Category: From Our President

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.

by John O’Malley

This article is part five 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.

Two hundred warriors were so faint they could not follow David, their leader. They waited by a brook called Besor while David took other warriors to fight a battle. David recovered the people and possessions stolen by the Philistines. David spoiled the enemies. The two hundred weary men met David on his return. David greeted them.

David’s victory in the battle over the Philistines yielded a spoil. The carnal men in David’s army said they would not share the spoil of war with the weary. These complaining malcontents felt those who stayed behind should only get from the spoils their once-stolen wives and children. These men felt those who remained and did not go into battle should take their wives and kids and go away.

David taught the warriors a lesson on seeing value in others. David taught them: the battle we fought was the Lord’s. David reminded them: we did not get these spoils on our own; God gave us the spoils. As a king and warrior, David taught our Lord preserved us in battle. God gave the enemies into our hands.

David dismissed the negative words. His message was simple: everybody is valuable for who they are and not for what they do. This moment led David to declare a new statute and ordinance in Israel. When David spoke of the men who stayed back and the men who advanced, David did not differentiate or discriminate; the men were all warriors to David.

How David looked at all the warriors is how I see the principle of being valuable.

Valuableness is a core principle I ask our staff to practice. I want our staff to add value to you and everyone we connect with on your behalf. I want all to see value, not by a status (deputation, furlough, medical leave, retired, or semi-retired, church planter, education, medical or orphanages), but by their worth to God. If we are in missions together, we are together and not segmented.

In ministry, you will have many people with whom you will connect and contact. Make sure you see everyone as valuable. Make sure you view others as valuable as God sees them.

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

Click below to view the video version of this devotional.

This article is part four in a six-part series. 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.

The family of Kish’s female donkeys wandered away. Kish wanted the donkeys home. The donkeys were valuable for breeding and riding. Kish sent his son, Saul, and a servant to find the family’s donkeys. Saul and the servant were assigned a responsibility: seek the female donkeys and bring them home.

Saul’s responsibility was to do whatever it took, go wherever necessary, adjust his course as needed, and finish the mission. Saul’s relationship with his father meant he had the higher calling to find the donkeys and please his father. Saul sought the donkeys and kept his father’s heart close to him.

God used Kish to accomplish His will for Saul and Israel.

Saul found more than the missing donkeys. Saul saw God’s man — Samuel. Saul also learned God’s will for his life. He discovered God had more for him on the journey than to find the missing donkeys.

God does the same with us. He mobilizes us to fulfill an assignment, and while completing the task, we find God had more for us than the one destination.

God assigned you to seek souls. Your church commissioned you to fulfill a divine assignment. Your responsibility is to go wherever is necessary and adjust your course to accomplish God’s mission.

At first, you thought what you would find on the mission were eternal addresses would be changed, an indigenous church planted, and leave a spiritual legacy for the Lord’s glory.

You may realize now, on God’s missionary assignment, you found more than the “donkeys.” You found God’s assignment bigger than you could ever imagine. Perhaps, like Saul, you discovered more than the souls to whom He sent you. You found much about yourself, your family, and your God.

Responsibility is a significant aspect of missionary service. Responsibility is a massive part of our office culture at World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions.

Each month we perform thousands of tasks, receive hundreds of requests, and take scores of calls. Each task, request, and call we receive, we take as our divine responsibility. We commit ourselves to be responsible to God, the Executive Board, and you to help with your harvest work.

Being responsible means taking ownership of your request, following it through until resolved, and proactively finding solutions to assist you. We know we are at our best when we are responsible for the assignments you give us.

Each day each team member delights in fulfilling your request. We love to hear from you. When you have a need, we pray for you. When you rejoice, we rejoice with you. When you weep, we weep with you. Our responsibility to you is more than clerical; it is spiritual.

May God find us responsible whether we serve in the field or the office.

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 is part three in a series about the culture of World Wide. Click below to view the video version of this devotional.

Adino, Eleazar, and Shammah served King David’s interests. These men, called mighty men, acted on the king’s behalf. Each man was courageous, bold, and eager to take an impossible task with God’s help and to accomplish the impossible for the honor of Israel, the king, and God.

Scripture records an occasion when David was in a cave called Adullam. In a valley below was a troop of Philistines. Over twenty miles away, at home in Bethlehem, was a garrison of Philistines.

David longed for water from home. David had water available to him in the cave. He longed for water from his hometown well, the well by the gate.

David spoke from his heart. “Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” The mighty men heard David’s heart’s desire. They made the more-than-forty-mile round trip. They broke through the garrison and the troops of the enemy they encountered, to bring David water from home.

David knew he could not drink this water. Their sacrifice, endangerment, and honor were more than David could bear. He could not even sip this water of sacrifice.

David’s heart was toward God. He took the water, which to him was pure, precious, and valuable, and poured it out to the Lord as a sacrifice.

Our trio of warriors were men of honor too. Their eager effort to get the king water from home was rewarded enough to them. Their offering to David became David’s offering to God.

In continuing my series on the five disciplines* of our agency’s culture, please notice the eagerness of David’s mighty men. The mighty men heard the mere wish of their king. They accomplished the impossible with eager ability.
As part of our agency’s culture, our office staff commits to eagerness. We want to do more than what you request. We are eager to bring God glory and bring you pleasure by fulfilling your request.

How we treat you has as much to do with our walk with God and our calling to serve you, as it does with our daily job description.

In ministry, have you lost your eagerness? The eagerness you began this course with, do you still manifest it? When ministry becomes monotonous, devotion-less, and without eagerness, the people you serve the Lord in front of lose.

When you lose eagerness, it affects your pulpit ministry, public ministry, and private ministry. A marriage without eager responsiveness can wither. A home without eager participation can quickly drift in the sea of complacency.

As a leader at WWNTBM, I commit to being eager to listen, love, and labor for the honor of the King. Is your highest level of eagerness for the spiritual things in life? May God help us if we become eager for the carnal.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

*The Five Disciplines of SERVE: Selfless, Eager, Responsible, Valuable, Exceptional

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

by John O’Malley

Click here to view the video version of this article.

Culture is how we do life in context. We can speak of culture regarding a bias, a people group, or a region. Culture is an accepted set of ideas, values, and beliefs.

We see subsets of culture everywhere. We refer to culture as we compare our home country to our host country. We can identify another’s culture more readily than we can see our way of doing life.

If you are in a tribal area, you can identify people from another tribe because of culture’s markers. If you are in an urban area, you can identify people from a specific culture by how they walk, dress, and speak.

Earth is not the only place with a culture. Heaven has a culture.

Heaven’s culture is God’s way of how He wants us to live and behave. We learn of heaven’s culture and how to implement it in our lives from the Bible.

You determine how you implement heaven’s culture. As a leader, you determine the standard of practicing John 13:35. Each believer must practice the word of God.

Our homes are to be embassies of heaven’s culture. Our ministries are to be consulates of heaven. We live our lives as ambassadors of heaven.

Last month, I described World Wide’s office culture, and by extension, the entire mission’s family. We define our culture by one word, SERVE*. Our culture is simple, intentional, and spiritual. We know we are at our best when we SERVE.

The first value of our culture is selflessness.

Selflessness is difficult work. Selflessness is to think the same as Christ. (Philippians 2:5) Selflessness is a mental, emotional, and spiritual decision. Selflessness is being in sync with God. Selflessness asks, “Does what I am about to do meet His goals or mine?”

Selflessness, in the life of Christ, meant every action of Christ, every word of Christ, and every thought of Christ gloriously displayed the attribute of selflessness.

Selflessness is death. (Galatians 2:20) Selflessness is death to my ideas, my ways, and my wants. It is to live with the spirit of death about us. I am crucified with Christ. Selflessness is the supreme act of the love of Christ. Selflessness was His substitutionary death on the cross. Paul states positionally and practically, “I am crucified with Christ.”

Selflessness is deacon work. (1 Timothy 3:13) Deacon work is menial and unattractive. Deacon work is not honorable. Yet, selflessness–deacon work–is vital, necessary, and beneficial. When we are selfless, we purchase a good degree and confidence in our walk and work for the Lord.

Selflessness means no glory for ourselves, only Him. Selflessness has no agenda, no ambition, nor conceit. Selflessness maintains a posture of lowliness in mind. Selflessness means I value you above me. (Philippians 2:3-4)

Selflessness is hard work. I have work to do on me. What about you?

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

*(SERVE is an acrostic — Selfless, Eager, Responsible, Valuable, and Exceptional)

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

The King’s Business

by John O’Malley April 2020

World Wide accepted me for missionary service in 1993. As a 29-year-old, I knew God’s will for me. I know His will now. My calling is to serve God in my generation and advance the Great Commission.

Since 1993, I have watched Brother Wingard, Brother Whetstone, and many other leaders and workers in my association with WWNTBM. I work with wonderful servants. I learned from these servants that the Lord’s work requires my best. (Numbers 18:29)

Do you realize what it takes for you to be at your best? Are you aware of what you need to be at your physical best? Do you consider the minimums you need for your nutrition, sleeping, and exercising? Do you recognize which spiritual practices you need daily to be at your best? Do you focus on which mental disciplines you need to be at your best?

These questions are what I ask myself and the missions office. When we make sure we are at our best, we serve you better. We bring the Lord glory when we are at our best.

I wonder how often I am at my best in this work I am supported by churches to do? God’s acceptance of me and His willingness to work with me makes me want to be at my best.

Our Great Commissioner does not seek extraordinary people. He seeks willing people. He takes available people. He uses flawed people. He is most pleased with people who have faith. (Hebrews 11)

In our office, we are on a five-year pursuit to study, embrace, and practice five disciplines of when we are at our best. We listed what we need to do to be at our best. We believe we are at our best when we serve others. Our goal is to practice five disciplines in every communication. In our staff meetings, we look for these values in you and in ourselves. We hold ourselves accountable to these values.

We want to be at our best for God’s glory. We have, at every desk in our office, these values etched on a glass plaque. We also had these values printed on canvas. We hung this canvas in the hallway between the offices. We quote these values in every staff meeting.

The five disciplines are an acrostic of the word SERVE. We are at our best when we are Selfless, Eager, Responsible, Valuable, and Exceptional. I will write more on these values each month in my article of Headquarter Happenings.

We want you to catch us at our best. We want to catch you at your best. When either of us is not hitting the mark, will you give grace to us? We will give grace to you.

The King’s business requires our best, not just our haste.

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.

Dear World Wide Family,

I am very pleased to bring you some changes that took place on February 25, 2020. During our scheduled board meeting, I proposed to the Executive Board that Brother John O’Malley be made President of World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions and that Brother Jeremy Lockhart be made the General Director. The men accepted my recommendation and voted to appoint these men to those positions.

I understand when changes like these come, it is often assumed that there is a problem. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was my desire when Brother O’Malley came to work with us twenty-six years ago that this day would come. The Lord has graciously given us Brother Lockhart as well, and he proved himself to be capable during Brother O’Malley’s recovery from heart surgery.

What will I do? I will do much of the same things that I have done for the last thirty-five years. Darleen and I will continue in missions conferences and traveling overseas, and I will remain as Vice Chairman of the Executive Board of World Wide. It has been my joy to serve at the pleasure of the Executive Board in each capacity that they have given me. That will not change.

Fifty years ago, the Lord called Pastor Wingard to establish this mission. It has been my greatest pleasure to serve alongside of him with the hope that in some small way, I could help him fulfill our Lord’s desire for this work. That is still my hope. Be assured that I did not make this proposal without first talking to Pastor Wingard. We are in agreement. I am blessed to have a wonderful relationship with him, as well as with Brother O’Malley.

This decision is effective immediately. Should you have any questions, please feel free to ask me, Pastor Wingard, Brother O’Malley, or any board member.

In His Service,

Danny A. Whetstone

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

Simon Peter preached an amazing message in Acts 2. Three thousand people trusted in Christ following that sermon. Acts 2:42 says, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” The word fellowship speaks of “participation” or “to share in.” Those who were saved that day saw the need for even new believers to participate in the faith.

Later, Paul will write to the church in Philippi using this word. Philippians 1:5, “For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.” Think of those early members of this church. There was Lydia, the Philippian jailer, and possibly the young damsel. They did not merely want to fellowship with the church. They wanted to participate in the church. Do you remember when the Lord called you to serve Him full time? More than likely, you were already deeply involved in the work of our Lord. Still, the next level was probably both exciting and frightening.

Do we find our Lord’s work exciting and frightening today? I remember others telling me when I began training at Bob Jones University that Bible college would be one of the easiest places to backslide because my study of the Bible would become academic. We must be cautious in the service of the Lord. If we are not careful, our labor of love could quickly become a mere professional endeavor. There should always be an air of excitement about the prospects of accomplishment in our work. It encourages us to strive to do better. We grow, we learn, and we make adjustments to take our life’s work to higher levels. Otherwise, we become complacent, lazy, and satisfied.

There should always be a measure of reverential fear. The Lord calls us to stand between the living and the dead. Your ministry is going to be the difference between heaven and hell for the many lives that you will touch. We must not approach the Lord’s work with arrogance and pride. But realize that without Him, we can do nothing. Reverence for the Lord and love for His work will go a long way toward helping us to be successful in fulfilling His purpose for our calling.

Pause to remember what you felt in the early days of your ministry. Add to that the important lessons that you have learned since then. Now dream about all that God is capable of doing through you in the days ahead.

In His Service,
Danny A. Whetstone

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

What are your goals for the coming year? Any time is a good time to consider where we are going, but the beginning of a new year is a very good time. This year we are in not only a new year but a new decade as well. Several years ago, Brother O’Malley and I were in a conversation about the future. He said that we need to lay out our ten-year plans. I told him that I didn’t have too many ten year plans left, but I would consider some two- to five-year plans.

It has been said that we will not hit any higher than we aim. If we set a goal for the future, we might not hit the bullseye, but we will undoubtedly hit higher than we would otherwise. Is your ministry on cruise control? Does one day follow another without any direction at all? Life will see to it that circumstances will constantly control you, and you will more than likely take the path of least resistance. If we are to win, we must fight.

When we get on the road to another destination, we do not leave our travels to chance. We set the goal then follow the best route to get to that specific spot on the earth. Amazingly, we hit that particular spot every time. Now there are times that we come to a detour because of an accident, a landslide, road construction, or any number of unforeseen interruptions. However, we keep our sights on a specific destination. Plans might change, but our final destination remains the same. We cannot just turn down a road because we feel like it if we intend to fulfill our mission.

Let each of us take the challenge to pray and prepare for the coming year. What would the Lord have us accomplish by year’s end? Set the mark, and by the grace of God, go for it with fervency and vitality. I know with this year being 2020, “vision” is going to be overworked in a big-time way. However, drifting is not a viable alternative to having a vision or setting a goal. When our Lord created Adam, He set a goal. He was determined to go all the way to Calvary. Satan did everything in his power to divert Him from His intended purpose, but our Lord was determined to reach His goal. Aren’t we glad He did not take the easy way and leave us to our own end? There are those in the path of your plans, and perhaps you are the only one who can reach them. Go on purpose.

May our Lord’s richest blessings be yours as you serve Him faithfully.

In His Service,
Danny A. Whetstone

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

It seems that this time of the year brings so many to an extreme. On the one hand, it brings to many feelings of discouragement or depression. On the other hand, it is almost euphoric for others. This happens because we are so concentrated on self, but should we not instead remember that this is the time that we must especially remember the first coming of our Lord?

It should be so easy for us to witness of Christ before others. I do not know exactly when He was born, but this is as good a time as any for us to remember. It is also a good time for us to remind others of the amazing miracle that took place so long ago. God sent His Son to bear our sins to Calvary, and not just our sins, but the sins of the entire world. Let’s be conscious during this Christmas and New Year season of those around who are lost or Christians who have strayed from the Lord.

Being with friends and family will not be possible for many of you. Make the most of the time with loved ones and friends who you are with. Would it not be a wonderful gift for each of us if we could introduce some sinner to the saving grace of God? Now that would be a special package to unwrap, one that we would remember for all of eternity. If you are fortunate enough to be with your family, begin earnestly praying that you would have the opportunity to help someone who needs the Lord to find their way to Him. Or perhaps you know someone who at one time served the Lord but has grown cold through the years. Make sure that they see in you the blessing of giving one’s self to serve Christ.

Count your blessings with your immediate family, friends, and church people. Avoid the temptation to talk about what you do not have. Instead, take the opportunity to share the joy of rehearsing the things with which the Lord has blessed you. Obviously, one is the Unspeakable Gift that was given for our redemption. Make much of Christ always, but especially at this time of the year.

I pray that the Lord will bless each of us with great opportunities. I heard a pastor just recently tell about an experience that he had while shopping. He met a man in the store who just followed him around talking to him every chance he had. They spoke of a variety of things, and then each went on his way. When the pastor returned to his car, he thought on this and concluded that the Lord had given him an open door to tell this man of the saving grace of God. He returned to the store, but could not find the man. We are often in a sea of people but see no one.

Many years ago, I read something that has never left me. I wish that I could remember the author, but memory fails me. However, I do remember what he said, “Loving everyone in general is oftentimes an excuse for loving no one in particular.” May God awaken us to realize that multitudes are on every hand. Let’s pick some of them out and seek to lead them to our blessed Lord.

In His Service,

Danny A. Whetstone

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