Month: May 2024

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The Homegoing of Doris Hurst

Mrs. Doris Hurst
April 21, 1939 – April 5, 2024
 

Doris Harper Hurst, 84, beloved wife of Elwood Hurst, passed away on Friday, April 5, 2024.

Born in Whitakers, NC, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Christine Smith Harper.

Mrs. Hurst was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother and she loved her family very much. Mrs. Hurst was a devoted member of Tabernacle Baptist Church. She served for over 40 years as a missionary in the South Pacific. Her life was one of service and ministry and the impact of her service and love of God has reached across the world. Her humble sweet spirit will be missed but will live on in the lives she has influenced.

Elwood and Doris Hurst joined World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions in January of 1978. They served faithfully in the Marshall Islands and Guam.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Elwood Hurst; her two sons, Glen Hurst (Laurie) and Andrew Hurst (SheelyAnn); her daughter, Linda Looper; 10 grandchildren, Daniel Hurst, Erin Gerald (Ryan), Garrett Looper (Ellie), Matthew Looper, Emily Looper, Dakota Hurst, Jordan Hurst, Abigail Hurst, Caleb Brinkley, and Vera Brinkley; three great-grandchildren, Samantha, Lily, and Addie; four sisters, Nancy Vick (Clinton), Ardelia Long, Christine Montgomery (Frank), and Elizabeth Jones; and two brothers, Joseph Harper (Melissa) and Frank Harper (Janet).

A celebration of her life was held on Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 3931 White Horse Rd. Greenville, SC 29611. The funeral service began at 11:00 a.m. in the church sanctuary, with a reception following. Burial was held at 3:00 p.m. in Greenville Memorial Gardens.

Condolences may be sent to Bro. Hurst at [email protected].

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When God Needs My Help

By John O’Malley

The very words, When God Needs My Help, seem silly.

God is God. He does not need my help, manipulations, or interference in His plans.

God promised Sarah he would give her a son. When Sarah saw what she thought was a delay in God’s delivery of the promise, she helped God. Sarah suggested a plan that sounded right to her.

Sarah’s impatience led her to propose a plan to Abraham, suggesting that their maid Hagar could help with God’s promise. In line with the cultural norms, Hagar became a surrogate for Sarah. However, this was not God’s plan for Sarah to have a son. God’s plan was superior. The consequences of Sarah’s impatience were evident.

Sarah’s plan did not assist God, and God did not require her aid. He needed her to trust in His timing.

We look at this and think how silly Sarah was. Indeed, God did not need Sarah’s help. Her decision to help God brought forth Ishmael. Tensions in the Middle East stem from this decision several thousand years ago.

It’s disheartening to realize that we, as a collective, still fall into this trap. When God’s response appears delayed, we rush to assist Him. The outcome mirrors Sarah’s experience. We grapple with ‘Ishmael problems’ in our lives, families, and ministries.

Could you look around your life today? Do you have Ishmael problems from your attempt to help God? Maybe it’s a purchase you made to help God. Maybe it’s a problem that stems from when you helped God. Perhaps you brought a person in your life into a relationship that you knew was wrong. Likely, you cannot undo your decision; you can only decide not to end up here again.

Remember this: God never needs our help.

Let us not forget the lesson from Sarah’s story. When we take matters into our own hands, we may end up with an ‘Ishmael.’ But when we trust in God’s timing, we receive an ‘Isaac.’

Let your prayer be, ‘God, I will wait on you. I will refrain from trying to assist you again.’

Remember, His promises are sure. His ways are perfect.

Yours for the harvest,

John O’Malley

If this article has been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley to let him know.

 

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From the Memo Board: May 2024

Important Dates to Know

May 1 – March Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

May 1 – April Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

May 27 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Memorial Day.

June 1 – April Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

June 1 – May Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

April 14-17, 2025 – Family Fellowship Week in Sophia, NC.

New Board of Reference Member

We would like to welcome Pastor Thomas Engle as a new member of the Board of Reference of WWNTBM. Pastor Engle and his wife Sarah graduated from Ambassador Baptist College and then traveled in evangelism for twelve years before they moved to Darlington, SC, where he currently serves as assistant to Pastor Frank Camp at Victory Baptist Church. He will be transitioning to the senior pastor in the near future, as Pastor Camp will be retiring. The Engles have three children: TJ (15), Elise (12), and Vance (9).

The Edge Christian Camp and Edge2Go International.

For the last several years, we have been blessed to have Scott Carsley, Carey Charles, and the team from The Edge Christian Camp attend Family Week and provide an exceptional program for our young people during the week. Edge2Go is a ministry of The Edge Christian Camp that brings camp to Independent Baptist church locations. The Edge staff offers many aspects of summer camp in a one-day, day camp format, including activities, chapel service, evening service, God & I time booklets, games, activities, and competitions. They have recently been burdened to take this ministry internationally by partnering with missionaries. Their desire is to work with WWNTBM missionaries to bring camp to your mission field. If you are interested, or if you know local churches in the US who could utilize their services, please contact them through the above website.

Missionary of the Day

Our website at wwntbm.com promotes a missionary of the day. This is a great way to get to know about the ministries of others in our missions family. Some have chosen to set this as their home page so they can be reminded to pray for a different missionary each day.

In His Service

For four decades, Bro. Danny Whetstone wrote articles to missionaries offering practical advice, biblical principles, and spiritual encouragement. Those articles first appeared here in the Headquarter Happenings newsletters as he sought to uplift, strengthen, and guide our missions family. WWNTBM has collected 153 of these articles and published them in a book titled In His Service. This book is available on Amazon in both print and Kindle versions. If you would like to purchase copies in bulk to use as gifts, please contact our office.

Family Fellowship Week 2025

Now is the time to begin planning to attend Family Fellowship Week 2025! The conference will be held at the Caraway Conference Center near Asheboro, NC, from April 14-17, 2025. The week begins on Monday afternoon and ends with breakfast on Friday morning. When interviewed, missionaries agree to attend Family Week for two years while on deputation and once every four years thereafter. Please plan to attend the entire week. This is an important time to gather for fellowship, encouragement, and reminders of our heritage.

Helpful Software

We have recently heard of two different websites that may be useful to our missionaries.

DeepL.com is a website that offers translation services, including the ability to translate certain types of documents. The site offers both free and paid options.

Spendee is a financial budgeting application that helps to manage finances in multiple currencies at the same time.

Uplift Podcast Episodes

Acknowledging Him Today by Andy Bonikowsky

Praising God Forevermore by Gene Krachenfels

Stewardship Principles by Jim Davidson