Unverified Territory

An excerpt from Unverified Territory

The importance of leaving a legacy
By William T. Bonham, Attorney at Law, WGM Board Member
October-December 2012

Many WGM supporters who have been faithful to the ministry during their lifetimes have continued to be faithful even as they passed to their heavenly reward. They did this by remembering WGM and their other favorite ministries in their wills or trusts.

For example, the American Indian Field, the third largest WGM ministry area, has benefited from an endowment that paid the AIF an income for 20 years. The endowment, which is $400,000, matures in a few months and the entire sum will become available.

AIF has recently completed construction of a multipurpose facility at Southwest Indian Ministries Center in the Phoenix area. It will have a huge impact, not only on the unsaved in the community around it, but it will house ministries to the inhabitants of the Native American reservations in Arizona. The facility will host everything from church camps to AA meetings. Best of all, it is paid for.

The need now is for dormitory space to house attendees of the camps and other activities. A 120-bed dormitory has recently been approved by the WGM Board for construction at SIMC. The cost for construction will be $400,000!
God, in His perfect timing, has made this endowment money available from generous supporters. How delighted they would be to see the results of their faithfulness!

ACT: If you would like to discuss your estate planning goals, contact WGM Vice President Shelly McCollum at 765.664.7331. Questions for me? Feel free to contact me at 614.478.8020. All discussions will be held at no charge and in complete confidence.

Deputation Travels

An excerpt from Deputation Travels

Building partnerships for the missionary journey
By Eileen McGuire, Retiree
October-December 2012

I arrived at Southwest Indian School on July 31, 1960. I cannot begin to tell you all the things that I learned in my 45 years of serving there, but I loved teaching the Indian children. There were definitely some bumps in the road, but it is not my practice to nourish negative emotions.

I loved meeting people as I traveled on deputation (now called homeland ministry assignment). It amazed me how loving, kind, and helpful these precious individuals and churches were.

As I traveled, I would arrive at the home where I was told that I’d share the evening meal. Often these people were complete strangers, but in a very short time we were conversing because we were in the same family—the family of God.

As each deputation came around, I looked forward to seeing these devoted supporters just as much as they looked forward to seeing their missionary.

I’m so glad that God can trust His people to do His work around the world. I know that God blesses all obedient giving and that He provides both the joy for strength and the provisions for ministry. I want to say “thank you” for your involvement in reaching the lost. Your work has not been in vain.

ACT: Missionaries are still traveling on homeland ministry assignment today. If you are interested in inviting a missionary to speak in your church about their ministry, contact Tara Mast at church@wgm.org or 765.671.7244.

GPS: Give So They Can Play—It’s Simple!

An excerpt from GPS: Give So They Can Play--It's Simple!

Kids helping kids be kids
By Rachel Elwood, Support Staff
October-December 2012

When the group of kids from Indian Springs Holiness Camp in Georgia decided to give their offering to a missions project, they knew it had to be for something special. When they heard from missionaries Billy Wayne and Jenny Fuller that kids living in Samfya, Zambia, had no safe place to play, the children decided that they needed to have a playground.

The only problem? Gym sets aren’t easy to find in the remote town of Samfya, where Billy Wayne and Jenny serve at Samfya Bible School. Although they never dreamed that the skill “can design playground equipment” would be added to their resumés, they were up for the challenge! After drawing diagrams of a slide, swings, a sandbox, and monkey bars, the Fullers hired local craftsmen to construct the pieces, using what materials were available. The children’s offering covered all construction costs. Swings were attached to a huge tree that offers great shade, and a fence around the area completed the playground.

WEB: Kids really can make a missions impact. WGM’s Kids Helping Kids catalog lists specific missions projects that kids can get involved with to help other children around the world. Gather your Vacation Bible School or Sunday School class and download a free copy of the catalog at www.wgm.org/kidscatalog.

Choosing the Farmer's Tan

An excerpt from Choosing the Farmer's Tan

By Troy Simpson, Ministry Partner
October-December 2012

Each year, students around the United States wait anxiously for the arrival of spring break. Most students can’t wait to hit the beaches in Florida; California; or Cancun, Mexico. But, for a few students at Mississinewa High School in Gas City, Indiana, spring break means spending the week in Honduras, working and building relationships with the students of Amor Fe y Esperanza (a school for the children whose parents live and work in the city dump of Tegucigalpa). The team works hard under the hot Honduran sun and usually ends the week with some super “farmer’s tans.”

ACT: Get your local high school involved in missions, too. Grab a few chaperones and students and plan your next spring break atwww.gowgm.org/teams.

On the Prayer Journey

An excerpt from On the Prayer Journey

By David Engbrecht, WGM Board Member

October-December 2012

I love partnerships! I love partnerships that have lots of letters; letters like WGM, AGC, NMC, and LFF. While World Gospel Mission, Africa Gospel Church, and Nappanee Missionary Church have a strong partnership history with the AGC Baby Center in Ngata, Kenya, something new and fresh is happening. It’s uncharted territory! It’s Mombasa, Kenya.

When Dr. Robert Langat was installed as the new bishop of Africa Gospel Church, he shared a stirring visionary message calling the church to expand its borders. He called the church to press forward into Mombasa, a dark, difficult coastal city of nearly a million people with a large Muslim population. His passionate call resonated in my heart, and I, along with others at Nappanee Missionary Church, began to pray for Mombasa. We answered the Macedonian call and committed to partnering in the area.

While all of this was happening, God laid Mombasa on the hearts of Dennis and Gladys Mutai who were pastoring with AGC. After visiting with the bishop, the Mutais accepted the challenge and moved to Mombasa. As a result, a new church plant has emerged there.

First things first! The starting point of any effective partnership is prayer. A day of prayer was declared that included a prayer walk in Mombasa.

On that day, prayer partners were literally praying around the world. In Indiana, a host of people, many who had connected via Facebook and the Internet, were crying out to God for Mombasa. By phone, we connected with Little Flock Fellowship in northeast India where many of their leaders had gathered in prayer for Mombasa. Escuela El Sembrador in Honduras had a special prayer time for Mombasa. Pray Mombasa has become far more than a day in Africa. It has become a movement of partners committing to claim new territory.

The morning after Pray Mombasa, the team gathered to debrief and process, and it was apparent that this was far more than a Pray Mombasa event, but the birth of a partnership whose mission it is to impact the entire east coast of Kenya.

ACT: Form your own partnership. Scripture makes it clear that when two or more partner together in His name, great power is there because He is with us. We are called to fellowship in ministry just as WGM, Nappanee Missionary Church, and Africa Gospel Church have. Organize a community-wide, faith-based outreach project that includes more than your local church. Here are some ideas to keep the Pray Mombasa idea going: volunteer in a homeless shelter or hospice; provide meals, babysitting, and transportation for military families in your area; or build or sponsor a youth center in your community.

Narrow is the Road

An excerpt from Narrow is the Road

By Lisa Fish, Uganda, with Rachel Elwood, Support Staff

October-December 2012

“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:14 NIV)

As I look back at what God has done in Uganda, I am amazed at the intricacy of the narrow road. It can be complicated; it can sometimes not make sense; and yet, I see how God moves and works in the chaos to bring people to Him.

He led WGM to begin working in Uganda 15 years ago. The road later led to working with students. Heritage International School is a Christian international school where many of us teach and share the gospel with children and families from over 20 nations, including a dozen African countries. Kenyan AGC missionary Kennedy Kirui heads up the outreach of discipleship, Bible studies, and a church for 1,000 students attending Kampala International University. Those university students seek to follow God as He leads them on their own paths, with education that may place them in government and leadership positions in their home countries. It’s thrilling to think of these young people joining the narrow road and leading more people to come with them!

The narrow road can lead us to serve in places of pain and desperate need. As we enter the second decade of the 21st century, the road has many twists and turns, touching across Uganda and beyond. The Lord has led us into ministries into key “gateway” cities across the nation and into the neighboring countries of South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, and even into Burundi, where WGM served decades ago. And this is only the beginning of the story of the road God has led us down! New meanderings are opening all the time. I thank God for allowing me to be a part of leading others to the narrow road that leads to eternal life with Him.

PRAY: Pray for those working in Uganda and for those currently headed that direction. Pray for the Africa Gospel Church pastors and their families, for their spiritual and relational growth. Pray for more mature, spiritually transformed laypeople in the church, who are needed to build a healthy foundation in Uganda and in all the nations where God leads.

GO: Do you want to be a part of the exciting ministries in Uganda? Visit www.wgm.org/uganda to find out how you can serve God there. Are they waiting for you?

Directionally Challenged

An excerpt from Directionally Challenged

By Todd Eckhardt, Support Staff
October-December 2012

Have you ever felt “directionally challenged”—not in finding your way to a new location, but in finding your way in life? Kevin DeYoung’s book Just Do Something has a chapter called “Directionally Challenged.” The book is based on the all-too-common truth that many Christians are paralyzed by indecision. We sincerely want God’s will, but we are so afraid we will miss it that we become indecisive and end up doing nothing.

DeYoung says, “Obsessing over the future is not how God wants us to live, because showing us the future is not God’s way. His way is not a crystal ball. His way is wisdom” (page 41).

Perhaps we are not as directionally challenged as we think. God has a job for us. You want to do God’s work. He wants you to do His work. But fear sets in and we begin to flounder. Then we slip into this paralyzing mindset of indecision, and before we know it, we have gone nowhere. We weigh all the information; we seek all the answers on how this will look in the future. God rarely reveals the future, but He does give wisdom.

MORE: Read Psalm 111 to see what the Bible says about gaining wisdom. Talk to your pastor or spiritual mentor for advice.