Not So Dark

October is a month usually associated with darkness, a month where much wickedness is celebrated. I suppose this October wasn’t different for many, but for me, it was a month of celebrating much light and the grace of God in my life. You see, in October nineteen years ago I got radically born again, I’m sure it was a coincidence but that was also the last time I did drugs, alcohol or went to jail. I rejoice in the fact that the Lord rescued me from the Orange County jail cell where I was a physical and psychological mess and chose to set this sucked up ex-con on a path for His glory. October is not only a month that I celebrate salvation, sobriety and being returned to my right mind but it’s also a month that Jenn and I celebrate one year of our relationship. So October is full of celebrations and milestone memories for me. It also kicks off three of my most favorite months where it seems like opportunities to engage people in conversations about the Lord are more abundant. I’m looking forward to and taking advantage of these opportunities every chance I get.

On the ministry front, October has been a glorious month where, thanks to the support staff here at SGWM and the incredible team that I serve with, I’ve been able to connect with several missionaries. Reaching out and connecting with missionaries is really the heartbeat of the calling God placed upon my life. It’s also been a month full of connecting with old friends and making new ones. It’s been a month where the Lord has really reminded me that people matter, relationships matter, and we are better off together. I did have the absolutely incredible opportunity to join one of our missionary families in their church planting vision tour in Oaxaca, Mexico. Thank you for everybody who prayed for me on this trip and for those who financially supported me. Both of these acts of love are vitally important and provided me the ability to do this. I’m grateful for all of you and it was an incredible trip. God has a great work in store for Calvary Chapel Oaxaca, please keep them in your prayers. 

 

  

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly, in a few sentences, I will try to explain what a joy we had during our front yard Halloween outreach parties. On a dark and wicked night where evil is glorified and most people who love the Lord turn out the lights and lock the front doors, I’m grateful to be involved in a church who steps up to the frontline and punches holes in the darkness with the light of the world and the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. We had a front yard party in the name of Jesus where we supplied tons of candy, hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, water, and coffee to anyone who came by absolutely free. Oh yes, and of course a bounce house. But the best thing about this night, on a night where everyone is looking for something, we were able to share with them the gospel and the love of Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you all so much for your faithful prayer support and financial partnership, both of these make it possible for me to fulfill the call that God has upon my life to encourage and strengthen missionaries, to preach the Gospel, and to love those who He loves. 

There are two ways you could partner with me in this ministry: 

  1. First, through prayer and signing up for my monthly email updates on my blog: sgwm.com/pappas
  2. Secondly, by becoming a financial partner with me in the Gospel:
    • By clicking on the “become a financial partner” button found here or on my blog
    • You can also send a check to Saving Grace World Missions 17451 Bastanchury Rd. Ste. 203 Yorba Linda, CA. Pappas support in the memo.

All for His Glory,

Tim Pappas

The Struggle Is Real

I’m not sure why, but one of the hardest things for me to do is write an update letter. It’s not like there are no great things to report of what the Lord is doing or that there are no struggles or that life is not in session. But the reality of sitting down and putting pen to paper has been so difficult for me. Some would think that being a missionary in California, USA would not be hard at all. Although I am enjoying all the benefits of the United States of America there are still many difficulties involved in serving here. I think it’s also a matter I’m dying to self. I say that because one of the greatest difficulties for me is to talk about me and sometimes I feel like that’s what I’m doing in an update later. I also think there’s a spiritual component here at work. The reality of an update letter is to bring attention and glory to what God is doing in the midst of victories, trials, and defeats and I truly believe that this is met with a special level of opposition. In any event, thank you for letting me share my heart and my struggle. Since the last update later and coming back from South Asia there have been some big changes in my life. One of them being a lady ”friend” of mine that I have been seeing for almost a year now is now officially my girlfriend. This is a wonderful thing and she is a truly godly woman who is completely in love with Jesus and His word. Even though I truly believe the Lord is in this and my friends and church family totally love her, this is a whole new level of awkwardness and dying to self as I have not had anybody in my life for the last 14 years. 

Another wonderful and even greater privilege for me has been that I was recently ordained as a pastor here at Calvary Chapel Saving Grace. This is a very humbling and sobering calling that friends have told me I’ve had on my life for some time now, I truly believe that we are all called to be ministers of the gospel and serve others daily, but to be a part of the pastoral team here is a complete mindblower. Coming from where I came from, living the life I’ve lived, and to be serving the Lord in the manner He allows me to is hard for me to believe at times. He keeps calling me deeper and using me more and for that, I am truly grateful. I often tell people if you’re driving down the road and you see a turtle on top of a fencepost you’ll know he had help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prayer Requests

  1. Please pray for the upcoming trip to Oaxaca Mexico 10/9 to 10/16; that the Lord would keep me and the team safe and give us great vision and a clear hearing from the Holy Spirit as we scout the land on a church planting vision tour with our missionary partners John and Allison Breckel
  1. That the Lord would grant me to be a man who is gracious and flexible as this has been a struggle for me lately
  1. That I would be a blessing to missionaries around the world and they would see the Lord through my actions. 

I am still in need of people who wish to partner with me financially. I am most appreciative of you who have joined me in this area, and I’m grateful that I have reached 1/4 of my monthly support needs. If the Lord leads you to join me financially, you can do so by clicking here to become a financial partner or mailing your support check to:

Saving Grace World Missions
17451 Bastanchury Rd., Ste.203 Yorba Linda, CA 62886

Note Pappas support in the memo line.

All for His Glory,

Tim Pappas
Asst. Director
Saving Grace World Missions

Phone 714-262-2260
Email tim@sgwm.com

I Matter Too

Of course, at some level I knew this, but in the busyness of life, the whirlwind of ministry needs, and the clear call in Scripture to die to self, the fact that we matter too can get lost. I know that I can get so guarded against pride, ego, and any other self-centered characteristic that good godly self-care slips away and I actually become annihilated in the process.

Scripture is very clear that I matter / that we matter. Clearly, we matter to the Lord, for when we were dead in our trespasses and sins Christ died for us. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever (me) would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. I have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, and the Bible says that we are the apple of God’s eye…this means I matter.

During the season of navigating grief and all the possible changes that the passing of my mother has brought, the Lord has allowed me to clearly see through all of your actions that I matter too. I have been overwhelmed by love, support, prayers, and food that family and friends have poured out upon me and I thank you all so much.

I have absolutely no regrets regarding the last ten years spent caring for my mom, but I do have to say that I am incredibly excited about this new phase in my life and the calling that the Lord has upon my life of the furtherance of the gospel to the unreached people groups of the world. For Some time now I have known that the Lord has a distinct call upon my life to be directly involved in the great need of the nations for the gospel and the teaching of His word. Even though over the last year I have been able to be involved in this in incredible ways, it now seems as though the whole world has just opened up to me.

Please pray for:
1) Stability as I continue to walk through the grief
2) Wisdom as I move forward in the call
3) That my ear would be acutely tuned to the voice of the Master

I truly appreciate your prayers as I continue in seeking the Lord’s will for me. I am still in need of people who wish to partner with me financially. I am most appreciative of you who have joined me in this area, and I’m grateful that I have reached 1/4 of my monthly support needs. If the Lord leads you to join me financially, you can do so by clicking here to become a financial partner or mailing your support check to:
Saving Grace World Missions

17451 Bastanchury Rd., Ste.203 Yorba Linda, CA 62886
Note Pappas support in memo

All for His Glory,

~ Tim

You Matter

First of all, let me report to you that it has been an absolutely incredible month. I am so grateful for the people that I have in my life and the people that I have been able to meet as I have journeyed forth in this calling the Lord has placed on my life. The Lord has been impressing upon my heart how much people matter. It might seem hard to believe but in ministry, I have found that I can get so busy with tasks, moving from one project to another, that I blow right past the people the Lord has put in my path to minister to or even those He wants to use to minister to me. Sometimes I feel like Martha and I have to remember what the Lord said to her, that she had been distracted by serving. In a new and deeper way the Lord has put on my heart the importance of people, the importance of relationships, the importance of community and I value you all so much.

As I minister to and connect with missionaries all around the world, I hear the same thing from them, that me connecting with them means so much to them. As I reach out to those who have gone out, I use a variety of approaches, such as, email, phone calls, Skype, Facebook messenger, and personal visits. The overwhelming response of appreciation is confirmation that I am doing what the Lord has called me to. The Lord truly has called me to be a missionary to the missionaries.

I’ve been especially blessed to be able to spend time with missionaries who have come to the states on furlough. Each one of them has told me how much it would mean if SGWM would come visit them. This confirms to me the importance of short-term missions. We have all heard that short-term missions don’t change the world but I believe that they do create world changers. Another benefit of short-term mission trips is the edification, exhortation and encouragement of those on the field. Emails are good, FaceTime is fine, but I believe nothing replaces sitting in their living rooms with them and sharing their lives with them.

I have known since before I started here at SGWM that this was the Lord’s desire and plan for me and I am excited to see what He is going to do in and through me in this area.

I truly appreciate your prayers as I continue to move forward in seeking the Lord’s will for me. I am still in need of people who wish to partner with me financially. I am most appreciative of you who have joined me in this area and I’m grateful that I have reached 1/4 of my monthly needs. If the Lord leads you to join me financially, you can do so by clicking here to become a financial partner or mailing your support check to

Saving Grace World Missions

17451 Bastanchury Rd., Ste.203
Yorba Linda, CA 62886
Note Pappas support in memo

All for His Glory,

Tim

That’s What I Said

During this past month, I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in what we call Missions Sunday here at my home church Calvary Chapel Saving Grace. This was a great opportunity to bring awareness to the congregation about the amazing work the Lord is doing among the nations through missionaries who set aside everything and sacrificing so much for the furtherance of the gospel.

During the main services, I was able to participate in a five-person Q&A panel from Saving Grace World Missions (SGWM). Our goal was to shed some light on the way SGWM gets to be used by the Lord in the Great Commission

All of us on the panel received an overwhelmingly positive response. Time after time, people expressed to me that they had no idea of all works SGWM was involved in. All I could keep thinking to myself  was “that’s what I said.” I had no idea when I first came on with SGWM how many areas of our missionaries lives this organization touches and how much there is to do in caring for them. As I transitioned from my 17-year career as a chemical dependency counselor to my new role here at SGWM there were times when I had great difficulty describing what it is I’m doing as I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of training and details that go into missionary care.

God used the panel discussion, along with several other divine appointments, to really help solidify in my mind the role I play here at SGWM and the plan He has for us as an organization and I am surer now than ever before that I made the right decision. I am filled with more excitement today for the calling God has on my life than ever before.

Another one of the incredible things I got to do this month was to lead the Bechtel family, one of our newer SGWM missionary families, on a vision tour to Rosarito, Mexico. While visiting Calvary Chapel Rosarito we were able to sit in on their church planting class and spend time with other pastors and missionaries there to glean wisdom on what the Lord might have for the Brechtel’s.

It is truly a privilege to walk this road with so many missionaries whose hearts are to share the Gospel and bring glory to God where ever He might call them. Thank you for joining me on this journey and investing your time in reading this update and faithfully praying for me.

There are three ways you could partner with me in this ministry.

First, by praying for me and second, by signing up for my monthly email updates. Lastly, by becoming a financial partner with me in the Gospel through clicking here or sending a check to

Saving Grace World Missions.

17451 Bastanchury Rd. Ste 203

Note Pappas support in memo

All for His Glory,

Tim Pappas

Some Might Say I’m Crazy

For the last 17 years, I have been able to serve the Lord on the front lines of the battle by doing ministry at Christ-Centered Residential Chemical Dependency treatment. I have had a front row seat to see the power of God in the transformation of men’s lives as we worked through the trauma, grief, abuse, neglect, and various other issues that arise from lives lived in rebellion to God. I have had the privilege of seeing men turn their lives back to the Lord, or come to Him for the first time, and get set free from the grip of the enemy and the bondage of sin.

Several Years ago the Lord began to provoke my heart with the great need of the nations for the gospel. Not fully knowing what to do with this, I began the journey on a path of short-term mission trips where it became clear to me that the Lord was calling me to full-time engagement in His great commission both in oversea’s ministry as well as here in the states. I have been able to travel to India 3 times, Haiti 3 times, Nepal, Belize, and Mexico over 30 times. During these trips, I’ve been able to teach the word of God in School of Ministry settings, do local outreaches, engage in feeding programs, medical clinics, orphanage work, etc., all while sharing the love of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

Here In the states, I’ve been able to be involved in outreach to the Muslim community through door to door witnessing in refugee communities, street witnessing outside of Mosques and leading a team of 10 to Phoenix, Arizona for a week-long trip to their Arabic festival. For over five years now I have also had the privilege of pastoring two church plants in Alzheimer units in Yorba Linda, CA. I have also been able to engage in inner-city outreaches in Watts, CA, street witness and evangelize at malls, beaches, and parks. Earlier this year, I led a team to Texas for disaster relief of Hurricane Harvey and also had the privilege of leading a team of 14 young adults (some not so young) to Rosarito, Mexico.

 

Leading a group of young adults on a short-term trip to Mexico

 

All this is not to give me glory or credit, but to give glory to our Great God and King who wishes that none should perish. The God who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth has allowed me to take part in the furtherance of the Gospel… WOW.

 

A few months ago I stepped out of my 17-year career and moved forward in what I believe was a call from the Lord that took place several years ago. This call was to be directly involved in overseas missions. At first, I was sure that I was headed overseas to plant a church. But, in what I believe to be the sovereign hand of God, the door opened for me to serve full-time at Saving Grace World Missions. I am now involved in cross-cultural missions and directly involved in the lives of missionaries as the Assistant Director.
 

Missionary Training Meeting

Daily I work towards serving and equipping missionaries to share the Gospel around the world. I will also continue to lead short-term mission teams both stateside and abroad. This kind of schedule and ministry enables me to stay in the states to care for my elderly mom with Alzheimer’s and at the same time, move forward in the call God has on my life in this new season. All of this is a step of faith for me and I am now actively in the process of raising support. This is also something new to me and I would ask that each of you would pray for me as I seek to raise enough funds to provide for my daily necessities, local outreaches, and short-term missions trips. I truly appreciate your prayers as I continue to seek the Lord and His will for my life.
 
There are two ways you could partner with me in this ministry:
First and foremost, I would greatly appreciate your prayers. Secondly, you can become a financial partner with me in the Gospel through clicking on the become a financial partner button below or sending a check to:
Saving Grace World Missions
17451 Bastanchury Rd. Ste 203
Note Pappas support in memo

 

I look forward to sharing all that the Lord is doing in Saving Grace World Missions as well as in my life.
 

All for His Glory,
Tim Pappas