Welcoming New Director: Pastor Kenny Hurst
We have asked Pastor Kenny Hurst to serve with us on our Council of Directors. Brother
Hurst is pastor of Storms Creek Missionary Baptist Church in Ironton, Ohio. Before being
called to pastor this church, he served in the church for more than 20 years under the pastoral leadership of Jim Orrick. Storms Creek has been one of BFM’s most faithful and generous supporters for many years.
Your Council of Directors pray, labor, and serve together to promote our missionaries’ ministries, administer offerings to supply their needs, and encourage others to join us to preach the Gospel to all the nations of the world. None of us serves for the recognition or personal benefit. We serve your desires to take care of the missionaries you love and respect.
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Future Goals and Objectives of BFM
We began announcing several ambitious long-term goals for the future increase of BFM’s
Gospel ministry to the nations of the world. Here are a few of the goals and objectives
we have laid before the Lord. We are committed and willing to lead in accomplishing
these ends.
We are asking the Lord to provide the necessary funds for us to achieve these goals.
Everything we are proposing and committing ourselves to reach for is subject to
God’s will and will depend upon God’s provision for the financial supplies. But,
God is able and faithful to do just that! [Matthew 6.8; 2 Corinthians 9.8-11;
Philippians 4.19]
Goal #1: Eliminate the monthly General Fund deficits and increase our General
Fund giving by 25% over a three-year period. This will mean an annual increase of
approximately $125,000 over our present annual General Fund giving. Or, a $10,000
increase in our monthly offerings for the General Fund.
Goal #2: Increase the base salary of our missionaries by 20% over a three-year
period pending available funds. Our missionaries currently receive a monthly salary of
$1717.00 or $20,604.00 annually.
* 5% appreciation lump-sum bonus in December 2012 [$1030.00]
* 5% base salary increase beginning January 2013 [to $1802.00/mo]
* 5% base salary increase beginning January 2014 [to $1893.00/mo]
* 10% base salary increase beginning January 2015 [to $2082.00/mo]
This goal will require a significant immediate and sustained increase in our General Fund
offerings!
Goal #3: Increase the number of missionaries pending available funds.
* one to be added in November 2013
* one to be added in November 2014
* one to be added in November 2015
Goal #4: Change the retirement plan for new missionaries to a 401K or 403B type
plan: BFM would match 6-10% of their base salary placed in an individual account.
Goal #5: Encourage the missionaries to promote the benefits and services they
receive through BFM’s General Fund. Support for the BFM General Fund benefits not only them personally, but also all the missionaries supported through BFM. They would encourage support for BFM in their monthly ministry reports and also during their furlough visits among the churches.
Goal #6: On a three-year cycle each missionary and his works shall be visited by a
Director(s) and a Representative from his sending church beginning in 2013.
Goal #7: We will eliminate the “Car Fund” benefit since it has been unfunded and
defunct for the past several years.
Goal #8: We will establish a repository and archive of BFM documents and
historical records, both past and present.
Goal #9: We will encourage visits by sending/sponsoring churches to the mission
fields.
Goal #10: We will establish a schedule of church visitation among our
fellowshipping and supporting churches: every supporting church shall be visited by
a Director of BFM at least once every three years for the purpose of thanking them and
cultivating continuing relationships.
Please help us reach these goals by partnering with us in giving offerings to our General
Fund! None of these goals will be reached merely by wanting them, announcing them,
or publicizing them. We are asking you to join us to help make them realities for our
missionaries.
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FaithWORKS Report [April 2012]
“BRING AN OFFERING…” Psalm 96.8
How to contribute to the missionaries who receive their support through BFM
1 – You can write and mail your checks to Baptist Faith Missions | George Sledd,
Treasurer | P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe FL 32747-1280 | grsledd@hotmail.com
2 – You can contribute online via debit or credit card by clicking on our DONATE/SUPPORT page. Click the appropriate button and follow the prompts.
3 – You may also enroll in an automatic recurring contribution program by going to the
same DONATE/SUPPORT page on our website and follow the prompts.
If your contribution is for a specific missionary or project, you should so designate it.
The greatest need we have each month is for the GENERAL FUND. The GENERAL FUND supplies the essential commitments we have made to our missionaries to maintain their ministries.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
(Hooray! You’re here!)
We are making our website more and more our primary source of information for all
things BFM. We are updating and refreshing it every few days – and more added
features are on the way. We will be telling you more about them as we roll them out.
I want to take this opportunity to recognize and thank Jason Estes for his personal
contributions of time, expenses, and expertise to re-build and host our website.
And, also, I want to thank Sarah Wainright for her service posting our missionaries’
newsletters [and all our other news and updates] and for adding a whole lot of color,
variety, spiff, and attractiveness to her posts. Thanks, Jason and Sarah!
FURLOUGH ANNOUNCEMENT
Sheridan and Anita Stanton are planning to be Stateside from around May until the end
of the year. If you wish to contact him for availability to schedule a visit to your church,
you may email him at sestantonperu@hotmail.com or 615.500.8823. Their Stateside
address will be: 1012 Balsam Drive, Lexington KY 40504 | 859.277.3716
SPRING CONFERENCE REPORTS
You may read brief summaries of all our services by clicking here.
The Lord met with us during our Spring Conference services and blessed our fellowship around His Word and His mission. All the messages and presentations and reports were encouraging and challenging to us all to answer Jesus’ call to join Him in His Harvest.
We emphasized two broad themes during our Conference services:
1) The great things God has done through the ministries of the missionaries who have served with Baptist Faith Missions for the past 70 years. Thousands of believers have been brought to faith in Jesus Christ; hundreds of churches have been established…and are still being multiplied; and the Gospel of the Cross has been preached to numerous nations.
2)The still greater hope and future Jesus Christ has promised to give us as we continue to love and follow Him.
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Missionary Update: The Wacasers in Brazil [April 2012]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
April 5, 2012
Dear Friends,
The group of 53 youth with their adult leaders from Brandon, FL did arrive and we had a wonderful week of ministry together with them. Projeto Vida partners with them by providing several resources during their week here each year. The sound system, transportation, meeting hall and additional skits and music help to provide a more complete “package” for evangelizing in the public schools and parks. The cultural exchange between the Brazilian and American youth also serves to motivate both groups. Each year we see more teens from the US deciding to get involved in missions more completely and also we see many Brazilian young people energized by the passion and dedication the American youth exhibit.
This week we plan to begin pouring the concrete floor of the auditorium. We have practically finished the classrooms and bathrooms and hope to install the doors and windows, finally. I have had to strive not to get frustrated with this part of the project. The window company keeps telling me that they’ll be there “next week,” but “next week” has turned into “next month” twice. I have been to the company and they have shown me the glass already cut and waiting to be installed. They are custom cut windows, so I believe that there is no intent to rip us off. I hope that by my next letter to you I can include pictures of the windows installed. Keep us in your prayers, please.
One of the Wacasers' first works.
You may remember that I had to reassume the pastoral role at my former church due to some legal and moral issues the man we placed there caused. Anyway, we do have a man in whom we trust to take my place there now and soon we’ll be able to work fulltime at the new church and partner with him and that church on special projects of evangelism. We are thankful to Bro. David Hatcher and the Nova Igreja Batista in Manaus for helping us fill this role.
The two churches are busy this week calling on the people who attended our public park rallies and made professions of faith. We are inviting them to attend intensive Bible studies and introduce them to a life of walking with Jesus Christ. We hope and pray that we will be baptizing many of these people in the upcoming weeks.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby, Charlene and Brennen Wacaser
Rua Manoel Valdomiro de Macedo, 2281
81170-150 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)436-9980
robertmw[at]brturbo.com.br
Click here to give.
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Missionary Update: Sheridan & Anita Stanton in Peru [April 2012]
Sheridan and Anita Stanton have served the Lord in Peru for 28 years. Their main ministry is church planting and they have helped establish churches all over the country. Sheridan also works to train pastors and Anita works with the ladies' ministry and developing children's material.
April 6, 2012
Dear friends and family,
Matthew 28:5-8 [5] And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. [6] He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. [7] And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you. [8] And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word.
Spanish speaking people of the world refer to “Easter” as “la Pascua.” There is much pomp and processions in the streets, all the banks, government offices and most of the stores are closed. Here in Peru, both the Thursday and Friday before Easter Sunday are official holidays. In the small village of Churubamba, just twelve miles from Huánuco, they have a good enactment of the Passion of Christ each year. People come from all over Peru to see it. It is truly a different kind of cultural experience.
It has been my observation, in my twenty-nine years of living in Peru, that there is much more emphasis placed on the suffering and death of Christ and little on the resurrection. This is not surprising, however, because the world in general has no problem with the death and burial of Christ; after all, everyone has to die someday. Nevertheless, what the world cannot “swallow or buy into” is the resurrection because that part of the Gospel message is a declaration of miraculous power! I have noticed in the past ten years or so, that Hollywood has cranked out numerous films either subtly or openly trying to debunk the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Besides the world’s denial of the resurrection, it seems every year “Easter Sunday” becomes more about Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies than the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. I enjoy watching the American custom of our children hunting for the eggs (and the daddies helping eat the chocolate bunnies!!), but I pray we might all be reminded on this special Sunday to make sure we openly declare to all the world that “HE is risen from the dead!” We believe it and we declare it to all. The Apostle Paul said, “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:14. Without the resurrection there is no gospel message, no Christianity. This is why Anita and I are serving in Peru – to give the lost people of Peru the complete message of the Gospel, that includes – “He is risen from the dead.” I pray God will bless each of you this Easter Sunday with many souls turning from their sins and trusting in the risen Jesus as their Lord and Savior!
Last month I asked you to pray for a young man named Hilter about his upcoming foot operation. Well, the Lord answered your prayers, the operation was declared a success and young Hitler is recuperating while hobbling around on crutches we bought him. Thank you for your prayers. He is one of many that continues to fill the ranks here at the Calvary Baptist Mission Church.
I made a short trip to Lima in March to get our annual immigrant visas stamped. The middle of the month I traveled to a small jungle town called Naranjillo, on the outskirts of Tingo Maria. Carlos Gonzales, my friend and a Peruvian pastor, has started a new work there and asked me to come and preach. We had a good meeting with a few saved. It is always a joy to see these new mission churches get started and then to watch them grow and mature as the years go by.
Anita and I are looking forward to seeing you soon when we come to the States for furlough in May. She has a doctor’s appointment a few days after we arrive to see about operating on her knees. The meniscus in each of her knees is torn and must be repaired and she suffers with constant pain from this condition. It is hard for me to make a furlough schedule until we know the “when and how” of her surgeries. As soon as I can, I will be getting in touch with you pastors and setting up a date to come and visit. Please send me the dates of your conferences if you would like me to participate. I always try to work our schedule around the various conferences. We will be in the States from May through the end of December. God bless you all! Until next month.
In HIM by HIS grace,
Sheridan and Anita Stanton
Apartado Postal 140
Huanuco, Perú
South América
sestantonperu[at]hotmail.com – Sheridan
Phone: 614-500-8823
arstantonperu[at]gmail.com – Anita
Phone: 615-562-0529
Click here to give now.
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Missionary Update: The Tates in Kenya [April 2012]
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
What a great month we have had this past month. My parents, Norm and Mary Tate
from National City, Michigan visited us here in Kitale for the last four weeks. What a joy to have family here for a while. They were also able to visit the various groups we have started and experience what we are trying to do here in Kitale. My father was even invited to speak at one of the groups and he accepted, talking about the love of Christ in action. I think my mom and dad appreciated being a part of our ministry here for a short time. We miss them already as they left to return to the States two days ago.
Well, the time has come in our groups that I have been expecting ever since we started them. What time is that, do you ask? It’s the time when the group members begin
to ask us for things in the hopes of getting money, aid and “sponsors”. I knew all along
that it would happen. Of that I had no doubt. What I didn’t know was how long it would
take to happen and what would be the subsequent results. I now know how long it would
take but I still don’t know the results.
Group #2’s requests started a couple of weeks ago. It became clear that they were
hoping that we would be providing a church building, chairs, electricity, etc. Upon
learning this we immediately strayed from our intended lessons and began to teach them
and show them our model of ministry, a model we believe is the Biblical model of the
New Testament. We taught them that we want to start churches that are independent and
self-reliant (meaning not financially dependent on the missionary, not that they are
independent of the Holy Spirit). While they should already know these concepts, the
teaching almost seemed new and completely foreign to them. One lady gave me this
example: “When our children are born we care for and nurture them exclusively. We
feed them and make sure they are clothed. We take care of them. We give them
mattresses to sleep on and shoes on their feet. Later we pay for them to go to school and
we buy schoolbooks. We continue to care for them in this manner until they are adults.
Then, once they are grown and can take care of themselves we don’t need to help them as
much any more. At this point all they need is our advice.” The lady was obviously using
the illustration as a pattern to how I should be starting churches, i.e. helping them with
everything they need until they are well established. Then they can take care of
themselves. The problem with the example is two-fold. First, it’s paternalism and I don’t
really want to be their “daddy” and them my “children” that I have to take care of. They
are mature, smart people. They don’t need that kind of relationship. Second, her
example may work with children but it doesn’t work with churches. Her example would
build dependency into the churches from the beginning and I can tell you I have never
seen a Kenyan church weaned from such dependency. Never. Not even churches that
have been established for many years. They even told Nathan and I that our refusal to
help them showed a lack of faith on our part; that if we just had enough faith, the money
would come in. Somehow, he didn’t associate that with his own faith, just ours.
Group #3’s requests were stepped up this week. I was told that all the women sitting
on one side of the house were widows and all the children sitting on the other side of the
house were orphans. I was asked what I was going to do to help them. I was told they
had to work seven days a week to earn a living and since they were working on Sundays
they couldn’t come to church. I was told I should help them so that they wouldn’t have to
work and then they could come worship on Sundays. I was also asked how we would be
able to bring others into the group when they obviously had to work too. Do you hear the
implications here? The implications are that I should pay them to come to worship and
study the Bible, otherwise they will not be able to come. I obviously had much to say about this, much more than I can say in this short update. Bottom line is that I explained why this particular method was dead wrong and why I would never do it.
What will the results be of denying these requests? I don’t know. Many, I am sure, will not come to the groups anymore. Maybe these groups will die now that they know I have refused them. Maybe they will continue to ask me for things hoping I will give in (this is likely). Or, maybe the Holy Spirit will reach into these people’s hearts, change their lives, give them a heart to love and care for one another rather than waiting for the missionary to care for them, and put within their hearts a fire for serving and following Jesus that they never had before. I’m praying for this last option. I hope you are too.
Until next month, beloved.
May God’s peace and joy be with you.
For the glory of God in East Africa,
Roger & Julie Tate (and Emily, Amy, & Josiah)
P.O. Box 761
Kitale, Kenya 30200
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Website
Click here to donate to BFM.
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Missionary Update: John Mark and Judy Hatcher in France [April 2012]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making,”
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings in the name of Christ from Southern France, which is north of most of you. We are approximately on the same latitude as Toronto, Canada. Yesterday we arrived back home from Manaus, Brazil which is just south of the Equator. So, we are a bit off keel time wise and climate wise. Some may think that I am always off keel.
We were in Manaus to see my parents and siblings. Though we are able to speak with dad and mom weekly by phone we wanted to be able to be with them for a face to face visit. Dad turns 87 on April 30 and mom will turn 87 in September. They continue to serve the Lord faithfully. They are still involved in a church plant about 30 minutes drive from their house. It was a great blessing to visit for about 10 days with the family, including Paul and Wanda’s children and grandchildren. We share in common not only family ties but spiritual family ties. We were also able to enjoy worshiping together with many of our Brazilian brothers and sisters in Christ and had the opportunity to speak and preach several times.
Two days before leaving France we had another meeting with youth. This time we had a progressive dinner. We had nibbles and salad at the first home, spaghetti and meatballs at the second home and dessert at the last home. Most importantly, we had spiritual food at all three homes. At each place someone gave their testimony about how they were saved and we presented the Gospel. Time in vehicles between homes was also a valuable opportunity to discuss spiritual matters and answer questions on a personal level. We have two more meetings with youth scheduled before the end of the Spring semester. This is presently an open door for reaching young people who are desperately in need of Christ in a godless society. We are a bit saddened by the fact that one of the teenage girls who has been most effective in bringing friends is leaving this week to spend the rest of the school year in Germany as a part of her learning German program.
On the next to last Sunday of March, two of our regular families communicated the news that they were being transferred elsewhere with their jobs. This will leave a sizable dent in the congregation because each of these young couples has three grade school aged children; ten people gone at once.
We have been praying for the Spring conference. May God used what took place there to help us all in the service of the Lord. Thanks for your faithful support.
Until next month,
John and Judy in France
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Click here to donate to BFM.
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Spring Conference Recap [Wednesday Evening]
The final session of the spring conference (aka: “The Kingdom of God Three-Day Event” :)) began at 7:00 on April 4 at Thompson Road Baptist Church.
After singing “He Hideth My Soul,” Bro. Dave Parks reminded us of a quote from William Carey, the father of modern missions. “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” Bro. Parks added one more line, “Ask great things of God.”
Bro. J. Anthony Vance, Associate Pastor of New Life Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, was the final speaker at the conference. His wife Becky sang “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed” before he preached.
Bro. Vance’s sermon was about “The Sufficency of Scripture” as seen in Psalm 19:7-11. The Bible reveals God to us, therefore it should be valuable to us. We need a renewed conviction that the Bible is sufficient for knwing God well. We can know God’s heart and His character through His Word.
The sufficiency of Scripture is the vital key to the future and hope of Baptist Faith Missions for any lasting success. What is the sufficiency of Scripture? The fact that the Bible contains everything we need regarding the truth it declares. Nothing else is necessary for the life of faith. “Scripture contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting Him perfectly, and for obeying Him perfectly.” (Wayne Grudem)
All faith springs from the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) Everything God wants us to know about a relationship with Him is in the Holy Scriptures. (2 Timothy 3:14-15) There is no good work that God desires or requires of us that the Bible does not address.
God’s Word is sufficient for the believer in every generation in every culture in every country on the planet.
The Bible gives us clear instructions on how to live for the glory of God in every circumstance in life. Bro. Vance works as a barber and while the Bible does not tell him specifically how to cut someone’s hair, it does tell him how to do his job. For example, it tells him the attitude to have when cutting one’s hair, how to work with integrity, how to treat customers in his shop, and how to view and manage his income. The Bible is as sufficient for a barber and man changing the oil in his car as it is for a pastor or theologian. He has given us all we need to live a life that is pleasing to Him.
The Bible is sufficient for nourishing, sustaining, and growing the Lord’s work and His church. It is enough for the church to accomplish her mission to make disciples in all nations. God’s strategy for church growth is to preach the Word! (2 Timothy 4:1-4) If we neglect the Scriptures, we neglect the Head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Sufficiency of the Scriptures demands the following:
1) That we value the Scripture as precious beyond measure.
-Hear it. Read it. Study it. Memorize it.
2) That we not elevate our tradition and/or our preferences to the level of the Scriptures.
-Scripture stands alone.
3) That we not neglect anything in Scripture.
4) That we test everything by the truth of Scripture.
-Scripture is the standard by which we judge every other thing. If it contradicts God’s Word, it is not of God.
5) That we be content with the content of Scripture.
-Be thankful for the substance of the Scripture. (Deuteronomy 29:29) Rely on and rejoice in its sufficiency.
6)That we labor to bring it to every people group on the planet.
-If it’s sufficient, we must get it out to all nations in their language and tongue.
Therefore, pray. Give. Go. Share the living words of life to sinners who are dead in sins and need the Gospel of Christ.
The conference concluded with a congregational hymn: “How Firm a Foundation.” How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent word! What more can He say than to you He hath said— To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
To read a recap of previous conference services, click here.
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