...men that had understanding of the times, to know what [they] ought to do... I Chr.12:32

Volume 5, Issue 1 Publication of the Global Fellowship. February 2005

DYNAMIC A BALANCED MEAL by this question: Have we given them what By Sam Davison President, they need? To think hard on this question PREACHING sends a great wave of responsibility over my By Kevin Folger Heartland Baptist Bible College soul. They come to school, and in such a short time they leave. They came trusting us with I love good preaching. To begin, I wish to four years of their life that they will not be Being reared in a funda- thank the Global allowed to recall and try again. It is one thing mental, Independent Bap- Baptist Times editor for us who teach, preach, and administer to tist church, I was blessed for this space to remind the students of their responsibility all to hear preaching that was address the pastors the while they are at HBBC. But it is another spirit-anointed, dynamic and biblically sound concerning the life thing to come to grips with our responsibility in doctrine. At Cleveland Baptist Church, of Heartland Baptist to give them our very best, and not cheat them where I grew up and now pastor, I was privi- Bible College. I out of the best preparation we can provide. leged to hear some of the greatest preachers of commend Pastor Obviously, we feel we can always improve. the twentieth century. B.R. Lakin held reviv- Rich Farinella for But absolute perfection is not the issue; a heart als here when I was just a boy. Since Akron the excellent work in to give the students our best is the issue. Baptist Temple was our mother church, I was producing this publication. I, for one, do not able to hear Dr. Dallas Billington as well. Dr. want to take this effort for granted, nor the As I continued to meditate upon this, I Vick, Dr. Woodworth and Bill Dowell were privilege. thought of a well-balanced meal: red meat some of the other great preachers I heard while (Amen!), mashed potatoes (with gravy), growing up. Of course, my pastor was Dr. Roy Recently, I was meditating, which is a most corn, green beans, cabbage, and stuff like Thompson, and that was like having thunder in productive exercise of the mind. On this that. Some green salad and fruit salad would the pulpit every service. occasion, the subject of my meditation was also be in order. Hot rolls, also. Apple pie our students at Heartland, particularly those and homemade ice cream should finish it off I understand the importance of preaching in who will graduate in May. At church and in good fashion. There you have the basic our church and want people to know that there on campus, I kept saying to different ones, food groups and the variety of nutrients that will always be someone in the pulpit preach- “Now this is your third year, right?” One after contribute to your health and strength (and ing. On January 23, our region was hammered another said, “No, Pastor, this is my last year. weight problems). With the energy received, I with terrible weather. About nine inches of I graduate in May.” My reply was, “No way!” go about my way with little thought for which snow had fallen and the temperature Sunday With this on my mind, my meditation was food did me the most good. They all did morning was in the single digits with wind about how swiftly four years (in some cases, something for me. chills well below zero. five) pass. Then I was almost overwhelmed ...continued on page 5 ...continued on page 5

A BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF HOME MISSIONS

By Richard MacQueen - Church Planter

Excerpts taken from a message preached at the January ‘05 Home Missions Conference

In trying to set the tone for this message, I must confess to you, that although I have been involved in church planting my entire ministry, God has recently impressed upon me, how much more I could have accomplished for his glory, if I had been more focused on the The execution of this commission is spelled concepts regarding the starting of churches, principles of the text we shall examine. out clearly in Acts 1:8. “...BOTH IN...” and in some cases the lack thereof. If we studied history more carefully, we would Before we get into our text, I would like to Over the last few months I have been repeat mistakes far less. Consider, if you address some points about missions in general, researching the history of missions, and the will, that after the rapid spread of the gospel and look at this subject from a historical more I researched, the more amazed I became during the apostolic era, which was initiated perspective. I say missions in general, because of all that God has done, through so little; or by persecution, missions activity as we know it in reality we only have one mission. The Lord through what one might say were less than today was more or less dormant for the better Jesus commissioned His church to propagate ideal conditions. Though the bulk of what I part of the next sixteen centuries. His gospel to every creature, by preaching and have learned could not possibly be presented baptizing believers, and teaching them to observe at this time, a brief summary would be very whatsoever things He had commanded them. helpful in understanding some of the present ...continued on page 2

1 G L O B A L BAPTIST TIMES

FROM THE edited which is now available at $20 per set A BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL which can be purchased through Heartland PERSPECTIVE OF HOME MISSIONS EDITOR Baptist Bible College. continued from page 1... A Missions Emphasis Amazing strides in Russian missionary efforts It could more aptly be described as mission By Rich Farinella are related by Missionary Jeff Williams’ article migration rather than mission thrust. Groups on Independent in Russia. And talk of believers migrated to different countries about strides! – our own Global Independent We have more of through various forms of persecution, ranging Baptist Missions organization has surged ahead from banishments on the milder side to an urgency today to with the mission advisors meeting held in spread the gospel cruelties and martyrdoms on the harsher side. Cleveland last month and reported in this issue. These groups of believers known by different here in the states by the New Testament plan We are eagerly anticipating their blueprints and program of starting new churches than I names, searched for lands where they might to be presented at the next GIBF meeting in serve God freely, while they looked for a better can ever remember. Chalk it up to the trend Tampa, , February 21-23, 2005. of home mission conferences springing up country. and thriving all over the United States, an All in all we are happy to be busy about outreach effort of individual churches, Bible Persecution was not the only factor that reaching this world for Christ. Whether at curtailed missions activity, there were other college focus, or just plain revival among home or abroad, being involved in obeying the God’s people. Whatever the reasons, we obstructions; take for example their very Lord’s commission to go into all the world, limited communications - no e-mail, no rejoice as the task of reaching preaching the gospel to the world beginning at home mail period, no cell phones, no land-lines, every creature – has got no telegraphs, just heralds and messengers, moves to the forefront of our to be the grandest, most desire and efforts. This issue no televisions, no news media (amen,) no exhilarating occupation in newspapers, no publications, no printing of the Times features this home all the world! missions emphasis with articles presses, and therefore no Bible translations such as Richard MacQueen’s into other languages. They also faced very In Addition, February limited travel options compared to today - no classic “Perspective on Home is the month we list the Missions” and the pictorial planes, no trains, no motorized ships, no cars, financial suppor