The Missionary Care Center (MCC) is an opportunity the FBA family has to encourage our missionaries and many other missionaries serving all over the world. By donating new or excellent condition clothing and household items, FBA members are able to help meet missionaries’ material needs. The MCC is a clothing boutique where FBA missionaries and other missionaries with various agencies are able to shop for themselves and their families free of charge.

Missionary Testimonies:

“While my husband visited your center, he was able to find some needed clothes and shoes. We want you to know, too, that we’ve been reading the ‘Life Principles Bible’ you gave us and have enjoyed it very much. We plan to take your gift of vitamins with us to China and use them there. The most meaningful of all was your intercession on our behalf. My husband relayed to me how you prayed for us at the end of his visit. We’re touched that you would care for us and other missionaries in this way—thank you!”

“My husband and I are ‘home’ in the U.S. for medical leave. All of our belongings are in South Africa. This was an unexpected development and replacing our things short-term has been difficult. We are so thankful for your help.”

Current MCC needs: new bath towels and wash cloths, toiletry items (toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, brushes, perfume, and deodorant), sheets, men’s socks (black) and belts, jeans (men’s sizes 32x29, 34X30, 36X30), men’s golf shirts (small and medium), boy’s jeans (8-20), and luggage.

Donations may be brought to the MCC Drop Room located at the North Peachtree Road entrance of the building (Eastside) Sunday-Friday 9:00-5:00 pm. For more information, please call Linda Taylor at 770-234-8441.

“I have never seen so many people point to their hearts as they expressed to us how our ministry had touched them,” recalls Beverly Minor, team leader for the Prayz! trip to Spain.  Formed in 2003, Prayz! began ministering through music in Austria and Hungary in 2003 and 2005. In 2007 and 2009, the team traveled to Hungary, Austria, and Romania. In 2010, Prayz! went to Athens, Greece.  For their most recent trip, from September 21 through October 3, 2011, FBA’s Prayz! team led worship at nine ministry concerts, traveling throughout Vilanova, Vilafranca, Sitges, and Barcelona, Spain. This trip to Spain testifies to Prayz!’s commitment to use their musical gifts and testimonies to impact others around the world with the message of Jesus Christ.

FBA Faith Promise Missionary Eugenio Berruezo, who helps the local churches in Spain, witnessed the Prayz! team concerts. “How can I explain my emotions? Whenever I think about what we have done this week, my eyes fill with tears.  The most important thing is that together, thanks to their music, we presented the Gospel of Jesus Christ to hundreds of people. For many of these people, it was the first time they were receiving such a clear testimony,” Eugenio clarifies.

“Most people of Spain consider themselves Catholic Christians, but far few actually attend church. Evangelical churches are viewed as a sect and are frowned upon,” explains Beverly. “Whether out of culture or financial constraints, the people of Vilanova had apparently found contentment in something we in the United States are dangerously at risk of losing in our desire to automate and virtualize everything. Relationships. Genuine, face-to-face relationships, unconcerned with the clock. But there is a sad reality. The most important relationship in these people's lives is not even missed or acknowledged here. Having an eternal and saving relationship with Jesus Christ is such a foreign concept to them that Pastor Eugenio tells us evangelical Christians represent a mere fraction of a percent of the population. In his 40-plus years ministering to these people, he could count on one hand those who had been baptized.”

Knowing this, the opportunity Prayz! had to sing during a baptism service at a church in Magallanes held special significance. Despite antagonistic views towards evangelical Christians, members from FBA witnessed both Christian and non-Christian attendees gather at their concerts and truly worship God. “Many sang, danced, wept, and lifted their hands to the Lord,” Beverly reminisces.  In fact, many faces became familiar as Christians began following the team from “concert to concert, bringing unsaved family members and neighbors. Opportunities like this provided us an avenue to issue InTouch Messengers.” Through this positive response, the Prayz! team felt “showered with His presence at every concert, guided, and protected, and confirmed in our hearts that we were sent to glorify Him,” proclaims Beverly.

While in prison, Paul wrote a final exhortation to Timothy, encouraging Timothy to remain steadfast in following Christ. Specifically, Paul stressed to Timothy that he must persevere in his ministry, despite hardship. Paul instructed Timothy to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:1-2, NASB).  Facing his imminent death, Paul emphatically stressed that Timothy must share what Paul taught him to faithful people who will, in turn, teach others.

This past September, FBA sent a team on a Short-Term Mission Trip to Kenya to act out the instruction found in 2 Timothy 2 by equipping over 500 local pastors and teachers to teach others about the Gospel. Working alongside Source of Light East Africa, FBA’s team trained leadership in both Mtito Andei and Mombasa.

When reflecting on her experience, FBA member Kathy David recalls, “The main room of the conference area was filled with singing pastors and teachers waiting our arrival.  The air of excitement was invigorating.  We divided the group into two areas: one for pastors and one for teachers.  These were serious students of the Word.  Both conference sessions began with the Life Principles and proceeded with exciting moments of recognition of the oneness of the body of Christ and the hunger and thirst of these precious people seeking to learn more of Him. Our goal was to teach those who would teach others; to entrust and equip them with the Truth.

Since our intent was to challenge these believers with the task of teaching others, we began with presenting each one with a Life Principles Bible.  We showed them all of the resources within those pages.  The cross-referencing, concordance, index and maps we take for granted were studied with awe!  With all of this, plus an article on listening to God and detailed information on the 30 Life Principles added into the pages of God’s Word, the Kenyans realized they now actually possessed the greatest of curriculums!

After teaching the process for preparation in teaching, we presented the group with a template for making a clear lesson plan.  Following giving the teachers the topic of ‘The Feeding of the 5,000,’ we divided them into small groups to study and complete the lesson plan.  Everyone excitedly tackled the task. We listened to each group present their own methods of motivating students to learn, what would constitute their Bible exploration and application, as well as the life responses they desired to see among their students.  It was rewarding to see the confidence and enthusiasm exhibited on their faces as they took the topic and developed incredible lesson plans.

At the end of the second conference day, we gave out certificates and InTouch Messengers, to the delight of all attendees.  They were in awe over the face that the Messenger is solar powered and, therefore, usable by everyone.  We held the microphone up to the Messenger itself to allow them to hear Dr. Stanley’s introduction. The minute they heard his voice, the room exploded into cheering! It made you want to weep. This presentation was treated as a graduation of sorts by those in attendance.”

For team leader, Carole Pearson, this was her fifth trip to Kenya. Unique to this trip, the team was able to use PowerPoint, “allow[ing] the participants to hear and see what we were teaching. Most of them are able to understand and speak English, but it is difficult for them to process it fast when they are hearing new information!” Music, which is a major part of the culture in Kenya, was also introduced. “We realized we were missing a wonderful opportunity by not adding music to our teaching schedule. They loved it and really got into learning the songs. We found that, prior to a conference beginning, someone would stand up, start a song, and everyone would sing. Kenyans never miss an opportunity to sing!”

Encouraged by their time in Kenya, the team from FBA recognized that the need there is great and growing, for “the Muslim population is increasing in Kenya and so is the influence of its religion. One sees more mosques than ever before and hears the call to prayer more frequently. Those who teach and preach the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ are in a time crunch. It is critical that they have the tools with which to share the true message of eternal life and hope for the immediate future,” states Kathy.
“After the conference,” Carole remembers, “we had teachers asking us if it would be alright with us if they taught this material to other teachers! Our answer was ‘YES!’ That fulfilled our team Scripture. It was our prayer and desire that they would share what they had been taught with their churches.”

Through obediently teaching others how to teach the Gospel, FBA’s Kenya Team followed in the instruction given by Paul to Timothy. “We were not there to give them fish,” Ann explains, “we were there to teach them how to fish.” Through this example, members from FBA witnessed how, in eleven days, the tools they taught will present the Gospel and transform countless people for generations to come.