news around the world Free Will Baptist International Missions serves churches, pastors, and people by helping them fulfill their role in establishing churches beyond North America so unreached peoples can know the joy of a relationship with the living God. To find out more about the ministry of Free Will Baptist International Missions, visit www.fwbgo.com.

SIMPSON NAMED DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

ANTIOCH, TN Barry R. Simpson has accepted the director of development position with Free Will Baptist International Missions. General Director James Forlines says, “We are thrilled to add Barry to the International Missions’ team.”

Simpson will lead efforts to fund the work of the mission around the world. “His primary job will be to develop and enlarge the annual World Missions Offering (WMO),” explained Forlines. “Our number one strategic priority is to change the way we fund the missions enterprise over the next five years.”

Simpson has served on the staff of New hope FWB Church in Joelton, TN, for 22 years. Under his
16-year tenure as senior pastor, the church has experienced significant growth in membership and expansion of the physical plant. In addition to ministry on a number of Tennessee boards, the 47-year-old Kansas native currently serves as the vice-chairman of the free Will Baptist Foundation Board.

Regarding his new role, Simpson said, “if I can help change the way we finance missions, so the fundraising burden for our missionaries is eased, and if I can help the many young people who want to go actually get to the field—this is worth giving my life for.”

Simpson began his new responsibilities January 1.

10 Baptized in Campinas

CAMPINAS, BRAZIL Over 200 people packed the São José FWB Church in Campinas, Brazil, to witness the baptism of 10 recent converts.

Undeterred by a thunderstorm and the loss of electricity, the service was conducted using a car's headlights to illuminate the sanctuary.

Osmír Cruz, pastor of the São José church, performed the baptisms. One of the couples immersed was from the Ouro Verde Mission, established earlier this year as a joint project of the First FWB Church, the São José Church, and the Nova América FWB Church.

Little Commissioned

JOELTON, TN Shannon Little was commissioned for missionary service in Japan on December 3, 2006. The service was held in her home church, New Hope FWB, in Joelton, TN.

David Potete, pastor of North Pointe FWB Church in Chicago, IL, delivered a powerful, yet simple, message. Using Phillipians 2:1-13, he challenge all those in attendance to be committed, love people, live life, and never quit.

FWB International Missions General Director James Forlines issued gave the charge to Shannon wherein she committed herself to the cause of taking the gospel to the regions beyond as a representative of New Hope FWB Church and the National Association of Free Will Baptists.

Pastor Barry Simpson followed with a charge to the congregation to be faithful to pray, love, and support Shannon. Rev. Vernon Barker, New Hope’s pastor to senior citizens, prayed for Miss Little as the congregation joined in laying on of hands and committing theirselves to continue to hold her up in prayer.

Shannon's tentative departure date for Japan is January 18, 2007.  She plans to immediately begin language school and ministry in the Hokkaido area.

FWBIM Launches GPS

ANTIOCH, TN International Missions is expanding its student missions program to include youth in 7th-9th grades. The Global Purpose Seekers (GPS) initiative will offer students the opportunity to engage in cross-cultural missions training and ministry.

The first GPS-Xperience is planned for September 20-23, 2007, in Middle Tennessee. Missions education, team building, relationaship building, worship, and cross-cultural ministry alongside missionaries, FWBIM staff, youth workers, and college missions students is planned. Ongoing communication with the students and their youth workers will reinforce the impact of their experience and encourage continued spiritual growth.

A network of youth pastors is assisting in the development of the GPS program. For more information about the GPS-X retreat, contact the mobilization team (go@fwbgo.com or 877-767-7736).

Nova América Celebrates Third Anniversary

CAMPINAS, BRAZIL The Nova América mission church in Campinas celebrated its third anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 25. Well over 100 people overcrowded the rented hall where the congregation regularly meets. The special service garnered representatives from all three of the other FWB congregations in the city. The São José ladies’ choir brought special music.

The mission church, a joint project of the First FWB Church and the São José FWB Church, recently reached self-supporting status and is raising money to buy land for a permanent church building. The small group is participating with the other two churches to plant a church in the Ouro Verde neighborhood of Campinas. Paulo Cesar is the Brazilian pastor of this growing congregation.

Café y Algo Más

VILLALBA, SPAIN The Villalba FWB Church hosted a Café y Algo Más (Coffee and Something More) at a local hotel on December 3, with71 people attending. At least 25 of those present do not profess Christianity. After the presentations, four people requested to speak to someone about spiritual matters, and two people asked for more information about the Villalba church.

Rubén, a local Christian hair stylist, presented a five-minute practical hair care seminar. Charo, a young Christian mother from Alpedrete, followed with a testimony on “how to face life when it hurts.” She narrated how God’s grace has carried her through difficult times. Charo and her children have attended many events at the Alpedrete Outreach Center.

Marriage Seminar Yields Decisions

CHITRE, PANAMA More than 110 adults from four churches gathered in Chitré, Panama, for a one-day seminar on marriage. Rolando Delgado, pastor of the First FWB Church in Panama City, presented the seminar in the Chitré congregation’s new building.

Participants from Las Tablas, Parita, Los Castillos, and Chitré responded to the challenge to strengthen their marriages.

Three people accepted Christ as Savior at the event. The wife of a man in the Chitré church was saved. A Christian for nearly a year, he was saved as a result of his young daughter’s testimony. Both husband and wife in an unsaved couple invited to the seminar prayed for salvation and asked God to bless their marriage.

Ambassadors Program Initiated

ANTIOCH, TN A team of Ambassadors has been assembled to represent International Missions in 2007. The group is composed of well-respected leaders with a lifelong record of missions support.

Ambassadors' primary responsibility is encouraging all Free Will Baptist churches and individuals to participate in the 2007 World Missions Offering (WMO), scheduled for April 29. The men will speak in services and associational meetings, and provide resources and support to pastors and leaders. Ambassadors will also encourage churches to distribute and fill "Change the World" coin banks.

The group participated in a two-day training session in November. They will fulfill their duties for four months, beginning in January.

To schedule a service with an Ambassador, contact April Bybee at april@fwbgo.com, or call toll-free (877) 767-7736.

Photo: Front row—Fred Hersey, former missionary to Japan and pastor in Georgia; Henry Van Kluyve, former Mission staff member and retired pastor living in Tennessee; Rodney Yerby, FWBIM Advisory Board member and state leader in Alabama; Galen Dunbar, former Mission board member and pastor from South Carolina

Back row—James Forlines, FWBIM General Director; Earnie Deeds, former missionary to Brazil and interim pastor from Oklahoma; David Shores, former Mission board member and pastor from Illinois; Norman Richards, former missionary to Ivory Coast and Senior Adult Pastor in Tennessee; Mark McPeak, FWBIM Director of Communications