We are not alone in this work - Baptist Bible Tribune
We are not alone in this work - Baptist Bible Tribune
We are not alone in this work - Baptist Bible Tribune
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send<strong>in</strong>g pastors (cont<strong>in</strong>ued)<br />
Tracy Roby<br />
Overland Park <strong>Baptist</strong> Temple<br />
Overland Park, KS<br />
Be<strong>in</strong>g a send<strong>in</strong>g church is a tremendous bless<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and provides numerous benefits for the cause<br />
of world evangelism. The personal touch,<br />
because the missionary is one of our own,<br />
ignites the church’s passion for missions. When<br />
the missionary is already someone you love, it<br />
adds a personal attachment and responsibility to<br />
what is happen<strong>in</strong>g on the field. When the heart<br />
is captured for missions, partner<strong>in</strong>g with the<br />
missionary is a natural response.<br />
Prepar<strong>in</strong>g the missionary becomes a<br />
first-hand lesson on missions. The church<br />
is acqua<strong>in</strong>ted with the call, the approval,<br />
deputation, and send<strong>in</strong>g of the missionary. The<br />
send<strong>in</strong>g service provides the church opportunity<br />
to celebrate the fulfillment of New Testament<br />
missions. Becom<strong>in</strong>g a send<strong>in</strong>g church is the<br />
greatest overall boost to the missions program.<br />
Richard Edwards<br />
First Coast <strong>Baptist</strong> Church<br />
Jacksonville, Fl<br />
What a bless<strong>in</strong>g it has been to be the send<strong>in</strong>g<br />
church for the Shadle family to Ethiopia. Our<br />
church family really fell <strong>in</strong> love with <strong>this</strong> family<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g their mission <strong>in</strong>ternship here and they<br />
established many close relationships that have<br />
benefited them now that they <strong>are</strong> on the field.<br />
<strong>We</strong> <strong>are</strong> a strong, mission-m<strong>in</strong>ded church, and<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g a send<strong>in</strong>g church just br<strong>in</strong>gs it that much<br />
closer to home. Many of our people <strong>are</strong> able to<br />
keep <strong>in</strong> touch with our missionaries regularly<br />
through the technology available today.<br />
Hav<strong>in</strong>g served on the mission field, I know the<br />
encouragement it is to hear from family and<br />
friends back home, and to know that you have<br />
a church family beh<strong>in</strong>d you at all times.<br />
I have been able to visit the Shadles on<br />
two different occasions s<strong>in</strong>ce their arrival on the<br />
field and was able to witness first hand what<br />
the Lord is do<strong>in</strong>g through them for His glory<br />
and honor. What a bless<strong>in</strong>g to br<strong>in</strong>g those good<br />
reports back to our church family, allow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
them to see the <strong>in</strong>vestment we <strong>are</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> the lives of <strong>this</strong> family. <strong>We</strong> have been able<br />
to meet many needs for them — through the<br />
church and <strong>in</strong>dividual families here — and we<br />
have a great partnership.<br />
John Waterloo<br />
Central <strong>Baptist</strong> Church<br />
Ponca City, OK<br />
The level of aw<strong>are</strong>ness concern<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
missionary’s needs is raised as a send<strong>in</strong>g<br />
church. <strong>We</strong> take seriously the responsibility to<br />
pray for and provide needs for any couple we<br />
send out of our church. Although we partner<br />
with other churches, the ma<strong>in</strong> responsibility is<br />
<strong>in</strong> our hands. This has helped our members and<br />
leadership to realize the cost of send<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
missionaries (cont<strong>in</strong>ued)<br />
Wade & Donna Rasmussen, Zambia<br />
As we prep<strong>are</strong>d to return to the U.S. after two years as TEAM missionaries, we<br />
were uncerta<strong>in</strong> about where to settle while we made the transition to c<strong>are</strong>er status.<br />
<strong>We</strong> were surprised when our send<strong>in</strong>g church’s new pastor let us know they were<br />
prepar<strong>in</strong>g a house near the church for us. He expressed concern that the church<br />
had <strong>not</strong> done enough to support us. <strong>We</strong> never felt that way, but were encouraged<br />
by his sensitivity to a common missionary need — a place to live on furlough.<br />
<strong>We</strong> were blown away when we arrived at the house. Our church family had<br />
pulled together to pa<strong>in</strong>t, clean, and furnish the house for us. They even put family<br />
photos on the walls to make it feel more like home. <strong>We</strong> love to travel and present<br />
our m<strong>in</strong>istry <strong>in</strong> new churches, but it will be very nice to have a place to crash near<br />
our send<strong>in</strong>g church when we <strong>are</strong> <strong>not</strong> on the road.<br />
Phil & Melody Stephens, Zambia<br />
The first th<strong>in</strong>g I would mention directly<br />
relates to our send<strong>in</strong>g church; it is also our<br />
home church. This is an advantage as the<br />
people know us very personally and the<br />
pastor has a vested <strong>in</strong>terest beyond f<strong>in</strong>ances,<br />
prayer, and coord<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>in</strong> the mission and<br />
missionary <strong>work</strong>. He is personally responsible<br />
for us and with us before the most high<br />
God. He is our pastor! As hav<strong>in</strong>g pastoral<br />
oversight, he is <strong>in</strong> a position scripturally to<br />
c<strong>are</strong>, consider, encourage, and correct.<br />
send<strong>in</strong>g pastors (cont<strong>in</strong>ued)<br />
John Hadley<br />
Marsh Lane <strong>Baptist</strong> Church<br />
Dallas, TX<br />
Marsh Lane <strong>Baptist</strong> Church is the send<strong>in</strong>g<br />
church for Scott and Norma Edwards,<br />
missionaries to Portugal. Our whole missions<br />
family is very important to us, but Scott and<br />
Norma <strong>are</strong> especially close because Scott was<br />
raised here, surrendered here, left for <strong>Bible</strong><br />
college from here, and was sent to the field<br />
from here. The fact that he is one of us makes<br />
our relationship that much sweeter.<br />
<strong>We</strong> just made a trip to Portugal to visit the<br />
Edwards and the Smiths. I took along with me<br />
two families from our church who have known<br />
Scott for decades. It was a very enjoyable and<br />
<strong>in</strong>formative time see<strong>in</strong>g what our prayers and<br />
16 | <strong>Baptist</strong> <strong>Bible</strong> <strong>Tribune</strong> | September 2012<br />
support have helped accomplish through them.<br />
It connected our families with the <strong>work</strong> there at<br />
a much deeper level, and those who went have<br />
become really <strong>in</strong>vested <strong>in</strong> that <strong>work</strong>.<br />
As a send<strong>in</strong>g church, it is easier for<br />
members to understand the obstacles<br />
all missionaries face. A send<strong>in</strong>g church<br />
understands the responsibility they have to the<br />
missionary and the missionary’s responsibility<br />
to the church. Be<strong>in</strong>g a send<strong>in</strong>g church gives<br />
the church an opportunity to be <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong><br />
missions at more than just a f<strong>in</strong>ancial level.<br />
Every church can and should be a send<strong>in</strong>g<br />
church. There is a f<strong>in</strong>ancial cost, of course, but<br />
it is <strong>not</strong> so much as to prevent any church from<br />
do<strong>in</strong>g it. Be<strong>in</strong>g a send<strong>in</strong>g church benefits your<br />
church’s mission program by putt<strong>in</strong>g a real,<br />
personal face on missions.<br />
L<strong>in</strong>zy Slayden<br />
Friendship <strong>Baptist</strong> Church<br />
Owasso, OK<br />
<strong>We</strong> have seen the benefits of be<strong>in</strong>g a send<strong>in</strong>g<br />
church to <strong>in</strong>clude a settled obedience to the<br />
Word of God, which gives us peace and focus.<br />
It gives us an <strong>in</strong>terest and connection to the<br />
country where we <strong>are</strong> send<strong>in</strong>g our missionary. It<br />
makes our people ask the question, “Does God<br />
want me to be a missionary?” It gives us an<br />
opportunity to visit that country on a personal<br />
or church mission trip. It gives us a better<br />
understand<strong>in</strong>g of how New Testament missions<br />
<strong>work</strong>s <strong>in</strong> the <strong>are</strong>a of preparation, deputation,<br />
commission<strong>in</strong>g, and support.<br />
On a<strong>not</strong>her <strong>not</strong>e, we <strong>are</strong> impressed with<br />
the responsibility to pray for our missionaries.