“The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
(Psalm 121:8)
I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed our travels this summer. This month I’ve visited several churches, raising awareness and support for publishing the Word of God worldwide.
The main highlight of the month was being able to attend two major programs for FBMI and to attend services at our sending church, First Baptist Church of Hammond. It has been nearly two years since we have been there.
The first program, Missions Mastermind, was held on Monday. Then FBMI Candidate School brought missionaries, pastors, and businessmen together to discuss how we might reach the world with the Gospel and how to better fund projects that are needed on the mission field. It was a blessing to spend time with some of God’s choice servants and to hear what God is doing all over the world in local-church missions. When we can see farther than our little part of the world and see what great things God is doing in regions beyond, we can be an encouragement to missionaries by our prayers and support. I renewed my commitment at Candidate School to follow servants of God and to pray for their personal needs and the needs of their ministries.
Each evening I attended services at the FBC Youth Conference. On Thursday afternoon, Pastor Wilkerson preached a powerful message. At the end of the service, he had all the missionaries there stand at the altar during the invitation time. He invited the young people to come forward and pray with the missionaries about surrendering to God’s will for their life. The altar was full of tears and prayers.
I thank God to be a part of First Baptist Church and FBMI and to be in a ministry of a New Testament Baptist church. Pastor John Wilkerson knows us and prays for us, and he supports me in what God has called me to do. FBC is a missions calling, sending, and supporting church. It’s a blessing to be a part of a church that is likeminded and has the same goals.
The Lord continues to bless with funds to print and distribute the Word of God all over the world. Thank you for your support and prayers and for making it possible for believers to receive their own copy of God’s Word. We will never change the world until the world knows about God and has the knowledge of God in their possession. Our goal is making sure the Word of God is available to all who desire it.
The Lord allowed me to travel to six different churches in Texas and Louisiana this month. I filled the pulpit for two different pastors who were on vacation.
Dr. Curtis Hall is working full time for B.E.S.T. Missions and taking on more and more responsibilities. He just returned from Southeast Asia, where he met with our printer in Northern Thailand and laid out several new projects for B.E.S.T. Missions. I really appreciate him and his family. Please pray for their safe travels and for their support level to increase.
This month B.E.S.T. Missions was able to supply all the Bibles for a new Baptist church being established in South Africa. Missionary John David Matney and family arrived in Africa this spring and have been in the process of starting their first church.
I have known John David since he was a little boy living in Longview, Texas. He has been faithful to the Lord all his life. It is a wonderful thing to see a mom and dad raise their son for the Lord. He was saved, called, and then sent to the mission field by the church he has attended all his life. That is called fulfilling the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ. Please pray for this good family and the new church.
Our first Annual B.E.S.T. Missions Conference will be held the first week of September in Rogers, Arkansas, at Colonial Baptist Church. This is a big step of faith! I will have a full report about the conference in our next newsletter.
We have the opportunity to supply Bibles for a group of men who are going to Nigeria in October. They are in need of hundreds of Bibles for this trip. One of the biggest problems we face is getting Bibles into a nation without the high cost of customs. The Lord knows the need, and He will make a way.
We thank God for your faithfulness to give to this ministry so we can continue to provide Bibles to thousands of Bible-less people around the world.
We love you and thank God for your help and your prayers.
Into all the world,
Bob Bowen
Philippians 4:13
