FrontLineB R I N G I N G T H E T R U T H H O M E FrontLineMarch/April 2012 • $3.95 March/April 2012 | VOLUME 22 | NUMBER 2 Islands of the Sea 6 14 35 FEATURES Departments Yap Island Mail Bag 6 Bob Whitmore 5 Back in 1999 before we visited Yap, we never On the Home Front expected to be missionaries. 20 Wit & Wisdom Front-Row Seats 25 David Atkinson 10 Jerry Craven and Bob Condict On their island, the Cravens have front-row National Report seats to seeing the power of God in an entirely 26 Doug Wright different way. The Evangelist’s Corner Japan 27 Samuel’s Love for God’s Truth 12 Tim Melton Jerry Sivnksty Though there is much to overcome to win a Japanese person to Christ, “with God all At a Glance things are possible.” 28 Proverbs Layton Talbert An Island on the Front Lines of 14 Missions Newsworthy Jared Baldwin 31 Robert Condict Guam serves as a critical location for mission- ary endeavors throughout Micronesia and True Love, Faithful Lives Asia. 35 Jenna Wright How Do You Reach Out to Four God Calls Even Island Boys 18 Billion People? 37 Christian Bendo Joel Arnold The Philippines: a perfect sending station! Hope in Downtown Greenville 39 Alan Findley Culture: Conformity and 22 Contextualization Brian Collins Christians must understand why culture is a mixture of good and evil. 2 when he returns to the comforts of home. IF YOU LOVE He feels a parental affection as he watches the missionary children giggling over the MISSIONARY too-few trinkets he brings, packed beside PRESENTATIONS, as this the critically needed repair parts that required the extra bag. to editor does, you would love The extended work of the well-planned visit the Lord’s servants, as he has, mission trip provides a better orientation— on many of the islands of the sea. Whether an opportunity for the fallow ground of on the placid shores of Lake Taupo, New the heart to be tilled and turned to the Zealand, for an open-air baptism with possibility of island ministry. Our prayer is onlookers standing nearby in immodest that God will use this issue of FrontLine to fascination or in the confinement of the germinate the seeds of interest that readers tight quarters and polite frenzy of Tokyo, may discover here. Perhaps readers will Japan, faithful missionaries are fast at pray more for the islands and for those work. We have listened to island music who have heeded their call. Perhaps need- in the Caribbean from the Dominican ed support will be sent. Perhaps someone Republic to Curaçao. We have sat in the will actually go. sweltering heat of a Quonset hut in Cebu The first article you will find here was City, Philippines, housing a hundred written by Bob Whitmore, the former edi- preachers singing with all their hearts; tor of FrontLine. He was in his office work- been charmed by the harmony of a ukule- ing on the magazine when Paul Zimmer le choir on Guam; and seen a newly saved stepped in to ask him, “How would you teen-aged boy who stood by a rutted road like to visit the island of Yap with me?” on Yap for two hours just to deliver a for- Eternity will tell the story of what the gotten item that the missionary had left at answer to that question has wrought. We the humble meeting house when he left have a hint in the articles to follow and for his late-night duties after church. recall it in the echo of God’s great promise Anyone who has been privileged to to Israel in Isaiah 11:11, “And it shall come visit the islands of the sea and has stepped to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set behind the tree line that hides reality his hand again . to recover the remnant of from the passing cruise ships will not his people . from the islands of the sea.” wonder why FrontLine has been burdened Editor’s Note: Imagine what the modern- to feature the great challenges and day Paul and his team on Yap could do opportunities of island ministry. A brief with the tools to reach the souls scattered visit to the missionaries does not afford among the far-reaching islands within the full experience of isolation, loneliness, reach of a small seaplane. Perhaps God vulnerability, and even fear would burden donors able to invest in that often lurks on the such a tool, or would burden a pilot and/ islands. The visitor or A&P mechanic who would give his senses it in the God-given skills back to the Lord for joyous midnight island ministry. Perhaps we should pray greetings at the that the Lord would lay it on our hearts. airport or the John C. Vaughn tearful goodbyes Visit us on the Web at www.fbfi.org 3 Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International 92nd Annual Fellowship June 12–14, 2012 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” II Peter 3:18 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS HOSTED BY Steve Pettit Marty Marriott Kevin Schaal Mark Minnick James Maxwell Jim Berg 2211 W Germann Road • Chandler, AZ 85286 Mike Sproul 480.245.7900 www.tricityministries.org 4 Mail Bag FrontLine We want to hear from you! Editor Executive Board John C. 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T Mike Moreau Stephen Jones on “Protecting the Readers may obtain this John Mincy Children.” I read all the PDF from either of our Executive Officers Mark Minnick Kevin Schaal Jeff Musgrave articles just a few min- websites (addresses pro- Chairman Tom Nieman utes ago and prayed vided in the letter below Chuck Phelps Dave Pennington with a freshly broken from Dr. John Mincy). The Vice Chairman Matthew Recker Wilbur Schoneweis heart that God will help PDF version is copyrighted David Shumate Ron Smith Secretary us be better at helping by FrontLine. It may be Michael Sproul those who have suf- printed for distribution Doug Wright Jeremy Sweatt Treasurer fered so much. Would or shared electronically, Wayne Van Gelderen FrontLine be interested provided it is not altered in Advisory Board Mike Yarborough Ron Allen Aaron Young in taking the [primary any way.—Editor Dale Cunningham articles] of this magazine Jeff Davis and putting them into his past week I Roger Duvall Board Emeritus Gary Fisher PDF format to get out Tattended the Winter Phil Golden Charles Britt Tom Knauf to churches, Christian Board Meeting of Cary Grant Gerald Carlson Peter Maruyama workers, and others? the Fundamental Mike Gray Ed Caughill Bennie Moran Dale Heffernan I know there are costs Baptist Fellowship Walt Coles Mike Moreau Marty Herron Collins Glen Fred Moritz involved in the maga- International—one of the Don Johnson Brian Green Ed Nelson zine, but FrontLine could best in remembrance. Larry Oats Bill Hall Les Ollila Michael Privett Bruce Hamilton Randy Shaylor put this together as a Over the past several Stephen Russell Bob Jones III John Stevens Dave Schindel reprint in PDF for free years friends have asked Gary Jones Bob Taylor me, “How is the FBFI Dale Seaman and let people pass it Brent Snow Walter Kirk George Youstra around. I would give the doing?” They often agree Bud Steadman PDF to all my classes; with what the Fellowship Dan Unruh we could get it to the is doing but do not think Joe Willis ministerial students here it important to be a part Mission Statement: The Fundamental Baptist Fellowship In- and other Bible colleges of it. For me, there is a ternational exists to provide a rallying point for Fundamental Baptists could share it with theirs. theological imperative seeking personal revival and the opportunity to work with committed There are other select for separation and also Bible-believers in glorifying God through the uncompromising fulfill- topics covered recently for unity. It is important ment of the Great Commission. that could be recast this to establish as much As the journal of the FBFI, FrontLine Magazine provides a forum for God’s people to reverently express a conservative Christian perspec- same way. unity as possible with tive on pertinent issues. In an effort to keep readers informed, quotes Seminary Professor like-minded brothers and references to many different individuals and organizations will in Christ. I don’t know appear. This does not imply the endorsement of the magazine or its Great idea! In fact we of any other national or board. 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