news around the world

Free Will Baptist International Missions serves churches, pastors, and people by helping them fulfill their role in establishing churches beyond North America so unreached peoples can know the joy of a relationship with the living God. To find out more about the ministry of Free Will Baptist International Missions, visit www.fwbgo.com.

IM Board Meets in Annual Session

Antioch, TN—The Free Will Baptist International Missions Board (pictured below) met for its annual session April 25-26, 2016. The board received reports and acted on proposals from the administrative staff during the two-day session. On Monday evening, the board and directors hosted the North American Mission Board and directors for dinner. The leadership teams of both agencies enjoyed fellowship over Italian cuisine.

The board approved David Reeves, Kentucky native and May 2016 graduate of Welch College, as a two-year short-term intern to France. David will serve with Dennis and Carol Teague and Joel and Lydie Teague in the city of Nantes. He will join the Teagues in working with J’Pense, an outreach to unevangelized French youth. “I pray I can display Christ’s power and love through my life,” said David. “God has given me a heart for evangelism. I pray I never lose a soft heart that desires to see people embrace the hope I have in Christ.”

Joel and Lydie Teague received an appointment as career missionaries. The couple returned to the States in November following the completion of their two-year internship in France and will soon complete 22 hours of studies required for career missionaries.
An unmodified approval of the 2015 financial audit was received from Blankenship CPA Group. The board approved a $6.9 million framework budget for 2017 to be presented at the July 2016 convention of the National Association of Free Will Baptists. The number remains unchanged from the $6.9 million budget approved for 2016. The operational budget for 2017 will be approved at the December 2016 board meeting.

“The entire meeting was marked with a sense of gratitude as we reflected on what God has done, is doing, and is going to do in the days ahead,” summarized Board Chairman Danny Williams. “There was a clear and certain presence of the Lord as we met. I believe we all left encouraged.”

The board elected new officers: Jeff Manning, chairman; Jeff Nichols, vice-chairman; and Mark Price, secretary.
Board members Danny Williams (AL), Jeff Manning (NC), Mark Price (OH), Nelson Henderson (AR), Jeff Nichols (TN), Greg McAllister (CA), Tom McCullough (MI), Robert Posner (TX), and Janice Banks (OK) were in attendance.

Missionary Account Balances Posted Monthly

Antioch, TN—In December 2015, the Board of Free Will Baptist International Missions adopted a designated-giving funding system with individual accounts for missionaries. As a result of this change, missionaries are responsible to raise the funds to support their ministries.

Each month, IM will post a news item listing accounts that are deficit and underfunded. Many people will remember similar lists provided in HeartBeat magazine a little over a decade ago. This information will be posted in the News section of the IM website (www.fwbgo.com) each month as well as in NewsBeat (a newsletter sent to donors with their receipts).

“Please respond to these needs as the Lord leads you,” said Clint Morgan, general director. “Each of these individuals is laboring with the Body of Christ to fulfill the Great Commission. People in India, Uruguay, Spain, France, Japan, and other countries around the world may never hear the good news of salvation in Christ ‘except they be sent.’”

Pastor Ordained in Uberlândia, Brazil

Brazil—The Jaraguá Church in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, requested the ordination of their pastor, Sérgio Lira. Sérgio began holding outreach services in the home of a Free Will Baptist who lives in the Jaraguá neighborhood eight years ago. The work grew gradually, and they rented a storefront on the main business street in that area. This group of believers organized into a Free Will Baptist church in October 2013. Sérgio was examined and approved and the ordination service was set for April 23.

Six Free Will Baptist pastors were on hand, along with pastors from other denominations who are friends of Sérgio. Representatives from several Free Will Baptist churches attended the celebration, packing the church building with more than 180 people.
The church recently purchased two city lots and hopes to start building in the near future. In preparation for their building campaign, they moved services to the backyard of a church member who lives near the new property. First FWB Church in Araras, São Paulo, donated a tent where the congregation will meet until they complete the new building.

Côte D’Ivoire Holds Regional Conference

Bougou, Côte D’Ivoire—Free Will Baptist churches in the Kong/Bougou area of Côte d’Ivoire gathered April 14-17 for a regional conference (pictured below). Pastor Alexis Hien, the only ordained pastor in the area, supervises 12 mission works that have sprung up over the last few years. With over 600 people attending each week, it is the fastest growing area in Ivory Coast for Free Will Baptists.

Pastor Edmond Koadja from Nassian addressed the conference theme “How to Mobilize the Church’s Resources.”

The conference, held outdoors under shade trees, drew 410 attendees. Most of the Christians in the area are ethnic Lobi farmers who have moved into this predominately Muslim area looking for fertile land to cultivate.

Snapshots Around the World

Brazil: The First FWB Church in Campinas, Brazil, celebrated its 58th anniversary April 24, 2016. A visiting quartet presented special music, and Pastor Lucas Lima brought the message. Manuel and Terezinha (pictured below) were among the first converts of the church and have attended for 57 years.

Côte d’Ivoire: Pastor Edmond Kouadja, of the Nassian FWB Church in Côte d’Ivoire, Africa, baptized eight people (pictured below) Sunday, April 10. The congregation is also constructing a larger building due to the increase in attendance.

Uruguay: Pastor Julio Figueroa presented certificates to 12 people who recently finished the course “Conociendo a Dios” (Knowing God). Eighteen people participated in a class on discipleship May 7. The strategy for training in Uruguay is two-pronged: Steve Torrison oversees Bible institute training and Jaimie Lancaster oversees the discipleship program. This was the first class to complete a discipleship course.

Côte d’Ivoire: At Tchafrite, near Flakiedougou, in Côte d’Ivoire, Africa, Pastor Sié Roger Noufé baptized 20 believers (below) on Easter Sunday 2016.

Bulgaria: Trif Trifonov shared the gospel with about 17 people in the folk music singers’ group at the Macedonian culture house on May 19. He was invited to return and speak again.

Japan: Katie Speer launched an evangelistic outreach gospel choir on April 16 at the Good News Chapel in Tokyo, Japan. Although only two of the seven attendees were unchurched, both ladies demonstrated that message and melodies impacted them throughout the following week. The every-other-Saturday choir met again April 30, with 14 attending.

India: Carlisle Hanna made the two-day journey to South India to attend the annual convention on Saturday, April 30, and to speak at Calvary FWB Church in Mettupalayam Sunday, May 1.

Panama: Panamanian churches celebrated missions month in April. They held a missions conference April 22-23 at the Chame Seminary. Many churches participated in the World Missions Offering April 26.

Panama: Betania FWB Church in Panama City celebrated 31 years as a congregation in May. Former missionaries Steve and Judy Lytle were instrumental in the church’s development.