Missions – Vanessa Maddoux Ministries

Japan Missions & The Christ Church Choir

Posted on July 21, 2015July 21, 2015 by vanessamaddoux@gmail.com in Blog, Christ Church Choir, Missions, Music

“Now I become a Christian. On Christmas Sunday in 2014, I was baptized. I believe that if Christ Church Choir didn’t come to me, I would not accept Jesus and I would still sing Gospel as just only music. But now, I can sing Gospel as the essence of Bible, “God’s words”. ~ Momoko

I read this testimony of Momoko and it still seems surreal that God would use members of a church choir from Nashville, Tennessee to go all the way to Japan, singing Gospel music, to bring the message of the Gospel to so many people searching for a real encounter with God.

It was about three days into my recent mission to Japan that I realized God had sent me on a “Christ Church” missions trip and I just didn’t know it! After three life-changing trips to Japan ministering with the Christ Church Choir music team, I returned to Japan in April this year for 10 non-stop days of music ministry. Everywhere I went, the reputation and stories of the music ministry from Christ Church went before me and I was welcomed and honored in both familiar and new cities & venues. At every concert, there were other pastors/ministers/teachers attending who extended invitations for me to return and bring this Gospel music to their church or organization. I met 2 ministers at my first concert who traveled 6 hours to come that day because they wanted to meet with me and request that I please come back and bring Gospel music concerts to their area.

Gospel music has made an impact in Japan that is hard to explain. The Japanese people enjoy the soulful musical style but are also compelled by the spirit that moves through this music. Both Christian and non-Christian people enjoy gathering to sing these soulful Gospel songs! As Jesus is lifted up, He draws people to himself and this truly is happening through Gospel music in Japan. After every concert, I met people who came to me overwhelmed with emotion, speaking of the powerful presence of God that they experienced. Some of them spoke of feeling healing while others simply said they felt the “light” and “holiness” of God during the concert.

The first Music Missions team trips to Japan by the Christ Church Choir began in 2011. From that mission, there was one young girl who was baptised and since that time there have been 8 total baptisms in direct response to the ministry of the Christ Church Choir music missions: Mika, Naohiro, Masashi, Toshi, Yumi, Tomoka, Momoko and Mamiko. The most recent baptism was of Mamiko Tani who came to my first concert in April and when the concert concluded, she spoke to our host, Pastor Yasunori and told him she decided that day that she wanted to be baptised and make a public confession of faith in Jesus! We know that many others have been impacted by the music ministry and have come to know Christ during this time but these are the ones we know have also followed through with water baptism.

I am also happy to report that each of these new Christians are growing in their faith and some are even teaching Bible classes at churches & universities! Seeing each of them volunteering in their churches, growing in their knowledge of the Word and continuing with their love of Gospel music is truly a blessing.

Along with the yearly trips to Japan by the CCChoir teams, there have been other ministers, like myself, who have been able to follow in the path paved by the ministry of the Christ Church Choir. Pastor Dan has ministered in Japan along with Geron Davis & Kindred Souls, Wayne & Elizabeth Goodine, Jaimee Paul & Leif Shires, Elicia Brown and most recently, myself.

Each summer, a team of Japanese students & adults come to Nashville lead by our friend, Pastor Yasunori Aoki. These visits are more than just a tourist trip to Music City USA but an opportunity for these young people to interact with Christians, stay in Christian homes and experience both a Christ Church Choir rehearsal & participate in a Sunday morning worship service. Each year, there have been salvation decisions directly connected to the influence & experience that the person had on this trip. Every host home is important and every meal served matters. It is all part of being the living Gospel to people who have never met Jesus.

The people of Japan are open. The Christian leaders in Japan are pleading for us to bring Gospel Music missions and the doors are open for Christ Church Nashville to continue to make an impact in Japan for the Kingdom of God.

“I can feel the presence of God through singing with Christ Church Choir. God touched my broken heart and made a new way to me… After singing with them, I looked around with my tears. I was surprised that Choir members were crying, too. I decided to be baptized at this time. I’d like to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I’d like to follow him through singing Gospel, just like Christ Church Choir! This unforgettable experience lead me to be Christian. I was Baptized in September 28 in 2014. Gospel becomes not only “music” but “living word” to me. I owe what I am now to Jesus and Christ Church Choir!” ~ Tomoka

Potential is BURSTING inside you!

Posted on August 4, 2014 by vanessamaddoux@gmail.com in Blog, Missions

I was meeting this past week with someone who is doing ministry in an area of the world that I visited earlier this year. This was our first time to meet so we both were sharing a little about our backgrounds in ministry & why we both feel drawn to help these particular people.

As I shared about my recent ministry direction into the world of music and “missions”, I recalled a moment from 3 years ago when I returned from my first trip to Japan with the Christ Church Choir. I had been walking through a changing/shifting time in my life and seeking God about what He wanted me to do. I knew God was leading me back into what we traditionally refer to as “full-time ministry” but I didn’t know exactly what that would look like or the specific direction, at the time.

My mother called me one evening and she asked me if I had any new revelation or specific direction about what or where God may be leading me. Even though I didn’t have a specific answer, I had a SIMPLE answer for her. I didn’t realize then how profound it actually was or how KEY it was to me stepping into the next season.

I said, “I feel like God showed me on this trip that He has already put everything inside of me that I need to accomplish and fulfill the purpose & destiny that He has for me.”

That wasn’t to say that I didn’t have much still to learn in life or that I wouldn’t need help (because I need both!) but it was an assurance that I didn’t need to be afraid or intimidated by what God would put in front of me to do.

Whom HE calls, HE prepares.

I took some notes while listening to a sermon recently that explained this “Made with Potential inside of you” concept so well. I thought I would share some of the notes that I took and maybe this will help to open your eyes to see & respond to what GOD has already CREATED inside YOU!

Step on out and let God give birth to a new season in your life!

——————– NOTES ————————

Speaking of Potential:

God has already put everything he needs inside the thing that he needs it from.

YOUR potential is already inside you. What God has designed for you & your life, all that you need to fulfill your PURPOSE is already IN YOU!

EXAMPLES:

God created Adam… He included everything in Adam that he needed to fulfill his purpose/destiny. Potential was FULL inside of Adam from the beginning!

In Adam is the potential for Eve.

Out of the creation of EVE, he pulls the potential for FAMILY.

Out of that FAMILY he pulls the potential for NATIONS.

God anointed DAVID, as shepherd boy…

Out of DAVID he pulls an entire KINGLY lineage

Out of that KINGLY lineage he pulls JESUS

Out of JESUS he pulls the CHURCH

Out of the CHURCH he pulls a KINGDOM!

Whatever God has for you…. It’s already in you.

There is potential already in you for what God has planned for your life.

If you followed David, you would see “stages”. The Bible follows him from life as a boy until the time he dies. We get to see his entire life…. His journey.

We see David anointed as a boy to be king and then we see the stages of his life as that lead to that word manifesting.

That Word was given to him as a young man to get him into position and to get him prepared.

He is anointed to be King… the oil is poured on him in the midst of his dad and brothers. They watched as God blessed him, though they never thought it would be HIM to lead.

David then experiences a “shift”.

He knows he’s changed but everyone around him doesn’t know that he’s changed.

He is now anointed to be King but he is surrounded by people who can only related to him out of a season he has already exited.

God’s hand on your life will call you out of a season and move you into another one… and that will happen many times in your life.

There are people who can relate to you through seasons but not all will relate to you through ALL seasons in your life.

This is why friends can come and go.

It is very difficult to move forward when you are surrounded by people who only relate to who you WERE.

Moving forward with God usually means vacating relationships that you have established with people. It doesn’t even mean that those relationship were bad but it means something has shifted in you and you no longer relate to those you knew in the previous “season”.

INDUCING LABOR:

To “induce” labor means that something from outside has been put inside you that causes you to give birth earlier.

Accelerating the pace of birth.

When a new season in your life is getting ready to be “birthed”, many times you will begin to feel uncomfortable… turmoil… pain.

Life as you have known will begin to argue with the dream inside you…. The conflict of staying the same or making a change will create and INDUCING pain that begins to push it out.

WHY?

Because the whole time you were a shepherd, God knew you were a king! You can’t stay a shepherd forever when you are anointed to be a KING!

Southeast Asia Mission

Posted on April 3, 2014June 26, 2014 by vanessamaddoux@gmail.com in Missions

Southeast Asia Mission

(click on the title or picture to view video)

Thank you for your support and prayers for this mission. I leave on April 17th for this next God-adventure and the countdown is on for receiving the funds needed to feed these orphans & refugees. We need to purchase 7 van loads of food/supplies so that we don’t arrive empty handed as we bring the Good News of the Gospel to these children & families.

$1500 will purchase 1 van load of food & supplies that lasts for 1 month.

Thanks to Pastor Greg Thurstonson & Dominion Church, League City, TX AND Ronny & Cathy Robinson of Funnel Point Ministries in Franklin, TN for sponsoring a van-load.

We still need 5 more people who can pay for a van load of food!

Click below to donate online OR you can mail a check to VMM:

email: gooddeedsministry@gmail.com for mailing information.

Nashville – Houston – San Francisco – Osaka JAPAN

Posted on September 4, 2013June 26, 2014 by vanessamaddoux@gmail.com in Missions

Nashville – Houston – San Francisco – Osaka JAPAN – San Francisco – Houston – Nashville

It’s getting close to departure time!

I will be leaving Nashville on Thursday morning, September 5 headed to Houston, Texas to sing on Sunday September 8 at a great church near downtown Houston, Braeswood Church, pastored by Stephen & Donna Banning. I’m looking forward to worshiping with these precious friends and their congregation. This is exciting to me because I grew up with such awe and wonder at the ministry of this special church body. The rare occasion that our family was able to visit there on a Sunday morning was truly a treat. We lived in the country and had 100 people at the church my daddy pastored… and that was on holidays! Braeswood was a big city church. Much has changed since then but the life-changing power of God flowing through the people of this church reaching their community has not changed at all. I can’t wait to join with them and praise God together this weekend.

My original plan of departure for Japan was to leave Houston on the first flight out Monday morning which would allow me to get on the flight out of San Francisco to Osaka at 11:30 that morning. That first flight is now full. I will need to fly into San Francisco on Sunday evening, which means an additional travel expense outside of what I have fund-raised thus far. I will need to pay for 1 night hotel stay in San Francisco Sunday evening plus other related expenses to this additional night’s stay (meals/shuttle/tips/etc).

If you would like to make a donation toward this additional travel expense, I would GREATLY appreciate the help. I will be able to access the money in this account directly for this expense or any other unexpected expenses while I am on this missions trip so donations made below will be immediately helpful!

I shared this scripture with a friend earlier today about blessing God’s messenger/God’s prophet. When we bless those who bring the Gospel of good news, we share in that same reward. Your donation truly helps me share the Gospel in ways that I could not do without your help. I pray a double portion blessing back to you for your gift to help me go!

Matthew 10:41 Whoever welcomes God’s messenger because he is God’s messenger, will share in his reward. And whoever welcomes a good man because he is good, will share in his reward.

To donate toward this additional travel expense, click on the Donate button below!

Day 90: Japan Missions Funds

Posted on June 25, 2013 by vanessamaddoux@gmail.com in Christ Church Choir, Missions, Pic and a Prayer

Fundraising in swing! New Missions Vol3 cd and Japan tees available for $30 donation or more

Today, my prayer is for the upcoming Japan Missions trip. I am blessed to return to this amazing country and people that I have grown to love so much! I will be a part of the team from Christ Church who will be singing and ministering there this September. The ministry in Japan is primarily through Gospel concerts and music workshops conducted with college age music students. This is a great opportunity to build relationships and share about Christ with these students.

Today is an important fund-raising deadline for the whole team and we need about $25,000 to make the flight purchases for everyone. I personally still need about $1000 towards my fundraising goal.

There is a new Missions Vol3 cd and a new Japan tee (blue) available. Donations of $15 requested for each of these items. If you make a donation online and would like to receive one of these items, please contact me directly so that I can make arrangements to get this to you.

The prayer request for this trip is dual fold…

Enjoying a special Sukiyaki meal in the home of some of our new Japanese friends (2011)

1. For people to make donations so that the cost of everyone in this group will be provided.

2. PRAY for salvation experiences with Christ while we are there. The Gospel is preached in song and through our relationships that are built. I believe this trip will be both a sowing and reaping time spiritually. Please pray for open hearts and ears as we share Christ with these precious people.

Rehearsing for our concert with some of the Japanese choir members (2012)

If you would like to send a donation only, you can send a check with “Japan Missions – Vanessa” in the memo line to:
Christ Church Nashville
15354 Old Hickory Blvd. Nashville, TN 37211

You can also give online through these steps

Visit Christ Church Nashville’s giving site: www.ccnashville.infellowship.com/userlogin/new/
If you already have an account, enter your information and proceed to step 7. If you do not have an account, on the right of the page under “New User,” select “Register Here” (your information is completely secure and will NOT be shared with any other party)
Enter your information and select “Create an account” at the bottom of the page
View the verification email and click the link in the email
Type your information in the secured fields
Select the bottom “Your Giving” tab
Select the top right corner green “Give Now” tab
Under the “Give To” field, select “Mission Trip to Japan Offering” and select “Vanessa Maddoux” in the field directly to the right.
Enter the desired donation amount and press “Continue” on the bottom right corner and finalize the prompts

ISRAEL MINISTRY TRIP ITINERARY

Posted on June 2, 2013 by vanessamaddoux@gmail.com in Missions

ISRAEL TRIP ITINERARY:

PLEASE PRAY for Divine appointments all along the way! Specific ministry dates are 15th – 17th.

JUNE 5/6 DEPART NASHVILLE and travel to Tel Aviv, Israel

JUNE 8 – Drive to Mt of Olives and view Jerusalem & the Temple Mt. plus touring a few sites

JUNE 9 – touring Holy Sites

JUNE 10 – touring the desert: Masada, the Dead Sea and Qumram

JUNE 11 – touring Jerusalem including the old city

JUNE 12 – travel to Tiberius to see Galilee area and Baptisms in Jordan

JUNE 13 – more sites around Galilee

JUNE 14 – Galilee and on to Haifa

JUNE 15 – 17 – Ministering in the Haifa area (2 Arab Christian Churches and 1 Messianic)

JUNE 18 – head south back to Tel Aviv touring along the way

JUNE 19 – depart for the States

DAY 72 – Sarah DeLane

Posted on April 23, 2013 by vanessamaddoux@gmail.com in Missions, Pic and a Prayer

Praying for my sister-friend Sarah DeLane today as she travels to Southeast Asia to carry the Gospel to people who have never heard about Jesus.

Holy Spirit, go before Sarah and prepare the way. Let every connection go smoothly for her. Order her steps and let her hear your voice clearly. Give her specific instructions, left, right, wait, now, over there…. be the voice in her head leading and guiding every decision. Give her discernment about who to trust. Don’t let her be deceived in any way that would lead her into harm. Protect her physical body, protect her mind and protect her belongings. Let everything she needs get to it’s destination. Keep her feet strong and don’t let her foot stumble on the narrow paths. Give her favor in these villages. Let faith rise in the people so that they will see miracles and believe in Christ. Let this be a great HARVEST OF SOULS trip for Sarah.

Astound her. Amaze her. Just show off, God! Do amazing mighty wonderful things and use Sarah to build your kingdom in this area of the world. Let the Gospel spread like a fire! Bless her while she is there. Let resources and finances that she needs begin to pour into the ministry even while she is away doing this mission. May she come home to cupboards that are full and running over and resources bulging full and overflowing for the next trip! Show up with signs and wonders on this mission. Open blind eyes, let the mute speak and the deaf hear. You are stronger, you are mightier, you are the God above all Gods! Show out God… show these people who have worshiped idols and other false Gods WHO the ONE true God is… the I AM, Jehovah! Jesus, the way, the truth and the life!

DAY 61 – Jakarta Life Church

Posted on April 12, 2013June 26, 2014 by vanessamaddoux@gmail.com in Missions, Pic and a Prayer

Eating Pavlova at the BBQ at the Neil’s house. It was sooo yummy!

Ahhh… home from Australia and back to my daily Pic and a Prayer blogging! I still have a bit of jet-lag; awake all night and want to sleep during the day. I think the foggy feeling I have as I adjust has been accentuated by all the thoughts in my mind processing my experience at the conference and thinking of all the beautiful people I met there.

Our host, Jenny Neil, was busy cleaning up after the FEAST! It was so delicious!

The day I arrived in Australia, the Melbourne Life Church hosted a BBQ to welcome those attending the conference from their sister churches, Nashville Life Church and Jakarta Life Church. I was graciously invited to attend this as well and enjoyed a warm welcome by our hosts. That afternoon I met several of the folks from the Jakarta Life Church. They were instantly conversational, engaging and even quite funny! The first person I met was a young lady named Miracle. From that day on, I just called her MY Miracle.

During our Friday morning worship service at the conference, the pastor of the Jakarta Life Church, Frank Saliba, stood and spoke very briefly about the precious people there from his church.

Frank Saliba sharing in the Sunday morning service at Melbourne Life

He told of their sacrifices to get to Australia for the conference, their passion for sharing the Gospel within the largest Muslim country in the world EVEN under great opposition and sometimes threat of life, their financial hardships despite being highly educated and skilled (the average monthly income in Indonesia is $100-$120/mo), and their genuine pure desire to grow, learn and be used by God.

Pastor Frank and Miracle from the Jakarta Life Church

Frank’s brief comments of love for these precious people settled on me in a blanket of tears. Every day I was blessed by their sweet smiles and eager exuberance for the things of God. I am inspired by them all and blessed to call them friends. Today they are my prayer focus for this “Pic and a Prayer” posting.

Thank you Jesus for sending me to Australia and letting my path cross with these precious people from Jakarta, Indonesia. I had no idea I would be so blessed to meet them and even hear just a little bit about their lives and what you are doing through them.

I pray the blessings of Abraham from Genesis 12 on their lives and ministry…

Show them what lands to go to… what villages, what areas, what groups of people to take the Gospel to and OPEN the doors so that the Gospel is welcomed and no harm will come to anyone.

Make them a GREAT nation. Make Indonesia a great nation filled with the Gospel. Let this nation change from being the largest Muslim nation to being the largest Christian nation! Use these precious people at Jarkata Life to be NATION-CHANGERS!

Bless them. You know their needs. Let no need go unmet and let everything they put their hands to prosper. Let the people around them see them as a BLESSED people.

Make their name great! Let the name of Jakarta Life Church be received with favor and blessing everywhere they go. May they represent the name of JESUS with grace and power. When their name is mentioned, let people think of them as TRUE BELIEVERS in JESUS CHRIST who walk in PEACE, LOVE and JOY! Let their reputation be of love, power, healing and miracles!

Let them BE a blessing. Wherever they work, let that business be blessed. Give them gifts of healing, knowledge, wisdom, prophecy and laying on of hands so that the unbelievers can see and believe in Christ. Let the gifts of the spirit be a blessing that flows out of these believers drawing people to Christ. Fill their pockets with provision that never ends. Let their cupboards be like the widows never ending pots of oil and flour. May they always have more than enough to feed their families AND anyone they know who is hungry. Let blessing flow!

Bless those who bless them. Let the miracles and blessing FLOW OUT to those who give honor, favor and blessing to your people. Let this blessing be a sign to the unbelievers that those who believe in Christ and follow Christ are favored by the One True God.

Bless all the families of the earth through them. Even as they are in a country with so many needs… use them to miraculously reach the WORLD! Many of these people work for Christian Broadcasting Network so the Gospel is able to go to all of the world through them. Give them hearts for “missions” and as they reach the people of Indonesia with the Gospel, give them a burning fire desire to share this good news with other nations and people.

Sunday morning after the conference…. the Jakarta Life Church folks lead us in some JOYFUL praise and dance! **It was Trekkie Pants Sunday so everyone was in “track pants” or Pajama pants.

DAY 60 – Destination Melbourne

Posted on April 1, 2013 by vanessamaddoux@gmail.com in Missions, Pic and a Prayer

After a bit of an interesting travel day from Nashville to Los Angeles, I am finally on my way to Melbourne Australia! I am so grateful to my Christ Church family & Pastor Dan who encouraged me to make this journey to attend the Manifest Conference hosted by Melbourne Life Church.

Thank you Jesus for truly making a way when there seemed to be no way! You cleared the path for me and provided funds and the flights to get here. Now, I ask for supernatural rest on the way so that my body and mind will be healthy and alert to receive your Word this week.

I will be the sponge…you pour out the water of your Word and Spirit and I will soak it up! Fill me up so that I can be poured out and bless others.

Additional Note:
I originally was scheduled to leave Nashville yesterday for this trip but could not get out on a flight. I found out during my layover in Los Angeles that the flight to Sydney that I was trying to make ended up with mechanical issues after take-off and had to return to LAX. I would have been stuck in LA last night instead of resting well in my bed at home! Thank you Jesus for ordering my steps and taking care of me!

DAY 43 – Sam and the Old Rugged Cross

Posted on March 15, 2013 by vanessamaddoux@gmail.com in Christ Church Choir, Missions, Pic and a Prayer

I was praying for my friend Sam this morning and I thought I’d make her my Pic and a Prayer focus for today.

Sam, in the studio the day she recorded "The Old Rugged Cross" — Sam, in the studio the day she recorded “The Old Rugged Cross”

A few years ago, a politician made a statement about Americans who cling to their guns and their Bibles. It certainly wasn’t the best statement to be made and Americans responded with a variety of passionate rebuttals. The idea that someone would “cling” to anything evokes a sense of desperation, grasping for help or even sometimes fear and those are not feelings that someone would typically want to identify themselves with.

Seen in another light, a very famous Gospel song was written at the turn of the century and uses that word, “cling” and it is one of the songs that moves me at the core of my being every time I hear it. I love that it uses the word “cling” because in this case, I really AM desperate, grasping and holding on to with all that I have… “The Old Rugged Cross”, George Bernard.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

Sam, singing that Sunday evening in Kyoto

My friend Sam recorded this song for a missions project that we did at Christ Church last summer to help raise funds for our trip to Japan. Even now as I’m typing this blog, I can hear her voice in my head, singing this song from the depths of her being. I was happy to be there in the room the day she recorded it and honored to be in Kyoto, Japan with her the Sunday night she stepped forward and sang that song, just her voice and the piano. I watched the faces on the people in that room as Sam sang, “on a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross…” By the time she was singing the last verse and chorus, the typically reserve Japanese people were raising their hands, tears falling. Most of them in the room didn’t speak English but the spirit of the song was piercing the hearts of each one there.

Sam and I in Japan with some of our gifts!

Sam is such a dear precious soul. The song comes to an end and true to her roots in southern Gospel music, she repeats the last line with more than just a little bit of “cry” in her voice as she sings “I will CLING to the OLD RUGGED CROSS…. and exchange it some day for a crown.”

Jesus, be the healer for my friend Sam today. She needs physical healing and supernatural rest. She’s always working and doing things for other people, making sure everyone else’s needs are met. I’m praying for a special delivery of grace and strength that she needs especially today. I could pray all day for Sam because I would love to call out every blessing you promised in Your Word and claim it over her life but I’m just going to ask in one big swoop for all those things! Send her a double portion TODAY!

Here she is singing “The Old Rugged Cross”. Enjoy! https://www.box.com/s/qwsy7wm1ejwu0gg6056i