Sunday, January 27, 2013

Greetings From the Mission Field 1-27-2013

From the Field
We have completed our first fire show as President/Missionary. What a blessing to be able to meet great folks during this time and share Christ with them. We met some new Christian firefighters that were excited that such a ministry as FCFInternational exists. They were excited to get the new Ephesians Project Bible study, they couldn't hardly wait to get home and look it over. We also gave out about 20 of Matt's video. We already had one email back saying they watched the video and thought it was great. This short 10 minute video clearly has the Gospel message and we are excited about sharing it with first responders. A special thanks to the whole gang for helping to set this show up for us. From Trevor to Randy, Tommy and his friend, it was a blessing to have you all help out. We were able to share the ministry with so many first responders. We even talked to a Hindu firefighter, and another person who only believed in prayer not in anything else. Please pray for these two individuals who need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I was so impressed with how Randy was able to bring up conversations with all types of first responders. He has a gift from God and it was awesome watching him minister to firefighters.

Before getting to Daytona Beach I was able to make a couple of stops along the way. I was able to visit with Rob Hitt from South Carolina. This man of God truly has a heart and passion to share Christ with first responders. I loved hearing how the Lord has been working in Rob's life and how God brought him through a wilderness experience. I was then able to stop and see Gerald Brock from Darlington County, South Carolina. Gerald is a special member who tirelessly promotes God in the fire service. What a blessing to be able to share in his ministry. Gerald's brother provided the lunch and Gerald made sure that there was plenty of firefighters around. I was able to share what the Lord is doing through FCFInternational.

Tomorrow I get to visit the Charlotte, North Carolina chapter. I look forward to meeting some new friends and sharing what God is doing in my life and with FCFInternational. We will also be heading to meet with some of the Billy Graham folks and talk about a disaster response team. We might be able to partner with them in order to minister to first responders. Please pray about that meeting. God is opening up new doors for FCFInternational. I want to be faithful in following God's ways and seeking His will in ministering to first responders.

The Family
The family has been braving through the cold spell with snow on the ground at the International Office in Maryland while I have been off playing in 74 degree weather. As I am traveling further north it is beginning to get colder. Thank you for your prayers for my family as I have been away. My prayer is that they would continue to walk with God and read His Word faithfully everyday.

Prayer Requests
  • I received an email from a firefighter who is going through a difficult time in his marriage. This breaks my heart. There are way too many divorces in the fire service. This firefighter is asking for help and I will be working with him.
  • Continue to pray that God would work in the hearts and minds of first responders. I have been praying for a revival, please join me in that. I have been praying that God would save a million first responders worldwide.
  • Pray that members would desire to hold a prayer event at their firehouse on May 1. This is International Day of Prayer for first responders.
  • Pray that FCFInternational would be faithful in producing Bible studies for first responders.

Vision - To glorify God in the fire service by building relationships that turn the heart and mind of first responders to Christ (Philippians 2:11), equipping them to serve Him (Ephesians 4:12)

Mission - To encourage one another to share the vision with the fire service community through Witnessing, Praying, Teaching the Word, and Walking worthy











Thursday, January 17, 2013

Greetings From the Missions Field 1-17-2013

From the Field
God is good all the time!! I hope you said all the time God is good!! We do serve a faithfull God. I am excited that I get to see what He is doing in the fire service. I have been praying for more local groups to get started and I see answers to those prayers. Without me trying to influence things, which I always try to do, God is moving in the hearts and minds of first responders to meet together. The fire service can be such a hard enviroment for Christians to serve in, but God is faithfull and will help us to endure. Endurance was the topic for today's daily devotion on facebook. Check out our page, Fellowship of Christian Firefighters International. God's people in the fire service are encouraging one another through prayer, devotions, and sharing life in the fire service.

The International Office has been abuzz the past week. We are getting ready for our first show as President/Missionary. Holly wanted to know when our house became a work room. Everywhere you turned I was working on projects. We built a new display table, had everything out of the boxes in order to organize, and Seth and I where working on computer things for the show. Finally, late last night I began to package everything up. I am excited about seeing groups along the way and hope to encourage them to keep the faith. Pray for this journey, that God would be magnified in the areas I visit. Not because of me but because of God's great love for the fire service.

We are about 1 week from unvailing the new web site. I thank God that He has provided for us. This new web site will help to attract young firefighters. Our prayer is to reach the young firefighters for Jesus Christ. Those will be the next leaders of the fire service and of our organization if the Lord tarries in coming back.

I am excited about our new Bible study. It has been three years in the making, with many dissapointments, but praise God it is finally finished. God's timing is best and I believe it is way better now than it would have been three years ago. It is on the book of Ephesians and it includes fire pictures, stories, and videos. It cost us about $1.00 to produce a copy and we are excited about sharing it with the world. The study will be free on our new web site.

Family
I thank God for my family. God has provided me with a great wife, one who loves the Lord and one who is faithfull. I pray that first responders would be as blessed as I am when it comes to a spouse. I am also thankful for my children who love God. They have been going to a different church than Holly and I lately, but I thank God that they researched the churches statement of faith first and the church faithfully preaches the Word of God. Seth has been putting in applications for ministry work as an Assistant Pastor. Pray that he would be directed by God to the best place for him.

Prayer Requests
- The trip to Florida that I will be taking next week
- The Board members will be looking at the best way to organize our ministry. Pray that God would give us wisdome.
- The finances of the International. It takes finances to maintain a ministry. Pray that folks would be faithful in supporting us and that we would be wise in spending God's money. Pray that we would find 100 churches to support us.
- Revival in the fire service. Pray that God's people would be stirred up to serve Him.

Vision - To glorify God in the fire service by building relationships that turn the heart and mind of first responders to Christ (Philippians 2:11), equiping them to serve Him (Ephesians 4:12)

Mission - To encourage one another to share the vision with the fire service community through Witnessing, Praying, Teaching the Word, and Walking worthy.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Greetings from the Missions Field 1-8-2013

From the Field
This has been a short time, but a lot has been happening. I thank God how He is working through FCFInternational. As I learn more about my responsibilities as the President/Missionary one thing has become very clear, it is much more than I can Handle. I thank God that with Him all thing are possible (Matthew 19:26). In fact the verse reminds us that "with man this is impossible", but not with God. This is God's ministry and it is exciting to see where He is leeding us. Last night we had a great International Board meeting. These great men of God (and Holly) really have a heart for Him and want to serve Him. We were able to discuss where we think God is leading this ministry. I am excited to see how this will all come together, in God's timing. We are working on the Operations Plan (OP). Lord willing this should be finished by next week and we can begin to follow it. An OP will keep me focused in the ministry and ensure that I don't go on any rabbit trails.

The new web site is 70% complete. I thank God for His provisions. The new web host is a believer and retired firefighter. He has set everything up for us and is only going to charge us $12.00 a month. The web site is easy for me to put all the information in. The monthly on-line Bible studies are already in the site and it makes it easy for members to sign up. I think God is going to use this site in a mighty way to reach young firefighters. Praise God!!

Here are the local events we are working on. FCFInternational once had great outings where Christian firefighters could go and encourage one another. Pray for each of these events. Our desire is that God would bring both saved and unsaved first responders to these events. Our prayer is that other regions of the country would step up and host regional events.

- March 22-24, First Responders weekend retreat in Mercersburg, PA
- April 23-24, Leadership Conference in Indianapolis, IN at FDIC
- May 1, International Day of Prayer for the fire service.
June 17-21, Family Camp in Black Mountain, NC

Family
Not much to report from the family this week. We are thankful to God that so far we have avoided the flu that is going around. Some folks in our church have come down with the flu and it has knocked them out of comission for several days.

Prayer Requests
- Dan Clegg is traveling with Donna to visit and witness to family members. The have a young family member who is on life support and the family is not saved.
- Isaac has a friend who is not walking with the Lord. They serve together in their local fire department.
- The OP would be completed.
- The upcoming show that we would glorify God.

Craig Duck
President/Missionary
FCFInternational

Friday, January 4, 2013

Greetings from the Missions Field 1-4-2013

From the Field
Well 2013 is finally here, and amazingly we are all still here. God has not called us home, and the rapture has not taken place. I do thank God that Jesus Christ will one day come back for His own and make all things new. I can't wait for that day, maybe it will be today. I have been praying a lot about FCFInternational and where God will be taking us. I urge all of you to make 2013 the year of prayer for FCFInternational. I have been praying that God would bring to salvation 2 million first responders and grow our ministry to 10,000 members. Some may say that is too big a number. I am reminded that with God all thing are possible. Please join with me in that prayer. 10,000 members is less than 1% of the fire service (1.4 million firefighters). I have read two books, one of Hudson Taylors life and one of Dawson Trotman (founder of the Navigators), and they have inspired me to pray for the fire service like they prayed for their mission fields. Would you join me in that prayer.

I am excited about our upcoming board meeting. How exciting that we are able to meet once a month via the internet. The last one was great and I thank God for our Godly leaders. This month meeting we will be crafting an Operations Plan (OP). Our OP will help us to organize our ministry in order to be efficient and keep us focused on God. Pray with me that our OP will be glorifying to God and help us to grow the ministry. We will be discussing how our Board members should function, how we can achieve our goal of a Regional Director in every State, and how we can finance all of the ministry. I am thankful that past President/Missionaries have kept this ministry debt free, and I intend to do the same.

FCFInternational started a new program this year called "The Command Staff". Fashioned after the Navigators "Minutemen" program of the late 30's and 40's. The idea is to find committed people who will read their Bibles everyday, pray for the fire service for 1 hour a day, memorize 1 Bible verse a week, share their faith with someone in the fire service once a month, and disciple 1 person in the fire service this year. I am praying for 25 Command Staff Personnel. Please pray that we would find those people. The program is a one year program form the date of application.

The Family
The family is doing great. Seth has once again started to look for a ministry. He would like to be an assistant pastor in youth or worship leader type position. Pray that God would open up a door for him. Andrew is working hard at his machine shop. I praise God that he is a faithful employee and I pray that God would use him at his shop. Andrew's girl friend Tiffany is getting ready to go back to college this weekend. Christopher is working at a Bible store. Pray for Christopher that he would begin to look for a career. Justin is working at Kohls department store, and I echo the same prayer for him as for Christopher. I am thankful for my boys and there love for God and faithfulness to Him. Holly has one job now, the Bible store, and is beginning to do more FCFInternational things for me. I thank God that she is a faithful wife and loves God.

Prayer Requests
  • Pray that we would have 25 folks join the Command Staff
  • Pray that God would place it on the hearts of people to become Regional Directors. We currently have many states with no directors.
  • Pray that God would start a revival in the fire service. Pray that Christian firefighters would be "stirred up" just like our key verse in Hebrews. Pray for 2 million first responders to be saved and 10,000 to join FCFInternational
  • Pray for our finances. I am praying that in 2013 God would direct 100 new churches to support us for $1,600.00 a year.
  • Pray for our Widows and Orphans Fund, that we would find a director for that program and be able to help those in need.
  • Pray for our disaster response team. We are also looking for a director of that program.
I thank you so much for being a faithful steward in prayer for our ministry. There is no way we could ever do this ministry on our own strength. God is faithfull, and I am confident that He will do a great work in the fire service. Thanks for partnering with us in prayer.



Craig W. Duck
President/Missionary
FCFInternational