Missions Committee

Purpose:

The purpose of the Missions Committee is to assist the Church in spreading the gospel through local, regional and worldwide evangelism efforts.  The committee currently coordinates the Church’s support of missionaries, reviews new requests for support, and makes recommendations regarding continued or additional support as needed.

The committee also develops personal mission and evangelism opportunities for members of the congregation.   These opportunities will likely initially be focused and centered around the existing missionaries that the congregation currently supports. These efforts may be in the form of outreach trips by a mission team from the congregation that travels to the location of the missionary to provide whatever assistance is needed.  The assistance may also be in the form of work projects, bible studies, preaching, teaching classes, making contacts, etc.

Activities:

The Missions Committee participates in several activities throughout the year.

The main activities include:

  1. Coordinating foreign missions
  2. Supporting mission teams
  3. Local missions outreach

Contact Information:

As a need is identified please contact:

  1. Rob Morrison, Elder
  2. Andy Wheeler, Deacon
  3. Glenn Studebaker, Deacon

Committee Members:

  1. Rob Morrison, Elder
  2. Andy Wheeler, Deacon
  3. Glenn Studebaker, Deacon
2025 Mission Works supported by the Lord through Fairgrounds Road Church of Christ

Search and Local (Edmond, Oklahoma)

URL: https://www.searchtv.org/

In Search of the Lord’s Way is a mission effort that utilizes YouTube, television and radio broadcasting to spread the Gospel throughout the United States, American Samoa, Bartica / Guyana, Belize and Iceland. In Missouri, Search broadcasts in Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Hannibal, Jefferson City, Joplin, Kansas City, Kirksville, Springfield, St. Joseph and St. Louis. Locally, Search broadcasts messages on KQFX each Sunday at 7:30 a.m., dishNetwork on channel 239 each Sunday at 6:00 a.m., DirecTV on channel 307 each Sunday at 6:00 a.m. and on the Cowboy Channel each Sunday at 5:30 a.m. Search now posts lessons on the Search YouTube channel “SearchTVMinistry” - URL: (https://www.youtube.com/user/SearchTVMinistry).

School of Biblical Studies, Jos (Central Church of Christ)

The School of Biblical Studies located in Jos, Nigeria was started in August 1989 by Terwase Avakaa, Clarence Wilson, and Solomon Aguh, who served for many years as the Director of the school. Tom Ekpot currently serves as the President of the SBS. The school began with a two-year diploma program; however, in 1992 the program changed to a three-year diploma in Biblical Studies. In 1995, a two-year mission program was added and in 1998, the school started preparing itself for a four-year BA program in Biblical Studies. This program received approval for affiliation with the University of Jos in August 2003. The school has also introduced a two-year certificate in Bible and a BA degree in Ministry. Fairgrounds Road has been supporting the School of Biblical Studies for many years.

Nigerian School of Preaching, Jos (Central Church of Christ)

Steven Worley, who worked with Solomon to start the School of Biblical Studies in Jos previously sent a request for funding to help the SBS become a standalone accredited university. The SBS has been affiliated with the University of Jos since 2003. Steven, now at the Savannah Church of Christ, states that “it is time to become our own university.” Part of the qualification is to own one hundred hectares (247 acres) of land needed for a future campus. Through the support of many congregations, a down payment was made on the land and allowed for a groundbreaking ceremony on the property to begin construction of the SonLight University site.

Bear Valley Bible Institute Ghana, Building Project and Campaign (Mountain Home Church of Christ)

URL: https://www.wetrainpreachers.com/ghana

Steven Ashcraft works with the Bear Valley Bible Institute and serves in the West Africa region. He reports that 2024 has “been a hectic year.” Steven and Karen have traveled to Gambia, Senegal and Ghana and are planning a trip to Sierra Leone and Guinea in November. Karen has been remarkably busy getting ready to expand her Sunday School workshops to over 150 congregations in 2025. Steven also reports that the evangelistic activities have increased with around fifty teams mobilized in ten countries with a goal of establishing two hundred congregations in 2025.

Since 2019, funding has been provided for a new building project. Steven reports that plans for moving into the building will begin in December 2025. “We are separating the needs into must-haves, like windows, doors, electrical, plumbing, plastering, painting, etc. and optional like tiling, fence wall, etc.” Steven voiced sincere appreciation for the support and said he would provide a detailed update soon.

Truth for Today (Searcy, Arkansas)

URLs:https://www.facebook.com/TruthForTodayWorldMissionSchool and http://www.biblecourses.com/(X(1)S(lgsg4ye4jhrmdt554saikc45))/Support/

Truth for Today World Mission School is an organization that is “dedicated to world evangelism.” The work includes written material, mission efforts, newsletters and videos.

Brazil (Bellevue Church of Christ)

URL: https://ebnesr.wixsite.com/ebnesr

The mission effort in Brazil is based on a school of Biblical studies in Recife, known as the National Bible School for the Equipping of Servants of the King, or EBNESR (Escola Biblica Nacional para Equipar Servos do Rei). The goal of the school is to train “Christian workers and ministers through advanced Biblical and ministerial studies.” The school “continues to use its teachers and resident students (in training) to teach evangelistic courses that serve the metropolitan area of Recife.”

Randy and Kathy Short have provided updates to Fairgrounds Road twice within the past several years. After working in Recife Brazil for decades, Randy moved back to the United States and has accepted a preaching position at the New Center Grove Church of Christ. Although Randy and Kathy have returned, they communicate that their work has changed but not ended. Randy continues to teach and serves as counselor to the president and director of the school and will continue to be a point of contact. Randy plans to travel to Brazil every 6 months to see the ongoing work and continue teaching as needed. His next trip is scheduled for January 2025.

The new president of EBNESR is Ricardo Sobral, with Elias Campos serving as executive director. Randy reports that the work at the school is going well and continued support will be needed for the school to remain stable.

Maine Mission (Kennebunk, Maine)

URL: https://www.southernmainecofc.com/

Terry Schmidt, the minister from the Southern Maine Church of Christ continues to be thankful for the support from Fairgrounds Road. Terry reports that the congregation is aging, and they have had a difficult past few years. Southern Maine produces a weekly bulletin with prayer requests and other updates. If individuals would like to receive the bulletin, please notify the office.

Little Prairie Bible Camp (Rolla, Missouri)

URL:  http://littleprairie.org/

Little Prairie Bible Camp serves as a camp for the youth. Members of Fairgrounds Road have supported the camp for several years by serving as cooks, teachers, counselors and staff. Fairgrounds Road also has supported the camp financially, which helps keep costs low for those attending.

Nigerian Mission - Benjamin Jukwey (Jos, Nigeria)

Benjamin is a staff member of the School of Biblical Studies, Jos. He is a lecturer where he teaches Greek 2, the Origin of the Bible, and Religion and Leadership. He also spoke at the Annual Lectureship with a lesson title of “Crying Out to God: Prayer and Praise in Psalms.”

Through the support offered by Fairgrounds Road, he reports that this allows him to do the work at area villages that could not otherwise be done. He also reports that the support has also allowed him to help widows and other brethren who are struggling with daily necessities.

Benjamin is a highly active individual with many talents who works diligently to serve the Lord. He serves on a team who is translating the word of God into Etulo. Translation for the New Testament was completed and launched in May. He is now translating the Old Testament into Etulo.

Although he continues with a very cheerful outlook, he reports that “things are very hard here in Nigeria.”

Adventures in Missions - AIM (Sunset International Bible Institute, Lubbock, Texas)

URL: https://aim.sunset.bible/

Organized through the Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock, Texas, the AIM program is an “apprentice missionary program for college-age young people. Adventures in Missions is a focused effort by and for Christian young men and women to work together to strengthen the church and bring the lost to Christ. As followers of Jesus, we make it our ambition to please Him. We are committed to the belief that AIM is one way to experience and fulfill our commission to be disciples and to make disciples.” Programs like the AIM program are needed to cultivate future missionaries.

Gospel Chariot Missions

URL: https://www.gospelchariot.org/about-gcm

George and Ria Funk oversee the Gospel Chariot Missions effort, which began in 1994. Gospel Chariot Missions partners with the World Bible School and Nations University to equip men and women to become effective disciples in sharing the gospel across 20 African countries, in Mexico and within the United States. This work is accomplished by using mobile facilities that are used to conduct Bible studies and worship services. Trucks and tents are used as the mobile facilities. Gospel Chariot Missions previously requested funding for operational costs and a new truck that will be used to spread the Gospel in the Philippines. The mobile facilities have been constructed and the effort will soon begin.

Pablo Gonzalez – Medellin, Columbia

During Richard Fredendall’s mission work in Columbia he has become acquainted with Pablo Gonzalez. Pablo is a minister working in the town of Girardota, Columbia, a suburb of Medellin. Since his efforts began in January 2022, the congregation has moved from meeting at an individual’s home to a public building to accommodate the increasing number of attendees. Pablo has organized efforts to evangelize and has teams that collaborate with him to reach out to the people in the area. He continues to seek funding so that this work can continue. The support is directed through the congregation in Marshfield, MO, who provide funds for other preachers in Columbia.

Sunset International Bible Institute – Ukraine Bible Institute – Richard and Denise Baggett

The Ukraine Bible Institute (UBI) is one of the partner schools of the Sunset International Bible Institute’s (SIBI) Global Relief Ministry (GRM) with an objective to preach the gospel by meeting the physical needs of individuals in need. Tim Burrow, president of SIBI, and Rob Hindman coordinate the effort with UBI contacts who include Richard and Denise Baggett.

UBI oversees humanitarian aid needed because of the current war in Ukraine. UBI partners with over forty-one distribution centers comprised of twenty-three congregations and eighteen humanitarian organizations such as orphanages and refugee centers for the aged. Approximately 7,000 meals are served each day and numerous other humanitarian reliefs are provided through this network.

As refugees leave Ukraine for other European countries, UBI works to ensure that these individuals are taken care of and have a congregation to worship with. They provide meal vouchers, host meetings and provide other support to fleeing refugees. More than 120 baptisms have been a direct result of relationships formed during this work. The congregations in the Ukraine area have grown between two and five times. The work is helping lead Ukraine refugees to Christ. UBI provides education to new ministers and teachers who can serve the Lord by helping to establish and serve congregations in Ukraine and other areas throughout Europe. The current enrollment is at an all-time high. This is encouraging as new ministers and teachers will be needed to help in future efforts as congregations are established in the region. UBI hosts a summer camp for children, which has been highly successful. The interest has created a capacity problem. To help increase capacity, the summer camp attendees will be divided by age and additional camp sessions will be created based on age group. This has created a need for additional youth ministers, who could be provided from UBI future graduates. UBI has sufficient funding to continue operations through the end of the year. Richard and Denise requested formal support from Fairgrounds Road so that they can reach a stable source of funds to support the annual program budget.

Alex Coloma Support

Alex Coloma is from the Philippines and has worked in various mission efforts since 1986, including Churches located in Mindanao Island, Luzon Island, Sydney, Australia and more. Alex and his wife Brenda have three children, of which one is still at home. Alex is planning to return to the Philippines to establish new congregations after graduating from the Memphis School of Preaching. Although the tuition is provided at no cost to Alex, Fairgrounds Road Church of Christ is assisting with expenses while attending the school.

2025 Mission Trips by members of Fairgrounds Road Church of Christ

Nicaragua - Mission Par Cristo

Madison Wheeler (Sylvan Hills Church of Christ - HU Healthcare Missions and Mision Para Cristo - Misión Para Cristo)

Harding University's pre-professional health students have the opportunity to serve the people of Nicaragua and share the message of Jesus Christ through Mission Par Cristo. Mission Para Christo works with the congregations of the Church of Christ, other organizations and local groups to care for those in Nicaragua and Honduras. The effort includes feeding the hungry, providing shelter, caring for children, education and providing health services.

Harding Students provide essential medical care to villages surrounding Jinotega, Nicaragua. The work includes routine check-ups, treatment for common illnesses and preventive care. Critical services that many individuals would otherwise not receive. More than just medical assistance, students seek to also offer hope and encouragement while sharing the message of Christ.


2024 Member Mission Trips

Colombia - Richard and Angie Fredendall (Summer)

Revised 2-1-2025