Author: John O'Malley

by John O’Malley

Dear Missions Family,

While reading a commentary on Romans, I thought to share this account from Donald Grey Barnhouse, onetime pastor of the Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. He was told a story by a missionary in western Africa. The account illustrates the heart of one gripped by a passion for spreading the gospel.

“It seems that an African man who had become a radiant Christian believer was also afflicted by the dreaded elephantiasis disease. This loathsome condition hardens and enlarges the flesh of the lower legs and feet so that they often appear as solid columns of flesh from the knees down, sometimes twelve to fifteen inches in diameter. It is a painful and restrictive condition, making simple walking a laborious challenge. But the man was so appreciative of the grace of God that had come into his life that he thought nothing of the pain of his condition. He went from hut to hut in his west African village, sharing the good news of the gospel, knowing that none could believe unless they heard the gospel. He shuffled and hobbled on his afflicted limbs day after day until all had heard the good news.

Once he had evangelized his entire village, he began a painful, daily trek to a village two miles distant, not being able to bear the thought that some were there who had not heard the gospel of the grace of God. He would start early in the morning and walk to the nearby village, go from hut to hut, then walk home. This process he repeated until every hut in that village had received the good news of the gospel.

With no one else to tell about Christ, he asked his pastor and the missionary about going to the next closest village, a larger village located ten miles from his own. They both discouraged him from considering the journey, given his condition. But one day, his relatives awoke to find him gone. It was not until later that the full story came out, related by the inhabitants of the distant village.

It took him until noon to traverse the ten-mile distance to the village, and when he arrived, his leathery stumps were bloody and swollen. Not wasting time even to eat, he spent the rest of the day in the village going from hut to hut telling people about the grace of God. The sun was setting when he set out for his own village. Somehow he made it through the pitch-black jungle, falling upon the missionary’s porch at midnight. The missionary, who was also a doctor, summoned help and they lifted the poor, semi-conscious man into the dispensary. The doctor related later how his own tears mingled with the salve with which he bathed the beautiful feet of this wounded gospel messenger. Without counting the cost to himself, this man lived out the word of the apostle Paul in Romans 10:14-16. Feet that in the eyes of the world could best be described as horrific had become the beautiful feet of one who brings the good news.”

When I read this account, I thought of you and your work in the gospel.

Thank you for going to the next village. Thank you for going the extra mile for the sake of the Gospel and His name’s sake. Thank you for bringing the gospel to where Christ is not named.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

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

by John O’Malley

When you were on deputation, there may have been churches which heralded you. Perhaps they gave you gifts, served you, or made you feel like you were the best thing since crunchy peanut butter.

Then, one day, deputation ended, and you got to the field.

The people on your field of service do not know you. They know nothing of your effort to get there. They know even less of the church members sacrificing every day at jobs they may not prefer. They know nothing of the people working to earn enough money to make ends meet and give in the promised offering at their church for you to be in your place of service.

When a missionary feels they deserve spotlights and fanfare, they have lost sight of servanthood.

If a church treats you well, it is grace. If a church treats you poorly, it is a grace as well. Remember, none of us deserve anything.

I am troubled when I see a missionary go to a church meeting and expect spotlights and fanfare. World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions missionaries are expected to be servants everywhere we go.

Remember, when we are visiting a church, we are not spectators; we are servants! We serve our Lord, we serve the pastor and his wife, and we serve the membership. When you go to a church, offer to help; do not seek to be helped. Offer to serve; do not look to be served. Try to be a blessing; do not wait, yearn, or expect the spotlights and fanfare.

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

Let us look like Christ wherever we are ministering. We are here to minister and give our lives for the Gospel’s sake and the sake of our Lord.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

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

by John O’Malley

The phrase, I Serve Others, captures all we want to do for the Lord at WWNTBM. Over the next few months, I will write on the values we hold dear in the phrase, I Serve Others. We have already looked at the words inspire, open, tender, helper, edify, and reliable.

The phrase I Serve Others, the subject of my writing over the past year, shares the core values of being part of World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions. The last word in our acrostic phrase is Seeing.

When Hagar sat waiting at the intersection of despair and hopelessness, she learned a valuable trait of God. She learned God saw her and her son.

Hagar, though in a complicated situation and a misunderstood context, found God saw her. God could see through the cultural complications. God could see her amid her moral conflicts. God could see the fruit of her womb and Abraham’s seed, though she felt alone and outcast.

God sees. In every way, the all-seeing-God saw us in Eden, Bethlehem, Calvary, and is everywhere present with us. Yes, God sees us!

God sees you in your place of service when you feel alone. God sees you when you have made a mess of life and ministry. God sees you when you are afraid. God sees you when you wonder how you are going to make it. God sees.

In your place of ministry, you recognize people long for recognition. They need to believe they matter to someone. Your ministry helps the lost know they are found. You take the hurting to where they find healing. You teach the hopeless where to find hope. You comfort those who believe they are unseen and tell them they are seen.

Ministry is helping people know God sees them. Just as God sees, God wants us to see others. God expects us to take the love He’s displayed and act on His love. (1 John 3:18)

I want your interactions with staff and leadership to let you know we see you. We see you when you are hurting. We see you when you are in conflict. We see you when you are alone. Our staff focuses on your communication. We want every response and reply to let you know: we see you and will assist.

Today, look around your life and ministry. Who around you seems to feel unseen? What can you do to speak into their life words of comfort and consolation to let them know God sees them? What can you do to assure them you are there for them and you see them?

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

P.S.: Please remember to submit your tribute to Pastor Wingard here.
P.S.S.: Please make sure you are listening to the Uplift Podcast.

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

by John O’Malley

The phrase, I Serve Others, captures all we want to do for the Lord at WWNTBM. Over the next few months, I will write on the values we hold dear in the phrase, I Serve Others. We have already looked at the words inspire, open, tender, helper, and edify.

This month, I am continuing our core values phrase “I Serve Others” series. The second R in I Serve Others stands for Reliable.

The sense of the word reliable is to be consistently good in quality or performance. Someone who is able to be trusted is counted as reliable. The Bible word for reliable is faithful.

1 Samuel 2, while Eli was High Priest and his two sons polluted their office in the temple, God told Eli what would happen to his sons. God also said He would raise up someone who was faithful. The sense of the word faithful in this text is someone who is reliable.

In 1 Samuel 2:35, God explained what He wanted in His servants. He said He wanted reliable people to serve. He wanted people who would know His mind and heart. The servant He chose would do what was in the heart and mind of God. God promised He too would be faithful or reliable to the servant He would raise up.

I want to consider two things this month about the core value of being reliable. First, consider with me God’s reliability to us. Then I want you to evaluate your reliability in your service to Him.

Consider God’s faithfulness or reliability:

• God Himself is faithful — he does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
• God’s Word is faithful — He’s given a more sure word of prophecy.
• God’s presence is reliable — He’s promised never to leave us nor forsake us
• God’s power is reliable — He shows Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him.
• God’s justice is reliable — He is the Judge of the whole earth Who will do right.

Consider our faithfulness or reliability:

• Do the people to whom I bring the Gospel find me reliable in my witness?
• Does my family find me reliable in my promises and availability?
• Do my supporting churches find me reliable in communication and connecting with them?
• Does my spouse see me as reliable in my biblical mandate for my responsibility in our marriage?
• Does everyone with whom I interact see my word as reliable?

We are at our best when we are faithful or reliable to our Master, in our ministries, and in our marriages.

At the missions office, we desire to be reliable to you. We want to honor your requests. We want to be reliable to pray for you when you share with us your heart’s burden. We want to be reliable to be considerate and compassionate when you face challenges.

I believe in the work you are doing for Christ. I want to see you accomplish God’s goals for you and the people to whom He called you.

Let us be reliable.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

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

by John O’Malley

The phrase, I Serve Others, captures all we want to do for the Lord at WWNTBM. Over the next few months, I will write on the values we hold dear in the phrase, I Serve Others. We have already looked at the words inspire, open, tender, and helper.

Demolition is easier than construction. When a worker demolishes, they approach the job site and see their goal is to tear down what they see. Swinging a sledgehammer does not require accuracy; one just needs to make sure they leave nothing standing.

Paul wrote in Ephesians that God gave leaders to the church. He gave these leaders to His church to do three distinct actions. Leaders are for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification of the saints.

We all work with people. God assigned us to a people. The passage in Ephesians 4 discloses the three tasks of all leaders. Our task is to bring people in our care to a state of completion. We are to perform the tasks assigned to us. We are to edify people.

The people we serve, like ourselves, are an incomplete construction project. Our role as a leader is to add to the building progress in the lives of those around us. Every time you connect with people in your ministry, you are to add to the building of their lives for the glory of God.

Our calling is to build people up and help them become what God intended. If we are out of calibration with God and His Word, we easily can become leaders who demolish. We can demolish with our words, tone, and spirit. We can criticize and complain about these incomplete projects around us.

As a missionary, fulfilling our God-given roles as an evangelist and pastor and teacher, we must consciously choose to edify. We must build people up. The world is busy tearing people down. When people come to your place of ministry, the place where you carry out the work God gives you to do, make sure they edify each person.

When you call the office, our goal is to edify you. We want to build you up. Like you, we all are incomplete building projects. Our staff wants to add value to your life by adding hope, courage, and compassion in the work you are doing for Christ.

I preface the “I Serve Others” phrase with the words, “We are at our best when…” I want to be at my best, always. I want to build others with my words. I want to treat others as Christ treats me. I want to edify everyone.

Is God pleased with your task of edifying others? How are we doing at the home office with edifying you? How can we improve? “I serve others” is not a slogan; it is our mission. In fact, as servants of the Lord, God intends and expects us to edify.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

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

by John O’Malley

The phrase, I Serve Others, captures all we want to do for the Lord at WWNTBM. Over the next few months, I will write on the values we hold dear in the phrase, I Serve Others. We have already looked at the words inspire, open, and tender.

The H in I Serve Others stands for Helper.

In the book of John, Jesus described the Holy Spirit’s role in the life of the believer. The word He used was Comforter. The Comforter would be a helpful presence in the absence of the Son. The Comforter would come in the name of the Father. The Holy Spirit would teach us all we needed to know of what Christ taught. The Holy Spirit would testify of the Godhead. The presence of the Holy Spirit came after the ascension.

God designed the activities of the Holy Spirit to help us. When our hearts are confused, He helps us understand. When our hearts are overwhelmed, He comforts us with His presence and promises. When our minds are overloaded and we cannot think clearly, He makes His way known. When burdened and dismayed, He comes with a yoke which is easy and a burden which is light.

The Holy Spirit is God’s helper for the believer.

In the WWNTBM family, the Executive Board, the Administration and Staff, and every missionary family know the help the Gospel brings. Each day you are serving in hundreds of locations.

We believe God assembled all of us to help you. Our desire is to help you with the technical and logistical so you can serve. Our passion is to help you with the domestic-based tasks so you can focus on the Great Commission.

Each week in our staff meeting, we read or recite our purpose. Our purpose is:

We serve God’s Great Commission partners so they can focus on giving and going.

We know God’s partners are the churches which send, the churches which support, and the missionaries who are sent.

Our staff of seven arrive in their offices each day to help you. There is no request too odd, too difficult, or too minimal; we love and live to help you. Please ask. Do not serve without all you need to do Great Commission work.

We want to be a helper of Gospel workers around the world. We want to be your helper.

Jesus made it clear; the simple task of giving water to a believer counts. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. (Mark 9:41)

At WWNTBM, we take this passage and reminder to heart. No request is too burdensome. No request is a bother. No request is inconvenient.

We are here to help you.

Happy New Year!
Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

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

by John O’Malley

The phrase, I Serve Others, captures all we want to do for the Lord at WWNTBM. Over the next few months, I will write on the values we hold dear in the phrase, I Serve Others. We have already looked at the words inspire and open.

Mary held the infant Jesus. God, robed in flesh as a newborn babe, is now in her arms. He Who spoke the world into existence, she now cradles.

Love fills the stable as first-time parents bring a Child, who is Christ the Lord, into a world in the midst of crisis, conflict, and confusion. Shepherds will soon arrive. Mary and her espoused husband will share this precious Babe with the world. He came to save His people from their sin.

As I see it, Joseph looks lovingly. Mary returns the look with understanding. Yes, their world changed. But, even more so, the whole world changed forever. Tenderness is etched in every word as well as in the silence of the scene.

Yes, tonight begins His journey to the cross. Mary will be present for each significant event of His life and ministry. He will become sin for us Who knew no sin. The suffering He will face will be harsh, tortuous, and violent. Yet, the lady who wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes has only tenderness for this child of the Holy Ghost.

The tender spirit of the first Christmas night is the spirit we must have in every aspect of our lives and ministries. When the world is in conflict around you, be tender. When confusion abounds in your community, be tender. When there is trouble in your church and home, be tender. When there are fear and worry, be tender.

Our desire at World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions is to manifest tenderness. We desire to communicate with tenderness. We want to be a voice of calm, peace, and tenderness when you enlist our assistance.

When you are at your best, are you tender? When you are less-than-your-best, are you tender?

This Christmas season will produce many emotions. Let the tenderness of the Savior’s birth be in the tone, attitude, and spirit of your communication amongst all with whom you interact.

Merry Christmas.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

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

by John O’Malley

The phrase, I Serve Others, captures all we want to do for the Lord at WWNTBM. Over the next few months, I will write on the values we hold dear in the phrase, I Serve Others. Last month, we looked at the word inspire.

This month, I write about the letter O in the phrase “I serve others.” O introduces the value of being Open. The culture of World Wide must be one where our eyes are open to see, our hearts are open to care, our minds are open to think, and our hands are open for you.

Look around your home and place of ministry. Has the ministry or an unpleasant person caused you to close the tools of ministry God gave you? We must never close these God-given tools of ministry (eyes, heart, mind, and hands). If we close these innate tools of ministry, we may miss God-orchestrated moments of personal and spiritual opportunity.

The people you serve on your field deserve your best. They deserve a missionary leader whose hand is open to give, whose ears are open to listen, whose heart is open to care, and whose mind is open to thoughtfulness.

I want the culture of the office of World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions to be we are open to your suggestions, ideas, and thoughts. Psalm 34:15, “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”

Like God, are your eyes open to those around you? Are your ears open to their cry? Is your heart still open to the very people you promoted on deputation and furlough to your supporters? Never allow closed hands, ears, hearts, minds, or eyes to make you turn away from those God placed you there to serve.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

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

by John O’Malley

In recent months, I shared with you the core values of World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions. These values are best remembered with the acrostic: SERVE. We believe we are at our best when we are Selfless, Eager, Responsible, Valuable, and Exceptional.

We attempt to exemplify these traits in every communication with you. We review these values every week in our staff meeting. We inspect ourselves weekly to make sure we meet what we expect of ourselves.

The acrostic SERVE fits in a larger sentence acrostic: I Serve Others. This phrase, I Serve Others, captures all we want to do for the Lord at WWNTBM. Over the next seven months, I will write on the values we hold dear in the phrase, I Serve Others.

The first value of this phrase is the word Inspire.

We choose daily to inspire or depress people with our words. You meet people in your community, your church, your ministry. These people need words which will build them, better them, and bless them. It is hard to choose the right words. Our emotional health, our spiritual discipline, and our temperament all play a role in whether we will use words which inspire or words which depress or deflate people.

Solomon’s words help me and haunt me: Death and life are in the power of the tongue: And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21) My words will either kill someone or will give them life.

Think of all the words you used this week. How many words made someone die a little on the inside. How many of your words breathed life into a person? Did your spoken or written words wound an entire segment of society, a child, a spouse, a co-worker, or a friend?

Perhaps you are like me. I prefer to hear words which give life. I dislike hearing words which cause me to die a little on the inside. I despise it even more when I choose words which cause people to die on the inside.

Since heart surgery, I’ve given thought to an epitaph, whether etched in stone on a marker, or on hearts of the people I met. I want it to be, John pointed people to Jesus and inspired people.

Our words can suffocate or strengthen. Our words can inspire or depress. It is easier to use words which hurt others. It is a challenge and a choice to use words to breathe life into people.

Our staff at WWNTBM want to inspire you every time we speak with you. It is easy to speak words of life to you because you inspire us. You inspire us with your kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness. (Ephesians 4:32) You inspire us with your faithfulness when we see you facing trauma, trouble, and trials. You inspire us with your words. Your words speak life into our staff.

Please know, wherever you are in the world today, I believe in you. I believe in the work God called you to do for Him. I believe you are the right person in the right place at the right time. I believe the best about you. I believe you can do all God called you to do.

There are plenty of mean things to say about mean people. Let us be people who inspire others to go further, do more, and be who God wants us to be.

I am inspired when I think of you!

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

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

by John O’Malley

This article is part six in a six-part series on the core values and culture of your missions office. Each article in this series focuses on the values we display when we are at our best. The five values are Selfless, Eager, Responsible, Valuable, and Exceptional.

Customer service experts teach the little things a company does for their customers are the things which make an enormous difference for their customers.

Enterprise Leasing once had an employee suggest they give a bottle of cold water to their cars’ renters. Now, you can expect a cold bottle of water at the time of rental.

The worldwide hotelier, The Ritz-Carlton, teaches their people they are ladies and gentlemen who serve ladies and gentlemen. One of their parking lot attendants who valet parked a guest’s car noticed the driver had a certain flavor of Gatorade (a sports beverage) in his cup holder. Upon check out, the parking attendant had a cold Gatorade of his preferred flavor, waiting in the customer’s cup holder.

Chick-fil-a, an American quick-serve restaurant, follows the same line of thinking as The Ritz-Carlton. The team members in their restaurants learn the value of replying when thanked, “My pleasure.” In the business world, some would say, these are exceptional gestures.

The business world should take note. Christ made clear in His Sermon on the Mount the exceptional principles He expected of His kingdom’s subjects. In Matthew five, we read:
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Matthew 5:39–42

Notice the exceptional expectations Christ shares. He expects when we have a loss of dignity that we turn the other cheek. The Lord expects when threatened (sued for our shirt), we go beyond all expectations and give them our outer coat. When compelled by authorities, we are to go the second mile. When people ask, we give. When people need to borrow, we do not ignore them.

When Christ said these words, I am sure His words raised eyebrows amongst His hearers. The areas of exceptionality covered personal, legal, governmental, and financial matters. God calls His people to exceptionality.

When we serve you, we believe every communication, every interaction, every transaction must reach the threshold Jesus set. Choosing to be exceptional in life, ministry, marriage, and with your children will never fail to pay off. When we are exceptional with our co-workers, our church people, the heathen, and each other, we look like Christ requires.

Try this. This month, look for people who may seem prickly and do something exceptional for them. Anyone can be exceptional to the pleasant people in their lives. It takes sacrifice to be exceptional and Christlike.

If we ever miss the mark of being selfless, eager, responsible, valuable, or exceptional, I want to know so we can improve our service to you.

It is a joy to SERVE with you.
Yours for the harvest,

John O’Malley

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