Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher on Furlough from Brazil [March 2015]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
February 9, 2015
Dear Brethren and Friends;
We thank and praise the Lord for the wonderful month He has given Alta and me. We, also, thank Paul and Wanda for all the wonderful help they give each day to these two “oldies”. Alta occupies much of her time writing letters of appreciation to those who send offerings and who pray for us.
I am still printing and binding the book, “Meet the Holy Spirit”. I try to complete eight or ten books a week.
Since we are not active on the mission field in Brazil any longer, I want to say we will be eternally grateful for all who have given and prayed for us. Since we still receive our monthly offering from the regular fund of BFM, as long as there are funds available, we would like to encourage you to send your gifts to us to the Regular BFM Fund, as that will be a continuing benefit to us as well as others.
News from Brazil tells us how the works are continuing, growing and being blessed. Personal witnessing is the constant desire of my heart and I ask the Lord each day to open opportunities. It is a real joy to tell the lost about the Savior. Every sinner has to hear the Gospel before they can be saved!
The Lord willing, we plan to attend the Spring BFM Mission Conference at Thompson Road Baptist Church, April 27,28,29. Hope we will see you there.
Please note new E-Mail address below. God bless you. Alta and I thank each of you for your faithful giving and praying.
John A. and Alta Hatcher
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont FL 34714
229-529-8497
jhatcher1925[at]gmail.com
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BFM Spring Conference 2015
Block these dates and plan to attend…
2015 BFM SPRING MISSIONS CONFERENCE
April 27, 28, 29 | Monday-Wednesday
THOMPSON ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH
320 Thompson Road, Lexington KY 40508
“MAKING CHRIST KNOWN”
John 17.20: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word…”
Acts 8.4: “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.”
For more details, contact Pastor Dave Parks
daveparks[at]twc.com | 859.223.8374
—All the Details—
2015 Spring Conference Full Program
Schedule
Conference Theme
Conference Offering
Travel Info
Accommodations Info
Children’s Sessions
Conference Graphic
All Spring Conference Posts
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LBC Alumni Association Members
Attention: LBC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
Dear Alumni,
The time has come, as we look forward to the soon return of Christ, to dissolve the LBC Alumni Association.
I decided to take this action in council with several alumni from different areas, and also to donate the Alumni Association treasury balance of $169.40 to Baptist Faith Missions General Fund. This is a worthy group of missionaries whom the Alumni Association has supported in the past.
The several reasons for this action begin with the fact that Lexington Baptist College has been out of existence for sixteen years. Also, the age and health conditions of our Alumni members are important to consider. However, the greatest motivation in this decision is the soon return of Christ and the realization that many of our alumni are actively involved in many ministries throughout the world.
This is the time to focus on the future. But, there is a conflict sometimes between these aforementioned reasons and the ability of the fellowship to continue.
Thus we feel the need to support the future focus and to look forward to the fellowship around the Throne.
Sincerely,
Brother Michael Campbell
jacknjackie[at]windstream.net
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Glenn Archer’s Daily Devotions and Sermons
Glenn Archer’s Daily Devotions and Sermons can be found at: http://glennarcher1.wix.com/archerweb
Glenn Archer began his association with Baptist Faith Missions back in the early 1960s when he first came to Lexington Baptist College in Lexington KY and was introduced to some of the first missionaries to serve Christ in partnership with BFM.
He went on from there to support BFM in pastorates in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri. He would later serve as a Director of BFM and also as our Treasurer. He maintained his active participation in all things BFM until his Homegoing to Heaven in February 2014.
Here is the text of a recent email from his daughter and son-in-law, Mark and Susan Poiles. We copy it here verbatim:
“Dear Friends, It is a privilege on this one-year anniversary of Brother Glenn Archer’s passing to share with you his website. Before he passed away, Brother Archer and I discussed publishing his devotions and sermons. The original idea was to publish a book and sell it. The proceeds would go to Baptist Faith Missions.
After prayer and further consideration, I have decided to publish his works on the web. The address is glennarcher1.wix.com/archerweb. A link has been provided on the site for donations to be given to BFM in his memory.
As you will read on the site, Brother Archer’s wish was for the whole world to see his writings. It is my prayer that by the grace of God and your help, we will be able to make that wish come true through the means of the world wide web. Feel free to share this link. May Jesus be lifted up and God receive all the glory!
Blessings!
Mark & Susan Poiles”
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FaithWorks Report [February 2015]
We’re using a different format for the FaithWORKS report this month. Click here to access a PDF version!
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Missionary Update: AJ & Barbara Hensley in Brazil [February 2015]
The Hensleys have spent nearly 15 years serving in Brazil. They run a vocational school and orphanage in Caraguatatuba and have also established a church and mission points throughout the city.
February 12, 2015
Dear friends and family,
As you read this letter we will be in the States for a little while. We will be traveling to various of our supporting Churches to renew old friends and going to new Churches to gain new support as we have lost several of our supporting Churches this year.
We had a wonderful Christmas this year in our Church thanks to many of you there in the States. Your generous gifts made it possible for our children to receive gifts on Christmas day. It was an AWESOME sight to see when they received their presents. THANKS again!!!!!!! Many things that we are able to do here in Brasil would not be possible if it were not for your generous hearts.
We also had a wonderful Christmas at our home here in Brasil as both of our children, their spouses and children were able to be in Brasil with us. That was the first time in our 19 years on the mission field that this was able to happen. God is so AWESOME!!!!! Even though it was for only one week we were able to cram lots of things into those days.
Before we came to the States, we had the end of year service at Church and had a wonderful time with our Church family. We also had our last Sunday School classes on the beach. Yes, we took all the children to the beach and had their Bible study there. We also had their breakfast on the beach. There were many people watching as our children sang children’s hymns, recited their Bible verses and sat to hear their Bible stories. We then allowed them to wet their feet in the ocean. As you probably guessed, feet were not the only thing that got wet. After this we went to the Vocational School Property and had a church-wide lunch that also served as a party for Barbara and I as we were coming to the States.
Church is going great in Caraguatatuba with our Brasilian pastor Rosevaldo carrying on while we are in the States. Pray for the Church and the other ministries: vocational school, small groups, rehab group, prison ministry, Indian group, and seminary. Speaking of the Seminary, pray for the Seminary because when we get back to Brasil we will be taking it to 3 cities. Dr. Derek Colman is bringing another Seminary professor and they will be teaching Old Testament Survey. This new professor is Dr. Raymond Edge of Bastrop, Texas. An AWESOME addition to the Seminary! He attended Hebrew University in Jerusalem and also lived there for many years. His specialty is in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Our schedule while here in the States is almost full. We start next week and will be on the road for 5 weeks. I have already gained almost 8 pounds, what will 5 weeks on the road and eating out with everyone that we get to know on the road do? The South is going to rise (grow) again.
One of the ministries that is blessing my heart at this time is the Small Groups Ministry. We have 6 Small Groups started in different neighborhoods surrounding our Church. We are experiencing a great excitement behind these groups. We have people coming who do not come to our Church. We are happy to say that now some of those same people are now visiting our Church. AWESOME!!!! The one thing that I did not want to do in preparation for our trip to the States was to give over the leadership of my small group. We are meeting on a front porch on Tuesday nights. This group started with just one family and has grown to 19 in attendance. God is good!!!
In the area of our Church building there is a lot of growth. The city has built 719 homes for low income families. This is going to be an awesome ministry field. Also right across the road in front of the Church is another construction project going on, it is an apartment building. It is turning out that we don’t have to go to the field, the field is coming to us. Looking back at our establishing our Church, people were asking why this area? Well now we know, 2 new schools 719 new homes and an apartment complex of 120 apartments. We oftentimes think we are in control———!
We will be trying to squeeze in some time to do some remodeling at Mrs. Reba’s home. We will be staying with her on our off times.
Pray for our travels while we are here in the States. Also pray for our ministries as we are away from then there in Brasil. We will be going back in April so if you have some vacation time think about coming on down to see what God is doing in Brasil.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
Aj and Barbara Hensley
ajcaragua[at]gmail.com
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Mission Sheets: January 2015 [PDF Version]
The first edition of the 2015 Mission Sheets is available! Get your advanced PDF copy of the January 2015 Mission Sheets at the link below.
BFM Mission Sheets – January 2015
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Missionary Update: Mike & Beverly Creiglow in Brazil [February 2015]
Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together since 1971. In addition to pastoring First Baptist of Cruzeiro do Sul, Mike builds his own boats and frequently travels up and down rivers to share the Gospel with those who have never heard.
February 10, 2015
Dear Brethren,
The year is 41 days old and we have had 38 days of rain. Fortunately it hasn’t hurt our crowds too much. Many people have been put out of their homes and there have been a few deaths because of the flooding across the state. We are concerned about having supplies cut off again this year. Even though there has been so much rain our attendance was actually up for January. We added three new families by letter and have had a few professions of faith.
February 1st was homecoming. There were 637 for the morning service and meal. We had our “almost like” faith promise pledge, too. This should bring in an extra $4,000.00 per month for our extra outreach programs.
I know you would rather hear just uplifting news, but…..This month I had to fire the guy who has worked with me in all the construction projects over the last 5 years. He was slacking and also playing loose with the truth. Then a week later I had to fire the man who has been my traveling buddy for the past 7 or 8 years. There were a bunch of little things that he has not corrected in his life. I had been warning him for years, literally. Then recently there were problems with the occasional beer and sex. These have not been easy things to handle.
There have been a bunch of other situations, just as tense, that I have been dealing with for weeks on end. Also, with the expansions of the programs at church, the workload has increased a ton. Yesterday I got up at 6:00AM and started my Bible reading. Before I finished even a chapter I fell asleep in my chair. Bev has a lady from church that helps her a couple of days a week with the cleaning. When she arrived at 8 o’clock and saw me asleep in my chair she was alarmed and sure something really bad had happened. The only times she has ever seen me that way was when I broke 4 ribs and the last time I had malaria. Well I’m not sick, but I slept until 10:00AM then fell asleep again after lunch and slept another 3 hours. During my morning nap I even had a dream. I was standing in a room surrounded by people who needed my attention and instructions, but I was just standing there, sound asleep! So I guess that counts as double the rest. I was asleep in my sleep. This will all pass soon, I hope. I think we have turned the corner on the wave of unusual problems that we have had to deal with. Just keep praying. Good news is coming soon.
In his 49 years of ministry, Bro. Mike Creiglow has been through at least 3 accordions!
To put the smile back on your face I am sending a picture of me making noise with the accordion during the homecoming service. By the way, on January 29th I celebrated my 49th year in the ministry and an accordion has been right there with me all the way. The accordions have had to be replaced at least 3 times. One of these days I will have to be replaced, too!
Thanks for all of your prayers and support. God bless you as much as He has us.
In Christ,
Mike Creiglow
Mike and Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] hotmail.com
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