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Featured Article: What is a Missionary?

Somewhere between saintliness and foolishness, we find a curious creature called a missionary. Missionaries come in assorted sizes, weights, and colors, but all are sent by the one Lord Who commanded this people to evangelize.

Missionaries are found everywhere: going to, lifting up, launching out, coming from, staying with, bringing around, bearing with, and standing for. Christians love them, governments tolerate them, parents pity them, pagans ignore them, and Christ protects them. A missionary is truth with a broken jeep axle in its hand, beauty with a sick child in its arms, wisdom with a Bible in its pocket, and hope with Christ in its heart.

A missionary has the patience of a fisherman, the audacity of a tight-rope walker, the carefulness of a bookkeeper, the vision of a dreamer, the strength of a builder, the intelligence of a teacher, the wit of a humorist, the irresponsibility of a child, and when he attempts something, he is all prayer.

He likes letters from home, children, preaching, mission recruits, returning from furloughs, faith promise rallies, tracts, printing presses, radio stations, translators, mission boxes, airplanes, villages, Bible studies, cities, correspondence courses, and bookstores. He is not much for high-pressure promotions, red tape, devaluation of the dollar, lukewarm faith, hypocrisy, or discrimination.

Nobody else is so quick to care and so slow to give up. Nobody else gets so much fun out of crocodiles, boiled rice, elephants, sunsets, mimeograph machines, passports, electrical failures, pet cobras, earthquakes, visas, monsoons, droughts, and conversations. Nobody else can crowd into a jeep two native preachers, seven singing young people, a cow being taken to the vet, three chickens on the way to market, 35 hymnbooks, 40 Bibles, a pump organ, one slide projector, one electric generator, two tents, and two ox yokes, (one with an ox!).

A missionary is an unusual creature. You can send him to a far off country, but you had better not forget him. You can get him out of your hair, but you can’t get him out of your heart. He is your servant, your right hand, your dependent. He is a Bible preaching, God fearing, God serving, self-sharing bundle of love. When you come to church with that smug feeling that you are a pretty super Christian, he can shatter it with the simple words, “Come and help us.”

– author unknown

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Prayer & Dates: September 2017

September 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 September. 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.

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From the Memo Board: September 2017

Praise the Lord, He is bringing many new missionaries to join our family at World Wide! Three new families have been interviewed in recent weeks. Due to security reasons, not all can be mentioned on the internet. Please click here to view information on SecureCloud, and learn about their ministries. 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 look for the file labeled September 2017 New Missionaries.

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From Our President: September 2017

Danny Whetstone

We are in conversations constantly with others as we travel from church to church. Often the names of missionaries with World Wide will be mentioned in the conversation. It is a blessing to have the opportunity to speak with confidence about you and your ministry. Whether you are on deputation or the field, let’s do our best to maintain a good testimony for our Lord and for each other.

One of our board members, Pastor Fred Daniel, was on his way overseas just short time ago. There were problems with the aircraft so they were delayed for two and half hours. You can imagine the commotion going on among the passengers. They would be late getting to their destination, or even worse, would miss connections to get them to their final destination. Pastor Daniel was patient and kind for the duration. When they were permitted to reboard Pastor and Mrs. Daniel were directed to seats in first class for the transatlantic flight.

Kindness is not always rewarded immediately, but rest assured it will be. It does not matter if we are dealing with pastors, business owners, or officials of government, it is always best to respond in a Christ-like way.

The Lord has favored World Wide by bringing you our way. We are happy to report that the Lord is continuing to bring others to us on a regular basis. It has been my joy recently to sit in on a few missionary interviews, and I continue to be blessed by the knowledge and zeal of young families making their way to the place of God’s choosing for them. It is also encouraging week after week to see churches increasing their faith concerning giving.

It is my sincere desire that Christ will bless you in the coming days with His presence and obvious power. Let’s hold each other up in prayer as we seek to serve Him in our respective ministries.

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.

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From Our President: August 2017

Danny Whetstone

After the resurrection of our Lord He spent some time with His disciples in John 21. They had been fishing all night and had not caught any fish. From the shore came a voice that the fishermen did not immediately recognize. Over the course of the conversation the Lord would ask three questions.

Question one: Have you any meat? Certainly the inquiry was concerning fish, but it puts me in mind of the Lord and His disciples at Jacob’s well when He was witnessing to the woman that came out to draw water. The disciples told Him that lunch was ready. He replied, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” He was not speaking of the food made ready for physical survival. The Lord made it clear that His meat was to do the will of the Father. They had returned to fishing when they should have continued in the Father’s purpose for them.

Question two: Lovest thou me? We can be very busy in religious service without expressing our love for Christ. Remember that the church at Ephesus (Revelation 2) was doing everything right, but they had left their first love. The church was challenged to remember how they started out in the love of Christ. They were to repent of this sin, and if they did not He would remove their candlestick and not walk in their presence anymore.

Question three: What is that to thee? Peter was now curious what would happen in John’s life and ministry. The Lord told Peter to follow Him without concerning himself with fellow servants. Jesus said, “Follow thou Me.” When we are distracted by the works of others it is easy to lose sight of the One that we should be following. Look to Christ for the next step to take. There was a time when it seemed that I could do two or three things and drive at the same time. Now I can simply adjust my sitting position and have to correct my steering to stay out of the ditch. Our eyes must be fixed on the Lord.

To stay in line with the Lord’s purpose requires that we concentrate on Christ and His will. The fish that the disciples were looking for were under the boat, and they were there just as the disciples were going to give up. The answer you need is on the way. Patiently keep your eyes on the Lord. Many of the Lord’s people stand behind you in prayer and financial support while fighting of the attacks of Satan on their lives everyday. God bless you and your faithfulness to Him.

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.

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WWNTBM Security Protocols

Thank you for your patience with us as we have begun implementing new security protocols. Our goal is to keep your banking and financial information safe, rather than transmitting it through email, which is insecure. If you have not yet contacted our Office to set up your security questions and receive your code phrase(s), please do so as soon as possible.

Using Signal Private Messenger

We request all sensitive information communication go through Signal Private Messenger or via a traditional phone call, rather than by email. If a question arises as to the identity of the individual with whom we are communicating, we will request your code phrase(s) &/or the answer(s) to the security questions you have set up with us. For most general communication, including prayer letters and Monthly Financial Reports, email is acceptable. Click here to download the WWNTBM Quick Reference Guide to Security Protocols, which gives guidelines for when to use Signal Private Messenger vs. who to email for various situations. If for some reason you ever feel there is a need for communication to be more secure, you are welcome to use Signal Private Messenger.

Using SecureCloud

Starting with your July Ledger (Ministry Expense &/or Salary Report) and with your August Support list, these files will now be uploaded to SecureCloud instead of sent to you via email. Of course, your monthly packets will continue to be posted to SecureCloud as well. Following are some reminders about utilizing SecureCloud.

You may access SecureCloud via the website https://cloud.wwntbm.com

The following applications allow you to access SecureCloud on your iOS and Android devices. Download the appropriate application:

‣ Click here to download NextCloud iOS

‣ Click here to download NextCloud Android

You will need three things to login with the NextCloud application:

‣ Server Address: https://cloud.wwntbm.com

‣ User name:

‣ Password:

Click here to watch a video on how to change or retrieve your SecureCloud password.

Click here to watch a video on how to share files in SecureCloud.

Using Password Managers

The weakest link to any security protocol is your personal password(s). We suggest that you make them long, complex, and random; do not use the same password for multiple accounts or websites; and set up a schedule to change your passwords on a regular basis. Using a Password Manager can assist you to remember various account information. Below are helpful links for choosing passwords and for managing and storing them.

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Featured Article: Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles Part Four

For the next few months, Bro. John O’Malley will be sharing with us from his book, Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles. We know that everyone can use some encouragement to stay in the Word of God on a daily basis, and we hope these articles will be a blessing to you in your walk with the Lord.

The Obstacle of Time: I want to read the Bible, but I just do not have enough time in my day to have memorable or meaningful Devotions.

The more I speak to others about their time alone with God, the more I learn I am not alone. Many of us struggle with making time for God; we tell ourselves we do not have enough time. We make excuses. We justify why we have not done it. We give our time to the right things and necessary things; we surrender to our schedules and obligations. We often cannot find a way to fit God into our day. We hate it, but it is the reality of most days.

We cannot add time to our lives. We have what is the time allotted for this vapor of a life. We use phrases like, “I need to make the time. I wish I had the time; I did not spend my time on this; or time is not my friend today.” However, we know all of them are expressions spoken out of frustration.

When we say we do not have enough time in the day to have a Quiet Time with God, how much time should we reserve for Him? The often thought yet unspoken sentiments say, “How much time is ‘enough’ to say I did my Devotions? How long do I need to give Him? How much time should we plan on spending with God for a meaningful experience?” We will say to justify our heart’s emotion, “I have things I have to do. I do not have a lot of time just to sit still. I have kids, tasks, appointments, and obligations that are calling me.”

How is it that we willingly schedule appointments in our lives for everything that meets an emotional need in our lives? We schedule time for work because we trade our life’s hours for dollars. We schedule time for play because we sell our time for momentary happiness. We plan time for the academic institutions in our lives because we exchange time for academic credentials. We plan time for the church because we are willing to trade our time for fellowship and ministry.

The Psalmist said in Psalm 63, he sought God early in the day. He pointed to the human condition of hungering and thirsting to be with God. He speaks of how his vision, praise, and memories are affected when he spends time with God. He spoke of how his rest was directly related to his spending time with God.

When we do not spend time with God, we deplete ourselves. We deplete our peace, joy, and strength. When limiting our access to time with God, we tend to lean on our own understanding; we are filled with doubts, and we consult our own heart instead of the mind of God (Proverbs 3:5-6).

When it comes to our personal time with God, we allow other things to intercept our time. We feel sorry for it, yet it happens. We want to do better with it, but we still let it happen. Why? I believe it is not about wishing, wanting, having, or making more time. It is about making a reservation in your day to meet God.

Making a reservation to meet God is about assigning a specific time to your day. It is about saying no to everything that cries out for your day. It is about saying God is the most important relationship in your life and treating Him as such. Scheduling time with God is not on His schedule. It is about your schedule. If you are going to have a meaningful time with God you must:

1. Determine your best time of day–a time when you are not distracted by the day. The Psalmist David said he sought the Lord early in the day. You know your schedule and your best time.
2. Make an appointment with God–a time not shared with anything or anyone else. Consider the appointment as exclusive access to the Creator of the universe.
3. Reserve time for reflection–a time where you process and assimilate what you read. It is not enough to accomplish a chapter reading or time spent reading without reflection. Reflection implies there is a certain glow or image that the Word of God casts on us. If I do not take time for reflection on my reading, I am just checking off a box on my things to do list.
4. Reserve time to listen–the Bible is God’s letter to us. Read to hear the voice of the Author. Learn to understand the tone of His voice. Learn to listen to the message of the words. Jesus said that His sheep know, hear, and follow His voice. Your time with the Lord is about listening. God’s Word is the answer to every human need. Read not to accomplish book or chapter count. Read and listen.
5. Reserve time to speak with Him–at the end of your reservation with Him, share with Him your heart’s difficulties and desires. He calls us to come to Him when we are weak; He urges us to pour out our hearts to Him.

Right now, look at tomorrow’s schedule. What is more important than meeting God? Now, make a reservation with yourself to have time alone with God. Yes, a reservation.

How much time will you need? Schedule ten minutes where you will shut the world out and sit with God and listen to Him. You may have to go outside. You may need to sit in your car. You may need to close a door. Do what it takes to make a reservation to meet Him.

1. Read one passage of Scripture. Start with a Psalm; look for His reflection in that passage.
2. As you read the verses, remember you may need to read it several times to hear His voice and get a sense of the message of His words.
3. Pause in prayerful reflection and say, “God, this is what I hear in your passage. Is there more you want me to see, learn, or know?”

Reserving ten minutes with God will change your day, your heart, and your outlook. Then in the following weeks, as you are comfortable doing so, increase the time you reserve with Him to fifteen minutes each day. There is not a Biblical standard for minutes spent with Him. I am suggesting a ten-minute reservation with God to get you started.

You will not want to miss what He has planned for you tomorrow in His Word. It will change your life.
Meet Him early. Meet Him often. Meet Him regularly. There is no substitute with your daily reservation with God.

If these thoughts have been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know. If you’d like to purchase the entire Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles book in PDF, Kindle, or iBooks format, click here.

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Prayer & Dates: August 2017

August 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 August. 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.

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From the Memo Board: August 2017

Dates to Know

September 4 – The Office will be closed for Labor Day

Financial Status Reports

We have uploaded a Financial Status Report to your SecureCloud account. 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 you update your support estimate once every four years, or as your lives and ministries change. Please review this information and contact us if you have any questions or changes.

Information for Your Supporters

As you raise support, please be sure to request that your supporters make checks payable to WWNTBM, and send checks to our PO Box rather than our street address. Our mailing address is:

PO Box 725
Kings Mountain, NC 28086

Other options for giving are available online at wwntbm.com/give. Making checks payable to WWNTBM, rather than to the individual missionary, can alleviate the possibility of the church needing to issue a 1099 to the missionary at the end of the year. If you have any questions about this please contact our Office.

Special Projects

If you will be raising funds for a special project please be sure your pastor is aware and approves of the project. Then, please contact our Office in advance, or as soon as it is practical, to conform to IRS guidelines for receipting purposes. In order for us to maintain our tax-exempt status the Executive Board must vote on any special projects for which funds are received in our Office.

Ministry Bank Accounts

If your ministry has been chartered and established as a non-profit organization, we recommend having your ministry get a bank account in its name. Funds for purchases such as land may be able to be sent directly to your ministry, thus eliminating your personal tax liability. Please note that there are limitations to this option, and of course regular support could never be sent this way. Please contact our Office for more info. (Remember: all banking information for new accounts should only be sent to us via the Signal Private Messenger application or by a voice call to our regular Office number. This is to protect the security of your banking information.)

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Lives of Faith

Many of the morning sessions centered around Hebrews 11 and the eternal weight of glory lived out by men and women mentioned there. We were encouraged to allow the eternal weight of glory to impact our own spiritual journeys. To listen to the audio of the sermon, click on the sermon title. (Note: This will take you to our Uplift website. You may be asked to login using the username wwntbm and the password gospel.) If you would like to email the preacher and let him know how his message spoke to your heart, you can click the name below the title.

The Eternal Weight of Glory in the Life of Isaac
John O’Malley

Although Isaac was the son of promise, we know very little of his life in comparison to the lives of his father, Abraham, and his son, Jacob. Isaac stood in gap and passed on his knowledge of God to the future generation because God’s character was evident in his own life. He learned of God’s purity at his circumcision. He often rehearsed God’s promises with his own father. He saw God’s provision on Mount Moriah. He felt God’s peace as he meditated at the well Lahairoi. May the Eternal Weight of Glory motivate us to pass on the torch even when nobody recognizes our accomplishments.

The Eternal Weight of Glory in the Life of Jacob
Gene Krachenfels

Jacob’s life included many trials and contrasts, but his legacy was one of faith, and his knowledge of the eternal glory is revealed in the names of his sons. Reuben’s name references a son and points to the Person of Redemption in Christ. Simeon’s name, “hearing,” indicates the Preaching of Redemption. Levi’s name means “joining” and thereby shows the Peace of Redemption as we are made one in Christ. Judah sang forth the Praise of Redemption. Dan exemplified the Pardon of Redemption, as God judged our sins on the cross. Naphtali’s name refers to wrestling, and thus the Problem of the Redeemed, as our trials are not over at salvation. Gad’s name means “troop,” and points to the People of the Redeemed, indicating that the entire world can be saved! Asher’s name is a reference to blessed happiness, and reveals the Pleasure of the Redeemed through the great joy of salvation. Issachar’s name means “hiring” and thus shows us the Position of the Redeemed as servants. Zebulun was named as a reference to dwelling, and God has given the Promise of the Redeemed that we will dwell with Him eternally. Joseph’s name was Rachel’s plea for God to add to her, and reveals the Progress of the Redeemed, as we should continue to add to our faith and grow in grace. Jacob’s last son was given two names. His first, Benoni, indicates the “son of sorrow” and points to the Price of Redemption. But his second name, Benjamin, means “son of the right hand” and thus points to the Power of Redemption, as God is the author and finisher of our faith. May our view of the Eternal Weight of Glory allow us to leave behind a godly heritage.

The Eternal Weight of Glory in the Life of Abraham
Barry Goodman

The call on Abraham’s life showed God’s mandate and plan. Abraham’s life also reveals that there is a cost to the mission, as he was to leave behind his life and family. When he finally moved on from Haran, he faced a crisis in the menace of the people. He had moved from living with pagans in Ur, to being surrounded by pagans in Canaan. The crowd was the same, but his God was different, and therefore the affect of the crowd on his life was altered. The climax of Abraham’s life is revealed in his motive – he looked for a city! In the records of Genesis, Abraham was searching for a new city in Canaan, but the writer of Hebrews records for us that he was really looking for the eternal city. May our focus on the Eternal Weight of Glory remind us that this world is our passage, not our portion.

The Eternal Weight of Glory in the Life of Abel
Fred Daniel, Jr.

Abel’s life was cut short, but his impact endures. He left the testimony of his offering. He gave his best, by faith, in the right time and right manner that God had requested, and in so doing he acknowledged his sin. He obtained a testimony that he was righteous, as God Himself repeatedly refers to him as “righteous Abel.” God will testify of your sacrifices one day as well. Abel’s testimony is ongoing. His life bears eternal influence because of his giving. He came by faith not works, accepted revelation that was beyond his own will, and showed that sin will be severely punished. May our offerings to God testify of the Eternal Weight of Glory to those around us.

The Eternal Weight of Glory in the Life of Noah
Mike Renfrow

We learn much of Noah’s character in the Bible. He was an outstanding craftsman and had a wonderful family heritage. He was a man of patience and endurance and had a good wife who was willing to follow him as he followed the Lord. He was a man of faith in a culture that was depraved morally, deranged mentally, and dead spiritually. We know that his faith was attested to by others, authenticated by his works, and based on the Word of God. His faith was ignited by fear and moved him to be evangelistic. Noah’s life exalted God. Noah’s faith reminds us that God keeps His Word. Noah’s story proves that God is long-suffering. Noah’s salvation shows that God is just to judge the world. May our works preach to others the Eternal Weight of Glory and the benefits of serving the God Who keeps His promises!

The Eternal Weight of Glory in the Life of Joseph
Chad Estep

Joseph’s life of faith is summarized by his commandment concerning his bones. The one thing he clung to throughout his life was God’s promise to give his family the land of Canaan. He knew it was God’s plan for them to be in Egypt for a season. He realized God was using him as a means to get them there, and provide for them. Though he seemingly lost all control of his life at the age of 17, he willingly took his own hands off and chose to enjoy the journey, trusting that he would arrive safely at the end. Joseph was repeatedly elevated in his life, and each time he used the experience to elevate his God in the eyes of those around him. May our lives elevate our Savior, that others may see the Eternal Weight of Glory through us.

The Eternal Weight of Glory in the Life of Sarah
Michael West

As we study Scripture, it seems that at least a portion of the Eternal Weight of Glory is the revelation and knowledge of God Himself. Over a dozen times, Paul writes of his longing to see and know God. John writes of the day we will be with Him. It matters to God that we love Him and Him alone! Sarah’s story in Hebrews emphasizes that she herself received strength through faith. Until the point at which the Lord visits Abraham and gives the promise of their coming son, all Sarah has known of God has been through Abraham’s testimony. She listened for years to his tales of visions from God, but she herself never encountered God until that day. Although Abraham seemingly recognized he was speaking with the Lord, it is possible that Sarah, listening from inside the tent, laughed at these (apparent) strangers discussing her future. But then, as the Lord heard her laugh and spoke to her, and she realized for the first time Who it was making the promise. As she encountered the Lord for herself, she began to judge Him faithful. May we too begin to experience a portion of the Eternal Weight of Glory in our present lives, as we draw nigh and get to know our God!

The Eternal Weight of Glory in the Life of Enoch
Frank Camp

Enoch had a personal translation. There was a purpose for it, and much proof of it as countless others searched for him, but were not surprised that he was out walking with God! His translation was provided by God. Think of where you would like God to take you – today, tomorrow, and ultimately to heaven! Think of how others were affected by his walk and by his translation! Enoch also had a pleasing testimony that began with an experiential change which was also enduring. It was an exigent change – God took him without waiting for normal circumstances! His change was expectant – God’s plan for all is that we must come to God. Others were impacted as they observed his walk. Enoch preached the Truth. His message included the coming of the Lord and the condemnation on the ungodly. Others were changed as they listened to his preaching. May our life result in the Eternal Weight of Glory for other people, as did Enoch’s.

The Eternal Weight of Glory in the Life of Moses
Bill Wingard

God’s call on Moses’ life was provoking. He was not prepared, had not taught his family, and had not fully identified with God’s people through circumcision up to this point. But, Moses made choices. He chose the afflictions. He chose to follow God’s calling. Throughout his ministry he faced challenges. In many of those challenges, he plead for God on behalf of those causing him trouble. Though he was faithful in so many areas of his life, when the crisis of water came he made the wrong decision. As a result, his death was a private one outside of Canaan, and God refused him the greatest desire of his life. In his life, we see that decisions have long term consequences, they affect our families, and yet it is worth it all just to serve Christ. May we choose to suffer afflictions in this life, that we may see the Eternal Weight of Glory in the next.