �Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched; He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said; �Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This [same) Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.� Acts 1:9-11 �...that you keep [this) commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ�s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, [He) [who) is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,� I Tim. 6: 14, 15 �...looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,� Titus 2:13 3. About The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily. �Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.� Cor. 3:17 �Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you,. but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe Me,. of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more,. of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear [them] now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth, for He will not speak on His own [authority], but whatever He hears He will speak.� John 16:7-13 �And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him,. but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.� John 14:16,17 �But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.� Acts 1:8 � Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.� I Cor. 2:12 �Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?� 1 Cor. 3:16 �In Him you also trusted; after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, having believed; you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.� Eph.1:13 �If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.� Gal. 5:25 �And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation,. but be filled with the Spirit.� Eph.5:18 4. About The Bible The Bible is God�s Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error. �All scripture is given by inspiration of God; and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof for correction, for instruction in righteousness,� II Tim. 3: 16 �... knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.� II Pet. 1:20 �Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.� II Tim 1:13 �Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.� Psa 119: 105 �The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of your judgments [endures] forever.� Psa. 119:160 �The words of the Lord are pure words, [Like] silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times.� Psa. 12:6 �Every word of God [is] pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.� Prov. 30:5 5. About Human Beings People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God�s creation. Because of sin all are separated from God and in need of salvation. How We Practice What We Believe Beliefs are not worth much unless they are translated into actions. Based on what the Bible teaches, we feel strongly about the following seven practices: 1. Bible As Our Sole Authority �All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God; and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,� II Tim. 3: 1 Since God�s word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority, we accept the Bible as our manual for living. Our first question when faced with a decision is �What does the Bible say?� We practice daily Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible memorization. The Bible is the basis for all we believe. 2. Autonomy Of Each Local Church �And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He may have preeminence.� Col. l:18 Christ is the recognized head of the church, not any person, group, or religious organization. While recognizing the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians, we believe every local church should be self-governing. While we are not a church Westside Ministries operates and functions on this principal. Our existence is greatly determined by associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians. We believe that a Great Commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will grow a Great Church. �Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, �You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind This is the first and great commandment.� Matt 22:36-38 �And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and 10, I am with you always, [even] to the end of the age.� Matt. 28:18-20 3. Priesthood Of Every Believer �...and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him [be] glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.� Rev.l:6 �But you [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.� I Pet.2:9 The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to �full-time� Christian service, regardless of his or her vocation. We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member of the local church to find a place of service and ministry. We encourage believers to go out under the leadership and with the blessings of their local pastor and church. We believe that each member�s ministry begins when they walk out of their front door each day. Our ministry as believers is not completed until we have gone into all the world sharing the Good News serving and ministering to others. Thereby fulfilling the Great Commission. 4. Tithing "And all the tithe of the land, [whether] of the seed of the land [or] of the fruit of the tree [is] the Lord�s. It [is] holy to the Lord.� Lev. 27:30 Westside Ministries encourages each believer to practice tithing into and for the support of the local church as God commands. �Every man [shall] [give] as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.� Deut. 16: 17 �Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.� Acts 11:29 Our belief is that God will supply the needs of Westside Ministries with gifts and offerings through individual believers and the local church, which is the body of Christ. 5. Baptism �...buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with [Him] through faith in the working of God; who raised Him from the dead.� Col. 2:12 When opportunities present themselves we practice water baptism - the way Jesus was baptized, and the way the Bible commands. 6. Spirit-Led Living (Jesus said) �l am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.� John 15:5 We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God�s power within us. So we seek to practice a daily dependence on God�s Spirit to enable us to do what is right. ��for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for [His] good pleasure.� Phil. 2:13 �And do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.� Eph. 5:18 7. Telling Others About Christ �But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always [be] ready to [give] a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.� I Pet. 3:15 It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Good News with those God brings us into contact with. Our ministry is to enable more people to be in contact with more people to share the Good News.

Our Mission

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 10:30:53 -0500

Westside Ministries began with a vision of One Million souls being saved! With a servant�s heart we set out to be a facilitator in accomplishing this vision. With the leadership of the local pastor we are serving the saints of all denominations and races to reach all tribes and nations of the world. God is using us to bring volunteers together to train, equip, enable, mentor and encourage in fulfilling God�s command to share the Good News. God has recently brought into focus the vision of establishing a work in Honduras, C. A. that will span the future generations. A work that will �disciple pastors and laypeople� to carry out the great commission to �Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you,. �Matthew 28: 19-20. In addition to establishing a Training Center in Honduras, we feel that God would have us build an orphanage. Our desire is to have a refuge for the fatherless. To provide a home built with love to train up a generation to share the Good News. Honduras has been a training ground for this ministry since our first trip in November 1992. However we believe that God intends for the work of this ministry to be carried out around the world to all nations for future generations until the return of Christ.

Looking for the Ultimate Adventure?

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 14:46:26 -0500

Westside Ministries can show you how!

In January 1992, Westside Ministries was born as a mission organization operating under the authority of Westside Church.

With a clear vision and the plan of God, we set forth to share the Gospel around the world and to make mission trips affordable for all. God has allowed us to do just that.

Westside Ministries has assisted hundreds of people, many for the first time, in traveling on missions worldwide. We have seen thousands of people come to know Christ as their Savior through the work of Westside Ministries.