By Mati Spencer

I have always loved to write.

There’s just something about interweaving nouns with verbs, clauses with phrases, that allows me a great depth of freedom and creativity. This childhood interest soon turned to passion, though, when I decided I wanted to spend the rest of my life weaving together stories, specifically stories about the Lord.

Originally I wanted to enter into the political or investigative journalism fields. I knew the adrenaline rush from tracking down and discovering vital information would be addictive, yet I also knew I would eventually tire of the constant stream of corruption and lies that I would have to feed my readers.

After much prayer, I decided there was only one topic I could never tire of writing about, that I would consider a privilege to give to those who read the stories I had crafted. That topic was the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When considering a college that would equip me for writing about the Lord, Central Baptist College stood out. With its close proximity to the BMA America offices and its caring journalism staff, I soon began attending this school in Conway, Arkansas, three hours from my hometown of Washburn, Missouri.

I continued to grow in my knowledge and love of all aspects of journalism, taking classes and working for the Tower school newspaper. In my junior year of college, I applied for and received an internship at the BMA of America, where I am now learning under Holly Meriweather in their media department.

In this internship, I am completely at Holly’s disposal, observing what she does, and learning how to work in media ministry. I copyedit and proofread materials distributed by the BMA, including articles for mission:world magazine and Compass literature from DiscipleGuide.

I have also worked in raising awareness for Lifeword Sunday, and the new sponsorship program Lifeword is beginning for businesses and organizations to support the ministry.

Undoubtedly, God had a plan when he gave me a passion for him and a passion for writing. He knew I would desire to write for him and graciously led me to my current internship at BMA America. When I graduate from CBC in 2017, I will use the information learned in my internship and my undergraduate classes to share with people the hope of the world: Jesus Christ.

(Note by Holly Meriweather: Brandon Cox, pastor at Grace Hills in Rogers, Arkansas, encouraged Mati, who did not grow up in a BMA church, to consider CBC. We have appreciated her work at Lifeword and BMA Development and look forward to her continued internship in the fall semester after her summer-long mission work in Haiti.)

BMA Productions will broadcast portions of the 2016 Baptist Missionary Association of America National Meeting from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, live via online video April 25-27. Viewers may access content by navigating to bmalife.com/tv during the following times:

 

Monday, April 25, 7 p.m. – First General Session (President’s Message)

Tuesday, April 26, 7 p.m. – Third General Session (Annual Message)

Wednesday, April 27, 7 p.m. – Sixth General Session (Missions Commissioning & Johnny Hunt)

By Holly Meriweather

One part of Lifeword’s three-pronged vision is media and leadership training patterned after the ministry of Jesus and his disciples and Paul’s ministry and his discipleship of Timothy and Titus. Central America, Ghana and the Philippines have established this training process. The formula, outlined in Exponential by Dave Ferguson and John Ferguson, looks something like this:

1. I do. You watch. We talk.
2. I do. You help. We talk.
3. You do. I help. We talk.
4. You do. I watch. We talk.
5. You do. Someone else watches. You talk.
6. Repeat the process with someone else.

Steps one and two of the process began in Central America when Lifeword Programming Director Luis Ortega trained BMA Honduras Leader Denis Lopez seven years ago while he watched, then helped install Lifeword Community Radio in Honduras and Guatemala.

Steps three and four were realized when Bro. Denis Lopez became Central America’s visionary leader, training others in media and leadership including Luis Gonzalez, a young Garifuna living in the remote village of Batalla

(Honduras). Gonzalez was trained at Tela, Honduras, one of Lifeword’s Community Radio training bases where he was led by other Garifuna brethren and Lopez. Assisted by Bro. Denis Lopez, Gonzales helped with the installation of Lifeword Community Radio in three areas/dialects: Garifuna villages, Kekchi villages of Guatemala and in Diria, Nicaragua.

A mission team from Wyatt Baptist Church, in El Dorado, Arkansas, along with Nicaragua Missionary Oscar Gaitan, were able to get a close-up look at step five of media and leadership training on their yearly Spring Break mission trip. After two days of travel from Honduras, Bro. Luis Gonzalez met Wyatt pastor Adam Thomas, the Wyatt team and BMA leader Bro. Oscar Gaitan on an assignment to set up Lifeword Community Radio in the remote village of La Concepcion in Nicaragua

After nineteen hours of travel by bus, a two-hour boat ride and another two hours by mule and on foot, the teams arrived at La Concepcion. With tears of joy, Bro. Gonzalez exclaimed, “Words cannot describe the feeling of being able to serve these beautiful people. The spiritual and physical needs are many, but to be able to partner with other BMA people to meet both physical and spiritual needs was and is the highlight of my life. The greatest joy was passing on to them the knowledge and training I have received both in regards to the gospel and media to make disciples. Like the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:3, I can say that ‘I delivered unto [them] all that which I also received.’

Bro. Adam Thomas said, “It was awesome to see this radio ministry get off the ground. I was even more amazed

when I realized that a lot of the people in the area had phones with FM receivers in them. This could have a huge impact on this young church! Thanks for all y’all do at Lifeword. Also, the young man who installed it (Gonzalez) was an excellent representative of Lifeword. Loved having him on our trip.”

Two days after the trip, BMA Nicaragua leader Bro. Oscar Gaitan said, “This is perfect and practical for this village! This has already proven to be one of the best tools for them. We are rejoicing over the first fruits this radio has already produced along with the other efforts! You cannot imagine the joy this is bringing to all. A neighboring village has already caught wind of what is happening in La Concepcion, and they are requesting we come to their village too.”

 

 

Writer´s Training

At this writing we are traveling to Mexico to attend the BMA of Mexico national meeting. During that time we will meet with the writers there to select a place and time for the second section of training on how to plan a curriculum.

We are also in the process of planning writers conferences in Central and South America.

Gloria

Back in the 1970´s an 18 year old girl came to work at Casa Bautista Misionera de Publicaciones, which is now Editorial Bautista.

For over 40 years Gloria Hidalgo has worked in BMAA Spanish publications, not only as a translator and graphic designer (her favorite jobs), but also as secretary, artist, and even running the presses and collating materials.

The desire she has often expressed of leaving this world sitting at her computer working on Spanish literature is a reflexion of her devotion.

Last fall Gloria began working on curriculum for Junior high students, which has been on her heart for years. She was able to finish 2 quarters before being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer which had spread all over her body.

We ask you to please remember this faithful warrior in the Lord´s work, her husband, Federico, son Eric, daughter, Cristina, her mother, Ann, and her 2 grandsons in your prayers.

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