ECUADOR – The Next Field of Missionary Endeavor for GRBC

On April 25, Russell Leatherman, Dirk Littlefield, and Eral Sutton gave us a report in word and picture of their trip to Ecuador as our ambassadors (a point team) to investigate the potential of establishing support for some kind of missions effort in South America.

GRBC has, since its inception, been an evangelistic church and overseas missions is an important part of our obedience to the Great Commission. With our goal of supporting Knightswood Baptist Church in Glasgow, Scotland with on-site missionary teams having come to a satisfactory and satisfying conclusion, we began looking elsewhere for opportunities to continue this kind of outreach. With Russell’s existing mission’s connections in South America through New Beginnings Resources, we looked in that direction. This three man team journeyed to Ecuador to visit a missions effort supported by Global Outreach.

Without going into all the details, having received the report and recommendations of this three man team, we have decided to support the particular effort they recommended, slowly at first (‘getting our feet wet’) by funding a ministry at a $100 per month level, and establishing a partnership with one church in Ecuador – University Baptist Church. We also intend to establish a partnership with a church here in America to increase our ability to support our Ecuadorian partners. Our initial monetary support will fund a once-per-month bus rental which a particular missionary group uses to provide transportation among villages in the mountains. While people use this transportation – and are essentially a ‘captive audience’ – they are presented the Gospel. This is a small amount of initial support, allows us to establish and maintain contact, and hopefully will lead to future and more extensive coordination. (There are good cultural and economic reasons this ‘bus ministry’ is only once per month.)

The American missionary who guided our team will be back in the U.S. in late June, and it’s remotely possible he may be able to visit with us – if there is a way to make that happen, we will.

The point is – GRBC is a church obedient to the Great Commission and to Christ’s admonition to witness of Him in our local community, our own Judea and Samaria a little father off, and to the foreign missions fields (like Scotland and Ecuador).

Everyone in the Congregation is welcomed by the team (and encouraged by the Elders) to talk to them, ask questions and further acquaint yourself with their findings and experiences. Please take advantage of that opportunity.

Ecuador Indigenous Church-Planting

GRBC is cooperating with New Beginnings Resources to adopt a church in Ecuador through Global Outreach International. We will be supporting an aggressive indigenous church-planting effort through prayer, providing necessary resources, pastoral support, and on-site mission trips to encourage, teach, preach, and be taught by our fellow Christian believers in Ecuador. We are very excited about this window of opportunity to obediently, in a number of ways, share the gospel of Christ "even to the remotest part of the earth."

Scotland Ministry Exchange

Our cooperation and ministry with fellow Christians in Scotland will continue. GRBC will be sponsoring Pastor Gordon Thomson of Drumchapel Baptist Church, Glasgow, in coming to the Kingwood/Humble/Atascocita area to preach and teach the gospel. Look for more information in the coming months about this exciting opportunity to hear this great preacher of God's word.

Scotland Mission Trip: Glasgow, Scotland July 28 - August 7, 2006

This year's mission trip was the third year in a row to work with Knightswood Baptist Church in Glasgow, assisting them with their "Holiday Club" (Vacation Bible School). Our church has now transitioned responsibility for the planning and execution of the Holiday Club to the Knightswood BC leadership. We will assist in the coming months as advisors and resource conduits.