Message Magazine Online - Vol. 55, No. 03, Fall 2007

In This Issue

• Editorial
  Angela Shuff
• Candidate Class 2007
• Paying For Missions
  Spencer Jackson
• A Journey Into Medical Missions
  Eric and Melissa Miller
• A Young Family Compelled to Go
  Lucas and Teresa Bair
• Heeding God's Twofold Call
  Brad Winkler
• Two MKs Surrender for Service
  Adam and Faith Drake
• Words from a Sending Pastor
  Jim Carrel
• In Memory of Dr. Harold T. Commons
  
• Who Owns the Missionary?
  Michael G. Loftis

Editorial

Candidate Seminar at ABWE is a time of excitement as people from all over the country and all walks of life come together with a common passion and purpose. It is always interesting to hear how each person was led to say, “Yes, I’ll give up my comfort, my earthly desires, and even my life, if God wills, to take Christ’s name to a distant place.” ABWE continues to be blessed with a great group of new missionaries each year. To make the process more convenient for some, a February Candidate Seminar was added this year, of which nineteen were appointed. Another thirty-four candidates were appointed from the July class. Both groups make up the 2007 Candidate Class represented in the pages of this magazine.

While in years past we have printed every candidate’s testimony in the Message, this year we made a change because of the great cost of adding pages to the magazine and the steep postage increases. We decided to focus instead on a few testimonies that we hope will be a blessing and inspiration to you. Because it is important for us to remember that God gave the task of world evangelism to His church, a portion of this Message focuses on the role of the Church in sending missionaries. As local churches seek to fulfill the Great Commission, ABWE’s role is to assist and serve. Brad Winkler, director of Prefield Ministries, writes about what the Church can do to support prefield missionaries. Jim Carrell, pastor of Perry Baptist Church in Michigan, shares his thoughts about what being a sending pastor means to him. And Dr. Loftis writes about the need for missionaries, churches, and the mission agency to work together, sharing the challenges and the victories.

We at ABWE praise the Lord for the opportunity to serve these new missionaries and their sending pastors and churches. We hope that you will lift up these individuals and families in prayer and consider your role in reaching the world for Christ, whether that be supporting prefield missionaries such as these or perhaps laying down your own life and saying, “I’ll go.”

Angela Shuff
Editor