Month: May 2025

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From the Memo Board: June 2025

Important Dates to Know

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.
July 1 – May Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.
July 1 – June Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.
July 4 – The Office and most US Banks will be closed in celebration of Independence Day.
April 13-16, 2026 – Family Fellowship Week in Sophia, NC.

 

For easy access to all of these dates, click here to download our WWNTBM Dates and Deadlines Calendar into your calendar app.

Summer Helpers

Makenzie Case is a member at Gantt Street Baptist Church in Cayce, SC. She graduated from Pensacola Christian College with a degree in Elementary Education and Missions. She joined our team in 2023, helping coordinate the See the Harvest trips remotely while also teaching third-grade children at a Christian school. This summer, she is joining the office staff to assist with tasks in the office. Her email is [email protected].

Madelyn Davies is a member of Fellowship Baptist Church in Wythville, VA, where her father serves as the Associate Pastor. This young lady has a heart for missions and wanted to learn about World Wide and what we do. She will join our staff from June 9-20, 2025.

New Baby

Daniel Levi Elwart was born May 15, 2025. Daniel is the seventh child of Jackie and Brittany Elwart, and joins siblings Charlotte, Audrey, Sadie, Elijah, Dalton, and Isaac. The Elwarts are missionaries to Big Bear, CA.

2025 Graduates

Several in our missions family have graduated in recent months. We are thankful for each of these individuals. They have worked hard to achieve this milestone, and we look forward to seeing how the Lord will use them in the future. Click here for a list of graduates and their future plans.

Click here to view the list in the Headquarter Happenings Folder for Secure Cloud.

Missionary Milestones

We would like to recognize several ministry milestones being reached during the year 2025. We are grateful for these individuals who continue to serve faithfully.

Click here to view the list in the Headquarter Happenings Folder for Secure Cloud.

Learn Biblical Giving

Learn Biblical Giving is a 13-lesson series teaching a biblical perspective on giving. The course helps churches, schools, families, and Bible study groups learn the spectrum of giving from the Word of God. Click here to visit the website to view the video series.

Things to Consider When Mentioning Financial Needs to Donors

You may occasionally have financial needs that are not covered by your regular support funds. It is good for your donors to be aware of the needs of your ministry. However, there are some things that you should think through when mentioning such situations to donors. Because of this, WWNTBM asks that you keep the following information in mind when communicating your needs and contact us prior to seeking designated funds.

When WW receives or receipts funds with a specific designation, we become legally accountable to ensure the funds are used for that specific project. One challenge with this approach is that multiple donors may give above what is needed for the project, leaving surplus funds that cannot be redirected to other areas of ministry without the donor’s approval. Because of this, our recommendation is that funds always be designated simply “as needed for the missionary,” without any additional designations or specifications attached. Where that is not possible, we recommend the following.

First, if you are asking to raise funds for a specific project, we request that you let the Office know ahead of time. This allows us to be prepared for new donations or any questions we may receive from your donors.

Second, there are many logistical items the Office can assist you with. For instance, it may not be advisable to ask donors to mark a gift as “France Building” because we may already have another missionary raising funds with that designation, and it could create confusion with how we would process the donation. Therefore, it is always best to confer with the Office prior to contacting donors, so that we can help advise on the best way for funds to be designated. In addition to the designation, there may be tax implications to you based on the manner in which funds are designated. We can help ensure the best tax situation for you as funds are received.

Third, we always recommend that donors make checks payable to WW, rather than to the individual missionary. Although we do have the ability to cash checks in your name, this makes for a smoother process and can avoid unnecessary tax paperwork for the church and the missionary. (If a church makes funds payable to you in the amount of $600 or more over the course of the year, they are required to issue a separate 1099 to you, even if the funds came through WW. In addition, if you are not a US citizen, there may be other tax and visa implications for you.) If you have any questions, please reach out to our staff.

Opportunity for High School Juniors and Seniors

Ambassador Baptist College has a dual-enrollment program, allowing high school juniors and seniors to take up to two classes per semester to get a head start on a Bible degree. These classes are offered tuition-free, and are taught over zoom. Click here to see more information about this program.

Plan for Retirement

Bro. Whetstone has emphasized the need for each missionary to plan for retirement. John O’Malley’s brother, David, is a financial advisor with Edward Jones and has helped the Office as well as many of our missionaries with their investments. He produced a short video for our missions family about saving for the future. We trust this will be helpful to you. If you have questions or would like contact information for him or other financial advisors, please contact Kim O’Malley.

Prayer Requests and Special Days

Click here to download a PDF of prayer requests and praises, as well as the birthdays and anniversaries for this month.

Note: You will need to login to SecureCloud in order to view this document. Once you have logged in, click on Files, Shared, then Headquarter Happenings, then scroll to the month you would like to view. This step protects people with WWNTBM in restricted access fields.

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The Art of Listening

By John O’Malley

This year, I will be releasing a new book called Ministering to the Wounded. For my article this month, I am sharing a chapter from the book titled “The Art of Listening.”

After 40 years of ministry, I have found that listening is crucial.

In a world full of noise, listening is one of the rarest gifts we can offer. I struggle with completing someone’s thought in my mind so I can prepare my answer. For those who minister to the wounded, listening is not a passive act—it is a sacred ministry. It requires emotional restraint, spiritual sensitivity, and selfless love. Before Scripture can be applied wisely, ears must be opened humbly.

Listening is the first act of Christlike compassion. Jesus often asked questions—not because He lacked knowledge, but because He valued presence over performance. To listen is to enter someone’s suffering without trying to fix them. It reflects the heart of a God who “is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” (Psalm 34:18).

1. The Value of Listening: Listening affirms dignity. It says, “Your story matters. You are not invisible.” It gives the wounded space to breathe and their burdens a place to land. Authentic listening slows down solutions and honors the process of trust.

2. The Patience Required: Listening is not efficient. It will interrupt your schedule. It may stretch your emotions. But love that listens is love that lingers. Proverbs 18:13 warns, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” Quick answers are rarely wise ones.

3. What Biblical Listening Looks Like: Biblical listening is:
• Quiet (James 1:19): “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak…”
• Compassionate (Romans 12:15): “Weep with them that weep.”

• Discerning (Proverbs 20:5): “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.”

Listening is not agreement, but understanding. It is not silence without discernment—it is restraint guided by the Spirit. When spoken in season, listening allows space for the Holy Spirit to work through the Scriptures.

To care well, start by listening well. Put down your notes. Resist the urge to fix. Hear the hurt. Hold the silence. Let their pain speak before you speak of healing. Listening may feel small, but it often opens the door to the most incredible work God wants to do.

What Can We Offer?:
      • Resist the urge to interrupt or mentally prepare a response while someone else is sharing.
      • Reflect back what you heard to ensure understanding (“What I hear you saying is…“).
      • Pray before offering advice. Without Him, we can do nothing.
      • Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom to know when to speak—and when to stay present.

“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” —Matthew 11:15

John O’Malley

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