Spotlights – Summer 2017
Course Highlight: God’s Great Salvation & God’s Word: the Bible
By Brian Thompson
Our God-given calling is the task of Evangelism and Discipleship. Anyone who desires to fulfill the Great Commission is one of His blessed ambassadors (Romans 10:15). Source of Light has tools to help you finish that task. God’s Great Salvation is a 16-lesson course specially written to help people realize what they have in the gift of salvation. The eight books cover salvation from the standpoint of what God has done for us. Each lesson has a reflection page to direct the student into deeper study. There is an additional section covering some aspect of Old Testament teaching. If you are looking for a good series for teaching a new Christian, try God’s Great Salvation.
Another exciting offering is God’s Word: the Bible. It is eight lessons in four books that discuss our best resource for living righteously. The lessons cover the uniqueness of the Scriptures and conclude by teaching important principles of Bible study. The characteristics and content of the Bible are summarized. Each lesson has a ten-question test for the student to take. That gives you many opportunities to see if they understand what has been taught. Significant portions come from the wonderful book, What is the Bible? by Keita Takagi.
Both courses emphasize that a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ is needed for salvation. Just last year at the home office, one of our students studied God’s Great Salvation. She had resisted previous invitations to receive Christ. Finally, she surrendered to His call during her study of this course. It is wonderful to see God work in a soul through His Word.
Don’t miss out on your opportunity to disciple students to go further in their walk with God.
MEXICO
By Emily P. Meyer
Mexico is a place full of not only contrasting topography, but a contrasting spiritual atmosphere as well. When Spanish conquerors came, not only did they bring their own rule, but also Catholicism. Now 80% of Mexico’s 100,000,000 people are Catholic, but many still practice a pagan version of this religion, as traditional practices were mixed with Catholicism when the conquerors came to make it more culturally acceptable. This poses a great challenge for evangelists in this land.
Director of SLM Mexico, Manuel López, and his wife, Ruth, have served in Puebla, Mexico, for 24 years. Manuel has been the pastor of 130 member Dios es Amor Church for 16 years, and for 11 years Ruth has been the principal of its school for special needs. The church has a major emphasis on outreach ministries with a mission in Huejotzingo, supporting a national ministry in the mountains, many outreach programs that serve the community of Cuautlancingo, and the largest VBS each summer, ministering to 250– 350 people annually. The Lópezes utilize the SLM Bible lessons in their work for the Lord in Mexico and also gain new contacts through the Reaper.
The greatest needs that they have to continue their ministry are consistent monthly support for the school, funds for projects at both the church and school, and for the SLM lessons to be in an online format. As you pray for the Lópezes and the work they are doing with SLM, ask God to bless their health and give them strength to be faithful in their ministries, bless their family, for the salvation of the family members of the students at Dios es Amor, and for the ongoing construction of the church and school.
PHILIPPINES
By Emily P. Meyer
The Republic of The Philippines is composed of 7,107 islands divided into 19 Regions. The majority of the Filipino population reports to be Catholic, with just under 11% listed as Protestant and close to 6% Islamic. Astonishingly, over half the population is under 20 years old. With sex trafficking as the fourth largest income driven industry, the need for the hope of the Gospel is as great as ever. SLM has a great team of missionaries for this massively composed island nation.
Abraham and Letty Vallega have served for three years as the National Director, Jireh Daniel Espinas has been in charge of the World Wide Bible Institute (WWBI) for seven years, and these missionaries have served in specific regions of the Philippines for many years: Charlie and Beth Notarte, “Sally” Espinas, Geofrey and Imee Allego, “RED” and Sheryl Dizon, Pio and Merlin Deniola, Faustino and Virgie Espinas, Ebenezer and Esther Bajan, and Tina Hidalgo. This team provides SLM literature to churches, and ministries provide seminars and workshops in many areas of ministry.
The needs are great for a permanent office and training center, ministry service vehicle, mobilization fund, office operating expenses, adequate copies of Tagalog lessons, and sufficient support for the missionaries. As the Lord guides you in considering how to help with these needs, please also pray for the missionaries to have good health and strength for their tasks, more open doors, protection against extremists, protection from natural calamities such as typhoons, flooding, landslides, and earthquakes, and most of all for the correspondence students’ salvation and good follow-up, matched with further discipleship opportunities.
PERU
By Emily P. Meyer
Images of the Amazon, the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu, beautiful native costumes, and friendly people come to mind when thinking of Peru. Known for its beauty, this South American country has experienced much darkness through decades of terrorism. Yet, lately people have begun to turn to the One True God and the country is now open to the Gospel. Most recently, there have been deadly mudslides and floods, serving as an imminent reminder of the huge needs for evangelism and discipleship to reach the people of Peru.
SLM National Director, Pablo Correa and his wife, Dalila, have served the people of Lima, Peru for 38 years. Their ministry with incorporating SLM materials to meet the spiritual needs of the Peruvian people has been vast. Their work for the Lord includes: Bible correspondence course distribution throughout the country, evangelistic and discipleship campaigns, retreats for couples (marriage enrichment program), radio ministry, TV program, prison ministry, and most recently church planting in their home base of Denver, Colorado.
To carry on the good work of the Gospel that the Correas are partnering in, financial needs for both personal and ministry support are necessary. In order to carry out their projects, they need a regular budget. As you consider ways to tangibly support the Correas, also pray for them in these ways: for God to touch people’s hearts to become partners for undergirding Peru with prayer and financial support, for a specific place for the Peru Discipleship Training Branch (DTB), and for more workers.
Missionary Highlight: MADISON, GA
By Emily P. Meyer
Dan and Leah Winder were married June 17, 2017. As a couple, they are new to the Mission, but individually, they go a long way at SLM. In fact, they met when Leah came on a missions trip with her church to the Madison headquarters. They dated all through her time in college and when she graduated they began their plans for marriage.
Dan has served faithfully in the Print Shop and Shipping Departments where he has worn a number of hats, serving as needed, but has now settled in being groomed on the various print shop equipment. Leah, too, has a heart to serve the Lord and loves to serve in office administration and counseling people. Together they will fit in well at SLM with the many new directions we are headed.
Please pray for Dan and Leah as they begin to raise support. If you would like to contact them for meetings or support, you can email them directly at dwinder@slmin.org.
Ronnie Barnes recently graduated from Liberty University where he studied Business. His vision for studying business came from years on the mission field with his parents, Ron and Brenda (yes, Ron Barnes, the CEO). He observed the need for ministries to find ways to become more self sustaining, not totally dependent on funds from the West. He was particularly impacted during a trip to Thailand to minister to those rescued from sex trafficking. Those rescued returned to the industry due to lack of any other skills and opportunities. Ronnie has a desire to help these and others like them in ministries around the globe to set up businesses as a way to see them become more indigenous.
His training and vision has also been helpful in accounting, marketing, and media, so he serves in those areas as well. If you would like more information on how to help him, his vision and some of his business ventures, contact him at rbarnes3@slmin.org.
JAMAICA
By Emily P. Meyer
When thinking of Jamaica, many may have ideals of a resort island nestled in the Caribbean. While there is some accuracy to that, there are also very dark attributes to this place. The crime rate is rising every year, corruption rampant, and the minimum wage is about $1.20 USD/hour with high inflation in this impoverished island.
Don and Elaine Schiffer have been using their time, talents, and treasures to work with SLM since 2000. Originally, they led short term teams until Follow the Source was incorporated in 2008. Don took early retirement for them to move full-time to St. Elizabeth in 2010, one of the largest territories. Donald is the Branch Director and Elaine is the Children’s Ministry Director. They oversee 3,000 students taking Bible lessons through 26 different public schools. Last year 87% of their students earned certificates. Their ministry endeavors are expansive with both of them teaching Bible studies, putting on evangelistic community events, cooking and sewing lessons to unwed mothers, and supporting short-term ministry teams’ work in schools, with VBS, construction projects, and healthcare. SLM lessons are well utilized in their work. The Schiffers need teammates as they are the only full-time workers in their ministry.
The expenses of running this ministry are costly and the need for people in maintenance, repair, and the office require funds. Additionally, there are financial needs to work through the red tape of government regulations to acquire non-profit status. Pray for the Schiffers’ health and strength to continue, for more teammates, and for wisdom, provision, and good use of time as they travel Stateside in June to raise support.
