Emmanuel Bible Fellowship

OlyEffort Vision

OlyEffort is our effort to manifest the love of Jesus to Olympia and to let that love grow and take root in our own hearts. We will serve pregnancy centers, school districts, poor families, the homeless and hungry, and senior citizens. Our hope is that deliberate attention to these often forgotten or discarded members of our city will show that they are not forgotten by us or by God.  
 
It is startlingly easy to become disengaged, or even enraged, at the culture we are called to engage. OlyEffort is not only our effort to serve Olympia but it is our effort to tune our hearts to the heartbeat of others. In other words, we need this week as much as our city does.
 
In Paul’s final instructions to the church at Colosse, we find a personal prayer request and then a clear directive for Christian believers. Both are instructive and helpful for us as we approach this effort to change Olympia and ourselves.
 
Paul’s prayer request is that God would “open a door for the word to be declared”. We know from Paul’s missionary and church planting ventures that declaring the word meant more than just jumping on a chance to preach. “Our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.” (1 Thess 1:5) For Paul an “open door” was an opportunity to let someone outside see the depth of transformation and quality of life that is defining for citizens inside the Kingdom of God.
 
OlyEffort will be walking through a door God has opened to declare Jesus. Through service opportunities, strategic intercessory prayer, and divinely orchestrated conversations we will declare by example: “The Lord Jesus”. As we serve by the power of Jesus and in the mold of Jesus we will introduce people to the reality of Jesus.
 
Not only did Paul pray for an “open door” but his directive to the Colossians was to “walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” We believe that taking five days to meet significant practical needs in Olympia is not only a wise and selfless use of spring break, but it is the best possible use of that time. We spend so much of our lives disconnected from the needs of others. Through training beforehand and a week of intense others-centered service, OlyEffort can align our minds with wisdom so that we are noticing and then meeting the needs of outsiders.
 
As the team takes shape, our leadership is praying for you as you consider your level of involvement. Would you take a week and invest it in God’s purposes? What could happen in your life if you let love take root and then began to act on that every day? What lives might God use you to impact as you train, pray, prepare, and then serve? Will you make OlyEffort part of your effort?

Last Year's Mission

The Emmanuel Mission Team takes on a mission every year.  Last Year we took a mission team to Poland.  We partnered up with 4 other Olympia area churches to send over 120 people to Poland. 

We partnered with the evangelical churches in three cities in Poland and lent our support to what God is already doing through them.

Poland Mission 2010

If you are interested in giving financially to future mission trips.  Please contact the church office.  360-352-9044