Mission Bites
Mission Bites are small glimpses of great things going on all over the world through CBF Global Missions. These bites are designed to be dropped into worship bulletins, newsletters and other materials to educate you and your congregation on the impact of your support.
You can sign-up here and each week you will receive a new Mission Bite, which may be a quote, a story, a prayer or a photo.
Below are previous Mission Bites. Please feel free to copy and past these into your next publication. Contact Marianna if you have questions or need assistance with Mission Bites.
Mission Bite #23, March 7, 2017
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these where bearing witness to Jesus Christ takes form through mutual learning and ministry together as a community.
"After experiencing homelessness for 18 years, Roland in his first night in his own home, thought it was ludicrous that he would have an empty couch when he knew there were people who didn't have a place to stay," Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel Joshua Hearne said.
Roland's declaration changed the way that Hearne and his community interacted with the city.
"What hit me right between the eyes was I had never had that thought. Not once had I ever been moved beyond a vague bad feeling that I had an empty couch, an empty bed," Hearne said. "That was the time when as a community, we all kind of stopped and thought, 'Roland is right. How do we live in light of our brother's faith?'"
Mission Bite #22, February 28, 2017
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these where bearing witness to Jesus Christ takes form through hospitality, prayer and faith sharing.
"I recently delivered a food basket to a new Iranian family. I had barely taken off my shoes at the door upon entering, when the husband stated taht this is truly a blessing and his wife would like to pray. We held hands around the small basket of food as she began pouring her heart out to God in her native language for the next ten minutes.
The husband shared their story, and told me that God has brought them to their 'Promised Land.' They never thought they would have the freedom to share their faith openly. In just a few weeks, they have already shared with many Internationals as well as some Americans. He asked me, 'Why do Americans take all of these freedoms and their faith for granted?' I can't help but wonder why as well."
-Nell Green, CBF field personnel in Houston, Texas
Mission Bite #21, February 21, 2017
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these where bearing witness to Jesus Christ takes form through continued hope for transformation and commitment to sharing the Gospel.
"Many years ago, Macau was given the slogan 'Macau, city of God, there is none more loyal!' Today, Macau's loyalty is to false gods and the immoral things of man. The city seems to have been sealed up by the evil one, but we must not give up hope. Hope for change, hope for a new day, hope for Macau's people to be truly loyal to God. It is our hope that the Gospel message will gain momentum and soon be multiplying throughout the population resulting in a bast harvest of people for the Kingdom of God."
-Larry and Sarah Ballew, CBF field personnel in Macau, China
Mission Bite #20, February 14, 2017
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these where bearing witness to Jesus Christ takes form through hospitality ministry and commitment to intentional community.
"When we helped Bruce move into a house of his own, he had everything he needed except for one item: a coffee maker. Se, we found a coffee maker for his new home. The coffee maker made a silent promise that this home would be a place of hospitality -- especially since Bruce doesn't drink coffee. He wanted the coffee maker because he knews that our little community has a particular affection for coffee and he wanted to continue to find ways to show his love in tangible ways. Bruce had learned time and again that in our work, the aroma of Christ -- that scent that tells us Jesus is near -- smells a lot like brewing coffee."
-Joshua Hearne, CBF field personnel in Danville, VA.
Mission Bite #19, February 7, 2017
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these where bearing witness to Jesus Christ takes form through providing resources to Romany believers who are eager to learn more.
"November made the seventh time that Dutch Baptists have flown to Romania to teach at the Gypsy Smith School in Bucharest. The school meets four times a year for one-week intensive training. We resource coordinators do not have the fun of teaching these enthusiastic Romany believers ourselves, but it gives us great satisfaction to link people who have those teaching skills with leaders eager to learn; to see Christians cooperating across national, ethnic and linguistic lines to advance the Kingdom."
-Keith Holmes and Mary van Rheenen, CBF field personnel in Europe
Mission Bite #18, January 31, 2017
"After helping a new Afghan refugee family coming to Raleigh settle into their home, one neighbor brought over a home-cooked meal for the whole family to enjoy. When the mother saw that her neighbor was an Afghan mom just like her, she began to cry. We believe they were tears of happiness. She and her family are now home, safe and sound after such a long, long journey. In those covered dishes, her new neighbor gave her much more than food."
-Kim and Marc Wyatt, CBF field personnel in the North Carolina Research Triangle
Mission Bite #17, January 24, 2017
"In Strasbourg, France a group of internationals from local churches have joined together through the "Ladies in Waiting" ministry, reaching out and ministering in holistic and meaningful ways to the prostitutes who work the streets. This ministry has already made an impact in the lives of over 30 prostitutes coming from the countries of Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, France, Ghana, and Nigeria. The outreach teams of the ministry also spend time praying for each of the women they have met, praying that they would understand about a personal relationship with Christ."
- Joel and Tiffne Whitley, CBF field personnel in Strasbourg, France
Mission Bite #16, January 17, 2017
"Since its founding 12 years ago, LUCHA Ministries has been committed to serving the first-generation Latino immigrant community in Fredericksburg, Virginia through social, spiritual and community development programs. Taking on the task of helping all legally-qualified immigrants, both Latino and non-Latino alike, to legalize their status through our LUCHA Ministries' Immigration Legal Services program is a new, yet daunting, task. But we believe this is an essential step in our calling as Christians to welcome the stranger among us (Matthew 25:35-36)."
- Greg and Sue Smith, CBF field personnel in Fredericksburg, VA.
"One Saturday, I visited a local Spanish church that uses a storefront for its space. It was a special gathering. Christians from different churches in the community had been invited to come together to discuss how we could work together to transform our community. It wasn't a grand Cathedral or the living room of a house church, it was a simple storefront church, but we were there, praying, worshipping and being replenished in community so that we could serve our community. That is the beautiful picture of the church that I hope to see and of which I want to be a part."
- Matt Norman, CBF field personnel in Spain
Mission Bite #14, January 3, 2017
My wife, Alicia, and I have partnered with the Jesui Refugee Service to help at the asylum center in Skopje, Macedonia. We have been serving tea and coffee there as well as in Tabanovce. We recently got to share in the success story of two girls who were in the system and have been looking for their family for 9 months. They have just recently traveled to Greece to reunify with their parents. We love being able to be a part of such stories.
- Jeff Lee, CBF field personnel, Skopje, Macedonia
Mission Bite #13, December 27, 2016
"We are working from an asset-based approach. That means we start with the assets of the community, instead of what we think are the needs. We go to our neighbors and form a relationship in which we meet their felt needs. Our primary mission is really to empower, enrich and provide the resources for our community to reach their potential, to become their best selves with the right education and opportunities. God is already at work in the lives of our children, our youth and their parents. And it is our opportunity to join with them to empower them with the great message of hope, and to provide hands-on tools to help them be all that God has called them to be."
-Angel and Jason Pittman, CBF field personnel and directors of Touching Miami with Love, Miami, Fla.
Mission Bite #12, December 20, 2016
Even though we do not have trains in Togo, a popular expression is "You wait for the train; the train does not wait for you." Being on time is not a daily value in Togo, but if it is an important meeting, then peope will show up two or three hours early for the rendezvous. My wife, Lynn, had a meeting with a batik artist who is helping us raise money for our ministry with neighborhood kids. Arriving at the appointed hour she was surprised to hear he had been waiting for over 2 hours. We give thanks to God as Togolese join us in helping in local development projects...especially those who are there before the train.
- Mike Hutchinson, CBF field personnel, Togo, West Africa
Mission Bite #11, December 13, 2016
Since Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel Cecelia Beck's home is on a visible corner of her neighborhood with constant foot traffic, adults and youth alike stop by to talk about their struggles and triumphs at home or school. Neighbors also look out for Beck, taking the time to speak with her and tell her she is appreciated.
"One of my favorite neighbors was a man who once told me 'there are a million eyes watching out for you,"' Beck said.
She has learned to rely on her neighbors, whom she considers family. "It has been very important that I concentrate on 'being with' rather than 'doing for' my neighbors even though I do much for them."
Mission Bite #10, December 6, 2016
At church in Cambodia, the music leader often gets a phone call right in the middle of a song, steps outside to answer, and everybody else just keeps singing. A minute later, he will step back in and keep singing like nothing happened. As it turns out, the doors on the ground floor of the church have to be locked for security reasons. The music leader is the person you call to get in if you arrive after the doors have been locked. At first, I thought the action was a bit rude. However, it is an act of welcoming. Every call means that one more person has made the journey and the sacrifice to participate as part of the body of Christ that week.
- David Bass, CBF field personnel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Mission Bite #9, November 29, 2016
Sewing Training Centers are key platforms to share God's true love in India. Needy widows and teenage girls are the beneficiaries of this sustainable community-based program. With six months of training, each one develops a new skill to support their family with dignity and respect. At Graduation they receive a sewing machine, a Bible and a certificate that enables them to work anywhere with job orders coming directly to their homes. This program is opening hard hearts and dark corners of the community for the Gospel.
- Sam Bandela, CBF field personnel, India
Mission Bite #8, November 21, 2016
God is at work among the Bhutanese/Nepali refugees in Fort Worth. We've had 2 new churches begun among them and recently I was invited to preach at one of them. Pastor Dal greeted me and said that today a Hindu man was accepting Christ. At the end of the service, the pastor called forward a young man who knelt before the group and was led in prayer accepting salvation in Christ. We then had the privilege of laying hands on the new believer and praying for him.
- Karen Morrow, CBF field personnel in Fort Worth, Texas
Mission Bite #7, November 14, 2016
Rockie Chick, a resident of McCreary County, Kentucky, was homeless for a year before he met Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel Scarlette Jasper. Most days, he survived by catching squirrels or rabbits and sleeping in a box or wherever he could find shelter. Though there is no easy solution for the cycle of poverty, Jasper says, "The solution to persistent poverty is not a handout; it's a hand up; it means doing what Jesus did - feeding the poor, clothing those who need clothing, taking care of the sick, but also helping them make sustainable changes that move them into community and opportunities to help their neighbor. It means forming partnerships that will help engage communities in transformational development together."
- Blake Tommey, collegiate minister at the University of Virginia
Mission Bite #6, November 8, 2016
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these where unity and love are modeled and shared.
“We met Rene several years ago when he was working at the Children’s Center, an outreach of Bethel Ministries/Litomerice Baptist Church. I was immediately impressed by his commitment to serving others and we remained friends even after the Center closed. I know Rene to be a compassionate and committed servant, and I was honored to be present at his appointment service. At the service, an elder who happened to be Baptist shared how meaningful Rene’s friendship has been to him. He said, “I consider him my brother.” He continued through his tears, “We are brothers here and we will be brothers in heaven.” By bridging generations, races, and church affiliation these two brothers deconstruct the rhetoric of intolerance against “anti-sociables” as the Roma are euphemistically called by some Czech politicians. Deconstructing the myth that Roma and non-Rom Czechs cannot relate to the other, the reign of God grows as these men from different worlds learn to live in beloved community.
- Dianne and Shane McNary, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel, Slovakia
Mission Bite #5, October 31, 2016
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these, building community among the Roma people in Slovakia:
“There were so many great times at camp with the Roma kids. But watching their sweet little faces singing ‘We are the world, we are the children, we are the ones to make a brighter day, so let’s start giving….. It’s true, we make a better day, just you and me’ was a special treat. Watching them love on my kids and watching my girls love them back was a gift beyond measure. We were truly forming together!”
- Tanya Parks, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel, Kosice, Slovakia
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these showing love and hospitality to refugees in Uganda:
"Here in Uganda, refugees are required to return to primary school if they want to complete their educations. This often means adults and youth must return to primary school, even as far back as the first grade. Can you imagine returning to the first grade now, knowing you have another 12 years to go before you can complete school and get a job? Jade and I have dreamed of being able to provide our students with an accelerated education program...in a quick and dignified way. We pray that by enabling our students to earn a high school diploma, they’ll be better equipped to thrive in Uganda, or wherever they go. Who knows, they may even become the change-makers and leaders their home countries will need in the future."
- Shelah Acker, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel, Uganda
Mission Bite #3, October 17, 2016
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these serving communities and sharing the Gospel in Spain:
“When I visit churches here in Europe, I love to go into the sanctuary and listen. In the silence, I can almost hear the people of the centuries past as they came to pray, worship and replenish themselves for their everyday lives. Recently, I visited a local Spanish church that uses a storefront for its space. Christians from different churches in the community had been invited to come together to discuss how we could work together to transform our community. We sat and talked about practical ways to serve and love our community. I sat and listened. It wasn’t a grand Cathedral or a living room, it was a simple storefront church, but we were there, praying, worshiping and being replenished in community so that we could serve our community.”
- Matt Norman, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel, Barcelona, Spain
Mission Bite #2, October 10, 2016
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these offering hope and hospitality to Muslim neighbors in Southeast Asia:
“September began with our neighbors celebrating Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice. This is an important Muslim holiday that commemorates Abraham's faith through the sacrifice of sheep, goats and cows. It was fun teaching our children about the holiday and how to pronounce the Arabic words (eed-al-odd-ha!). They asked, "Dad, why don't we do sacrifices?" We had the opportunity to share this month with our children and our neighbors that Jesus is the final sacrifice.
We came to this country knowing God called us here to walk alongside people as they made their way through the decisions of life and faith. This month has been full of one-on-one conversations with students and young adults. Our study of the Song of Solomon has opened the door to many private discussions with students about their relationships. One does not feel loved, and other is unsure of which path is right. Another is recovering from abuse from within the church, but is running back to Jesus who she desperately missed during her time away."
- Mike and Brooke, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel serving in Southeast Asia
Mission Bite #1, October 3, 2016
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these offering hope and hospitality to refugees and immigrants around the world:
“My new friend and I were driving around Raleigh yesterday collecting furniture and other household donations when he stated 'The roads are good here. In my country when it rains the roads become rivers. It is very hard to drive during the rainy season.' A little while later he asked, 'when is the rainy season here?'
Please remember to pray for internationals new to the US. It's a whole new world for many who now live here.”
- Marc Wyatt, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel in North Carolina advocating for internationals
