Be a Jonathan

By John O’Malley

1 Samuel 23:15-17 “And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

January 4, 1991, the telephone rang in my home at 10:45 p.m. The news was unsettling at best. My father had collapsed in his home and was being rushed to the hospital. The next call was the news of his death. The next day, I went to be with my mother and siblings. The day following, a friend of mine, Danny Whetstone, drove over 1,000 miles to come and sit with me. For the next 48 hours, all he did was strengthen my hand in God. Those hours I needed a friend, and God sent me one.

David, the king anointed, was on the run. Saul had relentlessly been pursuing David to take his life. David represented everything Saul used to be and now was not. Recently, David had been in Keilah. When Saul learned of this, he moved immediately to attack. God confirmed in David’s heart that he needed to head to the woods of Ziph. In the woods of Ziph, God knew exactly what David needed. He sent his best friend Jonathan to him.

Odd, isn’t it? Jonathan could find David, but Saul could not. Jonathan walked into the woods and found his friend. Consider this: he forsook his king and his father’s wishes to find his friend and help him. This visit was a precious reunion. David was at a low point. He and his men had been running. Knowing this, God had allowed the heart of Jonathan to be knit to David’s heart in the early days of the palace. So now Jonathan strongly desired to see him.

Jonathan had one thought on his heart: I am going to strengthen my friend in God. Jonathan arrives with his mission clear. Strengthen my friend’s hand in God. Oh, what a transaction of encouragement! What a moment of tender friendship! Jonathan, though unintentionally, set the role of how a friend should respond to another friend’s distress. Look closely at what he did.

    • Jonathan sought to replace David’s worries with the Word of God. (Fear not)
    • Jonathan assured him that his pursuer would not be successful. (…the hand of my father…)
    • Jonathan renewed his hope in the promises of God. (…And thou shalt be king…)

Have you a friend in distress? Has his burden become so heavy that you feel it personally? Well, friend, here is your strategy. Find your friend.  1) Seek to replace his worries with the Word of God. 2.) Tell your friend he will make it.  3.) Tell him that God’s promises are sure.

You know this same David would later have a son who learned well this truth from his father. God would allow him to say, “There hath not failed one word of all his good promise.”

Find your friend today and be a Jonathan to him.

John O’Malley

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

 

From the Memo Board: June 2024

Important Dates to Know

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

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

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

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

July 4 – The Office and most US Banks will be closed in celebration of Independence Day.

April 14-17, 2025 – Family Fellowship Week in Sophia, NC.

New Staff Members

We are pleased to introduce Sarah Hanke as our new Office Assistant. Sarah will join our staff on June 17.

Sarah is from the Shelby, NC area. She graduated from Ambassador Baptist College with a double major in Elementary Education and Church Ministries. Since that time she has been teaching at South Charlotte Baptist Academy. Sarah is a member of Maranatha Baptist Church of Shelby, NC, where she is active in the children’s and music ministries. Her hobbies include reading and crochet.

Sarah completed her internship practicum in our office in the summer of 2020, and our staff was immediately impressed with her servant’s heart and attention to detail. We are excited to have her join the World Wide family, and know she will be a blessing to each of you as you get to know her! You can reach her at [email protected].

We are also pleased to introduce Nikayla Ring. Nikayla will join us from June 3 to September 13 to assist us during our staff transitions.

Nikayla grew up on the mission field of Brazil, and is sister to our missionary Noel Smothers. She graduated from Ambassador Baptist College with a degree in Missions. Since that time she has been teaching at Champion Christian Academy here in Kings Mountain. Nikayla is a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Kings Mountain, NC, where she is active in the music and youth ministries.

Nikayla is engaged to Cody Carden, who leads our See the Harvest ministry along with John O’Malley. She will travel with the second STH team this summer. Nikayla has a passion for missions and a heart to serve. We are excited to have her minister with us this summer.

Notes of Thanks

Kelly Vandervort has been a blessing to our missions family as she has assisted with photography and videography during our Family Fellowship Weeks.  This year she gifted many with professional family portraits. If you would like to send her a note of thanks, her address is 1095 Fire Tower Road, Reynoldsville, PA 15851.

Donna Cmaylo (mother of Rebekah Tolley and mother-in-law to Laura Cmaylo) gifted many who were at Family Fellowship Week with Pampered Chef items. If you would like to send her a note of thanks, her address is 215 French Mountain Dr., Marion, NC 28752.

New Baby

Deborah Taylor was born on May 3 to Kevin and Hannah Taylor, who minister in Mexico. She joins older siblings Tirzah (12), Hadassah (10), Aletheia (8), and Hudson (5).

2024 Graduates

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

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 “Graduates 2024.” This step protects people with WWNTBM in restricted access fields.

Uplift

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 David Landers

The Great Work in the World – Part 1  by Allen Mercer

The Greatest Work in the World – Part 2  by Allen Mercer

The Greatest Work in the World – Part 3 by Allen Mercer

The Homegoing of Doris Hurst

Mrs. Doris Hurst
April 21, 1939 – April 5, 2024
 

Doris Harper Hurst, 84, beloved wife of Elwood Hurst, passed away on Friday, April 5, 2024.

Born in Whitakers, NC, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Christine Smith Harper.

Mrs. Hurst was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother and she loved her family very much. Mrs. Hurst was a devoted member of Tabernacle Baptist Church. She served for over 40 years as a missionary in the South Pacific. Her life was one of service and ministry and the impact of her service and love of God has reached across the world. Her humble sweet spirit will be missed but will live on in the lives she has influenced.

Elwood and Doris Hurst joined World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions in January of 1978. They served faithfully in the Marshall Islands and Guam.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Elwood Hurst; her two sons, Glen Hurst (Laurie) and Andrew Hurst (SheelyAnn); her daughter, Linda Looper; 10 grandchildren, Daniel Hurst, Erin Gerald (Ryan), Garrett Looper (Ellie), Matthew Looper, Emily Looper, Dakota Hurst, Jordan Hurst, Abigail Hurst, Caleb Brinkley, and Vera Brinkley; three great-grandchildren, Samantha, Lily, and Addie; four sisters, Nancy Vick (Clinton), Ardelia Long, Christine Montgomery (Frank), and Elizabeth Jones; and two brothers, Joseph Harper (Melissa) and Frank Harper (Janet).

A celebration of her life was held on Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 3931 White Horse Rd. Greenville, SC 29611. The funeral service began at 11:00 a.m. in the church sanctuary, with a reception following. Burial was held at 3:00 p.m. in Greenville Memorial Gardens.

Condolences may be sent to Bro. Hurst at [email protected].

When God Needs My Help

By John O’Malley

The very words, When God Needs My Helpseem silly.

God is God. He does not need my help, manipulations, or interference in His plans.

God promised Sarah he would give her a son. When Sarah saw what she thought was a delay in God’s delivery of the promise, she helped God. Sarah suggested a plan that sounded right to her.

Sarah’s impatience led her to propose a plan to Abraham, suggesting that their maid Hagar could help with God’s promise. In line with the cultural norms, Hagar became a surrogate for Sarah. However, this was not God’s plan for Sarah to have a son. God’s plan was superior. The consequences of Sarah’s impatience were evident.

Sarah’s plan did not assist God, and God did not require her aid. He needed her to trust in His timing.

We look at this and think how silly Sarah was. Indeed, God did not need Sarah’s help. Her decision to help God brought forth Ishmael. Tensions in the Middle East stem from this decision several thousand years ago.

It’s disheartening to realize that we, as a collective, still fall into this trap. When God’s response appears delayed, we rush to assist Him. The outcome mirrors Sarah’s experience. We grapple with ‘Ishmael problems’ in our lives, families, and ministries.

Could you look around your life today? Do you have Ishmael problems from your attempt to help God? Maybe it’s a purchase you made to help God. Maybe it’s a problem that stems from when you helped God. Perhaps you brought a person in your life into a relationship that you knew was wrong. Likely, you cannot undo your decision; you can only decide not to end up here again.

Remember this: God never needs our help.

Let us not forget the lesson from Sarah’s story. When we take matters into our own hands, we may end up with an ‘Ishmael.’ But when we trust in God’s timing, we receive an ‘Isaac.’

Let your prayer be, ‘God, I will wait on you. I will refrain from trying to assist you again.’

Remember, His promises are sure. His ways are perfect.

Yours for the harvest,

John O’Malley

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

 

From the Memo Board: May 2024

Important Dates to Know

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

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

May 27 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Memorial Day.

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

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

April 14-17, 2025 – Family Fellowship Week in Sophia, NC.

New Board of Reference Member

We would like to welcome Pastor Thomas Engle as a new member of the Board of Reference of WWNTBM. Pastor Engle and his wife Sarah graduated from Ambassador Baptist College and then traveled in evangelism for twelve years before they moved to Darlington, SC, where he currently serves as assistant to Pastor Frank Camp at Victory Baptist Church. He will be transitioning to the senior pastor in the near future, as Pastor Camp will be retiring. The Engles have three children: TJ (15), Elise (12), and Vance (9).

The Edge Christian Camp and Edge2Go International.

For the last several years, we have been blessed to have Scott Carsley, Carey Charles, and the team from The Edge Christian Camp attend Family Week and provide an exceptional program for our young people during the week. Edge2Go is a ministry of The Edge Christian Camp that brings camp to Independent Baptist church locations. The Edge staff offers many aspects of summer camp in a one-day, day camp format, including activities, chapel service, evening service, God & I time booklets, games, activities, and competitions. They have recently been burdened to take this ministry internationally by partnering with missionaries. Their desire is to work with WWNTBM missionaries to bring camp to your mission field. If you are interested, or if you know local churches in the US who could utilize their services, please contact them through the above website.

Missionary of the Day

Our website at wwntbm.com promotes a missionary of the day. This is a great way to get to know about the ministries of others in our missions family. Some have chosen to set this as their home page so they can be reminded to pray for a different missionary each day.

In His Service

For four decades, Bro. Danny Whetstone wrote articles to missionaries offering practical advice, biblical principles, and spiritual encouragement. Those articles first appeared here in the Headquarter Happenings newsletters as he sought to uplift, strengthen, and guide our missions family. WWNTBM has collected 153 of these articles and published them in a book titled In His Service. This book is available on Amazon in both print and Kindle versions. If you would like to purchase copies in bulk to use as gifts, please contact our office.

Family Fellowship Week 2025

Now is the time to begin planning to attend Family Fellowship Week 2025! The conference will be held at the Caraway Conference Center near Asheboro, NC, from April 14-17, 2025. The week begins on Monday afternoon and ends with breakfast on Friday morning. When interviewed, missionaries agree to attend Family Week for two years while on deputation and once every four years thereafter. Please plan to attend the entire week. This is an important time to gather for fellowship, encouragement, and reminders of our heritage.

Helpful Software

We have recently heard of two different websites that may be useful to our missionaries.

DeepL.com is a website that offers translation services, including the ability to translate certain types of documents. The site offers both free and paid options.

Spendee is a financial budgeting application that helps to manage finances in multiple currencies at the same time.

Uplift Podcast Episodes

Acknowledging Him Today by Andy Bonikowsky

Praising God Forevermore by Gene Krachenfels

Stewardship Principles by Jim Davidson

Staff Transitions in 2024

Naomi Torberson:
After twenty years of service, Naomi will transition from World Wide in July. The Lord has led her to serve Him in a full-time capacity teaching at Ambassador Baptist College, and we know she will succeed in this next place in His service.

 

 

 

 

Laura Cmaylo:
In May, Laura will transition from World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions. Laura served the last twelve years with World Wide. Laura’s two children and her home needs require more time.

 

 

Both ladies are transitioning from World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions in the best standing. Each lady served with distinction and with notable sacrifice. We will miss them.

Naomi and Laura are committed to helping us after their transition as we train new staff, whom we will soon introduce to you.

Please Pray:
Pray God will lead us to the best Team Members possible.
Pray for Naomi as she takes her next step of faith.
Pray for Laura as she does all God has for her and her family.
Please encourage our staff who are taking steps to follow the Lord.

Be Kind First

By John O’Malley

None would ever question our Savior’s kindness. He was kind to the blind, the lame, the stranger, the widow, and the orphan.

Jesus wanted the children to have access to Him. He wanted those the disciples wanted to send away to remain. He wanted the lepers to be able to go home. He wanted the multitudes fed.

Kindness marked His spirit and actions.

John’s epistle reminds us that our love for Him is a reflection of His love for us. Jesus’ words, as recorded by John in his Gospel, echo this sentiment: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35. Choosing kindness identifies me with Christ.

My kindness is not tied to someone else’s activities, attitude, or words. Kindness is a decision to obey and observe the commands in Scripture. Paul wrote to the Ephesians: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

Recently, I was challenged by six rude and unkind people in a row. I judged that they lacked couth. Then, the Holy Spirit convicted me, and I began to think how wrong I was. I thought people here were rude and wrote it off to culture, but they needed Jesus.

Yes, they needed Jesus. But they also needed John to be kind first. Kindness needs no catalyst. Kindness is a choice. Kindness must be my choice.

I wondered how many times I had withheld kindness until I saw how they were going to treat me. Yet, last week, I learned that I must be kind first.

You model Christ in your place of service. Choose to be kind first.

Yours for the harvest,

John O’Malley

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

 

From the Memo Board: April 2024

Important Dates to Know

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

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

April 8-12 – Family Fellowship Week at Caraway Conference Center in Sophia, NC.

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

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

Tax Filing Information

The deadline this year to file taxes for most taxpayers is Monday, April 15. If you have not yet contacted your tax preparer about filing your taxes, you need to do so as soon as possible. Failure to file on time, even if you are unable to pay on time, can result in additional penalties and interest. Individuals can receive an extension of the filing deadline, but please note that if taxes are owed, interest on those payments will begin as of April 15 even if you are not required to file until later in the year. All missionaries with WWNTBM are responsible for filing their own taxes. If the office can assist in providing paperwork to your preparer on your behalf, please let us know.

Financial Status Report

We will upload a Financial Status Report to your SecureCloud account in the coming days, showing figures for the first quarter of 2024. This is meant to show you the financial details that we have on file, such as your support estimate and the average amount of support you received this past quarter. This is information we provide to pastors who may call about your ministry. We ask that all missionaries update their support estimate once every four years, or as their lives and ministries change. Please review this information and contact us if you have any questions.

New Guidelines on Business Meals

US Missionaries are able to claim the cost of business meals related to ministry on their financial reports. This includes instances such as taking a pastor out to discuss your ministry or counseling with an individual. Please note that the IRS requires you to record the name of the individual(s) and the purpose of the meal in order to establish the ministry purpose of the expense. Please be sure to include this information when completing your Monthly Financial Report.

Meal expenses related to travel may only be listed on the financial reports as a Meal Per-Diem. Missionaries may not claim as an expense the actual cost for meals or snacks purchased when away from home for ministry.

Business meals should not be claimed on the same day that you claim a Meal Per-Diem.

If you have any questions, please contact our office staff.

New Guidelines on Business Gifts

The IRS has updated its guidelines concerning the ability to claim the cost of business gifts. Per the IRS Publication, “You can deduct no more than $25 for business gifts you give directly or indirectly to each person during your tax year.” US Missionaries are able to claim the costs of ministry expenses that are normal and reasonable in the local culture for the establishment of the ministry. However, our CPA has indicated that it is unclear whether the IRS would allow a cultural exception to allow business gift expenses greater than $25 to one individual in the course of the year. As in other cases where there may be individual exceptions to overall guidelines, we would defer questions regarding the deductibility of specific gifts over $25 in value to your personal tax preparer.

Uplift Podcast Episodes

Valleys in the Life of a Believer – Part 3 by Gene Krachenfels

Valleys in the Life of a Believer – Part 4 by Gene Krachenfels

Valleys in the Life of a Believer – Part 5 by Gene Krachenfels

You Do Not have the Authority to Close God’s Open Door

By John O’Malley

God recently opened a new door of ministry for my friend. She wrote me about this opportunity and her hesitancy and feelings of inadequacy for the task.

I carefully read her words.

She did not think she was qualified. She did not believe she could do the new assignment. She felt there, indeed, was someone better suited for God’s open door.

Scripture is replete with similar moments for God’s people. Jeremiah, Esther, and Paul come to mind. Jeremiah heard God say, do not say I am a child. Mordecai told Esther, God made you for this moment. Paul’s writings tell us about open doors and adversaries (1 Corinthians. 16:9). He also spoke of open doors for preaching but knew no rest. (2 Corinthians 2:12). Later, Paul spoke of a door but mentioned his prison bonds.

God is in the door opening business. He wants His plan carried out, His purpose fulfilled, and His message delivered. The future of souls lies beyond His open door.

When I replied to my friend who wrote, I said, “God opened a door for you; you don’t have the authority to close God’s open doors.”

Like my teacher friend, you may discover that you have an open door and a heart filled with anxiety over any number of human reactions before you. Beyond the open door at which you are staggering, hesitating, or doubting, there is a God Who sees your horizon; He has prepared the way for you!

Walk. Through. The. Door.

If you wonder if you can trust Him, you can.
If you wonder if He can provide, He can.
If you wonder if He knows what’s ahead, He does.
If you wonder if His plan is better than yours, it is.
You can always trust Him.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

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

 

From the Memo Board: March 2024

Important Dates to Know

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.

March 29 – The Office will be closed in celebration of the Resurrection.

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

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

April 8-12 – Family Fellowship Week at Caraway Conference Center in Sophia, NC.

New Guidelines on Business Meals

US Missionaries are able to claim the cost of business meals related to ministry on their financial reports. This includes instances such as taking a pastor out to discuss your ministry, or counseling with an individual. Please note that the IRS requires you to record the name of the individual(s) and the purpose of the meal in order to establish the ministry purpose of the expense. Please be sure to include this information when completing your Monthly Financial Report.

Meal expenses related to travel may only be listed on the financial reports as a Meal Per-Diem. Missionaries may not claim as an expense the actual cost for meals or snacks purchased when away from home for ministry.

Business meals should not be claimed on the same day that you claim a Meal Per-Diem.

If you have any questions, please contact our office staff.

New Guidelines on Business Gifts

The IRS has updated their guidelines concerning the ability to claim the cost of business gifts. Per the IRS Publication, “You can deduct no more than $25 for business gifts you give directly or indirectly to each person during your tax year.” US Missionaries are able to claim the costs of ministry expenses that are normal and reasonable in the local culture for the establishment of the ministry. However, our CPA has indicated that it is unclear whether the IRS would allow a cultural exception to allow business gift expenses greater than $25 to one individual in the course of the year. As in other cases where there may be individual exceptions to overall guidelines, we would defer questions regarding the deductibility of specific gifts over $25 in value to your personal tax preparer.

Reminders about Receipts

Receipts must be submitted for all ministry expenses on your reports that are equal to USD $75 or more. According to the IRS, “A canceled check, together with a bill from the payee, ordinarily establishes the cost. However, a canceled check by itself doesn’t prove a business expense without other evidence.” Based on this, we do not accept cancelled checks in lieu of receipts. Credit card statements are also not preferred. Although they show date and cost, they typically do not show what was purchased or the business purpose of the expense.

Please be sure that all receipts submitted with your report include the entire receipt or invoice for the item(s). The purpose of a receipt is the outside verification of the expense. Therefore, you should never receipt yourself. Receipts should be obtained at the time the expense occurs.

Upcoming Changes in Tax Laws

We have learned of changes in tax law that may affect some of our missionaries within the next few years. We are providing this information so you can be aware and so that you can contact your tax preparer if you have questions on any of these topics.

Possible tax savings for US citizens living abroad

A recent court ruling pertaining to the interpretation of foreign tax credits and tax treaties has opened opportunities for US citizens living abroad to take advantage of certain tax savings. This particularly applies to those with non-US investments and real estate. This change provides the opportunity to claim foreign tax credits going back as far as 10 years, by filing an amended return. Click here to learn more.

Increase in individual tax rates

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law in 2017 reduced individual tax rates. This law is currently set to expire in December of 2025. If that does happen, individual rates would increase and revert back to the 2017 rates. You may want to take steps now to prepare for this. Click here to learn more.

Personal IRS accounts

The IRS offers personal online accounts that allow you access to information related to your own tax filings including balance, payments, tax records, and more. Click here for further information.

Family Fellowship Week

Family Fellowship Week is about coming together as a missions family to fellowship around the Word of God and with each other. The week is also an opportunity to be reminded of our heritage and of the truths we hold dear. Our theme for Family Fellowship Week 2024 is Truth! Truth is everything. Truth is our Creed. Truth is our Calling. Truth is our Character. Truth is our Conduct. Truth is our Consolation. Truth is our Conviction.

Please pray with us that those attending will be encouraged and strengthened to walk in Truth in their lives and ministries.

Uplift Podcast

How Close Are You? by David Fulp

Remembering to Make Him Known by Jeremy Lockhart

Valleys in the Life of a Believer – Part 1 by Gene Krachenfels

Valleys in the Life of a Believer – Part 2 by Gene Krachenfels