Learning From Mistakes

by

2

I am the last one to think that I have all the answers or that I have succeeded in ministry and that you should listen to what I have to say. Honestly, the best way I know to help you is to point out where I think I have needed help as a missionary and hopefully steer you in a better direction.

So in no particular oder here are some areas that I feel I have failed in, could improve in, or should have done differently.

Prepare – You need to study the Bible as much as possible. Get the best Bible training possible from people that LOVE the Bible in word and deed. Study, study, study to know the Scriptures. Most likely when you get to your field of service you will be the head pastor, President of the Bible Institute and the head of a fellowship of churches….you need to know your Bible! Read that last sentence again then get really serious about studying the Scriptures!

If you are going to be a church planting missionary then get training under church planting missionaries. If you wanted to be a doctor you would train under doctors. A mechanic would train under a mechanic. A future missionary needs traing under real church planting missionaries. Many of the things you face and see will be unique to where you serve. Many people, even leaders, will not relate to what you are facing. But if you can find good church planting missionaries to train under they will have experience working in foreign cultures and can help you learn how to handle “different” situations. You will most likely do one of following without the right training:

    You will quit.

You will get overwhelmed and not have answers or tools to handle what you will face.

    You will get distracted.

You will find something to do besides what you set out to do – which is plant churches.

Here is a great place to get that training: http://www.ogtc.info

Serve God – Sounds easy huh? This is just too obvious but in my own experience it has been HARD! Maybe I’m different but I feel pulled this way and that and end up with my eyes on everyone else but The Lord, and that is a shame on my part. I probably have done a lot of my ministry for the wrong person. Give, go, and church plant in Jesus name and for His glory alone!

I love Paul’s Words to the Colossian believers in chapter three where he says, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” (Col 3:23,24). This is great advice for any employ but certainly for God’s full-time missionaries. A battle you may face if you are anything like me is having more than one God. You can easily be serving man even while giving an outward appearance that you are serving God. Serve God!

Work – Be ready to work. I went from building houses, working at my home church, and going to school full-time to being a missionary. The biggest difference was all my time was filled with obligations from morning to night and now I set my own schedule. If nothing gets done its on me. Most of the time people, even your superiors don’t know what you are up to but God does and He is the one that is going to give us our reward so come to the field with a work ethic. You don’t have to be the best, steadiness in the right work will do.

Here are some examples of good use of your time:
Being with, teaching and investing in young male leadership
This could mean:
Studying the Bible
Showing them how to do ministry
Praying together
Reading a good Christian book together
Answering their questions
Letting them see you be a Christian leader, father and husband – how you order your life.

Look at yourself as the coach and by the end of your term you need a team that will “play the game” while you go on furlough. You will ask yourself what am I doing that is helping build the team. A good passage to meditate on dealing with this is Ephesians 4:11,12.

Like I said above these are all struggles and areas that I am trying to get better in. I think if you’ll read and heed it could really help you get headed in the right direction from the start.

Please Pray for the Underwood Family

by

1

We received news from our team member, Stephen Underwood, that his father unexpectedly passed away in his sleep this past Saturday morning.  Please be praying for Stephen and his family.  His dad was only 55 years old and this was very unexpected.  I believe the funeral will be Tuesday morning at McFarland Hills Baptist Church in Dalton, GA.  As we get more information it will be passed along.

Stephen and Ashley are currently on deputation and are doing well raising support to get to South Africa.  They had to cut a missions conference short they were a part of in Knoxville.

WorldEvangelism.net

by

0

I was privileged to write a highlight on missions in South Africa for the new blog WorldEvangelism.net. Take a look if you have a few minutes. It’s a little longer than I usually write, but there are some pictures:) Maybe they will let me write again if I can get you guys to read and comment.

Mission Field Highlight:  South Africa

In March of 2011, I traveled to Port Elizabeth, South Africa to lead mission teams to work with my cousins, missionaries Kevin and Corli Hall. God used that trip to bring my family to where we are now, full time missionaries to South Africa serving along side Kevin and Corli and my cousins Jeremy and Bekah Hall.

Traveling to South Africa helped me realize the spiritual biblical dearth of a very religious place. If you come to South Africa today you will see a country that has a lot of places that are called churches. Around town where most of the white population live you will see….  click here to read more at WorldEvangelism.net

Rent or Buy & Soccer

by

0

As of now, a place to rent hasn’t opened up for the new church plant.  It seems that rentable space is very limited.  We will continue to search, but it may come to the place where we need to buy property.  I’m really hoping we can keep the cost down the first year by just renting a space, but I’m not sure how much longer we can wait.  Many people have offered to sell their property, but no one is able to rent.

We are praying for clear direction from the Lord right now.   To rent a house with enough land to build a small auditorium would be around $50 to $75 a month.  To buy the same property would be between $5000 and $7000 I believe.

At Madiba Bay Baptist we are currently renovating the front parking lot of the church to build a soccer/fubito court.  The church plans to use Friday night and Saturday soccer leagues for outreach and evangelistic purposes.  With the lack of space in the community for these types of events, we believe it will be a great opportunity to be in contact with a lot more lost young people.  It will also be a great venue for the young preachers to gain more experience in preaching and presenting the Gospel.

Please be in prayer for both the new church plant and the soccer leagues.

Surprise!

by

0

Yesterday, my wife surprised her sister, and pretty much everyone else from our family and home church by flying in to see our newly born niece, Selah.  Thanks to a faithful supporter, my wife was able to be with her sister, Stephanie Cornwell, right after the birth of her new baby girl.  We were hoping to get her there before the birth when the tickets were purchased 2 months ago, but she missed it by 15 hours.

She will be in the States for two weeks to spend time with her sister and family.  Please pray for her while she travels.  More importantly though, please pray for me while I’m attempting to take care of the five kiddos back here at home, while studying the language and looking for a church building 🙂

 

The New Church Plant Update

by

2

We are still in search for a place to start the church.  There is a meeting this Saturday with a family who may be willing to rent us their house.  Please be in prayer that we will walk through the doors the Lord opens.

The two areas we are wanting to start churches in are fairly young communities. There aren’t many buildings outside of houses, and the houses are over crowded and don’t become available often.  We believe these areas would be ideal places to start churches, and we’ll keep you up to date on the progress.

In the meantime, please to continue to pray for our language learning.

 

 

Update on Baby Grace Bassham

by

2

Many prayers were answered this past week when little Grace Bassham checked out of NICU and the hospital in Bangkok, Thailand on Monday morning.  The Bassham family are grateful for all that sent financial support, but they are even more grateful for the many prayers that were prayed for the new little baby.

The infection didn’t get to the blood stream, and the seemingly bad situation has passed.

Below is the latest update from the Bassham’s:

“I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for your prayers and support this past week with the complications of the birth of Grace and her time in the NICU.

Today, after 7 days in the NICU, she was finally released, and we were able to bring her home!

This past week, we were able to see the Lord answer prayers from all of the world for little Grace. There was a whirlwind of change that happened over here in the 24 hours following the update out asking for prayer for her.”

Click here for full article

 

 

Possible building…..not so much

by

0

Yesterday, I was able to contact the owner of a building we were interested in renting for the new church plant.  It was a run down looking building that didn’t look like it was being used at all.  We went by earlier in the week, and the young son said his dad was interested in renting out the building.  What we found out yesterday was that he was only interested in renting out a small room in the front part of the building.  He was still using most of the building for a tavern and pool hall.

So, I guess that’t not going to work.  The look continues.

Pray and Give for Baby Grace in Thailand

by

4

Yesterday, I wrote about our good missionary friend’s Philip and Lori Bassham new little baby Grace.  She was born on Monday and everything looked good for a little while until she started having problems breathing.  The Doctors feared she may have the Step B Infection.  They moved her to NICU and put in an incubator and told Philip and Lori she would be there from 3 to 7 days.

 

I found out a few minutes ago that the doctors have confirmed she does have the Step B Infection and will now be in the NICU at least 10-14 days.

With Philip and Lori being really close friends of our, it’s tough being so far away during a time like this.  I know it has to be even more tough for their families.

Since we can’t be there with them, we would like to help raise the $7500 in Medical expenses they are facing right now.  Amy and I have already given and are willing to give more if the needs aren’t raised.

Would you consider giving a small gift to help with these medical expenses?  You can send your gift to: Vision Baptist Missions P.O. Box 442 Alpharetta, GA  30009 or give online at visionbaptistmissions.com.  

I would also asking you to please be praying.  There are some pretty scary scenarios for babies that get it early on like little Grace.  Prayer is needed.  Please pray.