Brazilian Pastors Reaching People for Christ
March 9, 2024
Dear friends and family,
Who would have thought that a Seminary could have gotten started for the training of Brazilian Pastors to reach their people for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?! However, that is what is happening! We serve an AWESOME God!!! With Him all things are possible! “AMEN!”
We had one pastor who had signed to do the Doctoral Program and I prayed for the Lord to double the number of students. He did—and now—guess what! We now have four pastors signed to start the program this month—just saying, “What an AWESOME God we serve!!”
The last month we have been working on our tickets for travel to Brazil this year—boy, has it been a mess, for lack of a better word. Then “I” must remember who is in CONTROL.
This trip we will have 5 people traveling: two professors, a friend named Steve, and Barb and I. We are all from different parts of the country. We will have several different flights as we will be going to a Pastor’s Conference in Amazonas (and we can’t get there from here, so two flights to get there), then another flight to get to the graduation in São Paulo for 10 Pastors as they receive their Masters of Pastoral Studies. AWESOME!!! And these will be future professors for the Seminary. Then we will travel to different areas for the three different pastors to preach in different churches. God is at work in so many different areas. Then I remind myself, “Why not?” Oh me of little faith.
Now our prayer requests:
#1) I have completed most of my medical exams and all have come back NORMAL. I only lack the MRI, which won’t be done until April). Also pray for Barbara as she is suffering from vertigo.
#2) For the trip we will take in July as all the connections are critical with all that is planned.
#3) As with everything, the financial part is always a necessity for us and the Brazilian Pastors involved.
#4) The BFM support group on whom we depend for these different ministries and Bluegrass Baptist Seminary to go forward.
Each and every one of you are a part of our life and our work for God here in Brazil. We thank you for your love and prayers. Continue lifting us up to the Lord as we continue working in the fields for the Lord. Know that we love and appreciate you.
In His service,
AJ and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
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Spring 2024 Classes for Bluegrass Baptist Seminary
February 8, 2024
Dear friends and family,
The holidays are over and some of our New Years resolutions are upon us! Well, all I need to do with mine is quit eating! With the holidays and trip to Brazil, my waistline has been enhanced. So—— well, I need not to go into explanation.
Our calendar for academia Spring 2024 is planned and the courses that will be offered have been finalized. The courses that will be offered are: Old Testament Elective, Introduction into Apologetics, New Testament Elective, Writing your Thesis, and Greek. They will be presented in March through May.
To better help the Pastors and others interested in a better understanding of the Scriptures, we are offering these courses 100% online and live. Hopefully and prayerfully this “online” offering will make our Seminary more accessible to all who are interested.
So, with this in mind I want all to understand our mission statement: “Our mission is dedicated to providing excellent training to enhance Pastors and Church leaders, empowering them to boldly and effectively spread the truth of the Gospel!”
Our second semester for the academic year 2024 will begin in August. Our prayer is for the Seminary to expand and reach out to many areas of Brazil. So, we are endeavoring to attend Pastors Conferences, Mission conferences and towns where we have previously had classes before COVID to help accomplish this goal. We went to a conference in November and our plans are to go to another in July this year.
There is a new four-year basic Seminary in Brazil that has been started by three of the graduates from Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. Its name is ETEBABI and it is backed by the Bible Baptist Church in São Paulo. Isn’t that AWESOME?!!!!!
I would like to ask for your help. Please pray for our progress with the Seminary and all our planned expansions. And for other countries to get interested in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary even though it’s accreditation is only in Brazil.
I went to Kentucky to have a promotion for Bluegrass Baptist Seminary so I took advantage of being there and went to my cancer doctor. He did all the necessary tests and even though they all seemed good he wanted me to have them done again. So, I am asking for your prayers for these tests and also for our travel. As per usual, please pray for BFM, for the supporting churches, and for those who help us with Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. We serve an AWESOME God and He uses each one of us to accomplish His purpose here on earth. So, pray for where He can best use you in His Kingdom’s work.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Nothing “Just Happens”
December 30, 2023
Dear friends and family,
With God nothing “just happens”—and so it is with our seminary. I thought I could give you some insight on how the seminary began.
I was with some Brazilian pastors at a morning meeting (breakfast). The topic of sermon preparation was being discussed and I asked them about their preparation time. I was not expecting the answer I got. The three pastors that I was talking to replied like this, “When we get to church on Sunday morning, we sit, and each of us open the Bible and read the passage where we open. Then we decide which of us has the best reading and that one is the one who will give the sermon.” Well, after I picked up my jaw from the floor and tried not to show my shock, I started to seek God and the Holy Spirit’s guidance on how to help in this situation. The pastor who I was working with and I began to hold classes in our church. We invited pastors and others who were interested in studying the Bible to better present the gospel.
Then we got a visit from a church in the States and their new pastor asked me, “What do you need here in Caraguatatuba?” My immediate response, “A seminary.”
This was the beginning of Caragua Seminary. We got pastors to come down and teach the classes, and there were four planned classes per year: Old and New Testament, Theology and Pastoral Ministries. We gave certificates of completion for each class.
After many growing pains, trial and errors, searching for pastors who could pay for their own way to Brazil, and doubts of how we could accomplish this mission, the Caragua Baptist Seminary came into existence. This provided excellent training to pastors and church leaders empowering them to boldly and effectively spread the truth of the gospel.
Then, in trying to get the Seminary certified in Brazil, we had to change the name to an American name, and thus Caragua Baptist Seminary became Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. The certificate evolved into diplomas with accreditation and all professors have Doctorates and PhD’s from the States. AWESOME!!!! Just another in the many miracles. With God all things are possible!!!
This is and has been an evolving ministry and continues to be due to the Lord. This year our plans are to go into the next phase—our PhD program! God is AWESOME!!! None of this is possible without you and your continued prayers for each of the Pastors and their continued work in the seminaries and our continued health as we go to Brazil to carry on the work for the seminary there. And we want to thank BFM for their continued faith in our work there in Brazil.
If you would like to contribute to Bluegrass Baptist Seminary just designate your offering to Bluegrass Baptist Seminary through Alex and Barbara Hensley to Baptist Faith Missions.
In His service,
AJ and Barbara Hensley
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Bluegrass Baptist Seminary Adding PhD Program
November 20, 2023
Dear friends and family,
This month we made a trip to Brazil to attend a missions conference. We were granted the privilege of telling about the Bluegrass Baptist Seminary to over 200 Pastors and Missionaries from various countries. We had a wonderful time and the Lord we serve was AWESOME with His presence there. It was even better than we had prayed for in that we got to talk to everyone there and many were interested in participating in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. For example, there was a missionary from Argentina and they have a Seminary there in Argentina, and want all 15 of their teachers/Pastors to enroll in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary’s Master’ s program. Many of their Pastors/ teachers have completed a four-year Seminary but their schools are not accredited; but for a window of time they can take a State course to get that training accredited, and that is important because we require an accredited diploma to enroll in our Master’s program.
Also present was one of the lead pastors from Temple Baptist Church in São Paulo City and we got to sit down with him and plan another graduation for the pastors there in São Paulo. Nine of them have finished their thesis and are now ready to receive their diplomas. It will be a grand ceremony for the Master’s of Pastoral Ministries, which is only given to pastors. AWESOME!
Also in January 2024 we will be initiating into Bluegrass Baptist Seminary an accredited Ph. D program. AWESOME IS THE GOD WE SERVE!!!! NOTE: we already have two students ready to enroll, one of which is a missionary to the Jews in São Paulo City.
We were able to set up a table with all our information about the Seminary and the classes for the coming year. The classes begin in January. Our family there in Caraguatatuba were a big help in manning the tables and talking to those interested in the Seminary.
As you know, it has been an uphill battle to get this Seminary running. Many prayers, tears and much sweat and dedication of our professors (all of whom are doctors and PHDs and are from the USA). These Professors donate their time as a gift to the Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. THANKS!!!
All this being said, it would have not been possible without Baptist Faith Missions and all of the AWESOME people who give regularly and pray for the missionaries and the works of Baptist Faith Missions.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Influencing Pastors & Churches through Seminary
September 15, 2023
Dear friends and family,
I am rejoicing in the Seminary classes that have been taught. We are in the planning stage for next year’s classes while our final semester is beginning this week.
This November will be extremely busy for us as the Seminary, Pastor Derek and myself, and many others will be involved in a Missionary/Pastor Conference with around 200 Pastors and families in attendance. We will be presenting the Seminary, the classes that have been accomplished, our accreditation through the Masters Program and what will be added this coming year: an accredited PhD Program! How AWESOME is the God we serve.
As of now the Seminary has graduated 23 to the Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies and Masters of Arts in Pastoral Ministries.
However, we have also completed several classes in Pastoral Ministries where the students received a certificate of completion. These students just wanted to be better trained and informed Biblically.
This week I heard from one of these students. He is now the pastor of one of the mission points that we started. At the time, this man was just a member of that mission point in Natividade da Serra. And wanted to learn more about God’s Word. This mission point has since been organized into a church. Israel was voted to be the pastor and his wife Joyce is making a wonderful pastor’s wife. The letter I received this week from them was thanking us for the influence and the encouragement given to him. You never know how your words impact those you speak to. I am including pictures of the church there in Natividade da Serra. This type of letter helps to keep me in focus the objective for the seminary to take basic evangelical seminary training to the underserved pastors and church leaders in Brazil. God is moving and opening doors for the seminary. We are looking to open more locations in the coming years. Please keep Bluegrass Baptist Seminary in your prayers. Also pray for Baptist Faith Missions because if it were not for them, we would not be in Brazil doing God’s work. Keep us in your prayers also as we will be traveling a lot in the next months.
In His service,
AJ and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
The Awesome God of Miracles
August 15, 2023
Dear friends and families,
This semester of the Seminary is going great. We are having smaller numbers, but God is in control. There have been 15 in the classes and the interest in the advanced degree is growing. One of Dr. Derek’s classes had a Pastor whose wife was pregnant; the baby came but there were complications, and the baby did not make it, but the Pastor came to class anyway. The Pastor said, “I just need this class”. But I can tell you the class was not only good for him, but the students were blessed with encouragement from each other.
Our time in Brazil was well spent visiting different churches and seeing people from our past. But there was a miracle that happened while were there. Our youngest granddaughter Ashley has been suffering from food intolerances. There were two or three pages of food that she could not eat because she would vomit. So just before we got to Brazil, there was a birthday celebration at church and Ashley begged to eat one of the foods that she had not eaten for two and a half years, so her mom permitted it. We were just waiting for the normal reaction from eating non-permitted food, but the normal reaction did not come. So, she began eating everything she had been missing for so long. You know, we had been asking God for a miracle and He sent us one. So next, we started waiting for her to get sick again. You know…why do we ask for something then doubt when He gives it to us?
God is the AWESOME God of miracles, and we were able to witness one this trip.
Continue to pray for the Seminary and for our traveling to Brazil.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
New Plans for the Seminary
June 2, 2023
Dear friends and family,
Thank you, Lord, the COVID disaster is over. Now we can begin to get back to the planning of the Seminary. As with many ministries along with many churches, the job ahead of us is an uphill battle but we serve an AWESOME God and He is able to make things happen.
In all of the re-organizing of Bluegrass Baptist Seminary, we have a plan—then some things change. We are getting closer and closer to the structure we are desiring and praying for.
So here goes our “now” plan! In two years, a student in Brazil can complete a Masters (accredited) in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. The degrees are the same: a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries. A person can also elect to take all the courses for their own self edification and receive a certificate of completion for the courses they chose to take.
I pray all the time for these saints who choose to understand God’s truths in Scriptures and build God’s kingdom in Brazil through the local church.
These last two months have been a lot of telephone work getting classes organized for this year and the next year. Four of the professors we have for the classes are PhDs and the other two are Doctors. We also have two adjunct professors if needed. How AWESOME is He who puts His plans in motion. Along with these Professors we have three translators and one more for back up as needed.
All the classes are approved and planned for this year and next year. These classes will be done via Zoom with the exemption of the Greek and the Hebrew classes which will be taught on site in São Paulo City and one other location to be determined at a later date. And now for some AWESOME news: we have been approved to start a PhD program for the year 2024. At this time, I do not have all the details, but as we get them we will be passing them along to you. But for now, we invite you to rejoice with us for this blessing for the Brazilian students.
Thank each and every one of you who keep us at God’s throne for our safety and health. God has been faithful in all things. We are hoping to go to Brazil in July if God wills. Right now, we are waiting for our renewed passports, so pray with us for this. We have some people to see and places to go so we hope we are permitted.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Reorganizing Seminary Classes
March 17, 2023
Dear friends and family,
It is great to report that the Seminary is going great. We are in the middle of doing two classes now and when those are completed, we will do two more. This will be our spring semester. For the fall semester we will have four more classes for a total of eight classes for the year.
The difference with these classes is that they are being done via zoom. In years past that would not even have been thought of, let alone been possible. Also, we are planning to have not only the zoom classes but along with the zoom classes, we will have one of our professors on site at a local church for one of these four classes each semester. That puts a more personal touch on these classes.
We are reorganizing our classes so a student in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary can complete their master’s degree in two years. Some ripples will be encountered, so pray for the students, the professors, and us as we implement these changes. The same degrees will be offered: Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries, Master of Arts in Biblical Studies. These degrees are with accreditation. Continue to pray for the Seminary and the students. As we look at all that is happening with Bluegrass Baptist Seminary all I can say is, “Our God is an AWESOME God”!
We are planning to be in Brazil either in July or August for a major Pastoral Conference where we can introduce more Pastors to Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. We are just waiting for the time and place to be announced so we can buy our tickets. There we will be able to talk to some of the Pastors who are presently taking the courses and continue encouraging them. And of course we could not go to Brazil without visiting the grandbabies. God gave us the best for last when he gave us our three grands!!!
When we started Bluegrass Baptist Seminary, I had a dream. We have been able to complete a part of that dream so now on to the next part. My dream, wish, prayer was to train the Pastors of Brazil and then because of that training, use some of those graduates to start a four-year Seminary of their own. God is faithful to answer prayers. He is AWESOME!!! I am pleased to tell you that God has put that dream to work. Some of the previous graduates have opened that seminary. The name of it is ETEBABI. They will be using some of the material that Pastor Derek Coleman wrote for Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. They will be able to piggyback on some of our zoom classes to help enhance their curriculum. We serve a God of AWESOME capabilities.
Continue to pray for us as we carry God’s Word to Brazil and for those who help in our support through Baptist Faith Missions.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
