Enhancements to Seminary Classes

The Hensleys have served the Lord in Brazil, South America since 1996. They have worked with orphanages, started mission points, established churches, and are presently conducting a seminary to train Brazilian pastors.

October 16, 2023

Dear friends and family,

Sometimes I sound like a repetitive bell ringing. However, with the addition of the PhD program, we are encountering some changes that are needed in the curriculum. So, what is going on now? We are working on changes that are better suited for the enhancement of our NEW program addition (PhD).

Mainly our Greek and Hebrew classes are to be changed to be a more basic structure and we will also be adding an additional class to our Master of Divinity program. The class will be the Dead Sea Scrolls.

An exciting sidenote and a prayer request we are going to attempt to include Africa in our program. This will be done completely by Zoom. We will probably be doing just a certificate in the beginning then grow into being accredited. The problem we are facing is that we require an official bachelor’s degree for entrance into the Master’s program if accreditation for the class is wanted. Otherwise, we can only give a certificate of completion for the course.

All things great and small have a small beginning. Pray for the seminary to be able to assist many more Pastors in their quest for better information (Biblical training and education) to better reach their respective areas with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. AWESOME is the Lord we serve.

As Barbara and I are traveling at the end of this month and through November to Brazil, please pray for us and for the Pastor’s Conference and the meetings for the Seminary.

Also pray for Israel the Hebrew Nation.

We are anticipating the year 2024 to be an AWESOME year!!!! Prayer makes all things possible.

In His Service,

AJ and Barb

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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Influencing Pastors & Churches through Seminary

The Hensleys have served the Lord in Brazil, South America since 1996. They have worked with orphanages, started mission points, established churches, and are presently conducting a seminary to train Brazilian pastors.

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.


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The Awesome God of Miracles

The Hensleys have served the Lord in Brazil, South America since 1996. They have worked with orphanages, started mission points, established churches, and are presently conducting a seminary to train Brazilian pastors.

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.

Ashley

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.


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Heading to Brazil to Encourage Pastors & Churches

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The Hensleys have served the Lord in Brazil, South America since 1996. They have worked with orphanages, started mission points, established churches, and are presently conducting a seminary to train Brazilian pastors.

September 23, 2021

Dear friends and family,

The tickets have been purchased and if all goes well with the COVID test that has to be taken because of international travel, we will be headed to Brazil on the 7th of October. Please be in prayer for this trip and for the churches we will be visiting.

Our trip to Brazil will be two weeks before the classes will begin so that we can visit the churches and encourage the pastors and their workers. Many of the churches have been affected by COVID and are now afraid. We just want to encourage them and help them with their fears and anxieties.

The classes will be starting on the 18th of October and will be held by Zoom. Dr. Derek and Dr. Edge will be the professors and the classes will be “Biblical Proclamation” and “Theory of Evangelism and Discipleship”.

The pastors in Brazil are facing the same problems we have here in the States. They are doing as required: social distancing (picture of the seating in Caraguatatuba Baptist Church), mask wearing, and sanitizing of the seating. And with doing all that, some are still afraid to return to church. Even with the vaccine being available and the restrictions being lifted, the people are still hesitant about returning to church. This is also affecting the seminary. FEAR! So, just to help us and them to remember Who is in control and therefore not place our faith in institutions, structures or people, but in God, we will be making this trip. He is steadfast and forever! In Him we must put our FAITH. He is an AWESOME God!!!!

However, their financial problems are much more prominent than what we are experiencing here. So, I am telling all our readers about this because we all need a little pick-me-up at times. So, we are offering scholarship assistance to help with the cost of the classes and materials that they will be needing. Many of our students in the rural areas will be gathering together to assist the Zoom classes as not all of them have a computer. So, this month while you are praying for these students and the classes maybe you would consider sending an offering designated to their class costs and their travel expenses.

We would, as always, like to thank everyone for their support of us and BFM with your prayers and financial giving. We are able to minister to the Brazilian pastors and through those pastors, to the people of Brazil. God is greatly using the Bluegrass Baptist Seminary for His honor and His good there in Brazil. What an AWESOME God we serve.

In His service,
Aj and Barbara

CONTACT INFO

AJ & Barbara Hensley
592 Emery Court
Lexington, KY 40505
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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Finally in Brazil!

The Hensleys have served the Lord in Brazil, South America since 1996. They have worked with orphanages, started mission points, established churches, and are presently conducting a seminary to train Brazilian pastors.

June 21, 2021

Dear friends and family,

Well we are finally in Brazil. It took a lot of doing but we made it here on the 4th of June. We have been enjoying the time with the family, especially the granddaughters as it has been almost two years since we have seen them. Our time here in Brazil has reminded me of the luxuries that we enjoy in the United States. Some of these are Wi-fi, good cell reception — all the time. Then I start thinking about driving and its difference between the States and in Brazil. I truly do not miss all the challenges.

While here in Brazil I have visited many old friends, made new acquaintances, and talked with many pastors. It looks like there are some pastors here who have an interest in the seminary. God is AWESOME!!!

Finding pastors and leaders in churches to study in the seminary is not the problem we have with the Seminary, but where we are to have the seminary is the problem.

COVID restrictions are still very strenuous. And the people not yet received their injections for COVID. The churches where I have preached are in compliance with the restrictions. But with all these problems, the people are still very active and attentive for the gospel.

For us to be able to travel internationally, we had to jump through several hoops. All that being said, God took care of all our obstacles and most before we began our journey.

This month we are completing two Zoom classes and it has been great to have been here to help with all the problems. However, most of my help has been only with administration issues, i.e., classes students have taken, what do they need to finish, etc.

If all goes well, we are looking for October to be our first graduation in our Master’s program and that will be in São Paulo City.

As of now we are having classes in two cities and three other cities are waiting to be able to participate in person—this we hope to do in October. Several students have had complications and three of our students have died from COVID. Please pray for these families. Also continue to pray for all the students as they live through these problems as we do also. We do have more resources than they do. But one thing we all have in common is that we serve the same AWESOME God.

Our prayer requests: safe travels for our return to the US, the churches and their pastors here in Brazil, our Seminary professors, Dr. Derek, Dr. Edge, Dr. Waltermire, Dr. Scherer, and others who are planning to come on board. Thank you each and every one for your continued support through prayers and donations to us through Baptist Faith Missions.

In His service,
Aj and Barbara

CONTACT INFO

AJ & Barbara Hensley
592 Emery Court
Lexington, KY 40505
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com

Click here to give online.


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Virtual Seminary Classes Scheduled Through Second Wave of COVID

The Hensleys have served the Lord in Brazil, South America since 1996. They have worked with orphanages, started mission points, established churches, and are presently conducting a seminary to train Brazilian pastors.

April 13, 2021

Dear friends and family,

I am sitting here thinking how I sound like a broken record. We have moved our tickets from tomorrow to June because of the intensity of the COVID-19 in São Paulo. This is the city where our Seminary classes are scheduled in April.

We were supposed to travel on the 14th before the scheduled classes so that we could visit with the granddaughters and Mary and Walmir. Barb and I are really miss our grandbabies.

All for April is not lost as we are very committed to providing ministry training through our Seminary classes. The classes for April 2021 in São Paulo will be held virtually via zoom.

As this second wave of COVID has been very severe, we ask all to pray for our Brazilian Pastors and Seminary students. In São Paulo where the classes are being held, Templo Batista de Indianapolis where pastor Marcos is the main pastor, both he and his wife have COVID. Pastor Marcus is at home taking medicine but his wife is in the hospital on a ventilator. At this time, they both are showing improvement. Today they are beginning to wean her of the machine.

Brazil as a country seems to be having a problem with their COVID vaccines. Maybe it is because of the social medicine that they have in that country. This makes it so evident how blessed we are as Americans to have the easy access to the medication that we need when we need it. All I can think of is that some here want that kind of socialized medicine here. Forgive me for getting a little political but I have lived it and there is no upside to it.

As we are stuck here in the States, we have been busy contacting our students to keep them informed of the changing of the schedule and how they can participate on-line. But we sometimes forget that the pastors and other students do not have all the advantages that we have so it has been hard to get some of them access to a zoom class. But we are diligently working from here to see if we can make that happen. Each of them are anxious about continuing their studies, so keep them in your prayers as you keep Brazil also in your prayers.

We want to thank each and every one of you who stand beside us as the work in Brazil goes on even if it is long distance. None of this work could continue without the strong prayer warriors and the contributions to BFM. We are looking forward to face-to-face training but until that can happen we will continue the way we are with telephoning and zoom. Just know that we never forget that our Lord and Savior is in complete control and He is doing an AWESOME job.

In His service,
Aj and Barb

CONTACT INFO

AJ & Barbara Hensley
592 Emery Court
Lexington, KY 40505
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com

Click here to give online.




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Planning Continues for 2021 Classes

The Hensleys have served the Lord in Brazil, South America since 1996. They have worked with orphanages, started mission points, established churches, and are presently conducting a seminary to train Brazilian pastors.

September 17, 2020

Dear friends and family,

This has been a month that went into our history books. So for a moment let’s ALL remember the lives that were lost on 9/11, and pray for their families and others affected on that tragic date. This is especially close to me as I served with the Lexington Fire Department for 23 years before I surrendered to the call to be a missionary to Brasil. God is AWESOME, we do not always understand all but one thing never changes, God is God. It is He who is in control!!

It has been another month for planning and preparation, but before I get into that I need to tell you about an interruption that has happened to me this month. While doing some clean up on the property here in Lexington I had an accident. I was removing some tree limbs from a trailer and lost my balance and began to fall. So I jumped and landed wrong and broke my ankle. Now I am wearing one of those boots and looking to be wearing it for 6 weeks. But the good part of this is that I did not have to have surgery.

As the planning continues, both here and in Brasil, we are zooming with our pastors there, working with leaders and professors here, and we are confirming dates for our 2021 classes. This planning involves choosing the locations, the professors, the translators, and the tech support people. We have completed our first virtual class. There were some minor glitches but we are getting them corrected. So, we have the first of many under our belt and looking forward to many more.

We request your prayers for this ministry and all our involved partners and volunteers, students, and most of all—YOU— our financial supporters and prayer partners.

It is with much appreciation and gratitude that I express our love and prayers to all of you who sponsor, support, and loyally give to BFM. During this pandemic we appreciate even more your financial support as we know you have families and it gets harder to continue your outside giving. So, one more time THANK YOU for your financial support and prayerful intercession for our ministry.

In His service,
Aj and Barbara

CONTACT INFO

AJ & Barbara Hensley
592 Emery Court
Lexington, KY 40505
AJ: 859-539-2302Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com

Click here to give online.




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Studies Being Taught in BBS

The Hensleys have served the Lord in Brazil, South America since 1996. They have worked with orphanages, started mission points, established churches, and are presently conducting a seminary to train Brazilian pastors.

August 19, 2020

Dear friends and family,

This month has flown by with little change so we thought we would show you the studies that are being taught in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. These are the classes with a description of them.

Bluegrass Baptist Seminary Course Listing/ Descriptions

  • BBS:101 Systematic-Theology

The Christian church has a long tradition of systematic theology, that is, studying theology and doctrine organized around fairly standard categories. This course presents material in each of these categories for the purpose of preparing students for ministry within the local church. The categories are examined in depth with an in-depth focus of contemporary application for today’s church.

  • BBS-102 Old Testament Survey

This course is designed to provide a basic introduction to each book of the Old Testament. While traditional topics such as authorship, date, and historical context will be covered, there will be special focus on the revelation of Jesus Christ in each book. There also is a focus on providing keys to understanding each book in the context of the entirety of the Scriptures.

  • BBS-103 New Testament Survey

This course is designed to provide a basic introduction to each book of the New Testament. While traditional topics such as authorship, date, and historical context will be covered, there will be special focus on the revelation of Jesus Christ in each book. There also is a focus on providing keys to understanding each book in the context of the entirety of the Scriptures

  • BBS-104 Pastoral Ministries

This course is designed to equip students for pastoral ministry by examining the various aspects of ministry required of pastors serving in local congregations. Also, it includes identifying the biblical absolutes, priorities, and qualifications needed for effective pastoral ministry within the local church.

  • BBS-105 Theology of Evangelism

This course provides a general introduction to the theology of evangelism. The course is divided into three major units: (1) Foundational Tenets of Evangelism; (2) Preaching Components of Evangelism; and (3) Practical Aspects of Evangelism. The purpose of this course is to provide the local pastor with basic theological understanding and tools for implementing a biblical plan of evangelism in the local church.

  • BBS-106 Theology of Discipleship

This course provides a general introduction to the theology of discipleship. The course is divided into three major units: (1) Evaluation of Today’s Discipleship in the Local Church; (2) Biblical Foundations for Discipleship; and (3) Church-Based Discipleship. The purpose of this course is to provide the local pastor with basic theological understanding and tools for implementing a biblical plan of discipleship in the local church.

  • BBS-107 Lexical Hebrew

This course provides the student with the basics for working in the Hebrew biblical language. It includes a basic presentation of Hebrew grammar, such as recognizing vowel markings and sentence structure. This is not a language course, per se, but provides tools for use such as lexicons, dictionaries, and grammars, to assist the student in gaining a better understanding of a biblical text.

  • BBS-108 Lexical Greek

This course provides the student with the basics for working in the Greek biblical language. It includes a basic presentation of Greek grammar, such as recognizing verb endings and sentence structure. This is not a language course, per se, but provides tools for use such as lexicons, dictionaries, and grammars, to assist the student in gaining a better understanding of a biblical text.

  • BBS-109 Biblical Proclamation

This course provides a general introduction for developing an expository sermon. The course is divided into four major units: (1) The Need for Expository Preaching; (2) Expository Sermon Preparation; and (3) Expository Preaching Hermeneutics, and (4) Delivering an Expository Sermon. The purpose of this course is to provide the local pastor with basic theological understanding and tools for preparing and delivering expository sermons.

  • BBS-110 Survey of Church History

This course provides a general overview of the history of the church. The course covers the major events and philosophies of the church from 6 BCE to the end of the 20th century. It focuses on the historical setting and explanation of Christian ideas and institutions. The purpose of this course is to provide students with an annotated timeline of the church’s develop from the 1st century through the 20th century.

  • BBS-111 Introduction to Christian Apologetics

This course studies Christian apologetics and its implications for and application to evangelism. It provides students with an explanation of key components within Christian apologetics. Points of tension between and within various apologetic methods are explored in the course as well. The purpose of this course is to aid students in the development of effective apologetic approaches for evangelizing people in the contemporary culture.

  • BBS-112 Thesis Paper Writing

This course serves as an information class for writing a thesis paper. The student will learn techniques and styles for researching and writing a thesis paper. The course includes one week of in-class instruction and 4 months of research and writing. Upon completion of the thesis paper the student will defend their work to a seminary thesis committee. Upon successful defense (defined as receiving a passing grade), the course is complete.

These are the classes we are scheduling for 2021. Please pray for the courses and the professors and the Pastors planning to attend the classes. We serve an AWESOME God and we know that He is in control of everything that is happening. So, we are trusting that He will make everything right and in His timing.

In His service,
AJ and Barb

CONTACT INFO

AJ & Barbara Hensley
592 Emery Court
Lexington, KY 40505
AJ: 859-539-2302Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com


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