Whose Story Would You Tell?

I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons. Acts 22:4 The people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. And while they were seeking to kill him . . . .Acts 21:30-31

We are fascinated by Paul courageously explaining to a hostile crowd of Jews how he came to faith in Christ. One could conclude that Paul was insane. Who in his right mind would ask to speak to this group after they displayed such hatred? Paul did: "I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people." He was compelled by the love of Christ to speak to them. He told them his story.

Are you prepared to share with unbelievers when opportunities arise? Do you look for these opportunities like Paul did? What would you say? Would you rather tell Paul's story than your own? His was dramatic indeed. But who knows your story better than you do? You lived it! You were there. Tell your story with confidence, my friend! Of course, you can tell Paul's story, or anyone else's testimony of salvation. But you alone can share your story with conviction and passion.

Others may question the validity of God, the Bible, and the deity of Christ. One thing they can't deny is your story. You are standing there in front of them as living proof that God is alive, the Bible is true, and that Jesus forgives sins. He brings new life to a lost sinner. Your life is undeniable evidence that Jesus Christ changes people!

Nelson Newsletter–September 2015

Dear Friends and Partners,

Danelle and I thank God for your faithful support of our work. It has been a very busy August for us personally with the highlights being our last child getting married and our house church conference. Here is a brief report. Enjoy!

Atlanta House Church I meet during the week for Bible Study and prayer with several men. One of them wants to get baptized soon! He is also facing some major life decisions, and could use your intercessory prayers to have wisdom and a willingness to do whatever God shows him.

Last weekend we held our second regional Organic Church Conference near Savannah. Folks from Gainesville, Clemson, Atlanta, and Raleigh came for the teaching, fellowship, relaxation, and worship. Our speaker was Ed Waken from Phoenix, Arizona (front left). Ed showed us how evangelism should be an overflow of our relationship with Christ, and not cause us to be anxious or uptight. He read the Scriptures where the Father, Jesus, and the Spirit each said they would give us the words to say when we need them. He helped us understand how each situation and each person is unique and requires us trusting God and not in a packaged presentation. Of course it is good to know different gospel presentations, have gospel tools ready, and use illustrations, but not to feel trapped by them. God wants us to be free to be ourselves, be sensitive the Spirit’s leading, and simply show sincere love for those who don’t know Him yet.

Wedding - Child #7 Our baby girl, Meredith, married the man of her dreams, Nathan Evans, on August 23^rd. We praise God for Nathan, and the entire Evans family! They are wonderful people who love Jesus. The wedding was at Redtop Mountain State Park on beautiful Lake Allatoona - and the rain stopped in time! It was a joy to celebrate their union with many friends and family. Praise God for His love and grace!

Prayer Requests

 1) The men I meet with each week to be teachable and faithful to God.

2) House Church Conference – We would all apply what God taught us.

3) Meredith and Nathan Evans to have a Christ-centered marriage.

4) Our speaking @ Riverbend Community Church Sept. 13^th to be edifying.

5) Pray for our support. We still have significant back pay for travel expenses. If you wish to give a special gift, please go to www.gcmweb.org, or use the address below. Thank you!

Deeply grateful for each of you,

Steve and Danelle

Great Commission Ministries www.gcmweb.org 11002 Lake Hart Drive, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32832 www.gcmnelson.com

Soon to Be…

Working For Salvation

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13

Referring to verse 12 above, the young missionary who sat in front of me in my apartment insisted that we must work for our salvation. I was a young college student at the time and would have been caught by his reasoning had I not known the rest of the verse. You see, he stopped short of reading the entire sentence, "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." The context tells us that Paul was writing to those who were already saved, not unbelievers, but people who had God living in them! Paul wanted the Christians to "work out" what was already in them, to allow God in them to live His live through them. He was not saying one needed to work to earn his salvation or to save one's self. What a relief!

I think we Christians forget who lives in us. We get back on the treadmill of performance for God, trying to maintain His love, trying to prove we are worthy of His love, and also to impress others. Remember, we were saved by His grace. We did nothing to earn eternal life, and we can do nothing to maintain it! God is alive in you.
Do you know the truth when it comes to salvation? Do you know what the Scriptures teach about how to work for God, empowered by His grace and strength, and not your own wisdom and power? Simply ask the Holy Spirit to control, empower, and freely live through you today. "It is God who is at work in you!"

Leaders Lead–Even Under Pressure

"So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf." Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control-for Aaron had let them get out of control. . . . Exodus 32:25

Leaders lead and don't make excuses or blame others when they fail to be responsible. Moses left Aaron in charge of the people while he went up on the mountain to be with the Lord. He was gone for forty days, during which time he received the Ten Commandments engraved by God on stone tablets. The Israelites figured that Moses was not coming back since he had been absent so long. They decided to rebel and turn away from the Lord, soliciting Aaron to make a new god for them to worship and follow. That is when Aaron failed to "man up" and lead with integrity. Instead, he caved to the pressure.

Not only did Aaron cave to the people's demands, but afterwards, instead of accepting responsibility for his sin, Aaron attempted to shift all the blame to the people. "Then Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?" Aaron responded, "Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil" (32:21-22). Real leaders lead because of their personal convictions which they received from God. Real leaders will also sin at times and may give in to peer pressure. When they do, they own up to their mistakes. They confess instead of concealing. They repent.

What kind of leader do you seek to be at home, at work, in your neighborhood, or among Christians when the pressure is on?

Nelson Newsletter–July 2015

Danelle and I appreciate your prayers for us and we see the results daily! Here are a few of them…

Orlando LINC We just returned from two days of teaching college students at LINC (Laborers Impacting Nations for Christ) in Orlando. God did some amazing things! Steve taught on one of his passions, Every Member A Minister, on Monday night. The message seemed to stir their hearts and minds to consider how we can function as the church by understanding who we are as ministers – all of us, all the time, and all full time!

(In front: Mateo- left & Cassandra –center)

The next day Cassandra Burt, from Woodstock, GA, led the morning devotional. She did an amazing job sharing with the team. Afterwards, Steve taught on Guidance- how to hear from God through His word, counsel, and prayer. He emphasized the importance of being willing (John 7:17-19) to do whatever God asks of us, so that we can hear His voice. He also spoke about hindrances to hearing from God, such as peer pressure, anxiety, financial stress, and insecurity. During this time, Danelle and several of the wives met for a few hours of rich fellowship, encouragement, and ministering to one another in prayer. We enjoyed lunch with Mateo Echeverry and long-time friends, Joe and Peggy Dunn, before we returned to Atlanta.

Atlanta House Church God continues to grow our church. Nathan, our lifeguard, recently attended our meeting, and said he plans to return this Sunday. He also came to our house last week to enjoy one of Danelle’s delicious meals, and the two of us have met several times during the week for Bible study and fellowship. Praise God! Please pray for God to continue to capture his heart with Himself.

We are also excited about Ed Waken coming to speak at our Regional House Church Conference August 28-30. Folks from Gainesville, Florida and Raleigh will join us for about 50% increase from last year!

A New Grandson Today (July 24^th), God brought Ferris Barlow Nelson into the world. Amanda gave birth to a healthy boy (9lb. 2oz), and both are doing well. Praise God! Welcome grandchild #14 into the Nelson clan!

Prayer Requests

1) Pray for Ferris, and all of our grandchildren, to give their lives to Jesus Christ and bring many to Him.

2) House Church Conference August 28-30: For God to speak through Ed Waken & change lives.

3) Pray for our daughter, Meredith, who is getting married August 23^rd to Nathan Evans.

4) Pray for our financial support. We have $5,500 in back pay. If you wish to give, please go to www.gcmweb.org. Every gift makes a difference. Thank you to all who give regularly and sacrificially!

With deep appreciation for your partnership,

Steve and Danelle

Great Commission Ministries www.gcmweb.org 11002 Lake Hart Drive, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32832 www.gcmnelson.com

Soon to Be…

Freedom Comes with Obstacles

As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, "Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?" Exodus 14:10-12

God powerfully freed several million Israelites from harsh slavery in Egypt. But, as often happens, there were obstacles to overcome on the road to liberation. Pharaoh changed his mind after he let them go, leading the entire army in pursuit! The Jews feared for their lives! They complained to Moses for bringing them there to die. They said it would have been better to remain slaves in Egypt than to die in the desert.

Jesus Christ promised us freedom from sin and a new life. This new life involves change and sometimes seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The obstacles are legitimate reasons to fear. The fear tempts us to look back and think it would have been better not to change in the first place. Of course, that thinking is wrong, but the fears are strong and our emotions take control. The sons of Israel really were facing death in the desert! Moses went on to tell them not to fear because God would powerfully deliver them that day. "When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses" (Exodus 14:31).

Ask God to help you focus on the promised land (a life of freedom in Christ), and trust Him with the Egyptians in your life.

Nelson Newsletter–June 2105

Atlanta House Church Our house church continues to learn how to hear from God and build up one another daily. We are also excited about Ed Waken coming to speak at our Regional House Church Conference August 28-30.

Grace leading our church in praise

Father’s Day We celebrated Father’s Day recently, as did many of you, spending time with our dads - reminiscing, sharing stories, laughing, hugging, and enjoying a meal together. Some of your fathers have passed on, like mine, or he’s living in another state and you could not be together. I was reminded by my children of the importance of being a godly father - setting the pace for our children in loving God and others. They are watching and following our example. One of our sons wrote to me, “Thank you for being a great dad and good example of a father.” A daughter wrote, “Happy Father’s Day!! I was listening to someone talk about their mentors - an older couple that had really built into their life and influenced them. He was saying how it had been especially important because he hadn't had his father around much when he was growing up. I couldn't help but think I was blessed to have my father around AND that same father was already such a mentor to me. Mentor really is a silly way to say it - you were a father. A really great picture of what a father should be. As a kid you let me wear your big pink cookie shirt as a nightgown. You took me on dates - special restaurants, just you and me. You prayed for me and talked to me and loved me.” It is completely God’s grace that makes any of us good fathers. It is difficult enough to be a good father, but our world increasingly attacks fatherhood. Ask God to be the father He wants you to be. And, celebrate your father as often as you can! He needs your love, prayers & support.

Grace and I on Father's Day

A New Grandson One of the greatest blessings of being a father is grandchildren. Ellsworth Henry Stansell was born May 19^th into Whitney and Micah’s family. “Welcome to our big family little fella! You have a ton of cousins who look forward to playing with you and growing up together. The rest of us are praying for you to come to know the Lord Jesus and His deep love for you.

Starting Ellsworth off right with the
 virtues of Clemson Football

Prayer Requests

1) Please pray for our children and their spouses to be godly examples of Jesus to our 13 grandchildren.

2) Ask God to bring all those He wants to come to our House Church Conference August 28-30, for God to speak through Ed Waken, and for everyone to have teachable hearts to apply the truths we hear.

3) Pray for Danelle and I as we travel to Orlando, FL to teach at the LINC training program July 20-21.

With deep appreciation for your partnership,

Steve and Danelle