Missions Focus during the 2020 September National Fellowship Meeting proved to be as inspiring and challenging as ever. Although done digitally for the first time in history, viewers greatly enjoyed seeing what God has been busy about around the world in spite of a pandemic. Dr. Jon Konnerup began the afternoon with a report on what the Mission Office has not only accomplished, but has exceeded projections made in 2016. Pastor Bob Stephenson (Graceway Baptist, Springfield, MO) and Missionary Shane Salmon (Thailand) joined Dr. Konnerup for a discussion on how the challenges brought about by the pandemic have been overcome by God’s people who have exceeded their past giving while enabling ministry to still take place from afar via technology. Pastor Kevin Kolb (Grace Baptist, St Charles, MO) was referenced in that Grace purposed to move forward in holding their mission conference in order to keep their eyes on the world who still needs Christ.

This was followed by informative videos from each of our four newly approved Career missionaries. You can view those on the BBFI website at bbfimissions.com/videos and learn more about their passion to reach those in another land who need the Gospel.

Next, were four TED talks from national pastors from around the world. Hiroshi Saito (Japan) moved us with his rendition of “Jesus Loves Me” in Japanese which he learned as a child when the first BBFI missionaries came to his country post World War II. Kent Jesalva (Philippines) shared how, as a recipient of BBFI Missions, they are now sending missionaries to other countries having increased their missions giving even during this pandemic. George Situma (Kenya) gave the challenge that, thanks to many missionaries who came to Africa who have reached hundreds of nationals that are starting churches, “Don’t stop – it’s not over until it’s over!” Raul Vargas (Peru) told of how early missionaries came and spread mustard seeds in Peru so that now the ministry has multiplied many times over with fruitful churches, a seminary, youth camps, and missionaries going out to Europe, Asia and Africa.

This was followed by eight missionary reports, one from every continent, plus a report from Beirut. These were paired with fresh new videos featuring each of the seven continents along with the stirring “Everywhere to Everywhere” video, all of which can be viewed from our website at bbfimissions.com/category/regions-videos. Each missionary challenged us in seeing and taking advantage of the “unimaginable opportunities that have arisen during the global pandemic to reach those who were previously unengaged.”

To see more of these presentations, be sure to follow the Mission Office on social media where these stories will soon be posted.