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23 Mar

March 23, 2012 |
2012 Horizon Scholarship Recipients at Huntington University

L-r: Reneson Jean-Louis, Vanessa Robles, Brianna Cash, Mirlyne Charles, Corean Sanders, Madison Rhoades. (click to enlarge)

Huntington University has chosen six incoming freshman to receive the Horizon Leadership Scholarship for the 2012-13 school year.

This is the program’s fifth year. The Horizon Leadership Program is a partnership between Huntington University and Youth for Christ with the goal of creating a more racially and ethnically diverse campus. The scholarship covers fees associated with tuition and housing costs for up to 10 semesters through a combination of federal, state, and institutional aid. Recipients are required to maintain a 2.5 grade point average, meet with the director of the program weekly, and volunteer at the Primetime Center in Fort Wayne.

“The Horizon Leadership Program provides a tremendous opportunity for ethnic-minority students to become trailblazers for the younger youth within their homes and communities who will follow in their footsteps,” says Arthur Wilson (right), director of urban scholarship and mentoring for the program. “As a Horizon participant, students play a pivotal role in reflecting the diversity of God’s kingdom within the community of Huntington.”

Seven students received the award in 2011. The recipients of this year’s scholarships:

  • Reneson Jean-Louis, from Homestead, Fla., a senior at South Dade Senior High School. He plans to study pre-law at HU.
  • Vanessa Robles, from San Antonio, Texas, a senior at Karen Wagner High School. She plans to study marketing at HU.
  • Brianna Cash, from Lima, Ohio, a senior at Lima Senior High School. She is interested in studying biology pre-med.
  • Mirlyne Charles, from Homestead, Fla., is a senior at South Dade Senior High School. She plans to study biology pre-med.
  • Corean Sanders, from Fort Wayne, Ind., a senior at South Side High School. She is interested in studying graphic design.
  • Madison Rhoades, from New Haven, Ind., is a senior at New Haven High School. She plans to study math education.

Earlier this year, Huntington University received a national award for its programs in promoting racial and ethnic diversity.

22 Mar

March 22, 2012 |

The four American travelers with some Thai women. L-r in back: John Beukema, Kyle Bushre, John Hetrick, and Jeff Bleijerveld. (click to enlarge)

A service in one of our churches in northern Thailand.

A footbridge into a Thai village.

John Netrick with a friend.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

In January 2012, I visited Thailand with three men from King Street UB church in Chambersburg, Pa.–pastor John Beukema, John Hetrick, and Kyle Bushre. We were joined by Carol Chan, who chairs the missions commission for Hong Kong Conference.

Global Ministries is interested in ways to partner with Hong Kong Conference to expand our ministry in Thailand. We have effective work in the mountains of northern Thailand–two churches, one church plant, and other ministries. Now we’d like to expand our work into the more populated areas–in particular, the city of Chiang Rai.

At the same time, King Street has been looking for a partnership that would enable them to be involved in church planting among a relatively unreached people group.

So it was a vision trip for both Global Ministries and King Street. Out of the trip came multiple opportunities.

Church planting. The Council of Churches in Thailand has been very generous and open-handed to Hong Kong and Global Ministries regarding any efforts we want to pursue in Chiang Rai. A building now being used by World Vision will become available soon, and they offered it to us.

Carol Chan with the pastor’s daughter.

Teaching English. A number of countries in South Asia, including Thailand, are working to create a free trade zone. The common language would be English. As a result, those countries are greatly interested in getting their students up to speed in English skills.

In Thailand, the government is providing substantial funding to schools—including salaries, housing, and travel costs–to bring in native English-speaking teachers. They are basically waiving the visa process. If you have a contract with the school, whether it’s a secular or private school, you are in.

Small business enterprises. Young people from the mountain areas are finding it hard to continue working in the tea harvesting in- dustry and are looking for work in the larger cities. Such persons, sometimes naive, often fall prey to persons who trap them in lives of slavery and prostitution.

We’re interested in finding persons willing to expand their businesses to provide training and employment opportunities for these young people. Interestingly, silicon chip manufacturers in Bangkok are looking to expand their operations into the north to avoid the typhoons which often disrupt their operations. This presents both job and church planting opportunities.

As you can see, we have some open doors in Thailand. We have a number of offers of assistance and opportunities to initiate a new work, and would be interested in speak- ing with persons possessing relevant skills.

21 Mar

March 21, 2012 |

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

As Easter approaches, we select a number of worthy projects we believe will advance the work of Christ. We invite your church to participate in this missions offering.

Business as Missions materials. Business as Missions refers to using business earnings to support an individual or group in accomplishing their ministry goals. Global Ministries is training its overseas staff, international church planters, and national conferences in its use. However, our materials are now printed only in English. Your gifts will enable us to translate and print these materials so we can respond to requests for further training and coaching in the Spanish-speaking world.

Church planting and construction. We never provide complete funding for a new church, but do offer some assistance to complete buildings where local believers have already bought property or initiated construction. Each project is carefully assessed and funds are provided based on need. In some cases, a work team may be sent.

Sierra Leone National Office. Wanting to centralize national leadership, Sierra Leone Conference has been working to renovate their national office building in Bo, which is in disrepair. A renovated national office will bring its key national leaders under one roof, make it possible to offer regular training events, and reduce travel expenses.

General Conference, Spring 2013. General Conference, held every three years, brings together leaders from our 10 national conferences. They report what God is doing in their countries, share vision, pray, and develop cooperative strategies to reach our world for Christ. The next General Conference will be held in Canada during the spring of 2013. While each National Conference is asked to pay its own expenses, your gifts help make up for any lack of resources.

Mission Team Leader Training. Interest in sending short-term volunteers overseas continues to grow. However, the effectiveness of mission teams often depends on the leadership and preparation of the group. Global Ministries has a short-term mission team leadership workshop that has been offered in the past. We’d like to offer it again on a regional basis.

Donations designated for our short-term mission team leadership workshops will cover the printing and preparation of materials and curriculum, travel expenses for the presenters, and some financial assistance to the participants.

19 Mar

March 19, 2012 |

Rev. Isaac Nugent was elected as bishop of Jamaica National Conference, during their annual meeting March 14-18, 2012. He replaces Bishop Winston Smith, who was first elected in 2002. Smith held the title of “General Superintendent” until 2006, when the conference began using the title “Bishop” for its highest elected leader.

17 Mar

March 17, 2012 |

Arek and Donna Delik are UB endorsed missionaries serving with Operatin Mobilization in Kutno, Poland. They work with alcoholics, youth, and church planting. Here is the story of one man influenced through their ministry.

Donna Delik

Waldek was a professional renovator and also an alocholic, who had had lost everything and became homeless becasue of this. Sometime ago, he started coming to our support group for alcoholics. In the mean time, we gave him the job of renovating our “antique kitchen.” We hoped this would help him get back on his feet and start a new life.

Arek worked with Waldek and used this opportunity to encourage him. However, after we tore down everything and gave him some money, he disappeared and left us a mess.

This is the constant struggle we face with our ministry among alcoholics and the marginalized. Some people think we are fools as we keep our home open to the others. But didn’t Jesus teach us to love and forgive, even being cheated 77 times? I suppose Jesus would never give up on people who were willing to return and repent.

We sometimes saw Waldek searching for food in the garbage. His condition was worsening. We tried to approach him, but he avoided us. Even so, we didn’t give up and constantly kept him in our prayer.

A year went by. Waldek’s closest buddy died suddenly because of his heavy drinking, and Waldek hit rock bottom. He turned up in our weekend outreach last May and sought help. We fed him and a brother gave him a place to sleep. Then we took him to Teen Challenge, a Christian rehabilitation center 400 km away for people with addiction problems.

A few days ago, Waldek was giving his testimony during our weekend outreach. He apologized for the mess he created literally in our apartment. He also went to his family to ask for forgiveness and reconciled with his children. It was such a joy to see him finally starting a new life in Christ.

Waldek then returned to Teen Challenge. He will finish his treatment in 3 months, and re-entering the society will be his biggest challenge yet. He still doesn’t know where he will go. As a church, we want to preach and live the gospel at the same time, so we are committed to stand with him through prayer and practical help.

15 Mar

March 15, 2012 |

Bishop Phil Whipple (left) and Josh Kesler, senior pastor of The Well (click to enlarge).

Looking at the property from US 24 (click to enlarge).

The current store part of the building. Josh Kesler (right) is bringing in a photocopier for the office area. Cathy Reich, a longtime parishioner, is on the left.

L-r: Jeff Bleijerveld, Frank Y, and Phil Whipple look over one of the additional buildings on the property.

It looks like The Well in Huntington, Ind. will soon have a new home.

The congregation, a fresh restart of the former Good Shepherd UB church, has been meeting in temporary facilities for the past two years, since moving out of the former St Felix Friary which had been their home since 1981. An article on March 5 told what is happening with that property.

For the past year, the Well has been holding services in the Huntington YMCA, and it’s been a good situation for them. But all the while, they’ve been searching for a property which would become their own.

The property of Huntington Lumber, on old US 24, became available. They now have a signed purchase agreement. There are a few conditions which need to be met, so it could, potentially, fall through. But everything looks good.

The owner of Huntington Lumber, Bob Oliver, has even invited Pastor Josh Kesler to move the church offices into the building. Oliver is a member of Emmanuel UB church in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Some of the Healthy Ministry Resources staff took a field trip to Huntington Lumber on Monday, March 12. Cathy Reich, administrative assistant to Bishop Phil Whipple, attends the Well.

It’s quite a large property. There is a main building, which will be targeted first for renovation. It’ll house the sanctuary, classroom space, and offices. Then there are two other fairly large buildings. They’ll have gobs and gobs of paved parking space.

The Well will employ an architect to redesign the main building. Josh Kesler envisions them possibly moving in by the end of the year. Hopefully, everything will work out.

14 Mar

March 14, 2012 |

Arek and Donna Delik are UB endorsed missionaries serving with Operatin Mobilization in Kutno, Poland.

Donna Delik

Alcoholism is a problem in all generations in Poland, destroying not only individuals but also their families. “New Life” ministry was founded in 2005 when God transformed Janek, a former alcoholic. He dedicated his life to help other alcoholics find hope in Jesus.

We are very thankful that despite all the obstacles in the beginning, God has blessed this ministry. With God’s help and much perseverance, the work has gradually expanded. Attendance for the weekday support group last year grew significantly, and many of them also attend Sunday services. We notice that they don’t just seek God‘s help for their alcohol problem, but seek God himself who could transform their lives.

In February, over 100 people attended our weekend outreach. Some have started attending our support group, and 2 were referred to Teen Challenge for treatment. Please pray for Janek and his wife Zosia, who are responsible for this ministry. They are overwhelmed by the demand of the growing ministry and need fellow workers.

Praise God for the many former alcoholics who have found new life in Christ. We plan to hold a baptism for the new believers at Easter. We pray that through studying the Word with Arek, those who are considering baptism will understand the true meaning of baptism.

Besides this growth, in 2011 we started the hospital ministry in Plock. Recently, the prison authority there invited us to hold regular meetings in the prison. We are really excited for this expanding ministry. However, “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” Please join us to ask the Lord of the harvest, to send out workers into his harvest field.

14 Mar

March 14, 2012 |

Huntington University ministry professor Dr. Tom Bergler (right) has released a new book titled “The Juvenilization of American Christianity.”

In his book, Bergler traces the way in which, over the past 75 years, youth ministries have breathed new vitality into four major American church traditions: African American, Evangelical, Mainline Protestant, and Roman Catholic.

“In the book, I argue that youth ministries have revitalized American Christianity but at the cost of making American Christians more immature,” Bergler said. “And I call this process the juvenilization of American Christianity.”

Bergler shows how this “juvenilization” of churches has led to “widespread spiritual immaturity, consumerism and self-centeredness, popularizing a feel-good faith with neither inter-generational community nor theological literacy,” he says. Bergler’s critique further offers constructive suggestions for taming this juvenilization.

“I’m in favor of youth ministry, but it needs to be done in a way that fosters spiritual maturity,” he said.

Bergler is an associate professor of ministry and missions at Huntington University. He completed his Ph.D. in American Religious History from the University of Notre Dame and his M.A. in theology and church history from Wheaton College. He served as a staff worker for University Christian Outreach for seven years, helping to evangelize and disciple students at the University of Michigan, the University of London, and Michigan State University. He also co-founded the Spring Academy, a Christian theology and ministry camp for students from state universities.

He currently serves as senior associate editor of The Journal of Youth Ministry, and is the author of numerous articles and papers on the topic of ministry.

13 Mar

March 13, 2012 |

Here’s a 14-minute video about the first year of Renew Communities, a UB church plant in Berea, Ohio (the Cleveland area). Listen to church planter Andy Sikora tell what they’re about.