June Bean is with the Lord
[Last updated 9:45 am, Thursday, December 13]
It is Wednesday morning, 12 December. I am adding this update to the report below. Sister Bean’s daughter sent me this email this morning:
Bro Dave, Mom passed peacefully this morning. We thought it was going to be last night, and all her kids and grandkids that live in the area were here last night. We cried and laughed as everybody had a story to tell about her. She is at peace now. Thanks for all your prayers and support.
In Christ, Mary Ellen
Their other daughter, Cathy Pereira, sent us the following note of appreciation:
I just want to thank you for your faithfulness to my mother and father especially after dad went to be with The Lord. I am Cathy Pereira, George and June Bean’s other daughter. They taught us the love of Jesus and that is something that no one can take from us. They were loved everywhere they went and are remembered with very fond memories from friends in Brasil–believers and non-believers as well. They impacted many lives. Thanks for giving them the opportunity to serve their Savior as missionaries in Brasil and for us kids, the opportunity to be a part of that. For us it was home and having married Mauricio we go back as often as we can. And going we always visit the church and visit with our brothers and sisters there. We will miss mom but would not bring her back if we could and I’m positive she would say, “No thank you, I’m staying right where I’m at!” 🙂
Thanks again.
In Christ,
Cathy Pereira
We have posted the arrangements for Sister Bean’s memorial service here.
*************************************************************
Many of you will remember two of our faithful missionaries, George and June Bean. They went to serve the Lord in Brazil in 1964 and labored there for 31 years until their retirement in 1995 from active missionary service. For all of that time, they labored in Sao Luis in the northeastern state of Maranhao with the exception of a couple years when they went to relieve other furloughing missionaries.
Brother George Bean went Home to be with the Lord in May of 2000. Sister Bean has been in declining health for the past several years and is now in the last days of her earthly life here. Their daughter, Mary Ellen [Bean] Jerden is caring for her now in her home. Mary Ellen sent us this note:
Date: December 9, 2012, 6:27:47 PM EST
Please pray for the Bean family. June Bean who was a missionary along with George Bean for many years in Brasil is not doing well. She has had dementia for several years, but has been declining in last six months. She has been receiving hospice care for about a month and has really been declining. This last week she must have had a stroke, and is just hanging on. Please pray that the Lord will be merciful and take her in a peaceful way. It is hard to watch her struggle to breath, and she looks so tired. I know it is not in our hands, so must wait on the Lord’s timing. One of her wishes was not to go to Nursing Home, and I’m thankful that we have been able to keep her at home. Will let you know when she does pass away.
Thank you, Mary Ellen (Bean) Jerden
maryjerden29 at gmail.com
Her mailing address is:
JUNE BEAN
401 County Road 213
Hollywood, AL 35752
Ada Mayfield Hunter
Also – Ada Mayfield Hunter is the widow of Del Mayfield. They served the Lord as missionaries in Peru for 18 years [1960-1978]. She, too, is in weak health and is currently residing in a skilled nursing facility in Litchfield. IL. She suffers from congestive heart failure with the accompanying shortness of breath and swelling from fluid retention. Their daughter, Loretta Hokenson, lives nearby and cares for her mother daily.
Please offer prayers to God also for her and her family.
You may correspond with Sister Mayfield-Hunter at Loretta’s address:
ADA MAYFIELD HUNTER
c/o LORETTA HOKENSON
305 South Street
Coffeen IL 62017
Harold Draper
Missionary-Pastor Harold Draper is still rehabilitating from his double-knee-replacement surgery on November 29. He has been receiving his rehab therapies in the Lourdes Hospital in Paducah KY – but as of today, Tuesday [December 11], he is being discharged home. He will continue his rehab exercises nearby where he lives. They request and appreciate our continuing prayers for him and Ursula.
Their home phone #: 270.628.9517
Their cell #: 270.562.0828
Their mailing address is:
HAROLD AND URSULA DRAPER
P.O. Box 395
Bardwell, KY 42023
All three of these dear servants of the Lord are faithful missionaries who have served in support partnership through BFM, and are currently receiving service pensions from BFM.
Read more
HAROLD DRAPER SURGERY
Missionary-Pastor Harold Draper underwent double knee-replacement surgery yesterday,[Thursday, 29 November] at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah KY. The surgery went well, for which we praise God. He and his wife, Ursula, faithfully served the Lord in Brasil for more than 30 years as missionaries supported through Baptist Faith Missions. He is currently pastor of the Seventh Street Baptist Church in Cannelton IN.
I spoke with Sister Draper about an hour after the surgery, and she told me everything at that time was going the ways they had anticipated. He was in recovery, and the surgeons had told her the two replacements were successful.
They anticipate he will be there at Lourdes for maybe 3-4 days, and then be transferred to a rehabilitation facility for an additional 7-10 days. Estimated time for total recovery before being discharged home – maybe two weeks.
The hospital switchboard number is 270.444.2444. He is in room #618.
Ursula was corresponding with me from his cell #: 270.562.5523.
She [and he] are especially requesting that we continue to pray for them.
Read more
FaithWORKS Report [December 2012]
THANKSGIVING CONFERENCE
[You can also read service-by-service recaps of all our Conference sessions by scrolling through these posts on our FaithWORKS blog.]
The Lord blessed us with an encouraging Thanksgiving Conference hosted by New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Terry Adkins is the pastor of these gracious and missions-faithful saints of the Lord.
The theme of our Conference was “PLANTING CHURCHES IN ALL KINDS OF SOIL” and was inspired by 1 Corinthians 3.6: “I have planted, Apollos watered; BUT GOD GAVE THE INCREASE.”
The Lord was glorified in the messages preached from His Word. They all emphasized, not only God’s sovereignty over the increase of His own Gospel, but also His promises to make His Kingdom and churches grow when we obediently and faithfully plant and water His Word. We all renewed our own commitments to plant and water faithfully and IN DEPENDENCE UPON GOD TO MAKE HIS WORKS GROW!
Two of our missionaries were present and preached: Sheridan Stanton and John Mark Hatcher. God blessed us to have them among us and benefit from their ministries in the Word.
There is an enthusiastic spirit of interest and involvement in the ministry of Baptist Faith Missions that is increasingly demonstrated among our fellowshipping churches. We are continuously praying to God for this, and we are committed to doing everything we can to see it come to fruition.
Randy Jones, the President of BFM, also presented to the Conference some of the activities we have pursued this past year in our efforts to expand our outreach and cultivate our relationships with our contributors. We believe that cultivating personal relationships with our supporting churches and Giving Friends in our fellowship is one of the Lord’s means of stabilizing, strengthening, and increasing our missionaries’ support funds. Fellowship [partnership] in the Gospel is God’s ordained mandate, model, and means for our participation in His Mission…serving God together in this, our mutual ministry in the Gospel.
Several churches were represented by the attendance of their pastors and members, and especially from the greater-Detroit area. We are increasingly encouraged by that. We are especially appreciative also for Pastor Gary Harrah and the brothers and sisters of the Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Wyandotte, who not only came to attend the Conference services, but also joined in with New Hope’s members to help serve us with the meals and the hospitality.
[You can view several pictures from the Conference on our Facebook Page.]
SALARY INCREASE
One of the goals we had set for ourselves this past year [2012] was to be solvent enough to give each of our missionaries a 5% year-end lump sum appreciation bonus [which would have amounted to about $1,030.00 per year]. However, when we presented and discussed our prospective budgets for 2013, We don’t have remaining funds to do that.
But, after considering and praying over one of our other goals – to give them a 5% increase in their base salary – we did move to adopt that proposal. So, beginning in 2013, trusting God to provide it, we will increase their salary base from $1,717.00 to $1,803.00 per month. The Lord has given us an increase of about 3% in the monthly General Fund offerings during 2012 [when compared to the same offerings during 2011].
We are communicating this also to all of you, their Giving Friends, praying to God and hoping we will all respond together with commensurate increases to the monthly General Fund.
For the past six years or so, we have been appealing to all of us in our BFM fellowship to take note of the on-going needs of our missionaries for increases in their monthly General Fund offerings. We have been paraphrasing an appeal Abigail made to King David in 1 Samuel 25.17: “Now therefore KNOW and CONSIDER WHAT YOU WILL DO.”
Will you help us provide this much-needed and belated salary increase for our missionaries’ basic and essential living expenses BY INCREASING YOUR PERSONAL OFFERINGS TO THE MONTHLY GENERAL BY JUST 5% – or more – as the Lord enables you?
If everyone of us increases our contributions to the monthly General Fund by even that amount, we can more than supply this modest salary increase for our missionaries.
WINTER CONFERENCE
January 20-23, 2013
Hosted by Park Ridge Baptist Church, Gotha FL
Host Pastor, Ben Glover | 407.719.9861 | bentonglover@aol.com
Please make your plans to attend this Conference. We will be posting the
program and other additional information on our website’s Events page
and also on our FaithWorks Blog page soon!
Read more
Thanksgiving Conference Recap [Wednesday Morning]
Missionaries Sheridan Stanton (Peru) & John Mark Hatcher (France) opened up the final session of our 58th Annual Thanksgiving Conference this morning by singing “I Love to Tell the Story.”
Bro. Michael Jackman from Twelve-Ryan Baptist Church in Warren, Michigan delivered the first message from Mark 4:35-41.
There were multitudes following Jesus. When He crossed the sea, they were faithful and followed. Why does Jesus give them a task they cannot do?
He expects obedience. [Micah 6:6-8]
Why do storms arise? So we will seek Him. He alone calms the storms. [James 1:2-4]
Parable of the Mustard Seed [Mark 4:30]
The first thing the seed has to do is die. Then it must be completely dependent on the Lord. [Philippians 1:6; 1 Corinthians 1:27]
Bro. John Mark Hatcher, missionary to France, preached the final message of the conference from Matthew 13:36-43.
vs. 24- They sowed good seed.
vs. 36- The disciples asked about it, defining it in terms of the parable of the weeds.
We must penetrate the soil where God has placed us. How do we penetrate the soil?
The best way to penetrate soil is by serving them–by doing good. [Acts 9:36-39; 10:37; Matthew 5:16]
The best broadcasting stations don’t work unless there are good receivers tuned to the same frequency.
Do good because it is commanded. [Matthew 5:44-45; 1 Peter 3:13-17] What makes you tick?
When you win them with your behavior, they will listen to your words.
To reach people:
1. Involve everyone [Titus 2:9-11]
2. Observe [Ephesians 5:15]
3. Act.
4. Don’t be weary in well doing.
You can find all the Thanksgiving Conference Recaps by clicking here.
You can give to our Thanksgiving Offering by clicking here and typing “Thanksgiving Offering” in the Memo field.
Read more
Thanksgiving Conference Recap [Tuesday Evening]
Our 58th Annual Thanksgiving Conference continued Tuesday evening at New Hope Baptist Church in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.
Bro. Randy Jones, President of BFM spoke during the first evening session. He had a video presentation that covered BFM’s purpose statement and current directions, noting that “The Mission Sheet” today is mainly our website. He discussed the current state of what is being accomplished administratively through BFM and our goals for the future.
Overview of Accomplishments Year-to-Date:
-Highlight Founders Day Offering
-4% of offerings go to administration; 96% goes to missionaries
-New Brochure
-New Facebook Page
-Mission Sheets in PDF Format
-YouTube Channel
-Email Newsletter
-Giving has increased 3% over the past year. The goal is 25% over 3 years.
Goals:
-Increase giving 25% over 3 years
-Add a missionary each year for 3 years
-Increase salaries by 5% this year
-Change the retirement plan
-Visit missionaries on a 3-year cycle
-Eliminate car fund
-Establish a repository for BFM Documents
-Try to visit all supporting churches every 3 years
-Encourage churches to visit the mission field
Bro. Sheridan Stanton, missionary to Peru, sang “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning,” which can be viewed below.
He then delivered the final message of the evening, giving an overview of his experience in church planting.
Bro. Stanton was sent out under the authority of Jordan Missionary Baptist Church and received support from churches and BFM.
Lima–the capital of Peru– was designed for 3 million people and has a population of 12 million people. The Stantons started three churches in Lima. They have been in Huanuco, Peru for 15 years planting New Testament Baptist Churches that are Gospel-motivated and doctrinally sound.
The Stantons have found that it takes approximately 5-7 years to establish a church. They should be doctrinally sound and able to take care of their pastor and building…then they move on. The newest work should be established in two years.
The Stantons also run a Baptist Institute with about 120 pastors. They prepare and print material for Sunday School and training and love to host mission teams.
You do what you do because you believe what you believe.
Over 160 churches in Peru started with the determination of Bro. Richard Hallum with one church plant.
Mission work is for all of us. Start social networking. Learn. Share.
Pastor Darrell Messer presented Pastor Terry Adkins with a plaque of appreciation on behalf of the BFM Board of Directors, as seen below.
You can find all the Thanksgiving Conference Recaps by clicking here.
You can give to our Thanksgiving Offering by clicking here and typing “Thanksgiving Offering” in the Memo field.
Read more
Thanksgiving Conference Recap [Tuesday Morning]
Our 58th Annual Thanksgiving Conference continues this morning at New Hope Baptist Church in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.
Pastor Dan Hillard from East Keys Baptist Church in Springfield, Illinois delivered the 9:45 morning message from Mark 4:26-29 concerning “The Work of Grace in Our Soul.”
1. There must be a sower.
We don’t have to grow weeds; the earth grows weeds like man’s heart grows weeds and wickedness.
We need to sow seeds of the Gospel. Sunday School teachers plant seed–they are the first to cultivate the ground!
2. There is much beyond our comprehension. [Mark 4:27]
Some seeds germinate. Some don’t. Why?
It’s the same with the Gospel: God gives the increase.
3. There is much beyond our control.
-Growth [Lamentations 3:26; Jeremiah 29:11]
-We are to sow the seed. Rely on God and we will not die until we become fully grown. [Mark 4:29]
Pastor Peter Santisteban from Victory Baptist Church in Russellville, Kentucky preached from Ephesians 2:11-22.
Why do churches plant in all kinds of soil?
1. Because of the authority God gave us. [Mark 16:14-20]
2. Because of authority He gave us. [Luke 24:42-49]
3. Because of antichrist spirit. [1 John 2:18-23]
4. Because of the awesome calling of God. [Acts 15:36-16:5]
—–Be humbly led by the Spirit. [Acts 16:6-11]
5. Because we have an amazing foundation. [Acts 10:36-43; Ephesians 2:20; Isaiah 45:18, 22]
Pastor Raul Bergerman from West Griffin Baptist Church in Griffin, Georgia preached the final morning message from Luke 16:19-31, “The Message of Missions.”
1. Hell is real.
2. The Rich Man did not go to hell because of money.
3. These two men were Jewish.
The rich man did not want to hear. We have the responsibility to go and preach. They have the responsibility to respond.
The Gospel according to Abraham
The Rich Man’s plan was to send Lazarus back from the dead and they will believe. That won’t work. God’s plan works. [Acts 2:41; Acts 4:4] Preach the Word!
[Click to view a clip from Bro. Raul Bergerman’s sermon]
You can find all the Thanksgiving Conference Recaps by clicking here.
You can give to our Thanksgiving Offering by clicking here and typing “Thanksgiving Offering” in the Memo field.
Read more
Thanksgiving Conference Recap [Monday Evening]
Our 58th Annual Thanksgiving Conference began this evening at New Hope Baptist Church in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.
Pastor George Sledd who pastors Jordan Baptist Church in Sanford, Florida, and also serves as Treasurer for BFM, was the first speaker. His text was 1 Corinthians 3:1-6 about the sowing of seed, nourishing of seed, and obtaining the increase of what’s sown and nourished. Below are some notable quotes:
Only God can give the increase. The very heartbeat of God has an evangelistic rhythm–a soul-winning rhythm.
Are you interested in growth? To grow, you must plant.
Increase means to be greater.
The harvester is not greater than the planter. (vs. 8)
God has planted you where you are now. Delight yourself in the Lord. (Psalm 1:1-3)
Grow up. Do greater things. Increase means glory to God.
He gave the example of Adoniram Judson who had one convert in 5 years, 18 in 10 years, and thousands at his death. Robert Morissey had one convert in 7 years. Other examples included Noah, Jeremiah, and Jonah.
Isaiah 9:7- The increase of His glory!
He also read a poem called “The Bridge Builder.” There is a new generation coming up after us. God is preparing someone to take the place of those who have been faithful.
Pastor Denny Herndon from Immanuel Baptist Church in Riverview, Michigan preached from Matthew 13, using the parable of the sower scattering seed.
One seed has the plan of God. (Matthew 28:19)
A seed needs three things:
1) Proper food
2) Water
3) Sun/Son
To plant is to instill truth.
The Word needs to be taught.
Read more
FaithWORKS Report [November 2012]
2012 THANKSGIVING OFFERING
We are now receiving our 2012-13 Thanksgiving Offering. We will use these funds to provide support services and other periodic commitments we make to our missionaries over the course of the year. Last year’s Thanksgiving Offering was $56,365.38. Coming into November, we have only $3,735.44 of that amount remaining after we have provided the services and honored the commitments to our missionaries so far this year. It is essential that we give as generous an offering as the Lord enables you to give.
Our Lord Jesus Christ commands each one of us to personally participate in the
advance of His Gospel “into all the world” “to all nations”. There are two ways
each one of us can participate: [1] Go ourselves…in person – as our faithful
missionaries have done and are doing; [2] Give offerings to help them go – as in
Romans 15.24, 2 Corinthians 10.15-15, and Philippians 4.15-17.
PASTORS: will you open the opportunity for the members of your church to give
to this much-needed offering? Encourage them to personally participate in the
increase of the Glory of Jesus Christ in every nation where our missionaries are
serving.
GIVING FRIEND: will you personally give an offering to help supply our
missionaries’ needs over the next year? If your church is not receiving a
Thanksgiving Offering, you can send your personal offering via any of the means
provided on our Donate/Support page. Click here to make a one-time donation via e-check or credit card now. “BRING AN OFFERING…Psalm 96.8”
THANKSGIVING CONFERENCE
We hope you can attend November 19-21. Please be in prayer for this conference as well! You can find the program and other additional information in this post.
KEEP UP WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING – AS IT HAPPENS!
You can keep up with what is happening in BFM as it happens by logging on to our website regularly, and especially the FaithWorks blog page. As our missionaries write their monthly newsletters, they are immediately posted there as we receive them.
ALSO OUR FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/baptistfaithmissions
We are making daily posts there not only with our missionaries newsletters, but also with daily developments and updates. Bookmark the page and be in the know!
BFM EMAIL NEWS – we want to include you in our email bulletins. If you have not
signed up to receive our email reports, please do so by subscribing either through our
Facebook page, or by sending us an email at baptistfaithmissions@gmail.com.
ADVANCE PDF COPY OF THE MISSION SHEETS – This Mission Sheets issue
will be posted on our website before it goes to the printer. We will post links to the PDF
Mission Sheets on Facebook and also via emailed BFM NEWS.
MONTHLY GENERAL FUND OFFERINGS
We also continue to need increased and faithful MONTHLY GENERAL FUND OFFERINGS to supply their monthly Essential Maintenance Transactions [EMT]. Those essential commitments amount to more than $45,000.00 every month.
$20,426.00 for their salaries;
$10,950.00 for their standard housing and ministry allowances;
$11,918.11 for their monthly hospitalization premiums;
$1722.50 for the printing and distribution of their monthly newsletters and reports in The Mission Sheets. These disbursements must be made every month. They must be supplied through your monthly GENERAL FUND offerings, or else we will be required to reduce either their salaries or expense allowances to make the monthly GENERAL FUND supplies/disbursements balance.
YOUR FAITHFUL AND GENEROUS MONTHLY GENERAL FUND OFFERINGS ARE SUPPLYING THESE NEEDS so they can maintain their daily ministries unhindered by shortages of funds and undistracted from their service by wondering what they will have to curtail to keep their ministries going.
We love you and thank God for each one. All our offerings working together will keep them GOING AND GROWING for the Glory of God!
WINTER CONFERENCE
January 20-23, 2013
Hosted by Park Ridge Baptist Church, Gotha FL
Host Pastor, Ben Glover | 407.719.9861 | bentonglover@aol.com
Please make your plans to attend this Conference. We will be posting the
program and other additional information on our website’s Events page
and also on our FaithWorks Blog page soon!
Read more
