11 Months in West Africa (by Leandra Shangraw)

Leandra Shangraw is one of the missionaries who recently joined with Faith Baptist Mission.  Last September, when the transition occurred, Leandra was just beginning an 11 month mission trip to Niger.  Her trip has now come to a close.  Read below as she shares about her experience. 

My name is Leandra Shangraw, and I just returned from spending 11 months living in West Africa in the country of Niger. Africa has always intrigued me. Maybe my fascination started when my aunt and uncle, Tim and Richelle Wright, decided to become missionaries in Niger. Maybe it started in third grade when my class read a book about David Livingstone and his exploration of the Dark Continent. Maybe it started when my parents explained to me why we had a picture of a little African boy who we were supporting on our refrigerator. I guess the timing of when I became fascinated with Africa does not matter all that much… All I know is that it has been my dream for just about as long as I can remember to go there. So when the opportunity presented itself for me to spend a year in Africa straight out of high school, I grabbed a hold of it with both hands and refused to let go.

One of my main goals in going to Africa was to learn as much about missions as I could. Someday I wish to return to the field long-term. But I wanted to see the mission field first hand – see which skill I would need to learn – before I pursued any higher education that would bring me closer to my dream of becoming a missionary. I truly feel that I gained so much from this experience! Being able to watch missionaries day in and day out, trusting God and following His will for their lives, was so rewarding.

My time in Africa will forever have an enormous impact on my life and the decisions I make. I would encourage as many as I could to do something similar. Take a year off and see what the Lord can teach you when you are not in the classroom! It is such a gratifying experience.

The main ministry with which I was involved in Africa was working in an international Christian school called Sahel Academy. It was originally started for missionary kids whose parents were not working somewhere where they could receive decent education. Since then, it has been opened up to students whose parents work with the different embassies in the capitol city and also regular African students who simply want English education. It was a great time for me to grow in maturity, and see how the Lord could use me. I was privileged to lead a 7th/8th grade girls’ Bible study, which was so fulfilling! Those girls in the study affected my life in such huge ways. I pray that the Lord used me to affect them positively in some way.

Another way that I was privileged to serve was going to an orphanage weekly and just spending time with the children there. They were so ready to receive love! The friendships that I made there were so wonderful, and I will forever cherish the time that I was able to spend with them.

I would like to thank Faith Baptist and Faith’s 100 for their help and support when I needed it most. I cannot begin to imagine what this past year would have been like if they had not been so willing to give their assistance. I will forever be grateful for everything you all have done for me. Thank you so much for this opportunity to share. God bless!

Meet some of our other FBM Missionaries:

• Kathy Miller
• Tim & Janice Phillips (part 1)
• Tim & Janice Phillips (part 2)
• Ken & Sarah Beckley
• Cindy Faile

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Meet Our FBM Missionaries - Cindy Faile

Briefly share your salvation experience and your call to ministry.

      I was born into a Christian home to very godly parents.  At the age of 5 I realized my need for the Savior and asked Christ to forgive me of my sins and be my Savior.  At age 9 I recognized that I belonged completely to God and that He had a plan for my life.  I gave my life to Him for His purposes.  Then at age 11 I knew God had called me into missions.  He used several factors, His Word being the main factor and in particular verses such as Is. 6:8 and Ro. 12:1,2.  At this point I answered yes to His call in my life to serve as a missionary to Africa.  The only specific was that He called me to be willing to serve somewhere in Africa.  I had His peace about that as I surrendered to Him and have had His peace about it ever since. 

What did you do before you were a missionary?

      After high school, I attended Piedmont Bible College (now Piedmont Baptist College) in Winston-Salem, NC.  From there I taught 3^rd grade in the Christian school at my home church in Hartsville, SC for 1 year.  I also worked through the years in the church office as well as doing bookkeeping for my grandfather’s furniture business. 

Tell us about your current ministry.  Where are you and what are you doing? 

      I am currently working in Mali, Africa.  I’ve been working as a missionary to Mali since 1985, arriving in Mali in 1989 and working in church planting as a church planting assistant.  Since the end of 1995 I have been working at Buckle Bible Institute (IBB – Institut Biblique de la Boucle) in Gao, Mali.  Specifically, I’m a professor in our regular program at the Bible institute along with being the director and professor of the women’s program and working as school administrator and other positions at the school.  Apart from the school, I work through our local church in Gao being involved in the women’s and children’s ministries, visitation for evangelism and discipleship and leadership training.  God has also given me the privilege of modular teaching in other areas of Mali outside of Gao for ladies’ groups working through the local churches.  I’m currently in the States on an early furlough due to the unrest in Mali and am praying that the Lord will make a way for me to return in mid-September, for now to Bamako if not to the north of Mali.  We’re praying and trusting to be able to start our school year at IBB in October.

How long have you been serving as a missionary? 

     

      I was accepted by EBM to serve in Mali in 1985. 

What does a typical day look like for you while you are on the field?

      It’s very hard to say since a typical day has so many unscheduled happenings.  But here’s a fairly decent idea of what goes on during my day this past year: Most days I’m up by 5am due to sleeping outdoors and daybreak. Sundays – I head out for church about 8am. Services begin at 8h30 and I’m usually home again around 11h30.  During that time I pick up and take home lots of passengers as well as direct the children’s classes.  Afternoons are for visiting and studying for the week. Mon – Fri – At school by 7am.  We have classes and I either teach or am preparing/doing admin work/etc, from 7am to noon.  I leave for home about 12h30 and prepare lunch and take our rest time.  Most Malians take a rest in the early afternoon due to the extreme heat.  I also use that time to do more studying and prep work for my classes. At about 2h30 I head back to school for classes from 3 to 6.  If it’s still light after classes I usually either – visit, stay at school and work on studies or admin work, etc.  I do, because of the culture, try to get home just before dark.  Then I visit with my ‘African family’, care for other visitors who’ve dropped by for medicines or other needs, care for extra things that come up (most people know I’m home for the evening at this point), ending up with studying and prep for classes again until around 10 or 11 pm.  Somewhere along the way I prepare supper for myself and the teen girl who was living with me.  I try to be in bed by midnight if I can.  Saturdays are taken up with housework, more studies, marketing, church ladies’ group Bible study (teaching), visiting and doing activities with our church ladies and getting ready for Sunday.

As you reflect on the years you have spent as a missionary, please share with us some of the highlights of your ministry.

      I think most of the highlights have been when I was blessed to be a part of seeing someone come to know Christ as Lord and Savior and then watching and trying to help that person grow into a mature child of God.  In a Muslim area it doesn’t happen as often as it seems to in some other areas.  But it’s so special to be a part of it when it does.  A sort of icing on the cake for me is being able to teach God’s Word to women and see how it touches their lives or to see them applying it to their lives.  I just am overwhelmed at times to see how much I’ve been blessed to care for, evangelize and teach in Mali.  One  highlight for me is being in the classroom whether it’s at IBB or one on one and then to see how God takes His Word and makes it grow in someone’s heart.

What have been some of the biggest challenges that you have faced on the field?

      Briefly: Loneliness and isolation, political unrest (5 evacuations over the years), being away from family, relationships with other missionaries, learning new languages.

What person(s) has had the biggest influence on your life?

      My parents, a missionary couple my home church supported when I was growing up, my childhood pastor

What would you say to encourage others (young or old) to consider full-time missions as a profession?

      Whether you’re ready to consider missions as a profession or not, first of all make sure you’re living according to Ro. 12:1,2.  If we’re truly the living sacrifice, then we should be open to consider whatever God may ask of us.  Dying to self and living for Christ doesn’t always sound comforting to our ears.  It can conjure up fears; mostly fear of the unknown.  Rather than look at the unknown, look at what you do know of God.  He loves you more than anyone can.  He only wants what’s best for you (even if it sometimes is hard).  He’s promised to never leave you.  He will not ask of you something that’s too hard for you and Him to do together, enabling you to do what He asks you to do.  Learn to enjoy the blessing of His presence, trust Him and let Him be your comfort zone.  He. 13:5, Mt. 28:18-20.

Please share some specific prayer requests with us.

·       First of all please pray for the political situation and unrest in Mali. Pray for our brothers and sisters living as refugees now that God would continue to heal their hearts and give them comfort and wisdom at this time, not to mention patience with each other. 

·       Pray for friends left behind in the Islamists’ controlled north of Mali.  Many are hurting, hungry, have been violated in different ways, etc.  For now there seems no one is on the horizon to come and help or whatever help may come may be a long time in coming.

·       Pray for the ones who’ve found the literature from our churches scattered across the towns.  Who knows but that in this way the rebels have done a part in spreading the gospel.  Pray for the salvation of those there who have already heard the gospel and for a means to let others hear.

·       Pray for IBB (the Bible institute), for the needs there to get things in order to finish the school year, for financial needs, for our regular donors and the need for more regular support.

·       Pray for wisdom for those of us waiting to see when we’ll be able to get back to Mali or what may be next on God’s calendar for us.  For those on furlough now like me, pray that God opens the right doors for churches and uses us to be a blessing and an encouragement to the people He leads us to along the way.

·       Pray for personal financial needs to be met.

·       Praise and prayer for my father’s health. He’s made tremendous improvement and is walking again with a cane, doing more for himself, eating and gaining strength.  He’s supposed to start a new medication which is a chemo medication but there are some huge obstacles in the financial end to get around first. Pray that this treatment will be able to be done and will also go well.  Also think of my mother who is in good health but very tired from being a caregiver.

What are some current needs that you have and what can we do to help meet those needs?

      The needs we have now are for caring for the refugees.  You’re already helping greatly with this through managing the Refugee Fund.  Otherwise, your prayers are what God will use to help meet other needs.  Thank you so much for your openness and willingness to help.  You’ve taken a lot on by inviting us to join you and you don’t know how much your help, encouragement, love and kindness have been a blessing to me.  God has already been using you to meet my needs in these many ways.  Thank you!

    Meet Some of Our Other FBM Missionaries:

• Kathy Miller
• Tim & Janice Phillips (part 1)
• Tim & Janice Phillips (part 2)
• Ken & Sarah Beckley
• Cindy Faile 

   

Can We Trust the Bible? The Development of the OT (Lou Gentry)

We know the Old Testament was compiled by the writings of various authors and their scrolls were collected over a period of hundreds of years. Scripture tells us that Moses was a contributor: Ex 17:14, 24:4; 34:27; Num. 33:1-2; Deut. 31:9, 31:11, 31:24; Josh. 1:7-8, 8:31-32; 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 14:6; John 5:46-47, 7:19; Romans 10:5, etc.) The Bible also tells us Joshua added to the writings of Moses (Josh. 24:26). Then, Samuel added his writings (1 Sam. 10:25). The writings of the prophets were collected over time (Dan. 9:2; Zech. 7:12 - note that later writings quote earlier ones). We know of this progressive collection of scrolls--the compilation of the Old Testament--not only through Scripture, but through the discovery of the Qumran Community and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

By the time of Josephus, the great Jewish historian, the OT Canon had been completed for some four hundred years. Josephus lived during the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. In his autobiography (written about 90 A.D.) he tells how the Emperor Titus gave him the sacred scrolls from the temple at Jerusalem when it was pillaged. In it we find the following quotation:

“We have not an innumerable multitude of books among us disagreeing and contradicting one another, but only twenty-two books which contain the records of all the past times, which are justly believed to be divine. . . .It is true our history hath been written since Artaxerxes very particularly, but hath not been esteemed of a like authority with the former by our forefathers, because there hath not been an exact succession of prophets since that time, and how firmly we have given credit to these books of our nation, is evident by what we do; for during so many ages as have already passed, no one hath been so bold as either to add anything to them, to take anything from them, or to make any change in them; but it has become natural to all Jews, immediately and from their very birth, to esteem these books to contain divine doctrines” (emphasis added).

This quotation from Josephus reveals:

1. The Jews believed in verbal inspiration;
2. The Jews received the canonical books because they were written by prophets;
3. The Apocryphal books (to be discussed in a forthcoming article) and others were known not to have been written by prophets;
4. The canon included all the 39 books in our Bible today and no others (the Hebrew canon of twenty-two books is the exact equivalent to the 39 books of our OT);
5. The first and only listing of the OT books until about 170 A.D.;
6. Josephus gave great prominence to prophetic authorship; and,
7. Nno book was added to the Hebrew Scriptures after the time of Malachi (a contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah--the period of Artaxerxes).

The Talmud (authoritative writing of Jewish traditions) also makes the claim that in order for a book to be canonical and included as part of the OT, it must come from the prophetic succession during the prophetic period (Seder Olam Babba 30). It further records, “After the latter prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, the Holy Spirit departed from Israel.”

• Our next article looks at the Apocryphal Books of the OT
        
• Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all articles in this series.

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6 Truths Every Parent Must Teach Their Children (by Pastor Osborne)

This past Father's Day, Pastor Osborne preached a two-part message entitled, "To Parents and Their Children."  In his sermon, he covered Six Truths that We Must Teach Our Children.  His basis for these truths came from various excerpts found in Proverbs.


Truth 1 ~ We Must Teach Them to Know God

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."  (Proverbs 1:7)

Parents must teach their children about sin.  Sin separates you from God.  Sin invades every corner of our lives.  Sin robs you of your passion for God.  Sin steals your joy.  Sin leads us to death & eternal separation from God. 

Teaching our children to know God involves teaching them that we are all sinners.  All sinners need a Savior.  Jesus is the only Savior.  Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead, thus having victory over sin.  We are saved from sin through faith in Christ alone.

Truth 2 ~ We Must Teach Our Children to Stand Alone

 "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."  (Proverbs 13:20)

Standing alone means that our children know the importance of having Biblical convictions and are willing to stand up for them.  Children's friends are a constant pressure to conform and follow the crowd.  So if pointing out the right path is not enough, then a change in peer groups is/may be necessary for our children.    

This process of leaving and entering friend groups has the potential to be difficult and even painful.  But as parents, we have the opportunity to teach our children what a good friend is and remind them of the consequences of wrong choices.

Truth 3 ~ We Must Teach Our Children to be Open to God's Counsel

"My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights." (Proverbs 3:11-12) 

Children, especially boys, need to understand that a tender heart towards God is a a hallmark in the Christian walk.  We need to teach them to respond to our counsel, as parents, but they also need to see the value of other people's correction.  If children can learn to respect the correction of teachers, coaches, grandparents, and other adults, it becomes less difficult for them to respond to God's discipline later. 

Share experiences of life with them!  Real life lessons that we have learned will give our children something they will remember, understand, and hold on to for the rest of their lives.  Sharing victories, defeats, and what we learned when we were their age will make the values more real to our children.  As parents, we must give sufficient amount of time to our children.  Presence and availability will shape our children's personality for the full scope of life's responsibilities.  

Truth 4 ~ We Must Teach Our Children How to Deal with Temptation

"And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.  Keep your way far from her,  and do not go near the door of her house," (Proverbs 5:7-8) 

Parents must explain the beauty of intimate marital love that is found in Song of Solomon and Proverbs 5:15-19.  God's plan is for the flames of passion to increase in intensity within the boundaries of marriage.  As parents, we must also explain the dangers and consequences of sexual relationships outside of marriage.  Temptation comes from the center of our hearts and minds.  If our children resist lust or give in to it is determined on the daily battlefield of their hearts and minds.  We must prepare them by teaching the value of purity and how to detect the slightest glimmers of immoral enticement.

"Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags." (Proverbs 23:20-21)

We must be honest and frank with our children about the destruction resulting from letting the search for pleasure dominate our lives.  They need to understand how easy it is to become addicted, the false promises of lasting pleasure, and how it destroys.

Truth 5 ~ We Must Teach Our Children How to Handle Money

"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." (Ephesians 4:28) 

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10) 

There are four areas of financial responsibility that children need to learn: earning, giving, saving, and spending.

1. Earning means learning a skill that puts your mind to work.  It will help our children develop, train, evaluate, and improve to earn a living. 
2. Giving is our way of honoring the Lord with our income.  We need to teach our children to make giving to the Lord the number one priority on the budget sheet.  
3. Saving is teaching children the discipline of providing for not only today but for tomorrow's needs as well.  It teaches them to deny themselves today, which allows our children to be better followers of Christ.
4. Children need to be taught that spending revolves around one central idea: "If your outflow exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall."  In other words, our children need to understand that in order to keep their spending in check, they need to have a budget and open communication.

Truth 6 ~ We Must Teach Our Children the Value of Hard Work

"A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.  He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame." (Proverbs 10:4-5)

Our children must grasp the concept of hard work pays off.  As parents, we must not make the mistake of only giving to our children without allowing them to experience the value and reward of hard work.  Assign chores for them to do around the house, teach them ways to earn money, and let them share in some of their own expenses.   

Final Thoughts

These truths must be taught by parents, but there are two keys to teaching our children successfully.  First, we must be consistent in discipline.  Second, we must have constant delight in our children.  While they are going through life and learning the difficult lessons of discipline, they must know that we care about them, delight in them, love them, and are proud of them.

To hear Pastor Osborne's Father's Day sermons, click the links below.


To Parents and Their Children - Part 1
To Parents and Their Children - Part 2

A Faith of Equal Standing As the Apostles (by Matthew DelValle)

(photo by Paul Cleveland)

I was reading 2 Peter the other day and the opening greeting jumped out at me. Peter writes

“to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours” (2 Pet. 1:1) 

He’s talking about ordinary Christians like you and me—which makes this an astonishing statement. Really Peter? We have obtained a faith of equal standing as the apostles? Is this hyperbole, or are you being serious? We actually have a faith that is on par with the apostles?

I don’t know about you, but when I read about the faith of the apostles, I do not compare. These guys wrote the Bible. These guys built the church. These guys preached and thousands were saved in a single day. Peter actually raised a woman to life from the dead (Acts 9:36-42). How can he possibly say we have a faith of equal standing as him?

Reading the rest of the text helps. Yes, we have obtained a faith of equal standing as the apostles. But how? “By the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Note what Peter is not saying. Peter is not saying that the subjective quantity of our faith is equal with the apostles. No. There are certainly varying levels of faith among God’s people. All have faith, but some have stronger faith. This is why we cry out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” No, Peter isn’t making this point. He’s not talking about the subjective quantity of our faith.

So what is he talking about? He’s talking about the objective quality of our faith. We have obtained a faith of equal standing with the apostles, not because our subjective faith is as great as theirs, but because the object of our faith is a great Savior. We are on a level playing field with the apostles because we wear exactly what they wear: The cloak of the righteousness of Jesus. We wear the same uniforms.

If the subjective quantity of our faith determined our standing before God, then we would ride the bench, and all the Hebrews 11 folks would be out on the field. But as it is, we are all of equal standing. When God looks at you and me and Peter and Paul, he sees us as equal in standing. Why? Because we all place our hope and trust, not in our ourselves, but in the Lord Jesus.

Think about this Christian. Do you ever feel as if your faith is weak? Do you ever doubt God’s favor towards you, that He shouldn’t be gracious to you as He is to others because your faith isn’t as strong? Do you ever feel like you’re just not cut from the same mold as other Christians whose faith you admire? These are thoughts the Deceiver loves to plant in our minds. Satan wants very much for you to believe you’re of lower standing than others. But take heart! You have obtained a faith of equal standing as the apostles themselves! How? By the righteousness of Christ. His righteousness is yours by faith. It is perfect righteousness. It is the best kind of righteousness there is. And it’s now yours. And therefore God our Father never looks at you as anything less than His righteous, precious, beloved child. In fact, you couldn’t possibly have a higher standing! What can surpass the righteousness of Christ? Is there anything better? No way! It is supremely satisfying to God. And you have it. It’s yours by faith.

Will there be days when the subjective quantity of your faith is weak? Certainly. But a weak faith is still a faith. A little child may not be strong, but if his trust is in his father who is strong, then he will be safe. What matters ultimately is not the subjective strength of your faith but the objective strength of your Lord. No matter how weak you feel your faith may be, the Christ of your faith is so great and so glorious that nothing can change your standing in Him.

Charles Spurgeon once said,

“I have a great need for Christ and a great Christ for my need.” 

So it is with us. We have a great Christ for our need. His righteousness is ours by faith. And therefore we have a faith of equal standing as the apostles. This is great news.

And, lest I give the impression that the subjective quantity of our faith doesn’t matter at all, may I point out the next verse: “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” What an interesting concept: The multiplication of God’s grace towards us! Sounds great. How do we get it? In the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord—which happens, of course, through studying the Scriptures. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to make us more like the Son of God.

So this is my prayer for you: I pray that God would use this knowledge of having a faith of equal standing as the apostles by the righteousness of Christ to multiply His grace and peace towards you, and I pray that this multiplied grace in your life would strengthen your faith. May the Lord be gracious!

Read more by Matthew DelValle

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Thoughts from the FPEA Homeschool Convention (by Stephen Simpson)

Just over a month ago, Nicki & I attended the FPEA Homeschool Convention in Orlando.  Having decided to homeschool our oldest daughter for Kindergarten this fall, we attended this convention hoping to learn more, in general, about homeschooling.

Overall, it was a great time.  I thought I would share with you some of the things I learned.

1. You can't homeschool if you are never home!
2. No two homeschooling families are alike.  I already knew this, but it was never more obvious than at this convention.  Homeschool families come in all different shapes and sizes.  Everybody homeschools differently.  This is very comforting.
3. It is important to have a vision for my children.  This is true for every parent regardless of whether they homeschool.  What do you want you child to be like in 10 or 15 years?  Answer that question and then develop a plan to make it happen. 
4. God created individuals - not classrooms.
5. Good Stories are better than textbooks.  None of us remember a favorite textbook from elementary school or high school.  Yet, we all remember our favorite stories.  Too often we quickly forget what we read in a textbook.
6. Long-Term memory is more valuable than short-term memory.  Teach for long-term memory.
7. Each child is uniquely created just like a fingerprint.  So, teach each child differently.
8. Use an inflatable globe.  It won't break when it falls down the stairs or when it gets knocked over. :)
9. The essence of home education is the parent/child relationship.
10. Raising good people is more important than raising smart people.
11. Education and schooling are not the same thing.
12. I need to spend more time thinking through the concept of an Age Segregated Church vs. a Family Integrated Church.  I was introduced to this concept at the convention and I'm not sure what I think about it yet.  It is very interesting.  Look it up...\

Did you attend the FPEA Convention?  If so, what did you learn? 

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Meet Our FBM Missionaries - Ken & Sarah Beckley

Ken & Sarah Beckley
Marc (15), Andrew (14), Benjamin (11), Stephen (8)

Today we will continue to acquaint you with our new FBM missionaries.  Ken and Sarah Beckley are currently serving the Lord in Mali with their four boys, Marc, Andrew, Benjamin, and Stephen.

Briefly share your salvation experience and your call to ministry.

Ken – I was raised in Mali – my parents served in Mali with Evangelical Baptist Missions (EBM) for 38 years. I attended elementary school at McCaba Academy boarding school in Niamey, Niger. Devotions one morning convicted me that I would go to hell if I died. After devotions, I asked my older sister how to be saved, and she helped me make that decision.
Growing up in Mali, seeing my parents' love for the people, gave me a desire to return to Mali and continue their work. The Lord confirmed that call my senior year in high school.

Sarah – My father was in a veteran’s hospital since I was four years old. However, my mom taught me that God could be the best Father I could ever have if I put my trust in His Son Jesus who died for me. I asked Jesus to be my Savior at the age of 5 in the privacy of my bedroom. Through the influence of many missionaries who came through our church and home, at a young age, I was burdened for lost people. My sophomore year in Bible college, knowing God was calling me to serve Him, I gave Him my life for missionary service.

What did you do before you were a missionary?

Ken – I attended Piedmont Baptist College in NC, where I majored in Missions. After graduation, I served a one-year internship in my home church, Bethel Baptist in Vestal, NY. The following summer I attended EBM’s candidate classes, and was on my way to Mali!

Sarah – After attending Baptist Bible College in Pennsylvania, I worked as a bank teller for one year while applying to ABWE. I served an internship in a church in Margate, FL. and also acquired my Masters degree in Teaching English as a Second Language, while awaiting a work permit to Kenya.

Tell us about your current ministry. Where are you and what are you doing?

Ken – We are serving in the small village of Guéné, in northern Bénin. We are assisting with the translation of the Bible into the Dendi language, as well as pastoring a small church in the town of Malanville.

Sarah – I am homeschooling our four sons. When in Niger last year, I enjoyed teaching a ladies’ Bible study at the national church we attended. Now in Benin, we are learning the differences between the languages of Mali, Niger, and Benin, and seeking to serve the nationals and missionaries in whatever opportunities God gives.

How long have you been serving as a missionary? 

27 years

Ken – I joined EBM in 1985, and began my ministry in Mali in 1990. My first term I served in the town of Timbuktu as a single missionary, helping in all the various ministries of the local church there.

Sarah – I joined the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE) in 1985. In the early 90s, I served one year at an MK school in Portugal and one term in Kenya with a church planting team in Nairobi.

Ken & Sarah – In February 1994, during our first furloughs, we met at a missions conference at a mutually supporting church. Ken proposed in July, we were married in August, and in September we left for our next term in Mali!
For the next 15 years, we served the town of Diré, about 80 miles beyond Timbuktu! There we were involved in Bible translation and church planting. Because of problems of insecurity in the north of Mali, since 2011 we have been working in northern Bénin with the Ovenells, doing the same kinds of ministries we had in Mali.

What does a typical day look like for you while you are on the field?

Ken – No such creature exists!
Personal devotions, breakfast, and family devotions are usually done by 8am. Then I do Bible class with our boys, and help with Math if they need it. Ideally, I would spend the rest of the morning working on translation projects with our national translators, or on message preparation. In the afternoons, I try to concentrate on e-mails, financial records, and additional editing of translation projects I can do on my own. However, maintenance issues, other projects, and family matters quite often blow this plan to smithereens!

Sarah – Homeschooling 4 boys can sometimes go from 8:30 to 4:00. Often people come to the door; there are meals to prepare from scratch, ...

As you reflect on the years you have spent as a missionary, please share with us some of the highlights of your ministry.

Ken – Working closely with our Malian church leaders, training them to continue the work in our absence.  Making the Word of God available to the unreached Songhai and Dendi in their heart language, through print as well as multi-media resources.

Sarah – teaching Bible and literacy to women, coming to the end of a primer and hearing one woman testify of her recent faith in Jesus. After years of befriending a hostile, cynical wife of a Songhai Bible translator, I see her graduate from Bible school and hear that she first understood the Gift of God through our Bible memory classes.

What have been some of the biggest challenges that you have faced on the field?

Ken – The ingrained Muslim ideology of the local people, and the cultural pressure to conform and not change religions.  Not getting frustrated or discouraged by the lack of visible results or progress in our various ministries.

Sarah – not knowing how much and when to give to the many daily beggars that came to us.  Learning to trust God with the health of my children when we are hours away from reliable medical help

What person(s) has had the biggest influence on your life?

Ken – My parents, for modeling a ministry of genuine love and incredible patience in the face of incomprehensible cultures, intractable people, and an insufferable climate!

Sarah – A missionary family who invited me to travel with them on their home assignment, during tenth grade summer vacation.  My mother’s hospitality and her love for missions, brought into our home many missionaries who influenced me.  My youth pastor whose passion for serving God was contagious.

What would you say to encourage others (young or old) to consider full-time missions as a profession?

Ken – 

1) Think about the three things you most love spending your time doing. Without much effort, you will find a missionary who would love to have someone with at least one of those skills – and possibly all three – working at his side! I challenge you to check it out!
2) Why is it that 2000 years after Jesus, with all our churches, technology, and wealth in America, 2 billion people have still not heard the Gospel, while 90% of our missionaries are going to already evangelized people groups?

Sarah –There’s no greater joy than to know you are in the center of God’s will. “The will of God will never lead you, where the grace of God cannot keep you” (Dr. Billy Martin). I’ve found that to be so true in my life.

Please share some specific prayer requests with us.

· Wisdom in prioritizing ministry, tasks, and family, giving each their proper amount of time and energy.

· Balancing homeschooling of 4 boys with other ministry demands.

· Strength, good health and protection in daily 100+ temperatures, with snakes, scorpions, malaria, etc. a daily concern.

· Wisdom to make the best education choices for our children

What are some current needs that you have and what can we do to help meet those needs? 

With no electricity here, we are trying to “get a handle” on working with solar power. We still don’t understand all the vagaries involved, and could use some expert advice in some areas!

Meet Some of Our Other FBM Missionaries:

• Kathy Miller
• Tim & Janice Phillips (part 1)
• Tim & Janice Phillips (part 2)
• Ken & Sarah Beckley
• Cindy Faile  

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Through the Eyes of the Volunteer (by Alona Hradec)

Vacation Bible School are three words that I have not used, since I attended only once in the second grade.  But this past week has proven to be one of the best times I have had working with children and learning from each of them and other leaders.  I would like to share how this year's VBS looked through this worker's eyes.  There are four lessons that I learned from working VBS this year.

Lesson 1 ~ Preparation
I learned that there is so much that goes on behind the scenes for Vacation Bible School.  The many weeks worth of preparation is one of the keys to a successful VBS.  I had the chance to help prepare for the week of VBS.  There were always copies, copies, and more copies, but to see children's faces as they learn the verses on a coloring sheet made all the paper cuts and paper jams worth it.  Candy and trinkets were sorted and put into "treasure bags;" so that when a child would answer a question correctly, he would win a little prize.

Lesson 2 ~ The Value of Teachers
This past week I was able to observe one of the classes (5-6 grade girls) one day and then teach the class the next day.  I will be completely honest in saying that I am not a good public speaker, but I realized that these children are like sponges because they soak up everything a teacher says.  They cling to every last word of the lessons.  When they are quizzed over the lessons, they would tell the correct answer and the reason behind it.  Teachers truly do have the ability to shape and mold the children they teach.  I'm truly grateful to have seen teachers, who teach God's Word with such passion this past week.

Lesson 3 ~ Bible Glasses & Dinosaurs
This year's VBS was focused on God's incredible creation.  We spent the week "riding" on the Creation Coaster of Incrediworld.  Each day was spent learning that as Christians, we are to view the world through our "Bible Glasses" (Christian worldview) to determine what was true and right.  On Friday, the main topic was dinosaurs.  I knew these animals were huge, but I had never had a visual aid to help me wrap my brain around how humongous they truly were.  Mr. Stephen showed the entire group of children and leaders that one dinosaur would have stretched from one corner of the gymnasium to the other, which would cut the gym (rectangle) into two triangles.  Wow!  He then showed a diagram that had this same dinosaur and a 6 foot man standing in front of it.  The man's head came to middle of the dinosaur's leg, between its knee and foot.  It was incredible!  Our God is so amazing and powerful!

Lesson 4 ~ Power of Prayer
Vacation Bible School may only be for one week, but what these children have learned goes with them forever.  I found myself praying multiple times a day for each of the children that came daily.  This past week they have been surrounded by Biblical truths and godliness, but now they are headed back to their homes and communities.  I should pray for them even more as they go back to be the light in the darkness of this world.  Some are growing up in Christian homes, where it is easier to choose right and be light, but others are the only light in their families.  I ask that you, too, would keep all of these children in your prayers daily.

That was my VBS week: an opportunity to learn and grow.  I can't wait until next year!  :)

To Fathers - Avoid the Path of Grief and Heartache

Last November, Pastor preached a message from the life of David entitled "The Painful Path of Grief and Heartache."  This message contained some powerful reminders for men.  So, with Father's Day approaching, I thought it would be good to take another look at it. 

In his message, Pastor reminded us that sin always brings consequences.  As fathers, it is so important for us to remember this every day.  All of our sin has consequences.  Our sin affects the everyone around us. 

Pastor said,

"The pain of the reaping always eclipses the pleasure of the sowing!"

In his message, Pastor identified 8 consequences that were a direct result of David's sin.

• A Son Dies
• A Brother Violates a Sister
• A Brother Hates a Brother
• A Brother Murders a Brother
• A Son Rebels and Runs Away
• A Son Leads a Conspiracy
• A Son Shames a Father
• A Friend Murders a Son

Unbelievable.  Dads, remember, sin will destroy your marriage and your family.  

 Pastor closed his message with three reminders.

1. David's haunting cries calls to a wife or husband allured by the fantasy of a secret affair.  His cries call to the parent drawn to the busyness and rush of life that leaves little or no room for children.  His cries call to anyone who is tempted to exchange their future peace for the fleeting pleasures of sin.  Let me ask:
     
• Are the selfish choices we so easily and casually cast to the wind, worth the whirlwind that waits to strike us and the ones we love?
   
2. If you are starting to veer into the path of carnality, thinking that you can do what you want and God's grace will cover your tracks - STOP and THINK again.  Yes, God's grace cancels the debt of sin, but it does not cancel the consequences of sin.  Yes, God's forgiveness is sure, but so is sin's painful fallout.  Before you make a terrible decision ask yourself:
     
• How many innocent people will suffer in the wake of my sin?
    
3. The best time to brace yourself and your house against a storm is before the rain starts falling and the strong winds begin to howl.  Likewise the best time to protect yourself against the stormy consequences of sin is before temptation strikes.

On this Father's Day, choose to avoid the painful path of grief and heartache!  

• Listen to Pastor's Sermon on our website or your can order it on CD or DVD.

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Can We Trust the Bible? Canonicity (by Lou Gentry)

 

Canonicity: Definition - There are numerous definitions in print on this subject; and while the actual combination of words for each may differ, most have developed their definition from the root word kavwv (Greek) meaning rod, ruler, standard for measure. Theologically, the word is applied as a rule, standard or norm. Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “a criterion or standard of judgment.”

What then were the “standards for measure” or “standards of judgment” which determined what writings were considered canonical scripture? There were five such standards:

• Was it written by a man of God? A prophet? An apostle? An associate of an apostle?  (Heb. 1:1; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
• With the possible exception of Hebrews, all books included in the Bible were written by either a man of God (David, for example), prophet, apostle, or an associate of one of these.
    
• Is the writing authoritative? Does it claim to be of God and/or were the writers confirmed by an act of God? (John 3:2; Acts 2:22; Heb. 2:3)
    
• Is the writing authentic? Does it tell the truth about God? (Deut. 18:22; Gal. 1:8)
• Does it contradict previous truth?  If so, it was not accepted.
    
• Is the writing dynamic? Does it have the Power of God? (Heb. 4:12)
    
• Was the book received? Was it accepted by the people of God?  (Dan. 9:2; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Pet. 3:15)
• Was it circulated and utilized by the followers of God?

From the definition and application of these standards, a good definition of Canonical Scripture can be developed:

a document or corpus of documents containing a permanent authoritative record of divine revelation.

  

Our next article looks at the Progessive Development of the OT Canon.
   

Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all articles in this series.

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The Shocking Truth About Piano Lessons (by Stephen Simpson)

(Photo by Paul Cleveland)

I am a piano teacher.  By my calculations, I have taught almost 70 different students.  They have been of varying ages and abilities.  Some have taken lessons for a short time and others have taken for years.  In my experience, I have come to realize one shocking truth about piano lessons.

My job as a piano teacher is not to teach you how to play the piano. 

This may seem scandalous to you given the significant amounts of money that parents have paid me over the years to teach their children.  But, the truth must come out - I am not ultimately trying to teach you how to play the piano.

My primary goal is much different.  Here is my secret.  I am trying to teach you how to practice.  Most people that I encounter do not know how to practice.  They know they should practice and they may think they know how to practice.  I have seen too many students spend hours practicing only to find that their practicing has accomplished very little.  They come to their lesson and tell me that they have practiced two hours over the previous week.  However, when I listen to them play their pieces, it becomes obvious that they did not know how to practice because their pieces have improved very little, if at all.

You see, when I teach a 10 year old boy to play the piano, I am thinking about his future.  I am thinking that some day he will be an adult.  I am thinking that someday he will be a member of a church who may need a pianist to play for their choir.  Even though he may work as a manager at Publix, I want to have taught him the skills necessary to be a useful accompanist at his church.  This is why it is so important for me to teach him how to practice.  If I simply teach him to play a piece of music, I have not necessarily taught him any of the skills required in learning new music.  I have not taught him to read music.  I have not taught him to identify the problems he is having with the music.  I have not taught him how to solve the problems he is encountering.

So, I firmly believe that if I can teach you how to practice, then I have taught you a useful skill that you can use for the rest of your life.  In my opinion, playing a piece of music is easy.  Understanding how to practice efficiently and effectively is very difficult - which is why I spend so much time trying to teach this skill.

There you have it, the shocking truth about piano lessons is that I am not actually trying to teach you to play the piano.  I am trying to teach you how to teach yourself!

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Start Birding Today: 13 Questions for Lee Dusing

(Painted Stork by Dan's Pix)

We hope that you have enjoyed Lee's series, Start Birding Today.  She has been attempting to show us that birding is something that anybody can do.  Whether you only look at the birds while you are driving or if you spend hours wandering through Circle B, you can enjoy the creativity of our great God.

As I have read through Lee's posts I have had a few questions that have come to my mind.  I thought I would ask them to Lee through a post so that you all can read her answers.

1. When did you first start birding?
   

   I think I always enjoyed critters, but when we lived in Tamarac, FL there was a small park nearby that had a lake, trail and a naturalist that gave bird talks. Living in the Fort Lauderdale area, there were lots of birds to view.

2. Did anyone teach you how to go birding?
   

   The naturalist became my friend and also became my mentor. She taught me about birdwatching from a one on one basis. 

3. Do you run across people who see the diversity in the birds and still deny that an intelligent creator is behind it all? If so, what are their common arguments?
   

   Go to any birding club (Audubon) or a Birding Festival (Titusville) and you will hear all about natural selection and millions of years. You hear about how birds evolved from dinosaurs. Given enough time, they figure it all came about. 

4. What is your favorite bird? You can only pick one :)
   

   That’s hard! It used to be the Painted Bunting, but now I have seen so many, I love them all. 

5. Share with us two things you have learned about God through birdwatching.
   

   The Lord has such Omniscience that I am amazed when I see how He has provided specific beaks, for instance, for each bird to be able to eat what it likes. How He has created their shapes to live in the environment they do, Penguins versus Hummingbirds. Every bird was so provided for by the Lord when they were being designed.
   
   God’s Love is so great to the birds and His care about them overwhelms me. If He knows when a sparrow falls, then He knows not only the number of hairs on my head, but every need, desire, problems, etc. and still Loves Me! 

6. Recently, Swans have been in the news. In Lakeland, someone has been stealing swan eggs from Lake Morton. Why are Swan eggs so valuable?
   

   I saw that article and had heard about it a few weeks earlier. Apparently there must be a trade for them somewhere. There are “poachers” all around the world that illegally take birds for collectors and some for their feathers or to eat. They just found out he took them to eat them.
   http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-05-18/news/os-swan-eggs-stolen-scrambled-eaten-20120518_1_eggs-lakeland-report-states 

7. When I think of birding, I am often overwhelmed. I hear you talk about 185 species that have been seen at Circle B and of the thousands of species worldwide. I can name maybe 10 or 15 different species of birds. What would you say to someone who feels birding is too overwhelming?
   

   Who says you have to name all the birds? If you can name 3 and enjoy the rest, why worry? (Do you know every name of the folks that come here to church? Does that stop you from coming or cause you to be overwhelmed?) 

8. Tell us about the best birdwatching trip you have ever been on.
   

   Wow! They are all great, but as for in the wild, we won a birdwatching trip by Reinier Munguia (professional photographer) and he introduced us to Circle B (46 species seen), Lakes Morton (10 species) and Parker. He gave us birding tips and photography tips for Dan. We ended up feeding Florida Scrub Jays and Purple Gallinules at parks in Lakeland. We saw a total of 56 species that day.
   
   Best Zoo trip was to the National Aviary in Pittsburg, PA about 2 years ago. We were taken by staff all over the place and behind the scenes. 

9. How many different birds are on your life list?
   

   My official Life List has 235 species, but that does not count the birds that I have seen in Zoos, which you can’t count by some, but I still saw the birds. My Unofficial Life List is around 400. I have also seen many more birds that I could not name. 

10. Is there any other animal that you know of that has the wide variety and diversity of birds? Why do you think this is?
    

    I can’t think of any animals, maybe insects. I think birds are so varied because each one has a role to fill whether it is pollinating flowers by Hummingbirds and others, or picking bugs off of animals like an Oxpecker, or cleaning up garbage like Vultures and Buzzards. The list goes on and on. They can fly so they have spread around the world and they are obeying the Lord's command to reproduce and fill the earth. 

11. What do you hope is the result of this series of posts?
    

    I hope that this series has motivated an interest and an awareness of the birds and that they will take opportunities to watch the Lord’s fantastically created birds. And maybe, we might have some more to go out birding with us. I am not an expert, but I am willing to share what I have learned from others and Dan is willing to share photography tips.

12. Do you ever take people along with you on your birdwatching trips and teach them the tricks of the trade?
    

    I have taken a few and am thinking that we need to plan a “Start Birding Today” trip soon. We could meet and start simple and go from there. 

13. How can someone contact you if they have questions about birding?
    

    Call us, number in church directory or e-mail me at Lee (at) leesbird.com.

Painted Bunting

Other Posts in our Start Birding today Series:

• Start Birding Today:  Series Introduction
• Start Birding Today: Some Background Information
• Start Birding Today: Why Should I Go Outside and Stare at Birds?
• Start Birding Today: The Few Tools You Need To Be A Birdwatcher
• Start Birding Today: Where Do I Go?
• Start Birding Today: What Kind of Bird is This?
• Start Birding Today: When Should I Go?
• Start Birding Today: What is the Sound? 
• Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - U.S.
• Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - Zoos
• Start Birding Today:  13 Questions for Lee Dusing

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