Why Living Hope Reno Matters to Morningside Greenville
Living Hope Church in Reno, NV matters to Morningside. We’ve sent teen trips, young adult trips, and churchwide trips there.
Reno is full of natural beauty. Each September Reno hosts a massive hot air balloon festival to let people enjoy the view from above. World-famous Lake Tahoe is less than an hour away.
Why Reno?
Living Hope Church
Started by a team of four families in 2021, the mission of Living Hope Church centers around bringing broken lives to living hope in Christ. The name of their church comes from the first chapter of 1 Peter where Peter reminds the early Christians that they were “born again to a living hope.”
Connection Between Greenville and Reno
Their congregation is just like ours, committed to following Christ and sharing the hope that comes through knowing Him. The Wess family is sent out directly from our church, and we are excited to see them serving the Lord in this new place. Several teams from our church have been out to visit Reno include our teens and Pursue young professionals. Other members of our church have gone out to visit the church to learn about the ministry.
The Importance of Church Planting
Living Hope Church is committed to being a light for the Gospel in Reno, as of 2017 the second most unchurched city in America (Barna).
While Greenville is overflowing with wonderful Gospel churches, we at Morningside have a similar burden to be a light in our community in Greenville. We also believe in partnering with those spreading the Gospel around the world. Morningside is heavy focused on investing in missions. It’s a core part of our identity.
Financial Support
Our investment into missions flows not only from the Bible’s commands to spread the Gospel, but also from the hearts of the people in our church. We support all four church families financially and we have supported people from our church who have gone out to visit and encourage them. Sending more teams of people out to Reno is a priority of ours for this year.
Challenges and Triumphs
Initially, the four families who started the church were by themselves, but God has brought numerous people to them from the community in Reno and from around the country. The church in Reno will continue to face many challenges ahead, but God will continue to bless them just like he already has.
Future Plans and Continued Support
We hope that you will continue to support the ministry of Morningside and Living Hope by investing financially in their success. We also hope you will consider investing some of your time by visiting the church in Reno. By taking the time to meet the people of the church and hear their burdens, you will be able to pray for them more confidently.
We are excited to extend our support and partnership to Living Hope Church, knowing that together, we can make a difference in the lives of countless individuals who are seeking purpose in their own lives - purpose that can only come through Christ.
ODBM 2025 Golf Tournament
Open Door Baptist Missions Golf Tournament
Please join us for the annual Open Door Baptist Missions Golf Tournament on April 26, 2025. The annual tournament is one of the ways that ODBM can keep costs so low for its missionaries.
We will have a great day of golf at the beautiful Links O' Tryon in Campobello, SC. Register online now or pick up a print registration form in our lobby, and remember to invite your friends to play.
New Missionary for 2025
Vince & Sarah Waltz
In December 2024, our members voted to begin monthly support as the sending church for Vince Waltz.
Vince and his wife Sarah joined us in October 2021. Their daughter Abigail is in our youth group, and Isaac is in our kids ministry. Vince has volunteered with our life groups, media team, GriefShare, and men’s ministry.
Vince completed a counseling degree in May, and he plans to begin raising support soon. He will work with Wounded Spirits Ministries as a counselor sharing the gospel with PTSD sufferers.
Helping Expand Grand View Camp (AZ)
For many years we’ve been supporting the ministry of Grand View Camp in the Arizona mountains. On Dec. 1 we heard a great presentation from Grand View director Matt Wilson.
Their chapel has been very full, and a generous donor is matching funds until the end of January to help them build a larger worship space.
Learn more and help us donate to Grand View’s activity center on their website.
Bridge to Reno
This year we sent three small mission teams to Reno to prayerfully consider moving there.
We had a brief report from the July team already, and our second team reported on Nov. 17.
Our March team reported on May 4.
Living Hope Church matters to us. Find out why.
ODBM
We’ve been supporting missionaries a long time, but it’s only been about 30 years since we started our own missionary sending agency. Open Door Baptist Missions is the sending agency for a third of the missionary families we support, and it helps other churches send dozens more families around the world.
The Brandenburg Gate opens in Berlin, 1989.
ODBM began as a ministry of Morningside in 1990. As the Iron Curtain fell, our church family wanted to make it easier to send mission trips to places that were eager for missionaries. Today ODBM helps churches send nearly 40 missionary families around the world from Reno to Southeast Asia to South Africa and more.
New Website: For years, ODBM has used odbm.org to serve its missionaries, churches, and donors. This fall that domain is transferring to Our Daily Bread Ministries, and ODBM will begin to use a new website. Check out odbmissions.org when you can!
Hope Baptist VBS July 8-10
Holding services since 2003, Hope Baptist Church is in Nicholtown, a historically African-American community.
In 2001, several Christians [including some Morningside members] were discussing the condition of a crime-ridden area in Greenville, SC... Someone suggested there needed to be a good, "Bible-believing and Bible-preaching church in the Nicholtown community of Greenville…" The Lord saw fit to answer their prayers. —hopebaptistsc.org
We support Hope monthly and recruit volunteers for Wednesday children’s ministry and VBS.
We schedule Pastor Ben Gordon to preach for us at least once each year and invite their kids to events like Back to School Splash.
When you choose “Missions” at morningside.org/give, you’re helping us support Hope. But when you serve at Hope, that partnership can go even deeper. Hope’s VBS this year is July 8-10. Would you like to help?
BAM Retreat
The Lord blessed this year’s ODBM Business As Mission (BAM) retreat with larger attendance than previous years. You can read more at ODBM.org.
Watch the 1-minute video below for some of the highlights.
Several Morningside members helped lead the retreat, and student attendees included regular and associate members.
We pray that the Lord uses this retreat to advance the gospel around the world.
All photos courtesy of ODBM.
ODBM 2024 Golf Tournament
Open Door Baptist Missions Golf Tournament
Please join us for the annual Open Door Baptist Missions Golf Tournament on April 20, 2024. The annual tournament is one of the ways that ODBM can keep costs so low for its missionaries.
We will have a great day of golf at the beautiful Links O' Tryon in Campobello, SC. Register online now or pick up a print registration form in our lobby, and remember to invite your friends to play.
New Missions Pastor
On Oct. 29 we welcomed Pastor Joe Henson to our pastoral staff. As our Missions Pastor, he will oversee our Morningside missions program. Pastor Smith continues to lead ODBM during the next phase of his transition. Pastor Henson will also serve in our college-age Rooted group.
Stephen Wess and Living Hope Church
Wednesday, August 9, our church planter Stephen Wess will report from Living Hope Church (Reno, NV). We’re excited that our kids and teens will join us for his report.
L to R: Kamden, Tammi, Klayton, Stephen, and Kurtis Wess
Living Hope Church was chartered in April 2022. Here they are worshiping in McKinley Community Center, their usual meeting place.
Missionary Schlehlein Guest Speaker
Paul helped organize last January’s Advance the Gospel conference.
July 23 our guest speaker is our missionary Dr. Paul Schlehlein. Paul’s last time preaching at Morningside was on New Year’s Day. This time he will preach for us in the morning and evening services.
Paul and Melinda and their eight children serve among the Tsonga-speaking people of South Africa. Paul has served in South Africa with Open Door Baptist Missions since 2006. Morningside has supported the Schlehlein family since 2020.
Paul blogs at Between Two Cultures. He is the author of John G. Paton: Missionary to the Cannibals of the South Seas (Banner of Truth, 2017).
Living Hope Church and Morningside Missions
May 6-11, Pastor Smith is leading a church planting interest trip to Living Hope Church (Reno, NV).
This is Morningside’s third mission trip to Reno. Our teens traveled to Reno in the summer of 2021. They helped the Hope for Reno team prepare for launching Living Hope Church on October 24, 2021. The week after the launch, a team from Pursue traveled there. Living Hope Church celebrated its charter service on April 24, 2022.
All four families in the Hope for Reno church planting team are supported by Morningside and sent through Open Door Baptist Missions. One family, Stephen and Tammi Wess, are sent from MBC.
Evangelist Jeremy Frazor, our homecoming 2022 speaker, held services at Living Hope Church just last month.
Other trips planned for 2023 include the Teen Mission Trip (July 20-31, Iceland) and a senior adults mission trip (September 10-16, Madison, GA). See our teens page and our senior adults page for more details.
Bowers to New Field
Missionaries that have ministered in Haiti for decades all agree – the current situation in Haiti is the worst they have seen. Over 90 gangs have been empowered by power-mongers whose greed and wicked pursuit reign supreme. Violence and kidnappings have become everyday occurrences. A gallon of gas on the black-market costs $30 causing Haiti’s infrastructure (schools, hospitals, stores, etc.) to become paralyzed. Haiti’s greatest need is prayer!
Tim & RoseAnne Bower
Tim and RoseAnne Bower have been our missionaries to Haiti for many years. As conditions in Haiti continue to get worse, the Bowers are making plans to go to a different mission field this year.
On the evening of December 4th Tim shared with us how God has been leading them to Haitians in the Bahamas.
2021 MBC Missions Investment
In addition to monthly supporting over 60 missionaries and ministries worldwide, Morningside has invested over $24,000 this year in special gifts, projects and short-term missions to advance the Gospel and impact the nations for God’s glory.
Relief Aid for India & Myanmar - $2,900
Gifts to Local Ministry Partners - $1,310
US Ministry Projects - $3,600
Wess Family Move to Reno and MTT Bus Repairs
Special Gifts & Honorariums for 9 Missionaries - $3,450
Investing in the Next Generation - $12,800
Pray for the Tsongas - Prosperity Gospel
ODBM MISSIONARY PAUL SCHLEHLEIN EXPLAINS THE DECEIT AND DEVASTATION OF THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL IN AFRICA. PRAY THAT THE TRUE GOSPEL LIGHT WILL SHINE INTO THE HEARTS OF THE TSONGA PEOPLE AND BEAR FRUIT FOR GOD'S GLORY.
Paul & Melinda Schlehlein along with their seven children serve among the Tsonga people in northeastern South Africa. They are veteran missionaries diligently planting Gospel seeds, making disciples and establishing indigenous churches. To learn more about their ministry visit tiyani.org
Pray for Haiti
Kidnappings, violence and uncertainty continue in Haiti since the assassination of the president on July 7th. Pray for law, order and national leadership to be restored. Pray for grace and strength for national pastors as they shepherd their churches. Pray for wisdom for Morningside and ODBM missionaries as they seek the Lord’s leading in when to return to Haiti.
Educational Opportunities in South Africa
ODBM missionaries Paul & Melinda Schlehlein are praying and looking for someone to come partner with them to teach children a Biblical worldview in South Africa. They need help in tutoring their seven children and in helping to start a new preschool in their community.
Pray for the Tsonga Families
Morningside & ODBM missionaries Paul & Melinda (South Africa) share great insight of how we can pray for their ministry in serving Tsonga families.
Paul & Melinda Schlehlein along with their seven children serve among the Tsonga people in northeastern South Africa. They are veteran missionaries diligently planting Gospel seeds, making disciples and establishing indigenous churches. To learn more about their ministry visit tiyani.org
