Him Spring 2018 Serving - Serving in Mission
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Serving Him
Spring 2018
125th anniversary
special edition
1893—2018
Convinced that no one should live and die without hearing God’s good news
By the We must
numbers reality of
I recently visited the SIM
Bangladesh team, where
eight different mission
organisations work together
under the same vision.
They long to see thousands
of healthy churches
composed of disciples of
Jesus coming from the
majority established faith.
Opening up Matthew 5–7
together, we sat at Jesus’
feet as disciples first and
missionaries second.
Our father God led us to
marvel afresh at his son’s
perfection, to repent of our
hypocrisy and ask God to pour
his grace by his spirit into our
hearts for building our lives
daily on Jesus and his words.
There is no other way to make
disciples in communities
where Christ is least-known.
This year Serving In
Mission celebrates 125
years of pioneering mission,
and with this our enduring
commitment to spread the
Sources: SIM International, joshuaproject.org gospel where people neither
2 Cover photo: Joshua Bogunjoko, SIM International Director
Serving Him
embrace the new 4 Why it’s right to celebrate
our big birthday
pioneer mission
By Joshua Bogunjoko
6 There’s still gospel work to
do in Nigeria
By Tim Allan
8 Bangladesh Bible School is
doing it write
By Tim Allan
10 #HowWillTheyHear makes
global impact
By Sarah James
12 Answers to prayer
13 10 mission mistakes
By Steve Smith
17 By Prayer — more than just
a slogan
By Linda Hunt
18 God is helping me build
good relationships in a
tough place
20 One sugar cube helps the
know or name the messiah service but we don’t shy away gospel taste sweet
Jesus as their sovereign Lord. from our mistakes (see page 22 Jonny speaks up for Jesus in
The opportunities of 13). Crossing barriers with the South America
By Tim Allan
multi-ethnic ministry and the gospel requires that we view
24 Mission:Secure for SIM
impact of changing economic, failures as friends to learn By Tim Allan
technological and political from, not foes to fear. 25 Welcome new SIM workers
environments, the growth The grace of God liberates 26 Do you want to serve?
of the church in the global us to serve without fear 28 Join our 125th birthday
south and the reduction in of failure and to view our celebrations
size of the church in the west mistakes as opportunities to Editor: Tim Allan
©2018. Spring 2018
and north are all important learn how to make disciples ISSN 2398-1296 Printed by CPO
UK/Europe Headquarters
realities to embrace. with greater understanding Serving In Mission, Wetheringsett Manor,
Add to this the fact that and wisdom. Wetheringsett, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5QX
t: 01449 766464 | e: info@sim.co.uk
more and more people are on How can each one of us w: www.sim.co.uk
Ireland
the move like never before. respond to Christ’s gospel 285a Woodstock Road, Belfast BT6 8PR
t: 028 90 451451 | e: info@simireland.co.uk
It is imperative mission call? There’s plenty of For further Information, contact the Serving
agencies enable ‘everyone information in this magazine In Mission office, or your nearest regional
representative.
to everywhere’ in how we to help with that choice.
respond to declare Jesus’ Whatever we decide, let’s
‘Serving Him’ is an official publication of Serving
name among all nations. depend on God, since all life In Mission, the UK branch of SIM. SIM is an
In this edition of Serving and ministry comes from him interdenominational, evangelical, Protestant
mission agency founded in 1893. Serving In
Him we celebrate the 125 and the glory will return to Mission is a member of the Evangelical Alliance
and Global Connections and is a charity,
years of sacrificial Christ-like him. Serve well in his strength. registered in the name of SIM International
(UK). Registered Charity No. 219763. Charity
Registered in Scotland No. SC040432. Company
Limited by Guarantee No. 611250.
Permission to reprint material must be obtained
from: Serving In Mission, Wetheringsett Manor,
Wetheringsett, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5QX
Steve Smith, UK Director t: 01449 766464 | e: info@sim.co.uk
Data Protection Act: Serving In Mission holds
PS: I’d love you to sign up for our weekly prayer email, SIMpray. names and addresses on computer for mailing
and other internal purposes. Please contact us if
Just go to sim.co.uk/simpray or email linda@sim.co.uk you do not want your details held on computer.
3
125 Years WORLDWIDE
Let’s celebrate God and
all he does through us
By Joshua Bogunjoko, SIM International Director
C elebration is part of what
it means to follow Christ
so let’s look forward as a
be a memorial to you, and
you shall celebrate it as a
feast to the LORD; throughout
celebrate baptism and the
Lord’s supper.
We are a people who
global mission family to this, your generations you should be known for our
our 125th anniversary year. are to celebrate it as a capacity and readiness to
In the very moments when permanent ordinance.” celebrate because we serve
we lose ourselves in joy at Jesus described the a God who makes a habit of
what God has done, we are response in heaven to one giving us great joy.
experiencing worship as sinner’s repentance on earth So, why do we celebrate?
image-bearers of God and we using words that convey a Like the Israelites and the
are a gospel witness to those great celebration: “In the early church, we celebrate to
who observe us. same way, I tell you, there acknowledge as a community
In Exodus 5:1, we find the is joy in the presence of the that God is performing
By Tim
first Allan
indication that God wants angels of God over one sinner amazing acts in and for us,
his people to celebrate and who repents.” (Luke 15:10) bringing life and love in place
hold festivals. Untold numbers of people of death and disease.
God spoke through Moses have repented of their sins We celebrate because God
to Pharaoh saying: “Thus says and turned to Jesus directly answers prayers, removing
the LORD, the God of Israel, and indirectly because of the barriers to places where many
‘Let my people go that they work of SIM. still live and die without his
may celebrate a feast to me in Celebration is a natural good news, bringing lush fruit
the wilderness.’” rhythm in the life to which out of the dry ground.
Later, the very first God has invited us, both in We celebrate because
command from the Lord the the Old and New Testaments. over the past 125 years,
night he delivered them from Jesus’ very first miracle was at times when all was
Egypt was to stop and hold performed at, and on behalf dark and uncertain; when
a festival before they took of, a wedding celebration. bombs fell or earthquakes
another step and this was to While we no longer shook; when floods rose or
be done for ever. In Exodus observe the Passover, we famine spread; when mobs
12:14, God commands the still rejoice and celebrate the approached or friends fled;
4 Israelites: “Now this day will resurrection of our Lord. We when persecution deepened
The First 1893
125
Walter Gowans, Thomas Kent and
Rowland Bingham arrive in Lagos and
found the Soudan Interior Mission.
Years
PSALM 145:7
or imprisonment lengthened; celebrate because celebration to the Lord and to sing
when falsehood dazzled or restores, revives and prepares praises to your name, O Most
the truth dimmed, when us. We celebrate because High; To declare your loving
seasons of discomfort the work itself is not the kindness in the morning and
tempted us to doubt; in all of highest goal, and we remind your faithfulness by night,
these, God did not fail us. ourselves of this when we set with the ten-stringed lute
Today, the church thrives it aside. and with the harp, with
in countless places once We celebrate not because resounding music upon the
considered hopeless. our past is sacred, but lyre. For you, O Lord, have
With trust in God, our because the God who was made me glad by what you
workers stand shoulder-to- present and active with us in have done, I will sing for joy
shoulder today with believers the past is sacred and is the at the works of your hands.”
in places where religious same today and forever. (Psalm 92: 1–4)
extremists rampage. Like the psalmist, we can SIM, let’s celebrate our
Why do we celebrate? We say: “It is good to give thanks God in 2018! 5
1894 1898 1902
Gowans and Kent die of An SIM Council Bingham returns to Africa for
malaria in Nigeria. Bingham is formed in a third time and is finally able
recovers at home, returns Canada. to establish a mission base
to Lagos, suffers another 500 miles up the Niger River in
fever and is unable to Pategi. Work expands into other
establish a mission base. parts of west Africa.
125 Years NIGERIA
M ore than half the 180
million people in
Nigeria would today claim
Even where
we started,
to be Christians — a fitting
testament to the work of
SIM’s founders and others.
Walter Gowans, Thomas
there’s still
Kent and Rowland Bingham
were among the first people
to take the good news of
Jesus into the heart of Africa
a lot of work
when they set up the Soudan
Interior Mission.
Gowans and Kent died
within a year of first landing
to be done
in Lagos in 1893 and it took
Bingham two more attempts
before his team finally
established a mission station
500 miles up the Niger River By Tim Allan
in Pategi.
From there, SIM and Pategi church founded in 1903 Christians, who have been
several other agencies sowed has 208 members, while a well-discipled and are growing
the seeds of a huge gospel neighbouring church founded in their faith.
growth across central Africa. in 1991 has just 10 members. “But the predominant faith
SIM pioneered much of the A senior SIM mission in northern Nigeria is Islam
gospel outreach in central and worker in and there have
northern Nigeria. Nigeria, said: been many
Many churches are now “Those three instances
firmly established in both young men of violence
south and central Nigeria but who arrived being done to
there is still much work to do. in Lagos Christians by
There are 80-90 million in 1893 Boko Haram.
Muslims in Nigeria and would, There’s an
the very people group our I’m sure, enormous amount
founders were most interested see much of poverty, a shortage
in — the Hausa-Fulani — is still today that of good, faithful Bible
90 per cent Muslim. pleased them. teaching and a shortage of
Pategi is still very much a The gospel has spread across mission workers.”
Muslim town. According to many parts of Africa and many Mission work in Nigeria
6 the latest figures (2013), the people here are committed grew steadily through most of
1909 1915
SIM establishes Guy Playfair appointed SIM’s
its first church first Field Director in what is now
in Egbe, Nigeria Nigeria. He establishes SIM policy
after it baptised of decisions being made as close
13 people. as possible to those affected.
Please pray
●●Give thanks for the vision
of our founding fathers,
who wanted to share the
gospel with those who had
never heard of Jesus.
●●For all the mission workers,
both with SIM and other
agencies, seeking to carry
on that work in Nigeria.
●●For the gospel to carry on
spreading in central Africa
so that all may come to
faith in Jesus.
“One example of that is our
programme which brings
together Christian and Muslim
leaders for education and
training programmes.
“We’re doing trauma
the 20th century, expanding church had developed to a healing for victims of violence
both in terms of ministries and point where it was able to take in the north and producing
geographic spread. over all of SIM’s ministries and literature in both English
SIM set up Bible colleges, properties. It is now a huge and Hausa. We also help in
which are now vital centres church, with up to 10 million theological education, orphan
of learning and teaching, and members, and is very mission- care, widow care, looking after
started schools, hospitals, minded. The church has more street children and trying to
leprosy treatment centres, than 3,000 missionaries in take the gospel to the Fulani.”
clinics, orphanages, training Nigeria, along with another Gowans, Kent and Bingham
centres as well as a literature 300 or so working started SIM with
ministry producing high- abroad, including SIM Want to
serve a vision to share
a?
quality gospel resources. international director in Afric ges 26 -2 7 the good news of
SIM’s work even produced a Joshua Bogunjoko. See pa Jesus with people
new denomination, originally SIM is now involved in a who had never heard it.
called the Evangelical wide range of ministries, not That work has made a great
Churches of West Africa, so much in direct evangelism start in the first 125 years but
now the Evangelical Church but more in training and it is far from finished.
Winning All, but known from supporting other people in SIM workers and others will
its inception in 1954 as ECWA. their evangelism. continue until our founders’
By the mid-1970s, the The senior worker said: vision has been fulfilled. 7
1918 1922
Bingham becomes An SIM council is established in
SIM’s General the UK. John and Edith Hall open
Director. SIM’s first school in Kaltungo,
Nigeria.
125 Years BANGLADESH
Bible school is trying
hard to do it write!
By Tim Allan
M odern Bangladesh
has many similarities
with the country Serving In
accept the reality of God,
very few are Christians; the
gospel can produce hostility;
Thomas Kent and Rowland
Bingham were not deterred
by those problems in Africa,
Mission’s founding fathers the climate is tough and the so today’s SIM workers in
encountered in 1893. culture is hard to understand. Bangladesh are pushing
While most Bangladeshis But, just as Walter Gowans, forward with the good news
of Jesus.
One key part of that
Tahmina’s story strategy is the Bangladesh
Bible Correspondence School,
Married mother Tahmina has a living faith which has played a vital role in
in Jesus thanks to the Bangladesh Bible distributing gospel materials
Correspondence School — and in the face of to people across the country
hostility from her family. since it was founded in 1958.
Less than one per cent
Tahmina, who lives in the north of Bangladesh of the country’s 160 million
and heard the gospel at a BBCS workshop, people are Christian but BBCS
has helped many of them
said: “I can now understand God in a personal
come to faith and then stay
way, not like in Hinduism.” strong in their faith.
She lives with her loving husband but they BBCS has just four local staff
and operates from a small
were forced to leave the family home after office in Dhaka but still teaches
her mother-in-law discovered a hidden Bible. up to 500 students a year.
Heartbreakingly, the mother-in-law refused to Much of the material is
let their six-year-old son go with them for fear posted out but there are also
he too would become a Christian. three and five-day workshops
and seminars, which help
A BBCS worker said: “In a decade of ministry, I equip students to handle
have never met a woman with such hunger God’s word and become Bible
teachers themselves.
and commitment for God.”
8 Around 120 students a year
1924 1925
An SIM council is established in SIM merges with Abyssinian
the USA. SIM bookshop opens in Frontiers Mission, opening
Jos, starting a chain of shops that up work in Ethiopia.
becomes ubiquitous in Nigeria.
complete the full course —
roughly 25 per cent of the Please pray
intake, up from just 10 per cent ●●Give thanks that the gospel seed is being planted daily
five years ago. An increasing in Bangladesh and for the devotion of BBCS staff.
number of graduates are going ●●For the students to take God’s word seriously as they
into ministry. study and put their knowledge into practice.
The school is desperately
●●Forgenerous donors to be raised up so the work of
short of money, as it seeks
BBCS can continue for years to come.
to fund staff, an office, travel
and the production and
distribution of the materials. £195,000. A set of books for donate and quote project
By the grace of God, the one student is £8, a Bible is £5 number 98026.
school has been granted a five- and a three-day workshop for Just as those first SIM
year government licence to several students is £250. workers were beacons for
operate but needs to reprint There is an urgent appeal Christ in a country which did
all the teaching material. for project funding in order to not know him, so BBCS is a
The budget for the 2016–17 keep the BBCS going — if you beacon in a predominantly
financial year has been set would like to donate please fill Muslim country where hardly
at the equivalent of £35,000 in the form at the back of this anyone has heard the good
and for the next five years at magazine or go to sim.co.uk/ news of Jesus. 9
1932 1933
SIM mission workers Newton Kapp and other missionaries
divert a river to form open SIM’s first station in Kano,
a pond and perform Nigeria. The missionaries initially
their first baptisms “lived above a canteen” until they had
in Ethiopia. built the station.
125 Years #HowWillTheyHear
Thousands signing up
for our campaign to
share the gospel with
refugees and migrants
By Sarah James
T housands of people
across the world are now
actively engaged in the global
trip to Greece in the summer,
which would be suitable for
individuals, families or teams;
#HWTH Advent journey
The next stage was an
innovative online advent
#HowWillTheyHear campaign a short-term trip to Lebanon journey, which told the
to take the gospel to migrants to help teach the children Christmas story through the
and refugees. of refugees from the Syrian eyes of refugees and migrants.
The campaign, which conflict; and a longer-term This included a series of Bible
brings together more than 10 opportunity for an Arabic reflections, activities, powerful
mission agencies in a unique speaker to manage Egyptian refugee stories and some
collaboration, is inspired by missionaries working among campaign giveaways.
the very things which inspired refugees near Athens.
the earliest SIM workers — #HWTH campaign packs
sharing the good news of Jesus 10:14 Prayer campaign Many packs have already gone
Christ with people who have The campaign launched back out to churches and people
never heard it. in October with 14 days of across the country. Containing
There are now more than prayer, which encouraged headphones, a wristband,
50 opportunities to share that people to seek God’s help for a button badge and other
good news with refugees and the task of helping migrants resources, they promote
migrants across Europe and and refugees in the UK, Europe awareness of the campaign
the Middle East. and the Middle East come to a — to get yours, just sign up at
10 They include a short-term living faith in Jesus. info@howwilltheyhear.net.
1935 1937
SIM workers hold first baptism SIM mission workers expelled from Ethiopia
ceremony among the Wariji people after Italian invasion. Cliff Mitchell and Tom
of Nigeria. Mai-Gari is first person Devers are killed by bandits in Ethiopia.
baptised. SIM starts using ‘By They are first members of SIM to die on
Prayer’ as its public tagline. active service.Please pray
●●For the #HowWillTheyHear campaign
to have a powerful impact for Christ
among refugees and migrants.
●●For UK churches to understand and
grasp the great gospel opportunity
that lies on the doorstep.
●●For more workers to take the gospel
to refugees and migrants in Europe
and the Middle East.
#HWTH on the road gospel contact between among UK churches to inspire
We took the campaign to Christians and migrants in the people to pray for the work
university Christian Union UK as well as overseas. and people to go into mission.
mission roadshows in the We are keen to inspire the We already have many
autumn. The students were UK church to reach out to local opportunities to work with
very engaged with the migrant migrant communities, as well churches in Italy, Greece,
crisis and we are following up as to send people to Europe Germany and the Middle
several good inquiries from and the Middle East. East and would love to move
those keen to reach migrants workers into those roles.
with the gospel. #HWTH what next? If you’d like to find out
The campaign has also gone The next phase of the more, please contact
to several UK churches. campaign will see us build Sarah James, UK campaign
To take just one example, relationships with our partner coordinator, on info@
a #HowWillTheyHear organisations, including the howwilltheyhear.net.
presentation by SIM UK wider SIM community, GEM, You can also check out the
director Steve Smith has led ECMI, TEAM, DMG, EMF, #HowWillTheyHear website
to a Farsi-speaking member Wycliffe and UWM, under — howwilltheyhear.net —
of that church making contact the leadership of Simon for prayer materials, to get
with refugee Iranian families. Barrington, former director of a campaign pack or to find
That shows the reach of Samaritan’s Purse. out more about the available
the campaign as it promotes We will also be working opportunities to serve. 11
1940 1941 1948
SIM mission hospital in Doro, Igbaja Theological College African Missionary Society formed
Sudan is bombed by Italian air opens in Nigeria, SIM’s first by SIM missionaries and Nigerian
force, killing Dr Robert Grieve formal training institution. pastors. Later becomes the Evangelical
and his wife Claire. Missionary Society.Give thanks for Walter Mission workers
Praise God for 150
Gowans, Rowland sent from the UK are
mission workers sent
Bingham and Thomas involved in 96 different
from the UK who are
Kent, SIM founders who ministries and God is at
serving in 31 countries.
had the pioneering vision work! Pray for spiritual
It’s the highest number
to take the gospel to breakthroughs in 2018
of UK workers in eight
sub-Saharan Africa. Pray that will see many more
years! Pray with us for
with us for more pioneer coming to a living faith in
still more in 2018.
missionaries. Jesus Christ.
answers
45 per cent of God has opened
new workers sent the door for short-
to
by UK churches term SIM teams
in the last year to go to the Silk
are engaged Road, Greece and
prayer
with ministries Ghana in 2018.
that focus on Pray these will
communities be full of people
where Christ is ready to seek his
least-known. call to mission.
Give thanks for our three Immerse mission Kenyan Daphne is with Niddrie Church,
interns — Emily, Claire and Eleanor — Edinburgh on our Engage programme.
who are now well into their mentored Give thanks for this partnership and
placements. Pray for interested and pray for six more overseas workers to
enthusiastic applicants for Immerse 2018. serve the UK church in 2018.
Give thanks for the Our #HowWillTheyHear Praise God for all the
300 churches that have campaign has reached mission workers who
connected with us in 200,000 people. Give have shared the gospel
the last year, either by thanks and pray some over the last 125 years,
sending a worker or would be willing to serve whether through SIM or
supporting SIM’s work. refugees and migrants. other agencies.
12
1949 1952
SIM International SIM starts work in Eritrea and stays
Council formed. until 1975. There was a return from
1991–2006 and radio ministry still
continues from nearby countries.125 Years WORLDWIDE
10 mission
mistakes
(and what we can
learn from them)
By Steve Smith, UK Director
T his year we not only want to celebrate
125 years of pioneering mission, we
want to recognise and confess that we have
ministries to give us their views on where they
think this has been the case.
Looking at their responses through the lens
made mistakes. of scripture, I’ve picked out 10 major mistakes
There have been times when we’ve failed — detailed on the next three pages — which
to live up to our vision, purpose, mission and have, on occasions, rendered our ministries
core values. ineffective and which we must guard against.
As I thought about our birthday, I asked a I don’t want these to discourage any of
number of our members involved in church us, but rather inspire us to keep Christ at the
planting teams and church-strengthening centre of all we do and trust in him. 13
1958 1964
Americans Howard and Wanda Salim Tannous from Lebanon
Jones are first non-white people to is SIM’s first Arab missionary,
become SIM associate members. serving as an Arabic broadcaster
They serve for 10 years. at Radio ELWA125 Years WORLDWIDE
Mistake 1
Depending on our resources
instead of God
el in
Whether we’ve been sharing the gosp
mun ities whe re Chri st is least-kno wn for
com
by chur ches , the
decades or are newly sent
ys to lean first on our own
tendency is alwa
resources, education or experience.
of the
All us missionaries believe in our need
to rely on him.
Spirit’s work, yet we often fail
us we
Without Christ’s Spirit at work among
. We need to
will not see the glory of God
s and our team s repe ated ly
remind ourselve
t from the bran ch, we can do
that, apar
nothing of any worth.
Mistake 2
When we stop using God’s
word as our means of mission
Since we’re committed to Biblical truth
, it Mistake 3
may seem strange that teams can try
disciples without depending on God
to make When we follow Christ
through mono-cultural eyes
’s Spirit
through his word.
But that happens if our multi-skilled
teams Our primary concern is to introduce
we
give time to good activities, without
making communities to the person of Jesus but
see the worl d
clear our intention to share the good
news of must always be aware that we
Jesus in a language people can unde through a particula r cultu ral lens.
rstand.
al identity
We’ve even been guilty of assumin
g people To discover a multi-ethnic evangelic
mus t listen to God ’s word and
don’t want to hear Biblical truth, whe
n that in mission we
is the very thing they most need to the brea dth of cultu ral dive rsity to
hear. allow
contribute to our disciple-making.
If our disciple-making is to be effe
ctive, we always
must learn that communicating the
Biblical An open heart, with an open Bible, will
in the love of Christ
gospel goes hand-in-hand with lear
ning a be open to growing
ng.
new culture and language. through the eyes of those we live amo
14
1965 1967
ELWA Hospital open in Liberia with 45 SIM’s first Asian missionary,
beds. Liberian Clara Blaine Wilson is Japanese Michika Aoba, serves
the first African to become a member in Nigeria.
of SIM.Mistake 5
When we fail to appreciate
the strength of diverse teams
As one SIM colleague put it: “We say
we
will be more effective in ministry as
we
incorporate the richness of cultural
diversity
in SIM and celebrate our oneness in
Christ but
I’m not sure we really believe that.”
However, there is no doubt that strat
egy
works — look at SIM’s team in South
Sudan,
where Ethiopians cycle 20km to reac
h out
to displaced people from Sudan, who
are
Muslims with no knowledge of Christ.
New churches have begun as a resu
lt of this
witness but it takes the support of
the whole
team to persevere in the work.
Mistake 6
When we serve from strength,
rather than weakness
e in
Mistake 4 Mission workers can sometimes arriv
ign cultu re and expe ct ever ythin g to
a fore
Showing Christ’s compassion work well, simply because they have enou gh
without speaking of him been well -pre pare d. The
money and have
Just as Jesus cared for the sick, suffering reality can be very different.
and find a
marginalised, so he commands his follo
wers to One family spent two years trying to
love our neighbours. Jesus calls us to to live, beca use they did not have the
act justly plac e
ugh that they were
and love mercy in communities where
he is right paperwork. But thro
people
least-known. brought into contact with countless
who had not hear d the gosp el.
Our good works of mercy must neve
r replace lems was
telling people of God’s mercy to us in
Jesus. The way they dealt with their prob
Fruitful workers do not imagine peop a powerful witness.
le will rly
become disciples simply by seeing or
receiving We must never forget that we are utte
er com es only
compassion — let us love people in
Christ’s powerless and that the pow
name and speak about Christ’s gosp
el truth. from God’s Spirit at work within us.
15
1969 1975
Ken and Mervina Sharpe On June 3, 26-year-old Australian
are first people of African doctor Doug Hill is stabbed to
descent to join SIM as ‘career’ death in Markan, Ethiopia. The
missionaries. From Jamaica, leader of SIM’s Emergency Relief
they become members in Team in the Ogaden, Hill was
Canada and serve in Nigeria. killed by a Somali.125 Years WORLDWIDE
Mistake 7 Mistake 9
When we think we know When we stop asking for
more than we do prayers of those at home
God’s mission cannot be accomplished
We must always act with humility and by
just the relatively small number of peop
never with arrogance. le
sent by churches; it requires the who
le
We must be quick to learn from the Christian community to empower that
people we are serving and slow to work through prayer.
presume we are qualified teachers.
Communicating prayer needs is vital
for
One SIM worker thought if he learnt effective ministry — how can peop
le
e the
enough language and culture to shar pray if they do not know what they
g peop le to Chri st.
gospel he would brin should pray for?
whe n he liste ned to peop le’s
It was only
t Writing prayer requests can sometim
problems that he learned how to poin es
Scripture . feel like a chore or a burden, but build
them to the Christ of ing
and maintaining that relationship with
As one experienced worker put it: “The supporters is part of ministry.
a
most productive thing I can do is have
post ure as I pres ent the word of
learning
God for consideration.” Mistake 10
When we put our ministry
Mistake 8
above greater gospel need
When we stop equipping pe
The refugee and migrant crisis in Euro
local churches and the Mid dle East has reve aled a huge
The church is central to God’s mission gospel need.
nities
strategy but sometimes we have wron
gly Until recently, SIM had few opportu
prioritised our ministries over the cent and refu gees and it
ral to serve migrants
work of gathered local believers. would have been easy to say that we
le.
We always need to ask ourselves: Doe should leave such work to other peop
s
nd
the way we do mission serve the chur
ch Instead, we’ve put our full weight behi
or limit the church? paig n, a glob al
the #HowWillTheyHear cam
een miss ion agen cies to
In the Middle East, many of our work collaboration betw
ers gees.
are serving as church members, offer take the gospel to migrants and refu
ing
advice, training and assistance to deve
lop Unless we respond to our times, the
t to
the church. ministries God gives us will not adap
serve the greater gosp el need .
16
1976 1978
SIM turns over its work in An SIM council is established
Nigeria to the Evangelical in France. First SIM
Church of West Africa. All conference on the use of
missionaries now report computers within SIM.
to ECWA.125 Years READING
By Prayer — more than
just a slogan for SIM
By Linda Hunt
R etired missionary nurses Joan
Tresidder and Jan Matthews
know the power of prayerful people
Lord’s hand upon us; like when a plane
would turn up just as an emergency
patient needed to be taken to town,
supporting them as they serve. or the provision of personnel. We
Prayer lies at the heart of know it didn’t just happen.”
everything Serving In Mission does Jan, who retired in 2013, is still
and that is just as true today as it in contact with Mukinge Hospital,
was when we started in the 1890s. Zambia, and regular updates from
During their combined 80 years of there help fuel the group’s prayers.
service in Zambia and elsewhere, Joan Joan said: “We pray for people with
and Jan often saw the Lord at work. whom we have a close relationship
Joan, who now runs a prayer group and who we can pray intelligently
in Reading, said: “When there were for. We have prayer links to Zambia,
emergencies in Zambia, we knew the Malawi, South Africa and south Asia.”
New members are always welcome
and a couple have joined only recently.
Joan said: “It’s been lovely getting
to know the parents of a missionary
family serving in south Asia. It’s
helpful to build a picture of an area
of ministry we don’t know so much
about and to pray into the joys and
the challenges.”
If you’d like to join, or start, an SIM
prayer group email linda@sim.co.uk.
Out now! Our anniversary book
We’ve published a wonderful history of Serving In Mission
to celebrate our 125th birthday.
Written by SIM worker Gary Corwin and filled with historic pictures,
the 480-page By Prayer To All the Nations gives a fascinating insight into
our work and some of the major turning points in our history. If you’d
like a copy for just £15 plus p&p please email Tim Allan (tim@sim.co.uk).
17
1982 1989
Andes Evangelical Mission International Christian Fellowship
merges with SIM. AEM began merges with SIM. ICF was formed from
as the Bolivia Indian Mission two missions which worked in Ceylon
in 1907. (now Sri Lanka), south India and the
Philippines from the 1890s.125 Years CENTRAL ASIA
God is helping
me build good
relationships in
a tough
Title place
down
It’s very hard to share the gospel in places where no
one has heard of Jesus. That was true for our founding
fathers and it’s still true today. This story has been
here
written by one of our workers in central Asia, who
has been living there for a little over a year and is
concentrating on slowly building relationships, while
working out how best to tell people about Jesus.
I have many interesting
conversations with the people
we meet, especially the drivers
tourists, we were approached by
numerous people on the street.
Eventually, one new acquaintance
who take us around the region. insisted that we go to her home the
After peppering me with questions next day, even though it was several
for hour after hour, one man finally hours’ drive away. Her persistence
declared: “If everyone was like you, was unmatched.
there would be no wars in the world! By 10pm that night, less than two
There wouldn’t be the need for hours after our first meeting, she
country borders or for wars.” had become the fastest person to
On one journey, while I was taking have told me she loved me!
18 an evening walk in town with visiting The following day, she had
1993 1995
The Evangelical Church of West Africa commissions Rev. An SIM council is established in
Sunday and Mrs. Grace Bwanhot, Rev. Simon and Mrs. Indonesia, the largest Muslim
Ruth Tako, and Dr. Joshua and Dr. Joanna Bogunjoko to country on earth, and fieldwork
serve as missionaries. General Director Jim Plueddemann follows in 2011.
and other SIM missionaries take part in this event.Please pray
●●Give thanks for all the
workers who have
shared Jesus in Asia.
●●For God’s word to
spread among the huge
numbers of people who
have never heard of
Jesus in central Asia.
●●For many more
courageous workers
to be raised up for
this challenging but
rewarding long-term
mission work.
●●For all the workers in
central Asia to build
good, firm friendships
with local people, who
might then be inspired
to ask questions about
faith, about belief and
about who God is.
assembled a houseful of people and commented on by people living
milling about to throw us a feast. So nearby, when some visiting tourists
many of them showed us great acts who were concerned about my
of kindness, both in word and deed. short-term lack of access to water,
On walks to and from the carried water to my home.
workplace, people continue to This type of expression of love
stop me, asking if they can talk for means something here, and I thank
a while. These are tremendous the Lord for visiting folks like this,
blessings of love showered upon me. ready to display it in action. Want to serve
in Asia?
I pray that I can reciprocate their The bottom line is that I really See pages 26-27
love through his God’s spirit in me. can’t wait to see what God has
One visible act of love was noticed coming up next. 19
1996 1997
SIM International sends its SIM starts work in China and
first emailed prayer bulletin to an SIM council is established
sending offices. in Korea.125 Years EGYPT
The challenges of
sharing the gospel
with people who do
not know Jesus have
barely changed in 125
years. Here, one of
One sugar
our gospel workers in
Egypt shares what he
has learned.
cube helps
When I first came to
Egypt, I was passionate
the gospel
taste sweet
for the salvation of Muslims
and I still am.
As soon as I rented my first
flat in Cairo, I went looking for
Muslims to befriend in order
to give them the good news.
I found it much easier than giving mental assent to the dependent culture. It was a
I thought it would be and truths of Christianity is many local pastor who first tried to
before I knew it I was part of a times easier than taking explain this to me.
group of friends who met daily the step to profess Jesus as I met him on my second day
outside the grocery store. Lord and enter into Christian in Cairo, many years ago. He
In the evening, we went fellowship with others — asked me to attend the church
to the coffee house to play and neither of these are the and when he learned of the
backgammon and share meals. biggest obstacle. burden to share my faith with
Conversation flowed The biggest obstacle does Muslims, he was overjoyed.
and religion was one of the not even exist in the mind of a Then he warned me: “A
favourite topics. I heard person from an independent Muslim in Egypt who professes
endless presentations about culture, which makes it all the faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour
why I should be a Muslim and more difficult to explain to and God is like a box of sugar
I had many opportunities to most Western people. cubes. The sugar cubes are put
share the message of eternal The biggest obstacle is the in his box by many different
life through faith in Jesus. sheer terror of finding oneself Christians who, in one small
In my many years of sharing without a community, the way after another, complete
my faith here, I have observed broader ‘family’ that is the air the picture of the gospel, and
20 that, for an Egyptian Muslim, a person breathes in an inter- a full sugar cube box is his
1998 2002
Africa Evangelical Fellowship Bryan Davidson
merges with SIM. AEF was itself and Tripp Johnston
formed out of mergers of several found Sports
agencies dating back to 1889. Friends in the USA.Please pray
●●For Egyptian churches
to provide a ‘family’ for
new believers.
●●For more workers to
be raised up to serve in
the Middle East.
●●Forour workers to stay
safe as they minister in
dangerous places.
which I have the joy of adding
a sugar cube to their box.
One day it is at work, on
another with the grocer, or
the barber, or the taxi driver,
or with friends of friends.
Sometimes we discover we
agree about something, or I
readiness to tell someone that session. Just as that pastor learn something from them, or
he has put his trust in Christ.” warned, giving the entire I am led to explain something
I continued to ‘make the gospel in one go, when that about the gospel. Then we
most of every opportunity’ has not been requested, is carry on with our lives, and I
but a seed of discouragement counter-productive. trust the Holy Spirit.
took root. Although we were As God brings me across I’ve been here long enough
having amazing conversations, someone’s path, I have to realise and admit that my
I had yet to see any personal an opportunity to be and role is to support
movement toward Jesus. speak part of the in and encourage my
Eventually, I left the message of his Want to serve ? Egyptian Christian
the M iddle Ea st
neighbourhood but changed love in Jesus Christ, See pages 26-27 friends, who
my approach to evangelism. but then it is best are wisely and
The imam at a local mosque to leave that person in his compassionately gathering
has been a supplier for our hands to be brought across my former Muslim followers of
business for more than 20 path again or that of another Christ into robust fellowships.
years. He has heard the Christian, each of us led by the I’m more and more content
basics from us all but we Holy Spirit. to be one part of this body
have never explained to him I now have many wonderful that Christ is using to build
the gospel from A to Z in one encounters with Muslims in his church here. 21
2006 2008
SIM establishes a sending office Communications coordinator Steve
in South America, known as OCLA Knight sends the first SIM International
(Oficina de Conexion de Latina ‘tweet’.
America).125 Years BOLIVIA
P ioneering mission comes
in all shapes and sizes —
just ask Jonny Anderson, who
has spent the last three years
learning the South American
language Quechua.
Serving In Mission started
by taking the gospel to those
who had never heard it, but a
key part of today’s strategy is
helping those who have met
Jesus become good disciples.
Jonny
Jonny, sent by St Nicholas
Church, Tooting, knows
there is a desperate need for speaks
up for
Quechua churches to hear
Christ-centred preaching in
their own language.
He explained: “Two million
Jesus
Bolivians have Quechua as
their first language. To explain
the gospel, you really need to
do it Quechua.”
Jonny (far right) lives with
wife Olga, and two of their By Tim Allan
three children — seven-year-
old Joanna and six-year-old
Jonah. Their nine-year-old
son Joel is at boarding school or preach in Spanish, you are those with special knowledge.”
in England, close to Jonny’s using the language of the Jonny ‘s two key preaching
parents in Somerset. education system, so people techniques are the narrative
Near Jonny’s home in Sucre, feel they are being taught sermon and the white board
is a small Quechua church. rather than discipled. with stick men.
Most of the 50 or so adult “But the gospel is all about In the sermon, Jonny goes
members are aged around 30, relationship with Jesus. By through a Bible story and then
with a slightly older leadership. using the Quechua heart applies it to the lives of those
Several people have language, I can emphasise that in the congregation.
recently been baptised but and it is easier to show Christ He also encourages others
the continuing challenge is to is part of everyday life, rather to give their testimony and
ensure they are well-discipled. than just for Sunday; and that helps them understand how
22 Jonny said: “If you teach Christ is for everyone, not just Jesus met people like them
2013 2014
Joshua Bogunjoko becomes International Ebola outbreak in Liberia
Director, the first African to hold the infects SIM workers Rick
position. Joshua was brought up in a Sacra and Nancy Writebol,
Nigerian SIM church and served as an attracting worldwide
EMS mission worker. media attention.Please pray
●●For Jonny to be
encouraged by the
sermons he preaches
and for those who hear
them to be challenged
by the word of God.
●●For Jonny to be diligent
and persistent in
learning the language
and willing to take
some risks for the sake
of the gospel.
●●For the family, as they
adjust to life with Joel
now at boarding school
in England.
(rich man, poor man, ill repent and find forgiveness.” you, he will enable you to get
person, etc). To do that effectively, Jonny through the language-learning
By using a white board and knows he needs to improve his and you’ll be motivated.”
stick men, he can go through Quechua still further — and Jonny’s Quechua preaching
a Bible story visually, which longs for other people to join is taking pioneering mission to
is especially effective in a him in the work. new levels.
primarily oral culture. He said: “After three years Our founding fathers would
Jonny, who has just started of learning the language, I’m perhaps have been happy
preaching in Quechua, said: just about able to preach in to explain the gospel and
“The big challenge is to put church but it is still tough. I’d move on; now the aim is to
Christ at the centre of the say I was a beginner in the ensure people hear the gospel
Quechua church, so that advanced class. and then build a lifelong
people understand the need to “But if God is really calling relationship with Jesus. 23
2015 2018
SIM’s new governance structure gives The SIM family of more than 4,000
equal weight to all countries, not just workers celebrates 125 years of
the traditional sending countries. pioneering gospel mission across
the world.125 Years MISSION:SECURE
How we’re
equipping
our teams
to stay safe
in a crisis
By Tim Allan
G od’s global mission can
sometimes expose our
workers to real risk but we
today. Walter Gowans and
Thomas Kent died of malaria
soon after arriving in Africa;
Key features
●● Online security training
are determined to do all we our modern workers have available to all SIM
can to minimise it with a faced the ravages of ebola. workers (including
project called Mission:Secure. Our founding fathers faced short-term and official
The history of mission is full hostile foes; last year mission visitors). Allows us to
of people who gave their lives workers were killed in Nigeria, require security training
for the gospel, including two not far from where Serving for anyone functioning in
of the three founding fathers In Mission was born, while SIM capacity.
of Serving In Mission. another is still being held ●● Subsidised training in
But none of them set out captive in Burkina Faso. crisis management.
with that intention, most of Mission:Secure, which ●● Training of trainers who
them were fully aware of the is being run by SIM’s head can carry lessons into
risks they faced and did not of crisis management Nate wider SIM community.
under-estimate those risks. Killoren, is designed to equip ●● Scholarships for SIM
We want today’s mission our workers with the tools workers who need
workers to be in exactly the they will need to stay safe in training to provide better
same position. crisis situations. crisis care (including
In many ways, the risks The intention is to help trauma first aid, family
faced by workers 125 years those offices which send liaison, debriefing and
ago are exactly the same as mission workers carry out their media training).
the risks our workers face duty of care.
24Welcome Matt Stone
Church: Barnabas
new SIM Community Church,
Shrewsbury.
Where will you be serving?
workers
We’ve got five new workers heading out into
Lima, Peru.
What will you be doing? I
will be working with Sports
Friends to further the name of Jesus in
global mission, so please keep them in your the region. My role will be to work with
prayers as they settle into their new roles the local church, discipling, mentoring and
and seek to make disciples of the Lord Jesus teaching coaches.
Christ among people who do not know him. Pray: For the provision of financial support
to enable me to go and for good language
Johanna Fischer learning because all interaction with the
coaches is in Spanish!
Church: EGHN Miehlen, Germany.
Where will you be serving? Johannesburg,
South Africa. Joan Sanderson
What will you be doing? Working at Church: Duns and District
an orphanage, supporting children and Parishes.
godparents and being a
mentor and friend to young Where will you be
adults from the surrounding serving? Namibia
Evangelical Theological
informal settlements.
Seminary in Windhoek.
Pray: That I will keep my
What will you be doing?
eyes focused on Jesus in the
Six-month maternity cover
midst of preparations. Pray
for the librarian.
that all will come together
for his glory. Pray: That I will learn quickly, work hard
and be a blessing to many.
Mark & Lorraine
Armstrong Ben Moore
Church: Bethany Church: Christchurch, Southampton.
Baptist, Bangor, Where will you be serving? Mukinge,
Northern Ireland. Zambia.
Where will you be What will you be doing? Serving in the
serving? Zimbabwe. missionary hospital in Mukinge as part of
What will you be my medical elective and also serving with
doing? Initially based in the UK, we will the missionary team in the village.
travel regularly to Zimbabwe to be involved Pray: That God will prepare
in discipleship and leadership training. my heart to serve him and
Primarily, we will be focusing on a Pastor share his gospel while in
Book-set ministry. Zambia. That preparations
Pray: That God will be glorified in all that will go smoothly and that
we do and give us patience and wisdom as I’ll pass my finals exams so
we raise support. I can actually go!
25Church
planting
Peru,
two years plus
People in the remote
communities of the
Cotahuasi Canyon
region of the Andes
are responding well
Vet to the gospel. We are
Nigeria, two years plus looking for people
to live and work in
Could you use your veterinary skills to these communities,
help reach the largest nomadic people nurturing and helping
group in Nigeria? You would administer disciple new Christians
vaccination programmes, build a Christian into churches. You
veterinary network and train others while would also share the
building long-lasting relationships in the gospel with those who
wider community. have never heard it.
Do you want to
Intercultural
worker
Germany,
two years plus
Do you have Arabic,
Farsi or Dari language
skills? Are you able
to be sensitive and
show compassion?
Your skills are urgently
needed to minister to
Project Coordinator
refugees and migrants, South Asia, two years plus
sharing God’s love and Help people around the world pray for
gospel hope in several the work in south Asia and support
locations in Germany. gospel-centred projects by writing reports
You would be working and prayer letters to inform. You will visit,
alongside members of evaluate and develop projects and train a
the local church. local person to help you.
26Aircraft maintenance
engineer
South Sudan, two years
Do you have the skills to keep our South
Sudan team mobile as they share God’s
word and build the church? You would
have the opportunity to build into the
lives of local people by passing on your
skills and sharing your faith.
Business entrepreneur
Asia, two years plus
Do you have the skills to establish and
run an entrepreneurial business, as well
as the desire to see communities who
have never heard the name of Jesus hear
and respond to the gospel message? If so,
we’d love to hear from you!
serve?
We have hundreds of opportunities and
these are just a few. Go to sim.co.uk/
opportunities to find more, or contact
info@sim.co.uk to talk things through
Language and culture Middle/
learning Upper
Middle East, two years plus school
Do you have a passion for learning new teacher
languages and for sharing the good North Africa,
news with friends? If God has placed the
Middle East on your heart, this could be
two years plus
your first step to long-term ministry. If you are qualified
to teach English,
history, maths or
science, your skills
could help mission
workers stay on the
field as you provide
a quality Christian
education for their
children through
a home-school
cooperative.
27May 10, 2018
Join us at a special London event
to mark our 125th anniversary
W e’re putting on a
special celebration in
London on May 10 to mark
alumni programme this year,
designed to help our mission
workers stay better connected
to stay involved with SIM,
whether you are a former
worker or a long-term
our 125th birthday — and with us, with each other and supporter. We’ve picked out
we’d love you to be there. with the places they served in four below.
We’ll have more details when they return home. If you’d like to know more
soon but put the date in your We’ll put on more alumni about our anniversary event
diary now — we’d like as events later this year and give on May 10 or our alumni
many SIM-connected people updates about our work by programme please email
as possible to be there. email and on social media. Amelia Catling (amelia@sim.
We’re also starting a new There are loads of ways co.uk) for details.
Laura gives Sarah has a
us her time marathon task
Laura McMaster, who served ‘God willing, I’m taking on
in Nigeria as a nurse, is now the challenge of running the
a mother of three and a blustery hills of Anglesey in
a key member of Serving In Mission’s a marathon this month (January) after
Irish Council. She is a great advocate for training for about four months. I’m running
SIM within her church and has helped to raise money for Sports Friends Malawi,
recruit two nurses to go out short-term a ministry of Serving In Mission, where I
to Madagascar. She also helps with volunteered last year and saw the the huge
interviews with prospective workers, gospel impact the team is having.’
debriefs and organising events. Sarah Haddow
Jon’s a great Brave Pat is
People person walking tall
Jon Nurse did two associate Pat Morgan is a very
trips to Burkina Faso and is determined woman — and
now a communications officer a very good fund-raiser for
at Southampton University. He is also a Serving In Mission!
key member of Serving In Mission’s People She served as a nurse and midwife
Committee, a sub-committee of our in Ethiopia and Niger for more than 25
board of trustees which is responsible for years. Despite suffering a stroke in 2008,
ensuring we’ve got the right people and she has walked to raise money for Serving
policies in place so that we can take good In Mission UK and Danja Hospital, Niger
care of our workers. every year since 2010.
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