Embracing a Season of Suffering

by John O’Malley

In recent months, God chose for Kim and me a season which required us to set aside every plan we had to assist Kim’s mom.

Kim’s mother’s had eight surgeries in a matter of weeks to help her overcome a two-inch (five centimeters) tear resulting from a complication from outpatient surgery.

We learned lessons during this season as Kim’s mom hovered at death’s door for many days during her sixty-five days in the hospital.

When going through a difficult time, it is easy to ask questions above our pay grade. We ask God, why? Why them? Why us? Why now? Why here?

I believe asking God is okay; doubting God is not okay.

We are prone to make lists to rehearse with God the credentials of the one suffering. We do so as our objection or protest to what is happening.

Internally, we recite our concerns, rehearse our worries, and desperately ask, “God, what are You doing?” We give God our questions asking why this season of suffering came. We tell God why it should not be the one He chose for this season of suffering. Our fears inform us this suffering is not just. Our faith tells us God is always working His will.

Perhaps during the initial moments of suffering, we are reconciling our will to His will about a new season in our lives and the life of the one suffering.

Solomon, gave his heart to search out wisdom in all which takes place under heaven and to discover the sore travail God gives to men, said: “To every thing, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

A season is an appointed time for something to occur. God has appointed times or seasons for us to live through for His glory.

When seasons come, God has lessons to learn for the individual suffering. God gives suffering to those who are strong enough to bear it.  (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Because one suffers, it does not mean the one suffering made sinful choices. Job was a perfect man who feared God and abstained from evil. Yet, God chose a seasoning of suffering for Job.

When suffering comes, nobody suffers alone. The suffering’s caregivers, prayer partners, and healthcare partners can observe and learn about God in this season of suffering.

As the son-in-law of the suffering one in our family, God gave me an observation post to this season of suffering. Below are thoughts I learned in this season of suffering.

Seasons of suffering are:

          • for learning about God’s purpose. (Eccl 3:1-11)
          • for observing God’s hand and heart. (2 Chron 16:9)
          • for listening to God’s word. (Psalm 119:71)
          • for meditation and comfort. (Psalm 94:19)
          • for a greater plan. (Gen. 50:20)
          • not just for the one going through the most challenging times. (James 5:10-11)
          • for revealing friendships. (Gal. 6:2; 2 Cor. 1:7)
          • for reminding you of His presence. (Heb. 13:5)
          • for sensing God’s comfort. (2 Cor. 1:4)
          • for preparing me for the next season to comfort others. (2 Cor. 1:4)

We are better when we learn to embrace the season in which He’s placed us. In your season of suffering, whether as the participant or the observer of the suffering, keep listening; keep learning; keep trusting.

Perhaps you know someone who is in their season of suffering. I encourage you to assure the suffering you prayed for them. Remind those who suffer. You are there if they need you.

It is okay if the suffering does not ask you for any help. They know you will help when a specific need arises. Give them space in their suffering and grace when they are silent.

On behalf of Kim’s family, thank you for being here during this season of suffering. As we embrace this season of suffering, your love, thoughts, and prayers comfort us.

Thank 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.

The Kindness of God

by John O’Malley

2 Samuel 9:1-3

“And David said… Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him?”

David resolved in his heart to show God’s kindness to someone of the house of Saul.

David’s mind could have been a file cabinet with folders of bitterness, bruises, blisters, and bad memories. Yet, his heart was a vessel of compassion, looking for another vessel into whom he could pour himself in the memory of his friendship with Jonathan.

David saw himself as an agent of kindness working for God. In memory of Jonathan and devotion to his God, David decided he would show divine kindness to anyone of Saul’s house. Other monarchs sought to eliminate the family of the former royalty, but it was not so with David.

David asked his servants who remained of Saul’s house to whom he could show kindness. Of the many word meanings of “shew,” one synonym stands out. It is the word “accomplish.” David wanted to accomplish kindness in memory of his friend, Jonathan.

Is there someone around you who needs to see the kindness of God today? Someone who needs you, on God’s behalf, to go the extra mile, invest no matter the cost, and sacrifice what’s dear to display the kindness of God?

David showed God’s kindness that day. Will you show God’s kindness this day?

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.

God’s Intelligent Design

Dr. Raymond Damadian, the inventor of the MRI, created a video sharing proof that the origin of the universe must be from a Divine source. Dr. Damadian speaks of evolution’s fallacies, the certainty of Intelligent Design, and the lack of evidence in evolution.

The video is available in several languages by clicking here.

World Wide missionary Elsa Ramirez translated the video project from English into Spanish. To see the video with the Spanish subtitles, go to the link then click on the Closed Caption (CC) button in the lower right of the screen. You can click here to email Miss Elsa Ramirez about this video.

From the Memo Board: January 2022

Dates to Know

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

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

January 7 – Please check your Tax Info Status Report on SecureCloud and contact us by January 7 if any details need to be changed concerning how we will handle your tax paperwork.

January 10 – Missionaries will receive their statements of December Support Received.

January 12 – All missionaries will receive their final December support on this day, regardless of the day they normally receive support.

January 15 – December Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries, along with any remaining receipts or financial paperwork for 2021. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

February 1 – 1099 Forms and other tax documentation for the 2021 tax year will be available.

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

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

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

April 11-14 – Family Fellowship Week in Asheboro, NC

SecureCloud Packets

At the end of each month, we scan any mail that has come to the Office and place it in your SecureCloud folder. This would include check stubs for all bills paid by the office, as well as any cards or correspondence from donors. Please be sure to check SecureCloud periodically, especially once you receive the notice that December packets have been uploaded, as many missionaries have received Christmas cards and letters which are available to you there.

January Income Totals

During a typical month, we close the books on the 25th, and any checks received after that date are posted to the following month. Due to receipting requirements, we cannot do this in the month of December. As a result, please be aware that your December support total received in mid-January may be higher than normal, while your January support total may be lower than normal. Please be sure to plan ahead for this!

New Excel Template for US Missionaries

A new Excel template for the year 2022 will be available on February 15. This will give us time to review the need for any possible updates. January financial reports for US Missionaries will be due on March 1. Should you wish to complete your January report before the new template is available, you are welcome to submit it on the 2021 template. However, starting with the February report please be sure to use the new template.

New Mileage Rate

Beginning on January 1st, the IRS mileage rate has increased to $0.585 per mile for business/ministry miles. This change will be reflected in the new Excel template for 2022, which will be available on February 15.

Update on Reva Trenton

We are grateful for the outpouring of love and concern that has been shown for the O’Malleys and Reva Trenton during her recovery from multiple surgeries. Many continue to ask about their welfare. Mrs. Reva is slowly regaining strength and mental clarity. They are in the process of seeking a subacute rehab facility, where she will stay for 8-16 weeks. The O’Malleys will remain with her until she is settled in a facility closer to her home.

Family Fellowship Week

Family Week is fast approaching! We are excited about the new location and format, but most excited about being reunited with those we’ve not seen in several years. The week will begin with dinner on Monday evening, April 11, and will end with the Thursday night service. There will be free time in the afternoons so you and your family can enjoy the facilities or take in local attractions. Attendees are asked to stay for the entire week. Check out will be Friday morning.

If you have not yet contacted us to reserve your spot please do so ASAP. Your final plans regarding attendance need to be communicated to our office by February 1, 2022. Click here to see information about the property. We look forward to seeing you there!

Missionary Flay Allen offering Fireside Chats by Youtube

Brother Flay Allen, Mimi Bonikowsky’s father, is recording fireside chats recalling his past fifty years of missionary service. Mimi’s husband, Andy, is leading the conversations.

If you would like to see the previous episodes, you can find them on Youtube.

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. We hope they will encourage your heart.

The Lord’s Knowledge of You by Pastor David Landers

Why Does God Allow Suffering – Part 1 by Pastor Gene Krachenfels

Why Does God Allow Suffering – Part 2 by Pastor Gene Krachenfels

Our Companionship with Jesus Christ by Pastor David Landers

From the Memo Board: December 2021

Dates to Know

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

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

December 7 – If you use our processing services to send out your prayer letter via prayerletters.com or MailChimp alone or prayerletters.com and MailChimp together, please submit your letters anytime before 4:00 PM EST, December 7th. This enables us to process and send to prayerletters.com and recipients to receive it by Christmas. Letters received after this date will not be mailed until after Christmas.

December 15 – Please contact us by this date via Signal if you will need funds in your account before Christmas or the end of the year.

December 20-24 – The office will be closed in celebration of Christmas.

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

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

January 10 – Missionaries will receive their statements of December Support Received.

January 12 – All missionaries will receive their final December support on this day, regardless of the day they normally receive support.

January 15 – December Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries, along with any remaining receipts or financial paperwork for 2021. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

February 1 – 1099 Forms and other tax documentation for the 2021 tax year will be available.

April 11-14 – Family Fellowship Week in Asheboro, NC

February 1 – 1099 Forms and other tax documentation for the 2021 tax year will be available.

December Support

Please contact us via Signal by December 15 if you would like funds in your account before Christmas. Final December support distributions will be made on January 12 for all missionaries, regardless of their regular pay date. Contacting us by December 15 will enable us to schedule your funds around bank closings and holiday hours. Should you have an emergency need after December 17, you may contact Naomi Torberson at 704-692-7237.

January Income Totals

During a typical month, we close the books on the 25th, and any checks received after that date are posted to the following month. Due to receipting requirements, we cannot do this in the month of December. As a result, please be aware that your December support total may be higher than normal, while your January support total may be lower than normal. Please be sure to plan ahead for this!

Upcoming Financial Reports for US Missionaries

Please prepare now to ensure that your year-end financial reports are submitted on time. October reports are due December 1, November reports are due January 1, and December reports are due January 15. If it is possible for you to submit reports before the due dates, that would greatly assistant our staff. Please note, it is fine to submit a report without waiting for the Line 1 income figure. We can add that for you as needed. Reports should be submitted to [email protected]. Please be sure to include all receipts for expenses $75 and over at the same time you submit your report so there are no delays in processing. Thank you for your help in these areas.

New Meal Allowance Rates

The US Government issued updated Meal Allowance rates effective October, 2021-September 2022. The standard daily rate within the Continental US has increased from $55 to $59. Please note that if you would like to take advantage of this on your October, November, and December financial reports you should follow instructions on the Mileage tab. You can adjust the report by following the steps listed for utilizing international meal allowance rates. If you have a question, please contact us at [email protected]. These new rates will be included as part of the 2022 Financial Report template, which will be available in mid-February 2022.

 

New Baby

Sophia Bonikowsky was born on December 2. Sophia weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces. Sophia is the second daughter of David and Raquel Bonikowsky. She joins her sister Leire, who is 17 months. The Bonikowskys are missionaries in Spain. Sophia is also the granddaughter of our missionaries Andy and Mimi Bonikowsky, and the great-granddaughter of Al and Helga Bonikowsky.

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. We hope they will encourage your heart.

Being Like Christ While Serving The Lord by Pastor David Landers

Psalm 23 by David Landers, Gene Krachenfels, Jeremy Lockhart, and John O’Malley

Psalm 2 by Jeremy Lockhart

Stewardship Principles by Pastor Jim Davidson

Stay Focused by Pastor Chad Estep

The Anticipation of Christmas

by John O’Malley

The young child descended the stairs. Her heart beamed. You could see it in her eyes. Her sleepiness disappeared as she saw the present. She longed for this gift. The young girl drew pictures of the gift. She glanced at her parents. She dashed over to them to give the biggest hugs and the sweetest of kisses.

The young girl’s dream came true. She wanted a specific gift. The little girl longed for this gift. She prayed for this gift. And today, Christmas Day, her parents gave her the gift.

The spirit of anticipation during this holiday season is in children and adults. We get excited about spending time with others, sharing a favorite meal, or giving a special gift to someone.

Anticipation marks this season. It has from the very first Christmas. Angels appeared to Mary and Joseph. The Angel’s news filled Joseph and Mary’s hearts. An angel spoke with shepherds, which gave the shepherds anticipation as the shepherds heard the news. The glory of the Lord shined around them. Then, a chorus of speaking angels delivered the message the world needed to hear,

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace,
Good will toward men.”

Anticipation drove the shepherds to the manger scene. Anticipation brought Simeon and Anna to the temple to see the Lord’s Christ.

Anticipation marks our relationship with God. As servants of the Gospel, we serve because of anticipation. We anticipate the Lord’s return. We anticipate meeting Him who endured and is the Captain of our Salvation. We anticipate the One we only know by His written Word and His presence. We anticipate, like Job, in our flesh, we will see God.

Anticipation carries us through trials. Such spiritual hope sustains us during our absence from Him and gives us hope when the world says it is hopeless.

You anticipate meeting Him, Who is the object of our affection, the center of our attention, and the sole hope for our eternity.

Would you please allow nothing to rob your anticipation of this holiday season? You may have seasonal triggers which stir old fears, kindle suppressed anger, or place the spotlight on some lingering shame of something you still cling to from your past. Christmas is a season of anticipation.

What piques your anticipation this Christmas season?

Click the link below to tell me what this Christmas makes you anticipate.

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.

Divine Opportunity

by John O’Malley

You followed the divine invitation to be right where you are in ministry. You did not know what all God had for you from the moment you submitted to His will for you. But you trusted, and he’s been faithful.

None ever had a full indication of how God would show Himself strong in their lives.

Like the three fishers of fish in the Gospels, God said, I want you to follow Me. Their obedience to follow God gave them three distinct views during their three-year ministry with Christ. Their obedience gave them an opportunity to walk with God, an opportunity to watch God, and an opportunity to work with God.

Your obedience to God’s direction for your life is identical to the three fishermen who became fishers of men. You sensed God’s nudging, and you heeded. Then God continued His work in you.

His direction gave you an opportunity to walk with God. In your life and ministry, you are walking with God. You have His presence, His promises, and His protection, no matter what you face. You have His guarantee of His expected outcome as you walk with Him — a fisher of men.

Right now, because you followed, you watch God in your ministry. Today, He is working in your heart, in the life of your family, and in the homes of your people.

Surely, the disciples took moments to reflect on the things God was doing in them.

If you have not recently taken time to reflect on watching God do His work in you, I urge you to look around and discover or rediscover what He is doing around you, in you, and with you.

As with the three fishers of men, God’s invitation to follow Him was an opportunity to work with God. These fishers worked with each other. They worked within the fishing community. These men knew a camaraderie in life, but now, this calling – His calling – to take on another occupation changed their lives. They would work with God. The same God Who spoke the world into existence will now let them work with Him.

Remember, wherever you serve, God is working. He is always working out His plan.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

From the Memo Board: November 2021

Dates to Know

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

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

November 11 – Most US Banks will be closed for Veterans Day.

November 25-26 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Thanksgiving.

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

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

December 7 – All prayer letters the Office assists in mailing through prayerletters.com should be submitted to our staff in order for your recipients to get them before Christmas.

December 15 – Please contact us by this date via Signal if you will need funds in your account before Christmas or the end of the year.

December 17 – All prayer letters the Office assists in sending solely through MailChimp should be submitted to our staff in order for your recipients to get them by the end of the year.

December 20-24 – The office will be closed in celebration of Christmas.

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

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

January 10 – Missionaries will receive their statements of December Support Received.

January 12 – All missionaries will receive their final December support on this day, regardless of the day they normally receive support.

January 15 – December Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries, along with any remaining receipts or financial paperwork for 2021. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

February 1 – 1099 Forms and other tax documentation for the 2021 tax year will be available.

Family Fellowship Week Returns!

We are excited to announce the return of Family Fellowship Week! This week has always been a highlight for our missions family, and we have missed it these past few years. This year’s meeting will be held April 11-15, 2022, at the Caraway Conference Center in the Asheboro, NC, area. Please make plans to join us! We need your tentative answer, regardless of whether you will come or not, by November 15. If you have not already registered your reply, please click here today. If your plans change, please let us know as soon as possible. Final reservations need to be communicated to the office by February 1, 2022.

This is a time to gather for fellowship and encouragement. Meals, lodging, and child care are provided. Attendees should plan to stay the entire week. There will be preaching and teaching sessions in the morning and evening, with free time in the afternoons. The week provides opportunities to rub shoulders with fellow servants around the world, in all stages of ministry. Please plan to join us.

January Income Totals

During a typical month, we close the books on the 25th, and any checks received after that date are posted to the following month. Due to receipting requirements, we cannot do this in the month of December. As a result, please be aware that your December support total may be higher than normal, while your January support total may be lower than normal. Please be sure to plan ahead for this! In addition, because of these changes, normal pay dates are adjusted. Be sure to check the important dates section above!

Upcoming Financial Reports for US Missionaries

Please prepare now to ensure that your year-end financial reports are submitted on time. October reports are due December 1, November reports are due January 1, and December reports are due January 15. If it is possible for you to submit reports before the due dates, that would greatly assistant our staff. Please note, it is fine to submit a report without waiting for the Line 1 income figure. We can add that for you as needed. Reports should be submitted to [email protected]. Please be sure to include all receipts for expenses $75 and over at the same time you submit your report so there are no delays in processing. Thank you for your help in these areas.

New Executive Board Members

We are grateful for the men who sacrificially give of their time and energies to lead the mission agency. We are pleased to announce some recent changes to our Executive Board!

Danny Whetstone was elected as the new Chairman of the Board. Bro. Whetstone became an Executive Board Member in 1976 while pastoring in TN. In 1985 he resigned the pastorate to serve as a missionary in Grenada. Since returning from the field, he has held several positions with WWNTBM, including President and Vice-Chairman of the Board. He and his wife Darleen continue traveling and speaking in missions conferences around the globe. They have four adult children.

Michael West was elected as the new Vice-Chairman of the Board. Bro. West has served on our Executive Board since 1999, and has previously served as the Second Vice-Chairman. He has pastored Memorial Baptist Church in Ocala, FL, since 1982. He and his wife Boone have three adult children.

In addition to the above new officers, the Executive Board also added the following new members.

Frank Camp has been appointed to the Executive Board of WWNTBM. Bro. Camp has served on our Board of Reference since 2010. He has pastored Victory Baptist Church in Darlington, SC, since 2017. Prior to accepting the pastorate in SC, he taught at Ambassador Baptist College for many years, and also previously pastored two churches in NC for twenty-four years. He and his wife Renee have three married daughters and twelve grandchildren, including Christa (and John) Boylston, who served with World Wide for many years in Pohnpei.

David Fulp has been appointed to the Executive Board. Bro. Fulp has served on our Board of Reference since 2017. He pastored for twenty-eight years before moving to Bethel Baptist Church in Rockwell, NC, in 2020. He and his wife Lisa have two married children, including Stephanie (and Tim) Germano, who serve as World Wide missionaries in the Dominican Republic.

John O’Malley has been appointed to the Executive Board. Bro. O’Malley has held many positions with WWNTBM since 1993. Most recently, he was appointed to serve as President in February of 2020, a position he will continue to hold simultaneously to serving on the Executive Board. He and his wife Kim served as missionaries to Grenada, and also pastored in AL prior to coming with World Wide. They have one married son.

Michael Renfrow has been appointed to the Executive Board. Bro. Renfrow has served on our Board of Reference since 2016. He has pastored Trinity Baptist Church in Wilson, NC, since 2014. Prior to pastoring, he served as an evangelist for 21 years. He and his wife Priscilla have two married sons, and two daughters still living at home.

New Babies

Violet Claire Stelzig was born on September 30. She weighed 8 pounds 13 ounces and was 21 inches long. Violet is the daughter of Nick and Lindsey Stelzig. She joins older siblings Gabe (6), Ellie (4), and Lucy (2). The Stelzigs are church planters in Lawrence, MA, in the greater Boston area.

Christy Sue Folkers was born on September 16. She weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. Christy is the daughter of Seth and Kaitlin Folkers.  She joins older siblings Atarah (3), and Beniah (20 months). The Folkers are work with a mobile Bible Institute and assist church planters in Cameroon.

 

Daniel Hadad was born on October 17. He is the first born child of Jamil and Karla Hadad, who minister in the Middle East.

Righteous Rides Is Coming To Charlotte

Righteous Rides provides rental vehicles to missionaries.  Their vision is for every international missionary to have access to affordable and stress-free stateside transportation. Their mission is to provide care and cars to missionaries on home assignment…in a manner worthy of God.

Righteous Rides main hub is in St. Louis, Missouri. They also have 10 other hubs located across the U.S. and 150 vans.

To request a vehicle go online to righteousrides.org or learn more by clicking here.

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. We hope they will encourage your heart.

A Servant’s Heart by Pastor David Landers

Dealing with Conflicts by John O’Malley

Make Christ your Master by Jeremy Lockhart

How We May Respond in Time of Difficulty by Pastor Gene Krachenfels

From the Memo Board: October 2021

Dates to Know

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

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

October 11 – Most US Banks will be closed for Columbus Day.

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

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

November 11 – Most US Banks will be closed for Veterans Day.

November 25-26 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Thanksgiving.

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

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

December 7 – All prayer letters the Office assists in mailing should be submitted to our staff in order for your recipients to get them before Christmas.

December 15 – Please contact us by this date via Signal if you will need funds in your account before Christmas or the end of the year.

December 20-24 – The office will be closed in celebration of Christmas.

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

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

January 10 – Missionaries will receive their statements of December Support Received.

January 12 – All missionaries will receive their final December support on this day, regardless of the day they normally receive support.

January 15 – December Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries, along with any remaining receipts or financial paperwork for 2021. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

February 1 – 1099 Forms and other tax documentation for the 2021 tax year will be available.

Prayer Letter Services

Mr. Chris Beane, an associate missionary with World Wide to the UK, is now helping us with our prayer letter, social media, and website work. Mr. Beane is a former full-time staff member at Ambassador Baptist College. He recently moved to New Jersey to assist a church as an internship for ministry experience. Mr. Beane will work remotely for Ambassador Baptist College and contractually for WWNTBM.

Formerly, Mrs. Holly Minion communicated with you about your prayer letters. Holly accepted a job to work in her church in Minnesota. We are grateful for her years of service and will miss her.

Brother Beane is well-qualified technically and spiritually to assist you and our agency with these behind the scene tasks. Please continue to send all prayer letter-related correspondence to us at [email protected].

Financial Report Reminder

As we enter the last quarter of the year, thoughts turn to year-end tax procedures. Many people begin thinking of last-minute deductions that will affect them. For our US Missionaries, if you anticipate making large ministry purchases and you desire the purchase to be a deduction in the year 2021, you may wish to make the purchase by the end of November. Because of the way our 1099s are calculated, December expenses are “reimbursed” out of January income, so the tax benefit on your 1099 would actually be considered a 2022 reimbursement. Regardless of when the purchase is made, you will still receive a tax benefit. However, we wanted you to be aware of these deadlines as you plan your expenses over the next few months.

Please keep in mind the due dates for financial reports. With the holidays approaching it is easy to let these slip past, but our CPA has encouraged us we need to keep to the due dates, per IRS regulations. The best situation is for you to report all ministry expenses through WW, thus providing the fullest tax benefit. If you do not submit an MFR on time, you can still submit the expenses on your personal taxes on a Schedule C. If you are not currently submitting financial reports we suggest you consider this option. If you have questions about this, please contact Naomi Torberson.

Postal Service Changes

Effective October 1, 2021, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has revised its service standards for certain First-Class Mail items, resulting in a delivery window of up to five days. Current standards call for delivering First Class mail in one to three days. Under revised standards, the delivery time would stretch to as many as five days, according to the Postal Service plan. It also said it would “align hours of operation” at low-traffic post offices. The WWNTBM Office handles bill pay for many of our missionary families. We will adjust the timing of our mailings to allow for the additional delivery periods. We are committed to providing you with the best possible service.

Year-End Prayer Letter Services

If you use our processing services to send out your prayer letter, please submit your letters anytime before 7:00pm EST, December 7. This enables us to process them so your recipients will receive them by Christmas. Letters received after this date will not be mailed until after Christmas.

Our Office will resume processing prayer letters on December 27.

Financial Couriers

Missionaries occasionally have situations where they request that we send funds through a courier, rather than through normal banking channels. Often this is used when it is beneficial to have US cash brought into a country. We have established the following fiduciary guidelines to ensure full transparency and accountability whenever we distribute funds to an individual who is not a World Wide missionary. If you have questions about this process, please contact our Office.

If the courier is a US Citizen, they must provide:

  • A W-9 form for our records
  • A government-issued photo ID, preferably a passport, that shows their citizenship status
  • An ACH Credit form with their banking information

If the courier is a Non-US Citizen, they must provide:

  • A W-8BEN form for our records
  • A government-issued photo ID, preferably a passport, that shows their citizenship and visa status
  • An ACH Credit form with their banking information

Additional Notes:

  • If funds will pass through multiple individuals before they reach the missionary, World Wide will need a list of each individual who will handle the funds, so that we can provide the courier with a chain of custody receipt. This receipt should be signed by each individual along the route. The missionary will then return the receipt to World Wide once funds are received.
  • The Missionary should confirm any restrictions for someone carrying cash into their country. Each country has its own laws about how much cash can be brought in, and whether it needs to be declared to customs officials.
  • Groups traveling together as they leave the US are limited to carrying a combined total of $10,000 without declaring it for customs purposes. There is no impact to them for declaring it. However, failure to declare funds in excess of $10,000 can result in penalties.

New Baby

Dalton Ray Elwart was born on September 20. He weighed 9 pounds 8 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. Dalton is the son of Jackie and Brittany Elwart. He joins older siblings Charlotte (14), Audrey (12), Sadie (10), and Elijah (1). The Elwarts are currently on deputation and hope to move to Big Bear, CA, later this year to plant a church.

Baptist History Recordings

Dr. David L. Cummins is well known for co-authoring three books on Baptist History, as well as his long involvement in world missions. World Wide was privileged to have him as a guest speaker at several Family Fellowship Weeks. In 1995, he gave five sessions on Baptist History and Missions. We have recently uncovered the recordings from that meeting and wanted to share them with our missions family.

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Video 4

Video 5

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. We hope they will encourage your heart.

A Life of Contentment by Pastor David Landers

Walls, Enemies, and Giants by John O’Malley and Jeremy Kobernat

Be Still and Know by John O’Malley

Sources of Joy by Pastor Gene Krachenfels

200 Hundred Miles Over the Mountains

by John O’Malley

I purchased several books from eBay. The seller included a free book which became more valuable to me than the books I bought. The booklet is A Foreign Missionary Workers’ Manual*.

I read this selection, and I thought of you this month where you are. I thought about the global sickness and fatigue from the pandemic, the challenges you face, the sufferings you have endured while preaching the Gospel in the place you serve.

I drew strength from a selection in the manual entitled: Onward Christian Soldiers.

A fourteen-year-old Japanese girl who had only recently found the Lord came into the missionary telling of her desire to take the message of salvation to her loved ones at home.

On inquiry, the missionary found that her home was two hundred miles away over the mountains and that the girl had no other way to cover the distance than to walk. She insisted, however, upon going and was anxious the missionary lady should accompany her.

They started, and even after a steady tramp for a long distance, the Japanese girl did not care to stop. “We must hurry,” she would say, “they might die before we get there.”

Many more weary miles were placed behind them, and noticing that the girl’s feet were bleeding and sore, the missionary insisted that the convert should go no further, without rest.

Resting but briefly, they continued the journey until finally both travelers fell exhausted on the mountainside. At the missionary’s statement, “We cannot go any farther,” the girl looked up and said, “Can’t you sing ‘Onward, Christian Soldiers?’”

The song finished, the little girl asked, “Missionary do you think that the people in America will think that I love Jesus as much as they do?” At last, the home was reached, the story was told, and the family joyfully found the Lord.

Do you, an American, love Jesus as much as the Japanese girl?

I saw these lessons from this fourteen-year-old girl:
1.   I must not lose my passion for souls.
2.   No distance is too great when it comes to delivering the Gospel.
3.   When I feel I cannot go on, I can.
4.   The people I serve have much to teach me about my walk, faith, and passion for the Gospel.

Do you have a lesson that sticks out to you? Please email me and tell me what lessons you drew from this illustration.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

*A Foreign Missionary Workers’ Manual
The Pilgrim House
Indianapolis, Indiana
Published in 1947

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