On February 15, I had the privilege of meeting with Calvary Baptist Church in Manila to share about the ministry of State Missions. Pastor Harold McMickle wanted his congregation to clearly understand how their offerings are advancing the gospel.
I would welcome the opportunity to share this ministry with your church as well. In our world today, the act of sending remains central to the church’s identity. While local church ministry is vital, sending missionaries plays a unique and irreplaceable role in fulfilling the Great Commission. At its core, sending missionaries is seen as an act of obedience to Jesus’ commands. Scripture reveals God as the ultimate Sender — He sent His Son, and He now sends His people. Many still have little or no exposure to the gospel, and in order for them to hear, someone must go. Sending is not merely financial support; it is a sacred partnership in kingdom work.
Through cooperative efforts such as the BMAA, Lifeword, and our local and state associations, missionary work is strengthened and supported. These ministries seek to create healthy, gospel-centered environments in the communities they serve. The act of sending often benefits the sender as much as the receiver (Acts 20:35). Long-term missions help church members develop a broader perspective of the needs around them. Seeing the sacrifice of sent missionaries often inspires greater local service and more sacrificial giving within the congregation. It is estimated that over three billion people have not heard the gospel. This reality must create an urgency to share the gospel with those around us and beyond.
I want to thank those of you who faithfully support mission endeavors, especially for our own state work. I encourage others to prayerfully consider partnering with us as we continue sending laborers into the harvest.
From Our Missionaries
Ebenezer, West Little Rock: Ruben Isturiz writes, “Dear brothers and sisters, it has been a blessed week at Ebenezer. We measure the vitality of our congregation through what happens in the Discovery Bible Study (DBS) groups, which attract diverse people from across central Arkansas. We have two groups in the west, one in the southwest, and another in the east, near the airport. Daniela Caicedo, from Colombia, recently began attending the group near the airport. After attending our Tuesday and Sunday meetings, Daniela decided to formally join our congregation, which she considers her spiritual family. We are currently praying for her as she prepares to serve as a coordinator in one of our ministries, motivated by her appreciation for the teaching of God’s Word.
“Last Sunday, we focused on Global Missions, educating believers and collecting a special offering for this cause. In addition, we continued with the series of sermons on ecclesiology; on this occasion, we studied the church as a body based on 1 Corinthians 12, a topic we will explore in greater depth in a second part next week.
“Thank you very much for your constant support and prayers. To God be the glory!”
Faith Chapel, Flippin: Johnny Shew writes, “What a great week at Faith Chapel! We had a good attendance, including several return visitors, and enjoyed a meaningful time of worship. Our kids met in their classrooms this past Sunday morning. They were so excited! All we lack finishing them is the baseboards and windowsills, so we let them move in and have Sunday School. They loved their classrooms, and their teachers love them too. Praise God, we are very close to finishing.
“The plumbers finished their work in the kitchen and bathrooms, so they are gone. We simply need to install grab rails, and that will be done as well. Our kitchen turned out great, and we can’t wait to use it! We have a few doors left to paint, but overall, there isn’t much left to do. We will just stay after it until it’s done.
“We hope that you will all come see us sometime and see what you have helped us to build. Once again, we thank you for your support, and especially for your prayers! God is blessing us through you all! In Christ’s love.”
Faith Journey, Benton: Bryan Clay writes, “It has been such a full and meaningful week at Faith Journey mission! We kicked things off on Monday by visiting one of our young ladies who had been in the hospital. We were able to take her some supper and spend a little time visiting. We also dropped off a meal for her family to give them a break from cooking and running back and forth to the hospital. Times like this remind us that church isn’t just something we do, it’s a family that cares for one another.
“Tuesday night was a great night across all three of our midweek ministries. The men, ladies, and kids all gathered for Bible study and fellowship. It’s great seeing every age group digging into God’s Word and growing together.
“On Wednesday, we were blessed to have an opportunity to share a Bible lesson with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the local high school. Over 100 students showed up! We brought pizza, spent time getting to know many of them, and answered several questions. It is encouraging to see so many young people eager to learn more about the Lord.
“We wrapped up the week with our two Sunday worship services, and it was a blessing to gather, worship, and study God’s Word together.
“We’re excited about what’s coming up at Faith Journey! In a few weeks, our men will be heading out on a 26-mile hiking trip. It’s going to be a great time of fellowship, building strong friendships, and spending time together. We’re also beginning preparations for Easter! We are planning our children’s Easter program, an Easter egg hunt outreach, and our Easter worship service. We’re praying this will be a powerful time of celebration and outreach.”
Misión Gracia Soberana (Sovereign Grace), NWA:Roberto Marcelletti writes, “Greetings, brothers and sisters in Christ. We had a lot of movement this week in our mission. We had to accompany our sister, Angeles, in the process of counseling daily due to a family member in Mexico who was dying and sadly passed away.
“On Wednesday at our connection group in Bentonville, the people who visited our church last weekend and gave their lives to Christ came back. One of them, Rosa, asked for prayer because she had a court appointment on Friday. She was very nervous since she did not have a lawyer, and many people with cases like hers have been deported.
“We prayed that the Lord would give her grace and favor before the judge. On Friday, we received good news that her hearing went well. Rosa shared that when she stood before the judge, she said, “I come with God.” She told us there was a noticeable peace in the courtroom, and the tone of the hearing was favorable. We give all the glory to the Lord for His mercy and kindness.
“Thursday, we had our connection group in Springdale at Sister Iris’s house, and Saturday, we had a beautiful time in our congregational devotional in the church. We meditated on Psalm 1, “The Blessing of Following the Path That the Word Traces Out for Us.” In our Sunday service, some were absent for a variety of reasons, but despite that, we were able to worship together and exalt the name of Christ. We were able to celebrate the Missions Sunday as brothers from Mexico and Colombia spoke about the missionary situation in their countries. Then the brothers from the countries represented in our church passed by with their flags, and we prayed for the advancement of the missions in their countries.”
Epic Life, Pea Ridge: Jake McCandless writes, “This week we held our first Discover & Connect Night, and it was a great success. After being postponed twice due to snow, it was encouraging to finally gather for a strong night that included five first-time guests.
“Discover & Connect Night combines our bi-monthly worship service with our former preview night into one experience with clear next steps. The evening flowed through worship, a message, a mini connection circle, a short Discovery Bible Study, and practical next steps — creating a meaningful and engaging environment for everyone.
“This spring, I’ll be preaching a series of messages designed to help Epic Life members better articulate the discipleship and growth we’ve experienced together over the past three years.
“The anticipation leading up to the night also helped realign and reignite our Bella Vista group. Our Woodbridge group is beginning a new format based on research on lasting faith and family ministry — we look forward to sharing more soon.
“Finally, our social media campaign for Discover & Connect Night has reengaged our online presence and positioned us well for upcoming gatherings, including the one planned for March 8.”
El Faro #2 Hispanic Mission, Cabot/Jacksonville: Michael Hight writes, “We want to welcome Neptaly Molina to the team here in Cabot. He is just starting, and we are really excited for his family to join us. Please pray for him as he makes the transition. Pray that the Lord will use him to enter doors that have been closed to me. Please pray as well for his transportation. He arrived in Cabot, and the motor in his car blew up.
“On the homefront, Jenifer had knee replacement surgery a couple of weeks ago. The surgery went well, but the recovery has been very painful.
“As the weather warms up, please ask the Lord to open doors to speak the gospel!”
