December 2021 Armor Bearer
| December 2021 |
Dear Faithful Prayer Warriors and Supporters,
Every year is memorable and perhaps, like us at AFBM, you likely have several impacting memories that come to mind as you reflect on 2021. The world wants us to focus on the chaos and uncertainty that is going on all around us. No doubt there are some real issues, some reasons for concern. Perhaps some of you have dealt with physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges this year. As believers, we can be strengthened and emboldened as we meditate on our faithful God and His work in our individual lives and in our ministries. Our God is sovereign!
Yes, we have ridden the roller coaster of changing military base access requirements because of COVID restrictions, but we also saw online church services and Bible studies offering military families encouragement and hope and truth. We have seen the doors close to “normal” ministry in many VA facilities where we desire to minister, but we have seen God reopen prison ministries in two locations where the truth of God’s Word is now freely shared. We have seen attendance numbers down in many locations, but we are still seeing lives impacted by the truth of the Gospel, with one airman in New Jersey professing Christ last weekend! While doors may be closing in some churches, we have a missionary family in Colorado preparing for their first church service in April 2022 as they seek to spiritually impact military members at and near the US Air Force Academy. Overall, our many missionaries keep working tirelessly where God has called them because they never know whether now is the appointed time or if now is the day of salvation for the one God has put in their path.
I am grateful to God to be able to welcome veteran military missionaries Chuck and Susan Callahan to AFBM. Having served for twenty years as missionaries in Japan after Brother Callahan’s twenty-year Army career, they bring with them a sincere love for God and souls, and much awareness and understanding of military ministry. Following God’s leading to now reach our military worldwide, Brother Callahan serves as the new AFBM Director of Operations. Beside overseeing many of the important efforts of the Home Office, he will be involved in assisting and encouraging missionaries, sharing the military burden in churches, and visiting Bible Colleges to encourage and inform young men and women that are preparing to serve God in full-time ministry.
We always covet and appreciate your prayers for AFBM in general and specific ministries especially. Please join us in praying for God to open the door for Scott and Tammy McCain to get to their field of ministry at Faith Baptist Church near Lakenheath AFB. The British government is in the visa approval process that is proving to be many times longer than originally forecast. Brother McCain is using this time wisely and faithfully ministering to that congregation via video messages, but their personal presence is needed. We want God’s perfect timing in this matter and are praying for visa approval very soon. Would you join us in praying?
We at AFBM continually give thanks to God for you. We pray you will sense God’s great blessing and leading in your life and ministry as we move forward into 2022 and new opportunities to reach more with the Gospel. Let’s ask God to allow us to do more for eternity this year than ever before.
On behalf of your AFBM Missionary family, Kevin Brown