Fully Thankful

It goes without saying that we all have much to be thankful for. From the material world of our visual lives to the far greater realm of our spiritual lives, we all have been blessed. Time to take these grateful hearts to a dying world.

"But I'm old" or "I'm broke and in school"... Our God knows that yet we are still called to go however we can! Now GBC certainly gives financially to our missionaries each week. Did you know we support 43 field missionaries and their families serving from Alaska to South Africa with dozens of points in between? As well, there are 10 organizations/mission boards that allow these missionaries to go and function. Some such as Tabernacle Children’s Home (South Carolina) and Malachi Boys Home are right here in the USA.

This missionary line-up comes from all walks of life, ages and backgrounds. Some are children of former missionaries; some are "rookies" to this task. ALL have answered and we should thank our Lord and Savior for their dedication.

However, our mission work isn't only those that we support. Many of you helped with the Fall Festival, VBS, Christmas shoeboxes, youth activities where the homeless were fed in Greensboro… see what I'm saying here? We all have a mission field and for sure we all have the mission of presenting our Risen Savior to our world!

Some more reasons to be thankful... From Mexico with Ed Hoagland: The last week of October saw them start church #8 in Mexico. This is a self-supporting indigenous church! And there's more!... as well, they oversee 4 feeding centers and 15 other "missions" in Mexico. GBC also supports several missionaries to limited access fields. I will not list them here but suffice it to say God's word continues to go out despite wars, persecutions and evil. More on these missionaries in an up coming Mission’s Minute.

So you see, our reasons to be thankful are far more than just the things we hold. I close with this quote..."No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life. Jesus is too colossal for the pen of phrase mongers, however artful." A man named Albert Einstein wrote those succinct words.¹So there is the #1 reason to be thankful: All glory to God… humbly now and forever!

Bob I.  //  Missions Director

"That All May Know"

 Humans seem to have a penchant for witty, catchy phrases. Here is one that is actually accurate and useful. That is... "Action brings good fortune." Now I'm not advocating we strive for mindless objects but rather to foster the habit of going out and doing something for someone. But what we do must have a purpose and a goal. Since we are in a missionary world (again... that is ALL of us) we must take action and go.

Webster defines a "mission" (among many other definitions) as "a body of persons set to perform a service or carry on an activity."^2AAlso, a "task that is regarded as a very important duty".^2BCan anyone tell me of a more important task than bringing Jesus to a dying world?

       I used to think missions were only found in Africa, Asia or some back-country poor location. Yes... it is there but also right here at GBC, Guilford County and the entire USA. Wherever unsaved people are in need there lies a mission field.

OK... some quick updates from the GBC sphere of influence.

1. Florence family (Papua, New Guinea). Josh F reports their ladies Sunday school is growing strong. As well, they will be in the States early 2019.

2. Lomax Skinner (Germany/USA) continues to have his health improve. This is a man who just won't slow down! His scheduled retirement is 31 December, 2018 by the way.

3. Dexter Kirby (St. Vincent) requests prayer and wisdom of God's way as they plan a new church plant and Leadership for the Bible College on the island.

So as you can see; every Christian needs to be involved in the cause of missions and reaching this world by any means available. Remember... Action brings good fortune (progress). Let us get going and do the work while there is still time... with all our being giving God all the Glory!    

 - Bob I.  // Missions Director

Drink It Up!!!

As we sit back and thank our merciful God for sparing our region from the recent hurricane, let us think on this. What does the Eastern European country of Romania, an almost worldwide radio network and coffee have in common?

That's easy actually. The first 2 are mission works GBC supports. Our Romanian connection is Chris and Faith Anderson, sent by GBC by the way, and the radio work is Trans World Radio (TWR) of whom we support Dwayne Gow. So how does coffee fit into the mission equation? Both the Gow's and Anderson's are able to receive additional fund support by you simply ordering coffee from them. The Web sites are easy to navigate and the TWR site allows you to choose your missionary. The Anderson site is a smaller choice site and the proceeds directly assist Chris and Faith. Many of us buy coffee so here is a perfect opportunity to have good coffee while at the same time helping spread the Gospel. Please contact Gregg Smith or myself for details.

Moving on. Question: How do you visualize missions? We know what we're supposed to do yet we often leave it up to others. I'm as guilty as anyone in this regard. Remember, we are all called to glorify our Risen Savior, Jesus, by spreading the Truth, helping whoever we can and to pray without ceasing. 1Thess 5:17

Here are some concrete ways to do just that.

1: Order some coffee.

2: Pick an individual missionary and write/e-mail/ even visit them. This would encourage them immensely.

3: Give to the food pantry here at GBC.

4: Invite someone to a service or event here .You see there are many ways to be a missionary. It is not only to Romania, South Africa or Bangladesh! Often you never even have to leave your own zip code.

Time is rapidly moving on. So be strong and remember we still have work to do here. Temper your thoughts with Jesus and thus use the days we have left humbly giving God all the glory !!!

1-Chris Anderson        Coffeemissions.com (ALMS Coffee House)

2-Trans World Radio   CoffeeHelpingTWR.com 

Now Go On...

Why do we do what we do anyway? Do we really need a reason to live and function on a daily basis? Maybe not in some things but like it or not; know it or not we have a purpose to live. That would be to give honor and glory to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. "I press on towards the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus". Philippians 3:14

No one ever said this would be easy or smooth. If you were a missionary in Equatorial Africa, you would be hot, dirty at times, and occasionally hungry. Understand this... we are all called (read; you are a missionary)... it won't always be easy (read; you have to persevere) but the rewards are eternal. 

Speaking now on the human side of serving. I hope you all had the honor of hearing Nancy Campbell Meyers recently speak at our Wednesday evening service. Retired now from Child Evangelism Fellowship, Nancy's testimony points out that God uses people with troubled pasts, troubled thoughts or that feeling of  "why me? I can't do anything". Come and hear the rest of her testimony; you will be uplifted!

Briefly: Here's a summer update from warm Mexico City. Ed Hoagland reports a fantastic season of summer camps, which are the equivalent of our VBS. Just this past Sunday... August 26, Ed tells of Friend Day at his church. There were 166 first time visitors and 57 professions of faith. On September 1 they will be starting a park evangelistic effort in a new area. He says, "We are still riding the spiritual wave and will keep it going for as long as possible." Pray for their effort and then keep going!

"Christ could come at any moment, there is no time to waste, no time to delay witnessing, no time to indulge in sin with the idea of repenting, and changing one's ways later”¹. That is WHY we do what we do. Sure we will get tired, even discouraged but push on and keep looking up! "If we love our Lord, then we will want to see Him revealed to the world and made known for who He is. We want to see Him honored and praised where he was rejected"².  In any case, humbly all glory and honor to Jesus Christ our Savior.

¹The Berean Call, November 2015

²"An Urgent Call To a Serious Faith" Dave Hunt, pg 250

Mission Fact: American's drink as many as 4 million cups of coffee per day. Well, I think it should be made a major food group. Next month I will show you how we can drink coffee and help several missionaries at the same time.   

Bob I.  //  Missions Director

Awaken

I would venture that many reading this MM could say that most have one thing in common. Now I know we probably have many commonalities but this one is special/specific. That would be that they had some form of surgery; minor or major. If you ask me... it's all major if your the one getting "cut on".

So, how does the world of missions and having surgery go together? Other than some of our supported missionaries having had surgery, there isn't too much. Rather it is a polar opposite approach I’m talking about here. And that would be what is felt.

The word anesthesia means "without feeling". Conversely thinking...how can one claim to be a Christian (i.e.: loving missions) and be" without feeling"? Remember we are all missionaries called to spread the word wherever we are and by whatever means available. Thus to live without feeling or empathy for others goes against what we believe in.

As you read this today, GBC has a 9-member mission team working in Jamaica. They are there to exhibit a true God honoring feeling for this Caribbean country. GBC did another fantastic effort helping raise funds. Now we are called on to raise up these 9 people in prayer for protection, safety and receptive hearts. No anesthesia allowed.

In other parts of our sphere of influence: Tim and Cara Cleghorn will be returning to Tajik, China soon. Their son Levi's broken leg is strong enough now to allow travel back to their field of work. That said... never stop praying for the missionaries GBC supports in closed countries. Jesus can influence people in Pakistan, Bangladesh and China as well as in Africa and South America. May we one day see the Word of God preached openly everywhere!

But this will never happen if we allow ourselves to become anesthetized to the needs and plight of a dying world. Let's all pray for an awaking in us and our country as we see the return of Jesus rapidly approaching. Humbly we will work on giving God all the Glory!!

 - Bob I. // Missions Director

Little Is Big

First order of business: To the GBC family at large... How does it feel to be a missionary?  Not exactly a rhetorical question, but in light of our recent VBS, a rather accurate, concise inquiry.

For you see, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are commanded, instructed and expected to worship and glorify God. Is there a better way to do this than to lead people to Christ? This VBS saw 24 professions of faith. It took an awful lot of effort, time, sweat and praying to accomplish that. Now that glorifies our Lord and Savior. You all worked hard in various capacities, but Jesus Christ got all the glory. So yes... everyone is a missionary as we serve in the small things.

Moving on: our Jamaican missions team leaves in little over a month. The effort that was just brought forth during VBS, let's put it forth towards sending this years team to a foreign field. Pray for open, receptive hearts and opportunities. 

Josh Florence (Papua, New Guinea) wrote in late April of a prison ministry where he preached. Multiple men heard the message and "a good number of the men raised their hands to say they needed to be saved." Remember the Florence's work. As well, clear around the world from us, another prison ministry report; Margarito Cabrero in the Philippines tells of 8 inmates being baptized recently. Margarito's son Dave recently began his mission work in another part of Bohol, Philippines. Great to see God's work spreading out!

We all get tired. However, never let the passion of our service die or diminish. "Even if opportunities seem insignificant or unimportant at the time, we can all be on the lookout to pray for, give to, and encourage our missionaries"¹ Please remember this: the mission field starts right outside our doors. Let’s do the small things and God will use it for BIG things! Humbly give all the glory to our God!  

^{- Bob I. // Missions Director}

¹Hal S Pope, Jr., Executive Director: Independent Faith Mission, April, 2018

  

Yes... Remember

Having just celebrated Memorial Day this past week, let us pause a moment and remember why we serve Jesus Christ. Freedom for sure is given us when we turn to Christ. So, remember we are now free and like the many servicemen who died for us, let us honor God and continue to serve.

       GBC prays for and supports many missionaries both domestic and on foreign fields. Here are a few quick updates.

1-Levi Cleghorn, son of missionaries Tim and Cara, is recovering from his broken leg suffered in Tajik, China. They are presently home in the US until the leg cast comes off and then it's back to the field.

2-Tabernacle Baptist Children’s Home in Greenville, South Carolina recently finished another busy, productive school year. With the summer break upon them now, much needed repairs to their bus and other equipment is in order.

3-Paster Andrew Pryce in Montego Bay, Jamaica reports holding the title for the new building in hand and renovations are moving along. This is the same church locale where our mission’s team will be working later this summer. Remember this "boots on the ground" outreach.

4-Dexter Kirby, down in the sunny Caribbean, tells of a woman from their church who is traveling through the islands. She is not vacationing but is going with an evangelistic team. Her journey will be for about 2 years. Sounds a bit like Paul and his mission work through Asia Minor. Dexter and family are planning on furloughing to the States in June, 2019.

5-Remember Lomax Skinner (formerly in Germany) and Louise Champlin (Suriname). Both are retired; both are still encouraging and working to spread the gospel. Pray for sustaining strength as they go on.

6-Finally... my dear friend Lee Nall gave this Philadelphia Yankee reason to shout... 2 more souls saved recently through the work of Friends of Israel here in the Greensboro area. That is why we drive on!

So let us pause and remember all of our missionaries who push on quietly and without complaint. As well, please remember our lost servicemen who gave us our freedom. Their sacrifice allows you and me to go forth and bring an everlasting spiritual freedom to a lost world. Let us humbly give the God of our salvation all the glory!!

Mission Fact:Montego Bay, where our mission team is headed, has a population of about 110,115.We are sending a proportionately small group into this dark city. Remember Gideon had only a few capable men and conquered thousands. Little is much when God is involved!!

 - Bob I. // Missions Director

Pray Up!!

Why the things we do? Ask a million people and you will get a million different answers. All would be correct in some part or another.  But lets ask ourselves as Christ honoring, saved people... "Why do we do this...pray, give and work diligently?"  

      This months Mission Minute is not a quick lesson on how to be saved but rather on the Lord's commanding us to "go". So here we go...

       The departure date in late July still holds for our Jamaican Missions team. Please pray and support them if any way possible. They will be our boots on the ground or maybe more like sandals in the sand for a week, working in Montego Bay. Ask any team member and they will tell you it will be a busy week. 

       Our field missionaries as well, need prayer. For example: Kristie Elmer in South Africa recently had knee surgery. Pray for a speedy recovery as their spring Bible Institute class looms on the horizon. Another health issue emerges from Mountainous Tajik, western China, for Tim and Cara Cleghorn's son, Levi. Seems he had an episode of a super high temperature of unknown origin. Things have stabilized as of this writing. Remember, the Cleghorn's do not have an ER or a major medical center nearby. A bit closer to home; Malachi Boys Home, only a few miles from here continues to take in needy young men and nurture them into having productive, God honoring lives. All of this despite monthly funding steadily dropping. So, why the things we do? Humbly read John 3:16... " For God so loved the world..." We cannot stop now or even slow down. Yes, it has been a long winter but knowing someone is facing eternity without God should invigorate us to work harder. Work humble and never, ever stop giving God all the glory!!

      Mission Fact: An average of 4 NC residents die daily from opioid related issues. Freedom House (a GBC supposed outreach), offers longterm rehab, counseling and training for recovering opioid abusers. Our mission world/ field/ calling is all around us.

                  

- Bob I.  //  Missions Director

Work To Do

Okay now... it is over... at least it should be if you ask me. That would be winter's end and the bipolar weather we have been having. One just never knows for sure what the day holds. That's a lot like our lives, isn't it?

One thing we can be 100% sure of is the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He never leaves us stranded or neglected, nor without a mission in this brief life we live. 

Today is Easter and I humbly and seriously give my God ALL the glory and homage. Let us take a moment and ask ourselves why we are here, why we live, and what we must do. Then let's get to work. 

Some Mission family updates:

1.  Lomax and Linda Skinner (Germany); After 41 years on the field in Germany, the Skinner's have come home to NC due to Linda's health concerns. Seeing how we live in a "fast food/instant high-tech world", to live for over 40 years on the mission field... what an outstanding example of faithfulness!

2. Child Evangelism Fellowship reached around 20.5 million children with the gospel in 2016. Still a lot to reach and more recent statistics are pending. 

So where is your mission filed going to be? Most of us will never travel to darkest Africa or the South American Amazon rainforest. We may not even get to a local shelter to help out. Yet, often the mission field comes to us. 

This year from July 28 – August 2, a short-term mission team will travel to warm, sin-thick Jamaica. They will work directly with Pastor Andrew Pryce, Bay Life Baptist Church and Cletus & Tammy Titus. GBC supports both this church and these missionaries. You can go vicariously by helping send the team. 

How to help? For starters pray, then donate items to the church wide yard sale April 28 here at GBC. All monies raised will go to the expenses of the trip. As well, why not find a team member and "adopt" them? no worries; You don't have to pay for college or a car for them. But you can get together with them one on one and pray, assist if possible and for sure encourage them. 

If so… go. If not... help send. But always, always lift them up in prayer. We can do no less. 

On this very special day of Easter, let us forever humbly give thanks and glory to the Risen Savior!!!

 - Bob I. // Missions Director

So What Now?

      Where do we go from here? Just what can we do now? I recently heard that there are no holidays or big events until late May. I beg to differ.

      There are no Super Bowls to be played for another year... no large spending reasons either. All true facts but for us the day our Savior rose from the dead is approaching! As well the day of His return draws closer by the hour. So let's get to work, shall we?

        Here are a few facts about Chris and Faith Anderson in Mangalia, Romania. Remember they are members of Gospel Baptist Church. Mangalia, with a population of about 36,400 people,⁽¹⁾ lies on the eastern border of the Black Sea. Temperatures there are similar to ours but they do seem to get more snow. It is largely Romanian Orthodox with a small number of Muslims. Chris has been preaching every Sunday night at a small Baptist church in a nearby village. As well, a growing ministry has surfaced in a coffee shop. More on that soon.

        We hear/sing "I'll go where you lead Lord..." Will we? Mar Cabrero (Philippines) goes to prison every Wednesday morning where he leads a Bible study for 30 inmates.

         If you have ever worked out or ran, you know there is no progress without sweat and effort. Same goes for the missionaries world. So give your time and especially your prayers to our God who hears you. There will be results such as this... from Trans World Radio (TWR)... "I decided that whether I live or die or my family deserts me, I will accept the truth that Jesus is my savior!" Those words are from a former Muslim soldier in Pakistan who had heard a TWR broadcast. GBC supports TWR.

         We are called on to spread the Gospel. Whatever platform you are on or who you find yourself in front of, remember God uses everyone! From an underdog football team from Philly to an isolated missionary in Africa to the frigid Alaskan winter. Humbly all glory to God!!!

 - Bob I. // Missions Director

Opposites

       "It was the best of times, It was the worst of times; It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness "¹. When Charles Dickens wrote "A Tale of Two Cities", he probably had no idea he would be talking of the world 150 years in the future. For his sobering, polar opposite description fits our times quite well.

        This Missions Minute hopefully will encourage you to keep plugging away while there is still time. So here we go... best of times....

1-World Vision (GBC supports 2 children), reported at the end of 2017 there were nearly 4 million sponsored children. That means they now have Jesus Christ taught, clean water and an education.

2-Winston-Salem Rescue Mission: 1,700 men received medical/dental care last year and 76 men left the Mission to lead meaningful, productive lives.

3-From Brazil, South America... Jon Harmon has been doing some interim pastoring and the church they planted recently had it's 2 year anniversary.4-Child Evangelism Fellowship delivered the Gospel to over 20.4 million children around the globe. Eternity will show the avenues that the gospel took through these young lives.5-Ed and Annita Hoagland in Mexico are already requesting prayers for their summer crusades. Lift them up!!

"It was the worst of times." Now seeing that God is always in control and what we deem bad is often a blessing... let's look at some other missionary situations that we at GBC have a supporting, praying hand in.

1- Lomax and Linda Skinner (Germany), are now in the US due to health concerns. Tests are now pending for Lomax concerning a cardiac issue.

2- Malachi Boys Home had a severe late November storm, which destroyed a transformer. This resulted in no phone lines, internet, security cameras or water. Director Aaron Patton called it " a small mishap." Our missionaries continually display the mindset of" it's a small thing, we have a bigger mission to do."

3- and after 8 years leading the Campus Crusade Ministry at NC State, Kyle Hipp has left to pursue a different career. However, he will continue to lead a weekly Bible study there on campus.

4-Trans World Radio reports a devastating fire and loss of equipment at their transmitter in NC. No bodily injury but extensive damage occurred. 

         Pretty soon there will be another Super Bowl played. So what?... there is another one every year. Far, far more critical to us is our Savior's soon return. Rev. 3:20 says, " Behold, I stand at the door". Give all the Glory to God, and know He is close!

 - Bob I. // Missions Director

¹ A Tale of Two Cities/ Charles Dickens 1859

² CDC and Prevention/ Global Health 20 Dec 2017