“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.

Christmas, for many children, is a time to compose a wish list for toys, construct gingerbread houses, and trim the tree. Overshadowing these traditional activities are the familiar, sentimental feelings of love from a home filled with family, wondrous joy from celebration, and, for Christians, peace from commemorating the coming of their Messiah.

Ten years ago, a young Russian girl knew nothing of these comforts or love. After being removed from a “turbulent life” in an alcoholic home around the age of 7, Oksana Nelson found herself in a “bleak, dreary orphanage,” which had no heaters or hot water. Like the other children, Oksana had a bath every two weeks, a change of clothes once a week, and one toothbrush and one tube of toothpaste to share between 20 children.  Oksana’s sole identity was formed in being an orphan. While she loved school, she wore a specific uniform that labeled her as an orphan to all of the children and adults around her.  Beyond the material depravity, the greatest need Oksana felt was for someone to show her love, hope, and joy.

“One day,” Oksana recalls, “everything I knew about people, existence, and living changed.”  A missionary couple visited her orphanage, their arms brimming with shoeboxes covered in wrapping paper. One of these boxes was given to Oksana. Inside, she found her own toothbrush, toothpaste, dominos, candy, and, most memorable, a picture of the children who made this gift for her.  Now, she realizes the simplicity of these everyday objects. For the little girl who had “nothing to call [her] own,” these ordinary items became transformative treasures.  No longer was she an unloved orphan, for she learned from these missionaries about the greatest love she could ever know, the love of her Heavenly Father.  Her identity was forever found as a beloved daughter of Jesus Christ. All of this, Oksana notes, “began with a shoebox.”  Through this simple shoebox, a missionary couple shared Christ’s love with a stranger.

A year later, Oksana was adopted by a couple from Texas. Today, she shares her testimony to encourage others to join in the work of Operation Christmas Child to “be the hands and feet of Jesus by reach[ing] people in unknown destinations to fulfill the Great Commission.” Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has given 86 million shoeboxes to children in need. “It’s not just a box,” Oksana clarifies, “One box equals one child, equals one life, equals one salvation.”

During the 32nd Annual Global Missions Conference, First Baptist Atlanta hosted a week of events focused on having “a heart for God and a vision for the world.” The theme verse, 1 John 4:21, instructs believers that loving other Christians is a commandment inseparable from loving God.  Christians’ love for God results in outward obedience to God’s moral law, specifically by demonstrating love towards humankind.  Later, John deduces in 1 John 5:2 that believers know they are children of God because they obey God’s commands. Thus, love for people is a fruit of faith, rooted in love for God, marking Christians as children of God. This command to love is meant to transport this transformative love all around the world, sending disciples to make disciples of every nation.

Beyond challenging our church to live out the two-part commandment found in 1 John 4:21, the heart of the FBA’s Global Missions Conference is to minister to the attending missionary families.  After all these families sacrifice in ministry, FBA’s Mission Conference offered fellowship, prayer, encouragement, and resources to enhance effectiveness in their ministries.

Through Worship Services and Sunday School Classes, the missionaries shared stories of how the Word of God is transforming lives around the world, challenging all believers to join in their proclamation of God’s truth to make disciples of all nations.  Other highlights of the 2011 Global Missions Conference included a Counseling Seminar; a Global Media Outreach Seminar; and a Meet, Greet, and Network Event, which gave the missionaries opportunities to connect and learn from each other’s struggles and successes in ministry.

Specifically for the women missionaries, the Shower of Love enabled the women of First Baptist Church Atlanta to shower the missionaries with love, encouragement, and prayer. The Shower of Love, which included a meal, speaker, and a time of prayer, provided fellowship for the ladies and an opportunity to honor these faithful sisters in Christ. Over 100 men gathered for the Men’s Fellowship Night. Beginning with a BBQ meal, the highlight of the evening was a variety of game shows that allowed the men from First Baptist Church Atlanta to interact with the missionaries, learning more about their ministries on the field.

Witnessing the 37 visiting career missionary families’ heart for God and hearing of their faithfulness in fulfilling this command significantly impacted believers at First Baptist Church Atlanta.  Our church body expressed how the missionaries caused them to examine their lives, asking themselves how to join in making disciples by intentionally presenting the Gospel in their everyday lives.

Response from the Missionaries:

“What a blessing! Words do not adequately express my gratitude for the love, support and encouragement that I received.” –Gail Boemker, The Seed Company (USA)

“We are grateful for being part of the FBA family - we appreciate all the hard work you guys do to have such a large conference each year! Thank you for allowing us to be part of it!” –Kirk and Cindy Flanegan, Wycliffe Bible Translators (USA)

“I really enjoyed the conference. I appreciate being included as a Faith Promise missionary and for being able to participate. It is always the highlight of my year!” –Cathy Wilson, North American Mission Board (USA)