1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

A
p u b l I C AT I O n
November-December 2014
o f
A r i z o n a
S o u t h e r n
Vol. 18 No. 6
Around
the World
Ba p tists
David Johnson
Executive Director Arizona Southern Baptist Convention
Connecting Point ...
Working Together ... around
the world
W
hat does it look like to “work
together to make disciples of all
peoples ... around the world”?
Here is a picture of working together —
Kentucky Baptist volunteers working with
Baptist Global Response recently dug a well
in Mozambique. The funds for the well were
provided by an Arizona Southern Baptist
church. The volunteers worked alongside
Mozambican nationals and two International
Mission Board missionaries from another
Arizona Southern Baptist church.
That is what
can happen
when we
work together
around the
world!
Read the ASBC blog,
“Fuel,” at
www.azsbc.org
Like Arizona Southern
Baptists on Facebook
Follow AZBaptists
on Twitter
Published bimonthly by the
Arizona Southern Baptist Convention,
2240 N. Hayden Road, Suite 100,
Scottsdale, AZ 85257.
Internet: www.azsbc.org.
For information, call (480) 945-0880
or (800) 687-2431.
Portraits is supported by Arizona
Southern Baptist churches through
their Cooperative Program giving.
Additional funding comes from
advertising and subscriptions.
Editor
Elizabeth Young
Portraits Team
Dallas Bivins
Golden Gate Baptist
Theological Seminary
Rik Danielsen
Yavapai Association
Gail Hallman
Baptist Senior Life Ministries
Lainee Pegelow
Christian Challenge, Flagstaff
Kathi Orr
Arizona Baptist Children’s Services
David Johnson
Fernando Amaro
Ken Belflower
Josue Castro
Keith Henry
Mitch McDonald
Eddy Pearson
Arizona Southern Baptist Convention
The well provides clean water for a village,
which will reduce disease and death, but it also
becomes a vehicle for sharing the living water
of the gospel and planting a church.
Many sacrifices were made to make this
happen. One little boy in Phoenix gave more
than $100 from his piggy bank to help people
in Africa.
The only thing more amazing than how it all
happened is the result.
The purpose of Portraits is to support
the mission of Arizona Southern
Baptists: Working together to make
disciples of all peoples in Arizona and
around the world.
Design
Whiten Design
Subscriptions: Portraits is sent at no
charge to the homes of Arizona
Southern Baptists and to all Arizona
Southern Baptist churches. Additional
copies are available on a subscription
basis for $7.00 per year.
Subscriptions for those living out of
state are $10.00 per year. To subscribe,
call (480) 945-0880 or (800) 687-2431.
Change of address: Please respond in
writing by sending the mailing label
from this issue and the new address
to Portraits, 2240 N. Hayden Road,
Suite 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
or email the old and new addresses
to Portraits@azsbc.org.
Here is the result — a child draws
clean water from the new well while IMB
missionary Jim Oetter shares the gospel
with the secretary of the village!
That is what can happen when we
work together around the world!
In this issue, you will see some other
great portraits of what it looks like when
we work together around the world —
from First Baptist, Fountain Hills, to
the tireless Archie Stephens! I hope you
will be inspired to pray, give, go, and get
involved in working together around the
world!
Advertising: For display advertising
rates or to place a classified ad, email
advertising@azsbc.org or call
602-942-8069. Email written classified
ads to advertising@azsbc.org or
mail to Portraits, 2240 N. Hayden Road,
Suite 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85257.
Presence of advertising in this
publication does not necessarily
represent endorsement by the Arizona
Southern Baptist Convention.
On the cover:
The missions committee of First Baptist
Church, Fountain Hills — (clockwise from
top left) Ted Reisig, chairman Jesse Carrillo,
Gordon Rohn, Pastor Tony Pierce, Cliff
Vick, Beverly Vick, Linda Calvert, Jan Hail
and Loretta Henson — guides the many
missions activities of the church. Not
pictured is Tegan Edwards.
Photo by Jean Bihn
Working together
to make disciples
of all peoples
in Arizona and
Around the World
Embracing the
world together
O
A rice field at sunset reminds us that the fields are white unto harvest, but our time is running short.
We need to tell people the good news before the end of day.
ne of the secrets of Southern
Baptist success is our cooperative
mission strategy. By working
together, we multiply our gospel
impact.
Even the biggest church
can’t send and support 4,842
missionaries. This is the number of
commissioned workers with the Southern
Baptist International Mission Board. We
are doing this great work cooperatively!
My family and I were sent in 2003.
God used the local church to call us
to salvation, to disciple us as obedient
followers of Jesus, and to educate us about
God’s desire to reach every person with
the gospel.
Missions education is a key way that
Story an d pho t os b y Jac o b Ta l l e y *
Look into
Ezekiel’s face
and let him represent
the millions across this
world who are waiting
to hear the gospel for
the first time.
Arizona Southern Baptists are embracing
the world. My wife, Robin, fondly recalls
Miss Edna Mae’s red punch and listening
to her share about missionaries. It was
while she attended Girls in Action (GAs)
as a young girl that Robin first felt called
to missions.
I heard the call during a missions fair at
our local church. A worker from Africa came,
and God touched my heart. When churches
invite workers to share, who knows what
God might do! He just might call out another
worker to go to the ends of the earth.
Romans 10:13 reminds us that
everyone who responds to the gospel
with faith will be saved. Romans 10:14-15
reminds us that people will not hear the
gospel unless workers are sent out. I’ve
been privileged to proclaim this gospel
among more than 40 different Unreached
People Groups (UPGs) during my time in
Southeast Asia.
I recently sat with a man in his late 70s
named Ezekiel. After sharing the gospel,
I asked Ezekiel if he had ever heard the
gospel. His answer was, “No, that was the
first time.” This response is familiar for
those of us working on the field.
All people deserve the opportunity to
hear the gospel at least once before they
die. God wants us to go and visit the
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Ezekiels of this world and share the good
news.
The Lord instructed His followers to
pray to the Lord of the Harvest for more
workers (Mark 9:37-38 and Luke 10:2).
Churches who pray for missions and for
missionaries have a big role to play in
embracing the world. The need for more
workers is great.
On the island where we serve, there
Get I NVOLVED
• Encourage missions education in your
church. Check out WMU.com or contact
Terrie Sullivan, Arizona WMU executive
director, 480-244-8535, for more
information.
• Invite field workers to share at your
church. Contact Terrie Sullivan or the
Arizona Southern Baptist Convention,
480-945-0880 or 800-687-2431, for
information about available speakers.
While on stateside assignment, field
workers’ schedules can fill up fast, so
plan ahead.
• Pray often for missions. You can find a
number of prayer resources at www.imb.
org under the “Pray” tab.
• Send short-term teams to work alongside
your missionaries. If you are not already
connected with specific missionaries,
search for volunteer opportunities at
www.imb.org under the “Go” tab, or
contact the ASBC office to
find out about missionaries with whom
Arizona Southern Baptists are personally
working.
• Plan and conduct a missions fair, special
study or other missions emphasis to raise
missions awareness in your church. For
suggestions in planning an event, contact
Terrie Sullivan or Arizona WMU President
Nadine Peterson, nadinepeterson@msn.
com.
• Order the free Opportunities Handbook
— Find Your Place in God’s Story from
IMB or download it at bit.ly/1vtNHMi.
This 25-page booklet will help your
church discover how to involve children
and students in missions, how prayer
impacts a lost world, how to engage
people groups in different ways, how to
participate in short-term and long-term
opportunities and more.
are 51 UPGs and 13 of those people
groups are unengaged. IMB currently
has 28 families trying to reach all of
these people groups.
One of my co-workers is trying to
engage 26 distinct people groups. He
desperately needs help. The harvest
field is vast, but the workers are few.
Our island is just one example in a big
world.
Luke shares with us in Acts 1:8 that
God gives us power to be His witnesses
starting in Jerusalem and stretching to
the ends of the earth. This empowering
call is given to all believers, not just to
the few who are sent out.
I’ve had the opportunity to come
home for two stateside assignments
during my career. I’ve shared in
many churches across the state of
Arizona. On both occasions I’ve had
believers come up to me and say, “I so
appreciate what you do and am glad
you are doing it so I don’t have to.”
While many are not bold enough to
say this out loud, they agree with the
sentiment that missionaries are paid to
do the Great Commission (Matthew
28:18-20). This is akin to thinking
that pastors are paid to do the work of
ministry, rather than seeing pastors as
equippers who help the church do the
work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12).
In the same way, missionaries should
be seen as facilitators to help the
churches obey the Great Commission.
This idea is expressed in the fifth
core value of the IMB — “We serve
churches to facilitate their involvement
in the Great Commission…” It is an
open invitation that churches can have
hands-on involvement in reaching the
nations by sending short-term teams
to work alongside field personnel.
Arizona Southern Baptists are
embracing the world as we teach
through mission education, invite
missionaries to share, pray fervently,
and partner with field workers by
sending short-term teams. Pray, give
and go is the cliché, but it expresses
an honorable part of our missions
heritage as Southern Baptists.
We are embracing the world
together!
Jacob Talley* and his wife, Robin*, are
Arizonans serving with the International
Mission Board in Southeast Asia with their
children. (*name changed)
Partners
‘‘
I heard the call
during a missions fair
at our local church.
A worker from Africa
came, and God
touched my heart.
When churches invite
workers to share,
who knows what God
might do! He just
might call out another
worker to go to the
ends of the earth.”
on the Journey
Where none have gone before
Last year I took several Thai workers
and some American students to Huai Gae,
a village in what was once known as “The
Thieves’ Forest.” There were no Christians
there — there has never been a believer
there.
When we arrived, dozens of the sick
and hurting came to see us. We shared the
gospel with each. Two people prayed to
make Christ their Lord.
The following week, another joined
them — an 81-year-old woman named
Tem. Very quickly, they all became
burdened that others would find salvation
in Christ. Soon, Tem’s 40-year-old son
came to faith.
The four of them were baptized in a
country pond. To this day, we worship the
Lord together every week— the first body
of believers in Huai Gae since the dawn of
time.
Later, I took my Thai staff and another
American volunteer team to the northern
mountains of Thailand. We traveled more
than 12 hours by van, then two more hours
by four-wheel vehicle up winding roads
and paths to an isolated tribal village.
Again, we saw the sick and hurting and
shared the gospel.
We spent the night on the mountain and
worshiped the Lord together. I spoke on
Hosea 1 and God’s heart to call those who
are not His people to Himself.
Then a believer from that area who
had gone with us to help translate gave a
wonderful testimony. He said, “This is a
wonderful day. Not only were we able to
share Christ with people who did not know
By Doug Derbyshire
Pictured with wife Cheryl
IMB missionaries to Thailand
Him, but tonight we are praising God on
this mountain. It is the first time that God
has been praised on this mountain since
the beginning of time.”
This joy is mine because your church
gives through the Cooperative Program —
I am able to see people reconciled to God
and then gather to worship Him in places
where He has never been praised before.
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Arizona
missionaries
carry the gospel to the
S
Darkest
Places
B y I rene A. Harkleroad
outhern Baptist missionaries with Arizona
ties are fanned out across five of the seven
continents, omitting only Antarctica and
Australia.
Committed to their calling, they serve in
well-established mission venues and in ground-breaking
new work. They live and work in big cities and in rural
villages. They travel into spiritual darkness to carry the
gospel to the remaining 6,000 people groups where there
are few, if any, believers.
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Missionary Jasmine Chase (left) works at the
preschool she and her husband, Ethan, started in
Asia.
The Southern Baptist International
Mission Board counsels, trains, assigns
and supports these “field personnel” in
the area where they are needed and will
be most effective.
For example, Esther* is single and
works in an environment where
individuality is valued. Jacob and Robin
Talley* and their children live in a
Muslim area where family is a priority.
How do they do it?
Ministry strategies vary to suit a
culture or language, even within IMB’s nine global affinity groups.
“We have a two-prong approach,”
says Darren Cantwell* in South Asia.
“In our community, we share the
gospel, disciple new believers and
teach them how to start their own
home church. In the country, we seek
to be catalytic and multiply ourselves
by training national partners to plant
churches.”
Ethan and Jasmine Chase* and
their children, Skylar* and Penelope*,
partner with nationals in Asia to see
new work started. They can maintain a
Missionary Doug Derbyshire, who serves in
Thailand with his wife, Cheryl, looks on as a
new believer is baptized at a house church.
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presence in this restricted access country
by owning and operating a preschool. “It
has been amazing how [the] Father has
allowed us to function in the country and
find favor with the local authorities and
the people,” says Ethan. “The school has
100 students and a waiting list.”
John and Wanne Dina have been in
Mozambique in Africa since 1993. John
serves as the associate cluster strategy
leader there. “We use methods such as
the Jesus film, sports and recreation, or
sharing one-on-one. Our people are very
social, so it is not hard to share our faith
here,” he says. “We spend much of our
time developing local disciples who are
able to lead others to Jesus and disciple
them.”
Jim and Susan Oetter also live in
Mozambique, where Jim’s strategy is to
strengthen existing pastors and leaders
(some of whom are new believers) in their
faith and Christian practice. He teaches
them God’s Word so that they can apply
it accurately and teach it to others.
Susan teaches two ESL classes using the
In Mozambique, Susan Oetter teaches ESL classes using the Gospel of Mark as her curriculum.
Her husband, Jim, works to strengthen pastors and leaders, and, together, the couple attempt to
share the gospel with two people groups.
Gospel of Mark as her basic curriculum.
“Additionally, but not separate, we
regularly minister in five districts and
with two people groups and attempt to
share the gospel of Christ whenever and
wherever possible,” says Jim.
Derick and Beth Vaughan* produce
media that help tell the stories of what
workers in the Eurasia affinity group
are doing with the gospel (imbeurope.
org). They help local churches reach their
communities and spread the good news
in Europe through relational evangelism,
meeting people where they are and
sharing the love of Christ with them.
Having a job in a limited-access
country allows missionaries Don and
Beth* to live among an African people
group as they minister in basic, practical
ways: taking people to the hospital,
praying for and with the sick and needy,
working with their neighbors to make
their community a better place — all
while witnessing every step of the way.
Missionaries like Esther spread the
gospel in the marketplace by engaging
fellow colleagues in the medical
field, teaching English, participating
in outreach projects, and through
These
youth pastors
have chosen
Golden Gate
Seminary.
The students are presently serving in Arizona churches: Caleb Spacht,
Happy Valley Baptist Church; Preston Ford, at Mountain Ridge
Baptist Church; Jeremiah Hayes, at South Peoria Baptist Church
How are you preparing for the
ministry God has given you?
Church planters, senior pastors, worship leaders, and missionaries
have also chosen to study at Golden Gate. Join them at Golden Gate
Seminary’s Arizona campus, and see what a difference a seminary
education can make in your ministry.
www.ggbts.edu / 480-941-1993
8 P ortraits
apply online today.
friendships developed in the cosmopolitan
city where she works and lives.
Doug and Cheryl Derbyshire have
been missionaries in Thailand since 1992.
“Doug runs a small Baptist rural medical
clinic, and we do mobile clinics about eight
times a year to help church planters in
rural communities all over the country,”
Cheryl says. “I run a vibrant women’s
cottage ministry that employs more than
200 women in six rural communities,
[thus] helping them maintain jobs to
increase their family income. We now
make thousands of products a month
for distribution to high-end gift shops in
Europe and America. About 90 percent of
our full-time Christian workers came to
Christ working for us from their homes.”
Grace Goodson* facilitates work among
many unreached people groups who do
not have a career missionary working
with them in her part of Africa. “We ask
churches — local and American — to
adopt unreached people groups,” she says.
“Engaging churches send teams which
we try to partner with local churches.
We primarily use the ‘Creation to Christ’
gospel presentation and storying to present
the gospel.”
Phillip Kesler, who serves with his wife, Donya, in the IMB global mobilizing cluster, talks with a
student at a Brazilian Baptist Home Mission Board training event.
Who cares for the missionaries?
Not all missionaries serve only nationals.
Becky and Forrest Bohlen provide care
through encouragement and preventive
training to help missionaries stay healthy
physically, emotionally and spiritually.
“We also provide intervention in natural,
safety and health crises,” says Becky.
“Missionaries have a difficult balancing act
with family needs, ministry and learning a
new language and culture.”
Phillip Kesler is the cluster strategy
ALL IN
February13-15,2015
CampPinerock
Prescott,Arizona
99
$
Registration
and deposit of
$40 due by Friday,
January 16, 2015
FEATURED SPEAKER:
BRADTATE
Teaching Pastor &
Director of Family Ministries
242 Community Church
Detroit, Michigan
Register online at
www.azsbc.org/winterfresh.shtml
Questions? Contact Corrin:
corrin@azsbc.org
480-945-0880
800-687-2431
A COOPERATIVE PROGRAM MINISTRY OF THE ARIZONA SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
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leader for the global mobilizing cluster,
while his wife, Donya, is the cluster prayer
coordinator for the global mobilizing
cluster. “We work to mobilize, train, equip
and send out missionary workers [to]
Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean,”
Phillip says. The Keslers also seek to
evangelize and plant churches among
Americas Peoples in the megacities of
the world (such as London, Madrid, etc.)
and mobilize them to reach other people
groups where they live. To do that, they
help form mission boards and strengthen
existing agencies, helping not only Baptists,
but also other evangelicals, find ways to
reach the remaining unreached peoples
of the world. These people can use “their
vocations of sports, education, health
care, sciences/technology, or business
to naturally witness and make disciples
globally,” says Phillip.
James and Kathryn* are headed to
East Asia. “We will be working part time
coordinating the medical care of field
personnel,” says James. The rest of the
time, they will engage in the ongoing work
in a metropolitan area slightly smaller than
New York City, where only 2 percent of the
Missionary John Dina, who has been serving with his wife, Wanne, in Mozambique since 1993,
spends a lot of time developing local disciples who can then lead others to Christ and disciple them.
people claim to be Protestants.
Robin Talley has an active ministry
among new home schooling families.
She is a mentor and resource person on a
variety of educational, developmental and
dietary topics. “This ministry is not flashy,”
says husband Jacob, “but it is the type of
work that keeps families that are struggling
from having to leave the field.”
Jacob is the prayer strategist for 51
unreached people groups on their island
and an encourager for the local workers.
“The best way we have found to reach
people is mouth-to-ear,” he says.
During their 22 years in Northern Africa
and the Middle East, Nick and Natalie* saw
God work miracles when they fervently
prayed and did what God said. Gifts from
Seekin g G o d t o g e t h e r f o r r e v i ta l i z at ion
February 7, 2015 » Light in the Desert Baptist Church, Mesa
Registration: 8:30 a.m.
Main Session and Breakouts: 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
SPEAKER
»
Dr. Terry Rials, Pastor & Church
Revitalization Team Leader for the
Capital Association, Oklahoma City, OK
25 per person
40 per church
$
$
»
Register by Jan. 30, 2015, at
azsbc.org/revitalization.shtml
The Church Revitalization Team of the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention
“Working together to make disciples of all peoples in Arizona and around the world.”
A C O O P E R AT I V E P R O G R A M M I N I S T R Y O F T H E A R I Z O N A S O U T H E R N B A P T I S T C O N V E N T I O N
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believers in Arizona enabled them to
record and produce Scripture stories for
Muslim families. Recently, a Syrian refugee
couple was so hungry to hear about Jesus
that they fought over who could listen first!
Natalie says they’re now working with a
project called “StoryTogether” to help over
200 people groups around the world get an
opportunity to hear the good news in their
heart languages for the first time.
How is God blessing these efforts?
“I have recently seen God work in the
provision of funds from Arizona to supply
several fresh-water wells in one of our
African countries,” says John Dina. “And,
we are thankful for the good health that
the Lord Jesus gives us in the midst of so
much malaria and other illnesses.”
The Chase family consistently sees God’s
dependability. When there is a need, they
find ways to help, even before they know
how He will provide. “We are faithful to
assist and [the] Father provides a way,”
says Ethan.
The Lord works in surprising ways.
Darren Cantwell and some of his leaders
went on a bicycle ride with their tour guide
During a rest stop on a bicycle ridge, Darren Cantwell and a colleague pray with Raj, their tour guide, as
he prays to accept Christ as his Savior.
Raj*. When they stopped to rest under a
tree, Raj explained that the tree was known
as the “Judgment Tree,” a place where the
village elders rendered judgment when
someone transgressed the laws. One of the
leaders had been sharing Christ during the
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ARIZONA SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
86TH ANNUAL SESSION
November 14, 2014
9:00 am:
First Southern Baptist Church at
Sahuaro Ranch, Glendale, Arizona
Golden Gate Seminary Alumni &
Friends coffee & donuts
Mission Fair opens and continues
through lunch
10:00 am: Leadership Conference
11:45 am: Lunch provided
1:30 pm:
DR. KEVIN EZELL
DUSTIN WILLIS
A Free Copy of the
book will be given
to every person
who attends the
LEADERSHIP
CONFERENCE
Business Session and Worship*
Centennial Vision Report –
Dr. David Johnson,
ASBC Executive Director
Special Message from
Dr. Kevin Ezell,
President, North American Mission Board
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE:
“Life on Mission: Joining the Everyday
Mission of God”
Dustin Willis, North American Mission Board,
co-author, Life on Mission
PRAYER SUMMIT:
6 p.m., November 9
Facilitated by Dr. Gregory Frizzell, prayer
and spiritual awakening specialist,
Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma
*La sesión de negocios serán traducido simultáneamente al Español.
For updates and a list of hotels in the area, visit www.azsbc.org
12 P ortraits
In Mozambique, providing fresh water through new wells opens the door
for the Dinas, the Oetters and local believers, like Pastor Mauricio above,
to share about the Living Water.
ride and Raj seemed interested. Darren shared his testimony,
and he and a colleague prayed with Raj, who received Jesus there,
under the “Judgment Tree.”
“A great answer to prayer is our ever-growing ability to
understand and speak in Portuguese, no small accomplishment
for a couple of ‘old folks,’” reports Jim Oetter. “God is faithful.
He called us, sent us and sustains us, equipping us to do what we
wouldn’t ordinarily be able to do.”
Arizonans are covering the globe for Christ. Their job is
difficult. They are sometimes pushed to their limits in unfamiliar
lands. But our God is faithful to meet their needs and to
accomplish what He has begun.
*Name changed
Irene A. Harkleroad, a freelance writer living in Carefree, is a member
of Black Mountain Baptist Church, Cave Creek.
Get I NVOLVED
Though the languages, cultures, restrictions and methods
are varied on the mission field, the prayer requests of these
missionaries are pointedly similar. Valued and vital are their
petitions. These missionaries know that prayer undergirds all that
they do. Support these missionaries with your prayers, reflecting
their prayer concerns:
• Provision for general needs
— Protection from the constant spiritual attacks
— Wisdom and divine guidance for ministry
— Healing, in whatever way they need God’s touch
— Children’s well-being
• Prayers for practical concerns
— Visas
— Language skills
— Strengthening for marriages that are under stress
• Prayers for mission-specific concerns
— Financial support through the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions
— Increased faith to handle the changes and insecurities
in host countries
— Opening of the hearts of the lost
— More workers and short-term teams
— Boldness in sharing the gospel.
Where do the 47
IMB missionaries
from Arizona focus
their strategy?
Here is the number of
missionaries serving with
9 affinity groups:
American Peoples – 4
Central Asian Peoples – 2
East Asian Peoples – 5
European Peoples – 8
Northern African and
Middle East Peoples – 6
Southeast Asian Peoples –11
Sub-Saharan African
Peoples – 9
South Asian Peoples – 2
Deaf Peoples – 0
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HOW DO YOU SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH
A SKEPTICAL POST-CHRISTIAN WORLD?
n Learn a new model of witnessing that is
effective in today’s culture
FAITH CONVERSATIONS
Four Types of Conversations we want to have
ILLUMINATE
n Learn how evangelism can start with
relational pre-evangelism
n Learn how to ask questions, listen
attentively, and understand what
someone believes
n Learn ways to identify the real barriers to
belief in order to build a bridge to truth
Join David Geisler
January 24, 2015
8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
A. E. England Auditorium
424 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix
Parking: Nearby meters and
parking parages. Fees will vary.
No cost, but registration requested by January 16.
Go14
to azsbc.org/geisler.shtml
to register.
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A COOPERATIVE PROGRAM MINISTRY OF ARIZONA SOUTHERN BAPTISTS
HEAR
UNCOVER
BUILD
5
I
Ways to Get Involved in
International Missions
By Beth Vaughan*
see you there, faithful churchgoer. I see you in worship service, giving faithfully to the Lottie Moon Christmas
Offering, your church giving through the Cooperative Program and more.
I also see you shifting a little in your seat.
I know you’re not shifting because the cushion is bunched up or you sat on one of those little plastic
communion cups the kid behind you put there. I know it’s because you feel a tugging, a longing, a burning for more — to do
more.
It can be overwhelming to think of how one person can really make a difference in the darkness that is overtaking the world
today. Maybe you’ve never thought about how to reach out further. Maybe you don’t know where to start, or if it’s even possible.
However, as one who has lived as an international missionary for nearly 10 years, I want to share with you 5 Ways YOU Can
Get Involved in International Missions.
1
2
Adopt a People Group. Churches (or associations) can adopt a people group and be the ones
to reach them with the gospel. For more information and a list of people groups, go to this IMB
webpage: www.call2embrace.org. Two current adoption focal points in Europe are France and
London.
Adopt a Missionary. Keeping a missionary/missionary family healthy and encouraged can do
wonders for keeping the Kingdom Advance going. Head to www.imb.org, click on “Contact us”
and fill out the form. Select “Missionary contact information” from the drop-down menu to find
missionaries who want to partner with you for prayer and encouragement. Once you connect,
pray with/for them, send them notes of encouragement or care packages, perhaps even plan a trip
to go join in their work for a week or two!
3
4
5
Partner Strategically with a Missionary/Team. Is there a specific people group or
country for which you have a burden? Connect with one of the church planting teams already on
the field to partner in prayer, church planting and strategy. Work together to find ways to involve
your Sunday School class, church or association in the work among those people. Use the contact
form mentioned above to get in touch with teams around the world.
Utilize Social Media. Many missionaries have websites, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
accounts to share real-time updates and prayer needs. Interact and share. Be an advocate for those
you are praying for! (Ask about any security needs before sharing!)
Give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. I know that you are already doing that.
THANK YOU! May I also encourage you to keep giving? If you are unable to go personally to the
mission field right now, you can support and equip those who are already there. One hundred
percent of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goes directly to support and fund the work of
missionaries on the field.
Beth Vaughan* and her husband, Derrick*, are Arizona natives serving with the International Mission Board in Western Europe with
their three young children. (*name changed)
P ortraits 15
A culture of
missions
M
By Jean Bihn
embers of First Baptist Church,
Fountain Hills, have ventured
across borders, oceans and
hemispheres to share the love of
Jesus Christ. They also demonstrate
their commitment to missions
through their financial giving.
Pastor Tony Pierce says the
church had a heart for missions
when members called him as pastor eight years ago.
“It blew my mind what they were already doing,”
the pastor says. “It’s an amazing thing to watch —
these people have a culture of missions.”
Among members who have served on mission trips
are Jan and Ken Hall. The couple has visited Ghana
11 times. Jan, a physical therapist, and Ken, her chief
mechanic, take wheelchairs to those with disabilities in
a country where a wheelchair costs a year’s salary.
Jan became hooked on missions after traveling to
Mexico to fit wheelchairs to those in need.
“We’re literally getting people out of the dirt and
giving them dignity and an opportunity to participate
in society,” Ken says.
“We minister to the disabled with mobility devices,”
Jan says. “The door to share Christ gets opened
because of bringing the devices. The biggest thrill we
get is for those who receive Jesus Christ and now have
an eternal hope to carry them forward.”
Former youth leader Linda Calvert’s call to missions
came at Zona Camp in California, where she heard
about Haiti.
“I just had an overwhelming feeling that I wanted
to go and serve the people,” Linda recalls. “[The trip],
too, was overwhelming. I arrived in Port Au Prince
and it was poor and devastated.”
Linda has traveled to Haiti seven times and served
in Tanzania, Wales and Russia.
“If the Lord puts it on your heart to go, go! Be
obedient,” she says. “The blessings are innumerable.”
Closer to home, First Baptist, Fountain Hills, has
partnered with Iglesia Bautista Ebenezer in Empalme,
Mexico, for nearly a decade.
Members of First Baptist Church, Fountain Hills, are on mission around the world — through a longtime relationship with a
church in Empalme, Mexico (left); through continuing trips to minister to the disabled in Ghana (center); and through numerous
trips to Haiti (right and opposite page), where activities include working through a local Baptist church to build houses.
16 P ortraits
P ortraits 17
Members of First Baptist, Fountain Hills, including Pastor Tony Pierce (center), and local workers form an assembly line as they work to build a house in Haiti.
Jesse Carillo, missions committee chair, and Ted Reisig
estimate they have made 25 to 30 trips to Empalme, about 420
miles away.
“It makes you understand who is rich and who is not,” Jesse
says. “When I see the hearts of the brothers and sisters down
there, I come back invigorated.”
Church members have raised $14,000 to purchase a home
for Pastor Alfredo Marin, and they give $1,000 to $1,500 for
Vacation Bible School in Empalme each year.
“As many as 350 kids come to VBS,” Ted says.
Iglesia Bautista Ebenezer has a heart for missions as well and
has planted two churches in the last two years.
Fountain Hills members involved in the mission trips are
responsible for their own travel expenses, but church members
help there, too. The extra donations are in addition to the annual
mission offerings, including the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
for International Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter
Offering for North American Missions, and mission support
through the Cooperative Program. All of these offerings are
generously supported by church members.
In fact, First Baptist, Fountain Hills, gives 10 percent of
their undesignated receipts to Southern Baptist missions and
ministry efforts through the Cooperative Program, and the
church was 11th in the state in Cooperative Program giving
with $53,669 in 2013. Additionally, the church was eighth in the
state in per capita Cooperative Program giving, with $282.47 per
person. Church members also gave $25,500 to the Lottie Moon
Christmas Offering in 2013, the second largest amount of any
Arizona church.
18 P ortraits
However the missions giving doesn’t stop there. The Fountain
Hills church also helps support a teacher in Montana, a church
planter in Oregon, a Native American evangelist in Globe, and
a few faith-based mission efforts not affiliated with Southern
Baptists.
“It’s in the hearts of the people,” Pastor Pierce says. “It almost
sounds incredible.”
Jean Bihn, a freelance writer and photographer, is a member of
Mountain Ridge Baptist Church, Glendale.
Get I NVOLVED
• The new Arizona Southern Baptist Convention mission
statement says, “Working together to make disciples of all
peoples in Arizona and around the world.” Ask God to show you
where you belong in this endeavor. Find out what your church
is doing for missions and sign up to help. From praying for
missionaries around the world to volunteering for your church’s
missions committee, God asks us to be faithful servants.
• Not all of us are able to travel to other countries to share the
gospel, but we do have gifts that can contribute to the cause.
IMB Missionaries Emeritus Cliff and Beverly Vick are members
of First Baptist, Fountain Hills. The Vicks served in Belgium and
South Africa and now share their hard-earned administrative
skills where they are needed. Most recently, they advised First
Southern Baptist Church, Scottsdale, on a church plant in
Pretoria, South Africa. What skills can you share?
• Is God calling you to join international mission efforts or to drive
across town to help at a food bank? Remember, both are worthy
mission fields.
• Encourage your church to increase its missions support through
the Cooperative Program. Learn more about how you are the
Cooperative Program at http://iamcp.azsbc.org.
P ortraits 19
20 P ortraits
A Heart
for the
world
By Naomi G. Martinez-Goldstick
H
ow does one have a heart for the world? By having a
heart for the individuals who live in it.
This is what Archie Stephens, a member of First
Southern Baptist Church, Phoenix, has discovered
while on his countless international mission trips.
Most significantly, God called him to two locations
time and time again, and through those places, he has learned to
see the world and its people differently, including the people in
his own city.
After several trips to different parts of the world, Archie led a
mission trip to East Asia in 2002. Working with Gwen Crotts, a
Christian teacher at a university there, the group taught English
to students.
He has returned
every year since,
leading the trip
until Gwen, who
is now minister of
education at Apollo
Baptist Church in
Glendale, returned
to the United States.
Above, First Southern, Phoenix,
Now she leads the
members Archie Stephens (left to right),
trips and Archie
Van Nu and Max Willocks participated
goes along. Over the
recently in a mission trip to Kenya. Left,
years, the group has Archie has made annual mission trips to
been as few as four
East Asia since 2002.
or as many as 29.
Being able to return to the same area for 12 years has allowed
for continuity and relationship building, Archie says. Students
will continue to contact him through e-mail, asking him
questions.
He was able to buy a Bible for someone who had never seen
one.
“It is incredible to sit by someone who has never been to
church before,” Archie says. “You can see the immediate change
in someone’s life.”
P ortraits 21
In other cases, though, it takes time for people to come to a
realization of their need for the Lord, he says.
“There was one teacher that was very skeptical, and we saw her
every year,” he says. “Then, after six years, she came up to me and
told me that she was a believer.” Archie says he knows it is a result
of the relationships they have been able to build there.
In addition to East Asia, Archie has been a part of several mission
trips to Kenya to assist Max Willocks, another member of First
Southern, Phoenix, in planting home churches in areas from Lake
Victoria down to Tanzania.
Max, who just turned 90, does not see age as an impediment to
service.
“I don’t see any place in the Scripture where it provides for
retirement from the Lord’s work,” Max says. “He knows how old
you are and what your health is when He calls you. So when He
calls you, you go.”
When Archie and Max start a home church in Kenya, they teach
that the new church is responsible for spreading the Word of God.
These churches have taken it seriously, starting new churches in
Tanzania and Uganda at the rate of 2,000 a month. In their last
trip, Archie and Max, joined by Van Nu, a fellow church member,
focused on providing discipleship for these growing congregations.
Archie’s mission trips have done more than change lives
overseas. They have also changed how he views his life here at
home.
“I have a profound sense of how blessed we are in this country,”
he says.
These experiences have given him new perspective as he works
22 P ortraits
Believers in Kenya hold up the new Bibles they received during a
training event led by Archie Stephens and Max Willocks.
with the Burmese refugees in his own church.
“I think I am more sensitive to their needs,” he says. “They need
mentoring, friendship and guidance, even just help with [tasks like]
banking. I realize that I can make a real and definitive difference in
someone’s life.”
Naomi G. Martinez-Goldstick, a freelance writer living in Tempe, is a
member of Foothills Baptist Church, Phoenix.
Get I NVOLVED
•If you have never been on a mission trip, consider
allowing God to use you in this extraordinary way. If
you have been, consider going back to grow those
relationships and continue to be used by God.
•If you are unable to go yourself, consider helping someone
else. Individuals who go on mission trips must raise their
own funds, and you will be able to make a great impact in
someone’s life with your financial support.
•Commit to pray for our missionaries all over the world and
the laypeople who travel to assist them. Pray that they will
be safe and effective for the Kingdom of God.
OUR PURPOSE
IS TO HELP
YOU LIVE YOURS.
Scan the QR code or visit calbaptist.edu/tv to watch the video.
P ortraits 23
Networking, Equipping, and Training
for All Church Ministry Leaders
February 21, 2015
CrossPoinTempe Church
1001 E. Southern Ave.
Tempe, AZ
7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
A.M. Tracks:
25
$
conference fee
Six 30-minute conferences in a track area of your choice.
Preschool, Children, Youth, Young Adult,
Median Adult, Sr. Adult, Deacons, Worship,
Women, Pastors, Disciples’ Track,
Prayer, Evangelism
P.M. Tracks:
Four 30-minute conferences in a track area of your choice.
Growing Personally, Growing Your Witness,
Growing Your Small Group, Growing Your Church,
Growing and Revitalizing a Church,
Growing in Understanding and Talking to Other Faiths,
Growing in Knowing and Talking to the Never-Churched,
Growing in God’s Kingdom Work
Register at
www.valleyrimsba.org/net-21-conference
Mathetes focuses on discipleship
By Rik Danielsen
A
bout 275 people attended
Mathetes, an Arizona Southern
Baptist discipleship gathering
named for the Greek word for disciple,
on Aug. 23 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in
Phoenix.
The conference featured Ed Stetzer,
president of LifeWay Research Division,
and a panel of local church leaders joined
Stetzer in discussing how discipleship
works in their churches.
Disciples are more than spectators at
church, Stetzer said. They are actively
involved in the process of spiritual
growth.
Using a sports analogy, he said most
church members are not in the game; they
are in the stands watching while others
play the game.
A key question, Stetzer said, is, “How do
we move them from passive spectators to
robust participants?”
One of the keys, he said, is to help them
understand two biblical teachings:
1. Salvation is by grace through faith.
Their undertsanding this is absolutely
With a banner
behind him stating,
“Discipleship Costs,
Non-Discipleship
Costs More,” Ed
Stetzer speaks
at Mathetes,
a discipleship
gathering held in
Phoenix Aug. 23.
Photo by N. John
Keller
fundamental, he said.
2. God says we are to work out our own
salvation. Stetzer stressed that we are not
to work for our salvation, but we are to
work out our salvation. In other words, we
are to work salvation into every aspect of
our lives so that we are living and looking
like Jesus in our everyday lives.
Interspersed with Stetzer’s presentations
was discussion by the panel, comprised of
Chad Haynes, vision and teaching pastor
of Second Mile Church, Tucson; Angel
Haynes, director of women’s formation,
Second Mile; Sean Haynes, pastor of
Emmanuel Baptist Church, Tucson; and
Brian Bowman, lead pastor of Valley Life
— Tramonto, Phoenix.
“Concerning discipleship, one of the
great take-aways from the discussion was
the importance and strength of a wellSee Mathetes on page 26
Pastors discuss church revitalization
By Irene A. Harkleroad
T
wenty-two pastors and leaders
from 12 Arizona Southern Baptist
churches packed a classroom at
Light in the Desert Baptist Church, Mesa,
to participate in a Church Revitalization
Dialogue on Oct. 8.
Terry Rials (left),
pastor and church
revitalization
team leader for the
Capital Association
of Oklahoma City,
speaks during a
Church Revitalization
Dialogue at Light in
the Desert Baptist
Church, Mesa.
Driven by the depressing growth
statistics of churches across the country
and the world, these conversations are
intended to help leaders realize the
condition of Southern Baptist churches
and the need to revitalize congregations.
The Arizona Southern Baptist Con-
vention Church Revitalization Team
facilitated events in Mesa, Tucson, Casa
Grande and Prescott Valley. Terry Rials,
pastor and church revitalization team
leader for the Capital Association of
Oklahoma City, presented the concept
and overview of church renewal. About 55
pastors and leaders attended the four
dialogues.
The statistics are not limited to
Southern Baptist churches. According to
Rials, over 75 percent of churches have
plateaued or are in decline.
“Every day, 3,500 people walk out
of churches, never to return,” he said.
“Meanwhile, 4,000 new churches
begin each year while 7,000 close each
year. That’s a deficit of 3,000 churches
annually.”
Rials explained that the revitalization of
See Revitalization on page 27
P ortraits 25
Mathetes from page 25 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------thought-out and prayed-through
strategy,” Chad Haynes said. There are
numerous methods, and none is perfect,
he said.
“The key for church leaders is to
prayerfully consider the strategies, pick
one, and then faithfully work to establish
a pathway that makes disciples,” Haynes
said. “The leadership in our churches
must be bold enough to say, ‘We are so
glad you have chosen to be part of our
community. Now that you are, we are
asking you to join us on our pathway to
make disciples.’”
Eddy Pearson, ASBC evangelism and
discipleship facilitator, stressed that to
really grow disciples, church leaders
must get people into small groups where
sharing and accountability can take place.
“More time with fewer people leads to a
greater lasting impact for the kingdom of
God,” he said.
The stage in the conference room had
a banner on it that said, “Discipleship
Costs, Non-discipleship costs more.” We
will continue to have weak, unhealthy
churches if we don’t invest time and
resources in making disciples.
Ed Stetzer (left
to right), Chad
Haynes, Angel
Haynes, Brian
Bowman and
Sean Haynes
participate in a
panel discussion
at Mathetes,
a discipleship
gathering held in
Phoenix.
Ed Stetzer on discipleship at Mathetes
• “Discipleship doesn’t just take place under the watchful eye of leaders.”
• “When discipleship is a pastoral priority but not a congregational reality, it will
fail.”
• “Teaching people to live like Jesus outside the power of Jesus will dishonor Jesus.”
• “If people are gaining knowledge but do not look more like Jesus, you’re doing it
wrong!”
• “You cannot lead what you will not live.”
• “The best (discipleship) plan is the one you will do.”
• “You can be in proximity with people and not be in community with people.”
• “Discipleship requires participation in other people’s lives.”
Snowden addresses church planters
By Bret Burnett
“Eighty percent of American families
did not buy a book in 2013.” This statistic was shared by Mark Snowden at
the annual Church Planting Retreat
sponsored by the Arizona Southern
Baptist Convention.
The theme of this year’s retreat, held in
Phoenix Aug. 22, was “Making Disciples,”
based on Matthew 28:19. The retreat was
held in conjunction with the Mathetes
gathering the following day.
Snowden, coauthor of Truth that
Sticks with the late Avery Willis, began by
laying a foundation for the need to use
storytelling in America as a way to share
the gospel and make disciples.
He shared some startling statistics
about how Arizona leads the United
States in the following areas: high school
dropouts, poverty, families lacking education and families that do not speak
26 P ortraits
English. From a biblical perspective,
Snowden also shared how the Bible is 75
percent story and that Jesus told stories
(parables) as he taught.
With this backdrop, Snowden stressed
the need for storytelling as an avenue
for evangelism and discipleship here in
America.
Many in the U.S. think that storytelling is a wonderful method for thirdworld, illiterate countries, while statistics
and the Bible show that it is valid method
for Arizona and the U.S., said Snowden,
who has worked for the International
Mission Board, North American Mission Board, Saddleback Church, and
now works for the Missouri Baptist
Convention in the area of evangelism
and discipleship
Snowden shared the dynamics of
storytelling by using the Parable of the
Sower found in Mark 4:1-20.
First, tell the story, do not read it,
he said.
Then, share the facts of the story
through a guided discussion. This helps
people begin to mentally process the
information of the story.
Follow this with a time of prayer to
prepare the hearts of the listeners so they
can internalize the story, he said.
Finally, have a dialogue about the truths
that can be derived from the story. This
helps people understand how the story
relates to them personally.
Snowden used four case studies to
help illustrate how successful storytelling
has been in the U.S. The four cases were
in different areas of ministry: a church,
a church plant, a prison ministry and
a university setting. All four had great
success with storytelling.
Snowden concluded with what he
claimed are the six most powerful words
in the English language: “let me tell you a
story.”
Disaster Relief serves after flooding
By Heather Smathers
embers of the Arizona Southern
Baptist Disaster Relief Team
were on high alert after monsoon storms swept across the Valley.
After storms in August, teams helped
homeowners with cleanup and repairs
from flood damage in the Laveen area,
said Patty Kirchner, kitchen unit manager
for Arizona Southern Baptist Disaster
Relief. She helped manage the call out
when Mitch McDonald, Arizona Southern
Baptist Convention missions facilitator
was out of state. The homeowners were
residents who otherwise had no outlet for
assistance.
“We helped nine families who didn’t
have flood insurance, or who didn’t have
any friends or family who could help
them,” Kirchner said.
The families served by Arizona Southern Baptist Disaster Relief were selected
as part of a multi-agency effort at a
Recovery Information Center. The Red
Cross was the lead agency at the center
and pre-qualified families who could be
helped by Disaster Relief.
Kirchner said teams assisted with
cleanup, including removing flooded
furnishings and personal possessions
from homes, removing and replacing
drywall and carpet, and bleaching walls to
eradicate mold.
Storms in September also sent the crews
to work, not only in Laveen again, but also
in Mesa and Phoenix.
The largest job for the team after
the September storm was a project of
M
Arizona Southern
Baptist Disaster
Relief volunteers
pray with a couple
whose house
was flooded.
In the midst of
offering a helping
hand, Disaster
Relief volunteers
always look for
opportunities to
share their faith.
removing and replacing drywall and
flooring. The homeowners, in their
70s, already had suffered flood damage
in August but had not been able to get
it repaired until a neighbor, who is a
member of the Laveen Baptist Church,
put the homeowners in touch with
Disaster Relief.
“It took us five full days to do the work,
and we had 12 different people working
on the house at one time or another,”
Kirchner said.
Kirchner said because the volunteers
had recently been doing so much work to
help others with flood damage and were
exhausted from the work, volunteers from
all over the state, many who were not
Disaster Relief trained, answered the call
for help.
“Call outs like the one we just had,
fixing the homes, is dirty, hard, hot work,”
she said. “It’s physically draining.”
The average age of Disaster Relief
volunteers nationwide is 72, Kirchner said,
because more seniors have the flexibility
and the time to be able to go on calls on
short notice.
“We desperately need younger volunteers,” she said, adding that she
understands it is not as easy for younger
adults to get time away from their jobs
and family responsibilities.
Arizona Southern Baptist Disaster
Relief conducts an annual training in
March for people interested in joining
Disaster Relief teams. “I appreciate all of our volunteers and
all they sacrifice to help others,” Kirchner
said. “It helps us share Jesus Christ with
those who don’t know Him.” Revitalization from page 25 -------------------------------------------------------------------------churches is not a mechanical process, not
a methodology, not a formula — nothing
happens unless God gets involved. He
uses the analogy of a sailboat for an
informed, passionate, and committed
church revitalizer. We need to hoist the
sail (be prepared) and wait for the Holy
Spirit (the wind of revival) to blow and
keep us on course, he said.
Pastor Darwin Meighan has brought
Light in the Desert through renewal to
a thriving, balanced, multi-generational
fellowship of believers. During this transition, he said it was critical to pray,
prepare and to persevere.
The Arizona Church Revitalization
Team consists of Keith Durham, pastor of
First Baptist Church, Arizona City (team
leader); Keith Henry, ASBC ministry
leadership facilitator; Rik Danielsen,
Yavapai Association director of evangelism/missions; Darwin Meighan, Valley
Rim Association president and leadership
development coordinator; and Jim
Martin, Valley Rim associational director
and pastor of Queen Valley Baptist
Church, Queen Valley.
“The purpose of our team is to raise
the conversation on revitalization,” said
Henry. “We pray that God would give us
insight.”
The team will host “Revitalize,” a
statewide event, on Feb. 7, 2015, at Light
in the Desert Baptist Church, Mesa. For
more information, see the website at
azsbc.org/revitalization.shtml.
P ortraits 27
Super Bowl outreach planning underway
W
ith close to a million people
expected to converge on
Phoenix at the end of January,
several Arizona pastors are organizing
evangelism events to reach the lost.
Arizona is in the unique position to
host the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl and Waste
Management Phoenix Open all within a
week’s time.
Lou Di Bona, evangelism team leader
for Valley Rim Association, said the idea
is to bring people together who can use
their different talents and ministries to
spread the gospel. A loose organizational
team has met a few times to start the
process and to find ways to reach out to
local associations and ministry teams.
“I’ve been in contact with out-of-state
groups who are interested in coming out,”
Di Bona said.
Pastor Daryl Bennett, of East Valley
Baptist Church in Flagstaff, said he’s
attended the Phoenix Open for the past
several years in order to witness.
For the January events, he said one of
the ideas the team has is to distribute
maps of where all of the events are
located with a gospel presentation on the
reverse side.
Bennett said the majority of the visitors
at the events will be Arizonans, and volunteers are needed to be able to follow up with
people who make decisions for Christ.
“These are our neighbors,” he said. “We
can share the gospel plan of salvation
with them and make connections.”
All churches, youth groups and ministry
teams are invited to come and participate
in the outreach. The organizational
meetings are just the jumping off point
for teams to all do special evangelism.
Ideas the team has come up with include:
—Riding a bus for the duration of the
line in order to pass out tracts
—People to help with technology
—Distribution of tracts, information
and bottled water
—Churches can volunteer to provide
transportation and lodging to ministry
teams who come from around the state
—Churches are invited to host Super
Bowl viewing parties, where they can
reach unbelievers
—Women’s groups are invited to
reach out to women working in illicit
industries.
To get involved, contact Lou Di Bona,
602-561-7513.
More news online
Read these stories at www.azsbc.org:
• Messengers will consider constitutional revisions in November
• Arizona Southern Baptist leader
Glen E. Crotts dies at age 94
• Study provides a statistical profile
of Arizona Southern Baptists in
2013
• Youth leaders attend the ReFresh
Retreat
• Global evangelism leader Dennis
Pethers comes to Arizona
WORKING TOGETHER
Arizona Southern
Baptist churches
gave $626,601.78
to the 2013 Lottie
Moon Christmas
Offering for
International
Missions. A total of
197 churches gave
to the offering. The
statistics reported
here are for March
2013 to February
2014.
28 P ortraits
Top 25 in Lottie Moon Offering
First Southern, Tucson
$46,198.94
First Baptist, Fountain Hills
24,531.12
First Baptist, Sun City
22,966.00
Foothills, Phoenix
22,750.00
Village Meadows, Sierra Vista
18,970.02
First Southern, Avondale
16,584.62
First Baptist, Sun City West
15,438.00
First Southern, Glendale
14,830.25
First Baptist, Sun Lakes
14,559.00
Tucson Mountain, Tucson
14,426.00
First Chinese, Phoenix
12,472.00
First Baptist, Chandler
12,418.28
Grand Community, Surprise
11,795.00
North Phoenix, Phoenix
11,686.82
Gateway, Gilbert
11,477.99
Twenty-Second Street, Tucson
10,826.38
Willow Hills, Prescott
10,296.52
First Southern, Phoenix
9,853.77
Vistoso, Oro Valley
9,466.00
First Southern, Overgaard
9,444.50
Green Valley, Green Valley
9,308.00
Mountain View, Tucson
8,747.91
Trinity, Casa Grande
8,054.00
Sabino Road, Tucson
7,720.20
First Southern, Scottsdale
7,463.48
Top 25 Per Capita in Lottie Moon Offering
Emmanuel, Sun City
$172.00
First Baptist, Fountain Hills
129.11
First Baptist, Sun City
120.87
First Southern, Tucson
113.79
First Baptist, Sun City West
80.83
First Chinese, Phoenix
68.53
Immanuel, Yuma
67.92
First Southern, Overgaard
65.13
First Baptist, Sun Lakes
64.71
Valley View, Snowflake
64.06
Vistoso, Oro Valley
62.69
Twenty-Second Street, Tucson
62.58
Foothills, Phoenix
60.51
Desert Harvest, Gilbert
58.28
Tucson Mountain, Tucson
53.83
Clarkdale, Clarkdale
53.43
Village Meadows, Sierra Vista
51.69
First Baptist Sunizona, Pearce
50.50
First Garden Lakes, Avondale
49.78
Church On Randall Place, Pine
47.76
Meadows, Glendale
46.69
Burton, Show Low
45.82
Grand Community, Surprise
45.54
Trinity, Globe
43.25
First Southern, Glendale
43.24
2014
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS NOV. 30 – DEC. 7
matthew 28:19-20
IMB.ORG/OFFERING
P ortraits 29
aith in Action
Do you have a story of statewide interest about how your
church or a group in your church is ministering to others?
For this issue, Portraits is sharing the text portion of a sampling of posts on the “Arizona Southern Baptists” Facebook
page. If you’re on Facebook and haven’t “liked” this page, you’re missing a way to keep up with the Arizona Southern
Baptist family! Many of the posts below had accompanying photos, which you can see on Facebook.
Arizona Southern Baptists
October 9
Praising God and sharing post of Desert Ridge
Church, a new church start in north Phoenix,
and Pastor Kaylob Stumbaugh: “I have to tell
the Facebook world about this: I received a
phone call this morning from a stranger. He is a
pastor of a church in a small TX town that I’ve
never heard of. They had heard of what we are
preparing to do at Desert Ridge Church and
decided they want to support us financially as
well as with volunteers for the next two years.
What is even better is that we had a budget
plan shortfall of $6,000/year for the next two
years, and they are not only going to make up
for that but are exceeding it! Feeling humbled
and amazed at how God provides and even
more excited about the future of Desert Ridge
Church.”
Arizona Southern Baptists
September 23
We like this idea from First Southern Baptist
Church of Wickenburg. As students gather at
their schools for See You at the Pole tomorrow
morning, the church wants to cover them with
prayer and join with them in praying for their
schools, administration, teachers and peers.
So, church members have been invited to meet
tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. in the sanctuary for a
time of prayer.
Arizona Southern Baptists
September 23
When you give to the Arizona Mission Offering
part of your gift goes to Arizona SBC Disaster
Relief. This message explains what your offering
means to those in need:
HEAVEN
A N E W F I L M F R O M B I L LY G R A H A M
DON’T MISS THIS CHANCE TO REACH A
LOVED ONE WITH THE GOSPEL.
Help your friends and neighbors find the hope of Jesus Christ through
the compelling new film Heaven, which features real-life stories,
plus Billy Graham on what happens when this life is over. Encourage
your church to show Heaven on or around November 7—in honor of
Billy Graham’s birthday—and invite those who don’t know Jesus.
Order your free DVD or watch the trailer at MyHopeWithBillyGraham.org.
30
P ortraits
For more
information, contact Tim Pruit at 520-560-2639.
“I would like to say thank you from the
bottom of my heart to Doug, Mitch and ALL the
many volunteers that have been here for days
helping my elderly neighbors. Their home was
flooded twice and they were living in the moldy
home with molded bedding, furniture, literally
everything they owned. ...
“These teams have never asked for anything.
They come with loving, giving hearts. ... They
are truly a blessing to so many. I’ve experienced
just one family yet see through the ministry how
many more they serve. God bless you all!!!”
Arizona Southern Baptists
September 18
“No matter where, no matter what, no matter
the cost, I challenge you to give your life to the
mission of God,” David Johnson tells students
at the Christian Challenge Night of Worship
Write to
“Faith in Action”, Portraits, 2240 N. Hayden Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
at Church on Mill in Tempe. More than 100
students from Christian Challenge groups
throughout the Valley attended this event.
Arizona Southern Baptists
September 18
Green Valley Baptist Church fed the Sahuarita
High School football team, coaches and most
of the band a pre-game meal last Friday. This
was the fourth year for this church, led by
Pastor John Guillott, to conduct this ministry.
The church used the Arizona SBC Disaster
Relief event trailer to prepare the meal.
Arizona Southern Baptists
September 14
When taking the ALS ice bucket challenge
recently, Jackie Allen, pastor of Palm Vista
Baptist Church, Surprise, also challenged
several pastors and churches to raise money
for persecuted Christians in Iraq. Palm Vista
raised $2,900. Chris Bell, pastor of Happy
Valley Baptist Church, Glendale, reports that
church members gave $1,891.05 this morning,
and the missions team added $500, for a
total of $2,391.05. The Church At Arrowhead,
Glendale, and Pastor Dennis Adams have also
responded to this challenge. In all cases, the
money is being sent to Baptist Global Response
(BGR). http://bit.ly/ZlLHtv
Arizona Southern Baptists
September 12
Sharing the post of Aletheia Church, a new
church being started by Josh Jennings in
Sedona: “Today we say Happy Encouragement
Day to W. Sedona School with gift cards for the
whole faculty and staff to Java Love Cafe. We
love Sedona.”
Arizona Southern Baptists
September 11
Way to go! About 300 people attended Valley
Life Church in Tramonto (Pastor Brian Bowman)
and Surprise (Pastor Jason Vance) last
Sunday for the start of the churches’ Beyond
Obedience parenting series, which includes
sermons on Sunday mornings and a seminar
on Sunday evenings. The churches provided
Facebook “memes” and printed invitation
cards for members to share with friends,
placed an ad in the community weekly
magazine and advertised on sandwich boards.
It’s an all-out effort to reach new people, and it’s
working!
Arizona Southern Baptists
September 8
As a Centennial Vision Church,
CrossPoinTempe Church is taking action!
Here’s what Pastor Bob Dodridge says:
“CrossPoinTempe voted in a special called
business meeting, at the recommendation of
the Missions Committee, to fully affirm and
support the ASBC ‘Centennial Vision Covenant’
and to increase our Cooperative Program giving
beginning with July 2014 with other increases
proposed for 2015 and 2016. In addition, we
voiced our desire to be proactive in seeking
mission endeavors in and out of our state to be
intentionally involved in. We are praying for our
ASBC leadership and the God-honoring efforts
to reach our state, our nation, our world for
Jesus Christ.”
New pastors
Jesse Wood, Naco, Naco
Todd Richardson, First Southern, Cornville
Patrick Tompkins, Palominas,
Palominas
Clyde Chilton, Shiloh Missionary,
Mesa
New Church Staff
Brent Hale, youth pastor, First Southern, Buckeye
Arizona Southern Baptists
September 8
VBS works! Yesterday Silverbell Baptist Church
baptized twin brothers who were saved at VBS
this summer.
Arizona Southern Baptists
September 4
We’re celebrating with Lifework Church, a new
work in the Star Valley area of Tucson led by
Pastor Gary Monroe. This church will launch on
Sunday. Here’s a post from the church: “Just
a few more days! Wow! As of today there is 1
church for 20,000 in our zip code and we meet
once a month. As of Sunday 20,000 people
will have a place to come together every single
week and worship God.”
Classified advertising
Classified ads are $25 each for up to 30 words and $1.00 for each
additional word, with a minimum charge of $25. Next available issue:
January-February 2015. Advertising deadline is December 5. Send
written ads to Portraits, 2240 N. Hayden Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale,
AZ 85257 or email advertising@azsbc.org. For further assistance, call
480-945-0880 or 800-687-2431.
Arizona Southern Baptists
August 31
Sharing post of Many Farms Baptist Church:
“Four precious children have given their hearts
to Jesus and followed in obedience by baptism
this morning.”
Arizona Southern Baptists
August 27
After not being officially on the ASU West
Campus for two years, Christian Challenge is
back! Last Thursday, leaders were meeting
students on campus, where they received
contact cards from 57 who are interested in
being a part of Christian Challenge. They’re off
to a great start!
P ortraits 31
A
p u b l icatio n
of
Arizona
Southern
Ba p tists
Non—Profit Org
U.S. Postage
P AI D
Images of faith in action
Phoenix, AZ
Permit No. 437
Arizona Southern Baptist Convention
2240 N. Hayden Road, Suite 100
Scottsdale, AZ 85257
Change Service Requested
Elizabeth Young Editor, Portraits magazine, Arizona Southern Baptist Convention
FinishingTouches
She looks over your shoulder too
I
was looking through photos of a
meeting of the missions committee
of First Baptist Church, Fountain
Hills, and gasped with excitement.
There she was, standing slightly
behind the shoulder of Pastor Tony
Pierce. It was Lottie Moon, long-ago
Southern Baptist missionary to China!
Well, actually it was a life-size photo
of Lottie Moon. (By the way, did you
know she was only 4 feet 3 inches
tall?)
I called the church to find out
whether Lottie always meets with
the missions committee — she does!
Although her presence in the room
is just happenstance, I think it says
something about this church’s culture
of missions.
As Arizona Southern Baptists are
“working together to make disciples of
all peoples in Arizona and around the
world,” we would all do well to think
about the words of Lottie Moon.
“How many there are ... who
imagine that because Jesus paid it all,
they need pay nothing, forgetting that
the prime object of their salvation
was that they should follow in the
footsteps of Jesus Christ in bringing
back a lost world to God,” she wrote.
I hope this issue has challenged you
to think and pray about your part in
making disciples around the world —
and your church’s part as well.
As Lottie Moon wrote, “Oh! That
my words could be as a trumpet call,
stirring the hearts of my brethren
and sisters to pray, to labor, to give
themselves to this people.”