On the 14th of May, Truth Baptist Church celebrated an anniversary 17 years to the day that it was founded. It turned out to be our largest attendance on the property with about 400. We were glad to host Evangelist Doug Neary of A Look at the Book Ministries for the commemorative service, and I used the occasion to announce the rebirth of our bus ministry, as three buses were used that day. On the last Sunday of May, one of our supporting pastors, Bro. Ben Lang of Temple Baptist Church in Muncie (Indiana), preached the 8th anniversary service for Grace & Glory Baptist Church. There were 158 in attendance, including 53 visitors.
At the beginning of May, I was privileged to have an evangelist friend pay for Noah (my 3rd son) and me to join him in visiting Missionary Kevin Wynne's work in Mexico City. We were truly challenged by the ministries and focus of the largest independent Baptist church in the world. It was an honor to speak in a couple of their Sunday school classes and teach in their college of nearly 300 students. The trip was special for Noah as he made some new missionary kid friends and also won several people to Christ during their church-wide soulwinning.
Other notable events of these two months included the completion of our 26th semester of Providence Baptist College & Seminary. Six students have finished their training, and 30 more are now serving in 12-week internships at their home churches and various other host ministries. Sadly, Chindo Solomon was our first student to have his schooling cut short by a disease that ended his time on this earth. On May 24th, I preached to a full auditorium in Chindo’s hometown, and several hundred people who gathered for his funeral heard the same Gospel that he preached faithfully during his years as a student pastor at one of our local area church plants. Lastly, the first two weeks of June was the survey trip for Coty and Allyson Powers, who quickly befriended our family when we “met” through social media contacts a few months ago. Please pray for them as they continue to raise support to come to Nigeria fully as missionaries.
Our June ended with another trip to Kumasi to partner with the FBMI Ghana Team in conducting their 4th Student Missions Institute for Training in Evangelism. This camp was unique in that it was their first graduation for 12 of the students who were faithful to each of the first four years. There was a record total of 120 registered from several churches; they conducted 19 five-day Bible clubs with 1335 children enrolled and 626 personally counseled for salvation. I was happy to have Victoria and Brian join me for this great week.
Global Baptist Church Planters has partnered with our ministry since 2015 to help us plant numerous churches. The following is a description of their newly launched Global Baptist Initiative:
In our travels to meet with our Partner missionaries and our Pioneer church planters, we have constantly been confronted with the needs of the national pastors - needs that reach beyond the monthly support we provide. In cases of catastrophe, we have raised support to rebuild destroyed churches and parsonages, but Global Baptist Church Planters has remained focused on church planting and providing ongoing support to Pioneers. Being aware of the challenges faced by the church planters and their families, however, has moved our hearts. We could address these challenges with little difficulty, yet they are nearly insurmountable to our national friends. A need of $5000 might as well be $5 million to them. With these needs in mind and through the stirring of the Holy Spirit, GBCP has prayerfully decided to create a pipeline for American dollars to be directed toward the needs of our Pioneer brethren. Allow me to share with you some examples:
* A church in Nigeria is in a village whose well has run dry. People are walking miles to source water from surrounding villages. Funds for a well would create a sure water supply for the church members and the villagers as well. It would make the church a force for good in the eyes of the people.
* A church has no roof on their facility. They have literally made and stacked bricks for the walls, but that effort cost them all that they had. A roof would provide shelter for the congregation and act as floor space for another level when weather permits.
* A church planter has started two churches. He must travel back and forth between the two congregations to keep them going. Travel by walking is very difficult. A used motorcycle would make such a difference.
It is with great excitement that we announce Global Baptist Church Planters has launched a parallel ministry called the Global Baptist Initiative. The mission statement of this Initiative is: Helping People That Are Reaching People. GBI will provide ministries and individuals in the US an opportunity to make a profound difference in the lives of our current and former national Pioneers. Should the Lord lead you to participate, your donations will remove roadblocks that potentially hinder the spread of the gospel. The ministry of Global Baptist Church Planters will continue its focus on establishing churches around the world. That effort will not be diminished by the arrival of the Initiative. These are two separate ministries. One to provide the funds to start and build churches; one to provide the means to deal with the major challenges of the ministries. Peachtree Road Baptist Church will continue to provide oversight and direction to both entities. Please consider joining us in this new endeavor. You have given sacrificially to start these churches. Would you now prayerfully consider helping these same churches prevail in the fight?
Dr. Jay Reed, Director GBCP and GB
Missionary Patricia Hamburg, serving in Nigeria for more than 20 years and with us since 2011, included more highlights in her prayer letter:
The annual Soulwinning and Leadership Conference was preached and taught to a packed house! Our preachers this year were Pastor Ken Shinn from Lighthouse Baptist Church in Colombia MS and Missionary Evangelist Curtis Hall from Best Missions, Bangkok Thailand. Our host Pastor Mark Holmes and Assistant Pastor Justin Nenge also preached and taught. Split sessions were available to the men, women, and singles. I really enjoy these conferences. The in-depth, relative topics, and question and answer sessions, fellowship, and renewal of past acquaintances, are such blessings to me. Updates on the various ministries at Truth Baptist Church and Grace and Glory Baptist Church were presented each evening.
The CLI prison ministry is growing. Churches all around Nigeria are reaching out with the Bible materials to correctional facilities in their areas. Recently I spoke and taught at the local Women’s prison and the response to the gospel was amazing. I addition to the “Christian” inmates, 3 Muslim ladies came forward to receive Christ.
Our “Friends of the Deaf” continues to grow as more of our members meet weekly to learn sign language. During a recent Sunday session, a baby, born of deaf parents was dedicated after the service.
The seminary has now moved into the new addition of the hostel. Classes and sessions are now taught there. Except for Thursday and Sunday services, our school “Foundation Baptist Academy” has expanded into the entire auditorium and classrooms there.
In May, donations to complete the building on the hill are being realized. Work has started on the property to clear the grounds and construct the wall and road access to reach the new building.
Yesterday was the 17th Anniversary Celebration of Truth Baptist Church. Standing room only as people packed the house. Many came forward to receive Jesus as Savior. Our Guest preacher was Evangelist Doug Neary from the USA.
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