Your Voice

Summer memories, lives changed for eternity

By Chris Mills
Student missions mobilizer, SBOM

Summer is in the rearview mirror. School has started. The heat may still be here but everything else is a memory.

As I review reports from student summer missionaries, I think of the 305 reported professions of faith — 305 lives changed by the gospel.

That memory is one those new believers, student missionaries and others will long remember — and those memories impact eternity.

What a blessing for us to be allowed to be a part of their story by praying and supporting student missionaries.

The stories of student missionaries help us see that God is at work across the globe — using students to make His name known and challenging them to see their role in the Great Commission. 

I hope these stories encourage and challenge you as you seek to follow the Lord’s direction in your life.

A student who served in Colombia ministering to Venezuelan refugees was touched by the opportunity to wash the feet of refugees:

My favorite moment this summer was washing a Venezuelan woman’s dirty feet. All my team had were wet wipes and muscle cream but we used them as tools to minister to their physical needs and talk about Jesus. Thinking about how Jesus washed His disciples’ feet and realizing I was doing the same thing humbled my spirit in a way I never experienced before. I felt lowly washing stinking feet but I also felt on top of the world because it felt like I was washing Jesus’ feet at the same time. “What you do for the least of these, you have done for me.”

A student who served in South Asia shared this story of a God-ordained moment:

A man sat down beside me on a park bench and began to talk about how he tried to fill the emptiness in his life with things that satisfied temporarily but ultimately were not fulfilling. I shared the gospel with him and invited him to a Bible study. He came and told me after, “I am sure that this message is true! I believe!”

Another student who served in Colombia reported that he shared the gospel every day.

Those words challenged me to think about the countless opportunities that God gives us each day.

May we be found faithful in engaging and sharing with those whom God has placed on our path.

May we be intentional to see Him at work and join Him — seeking to share our hope every day.

EDITOR’S NOTE — Adapted from a blog post originally posted at One Mission Students. Read more stories at onemissionstudents.org/summer-missions-report/.

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How students may thrive

Don’t use the ‘M’ word!” Those were my instructions to parents after their daughters moved into their residence hall assisted by Judson personnel and local church members. 

Everyone congregated in the chapel and the historic Judson triangle was struck, announcing the beginning of a new academic year. I implored them, “Do not say ‘I sure do miss you!’” 

Then we all practiced a substitute for the “M” word. Repeating after me, the parents and students said in unison, “I am … looking forward … to seeing you … at Christmas!” After everyone laughed, I said it was ok to substitute Thanksgiving.

I reminded students and parents of Joshua 3:3–6. Standing on the precipice of something brand new, remember what God told Joshua to say. 

Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves, for God was about to do something wonderful. Next they were to be expectant, anticipating what God would do. Finally, when they saw the Ark of the Covenant, the very presence of God, they should simply follow. 

In the newness of going to college, students will thrive if they consecrate, anticipate and simply follow God. 

—Mark Tew

EDITOR’S NOTE — Mark Tew is president of Judson College in Marion.

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A Sense of Call to Leadership — Claudia Johnson

Every Christian is called to leadership, and figures from the Bible help us realize how God has placed this calling on our lives. In the life of Esther believers can envision how God has positioned us for leadership. A burden for leadership is evident in the story of Nehemiah, who received a calling to serve God that would not go away. Peter was experienced to lead and modeled leadership by influencing others. The woman at the well received refreshment to lead others to Christ.

“You must be a leader somewhere,” said Claudia Johnson, director of Woman’s Missionary Union’s Christian Women’s Leadership Center. “What do people call you for? How has God positioned you to lead? Has He given you specific experiences that make you a likely candidate to lead?”

God positions us, providing us opportunities to use our abilities and experiences to lead others. According to Johnson, believers can become too lax or too rigid in spiritual disciplines, so it is important to abide in Christ, to live in His word and to pray in faith.

“It is important to know the voice of God,” Johnson said. “As we remain in Him, spiritual fruit should be evident in the ways we fellowship with believers, witness to the world and minister to others.” (Lanell Downs Smith)

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Letters to the Editor

Your editorial in the Aug. 1, 2019, issue of The Alabama Baptist was one of the best editorials I’ve ever read. Excellent topic, excellent writing, and you actually were demonstrating what you were talking about in writing.

Steve Loggins, DOM
North Jefferson Association

The Aug. 8, 2019, issue of TAB was outstanding. Practically the whole paper appropriately covered topics of interest related to what everyone had on their minds — getting back to school. Readers of all ages had something to learn from the issue. And it was presented attractively.

You’ve taken us to another level. Thank you.

Bob Henderson
Tuscaloosa, Ala.

We really appreciate TAB taking the time to address the discrepancy in the article “History of American Immigration.”

Journalism has really gone downhill the past several years. It is nice to know our favorite paper TAB still has journalism standards and ethics. Thank you.

Brad Renneke
Enterprise, Ala.

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I was dreading our first day of canvassing. I absolutely did not want to do it. The monologue going on in my head sounded something like this, “I do not want to do this. I can’t do this.” That’s when the Holy Spirit reminded me I was right. I can’t do this — not by myself at least. I am totally and utterly useless for the Kingdom without the power of the Holy Spirit. When I realized that truth and truly died to myself, the idea of canvassing became a lot less scary.

Student missionary
Washington, D.C.

After sharing with a Hindu lady, we began to see that the Lord was at work in her life. We explained that Jesus Christ is the one, true God. She said her son was very sick and she was praying to other gods for his healing. She finally realized she had to believe only God has the power to heal. At the end of the conversation she said, “Even if it means my son’s life, I reject those gods and follow Jesus Christ.”

Student missionary
South Asia

God very clearly answered our prayers for openness and set us up for having tons of opportunities to share the gospel with students.

Student missionary
Southeast Asia

God is doing amazing things in Alabama. We readers know because we read about it in TAB! Each issue seems just flat exciting to me. As to writers, Grace Thornton. Wow. She’s my hero. Her quality of writing is simply amazing to me. And Rashional Thoughts provides sometimes profound and always gentle-spirited columns. Alabamians are so fortunate to have Jennifer Davis Rash at the helm!

Karen Willoughby
TAB reader in Utah

If [people] are going to hear the gospel, we are going to have to go where they are and share it with them.

Jeff Iorg
President, Gateway Seminary

Across America, people are finding new life in Christ as churches work together through their state convention ministries. In addition to your church’s ongoing Cooperative Program support, your annual state mission offering is an opportunity for Great Commission and Great Commandment giving. 

Paul Chitwood
President, IMB

The mind that is alive chooses the spiritual rather than the fleshly. For example, take our thought life. The world sends a constant barrage of messages to us — politics, world, business, sex, sports, products and others. God also is sending us messages, messages about His expressed will in the Bible for us, promptings about words to say or not to say, anger to control or patience to extend.

T.W. Hunt
“The Mind of Christ: The Transforming Power of Thinking His Thoughts”

To get up each morning and know you are sowing seeds for a future harvest is both humbling and exciting.

Eddie Jones
Founder and CEO, LPC Books 

I kind of wore myself really, really thin, and if I would have just done a better job of listening to what God has to say about rest, I might still be [coaching], to be honest with you. [God has] taught me that it’s important to rest. I didn’t do a very good job of resting [as a coach]. I didn’t do very good with the Sabbath. God gave us the Sabbath for a reason.

Mark Richt
Retired football coach

Work is the regular means through which God provides the material things we need for living. God calls us to nurture generous lifestyles through our work. God gives us work as a platform to glorify Him in how we do our work and how we model and share the gospel. We should take pride in our work and give our best for the Lord’s sake (Col. 3:23–24).

Daryl Cornett
Pastor, FBC Aberdeen (N.C.)

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From the Twitterverse

@alabamawmu

Gifts to the Myers-Mallory State Missions Offering make it possible for #DisasterRelief volunteers to be ready for disasters. In 2019, #ALDR has responded to four floods and 12 tornadoes and continues assisting in Florida in response to Hurricane Michael. #MyersMallory @alsbom

@ricklance

In leadership — especially ministry leadership — your passion may drive you but to balance things out reason needs to hold the reins.

@TonyReinke

David Platt: “People today are not starved for great music. They’re not starved for entertaining speeches. People today are starved for the greatness of God. And if they don’t see his greatness in our worship, then where will they see it? On television? In movies?”

@EdLitton

Psalm 145:4: “One generation will declare Your works to the next and will proclaim Your mighty acts.” Older believers have a duty to declare to the next generation God’s mighty acts. Failure to do this is the reason many churches, and denominations decline and die.

@BeesonDivinity

“When you are singing, you are brought out of yourself. It causes your soul to come up higher so that your feelings and your mind are united in the full expression of what you are singing. God commanded his people to sing.” — Dr. Allen Ross on Exodus 15 in #HodgesChapel.

@BillyGraham

“From a cleansed conscience emerges a changed life.” — Billy Graham

@GoBGR

As you are waking up to pictures of the devastation taking place in the Bahamas, we ask that you consider giving to disaster response efforts in the area. Your donations are critical to providing life-saving resources like food, water and shelter. #Dorian

@mann__up

It was an honor to share this time with Doug [Sweeney], Kristen [Padilla], and Kyle [Young]! I’m so thankful to study at a seminary that gives its students so many opportunities for cross-cultural ministry.  @BeesonDivinity