BMC

BMC Missions Trip to India

admin — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:58:28 +0000

In reflecting on our trip to India our minds and hearts are overwhelmed. We see India as a land of great contrast. There are those who are rich, but many who are poor. India is advanced technologically, but yet “backwards.” Dirty, yet clean. Very religious, but without God. This last contrast is why we went to India. Wherever we traveled we saw how religious the people of India are. There are many temples, mosques, and churches. Some are small roadside monuments housing idols or statues of Mary, saints, or Jesus. Others are huge incredibly fancy buildings and statues. We saw one statue that had to be at least 135 feet tall. All these are evidence of the great hold Satan has on this nation. Praise God there is a contrast here also.

Yes, Satan has a strong hold there, but God is indeed working in India. While we were there we saw what He is doing through His people and the true Churches scattered in the cities and villages. We saw the love of God’s servants such as Pastor Thomson and the young men and women God has brought to his Bible college and ministry. Everyone was doing what they could to spread the Gospel, sacrificing so people can be saved. They are never satisfied with what has been done. Instead they always strive to do more.

As it happens in ministry, we went to teach, serve, and minister to these brothers and sisters, and in return, they taught, served, and ministered to us.
Our training was held at the Biblical Baptist College and consisted of how to work effectively with children. Fifty-three students were enrolled. We had a great time working with the students, and it was a joy to see them really putting expression into their lessons.
The schedule we kept the first week consisted of training the students from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. We then would eat, jump into a Jeep and travel, most of the time unknown distances, to various villages. In the villages we shared the Wordless Book with the children and adults alike, then taught the Word. The invitations were delivered by our interpreters or one of the pastors from the Pampady Church. The second week we went to Andra Pradesh. While there we shared the Wordless Book and taught a portion of God’s Word in the various villages. During the two weeks we rejoiced in the many children and adults who received Christ into their lives. We also saw and heard former students now involved in church ministries, sharing with us how valuable the training received from us in 2004 and 2007 was to them. They are using the Wordless Book in their ministries. When we completed the training, we told them that if the economy recovers and if the Lord wills, we would be back in three years.

Harold Hubler and Fred Parkell

Jesus Loves the Little Children

admin — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:57:41 +0000

As 1 Corinthians 3:7 says, “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” I may be teaching the children, but God does the real work. Praise the Lord!
Teaching three and four year olds can and is a challenge, but so rewarding. They are so sweet, always having fun with my sock puppet “sweetie pie,” and learning signs and gestures to songs and verses. Sometimes I’m wondering what is going on in their young minds, but it does not take long for them to let me know. I was teaching one day about creation and Adam and Eve’s disobedience, and while mid-sentence a three year old looks at me very serious and states, “It’s going to snow,” while another little girl to my left tells me that I have pretty blue eyes. Well, there goes my focus and the point I was about to make.
I was teaching creation—how God created Adam and Eve differently than all the rest, making them special. One of the suggestions from my material to explain how Eve was created was to use playdough. I knew better! The next week when I asked “What did God make Eve from?” the answer I received was “Playdough!” as if you could not have guessed! Here I thought I drilled it in their heads what the Bible says about creation of man. I love how literal and innocent they are. I am so blessed to know these little ones and to be teaching them the Word of God! Thank you for your prayers. They are great kids, and I know the Lord is working in their hearts as much as He is mine! Jane Layton

Happenings in Vineland

admin — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:56:48 +0000

Thank you for your prayers for the Walnut Manor Bible Club in Vineland. We never know how many kids will show up and hear about Jesus. However, at our last club as the kids came and sat attentively, hearing the Pumpkin Run lesson, we had to keep adding chairs because they kept trickling in! It was a wonderful thing to see! Please continue to pray for decisions to be made at this club. May God bless you all. Sarah Spohn

Inner City Baltimore

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:07:20 +0000

On July 13th, a team of 12 members from Bible Ministries for Children headed for the Christian Community Center located in the inner city of Baltimore for a week’s stay. Excitement filled the air as we traveled through this poverty-stricken neighborhood anticipating what the Lord would have in store for us as we ministered to the Center’s neighborhood children.

Upon arrival, we were taken to the New Southwest Baptist Church near the Center where our team would set up camp with our blow-up mattresses, food rations, Bible club materials and tools! Each morning, we held Bible club for the children which included a Bible lesson, songs, a review game, craft time, and even a little basketball playing with the teens. In the afternoon, BMC team members and children enjoyed swimming together at the nearby bay or pool. Maintenance jobs were also undertaken at the Center by our team which included plumbing work for a few of the bathrooms, roof repairs, painting, cleaning and organizing many of the rooms that were in the Center and then, at the end of the day, preparing the meals for our group! Whew! – Even our blow-up mattresses felt good by the end of the day! But, the Lord blessed our week tremendously! He was the one who had given us the strength to get through it all when we were tired. He was the one who protected us in the midst of the drug infested, high-crime area. He was the one who worked through us to minister to those children and, most importantly, He was the one who saved many children that week, all because of the willingness of our team to just “go!”

Cindy Dunphy

Year Two at Atlantic City Bible Camp

admin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 14:13:48 +0000

If there is any place on earth that comes close to resembling heaven, it’s got to be Atlantic City Bible Camp at Bethel Christian School during the last week of June. Where else but in “Glory,” do the nations, genders, and age groups, all come together to enjoy God, recreate together, and eat bountifully, in an atmosphere of true love?

For a second year, the Mainland Baptist Church bus daily collected around 50 eager children from Atlantic City and deposited them into the loving care of the tireless green-shirted troops of Bible Ministries.

Those faithful workers doled out hugs, taught Bible lessons, told missionary stories, led songs, lifted up prayers, served food, put together crafts, and played game after game with the happy group of seven to thirteen year old multi-ethnic kids. Twelve counselors, two cooks, a r e c r e a t i o n d i r e c t o r , a coordinator, an overall leader, and even a c l a s s room “grandmom” staffed the intensely planned five day operation. A missionary from Venezuela, a couple of supportive relatives, and a special program, added even more love for this special ministry to the “camp kids” of Atlantic City.

The children all responded to the unusual God-given attention by participating wholeheartedly in the activities. Most were regular attendees of the Friday Night Family Rec Program at Sovereign Avenue School in Atlantic City which is led by many of the same green-shirted workers. That ministry and the two camps have provided avenues for real and necessary bonding to take place between workers and children. Via those bonds, the Word of God went forth and took root.

The fruit of those labors was demonstrated by the new love and respect the children showed to each other and to the workers. One sure sign of growth was highlighted by the excitement displayed when each child was told they would be given a New Testament of their very own. Their eyes lit up and cheers rang out as each received their precious gift during the closing moments of camp. The writer of Psalm 119:127 aptly explains the thoughts of their hearts: “Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.” Mission accomplished!

Maureen Reilly

Central Jersey

admin — Sun, 09 May 2010 14:56:16 +0000

Psalm 105:1-2 “O Give thanks unto The LORD; call upon His name: make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him: talk ye of all His wondrous works. Glory ye in His holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.”

This is the third summer of ministry in the central area of New Jersey and it has been by far the busiest. The LORD has opened doors for more opportunities and it has been exciting! Naturally, we were involved with BMC’s Day Camp ministry and the missions trip to Baltimore. They were such great opportunities, reaching well over a hundred children for Christ. During the rest of the summer we were reaching children in Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, and Union Counties.

All of these opportunities represent many children from different nationalities and backgrounds. It was great to be able to share the gospel with them, leading several to the Lord and seeing others grow in their faith. Please keep these children in your prayers. Please pray also for the possibility of two of the churches doing some type of fellowship club ministry after school begins. Thank you!

Harold Hubler

Cape May County

admin — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:01:33 +0000

Reaching out to folks in nursing homes with old, familiar hymns brings a smile and many memories. As we go over the old, old story of God’s love, and God’s plan of salvation through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can see on the faces of those dear folks many emotions. For some there is joy and comfort in hearing the Gospel truths as they look forward to the sure hope of their future in Jesus Christ. For others there is deep concentration as they rethink their values—as one lady said, “You’ve given me a lot to think about.” Neglected by many, these seniors as a part of the world, need the simple Gospel message. My own grandfather was saved in his nineties; there is nothing too hard for God to do. Pray that hearts will receive the Savior before time ebbs for them.

Lynn Mitchell

Camden County

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:57:34 +0000

What blessings and fun there were this summer in the neighborhood of Glenn Forge in Sicklerville. Ten children faithfully gathered together for one week in July to hear the lessons on Jesus’ miracles. They learned to reach out to others, to trust in God in the time of their need, and that Jesus is their friend and helper. The kids mostly enjoyed the stories of Blind Bartimaeus and the Healing of Jarius’ Daughter where they had a chance to bring the stories to life through skits. They had craft time, and on the last day, gooey games, swimming and a picnic! During the week, four of these children trusted Christ as their Savior, a few rededicated their lives and many new friendships were made to help each other grow in Christ!

Cindy Dunphy

Atlantic County

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:04:56 +0000

Fruitful, Rewarding, Quick. These three words describe our summer work with BMC. Allow me to explain. While every summer bears spiritual fruit, this summer’s harvest was truly plentiful. The workers and I were used by the Lord to lead many young children as well as several teenagers to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. As an added blessing, spiritual growth was evident in the hearts and lives of many of the children we have taught in previous summers. At our first club, a nine year old girl named Chloe was an example to me of having a real compassion for lost souls. Every morning when we arrived and carried our teaching materials into her living room, she marched out to knock on the doors of the homes of children who needed to come learn about Jesus. Chloe desired to learn how to lead a person to the Lord. During the week, she went with her friend, who was receiving counseling, to observe as the gospel was shared. Yes, there was much fruit this summer and I trust there will be more fruit because of Chloe’s passion for lost souls.

Rewarding. As teachers, we were able to dig into the Scriptures more and challenge the children to apply God’s Word to their lives because they have had a firm foundation laid in the Bible. How rewarding it was to hear 12 year old girls committing to treat their mom with more respect and love!

Finally, our summer was quick. It was quick from beginning to end. However, the one thing I learned and that made an impression upon me that will last forever is a tireless love, upon love, upon love, for the young people God allows us to minister to.

Joelle Layton

Following His Call

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:07:59 +0000

It is hard to believe that the summer has once again come to an end and we are beginning our fall activities. I would, however, like to take this opportunity to thank you for your faithful daily prayers and support for the ministry. It is because of your prayers and support that we were able to experience such a blessed summer. I praise the Lord for the workers He gave us who did an outstanding job sharing the Gospel with many children. God gave them a work to do and they went at it with their whole hearts. My prayer is that they will take these experiences and see the need for full time Christian workers, and answer the call of God on their lives.

The ministry of sharing God’s Word is not something to take lightly. We first need to “learn it, live it, and then we are to teach it” as is stated in Ezra 7:10. It comes with great responsibility. Our desire is to train our young people to evangelize and to equip others for evangelism in today’s culture. As our workers adhere to the learned disciplines essential to Christian living they are able to produce spiritual growth and a renewed passion for reaching the lost. We continue to covet your prayers as we begin our fall clubs. As always, if there is anything we can do for you just let us know.

Harriet E. Hagaman