Missions
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matt. 28:19-20 (NIV)
2010 Missions Trip
Tanzania, Africa - May 24 - June 9, 2010
Grace Baptist will be sending out a six member mission team to Tanzania, Africa from May 24-June 9. The team, led by Pastor Jordan, will be going to help our missionaries Nate and Heather Wolf reach out to the Datooga tribe. The Datooga people live deep in the African bush and are largely an un-reached people group. Nate and Heather’s goal is to plant local churches that will impact their many villages with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
While in Tanzania the team will be focusing primarily on ministry to children and youth through the Truth Center in the villiage of Katesh. The Truth Center is both a church and an English speaking school (pre-school – 2nd grade). During the weekdays they will get to know the children by participating in the children’s classrooms and helping the teachers. They will also be doing light construction work (painting/cleaning) to finish an expansion of the Truth Center classrooms. The team will then travel to Basotu to assist with a new church plant, by making contacts, and hosting a weekend outreach.
Please pray as the mission team prepares for the ministry they will be doing and for the various details of the trip. If you would like to learn more about the Wolf’s ministry among the Datooga their website is:
http://www.nateandheatherwolf.com/
Check back as we will have regular updates as the trip progresses.
2009 Missions Trips
Kerala Baptist Bible College — Kerala, India, Feb. 17-March 6 (18 days)
God is good! Pastor Ryan and Jim Carter spent two weeks in India participating in the Kerala Baptist Bible College & Seminary’s annual Bible Conference and graduation and visiting churches of the Independent Gospel Baptist association.
Throughout our trip we encountered Christians in growing, thriving, enthusiastic ministries: Shibu Simon and Shaju Simon lead a core of mature ministry directors and pastors as they provide a home to 21 children, operate a middle school with 275 children in grades K-7, and direct a growing Bible college with 54 students this year; the church planting ministry has churches in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa.
Each Sunday (and Saturday evenings) we participated in local church meetings, giving testimonies and preaching the sermon. Great singing, times of prayer and fellowship.
The core of our trip focused on the KBBC&S Bible Conference held Monday – Thursday, February 23 – 26, 2009. Pastor Ryan spoke each morning from 10:00 to 12:00 using handouts to cover various aspects of Biblical counseling. Jim brought shorter messages at a 3:00 p.m. service and Pastor Ryan spoke again at a 7:00 p.m. service. Each service was well attended with 75 – 90 in the daytime services and 200 in the evening.
We got to know many of the college students and their professors. Each student has a story of God’s grace in their life. Many are the first in their family to receive an education. Some have traveled for 6 and 7 days on train and bus from the northern states of India to get to college. All are seriously dedicated to serving the Lord.
Friday evening the 27th was graduation night for nine of the college students, held in a kind of outdoor amphitheater. Seven of the students received bachelor degrees and 2 students Master of Missiology degrees. Over 400 people attended, Pastor Ryan gave the commencement address, Jim offered the prayer of commitment and then 350 people stayed for dinner. A dinner of rice, curry chicken and other things that was all prepared fresh on the grounds that day.
We met twice with the kids from the children’s home, peppering them with gifts and getting to know them. At the second meeting on Monday, March 2, they put on a program consisting of songs and memory recitations including the books of the Bible. Jim gave a object-lesson devotional and two of the younger children indicated a desire to talk more about knowing Jesus.
The Kuwait stop was a bonus blessing. We had a long layover (14 hours) in Kuwait on the way home and before leaving on our trip had made contact with a local pastor. He greeted us when we got out of the airport, showed us around Kuwait and bought us lunch at Ruby Tuesdays. He then showed us around their church compound. It really was amazing to hear and see all that God is doing in the lives of many from many nations! It was interesting because as we left the church compound on our way to the airport a Malalym service (Indian) was just beginning. They have over 4000 people that meet in 25 different services throughout the week. Many nationalities have their own "churches".
Continue to pray for this ministry as they begin their summer ministries. They are planning VBS for 300 children, an outreach team work in a new church plant area, a visit to Orissa this month, and needed preparation for the next college year. Much construction and remodeling will be taking place on the KBBC campus these next few months, thanks to several gifts from generous churches and donors.
Missions 101 – Project Serve – Skyview Ranch, June 10-14 (5 days)
This trip is geared towards students in 7th and 8th grades who possess a clear Christian testimony and evidence a desire to be stretched in their service to the Lord. Students will be:
- Serving the staff and children at Skyview Ranch during junior week, through camp service projects and hands-on ministry with junior-age children.
- The Missions 101 team will be responsible for the worship and drama during the chapel services Wednesday through Friday.
- Serving in the Millersburg community through a Saturday service community service project.
- Serving in a local church on Sunday through music and/or children’s ministry.
Missions 102 – Inner City Adventure – Philadelphia, PA, July 4-11 (8 days)
The high school missions team will be serving in inner-city Philadelphia. We will be partnering with a local church, Fellowship Bible Church, to serve in two ministries they support. For the first half of the week the team will be doing children’s ministry with Cornerstone Community Church in Kensington. In the last half of the week the group will be serving with Whosoever Gospel Mission, hosting an evening chapel service and serving the homeless residents.
Missionaries
Grace Baptist is active in supporting missionaries and agencies locally and globally. Grace currently supports eight missionary families and nine agencies that are impacting the world and society for Jesus Christ.
- Dean and Joann Birdsall – AWANA missionaries
- Scott and Lisa Carter - Ukraine
- Steve and Becky Dye - Berlin, Germany
- Byron and Libby Shearer – Eastern Europe
- India Gospel Church and Association (Shibu Simon) - Baptist Mid Mission
- Dave and Ev Southwell – South America
- Helen Wing – Brazil
- Nate and Heather Wolf — Tanzania
- Luke and Kim Warner - Romania
Agencies:
- Baptist Children’s Home
- Camp Patmos
- Skyview Ranch
- Literature Project
- Haven of Rest
- OARBC
- Radio Bible Class
- Shepherds Home
- Romania Teaching Project
Grace Baptist has sent missionary groups, comprised of both youth and adults, to various nations around the world on short-term mission trips. Past mission trips include Nova Scotia, Canada; Lebedin and Odessa, Ukraine; Romania; and New Orleans.
Other goals for the missions program include increasing the frequency of adult mission trips, working with a church plant, and becoming a sending church.