June 2024 Armor Bearer
Dear Faithful Prayer Warriors and Supporters,
Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.
Military history is full of accounts that demonstrate the need for, and the impact of, individual sacrifice. Our AFBM missionary serving in Italy is reminded every year of the gratitude of that nation when it celebrates “Liberation Day”, marking the end of World War II. You may be aware that June 6th was the 80th anniversary of the D Day invasion, a successful military operation in which the United States saw 8,200 men killed, wounded, missing or captured. Recent casualty rates aren’t as striking, but the US military recorded 1017 deaths in 2020, 1009 in 2021, and 894 in 2022. Every loss has meaning! Perhaps your family or one that you know has personally known of great personal sacrifice during military service. Aware that each life represents a soul in need of a Savior, we at AFBM remain steadfast in our efforts to share the hope of the Gospel. Thank you for your faithful part in praying for AFBM ministries and in financially supporting the agency in its efforts to assist our missionaries, churches, and Servicemen’s Centers in their essential ministries.
Memorial Day is a solemn military holiday remembering sacrifice. For many, it also marks the unofficial start of summer. Do you have a special family gathering or a long-awaited vacation in your plans? For our missionaries, the arrival of summer does mean nice weather and it may include some special travel, but it also means upheaval in ministry. Permanent change of station (PCS) moves are a fixture in the military landscape. My family made 11 such moves. Departures often peak in early summer. For those families, it means saying goodbye and starting over in the new place God has for them. For the church and missionary pastor that they leave behind, it can mean losing a Sunday School teacher or deacon, a pianist or song leader, a nursery director or visitation partner. Thankfully the “fun” part of the PCS cycle for military churches happens in late summer when God sends in replacements. Would you pray for God to strengthen and sustain each military work as they navigate another PCS cycle? Would you pray for God to bless efforts to reach newly arriving servicemembers and their families? Also, please pray that God will bring in some new members that are spiritually mature and equipped to begin serving quickly. Finally, pray that God would fill all the seats that were vacated in May and June and then add even more new members.
The month of August includes two important events in the life of AFBM, the Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees and AFBM Family Week. We are already preparing for both events, and we covet your prayers. Pray that the Board Meeting on August 5th will be used by God to highlight our current worldwide efforts and focus us on the way ahead. Our need to reach our service members has never been greater and we want to be effective for the Lord. Please pray that God will use the Family Week gathering, August 5th – 8th, to encourage and equip our missionaries and their families. Our time in God’s Word will center on Biblical help for key struggles that believers deal with. Good News Baptist Church, the home of AFBM, is our host and they love to care for these dear servants of God. We are asking God to send each attendee away refreshed and ready to return to their important ministry locations.
Finally, I am sharing my constant request that you pray for more laborers. Contact us at AFBM if God is stirring your heart, or the heart of someone you know, about being more involved personally in getting the Gospel to our military servicemembers worldwide.
On behalf of your grateful AFBM Missionary family, Kevin Brown