volume 2, number 4
issue 2, number 4
dear friends,
40 years in durham
There is much for which we are thankful: forty years of Missionary Training here in Durham; another full campus of students; young families heading overseas; fellowship within the Church; and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. We trust that you will be encouraged as you read this issue of the GPS.
It was a day of warm sunshine and gentle breezes, with lots of activity, and topped off with much good fellowship and visiting. We thank the Lord for a great day. Saturday, September 20 was our much-anticipated Campus Open House in which we celebrated forty years of Missionary Training in Durham, Ontario. It was the fall of 1967 when the Lord led mission leadership to “Camp McPherson”, in Durham. The property was for sale and seemed an ideal location for the establishment of a Missionary Training Centre. In February 1968 the first missionary training classes began, with seven students. see Open House on page 3
new class enters
missionary training The faithfulness of God is a repeated theme as new students testify to what God has done over this past year. He has overcome their personal and financial obstacles to encourage them, provide for them, and bring them to this place where they can continue to study, grow, and be equipped for planting tribal churches. Of the 21 new students and their families, only 6 are Canadian. Please be praying for these new students and for the 17 students that returned to complete the second year of the Missionary Training Course. Please pray that more young Canadians would catch the vision and get involved.
In the classroom students are reminded of the unchanging nature and character of God. They also learn how their grace-based relationship with God ought to be the foundation of all their other relationships in life—including those with their classmates, coworkers, and eventually the people to whom they minister.
GPS...find your place in missions
Campus Development Work Teams and Teamwork Once again we were blessed with the efforts and friendship of a group from East Side Grace Brethren Church of Columbus, Ohio. A group of 16 spent a week in August helping with the construction of the current project—a 6-plex residence. This is the fourth summer we have been blessed with their hard work. Both men and women came, and when the women were not preparing meals for the men they tackled a number of cleaning projects. They were all a blessing to us, and we enjoyed good fellowship together. Now there’s a thought
wHAT? vs. WHO? To communicate effectively one must know how the listener thinks and will interpret what is said.
With the drywall in place, the labourious task of taping and mudding begins, followed by painting and the installation of cabinets, plumbing and electrical fixtures. A pressing need is the purchase and installation of a boiler to heat the building before winter arrives. Praise the Lord for His provision that has allowed us to accomplish so much. Please pray that the Lord will continue to provide financially for the construction. For information about coming with a work team, contact us at ntmc@ntmc.ca or 519.369.2622.
One of the many challenges faced in communicating the Gospel to tribal peoples is the way they understand the world and their place in it. It’s not just a matter of teaching them a story they’ve never heard, it’s a matter of dealing with the way they think. Tribal people are animists, which means they believe that the physical world—and their own lives within it—are influenced by spirits. To have a good life, one must learn to manipulate the spirits so that their influence will be a positive one. While this sounds abstract, this thinking constantly affects their daily lives. A farmer plants seed, but if after a month there is no plant growth, he begins to wonder. The Canadian farmer asks, ‘What?’—“What is the problem? Is it bad seed or fertilizer, lack of water, insects? What is the reason my crop is not growing?” But the Animist ‘farmer’ asks, ‘Who?’—“Who is the problem? Who is exercising power over me and my field? Who is the reason my crop is not growing?” The resultant action of the two will be different: the Canadian might replant with new seed, but the animist will enact some ritual to appease the spirits, in an attempt to exercise a greater power than that which has been working against him. Only the careful and clear teaching of the Word of God and the convicting work of the Holy Spirit will bring about a change in the thinking and heart of these precious people. Please pray to that end.
GPS...find your place in missions
Open House
continued from page 1
On May 31, 2008 the Missionary Training’s graduation ceremony marked the conclusion of our 40th year of training. Praise the Lord for the many believers who have been sent by home churches, entered the training and left home and family to take the Gospel to the furthest corners of the world. Praise God also for all that He has done through the teaching of His Word: saving many souls and bringing them out of darkness to live their daily lives in the light and joy of His Word. The Open House was a great day, full of fun and fellowship as many visitors toured the campus, participated in interactive seminars, and learned more about the work of NTM and the challenges of missions in general. We were encouraged by the fellowship we shared as the Body of Christ.
Clock-wise from the top: 1. Visitors learned the importance of relationships in this African marketplace scenario. 2. The Kidz’ Zone and Welcome Centre . 3. Visitors learned how advances in water filtration and solar technology has changed how missionaries live in remote locations. 4. Shuttle services provided a means to get around the campus. 5. Seeing the Jungle Camp homes and interacting with the students were highlights of the Open House. 6. The Kidz’ Zone provided a variety of fun activities for the children.
millions unreached...none unreachable
missionaries to the field
their place on the team There are many opportunities with NTM that are not directly churchplanting ministries. Much work is done by many different people to keep missionaries living and working in the tribal context. Ministry opportunities include construction, teaching, and office administration.
two-year term as Associate missionaries.
Both men are using their construction experience to build missionary homes and help with a variety of other projects.
Krista is helping in office administration, while Kristina is teaching in the school for missionary children. Learn how you can meet a short-term need. Visit www.ntmc.ca/go.
This past August Steve and Krista Campbell (on left) and Neal and Kristina Campbell (on right) stepped out in faith to respond to the needs in Papua New Guinea. Both families are serving on
field note: bolivia Felix and Soila are serving as missionaries to their own people—the Simba Guarani, of Bolivia. They have the wonderful privilege of ministering in their own “heart language”; they know how the Simba think because they themselves are Simba. Felix has taught through the opening chapters of Genesis, how God is the Creator and more powerful than the other spirits.
Capital:
Sucre
Population: 9,000,000 Land:
1,084,390 km2
Language: Spanish
Recently, at the Bolivian Missionary Training Centre (ETNOS), Felix shared about one of the young boys in the community who invited his friends to hunt at night. Normal cultural taboos and fears prohibit hunting at night because of the belief that the spirits will harm those who do. This young boy told his friends, “Let’s go, because now we know that God is the Creator and that He is everywhere, and besides, He is greater than the spirits and He will be there in the woods.” This boy has not yet heard the
name of Jesus Christ, and has not yet heard the Gospel. But he has heard that God is the great and powerful Creator—and he believes it. This belief is changing his life already. Praise the Lord for how “the entrance of the Word brings light”. Please pray for those who are hearing God’s Word, and for Felix and Soila as they seek to be faithful ministers of the Word.
Felix, a Simba believer, is a missionary to his own people.
New Tribes Mission of Canada PO Box 707 Durham, ON N0G 1R0 519.369.2622
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ntmc@ntmc.ca www.ntmc.ca