Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Brad Hoff from Continental Baptist Missions shares three stories of church births - a brand new church in Buffalo, his own church plant in Sioux City, and the biblical account in Acts 11, showing how God brings churches into existence.

Scripture Text

Acts 11:19-26

Main Points or Ideas

• How God Brings Churches into Existence: God uses circumstances to place people where He wants them; the power of the gospel saves and transforms lives; local churches play crucial roles in sending workers
• The Role of Local Churches: Responsibility for planting churches lies with local churches, not just mission agencies; every local church should be involved in church planting as it's "natural" for churches to give birth to other churches
• The Need for Faithful Servants: Like Barnabas, church planters must be qualified, spirit-filled people with good relationships in their sending churches; current church relationship is key to future ministry effectiveness
• Working Together: Church planting involves teams - Barnabas found Saul to work with him; modern church planters should seek apprentices and coworkers
• Practical Opportunities: The CBM Sampler trip offers students a chance to visit five different church plants in five days to explore church planting ministry

Conclusion

Church planting is both a responsibility and opportunity for every local church and believer. Rather than being overwhelmed by all the opportunities, we should choose a direction and keep moving until God redirects us, remembering that what we do today can impact lives not yet born.

Steve Anderson challenges pastors and future ministers to examine their approach to preaching, emphasizing that pulpit ministry is the platform from which pastors lead, feed, and protect their flocks.

Scripture Text

1 Peter 2:9

Main Points or Ideas

• The Priority of Pulpit Ministry: The pulpit is the platform for leading, instruction, protection, tone-setting, and feeding the flock
• Refining the Craft: Practice regularly, listen to your own preaching, seek trusted counsel, learn from excellent preachers, read consistently, and find a preparation system that works
• Protecting vs. Guarding the Pulpit: Develop men in your church who can be trusted in your absence; be careful about invited guests
• Purpose in Preaching: Discipleship, church health, church growth, leading change, and evangelism
• Focus on Christ: Every text provides opportunity to preach Christ; include clear gospel presentations and invitations
• Focus on God's Word and His People: Let responsibility to the Word drive you to the pulpit, not vice versa; know your sheep well

Conclusion

Faithful preaching proclaims the excellencies of Christ, focuses on His Word and His people, and gives glory to God through the preparation and proclamation of truth.

Chaplain Steve Brown retired from the Navy after 27 years of service and now serves as president of the Associated Gospel Churches (AGC), an endorsing agency for military chaplains. He shares how God uses chaplains to minister in restricted access institutions where local church pastors cannot easily reach.

Scripture Text

Daniel 1-6; Matthew 10:16

Main Points or Ideas

• Restricted access institutions (military, prisons, VA, hospitals) are similar to restricted access nations - they restrict access but are full of broken people who need the gospel
• AGC enables local church missional access into these institutions through endorsing chaplains who serve as "pastors in uniform"
• Chaplains work on the inside of institutions to build relationships and facilitate gospel outreach
• Biblical examples from Daniel show faithful servants working in pagan institutions while remaining true to God
• Federal law protects the ministry and religious expression of military chaplains
• The question is not "can a chaplain be faithful?" but "will he be faithful?"

Conclusion

Chaplains have a unique opportunity to serve Christ in restricted access institutions and proclaim the excellencies of Christ to those who faithfully serve to safeguard our freedoms, bringing them the unedited, untainted gospel of Jesus Christ.

Five women with ministry experience share wisdom about growing in faith, raising children in ministry, handling challenges, and entering ministry as a young woman.

Scripture Text

Various passages referenced throughout the discussion.

Main Points or Ideas

• Growing in Walk with the Lord: Consistent Bible reading and prayer, listening to podcasts/audiobooks, being involved in local church, and maintaining Christian friendships
• Raising Children in Ministry: Children are gifts for our sanctification; prioritize being mom over teacher; children need Christian friends and community; don't shelter from all hardship; trust God's sovereignty in family moves and challenges
• Best Advice Received: Keep clear priorities (God, family, ministry), be grace-motivated, remember everyone is made in God's image, take time to rest, split day into thirds with one part for rest
• Advice for College-Aged Women: Soak up education and wisdom being offered; pursue women's ministry training; learn practical skills like piano; don't waste class time; listen to wise counsel from professors

Conclusion

Ministry life brings unique challenges and blessings, but God's grace sustains families through difficulties and His faithfulness extends through generations of service.

Joe Humrichous, at age 77, shares from his treasure of truths learned over nearly 70 years of walking with the Lord, using Jesus' parable of the householder to show how God develops us as learners, livers, owners, and givers of truth.

Scripture Text

Matthew 13:51-52

Main Points or Ideas

The Journey of Spiritual Growth: We start as scribes (learners), become instructed (livers), then householders (owners), finally becoming philanthropists (givers)

Personal Treasure: Joe shares his key treasure - discovering that Jesus is not only Savior but also sanctification, service, and shepherd; learning to live by faith in Christ as life, not just as Savior

Nine Reasons for Loving Ministry:

1. Get to grow and give
2. Get to serve and steward
3. Get to glance and gaze (see the invisible)
4. Get to behold and become (transformation)
5. Designed for the work, work designed for me
6. The older I get, the newer I am
7. Brothers and sisters are fragrant and refreshing
8. Hard things work eternal weight of glory
9. Will be absent from body, present with Lord

Conclusion

God calls us to be stewards of truth, learning throughout life, living what we learn, owning truths that own us, and generously giving away treasures to others for His glory.

Jeff Davis, director of EMU International, shares his journey from pastor to missions director and challenges listeners to consider their role in God's global mission, asking not "Should I go?" but "Why should I not go?"

Scripture Text

Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, Isaiah 43:7, Psalm 67

Main Points or Ideas

Your Life Has Meaning: Created in God's image for His glory, not an accident but designed with purpose

You Were Created for a Purpose: Isaiah 43:7 - created for God's glory; the Great Commission is a command, not suggestion

A Purpose Bigger Than You Imagined: The story of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation shows God's plan to reach all nations; we are part of God's missionary heart

Reasons to Consider Going:

• Unquestionable command to "go"
• Unfinished task - 3.4 billion unreached people
• Default should be "why should I not go?" rather than waiting for special call

Conclusion

The Great Commission is God's plan from the beginning, and the question should not be whether we have received a special call to go, but rather why we should not go when the command is clear and the need is urgent.

Steve Anderson examines Psalm 51 to understand what genuine repentance looks like in the life of a believer.

Scripture Text

Psalm 51; Isaiah 48; 1 John 1

Main Points or Ideas

• Awareness of God's Nature: True repentance begins with understanding God's mercy, loving kindness, and justice
• Actual Confession: Not just promising to change, but acknowledging specific transgressions and understanding sin as primarily an offense against God
• Understanding Consequences: Accepting that sin deserves punishment while appealing to God's mercy, not trying to avoid consequences through repentance
• Desire for Cleansing: Genuine repentance seeks closeness with God through spiritual cleansing
• Testimony of Grace: True repentance leads to telling others about God's goodness and grace
• Commitment to Ministry: David promises that when God restores him, "then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will be converted to you"

Conclusion

Genuine repentance is essential for being effectively used by God in evangelism and ministry, requiring honest confession and complete surrender to God's transforming work.

The Multilingual Scripture Reading is an annual highlight at the Global Reach Conference as people from several cultures take turns reading a portion of Scripture in their native tongues.

This year, 39 languages were represented as they read from various portions of Scripture, beginning with John 1:1.

The purpose of this Scripture reading is to display the global nature of missions and Bible translation work, show how God has been working for centuries to get His Word into people's "mother tongues," emphasize that there's "no substitute for the mother tongue," and demonstrate the importance of Bible translation into every language.

Paul Pierce gives an update on current events in Israel and their significance in God's prophetic plan for displaying His glory.

Scripture Text

Psalm 105:8-15, Psalm 83, Matthew 24:29-31

Main Points or Ideas

• Current Situation: Analysis of the October 7th Hamas attacks and ongoing conflict, addressing misconceptions about Israel
• Historical Context: Israel's legitimate claim to the land through UN Resolution 181 (1947) and the consistent Jewish presence in the land
• Biblical Foundation: God's covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob regarding the land are eternal and unconditional
• Spiritual Warfare: Anti-Semitism stems from Satan's attempt to prevent God's future kingdom by eliminating the Jewish people
• Prophetic Significance: Current events are setting the stage for future prophecy fulfillment, including the tribulation and millennial kingdom
• Future Glory: Christ will return in power and glory, Israel will be saved, and He will reign from Jerusalem

Conclusion

While current events may seem chaotic, God is working with precision according to His prophetic plan, and there is a future glory coming when all will see Christ's majesty.

Mike Keller gives an overview of Campus Bible Fellowship ministry and the three P's needed for effective missions: Purpose, Passion, and Priority.

Scripture Text

Philippians 3:12-16

Main Points or Ideas

• Campus Bible Fellowship Overview: 57-year-old university ministry focusing on evangelism, discipleship, and church integration on college campuses
• Ministry Methods: Gaining recognition as religious clubs, literature tables, group and individual Bible studies, campus activities
• Paul's Example:
• Challenge to Students: Where are the people with purpose, passion, and priority set for full-time missions?
• Call to Commitment: Encouragement to pray seriously about God's will for missions involvement

Conclusion

Consider missions calling with the same purpose, passion, and priority demonstrated by the Apostle Paul.