T
his coming April will mark 18 years I have been involved in missionary evangelism. Through those years I have presented this unique ministry to hundreds of churches. Often as I travel, I am asked exactly what it is that I do in this ministry. In this prayer letter, I will reacquaint many of you with, and introduce some of you to, my ministry and how it has expanded through the years.
My primary goals for this ministry are still the same as when I started it 18 years ago, which is to (1) help missionaries and nationals establish churches; (2) evangelize the lost through church services, soul winning, revivals, and evangelistic crusades; (3) lift up missionaries in prayer; and (4) preach missions conferences and other meetings here and overseas. My ministry started expanding some in 2004 when I was asked to represent FBMI, the mission board of First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana. My goal with FBMI was to point those interested in missions to consider Hyles-Anderson College for their training or consider FBMI as a mission board to help them get to the field. Then in 2012 I was asked to expand my work with FBMI by becoming a field service coordinator for the Western Hemisphere. This new task involves primarily staying in touch with FBMI missionaries. I also try to help them with counsel or problems that arise either on the field or here in the States. None of these new responsibilities have kept me from ministering to missionaries regardless of what board or local church they use to get to the field. After all, we are all on the same team! Amen!
Recently I received a couple of letters, one from a missionary and another from a pastor, thanking me for ministering to their people. Missionary Mark Holmes writes, “It is my great honor to recommend to pastors, missionaries, and churches all over the world my friend, Evangelist Jim Belisle. In 2012 Brother Belisle came and preached our 5th Annual Great Commission Meeting. Each of the last three years, he has preached our missions conference, taught in our seminary and preached chapel, traveled seven hours from our city by bus to help plant a church, preached during evangelistic film shows, and joined our people in soul winning and visitation. Bro. Jim’s effectiveness is due to his unique combination of experience as a pastor for many years and a world-traveling evangelist to many nations, thereby giving him a thorough understanding of the missionary’s perspective. It has been refreshing to see how Evangelist Belisle arrives to any place of service as a co-laborer free of any previously established agenda; having no ambition to take the credit, he is already prepared and capable to do whatever is asked of him. Bro. Jim Belisle is someone I would recommend for any type of meeting or conference for missionaries and U.S. pastors.”
Pastor John Heath from Keokuk, Iowa, wrote to inform me that the preaching and teaching on Faith Promise giving during their first-ever missions conference helped his church do more for missions last year than they had ever done before. He also mentioned that the tithes and offerings increased so much that they had a surplus at the end of the year.
Please pray for me as I continue to raise my own support so I can take five trips this year. Here is a link to my Nigeria trip video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMAr2PhNOUQ&feature=youtu.be.
James Belisle