The First Three Years

The First Three Years Hello brothers and sisters in Christ. I hope this message finds you well and prospering in your walk with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I want to thank all of you for your friendship, fellowship, and support of this ministry over the years. Whether you've been a friend of New Disciples for a few days or from the start, I honestly appreciate you all. You are truly all a blessing to me. June 11th, 2011 marked three years since I created the Myspace page that became an online ministry. These past few years have been an amazing journey. In the beginning, I faced a lot of doubt and skepticism for starting an online ministry. I often heard the comment "How does an online ministry work?" and at times, doubted it myself. There were times while I was continually searching for and adding friends to the Myspace and Facebook pages and building the website, that I would see very little feedback and get discouraged. Then I would get a comment on something I wrote, about how it encouraged or lifted up someone's spirit and I would be inspired and determined to push on and keep it going. It feels so good to know that God is working through you. There's no feeling like it! I know that it is what God is doing through me, not any work of my own that is touching people. Though the biggest part of the New Disciples Ministry is still the outreach and discipleship through the internet, my ministry work has gone well beyond the web now. About a year and a half ago, I got involved with the United Methodist Church through the church here in my hometown of Southmont, NC. Soon after I started attending Macedonia UMC, I was able to start teaching Sunday school regularly. I became a member of the Church and went through Lay Speaker training. As a Lay Speaker with the UMC, I'm certified to be in the pulpit, which gives me the oppurtunity to do liturgy during worship services and to fill in when the pastor is away or to be sent to other churches to do the same. It's been a great experience already that has helped me to continue to grow in my walk with Christ. I've also been afforded the oppurtunity to be on the Witnessing Commitee at our home church and on the Administrative board. Through my church family there, I've also been blessed by going on the Walk To Emmaus and becoming a part of the Piedmont Emmaus Community, which has given me more oppurtunities to minister to even more people. More recently, I've also been able to start teaching bible study at Naaman's Recovery Village at Ward Street Mission in High Point, NC. It's a recovery program for drug and alcohol addiction and is a part of a United Methodist Mission. Teaching the guys in the program there and fellowshipping with them has been a wonderful experience. Last, but certainly not least, I've also gotten involved with a ministry called Southmont Chapel. It's a ministry operated by a retired pastor and his wife who take donated clothes and hand them out to the needy in our community. They also buy milk to hand out as well. On Sunday afternoon's, they have an informal worship service as well. They have become dear friends and often times ask me to speak at the chapel. It's been an awesome experience. Lately, we've had the chance to witness to a young man who wanted a relationship with Christ, but wasn't sure of how and to witness to an older man who wasn't sure of his salvation. God just keeps blessing me with these chances to witness the gospel. So, although we still haven't gotten regular ministry gatherings or worship services started, this ministry has continued to grow and become involved with more and more ministries and when the time is right, the next steps will take place. It's been a very humbling and yet exciting experience since this ministry started, the past year and a half especially. Although there have been some very dark and trying times along the way, my faith in our risen Lord has gotten me and the ministry through it all. I thank God firstly for using such an imperfect sinner like me to further His kingdom as He has done these past few years. I also want to thank the friends and family who have helped me from time to time with the ministry over the years. I haven't forgotten any of you. At the moment though, I'm doing most of the ministry work myself, with some input from friends from time to time. I know in the future there will be more people to take part in New Disciples Ministry, but as the founder of it, I know it is my responsibilty to keep the ministry working in the right direction and functioning in a way that will help to furhter God's kingdom. Again, thank all of you for your support over the past three years and lets look forward to many more together in New Disciples Ministry and the ministries that it's linked to. As always, all praise to God and may the Lord bless all of you. Your brother in Christ, Norman L. 'Pete' Morrison. Pete 6-14-11