Friday, April 25, 2008

May 2008 Philippine Mission Team

Pictured here is the team I will be leading to Dumaguete City, Oriental Negros, Republic of the Philippines, on a short term mission trip, May 19-31


Jay Adkins is Pastor of First Baptist Church of Westwego (New Orleans metro area) and he holds an M.Div. in Biblical Languages from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. This will be Jay's second short term mission to the Philippines. He has also done mission work in France. Jay has over ten years experience in the pastorate, leading churches in Kentucky and Louisiana. Jay is vice president of Beacon Ministries and serves on the Board of Directors of the Global Maritime Ministry in New Orleans. He was recently elected as chairman of the Administrative Committee of the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans.
While being involved in all of the aspects of the trip, Jay will primarily be responsible for the two day Pastor and Church Leader Seminar, "Practical Helps for Effective Ministry". He will also be the main speaker on both nights of our outdoor crusade in the town of Sibulan.



Joseph Spurgeon is a member and Deacon at Westmoreland Baptist Church in Huntington, WV. This will be Joseph's second mission trip to the Philippines in two years. Joseph is multi talented. He had produced a number of outstanding video projects, and will have the duties of documenting this mission trip. He will be active in house to house evangelism, Bible distribution, and open air assemblies. On his last trip to Dumaguete, he worked hard to help paint the two church buildings we have helped build, and proved to be a great asset in ministering to young people and children. Joseph is the oldest son of Randy Spurgeon, who is the newly appointed Director of Church Music and Family Ministry of the West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists.




Robby Pearson is a native of South Carolina and serves as Associate Pastor at First Baptist Westwego. He will earn his M.Div. from NOBTS this year. Robby is a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and the grandson of NASCAR patriarch, David Pearson, whose duels with Richard Petty are legendary. Robby also has several years of pastoral experience as a staff member and senior pastor in South Carolina churches. While taking part in the other ministries in Dumaguete, Robby will join Jay and I as a facilitator in the two day seminar, and will be a guest speaker one night in the outdoor crusade.




Bobby Wood is also a South Carolina native. Bobby serves as Education Pastor at FBC Westwego, through the "Unlimited Partnership" program that is sponsored by NOBTS, the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans, and the Louisiana Baptist Convention, which pairs outstanding Christian Ed majors with local churches in the New Orleans area that were impacted by Hurricane Katrina. First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas is Bobby's sponsoring church in partnering with FBC Westwego. Bobby will be involved in witnessing, house to house evangelism, scripture distribution, construction projects, and other aspects of the mission trip agenda. This trip comes at a unique time for Bobby, as he was just married in early April! (I wonder how homesick this newlywed is going to be, halfway around the world from his new bride, Lindsay???)




Billy Cox is making his first overseas mission trip, and he is "rearin" to go. Billy is an active layman in the Brotherhood ministry at First Baptist Church of Westwego. An accomplished carpenter, Billy looks forward to doing some light construction and remodeling work at the New Life Church building in Dumaguete while the seminar is in session in town. He will also be involved in our other ministries and will help us with scripture distribution. Billy is a "Barnabus" type encourager and is not afraid to get his hands dirty working for the Lord.





Daniel Savage has been the Worship Pastor of First Baptist Church of Westwego since January, 2007. Daniel has served as Worship Pastor of Mission Lab on the NOBTS campus, and he worked last summer for LifeWay as worship leader of the M-Fuge project in Mobile, Alabama. This talented young man writes music and plays five instruments. Daniel will lead our worship music in the outdoor crusade and at the two day seminar. He will also be involved in every aspect of music ministry on this trip as well as other areas of our mission. While this will be his first trip to the Philippines, Daniel will be making another overseas mission trip later in the year. Danil is pursuing his Master's Degree at NOBTS, where he also works part time as a barista in the Cafe' New Orleans in the Hardin Student Center on campus.




These two young ladies will also be making their first trips to the Philippines. Janna Johnston (top) and Amanda Lindsey are room mates at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and will also be rooming together in Dumaguete.

Both of these young ladies are active members of FBC Westwego and serve in Music and Children's ministries there. in music ministry in the Philippines, and they will help with the worship duties in the seminar and at the crusade

Amanda and Janna will also be involved with personal evangelism, house to house witnessing, scripture distribution, and we hope they will have ample opportunity to minister to the children in the communities surrounding the New Life Church in Dumaguete and the Mayaposi Baptist Church in the remote mountainous region of Mabinay.

We are blessed with a versatile and diverse team. It is the second largest team, in number, that we have ever taken to the Philippines, and the youngest group by far (Billy and I being the notable exceptions!) This trip promises to be different from any of the other seven short term mission trips that I have taken there since February 2000.
I believe the Lord is planning something wonderful as he prepares our hearts to minister to those precious people in a place I have come to love. Will you join us in prayer that we will see much success for His Kingdom? Who knows what God will do through this effort? Join us in calling on Him.
'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' Jer 33:3 (NKJV)








































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