Summer Update…A Grace Outreach in Jerseyville

As the summer of 2010 approaches in final few laps, Phyllis and I would like to pause and thank the Lord for “grace” opportunities this past five months. We have made the transition to a church “replant” opportunity in Jerseyville, IL. Jerseyville is some 30 miles north of St. Louis. The church is called Grace Community Baptist Church. This small group of 40 has struggled with outreach and some organizational issues. We came here to do initially do three things: beef up the outreach, teach and teach some more, and lastly build up leadership. The process is off and srunning, albeit slower than we would like (The Lord is still trying to teach me patience!).
What have we done? In April we had Jerry Smith come and teach two days (5 hours of teaching time) how the church should be fleshing itself out. He is this via Biblical Ministries Worldwide’s (BMW) Companion Church Ministry. BMW's Companion Church Connection is designed to enable and encourage churches to equip their own people for ministry. The local church is not to be a one-man-show. THIS was a novel idea for some in the group! The teaching that came from these sessions needs still needs to be reviewed and lived out!
In May we began outreach by inviting many folks to our First Annual Grace Wingshoot instruction clinic. This clinic was performed by qualified skeet shooting experts. We invited the community to this event. About 30 new folks turned out plus some of our own GCBC members. A fun three hours of shooting was had by all. Literature and a brief explanation of the gospel and of Grace Community Baptist Church’s ministry were provided.
In June we had the concert ministry of Cornerstone Bible Institute choral group perform for us. We had a packed house with some 30 new folks in attendance. The CBI Singers sang a message of true hope and change!
In July our church family put together a float and entered that float in the annual Jersey County Fair Parade. The theme of the parade was “Beauty Through The Ages”. The centerpiece of our float was the cross with the verse Psalm 90:17 – “Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us…” Hundreds of pieces of literature were handed out during this parade as we at the booth we had at the fairgrounds.
In August we finally found a buyer for our home in South Dakota. We praise the Lord for allowing us to sell our home for a good price in spite of the economically hard times we live in these days. It closes on the 27th at 9 a.m.
In all our ministry pursuits we rest on the promise that the Lord Jesus Christ said He would build the church. Our focus in ministry is the DEPTH of ministry; the Lord will take care of the BREADTH of our ministry. He is the One who causes growth both evangelistically and in Christ-likeness.
Please continue to pray for us. The church in America is floundering. We live in unique days. Our country seems to be moving faster and faster away from the Lord. The need of the hour is for the Word of God to be proclaimed and taught without apology. The Apostle Paul expresses his place in ministry when he said in 2Corinthians 10:3-5 – “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…”
The above verse states what we are trying to do every day which the Lord gives us to minister. Please continue to pray for the work of church “replanting” here in Jerseyville, IL. Missions exists where ever there are people who need the gospel. We thank the Lord for His care for us in this outreach to the homeland of America.
Always By His Grace,

Dave & Phyllis Georgeff

Our Contact Information:
914 W. County Road
Jerseyville, IL 62052
Tel. (605) 890-6454
Email: dgeorgeff@gmail.com
Blog: georgeffsjournal.blogspot.com
Churchwebsite: gracetojerseyville.org

April 2010

Dear Friends and Supporters,
Jesus said, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Paul then added, “We then, as workers together with Him…” (2Cor. 6.1). Paul told Titus, “…appoint elders in every city…” (Titus 1:5). Christ builds the church…we work WITH Him in this eternal endeavor to build godly leadership (elders) into this church.

Our task is simple: teach the Word AND build godly relationships with people—and watch the Lord plant (“replant” a struggling church) a work here in Jerseyville, IL. While the task is simple – it is a battle that needs to continually peppered with prayer. Only the Lord can build this church or any church. Only the Lord can save a soul. Only the Lord can grow a person into Christlikeness. Our goal is to faithfully do the right (and Biblical) things so that the Spirit of God will produce spiritual results. This is the task of every church-planter.

What have we been up to:
 Preaching/Teaching three times each Sunday
 Bible study with the men each Wednesday—studying Philippians
 Meeting with a new Christian (Bill) for personal Bible Study each Thursday afternoon
 Spend afternoons “out and about” trying to meet people “on-the-go”.
 Planning a spring/summer calendar:
• May 15 – Beginning/Novice Wingshooting Clinic – outreach to the community
• June 2 – Cornerstone Singers from Cornerstone Bible Institute
• Later this summer Dave will be teaching a college level class on “Presuppositional Apologetics” at an area church oriented Bible Institute (Southern View Bible Institute in Springfield, IL.).
• July 14 -- church float in the Jersey County Fair – literature distribution
• July 26-30 –TBA

Please be in prayer. “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9

Another prayer item…for someone/a couple to move here, get settled, and help with the ministry. We could use help—in more ways that one!

Phyllis and I wish to praise the Lord for your prayerful and financial support. We could not do it without the support of God’s people.

Looking to Him!



Dave and Phyllis Georgeff

Dear Ones,

Great is the Lord! He is so worthy of praise!
Our God has moved us from one challenging ministry into another one of even greater challenge…the re-establishing of a once vibrant church here in Jerseyville, IL.
Jerseyville is 30 miles north of St.Louis and is predominantly Roman Catholic. There are two R.C. Churches, two R.C. schools, and a R.C. radio station that works hard in pushing R.C. doctrine—and no (that’s right…ZERO!) Bible teaching churches in this town of 8000. The Grace Community Baptist Church (the church we are “replanting”), at one time, had been a vibrant church. GCBC was started in this RC stronghold nearly 40 years ago. It once had a healthy congregation of 150. Today it’s only 35 or so. Please pray for us as we work to achieve THREE key goals: 1.) Re-establish Biblical leadership with true elders who lead; 2.) Build-up the current congregation of 30; 3.) Outreach the community in every possible creative way! We have already made many new contacts in the community. There are 3 new families attending in the last month. We are so thankful that we have the help of another church out of Springfield, IL—Southern View Chapel. We still need the prayer and financial support of God’s people in this venture of trust!
Great is the Lord! He is so worthy of praise!
Our God continues to move our three not-so-little ones into spiritual maturity and ministry. We are so thankful for His grace in their lives. Both Justin and Joel are students at Calvary Bible College/Seminary in Kansas City. Justin will be achieving—by God’s grace—his B.A. degree in Bible and Theology this coming May. His future is still a bit murky at this point—but he does desire to go on somewhere for more education. He has several options mulling around in cranial cavity at this time. Pray for him. Joel is a junior at Calvary Bible College/Seminary. So he still has another year left. Both will need summer jobs to have needed funds to continue their education. Pray for them.
Jenna still lives in Hot Springs, SD renting our house which is still on the market. She shares the house with two other gal. All three work at a local coffee kiosk called the “Blue Bison” where Jenna is the manager. Jenna also uses her piano and violin talents to help out with the music ministry of Calvary Baptist Church. She is also involved in serving with the youth/teen ministry. Phyllis and I are so thankful for what the Lord has done and is doing in the lives of our three kids.
Thanks for your love, prayers, and support. May the Lord truly bless you as you serve Him in 2010. (This could be the year of His return!)

By His Grace,
Dave and Phyllis Georgeff
Psalm 90.12

From the time I was brought to Christ till this very hour, I (Dave) have served in small local and sometimes struggling churches. Throughout those 17 years in Europe the Lord has honored the teaching of His Word in those small out-of-the-way churches. The church we started in the UK is today more British than American military. God honors His Word in the lives of people. He always does!

Today we serve in another small church situation…but this one is different. This church has gone through some difficult waters. Our task is simple (well, kind of!)…put this church back on a solid footing. Thankfully, we have the help of another church in Springfield, IL. The Southern View Chapel has and will continue to support our efforts to establish and strengthen the Grace Community Baptist Church of Jerseyville, IL

I have been teaching through Paul’s Epistle to Titus. Titus was instructed by Paul to “set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders…”(Titus 1:5). The term “set in order” comes from one Greek word is from the word “orthoo”. It is from “orthos” that we derive orthodontist, a dental specialist who straightens and aligns crooked teeth. In ancient times, the term was used of setting broken bones and straightening bent limbs, a function of the medical specialty that today we call orthopedics. Titus was to correct or to straighten out the wrongs of local churches in Crete. This was his mission. Titus was not a Jew; he was a Gentile serving other Gentiles. In a sense, he was serving a people very similar to himself.

Someone has said that “missions is more about obedience than it is geography”. God has over the last five years shown me that even in this land where there are many seminaries, many Christian book stores, and Christian TV and radio there is an increasing ignorance of the gospel and Biblical truth. Individual churches are struggling in our own country and there is a lack of men to fill the gaps in small-town-America. And if the church in America falters and weakens…how will this affect our missionary outreach around the world?

We are thankful for the prayer and financial support of our churches and friends. It is needed…this ministry cannot, at this time, support a pastor. This work is bigger than us…and I feel intimidated by it! But the Lord is able and we want to be obedient. Pray for us as we have a three-fold goal: 1. Outreach; 2.) Build godly leadership and 3.) Write a viable church constitution. Brethren, pray for us!
Dave and Phyllis Georgeff

August 2009
Dear Praying Friends,
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct you paths.” – Proverbs 3:5,6

Solomon’s oft quoted proverb is like a drink of cold clear water on a hot summer day. These words are a comfort and anchor for our souls during life’s turbulent days. We have a great God in whom we can confidently place our trust. Furthermore, we have learned (and are still learning) that it is actually fun and exciting to trust the Lord. Trusting the Lord takes the boredom out of life.
What’s happening? As many of you know Phyllis and I resigned from Cornerstone Bible Institute in April. Having resigned we were literally bombarded with numerous ministry possibilities. All of the opportunities were appealing. I told Phyllis that I wish I could learn the art omnipresence and take them all!
The one ministry that we were drawn to was one in Jerseyville, IL. In this town of 9000 is a church that has been struggling through some tough times. They have a desire to serve the Lord but need to grow through past hurts and have a positive outreach again. We are calling this a church “replant”. I will be working on a team with a church from Springfield, IL (Southern View Chapel). I will serve as an interim pastor for up to 12 months. We will rewrite the constitution, build up the believers, and engage in energetic community outreach. After this time there will be some reevaluation to determine the Lords direction from there. Pray that together we might take this church and “replant” it into usefulness in the Jerseyville community. This is still a ministry under BMW.
God is good. He will heal this body. We are thankful that we can be a part of it. Thanks for your faithful involvement by prayer and gifts. Your tangible gifts of grace can be sent to:
Biblical Ministries Worldwide
1595 Herrington Road
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
By His Grace,
Dave and Phyllis Georgeff
Blogsite: www.georgeffsjournal.blogspot.com
Email: dgeorgeff@gmail.com
Cell phone: 605-890-6454

Summer 2009
Dear Friends,
Looking back, Phyllis and I have just completed our fourth year here at Cornerstone Bible Institute (CBI) in an “on-loan” status through Biblical Ministries Worldwide (BMW). CBI’s goal is to prepare each our students for effective Christian service in churches and missions. As an instructor, this past year will be remembered for its lively classroom discussions on various and sundry Biblically related issues. My teaching load at CBI has been second heaviest of our eight faculty members. This past year I enjoyed teaching Genesis 1-12, Exodus through Deuteronomy, Acts, First and Second Thessalonians, James/Jude, Peter’s Epistles, John’s Epistles, Evangelism, Apologetics/Worldviews, and Church Planting. Phyllis taught a couple of Christian-Ed classes plus worked extensively in the CBI kitchen preparing “home-cooked” meals for the students. Phyllis and I have thoroughly loved our nearly 40 students. Teaching them is always a joy. Our home has constantly been open to the students as a brief and homey “get-a-way” from the CBI campus. This too has been a joy. Pray for the students this summer as some will be in summer ministries and others will be working in their communities.

Looking forward, Phyllis and I believe God is now directing us to seek another ministry, therefore, we are working with various folks at BMW to seek God’s direction for this new ministry. Having submitted our resignation to CBI, we are now back full-time with BMW. BMW has many church planting opportunities across the United States that need help—especially those in Utah (Mormonland). We are also looking into some other assignments. Would you pray with us as we have put our house up for sale and are seeking God’s direction? We need to raise more support and we covet your prayers for this too. Our children would also covet your prayers as they will have to be deciding what they will do. Justin plans to go to Calvary Bible College this fall to finish up his bachelor’s degree. Joel has one more year of school at CBI and may go on for more schooling the following year. Jenna may go a final year to school for her bachelor’s degree but she has not fully decided. She has a number of other options she is considering. This is a challenging time for all of us as we seek God’s direction. He is faithful and promises to direct our paths as we seek Him. It is exciting to be waiting on Him. We are praying that the Lord would show us where He wants us by the end of summer so we can be settled by the time winter sets in.

Since we are now officially back with BMW the support that many of you so faithfully give can be sent to BMW instead of CBI. If you have recently sent in support to CBI for us we will still receive it from them. It does not create a problem.

Thank you so much for your faithfulness in prayer and financial support for our family all of these years. We could not be serving the Lord in the various ministries He has led us to without each of you. Each of you is special to us and we thank God for you.

With much love,
Dave & Phyllis Georgeff

Mission Address:
Biblical Ministries Worldwide
1595 Herrington Road
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
http://www.biblicalministries.org/


Personal Address:
Dave & Phyllis Georgeff
305 S. Dakota St.
Hot Springs, SD 57747
Home: 605-745-6309
Cell: 605-890-6454
Email: dgeorgeff@gmail.com
Blogsite: http://www.georgeffsjournal.blogspot.com/

Greetings to all our friends, enemies (?), and prayer supporters!
As I compose this epistle, I am filled with the joy of the Lord and with thanksgiving for the family God has given Phyllis and me...and with my opportunity to teach here at Cornerstone Bible Institute. This past year has been filled with growth and activity for the Lord.

--Justin has been involved in preaching and teaching each Sunday at a small ranching church near Chadron, NE. He also has been working during the week in construction and painting. Besides that he has been developing a relationship with a young gal from northern California.

--Jenna has been ministering in several areas: high school youth group, the church piano player and music ministry. She works at the local coffee kiosk and a local house-cleaning business.

--Joel is in his junior year at CBI and works at the local Radio Shack. He also has "certain" friend who is from northwest Kansas! He, like Jenna, is involved in the church's music ministry.

--Phyllis continues to teach here at Cornerstone Bible Institute. Phyllis teaches a class called "Teaching Children" and one called "Effective Teaching". She also helps out in the school kitchen twice per week preparing meals for our small student body.

--I (Dave) had a radical prostatectomy on September 5th. Doctors at the Omaha hospital removed my cancerous prostate. Today I'm cancer free and feel great. The remarkable thing was that I was back teaching in the classroom exactly one week after the surgery. I have a full teaching schedule. My classes this past semester included: Genesis 1-12, Exodus through Deuteronomy, Apologetics & Worldviews, The Thessalonian Epistles, and Church Planting. This coming spring semester I will be teaching: Evangelism, Acts, the epistles of James & Jude, and the Petrine and Johanian epistles. I love it. I also speak two or three times per month in chapel.

Below is last years (2008) graduating seniors which includes both Justin and Jenna. Phyllis and I were the class sponsors!


Pray for CBI as we raise new funds for our new woman's dorm. This dorm, hopefully, will be up and running by this fall.

Thanks so much for your prayerful and financial support as we train future servants of Christ. The Lord is good!

In His Service,
Dave and Phyllis Georgeff

email: dgeorgeff@gmail.com
school website: cornerstonebibleinstitute.com