Team of Six from Oklahoma Head to Haiti

Posted on May 18, 2012 by

This evening, a team of six young people from Tulsa, Oklahoma area head to Haiti with The Haiti Collective for a 14-day mission trip to provide medical and dental care for orphans. This team will travel across our network of churches as a mobile clinic to meet the basic medical and dental needs of children in various communities.  Additionally, they will spend a portion of the day hosting a “VBS” like event focusing on teaching these children about Jesus.

Please join us in praying for this mission team as they are our first to be send for this particular need (medical/dental care). As we break new ground in the development of our mission work, we anticipate God’s faithful hand to guide and direct so that we can best serve the pastors and church leaders who doing a great work for the advance of the gospel!

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Resources from When Helping Hurts

Posted on May 14, 2012 by

Without a doubt, the most important resource we employ outside the Bible for training team members working in Haiti is the book When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett. They have just released a new edition of this book, forwarded by David Platt.  Here’s a general description of the book:

With a new foreword by David Platt, two new chapters and a final word on how to help without hurting, this expanded edition of When Helping Hurts creates a new paradigm for partnership by asking Christians to declare and demonstrate among people who are poor that Jesus Christ is making all things new. While this book exposes past and current development efforts that churches have engaged in which unintentionally undermine the people they’re trying to help, its central point is to provide proven strategies that challenge Christians to help the poor empower themselves. Focusing on both North American and Majority World contexts, When Helping Hurts catalyzes the idea that sustainable change for people living in poverty comes not from the outside-in, but from the inside-out.

Along with the new edition of When Helping Hurts, their website has an excellent 3-part webinar specifically geared to applying the principles of the book to the country of Haiti (how helpful is that?!). Here are the sessions of the webinar:

Session 1 || Haiti: The Church and Poverty
(audio | ppt)
Session 2 || Haiti: Doing Asset-based Relief, Rehabilitation, and Development
(video | ppt)
Session 3 || Haiti: Opportunities for Outsiders: A Panel Discussion
(audio | ppt)

Also, check out their assessment tool.

These resources are foundational to shaping our philosophy of mission in Haiti. We hope you will check them out!

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The Haiti Collective Is Now on Twitter!

Posted on May 14, 2012 by

That’s right, you can catch all the developments of our growing network and ministry in Haiti through Twitter.  To follow us on Twitter, go to our account or simply click on the button on the right side bar that says “follow @haiticollective”.

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New Haiti Collective Logo!

Posted on May 14, 2012 by

We are so excited to share with you a new logo that was developed by the ever talented Jeff Nine from Studio IX Creative. Jeff has generously offered his gifts in creative design to spread the mission of impacting Haiti with the love of Christ.  We would like to thank Jeff for the work he’s done on our behalf. If you are in need of great design work, we encourage you to check them out!

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Update: God Has Provided for Our Urgent Need!

Posted on April 30, 2012 by

Three days ago, I made public an urgent request for one of our churches in Haiti who is being forced out of the building they have used for 10 years without a place to meet.  Our network partnering churches have invested resources into orphan care (food, clean water, and education) as well as theological education of pastors.  At this point, we are not capable of meeting the urgent needs that arise, such as the one that happened last week.

But in God’s kindness, the need has been met.  After plugging this request on Facebook and Twitter, I received several responses–some were folks committing to pray, some inquiring about the need, and others seeking to help financially.  Late Saturday, a dear friend and pastor of Valley View Baptist Church in Louisville, KY, Joel Carwile, emailed to inform me he was going to bring this before his elders and church.  By mid-morning today, I received word that Valley View will be able to generously provide the $2000 we need to acquire the land for the church in Port-de-Paix!  Praise God!

On a side (and personal) note, Pastor Joel was instrumental in my life going back to when I was in the sixth grade.  God used Joel to teach me how to pray, study God’s Word, and develop a healthy devotional life.  More than anything else, that propelled me spiritually in the most formative period of my youth.  Now, some 20 years later, he has led his church to help us with this need. How cool is that?!

The Haiti Collective is simply that.  A collection of churches seeking to invest in local churches and pastors in Haiti by encouraging, supporting, and assisting them in their indigenous work of making disciples, planting churches, and caring for orphans.  The needs we have range from cholera infected orphans to collapsed buildings to training emerging church leaders to “homeless” congregations. We long to bring the hope of the gospel in word and deed to this devastated country, and together, we believe God will transform communities there by the power of the gospel!

Thank you for your interest, prayers, and support! And thank you Valley View and Pastor Joel for meeting this urgent need and God using you to answer our prayers!

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Network Need: Church in Port-de-Paix Forced Out

Posted on April 28, 2012 by

One of the 13 churches in our network is in the city of Port-de-Paix, located on the northern tip of Haiti (see the red cross on the map below).  This church has strong pastoral leadership and desire to reach their city.  In 2002, they signed a 10-year lease on a building in the heart of the city and have been able to use it as the base for their orphan care as well as ministry of the church.

This month, the church was notified by the owner that he will not allow them to renew their lease on the commercial building.  Because Port-de-Paix is a port city, the cost of leasing building in the city is really high and exceptionally rare.  The only viable option for the church now is to look for affordable land and build temporary facilities until a more permanent construction project can take place.

I talked to our network leaders in Haiti, and they have a piece of land they hope to purchase for $2,000, and from there, they hope to put up temporary facilities to house public gatherings and meetings.  Because of the economy and the high percentage of unemployment, the possibility of the church coming up with the money is nearly impossible on their own.

That is why I’m bringing this before you here.

The church in Port-de-Paix has asked their people to give sacrificially to help with the acquisition of land, and they have received approximately $250 in US dollars. As you can see, they need our help.  We would like to help cover the remaining cost of purchasing the land and getting temporary facilities for the church (likely large tents) so that they could continue to meet corporately and ministry in the community.

If you would like to contribute to this need, you can click on our donate page and give through PayPal directly to the network Haiti fund.  100% of the funds will go to this particular need.  If you have any questions or would like to mail a check directly, please contact me at timmybrister[at]gmail.com.

Please help us spread the word about the needs we have in Haiti!  Thank you for considering this urgent request, and I hope to keep you updated on how God is working to meet these needs!

» To donate to this need, please click here.

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Upcoming Mission Trips in 2012!

Posted on April 23, 2012 by

Over the past couple months, we have been working on the remaining calendar year and the developing partnerships with Haitian churches in our network.  Two years ago, a Haitian pastor was sitting in the back row of Grace Baptist Church wondering if there was any hope to rebuild after losing everything.  In God’s kindness, we have been able to invest time, money, and resources in caring for over 1,600 orphans, 13 churches, and over 60 ministry leaders, along with four teams traveling to serve on the ground!

As the mission continues to grow and expand, we are praying for additional churches to partner in the work of gospel advance through the network of churches in Haiti who believe in the philosophy of mission that empowers indigenous leaders and facilitate a long-term vision to transform communities through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Over the past year, the mission has expanded from two churches to five churches with several others inquiring about partnership.  Below are the planned mission trips for the remainder of 2012 right now. It is likely that we will add 1-2 more during the Fall season. Pray with us as we seek to bring the hope of the gospel to the people of Haiti through local churches built on the gospel of Jesus Christ!

1.  Medical/Dental Missions | May 18 – June 2, 2012

2.  Church Partnership in Saint-Marc | June 19-25, 2012

3.  Church Partnership in Desarmes | July 23-30, 2012

4.  Church Partnership in Duval | July 30 – August 6, 2012

5.  Church Partnership in Port-au-Prince | December 12-17, 2012

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Port-au-Prince | December 12-17, 2012

Posted on April 23, 2012 by

Overview

Date: December 12-17, 2012
Team: Open Door Baptist Church (Tuscaloosa, AL)
Location: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Objective(s): Orphan Care, Evangelism, VBS
Contact: K.J. Pugh (thesovereignjoy [at] yahoo.com)

Summary

A team of 5-10 members from Open Door Baptist Church are planning a trip to minister to the church and orphans in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  Since the earthquake, the church in PaP have not had a building large enough for them to meet in a corporate gathering.  The orphanage, whose buildings were also destroyed, is temporarily renting space to house 80 orphans.  The team from Open Door will invest a week into the lives of these orphans and meeting with the pastors and leadership team about future possibilities, including partnership and assistance in meeting the many practical needs they currently have.

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Duval | July 30 – August 6, 2012

Posted on April 23, 2012 by

Overview

Date: July 30 – August 6, 2012
Team: The Journey Church (Lebanon, TN)
Location: Duval, Haiti
Objective(s): Orphan Care, Evangelism, VBS, Pastoral Training
Contact: Erik Reed (journeypastor@gmail.com)

Summary

A team of 5-10 members from The Journey Church will spend a week ministering to the church in Duval, Haiti.  This is a developing church plant with a large orphan school and strong leadership under the direction of Pastor Lucien Beucage. The church building has recently undergone construction, and the physical and spiritual needs in this community are great.  The Journey Church are partnering with The Haiti Collective through Libere 2012 to provide orphan care and are looking to develop a long-term partnership with Pastor Lucien and the church in Duval.  While there, they will facilitate bible-training for orphans in the morning, ministry in the community/mountain in the afternoon, and hosting evangelistic services in the evening at the church building.

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Desarmes | July 23-30, 2012

Posted on April 23, 2012 by

Overview

Date: July 23-30, 2012
Team: Grace Baptist Church (Cape Coral, FL)
Location: Desarmes, Haiti
Objective(s): Orphan Care, Evangelism, VBS, Pastoral Training
Contact: Tim Brister (timmybrister@gmail.com)

Summary

A team of 5-10 members from Grace Baptist will reconnect with the church in Desarmes, Haiti.  In January 2011, Grace Baptist first traveled to Saint-Marc, and since then, they have built a partnership with the church for long-term ministry investment in caring for orphans (through Libere 2012) and gospel advance (through mission trips).  They will facilitate bible-training for orphans in the morning, ministry in the community in the afternoon, and hosting evangelistic services in the evening at the church building.

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Saint-Marc | June 19-25, 2012

Posted on April 23, 2012 by

Overview

Date: June 19-25, 2012
Team: Christ Fellowship Church (Bowling Green, KY)
Location: Saint-Marc, Haiti
Objective(s): Orphan Care, Evangelism, VBS, Pastoral Training
Contact: Jody Sledge (jodysledge@gmail.com)

Summary

A team of 8 members from Christ Fellowship will reconnect with the church in Saint-Marc, Haiti.  In June 2011, Christ Fellowship first traveled to Saint-Marc, and since then, they have built a partnership with the church for long-term ministry investment in caring for orphans (through Libere 2012) and gospel advance (through mission trips).  They will facilitate bible-training for orphans in the morning, ministry in the community/mountain in the afternoon, and hosting evangelistic services in the evening at the church building.

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Medical/Dental | May 18 – June 2, 2012

Posted on April 23, 2012 by

Overview

Date: May 18 – June 2, 2012
Team: Bethel Baptist Church (Owasso, OK)
Location: Various Churches in Haiti
Objective(s): Medical/Dental Clinic, Orphan Care
Contact: Zach Taylor (wzt_89@yahoo.com)

Summary

A team of six young people from Bethel Baptist Church are traveling throughout our network of churches to provide medical screening and dental care through clinics in the local churches.  The team will focus on orphan care, disease prevention, medical screening, dental cleaning, training in water filtration systems, teaching in the church, and preaching the gospel in the communities. The team will spend 2-3 days in each community. Each day will include teaching orphans in the morning and ministry in the community in the afternoon.

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Discipling the Youth of Haiti with the Gospel

Posted on January 8, 2012 by

One of the major emphases of our work in Haiti is investing in young people.  We do this through orphan care and education, but also through teaching and discipling the youth and young adults as well.  In our upcoming trip, we will host a two-day youth conference focused on “The Gospel Centered Life” to teach and disciple the youth of Haiti to know who Jesus is and what He has done so that they might build their lives and settle their identities upon Him and Him alone.  We will also have evening evangelistic services for the community where young people can invite friends and family to come hear the gospel proclaimed from one of our team members.

Here is the schedule for the youth conference which will take place in Desarmes on January 19-20.  Please pray that God would use this time to light a fire in the hearts of young people with a passion to know Jesus and spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere they go!

THURSDAY:

Discipling Session 1: What is the Gospel? – Tim Brister
Discipling Session 2: What is the Gospel-Centered Life? – Lance Parrott
Discipling Session 3: How Am I Continually Changed by the Gospel? – KJ Pugh
Fellowship
Evangelistic Service – Erik Reed

FRIDAY:

Discipling Session 4: How the Gospel Impacts You in Faith (Your Life) – Tim Brister
Discipling Session 5: How the Gospel Impacts You in Love (Your Community) – KJ Pugh
Discipling Session 6: How the Gospel Impacts You in Hope (Your Future) – Erik Reed
Fellowship
Evangelistic Service – Lance Parrott

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Training Haitian Pastors on Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

Posted on January 7, 2012 by

During the week of January 16-22, we will be taking a team of pastors to Haiti for a network-wide theological training conference.  This will be our third training conference (the first focused on the nature and implications of the gospel, the second focused on the marks of a healthy church), and the focus for this conference is “Suffering and the Sovereignty of God.”  Our goal is to address important doctrinal truths, including God’s sovereignty, providence, evil, and how we should suffer well in light of our knowledge of God’s character and ways with us.

Three pastors (myself included) have been to Haiti before with THC (Tom Ascol, Lance Parrott, and me), and three will be going for the first time (Bill Ascol, K.J. Pugh, and Erik Reed).  Below is the conference schedule for the Pastors Conference that will take place in Saint-Marc on January 17-18th.  Pray for us as we prepare to teach and train 60+ pastors and teachers from across the country.  Thanks!

TUESDAY:

Teaching Session 1: Laying a Biblical Foundation for Suffering Well – Tom Ascol
Q&A
Teaching Session 2: The Character of God Foundational to Suffering – Tim Brister
Teaching Session 3: Salvation of God Accomplished Through Suffering – Erik Reed
Q&A
Teaching Session 4: The Mission of God Spread Through Suffering – KJ Pugh
Training for One Point Water Filtration Systems

WEDNESDAY:

Teaching Session 5: Lessons on Suffering from James, Part 1 – Bill Ascol
Q&A
Teaching Session 6: Lessons on Suffering from James, Part 2 – Bill Ascol
Teaching Session 7: The Purposes and Promises of God in Suffering – Lance Parrott
Q&A
Teaching Session 8: The Glory That Awaits Suffering Saints – Tom Ascol
Prayer and Testimony Service

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