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Highlights
Volume 48, Issue 1 Published by the International Baptist Convention May 2010
Jimmy Martin
Passing on the Faith
in the IBC
Interlaken 2010
In Christ Alone:
Considering the
Sufficiency of Christ
RefresHER
Reaching Women in
Their Community

Passing on the Faith in the
Contents
Highlights
Volume 48, Issue 1
Ministry Leadership Conference
Offers Time of Refreshing ...... 4
I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived
in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and,
I am persuaded, now lives in you also... you then my son,
be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things
you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses
entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach
others. (2 Tim. 1:5; 2:1-2).
Executive Council Plans
Ministries of Convention ....... 5
In Christ Alone: Theme for
Interlaken 2010 ..................... 6
Euroventure 2010 – Where
Adventure Meets Worship &
Bible Study ............................ 7
Children’s Ministry Certification
to be offered at Interlaken
Summer Experience 2010 and
2011 ..................................... 8
From the Editor’s Pen ............ 8
“Give Yourself Away” at
Singles’ Conference ............... 9
IBCM Holds Annual Reunion
and Meeting ....................... 10
Reaching Women in Their
Community ......................... 10
In Response to the Haitian
Tragedy – Do No Harm ....... 11
News from the Churches ..... 13
Highlights
Published by the International
Baptist Convention
Am Dachsberg 98,
60435 Frankfurt/Main,
Germany, Phone: +49
(0) 69 9540 8505, Email:
admin@ibc-churches.org
www.ibc-churches.org
Jimmy Martin, General
Secretary
Judith Lynn Maxwell, Editor
Cover photo by Judith Lynn
Maxwell
2 | Highlights 05/2010
• It is no secret to anyone who knows Laurie
and me that we became grandparents on September
11 of last year. I determined not to be the
kind of grandfather who always “happened” to
have in his wallet a picture available to show to
anyone, anywhere, anytime. So … when I spoke
at our home church, ICF in Oberursel, Germany,
shortly after the birth of James Steven King, a picture
of our newborn grandson appeared behind
me on a PowerPoint presentation I was using. I
also always seem to have available pictures on
my iPhone for any who are interested. The joy of
being a grandparent is BIG. My own father, who
had eight sons and daughters, now has more
than 20 grandchildren and too-many-to-count
great-grandchildren. I cannot imagine multiplying
my joy that many times!
The apostle Paul reflected on and rejoiced in
the legacy of his “son in the faith” as he wrote
to Timothy. Timothy’s mother and grandmother
had passed on the faith effectively. Paul also challenged
Timothy to continue the legacy by training
others in the faith. What we call “the faith” includes
both life and ministry. It is who we are and
what we do. It is both “caught” and “taught.”
The ministry of the IBC and its churches stands
on the strong shoulders of many people. Identical
twins Herman and Herbert Stout were the
products of strong family and church influences.
When they arrived in Wiesbaden, Germany, after
World War II, they joined a group of Christ-followers
who lived out their faith through a ministry
of mercy and evangelism as they fed and
clothed German street children and shared Christ
with them. When the Stout brothers returned in
1957 and 1958 to plant churches in Wiesbaden
and Frankfurt, they brought with them a zeal for
ministering to and reaching people. Their passion
was passed on to their churches, and working together,
the churches began planting English-language
congregations, more than 30 of them in
the first six years of the IBC (then called the ABCE
– Association of Baptist Churches in Europe).
Others followed the Stout brothers. Churches
were planted both in and beyond Europe. Today,
we have churches in Europe, the Middle East, Africa,
and Central and South America. Recently, an
international church in the United States has applied
for membership. It is my joy to meet both
former and current pastors and church leaders
who were discipled and who served IBC churches
in past years. Their legacy continues.
We have made a strong commitment as a family
of churches to plant new churches together. In
addition to those started in the past five years in
places like Ramstein and Goettingen and Nuremberg,
we have taken some big steps to improve
our effectiveness through recruiting, assessing,
and training potential church planters; mentoring
and coaching them; and helping them to
build sustainable churches by reducing obstacles
to growth and health. Currently, Bob and Carol
Marsh and Glenn and Sue Herschberger are raising
support so that they can begin new churches
in Darmstadt, Germany, and Panama City, Panama.
With the assistance of Converge Worldwide,
we are learning how to develop a good strategy
for passing on the faith through church planting.
In addition, we are supporting church planters in
several countries of Europe and the Middle East
through the European Baptist Federation’s Indigenous
Missionary Project, which enables us to
sponsor a church planter for approximately 250
Euro (or $375) per month.
It is also vital that we seek to pass on the faith
within our churches through mentoring, training,
teaching, preaching, and living example. One of
the greatest challenges of an IBC church is also
one of its greatest opportunities – constant turnover
of members. Whether yours is a church with
a largely military or international business or diplomatic
or student or refugee population, every
IBC church is constantly having to say “goodbye”
to members. Since we take the Great Commission
of “making disciples” seriously, we must
find ways of passing on the faith quickly and effectively.
It is a challenge to evangelize and then
disciple a person in six months to three years. It
is also an opportunity to make an investment in
someone who moves to the “uttermost parts of
the earth,” taking with them the commitment to
live out the faith they have learned while attending
an IBC church.
I recommend that pastors and leaders look at
their current church discipling/mentoring process.
If you do not have a specific strategy for
helping your members – as many as will – to
grow in becoming lifelong, obedient followers
of Christ, begin to pray that God will help you
to develop and sustain one. All of our churches
are doing positive things. Here are just a few. Recently
I visited IBC Stuttgart, and spoke with the
leader of MasterLife there Pat O’Brien. He told
me about reaching Chinese students with the

IBC
gospel through the popular Alpha Course and then immediately
using MasterLife to help new converts develop
as disciples.
Scott Corwin is working hard to bring the Perspectives
course to Berlin to help Christians better understand
what it means to be “world Christians” who understand
that, regardless of our profession, our vocation
is to be a Christ-follower who shares God’s passion for
global evangelism. Emirates Baptist Church International
in Dubai has already seen the results of several cycles
of Perspectives.
Darryl Evetts in Ramstein has recently taken his
church through Bill Hybel’s effective, “Just Walk across
the Room” personal evangelism course that trains every
believer to pass on their faith in the normal patterns of
living. David Hodgdon is leading Rome Baptist Church
in ministering to non-English speakers and sharing the
gospel by providing five levels of English as a Second
Language classes. Altus Newell, at Faith Baptist Church
in Kaiserslautern, continues to give a strong witness
through the church’s church-sponsored school. Pastor
Paul Dreessen recently mobilized members of IBC San
Jose, Costa Rica, to show mercy and share the gospel
by sending teams to help with the Haiti disaster. IBC
Bremen is taking a group of its members to minister in
South Africa during the World Cup.
Pastors and leaders who expose their members to
ministries of mercy and mission are passing on the faith
in ways they can see and in ways they cannot see. Training
believers not only to fill their heads with Scripture
but also their hearts with the passions of the Christ of
Scripture is a wise investment.
As I write this article, I can hardly wait to get on the
next plane to the Middle East to see my grandson for a
week. To see him at the age when he can express his joy
by smiling and laughing will be a delight to his grandma
and grandpa. Passing on the faith brings a similar
delight to anyone who invests in others.
•
To Kingdom Come,
James Steven King
Jimmy Martin
WORLD CUP
Ignite the Flame 2010
Pray for:
Virginia Baptists as they send two teams to South Africa for the World Cup
Team One: 9 - 23 June
Team Two: 23 June - 7 July
International Baptist Church of Bremen, Germany
Team of eight going June 18 June - 4 July
The outreach initiatives through the following ministries: Holiday Clubs,
Street Soccer and Soccer Clinics, Sideline Ministry and Big Screen Events
www.ignitetheflame2010.org
3 | Highlights 05/2010

Ministry Leadership Conference
Offers Time of Refreshing
• The International Baptist Convention’s
Ministry Leadership Conference was
held, 19-23 March, in Carvoeiro, Algarve,
Portugal. The weekend conference provided
pastors and leaders in the IBC churches
an opportunity to enjoy fellowship, relaxation,
encouragement, teaching, and the
weather and scenery of southern Portugal.
The conference also
provided the opportunity
to kick-off the
presidential theme of
the year “To Kingdom
Come.” President Peter
Idris Taylor, introduced
this theme based on the
last verse of the Lord’s
Prayer: “Your kingdom
come. Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.”
Taylor spoke on Friday evening to open
the conference. He asked the group to
consider what Jesus said after He rose
again. All of His messages pointed to the
Kingdom of God. Jesus didn’t do things
the way the people of His day expected.
The Kingdom of God does exist; it does
exist on earth as it does in heaven. Taylor
reminded the attendees that they could
not be a citizen of the Kingdom without
being a subject of the King; we must
obey the King. Sometimes the Kingdom
doesn’t come the way we expect it either.
Salvation depends on a crown of thorns,
not of jewels; it depends on a cross, not
a throne; it depends on God’s way, not
our way. Taylor closed his message with a
challenge: How are
you seeking God’s
Kingdom to discern
the plans and
purposes of God?
Keynote speaker
for the weekend
was Steve Smith,
founder of the Potter’s
Inn Ministry in
the U.S. and former
pastor of Trinity International
Church,
Leidschendam, The Netherlands. Smith
and his wife Gwen have committed themselves
to the spiritual growth and transformation
of churches and individuals. During
his messages, Smith spoke on “How
do people really change?” “Why does Jesus
sometimes wait and what happens
to us in the waiting process?” and “Understanding
and Removing the Five Most
“May Jesus himself and God our
Father, who reached out in love and
surprised you with gifts of unending
help and confidence, put a fresh heart
in you, invigorate your work, enliven
your speech.”
(2 Thess. 2:16-17, The Message)
Commonly Worn Graveclothes by People
in the Church.”
Musical worship times were led by Erik
Nielsen, pastor of First International Baptist
Church, Copenhagen, Denmark; Brian
Kirby, pastor of Emmanuel International
Church, Paris, France; John Punch, youth
minister of IBC Budapest, Hungary; and
Aniko Balint, worship leader of IBC Budapest.
Other speakers and seminar leaders for
the weekend included IBC General Secretary
Jimmy Martin, Brian Kirby, Gwen
Smith, Larry Jones, Bill Laughlin, and David
Packer.
•
Praise team is led by Erik Nielsen
(right).
Steve Smith
Photos by Judith Lynn Maxwell
Praise and worship times are important part of MLC.
Participants enjoy the sun of Portugal.
4 | Highlights 05/2010

Executive Council Plans
Ministries of Convention
• The Executive Council of the International Baptist
Convention met 20 March as part of the Ministry
Leadership Conference in the Algarve, Portugal. The
council heard reports from General Secretary Jimmy
Martin and from the ministry team coordinators
and regional coordinators who make up the council.
Martin reported that like the churches, the convention
itself continues to change. Some of those
changes, Martin said, are initiated by the convention
itself such as the new election process for president
and vice president of the convention. Other changes
come from the outside, Martin said, such as the
request from an international church in the U.S. to
join the IBC. Like all requests to join the convention,
this request is under review by the Church Development
Ministry Team.
Martin encouraged the council to keep the focus
on the mission of the convention – church planting
and strengthening existing churches.
President Peter Idris Taylor brought a report from
the Executive Sub-Council. The IBC Annual Meeting
2010 will be held at Stuttgart, Germany. The emphasis
will be on the incoming president and a presidential
theme will be launched at that time. The
executive sub-council also recommended to the full
council that Lorin Cranford, pastor at the International
Baptist Church, Köln, Germany, be nominated
to the European Baptist Federation to serve on the
Board of Directors for the International Baptist Theological
Seminary in Prague, Czech Republic. The EBF
encourages member organizations to nominate individuals
to serve on committees and boards of the
EBF. Should Cranford be elected by the EBF council,
the IBC will cover the travel costs for Cranford to attend
the meetings.
Clerk and IBC Administrative Assistant Lorraine
Stringer reported on the results of the Annual Church
Letters. Of the 71 member churches and church
plants, 44 returned their letters. Of the 44 who returned
the letters, 18 submitted their annual financial
statements. The annual church letters is one way
to learn of what the churches have done in the past
year and to accumulate statistics on a conventionwide
basis. The regional coordinators were encouraged
to follow-up with the churches who still needed
to submit letters or financial statements.
Martin also reported on behalf of the Budget and
Finance Ministry Team. Giving during January and
February was down; March giving was better. For
the Global Missions Offering, in its second year of
existence, giving as of 15 March was 20,664€ from
18 churches. This is up from the 13,583€ given in
2008. Bill Tully, coordinator for the Missions Ministry
Team whose responsibility it is to promote the offering,
asked for additional ways to promote the offering
within the churches.
Bill Lauchlin, coordinator for the Church Development
Ministry Team, said that a LEAD team training
session was held in Frankfurt in January. More than
15 people attended. Darryl Evetts will head a LEAD
team to support the work of Bob and Carol Marsh,
President Peter Idris Taylor (left) presides over the Executive Council.
church planters for Darmstadt, Germany. Lauchlin also
reported that Glen and Sue Herschberger, church
planters for Panama City, will be at Interlaken. This
will provide the Herschbergers an opportunity to be
introduced to the convention.
Pamela Culbertson, representing the Education
Ministry team, reported on the children’s worker
training certification program being offered at Interlaken
2010 and 2011. Janice Haywood from North
Carolina will be providing these workshops and additional
training between the two conferences (see
related article on page 8). Culbertson encouraged
the churches to encourage their children’s workers
to participate in this program.
In other business, the council voted to change the
quorum requirements for council meetings. One half
of the total members of the executive council are
now needed for a quorum.
•
Plan Now to Attend!
Annual Convention Meeting
25-28 October 2010
IBC, Stuttgart
Photo by Judith Lynn Maxwell
5 | Highlights 05/2010

In Christ Alone: Theme for Interla
Carter
Chambers
McAllister
• “In Christ Alone: Considering the Sufficiency
of Christ” is the theme for the International Baptist
Convention's annual Interlaken Summer Experience
in Switzerland, 10-15 July. The theme
Bible verse for the week is Psalm 73:25: “Whom
have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on
earth that I desire besides you” (ESV). The Interlaken
Summer Experience is a popular event offering
daily Bible studies, worship times, seminars,
and activities for all age groups in one of the most
beautiful areas in Switzerland.
“This week offers something for everyone,” said
David Walker, coordinator for this year’s event.
“Families will be enriched by the teaching from
our Bible leader, keynote speaker, and seminar
leaders. There will be special events for singles.
And the children will be taught and loved by a
team from Virginia. The youth will have a packed
week of fun and learning ‘up the hill’ in Grindelwald.”
Stuart McAllister will be the morning speaker.
Born in Scotland, McAllister spent the early years
of his career in sales before Christ changed his life
at the age of 20. The desire to serve the Lord and
at the same time deepen his understanding of the
faith led him to Operation Mobilisation in 1978.
OM sent him to Yugoslavia where he was imprisoned
for 40 days for distributing Christian literature.
Undeterred he continued on his mission to
preach the gospel in communist countries.
McAllister has developed an evangelistic mobilization
called “Love Europe” that sent several
thousand team members across Europe with the
message of the gospel. After residing in Vienna,
Austria, for 20 years, McAllister joined the staff of
Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) as
the international director in 1998. He now serves
as the vice president for training and special projects
at RZIM.
Tony Carter will be the evening speaker. Carter
was born and raised in Woodland Park, Michigan
(USA). After obtaining his university degree,
he enrolled in Reformed Theological Seminary in
Orlando, Florida, where he received a master’s degree
in biblical studies. He currently serves as the
assistant pastor at Southwest Christian Fellowship
in Atlanta, Georgia. As part of this, he is serving
as the lead pastor in planting East Point Church in
Atlanta. He is the author of several books and is a
frequent conference and guest speaker.
The worship leader will be Jerry Chambers.
After serving at Faith Baptist in Kaiserslautern,
Chambers and his wife Judy sensed God’s call to
return to the Pacific Northwest in the U.S., helping
establish Meadowbrook Church -- a church
designed to reach the lost in the Redmond area
of Washington, home to Microsoft. Chambers led
worship for Interlaken in 1992 and 1995. Nine of
the Chambers family musicians will be comprising
the worship band and vocal team for the worship
services.
The conference offers three separate tracks for
adults, youth, and children. The conference begins
with registration on Saturday afternoon with
the opening session beginning at 7 p.m. The conference
concludes on Thursday at noon.
Each morning at 9 a.m., adults will begin with
a seminar period. This is followed by worship and
Bible study. Participants may choose two seminars,
led by committed Christians from around
the world.
Planned seminars include “Disciple-Shape:
Steps Toward Spiritual Fitness,” “Ambassadors
on Mission,” “Parenting Teenagers,” “Just Walk
Across the Room,” “Galatians: Freedom in Christ,”
“Coaching for Results in the Church,” “Family
Portraits,” “Using Stories for Evangelism and Discipleship,”
“Colossians: Christ Above All,” and
“Children’s Ministry Training” (see separate article
on page 8).
Singles attending the assembly will find a number
of special activities planned during the afternoon
and evening times. Dorm rooms have been
reserved at the Backpackers Hostel across from
the conference center. This option also includes a
daily breakfast along with four hot meals (Sunday
through Wednesday). Singles who wish to stay
with this group must register early to ensure their
accommodations are confirmed. The deadline for
registration with accommodations is 1 June.
Euroventure attracts a large number of youth
each year. Held simultaneously with the summer
assembly, it provides the youth with a time
packed with Bible study, worship, small group
sharing, recreation and much more. Conference
fee, lodging, and meals are included in the registration
fee. Space is limited so please sign up early.
Euroventure is for youth ages 12-19 and is a
great place for students to grow in their relationship
with Christ. This year’s speakers will be
Saleim Kahleh and Tom Hufty (see related article
on page 7).
There is something for the children as well. During
all the scheduled meetings, children of all ages
will enjoy a biblically based program designed just
for Interlaken. Led by a team of trained volunteers,
6 | Highlights 05/2010

ken 2010
the children’s program provides Bible learning,
music, recreation, and activities for all ages.
Registration fees for the week are
• e195 Family ‘Early Bird’ / €215 Family
• e100 Individual ‘Early Bird’ / €120 Individual
• e170 Single ‘Early Bird’ with meals (4 evening
meals) / €190 Single with meals
• e320 Single ‘Early Bird’ meals & accommodation
/ €340 Single meals & accommodation
• e240 Euroventure ‘Early Bird’ / €260 Euroventure
(Two or more family members attending
will save €20 each). Save €20 if you register
and pay before 1 May.
Early Bird rates are available before 1 June.
For more information or to register for these
events, log onto www.ibc-churches.org or see
information packets mailed to IBC churches.
For more information on the accommodations
available in Interlaken, please refer to the
brochures mailed to the churches from the local
tourist bureaus or contact the Tourist Office
Interlaken at Hoehenweg 37, CH-3800 Interlaken.
Telephone: +41.33.826.5300. Email: mail@
InterlakenTourism.ch. Website: www.interlakentourism.ch.
•
Euroventure 2010
Where Adventure Meets Worship & Bible Study
• Euroventure 2010 will take place 10-15 July in
Grindelwald, Switzerland. It is designed for youth
ages 12-19 and is part of the International Baptist
Convention’s Interlaken Summer Experience.
Euroventure will be a great place for students to
understand what a relationship with Jesus Christ is
all about. It will also provide a training ground and
next-level experience for students who desire a deeper
walk.
The week also includes opportunities to experience
all that Switzerland has to offer including white
water rafting, tobogganing, and hiking in the gorgeous
Swiss Alps. Euroventure is filled with a good
balance of spiritual growth times, physical activity,
fun and games, fellowship, and worship.
Saleim Kahleh and Tom Hufty will be featured
speakers for Euroventure.
Kahleh was raised as a Muslim in a loving Islamic
home. After his first year of college, Kahleh went on
a quest to find the truth about God and religion. Jesus
Christ revealed himself to Kahleh and now he testifies
about the goodness of God. Kahleh is a graduate
of Houston Baptist University and is employed
by his alma mater as the Coordinator for Prayer and
Evangelism and the Associate Director of Sports and
Recreation, following along the lines of his degree.
Hufty returns with a group of students from Hannabel
LaGrange College. He has been speaking to
students and families for more than 30 years. The
biblical truths he shares, balanced with humor, effectively
communicates his passion to see students
become all God wants them to be. He challenges his
audiences to live their lives with purpose, making Jesus
look good everyday.
Registration fees for the week are
• e220 before 1 May
• e240 from 1 May
• e260 from 1 June
• e280 from 1 July
• e180 for adult sponsors
• Two or more family members
attending save €20 each.
For more information, see www.ibc-churches.org/
events/euroventure2010.
•
Saleim Kahleh
Tom Hufty
7 | Highlights 05/2010

Children’s Ministry Certification to be offered at
Interlaken Summer Experience 2010 and 2011
• Preschool and children’s teachers or ministry
leaders will have the opportunity to earn a certificate in
Preschool and Children’s Ministry during the Interlaken
Summer Experiences of 2010 and 2011. The program
is designed especially for
• teachers of preschoolers and children that want basic
and advanced training
• volunteers or ministers that coordinate childhood
ministries in their church
• leaders that want to become equippers of teachers.
Janice Haywood of Cary, North Carolina (USA), who
has taught certification courses for Campbell University
Divinity School for 10 years and for the Baptist General
Association of Virginia for five years, will teach the
sessions.
To maximize the time during the Interlaken Experience,
it will be necessary to utilize all the morning
hours for this training. Classes will be Sunday through
Wednesday mornings from 8:30-12:30. There will be
some homework assignments before the Experience
and during the Experience, but it will not interfere with
family time or evening worship.
Persons desiring to receive the certification must attend
the sessions both years, complete assignments between
the two sessions and interact with the teacher
and the group on the Internet between the two sessions
as a member of a learning community.
Highlights of the Teaching Sessions
• Gain practical knowledge about preschool and children’s
developmental needs and issues related to their
total development, including brain research
• Learn helpful, effective and creative teaching strategies
for faith formation of preschoolers and children
• Explore the theological and biblical foundations for
preschool and children’s ministry including conversion
counseling and effective communication of biblical
concepts such as prayer and worship
• Discover the role and function of an effective volunteer
coordinator, director, or minister
• Experience training in diagnosing needs and designing
appropriate programs as well as choosing literature
and resources for preschoolers, children, and
families
• Observe and evaluate a demonstration teaching session
• Complete assignments in your church and receive
feedback between the two sessions via an Internet
learning community led by Janice Haywood
• Receive certificate during the final worship session
in 2011.
Note: If you do not wish to receive a certificate indicating
that you have received this advanced training, you
still may participate in one or both years’ morning classes,
but you will not be part of the Internet learning community
or receive some of the resources.
For more information about Janice Haywood and the
certification programs, see www.janicehaywood.com.•
Nancy Blancato
From the Editor’s Pen
• On Good Friday, Stewart and I attended a church
service at a local German church. Afterwards, I had a
discussion with a friend about the differences in the
way that Americans and Germans honor this day. In
Germany, Good Friday is a public holiday – businesses
are closed, stores are closed, schools are closed. In the
U.S., for the most part, it is a “business-as-usual” day.
As I was growing up, I cannot remember when we
had Good Friday off for a school holiday. Sometimes
we had the week after Easter as a spring break week,
but most years, this was taken away to fill in for all the
snow days we had in February. If we were lucky, we had
Easter Monday off.
While studying at the university, our university had a
Good Friday service. While it had good attendance, it
could not compare to the Candlelight Christmas Service
each year. After the university, the town where I
lived held a community-wide Good Friday service, often
running for three hours. But I never attended that.
And then I moved to Germany. And it seems that
Good Friday is almost more important than Easter Sunday.
And that has given me cause to wonder – why?
Why would more people feel the need to attend church
on Good Friday than on Easter Sunday?
Yet, as our interim pastor reminded us on Sunday,
without Good Friday, there would be no Easter Sunday.
Without Jesus dying, there would be no resurrection.
Without the agony of the cross, there would be
no celebration of the empty tomb.
Why do we celebrate Good Friday? Because it was in
Jesus dying that he brought salvation to us.
Judith Lynn Maxwell
P.S. It seems that Germany may be one of only a few
countries in Europe which has Good Friday as a public
holiday. Stewart’s cell phone rang during the church
service. Fortunately, it was on silent!
•
8 | Highlights 05/2010

“Give Yourself Away” at Singles’ Conference
• We live in a world that has proven to us that it
is not trustworthy. We have felt the pain, the betrayal,
and the selfishness. In light of this and the fact
that our heart is naturally selfish, we have chosen to
hold on tight to what we have. We hoard our money,
guard our hearts, and protect ourselves from anything
that even begins to make us feel vulnerable.
That’s fine if all we want from this life is a mere existence,
but if we want to experience a life that is truly
worth living we are going to have to learn to give
ourselves away. Abraham did it. Moses did it. Ruth
did it. David did it. Esther did it. Jesus did it.
This is not a call for blind benevolence or letting
others take advantage of us. It is a call for a surrender
and a sacrifice that comes out of a heart that is
continually filled by the love of God. It is a risk that
can be taken because God is our safety net and our
firm foundation. God calls us to empty ourselves as
He takes full responsibility for keeping us full of what
we need most – peace, love, joy, hope, purpose, and
so much more. It may cost us money, time, emotions,
reputation, rights, and in some cases even our
career, but in return we will receive so much more.
Make the choice. Give Yourself Away and find in
that moment the life that you’ve been longing for.
Join others from churches across Europe for the
IBC Singles’ Spring Conference, 21-23 May, in Budapest,
Hungary, for a great weekend of music, Bible
teaching, new friends, service projects, a ride
down the Danube River, and much more. For more
information and registration go to http://www.ibcchurches.org/events/singles2010.
A “Ministry to Singles” Training Seminar
This seminar is for people who want to play a leading
role in ministering to singles in their churches.
It will take place after the main conference on Sunday
and Monday. The training will be done in such
a way that it strengthens existing singles’ ministries
and helps begin new ministries to singles.
Our priority is to give those in attendance the
training that they need to be able to meet the needs
of their singles, while drawing their singles to be
more involved in ministry. This allows singles to be a
blessing to the congregation while being blessed by
the congregation.
The training will highlight the needs and struggles
that are prevalent in the lives of singles. As those who
plan ministry are aware of these needs they can begin
to minister to singles in a way that will protect,
guide, and equip them to live a healthy life that loves
God and loves others.
We will help those attending the seminar plan a
ministry that calls singles to servanthood, sacrifice,
and selflessness as they follow God more fully. If singles
will adjust their lives to God’s priorities many
singles will find that they have greater opportunity
and freedom to serve God than they ever thought
possible.
In addition to these sessions, the training will involve
different ministry ideas, events, and possibilities
so that those in attendance can plan for their
own church situation. Brainstorming together, we
will help each other begin to form a plan of how best
to minister to singles in each church’s unique context.
•
Tim Melton
9 | Highlights 05/2010

IBCM Holds Annual Reunion and Meeting
• If you have memory of the “cold war”
you no doubt are familiar with the term
ICBM. We thank God that no Inter-Continental
Ballistic Missile was ever launched
during that “war” of words, challenges,
and times of apprehension.
However, another acronym gaining attention
in the international Christian community
is IBCM. It was launched from the
home of Charles McIlveene some 12 years
ago. In this case, IBCM refers to International
Baptist Church Ministries. The goal
of this ministry is to financially assist English-language
international churches in igniting
the explosive gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ in as many areas of the world
as possible. Although the majority of the
churches that have received assistance are
in Europe, other International English-language
Baptist churches are located in the
UAE, Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina, South
Africa, and Tanzania. Others are in formational
stages as God provides leadership
and guidance.
IBCM is a membership organization,
which meets annually. The most recent
gathering was at First Baptist Church, Euless,
Texas (USA), on 6 February. The evening
before, a time of food, fellowship,
and fun, was enjoyed by more than 40
associates at the Bavarian Grill in Plano.
Sharing ministry memories, as well as updates
of current activities, is one of the
great joys of our organization’s get-togethers.
The February meeting was not “business
as usual.” There were times of recounting
this ministry’s beginnings, and
those who contributed ideas and support
from IBCM’s inception. A moving
devotional, brought by Mary Beth Moore,
daughter of the ministry’s founder and visionary
Charles McIlveene, was entitled,
“Leaving a Legacy.” The legacy of Charles
and others, who, under God’s leadership,
anchored IBCM’s foundation and direction,
will reach into eternity
A report by Jimmy Martin, general secretary
of the International Baptist Convention,
concerning churches now gathering
new believers, heretofore un-reached,
was both inspiring and challenging. Laurie
Martin shared promising women’s
ministries involving European Baptist Federation
churches. Jim Erwin, Nat Mack,
Jimmie Nelson, and Minette Pratt were
elected to fill vacancies on IBCM’s Board
of Directors. Other reports and business
concerning IBCM was conducted in an
atmosphere of love, grace, and encouragement.
Richard Page reported current organization
membership and encouraged membership
promotion. Membership in IBCM
is open to those desiring to see this ministry
continue to grow in its ability to aid
as many churches as possible in spreading
the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far-reaches
of planet earth. Membership information
is available at www. ibcmworld.org.•
Neil G. Thompson
Berlin, 1988-1991
Schweinfurt, 1997-1999
Reaching Women in Their Community
• Frontline Community, located in
Ramstein, Germany, maintains an active
women’s ministry called RefresHER,
which includes monthly events, weekly Bible
studies, and a developing deployment
ministry. The purpose of this ministry is to
encourage and equip women in our community
to lead a life that points others to
Christ. Our past few months’ activities are
highlighted here.
Laugh Night last September was a huge
hit with more than 70 women attending.
A catered Italian buffet dinner, games
encouraging laughter, and video clips of
Christian comedians made for a fun and
friendship-building event as we remembered
that laughter is “good medicine”
for the soul.
In November the RefresHER team led
a church-wide Boxing Night to fill more
than 85 boxes with goodies and Psalm 91
books for deployed friends and spouses.
We have received numerous notes from
those deployed stating that the boxes and
notes were received at just the right time
to encourage them as they are away from
family and friends during the holiday.
December’s festive events included a
trip by train to the Mannheim Christmas
Markets. The women enjoyed fellowship
and German treats to stay warm and experienced
cultural events. During December
the women helped our Shining Stars,
10 | Highlights 05/2010
school-age students, with a gift drive and
delivery of gifts and goodies to a local orphanage.
Frontline is privileged to partner
with missionaries in Slovenia who were in
need of sporting equipment and treattype
food items for ministry to local youth.
RefresHER women set up a Christmas tree
with gift tags to encourage gifts for the
Slovenia team.
In January the RefresHER team organized
a Healthy Lifestyle brunch. Frontline
member and personal trainer Sandi
Griffin shared her success story “Couch
Potato to PT Spud” (available on Tangle.
com). She shared guidelines about grocery
shopping and falling prey to deceitful
marketing. Kim Foley, Frontliner and
aerobics instructor, also shared tips on exercises
that can be done at home using
minimal equipment. Bernadette Morris,
Frontliner and fitness instructor, shared
her heart for ministering to moms and
children about health and went on to lead
a group of women in an eight-week challenge
to reach their health goals and grow
closer to God in the process.
February’s event, Stories from the Heart,
included cupcakes (just to balance things
out from our healthy lifestyle brunch!).
Frontline women shared stories about
God’s sovereign hand in their lives in areas
like marriage, adoption, salvation testimonies,
and friendship.
The RefresHER team continues to seek
God’s will for reaching the Frontline and
Kaiserslautern military community women,
making and strengthening friendships, and
growing closer to God. Upcoming events
include a Swap Party, giving suggestions
to women on organizing, reducing clutter,
and being good stewards of the gifts
we have been given. Additional RefresHER
gatherings include a day trip to the Prayer
Gardens in Darmstadt and a Daughters of
the King formal event reminding women of
the value that we hold as children of a loving,
redeeming Father.
•
Jocelyn Cadiz & Lisa Alvey
January’s event features information
on a healthy lifestyle.

In Response to the Haitian Tragedy
Do No Harm
by Nery Duarte
Member of International Baptist Church, San Jose, Costa Rica
• The Haitian disaster is quite possibly
one of the most complex humanitarian
emergencies in modern human history.
Millions of people are facing, and likely
will continue to face, shortages of basic
necessities. Paradoxically, this tragedy is
unfolding on the doorstep of two of the
most prosperous nations in the world, the
Unites States and Canada. Humanitarian
agencies, along with supportive governments,
are being forced to ask themselves
this question: How can we, in a timely and
appropriate way, help the Haitian people
meet their short and long-term needs; and
at the same time, seek to use this tragedy as
an opportunity to break away from a seemingly
endless cycle of dependency? The answers
are not simple. In my organization,
these highly complicated issues are being
addressed by our most insightful thinkers
as we refine our assistance strategy.
This article does not necessarily address
the larger humanitarian agencies working
in Haiti, nor other supportive governments.
I trust that they, along with my
own organization, are rushing to come up
with possible solutions to the issue of investing,
rather than just spending, the resources
entrusted to us for the people of
Haiti. In our quest for answers we must be
wise and attempt to incorporate a mechanism
that will empower the Haitian society
for long-term solutions, not help to nourish
a cycle of dependency. This article focuses
on smaller non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) and faith-based and/or
independent aid groups – those humanitarian
groups who have plenty of good intentions
and are already working hard in
Haiti or those who will very soon join this
massive humanitarian effort.
As a whole, the humanitarian industry
has learned many lessons from previous
emergencies. It is by recognizing and embracing
these “lessons learned” tools that
we can attempt to avoid mistakes made in
the past. Tools such as the books Do Not
Harm and Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
and codes for ethics and conduct such
as those provided by the Red Cross and
Red Crescent Federation and the Standards
of Humanitarian Aid will undoubtedly
be implemented. Along with this,
most large humanitarian agencies are joining
the coordinating effort led by the United
Nations with the assumption that the
Haitian government is solely responsible
for the welfare of its own citizens.
The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000
and their families can give us some guidance
on how to tackle the question of
wisely providing aid to desperately needy
people. The story begins with uncertainties
about how to meet the needs and the
way in which Jesus responds to those uncertainties.
Although the world may have
enough resources to meet the basic needs
of the people of Haiti, it is important to
note that in this Biblical passage, the resources
which were miraculously multiplied
came from within the needy crowd
and from the one who had the least: a
child. We must remember that before the
earthquake the Haitian people were somehow
able to meet their own needs, and in
spite of their scarcity, they did have agriculture,
commerce, and productive activities.
The first question we need to ask
is: What can we do to support their current
livelihoods and avoid activities that could
weaken them?
Referring back to the story of feeding
the 5,000, I notice that the food distribution
was not done by Jesus himself, but
by his disciples. Very simply, Jesus did not
seek to make a name for himself, although
it may have been tempting. With this in
mind, the second question all aid groups
(large or small) ought to ask is: How can
we enable local networks to do their own
relief and development work? The question
should not be limited to: How can we do
relief and development work? We need to
find ways to work through the local government,
municipalities, and communitybased
organizations in order to strengthen
them by providing a sense of accomplishment
and moral authority.
Ten years ago during Hurricane Mitch
in Honduras, a faith-based organization
came to donate several truckloads of supplies
to a community. These were distributed
among the population in need. Simultaneously,
the local municipality was
struggling to meet many of the same basic
emergency needs. Although the donation
was obviously well-meaning, it actually
humiliated the efforts of the local
11 | Highlights 05/2010

Bibliographical References
• Anderson, M. (1999). Do not harm: how aid can support peace or war.
Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
• Cahill, K. (2003). Emergency Relief Operations. New York: Fordham University
Press and the Center for International Health and Cooperation.
• Janz, M. & Slead, J. (2000). Complex Humanitarian Emergencies: Lessons
from Practitioners. California: World Vision International.
• Declaration of the Rights of the Child http://www.cirp.org/library/ethics/
UN-declaration/
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: The Code of
Conduct http://www.ifrc.org/publicat/conduct/code.asp
• Lanham, M.(1998). Hard Choices: Moral dilemmas in humanitarian
intervention. Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield.
• Lautze, S., (1997), Saving Lives and Livelihoods: The Fundamentals of a
Livelihoods’ Strategy, Medford, MA: Feinstein International Famine Center.
• The Sphere Project: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster
Response. (2008) Oxford, UK: Oxfam Publishing.
authorities. Even though the aid organization left after
only a few days, their presence created a long-lasting
feeling of unease towards the local leadership.
Notice also, in the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus himself
asks the question: Where shall we buy bread for these
people to eat? Yes! The one who would have the answer
is asking the question! Too often, we indulge in arrogance
by assuming we know the answers. There are
many complex questions that need to be asked both now
and during this still-unfolding humanitarian catastrophe.
Only if we engage those who are having the problems will
we be able to find true solutions.
Years ago during a large flood, I observed a response
team of army engineers trying to build a road across a
swamp after the bridge had been destroyed. Endless
effort and thousands of dollars were invested. In the
meantime, just several hundred meters beyond their
work I saw a small truck drive across the swamp. The
locals had already built a pathway and they were using
it! The engineers had not bothered to look around
or ask questions. Simple questions such as: To whom,
where, why, what, when and how should we provide help?
asked to local authorities or well-established aid agencies
may save time, effort, and even the lives of humanitarian
workers.
This was illustrated during an emergency in Central
America when an independent aid organization did
food distribution very close to our orderly distribution
center. Their well-meant effort created riots in the community
which eventually forced us all to move out for
fear of our lives.
Recently, just a couple of weeks ago in Haiti, I witnessed
a dramatic confrontation between a humanitarian
worker and a group of impromptu aid volunteers
who had brought a truckload of baby powder formula
to feed a number of babies in a camp. Even a novice
worker in the humanitarian industry should know that
breastfeeding mothers must not be given baby formula
to feed their babies; during the time it takes to use up
the supply of formula, the mother’s capability of breastfeeding
will also dry up, thus condemning the child to
die of starvation. Before setting off to help in Haiti (or if
already there) we must do our homework and ask necessary
questions.
Before feeding a crowd that may have actually been
more than 10,000, Jesus had them sit down on the
grass and divide into small groups. Jesus made sure
things were organized, especially by directing the aid
providers to take specific actions. The fourth question
that big and small NGOs, agencies, faith groups, and
impromptu relief groups working in Haiti need to ask is:
How can we assure that our relief efforts will enhance the
already organized relief efforts of the greater humanitarian
industry and the local networks, rather than discredit,
harm, or overwhelm them?
Many years ago, I saw a faith-based aid team bring
relief to victims of an earthquake; however, they sadly
chose to give only to those affiliated with their faith.
After almost 33 years, I still find acquaintances who remember
this event with bitterness.
On another occasion, I saw a team of independent
relief workers build a small number of very nice transition
homes right beside the project of a much larger
NGO that was struggling to build a much larger number
of more basic transition homes that would serve to
benefit a much larger number of families. The recipients
of the homes from the larger NGO were unhappy
when they saw nicer homes built by the smaller NGO.
These examples illustrate that good work done in an
un-thoughtful and with an un-synchronized approach can
actually do more harm than good. It is possible that during
this summer vacation, an army of spontaneous aid
workers will take advantage of their time off and travel
to Haiti to provide help, and unwittingly, with their
well-meant effort, cause the ongoing organized effort
to be hindered, weakened, or discredited.
Lastly, in the account of feeding the 5,000, after relief
food was given, Jesus made sure that cleanup took
place for the obvious purposes of respect for the social
and physical environment, as well as accountability. The
most difficult question posed to any organization working
(or intending to work) in Haiti will be: What legacy
will we leave behind? There are only two possibilities: a
messy, weakened, and wasteful site or an empowered,
self-sustaining, and dignified Haitian society. •
Duarte is a leader at the International Baptist Church in
Costa Rica and the Regional Humanitarian Affairs
Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean for World
Vision International.
12 | Highlights 05/2010

News from the Churches
Freiburg, Germany
Pastor Sylvester and Adelaide Prepah-Kwakye
• God the Almighty has given the Royal
Family International Baptist Church,
Freiburg, Germany, wonderful occasions
where His great grace and mercy have been
manifested within our church. One of these
occasions was the visit of IBC General Secretary
Jimmy Martin last year, during which
he preached a powerful sermon about the
prodigal son which really gave us a new
view on this well-known story of the Bible.
Another important occasion was the
visit of Lana Packer on 27 February. She
held a seminar for our “Women Aflame”
women’s fellowship which really touched
the women who attended the meeting.
Several new members have been baptized
into the church. “Then they that gladly
received his word were baptized: and
the same day there were added unto them
about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).
We thank God for all His works and
all the help He has offered to us, and we
thank Him for the IBC which has already
helped us in so many ways.
•
Brasilia, Brazil
• “Embraced – A Conference of Hope
for Women” was held at the International
Baptist Church of Brasilia on Saturday, 20
March. Forty-eight women attended representing
12 nations including: Nigeria,
Ghana, Sri Lanka, China, India, Indonesia,
Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast,
Zambia, USA, and Brazil.
The conference opened with worship in
song led by IBC Praise Team Leader Adriana
Titgens. The three plenary sessions
included challenging teaching from IBC
members Sintique Alves Ledes, Ligia Costa,
and Jenny Spinola.
Session one had Sintique unfolding the
life of Hagar. Sintique challenged the women
by reminding them that the consequences
of sin often include suffering but that El
Roi (the God who sees) continues to work,
despite poor decisions, and brings worth to
a person’s life as He accomplishes His purposes
through them. Many women attending
were able to closely relate to Hagar, having
moved from their country of origin and
now being foreigners in another land.
In session two, Ligia shared the life of
the woman at the well. Ligia reminded the
attendees of what it would have been like
to be a Samaritan outcast and cautioned
the audience on the dangers of prejudice
in an international church. Women were
A crepe buffet ends the women’s day at
IBC, Brasilia.
encouraged by being reminded how Jesus
pursued this “outcast” woman to offer
spiritual healing even though sin had
permeated her life.
Jenny concluded the teaching sessions
by introducing the women to a beautiful
bride – the Bride of Christ. Jenny compared
the different phases of a bride and
wedding to the imagery found in the Bible.
All were encouraged to prepare for
their coming Bridegroom, embrace faithfulness,
and remain that way.
God touched hearts and spiritual healing
was experienced through the power
of God’s Word in this special conference.
Conference Coordinator Lydia Day noted
that one exciting piece to the conference
was seeing the saints being equipped for
the work of the ministry. It was inspiring
to see how God stretched the faith of the
many women involved, making this conference
a special blessing. The day concluded
with a catered meal featuring an
assortment of crepes.
•
Marc Day
Sofia, Bulgaria
• As in many international Baptist
churches, our congregation, Sofia International
Baptist Church, continues to come
and go. From a weekend to as long as
a two- or three-year assignment, people
come and worship with us. We even have
a few members who have lived in Bulgaria
for many years.
Each person who comes to worship
with us is treated as one of our family in
Christ Jesus. Whenever anyone departs
from our congregation, we feel as if a part
of our family is leaving us. At the close of
their final service with us, we seat them in
a chair, gather round them, lay our hands
upon them, and pray for the Lord’s protection
and guidance as they begin their
service in a new place. If time and conditions
permit, we also invite them along
with everyone in the worship service to
join with us in a farewell meal at a local
restaurant.
Since we rent the World Trade Center
for our worship services, we do not have a
facility for Bible studies, socials, and other
meetings. This is our way of showing our
love for each other, as well as compensating
for the lack of a building.
When we receive word from these travelers
of their witness for Christ in places
scattered around the world, we rejoice as
did the early disciples in Acts 8:4: “Those
who had been scattered preached the
word wherever they went.”
•
Ray Smith
IBC, Sofia, prays for a young German
before he returns home.
13 | Highlights 05/2010

News from the Churches
Thessaloniki, Greece
African and Filipino group
• It is a good thing that a picture paints
a thousand words, so I don’t have to say
too much.
Glad Tidings International Fellowship
just celebrated our 11 th anniversary on the
last Sunday of January. What a celebration
indeed – we sure give our great God all the
glory and praise! Jimmy Martin, IBC general
secretary, spoke simply and powerfully,
and people clearly understood the message.
More than 100 were in attendance,
with approximately 25 unbelievers present,
and more than 20 different nationalities
represented. Except for Jimmy, English
was the people’s second language.
His Texas accent was very well received
and understood. And the food? Fantastic!
Psalm 150 says: “Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him
in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his
acts of power; praise him for his surpassing
greatness. Praise him with the sound
of the trumpet, praise him with the harp
and lyre, praise him with tambourine and
dancing, praise him with the strings and
flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the
LORD. Praise the LORD.”
We take this Psalm literally at GTIF. Since
all of us present have breath, and with
plenty of Africans, our church was/is never
a quiet place! The whole celebration lasted
more than five hours. Some of you might
say, “You can’t be serious?,” but when
the five hours were over, some of the folks
said: “You can’t be serious.” Mind you,
some of our folks are used to five-hour services
back in their native land and expect
the speaker to preach not less than two
hours! Seriously mate!
Thank you so much for your continued
support and prayers. May the Lord bless
you abundantly.
•
Ernie Gutierrez
Lagos, Portugal
• As we look back one year to March
2009 when we moved into our new building
so much has happened. We praise
God for His faithfulness and provision in
orchestrating our move – perfect timing
as usual.
The building was completely renovated
by the Mormon church before they left
it. We just walked in, bought chairs and a
sound system – job done. God is so good!
We seem to have been in this building
forever, it so feels like home. It is getting
used more each month which is so good
to see. As most international churches,
we have seen some move on for various
reasons, but God has added to us, giving
the church a slightly different flavor
and outlook.
We have seen fruit from our outreach to
the poor and homeless. Two are now going
through rehab and growing so much
in their new-found faith. We have better
links to the local council and are praying
that they will help us with a proper night
shelter in the future.
The work with the orphanage goes on
and again these children bless us so much
as they come, week by week. Mums and
Tots continues to grow as we see more
families join us each week.
As a church we have studied the book
of Daniel, and some are now starting to
work through the letter to the Ephesian
church. We also have seen our first “Freedom
in Christ” course and were greatly
blessed by this.
As with many churches, it has been
tough financially this last year as so many
are out of work or struggling with exchange
rates, but God again has been
faithful to meet all our needs.
In January we held our annual church
weekend at the Hotel Garbe, with approximately
70 people attending. The teaching
by Dave Fellingham on the Holy Spirit
was so good. Over the last year we have
seen more than a dozen people baptized.
We praise God for these.
As I look back to the birth of ICC some
seven years ago, it is amazing to see what
God has done and is going to do in the
future.
•
David Chester
The men of ICC, Lagos, prepare Christmas lunch.
ICC, Lagos, serves Christmas lunch to the homeless.
14 | Highlights 05/2010

News from the Churches
Paris, France and Madrid, Spain
Paris and Madrid Meet in Normandy
• You never know where a lunch at
an IBC meeting will lead you. In the case
of my lunch with Tim Melton, associate
Men from Paris and Madrid discuss the teaching in small groups.
pastor in Madrid, it led to a wonderful
weekend together in Normandy! We were
attending the IBC Annual Meeting in Jurbise,
Belgium, in October 2009, and over
lunch I asked Tim if
he would be interested
in speaking at
our church’s annual
men’s retreat. After
we discussed it for
a while, he asked if
he could bring some
men from his church
as well. What a great
idea! And why hadn’t
we thought of teaming
up with another
IBC church for our
men’s retreat before?
So Tim, along with
nine other men from Immanuel Baptist
Church, Madrid, joined 30 men from Emmanuel
International Church, Paris, up on
the Normandy coast. Tim spoke to our
group of more than 15 nationalities about
the importance of seeing what God is
teaching us in each moment and complicated
situation in our lives. The group enjoyed
the worship, the teaching, and the
opportunity to visit the famous beaches of
WWII, near the retreat center.
The Paris men are now asking if we
won’t be off to Madrid for a retreat together
next year! It’s wonderful to have
such a great family of churches to be able
to dream of these possibilities … maybe
over lunch!
•
Brian Kirby
San José, Costa Rica
• After the Haiti earthquake, the International
Baptist Church, San José, Costa
Rica, was able to have four of our missionaries
representing different organizations
go into Haiti to help minister and give aid.
We were able to get first-hand information
from them as to what was going on in Haiti.
Our church responded by giving more
than $6,000 for Haiti relief which was
then given to three organizations represented
by these missionaries. Most of the
Haitians we know did not lose any family
members, but one former attender who
has since returned to Haiti lost his brother.
We continue to pray for this devastated
country, and we continue to have people
from our church working to bring relief in
that part of the world.
It seems that nearly every Sunday over
the last several months there has been
something exciting and different in our
worship services. For example, in February,
we had our annual Mission’s Fest
where we highlighted various ministries
that we are connected with as a church.
In March, we were able to have an acapella
choir from Yale University called “Living
Water” sing in our service.
We enjoyed once again our International
Day which included a parade of flags, Scripture
read in various languages, and many of
our people wearing their native costumes.
On another Sunday we had the Arab Presentation
Team inform us about God’s activity
in the Muslim world as they gave a dramatic
presentation called “Behind the Veil.”
We have experienced some of our highest
attendance in both worship and Sunday
School. We ask for prayer that God
will provide the space and the leaders
which will allow us to continue to reach
others and see them become disciples. •
Paul Dreessen
Frankfurt, Germany
• At the end of February, Bethel International
Baptist Church, Frankfurt, Germany,
said a fond farewell to our pastor of
13 years, Doyle Searcy, and the following
Sunday we welcomed him back as “guest
preacher” as his flight home was scheduled
for 11 March! We know that the decision
to go was not an easy one for Doyle
to make, but eventually he realized that
God was bringing his ministry in Germany
to an end. On 31 January, Doyle reached
the milestone of 50 years in the ministry,
and we as a congregation were privileged
to celebrate this special anniversary with
him before he left.
Our pastor leaving was the culmination
of many changes to the leadership
at Bethel, following the earlier departure
of two deacons through job transfers in
Photo by Judith Lynn Maxwell
the summer of 2008 and the death of our
Chairman of Deacons Fred Wallstead last
summer. Fred and his wife Inke, who has
moved to Berlin to be with her daughter,
left a large hole in our midst, and
Jimmy Martin (r) presents Doyle Searcy with
a certificate of appreciation.
we would like to acknowledge the significant
contribution that they both made
to Bethel.
Needless to say, we are experiencing a
real transition stage. On a positive note,
on 21 February five people, including a
family of four, were baptized and another
person the following week. Over the last
few months, several people have come
forward for membership, and we recently
held an extraordinary business meeting
for our members and regulars, with
approximately 30 people attending. We
are confident that God has a plan for our
church and its future, and there is a real
sense of ‘family’ as we come together to
seek His will.
•
Debbie Charter
15 | Highlights 05/2010

News from the Churches
Madrid, Spain
• One of the church-wide emphases
for this year at Immanuel Baptist Church,
Madrid, Spain, is “Strengthening Marriages
and Building Strong Families in Christ.”
As a kickoff event for this, Immanuel held
a Valentine’s Banquet, featuring an international
potluck meal. Approximately 45
couples attended the event.
The youth and university students of
the church helped make the evening possible,
serving in many ways. This included
meeting couples at the door to take
their coats, serving as waiters (and having
fun doing it!), and providing childcare for
nearly 70 children.
The musical entertainment for the evening
was led by Cara Johnson, a former
Miss Arizona. Her husband Peter brought
the devotional thought about how to cultivate
unity in marriage.
•
IBC’s university students
greet couples at the door.
Naples, Italy
• In the heart of the Catholic world, a
two-hour train ride from the Vatican, an
evangelical church is thriving. In a city
where anti-American graffiti is scrawled
across the wall of the NATO base, an international
church is growing. In a church
that is going against all practical advice on
the “best” way to do things, people are
coming to know Jesus. In a situation that
for so many reasons should not be working,
the hand of God is moving.
This is Il Faro, an international Baptist
church just outside of Naples, Italy. What
started as an Italian church in 1989 has
been ministering to followers of Christ
and seekers alike from all over the world
since 2006, when it adopted the remaining
members of a struggling international
church. They come from all kinds of backgrounds
and have found
themselves in Naples for a
variety of reasons, but the
one thing they have in common
– Jesus – binds them
together in a way that the
world may never understand.
Il Faro means “the lighthouse,”
which calls to mind
a great many metaphors,
not many of which are inappropriate
in describing this
church. Even the building itself
sits just yards away from
the Mediterranean Sea.
As a lighthouse marks
the boundary between land
and sea, so Il Faro marks
the meeting point of several
cultures – not only Italian
and American, but specifically
Neapolitan, American
military, various African,
and even Latin American
cultures. This, according to
Pastor Tim Monahan, was
the first challenge. It’s hard
enough to unite two congregations
of a common culture, but to
bring together two groups of so many
different and complex cultures is nothing
short of a miracle. “In the beginning,”
Monahan said, “they didn’t want to sing
with each other.” The Americans were
embarrassed by their Italian pronunciation,
and the Italians felt that in an Italian
church, the songs should be sung in Italian,
so they didn’t want to sing in English.
Now, however, all the songs are sung
in both languages, a verse in Italian and
a verse in English, a verse in Italian and
a chorus in English, back and forth, give
and take, everyone glorifying God sideby-side.
But the musical worship isn’t the only
way Il Faro has seen all its cultures
come together. Italians and non-Italians
are cooperating to carry
out all the administrative
and evangelistic operations
of the church, from
planning and leading the
Sunday morning service
each week to executing a
full-blown, annual, churchwide
Thanksgiving feast.
They call functions like
the Thanksgiving dinner
“bridge events” not only
because they bring cultures
together, but also because
they make a way for community
members outside
of the church to catch a
glimpse of what’s going on
inside and hopefully catch
sight of Jesus in the process.
In this way, Il Faro’s
light is like that of a city on
a hill (Matthew 5:14), lighting
the way of seekers to
God. Other bridge events
include weekly Italian classes
for Americans, English
classes for Italians, and a
bilingual Bible study for
© Klaus Mackenbach/PIXELIO
women. Through these and other church
activities, Monahan said he has seen God
at work, “building unity, pushing relationships
to new limits, and working in hearts
to peel prejudices away.” He added, “It’s
a taste of what heaven’s going to be like.”
And Il Faro is not finished yet. Their
mission is “to develop mature and united
disciples to reach the Naples area and
the world for Christ,” a mission they take
very seriously. In a post-modern society
that is growing intellectually and is largely
Catholic only in name and only by tradition,
Neapolitans are beginning to ask
the deeper questions of faith. And while
our God promises that He will be found
if we seek Him with all our hearts (Jeremiah
29:13), Acts 10 makes clear that
we are also responsible for making Him
known. This is the mission of Il Faro, and
in the future, they hope to see Italian pastors
leading, sending Italian missionaries,
and training other pastors and missionaries.
They hope to see spiritual growth
through discipleship, the development of
deep relationships, and even more ministries
to the military and Italian communities.
They hope to be like a lighthouse,
pointing heavenward, giving all the glory
to God.
It’s a beautiful thing that’s happening in
this church – all nations coming together,
doing whatever it takes to communicate
so that they can communicate the gospel,
living out the gospel by bridging the
gaps between cultures, meeting each other’s
needs and striving to serve the community.
It is a light, guiding souls into the
safe harbor of a Savior. It is a home, permanent
for some and temporary for others
who are only here for a season. It is a
beacon of hope for all those doing God’s
work under difficult of seemingly impossible
conditions. And it is illuminating for
us the beauty of the Kingdom of Heaven
with every turn of the lamp. •
Beth Parent
16 | Highlights 05/2010