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.

GPS-X Retreat Announced

Antioch, TN International Missions will host its second GPS-X  (Global Purpose Seekers eXperience) September 18-21, 2008. The retreat is a component of the GPS program initiated in 2007 to equip students in grades 7-9 to make decisions according to the will of God.

During the GPS-X event students engage in cross-cultural missions training and service projects as they learn biblical principles about decision-making. Activities are enhanced by working alongside stateside missionaries, FWBIM staff, youth workers, and college missions students.

For more information about GPS or GPS-X contact the mobilization team at go@fwbgo.com or (877) 767-7736. Visit the IM website www.fwbgo.com for a glance at the 2007 retreat, more information, and a downloadable registration form.

Latin America Prayer Initiative

Antioch, TN A prayer initiative for FWBIM missionary efforts in Latin America was set for February 2-5, 2008, to coincide with Carnaval celebrations in the region. Carnaval, observed in various ways from country-to-country, is generally a weekend of excessive indulgence leading up to Mardi Gras and the beginning of the Lenten season.

Like the creative access region prayer initiative during Ramadan 2007, this project used an important religious festival expressive of the spiritual opposition to evangelism and church-planting efforts in the countries of Brazil, Panama, and Uruguay as a context for prayer.

Additional prayer initiatives for Europe and Asia are planned. Visit our website www.fwbgo.com or contact the mobilization department at (877) 767-7736 or go@fwbgo.com for more information.

IM Board Meets

Antioch, TN The Board of Free Will Baptist International Missions met December 5-6, 2006, in the Mission office in Antioch, TN.

• The two-day meeting yielded the following actions:

• Cathy Crawford (France), Matt and Cristina Price (France), and Tim and Kristi Johnson (Spain) were reappointed for another term on their fields of service.

• A one-year leave of absence was granted to Darrel and Lila Nichols (Panama) to begin January 1, 2008.

• Cameron Lane (AR) and Mark McPeak (TN) were reelected for three-year terms on The Hanna Project board.

• The 2008 World Missions Offering goal was set at $750,000.

• Bill Evans (TN) was appointed to a two-year term on the Mission’s Advisory Council.

• The 2008 VISION projects budget was amended to include $500,000 for an orphanage in Tajikistan planned by The Hanna Project.

• The Candidate Committee interviewed four couples. Four candidates received preliminary approval; two candidates received preliminary approval in April 2007, but were given permission to proceed for final approval in April 2008; and two candidates were approved as affiliates. Damon and Kim Cagle received approval as professional servants (affiliates) seconded to ELIC.
  

Board members participating were: Nelson Henderson (AR); Sherwood Lee (SC); Jeff Manning (NC); Tom McCullough (MI), secretary; Jerry Norris (VA); Bill Van Winkle (TX); Danny Williams (AL), chairman; David Williford (TN); and Randy Wilson (OK), vice-chairman.

Nichols Take Leave-of-Absence

Antioch, TN The Free Will Baptist International Missions Board approved a one-year leave-of-absence for veteran missionaries Darrel and Lila Nichols. The Nichols will use this time to seek the Lord’s direction for their future ministry.

Darrel and Lila served four terms (1983-2003) as church-planting missionaries in the country of Côte d’Ivoire. Unrest forced a reduction in missionary presence in the West African nation, and the Nichols were assigned to Panama in 2003.

The Nichols served two years as Missionaries-in-Residence at Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College in Moore, OK. Currently, the couple lives in Oklahoma City, OK. Steve Lytle, director of field operations, encourages, “Please pray for Darrel and Lila to receive wisdom and guidance during this time.”

Missionaries Celebrate Spain’s Pastors

Villalba, Spain Spain’s National Ministries Team, Jeff and Susan Turnbough and Sam and June McVay, hosted an appreciation dinner for the three pastors of FWB churches on Wednesday, December 5.

Held at a local restaurant, pastors Jhon Fredy, José Manuel and wife Carmen, and Juan Carlos and wife María del Carmen were treated to an excellent meal, a card, gift, words of encouragement, and special prayer. All 10 missionaries participated in honoring these bi-vocational pastors.

Missionaries were overwhelmed at the emotional reactions of these men and women of God. José Manuel, pastor of the Esperanza FWB Church in Alcalá, capped the evening with his thanksgiving for all those present coming to his home country of Spain to share the gospel. Jhon Fredy (Villalba FWB Church) is Colombian and Juan Carlos’ (Colmenar Viejo FWB Church) family is Cuban.

Twenty-one Baptized

Campinas, Brazil—Pastors Osmír (São José church) and Paulo César (Nova América mission work) baptized 21 new converts from the two churches and two mission works in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday, December 9. The São José church hosted the event.

Four people baptized several months ago were accepted for membership in the São José church in the same festive evening service. Approximately 250 people filled the sanctuary to celebrate with these new converts.

New Church Dedicated in Japan

Tokyo, Japan Believers from all three Tokyo church plants gathered on November 11 to dedicate the building for the newest work in the Tokyo area. Members of the Kamifukuoka Church, the new church plant, were joined by Christians from the Iriso FWB Church and Good News Chapel to celebrate the rental of a building and permanent place for worship.

The Nomura family, partnering with missionaries Ken and Judy Bailey, hosted multiple Bible studies and English classes in their home to help form a nucleus of believers.