mission:world | Thank You

mission:BMA

Thank you, from all of us!

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BY: JASON AULTMAN | BMA PRESIDENT

reetings to the BMA family! It is my joy to extend to you best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas season.

It is a blessing to be a part of a group such as the BMA. Only Heaven knows the full extent of impact that has been experienced by our associational family during 2014 through the salvation of souls and the innumerable means of ministry that have influenced so many.

Another blessing is the invaluable work of our outstanding team of missionaries.

Thank you for being the hands and feet of the association, carrying the torch of Christ to those you serve. Accept our gratitude for a job well done!

We also thank those who lead the departments of the BMA. It has been a year of exciting advancements across these ministry areas and we are grateful for the excellent work of those who lead these efforts.

God has been so faithful through another year. Let’s be mindful of His blessings, and let’s approach a New Year with great anticipation of the opportunities He has in store. With each passing day we draw one day closer to the great reunion when God’s family is gathered together for a celebration like this world has never known.

What a Thanksgiving THAT will be! Until then, love deeply, serve well, and give thanks and praise to our great God!

Family of Ministries To help fulfill the Great Commission, the people of the BMA have created a family of ministries. Each has a unique directive, but all have the same Great Commission purpose.

BMA Missions seeks to facilitate churches in fulfilling the Great Commission through assessment, training, coaching, and missionary care.

Lifeword Media Ministries assists in taking the Gospel throughout the world through radio, television, the internet, and mobile devices.

DiscipleGuide Church Resources partners with BMA Churches by providing church resources, workshops, camps, and conferences.

BMA Seminary equips students to become pastors, missionaries, and church leaders.

Moral Action makes sure that the views of BMA Baptist are heard in the halls of Washington D.C. Minister’s Resources Services helps meet the financial planning needs of BMA pastors and staffs.

The BMA Foundation is the endowment instrument for all of the ministries of the Baptist Missionary Association.

mission:world (USPS 575-320)

Volume 2 - Issue 6 November-December 2014 www.bmaamerica.org Editor Donny Parrish Managing Editor Phillip Rice Design & Layout Jared Eakin Published bimonthly by the Baptist Missionary Association of America, 611 Locust Street Conway, AR 72034 Entered as Periodical Rate at Conway, Arkansas.

Periodical Postage paid at Conway, Arkansas and at additional mailing offices.

Contents Thank you from our missionaries 22

Giving thanks

Thank You notes from our missionaires around the globe.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Mission:World P.O. Box 1188 Conway, Arkansas 72033 501.329.6891 Email missionworld@bmaamerica.org Website www.bmaamerica.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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hardship’s harvest Hardship’s in the Philippines are bringing a harvest.

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LIFEWORD

Without you, Lifeword wouldn’t be planning for the future.

DiscipleGuide...............................................................8-11 Seminary...................................................................34-37 For contact info, websites, and more on the BMA family of ministries, visit BMALife.com

BMA of America.........................................................28-31 mission:news...........................................................44-47 November - December 2014 | mission:world ::: 3

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he morning was filled with the sound of concrete clanging loudly against metal buckets, shovels scrapping against the ground and the sounds men make as they strain under heavy loads. The line of able-bodied men extended from the new building to the bottom of the hill.

Each waited his turn for the metal bucket to be filled with concrete, carried up the makeshift “widowmaker� ladder and poured onto the roof

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BY: GRADY JOHNSON | MEXICO of the newly constructed church building. The ladder, which is more of a ramp than a ladder, is made of freshly cut poles and recycled boards, all lashed together with bailing wire. Each pole is covered with concrete that has sloshed from the buckets and the sweat that pours from the working men. It is difficult to climb, especially with men walking both ways, men with freshly emptied buckets coming down, and other men

Mexico

climbing with newly filled buckets. This is why we call the ladder a widowmaker. It could cause injury to anyone who was less than surefooted.

This workday has been a long time coming, more than twenty years of work and dedication of many faithful servants of the Lord, a labor that began with Martha Johnson.

Late in the decade of the 70s, Huejutla, Mexico was a sleepy town surrounded by small communities sometimes known as barrios. This one is known as Rojo Lugo, named after a post-revolutionary politician.

These barrios were a ramshackle mixture of huts and shacks that had been built with care by the people that moved there, many whom had been displaced by the cattle war that had haunted the region for more than ten years. Each home was as different as the people that lived in them. The one thing they had in common was children, lots of children.

Martha was burdened by the conditions in which these children lived. She was also burdened by the spiritual condition they lived in. Even though many lived in unfinished huts, their true need was spiritual. She was overjoyed when one of the local ladies who was also a believer let Martha begin to minister to the children in her front yard. Driving an old, yellow, topless, jeep up to the barrio, she would greet the children as they ran out

to meet her, climbing all over the vehicle and finally gathering around for a loving time of teaching and fun. As the parents observed this missionary woman’s love for their children, many began to attend church and receive Christ and His gift of eternal life. The children were also touched by the precious words of the Gospel that would change their existence forever. It was not always preaching and games; sometimes the situations were absolutely hilarious.

I remember one evening when the Jeep’s transmission got stuck in reverse and Martha backed all the way home. To this day, the people of Huejutla smile when they remember.

On this day, we are pouring the new roof on the building that will serve as the sanctuary of Emmanuel Baptist Church, the Second Baptist Church of Huejutla. Among the men mixing concrete in the heat are many of the same children that received Christ in the muddy yard so many years ago.

One of them will be the pastor when the church organizes the first week in August. A new church is planted, and the generational gap is bridged with the Gospel. There is a permanent witness of Christ and his love in Rojo Lugo.

Four days later many of these same men poured the concrete floor of the new church being built in the village of Los Orcones, where the congregation plans to organize next year. This is a story that is being developed and repeated in more than 45 different villages where godly men are working to reach the lost with God’s divine salvation. These are missions where new believers are being discipled in the knowledge and admonition of the Lord.

These are missions that are being filled with the future charter members of the First Baptist Church in their village.

God in His infinite mercy has seen fit to allow the BMA to carry His banner in Mexico planting churches all over the nation. May God receive the glory in His Church forever!

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A Bright Light

CARRYING THE LIGHT INTO THE DARKNESS OF CAMBODIA

BY: JOHN PAGE | CAMBODIA

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Cambodia

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“As Christians, giving thanks should be a part of our everyday lives not just certain times of the year”

either Thanksgiving nor Christmas is a red-letter day on the Khmer calendar. It’s just another busy day in Cambodia. As Christians, giving thanks should be part of our everyday lives and not just at certain times of the year.

Let me introduce you to Nol, the epitome of Thanksgiving, who was the most thankful candidate for baptism I have ever witnessed.

He could not contain the joy and happiness as we baptized him, his wife, all three children, two in-laws, and a grandchild. Three generations of new Christians that were shining like a beacon on a hilltop with darkness around.

This beacon started as a small flicker of flame in the hearts of many families and churches and continued for over eight years in a place known as “BMA in Village.” There had been countless prayers for their salvation ascending to the Heavenly Father.

Many BMMI (Baptist Medical Missions International) teams came and ministered to them through health care. There was money given for agricultural projects and literacy programs. The breakthrough came when we told the chief that the God of All Creation, or “Propedai” whom they had been worshiping, has a Son named Jesus. The light came on, and you could see it was a true inroad into their hearts.

On December 10, 2013, the light became brighter when ten villagers followed Jesus in believers’ baptism and observed the Lord’s Table (or Supper). Among them were the village chief ’s father, the second chief, several men and their wives and our village literacy teacher Evon.

As I watched these new believers give their pledges to our Lord and Savior in front of the village, I could not help but think of all the people who had a part – those who broke the hard soil, then planted, tilled, watered and weeded it.

You have all been a part of Acts 1:8 – being witnesses to the end of the earth. This little light is not being hid under a bushel. It is shining all around. It is present in the looks of pure joy, ear-to-ear smiles and contagious laughs covering the faces of these Cambodian children when they receive a “Christmas Shoebox” from the BMMI’s Children Helping Children program. I wish everyone who packed a box could witness them receive their gifts. When we asked them what might be inside the boxes, their responses were snakes, spiders and food. When it was time to open their boxes, it wasn’t your typical Christmas morning in America where children rip through their presents so fast they cannot remember what they received from one gift to the next. Each child carefully lifted the top just enough so they could peak inside to see the contents, then most of them closed it tightly and started smiling, laughing and squeezing their gifts as hard as they could.

Our prayer is that God will work in their hearts and one day they would receive

the greatest gift of all, Jesus. We would like to thank all the churches, families and individuals who packed a box, prayed or sent money for the shipping of over 4,000 Christmas shoeboxes. We were able to distribute them to fifteen locations including hospitals, schools and villages.

As we carry the light into the darkness of Cambodia, our prayer is to ignite a fire that will blaze and spread throughout Asia.

2014 Takes Discipleguide to new Places BY: SCOTT ATTEBERRY | DISCIPLEGUIDE

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hank you, Father, for the ministry you have given DiscipleGuide to steward. We are thankful for the opportunity and responsibility to serve the churches of the Baptist Missionary Association of America.

Thank You for your provision over the past year. You have stabilized our finances and

provided a new office for our staff to enjoy. We praise You for giving us the opportunity to work in the new BMA Global Ministry Center building alongside our brothers and sisters from BMA Missions and Lifeword. What sweet fellowship and collaboration we share! Thank You for bringing us together for such a time as this!

Thank You for the partnerships that allow us to work with BMA Missions for the purpose of providing church revitalization training. May You use our efforts to strengthen our churches and revive our hearts! Please stir up a new desire for evangelism, discipleship, and the proclamation of truth!

DiscipleGuide

Thank You for the resources provided by the BMA service team and production team that allow us to produce the Tuesday Talks simulcast each month. We pray that those who watch online will be equipped and encouraged in their ministries.

Thank You for all of the young people in our churches who have surrendered to ministry. We ask that You use our upcoming Ministry Matters gatherings to fan into flame the gifts that they have been given and to resource their pastors and parents for the purpose of helping them prepare for ministry.

Thank You for the 3,000 campers who heard the Gospel at Daniel Springs this year. We praise you for the hundreds of souls who trusted Christ as Savior and Lord during camp.

And Father, on behalf of the entire association of BMA churches,

thank you for James Speer and his 33 years of leadership at Daniel Springs Camp. We are so grateful for his and Barbara’s impact on all of our lives and the legacy that they will leave behind.

Thank You also for our new camp director Jason Prewitt and his wife Jessica. You have provided just the right man for the job and we anticipate the wonderful ways You will use him for years to come.

Thank You for Donny Parrish and his leadership with our conferences this year. You have done tremendous things in the hearts and lives of thousands of students at SOAR as they focused on Your church this year. We ask that the fruit of the SOAR conference will continue as students grow in their commitments to their local congregations and serve their fellow members. We long to see students fuel outreach efforts and ministries of mercy.

We are also grateful for the pastors and their wives who received rest and inspiration at Pastor’s Oasis this year. They are all so special and have unique gifts and skills. Please continue to protect them from anxiety and give them rest. We rejoice in the fruit of their labors.

We also praise You for all of the senior adults who attended our National Senior Adult conference.

We ask that our speakers and musicians have as great an inspiration to them as they have been to us. They are the backbone of our churches, and we praise You for the sacrifices they have made to be a blessing to generations who follow.

Thank you for E. Harold Henderson whose writings now live on in our Compass “We Believe” series. What a Godly legacy he has left behind.

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DiscipleGuide And thank you for Charles Reddin whose 42 years of leadership in our publishing division have touched hearts and lives for Your kingdom’s sake. We ask that You continue blessing him and his wife June as they enjoy retirement.

Thank You for our staff. You have truly blessed us with a wonderful family of co-laborers. Thank You for Patricia Kimbrow who continues to make our conferences a success and customer service a blessing.

Thank You for Thomas Mobly who takes on challenges, troubleshoots issues, and keeps us all on schedule.

Thank You for Leah White who accounts for our finances and helps us operate with fiscal responsibility.

Thank You for Phillip Rice who keeps our website, social media, and downloads updated and running smoothly. And thank You for Chelsea Riechert who fills in the gaps with her servant’s heart.

Finally, we thank You for the churches of the Baptist Missionary Association. We believe that You have brought us together for a Great Commission purpose.

Thank You for the cooperation and fellowship we enjoy. The harmony of our association is a testimony to the peace of Christ that reigns in His body. The shared focus on making disciples of all nations reflects the heart of Jesus. And the willingness to share resources with one another reflects the unselfish nature of our King!

Thank You, Lord, for allowing DiscipleGuide to have a place in Your kingdom work and to serve the wonderful people of the Baptist Missionary Association of America!

Thank you for life-changing events

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hank you, Lord, for the opportunity to watch You work through DiscipleGuide’s conference ministry this year. Through all the transitions and change, You have remained faithful. It’s amazing to watch You be You. I’m grateful for the student who came to me during SOAR 2014 and asked me to pray for him. He had felt for a long time that God was calling him to use his life in a special way. The messages at SOAR that focused on God’s love for His church had given him clarity. He was seeing for the first time that the local church is truly the hope of the world. You had shown him that He was to give his life to preach the Word and pastor a local church.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to watch You work in his life.

Thank You for the Pastor’s wife who told me what a remarkable difference Pastors Oasis has meant in her life. She said that this week

BY: DONNY PARRISH | DISCIPLEGUIDE of refreshing had not only helped save their ministry, but also their marriage. The stress of ministry had almost become more than they could bear. Being able to share with other pastors and pastors’ wives at Oasis each year gives them hope.

Thank you, Lord, for letting me see You move in their lives.

The pastors that commented on DiscipleGuide’s first “Tuesday Talk” internet broadcast was a blessing to me, Lord. I realized that this teaching on how churches can use Social Media to reach out to their local communities was really meeting a need. I’m grateful for the opportunity to allow gifted teachers and experienced ministers to help DiscipleGuide equip the local church to make disciples.

Thank you for letting me be a part of this church family that we call the BMA. I’m amazed every day that You love me. I’m so thankful that you are my God.

thank you for my discipleGuide Journey BY: CHARLES REDDIN | DISCIPLEGUIDE Heavenly Father, thank You for the surprising journey You have guided me through during my years on the staff of what is now DiscipleGuide Church Resources.

Thank You for my acceptance into the “writers’ family” even earlier. I’m grateful that in 1966 E. Harold Henderson greeted this college freshman with a hearty “Welcome to Writers’ Conference, brother,” rather than “Who are you, son?”

Lord, You continue to bring to my mind so many other dear friends among BMA writers. I’m grateful for the times spent with them in curriculum planning, Writers’ Conferences, and team meetings — not to mention individual contacts — that ministered knowledge, truth, inspiration, and pure fellowship to me.

Thank You for C. O. Strong, the editor who brought me onto the staff and blessed my life so broadly first as pastor, then as professor, then as boss, and always as friend. Thank You for Business Manager T. O. Tollett, who in my early years won my respect as a layman serving effectively in ministry leadership.

Thank You for editor D. O. Silvey, who shepherded me in my writing years, and for his son, Larry, who later shaped me as an editor during his lengthy oversight of BMA editing and publishing. Thank You for Kevin

Thank you for my years at daniel springs BY: JAMES SPEER | DISCIPLEGUIDE Thank you, Lord, for the thousands of young people who have crossed my path in the last 35 years and for the opportunity you have given me to have a small place in their journeys.

Thank you, Lord, for that special family that has made it possible for three generations to be saved at camp. The father was saved before my time at Daniel Springs, and then the daughter was saved during my early years at the

Clayton and his valiant struggles to merge disjointed ministries into a united DiscipleGuide. I’m also grateful for the respect and graciousness Scott Attebery has shown me even as he was convinced that DiscipleGuide’s best future lay in replacing the Texarkana operations with new people in a new place.

I’m thankful too for coworkers who have served alongside me — from Bobby Joe Wright, who labored in the publishing ministry longer than anyone else, to Rebecca Watts, who was equally faithful in the few months that she served. How the friendship of these dozens of people has enriched my life. How their commitment to ministry has benefitted the churches of the BMA. Most of all, thank You, God, for bringing this ministry through countless emergencies that could have put us under. I have seen You overcome the seizure of BMA property by a greedy lawyer, structural failures in our building when our financial resources were near zero, a fire that destroyed a quarter’s literature at shipping time, the loss of anticipated financing on a new building just as the old one sold, various reorganizations and personnel changes, and countless “impossible” workloads, deadlines, and financial challenges. “Great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23).

camp, followed by her son’s salvation just a few years ago.

Thank you, Lord, for the speakers who have shared the Word so effectively over the years and the way they have been able to minister to young people on their level.

Thank you, Lord, for creating adults who care enough about kids to take vacation time and money to put kids in a place where the Gospel can have free rein in their hearts.

Thank you, Lord, for staff members who have impacted me and the kids during their tenures here at camp.

Thank you, Lord, for protecting all the precious children from danger in the last 35 years and preventing any serious injuries to them.

Thank you, Lord, for sending Jason and Jessica Prewitt to continue this awesome ministry that sees so many lives changed every summer.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me a place in ministry that has been totally fulfilling.

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A NEW GENERATION OF BELIEVERS Praise from the Gypsy People of Romania

BY: BOGDAN BILAV | ROMANIA

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t the beginning of his letter to the church at Colossae, Paul comes before the Lord and his prayer bursts into an overflow of thankfulness and praise.

This thankfulness was because the lives of the Colossians demonstrated that God was at work in them and in the church. The Gospel was bearing fruit in and through their lives.

When committed followers of Christ see God using people, they are thankful.

We are thankful and we give praise for the way that God is working among the gypsies in Romania and for the fact that He made us part of this wonderful ministry where people’s lives are being impacted and changed in a way that only Christ can accomplish We are grateful that every day for the last five years as dedicated full time missionaries we have been able to see His mercy upon our lives and the way that He carried us in many situations and problems that we faced.

Romania We are the most thankful for the way that God has answered our prayers in all these years in ways that sometimes we did not expect but we placed our faith in Him and we know that He knows better the plan that He has for our life as a family. There were many decisions with great impact that we had to make, but every time He guided us and gave us strength and peace to choose His way and let Him fulfill His will in our lives.

By His mercy there are many gypsy villages that have been touched with the Gospel through different events and occasions that we got to be a part of. We are thankful for the village of Ip where the people were most responsive to the Gospel and where we are concentrating now a big part of our efforts into planting a new church.

We give thanks for the hundreds of souls that heard the Gospel at revival meetings that we held at the beginning of the year. As a result of those services there were many who invited Christ into their lives as Lord and Savior and fourteen who were baptized from the villages of Nusfalau and Ip. The

faith that God put in their hearts is growing every day and it gives us encouragement and strength to move forward. The gypsy brothers and sisters in the village of Ip are showing us what an authentic and real life of faith is. For two years we have had regular meetings there and they come to worship, pray and listen to the Word no matter what the circumstances are.

(Ip is the village where we have no church building. Most of the meetings are held outside under the shade of a tree or in a small room that one of the family lets us use when it is raining or it is winter time.)

One area that we saw great results in our ministry over this year is the work among the younger generations from the gypsy churches. Even though a big part of our work is focused on the gypsy children, for the first time we can see the long-term results of such a work. We have a group of ten to twelve teenage boys at the church in Nusfalau that formed a worship team and are ready to go out to other villages to lead worship and serve God with the

gift that God has given them. Their dedication and love for the Lord is growing every day.

A great impact for the gypsies in Romania and particularly in the Northwest part of the country is the Lifeword radio broadcast in the gypsy language. For the fourth year we were able to produce and have the program on air every week, and as a result, The Roma Road has touched many souls.

On a personal note we are thankful for the blessing that after more than five years of marriage for the first time we were able to buy an apartment and have our own place. It was a great answer to prayers, and we are grateful for it.

Finally, one of the greatest joys and blessings for us this year is that for the first time in our lives we will be parents. Soon we will get to hold our first baby, and this is making us excited and happy beyond words.

So we can see in our lives all the great blessings that the Lord is giving us and for all of this we give Him glory and praise! Just like Paul, we are bursting with an overflow of thankfulness.

14 people were baptized from the villages of Nusfalau and Ip

Lifeword

ThankS So Much!

We couldn’t do it without you!

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BY: RICK RUSSELL | LIFEWORD

our involvement in Lifeword’s Walk for the World over the past 34 years has been a constant source of blessing to all of us at Lifeword. Since that first 20mile hike back in 1980, the Walk has funneled more than 11 million dollars into broadcast missions. (That figure doesn’t include anything that has been raised in the 2014 Walk for the World, which is just now coming in.) Those Walk contributions enabled us to grow from 5 languages to 34 and enlarge the potential reach of our broadcasts to nearly half of the world.

In addition to participating in the Walk or Lifeword Sunday, it’s tremendously helpful to us

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that many of you are also members of Faith Inner Circle and give regular offerings designated to help us broadcast the Gospel into places where American missionary personnel are not welcome.

But the bedrock of our support is provided by the hundreds of churches and individuals that send an offering to Lifeword as a part of their regular monthly missions giving and who constantly keep Lifeword’s petitions before the Lord in their prayers.

God has truly blessed us with faithful and generous friends and we are grateful to count you in that crowd!

BMA UNIFiED VISION BEGINS TO BLOSSOM Another thing I’m personally grateful for is the willingness of the people of the BMA to change longstanding methodologies when it is demonstrated that by making those changes the work of the ministry can become more effective. As you know, the Baptist Missionary Association of America has undergone some significant changes over the past couple of years. But when I say that, I’m also thankful that those changes don’t involve anything of a doctrinal nature. A firm stance on vital issues involving the authority of the scriptures and a deep commitment to adhere to Biblical truth goes without question in the BMA. At a time when so many denominations seem eager to abandon the Faith by purging it of anything that might be perceived as politically incorrect, I’m thankful to associate with a group of churches that exhibits a Biblical backbone. We come by that honestly. A person would be hard pressed to examine the reality of the life of Christ and find anything that smacks of political correctness!

But I digress. The changes I am talking about are those that have come as a result of the departmental

Lifeword integration, which brought Missions, DiscipleGuide and Lifeword physically together in our new BMA America Global Ministry Center building in Conway, Arkansas. At Lifeword, we are very excited about the positive changes this will bring to our media ministry’s effectiveness.

The following is one of many examples of the effectiveness of this integration.

For 25 years Jerry Kidd and I met several times each year to consult with each other about the activities of our respective departments and to find ways to coordinate our efforts and make our ministries more effective. (At that time Jerry was Director of International Missions.) When Luis Ortega became my assistant more than a decade ago, he and Phil Knott (then Director of Central and South American Missions), also began to meet to coordinate Lifeword’s and Missions’ Latino ministries. But as much as we tried to coordinate, it was a difficult thing to accomplish.

All four of us travelled in different directions, and finding opportunities to interact wasn’t easy. About five years ago our individual meetings morphed into a monthly Missions/Lifeword fellowship lunch that was attended by whoever in leadership happened to be in town on that day. It was a good step forward in departmental coordination, but now that we are all together in the same building, it is so much easier and promises to become even more effective as our departmental integration continues to move forward.

New Emphasis on Indigenous Leadership Development One very significant improvement happening now is that Lifeword and Missions have begun to work in concert to develop indigenous leadership that is capable of guiding the ministries that we have helped to plant around the world. That indigenous leadership is essential if the BMA of America is to have the resources reach further into our world and touch the lives of those who have never had an opportunity to hear of God’s love. We are providing that emerging leadership with the tools and training they need

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in order to bring their ministries into cultural relevance so that they can become self-governing, self-supporting and self-extending ministries. As those “three selves” take root, Lifeword and Missions will be able to back out and let them stand on their own so that they are no longer dependent upon funding from the West. Of course we will continue to provide support in the form of continuing fellowship and training; but major financial and personnel resources could then be reallocated to enable us to help open entirely new areas to the Gospel.

“At the same time, we are developing leaders who will move Lifeword forward into their own cultures and the cultures of those who adjoin them.”

WHAT PROGRESS IS LIFEWORD MAKING? Really, it’s the kind of progress that you see from a young oak tree in the dead of winter. Even though you haven’t seen any change since fall, there’s a lot going on underground. That tree is sucking nourishment from the soil and expanding its root system. It’s developing a stronger grip on the solid ground so that when its season does finally come, that oak will have what it needs to sprout new leaves, strengthen old branches and push out new ones to produce a crop of acorns that will also become tall oaks in a few years’ time.

Similarly, Lifeword-USA is maintaining its existing ministries to the 34 language groups that you helped

us build over the years and we are researching which unreached people group the Lord would like for us to tackle next. At the same time we are developing leaders who will move Lifeword forward into their own cultures and the cultures of those who adjoin them. We are providing direction, planning and problem solving tools to enable our indigenous leadership around the world to develop and cast their vision for reaching their own culture with their own resources. That has to happen if we are to have a realistic chance to permeate those cultures with the Gospel.

As you pray for Lifeword, please pray specifically for Pedro Etabag, Lifeword’s visionary leader for Low Power FM in the Asia-Pacific and Hayford Jackson, our LPFM visionary leader for Ghana. Over the past year, these brothers have really begun to catch the vision for ministering to their communities through Low Power FM broadcasting. These tiny radio stations only cost about $300 to set up, a price that can be afforded by most third world churches if they are really serious about using this outreach tool. The signal of this little 15-watt transmitter can only be heard by the people who live within a 3 to 5 mile radius of a local church, which is just about right to be able to reach most of the people who will attend that church—and the low power allows room on the FM dial for neighboring churches or church plants to also have their own radio stations, each of which will provide a singular voice tailored specifically for its own village.

Our broadcast leadership in the Asia-Pacific was the first to see the value of LPFM from the local church’s point of view. Pedro Etabag is both a local pastor and Lifeword’s longest-tenured employee (he’s been part of our team for 40 years). At the time of life when most people begin to get a little crusty and set

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Lifeword in their ways, Pedro consistently proves himself to be one of the most forward-thinking, enthusiastic and spiritual people you could ever meet. Even though it meant monumental changes in the ministry methods and practices of the Lifeword Asia-Pacific region, he immediately went to work to put LPFM to work in his region. In a recent post on Facebook’s Lifeword Low Power FM Group, he explained the philosophy behind the new radio broadcasts that his team has created: “Since our goal for the LPFM radio project is to be a community radio station with a Christian flavor, we empowered some of our talented members to host the community related programs such as Community Hour, Home Sweet Home, Youth Hour, Farming Time, Do it Yourself, etc. We conducted a training to train them to know how to do an on-board broadcast all by themselves.

We believe that more people will listen to our programs if we cater to the needs of the whole community. And we will be able to use these programs to plant the seeds of the Gospel that will, in turn, bring them to the Lord.” -Pedro Etabag And just within the past few months, Hayford Jackson has begun doing the same thing with LPFM

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stations in Ghana, West Africa. So, while you are praying for Pedro and Hayford, please also pray for the other indigenous leaders that God is preparing to become visionary leaders for LPFM in their own cultures.

Why is Low Power FM so Important to Lifeword?

The technology is quickly emerging that can provide inexpensive broadband internet service to mobile phones in even the poorest third world countries. When that occurs, a person’s telephone will become his radio, TV, Kindle and literally his lifeline to the rest of the world. Then “content will be king” just as it is today. Our network of LPFM radio stations is designed to spur content creation by providing plenty of free airtime to encourage lots of local, innovative, indigenous program producers. The best of those programs will be shared right now with all of the other LPFMs within that culture, and they will become the programming source to for a 24/7 Lifeword radio station stream in English, Spanish, Twi, Songhai, Ewe, Portuguese, Marwari and a hundred languages that we’ve never even heard of.

Thankful, Gratef I

BY: BUDDY JOHNSON | HISPANIC MISSIONS

am thankful to God for calling me to the ministry in which He has placed me. I don’t get to visit as many BMA churches as I did while serving as a missionary. I miss that, but I do have the opportunity to connect with many of you through social media and telephone. I am grateful for the churches of the BMA that for more than forty years have loved, supported, and prayed for my family. I am blessed to be a part of the best people in the world and to them I say, “Thank You.” I have been in BMA churches since I was born. My parents were loyal BMA supporters until their passing and Taffy and I are blessed to have the best family we know, Grady, Eric, Sara and Tommy Rose and their families who serve in Mexico. I’m blessed by Scott, Jon,

Hispanic Missions

ful, and blessed “I am blessed to be a part of the best people in the world and to them I say, ‘Thank You’.” and Ben who are active in our Lord’s work. I’m blessed to have served this year in Peru, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Ghana training dozens of men and women in methods of DCPI (Dynamic Church Planting International) church planting.

I am blessed to have worked with “CLAMA SUR” in Peru where leaders from eight South American countries met for a great time of fellowship, prayer, and study. I am blessed to help coordinate the work on the Mamore River in Bolivia with the Arrington Rivers of Blessing ministry. I’m blessed to have spoken in mission and associational meetings in Mexico and Honduras.

The second annual National Mission Conference in Honduras was a tremendous blessing. Large amounts

of funds were given for the planting of new churches in that country. The BMA of Mexico met for the first time in the Aztec Indian area where I was blessed to begin our work over forty years ago. I’m blessed to have worked for six years as organizer of Hombre A Hombre (a Hispanic leaders’ retreat) where my heart has been blessed by Hispanic men. There have been forty-six Hispanic men surrender to our Lord’s ministry during this time. Many of them are actively planting churches in the United States, and some have gone to their native countries to plant churches.

These blessings have been as a result of BMA people and churches that give in order for lives around the world to be changed and disciples to be made. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

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Giving thanks for You THANK YOU NOTES FROM OUR MISSIONARIES AROUND THE WORLD

Grady Johnson

Dale Broom

Mexico

Ghana

The element that we often forget when we see the wonders of God’s work is the Human Element. Each one of you is an indispensable part of our Mexico Missions Team! May God bless you each and every one for you faithfulness and support.

We would like to thank God for all of His wonderful blessings on us and the ministry in Ghana, West Africa. We are also thankful to our supporters

John Herring

that help make our ministry here possible and to the prayer

Missouri

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for my family and for the work here in Nixa. It’s an amazing journey to be a part of something that God is forming and building on a daily basis.

I’m thankful that He has allowed us to be part of the process of meeting people where they are and helping them discover who they can be in Christ.

Doug Lee Philippines “I will sing unto the Lord because He hath dealt bountifully with me” - Psalms 13:6. Our ministry is your ministry and God is blessing it abundantly.

We are thankful for the many blessings of family, friends and God’s love and provision that is manifested through God’s people. Your prayers and generosity have enabled us to expand our work here in the Philippines far beyond our vision. To God be the Glory!

warriors that lift us up in prayer each day. We thank God for our family and for the prayers that have been lifted up for them.

Darren Lemons Texas Thank you all for the many prayers and the financial support of our ministry. We are thankful that The Lord continues to do great things at The Refuge Church. We are truly blessed to be carrying out His work in Terrell and seeing first hand, how He changes lives.

Johnmichael Poulin Peru

We would like to take advantage of this moment to thank The Lord for saving us and allowing us to be used by Him to make His name known here in Peru. We would also like to thank Him for using you as well. You probably don’t understand how much God has used you in making His name known. Your emails, notes on Facebook, and calls He has used to up-lift and encourage. Your financial support He has used to start churches and train pastors. Your prayers He has used in more ways then I have time to list here. In short we would like to thank Him for you.

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John Page Cambodia O’kon Charan!

Philippians

1:3-5 comes to mind when we think of all the individuals, families, and churches that partner with us in the Gospel.

It is truly a team effort. Thank you for having a heart to reach the world for Christ.

Sean Richards

Papua New Guinea The Richards Family is extremely thankful, grateful, and encouraged by God’s faithfulness and provision as He is raising our financial and prayer partnership team. Though our donors are giving to the Lord and His purposes and not necessarily to us personally, we are humbled and honored by those of you who have chosen to invest in our ministry to take the Gospel to an unreached tribe in Papua New Guinea. Thank you, God, BMA Churches, and individual donors for your faithfulness in providing for our family and ministry needs in 2014; we are looking forward to big things in 2015!

Ali Chambers Memphis Someone once said, “You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.” Through your giving lives are being made and lived for the glory of God and the good of people. So I thank you for your sacrifice and support of Mosaic Church in Memphis.

Eliezer Brito-Semedo Thailand We are thankful for the opportunity to share His story and shine His glory among an unreached people group. We are thankful for the progress we’ve made in learning the Thai culture and language.

We are thankful for our financial & prayer partners. We are thankful for spiritual, emotional and physical protection.

Mike Cross France We are so thankful to be able to serve the Lord and the BMA of America as your missionaries in France. The Father has truly blessed us this past year. It was a blessing to be able to meet many of you this past summer during our furlough. We are so excited to see what God is going to do this next year. Without your prayers and support, we would not be able to fulfill our calling. Thank you and may the Lord continue to bless us all as we live for Him.

Jeremy Hambrice Papua New Guinea

Thank you for sending our family to Papua New Guinea. Because of your sacrificial giving and praying back at home, we get the privilege of being here to tell the greatest story ever told to those who have never heard it.

Jesse Hales

Dominican Republic We would like to thank God and you for supporting the work in the Dominican Republic. Thank you for always providing our needs before we even realize what those needs are. Thank you for your faithfulness.

Eric Johnson Mexico

When you set out to thank God for something, it is like thanking the forest for a single tree. Each of God’s blessings is so very special, but the sheer volume of what He does can leave you speechless. We are so very grateful to have the privilege to serve as missionaries for our churches. God is blessing your efforts here. Our family thanks you for your prayers for us and the people of Mexico.

BJ Sanders Papua New Guinea

Jill and I are thrilled to be your missionaries to Papua New Guinea! Thank you for sending us to share the love of Christ with tribal people who are living in darkness.

Todd Cox Texas

Praise and thanks be to God for all He has done and is currently doing through the work of His people throughout the world and specifically the BMAA. I want to thank all of our previous, current and future church and associational partners for helping our families and church plant called The Refuge Church in Terrell, TX. It is because of your generosity and God’s grace that we have been able to continually affect the lives of numerous people in and around Kaufman County for His Kingdom and to continually focus on making disciples that make disciples.

Ralph Izard France

Baptist Medical Missions Internation wishes to thank all those who have prayed for us and financially supported us. Seven young men in Savaii, Samoa accept Jesus Christ on our recent trip there.

John Bienlein Michigan Master’s Hands Deaf Church in Swartz Creek, Michigan would like to take this opportunity to send a heartfelt THANK YOU to our partners around the world. God has truly blessed us with a vision and a mission to reach Deaf with the Gospel of Jesus Christ not only locally but also to the entire world.

Your prayers are invaluable and your financial support is an encouragement. God bless you!

Fil Kakilala Asia-Pacific

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to all.

We say “Thank you” in the languages of our outreach in Asia-Pacific: “Mahalo” from Hawaii; “Fa’afetai” from Samoa; “Kilisou Chapur” from Chuuk, Micronesia; and “Maraming salamat po at Agyaman-ak” from the Philippines (Tagalog and Ilocano). Glory to God!

Brandon Cox Arkansas

We give thanks to God for His generous supply of all of our needs. And we thank God for raising up such generous givers in the people and churches of the BMA of America. The Kingdom is expanding because of your gifts!

Brandon Lingle Thailand We want to thank you for your faithfulness in support and prayers this year. We are also thankful to our Lord for giving us a baby, and for sustaining us through our first year in Thailand

Don Newsom Philippines On behalf of Linda, who has already gone ahead, to be with the Lord, and myself, I want to say “thank you” to the BMA of America, and our partners, for sending us, and faithfully supporting us for these many years. Your partnership is greatly appreciated.

Anthony Pennington New Mexico

Thank you BMAA family for your prayers, love and support.

Many people have believed in Jesus and invited Him to be their Savior in Albuquerque in 2014. You have had great part in helping us share the gospel. Thanks again!

Tommy Rose Mexico My family would like to “give thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

(Colossians 1:12 ESV) He has given HOPE to the world through Jesus Christ and we are blessed to be able to share that HOPE through planting churches in Mexico. Great thanks goes to all our prayer warriors and supporters who partner with us to make our mission possible and God’s hope known.

Mike Barton Canada I thank God that He would love me enough to save such a helpless sinner as myself. I am thankful for the privilege and honor to be used by my Master for the greatest and most important mission of all... reaching the lost. Lastly I am very thankful for the BMA staff and faithful BMA churches who work so hard so that we can do what we do... serve on the mission field.

Brad Gathright Honduras

We want to say how thankful we are that God has allowed us the blessing to work with the people of Honduras. We are so thankful for our faithful supporters because without them we wouldn’t be here. We are thankful for a great first year that has included being involved in a church plant and working with two churches to establish Celebrate Recovery ministries here.

Ricky Williams Mexico My first “thank you” is for Jesus, my Savior. Secondly, thank you Lord for my devoted and understanding wife, Priscilla. Finally, thank you for abundant opportunities to train men and women for your service through the virtual classroom via Internet, extensive in its reach, and economical to boot.

David Dickson Hispanic Missions

I am so thankful to BMAA church members, office staff and fellow missionaries for their support and prayers during my illness. Your faithfulness over the last 43 years has been amazing. I´m also thankful that the Lord has permitted me to serve Him in so many countries and capacities, and that He continues to permit me to be involved in missions, which is still my life´s passion.

Matthew Prather Texas

Thank you for your support! The ministries of The Bridge and the life-change taking place in Celina would not be possible without your support. We are deeply humbled by your prayers and support!

Danny Ballard Philippines On behalf of my family, I would like to give thanks to the Lord for His mercy and continual healing of Rita’s cancer.

We thank God for all the partner’s in ministry that He has blessed us with, for their prayers and the support they have given us this past year. I am thankful for a wonderful family that shares the same heart and vision for the ministry in the Philippines.

John Lindsey West Africa

Thank you Jesus for calling me to be involved in the spreading of your Word and making disciples of people in West Africa. I thank you for the churches and individuals you have brought along side of us to support your work through their prayers and financial contributions. I praise you for faithfully watching over us and giving us the strength to carry out your plans for reaching the lost. Your continuing presence and guidance have truly been a blessing to us all.

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BMA America

Looking Back with Thanksgiving and Forward with Faith R

BY: STEVE CRAWLEY | LIFEWORD

ecently an elderly pastor within the Baptist Missionary Association (BMA) of America visited the new Global Ministry Center building in Conway, Arkansas. He reminisced about a conversation he had with a group of pastors some forty years earlier regarding associational work. “If our departments could work together more closely, we could be so much more effective in helping our churches,” they concluded.

After touring the facility and discussing the new vision, he commented, “I’m more excited about the work of the BMA today than I have ever been in my entire ministry!”

As we look back with thanksgiving for the labor and toil of those who came before us, we look forward with faith as God directs us into a new chapter of associational work. It is thrilling to see how God is invigorating our associated efforts. Churches and departments are collaborating like never before to fulfill the Great Commission.

Looking Back With Thanksgiving We look back with thanksgiving for the provisions of God and for the many men and women who gave their lives in service to our Lord. Our predecessors understood the power of churches working together and encouraged a spirit of cooperation from the genesis of the association. The BMA Statement of Principles of Cooperation asserts that the purpose of the BMA of America is to “provide cooperating departments and agencies that will inspire a mission vision and assist each local church in carrying out the Great Commission.” We are grateful for the vision of cooperation that has laid a firm foundation upon which we can build.

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Historically, organizational life cycles follow a predictable pattern - progress, plateau, and decline.

The BMA is no different from any other organization.

Looking back on the history of the association, as shared when we originally cast the Vision for the Future plan, reveals some periods of distinction.

The origin of the BMAA dates back to May 25, 1950, when dedicated men and women representing 465

churches met at Temple Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas and stepped out with courage and faith to form a new association. By 1970, the BMA of America had birthed departments or agencies that encompassed various facets of ministry including missions, publications, education, research and public relations, chaplaincy, youth, and media.

By 1970, the association had grown from 465 churches to approximately 1,500 and, according to Dr. John Duggar in his book on the history of the BMA, the “forward thrust seems to have been greater from 1971 to 1980 than in previous decades.” This period of expansion was marked by significant increases in financial contributions from the churches, resulting

association that the BMA reached a point of maturity during this era.

As the association came to a point of maturation in the mid to late 1980s, a period of decline—as with any organization—would follow. The number of reported baptisms during the last decade of the century decreased by 70%, 41% of new mission projects disbanded, and less than half of the churches surveyed in 2010 were intentional in their disciplemaking efforts. As with any organization in decline, short of a catalytic event to halt the downward trend, the situation was not likely to improve.

Yet we are thankful to God for raising up pastors, laypeople, and other leaders willing to meet these challenges head on. Over the last decade, there has been a concerted effort to increase the level of cooperation among BMA churches and entities.

Beginning with the departmental restructuring effort in 2004 and culminating with the Vision for the Future approved in 2013, we are now witnessing God’s invigoration of the associated work with a “fresh wind and fresh fire!”

Recent Developments

in new mission fields, new publications, and new departments. There were more denominational workers than ever before by the end of the decade, and the associational work seemed to be “getting bigger and better.” Key highlights during the period of expansion and plateau were the number of baptisms reported for the years 1969-1978, which averaged 10,206 annually.

Dr. Duggar noted in his historical account of the

A major obstacle limiting cooperation in the past has been departments working from separate locations, often with a unilateral vision. Phase one of the departmental integration effort, which was approved by the churches in 2013, removed this obstacle.

The staffs of BMA Missions, BMAA Foundation, DiscipleGuide (approved in 2014), and Lifeword now work from the same facility in Conway, Arkansas.

What was once a dream is now a reality. This strategic move provides departments and agencies a state of the art facility to serve our churches. Simultaneously, the on-going operating cost structures for each entity will be lower by sharing employees where applicable as well as fixed overhead costs.

Another obstacle has been the lack of a centralized entity to facilitate shared costs among cooperating departments. The first phase of the integration process has also removed this obstacle with the creation of the BMA America Limited Liability Company (LLC).

The BMA America LLC is owned by the departments of the association and provides a way to classify shared costs, employees, and assets. The jointly owned headquarter facility in Conway will be held within the LLC, and each department’s ownership will be proportionate with its level of investment.

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BMA America

This centralization effort maintains the distinction of separate, autonomous departments while providing a structure of optimal efficiency. The LLC is not a department or agency, and all costs of the entity are allocated to the departments or agencies where applicable. Shared overhead and employee costs are budgeted within each department based on standard costs; actual costs are then allocated based on the actual work performed. Thus, only costs associated with a department’s or an agency’s activities are charged to that entity and reported in its financial statements. For full transparency, independent auditors will review the transactions of the LLC annually.

In 2014, the churches of the BMA approved the formation of a new agency of the association - BMAA Foundation. This agency provides a venue for members of churches within the BMA to help fund Great Commission efforts in perpetuity. Foundation Executive Charles Attebery is leading this agency and the planned giving initiative. Within the past year alone, 2.2 million dollars was committed to the work of BMA entities through the planned giving initiative, and this is just the tip of the iceberg when one considers the compounded impact such a program will have in years to come.

Someone once said, “Information is the life blood of any organization.” For the first time in our history, the BMA now provides constituents with an informational magazine that highlights the entire work of the association. Produced in house, the magazine’s contents are aimed at keeping church members informed about our joint efforts of reaching the world for Christ.

Additionally, for the first time the BMA has a website that is perpetually updated to keep churches informed about the ministries in real time.

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Looking Forward With Faith Just as our predecessors stepped out in faith 64 years ago, we must step out in faith today. The first phase of integration focused on establishing a shared facility and developing an efficient operating structure. We

are thankful that God has provided the means for us to achieve our initial goals. However, if accomplishing these objectives is the extent of our vision, our level of effectiveness will be greatly compromised. The first phase of the integration effort was simply a step to provide the operating platform necessary to accomplish

the second phase - strategic alignment. We do not know where this effort will lead but look forward with faith, trusting the Lord to direct our path.

To begin the second phase of integration, the departments and agencies of the BMA of America will come together to engage in formal strategic planning.

We intend for this exercise to be perpetual and fluid.

The purpose of the effort will be to address some of the challenges faced during our period of decline. We also hope to design a cohesive ministry plan with each entity working together in concert with the others to assist BMA churches in fulfilling the Great Commission.

Departmental leaders acknowledge that our churches do not exist for the departments; the departments exist for the churches. A part of the process will involve engaging in research that will provide a basis to develop innovative ways to assist churches in their quest to minister within their locales. Moreover, the departments will also continue to assist churches in their quest to make disciples of the nations.

As we look back, we are thankful for God’s providence and for the foundation our forefathers provided in the past. As we look forward, we walk by faith with an aura of anticipation about where God will take us in the future. Echoing the sentiments of the pastor quoted earlier, “I am more excited than ever about the work of the BMA of America!� In this season of Thanksgiving and celebration, may we pause to express gratitude to our sovereign Lord for what He has done and for what He is going to do.

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GIVING THANKS FROM THAILAND W

hat a perfect time to be asked to write and share things I’m thankful for. This will do my heart good as I sit down in the lobby at a hotel in Laos waiting with my pregnant wife for someone to fix our air conditioner in the room.

We have to be here three days, and I want things to be as comfortable for my six-month-pregnant wife as they can be. We are in Laos to make another one year visa, and to be honest our conditions here have been uncomfortable, irritating and

BY: BRANDON LINGLE | THAILAND not working out as planned. Right now I’m thinking of everything except what I’m thankful for.

So this is a perfect time to stop, even in the midst of all my discomfort and irritation, and reflect on and praise God for things that I’m thankful for. I really feel better already just thinking about them. For one, I can’t believe I was given such a wonderful helpmate. Often times I’m amazed at how perfect Brittney is for me. I am truly thankful to God for such

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a great wife. There is no doubt in my mind I could fill this magazine talking about the blessings from God that we have experienced together already in this lifetime.

I want to give thanks to God for the baby Brittney is carrying. We haven’t picked a name for her yet, but by the time you read this she should be named and in our arms, Lord willing. I know right now I can’t even fathom the amount of joy, hard work, and love she will bring into our lives. She truly is a

Thailand

precious gift from God that we are so thankful for!

We are excited to start our family here in Bangkok, Thailand, where we serve as missionaries. We praise God for Him calling us here and using churches and individuals to send and sustain us as we work here. I’m especially thankful for our sending church, New Hope Baptist in Streetman, Texas, for sending us in a manner that I believe glorifies God. I’m thankful for BMA Missions for training, guiding, and continuing to help us as we seek to make Jesus known here in Southeast Asia. There is so much thankfulness in my heart for God leading us to work with the BMA. I’m thankful for technology that allows us to keep our supporters and prayer partners updated. I’m thankful for the ability to talk with family and friends through video chat and see them because we miss them so much. I can’t imagine being so far away for so long

without the means of communication we have. It really is a blessing. It is very hard for our family having us live so far away, especially since their grandbaby will soon be born on the other side of the world without them.

But I’m so thankful our Lord gives them and us the grace needed to live apart Brandon and Brittany Lingle, Thailand for now.

At the time I’m writing this we have lived in Thailand Lord has given us friends who are for almost a year now. There are outside of the church as well those many things to be thankful for we have had the great pleasure that God has done for us already. of meeting and sharing life with.

I’m thankful for the friends we Our hope is to deepen our abilities have been given here. We have in the language so we can clearly been going to a Thai Baptist church near our home and have communicate how awesome our made good friendships there. We God is. The language teacher we have also made friends with other have now is great, and we are missionaries here in Bangkok. Our thankful for her. She is helping us toward that goal of grasping the language well.

The last group I want to express my thankfulness towards is those of you who are reading this. I know missions is special to you because Jesus is supreme and precious in your life. I’m so thankful for brothers and sisters around the world who connect with missionaries to support and pray for them in ways that fuel missions to every tribe and nation.

God is on His perfect mission, and I’m so glad to be serving alongside you for His glory.

A local Thai Baptist Church in Bangkok, Thailand

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Seminary

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

- Ephesians 5:20 (KJV)

M

any people have read the second half of Ephesians 5:18 and immediately strained mentally, emotionally, and sometimes physically to become “filled with the Spirit.” Many are soon disappointed when it seems all their exercises and perhaps even the suggestions of some charismatic preacher fail to produce the sought after “filling.” They would be much more satisfied by simply looking at the following verses which tell us three things to practice in order to be filled: verse 19 says to be engaged faithfully in

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BY: DR. CHARLEY HOLMES | SEMINARY worship with God’s people, verse 21 tells us to be in proper submission in our different stations in life, and those two things lead us to be “filled”/controlled by the Spirit. Verse 20 adds perhaps the most difficult discipline to practice: cultivating a thankful heart.

Verse 20 instructs us to give thanks always. At times believers begin to take God’s blessings for granted. It is easy to do when we enjoy a greater degree of personal liberty and material wealth than most, especially when both of these were largely

BMA Seminary’s list of reasons to be thankful: 1. Faithful Churches: Since the founding of the Seminary in 1955, the vast majority of its operating income has been from churches that include the Seminary in their monthly giving to mission causes.

This past year approximately one-third of our churches gave about 60% of our operating budget.

2. Faithful Individuals: A number of individuals give regularly, similar to our faithful churches. These individuals also occasionally send even more when special needs arise, such as this summer when we had unexpected roof repairs to the classrooms. Some individuals even make legacy gifts. This past year we received two gifts from estates. Both gifts were planned and put in place before I even began classes at the Seminary. One of the gifts had been arranged decades before. This was done without anyone on campus knowing anything about the gift, or meeting the giver.

3. Faithful Associations: We are thankful for the spirit of cooperation in the departments of the BMA of America (BMAA) throughout the integration process.

We are also thankful for the foresight of the BMAA in beginning the work of the BMAA Foundation and to Brother Charles Attebery for providing leadership in this area. Brother Charles has already worked with several families in our area to set up legacy gifts such as the ones mentioned earlier.

In addition, we are thankful for the many local and state associations who provide special gifts to support our students through scholarship funds and the general fund, which provide for day-to-day expenses and the upkeep of our buildings.

provided by previous generations. When familiarity with daily blessings or the hectic schedules take their toll, we feel less than “filled.” Taking an inventory of acts of grace in our lives can push the needle on our thankfulness gauge back towards full. As we enter the Thanksgiving season, it is especially timely to take “inventory.” I realize that no inventory of God’s blessings could ever be complete, but just making this short one for the Seminary makes me feel a little more “filled” with the Spirit.

4. Faithful Trustees: We appreciate the time our trustees spend away from their families and churches, especially when we were going through the accreditation process. Presently, one trustee has served the board longer that most others. Forrest Priest was first elected to the Seminary Board of Trustees in 1995.

He faithfully served for ten years, was reelected in 2007, and is currently serving as Vice Chairman of the Seminary Board of Trustees.

5. Faithful Teachers: Our two longest-serving teachers are Dr. Greg Parsons and Dr. James Shine, who

Seminary together have taught a total of 57 years at BMA Seminary in the Biblical Studies Department.

Dr. Parsons holds the following credentials: B.S., University of Central Arkansas, 1970; M.Div., Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary, 1973; S.T.M., Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1975, 1980. Dr. Parsons has many published works. For example, he has been contributor to The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (1997), now called The NKJV Study Bible (2007); The Holman Study Bible (2010); and Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, ed. Walter Elwell (1996). He has also written several articles in theological journals (Bibliotheca Sacra and The Criswell Theological Review).

Dr. Shine holds the following credentials: B.A., Central Baptist College, 1971; M.Div., Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary, 1978; M.A., Stephen F. Austin State University, 1981;

Ph.D. studies, Baylor University, 1986; D.D., Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary, 2006. In addition, Dr. Shine has faithfully pastored Enterprise Baptist Church near Jacksonville, Texas, for nineteen years.

We are also thankful for the two most recent additions to our teaching staff: Brian Rickett and Dr. Andy Snider, who are adding new vigor and devotion to the BMA Seminary Arkansas site in Conway, Arkansas.

Brother Rickett serves as Arkansas Extension Site Administrator and Professor of Biblical Studies. He holds the following credentials: B.S., Central Baptist College, 1996; M.Div., Th.M., The Master’s Seminary, 2000, 2003; Th.D. studies, The Master’s Seminary; D.Min. studies, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2014. He currently pastors The Bible Church at Beebe, which petitioned into the BMAA this past year.

Dr. Parsons (left) and Dr. Shine (right), Professor at the BMA Theological Seminary

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Dr. Snider comes to the Arkansas site as professor of Theological–Historical Studies with eleven years of teaching experience at The Master’s Seminary.

He holds the following credentials: B.A., Cedarville University, 1989; M.Div., Th.M., Th.D., The Master’s Seminary, 2000, 2002, 2007.

6. Faithful Ladies on Staff: We are thankful for the ladies who work on our staff. The two ladies who have served at BMA Seminary the longest are Carol Shine and Alicia Johnson. Together they have served a total of 48 years. Two other ladies that have joined our staff more recently are Keri Southern in the Business Office and Lisa Satterwhite in the Dean’s Office.

7. Faithful Students: Jo Yaebeang from Thailand came to the Seminary a few years ago with the help of former Director of Missions Brother Jerry Kidd.

Jo’s education expenses were paid through the International Student Scholarship (ISS) Fund. These scholarship funds are provided by faithful churches, Sunday school classes, WMA groups and individuals.

Jo is now faithfully serving the BMA in his home country as a new missionary and is thankful for the support of the ISS Fund.

Michael Heuermann is a second-generation BMATS student. His father Paul, class of ’86, was a BMA missionary in Africa for many years. Michael was raised in BMA churches and on the mission field in Africa. Michael has earned a BA in sacred music and is now completing an MACM (Master of Arts in pastoral ministry). He is faithfully pastoring Antioch Baptist Church near Gilmer, Texas. Michael has received more than one scholarship in addition to the Asher Award for academic excellence provided

by Glenfawn Baptist Church near Cushing, Texas, formerly pastored by Brother Louis Asher. Brother Asher taught many years at BMA Seminary. Brother Michael is thankful for Glenfawn and the legacy of the Asher Family.

After taking this short inventory of God’s blessings on BMA Seminary, even though it is not complete, I feel a little more “filled” with the Spirit. It reminds me that all the blessings on the list were made possible as God moved through faithful churches, individuals, WMAs, and Sunday school classes. It reminds me of the one by whose hand these blessings come, and I “Give thanks unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Dr. Mark Livingston will be teaching the following courses January 5-9, 2015 in Jacksonville, Texas: PM 414 | Principles of Church Health and Revitalization PM 512 | Special Studies in Ministry **PM 414 and PM 512 will meet at the same time, with appropriate requirements for the level taken** The course is designed to explore the various dynamics that contribute to church size, culture, and growth.

Information presented will allow the student to formulate a critical understanding of the Church Growth movement that has dominated the evangelical landscape since the 1970’s. Leading adherents and opponents to the movement will be examined. The concept of Church Health will be evaluated in light of the current trends in Church Growth.

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hard times bring a harvest T

BY: DOYLE MOORE | PHILIPPINES

hank you, Lord, for economic hardship! The Philippines is considered the only “Christian” nation in Southeast Asia. Many of these people are familial Catholics, practicing mainly on special holidays. But at least they know the name “Jesus Christ,” who He is, and though they might not have a relationship with Him, they know about Him! Because of economic hardships in the Philippines, Filipinos look for jobs outside the country to help their families. The most promising child of the family will be helped by the parents and the remaining siblings must work to pay their school tuitions so they can find good paying jobs abroad. In turn, they can help the rest of the family, including those who sacrificed to get them through school. This is a debt that is hard to repay, “otang na lo-ob”.

Ten million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) often take jobs in perilous places or situations because of enhanced salaries that will help their families back home. When they do, they generally find one another, creating groups for fellowship and encouragement, helping friends through really lonely and discouraging

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times. Many times, these groups include other foreigners who are lonely and who find friends among suspicious or downright antagonistic citizens of the countries where they work. They are often the objects of gang-type attacks and robberies during which their money, passports, and visas are stolen from them at gunpoint. Because they know that the OFWs MUST have these documents to be able to stay and work in these countries, the attackers will then sell them back to the robbery victims for substantial amounts of money!

As they work in far-flung, often dangerous places, some Christians have found that they can have Bible studies, winning and making disciples of new believers, helping those who already know Christ to grow spiritually, and encouraging and sustaining people who live and work in very difficult circumstances.

Philippines From these Bible studies have come several church groups, but mostly they will have to remain Bible studies or small house churches, because they are in Creative Access Nations (CANs) that do not allow missionaries to come in or pastors to work freely in their countries.

We are thankful for the BMA Bible College, her staff, faculty, students and alumni.

People trained by the BMA Bible College have gone out as OFWs taking on the role as working pastors, missionaries, church workers, musicians, and disciple-makers to many countries around the world, especially Creative Access Nations (CANs). Pray for their SAFETY, for God’s protection and provision in their lives and all of the folks they work with.

We are thankful for “tentmakers.” Engineers, nurses, teachers, housekeepers, nannies, merchant marines, and any other type of worker can be tentmakers, people who support themselves as they share God’s love for others. There are Filipino merchant marines on nearly every cargo vessel on the ocean. Filipino engineers

build skyscrapers, ships, homes, roads, bridges, and anything else needed in so many countries. Nurses from the Philippines are some of the best, most caring in the world. Teachers are in high demand as well. Any place our graduates go can be considered their mission field, and they are not slack in their efforts to win souls for Christ. One mission field already has its own MISSIONARIES in Canada, China, and Russia! Praise God! We are so thankful they are willing and feel the NEED to start Bible studies and discipleship classes, ministering to the needs of others and inviting others in for Christian fellowship.

Medical missions, livelihood projects, English seminars, classroom and health center buildings, ambulances, generators, water wells, and X-ray machines, as well as food and shoe box gifts all show God’s love in places where they might never have heard the name “Jesus Christ.” All of these things make real the love that Christians have for their neighbors around the world.

We are thankful for those who have a heart to work with tribal people and those who have a heart to support them. The Aeta (indigenous mountain nomadic people of Negros Island) are largely unreached, but we are making great headway with them in three areas. We are building a pastor’s house in one area where they can have Bible studies, children’s Sunday school type classes, and possibly educational programs for young people and adults as well. Once the pastor is able to live in the community, we will help them build a native-style church building.

Before that time, the pastor has been traveling back and forth each week, not ever a good situation. But he and his family, and another lady who is an experienced

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Philippines missionary, will work together to build a permanent ministry with these precious souls.

We are thankful for people with generous hearts!

In Leyte, after the storm, so many sources of income - fishing boats, farming communities, coconut groves, homes and businesses of every kind were destroyed.

People now need livelihood projects to rebuild their lives and self-respect. The BMAA and the BMAP have sent funds, helped with feeding and helped in reconstructing houses. Now we are developing livelihood projects toward this goal. In farming communities, we are starting goat or pig raising. In sea-side or river bank communities, we are looking at buying small one or two man boats (using oars and fishing nets) to help their circumstances. It is a long road to recovery, but with your help and God’s blessings, as well as their willingness to work, they are on the way.

We are thankful for opportunities to reach out to people on whom we never expected to have any impact, from people who ask questions about what we believe, who God is, and how they can come to know Him, to people who know Christ, but have NO Christian discipleship training in their own mother language and are asking for material they can translate for us there.

In April of 1976 Linda and I were blessed to have been elected as your missionaries to the Philippines especially to start a Bible College. We arrived in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, September 1st that same year and started classes in November with seven students.

We are certainly thankful for the opportunity to have served the churches of the BMAA as your missionaries for the last 38 years, and for the support and prayers you have always raised for us. To paraphrase Jacob, it seems like only a few days since we and our three small daughters first stepped off the plane in Manila.

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We are grateful to the men and women who have meant so much to us personally and in our ministry, both in America and the Philippines. Their impact on our lives has been tremendous and we are indebted to them all. We attempted to make a list but knew we fell short in naming them all and recognizing their contributions. They have ministered to us as teachers, encouragers, advisors and mentors. From our Filipino family and fellow workers, to missionaries, to BMA Missions, to the pastorate, to the laymen and women in our churches, we say thank you.

Our gratitude is totally inadequate in expressing our love and appreciation to our families who have stood with us over the years, especially those watching their grandchildren board a plane that would not return them for three long years; to those children who were never quite sure of what language, culture or country was truly theirs until they settled in their present homes with their own families. Thank you for the enjoyment you, our children and grandchildren, have given us. And even though we were not always around as much as we would have liked or should have been, our love was always with you, and still is.

Our God and our Father loved us, called us, led us, and gave us a vision to help prepare Filipinos to reach Filipinos with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, to help them plant churches on Negros Island, then on throughout the Philippines. He has expanded that vision for us to prepare Filipinos and Southeast Asians to go into the regions beyond the Philippines. The vision, the means, the ability lies outside ourselves to accomplish any of these things, but for the Grace and Blessing of God Almighty!

Please pray for us as we continue to prepare pastors, missionaries, Christian teachers and musicians to tell HIS STORY throughout the Philippines and beyond.

Moral Action

“O Beautiful for Spacious Skies”

BY: DR. JOHN ADAMS | MORAL ACTION

F

rom the hymnal pages arises one great and glorious tune, “America the Beautiful,” proclaiming thankfulness for our beautiful nation. For our religious freedom, we offer thanks to our Almighty Father.

In the Chronicle writings of scripture, King David delivered a psalm to thank the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:23-25), “Sing unto the Lord, all the earth, shew forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heavens: his marvelous works among all nations. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.” David wanted his God to be greatly praised nationally.

Today, we echo these words of national praise to our Saviour and God. We declare his “marvelous works in our nation.”

The hymn “America the Beautiful” declares our nation beautiful for spacious skies. What a wonderful spacious land between the two oceans. Divided by the great Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountain divide, it overflows with mirrored lakes, big and small rivers, creeks, fields of cotton and grain, pastures lush with animal life, hamlets, towns, and gigantic, gleaming cities.

Pilgrims’ feet came by the thousands beginning in the 1400s when the world was determined not to be flat. Looking for a better land, they came from England, Spain, Ireland and Scotland. They were Polish, German, Japanese, Jewish, Islanders, Vikings and French, and many came looking for a genuine freedom to worship. We Baptists were among those Pilgrims’ feet and we now freely worship.

As King David challenged the Israel nation, he

challenges us “show forth from day to day his salvation”.

We, too, are looking for a new land, a heavenly city and are pilgrims on a journey.

Revelation 21:26 says, “and they (Christians) shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it (heaven)”.

“O beautiful for heroes proved…who more than self their country loved!” We are thankful for the many American men and women who have served, fought, and died to make this nation “the land of the free.” They served at officers’ commands and were obedient even to death in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II; and then the Korean, Vietnam, Bosnian, and Iraqi wars.

The patriot dream sees beyond the years as we ask God to shed His grace on thee, America.

Seemingly every American has a dream; we call it “the American dream.” That dream includes owning one’s own land and home, having a good education, being healthy, working a good job, having a good family, attending a Godly church, having plenty of food and clothing, and thanking Him for good hospitals and doctors.

It is the majestic dream of being free to live and pursue. We Christians also dream of that beautiful heaven land that has no time, no sin, and no sorrow!

Is it beautiful? Is America really beautiful?

We join the ranks of thousands who still believe in God’s America. We can hear the voice of John Wayne bellowing out “Why I Love Her.” The psalmist David in Psalms 16:6 declared, “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.”

MRS

Ministers Resource Services H

BY: RON CHESSER | MRS

ow appropriate during this season of the year that we pause and give thanks. It is with gratitude to God that I first give thanks to Him for His blessings upon Ministers Resource Services during this past year. As director of the retirement agency of the BMA, I express thanks to our churches and pastors for their faithfulness to stand with us in prayer and support. It has been a superb year and without your getting on board with us it would have been impossible.

We passed two, $1,000,000 milestones during 2014.

The BMA retirement portfolio moved from 14 to 15 million and from 15 to 16 million during the year. We’ve never had that kind of growth in the history of this ministry, and to everyone who made this possible we express our appreciation. To our churches that through the years have had a vision for providing retirement benefits to their pastors and church staffs we shout out a hearty “thank you.” To our pastors and church staffs who are doing salary reduction to fund their retirement account we say, “God bless you” for having such determination. To our departments and agencies of

the BMA we deeply express thanks for enrolling every employee in BMA Retirement.

Let me share some facts that are worthy of giving thanks to God. For the past twelve years we have posted to each account in BMA Retirement an average growth of over 8% each year, net of fees. For the past eight years we have averaged receiving and depositing into participants’ retirement accounts over 1.6 million dollars every year.

Twelve years ago our total assets in BMA Retirement were 3.8 million and today we stand at 16.1 million in retirement money. The portfolio has grown to over twelve million dollars in twelve years. To God be the glory!

It is amazing how God is already using BMA Retirement money to provide financial assistance to our pastors, church staffs, missionaries and denominational leaders in their retirement years. It is quite obvious that our Father has His hand upon this retirement ministry.

This has not been the work of man but a display of the miraculous power of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Surely, this is a God thing!

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A review and preview of missionary news from around the world

Arkansas:Brandon Cox As I write this, we’ve just concluded a weeklong event called Rock the Block - a Vacation Bible School that took place in five different neighborhoods. Each day, at least a dozen kids from each of those neighborhoods, in addition to the regular Grace Hills kids, made it out for the lessons about Jesus, the crafts, the music and everything else that happens at VBS. We’ve baptized a dozen people so far this year and continue to start new conversations with nonbelievers in northwest Arkansas on a weekly basis. We’re asking God to provide wisdom about our next steps as a new church plant and can’t wait to see who meets Jesus next!

relationships. It feels a little different though now that the relationships we are starting to form are with the people God has called us to help. It’s different when you know you are not planning on moving on in a few months or a year. We are so thankful for home.

We ask that you will continue to pray that God will help us continue to build these new relationships. Pray that He will lead us to those people that He has prepared, and that He will continue to lead us in every area of this ministry to the children and families here. Thank you!

Missouri:John Herring

Dominican:Jesse Hales It is so exciting to be here on the field in the Dominican Republic.

It has been a long process getting here with support raising and language school but we are here.

We are home! We are so glad for all the relationships that God has allowed us to make with a lot of you while traveling in the U.S. and with those that impacted our lives in language school. We treasure those

Tok Pisin (the national language of PNG), and been preparing to move into the language group that God will send our church planting team to. We are overwhelmed with excitement as we prepare to do what we came here to do, but we know the ministry God sent us here to do is a marathon and not a sprint. It will take many years to learn the tribal language, evangelize, disciple, teach literacy, translate the Bible, and much more. We have been training for the race, but it is just now beginning. Please pray that we will start the race well, keeping in mind what we came here to do - plant churches that reaches maturity and multiplies.

PNG:Jeremy Hambrice Much has happened in our first year in Papua New Guinea. We have moved twice, finished learning

We are continuing to see God grow His church, both physically and spiritually. God is providing opportunities for us to step out on faith for Him on a regular basis and see lives changed. Just recently, we had a young married couple both accept Christ as their Savior and we will be baptizing them in the near future. What an amazing impact on a marriage and a family, to have Christ become

mission:news

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the center of it! It’s all about lives being changed for eternity and all of us growing and serving while we’re here. We know that many are praying and would ask that you continue to pray that God would give the increase and that He would continue to bless the work in Nixa, MO.

endeavor to fulfill all of the Great Commission, sending the Gospel to other Nations as well. During the Sunday morning service, the men of the church came to me with an envelope with the following words written on it; “From First Baptist Church Atlántida for Grady and your smallest mission”.

Inside was an offering that I am sure is a true effort for the small Atlántida congregation. Wow, just wow. This may very well be the first international offering in the history of the associated work in Uruguay. God is so faithful to lead the hearts of men, for the advancement of His Kingdom.

our family to present the work, please call or email me at (808) 224-8905 or flkakilala@hotmail.com.

Praise the Lord for a successful BMMI outreach in the South Pacific last July. Samoan island chiefs gathered to thank the team who provided both medical and spiritual care on the island of Savaii. Please continue to pray for our ministry in Micronesia. May the Lord provide for a property for the growing work in Chuuk.

Mexico:Grady Johnson

One of the great blessings of associated missions is the opportunity to travel into other regions of the world, and help our brethren continue to advance God’s Kingdom in this world.

On this occasion I was invited

by Bro. Buddy Johnson to travel to Uruguay and share Dynamic Church Planting techniques and methods with the brethren there.

As we traveled into Uruguay, we were burdened by the obvious lack of churches of any kind but we were encouraged at the same time that we see a country that is wide open for the Gospel. As we worked with the brethren and advanced in the Church Planter training, God’s movement among the brethren is obvious. Excitement grows and plans begin to be made to travel to new areas to plant new Churches.

As we taught one of the last modules we encouraged our brethren to think globally, to not only consider their “Jerusalem”, “Judea” and “Samaria” but to

Thailand:Brandon Lingle

Asia-Pacific:Fil Kakilala

“In transition” is a description of our family as we begin to relocate to the northern tip of the Philippines as our new base of ministry in Asia-Pacific. Our outreach there will be the first BMA outreach in the Ilocos region. As of this writing, preparations are being made to organize our Waipahu, HI mission into a New Testament church. With two church plants on Oahu, a BMA Association of Hawaii is now within sight. Simultaneously, ordination for the pastor of the new church and a deacon will be conducted. Due to these important events, our furlough plans will follow through early part of 2015. If you’re interested in inviting

What a busy time! Right now Brittney and I are getting everything ready for the arrival of our first baby. The due date is October 20th and we are expecting a girl! Now we are completing our first year here in Thailand and so much has changed in our lives already. Just in this year we have adjusted to being far away from our family, learned/learning a new language and culture, and soon we will be parents! We are so glad God has called us to Thailand to share with the Thai people about Jesus.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

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New Mexico: Anthony Pennington Thank you for your faithful prayers during our summer outreaches. God blessed by sending four great mission teams to help us. A big thank you goes to Lake Ridge, South Park, Under Over Fellowship and O’Quinn Baptist Churches. Forty professions of faith were made through their demonstrations of love in servant evangelism and Vacation Bible Schools.

We have been busy with follow up discipleship and leadership training. It is a joy to see new believers growing in their walk with Jesus!

God continues to bless the Kid’s Clubs and more adults are becoming involved in helping. The worship services at Tierra West are growing and we are meeting inside again. It was great meeting outside during the summer but winter in New Mexico can be a little cool!

Don’t forget if you head out West to stop by and visit. Thanks again for you love, prayers, and support!

PNG:Sean Richards The Richards Family is extremely thankful, grateful, and encouraged

by God’s faithfulness and provision as He is raising our financial and prayer partnership team. Though

our donors are giving to the Lord and His purposes and not necessarily to us personally, we are humbled and honored by those of you who have chosen to invest in our ministry to take the Gospel to an unreached tribe in Papua New Guinea. Thank you, God, BMA Churches, and individual donors for your faithfulness in providing for our family and ministry needs in 2014; we are looking forward to big things in 2015!

language and see them brought to maturity. Our desire is to see God start a church planting movement started among the people of Papua New Guinea. Please pray that God uses our team in a mighty way!

Mexico:Ricky Williams

PNG:BJ Sanders In just a few short months, we will be moving into an unreached people group in the mountains of Papua New Guinea! We will build our house in the village and immediately dive into learning the tribal language and way of life. This will be a lot of hard work, but we can’t wait for the day we will share the Gospel with them in their own

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Thus far our furlough time has been a great blessing. The churches show a renewed interest in the work and are very supportive.

Before furlough actually started, I was able to be with Dr. David Hellwig to translate a class for Latin America. Greek Grammar II was a great class. One student at the close of the class said, “I have had Greek at other colleges and seminaries in my country but this was the best Greek class I have ever had.” One of the most enjoyable times for the students was the verse-by-verse exegesis that was done in the later part of the week on 1 John. An extended discussion of 1 John 3:9 was especially helpful for a couple of students.

As violence begins to escalate anew in our neighboring state of Tamaulipas, please pray for several of our churches in Aquismon that have family that either work or have to travel there.

NOVEMBER CALENDAR

DECEMBER CALENDAR

1. Alexander Chepurnoy Partnership, Plymouth, MN 2. Ellen Siler*, Lifeword, Conway, AR 3. Daylen Lemons*, Mesquite, TX Ely Brito-Semedo*, Thailand 4. North American Missions Coaches 5. Chile Nationals 6. Mrs. Mark (Heather) Malone*, Conway, AR 7. Buddy Johnson, Hispanic Coordinator 8. Johnmichael Poulin*, Ica, Peru 9. Mr. & Mrs. Jim (Hazel) Brewer**, Missions Office 10. Brazil Nationals 11. BMAA Department Directors 12. Taiwan Nationals 13. Rana Costa*, Lebanon 14. Mrs. Ricky (Priss) Williams*, Mexico 15. Matthew Kakilala*, Conway, AR 16. Mrs. Andrey (Liya) Kravchuk*, Orlando, FL Mallory Huson*, Costa Rica in Language School 17. Joe Ward*, Conway, AR 18. CIS Missionaries 19. Peru Nationals 20. Liana Brito-Semedo*, Thailand 21. Missionaries on Deputation 22. Boris Lebedev Partnership, Ft. Walton Beach, FL 23. Children of our Missionaries 24. Jeff Franks*, Ukraine 25. National missionaries serving in Armenia 26. Indonesia Nationals 27. Missions Office Directors 28. Thanksgiving Day 29. Anthony Pennington Partnership, Albuquerque, NM 30. Missions Office Staff

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El Salvador Nationals India Nationals Myanmar Nationals DiscipleGuide Staff Boris Lebedev*, Ft. Walton Beach, FL Mrs. Filomeno (Lisa) Kakilala*, Philippines Mrs. Trevor (Laney) Dodson* Mrs. Justin (Hollie) Burdick* Justine Kakilala*, Philippines Portugal Nationals Mexico Nationals Todd Cox*, Lindale, TX Lifeword Staff Hannah Gathright*, Honduras Sophie Sanders*, Papua New Guinea Dominican Republic Nationals Ghana Nationals Andrey Kravchuk*, Orlando, FL Mrs. Doyle (Linda) Moore*, Philippines Mr. & Mrs. Mike Poirier**, Canada John Lindsey*, Ghana Yana Lebedev*, Ft. Walton Beach, FL Mr. & Mrs. Brandon (Brittney) Lingle**, Thailand Czech Republic Nationals Volunteer Student Missions Program North American Revolving Loan Fund Chris Huson*, Costa Rica in Language School Mrs. Chris (Holly) Huson*, Costa Rica in Language School Panama Nationals Honduras Nationals Christmas Day Buddy Johnson*, Hispanic Coordinator Jonas Prather*, Celina, TX Ministers Resource Services Moral Action Missionary Wives Mr. & Mrs. Ricky Williams**, Mexico Daniel Lebedev*, Ft. Walton Beach, FL BMA Seminary

THE GREAT ESCAPE

YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S LEADERS CONFERENCE CRUISE JANUARY 17-22, 2015

FEATURING

Ed Stetzer President of Lifeway Research Missional Student Ministry 5 Day Western Caribbean from Galveston, Texas Ports of call in Progreso, Yucatan & Cozumel, Mexico For more Information visit www.discipleguide.org/thegreatescape