An Article from the BBFI Mission Director

Now, It Is High Time – Latin America

Matthew 28:18-20: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

With the Great Commission as our mandate, the churches of our Fellowship have forged ahead for 60 years to reach our world with the Gospel. Only the Lord knows just how many have been saved through our efforts. Hundreds of thousands have been baptized. Thousands have been taught to observe all things that God has commanded and, in turn, are now reaching out to their own people with truth of Jesus Christ and planting churches.

In the last decade, we have seen the missions efforts of the Baptist Bible Fellowship come full circle. Fellowships have been started in other parts of the world by those who have understood their responsibility to do the same in going beyond their borders, crossing cultures and sharing the precious name of Jesus. We have seen this unfold in the Philippines, South Korea, Japan and in other countries.

In November 2010, another chapter of our efforts opened up. I had the opportunity to connect with a large group of pastors and church leaders from Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Panama, El Salvador, Spain and Guatemala in Cuernavaca, Mexico, at the Rawlings Foundation Highlands Camp. It was here they gathered to join forces committing to reach the unreached of our world.

At this first ever Hispanic Baptist Bible Fellowship meeting, 797 people gathered to take up the challenge from the Word of God realizing that now is their time to take the Gospel around the world. The theme of the meeting came from Romans 13:11a:

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake…

Emphasis was placed on NOW being the time for Latin Americans to step up and play a larger role in fulfilling the Great Commission.

National pastors and BBFI missionaries all spoke of the tremendous need in the world and the responsibility of all churches, even those in Latin America, to reach out beyond themselves. They were challenged to go to places that those from North America cannot access. They can adapt extremely well to other cultures and enter areas that are more restricted to US missionaries.

Dr. Jack Baskin presented how God has worked in Korea and the Philippines to propel them to take up their part, and he asked why it could not be the same in Latin America. Great excitement was generated after each service. It was wonderful to see the joy come upon the faces of those who attended as they considered the fact that they too could be part of something bigger, something worldwide, and all with the power of God behind them. At the end of the meeting, 38 Hispanics came forward indicating that God had called them during the week to leave their country and serve as missionaries in another part of the world. Pastors accepted the challenge to have their churches pray for more laborers, give to help those who have surrendered to go, and also to be sending churches.

Missionary Ed Hoagland was burdened to see something like this happen. God has blessed him and given him the desires of his heart. What was started over 60 years ago by the DeVilbiss family and Georgia Webb continues on today – ever expanding. Plans are already being made for the second Hispanic Baptist Bible Fellowship meeting in the fall of 2012 at the Highlands Camp in Colombia. We anticipate something great from God at that meeting.

I was so thankful to be a part of this joyful, wonderful, God glorifying meeting and to unite with many of our partners in the Great Commission from Latin America!