Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Merry Christmas!





We want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We pray that this coming year you will walk in God’s joy, peace and love. May His presence and blessing be yours in abundance.

Walking through this year of transition, we have been constantly reminded of how God is in control. Our transition to US Missions from World Missions began in March and became official October 1st. For those that do not know, we will be serving as campus pastors at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. It is the nation’s oldest public university and home to over 107 nations as represented by the student body.

Our desire was to move in December during the school break. Although we are very close to reaching our goal, we still lack approximately $600 per month in financial partnership. Once that budget is met, we will move immediately to North Carolina to begin ministering there.

Thank you so very much for walking through this process with our family. We could not reach this generation without your help. Many of you by faith have even increased your support. For that we cannot thank you enough.

The boys are doing well, and growing rapidly as boys do. Josiah turned 7 years old in November. He played flag football for the Raiders, loves math, NASCAR, and is in the gifted program at school. Elijah just turned 19 months old. He is now in the 97th percentile for both height and weight. Very feisty, he is always testing his limits and ours! He rides scooters, climbs bookcases, and tackles his brother every chance he gets.

Merry Christmas,

Joe, Mishael, Josiah & Elijah

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Closing in on the goal; headed to CA

We continue to be blessed by new partners in the ministry. We need only about $600/ month in partnership to meet our budget and move to North Carolina!! We are open for meetings and services. Headed to California next week. Trying to book an East Coast swing.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

The Next Step: Newell News 0910

Headed to North Carolina
It is with great expectation and enthusiasm we announce our next phase of ministry. We have recently been invited to minister at the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill as US appointed missionaries with Chi Alpha.
The door to return to South Africa has closed for now; and we have earnestly sought God’s direction. This path of prayer, fasting, and listening has led us to a fantastic opportunity at UNC.
Our heart’s passion has always been to reach young people. Over the past four years our hearts have been increasingly turned towards the youth of America. At a time where many Americans are lamenting the erosion of faith and values, we believe there is no more strategic place for reaching the next generation of American young people than the university.
It is the greatest single access point to the future parents, business owners, teachers, and leaders in America today.
The university years are also a crossroads of decision, independence, and challenge for many students. In regards to faith, the college years and beyond have proven devastating to the faith of this generation. Only 30% of teenagers that attend church in America still do so by age 30. This has to change.

Partnering for a December move; we need your help
We’ll receive our final budget the beginning of October. If our partner support fulfills that budget, we will be cleared to move as soon as possible to North Carolina to begin ministering at the university. In that scenario, we will move to Chapel Hill when Josiah completes his first semester of school. We need the help of all of our partner churches, families, and friends to meet our goal of ministering at UNC come January.

Transitioning from World Missions to US Missions
Our move from AGWM to USM has taken months to complete. Since there is no mechanism in place for transferring between the two departments, we had to resign from AGWM in March, and apply as brand new candidates with US missions. We will finish that transition September 24th in Springfield, Missouri. At that time we will also receive a new missions account for holding donations.
What to do with support?
Until we receive our new account at USM, donors can: 1) Send in their support marked special/personal 2) Hold their pledge until our new account is setup 3) Give as normal. Please note that if you give as normal, the funds will be forwarded to ministries in Africa, and will not be accessible by us. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us for further explanation.
We are available for services, and would love to introduce your congregation to university missions.

Like weeds I tell ya'; like weeds they are growing
The boys continue to grow up far too fast for our liking. Josiah just started 1st grade and was accepted into the gifted program. He’s very good at math and loves NASCAR and football. He’ll turn 7 years old on November 1st.
Elijah turned one year old back on May 12th. His favorite things are being outside and playing “Tackle Chase” every chance he gets.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

In my mind I'm gone to Carolina . . .


There is a well known song by James Taylor where he dreams about going to "Carolina". Well that is exactly where our God path has led us. We recently received and accepted an invitation to minister as US missionaries through Chi Alpha at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. As many of you know, we attempted to return to South Africa to pioneer a university ministry there with the national church. During the course of that effort, two things became increasingly clear: One, our passion for reaching the next generation of America grew stronger and stronger. Two, the large budget required to return to South Africa was not coming in.
In consultation with our missioanry leadership, we re-affirmed our desire to minister on the university level. It was then mutually decided that the open door was here in the US. Following that discussion, we began to engage the US missions department of the Assemblies of God, and their ministry to universities--Chi Alpha.
The long and short is that after much prayer, fasting, and listening, God led us to the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It is the nation's oldest public university, and home to roughly 28,000 students.
There is an existing Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship of about 35 students. It is our desire to partner with with them and see the impact in students' lives grown. The university is a key strategic point for reaching youth, and America as a whole. Where else can you reach parents before they become parents? Reach business leaders before they lead their companies? Reach teachers before they teach? Or reach leaders before they lead?
For many students, it is the first time they are on their own, making their own decisions without any supervision. They are experimenting with their identity. They are being taught new world views. They are looking for a community of relationship. It can also be a very challenging time for faith. The Barna research group estimates that 6 out of 10 teenagers attend a church gathering on a weekly basis. However, by age 30 only about 31% attend a church gathering.
At a time where many of us are lamenting the moral and religious decline of America-- led largely by the youth-- there is no better place to enter the battle for souls than in the place where youth are defining themselves and the world around them--the university.
We have a goal of moving to North Carolina in December in order to be in place for the beginning of the second semester. We'll receive our new budget at the end of September. As soon as we have 100% of our budget pledged, we'll be cleared to make the move. We'll need everyone's help; but we also trust that God will make a way.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

We have been itinerating now for 26 months raising funds to return overseas. However, we are still quite a ways away from the budget needed to return to South Africa. These last six months we have realized that the services were not happening and the monies were not coming in. The last two months we have been losing money instead of increasing due to the churches re-adjusting their pledges because of the economy.
AGWM has been so gracious in working with us and granting us extensions. Recently we had a conference call with our leadership and decided that our time of fundraising has come to an end. God has a new season for us. The funds we have will not allow us to go anywhere outside the US.
It has been recommended that we resign foreign missions and apply to US missions. With that said, we will still be ministering to university students.. Over the last several weeks we have met with leadership in all areas concerned. We are currently speaking with Chi Alpha about a place of ministry. Over the next seven days we are fasting and listening for God's will as to which university we should be ministering to.
This is a hard decision resigning foreign missions after 19 years (Mishael) and 15 years (Joe). But we know God is in control, and no economy is too difficult for him. All things are possible! Therefore we are at peace with the decision and transition. We are ready for what God has next in store for us. Missions is missions whether it is overseas or here in the U.S. We are simply trying to stay faithful to our commitment to God to go wherever He sends us.

We thank you for your prayers and support over these last two years, and also in the weeks to come as we navigate this process. We will need all of our partners to stay with us in order to fulfill this new assignment.

Our time table is to attend Reaching The University training in Missouri (June12-20). US missions will be approving applications at the end of July.
Orientation for assignment will take place in mid-September. In the meantime we are waiting on an account with US missions so that we may transfer pledges and funds. As soon as the account is open we will distribute the number. Until then, funds given to our AGWM account will go to Africa missions instead of us.



Prayer requests:
1) God's continued guidance and direction in our decisions about where we would minister in the USA.

2) God's favor in financial support (with the transfer to US missions there is a great chance of loosing partners as not everyone see's the US missions as missions.
.

Blessings,
Newell's

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

youth trends updated

http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2010/02/what-youth-think-2010-youth-trends-report.html

Monday, February 8, 2010

Freeze on PEPFAR?

The people of Africa rejoiced when then President Bush approved billions to help keep Africans with HIV alive. The current administration has decide to freeze PEPFAR spending. That means in many places newly infected HIV patients will not be able to acquire the needed ARV's. By the way, keeping young adults alive through providing free ARV's also keeps parents in the home to help see their children through school. I understand budget cuts; but I also understand commitments that involve life and death.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/article297266.ece

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

How crucial is leadership for a nation?

We must lead a generation by example.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/columnists/article287194.ece

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Furlough extended

Our itineration has been extended until the end of February. We are still booking services and meetings. We are still in need of prayer and financial partners. Please pray with us.

Friday, January 8, 2010

South African students struggle to graduate

South African students continue to struggle to graduate high school and qualify for college. The numbers of those passing their matric exams are actually declining. The public schools need a huge increase in resources. However, no amount of resources on their own will bring about the desired results. Without parents in the home, I'm afraid we'll continue to see high failure rates interrupted by the rare "rise-above-my-situation" story. I think this is true for America as well as South Africa. Check out these articles and pray for this generation of South African students.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article253211.ece
http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/editorials/article252641.ece