July - August 2014 ::: The World of BMA Missions
mission:BMA
BY: LARRY BARKER | MISSIONS
W
e talk about evangelism, being outwardly focused, and reaching people with the gospel, but evangelism is a dying value in the American church. Two-thirds of the Builder Generation, those born before 1946, are Christians. Only fifteen percent of the Millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000, are born-again. We have lost an entire generation! Thom Rainer research discovered that only four percent of churches met their criteria to be described as evangelistic churches. He says, “America is clearly becoming less Christian, less evangelized, and less churched, yet too many of those in our churches seem oblivious to this reality.” The majority of churches are not committed to evangelism! In U-Turn Church Kevin Harvey says, “The gravitational force of the church naturally pulls us inward, toward each other! If we are going to move outward toward those who are lost, it will take more energy than most of us dream!” It’s worth it, and the harvest needs more laborers!
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mission:world Volume 2 - Issue 4 July-August 2014 www.bmaamerica.org Editor Donny Parrish
Contents
Managing Editor Phillip Rice Design & Layout Jared Eakin Published bi-montly by the Baptist Missionary Association of America, 9219 Sible Hole Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72209 Entered as Periodical Rate at Little Rock, Arkansas. Periodical Postage paid at Little Rock, Arkansas and at additional mailing offices. USPS 575-320 POSTMASTER send address correction to Mission:World P.O. Box 30910 Little Rock, Arkansas 72260 501.455.4977 FAX 501.455.3636 Email: missionworld@bmaamerica.org Website: www.bmamissions.org Subscription rate is $7.50 per year 65 and older, $1.00 per year Church Plan, 50 cents per month per family
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THE FIELDS ARE ALL AROUND The people we walk by everyday are our own personal fields ready for the harvest
BMA Family of Ministries
18
MOSAIC CHURCH How Ali is a product of the harvest of his own church
16
KINGDOM BUILDING Colorado churches partnering to plant more churches
Lifeword.....................................................................10-14 Moral Action..............................................................26-28 For contact info, websites, and more on the BMA family of ministries, visit BMALife.com
Seminary..................................................................30-33 DiscipleGuide............................................................36-39 mission:news...........................................................42-46
Washington
“I BELIEVE”
HOW CHRIST BECAME REAL IN A RELATIONAL CHURCH
O
ne Sunday morning a young man named Bryce sneaked in the back door of where we meet to attend one of our services. We welcomed him with open arms but he seemed to be a little nervous and uneasy. He didn’t have much to say but surprisingly he came back the following week… and the
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BY: BRAD FAULK | WASHINGTON following week and the following week and… well, you get the picture. I had talked enough with Bryce to know he wasn’t convinced the Bible was God’s Word nor was he convinced of the existence of God. He kept coming anyway, listening intently and investigating our claims. One Sunday morning about
nine months after his first visit he walked up to me at the conclusion of the service. He had a different look on his face this time, somewhat of a glow. He was grinning from ear to ear. He looked at me and said, “It all clicked today. I believe now!” I was super excited for him! I knew it wasn’t anything we had
Brad Faulk and Family | Tri-Cities, WA
talked him into but that God had spoken to his heart and had revealed His truth to him. Bryce came up to me a few weeks later and asked if he could share his story with me. He said that in his journey of investigating the existence of God he decided to go to church. He said, “A couple of weeks before I visited your church, I went to another church, and they cornered me right when I showed up. As soon as I came in the door some old man said to
me, ‘Are you saved?’ Saved from what, I thought. I was approached by several more people with the same question and honestly I just wanted to escape. I didn’t think they were going to let me leave if I didn’t say I was saved.” Bryce said that experience just about drove him away from giving any other church a chance. The next week Bryce had gone to Las Vegas and ended up going to a strip club. A stripper in that club started talking to him about how her friend had invited her to church the previous Sunday and how she had given her life to Christ. She went on to say that she wanted to find a way out of her line of work but that she had kids that needed to be fed. She asked Bryce if he would pray that God would help her to find new work. Bryce went on to share
with her about his latest church experience and how he didn’t know if he could go through that again. She encouraged him not to give up and to try another church. So that’s exactly what Bryce did the next week and guess where he showed up. Ha! That’s right! He showed up at our church! It’s been two years since that first day that Bryce came to our church. We baptized him about a year ago, and now he plays in our band and is actively involved in discipleship. God continues to amaze me!
www.summitlifenow.com
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Missouri
Preparing for the BY: JOHN HERRING | MISSOURI
I
INCREASE
am often reminded of my role in church planting as I study Scripture: To plant seeds and join in the effort to water them and allow God to give the increase. First Corinthians 3:6 and 7 reminds me of this simple truth and points to the fact that God has a greater desire to grow His church than I do. Ultimately the focus of planting is on preparing for God to move in a way that exceeds anything we can do on our own. It’s an amazing journey to experience this mission in faith, trusting that God is going to do something bigger than what we can plan or imagine. So we plan, prepare, plant, pray and water all the while asking God to grow His church in a way that will bring Him glory. Here in Nixa, Missouri our desire is to meet people where they are and help them move to where it is God wants them to be. As a result, our main focus in planting this church is connecting with people, building relationships and entering into a discipleship relationship with them as well. With that in mind, our journey has been intentional, relational and progressive over the past year and a half. We have been intentional by having a plan that was developed through the training offered by BMA Missions and keeping that plan flexible to the changing culture of the field. Additionally, we gathered a prayer team that agreed to cover us in prayer and to receive regular updates for prayer
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needs on our field. This has been one of the biggest blessings to our ministry here in Nixa! On the field, we have intentionally connected to the community in a variety of ways including developing relational circles, servant evangelism, prayer walking, surveys, community involvement and more. It’s exciting to have the opportunity to be God’s hands and feet here in Nixa, MO. We have been relational by sharing our lives and our home with others in order to get to know them better. Even this part of the journey has stretched us beyond our comfort zones as we have worked hard to build relationships with people who were different from us in a variety of ways. We continually make room in our schedules to spend time with
people that we barely know or are just getting to know in order to cultivate a relationship. We’ve seen how God has used this not only to grow His church, but also to give us some great friends with whom to experience this journey. We have been progressive by moving forward in faith even at times when it didn’t make sense. When we first moved to the field in March of 2013, we only knew the two other families that moved here with us and quickly began to look for ways to connect with the community and build relationships. By June of 2013, we had one small group meeting together every week to build relationships and study the Bible together. In September of 2013, we were excited to launch two additional small groups. One of those groups was designed specifically for students, and the other group was a second adult group. God has continued to grow all three groups. It’s exciting to see people who have never been in church or haven’t been in church in a few years come together with a desire to grow in their relationship with God.
As a result of our growing groups, we were able to move towards launching monthly worship services in February 2014. These services have been well attended, and we continue to see new people connect with Refuge Church through these services and through small groups. In June 2014 we will move towards having two services a month while maintaining weekly small group meetings. Continuing in the progressive planting of Refuge Church, we look forward to launching weekly services this fall and are praying that God will open doors and show us His timing for this next step of faith.
John Herring and Family | Nixa, MO
Through all of this, God is in the process of changing lives and increasing our faith in Him. He is the one who is growing His church. He is the one who is giving the increase. He is the one to whom we give all praise and glory for the work He’s doing here!
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Multiplication
CENTER
BY: TODD WEST | ARKANSAS
A
few years ago, God gave me a strong desire to “replace” myself with new ministry leaders. The “God idea” was to actually “live out” Ephesians 4:12 and each year release a well-equipped group of ministry leaders who could equip other believers to do the work of the ministry. My friend Larry Barker introduced me to the concept of a Multiplication Center, and it was perfect for accomplishing the desire God had given me. We successfully graduated our 2013 Multiplication Center group, and presently I am meeting with a group of six disciples weekly at my home. By the end of 2013, I believe these disciples will be ready to multiply as church planters/missionaries, pastors, team leaders at local churches, staff for para-church ministries, etc. When I look at those six teachable disciples each week, I am seeing progress and watching as they do the work of ministry with greater confidence. If you are intrigued, here are some suggestions to consider: seek, select, sync, serve, support, send.
United States
1 SEEK
Is multiplying leaders (replacing yourself) something that God is giving you a desire to explore? Who could help you understand more about starting something similar to the Multiplication Center?
2 SELECT
Can you think of one person or several that God wants you to “equip” for the purpose of releasing him/her into the work of ministry? Recruit them, cast your vision of the reason for such a relationship and, with their permission, start the journey of meeting together.
3 SYNC
Help them get in sync with God’s desire for their immediate futures. Show them the process you are using to get in sync with God. Or you could reach out to other ministry leaders that you admire to help you with this process. This will most likely
include teaching them about prayer retreats, timelines, goal setting and other important details.
4 SERVE
Some content to study is good, but allowing them to serve alongside you or with other ministry leaders is much better. Make the focus more “application driven” than “content driven.” (I became more effective in ministry because I was given the opportunity to use my gifts). How could you get them started?
5 SUPPORT
Celebrate small wins! Affirm their progress and help them see their forward movement. When failure comes, coach them on what to do differently the next time. Support means you are watching and are available at critical times to help move them ahead.
Todd West | Maumelle, AR
6 SEND
It is critical to remember that the end result of discipling is to “send.” “Keeping” is selfish and does not reproduce or multiply. Being sent is the only way a disciple can continue to grow and become more productive. See “releasing” as the ultimate compliment to your leadership and the fulfilling of your call.
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Lifeword
THE FIELDS ARE ALL AROUND US
BY: RICK RUSSELL | LIFEWORD
O
n 130 radio stations across America and around the world over the internet, Lifeword’s short format evangelistic radio program encourages listeners to take a break from the bad news of the day and think—for just a minute— about how much God really loves them. In its most effective form, the Lifeword broadcast is a cooperative effort between its producers, its sponsors and local Christian believers who will seize the opportunity to share the good news of the gospel. Roy Johnson, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Stamps, Arkansas is one of those “cooperative” believers. Reliance Well Service in nearby Magnolia, Arkansas is one of those sponsors. Of course, Lifeword Media Ministries (enabled by your financial support) is the producer. Several times each day, Reliance Well Service sponsors Lifeword on local radio stations KVMA and KWDO. Over the years, the program’s personalities, Donny Parrish, Rick Russell, Mr. Kluffheimer (played to stern perfection by affable Central Baptist College English professor Henry Smiley), and a host of other characters have
become well known to the wide swath of south Arkansas served by those stations. Johnson says, “When someone hears the word ‘missions,’ it evokes visions of geographical locations thousands of miles away—a place devoid of church and Bible; yet it is likely each of us lives within walking distance of someone who has yet to cross the line of faith. How we deal with that reality is up to us.” “We no longer live in an era where people who are looking to fill some inner void simply pour into our churches. So we need to learn to keep our eyes open for a heart where the Holy Spirit has already begun to work. One of the great blessings God has provided to help us do that is Lifeword.” “The field truly is ready for harvest, but the harvest is not in the church—it’s out there in the fields, where the people are. In my ministry, over the past three years, Lifeword has had a hand in at least twelve individuals accepting Christ and at least three-dozen other life-altering transformations. But none of these decisions were made in a church service. Allow me to share three specific stories.”
“I was helping a friend with a remodel of his business and met the man who was leading the remodel. We had worked together for several days when a Lifeword spot came on. He paused and listened, and then returned to work. About ten minutes later, he asked me if I ever read the Bible. You could have driven a truck through that opening!” “I told him I did, and he asked me if I believed God really existed. I assured him I did and over the next few days we had several conversations, each one more specific than the last. Finally, he asked how he could know Jesus.” “On another occasion I had been announcing football games and had come to know this young man, a cast-off from his family, ravaged by the effects of addiction. He seemed to be just one more wrong decision from death. One Friday evening he approached me and asked had I ever heard of Lifeword. I told him I was familiar with them. He asked if I believed God loved bad people. He recalled hearing a guy named Parrish on Lifeword saying, ‘God always loves you.’ He had literally
reached the absolute bottom. He was reaching out, and I was fortunate to be there to share with him the reality of God’s love through Jesus Christ.” “Through our county jail ministry I have met a variety of people. One of them calls me ‘Elijah,’ because he thinks I look like the prophet! He told me to send Lifeword a message of encouragement because, ‘He hears the message and it tells him to keep looking to Jesus and it helps him to talk to his buddies.’ Once again, Lifeword’s efforts to plant the seed allowed me to see another person choose to cross the line of faith.” Johnson is quick to point out that he is certainly no “super soul winner.” But he is very intentional about keeping his eyes open for someone who might need some Good News. It really is amazing how many people need to hear a word of encouragement, especially from Scripture. If you’d like to hear Lifeword, you can visit www. oneplace.com and type “Lifeword” into the search engine. If you’d like to talk with us about using Lifeword in your community, just email a note to rick@lifeword.org or call 501.329.6891.
Lifeword
HARVEST BRINGS HOPE IN HOPE “H
ey, this is America, speak English!� Ever heard that phrase or been guilty of thinking it or saying it? Especially when the foreign language is perceived as a threat against you? Yes, this is America, and English is the language, but smiles are multi-lingual in the land of opportunity. With more than 50 million Hispanic/Latinos living in the U.S. today, each of us has encountered someone from a different nationality who is speaking something other than English.
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BY: LUIS ORTEGA | LIFEWORD According to the Pew research company, Spanish is the most spoken non-English language in U.S. homes, even among non-Hispanics. Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Salvadorans, Dominicans, Guatemalans, Colombians, Hondurans, Ecuadorians, and Peruvians are the top ten Spanish speaking groups in our own backyard. And in many cases, they literally are in our backyards mowing, remodeling and cleaning our houses, harvesting our crops, preparing or serving our food, and making
up our hotel rooms, among many other things. Each day, more than 300 radio stations here in the U.S. air Lifeword’s Spanish programs, El Contacto Cristiano and Palabra Viva. Silvina came to the U.S. as her last hope. She was just looking for work and hoping to survive. She says, “I was scared, alone, and hurting. I didn’t know a soul, didn’t speak the language, and had no food or job.” Harvest time in Hope, Arkansas attracts many migrant workers, and Silvina landed a job at a clothing factory instead of in the field. She says, “Just at the right time, when I needed it the most, when I found myself at the bottom of the barrel, someone gave me a smile and handed me a CD.” The CD of Lifeword’s El Contacto Cristiano (The Christian Contact) was passed to her via Bro. Michael Hight and through the work of Missionary Javier Gonzalez. Silvina says, “Growing up, my father never claimed me nor accepted me as his own daughter. I was abused by many in every way imaginable, and never felt nor understood what it meant to be truly loved. All my life all I ever knew was abuse, mistreatment and neglect, even by the man who fathered my three children and then left.” Through sobs that became tears of joy, Silvina tells how she listened to the CD and began to understand what love was really all about. That motivated her to attend a local BMA Baptist church in Hope where she accepted Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior and began to experience true love. “Unfortunately, work moved me to Oklahoma before I was baptized, but now I am happy to share
with you that I have joined a Baptist church in Oklahoma, where I have been baptized and have met and married a wonderful man who loves me and my children. Through my new church we are being discipled and I am actively sharing with others that I am loved by Jesus and that He loves them too.”
FOREIGN MISSIONS AT HOME BY: RICK RUSSELL | LIFEWORD
These days, an American can become an international missionary without ever owning a passport. All he has to do is learn a foreign language and move to a big American city. And almost any foreign language will do. Our cities are teeming with international immigrants. Estimates are that the typical metropolitan area can have as many as 125 different ethnic communities that still maintain their cultural cohesion— their language and customs. Lifeword sees an opportunity in those statistics and is beginning to provide those ethnic communities with a “taste of home.” Many Lifeword programs that were created to share the gospel “over there” are becoming just as effective in reaching those same people groups “over here.”
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Lifeword
SOUNDS LIKE HOME
BY: LUIS ORTEGA | LIFEWORD
Another language and opportunity no longer contained within the borders of Central America are the Garifuna. Garifuna is both a people group and a language. Lifeword’s first Garifuna broadcast went on the air in 1987, hosted by veteran missionary David Dickson. Not only was it Lifeword’s first Garifuna broadcast, it was the first broadcast of any kind in the Garifuna language. Twenty-seven years later, the program is produced entirely by indigenous Garifuna believers and the 15-minute Bible teaching program has expanded into several additional formats including a unique round table discussion and short format evangelistic programs that have found their way to New York City. What is the connection between Central America and New York? Many Garifunas from Honduras, Belize and other Central American countries prefer the New York portion of the U.S. Through Lifeword and Radio Fe 95.9, a Garifuna radio station in New York City heard by the thousands of Garifunas who live there, they are discipled, encouraged, exhorted, motivated, and at times can even hear news from their own country—all in their own language. Lumalali Inaruni (The Voice of Truth) is produced by and for Garifunas and is well received by the Garifunas in New York City. The Garifunas back home in Honduras are also now operating their own low power FM stations and preparing to train other people groups to reach their world for Christ whether they are in Honduras, other Central American countries, or here in America.
INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES CLOSE TO HOME The mission field really has moved to our own backyard. The U.S.A. is the only place in the world where you can travel across the country and get a taste of every culture and language from around the globe. In the western U.S. you will encounter Mexicans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans; while Cubans, Colombians, Hondurans and Peruvians can be found concentrated in the South. If you want to interact with Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Ecuadorians and Garifunas, travel to the Northeast. And nationalities from across the rest of the entire world are just as easy to find. Even though the Baptist Missionary Association does not yet have a physical presence in every state of our great nation, broadcast and internet opportunities give us the ability to touch lives for Christ wherever they are. Vital partnerships between Lifeword and local BMA churches, missionaries, radio stations, Oneplace.com, Elsitiocristiano.com, business sponsors and individual believers are keys that can unlock those opportunities and turn them into realities. 14 ::: July - August 2014 | mission:world
Join us on Lifeword Sunday October 26, 2014 a day to pray and give Walk for the World is a thirty-four year old fundraising event to support Gospel programming around the world in languages and 50 different formats. 34 langu What can your church do for Walk for the World?
www.lifeword.org
BUILDING HIS
KINGDOM “J
esus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields’” Matthew 9:35-38 (NLT). When BMA Missions first recommended the idea of forming LEAD teams in regions to facilitate a church multiplication movement, I realized that even though we only have a few churches associated with the BMA in Colorado we could begin a church multiplication movement by using this idea. I extended the invitation to the other BMA pastors in Colorado as well as their leadership and staff members, four churches total, to
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BY: JACOB NORMAN | COLORADO
plan a prayer retreat to begin talking about and praying for church multiplication. We met, and just over a year later, as of this writing (March 2014), amazing things are beginning to happen. Jesus commands us to pray for workers to help in the great harvest of souls. I believe that we see that fulfilled not only through workers in existing local churches, but also through church planting. One of the pastors in our group shared that before our initial meeting, approximately one year ago, he didn’t even know some of the other pastors but that one year later, incredibly, we are now discussing the possible reality of three new church plants within the next twelve to eighteen months. We have already adopted one new church plant in Thornton, CO. We are preparing to send a team, including myself, to launch a new plant in Falcon, CO. We are praying for two more families that will likely be planting within the next twelve to eighteen months, one
Colorado
Jacob Norman and Family | Fountain, CO
focusing on Pueblo West. Jesus’ command was to pray for workers to go into the harvest. We have obeyed that command, and He has honored that prayer by raising up possibilities and people. When the average church in America finds itself with about 70 or so people gathered on any given Sunday and many struggling to pay their own bills, why then is there a major push back to church planting? I wonder if, as a pastor or church leader, you are only asking God to raise up workers to benefit your own local church, or are you truly praying for God to raise up people in the church you are called to lead to send church planters and bring in a new harvest? As the pastor of a church that struggles financially and whose congregation is less than 100 people on any given Sunday, I understand that challenge. However, Jesus promises to build His church, not my church. He commands me to pray for workers to go bring in a harvest for His Kingdom, not my kingdom.
In my own experience in church planting and having the privilege to be a part of what I feel is a God movement in Colorado to see new churches planted, I have found that a major part of seeing a movement happen is willingness. Am I willing to genuinely focus on praying for the expansion of His Kingdom and not just mine? Am I raising up disciples that are actually willing to go wherever Jesus leads them? Am I building a body of believers at the local church God has called me to lead who are willing to make the sacrifices necessary for our church to plant churches? As a pastor, am I willing to commit time, energy and resources to actually doing the work of coordinating and supporting church planting efforts? Are there other pastors and leaders in your area that are willing to begin meeting to simply obey the command of Jesus to pray for workers to go into the harvest? “So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen� 2 Timothy 2:10 (NLT). July - August 2014 | mission:world ::: 17
PICTURES OF THE
HARVEST
R
ecently I was at Walgreens getting my old man pills when I saw a magazine featuring a depiction of Jesus. It was the National Geographic magazine, and it gave the greatest, most profound yet simple description of the mission and strategy of those first disciples. In speaking of the work of the apostles it said, “At every opportunity they organized communities of believers (the
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BY: ALI CHAMBERS | MEMPHIS
church) who would in turn convert others.” This simple strategy fueled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, lead this small group of Jesus followers to a worldwide movement. I have found that the enormous weight of starting something from nothing, giving props to God for doing that, can easily take your mind off the strategy of making disciples as the early disciples did. There is an
endless “to do” list that we feel must be completed if ministry is to go on. It’s these reminders that jolt me back to life and act as corrective lenses to refocus my eyes on Jesus’ mission. That’s why we are here and why we are working as hard as we are. All around us is the harvest! As we have begun meeting, I think of Edward who is a neighbor to Trevor and Laney Dodson, a young couple who have joined us to plant Mosaic.
Memphis
Edward has four boys, a wife, a kind heart and cancer in his lungs. As Trevor and Laney have opened their home to him and his family, Edward has opened up his life to us, allowing us to be conduits of God’s love, mercy and encouragement. We’ve prayed for him, and cried over him as he has walked through this troubled time. Another picture of the harvest that we’ve seen involves hamburgers, drinks and good music. As a core
team, we’ve been meeting once every month for a family meal where we simply eat, talk and laugh. It’s our attempt to teach Christians to be human and live among nonChristians. Two non-Christian guys came once to eat, talk and laugh with a group of Christ followers. Another life impacted by Mosaic Church has been mine. Darren Patrick, pastor of Journey Church in St. Louis, once said that church planting will ruin you. He was right!
Ali Chambers and Family | Memphis, TN
It has revealed deeply ingrained idols in my heart, it has brought up ghosts from the past, and it has humbled me, showing me that unless God builds we labor in vain. Yes, I’m a part of this harvest as well, and I’m in need of a Savior just as much as those to whom we have come to serve. Now I am serving not as the Savior of Memphis but as a purveyor of the one message that I myself am in need of too.
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Mississippi
Being a Bi-vocational Church Planter
BY: ANDERS LEE | MISSISSIPPI
I
n August of 2006, North American Missions Director Larry Barker invited me to go on a Barnabas Touch Trip to Moscow, Russia. The main emphasis of the trip was for our team to be an encouragement to those attending a pastor’s retreat in the Moscow region. At the conference, I discovered something about those pastors that I have never forgotten: The vast majority of them also worked full time secular jobs! They worked all day and did their pastoral work in the evenings. During the retreat one of the pastors asked me if I understood “the blessing I had.” He shared, “I dream of being able to spend time with my family and to be full time in ministry like you.”
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The memory of that encounter stayed with me. During quiet times it would come to my mind. Even though I told no one, it was quite convicting. I realized that I wasn’t thankful enough for that “blessing.” After making a ministry transition in 2011, God brought that pastor’s words to my mind again. He began to use that experience to call me to plant a church as a bi-vocational pastor. A scripture that continuously comes to my mind is 1 Thessalonians 2:9. “We worked night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.” The Lord has given me complete peace with the decision to walk away from that guaranteed “paycheck.” Faced
with the need to provide for my family, my wife and I obtained employment as school bus drivers, and I also started a lawn care business. God has taught me how faithful He is. Every bill has been paid, and we have never missed a meal! The Lord also made my calling clear at the BMAA National Meeting in April of 2012. I listened to the passion of BMA Missions Executive Director Dr. John David Smith calling us to have a heart for church planting and to be creative in our approach. He challenged our association to plant 100 new churches. The reality, he shared, was that we did not have the money to add any new paid missionaries, and
he stressed that men would have to answer the call by funding church plants through other means. The lack of associational funds should not keep us from planting new churches. It was clear to my heart: I could plant a new church while working my current jobs! I was actually excited that God was giving me the opportunity to experience ministry in the same manner as those pastors in Moscow. For a season, God has called me to be bi-vocational. He clearly led me through His word and by the Holy Spirit’s promptings.When God makes it clear, you must simply obey. We do not have an option when it comes to His leadership in our lives – we have an obligation!
Anders Lee (center) and his sons mowing lawns
Being bi-vocational in church planting definitely has advantages:
MAXIMIZING MINISTRY FUNDS
One important issue in planting is the immediate burden on
the new fellowship to assume financial responsibility for staff. If the pastor and staff have their own incomes, the monetary investment of the mission can be maximized for evangelism and discipleship.
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Small groups at Central Church in Southhaven, MS
BEING A PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE CITY!
Working in the community exposes you to a different network of individuals. This does two things for the planter. First, pastors can see how people in their communities actually live, and they can learn about the issues faced by them. They don’t put on a false face around the pastor. Witnessing the lives they live gives insight that fulltime pastors do not always enjoy. Second, many times pastors only interact with the membership base or those who end up at the church. Community interaction allows them to build relationships with the un-churched and the lost. A bi-vocational planter also has the unique opportunity to invite people that he works with to the church he is planting. 22 ::: July - August 2014 | mission:world
WORKING AND SERVING IN THE CHURCH BY EXAMPLE!
How many times have you heard that joke that pastors “drink coffee all week and preach on Sundays?” Leading bi-vocationally enables the planter to challenge members in the pew to give 100% for the ministry of the mission. Pastors can prove by example that serving Christ in the local church with great devotion can be done with proper priorities and planning! No one can criticize them for “having it easy!”
BENEFITTING THE ASSOCIATION!
Benefitting the Association! The BMA can take funds that would cover an American church planter’s salary and direct them to a foreign field where it would
be virtually impossible to be bivocational. You might ask, “How is your current work as a bi-vocational church planter going?” Well, we began with one family in May of 2013, and by January of 2014, through aggressive relationship building, we have grown to twelve families! Since the beginning of 2014, through planned events and networking through social media, we have had 32 visitors in seven weeks with a high attendance of 54. The base continues to grow as we focus on families who are not in church. We are excited about the future! Pray for our church plant!
MAKING EVERLASTING SMILES Begin a Grin that never ends. God sent His Son for us, giving us the most precious gift of all. You have an opportunity to give a child a shoebox filled with material gifts, but more importantly, it’s a chance to meet Jesus Christ as their savio This year, we will be sending personal savior. shoeboxes to Nicaragua and El Salvador. To find out more about what items to place in the shoeboxes and how to wrap, ship, and pay for them, visit us online at bmamissions.org/shoeboxes or contact us at 501.455.4977.
CHRISTMAS SHOEBOX GIFTS ARE DUE SEPT. 1, 2014
e f i L New e p o H New
BY: FILOMENO KAKILALA | HAWAII
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hrough the years, God has granted us golden opportunities to touch lives. He has arranged those divine appointments to make an impression for Christ. However, it is humbling to realize that our role in people’s conversion from a life of sin to a life of service is really very small. In reality, it is all God’s work. In truth, it is His “amazing grace that saved a wretch like me.” As I pondered who I could write about, someone whose life had been changed through my ministry, William came to my mind. He’s educated and personable, an entrepreneur and a medical professional. He courageously served in the Na Koa team of the Honolulu Police Department. With a picture perfect family,
William seemed like an ideal and photogenic subject. A new convert when he came to our ministry in Hawaii, he later surrendered to preach and now serves as pastor for our church plant, Na Koa Baptist. I also thought about Ishmael. Ish was a young teen that felt displaced when his parents moved to Kansas. Torn between life in the Isles and life in the Midwest, he chose to return to Hawaii only to find himself homeless. “Adopted” by a loving family in our church, he also found a new home, an ohana (adoptive or intentional family) at Alii Baptist Church in Ewa Beach. Soon, Ish found a new hope when I led him to Christ. He wept unashamedly upon receiving the Lord. It has been a few years now
Hawaii
since that day, but he still shows a wide-eyed amazement for God’s Word. You can count on Ish to be at church every Sunday. He plays the guitar in our praise band and recently preached his first sermon. That’s the way to go, young man! I could write about Carmelo. Known as Aman (father), he was a revered, elderly father. He was also an intimidating man and a “know it all.” Sharp and blunt, he cut down to a small size anyone who would try to evangelize him. His daughter asked me to visit him at home. It took several visits before I earned his friendship. One day I asked if I could practice my language skills by reading a Gospel tract in Ilocano. I did poorly, so he decided to read the entire tract, including the sinner’s prayer. The Gospel struck his heart, so he said the sinner’s prayer again. Seated next to him was his wife Avelina who admitted to praying with her husband to be saved. Avelina suddenly passed away a few weeks later. What comfort it is to
Matthew Kakilala
know that she received the Lord. Like falling dominoes, Aman’s health and strength declined due to cancer; however, at his request, Bible studies continued at his bedside with his family until the Lord called him home. The person I am really inspired to write about is a special nineteen year old young man. Born in rainy Oregon, he was transplanted to sunny Hawaii as an eleven year old homeschooler. Dampness and molds in the Pacific Northwest triggered his asthma, so a move to a new location was a welcomed change. However, his changed heart was evident early on in life. As a child, his heart was tender toward the Holy Spirit, and he began asking questions about God and heaven. God opened the boy’s heart, and his mother joyfully
The Kakilala Family | Ewa Beach, HI
led him to the Lord. That boy was my son Matthew. He is my unsung hero, my volunteer missionary assistant, always ready to teach or preach. I couldn’t have done it as a missionary without him and my family. Since he was the only son, I counted on him to help us move to the mission field. Even as a preteen, he never complained about having to lift the other end of the couch or bed. One day I bought a ukulele so Matthew could do specials when we visit churches on our furlough. There was a problem though. He didn’t know how to play it, so he practiced in the airport lounge during layovers as we traveled. By the time we got to the mainland he was able to play and even collected some change from delighted passengers. Please pray for Matthew that needed resources might be provided for him to finish his last two years of college. He has truly touched my life and many other lives, and I thank God for His amazing grace in blessing me with a son whose heart desires to do God’s work.
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AN AMERICAN CRISIS
BY: DR. JOHN ADAMS | MORAL ACTION
Moral Action
treated with compassion and encouragement. Proverbs 6:1619 says, “The Lord hates… hands that shed innocent blood and a heart that devises wicked imaginations.” We are urged to keep far from a false matter by not slaying the innocent. Those individuals who wish to destroy other people by injections are classified as “wicked.”
Dr. John Adams | Moral Action
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uthanasia is morally and Biblically wrong. As believers in Jesus Christ, we should seek to safeguard the God-given right to life to which every person is entitled. According to humanistic philosophy, if you’re very old, mentally ill or severely handicapped your life may be in danger. These individuals that have God-given life and spiritual desires should be
HISTORIAL ASPECTS OF EUTHANASIA When Hitler of Germany issued his direct order for euthanasia in 1939, all German state institutions were required to report on patients who had been ill for at least five years or who were unable to work. The decision regarding which patients should be killed was made entirely on the basis of a brief questionnaire. The Nazi authorities who pronounced their death sentences were professors of psychiatry at major universities in Germany. They never saw the individuals themselves. The first to be killed in the 1940s (and at other holocaust times during wars in the Middle Age) were the aged,
“These individuals that have God-given life and spiritual desires should be treated with compassion and encouragement”
the infirm, the senile, the mentally retarded, and defective children. The German Nazis in power even went so far as to exterminate children with badly modeled ears, epileptic children, and bed-wetters. According to American International News Service, “The mass extermination of Germany’s undesirables started with the acceptance of the attitude basic to euthanasia philosophy, that there is such a thing as life not worthy to be lived.” That is exactly what is being accepted today in the abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia movement. PRESENT DAY CONCEPT OF EUTHANASIA Euthanasia is not a mere fear for the future. It has survived and is now present in modern medical practice. Even today doctors in the United States are debating whether it is better to starve “undesirables” to death or to administer fatal injections. “Voices in our government are looking for ways to reduce health care costs” as stated in the pamphlet Mercy Killing. Well-meaning people are attracted to what might seem to be the beneficial aspects of some sort of euthanasia. Americans must not be misled or tranquilized by assurances that the practice is limited to the terminally ill. Abortion was once proposed as a last resort in desperate cases, but today it July - August 2014 | mission:world ::: 27
Moral Action is commonplace. “To say that this subject can be carefully controlled is either naïve or deceitful,” (from The Right To Live, The Right To Die by the late Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop). Governor Richard Lamb of Colorado first shocked the nation in 1984 when he told a group of health care lawyers “sick people have a duty to die and get out of the way and let the well society build a reasonable life.” In February 2014 the Belgian Parliament passed a bill allowing euthanasia for terminally ill children without any age limit; the vote was 86 to 44 with 12 abstentions. When, as expected, the king signs the bill, Belgium will become the first country in the world to remove any age limit on the practice. Death with Dignity National Center reports that there is a similar momentum growing in America. Melissa Barber of Death with Dignity National Center reported on the
developments in the United States, saying that the debate over end-of-life healthcare policy reform is heating up in the Northeast. Much of this is tied to the increased awareness and understanding of Death with Dignity laws resulting from the recent near victory in Massachusetts. THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE RIGHT TO LIFE First Corinthians 3 reminds us that our bodies are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in us. That makes life very precious to God and to us. As the movement continues to gather momentum, euthanasia is moving into the spotlight as the great moral issue of the 21st century. Turning to be Bible for answers is the only solid guideline. This so-called “Dying with dignity” movement is worldwide and its memberships are swelling. The Hemlock Society is one of 37 organizations of the World
Federation of Right to Die Societies in 23 countries. THE WORD ENCOURAGES LIFE FOR ALL For babies in Psalms 8:2 “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” For children in Psalms 127:3-5: “Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” For Adults in Matthew 5:21: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.” May God help our nation to not be a part of such an atrocity!
WOGGING AND SOUL-WINNING BY: JUDY WALLACE | SEMINARY
Seminary
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call it my “wog,” a combination walk/jog that I use to exercise and pray through the streets of our small town for exercise. I pray for the strangers that live behind all those doors and shout a big “Hello!” or “Good morning!” to those outside. But recently the Lord convicted me that I could do much more. I now stop and tell them that I pray as I walk and ask if there is anything I can pray about for them. One particular day my prayers were selfish as I asked God to show Himself mighty on my behalf. Then I saw a stranger walking in my direction, and, approaching him from behind, I called out my usual “Hello!” just so he wouldn’t be startled. With his face shrouded in a hoodie, he turned around and revealed sunken, hollow, and empty eyes. He immediately asked me to pray for his girlfriend. I told him I would definitely pray and began to do so as I continued on, but the Lord pricked my heart. “Why hadn’t I said more or shared the gospel?” I knew this distraught stranger could use the Friend of all friends to walk with him through all his encounters. Heartbroken, I told the Lord in no uncertain terms that if in the course of finishing my route I should happen upon him again I would definitely share the Gospel. Until that day, I had never come across the same person twice in
one outing, but there he was, this time walking toward me with his head still down and demeanor still distraught. This time I introduced myself and gently began a conversation with him. I told him I could tell he was hurting, and I asked his permission to question him further. He quietly said, “Yes.” As we interacted, I knew the Lord had prepared his heart to receive the good news of Jesus Christ. After I led him phrase by phrase through a prayer of repentance and then trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross, I lifted my head this time to see his now hopeful eyes spilling over with tears. I shared my name, asked him his, told him we would love to have him at our church and then asked him, “When we receive a gift from someone, what’s the nice thing to do?” “Say thank you,” he responded with a smile. So as we parted I asked him to do just that as he continued his walk. That’s what I did too. Because, you see, two blocks later I saw a young woman walking towards me. I didn’t wait for a second encounter but began immediately interacting, asking questions and was able to lead her to the Lord as well. In ten minutes time I had a new brother and a new sister and an overwhelming assurance that God wants to and will show Himself mighty on my behalf.
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Seminary
AN AMERICAN HARVEST
LABORING FOR THE SALVATION OF NATIVE AMERICANS
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n December 1988, I transferred from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Muskogee, Oklahoma. I was a new believer in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. One of the churches that came to our door on visitation was Ash Street Missionary Baptist Church. Finding out that Missionary Baptists were conservative in their doctrine, I thought this would probably be good for me. After joining Ash Street Missionary Baptist Church, I grew tremendously in the Lord. Our pastor Bro. Jack Hobbs was a soul winner
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BY: MERRITT YOUNGDEER | NEW MEXICO and his favorite passage of scripture was Proverbs 11:30, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” Bro. Jack was instrumental in working with our BMA Seminary in Jacksonville, Texas in getting Evangelism Explosion added to the Seminary’s degree requirements. I was indoctrinated into soul winning as a Sunday afternoon activity in the Muskogee area. In putting our Lord’s direction to work in my life, I developed a strong desire to see Native Americans come to
trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I found myself witnessing to a former classmate from back in Cherokee, North Carolina. He was open to talking with me, more so than non-Indians, and shared just why he had not trusted in Jesus as his Lord: bitterness. He said, “I am angry! I am angry as to what the non-Indian race has done to us in the past” and what he felt was continuing today. I still have not yet led this particular man to the Lord; however, I have led his brother and family to the Lord. From that time to the
present, I have developed a sense of hope in reaching Native People to the Lord. When I felt led into the Gospel ministry of Jesus Christ, I was concerned that this was my personal desire to preach rather than the Lord’s; then one morning I realized that the Lord had put in my heart the desire to preach and reach Native People. The Lord had put His desire in my heart and made it my desire. I also realized that the Lord had prepared me over the years to minister to Native People. I graduated from a National Indian school and from a two-year post graduate Commercial Program at Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas. I then worked 32 years in the Bureau of Indian Affairs in different areas and on several Indian reservations. I surrendered to the ministry in 1997 and immediately knew I needed to go to seminary and learn all that I could as soon as I could. The BMA Seminary in Jacksonville, Texas had an Associate of Divinity program for folks just like me. I didn’t have a degree, and I was 52 years of age. Attending Seminary was a wonderful experience for me. Although I commuted weekly for two years, driving 5 ½ hours each way every Monday and back home on Tuesday evenings, I further developed my desire to minister to Native American People. Don’t get me wrong, I want to see all races come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but when hearing the tragic statistic that less than 5% of Native People have trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, I knew I had to do something. Seminary was a wonderful experience. I saw students from North America, as well as from foreign countries, with the same desire to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As I see the fruits of their labors, I am honored to have studied with these pastors and missionaries!
Merritt Youngdeer, former BMA Seminary student
I pastored Cherokee Baptist Church in Cherokee, North Carolina, served as a BMA North American missionary and planted All Nations Indian Baptist Church in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. With the professional expertise of Lifeword Media Ministries, Bro. Eddie Swimmer and I have been the speakers for Spiritword, an evangelistic broadcast for Native Americans, for the past ten years. Since 2005, we have set up a booth at the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in Albuquerque, New Mexico, sharing the Gospel and handing out over 5,000 Spiritword CD’s along with Bibles, LifeCheck booklets and other tracts. In 2013, we had nineteen precious souls saved at our booth. This year, Lifeword Media Ministries helped us produce a CD specifically designed to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Native American People. To my knowledge, this is the first specifically designed presentation that speaks to Native People. We are excited about
this project and plan to offer “The Answer” on our Spiritword radio broadcast and via CD the week of April 21, 2014, the same week as the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The gathering has become one of the world’s most recognized annual festivals. Native people from all over the world gather each year to honor their heritage and showcase native ceremonial traditions. Typically, more than 100,000 people attend each year with 3,000 competing in the dance competition and majestically costumed young women vying for the honor of being crowned Miss Indian World. We feel that “The Answer” is an effective witnessing tool that speaks to the Native Heart in many settings. I know that all nations, kindreds, and tongues will one day gather around God’s throne, and I am praying that the Lord will use me in a great and mighty way to see many more Native People joining us there! July - August 2014 | mission:world ::: 33
THE TRUTH ABOUT CHURCH PLANTING AT LEAST FROM WHERE I AM STANDING
BY: JAMIE JONES | MISSOURI
Missouri
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would imagine that from time to time you have heard the line “to tell you the truth” during a conversation. The truth is that church planting is an ever-changing adventure that has many ups and downs. There are two truths that have really grabbed my attention over the last several years. There is joy that a changed life brings to your heart, and there is heartache that comes from unchanged lives. First John 2:6 (NASB) says, “the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” As we seek to walk like Christ in this world, it is very important to know that He experienced the same hurts and heartaches as we do. During this church planting adventure, I have had the unfortunate privilege of watching a few folks walk away from a great thing. Various kinds of investments were made over several years only to have a marriage relationship struggle and eventually end and a family dismantled. Other relationships have ended in misunderstandings and bitterness because of God’s call to righteousness in our lives. This kind of heartache can cause anyone to be timid about investing in the lives of others; however, Jesus is our High Priest who understands our struggles. Jesus was surrounded by those who rejected Him, attempted to kill Him, and sadly walked away from Him, but He continued with His mission. Why? Because He was obedient to His Father’s call. And so we should be obedient to that call, the call to walk just as He did even when heartache comes. On the other hand, there are those who give the heart great joy,
those who heard the call to walk as Jesus walked and are still striving to do that today. These are the lives that receive the focus of most missionary stories. We love these stories because they are about triumph over sin. They are about Jesus and His victory over sin. Witnessing a radical Jamie Jones and Family | Smithville, MO conversion from darkness and she found it in Jesus. The story into light just brings joy to the doesn’t end there. Javier’s mother, heart. I long for it. I want to see it Maria moved to Smithville from and watch people actually change. New Jersey and found Christ in the Those changes are just too few and basement of a small town bank. God far between for me. I want to see was doing something special, and more. The only way that will happen it continued on even further. Erin’s is through Jesus in me and Jesus in daughter Abby was saved at church you as we walk just as He walked. camp, and eventually Javier and It doesn’t take my begging others, Erin’s brother in-law, Randy, and chasing others, or persuading others sister-in-law, Crystal, came to Christ with charisma or products. No, the on the same day. God had restored Holy Spirit at work in me and in their marriage and they decided to you leads to the next story of John start living life God’s way. Wow! That or Jane or whoever that will make a will bring joy to your heart. real life change, not just a profession The point is this, when we change, but a life change! attempt to walk just as Jesus did, the I have had the privilege of Holy Spirit works in and through watching a simple, non-guilt driven us. When Jesus is lifted up, lives are invitation from a neighbor lead changed and the heart is filled with to the rekindling of a relationship joy and peace. May God continue to between a father and the Father. change lives in our country! When Javier Pinzon decided to do it God’s way, the Spirit began to work in his family. Javier’s wife Erin was agnostic, but she began coming to LifeGroup and experiencing authentic community. In 2011, she gave her life to Christ. God wasn’t finished, though, and Javier’s three teenage boys were saved at church camp. But God was still at work. Erin’s sister Barb had been searching for peace for over twenty years July - August 2014 | mission:world ::: 35
DiscipleGuide
WE SOW
SEEDS
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never liked to eat corn until one year at Thanksgiving when I tried my grandmother’s creamstyle corn. Wow! One bite and I was hooked. In fact, I probably ate three helpings that day. The next time my mother made corn at home, I put an extra large helping on my plate. After one bite, I realized something. Mom’s corn was different from my grandmother’s. It wasn’t bad it was just different. A few months later, while visiting my grandparents, I asked my grandmother what was different about her corn. She smiled and said, “I only use G-90.” I had no idea what she meant. She explained that there are many varieties of corn. G-90 is a very sweet style of corn. That (and the extra cup of sugar she added) was the secret to her cream-style corn (more affectionately known in my family as “MawMaw corn.”) 36 ::: July - August 2014 | mission:world
BY: SCOTT ATTEBERY | DISCIPLEGUIDE The next summer on break from school, I got the wild idea to plant corn in a friend’s back yard (with permission of course). I went to the store in search of G-90 seeds. After visiting several stores, I found them. I was one step closer to producing “MawMaw corn.” I didn’t grow up farming or gardening, so I consulted a few friends and got to work. Without access to a tiller, I dug up a small plot of ground with a shovel and hoe. Soon, I was ready to plant the seeds. Following directions from my more knowledgeable friends, I carefully planted the seeds and covered them with soil. Over the next few weeks and months, I made sure my small garden received enough water. Every day I watched for progress.
One day, as I visited my garden, I was excited to see a small green plant emerging from the soil It was working. My corn was growing! Over the next few days, more plants began to emerge until one day the garden was full of green. It wasn’t long before the plants began to bear small ears of corn. Every day it became harder and harder to wait for the corn to be ready to “harvest.”
On one occasion as I was tending my garden, I noticed several ears of corn that were being eaten by ants. I had no idea what to do. While staring at the ant-ridden ear of corn, a voice came from across the fence. It was a member of my church who lived next door. He gave me a simple solution: cover the growing ears of corn with plastic newspaper bags. He said it would keep the ants and other pests out until the ears were ready to pick.
It turned out that his advice was right! When it came time to pick the corn, the newspaper bags had done their job! In the end, my small patch didn’t produce a whole lot; however, I did enjoy a few helpings of “MawMaw corn” before it was all said and done.
REAPING REQUIRES SOWING
I learned two major lessons from my corn adventure that summer. First one: In order to
reap a harvest, you must sow seed. In fact, Paul states in 2 Corinthians 9:6, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” That’s why DiscipleGuide is proud to help churches plant the seed of God’s Word in the hearts of their people. For over 60 years, our publishing ministry has planted the seeds of God’s Word through curriculum for Sunday school and small groups. Christian July - August 2014 | mission:world ::: 37
DiscipleGuide
literature is a lot like corn: there are many varieties. Not every publisher distributes doctrinally sound, Gospel centered literature. In Galatians 1:9 Paul said, “As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” DiscipleGuide works diligently to make sure our literature is doctrinally sound and not of any other variety! We take seriously the trust that churches have placed in us. All of our curriculum adheres strictly to the BMA doctrinal statement. My MawMaw passed away two years ago, but her corn is being passed on. I’m so thankful that faithful laborers in the history of the BMA have planted seeds
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throughout their lives. The fruit of their ministries lives on today in the lives of our churches. One such BMA leader was E. Harold Henderson. For over 38 years, Dr. Henderson wrote adult Sunday school literature for the BMA. His writings helped shape the theological foundation of our association. Dr. Henderson passed away in 1996. However, his ministry lives on. Jesus said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). We are eager to see continued fruit as we feature some of Dr. Henderson’s most popular writings in our upcoming adult Sunday school curriculum, Compass. Beginning in
September, we will be getting back to BMA basics with our “We Believe” series. This four-quarter series will feature Dr. Henderson’s writings on what we believe about doctrine, God, Jesus, and the Church. These lessons will help your congregation affirm and review our basic beliefs as BMA Baptists. Don’t miss this opportunity to sow some powerful seeds in your Sunday school classes this year!
GROWTH IS DETERMINED BY GOD
The second lesson I learned from my corn patch is that you never know which seed will grow. Not every seed I planted grew into a corn stalk, and not every stalk grew the same amount. Some were large, some were small. Some produced more ears of corn than others. The truth is you never
know which seed will grow in which person. Many pastors, missionaries, and leaders (myself included) were the “class clowns” or “distracted children” in Sunday school. Teachers have no idea how God will use their ministry to affect the future of the kingdom. Like a gardener, teachers plant seeds in faith, even when the conditions seem less than desirable. That’s why DiscipleGuide is working toward new ways to train and encourage teachers. In the future, we want to be the “neighbor across the fence” who is there to provide an
encouraging word or insight just when you need it. You never know what one Sunday school lesson, one latenight talk at camp, or one session at a conference can mean in someone’s life. Only God knows. Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6). You may have the next BMA missionary or church planter in your class. What a great way to invest in a future ministry and in the future harvest for the Kingdom!
PREPARING FOR
“You never know what one Sunday school lesson, one latenight talk at camp, or one session at a conference can mean in someone’s life.”
THE HARVEST
Like Dr. Henderson, so many men have tilled soil and sown the seeds of the gospel within our association. At DiscipleGuide, we are committed to upholding that faithful legacy for today’s church as we anticipate the harvest to come. Each of us has a role to play in sowing, watering, nurturing, and protecting the harvest. That’s why DiscipleGuide continues to develop camps, conferences, and curriculum to help your church plant seeds and nurture lives for the gospel! We want to help you continue to sow broadly while we all pray that God grows the harvest abundantly. “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10).
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REACHING THE KAUFMAN COUNTY AREA FOR CHRIST BY: TODD COX & DARREN LEMONS | TEXAS
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his October will mark the third anniversary of our first preview service at The Refuge and over nine months since our official launch of weekly services. In October of 2012, The Refuge held its very first monthly service in a hotel and the first baptism immediately following that service in the hotel pool. Since that time, much has happened. We now meet in a movie theater and have grown from about eighteen people at our first meeting to now nearly 90 when everyone is present. We also have grown from one Life Group (in-home Bible studies) to four at present. When we planted The Refuge, our mission was to reach out to those who had either never attended church or to those who had fallen away from church due to a hurt, habit or hang-up. We wanted to try to help break any misconceptions and preconceived notions about what
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church is supposed to be. We felt our job was to love God, love people, meet people where they were, show them the love of Christ and let Him change them. As we have become involved in the community through the local Chamber of Commerce, school districts, parks and recreation departments, local outreach and missions, we have been able to meet many people who have ended up visiting The Refuge. When they enter our church doors, we point them to Christ, and He has made a difference in their lives. When I think of the harvest, I think of faces! It’s very hard to simply pick out one or two families because there are so many stories of changed lives in our church. Back in February, we had the opportunity to share some great updates and stories of several life transformations at The Refuge in the Baptist Progress. For this article, I want to
Texas
share about a few people that I actually never envisioned The Refuge reaching right away. Because of our up-beat, contemporary music style, our movie theater location, our preaching in jeans and our weekly set up and tear down, we assumed that we would probably be reaching the twenty to forty-year-old crowd, which we do; however, we were also in for a great surprise when several came who were in the sixty plus category. Let’s start with Tom. He is originally from New Orleans and was misplaced due to Hurricane Katrina. Even though he doesn’t own a computer, he happened to be researching at the local library where he found us and our website while doing a web search about the true meaning of the word refuge. Tom has been through a very rough past but has seen and experienced God’s grace and forgiveness, and he has been a faithful member of The Refuge since he started coming. He has ministered to other families as he has been ministered to. We then have Cindy and Kathy, two ladies who are best friends and originally from the northeast. They heard about us when they read a newspaper article and had to come and see what we were all about. They just recently attended our membership class, and you can find them every week faithfully on the front row praising God with their hands lifted high and getting everyone else energized and fired up! I then look in the second row and see a couple with their
young daughter who attends The Refuge. After several months of attending by themselves, her mom and dad started coming with her grandmother. After a pretty upbeat service, I was told that the grandmother wanted us to crank it up a little and asked if we could play something more upbeat! Wow… never saw that coming! We are so excited to see this generation be a part of The Refuge and not only just attend services, but become plugged in, involved and begin to give back! Of course, there are so many more stories of life changes that are still “in progress” in others’ lives. Many more stories abound, and God’s Name is being glorified at The Refuge. Our most recent membership class included over twenty people. Please continue to partner with us in prayer and with your financial support as we reach Terrell, Kaufman County, and the region for Christ.
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A review and preview of missionary news from around the world
Arkansas:Brandon Cox
God has been doing an amazing work in northwest Arkansas at Grace Hills Church. We finished out 2013 with an average attendance of around 160. In the first part of 2014, we’ve seen an average of 243 with a record attendance of 283, plus seven adults receiving Christ during our services. It’s a breakout year so far! The numbers are only the surface of the story. The stories of lives being changed through the gospel are what really move us. Kyra and Savannah, for example, are two young single ladies who found us on Facebook one Saturday night. Both decided to attend the next morning and both of them received Christ at the end of the service. Please pray that God would keep His hand on the work we’re doing, and thank you for all your support!
Missionary: Creative Access Nation Our family met Dylan nearly seven months ago. The first time I met him I knew he was a man of peace (Matthew 10), I just had to wait for him to discover that reality. Since that time we have discussed much and discovered the ways in which the evil one has ensnared him. As a family we have prayed for him often. But it seemed that Dylan was too busy trying to find worldly solutions to his problem; all the while God was gently beckoning Dylan to Himself. One night, before bed, I noticed that Dylan wrote on his status update: “I want to get extremely drunk.” This was followed by another post, “How do I become a Christian.” Dylan was looking for something, anything, to fill his emptiness. I contacted him immediately and asked him to come to our home for a discussion. When he arrived he told me he had gone to an underground church and had felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. It had satisfied him in ways that his other pursuits could not. But there was one problem; He didn’t know HOW to become a Christian. Praise God, that’s no longer a problem. Now he is attending a weekly meeting in our home, learning about the basics of the Bible. Would you take some time
today to pray for Dylan; there are many snares of Satan that he needs deliverance from. (Phil. 1:6)
Dominican:Jesse Hales It is so hard to believe that our time here in language school is starting to come to an end. Lord willing we look forward to graduating in the middle of August. It has been a long process to get to this point, but we are so excited to be here. We look forward to finally getting to the Dominican Republic and beginning to serve along side the faithful pastors there. Thank you for supporting us and praying for us as we have been working on the language. Please continue to pray for us as we finish up schooling with some big tests. Pray that all the details of this transition from school to the field will go smoothly. Pray for the pastors already serving in the Dominican and the flocks they are leading.
mission:news
42 ::: July - August 2014 | mission:world
for about a month and a half. Please pray that God would use this time to grow us into more effective church planters who know how to show Christ’s love in this culture.
PNG:Jeremy Hambrice
We have been in Papua New Guinea for about 5 months now. In this time we have learned the national language (Pidgin English) and are now setting our sites on which one of the hundreds of unreached language groups God wants our team to go to. What an exciting time to be thinking about these things. We want God to lead us by His Spirit just like He did for Paul, Peter, and the other Apostles in the book of Acts. Would you pray that God would make which place He would have us go as clear to us as He did to them? Also, to prepare for our church-planting ministry, our family is being sent out into the jungle to live with another church planting team who has successfully planted a church in a tribal context in order for them to share their experiences with us. We will also have lots of interaction with the tribal church and learn from them as well. We will be in “bush orientation”
Missouri:John Herring
We want to thank you for your continued prayers and support for Refuge Church in Nixa, MO. We are experiencing some exciting times of worship as we have been having our monthly preview services and will be moving towards weekly services in the near future. Our small groups continue to see new people connect and become a part of what God is doing in the life of Refuge Church. We’re continuing to see lives changed and people grow in their walk with Him. Pray for us that God would continue to use us here and that we would see a movement of God in such a way that there is a Spiritual Awakening throughout this region and beyond
Hawaii:Fil Kakilala Summer months are here again. Although seasonal changes in the tropics are subtle, summertime is a welcomed time in the islands. For one thing, many islanders wish to get off the island during the summer and experience a road trip in the U.S. mainland. Well, watch out for the Kakilalas later this summer as they travel down the road on their furlough (August-October). If churches are interested to invite us for a preaching appointment or mission presentation, please e-mail me your available dates at flkakilala@hotmail.com. We would prefer to visit churches in the same area every week in order to use our time wisely. Our new mission field was started early this year in the northern tip of the Philippines among the Ilocano people. To my knowledge, this is the first BMA outreach in this region. Praise God, hundreds have made professions of faith in Christ through the “values outreach” being presented in various schools in the region by Bro. Corpuz and family who are our national missionaries there. July - August 2014 | mission:world ::: 43
Florida:Boris Lebedev
Greetings all brothers and sisters, I want to share all that God is doing in our ministry in the New Year. Our special joy is that we baptized 6 people in May. Also, our youth group began to hold meetings with non-believers in different places of the city and some accepted Christ. As we prepared for camp in McDavid, Florida a couple of Saturdays we went and did repairs and painted. We wanted to invite unbelievers to this camp for three days to spend time with them and influence them with the Word of God. We talked about family values and that love never ceases. I have been visiting with the Oklahoma City Russian Church and met with brethren in the Russian Baptist Union. We started services there and request that you pray about this and other ministries.
for a new school year. Excitement is in the air. Please pray for the BMA Bible College and the students and faculty. We have new students and new faculty. God is doing a work in the students and they are eager to receive their education and training that will equip them to go out and serve as pastors, pastor’s wives, missionaries, and teachers. If you would like to sponsor a student with a scholarship, the cost is $80 a month. That provides for their room, food, books, and tuition. It would be a tremendous blessing to them and a great investment for you that is also tax-deductible. Funds can be sent monthly to BMA Missions or can be set up on a debit each month. Please designate Doug Lee - BMABC Scholarship Work Fund.
Thailand:Brandon Lingle Philippines:Doug Lee
It seems like we just celebrated graduation at the BMABC and now it is time 44 ::: July - August 2014 | mission:world
We have some great news we want to share with you! We will be having a new member joining team Thailand in October! This new member is
actually already here with us now but will make his or her entrance into the world in October!!! Yes you guessed it… we are pregnant!! We are so thankful to the Lord for this blessing and ask that you pray specifically for Brittney and the baby’s health throughout the next few months. Thank you so much for loving and supporting us the way you do, and making it possible for us to serve in Bangkok, Thailand.
Cambodia:John Page
Thank you for partnering with us through your prayers and support in Cambodia. The hard work of discipleship is paying off. We are seeing constant growth in many of the villagers’ lives. We are training our leaders and they are teaching in four different villages every weekend. I was sitting in one of the studies some time back and they were talking about following Christ and not turning back. The leader asked, “Will you ever turn away from following Jesus Christ?” One of the older
ladies answered, “How could we? He has come into our lives within. It is like we are pregnant with Jesus.� Yes, the analogy is simple but think about it.
Texas:Matthew Prather
New Mexico:Anthony Pennington
Hello from the Neighborhood Mercy Church in Albuquerque. We thank God for all of you and your prayers and support of the mission work in the Land of Enchantment. It is a busy summer in Tierra West and Longview with four Mission Teams helping us reach children, teens, and adults with the gospel. We give God praise for the lives being touched by the love of Jesus and for Sage, Jaden, and Ashley receiving Jesus as Savior. We are meeting twice a month in Tierra West for worship services and will be adding more services as we develop more disciple making groups. Our vision is to continue to develop leaders from the harvest who will be excited about being on mission with Jesus!
Many exciting things have been taking place since we launched in January 2014. We have seen new small groups launched on many different nights of the week. We have seen people come to know Christ as their personal Savior. We have seen our first baptismal service in our new church. As I take a step back and look at the many people we are reaching I see many people showing up each Sunday that do not know Christ and have very little church background. I see people that have been out of church for 10 plus years get back in church and begin growing in their walk with Christ. I see people that know Christ begin to learn what it means to be a missionary in the community. We rejoice in the life change that is taking place in Celina. Please continue to pray for us as we continue to strive to make disciples that make disciples.
Mexico:Tommy Rose
Greetings from our New Home in Pachuca, Mexico. It feels really good to be able to say we have arrived in Mexico and have begun to work. Time has really flown by. The 8 months in Costa Rica have gone by very quickly. We thank God and His people for the opportunity we have had to serve in Costa Rica and for the beginning of our service here in Mexico. Continue to pray for the people of Mexico and the leaders God has raised up to multiply His churches here.
Mexico:Ricky Williams
Dr. Charley Holmes, president of BMA Seminary and Dr. Carlos Pacheco, pastor of July - August 2014 | mission:world ::: 45
one of our churches in Puerto Rico, accompanied me to Bolivia for one-week intensive classes and their celebration of the BMA of Bolivia’s Missions Day. Dr. Holmes taught Theology of Worship while Dr. Pacheco taught on the Fallacies of the Charismatic Movement. Pastors from across Bolivia were attentive and expressed appreciation for the high quality of teaching they received and the usefulness of both courses. On the following Sunday after a week of classes, Dr. Pacheco spoke for Missions Sunday to a large crowd from the area’s BMA churches.
Back in Mexico the BMA of Mexico Bible Institute continues to minister through extension and virtual classes. This semester three teachers are providing classes in six subjects. Students who are auditing some of the classes are as far north as Cd. Juarez and as far south as Costa Rica. This coming July and August Priscilla and I will be in Texas and would like to visit your church and present the work here. Contact me via email as found on the BMA Missions website. Continue to pray for the safety and Gospel effectiveness of our churches and pastors here in Mexico.
Missionaries on Furlough: Mike Cross (France) June - August Filomeno Kakilala (Hawaii) August - October
Find more Missionaries and learn how you can be praying for them at bmamissions.org/missionaries
JULY CALENDAR
AUGUST CALENDAR
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
1. Matty Johnson*, Mexico 2. Evnika Kravchuk*, Orlando, FL Mrs. Trevor (Nafisa) Morris*, Ecuador Taylor Cox*, Lindale, TX 3. Mrs. Mike (Rachel) Cross*, France 4. Darren Lemons*, Heartland, TX 5. Mr. & Mrs. Phillip (Angela)** Rice, Lifeword, Conway, AR 6. Mrs. David (Shelley) Dickson*, Magnolia, AR Mr. & Mrs. Ken (Carol) Gipson**, Lifeword, Conway, AR 7. Portugal Nationals 8. Mr. & Mrs. Charles (Mona) Costa**, Lebanon 9. Brandon Lingle*, Thailand in Language School 10. Bolivia Nationals 11. Kathy Boyd*, Missions Office 12. John David Smith*, Missions Office 13. Panama Nationals 14. Mrs. Larry (Shelby) Barker*, Benton, AR 15. Karen Keathley*, Missions Office Mrs. John (Alisha) Herring*, Nixa, MO Carol Gipson*, Lifeword, Conway, AR 16. Mexico Nationals 17. Mr. & Mrs. Doyle (Linda) Moore**, Philippines Dr. & Mrs. Ralph (Judy) Izard**, Missions Office Aaron Poulin*, Peru 18. Philippine Nationals 19. El Salvador Nationals 20. Missions Office Staff 21. Mr. & Mrs. Sam (Sue) Jordan**, Jordan 22. Brad Faulk*, Pasco, Washington Mr. & Mrs. Ashraf (Jenny) Sara**, Allen, TX 23. Church Multiplication 24. Tyler Cox*, Lindale, TX 25. Mr. & Mrs. Jesse (Maria) Garrido**, Bell Gardens, CA Mrs. Steve (Daura) Crawley*, Conway, AR Luis Ortega*, Lifeword, Conway, AR 26. Mr. & Mrs. Jerry (Sue) Kidd**, Missions Office 27. Dominican Republic Nationals 28. Raelyn Cross*, France 29. Mr. & Mrs. Doug (Diane) Lee**, Philippines 30. Uruguay Nationals 31. Mr. & Mrs. John (Shirley) Ladd**, Tyler, TX Tina Cummins*, Lifeword, Conway, AR
10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31.
SOAR Conference Missionary Childrens Anthony Pennington*, Albuquerque, NM India Nationals John Herring*, Nixa, MO Czech Republic Nationals Indonesia Nationals Mrs. Doug (Diane) Lee*, Philippines Michael Barton*, Quebec, Canada Mr. & Mrs. Brad (Heidi) Faulk**, Pasco, WA North American Church Planters Mr. & Mrs. Buddy (Taffy) Johnson**, Waxahachie, TX John Sara*, Allen, TX Mrs. Todd (Tina) Cox*, Lindale, TX Jim Brewer*, Missions Office Mr. & Mrs. Chris (Sarah) Hamilton**, Conway, AR Anthony Pennington Partnership, Albuquerque, NM Larry Barker*, Missions Office Mrs. Rick (Angela) Russell*, Conway, AR Caleb Crawley*, Conway, AR BMAA Executive Directors Mr. & Mrs. Charles (Janis) Attebery**, Lifeword, Conway, AR Missions Office Directors Puerto Rico Nationals Mrs. Jeff (Coleen) Franks*, Ukraine T.J. Johnson*, Creative Access Nation Mrs. Darren (Becky) Lemons*, Heartlandl, TX Buddy Johnson Partnership Newly Elected Missionaries Mr. & Mrs. Filomeno (Lisa) Kakilala**, Ewa Beach, HI Emma Cox*, Bentonville, AR Charles Costa*, Lebanon Yakon Lebedev*, Ft. Walton Beach, FL Diann Jones*, Lifeword, Conway, AR Africa Nationals Mrs. Johnmichael (Angela) Poulin*, Peru Josh Cummins*, Conway, AR Jared Kathcart*, Kansas City, MO Tommy & Sara Rose**, Mexico Jake Cummins*, Conway, AR Josiah Smith*, Conway, AR Ralph Izard*, Missions Office Lebanon Nationals * Birthday ** Anniversary
mission:world
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