STATE MISSIONS: All Good Things Come to An End
This is the final week of our 2024 Special Emphasis. Thank you to those who invited me to come and share our state work. As always, these funds help us in expanding our outreach efforts. Please consider taking up a special offering for State Missions on Sunday, July 28. Also, with our busy schedules, it is easy for things like this to sneak up on us. So, any Sunday is a good Sunday to take up an offering. Your state missionaries are working faithfully to win souls and develop a presence in their communities.
On the Road Again
Your Advisory Committee and I will make our annual two-day trek around the state to visit each missionary Aug. 12-13. This is the time we can physically set eyes on their work and encourage these men and their families. I am thankful for the Advisory Committee members who are extremely faithful to their responsibilities. Please pray for them and take the opportunity to have one or more speak at your local association meetings that are coming up in a few weeks.
From Our Missionaries
Misión Creciendo en Cristo (Growing in Christ), North Little Rock: Juan Carlos Posadas writes, “We had a night of prayer, thanksgiving, biblical reflection and communion on Friday. We started at 7:30 p.m. and ended at midnight. We prayed for our families, the missionaries, God’s plans for the church and for God to help us bear fruit.
“Sayra returned to the church Sunday. When she entered the communion room, the brothers and sisters who were having a discipleship class greeted her with great cheer, and they were all happy to see her return. Various children wanted to be next to her during Sunday School class. Sayra felt very touched by the appreciation shown by the adults and children.
“On this occasion, we studied Revelation 11 and the theme of the two witnesses and the seventh trumpet. At the end of the sermon, the call was made to ask the Lord for forgiveness if we had strayed from His ways and were not living the life He desires that we live. Various brothers and sisters asked for prayer. It was a beautiful time of reflection and spiritual restoration. We thank God for touching the hearts of the people in the congregation.
“Please continue to pray for this work and what God has prepared for us in North Little Rock so we may be an obedient and faith-filled congregation.”
Ebenezer, West Little Rock: Ruben Isturiz writes, “It has been a very busy week, both ministerially and as a family. Monday was our DBS (Discovery Bible Study) in our home with two visitors (originally from Zulia, Venezuela).
“We went to the preopening of a new Mexican store on Thursday. The owners are members of Ebenezer, and they asked us to pray.
“It was also a time of training the person in charge of Ebenezer’s treasury. Veronica is from Ecuador and assumes this important area of ministry for every congregation.
“I was also able to mentor the pastor in charge of the Hispanic Theological Institute of our churches in Central Arkansas.
“Thanks to the ministry I do with NOVO (novo.org), I have the opportunity to help many Hispanic pastors and leaders inside and outside the USA. We are preparing a Cultural Anthropology workshop on missions. God willing, we will do it with the BMA churches in Texas. Many new missionaries come from Latin America, but it is difficult for them to adapt to the form of ministry in America. This workshop is dedicated to helping them understand a little about culture shock, worldview and cultural ethnocentrism.
“I see a great need in the Hispanic churches of the BMA nationwide for healthy leaders and healthy churches. There are many resources in this area in English, but not in Spanish. New works are being planted, but many of our workers feel alone. Pray that God will continue to use me in this area through the ministry of NOVO. We have already counseled pastors in other states, and their churches are moving forward.
“Many things happen during the week, sometimes coming home at 10 p.m. — ministry with baseball, pastoral counseling, getting everything ready for Sunday, etc. There is still a lot of work to do in Ebenezer. Thank you for your prayers and support. To God be the glory!”
Faith Chapel, Flippin: Johnny Shew writes, “We had another great week at Faith Chapel! We had a great number for worship, even though several families were out for various reasons. Last week, I told you about us getting 4.6” of rain overnight.
It turns out that was just a drop in the old bucket because Wednesday night, we had somewhere between 10.5” and 12.5” (not exactly sure because the rain gauge ran over) in about 18 hours. We had some water in the garage and shop, but nothing major. The road to the new building washed out a little, but nothing major. We were blessed with a minor inconvenience compared to some. Thank You, Lord! It did hamper the work on the new building a little, though. Between workers being out of town, contractors that couldn’t come and me cleaning up my garage, only a little got done on the building last week. But as I always say, ‘any is some,’ so we will get back to it this week.
“Thank you for your prayers and support. Please continue. We thank God for you!”
Faith Journey, Benton: Bryan Clay writes, “We have a couple that will soon be taking the plunge into marriage! We enjoyed a poolside wedding shower for our daughter and her fiancé on Saturday. Many friends and family came out to shower them with love, well wishes and gifts. They are very happy, and we ask for prayer for this beautiful young couple as they begin this next step together in life.
“We have been blessed with the growth of our elder ministry at our nursing facilities and adult day center we visit every week. There is a real need for this type of ministry for our older generation who reside in these facilities. Most of these residents may never have the opportunity or even be able to attend a weekly church service outside of their long-term care residence due mostly to physical and health limitations. These individuals love the Lord so much and seek to hear God’s Word and share the wisdom they have gained over a lifetime. Faith Journey feels very blessed that we can be a part of what God is doing in these lives every week.”
Misión Gracia Soberana (Sovereign Grace), NWA:Roberto Marcelletti writes, “We were ministered in our devotional time on Saturday with the sisters who belong to the musical ministry of Sovereign Grace. We met in the morning, and Mayerlin invited her niece, a 13-year-old girl who recently arrived from Miami.
We were able to listen to the beautiful testimony of this young woman who, since she arrived in Rogers, gave her life to Christ and testified that she now has a new life. She feels happy and very peaceful and said the old life, which she described as dirty water, is gone, and she now has a new life and sees in her life a very good future by the hand of Christ and being guided by us as leaders.
“Sunday, we had our first Sunday School class at 11 a.m. The theme was ‘Can We Trust the Bible?’ Seeing 23 brothers arrive with a great desire to learn was amazing. It was a very beautiful time. Please pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen us and send teachers to help us. To God the glory.”
Epic Life, Pea Ridge: Jake McCandless writes, “More than any time in my ministry, Gal. 6:5 (NIV) — ‘Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ’ — has taken on life. We’ve had some heavy sharing with each of our groups.
Along with walking through trials with each other, I was extremely proud of our Garfield Connection Group. A member of their group had surgery, and the group took them meals this week. It is great seeing groups step up and care for one another.”
El Faro #2 Hispanic Mission, Cabot/Jacksonville: Michael Hight writes, “This week, I will finally start my home infusions. We have high hopes for these treatments, but in the meantime, we are doing what we can.
“We have selected Sept. 1 as our kickoff date. We have signs up and flyers printed. This month will be dedicated to preparing the meeting place and meeting as many people as possible! We need an old sound system if anyone has one in a closet somewhere. Please continue to pray for us. We’ve had a difficult start, but as Paul said, ‘we do not lose heart’ (II Cor. 4:16).
“I say this regularly, but please pray for Jorge and Daisy. She begins chemo soon with stage 4 liver cancer. Send Jorge a text at (501) 350-6878 and let him know you are lifting them up in your prayers. We are also getting close to getting an answer on his brother-in-law’s visa. Pray, pray, pray!
“One more thing, thank you to Landmark Baptist Church in England for allowing me to speak a couple of nights at their VBS last week!”
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Paul White
Arkansas State Missions Director Paul White pens a weekly column to inform the BMA of Arkansas concerning Arkansas Missions’ activity and includes individual reports from each church planter.
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