God's Math

          Did you like math in school?  In conventional math 2 + 2 = 4.  In conventional math 10 x 2 = 20.  In God’s math 1 + 1 = 25 or more. 
            By God’s math we mean God’s way of growing His ministry, specifically Operation Inasmuch.  Here’s how it works:  One church in a community, perhaps in a state, conducts the first Inasmuch event in that community/state.  Others hear about their experience and the next thing you know, there are a couple of dozen churches doing Inasmuch events. 
1 (church) + 1 (community) leads to many churches doing Operation Inasmuch.
            Example:  Trinity United Methodist Church in Chesaning, MI, is the first church in Michigan to conduct an Inasmuch event (2008).  Chesaning is a small, tight-knit community in southeast Michigan about 30 miles from Flint.  Leaders in Trinity came across OIAM almost 2 years ago and felt it would help their people demonstrate their love and God’s love for their neighbors who have been suffering in the poor economic climate longer than most.  Out of about 300 in attendance, they had almost 200 participate in OIAM.
            When people in neighboring congregations learned of their experience, they inquired how they might get involved.  Members of Trinity also shared their experience with Methodist friends in the Flint Conference of the UMC covering several counties in southeast Michigan.  As a result they invited David Crocker to come to their winter conference in February where he conducted a workshop on Inasmuch for representatives of 15 churches.  On the following evening he conducted a training session for 10 more congregations (of various denominations) in or near Chesaning.  There is good reason to believe most of these churches will conduct their own Inasmuch events in 2009.  God’s math is better!!
            The same is taking place in Ohio in May.  One church using Inasmuch, sharing with others and, lo and behold, there is an opportunity to conduct a workshop which will lead to more OIAM churches.  God’s math is indeed better!
            When you pray for the Inasmuch ministry, remember to thank Him for being the Marketing Director for Operation Inasmuch, Inc.!  Thank him for allowing us to be stewards of a ministry that is making a difference in more and more churches and communities. 
            And, friends of Inasmuch, DO pray for us.  The needs are bigger and more numerous than in our lifetime!!!

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