It was a week of looking back and giving thanks and a
week of looking forward and believing. Debbie,
Ben, and I — along with some other New York American Baptists—attended the
International Ministries/ABC-USA World Mission Conference at Green Lake Conference Center last week. It was the
200th anniversary of American Baptist Mission efforts around the world.
Over a thousand people from across the country and around the world joined to
celebrate the past, present and future, seeking the Lord's leading for our
third century of mission together.
Although the conference was a 200th
anniversary celebration, the theme for the week was “Rise to the
Challenge.” Our 200-year heritage of
faithful ministry challenges us to do our part in our day to continue this
tradition in new and creative ways, adapting to a changing world. When Debbie and I were in missionary orientation,
we heard stories of missionaries traveling months to their field of service,
arriving in a land that they knew little about, and going decades without
seeing their family in the States, connected only with irregular letters. We flew to our field of service in less than
a day, had been in close contact with the national partner with whom we would
be working, and had seen (via email) pictures of the house where we would be
living. In so many ways, missionary
service has changed in the last 200 years.
Yet the values that shape ministry have remained much the same.
One core value that is still honored by International Ministries
is respect for the national partners with whom our missionaries work. This was evidenced by the many leaders from
other countries present at the mission conference. It was a great joy to me to be able to spend
time with several of the Vietnamese pastors with whom I had worked in Vietnam
and to hear how they are advancing the work of Christ in their country. As I
served on the mission field, I was surprised by the number of North American
missionaries who served for years in a country without any connection to or
even a conversation with those faithful indigenous Christians who had been living
and serving their whole life in that place.
Building competencies and sustainability among local leaders and
congregations is a key piece of what American Baptist missionaries do. That is why they are the most sought-after
North American missionaries.
If you or your congregation are not currently supporting
an American Baptist missionary, I encourage you to go to http://www.internationalministries.org/give and
find a particular missionary whose ministry or place of service is of interest
to you and begin to pray for them, write to them, and support them
financially. If you want a taste of
mission service yourself and to make a good connection with two of our finest ABC/USA
missionaries, check out our ABC/NYS mission trip to Nicaragua in April 2015 at http://www.abc-nys.org/programs/missions/nicaragua. If
you cannot go in 2015, you can still support the trip by making a contribution
to the cost of materials by going to the above link and following the
instructions at: “To support the Water
Purification Project:”
The strength of our international mission effort is tied
to the vitality of our ABC New York congregations. The Region works to strengthen the lives of
these congregations. All of us in
partnership with one another bring greater glory to God’s kingdom. Thank you for your participation in this
important work.
Blessings,
Jim Kelsey
Executive Minister
