India 2009

I've been back from India for about a month and a half now, but am still processing it all. God did many unexpected things both in India and in me. I am about to send out a letter describing some of them, but thought you might enjoy a 10 minute video-show about our trip (click on India 2009 title to view).
The link can be accessed through my facebook profile page as well. Blessings! j

Ready or not....for the glory of God!

We leave for India in little over 36 hours. I am super excited and a little nervous. The gospel of grace in my 1 Thes preparations has been so life-giving to my spirit. These are heavy truths and massively important for ministers of the gospel to soak in. Upon return I will try and summarize the sermons in a few posts. But for now, I thought I'd share with you our travel itinerary so that you can fight alongside us in prayer. Thanks so much for your parternership in strengthening the Shepherds of India. By grace....here we go!
__________________________
Thursday - 3/19: Flight from Minneapolis to NJ to Bombay
Friday - 3/20: In Air to India
Saturday - 3/21: Travel within India (Bombay to Hyderbad); overnight train (Hyderbad to Vijayawada)

Sunday - 3/22: Preaching at local church
2 Messages in AM: Tom and Justin
2 Messages in PM: Brian and Jason

Monday - 3/23: Conference Day 1
11AM: Teaching Session (TS) #1 - Brian
3PM: TS#2 - Marshall
7PM: TS #3 - Justin
8:30PM: TS #4 - Tim

Tuesday - 3/24: Conference Day 2
9:30AM: TS #1 - Jason
11:30AM: TS #2 - Justin
2:30PM: TS #3 - Tom
7:00PM: TS #4 - Tom
8:30PM TS #5 - Jason

Wednesday - 3/25: Conference Day 3
9:3oAM: TS #1 - Marshall
11:30AM: TS #2 - Brian
2:30PM: TS #3 - Brian
7:00PM: TS #4 - Tom

Thursday - 3/26: Rest/Visit Orphanage in AM; Local Area Preaching in PM
2 Messages in PM: Tom and Tim

Friday - Local Area Preaching
2 Messages in AM: Brian and Justin
2 Messages in PM: Jason and TBD

Saturday - Meeting with Church Planters/Pastors in AM; Return to Hyderbad in PM (Overnight Train)
Devotional: Tim

Sunday - Travel Day
Hyderbad to Bombay to NJ

Monday - Return Home at 9AM!! (Full of stories to tell of God's awesome power!)

Over the Ocean, but not yet to China

Friends,

God has blessed me with the opportunity to go on a short-term mission trip to India from March 19th to 30th with five other TBI students/faculty. We will be helping one of our long-term workers in India conduct a Pastors Conference, teaching through 1 Thes. 1-3. The hunger among pastors in this region for more theological training continues to grow, making this a wonderful opportunity. I would love to send you one of my support letters if you are interested in fighting alongside me prayerfully and/or financially (Please also include your current mailing address).

Though my heart still does beat Chinese, I feel the Lord leading me to serve the needs of a country I've never been to, while at the same time feeding the fire of my own passions (helping train leaders and serve orphans.....both of which we hope to do in India). Please let me know if the Lord prompts you to participate with me. Thanks for your love and support!

Love you all very much,
j

Contact Info:
Phone #: 612-720-2435
*New address: 2603 Columbus Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55407.
E-mail: jacalcote@yahoo.com

The Science of Sciences

In a sermon entitled, The Bible, C.H. Spurgeon explains: "The science of Jesus Christ is the most excellent of sciences. Let no one turn away from the Bible because it is not a book of learning and wisdom. It is. Would ye know astronomy? It is here: it tells you of the Sun of Righteousness and the Star of Bethlehem. Would you know botany? It is here: it tells you of the plant of renown - the Lily of the Valley, and the Rose of Sharon. Would you know geology and mineralogy? You shall learn it here: for you may read of the Rock of Ages, and the White Stone with the name engraven thereon, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Would ye study history? Here is the most ancient of all the records of the history of the human race. Whate'er your science is, come and bend o'er this book; your science is here. Come and drink out of this fair fount of knowledge and wisdom, and ye shall find yourselves made wise unto salvation. Wise and foolish, babes and men, gray-haired sires, youths and maidens - I speak to you, I plead with you, I beg of you respect your Bibles, and search them out, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Christ."

May God give us grace to love our Bibles and to love the Jesus they show us!

God is Our Song

by jason calcote
10/14/08

We adore You God because You’re Holy and True
Beautiful, Incomprehensible and Powerful too
Sovereign, Omniscient and Good to the core
Unarticulatable, heart-pounding…..more!!!
All things made for You, from beginning to end
You are the Center, even when we pretend
From Adam to antichrist, from Eden to Zion
You are The King forever reigning as both Lamb and Lion
We enjoy expressing truths of You we’ve never before thought
Sparking stronger emotions our hearts never before taught
Were every rock a sixteenth note and the oceans choral staff
One could never skip the fullness of Your glory overdraft
Our words are weak and insufficient to resound the pitch Your due
There is none like You our Precious LORD
We love You…we love You…we love You…we love YOU!!!

Orthodox Head and Heart

This is a sobering quote from Richard Baxter's book, The Reformed Pastor:

"Is it not a pity, then, that our hearts are not as orthodox as our heads? But I see we have but half learned our lesson, when we know it, and can say it. When the understanding hath learned it, there is more ado to teach our wills and affections, our eyes, our tongues, and hands. It is a sad thing that so many of us preach our hearers asleep; but it is sadder still, if we have studied and preached ourselves asleep, and have talked so long against hardness of heart, till our own has grown hardened under the noise of our own reproofs."

May this not be said of us, but may God give us the grace to truly learn with the mind, heart and will what are the manifold riches of grace we read about! Pray for me as I continue to learn more and more in TBI that my mind will not be the only part of me that profits. Thanks!

Picture Update!

Friends,

Hope you all have had a fruitful summer and that you are looking forward to a new school year full of grace. Here's some pictures that I've been meaning to send for.....O....about 6 months now. Wow! Blessings, jason

Easter Pageant at Central Baptist Church
March 2008

Return to Southern for T4G

(Together for the Gospel)

TBI Brothers at T4G

(Tyler Kenney and Nathan Miller)

Bethlehem Father-Daughter Tea

(Don't worry...I'm not a father yet...just singin')

Backyard Bible Club

June 2008
(Just hold still for like 3 seconds)

BBC Group Pic

(Hey...don't rush the camera!)

My good friends (Nathan and Maria Miller)

Some of the funnest people I've ever lived with;

I love them very much!

Kevin (wife Janice not picutred) and Mia Evans

Fellow Texans and Fellow Bethlehemites

Toph Majors and Andy Engebretson

(Two of my closest brothers in the world!)

Summer Trip to Taylors..........

.....Falls

So at Taylor's Falls we didn't see any falls, but my friend Phil did try to take a boulder to the chest.....gotta love 'em!

Some friends and I decided to surprise my roommate Trent by reorganizing all of his stuff (including his clothes)....we couldn't refuse a quick camio in a few of his most random treasures (don't read anything into the unicorn power shirt...how did I get forced into that one anyway?...) Love you T!