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MISSIONAL THOUGHTS...
Global Warning!
Sight to the Blind
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  ►Upcoming Mission Presentations...
Curent Missions Opportunities...
Our Missional Call: OUTREACH!
We believe that followers of Jesus Christ are called to actively engage the lives of lost people to show the love of Christ and to share the message of salvation. It is our goal to lead people to Christ as Savior, and to help them grow in their relationship with Him so they, too, may come to Celebrate in Intimacy with God, Connect in the Body by Interaction with God's People, and Communicate Truth to Impact God's World.►
Our Missionaries: City View/Helberts ♦ Dannenbergs ♦ Jean Fote ♦ Grotendieks ♦ Hiles ♦ Hossacks ♦ Mayos ♦ McIntires ♦ Pasquales ♦ Postemas ♦ Pycrafts ♦ Dorothy Ritchie ♦ Schwarcz ♦ Selfs ♦ Snyder Thompsons ♦ VandenAkkers ♦ Vissers
Adopt-A-Missionary - Class and ABF List Here
"How To Pray for Our Missionaries"
"13 Ways to Bless Our Missionaries without the use of Postage!" (from desiring god blog)
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ABFs
BIBLE STUDIES
CHILDREN
YOUTH
PRIME TIME
ANGEL FOOD
RIDERS REDEEMED
WORSHIP - CELEBRATION
(INTIMACY WITH GOD)
COMMUNITY - CONNECTION
(INTERACTING WITH GOD'S PEOPLE)
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MISSIONS - COMMUNICATION (IMPACTING GOD'S WORLD)
- M.O.R.E. Team
- English as Second Language
- Operation Christmas Child
BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENTS |
Local Missions:
M.O.R.E. Team - Purpose of Ministry, Outreach & Evangelism
The MORE Team is responsible for focusing the body on building and strengthening the local mission of First Baptist Church through prayer, visitation and outreach. This Team’s key functions include the follow-up of guests, community interaction and visibility, and the planning and administration of church outreach opportunities and events to the Lowell community and surrounding area. EKG3 is an effort to connect with all new move-ins in the area with a Welcome Packet of Chamber of Commerce, Community and FBC information. Neighbor-to-Neighbor connect packs are also available. It will also lead evangelism efforts with training tools and materials, and encourage discipleship growth through materials or classes specifically designed for new believers in Christ.
Responsibilities: Guest follow-up, Support groups, Bus Ministry, Community Expo, Discipleship training/mentoring, New Move-In Connect, Outreach events (ie. Trunk-N-Treat, Fair, etc.) Parades, Outreach visitation, EKG Canvassing, Alternative service (ie. Saturday PM), Riders Redeemed, Angel Food (w/Mercy Team)
ESL - English as a Second Language:
FBC is church "home" to ESL missionaries, Michael and Monica Pasquale, who help develop ESL/TESOL globally in the cause of the Great Commission. They have helped launch and develop an ESL class for anyone in the community interested in learning conversational English. The class is held in the Fellowship (Alpha) House just east of the church facilities on Wednesday evenings 6:30PM - 8:00PM. CLICK HERE for a look at Pasquales ESL Ministry video.
OCC - Operation Christmas Child:
FBC is "home" to regional drop site for OCC, and Scott and Shelly Stephens who facilitate our involvement in Christmas box-gifts of toys, supplies and the gospel to children across the world through Samaritan's Purse. Each month we highlight some item to be collecting for a flurry of packing in September to get boxes to the transfer site and on to global shipment. FBC is the area drop-site for boxes prepared by people and churches in our vicinity.
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ABFs
BIBLE STUDIES
CHILDREN
YOUTH
PRIME TIME
ANGEL FOOD
RIDERS REDEEMED
WORSHIP - CELEBRATION
(INTIMACY WITH GOD)
COMMUNITY - CONNECTION
(INTERACTING WITH GOD'S PEOPLE)
►MISSIONS - COMMUNICATION
(IMPACTING GOD'S WORLD)
- Consortium Missionaries
- Global Missions/Missionaries
- Other Missions/Agencies
BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Global Missions:
Our missions strategy is founded on scriptural paradigm that God directs the local church to be the primary sending agent to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all peoples in all nations in all the world. The Missions Team will be responsible to maintain regular communications with and prayer for the missionaries supported by our church, report progress or concerns, work with pastoral staff in making arrangements for missionary visits, coordinate any missions emphasis, and advise deacons of any recommendation for financial assistance to our missionaries. This Team will promote and encourage the global mission priority at First Baptist Church.
Responsibilities: Missionary communication and prayer, Fellowship
House apartment use, Missionary Christmas collection, Missionary Gifts, Missions tracking and updates, Missionary Conference, events or emphases, Mission forums, trips and training, encouragement of Cultural Intelligence
City View Church
Pastor Jeff Helbert |
Church Planting (inner city)
Grand Rapids, MI |
Independent
CityViewBaptist@sbcglobal.net |
| ABWE - ASSOCIATION of BAPTISTS FOR WORLD EVANGELISM |
ABWE is an independent mission agency that exists to serve local churches in the task of sending missionaries around the world. ABWE currently services over 5,000 churches in 70 countries and 1,250 missionaries. For more information about ABWE, please visit their website at http://www.abwe.org/ or click on their logo at the top of the page.
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Jean Fote |
Medical clinic, church support
Gambia, Africa |
ABWE
jfote@qanet.gm |
Bobby and Sara Hile |
Church planting
Durban, South Africa |
ABWE
www.hilefamily.com
www.communityconnection.co.za
bobbyhile@abwe.cc
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Steve and Sue Mayo |
Church planting, Theological training
Sydney, Australia |
ABWE
http://ssmayo.info/
ssmayo@gmail.com
http://www.afbc.net.au/ |
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Asia Baptist Theological Seminary
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Theological training of national pastors and leadership in Asia and the Pacific Rim |
http://abts.cornerstone.edu/
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| Awana |
Children and Youth Ministries, Evangelism, Discipleship
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Bob and Bette Pycraft |
Children and Youth Ministries, Evangelism, Discipleship
S.W. Michigan |
Awana
www.swmiawanaclubs.org
bobp@awana.org |
| BCP - BAPTIST CHURCH PLANTERS |
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| Dorothy Ritchie |
Retired, USA
Church support |
BCP |
| BMM - BAPTIST MID-MISSIONS |
Baptist Mid-Missions seeks to creatively and strategically advance the cause of Christ to the world, inspire and mobilize local churches to participate in mission opportunities, effectively communicate the scope and quality of its own worldwide ministry. Please visit their website at http://www.bmm.org or click on their logo at the top of the page. |
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John and Paula Dannenberg |
Biblical/Theological Training, Church planting
Central Africa Repubic |
BMM
dannenberg2@att.net |
Eric and Shirley Hossack |
semi-retired, church support
France |
BMM, semi-retired
hossackpere@orange.fr |
Bob and Deb Thompson |
Bible Translation project oversight
Grand Rapids, MI |
BMM - Bibles International
www.biblesint.org
bthompsons@biblesint.org |
John and Marilyn VandenAkker |
Rogma Bible training
semi-retired, Rogma Dir.
South Carolina |
BMM, retired
http://www.rogma.org/
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Rich and Karyn & Ben Visser |
Bible/Theological Training, Church support
France |
BMM
www.ibpb.org
rkb3visser@free.fr |
| CHOSEN PEOPLE MINISTRIES |
Jewish evangelism, church planting |
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Roy and JoAnne Schwarcz, IL |
Church planting, marketplace and jewish evangelism,
Chicago, IL |
Chosen People Ministries
messianic7@aol.com |
| EBM - Evangelical Baptist Missions |
EBM was founded in 1928 and now calls Indianapolis home base. EBM serves independent Baptist churches in helping send missionaries around the world to preach the Gospel. EBM currently serves in 19 countries. For more information about EBM, please visit their website at http:/ebm.org or click on their logo at the top of the page. |
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Ron and Chris Self |
Church Planting, Bible institute training
Buenos Aires, Argentina |
EBM
rself@arnet.com.ar
http://www.selfsinargentina.com/ |
| NTM - New Tribes Ministries |
NTM is an independent mission agency that exists to serve local churches in the task of sending missionaries around the world. New Tribes Mission helps local churches train, coordinate and send missionaries to the 2,500 unreached tribes in the world. Please visit their website at http://ntm.org/ or click on their logo at the top of the page. |
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Dan and Kathi McIntire |
flight ministries, church planting support
Papua New Guinea |
NTM
dan_mcintire@ntm.org |
| UNITED INDIAN MISSION |
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Wolfgang and Kelly Grotendiek |
Flight ministry, missionary support
Mexico |
UIM
wgrotendiek@uim.org
http://www.missionary-airplanes.com/
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| YOUTH for CHRIST |
Youth/student evangelism and discipleship
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| Jeremy Snyder |
Pleasant Valley Camp |
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GLOBAL MISSIONS and MISSIONARIES
| Alpha Women's Center |
Pregnancy and crisis care
Family and counseling ministry
Deb Karasewicz, Director
Lowell, MI |
alphawclowell@yahoo.com,
djkaras@aol.com |
| Baptists for Life |
Life Issues resourcing, training, support
Tom Lothamer, Director
Grand Rapids, MI |
www.bfl.org |
| New Creation Ministries |
Ministry to Inmates in area Prison Systems, Joe Gerkin |
http://newcreationsmin.net |
| Bibles International |
Bible Translation world-wide
Hantz Bernard, Director
Grand Rapids, MI |
www.biblesint.org |
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Cornerstone University
Grand Rapids Theological Seminary
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Christian Liberal Arts and Religious College Education and Theological Seminary
Grand Rapids, MI |
www.cornerstone.edu |
| Rural Bible Mission |
Childrens' ministries and Public School Release Time
Debbie Price
S. Central Michigan |
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| Children's Bible Hour |
Children and Youth radio and media ministries and production
Terre Ritchie, Director |
www.cbhministries.org |
| General Association of Regular Baptist Churches |
National Church Association administration, resourcing, printing, publishing, education, synergy
John Greening, Nat'l Rep.
Schaumburg, IL |
GARBC
www.garbc.org |
| Lake Ann Camp |
Youth Ministries, Discipleship, Retreat ministries, Conferences
Lake Ann, MI |
www.lakeanncamp.com |
| Lincoln Lake Baptist Youth Camp |
Youth Ministries, Discipleship, Retreat ministries, Conferences
Gowen, MI |
www.lincolnlake.com
office@linco lnlake.com |
| Michigan Association of Regular Baptist Churches |
State Association of Churches, support ministries, counsel, networking, seminars and conferences
Ken Floyd, State Rep. |
MARBC
www.marbc.net
Marbcken@aol.com |
S.M.A.T.
School of Missionary Aviation Technology |
help and encouragement for SMAT - local mission-oriented flight/mechanic school in Ionia, MI, with internships also at Lowell Airport |
www.smat-aviation.org |
Andy and Kathleen Girwarnauth, Partners in Evangelism
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informal support through gifts and work teams to the independent Bible church-planting movement along the eastern coast of Guyana |
PIE
www.finalrevelation.tv
andy.girwarnauth@gmail.com
andy@finalrevelation.tv |
| Mel Trotter Ministries |
Compassion - shelter, food, lodging ministries to indigent, homeless, single mothers/children in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan |
www.meltrotter.org |
| Mission Network News |
Radio, audio journal of Missions globally, current events and endeavors |
http://www.mnnonline.org/ |
| Global Impact Services |
Mission issues, program assessment, resources with Mark Sigmon, Director, Jenison, MI |
http://www.globalimpactservices.org/ |
| Closed Door Ministries |
Mission concerns in global regions closed to outside mission work, Dr. Phil McDonald, Director |
http://www.closeddoorministries.org/ |
| Women at Risk International |
rescue ministry of women/girls caught in human trafficking, Becky McDonald, Director |
http://www.warinternational.org/ |
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OTHER MISSION AGENCIES and ENDEAVORS
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West Michigan Missions Consortium (WMMC):
A cooperative missions effort supported by West Michigan Baptist Churches
The call has gone forth, and people are responding! But how do churches then respond to these individuals who have surrendered their lives for missions service? How can churches help them get to the field in the most efficient way possible?
After applying to a mission board and being appointed, the average missionary spends 24 months or more traveling from church to church raising support. By the time they depart for the field, missionaries average at least 15 supporting churches and 22 individual supporters. Because of these factors, many missionaries are discouraged from career service because of the daunting task of "deputation / pre-field ministry." At the same time, much ripe fruit goes unharvested as others spend months and even years raising financial support necessary before they can leave for the field.
A group of local churches has joined together to form the West Michigan Missions Consortium (WMMC) in order to address these challenges. The WMMC shares together in the prayer and financial support goals of missionaries being sent out by member churches. This results in greater commitment and accountability between the missionaries and their supporting churches. Additionally, there is greater cooperation between the consortium churches. The result is an effective, efficient, and energized missions effort.
Purpose
The West Michigan Missions Consortium is a cooperative effort for churches of like faith and missions vision. This effort enables member churches to cooperate in getting missionaries to their chosen field more effectively, efficiently, and with greater energy for ministry.
World Evangelism . . . Effective / Efficient / Energized
Consortium churches share the vision of quickly raising prayer and full financial support for member church missionaries, enabling them to reach the field as soon as possible. Combining their shared efforts with the assistance of mission agencies, consortium churches are able to greatly enhance their worldwide missions outreach.
- Effective -missions opportunities are realized at a faster rate than traditional missions deputation, on average, 12-16 months.
- Efficient -pre-field and furlough burnout is avoided because fewer churches are involved.
- Energized -greater involvement by churches in missions projects, and by missionaries in their supporting churches while on furlough. Cooperative conferences and projects by consortium churches cast the vision that every believer is to be an active participant in fulfilling the Great Commission.
Benefits of a Missions Consortium
- Missionary support is raised more quickly.
- Significantly cuts the expenses of extended deputation and furlough travels.
- Familiarity with missionaries results in greater prayer and financial support.
- Pre-field ministry is more productive since it is directed toward training and spiritual growth rather than fund-raising.
- Eliminates the frustrations that arise from the current "rat race" known as deputation.
- Encourages the implementation of a regional strategy for the missionary's support base.
- Consortium missionaries may be involved in meaningful ministries for longer periods of time in each of the consortium churches.
- Missionary children have a stable environment for schooling and establishing friendships.
- Missionary support services such as housing, automobiles, etc., can be used more efficiently when staying in the same region for the duration of the furlough.
A concept with Biblical roots and contemporary relevance
The consortium is a cooperative effort for churches of like faith and missionary vision. These churches share the vision of quickly and efficiently raising prayer and full financial support for member church missionaries.
Combining their cooperative effort with the assistance of mission agencies, consortium churches are able to greatly enhance their worldwide mission outreach.
Each member church selects two representatives - one pastoral staff member and one lay person. Each member church maintains its own missions program in addition to consortium involvement.
Learn more about the West Michigan Missions Consortium on the web - (Web Site with Powerpoint presentation)
Click Here for a "West Michigan Missions Consortium" Brochure
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Short-Term Missions:
While our funding for missions is primarily for global vocational service and impact, we recognize the great value of meeting specific needs that missionaries and mission fields periodically encounter. In addition, in our desire to impact our own people with missional and cross-cultural experiences, we annually seek to invest support, prayer, encouragement and funds in limited, non-career, short-term mission opportunities. Short-term interaction has shown itself to be a primary means of infusing a mission-passion into individuals and of enhancing missional energy, excitement and perspective into a church body.
Click Here for Short-Term Application
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Career Missions:
From the prophetic call of OT messengers to the missionary call of the NT church, from reluctant Jonah to passionate Peter, Silas and Paul, God has always used people that he set apart to carry His truth and Good News to other peoples, languages and nations. As Ephesians 4 says, "He gave some to be apostles, some to be pastors-teachers, some to be evangelists" to the church for the purpose of pursuing, doing and accomplishing the full breadth, scope and extent of the Great Commission (Matthew 28 18-20). We set aside 15% of our budget for this Kingdom privilege in addition to sharing many special gifts to missional needs and causes throughout the year.
Click Here to Go Back to our Career Missionary Line-up
Click Here for Career Missions Application
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GIFT CARDS
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Upcoming Mission Trip Presentations and Reports...
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Current Missional Opportunities...
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