FBA Missions in the Rear-View
Mirror
The Beginning of Our World Missions Program at FBA
In 1978, Dr. Charles
Stanley, Senior Pastor of FBA came to Bill Boerop and asked him to help start a missions program at FBA. At that time, only a small group of ladies
were involved with making the task of reaching the world for Christ a reality in
the church. Dr. Stanley knew that Bill Boerop, who was SE Area Director for
Greater Europe Mission had an interest in being involved in churches sending,
praying and giving for people to go to the mission field.
In February 1978, Bill
invited Dr. Stanley and his wife to go to Florida for a seminar addressing the
challenge of how to become involved. However, Dr. Stanley and his wife could
not go, so he asked Mary Gellerstedt to go instead. Bill wrote the material
that was shared in the seminar called, “Winning Strategies Seminar” which is
still being used worldwide today. Many pastors as well as Mary Gellerstedt were
touched and went home to help their congregations become sending churches. Mary
and Bill Boerop shared with Dr. Stanley and the missions program at FBA was
launched.
In 1979, FBA had their
first missions conference and for three consecutive years, Bill and his staff
helped the church get well-grounded in setting up the missions program. Bill
made all the arrangements for the speakers, testimonies, music and setting
up of the display areas. The Lord used many volunteers who graciously gave of
their time to help however they could.
Bill also taught the
concept of the Faith Promise Offering. The congregation was challenged to trust
the Lord month after month to provide the funds for the mission giving. The
Lord has greatly blessed and now, forty-two years later, FBA still uses the
Faith Promise Offering. There are about 85 missionary families that are
receiving part of their financial support from FBA. Opportunities for home
missions, local involvements and short-term trips are other parts of the
missions program.
Looking back over the 42
years since the worldwide missions thrust at FBA was started, we can only say:
The Lord has done a great thing. We are grateful for our pastor who saw the
need for personalization in missions and gave the green light to start the
missions ministry. Mary Gellerstedt graciously worked alongside Bill Boerop and
started the ball rolling. The missions staff has worked joyfully for the Lord
and for our missionaries. May the Lord continue to bless you all and may the
team overseas, many of them in hard places, continue to know that there is a
group of folks here at FBA who are standing with them and praying for them.
Bill and Joy Boerop, Founder and President, World Thrust International
11/23/2019
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PRAYER & PRAISE CALENDAR
9/22
NABIL & LENA COSTA
Christar,
Lebanon
Pray
for Lebanon and its people, as it continues its long downward spiral and there
seems to be no end to the current crisis. From medicine to power, gasoline and
bread, there seems to be a scarcity of everything. Soon there may be no
connection to the outside world as internet providers are stopping their
services one after the other. Pray for the Costas.
9/23
OLI & JUDY JACOBSEN
Ethnos360,
USA/Asia
Missionaries
overseas face challenges as they consider getting Covid vaccinations, and some
have lost their visas during the pandemic making return more difficult at this
time. Some countries are beginning to open again, and folks can
return. Yet, God is still building His church despite the pandemic. Recently one group in the Philippines had a
3-day seminar for the Bible teachers and church leaders. Their topic was,
“Good and Faithful Servants”.
9/24
Josh & Gina Bloomfield
AFCI,
Australia
Since
June 2020 when Josh launched Life2Life over Zoom with three ministry leaders
with a passion to partner to make disciple makers, God has used their lives to
cultivate and multiply the witnessing lifestyle to over 150 people by August
2021. These are currently or are about to start cultivating or multiplying the
witness lifestyle through Life2Life.
9/25
GREG & PAM SMITH
InStep
International, Inc., USA/Worldwide
Today
InStep will host a concert and evangelistic crusade in Mexico and Costa Rica
(virtual). In partnership with Camp Kirkland ministry and Green Acres
Baptist Church in Tyler, TX - a 200-member choir and orchestra, they are
calling this the Upper Room (120 key churches). This opportunity could
exponentially advance the kingdom of God and the Gospel.
9/26
GERARD
& ANNE CHALVET
Christian
Missions in Many Lands, Inc., France
Following
fervent prayers for the police force in France and in the USA, there is
evidence that God is using this time to draw many to Himself and protect them
from a rising suicide rate, resulting from being attacked and demoralized by
society. Several people have declared their trust in Christ and have been
baptized and are now witnessing to their family and friends!
9/27
MARK & JANA FAUS
SIM
USA, Inc., USA/Worldwide
Pray for safety for the SIM missionaries in southeast Asia as they
have come under increased government scrutiny and observation during these past
few months, which is threatening their ministries’ security and viability.
9/28
ANDREW & ALECIA TEEUWEN
Pioneers,
Inc., Greece
Please pray for complete healing for their daughter Susannah, who
seriously injured her arm in an ATV accident earlier in the summer.
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September 2021 is Culture Month at FBA Global Missions!
Hear
from our Faith Promise Missionaries from around the world and learn first-hand
about the cultures where they live and serve!
Leah Rigsby, Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬 Edner Jeanty, Haiti 🇭🇹
John
North, Australia 🇦🇺 Gary & Penny Seithel 🇬🇧
And
more!
We
look forward to seeing you there!
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Thank you for your faithful prayers for our Faith Promise
Missionaries each week. If you're interested in knowing more about
one of the missionaries you have prayed for, we have a program called MAP
(Missionary Adoption Program) where we match church members with a missionary
serving in an area of the world, or in a field of ministry, that is of
particular interest to you for the purpose of praying for and encouraging that
missionary. Interested? Find out more at https://www.fba.org/global-missions/missionary-adoption-program
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