IMages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Volume 1 Issue 1
IMages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
at a glance 3
“If I don’t tell them, who will?”
4
“Is this a ‘hello’ church or a ‘bonjour’ church?”
7
“I love to sing. I sing in a children’s pop group.”
Created by Worship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Photo Shoot (Cristina Price) . . . . . . . . . . . 4 LightBox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Thumbnails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Through My Lens (Amy McDonald). . . . . . . . 8 Snapshot (CMP Brazil 2015). . . . . . . . . . . 9
Created by Worship A Young Life Shaped for God Born in February 1992 in Nantes, France, Myriam (Mimi) Le Louarn entered a world where God is either nonexistent or simply a tradition.
Funded by FWB Foundation Editor-in-chief: Clint Morgan Managing editor : Deborah St. Lawrence Associate editor: Kurston Ward Design: Melanie Poole
Mimi grew up angry and frustrated. She struggled to see God’s love. However, she grew close to her older sister Lydie. Lydie surrendered to Christ at the age of 17 and realized those who have not accepted Christ have the promise of an eternal Hell. “Those” in Lydie’s case were her siblings—her first mission field.
Wanting to be like Lydie, Mimi became a regular attendee of the St. Nazaire church and youth group. Slowly, the once quick-tempered girl became an energetic and inquisitive young teen desiring truth. Lydie guided this search by posing questions such as, “Why are you here” and “What is your purpose?”
Continued on Page 3
IMages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Created by Worship Continued from page 2 The search for answers led Mimi to stop attending church while she remained unsure of what she believed. She felt it too hypocritical and her attention turned to the Quran, philosophy, and any other religious readings she could find. As a last resort, Mimi read the Bible. She read how Jesus’ love for the broken, outcasts, and unworthy was not dependent upon wealth and good works. Mimi determined humans would not invent a religion where a deity suffered for all men and offered salvation as a free gift. Though she now believed Christianity to be true, only after her small youth group went to a camp did Mimi finally surrender her life to Christ at the age of 14. It is difficult to believe with so few Christians around, but seeing 4,000 teens spending a week at camp worshipping Christ astounded Mimi and she determined to live her life for Christ. With the mindset of “if I don’t tell them, who will,” Mimi used her engaging personality to make opportunities for sharing her faith. Mimi’s constant prayer became “God send me somewhere.” She found herself serving God by leading a youth group, working in a hospital, and spending seven months in South Africa. Her faith eventually led her to Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College in Oklahoma to learn more about the Bible and receive training to do God’s work. In April, the IM board approved Mimi to work in France with Dennis, Carol, Joel, and Lydie Teague in their outreach ministries, J’Crois
Myriam Le Louarn Mimi uses her love of rock climbing to build friendships.
J’Pense brings young people together in a neutral environment to address questions about life with the goal of introducing them to Christ. J’Pense can be translated “I think.” J’Crois (I believe), an annual youth ministry in Nantes, equips Christian young people to share their faith with their friends.
(I believe) and J’Pense (I think). Mimi hopes to use activities that she loves, such as rock and A J’Pense service
J’Pense. Mimi hope to use activities like rock climbing, to meet young people around Nantes. Driven by her passion to see French youth worshipping Christ as Savior, Mimi will return to her hometown to be a light in a desperately dark city.
IMages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Photo Shoot
HOT LINKS
Email Cristina See the Price’s prayer card
Getting to Know Cristina • Favorite French Foods: Crêpes, couscous, and French pastries (baguettes, chocolate croissants, and raisin croissants) • Favorite Sites in Nantes: Château des Ducs de Bretagne (Castle of the Dukes of Brittany) and the Cathédrale de St. Pierre et St. Paul • Favorite Part of Missionary Work: Making deep friendships and being invited into someone’s life • Humorous Moments: Our daughters have been interesting to watch as they learn two languages and cultures without actually belonging to either. One morning, we parked in front of a church. As I began unbuckling four-year-old Emilie from her car seat, she asked, “Mommy, is this a ‘hello’ chuch or a ‘bonjour’ church?” She wondered which language was spoken at this church. Her question is symbolic of the life of MKs.
Emilie rides her bike read more
Cristina Price
An Enriched Life ce 2005
ance, sin Serving Nantes, Fr
ry since 2003
Full-time missiona
ice
Husband: Matt Pr
ne and Emilie
Children: Madelei
Something happens when you live outside your home country for a while. Living in another culture gives you different glasses through which to see your own culture. We have a tendency to blindly accept things we consider normal within our culture and we assume all right-thinking people will do things the same way we do. Living abroad, however, changes your perspective. It makes you see, whether you want to or not, the aspects of your home culture that are both beautiful and ugly. You are forced to realize your home culture doesn’t always have the right answers. That can be a bitter pill to swallow. Cross-cultural workers must constantly remind themselves they are ambassadors for Christ and not representatives of their home country. But, without a doubt, having this dual perspective has enriched my own worldview and I’m thankful for it, even when it is painful!
LightBox
IMages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Laura Belle Barnard: Just a Daughter By Jessica Folsom If you journey down to Glennville, Georgia, in the cemetery around the back of a church lay the remains of one of the most influential women within the Free Will Baptist movement. Instead of listing her accolades as the first missionary commissioned by Free Will Baptists in 1935 to serve in India, you’ll simply see a headstone engraved, “Laura Belle Barnard, Feb. 13, 1907-Mar. 10, 1992, Daughter.” Simply put, our beloved pioneer missionary from South Georgia wished to be remembered as a daughter, both of the King and her family. But what led Laura Belle Barnard from the certainty of the Georgia pines to the mystical land of India? Simple: she received an invitation for the opportunity. After hearing God’s call to preach the gospel where it had not yet been heard, Laura Belle enrolled at Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University). After graduating college and being fired as a hospital secretary, the summer of 1934 proved providential. Laura Belle prayed diligently for God to provide an open door for ministry. After two weeks of prayer, Laura Belle stated, “A letter came from an elderly Christian friend in-
forming me of the need for a worker in Queen’s Hill Missionary Rest Home, Kotagiri, South India. The sixty-eight-year-old conducting the home for weary missionaries needed to retire. This all depended upon the coming of a new missionary to help her and eventually take over” (Hill 1985). This story would’ve ceased to exist had denominational churches not been willing to preach the need of the gospel for all or support (both financial and prayer) been given. Global evangelism starts within our homes. It stems from our testimony to our family, friends, and greater community. Laura Belle was simply a daughter who obeyed the calling from her Father. Had she herself been distracted by a prospective relationship, a lucrative job, or merely the illusion of the “American Dream,” countless souls worldwide would’ve been starved of the life giving power of the gospel. Hill, Laura Belle Barnard with Georgia B. Touching the Untouchables. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1985.
Interested in reading more about Laura Belle Barnard? Click this link to find out how you can purchase Touching the Untouchables.
Laura Belle Barnard’s efforts brought schools and churches to a community desperate for hope.
The Work Continues The Free Will Baptist work in India continues today with Carlisle Hanna. Hanna has served in India for over sixty years. Click to learn more about his story.
Thumbnails Sharing the Good News in Bulgaria
Tim and Lydia Awtrey, with their children Yanna and Alex, pioneered the first church plant in Svishtov. Tim shared some of the interesting sayings he hears working in Bulgaria: “We’ll see…” which means no. They won’t tell you no, but when you hear “we’ll see” you can pretty much count on it not happening. Another of my favorite sayings is “we pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us.” Tim: “The main religion is Orthodoxy. People are resistant to attending a Protestant church or reading the Bible because, through the newspapers and press, the Orthodox priests claim Protestant churches are dangerous sects which brainwash young people.” Jonathan: “If you look at statistics about Bulgaria, you will read 75% of Bulgaria’s population is Christian. This probably leads many people to falsely assume there is little need for efforts to plant churches here. But digging deeper into that statistic reveals that many of those listed as Christian are Bulgarian Orthodox who
rely more on tradition and ritual than they do on a relationship with Christ. Before we came to Bulgaria I assumed people weren’t greatly influenced by church at all. I knew there was opposition to the Protestant Church, but I assumed that it was of a different nature than what I have discovered since moving here. While many Bulgarians who consider themselves Christians are nominal members of the Orthodox Church, they are still deeply influenced by it. One woman who started doing a Bible study was told by a relative, ‘Being a Christian means going to church and lighting a candle; reading the Bible is what cults do.’ For many people, it is socially unacceptable and shameful to be associated with a church that is not Orthodox. This has kept several people from getting too close to the work we are doing here in Bulgaria.” Amy (seated fourth from the left): “One favorite memory is actually last Sunday. It was the final church service this year’s Hanna Project team shared with us. We experience plenty of discouraging moments in ministry here. Last Sunday, however, brought encouragement that all of our hearts needed. We saw four people come to church for the first time in their lives— three of whom we have been praying for and building relationships with for years. Our church had planted seeds, our partners on the THP team had opportunities to water these seeds, and God was faithful in bringing the fruit! Even though it may involve times of waiting, persistence, and even heartbreak on our part, God IS faithful. He is faithfully making His name known to people who haven’t heard—to people in Bulgaria.”
IMages . . .“I . .am . . . .a . .church . . . . . . . plant . . . . 6 Trif: er at New Life Church in Varna. New Life is a small church of about 20-25 people. Besides Sunday worship services we have a Bible study group meeting, morning prayer group, run children’s evangelism events for Christmas and Easter, Women’s Day programs, apologetic lectures, kids English and music clubs, national retreats, Internet evangelism, etc. We try to bring God’s truth to people in a contextualized way and show His love through friendship, concern, and practical support. As Havner puts it, “Our church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.” Vanya: “The biggest challenge for me is to remain faithful and to continue serving with love and humility to people around me; to remember it is God’s work and He is the one who makes things happen; to encourage, motivate, and make disciples of Christ, no matter what happens; to enjoy the little spiritual victories and changes. A challenge is to live a life that is a good witness of God and with your personality and character to inspire people around you to long to have faith and develop relationships with God. For me as a parent, a challenge is to raise my children with Christian values and morals and to motivate them to serve God and to follow Him in their lives. I believe that our family is in the ministry and our ministry is in the family.” The Postelwaite and Provow children get to know each other on the playground. Anna Postelwaite, who is five years old, loves to go to the P.R. Club for playdates. The P.R. Club, a restaurant and coffee shop with a large play area for kids, has a trampoline. Anna also has grown to love the Bulgarian dish “tarator” which is made of yogurt, cucumbers, and garlic.
Deborah: “Growing up as a Christian in Bulgaria is a challenge. Bulgaria is a beautiful country with great history, but its people are lost. Most of them know almost nothing about Jesus or consider people who are not eastern Orthodox sectarians. In other words, in the minds of most of my co-citizens I am a ‘sectarian.’ Since elementary school, I have had to put up with children’s mockeries and judgment. I remember crying at home or in the school bathroom because my classmates used to make fun of me for being a Christian. I am considered a ‘weirdo’ and am one of the outsiders in my class. But even though it has been hard, I’ve learned to rejoice in such moments. I know that being a Christian is never easy. I know there will always be hardships and difficult times, but I also know that going through them can only make me stronger in my faith in Christ. Being a Christian can be quite rough, but it’s also a blessing. And even though I’m thought of as a sectarian, the Lord has made it so that people do respect me and listen to me. And, because of that, school is one of the places where I can share my faith with other young people. There is no greater joy than sharing my faith with others.” Monica: “My favorite place in Varna is the pier. I like it because it is a place where I can enjoy the sound of the sea and the view of the whole town. My favorite thing about the pier is that it is really peaceful and beautiful. And the best part of being there is that you can remind yourself about the unique and pure beauty God has created.” Stefan: “I love singing. I sing in a children’s pop group. I have also sung quite a few songs as a solo singer and have performed at song competitions. I have many prizes from national and international competitions. I also sing at culture events, charity concerts, and evangelistic events. I also like playing soccer and volleyball, and going to the beach.”
IMages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Meet the newest members of the team! Josh: “Why Bulgaria? When we went before the Mission Board, Lydia and I said that we felt called wherever the need was greatest. For us, that meant Bulgaria! Bible-believing churches are few and far between. And for one people group, the Turks, only 1 out of 10,000 know Jesus. Now THAT is a truly great need! What am I most nervous about? One word: Failure. I’m nervous that I’ll mess up when sharing the gospel. Even worse, I’m nervous that I’ll chicken out because of the language barrier. I’m nervous that after all the training and prayer, we simply won’t be good enough. But you know what? We aren’t good enough! Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:5, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.” I am insufficient. Christ in me is all sufficient.” Lydia: “The faithfulness of our God is astounding! Beginning with fundraising, which seemed like a daunting and difficult task, the Lord revealed Himself and His faithfulness through the faithfulness of His people. We were blown away and humbled by the way people gave generously and sacrificially! Through the months that followed, as we waited and waited and waited, there were days we didn’t feel like waiting anymore. I believe that was the goal of the evil one during that time. Satan wanted us discouraged before we even got to the mission field! He wanted us to doubt our call, and he wanted us to abandon this life for an easier one. But our God is faithful! He knew just what we needed and when we needed it! Along with the special memories we made with family and friends, He gave us the gift of total dependence on Him! I believe that will serve us well as we transition to life in Bulgaria. We have confidence that our Lord is faithful, and that He will establish us. HE will guard us against the attacks of the evil one! We know there will be days of discouragement ahead, but we feel like God has specially used this time of waiting to teach us that dependence on Him is ALWAYS the best way!”
Naomi:
Phoebe:
Zoe:
Q: Why are you moving to Bulgaria?
Q: What are you excited about?
Q: What are you excited about?
A: “That’s an easy one! To tell people about Jesus!”
A: “Seeing my things that we packed!”
A: “Getting me a new bike in Bulgaria.”
Keep up with the Bulgaria team...sign up to receive their newsletter.
Through My Lens Amy McDonald, daughter of missionaries to Japan Donnie and Ruth McDonald, opens up about her love for the Lord, desire to share Jesus with Japan, and her passion for music.
Over a year ago, some friends and I played bluegrass music for the Welch College Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A. We had been jamming together for a month or so and it was our first “gig.” (We got paid in Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwiches and Sweet Tea!)
IMages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
hope to connect with people through that common interest. We have been given the opportunity to play music in open-air settings, coffee shops, temporary housing units, and several churches. We don’t know exactly what this month in Japan holds but we are thankful for this opportunity, and are excited to see how God uses this trip to reach the lost. We are also so thankful for all of those who have supported us and made it possible for us to go!
That night Rusty Carney, career missionary to Japan, and a Japanese family visiting Nashville came to hear us. Rusty was very encouraging about our music and tossed around ideas for us to come to Japan to do music ministry. It sounded like a dream come true for me since Japan is my home and music is my passion. But, at that point, it was really just a dream. I hoped a trip would work out, but it honestly seemed too far off and unattainable. Now, over a year later we are making final preparations to head to Japan for a month of music ministry! Our band’s name is “West End” and includes Cody Truett, Zuri Zuniga, and myself. Our mission is to use our gifts to glorify God in all that we do. The opportunity to go to Japan seemed to just come together without us actively pursuing an overseas mission trip. I strongly feel God has orchestrated this trip and wants to reach specific souls in Japan. Though we are excited about the opportunity to travel and play music, we are most excited about the opportunity to be a light in such a spiritually dark nation. Less than 1% of Japanese claim to be Christians and many people have simply never heard that Jesus can save their souls and give them a life of joy and hope! Historically speaking, Japan has not been very open to the gospel. Christianity is viewed as a Western religion and is simply “not Japanese.” However, after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, there seems to be a new openness in Japan and we are thankful for the opportunity to spread the gospel at this time. We are so excited we get to make connections with the Japanese people through music! The country/folk genre is well loved in Japan and we
West End: Amy M cDonald, Zuri Zuni ga, Cody Truett, and sound, Keegan Murfin. Ch eck out their cover of “From this Valley.”
West End left for Japan on July 10. Stay up-to-date with the band, using the link for their Facebook page.
IMages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
immeasurable mission to Araras, Campinas, and Jaboticabal (to name a few cities), was a season of learning. This is the part where you think, “Wait, so I donated my personal money and prayer time so a couple of college kids could travel halfway across the world just to learn a lesson?” Well... yes. But, hear me out.
College Missions Program Brazil 2015 By Tony Dillard Our team came to the general consensus that our trip to Brazil was in no way what we expected it to be, but international mission trips hardly are. It’s always an “I went to change people’s lives, but instead they changed mine” kind of thing. Don’t get me wrong, that definitely happened. Brazilian culture is the most welcoming and loving environment we have ever experienced, reaching us in ways for which we were not emotionally and spiritually prepared. But that’s not what made this adventure different from the rest. So what was it? We didn’t build any churches. There were no unreached tribes contacted, nor were there community service projects, Vacation Bible Schools, or mass revivals of Brazilians. This journey, this
We learned to navigate our way around a city in which we had never been, with signs whose names we couldn’t pronounce. We learned how to grocery shop (and how to not grocery shop) in a store full of foods we had never even heard of before. We learned how to connect with people using our hands and hearts, instead of just words. We learned the entire history of a country’s FWB church growth, and were able to sit down and interrogate many planters and pastors. We learned how to share our testimonies, how to maintain a daily devotional, and how to function with team members from varying social upbringings. These aren’t lessons you can read in a textbook, or watch a YouTube video about. These are experiences that can only be understood through hands-on, tangible, and practical participation. Which leads us to the infamous question, “Why?”
CMP Team Brazil Left to right: John Hoffa, Tony Dillard, Ellen Parrish, Christian Carey, Danielle Pilcher, Curt Holland, Hannah Reid
WATCH Brazil taught us more than we taught the Brazilians. It was an educational trip in missions, in the culture, and in the gospel.
There is but one simple and confident answer. We are the future of Christian missions.
Through the sugar cane fields to our temporary home
IMages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
P. O. Box 5002 • Antioch, TN 37011 • www.fwbgo.com • 877-767-7736