The frightened boy waited silently in the cardboard box.  Abandoned on the streets of Tegucigalpa, he waited.  His four-year-old malnourished body was in dire need of food.  His undernourished soul was in greater need of stability and love.

Today, two years after coming to Rancho Ebenezer, this boy is no longer chased by the fear of inadequate nourishment – either physically or emotionally.  Security, the hope of a bright future, house parents who nurture him, and most of all, being taught that there is a God who intimately knows and loves him – these are the identifying marks on the beautiful countenance of a very real, six-year-old Honduran boy.

Why do we share this story with you?  This child is one of the many reasons for the recent celebration of World Gospel Outreach’s 25^th Anniversary.  FBC’s own Mike Robinson (Chairman of WGO’s board) and Tim Lundy were on hand in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, this April to share in the festivities.  This celebration included a dedication of WGO’s new facility and proclaiming God’s faithfulness for 25 years of ministry at World Gospel Outreach.

For 15 of the last 25 years, you, as the FBC Body, have partnered in the 3-fold ministry of World Gospel Outreach.   You have given your financial support, your resources and expertise, your time and prayers, and in many instances, invested your lives full-time.  Just look at Mike and Lyn Ferguson.  Mike is now the President of WGO.  10 years ago, Mike and Lyn were contentedly pursuing God in the Little Rock area when their daughter went on a summer FSM trip to Honduras.  This was the beginning of God dramatically calling the Fergusons into full-time service with WGO.  There are many others from our Body who have similar stories:  Al and Terry Runnells, Robert and Jennifer Butts, and previously, Pat and Helen DuBose.  Other highly involved couples such as Newton and Linda Little and Richard and Linda Goff have given of their resources and expertise to become part of what God is doing to change lives through WGO.   Steve Freeman and Dr. Steve Schexnayder of  FBC serve on the WGO Board.  Dr. Schexnayder has led FBC medical brigade trips for 13 years.

In case you are unfamiliar with WGO, their ministry consists of three components: first, the brigade ministry; second is Rancho Ebenezer; and third, the North American ministry component.

The brigade ministry involves taking medical teams into the most impoverished areas of Honduras and setting up clinics inside local churches.  This highly effective ministry serves 30 – 40,000 people each year!  Around 35 teams from North America will be mobilized this year and these individuals make sure that each Honduran  whose medical needs are served hear a clear presentation of the gospel message.  Last year, 2000 decisions for Christ resulted from the brigade ministry.  This powerfully illustrates that people can help heal bodies, but only Jesus can heal hearts.

The second component of WGO’s ministry is Rancho Ebenezer.  RE is a 90-acre, residential children’s facility where house parents live with and care for children of all ages.  RE includes a K-12 school, a coffee plantation, individual “homes” in which the house parents live and care for several children.  After each young person graduates, he or she has the option to move to the Bridge House, an interim facility which literally functions as a “bridge into society” for that young adult.  Around 40-50 children and/or young adults are housed at Rancho Ebenezer and Bridge House.

Thirdly, the last part of WGO’s ministry is to the local body in North America.  By mobilizing teams to come and serve, lives are changed on both sides.  Over 1,000 American Christians come to WGO projects to work each year.  Mike Robinson describes it this:

     “Seeing the opportunity that American church people have to experience the Holy
Spirit and use their lifeskills to be a blessing to others, that excites me the most.
World Gospel Outreach is an outstanding place to have a successful ministry
experience doing meaningful work. It is good because of what it does to change us.”

If you would like to be a part of upcoming ministry opportunities with WGO in Honduras, you can go to their website, www.wgoreach.org. You can also go to FBC’s website, www.FellowshipOnline.com and click on Fellowship Unleashed for short-term opportunities. James 1:27 states the mandate of World Gospel Outreach, “…to care for the poor and especially the widows and orphans.”

Thank you, Fellowship, for believing that mandate is ours.

by Linda L. Scisson

On Sunday morning, May 2, 2010, Fellowship Bible Church celebrated the 10-year anniversary of a leadership residency program for future pastors: an ongoing work of Fellowship Associates.

The residency program is a church planting movement (or ministry outreach) that follows our church’s mission statement: “To equip and unleash Christ followers to change the world through lives of irresistible influence.”

Bill Wellons, Director of Church Planting at Fellowship Associates and one of the founding pastors at Fellowship Bible Church, describes the nine-month program on the FA website: It “gives church planters an opportunity to move from theoretical information to practical application;” it covers “leadership principles related to a wide range of topics.”

Steve Snider, President of Fellowship Associates and Fellowship Bible Church Elder, began the celebration by saying:

“God took a dream, a little over ten years ago, a big dream, a dream of finding and bringing leaders from all over the country and even the world to Little Rock, Arkansas, so that we could teach and coach, encourage and equip them to go out and plant churches all over the world — to take Jesus Christ to the world. And, man, has God blessed that dream!”

Many of the Leadership Residency graduates were present for the celebration on the first Sunday in May. The names of 39 graduates from the first nine years of the program appeared in the church bulletin. A bulletin insert added five 2009-2010 graduates, who were ordained (“set apart for a special task or purpose”) at the end of the celebration.

During the celebration, six graduates comprised a panel discussion facilitated by John Bryson, a pastor at Fellowship Memphis (Memphis, TN), a 2002-2003 graduate of the residency program, and a partner with Fellowship Associates in Little Rock.

Three common themes surfaced from the conversations: (1) God’s grace in doing good things at these new churches, (2) the pastors’ commitment and passion to the Kingdom of God, and (3) the men’s appreciation for their training at Fellowship Associates.

Here are a few comments we heard:

“The Lord has been up to a whole bunch of grandiose stuff that’s beyond what we could have ever dreamed about or thought about.” Eric Mason (Epiphany Fellowship / Philadelphia, PA)

“We started a food bank that gives out almost five tons of food each week. We’re going to serve about 20,000 hot meals this year.” Thien Doan (City Lights Church / Long Beach, CA)

“We basically saw a neighborhood that had tons of opportunity, tons of people that were longing for a Gospel community . . . .” Kevin Cawley (Redeemer Fellowship / Kansas City, MO)

We “want to help people in Denver to see the Gospel and understand who Jesus is.” Hunter Beaumont (Fellowship Bible Church / Denver, CO)

In one church, planted 15 weeks ago, the pastor shared that he and other leaders are committed to the urban context, as they want “to revitalize the city and take back some of the areas that have been abandoned.” Dhati Lewis (Blueprint Church / Atlanta, Georgia)

Insofar as evidence of God’s grace, one pastor said he was “most excited about those who have heard about Jesus for the first time ever in their lives.” Dave Furman (Redeemer Church of Dubai / Dubai, UAE)

Here’s a sample of the wisdom these alumni received from Fellowship Associates’ Leadership Residency Program:

“. . . a definition of leadership . . . a deeply biblical definition: taking the initiative for the benefit of others.” Eric Mason (Epiphany Fellowship / Philadelphia, PA)

“The measure of a church is not how many people you have in your building, but the difference that you’re making in your city — if you’re transforming the city.” Thien Doan (City Lights Church / Long Beach, CA)

“A dual faithfulness: To the Gospel . . . and then also to our city and the people we are called to reached.” Hunter Beaumont (Fellowship Bible Church / Denver, CO)

“. . . when you are controlled by a passion for God and His Kingdom, it empowers and just compels you to give it away.” Kevin Cawley (Redeemer Fellowship / Kansas City, MO)

“. . . seeing all the different people [at FA and FBC] use their unique giftedness to pour out, to put all those resources into us.” Dhati Lewis (Blueprint Church / Atlanta, Georgia)

“. . . to really set us up to win. I’m already thinking . . .: How can we give away what God has given us? How can we start our own residency-type program? We’re training the next generation of leaders.” Dave Furman (Redeemer Church of Dubai / Dubai, UAE)

When asked about their dreams or passions . . . :

“My passion is to see lives transformed and the city transformed through the city understanding that their only hope can be found in the Gospel, not in their career or in whatever else they’re trying to build . . . .” Kevin Cawley (Redeemer Fellowship / Kansas City, MO)

“. . . classes on family values, classes on parenting, classes on basic employability.”
Thien Doan (City Lights Church / Long Beach, CA)

“We’re asking God, ‘How do You want us to be more intentional and strategic about training up young, very young, leaders and releasing them for impacting Your Kingdom?’” Hunter Beaumont (Fellowship Bible Church / Denver, CO)

“. . . how can we position ourselves to have leadership development for these men to go back into their homes to be good fathers and husbands and employees . . . .” Dhati Lewis (Blueprint Church / Atlanta, Georgia)

We, the congregation, were privileged to see these pioneers of our faith on May 2, 2010. While these influential men (all young enough to be my sons) were dressed casually (no ties in sight), each wore — as I looked upon them with the eyes of faith — a royal robe of righteousness: thanks, in part, to the training these residents received at Fellowship Associates and Fellowship Bible Church; and thanks, in greater part, to Jesus Christ, the One they serve.

As one 60-year old visitor said to the pastor at the church planted in Dubai: “This Christ that you preach: He is so beautiful!”

Hello Everyone,

It has been a very full re-entry here in LR after returning late Wed (March 10, 2010) from FBC’s first trip to connect with the Dadiya Scripture translation project in Nigeria. I’ve been very eager to report on what happened and what God did and is doing there. I (and the team!) so appreciate your prayers. The Lord enabled me to go and go hard with little sleep which was a great answer to prayer – thank you.  None of us got sick, at no point did we lose luggage, and all travel (a very great miracle, esp. in light of the violence in that area) at each point was successful. God certainly went before and attended our steps as only he can. He is the omnipresent caring God. In general, we captures lots of stories; had many divine appointments; were greatly blessed and encouraged to see the translation, outreach and ministry work that is going on among the Dadiya people; were so encouraged to see the impact the translation work has already had over the last 5 year to bring hope to the community at large and unity to the church generally, as well as the impact it is poised to have now as audio recordings of the scripture are being prepared to go out and literacy initiatives are scheduled with the primer the translation team has developed. Each of the translators has worked very hard and is so committed and it was such an encouragement to see the hearts of the pastors on the team and committee.  I’ve listed just a few of the details of the trip chronologically below and look forward to telling you each more!

Our flights through Chicago and Frankfurt en route to Abuja were all fine with no luggage lost and some rest for most of the team. I got most of my remaining (’late’) papers graded before my battery was drained and a little sleep. We had a truly great team and it was a real delight to be with Rosie & Glenn Stephens as well as Ken Tuttle, and to get to know pastor Will and Nancy Hamilton (both are terrific). Everyone had such a serving attitude, was very laid back and flexible, and connected and served so well with all those we met. Not sure I’ve ever been with a better team!

We arrived in the afternoon in Abuja and went through customs, passport control, etc. before we could meet up with Chuck Brod (longest serving FBC missionary, with SIM) and their driver Endurance.

Will, Ken and I rode with Endurance and it was so interesting to see the ‘Hamatan’ (dust skies from the Sahara) effects on the sun, etc. as well as the unique topography. I shot as much video as I could enroute (Chuck had warned us that taking pics in the car was not always smiled upon).   Seeing the mix of new infrastructure construction (roads mostly) and obvious population crowding and poverty was striking.

We had a great reception at the mission house (owned by the IMB but managed by the Brods, especially Judy) there and got some rest and great food. I enjoyed a brief (needed) rest and then picking up as many words in Hausa as I could and asking the Brods questions about where we were going, things there, etc. What a godly couple. At that point most of our trip was up in the air due to travel uncertainties and contingency plans.

The next day in Abuja we met with the  ECWA (Evangelical Church of West Africa) leadership for a couple of the district church councils there and had a good discussion about what they are doing, the 10 year ECWA strategic plan (3 years into implementation now), challenges and opportunities there and how we might be a support and encouragement. It was a particular delight to see the afternoon Enlgish classes that were going on for women as we left (practicing vowels, at least 50-60 there) – they run them multi times a week for 2  hours a time. Lots of kids around and Nancy was in her element immediately (we called her the kid queen).  We also were able to meet with and hear from the national director for Campus Crusade (called the Great Commission Movement there) and in particular about the Jesus Film work that is going on and the new efforts over the past 5 years to integrate it more tightly to on the ground ministries. This has had a much great effect with actually fewer showings. Overall, we heard time and again about how discipleship and growing deeper in spiritual walks is the greatest need of the Nigerian church (sounds familiar!).

After my first run in Nigeria (it was hot!) with Ken, got a little needed rest and all the while in Abuja we were trying to take advantage of the times with the electricity was on and the internet was on. I was still trying to grade and post papers and take care of Liberty stuff so it was a couple late nights. Got packed up for departure the next day for Gombe State and prayed lots re. the plane flight.

Those prayers were answered as we had no trouble with the flight, getting to the airport, luggage or arriving even on time in Gombe City. We were met by several members of the GCM Jesus film team that were heading to the Dadiya area for film showings as well as Beatrice, a fellow formerly with GCM who has his own discipleship ministry in that region. Very hot and dry but we did a great job of keeping hydrated all along the way (lots of bottled water!). Azi (the driver we had arranged ahead of time was there with a van for us which fit fine). We later learned that one of the GCM men had been robbed in his car on the way to Gombe City from a town up north just that morning (took most of his clothes, all money, but providentially left his laptop). We drove to Kaltungo, the closest town with a ‘hotel’, before heading on to Dadiay area. God answered prayer as we were able to pass all the check points btw Kaltungo and Bam Bam (btw which there had been intense ethic fighting with the Dadiya and Tungali a few days before). Seeing the main area village of Bam Bam (long ‘a’) was an experience I’ll not forget. We were welcomed by the translation committee (a large number of pastors and leaders from many local churches) and of course the translation team. We had formal introductions and it was so great to meet the translators we’ve prayed so hard for. It was late so we headed down to where the Jesus film (gosple of Luke on film) was going to be shown that night in the village (only the second showing ever there) in Dadiya. The team drove to the site but I particularly enjoyed walking with a group of the translators there and speaking with pastor Illiya (who lives several hours away in a different state – the Dadiya live in 3).

The Jesus film showing went great with numbers growing throughout the showing (and Muslim prayer calles increasing as well, it was Friday). Other than a few motorcycle drivebys there was not anything in the way of disturbance. It was held in a natural ’square’ in front of one of the ECWA churches there (ie. a very plain rectangular building). ON several occassions we heard people comment, ‘Jesus has become a Daidya-man’! Ken, Nancy and I stayed the night in the village and the rest of the team (including Chuck who was so great at taking care of arrangements and negotiating things we didn’t even know about!) drove back to Kaltungo. It is not safe to travel the roads there at night due to robbers and God kept them safe on the 40 min drive (rough roads and potholes were the biggest challenge, not the checkpoints, which was good). We who stayed got to see many respond to the message of the film and the strong invitation that followed. Everyone was invited to a follow up training early the next morning (6) at the church there. Other than blaring Muslim prayer and radio through a speaker apparently right next to where we slept, we and the GCM team and Beatrice had a good, if short, sleep.

The next morning we got to see life starting in the village (up and at em at 5:30). Took tons of pictures of folks on their way to draw water (so many pictures during the trip of the need for the pursuit of life giving waters), etc. 95 people came to the JF follow up and the team did a great job of walking them through the meaning and implications of what they had heard and responded to. It was great to watch Ken and Nancy relating with the kids afterward, I had a precious interaction with a 9 year old boy asking him if he had come to the show the night before, “Yes” he said. I asked him what he learned … he said “The I have sins and the God came down to earth to be my Saviour’ (no prompting and in English he said this!). So I asked him what he learned this morning and he said ‘That we should live like Jesus and that worshipping idols is wrong and getting drunk is wrong’ (2 strong issues there). Incredible for such brief exposure. The GCM team is now working to plug these folks into existing churches for growth and discipleship.

After breakfast and interviewing the pastor who initiated the translation project and the older man whose work of a brief gospel recording in Dadiya in 1961 had sparked that upon its discovery (he had come to meet us – they had never met!) the rest of the team arrived  and we got to meet again with the translation committee and (all on camera) hear about the impact, hopes and challenges that have attended the project. There is now an semi-annual all church convention of all Dadiya churches and overall the people group has experienced a great sense of self identity (they are pretty hard pressed by larger tribes) and now hope for preservation of and literacy in their language. We got to hear from each translator and from the chairman what verses had taken on new meaning as a result of the translation of Luke (that they already knew but in their language encountered in a fresh way). The responses were incredible. The excitement that they feel for the audio distribution of Luke (which is being fully recorded this weekend by our team there) and the literacy launch in April was palpable (and was equally anticipated by the community at large and its leaders). We then broke up and interviewed each translator, the GCM team, etc. in detail (such valuable records and stories!).

The afternoon saw a meeting of our team with the chief of the Dadiya (the ‘Folo Dadiya’: Ahikah A. Abubakar) – a muslim. He was very excited about our visit and the project and shared how he considers the Wycliffe national coordinator (”Dr. Katy”) and Wycliffe  translation consultant that has been working with the team directly (Randy Groff) part of the Dadiya people (”Randy is Dadiya, just the wrong color’ he said).

After sweet interactions with the group, children and then some goodbyes we all headed back to Kaltungo. While certainly not quite up to Motel 6 standards we did get good food (no kitchen, just open fire outside) and ‘minerals’ (what they call sodas). Electricity would come on in the evening (and much needed fans – no AC). Sleep was a real blessing but not before taking Will and Nancy out to educate them about the awesome star views there (I can’t imagine what the town people sitting out in the dark thought of us wandering around and looking up). It was so far south that I was able to see a number of things that I have rarely seen (Canopus was so high in the sky). My little binocs weren’t much but it was still great.

Sunday we split the team into 3. Rosie and Glenn stayed in Bam Bam at a local baptist church (where we hoped that – and God provided – that they would be able to have a local lady we knew of come to interview who had had her husband killed and lost her leg in an ethnic attach some years ago and  had a prosthetic limb provided through Randy’s assistance last year). They had a good service but the interview turned into a divine appt for Rosie to lead this lady who has experienced such hurt to Christ. The change in her spirit was so immediately dramatic it deeply affected Rosie and Glenn. What a blessings!

Will and Ken went to an ‘interior’ village so way away, Localopoli, and had a great time despite getting there as the service was nearing the end. They got a double portion as Will preached and Ken displayed some truly original dance moves in response to their choir singing.

Chuck, Nancy and myself went to Pastor Bensons village church some way outside Bam Bam (he is one of the translators and such a dear solid man which a precious family of 6) along with 2 of the other translators (Mr. Baka and Mr. Goji). It was a driving adventure as our van was not designed for the offroad paths. We got stuck 3 times and were 1.5 hours late getting there but all had waited and we had a wonderful service. It was a real privilege to hear them sing and dance and particularly moving for me to get to share from Ps. 19 about the God who speaks and has spoken everywhere and who’s word ‘revives the soul’ gives ‘wisdom to the mind’ and ‘joy to the heart’ eliciting our response of praise, confession, and faith. God was gracious to give some relevant illustrations. The best part was to meet an older man who had come to Christ in the church the week before and to be able to thank the  church for supporting Pastor Benson in his work to bringing the Scriptures to the Dadiya language.

After and afternoon of seeing the translators 1 room ‘office’ receiving their gracious gifts of the Gospel of Luke in Dadiya and the literacy primer’ (such a precious gift) and sharing in prayer over the translators, we said our goodbyes and headed back to Kaltungo. Everyone on the team was united in our sense that God had been so good to us and that we could not be involved in a more worthwhile project. We certainly left parts of our hearts there to pick up in the future.

The next day we flew back to Abuja after hearing more about the work of the Jesus Film teams in that region (and about the mugging of Samuel mentioned above  – God certainly protected and enabled him). In light of the renewed tragic violence in Jos (lots of women and children murdered in a mostly Christian area by attackers) we would not have been able to drive back to Abuja and the flight went as scheduled. IT was moving to be able to pray directly for the crisis unfolding there being right there. God bring your peace to that land!

We all were deeply thankful for the greeting and provision at the mission house from Judy, Endurance and co (ice, AC, food and rest – it doesn’t get much better). It was particularly fun to hear from Endurance about a Bible study he had led for his church ‘house care group’ while we were gone (and which Will had helped him prep for). He is a dear brother and we saw the village on the way into Abuja where he and his brothers live.

That night Chuck and Judy took us in to Abuja for a great pizza meal.

Our departure day was marked by frantic internet activity, a great visit to a local market/bazaar where we got to bargain our hearts out for lots great things.

We did our own brief interviews of reactions to the time (thanks to Nancy) and had a great prayer time with the Brods and Endurance before departure. Our flights were once again smooth and uneventful (save a little medical emergency behind me on the flight to Frankfurt, but it worked out ok). God held up our plane in Chicago an hour so we could make all our connections and all our luggage made it back.

Thanks so very much for your prayers. We were very conscious of them throughout the trip and God certainly heard them.

There is so much more to share about the time and what God is doing there, but suffice to say that I’m thrilled that God has connected the church here with this people group and project as much for our own appreciation of the Scriptures and the reality of their need to go out worldwide as anything else. Keep praying for the Scriptures to be made available to the the Dadiya people in their own language and for God’s blessing on those involved and those who receive them and the attending efforts.

Yours with thanks,

David

*PS Luthansa did not strike as planned. Some of us were actually hoping they would so we could get some extra time there, but once again God was gracious.

So thankful for all of you!
David

Stacey Hammons’ message “The Pitfalls of Judging One Another” at Women’s Ministries’ Alive After 5 on Tuesday evening, March 16, 2010, in the Warehouse reminded me of three things that I have in my home.

I have a crucifix to remind me of Jesus Christ’s sufferings. I have a cross to remind me of Christ’s resurrection. And I have a boomerang to remind me what I throw out will come back to me.

When I judge someone in an unbiblical fashion, someone will judge me in an unbiblical fashion. It might not be the same person, the same day, the same situation: but I will be judged — balanced with little mercy or understanding. And the consequences of my wrongly judging someone is like a soaring boomerang that returns to me, but it does not land gently by my feet, but painfully on my head. And my sense of peace (God’s peace) is disrupted, diminished, or destroyed.

That’s the pitfall of judging one another. It comes back to us and hurts.

Boomerang: “an act or utterance that backfires on its originator” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11^th Edition, second definition).

That’s the subject matter Stacey addressed with a remarkable sense of gentle confrontation. The boomerang scripture she took us to was Matthew 7:1-2 in Eugene H. Peterson’s The Message Remix: The Bible in Contemporary Language:

“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults — unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging” (Matthew 7:1-2 MSG).

Here’s more on AA5 — March 16^th edition:

After refreshments and door prizes, which included “Divine Design” t-shirts from the recent Women’s Retreat in Branson, as well as a beautiful and bountiful purse, whose winning ticket #904 was mine, Stacey spoke on the hazards of judging one another. While she never used the phrase, “It’s sin,” I think we picked that up.

We were cautioned against comparing ourselves (see Galatians 6:4-5). Comparisons make us feel discouraged when we fall short of another (in any area). And comparisons make us feel superior (or full of ourselves) when we rise above another (in any area). Furthermore, constant comparisons lead to chronic negativity.

Stacey gave us four suggestions to help us steer clear of a judgmental attitude:

1.  Assume the best of others.

We are to transform our thinking (Romans 12:2). Gossip has got to go (Proverbs 20:19; Romans 1:29b; 1 Timothy 5:13b).

2.  Hit the pause button.

It is possible, and necessary, to bridle or control our tongues. It’s healthy to think before we speak.

On a related note, we have often been told to “speak the truth in love.” If that is carried to excess, though, we could “rip someone apart.” That’s not healthy. James, chapter 3 tells us that.

And there’s Ephesians 4:29, which Stacey read from two translations:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them (Ephesians 4:29 NLT).

While some people have difficulty controlling their tongues, the harmonizers have trouble speaking up. Some of us — in our desire to keep the peace — might erroneously keep silent during a conflict and let a matter simmer in a stew of bitterness. This is an instance where silence is not golden.

3. Become a better listener.

A challenge was presented: Listen and don’t interject our opinions. Be interested in the other person, whether you agree with them or not. Once again, we were challenged to “stop before we speak.”

4.  Pass out gum instead of judgment.

Gum can serve as a tangible symbol: a reminder to help us be free of passing judgment on others. And each of us was given a pack of gum, because it is better to chew gum, rather than chew each other out.

Stacey added that we could even start a “Passing Out Gum” campaign. After all, we probably know someone who has divorce, death, or another source of pain in their lives. So, why give each other a hard time? Life is hard enough, as is (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2; 1 Peter 4:12-13).

I liked Stacey’s last words before we departed, as I grabbed my newly-won door prize: my super-sized black, metallic, hobo bag, which could probably hold 2,000 packs of gum.

We were challenged to become our own best allies.

And, by gum, I had another parting thought. Not only will my big, new, fashionable purse hold 2,000 packs of gum (that’s 10,000 sticks) — to remind me to pass out gum instead of judgment — I bet God had me win that bountiful bag to bury my boomerang in. And keep it there.

By Linda Scisson

Pencil drawing of Haiti boy from Glen Woodruff

The tug on his shirt was barely noticeable amid the Haitian haze – the sensory overload of Port-au-Prince. Glen turned to discover a small hand extended, the other hand rubbing a distended stomach, charcoal eyes locking onto Glen’s, pleading beyond the language barrier. A boy, dressed in a disheveled men’s suit some 7 or 8 sizes too big, red-haired from malnutrition, was simply asking for food. Glen shook his head, no. The year was 1989.

Day 7 following the Haiti earthquake, 2010, Glen Woodruff stepped off a small chartered plane into the balminess of the Port-au-Prince afternoon. No news report could have prepared him for the utter decimation of the city before him. “The only way to describe it is that it looked like a war zone,” Glen recorded. As a volunteer and board member with Engineering Ministries International, Glen would be serving with teams on the ground to provide disaster relief assistance, bringing water filters and expertise to assess structural damage to remaining buildings. Their teams were able to set up and distribute around 200 water filters, some of which were palletized and would serve several hundred families, and some that were for individual families. (The water filters were purchased through Fellowship’s Haitian relief efforts.) The teams were also able to assess the major remaining hospitals in Port-au-Prince for structural damage, giving the thumbs up for patients to be moved from the parking lots back to their hospital rooms. In all, dozens upon dozens of buildings were assessed during the almost two-week journey by this team of engineers and one architect.

While in Haiti this year, Glen reflected that God confirmed something to him through Psalm 41:1: “Blessed is the one who considers the poor…. .” Glen shared that in his first visit to Haiti as an eMi volunteer in 1989, his decision to walk away from that boy is one that he deeply regretted. He recounts that he was so overwhelmed by the needs of many that he lost sensitivity to a true need when it was staring him in the face. Glen allowed God to take that regret and show him how to make a difference in the lives of the poor. His decision to follow God wholeheartedly in his passion for the poor has shown Glen that it takes “great deliberation and strategy to impact someone’s life.” After being on staff with eMi for 16 years, and now with Bridge2Rwanda, a local ministry where Glen is focusing on a center to bring enterprise solutions to poverty, Glen has seen God speak the theme into his life that we all have to be “sensitive to His leading, and not be distracted by circumstances when helping the poor.”

If you happen to find yourself in Glen’s home office someday, be sure to look for the carefully detailed pencil sketch hanging on his wall of a boy in a scraggly, oversized suit. Indelible image…. indelible effect.

By Tamra Woodruff

Living in a new country for an entire year at the age of 17 sounds like quite the life-changing experience as is, but what about when that life-changing experience turns into a life-defining change of heart? This is the story of Japanese exchange student Mutsumi Nishita. Mutsumi is spending this year in America attending Robinson High School and living with the Perry family, who attends Fellowship. The Perrys encouraged her to attend Echo, Fellowship Student Ministry’s Wednesday night gathering for high school students. Lucky for Mutsumi, Ashley Stricklin, an Echo regular, was there to welcome the newcomer on that first Wednesday night.

Ashley had recently been “praying for the nations” and wondering when she would have the opportunity to reach people worldwide.  Needless to say, she beamed with excitement when Mutsumi walked through the doors of The Garage, viewing her arrival as the Lord answering prayer by bringing the nations right here to Little Rock. An immediate friendship commenced between Ashley and Mutsumi, and Ashley continued to invite Mutsumi back for weeks to come.  By asking Mutsumi specific, deliberate questions about the message before saying their Wednesday-night goodbyes, Ashley quickly recognized Mutusmi’s interest in religious ideas but also her confusion about the truth.

Ashley knew that she had to continue pursuing Mutsumi, so in her desire to take the conversations to the next level she finally gathered the courage to invite Mutsumi to study Explore. The Explore sessions proved to be helpful as Mutsumi more clearly understood ideas presented in this secure, one-on-one setting and Ashley could be more intentional about crossing difficult language barriers. Through the help of Ashley’s friend, she was able to purchase a Japanese American Bible that together Mutsumi and Ashley could understand, discuss, and clearly feel God speaking to each one of them in their native tongue.

Mutsumi had countless questions about the trinity, angels, and heaven. Because of Ashley’s being equipped through time spent in small group preparation, Ashley adequately explained each vital aspect of Christianity. Mutsumi often joked that “Ashley had all the answers” to which Ashley acknowledged, “I learned that the right words will overflow from my heart when I need them.” In preparation for their weekly Explore Q &A, Ashley translated the salvation message into Japanese. Mutsumi was overcome with joy, realizing for the first time that she could speak directly to God and He could speak directly to her! With this new realization, she gave her life to Christ during only the second lesson.

Ashley continues to mentor Mutsumi by leading her now through a study teaching spiritual growth and evangelism. Both Ashley and Mutsumi know the challenge that awaits Mutsumi when she returns to her home this summer. Ashley asserted, “I want Mutusmi to have the tools she needs to go back to Japan and inspire heart change in her friends and family there. I cannot wait to see how God uses her to reach the nations!”

-Tracy Lane

by Linda L. Scisson

He Himself [Jesus Christ] has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake You” (Heb. 13:5b NASB).

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted; forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you (Eph. 4:31-32 NASB).

These were two scriptures shared by Ann Parkinson, who spoke on “Loving Difficult People in Our Lives,” at Alive After 5, on Tuesday evening, February 16, 2010, in The Warehouse — complemented with door prizes and refreshments on red and white tablecloths, crowned with heart-shaped centerpieces. Alive After 5 is a monthly outreach of Women’s Ministries of Fellowship Bible Church (Little Rock, Arkansas).

As I reflected on Ann’s thoughtful remarks, as well as my personal experiences and selected scriptures, here are highlights on “Loving Difficult People in our Lives.”

1. Clarify the relationship, because different beliefs or different expectations tend to divide, whereas shared beliefs or shared expectations tend to unite.
2. Open and honest communication is paramount in resolving conflicts and in being able to love difficult people, including, at times, ourselves.
3. Clarifying questions show wisdom, such as: “I’m getting mixed signals, here. Could you please tell me what you meant when you said . . . .?”
4. Like the physical death of a loved one can propel us into grief, there can be the “death” of a relationship that has the same effect: grief.
5. The five stages of grief are: Denial, Bargaining, Anger, Depression, and Acceptance.
6. There can be a resurrection, or restoration, of a broken relationship, that can propel us into joy, or what the Bible calls: abundant living (John 10:10b)
7. Regardless of whether or not a relationship is restored during our earthly lives, the primary question to consider in anyone’s life is: “Do they know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord?”
8. A qualified, third-party counselor — or wise, mutual friend — can bring understanding to help resolve a conflict between two people.
9. Tears can communicate a source of deep pain (or deep joy).
10. One action that indicates a person has not forgiven: She keeps talking about the person who committed the (real or perceived) trespass against her.
11. Bitterness is something we do not want in our lives.
12. One’s facial expressions — often magnified, or more pronounced, with age — can reveal one’s state of mind. Acceptance and bitterness look quite differently on one’s face.
13. We don’t get to pick the trials we go through.
14. We can either accept or fight the trials we face.
15. Inward-focused prayer is usually ineffective, such as: “Please, Lord, bring this matter to resolution; so I will feel better about it.”
16. Outward-focused prayer is more effective: “Please, Lord, help [this person] to be the person that You created them to be. May they not miss out on anything good that You, Father God, would have for them.”
17. Another effective prayer is: “God, change me. Show me where I need to change my attitude and behavior.”
18. If a person takes what is spoken (by another person) out of context: concocting a new, different scenario — which the Bible calls “a vain imagination” (2 Cor. 10:5) — a conflict is around the corner.
19. Careful listening is necessary in healthy communication.
20. By God’s grace (His goodness), in God’s timing, and through God’s ways, a difficult person can become a pleasant person.�
21. Different is not necessarily wrong; it is different.
22. You’ll never lose by loving people: in the manner of 1Corinthians 13.

One book that Ann recommended was Parenting Your Adult Child by Ross Campbell, M.D. and Gary Chapman, which is for sale in the Cross Reference Bookstore.

One article referenced was “One Flaw in Women” as seen below. Several examples of a woman’s strength were recited from this article (authorship unknown), as was the “one flaw in women”: “they forget their worth.”

By the time the Lord made woman, he was into his sixth day of working overtime. An angel appeared and said, “Why are you spending so much time on this one?”

And the Lord answered, “Have you seen my spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable and able to run on diet coke and leftovers, have a lap that can hold four children at one time, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart -and she will do everything with only two hands.”

The angel was astounded at the requirements. “Only two hands!? No way! And that’s just on the standard model? That ’s too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish.

“But I won’t,” the Lord protested. “I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days.”

The angel moved closer and touched the woman. “But you have made her so soft, Lord.”

“She is soft,” the Lord agreed, “but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish.”

“Will she be able to think?”, asked the angel.

The Lord replied, “Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate.”

The angel then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman’s cheek. “Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one.”

“That’s not a leak,” the Lord corrected, ” that’s a tear!”

“What’s the tear for?” the angel asked.

The Lord said, “The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride.”

The angel was impressed. “You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing.”

And she is!

Women have strengths that amaze men.

They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in.

They stand up to injustice.

They don’t take “no” for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.They’ll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends.Women have vital things to say and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Women’s Ministries recognize it is to women’s advantage to hear reminders of our worth and other matters concerning our faith. On February 16, Ann Parkinson, wife of Bill Parkinson (long-time teaching pastor at FBC), reinforced a key principle: As we know our true worth as followers of Jesus Christ and partakers of “the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:4 NASB), and then work that out in practical ways (backed with the promises of God), we are granted a super-natural power to be able to love the difficult people in our lives.