New EBI Distributorship opens in Lima, Peru

Last prayer letter we mentioned the need for local distributors of EBI materials. We have also kept you up to date on our dialogue with the radio station in Peru, Red Radio Integridad, and of their desire to serve in this way. BMM missionary Stanley Templeton along with a highly qualified and passionate team of Peruvian brethren minister via radio to the more than 10,000,000 inhabitants of Lima.  We have recently partnered with them to make this distributorship a reality. In November we shipped to Lima our largest order ever – 174 boxes of materials. We praise the Lord to report that the materials arrived on Lima without a hitch and that they will begin distribution soon.  Here is a letter we received from Stan upon reception of the materials: 

"I cannot thank you enough for all that you and so many others have done to help us in the work of the Lord here in Peru. This literature will go out to all parts of Peru. Please express our deep appreciation to all your literature team for all they have done. We are just so thankful to have people like you who supply us. You may never know this side of Heaven all the good this literature will do. How many children will hear the dynamic Bible stories with attractive visuals that capture their attention as God's Word filters into their hearts to water the seed of the Gospel! I get so excited just thinking about it!

We will soon be making another order from you. We are working on planning for next year and would like to do an EBI literature conference. If that goes well, we might do this on a yearly basis or every 2 years. But to do this, we would have to have huge supply of EBI literature on hand. A shipment of this size (174 boxes) would not be enough for that kind of conference."

Can you sense his excitement? This is the typical response when EBI materials are available to national pastors and churches.

Please continue to pray with us as we seek to open similar distributorships in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Panama, and beyond.

174 boxes of EBI literature, prior to shipment to Peru

Great Trip to Mexico City!

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4

      Lisa and I experienced similar emotions during our recent trip to Mexico City. Eight years after our departure, the Iglesia Bautista de Fe remains strong. The people are growing in their relationship with Christ, their lives are being transformed by the power of the Gospel, and they are effectively sharing their faith with those around. them.

     Lisa and I traveled to Mexico for nine days in mid-November to participate in the church's twelfth anniversary. This was a special day of renewed acquaintances, encouraging worship, and a delicious banquet.
     You may remember that several years ago the church suffered the loss of their pastor due to infidelity. Currently the church is being pastored by Jorge Rodríguez. We praise the Lord that God continues to build the church and we ask that you would continue to pray for their growth as well as the calling of a Mexican pastor.
     A few days later Lisa and I traveled by bus to Irapuato, a city some 200 miles northwest of Mexico City. Missionary lacy Wheeler serves as a distributor of EBI materials in the central section of Mexico. I was able to preach in his church, visit his bookstore, and strategize about better means of literature distribution.
     On Friday, we returned to Mexico City to minister at the Iglesia Bautista Roca Eterna. Pastor Eduardo Ortiz is a student in the MABS Program that EBI offers through Piedmont International University- God is using Pastor Ortiz in an amazing way. During our time together with them we were able to visit and present the Gospel to several unsaved families that were visiting the church. I was also able to speak at a deacon{s retreat on Saturday and then preach twice at the church on Sunday.
     We praise the Lord for a great trip and for all that He is doing in Mexico.

Iglesia Bautista de Fe

Missionary Lacy Wheeler

 
 
 

 

May 2009 Prayer Letter

Travel, travel, and more travel
The past two months have felt like one long road trip. I began the month of March sitting on an airplane while headed to Florida. After a three hour delay during which the largest snow storm of the year enveloped the Piedmont, our flight was cancelled and I slid my way home in six inches of snow. Several days later our family participated in the Mission Conference at our sending church, Canton Baptist Temple, in Canton, OH. Lisa and I then returned to Mexico City for five days where I preached at and officiated the wedding ceremony of two young people who were members of the church which we planted. I was also able to preach in the Iglesia Bautista de Fe and the Iglesia Bautista Nueva Esperanza, both located in the suburbs of this huge metropolis. Upon our return I traveled to West Virginia where I preached a four-day Bible Conference at the Grace Baptist Church in Bridgeport, WV. This is the first church in which Lisa and I served following Bible College more than twenty-five years ago. On April 19 I was privileged to preach at the Iglesia Bautista Cristo Vive here in Winston-Salem, NC. Last week I again traveled to Canton, OH to attend the funeral of Joan Stephens, one of our coworkers at EBI. She had been battling cancer for many years but God saw fit to take her home. Finally, I traveled to Chattanooga, TN to pick up our daughter from college.

I relay this travel diary to request your prayers that God would continue to grant us safety in travel and effectiveness in ministry. While the challenges of present-day missionary journeys pale in comparison to the hardships which the Apostle Paul and other first-century missionaries encountered (2 Cor. 11:23-28), they are nonetheless real. Lisa and I returned from Mexico just six days prior to the public announcement of the swine flu. On a trip to Caracas, Venezuela last year I got lost late at night in a dangerous section of the city with absolutely no idea where I was to go and with incorrect contact information. After teaching in the seminary in Trujillo, Peru several years ago my students “rewarded” me with a celebratory dinner of ceviche (uncooked citrus marinated seafood) which resulted in an agonizing six hour flight home and a bad case of Salmonella thirty days later. And just this week while traveling in heavy rain on the WV Turnpike there was a devastating accident involving a semi-truck and several other vehicles just minutes in front of me. Yes, missionary travel can be dangerous yet God often uses these obstacles for a clear demonstration of His glory.

Next Theological Curriculum course is finished (finally!)
The Old Testament Survey I course is now finished and available for distribution throughout Latin America. Many of you have been praying with us for its completion. Although the formatting and graphic work took us longer than we had anticipated, the project is done and there is rejoicing in the halls of Editorial Bautista Independiente. We now can turn our attention to the next courses on our publication docket including Bible Doctrine I, II, III, and The Family.

Be strong

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:9

God’s declaration to guide, protect and promote His people even along previously untrodden paths is a contemporarily relevant and personally encouraging promise. While the year 2008 certainly led EBI along some unanticipated and at times completely unwelcomed pathways, God has fulfilled His Word. He has ministered to our staff amidst extremely trying times. He has provided wisdom and strength to fulfill responsibilities, even those above our “pay grade” and His ministry through EBI continues to grow as current materials are promoted and new materials are developed. Although often hesitant and fearful of taking paths on which we have not passed heretofore (Joshua 3:4) God continually encourages us to press on with courage and confidence. We are grateful for God's faithfulness in the past year which provides us with great courage and confidence for the year ahead!

December 2008 Prayer Letter

“The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”
The Christmas season provides each believer with a visual reminder of Christian missions. While contemporary custom focuses inordinate attention upon the presents received, the biblical message accentuates the person sent. Jesus Christ, who is coequal with the Father according to the Godhead, voluntarily set aside the glories of Heaven to humble himself through incarnation and death on the cross. He is the season’s true message. His vicarious sacrifice forms the true gift and His missional obedience is the true Christmas spirit.

Old Testament Survey 1 course taught in Ecuador
The course preparation manual that we created to guide the development of our Theological Curriculum Project specifies that each new course be “field tested” prior to publication. The purpose of this step is to ensure that the freshly created notes accurately communicate the intended content and that the pedagogical helps for both professor and student are clear, concise, and easy to follow. Having recently completed the notes for Old Testament Survey 1 I was invited to “field test” them in a new Bible Institute in Cuenca, Ecuador. Situated at the top of the Andes Mountains, Cuenca is a 400 year old colonial village with 500,000 inhabitants that is home to several BMM missionaries and three Baptist churches. These growing ministries have sensed the need to provide a more formal environment for the training of their pastors and theological leaders, thus they have begun offering modular classes. This was my first time in the country of Ecuador and the second time modular classes were offered.
Ten students studied with us during the week. Classes were held for three hours each evening, Monday through Friday, and all day on Saturday. I am pleased to report that the notes were very well received. Several recommendations were given to improve the course’s overall presentation all of which we plan to incorporate prior to publication. I also was able to preach at the Iglesia Bautista la Gracia on Sunday morning. It was a real blessing to interact with each of these believers and we remain excited about what God is doing in Ecuador and throughout Latin America.

Additional responsibilities call for additional prayers
I want to repeat our request that you would join us in special prayer that God would supply a new General Director for EBI. While we are confident in God’s timing and we rest in His sovereign direction, the appointment of a new Director is urgent for two very important reasons. First, I have been asked to function as the Interim Director during this period of transition and I admit to being ill-equipped to fulfill many of the tasks inherent in the position. The sooner that God would provide such a leader, the more quickly our ministry could function at optimum efficiency. Secondly, due to these increased administrative demands upon my time and energy the development and production of Theological Curriculum materials has been greatly curtailed. You may remember that we had promoted an aggressive timetable for the release of our upcoming new courses but we are now several months behind schedule and each month spent as Interim Director limits my involvement in course development and production.

Praises & Prayer
1. Several EBI staff members are experiencing serious physical challenges. Both Joan Stephens and Gary Sammons have been in and out of the hospital. While Gary is now home recuperating, he is still very weak and in need of prayer for strength. Joan is facing additional treatments and an uncertain future. We ask that you faithfully lift both her and her husband Marv up to the Lord in prayer. Gary Hilliker has also experienced physical difficulties the last several months. We ask your prayers that upcoming treatment options would alleviate his discomfort and allow him to continue to minister effectively.

2. The M.A.B.S program which we introduced last prayer letter is off and running. Some twenty-five students are enrolled from four different countries: Mexico, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. You may remember that we at EBI are representing BMM and helping Piedmont Baptist College in the administration of this program. The first class, Investigative Writing and Communication, which is preparatory for graduate level work, began in October. The next module, Biblical Hermeneutics, is scheduled for January of 2009. Please pray for these students, many of which are juggling ministry and continuing ministry preparation.

3. Please pray with us for more staff. The growth of the Theological Curriculum Project as well as the addition of new literature tools demands more help especially in the areas of Spanish editing, document formatting, and graphic design. We are praying that God would raise up additional missionaries with expertise in these specialized areas who could join us in our ministry. However, we are quick to acknowledge that many of these tasks do not demand missionary involvement. In fact, the Church is filled with talented individuals who are looking for an opportunity to invest their abilities in Great Commission ministries. Please pray that God would supply this important need and if you or someone that you know is interested in helping us with one of the aforementioned tasks, please let us know. We would love to hear from you!

¡Les deseamos una feliz Navidad y un próspero año nuevo

June 2008 Prayer Letter

Mexico ministry update
Last week Lisa, Lindsay, and I had the opportunity to return to Mexico City with the youth group from Salem Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, NC. This is our church here in North Carolina and a number of the teenagers were students in Lisa’s Spanish classes at Salem Baptist Christian School. Let me say first of all that these young people did an excellent job of ministry through singing, giving public testimony of their relationship with Christ, witnessing, and providing skits for DVBS - all of this in Spanish! It was exciting to see God work in their lives. Of even greater encouragement to us was the opportunity to visit and encourage our brothers and sisters at the Iglesia Bautista de Fe in Nicolás Romero and to interact with our missionary coworkers.

While the construction of the building is not yet completed, the church is already meeting inside. Although there are still no windows in the building I was able to preach the morning service in the new auditorium with solid walls, a roof, an elevated platform, and tile floors. Now, this may not be a big deal to many who know no other scenario, but after 10 years of preaching out under the open air, this was a huge privilege for which we are extremely grateful. God continues to provide what is needed for the construction as the church, through much sacrifice, slowly erects its building piece by piece. It is exciting to see how God is using the new building to give positive testimony to the grace of God and to demonstrate the faithfulness of his people within the Nicolás Romero community. New families frequently visit the services, some out of curiosity and others as a direct result of the church’s public testimony. Please pray with us that God would provide the remaining funds and that construction of this phase of the building will be completed soon.

The church continues to grow and prosper under the leadership of Pastor Juan Matías. Several new believers have come to Christ in the past few months and the church has expanded its ministry to include a Bible Institute. This is not to say that the church has not experienced challenges. Several cases of church discipline over issues of immorality have caused internal conflicts, but Pastor Juan and the other leaders of the church are responding with love, patience, and, most importantly, a determination to follow the instructions in God’s Word. Please pray that God would continue to build His church in Mexico City and use these believers to declare the truth of the Gospel of Christ.

New medium for prayer letter
I am repeating this section from the last letter so as to give everyone another chance to respond. Due to advances in technology and the ever increasing cost of traditional delivery we are proposing a change in our delivery format. While we will continue to provide a “hard copy” sent through the US postal service for all who would request it, starting with this prayer letter (June 2008) our preferred means of delivery will be a digital (PDF) copy via email. It is here that we need your help. If you have not yet responded we are asking that each church and/or individual supporter contact us at brburk@yahoo.com either expressing your desire to receive the prayer letter via traditional means or providing us with your preferred email address for email delivery. Thanks for your help in this area!

Praises & Prayer
1. We have had a good response to the introduction of the Theological Curriculum. Copies of professor’s and/or student’s notes of the Hermeneutics course have already been sent to the Dominican Republic, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guatemala, Spain, as well as Hispanic ministries here in the United States. That is a pretty good start! Please pray with us that God would use these materials for the effective training of Hispanic men for pastoral ministry.
2. Our trip to Mexico City provided several opportunities to minister. I was able to preach in our church, Iglesia Bautista de Fe, with good results. We also helped missionary David Hyde and the new church, Iglesia Bautista Nueva Esperanza, which is located in a northern suburb of the city, with their three-day DVBS. There were over seventy-five children and adults in attendance each of the first two days and over one hundred on the last. Most of these were unbelievers with whom we were able to share the gospel for the very first time. Please pray that God would use our time and the missionaries’ continual ministry to draw many to Christ. Two interesting stories come to mind:

On the first night a gentleman brought his daughter to the DVBS service and while not willing to enter he did stand outside and listen as I taught the story of the Parable of the Lost Sheep from Luke 15. He was captivated by the biblical story listening intently as we emphasized the truth that each person is just as lost as that sheep and that Christ the Good Shepherd is seeking to save that which was lost. After the service the missionary approached him and asked what he thought. His response was, “I have never heard that before. I’ll be back tomorrow evening to hear more.” Sadly he did not return the next night, but please pray for his salvation.

On the second evening a mother was sitting in the service about half-way back, literally on the edge of her seat during the entire lesson. On this evening I taught that Christ is the Bread of Life relating the biblical account of the feeding of the five thousand to our need for that bread which provides complete and permanent sustenance. As we gave the invitation this lady jumped to her feet and responded immediately. While she was not yet ready to make a decision pastor Juan Matias was able to deal with her for over 30 minutes carefully opening the Scriptures to more clearly explain the Gospel. She has asked the missionary to begin Bible studies in her home with the entire family!

3. Our partnership with Piedmont Baptist College in the development of the Hispanic M.A.B.S. is in full swing. The Spanish web site is up and running. (It can be found at http://www.pbc.edu/grad/spanish/ if you are interested.) Fifteen students are needed by September 1 to begin the program. At last count there were twelve already enrolled. Although we have already elaborated upon the necessity of this program in previous letters, let me remind you of the tremendous need for doctrinally sound Hispanic theological leaders and professors. As the national church continues to grow exponentially the demand for pastors and teachers grows as well. This increases the demand for Bible colleges and seminaries throughout Latin America. It is our prayer that God would raise up a host of national leaders to minister in this way. Would you pray with us for this new ministry? Please pray for Gary Sammons, our EBI liaison who is administering the program. Also please pray each student enrolled (present enrolled students hail from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela, and Honduras). Please pray that God would supply them with the needed finances and strength to handle the additional responsibility.
4. The Old Testament Survey I course for the Theological Curriculum has been translated and is now in the format stage - that means that it is almost finished! Please pray with us for its completion. Also pray for the other courses under development: Bible Doctrines I, III, IV, Family, Evangelism and Discipleship, A Christian View of Science.
5. Finally, please pray for staffing needs at EBI. While the task before us is huge, as in many ministries, the laborers are few. We need help in just about every area including: theological writing, Spanish editing, graphic design, production, distribution, and representation. We especially ask your prayers for a new director. Marv Stephens, who has successfully directed EBI for some ten years, has announced his intent to retire. Please pray with us that God would provide the needed personnel.

Is that real mission work?

Real life events are often the best catalyst for personal and ministry evaluation. I can remember numerous times in ministry where one circumstance or another drove us back to the Bible so as to better understand God´s take on a situation and to obtain wisdom and guidance in how to proceed, how to live, and/or how to minister. Well life is shaking us up again, but this time from an unexpected source.

Many are familiar with the health challenges that precipitated our return from Mexico now over three years ago. (Where does the time go?) Although it was our intent to stay in Mexico for the long-term, God had other plans. He allowed me to experience severe and repeated heart problems culminating in triple bypass surgery and then six months later a failed bypass to boot. It was then that our Mission Agency in cooperation with our sending church called us home. Their analysis: My health situation was too precarious; the Mexico City environment was not health friendly; the ministry situation was too pressured; and my family was too traumatized by it all. Well now I am rambling, but I promise to return to the theme of this post. Through our return God, again using the wise council of our sending church and BMM leadership, led us to Editorial Bautista Independiente where we are charged with the task of producing a Theological Curriculum for Hispanic Bible Schools and Pastoral Training Institutions. While we reside in the United States, our ministry extends throughout the Spanish-speaking world as these theological materials are now being used amongst Hispanics here in the United States, throughout Latin America, and even in Spain.

On frequent occasions we are questioned as to the relationship between our ministry at EBI and missions in general. Now here is what I meant previously by being “shaken up from unexpected sources” for in the three years since our return from Mexico we have lost over 25% of our support. Granted many fundamental Baptist churches are struggling both in their evangelistic outreach and in internal ministry so much so that church attendance, church finance, and ultimately missionary support are drastically affected. However, much of our loss is due to missionary considerations. In other words, our present ministry of developing theological training materials for EBI, the spanish literature division of Baptist Mid Missions, is not considered sufficiently missionary.

This begs the question, what is true missionary activity? Over the course of the next few blogs I hope to evaluate this question in the light of biblical, demographic, and ministerial evidence. So, how does the Bible define missions? How does the explosive growth of Christianity within the Global South affect our understanding of missions? As the national church matures does our role change? Is there ever a time when our mission is completed regionally? These are just a few of the issues which we hope to tackle. Does this interest you? Then I invite you to join the conversation.