Category Archives: Praises
Check Out Our New Ministry Video!!
It’s finally finished! Check out our video below (click here if you can’t see it)
If you would like a DVD of this presentation to show in your church please send me a message or give me a call at: 678-696-0082.
May God bless! Thank you for following us on our journey to Colombia.
The Big Announcement
Yesterday I posted on Twitter and Facebook that we would be announcing something big. Last time we did that, it turned out to be our survey trip to Colombia which preceded deputation. Well yesterday after posting the teaser, there ensued a great swarm of speculation… from “congrats on the twins” to “baby?” to “boys, girls, or both?” to…. wait, everybody really guessed that we’re having a baby? Could it be that simple? Was it that obvious? Hmmm
Actually, all of the guessers was at least partially right. Yes, we are expecting our second child!!
So now, questions fill our thoughts…. What will we name him (I’m pretty sure it’s a boy lol) … or her? What will he or she look like? How will we fit it all into our schedule? But really, we’re so thrilled that God would be so gracious to us in entrusting another precious child into our care. Looks like we’ll get to know the newest Vance in late May or early June.
It will be interesting to see how our little Amira reacts to not being the little baby anymore. If you have multiple kids, how did your older one react when they got a new sibling? Feel free to respond in the comments.
Thank you all for your prayers. Be praying for Aubrie especially as we will be travelling for some far-from-home meetings coming up this fall and into next year as we present our ministry in Colombia.
I Love Church!
We’ve been having a wonderful time with the good people at Crossroads of Life Baptist Church in Canton, GA this week during their missions conference, which ends tonight. What a blessing it has been, with good preaching, good singing, good spirit and good fellowship with other missionaries and church members that are passionate about reaching the world… AMEN!
Well, tomorrow, we get to start another missions conference at one of my favorite churches, Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, GA. I spent some time in Peru 7 or 8 years ago with the pastor of this church, Austin Gardner. He is a unique leader with a passion for training young men to reach the world. We are definitely honored to have a part in their world missions team. It’s going to be an exciting week, no doubt!
After Vision’s conference ends on Sunday morning, we’ll make the drive up to Sylva, NC to the Victory Baptist Church for their missions conference starting that evening and going until Wednesday.
All in all, we’ll have been in about 32 church services during the month of September. Maybe more, we’ll see.
You know what? …I love church!
I love the opportunity to worship Jesus, study his Word, promote missions, and fellowship with other people who are passionate about God’s GLORY! It’s wonderful, isn’t it? What is your favorite thing about church?
10 Years and 800 Sermons
I was 15 years old, nervous, excited, and desperately wanting God to work through me. It was a Saturday night Youth Revival at a small church in Flowery Branch, Georgia, and it would be my first time preaching.
After weeks of reading, studying, praying, fasting and begging God to do something great, the night came. I preached for 23 minutes about Daring to be a Daniel. I think I preached through about the entire book of Daniel before we finished. 🙂 One young man came forward and dedicated his life to Christ. It was worth it!
That was 10 years ago. God has opened so many doors since then and it has been such a joy preaching His Word. There’s nothing greater than knowing Christ and making Him known!
By God’s grace, He has allowed me to preach around 750 or 800 times in nursing homes, rescue missions, chapel services, mission churches around the world, our Spanish church, and now on deputation at churches across the country. I’m not worthy, but praise the Lamb, HE is!!
Over the past 10 years I’ve learned a few things, and I’m still trying to learn each day. Here are a few things God has taught me:
1. It’s not me, but it is Christ that can change lives!
“For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:5-7
2. The Bible text should be the central focus of the message, not my fancy outline!
“Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” Acts 20:26-28
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18
3. God’s word will not return void!
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11
4. The message must first be preached to me!
“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” 1 Peter 5:1-4
So, 10 years have passed and unless Christ returns soon, I look forward to many, many more years of preaching and enjoying every opportunity He gives me to bring forth the Word of Life! I wouldn’t trade it for anything. He is worthy!
New Recruits!
The Vance family, decked out for Boot Camp!
Wow, what a great week at Vacation Bible School! We were honored to be at our home church’s summer kids program most nights this week and let me tell you, God worked in amazing ways! The theme was “Boot Camp — Get In The Lord’s Army.” Several hundred kids attended, over a hundred teens and adults from Lighthouse helped pull it off, and at least 44 kids spoke with counselors and made professions of faith, making Christ Jesus their Lord and Savior.
It was very odd to just walk into a VBS at Lighthouse and not have much to do with pulling it off. Very different from years past, no doubt. We were able to help with crowd control and decision counseling, and praise God, both Aubrie and I were able to lead a few children to Christ!
Pastor Blackstock also announced that the offering from the penny march would go toward my friends Will Hill (missionary to Japan), Beth Johnson (missionary to Morocco) and us (missionaries to Colombia, of course). What an honor! Thank you guys, we love you!
Remember what Christ said:
“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:10
The Vance Family 