Posts

Posted on

Evening Sessions

Each year at Family Week, the daily sessions focus on our missions family, while the evening messages include the host church family. Four speakers are selected to challenge and encourage hearts for the cause of missions.

Each message below contains links to the audio via our Uplift podcast site. In order for the direct links to work, you must be logged in with the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD
John O’Malley

Isaiah 61 is the only passage that uses the phrase, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD.” Christ referred to this passage at the beginning of his own ministry. There are great parallels here for us. We learn that we have a manager – one who manages. We do not need to wonder about our future or tasks, because the manager is in charge – we can simply ask Him. A manager brings a mess into order, gives marching orders, and is responsible for the strength, stability, success, safety, supply, and sustenance of the workers. Christ our manager reassures us that He bought us, loves us, wants us, and we are His! We also have a multitude. We have people to whom we are to bring good tidings. We have a message. We must proclaim the year of the Lord and the day of His victory and vengeance. We have a mandate to produce an exchange of beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, and praise for heaviness. The supply for this exchange is limitless and comes from our manager. We also have a mandate to plant trees of righteousness. The purpose for it all is so that Christ will get the credit and glory.

Pure Hearts and Fervent Love
Bill Wingard

Our purpose is to make Christ known, that men may know Him, and that the world will know that we know Him. We have evidence they may not like, but cannot dispute, when we show our changed life and our love for others. The love of God flows through a life that has been genuinely changed. The world knows we are disciples when we love. Love is an international blessing from God. It is a defense in our lives against sin. The blood cleanses our sin, and love covers our sin. (I Peter 4:8) I Corinthians 13 compares faith, without which we cannot please God; hope, without which we have no confidence; and love, without which our service is worthless. Love is the greatest of these three!

Missions and the Modern Generation
Caleb Rollins

What does the future hold for the next generation? When facing Goliath, David had a vision of what had to be done. He was able to do one simple thing by stepping out in faith and being willing to attempt what nobody else would do. As a young boy, Samuel kept listening to the call of God. His circumstances were not good. He was in the place of the ark yet did not know the Lord. His mentor was failing spiritually and could not help him. He slept while the flame went out. Yet in spite of circumstances, he listened and answered the call of God. When being held captive by Naaman, the little maid saw a need and answered her master’s cry for help. She was willing to realize that God had her in that place for a reason. Each of these young people had a vision, heard the call, and acted on the call of God for their lives. We must keep the vision, keep listening, and act upon the call of God in our lives as well.

Beyond Our Fondest Dreams
Danny Whetstone

Paul begins Ephesians 3 by calling himself a prisoner, not of Rome, but of Christ. He knew God had him in that place for a reason and believed he was right in the center of God’s will. He was willing to face great persecution for a cause he knew to be right because he had a cause – the ministry and mystery of sharing the Gospel with the Gentiles. He desired that God would strengthen these believers with the Spirit, that Christ would dwell in them, and that grounded in love they would be able to comprehend Christ’s love which passes knowledge. With this cause in mind, he closed the chapter with a challenge to dream big in ministry. This God who fills our lives is able. We can live this life beyond our wildest dreams. No dream is too big until it exceeds the ability of God. Nothing is impossible for the One who can hear the dreams of our heart. We fear that men will laugh at our dreams, but just because they don’t know how to dream doesn’t mean we should not do so. What dream do you have for your life that will honor God and bring glory to Christ? Rise up in humility and in the knowledge of the love of God, ask Him to grant you your wishes, and watch Him fulfill your fondest dreams.

Posted on

Family Fellowship Week 2018 Quotes

Too many Christians are in a place where the door of their prison is open, and their chains of sin are broken, but they are still sitting in prison because they have not chosen to follow Christ by getting up and walking out of the door away from their past! Michael West

The cross had long been a fundamentally divisive symbol, yet when Christ was crucified it became a symbol of unity. Matthew Brown

Cross-focused missionaries can experience the power of the cross in their ministries. Fred Daniel, Jr.

A casual approach or lack of preparation for a sermon is a horrible disrespect to the Savior who died for us. You will never preach effectively if you do not study effectively. Tim Daniel

My sin sent Christ to Calvary, but his love took him there. John O’Malley

The profundity of Scripture lies in its simplicity. Bill Wingard

When the older generation loses their vision the younger generation loses their hope. We must not fail to share our vision with the next generation. Caleb Rollins

Posted on

From the Desk of a Friend: Be Filled


Bro. Elwood Hurst has recently taken on the role of Missionary Mentor. He will be writing a monthly article for us to encourage and challenge our missions family. This is his first such article. If it is an encouragement to you, please email him to let him know. You may also visit ebarnabas.org to make an appointment with him for encouragement.

BE FILLED

Ephesians 5:18 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

The reference above is a direct command and a simple one. But it seems frequently misunderstood.  We are in no way to exalt the Holy Spirit above the Lord Jesus Christ, but He is a vital part of our relationship to our God and Savior. Without the filling of the Spirit of God, we cannot expect the fruit that God intends us to bear in our ministry.

In Luke 24:49b, Jesus told the disciples to “…But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Jesus states to the same people in Acts 1:8 that they will be witnesses, “…after the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” We realize that this is primarily referring to the Pentecostal event of the birth of the church. But, the truth still holds that we must be filled by the Spirit of God to be effective in the ministry of bearing witness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Often, we think we can go on our own until time to deliver a message, witness to a person, or participate in an event. It is good to pray as we begin that work and seek the leading of the Spirit of God. However, we may miss that state of being “filled with the Spirit” if that is the only seeking of the Spirit we have done. That filling involves a process of our turning lose the control of the fleshly nature and surrendering to the control of the Holy Spirit. As with the alcohol drinker, he ingests several drinks before the evidence of the control is known. We need to take action to have the Spirit “filling” us.

1. In being filled, we must fill our hearts with the Word of God and allow its instructions to take hold of our hearts and lives.
2. As the Word of God washes away more and more of the fleshly controlled parts of our lives, the control of the Spirit is more and more evident.
3. We need to spend our time praying and asking God as David did to search us for the unclean areas in our lives. As God reveals those things to us, we must confess and forsake them.
4. The more His Word controls our lives, the more we will be an effective witness and servant of our Lord and the more people will see God in us.

The Spirit of God indwells all who are saved. We long to be the vessel that He not only lives in but is revealed through to others by our witness and light in the world. Could we substitute programs, education, and other preparations for time on our knees and in the Book that God would be more known in our lives instead of our nature and ideas?

Posted on

Missionary Mentor

Every missionary knows that the ministry is great! Each missionary knows with great opportunities comes great adversaries, real opposition, and many questions about how to handle the moments of ministry which leave us seeking answers. Every missionary will have moments where they wonder, “Does anyone understand how lonely I get? Does anyone know how hard it is? Does anyone grasp the toll the ministry takes when facing opposition?”

I do not know a missionary who would not like to have a personal Barnabas available to them on their field at a moment’s notice. How wonderful it would be to have on call a trusted, experienced, mission-field-qualified, battle-tested, and compassionate friend!

How precious it would be to have someone who could be on your field in a few hours time to sit across the table from and to whom you could confidentially pour out your heart!

I believe every John Mark and every Paul needs a Barnabas in their lives. No missionary should ever feel alone, afraid, or without advice. When a missionary begins to feel this way it gives Satan an advantage in his life, family, and ministry. I believe every missionary on deputation, furlough, and on the field should have their own personal Barnabas.

Our missions family needs to have available our own “Barnabas on Call.” We need someone who can counsel a missionary about any aspect of ministry. Knowing this need to have a Barnabas on Call, we asked Brother Elwood Hurst to add this aspect of ministry to his role as Mission Representative.

Brother Elwood Hurst understands every aspect of missions. He entered the ministry in 1978. He brings to every conversation a depth of unparalleled experiences. He speaks with a gracious tone and has a gentle spirit. He is a Barnabas to many. He can speak to a John Mark with gentleness. He can speak to a Paul with graciousness. He can love a missionary with a struggle or seemingly insurmountable issues.

Brother Hurst agreed to be available to you with just a few hours notice. He will use our video conference software to meet you, by appointment and at your convenience to offer advice and counsel to you. He will listen to you. He will love you. He will pray with you. He will be a son of consolation to you.

You will not have to leave your field to come to him; he will meet you virtually from his home in South Carolina. You can visit ebarnabas.org to make an appointment for encouragement with Brother Hurst. Brother Hurst will:

• Write each missionary family to check on you and your well-being in ministry.
• Write articles by email and in Headquarter Happenings to share advice and encouragement.
• Connect with you by phone or virtually at your convenience to listen, pray, counsel, and encourage you.

Elwood Hurst is a Barnabas to World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions. He is a gift to us from God. Please pray for him as encourages and brings consolation to all of our missions family.

Email: [email protected]

Visit ebarnabas.org to make an appointment for encouragement.

Posted on

From Our President: July 2018

Danny Whetstone

In Ephesians 3 Paul begins by declaring that he is “the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles.” He is not using the title of prisoner to demean himself, but rather to make known that he is pleased to be whatever His Lord wants him to be. He is a born-again Jew with a ministry to reach out to the Gentile world with the gospel of Christ.

Note how the Trinity is involved in Paul’s work:

In verses 14-15, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named….” Paul’s ministry was marked by respect and reverence to God the Father.

In verse 16, “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man….” Paul also understood the source of his strength and power.

In verses 17-19, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Power tempered with love is a mighty combination for a servant of Christ.

Verse 20 says, Now, with the “fullness of God,” Paul was in a position to press forward in an unbelievable way. He was of the opinion now that he could not possibly dream beyond the ability of God to provide. What do you want to see God do in your life, in your family, and in your ministry? Do we limit God with our lack of faith? Does He want to reach beyond our fondest dreams to accomplish His purpose in reaching a Gentile world with His gospel?

All of this is to be to God’s glory according to verse twenty one. What might God do if He received the glory that He deserves in the church? We have been commanded to preach the Gospel to the world. Our Lord would not have given us this task if it could not be done. Oh that we would reverence the Father, be controlled by the Spirit, and be filled with the love of Christ.

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.

Posted on

Prayer & Dates: July 2018

July Prayer/Praises and Special Dates

Click the link above to download a PDF of prayer requests and praises as well as the birthdays and anniversaries for July. Note: You will need to login to SecureCloud in order to view this document. Once you have logged in, click on Files, Shared, then Headquarter Happenings, then scroll to the month you would like to view. This step protects people with WWNTBM in restricted access fields.

Posted on

From the Memo Board: July 2018

Dates to know

July 30 – Adjusted pay date for those who normally receive funds on the 29th.

August 1 – June financial reports will be due.

August 13 – Please contact us by this date if you will need funds in your account before August 31st.

August 20-24 – Encouragement Conference in Germany.

August 31 – Adjusted pay date for those who normally receive funds on the 29th.

September 1 – July financial reports will be due.

September 3 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Labor Day.

Mark Your Calendars

Now is the time to begin planning to attend next year’s Family Fellowship Week. We will meet June 17-20, 2019, with Pastor Tim Daniel and the New Testament Baptist Church of Kinston, NC. If you are planning a furlough in 2019, please be sure to arrange your schedule so you can attend this meeting in its entirety.  It will begin with dinner on Monday evening and end with the Thursday evening service.  Most attendees plan to depart Friday morning.  It is truly the highlight of the WWNTBM year.

Thank you!

Our Office Staff greatly enjoyed the opportunity to visit with many of you during the recent Family Week. This is our favorite week of the year because we have the opportunity to connect with you in person. Several of you were so gracious to give us gifts, including some we received marked simply as “from the missions family.” Thank you to each of you who participated in this gift. We appreciate your thoughtfulness!

25th Anniversary     

This year’s Family Week included a special recognition of John and Kim O’Malley for 25 years of service at WWNTBM.  We praise the Lord for their faithfulness and for their heart for missions.  The mission gave them a gift, and in addition Faith Baptist Church also took up a collection for them. Here is a note of thanks from the O’Malleys:

Dear Missions Family,

In 1993 when Brother Whetstone approached me about serving with World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions I did not know what the next 25 years held. But, I knew Who would hold us during the next 9,125 days. I know, as long as God gives life and His will permits, He will hold us the next 9,125 days. 
It is a joy to serve the Lord at WW. Kim and I sense your love and prayers. Your prayers and love make us thankful for you. 

Thank you for your kind and generous financial remembrance and the extravagant gift card for Starbucks. I am planning to use the funds for a getaway with Kim. 

Thank you for the privilege to serve you!

John and Kim O’Malley

SERVE Qualities

This year our staff has adopted a new mission statement.  We thought you would like to see our motto so you are aware of what we are striving for each day.  As you consider this, perhaps it is something you would like to implement in your own ministry as well. We pause weekly to remind ourselves of this goal, and to focus on staff and missionaries who have exemplified these qualities during the week.

We serve God’s Great Commission partners so that they can focus on giving and going into all the world. (God’s partners are the Laborers, Leaders, and Givers who participate in spreading the Gospel.)  We are at our best when we are:

S-Selfless
E-Eager
R-Responsible
V-Valuable
E-Exceptional

Form I-9

We have recently learned that Homeland Security requires WWNTBM to have a Form I-9 on file for all of our current missionaries (employees). Typically this form has to be completed in the presence of a staff member.  However, because many of our missionaries are not present in the Kings Mountain, NC, location, we have established a process for those individuals who cannot come to the office to complete this form. You should have received an email detailing the steps needed to submit this. Please complete this as soon as possible so we can get our records up to date. If you have questions, please contact Naomi Torberson. Thank you for your help with this urgent matter!
Posted on

Featured Article: The Church Planter and His Character

Bro. David Price has been a church planter in France for many years now. We appreciate his wisdom and the thoughts he has shared in the article below on the vital importance of The Church Planter and His Character.

Introduction

Church planting is one of the most challenging, exhilarating, disappointing, and consuming ministries that God can call one of His servants to accomplish. Although I cannot imagine being a part of any other ministry that places such rigorous demands on God’s servant, the challenge is so fulfilling because of God’s leading. The church planter is on the front line, accomplishing God’s plan for this age of grace. Charles Ryrie said it best:
“The importance of the church can scarcely be overstated. It is that which God purchased with the blood of His own Son (Acts 20:28). It is that which Christ loves, nourishes, and cherishes (Eph. 5:25, 29), and which He shall present to Himself blameless in all her glory one day (v. 27). Building His church constitutes Christ’s principal work in the world today (Matt. 16:18).”

Church planting is the direct accomplishment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8), making disciples by going, baptizing, and teaching. God’s servant must remember that all other types of ministries should help to accomplish God’s primary goal and purpose–church planting. The world has a great need for a vibrant church that is evangelistic, Christocentric, dynamic, and engaged in society to reproduce itself. Through this type of church, the Gospel of Jesus Christ reaches the lost, bringing them to a saving knowledge of the Savior. The question to ask is what are the requisite qualities of a church planter involved in this type of church?

The Church Planter and His Character

The Lord calls exceptional men to be church planters. The demands of a church-planting ministry are so great that only those with exceptional character and godly qualities will accomplish this great endeavor. In addition to the qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus, three character qualities should be present in the church planter’s life: (1) spiritual maturity, (2) learning capacity, and (3) vision.

One area that is of utmost importance is spiritual maturity. The church planter must exemplify maturity in his:
Perseverance
Emotional stability
Marital and family health
Prayer life

The church planter must persevere when there seems to be no fruit (Colossians 1:11-12). He must understand that if God has called him, He will bring fruit in due season if the church planter remains faithful. The church planter must also reveal spiritual maturity in his emotional stability (Proverbs 25:28, 12:16). Through disappointments and even failures, he must remember that God is faithful. The church planter must have his emotions based on the things of the Lord and not the circumstances that are before him. This stability will also play an important role in the church planter’s marriage (1 Timothy 5:8; Proverbs 11:29). Simply put, the church planter must have a marriage that those around him envy. He must be 100% devoted to his wife and family, who are his greatest and first ministry.

These three aspects of the church planter’s spiritual character will only be possible if he has a prayer life that reveals an intimate, daily walk with God (1 Chronicles 16:11). The importance of this foundational truth is impossible to express. Prayer makes or breaks the church planter and his ministry.
Another aspect of the character of the church planter is his ability to be a good student. He must be a student of not only God’s Word but also the culture in which he is serving. Charles-Daniel Maire defines culture as “…everything which, through education, passes from one generation to the next, leaving a footprint that expresses the identity of a human being and allows him to recognize himself as a member of the group to which he belongs by birth or by choice.”

Church planting and especially cross-cultural church planting requires men who adapt to the culture within which they serve whether they are in West Virginia or in Europe. A key element to being successful in soul winning is understanding the person in his cultural context and overcoming cultural barriers to share the gospel. The apostle Paul clearly explains this principle in 1 Corinthians 9:19–23. This principle of studying is also seen in language acquisition on the foreign mission field. Many times, foreign church planters, in their zeal, rush and do not effectively learn the language. Without proper language skills, the most important message cannot be communicated effectively, often resulting in the national’s rejection of the message.
The last element of the church planter’s character that is of utmost importance is vision (Psalm 5:3). A vision for the ministry will cause the church planter to be unsatisfied with the status quo and put all of the effort possible on God’s program instead of man’s. A vision will also unite the church plant around one objective using its energy to attain that goal. A byproduct is that much of the discord that may exist in a church will often disappear if everyone is striving to reach the same goal. Vision also gives a purpose for every single activity, from cleaning the bathrooms to teaching a Sunday school class.

Conclusion

The importance of church planting cannot be overemphasized. The church planter’s character also cannot be overemphasized. God needs exceptional men through whom His plan for this age of grace will be accomplished. The result will be a church that is evangelistic, Christocentric, dynamic, and engaged in society able to reproduce itself.

If this has been a blessing to you or you would like to share your thoughts with Bro. Price, you can contact him via email here.

Posted on

Ministry Milestones 2018

We would like to recognize several ministry milestones that are being reached during the year 2018. We are grateful for these individuals who continue to serve faithfully.

Jim Bailey has served on the Executive Board for 35 years. He and his wife, Patty, are from Edinburg, VA, where he formerly pastored. After his retirement from the pastorate, they began traveling as furlough replacements in August 2014.
Barbara O’Malley has served on the Office Staff for 5 years. She formerly volunteered in our office for many years, before becoming paid staff in 2013. She lives in Kings Mountain, NC, and also spends part of the year in West Palm Beach, FL, with family.
John and Kim O’Malley have been missionaries with World Wide for 25 years. They live in Kings Mountain, NC. Bro. O’Malley has served in several capacities and has been the General Director since 2006. He spends much of his time on the road preaching in missions conferences and encouraging the next generation of missionaries. Kim has served on our Office Staff for over 20 years and has been the full-time Office Manager since 2004.
Ruth Ann Arthurs has been a missionary with World Wide for 35 years. She and her late husband, Dave, served in radio ministries in several locations, even before joining WWNTBM and settling in Pohnpei. After his home-going in 2013, she eventually retired to Taylors, South Carolina. She remains active in encouraging the ministries in Pohnpei.
Renee Atkins has been a missionary with World Wide for 25 years. She and her late husband Chick were missionary helpers assisting others in many capacities throughout several countries and in many states in the US. After his home-going in 2009, Renee retired in Duncan, SC, to be near her children.
Joe and Carolyn Cannon have been missionaries with World Wide for 30 years. They served for many years in Yap and Canada. Since 2011 they have worked in prison ministries in North Carolina.
Stanley and Marvine Cline have been missionaries with World Wide for 30 years. They served in Majuro before moving into a representative role as Deputation Secretary in 2002 and have also assisted many ministries as furlough replacements.  In 2014 the Lord led them to take over the pastorate of Solid Rock Baptist Church in Timberville, VA.
Edgar and Rosann Feghaly have been missionaries with World Wide for 35 years. They served in his home country of Lebanon throughout the Lebanese War. They now live in Tennessee, from where they base their ministry to the Middle East and Africa.
Nathan Fry has been a missionary with World Wide for 5 years. He initially served as an interim in Pohnpei, running the Calvary Baptist Radio Station after Dave Arthurs’ passing. While there he met his wife, Hannah, and they served for a time in Yap. They have recently started the Lens of the Harvest ministry, to assist missionaries with video and presentation needs. Their daughter, Grace, was born this April.
Kelly and Becca Gilliam have been missionaries with World Wide for 20 years. They serve in Queensland, Australia, with their children Clarisse and Bryce. In addition to the church they have planted, they are reaching their community through youth sports programs and religious instruction classes in local schools.
Jack and Johnnie Hunt have been missionaries with World Wide for 45 years. They live in New Bern, NC, where they serve with Mission Aeroservices which assists missionaries from around the world with pilot training and aircraft maintenance.
Elwood and Doris Hurst have been missionaries with World Wide for 40 years. They served in Guam for many years. They now travel as Representatives and have recently begun a Ministry of Encouragement to our missionaries. You can learn more about this new opportunity at ebarnabas.org. They live in Greenville, SC.
Ruby Kersey has been a missionary with World Wide for 35 years. She and her late husband Herb served as representatives for many years. After his home-going, she served on our Office Staff for a time. She is now retired and lives in Lucama, NC.
Rolando and Hannah Ortiz have been missionaries with World Wide for 5 years. They serve in Mexico with their children Azelia, Viana, and Amadeo. They are in their first term on the field and have a thriving church plant currently meeting in their home. They are praying about the direction the Lord would have them go concerning expansion out of their home.
Jack and Melinda Peeler have been missionaries with World Wide for 15 years. For many years they traveled assisting ministries around the world. They have most recently been helping to start a church on the Nukuoro atoll in Micronesia.
David and Heidi Racke have been missionaries with World Wide for 15 years. They have served in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, and Peru and currently live in Bradenton, FL, where they are assisting a church to begin a Spanish ministry.
Omar and Tracey Schrock have been missionaries with World Wide for 10 years. They serve in Brazil with their children, Johnathan and Mahalia. They have recently been able to move the location of their church to a new facility, and are excited about how the Lord is using this move to reach more individuals.
Josh and Sarah Wagar have been missionaries with World Wide for 5 years. They are serving in their first term in Chuuk, Micronesia, with their daughter Milena. Currently, their ministry is assisting an established church while working to learn the language and to build contacts in the community.
Ernie and Nancy Wyrick have been missionaries with World Wide for 25 years. They served for a time in Siberia until the Lord moved them to Delta Junction, Alaska. Bro. Ernie is a chaplain with the local Fire Department, and they have a ministry with shut-ins and those in nursing homes.
Mark and Diane Zimmer have been missionaries with World Wide for 15 years. They serve in Yap, Micronesia, with their three youngest children, Cherish, Caleb, and Levi. Two older children are currently attending Bob Jones in South Carolina. Their ministry reaches as well to the outer islands of Micronesia, as they assist nationals with other church plants.
Fred Daniel, Jr. serves on the Executive Board of WWNTBM. This year he and his wife Beth will celebrate 30 years of ministry at Brookhaven Baptist Church in Greensboro, NC. Two of the Daniels’ children, Fred III (and Brittany) Daniel and Hannah (and Rolando) Ortiz, are missionaries with WWNTBM in Mexico.
David Fulp serves on the Board of Reference for WWNTBM. This year he and his wife Lisa will celebrate 20 years of ministry at the Good News Baptist Church of Madison, NC. Their daughter Stephanie (and Tim) Germano is a missionary with WWNTBM in the Dominican Republic.
David Landers serves on the Executive Board of WWNTBM. This year he and his wife Judy will celebrate 20 years of ministry at Gateway Baptist Church of Rising Sun, MD. Prior to this pastorate, the Landers were missionaries with WWNTBM to the country of Bolivia.
Posted on

The Homegoing of Norman Johnston

In Memory of Norman Johnston
March 23, 1950-May 14, 2018

Norman Lee Johnston entered into the joy of his Lord on Monday, May 14th. He passed away of a heart attack while at home, the day before he was scheduled to travel to share the Gospel in remote unreached mountain villages of Madagascar.

“Pastor J,” as he was affectionately known, was born in Ohio on March 23, 1950, and attended Bob Jones University. He and his wife Joy served for many years as missionaries to Korea, until the Lord closed the door for them to remain in that country. They moved next to Vancouver, where he pastored a Korean congregation. He later pastored in Pennsylvania. In 2002, he joined the faculty of Ambassador Baptist College, where he was the chairman of the missions department.

Bro. Johnston had a burden and passion for reaching the lost, and for encouraging young people in their service for the Lord. He was known for his contagious smile, and his “can do” approach to life. He was a friend and mentor to hundreds of students and loved nothing more than to play matchmaker and see new Christian families established. He could always be counted on to share an encouraging word or to challenge an individual to set aside excuses and simply do the next thing to serve God and spread the Gospel.

In 2005 during a Mission Prayer Band meeting, Bro. Johnston presented the idea of placing the Bible and other Christian resources on the internet in multiple languages. The Alethia Project was born out of this meeting. It continues as a student-led organization at ABC and is a tribute to his memory.

Bro. Johnston came to World Wide as an associate missionary in 2009 while assisting a Korean church, and also planting a multi-language church in Charlotte, NC. Today, Every Nation Baptist Church continues to reach many ethnicities in Charlotte’s inner city area.

Funeral services were held at Ambassador Baptist College on May 18th. A recording of the memorial service is available here.

Bro. Johnston was well known for sharing quotes and poems. Some of his favorites include:
I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And what I can do, I ought to do, and by the grace of God, I will do.
-Edward Everett Hale

All the people,
all the towns,
every need as it is found,
all the people, every one,
all my heart until it is done.

Go forth serving God, loving others, and winning souls.

We really have no excuse for not trying to reach this world with the Gospel.

As Christians our partings are never good-byes, they are only “see you later.”

In addition to his wife Joy, he is survived by four children: Ahna Johnston, Rebecca (and husband Robert) Harr, Seth Johnston, and Benjamin Johnston. Please be in prayer for the family, and especially for Mrs. Joy.