Part Two: Finding a Mission Board
You would think that after surrendering to the call to missions, the task of finding a mission board would be easy, but in reality it was very difficult. All the larger boards I called were designed more for young people fresh out of the Bible colleges. Not only was I bit older, I had a plan in mind that I was absolutely sure was from God and that plan was not typically followed by many new missionaries. By the time I started to call mission boards, the majority of them had finished their candidate schools for that year. Most would not consider me until the next school; in most cases that meant the next summer. Most boards also had minimum support levels way above what was practical for Eastern Europe. In other words I was required to raise a much larger sum of money than I would need to be successful for my first term. We had already come to the conclusion that we only needed about $500 per month for our family to live on, plus a work fund. I realize that the boards had been doing the business of missions longer than I, and they were more experienced than I was. But I had sure and direct leading from the Lord, and I felt like I had my marching orders. However, I could not find a single board that would listen to me and allow me to proceed as I felt God directing. My home church and my pastor did not feel they could take on any more responsibility than to be my sending church, so I had to find a mission board to handle my funds.
In late August of 1992, my friend Rick Howell told me of a group in Tennessee that was sending missionaries to Eastern Europe. I was told they were non-traditional in their approach to missions, but they were Baptist. I went up and had a talk with them and attended one of their camp meetings. They seemed like good people, but they were very country and a bit different than what I was used to. My first impression was that I would not be able to work with them and left the meeting still searching for a board. After a week or so I decided to go back and spend some time with the director before making a final decision. After a few days with the director, I decided to go with this board. I felt God had supplied a board for us. These people in Tennessee had some unorthodox ideas about religion and missions, but they had assured me they would help me fulfill the calling that God had placed on my life without interference. They had several missionary apartments and trailers on their property, and at their urging, we moved there and set up house. At first they were very supportive, but I was just about to enter the storm and the final stage of God’s breaking process.
Through the help of my pastor and associate pastor, I was able to start scheduling church meetings. My plan was simple: if God is in this, we will be able to raise some support and I can leave in May or June, 1993. My family would follow a month or so later after I had set things up. Even though I had, and still do have, a fear of calling pastors and securing meetings, I set my face to this task. God was faithful to help me. Half the churches I was in between September and the next April supported us. I met great friends who are still supporting and praying for us.
The first church I attended took us on for support. The second did not, but something did happen in that second church which helped to reaffirm God’s directing. The pastor asked me when I was planning to leave for the field. I responded without thinking: May. I realized later that when I said that, he thought I had most of my support, because I would be leaving in six months. After our presentation of the need, he was so moved that he asked the church to commit to us the annual Christmas offering to purchase our plane tickets for the entire family! God does work in strange ways. He gave us our money for plane tickets before I had raised my support! During my deputation travels many pastors asked me what percentage of my support I had. I had no idea how to answer that question, because I had committed to go with whatever the Lord provided at that time. A few men called me foolish in those days. If a missionary knows he needs $5,000 and goes with $1,000 support, I might agree. But I knew we did not need the thousands that the big boards were requiring. I was also sure that God wanted us to live by faith (not by numbers and accounts) and trust Him for everything.
God works in many small and big ways. Another example of God’s working happened on the return from my survey trip. I was sitting in the airport waiting for the flight to Pensacola. I saw a familiar face a few rows up in the waiting area. I told Ricky that I knew that man; I had seen him preach on television. I went up and introduced myself to Rev. Jim Schettler from the Campus Church and Pensacola Christian College. We had a delightful chat about missions and Eastern Europe. Jim invited me to come by his office for further discussion and scheduled me to present my ministry to the Campus Church in March the next year. The Campus Church has been wonderful in supporting us and uplifting us as missionaries. I have a dozen such stories about how God brought me in contact with those who would support our ministry here in Moldova. All I can say is God did it.
Months before we were to leave, problems began to develop with the mission board in Tennessee. There were various problems, but we stayed with them for the first four years of our missionary work, even though it was very difficult. There were times we really felt persecuted by them, and they were at times cruel to my family and me. They no doubt had their reasons; I suspect the main reason was that we were not as “country” as they were and did not worship like they did. I have never put on a show for anyone, and I refused to believe and behave contrary to my conscious. However, God greatly used these people to put me in the right place: Moldova. The next chapter of this story will be how we finally settled into Moldova. I thought throughout our deputation that we were going to Odessa, Ukraine. In April of 1993 the Tennessee board informed me that I couldn’t leave for the field as planned until they gave the OK. This was contrary to our past conversations and agreements. It was a confusing and frustrating time. It is not in my nature to take abuse; I was taught to stand up for what I believe and “my rights.” But God gave strength and patience to turn the other cheek and pray for God to open the doors in His timing.
You would think that after surrendering to the call to missions, the task of finding a mission board would be easy, but in reality it was very difficult. All the larger boards I called were designed more for young people fresh out of the Bible colleges. Not only was I bit older, I had a plan in mind that I was absolutely sure was from God and that plan was not typically followed by many new missionaries. By the time I started to call mission boards, the majority of them had finished their candidate schools for that year. Most would not consider me until the next school; in most cases that meant the next summer. Most boards also had minimum support levels way above what was practical for Eastern Europe. In other words I was required to raise a much larger sum of money than I would need to be successful for my first term. We had already come to the conclusion that we only needed about $500 per month for our family to live on, plus a work fund. I realize that the boards had been doing the business of missions longer than I, and they were more experienced than I was. But I had sure and direct leading from the Lord, and I felt like I had my marching orders. However, I could not find a single board that would listen to me and allow me to proceed as I felt God directing. My home church and my pastor did not feel they could take on any more responsibility than to be my sending church, so I had to find a mission board to handle my funds.
In late August of 1992, my friend Rick Howell told me of a group in Tennessee that was sending missionaries to Eastern Europe. I was told they were non-traditional in their approach to missions, but they were Baptist. I went up and had a talk with them and attended one of their camp meetings. They seemed like good people, but they were very country and a bit different than what I was used to. My first impression was that I would not be able to work with them and left the meeting still searching for a board. After a week or so I decided to go back and spend some time with the director before making a final decision. After a few days with the director, I decided to go with this board. I felt God had supplied a board for us. These people in Tennessee had some unorthodox ideas about religion and missions, but they had assured me they would help me fulfill the calling that God had placed on my life without interference. They had several missionary apartments and trailers on their property, and at their urging, we moved there and set up house. At first they were very supportive, but I was just about to enter the storm and the final stage of God’s breaking process.
Through the help of my pastor and associate pastor, I was able to start scheduling church meetings. My plan was simple: if God is in this, we will be able to raise some support and I can leave in May or June, 1993. My family would follow a month or so later after I had set things up. Even though I had, and still do have, a fear of calling pastors and securing meetings, I set my face to this task. God was faithful to help me. Half the churches I was in between September and the next April supported us. I met great friends who are still supporting and praying for us.
The first church I attended took us on for support. The second did not, but something did happen in that second church which helped to reaffirm God’s directing. The pastor asked me when I was planning to leave for the field. I responded without thinking: May. I realized later that when I said that, he thought I had most of my support, because I would be leaving in six months. After our presentation of the need, he was so moved that he asked the church to commit to us the annual Christmas offering to purchase our plane tickets for the entire family! God does work in strange ways. He gave us our money for plane tickets before I had raised my support! During my deputation travels many pastors asked me what percentage of my support I had. I had no idea how to answer that question, because I had committed to go with whatever the Lord provided at that time. A few men called me foolish in those days. If a missionary knows he needs $5,000 and goes with $1,000 support, I might agree. But I knew we did not need the thousands that the big boards were requiring. I was also sure that God wanted us to live by faith (not by numbers and accounts) and trust Him for everything.
God works in many small and big ways. Another example of God’s working happened on the return from my survey trip. I was sitting in the airport waiting for the flight to Pensacola. I saw a familiar face a few rows up in the waiting area. I told Ricky that I knew that man; I had seen him preach on television. I went up and introduced myself to Rev. Jim Schettler from the Campus Church and Pensacola Christian College. We had a delightful chat about missions and Eastern Europe. Jim invited me to come by his office for further discussion and scheduled me to present my ministry to the Campus Church in March the next year. The Campus Church has been wonderful in supporting us and uplifting us as missionaries. I have a dozen such stories about how God brought me in contact with those who would support our ministry here in Moldova. All I can say is God did it.
Months before we were to leave, problems began to develop with the mission board in Tennessee. There were various problems, but we stayed with them for the first four years of our missionary work, even though it was very difficult. There were times we really felt persecuted by them, and they were at times cruel to my family and me. They no doubt had their reasons; I suspect the main reason was that we were not as “country” as they were and did not worship like they did. I have never put on a show for anyone, and I refused to believe and behave contrary to my conscious. However, God greatly used these people to put me in the right place: Moldova. The next chapter of this story will be how we finally settled into Moldova. I thought throughout our deputation that we were going to Odessa, Ukraine. In April of 1993 the Tennessee board informed me that I couldn’t leave for the field as planned until they gave the OK. This was contrary to our past conversations and agreements. It was a confusing and frustrating time. It is not in my nature to take abuse; I was taught to stand up for what I believe and “my rights.” But God gave strength and patience to turn the other cheek and pray for God to open the doors in His timing.
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