Missionary Update: JAARS and Hurricane Helene

Glenn Blauser helps load supplies for Hurricane Helene disaster relief.

Recently we watched a video from Glenn and Leah Ruth Blauser, who are serving with JAARS (Jungle Aviation and Relay Service), an arm of Wycliffe Bible Translators, in Waxhaw, North Carolina. Not long after, Hurricane Helene tore its way through their area. By God’s grace, JAARS did not experience any damage to its facilities (just some fallen trees and power outages), but they found that He had already prepared them in a unique way to minister to their neighbors to the west, who fared much worse.

JAARS has a training center in the mountains of western North Carolina to teach pilots how to land on jungle runways. This meant that their team is very familiar with the area and the people who live there. Partnering with Samaritan’s Purse, JAARS staff took donated supplies by truck to their airport, where JAARS planes and helicopters took the items to people who were trapped by the storm. As Leah Ruth said, “That's kind of ironic because we usually work with unreached people groups, but that usually means that they have been unreached with the gospel of Jesus and God's Word. Now it was people who couldn't be reached to get them supplies that they couldn't get out to get.”

We praise God for the Blausers and how He is using them to serve others in ways that are both expected and unexpected. Please continue to pray for them, for JAARS, and for the people in North Carolina still recovering from Hurricane Helene.

Reaching Our Judea

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On my first visit to Faith Bible Fellowship Church, I remember being struck by the fact that the building isn’t on a main road, like so many other churches are, but is instead tucked back into a residential neighborhood. I remember driving up Woodland View past the houses and then reaching the clearing, where the steeple sprang into view. On other occasions, I have had to drive through the neighborhood surrounding the church. Since it is unfamiliar to me, I needed to keep on eye on the steeple to keep from getting lost. The church—and the steeple—are physical focal points for the people in our neighborhood. This thought brings another question to mind: are we a spiritual focal point for our neighborhood as well?

Many of us are familiar with what Jesus told His disciples in Acts 1:8b: “[Y]ou will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Putting this verse into the context of Faith Bible Fellowship, I like to think of Jerusalem as representing our church itself, Judea representing our neighborhood (York), Samaria representing the rest of the United States, and the end of the earth representing other countries. I am so thankful that the gospel is faithfully preached in our church (our Jerusalem) each and every Sunday, clearly directing unbelievers in attendance to the only One who can bring them salvation. I am also thankful that our church devotes a large part of its budget to supporting gospel work here in our Samaria, the United States (the Rauches and Blausers, Love Life, Church Extension Ministries), and “to the end of the earth” (the Chmils, the Bells, the Riddells, Live Global). Perhaps, with a new steeple going up this fall, it is time for us to think about ways we can better reach our Judea—the area surrounding the church.

The first and most important thing we can all do is pray. Pray for the people who live around the church. Pray that the Holy Spirit will be working in their hearts and orchestrating events in their lives so that they will be open to the gospel. Pray that He will open their eyes so that, as they drive past the building or come to vote in November, they will actually notice the church, wonder about it, and think about visiting. Pray that those of us who live in the community will look for opportunities to reach out to our neighbors and build relationships that will lead to sharing the gospel.

So what can those of us who live around the church do to reach out to our neighbors, especially when everyone leads such busy lives? Ask God to show you! Some of the opportunities will arise naturally, such as when you’re already attending a community event, taking your kids to the local playground, or watching a local sports team. You might also think about creating opportunities to interact with your neighbors, such as hosting a ladies’ tea or a cookout for other families. If you notice a new family moving in, offer to help or take over some home-baked goodies. Keep your eyes open and your heart tuned to the Spirit, and He will show you where and how He wants you to reach out.

What if we don’t live near the church—what can we do to reach out to the community? One obvious answer is to participate in and support the outreach activities of the church: the voting in November, the Egg Hunt, VBS. Another not-so-obvious one is to support the outreach efforts of those who do live in the community. If they’re hosting a cookout for their neighbors, offer to provide food, man the grill, or watch the kids so they can interact more effectively with their guests. Offer to provide a meal for a neighbor who’s had a new baby or help a new neighbor move in. Pray for their neighbors by name. Be another friendly face and helping hand reaching out to point the way to the Savior.

I firmly believe it is no accident that Faith Bible Fellowship Church is located right in the heart of a residential neighborhood. Please join with me in prayer that we can grow in our efforts and be more effective at being, not just a physical focal point for our community, but a spiritual one as well.

— Jean Soyke

Missionary Update: The Struggle Is Real

Photo by Christian Erfurt on Unsplash

We regularly receive updates from the missionaries we support and are often encouraged to hear how God is moving and touching people’s lives. Sometimes, though, the updates are of a different nature, as is this one that we recently received:

Last week was a difficult week for us. I find it hard to even begin to explain to you all why. It was just one of those weeks where we felt like our presence here, our witness, our pouring out of ourselves, sacrifice after sacrifice just didn’t amount to anything. Our employees had nothing but complaints and grumpy attitudes and nothing we did (no matter how much it cost us physically or financially) seemed to be enough. It was a week of remembering why we actually came to this place. I found myself screaming in my heart at these people we have come to serve… “Don’t you know what it has cost our family to be here? Do you really think I appreciate being the center of your jokes? Do you think I enjoy studying every day, slaving at learning this God-forsaken people’s language? Don’t they know what we have sacrificed for them? They are the most ungrateful people! They don’t deserve…” And it is ALWAYS when I come to this place… “They don’t even deserve the Good News!” that I am stopped mid-sentence. No, they don’t deserve it. But neither did I. And no, they will never know what it cost our family, nor will they understand and maybe never appreciate what our family has given. But that doesn’t matter when we are living out in obedience to God. It doesn’t matter when our sacrifice is for Him. The ways we are spent are for Him…For His glory… and my good works will not save anyone. He will. Praise be to God! He does the saving! What a burden lifter. Thank you, Jesus, for reminding us of why we have come to this place. It is all for YOU! And with that perspective, we can encounter all sorts of unkindness, ungratefulness and mistreatment; because it is for Him. And there is nothing we will ever suffer that is greater than the suffering He did on our behalf. 

Many missionaries have felt (or are feeling) this way, but perhaps you are going through a similar experience. Perhaps you are equally frustrated with family members, colleagues at work, or even people at your church. As you ponder this missionary’s experience, please continue to pray for all those who may be wrestling with similar thoughts and feelings. The struggle is real, but His grace is greater!

“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

— 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Missionary Update: Thank You from Myanmar

photo by claudio schwarz on unsplash

Live Global is one of the mission organizations we support on a regular basis. In particular, we have contributed to a program that focuses on unreached people groups in Myanmar. Indigenous missionaries make inroads into these people groups by teaching a particular skill, such as motorcycle repair, barbering, or sewing, and then presenting the gospel within this context. These missionaries are reaching people who have never met a Christian, never heard the name of Jesus, and most likely have no Bible in their language. The sewing school that we support is particularly important because, in addition to providing opportunities for young women to hear the gospel, it provides training that helps them avoid the lure of human trafficking. It is encouraging to know that God is using our financial support to transform the lives of young women in Myanmar.

Since 2018, two hundred completely unreached villages have been visited by motorcycle teams with another 100 villages being reached by the summer of 2024. Nearly 1000 believers have been baptized (including some from the sewing school), and ten churches have been planted. In addition, audio gospel recordings are now available in eight languages for those who cannot read. Please continue to pray for safety and the ability for the missionaries to continue reaching unreached villages in spite of the hostilities in the country. We praise God for the work He is doing through Live Global in the country of Myanmar!

Church Extension Ministries: Summer 20

Most believers are familiar with the Great Commission, presented by Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20a: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” We at Faith Bible Fellowship Church take this Commission seriously as we seek to support those who are taking the gospel to the lost.

For this reason, we support efforts such as Summer 20, the summer giving program of Church Extension Ministries. Each year, CEM attempts to raise $30,000 for Bible Fellowship Church planters and staff who are undersupported. The idea is that, if each BFC member gives just $20, the goal will be met.

“Who are these church planters?” you may ask. Some of these are men with whom we already have a connection. Carlos Rodriguez, the new Hispanic Ministries Director, is the father of our own Paulina Herb. Steve DelDuco, who was a significant help to our church during a time of transition, is planting a church in Mechanicsburg, right in our own backyard. Jason Filbert, whom we already support, is the pastor of Covenant Bible Fellowship in Naples, Florida. Los Morales of Christ Alone Fellowship in Lancaster has blessed us with his preaching several times. You can learn more about all our church planters by visiting the Missions and Church Planting page on our website.

So far BFC church members have given $14,954 to Summer 20, or about half of the goal. Please consider giving to Summer 20, and continue to pray regularly for our church planters and missionaries. With your help, they will be able to continue sharing the gospel in their communities and see people come to salvation, be baptized, and grow in their faith.

Love Life Adoption Week

Photo by Suhyeon Choi on Unsplash

During the week of July 21—27, we will be supporting Love Life Ministries in their efforts to create a culture of life that will end abortion and the orphan crisis. Love Life does not focus on political action or protest but instead works with local churches, who are uniquely equipped to share the hope that is found in Jesus Christ. Love Life supports churches as they care for both men and women through crisis pregnancies and post-abortive healing and restoration.

Here at Faith, the week will begin with a presentation in the Sunday service that describes Love Life’s ministry and presents ways that the church can be involved. Throughout the week, we will focus on prayer for the preborn and their families, with a special day of prayer and fasting on Wednesday. On Saturday, July 27, at 9:00 A. M., we will meet at the Planned Parenthood at 728 S. Beaver Street in York for a prayer walk. While this technically is the end of the adoption week, Love Life offers additional opportunities to continue supporting the ministry:

• Prayer Walk Championship: Help the Church run to the scene in prayer as a Committed Walker, Volunteer, or Prayer Intercessor.

• Life Discipleship Mentorship: Befriend, equip, and do life with families choosing LIFE.

• Financial Partnership: Invest monthly to help bring HOPE and HELP to families across the nation and beyond.

• Sidewalk Outreach: Offer HOPE and HELP to families as they arrive at the abortion center.

• Orphan Care: Advocate for children in need of a family to be placed in godly homes.

Please join us during this week (and beyond) in affirming God’s precious gift of life.

Church Extension Ministries Update: Jason Filbert

One of the Bible Fellowship church planters that we support is Jason Filbert, pastor of Covenant Bible Fellowship in Naples, Florida. Recently he shared their family’s personal story and how God called them to this challenging but exciting ministry.

I came to understand salvation at the age of seven, which seems a common thing in the American South, where I grew up. Seven is a very young age, and while I do think that the Lord saved me then, I also think I did not fully understand what that meant. I prayed the prayer and was baptized. My faith really was not deeply understood until my teenage years. It was then that I started to experience a call to ministry. 

My wife Anna was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. She also came to faith as a young child of seven and was baptized on the same day as her older brother. While she struggled with her faith for a time in college, by her early 20s Anna recognized that the Lord had likewise saved her and that her faith was real.

I think I've always somehow known I would plant a church. I used to say (and still think often) I'm supposed to be in the trenches with the Gospel. Church planting appeared, in my mind, to be the front lines. That was where my heart longed to be, and it is where the Lord graciously allowed me to serve and continues to allow. As to planting in Naples, God opened the opportunity with the BFC, and Naples seemed to be the right place, since my wife and I both have family ties to the area. As we talked and prayed about where we would plant, Naples just seemed to be the right place. We couldn't imagine being anywhere else. 

Please pray that the Lord would grow the attendance here at CBF Naples. We need to see internal growth in the hopes of reaching a critical mass for graduation as a particular church. Additionally, pray that the Lord would provide financially for us. Naples is a difficult town to plant a church in because it has a high wealth population, and many churches in our community outspend us in every way. That is not to say that, if we could, we would want to "compete" in that sort of race. It is to say, however, where we long to be grounded biblically in the Word, there are many in Naples who do not and use their money and position to lead many astray. 

Please continue to pray for the Filberts as they reach out to the people of Naples, Florida. Please also pray particularly that the Lord will lead them to find a new home closer to the church that can house all seven of them (Jason, his wife and three children, and Jason’s parents). Church planting is hard work, but God is faithful!

Meet the Bell Family

Some of you may remember when the Bell family visited us last year while on furlough from South Africa. Nate and Lauren, along with their children, have been serving with ABWE in Cape Town since 2019 and just recently returned to the field. Since the Bells are relatively new to our church family, they have graciously shared with us their testimonies and the story of how they were called to missions.

We have "boring" testimonies, as if such a thing were possible! Praise the Lord for the miraculous reconciliation of the unholy and unrighteous before the Holy and Righteous One! Death to life, enemy to family of faith—yes, every salvation is dramatic indeed. That said, from a worldly perspective, our testimony is not as exciting as others. The Lord is abundantly kind, blessing both of us with believing parents who were faithful members of a biblically faithful and gospel-proclaiming church. By the mercy of the Lord, both of us were reminded multiple times a week of our unrighteousness and need for a Savior and imputed righteousness, as our parents had us in the church every time the saints gathered. I, Nate, felt convicted as I questioned my parents following my sister's baptism. By the gracious work of the Spirit, stirred up about my own spiritual need, I cried out for the Lord to have mercy on me and repented of my rebellion against Him. I was 7 at this point and recognize the gracious work of the Lord in my life from Day 1, ultimately as a result of His sovereign grace from before the foundation of the world. By His grace, for His glory! Lauren was lying awake, disturbed by thoughts of the consequence of her sin before a just and righteous Lord and Judge. She crawled out of bed to search out her mother, who was watching a televised broadcast of a Billy Graham crusade. As she sat by her mother that evening, asking questions of the man's message, faith in the truth of the gospel soothed the tumult of her convicted soul.  

These moments were some of many sweet memories and testimonies of the Lord's steadfast love and faithfulness to us as we grew in the Lord. It also happened that our church was passionate about global missions and evangelism, and so were each of our parents. In each of our homes, we were so familiar with hosting missionary families visiting the church and sharing meals and stories with them. We felt burdened by the darkness and the great need in the world. It bothered us that so many are ignorant of the good news of the Person and work of Jesus Christ. By the time we were each in high school, we had opportunities of our own to visit the mission field, and separately, just a few years apart, the Lord began to draw our hearts towards His harvest. Specifically, I, Nate, found the Spirit calling to mind Romans 10 daily to the point I felt I had no other option. I must go. The Lord is worthy of all worship. His Great Commission commands us to make disciples of all nations. He promises to energize this mission by His Spirit and empower it with a gospel message that has the power to save, and this gospel is the only hope for humans who will each give an account before their Maker. For these reasons, this mission cannot fail—by His grace and for His glory!

News from the Rauch Family

Josh and Rebekah Rauch, along with their children, Reagan and Sami, are serving with JAARS (Jungle Aviation and Relay Service), a branch of Wycliffe Bible Translators. This organization has the vision of providing the written Word of God to every people group in their native language.

This past January, Wycliffe released the Moi New Testament (500 people in Asia), the Komi-Zyryan Bible (156,000 people in Russia), the Winyé New Testament (55,000 people in Burkina Faso), and the Kalinga, Pasil Guina-ang New Testament (10,577 people in the Philippines). Thousands of people now have God’s Word in their language due to the faithful service of people like the Rauches.

At the JAARS base in North Carolina, Josh provides valuable support working on the airplanes that carry much-needed supplies to missionaries around the world. He and Rebekah are still in the training process (including 4-wheel-drive off-road and motorcycle off-road training!) and will be until the end of June.

Please pray for them as God continues to grow them during this time and for an international trip that Josh has been chosen to be part of. Please also pray for Josh’s cousin Lindsay, recovering from a spinal injury, and for his extended maternal family on the passing of his Uncle Ike. Pray for continued health, strength, financial support, and grace as God continues to use them at JAARS.