S P E C IA L M IS S IO N A R Y S U R V E Y — Part III (Final) TH E V IS IO N T H A T M AD E B IO L A G R E A T B y the Missionary Graduates of the Bible institute of Los Anyeles as told to B e tty Bruechert
GLOBAL REPORT
T he vision that has made BIOLA great is that which was presented to the wondering eyes of His disciples by the Lord Jesus Christ when He bade them: “ Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields: for they are white already to harvest.” BIOLA’s claim to greatness is that in the fifty years of its existence it has sought to obey that command. Vast numbers of its graduates in all quarters of the globe constitute living proof of its emphasis upon the missionary enterprise. In an attempt to furnish our read ers with a view of some of the ex tensive labors of our graduates, some time ago a questionnaire was mailed to the missionary alumni. The ac counts in our January and February issues were based upon their replies, as is this final installment. This in adequate and imperfect report has been sent forth with the prayer that not only will it furnish information about what is being accomplished by the Holy Spirit through these dedi cated missionaries of the cross, but also that it will arouse increased prayer interest in the cause dearest the heart of our Saviour—the evan gelization of the world. In reply to the question: “What has been accomplished on your field?” the following data was furnished. It does not represent any official survey of the needs of these fields. That ma terial can be secured from mission boards. This is only a glimpse of cer tain “ comers” of the whitened harvest fields of earth. Loree Sickel tells of their work in Argentina under the Brethren Mis- Mr. and Mrs. Richard Webster stand with converts before the student center. The building was constructed almost entirely by national funds.
led the meetings? Who ushered? Who read the Scriptures? Who brought the messages? Who gave the testimonies? W h o c o n d u c t e d Spirit-filled con ferences? These same ‘hopeless’ na tives now established believers in Christ.” The same Holy Spirit who worked so mightily in these hearts accom plished a similar work on the other side of the world. Don and Dorothy Fairley of C&MA in the Gabon area of French Equatorial Africa tell about it: “We pioneered this field from the beginning, opening it in 1935, a re gion practically untouched by civi lization and entirely unreached by the Gospel. We now have seven mis sion stations b e s i d e s o r g a n i z e d churches in government centers in charge of native workers, a Central Bible School, a large elementary school; two Short Term Bible Schools. While we now have 9 married couples and 9 single lady missionaries, I am the only one working among Pygmies among whom are some outstanding Christians. When we came, the popu lation was 100% illiterate; we had to reduce the tribal language to writing. Fortunately, most of our missionaries had Wycliffe linguistic training.” Alvin and Irene Oyer write from the Hawaiian Islands: “ In 1935 the church had a membership of around 25. Today it is 1000 with a Sunday School of 1000.” “ In nine years,” declares Dr. M. P. Welles, “ we have seen the church of Christ in Thailand double its mem bership. Since World War II the local church has grown from 50 to 150.” Dr. and Mrs. Don Tumer, directors- of the Bible Institute of the Air at the Voice of the Andes Radio Station HCJB rejoice that the Lord has en abled them and their associates to furnish 32,000 Bible courses to 31 countries on six continents, 1000 of which are in Russian. Twenty-three Bible Institutes and Seminaries are using their courses as text-books. These courses rendered from English into Spanish are now being translated from Spanish into Portuguese, French, German and Russian. Thus the Word of God multiplies itself in the lives of thousands around the world. Only eternity will reveal what has been
Special murals illustrate the Easter Story told by BIOLA missionaries serving the Lord in Pakistan. sionary Society: “We have grown from 3 to 14 well-established churches, and a growing Bible Institute for na tionals. The national church is organ ized and gradually taking over the responsibility of the work in the southern part of Cordoba, thus releas ing the missionaries to go elsewhere.” “After years of fruitful, sowing,” wr i t es Eldon Johnson, As si stant Director of the Bolivian Indian Mis sion, “ the Lord has given a harvest. I am missions counsellor to our na tional organization i n c l u d i n g 32 Bolivian workers and pastors. Our Sunday congregation numbers 400 and we have seen hundreds come to the Lord within recent years. It was my joy to lead a Roman Catholic priest to the Lord who is now preach ing the Gospel with power in Spanish and in Quechua.” It is harvest time at the Northern end of the American continent too. John Gillespie began Arctic Missions in 1951, organizing and operating this mission from the field, and estab lishing as well the first Victory Bible Conference Grounds in Alaska. The account of what God has done in this forty-ninth state of our own country is thrilling: “ Sixteen years ago,” he writes, “we entered the tiny village of Chitina not far from the famous Kennecott Copper Mines. We witnessed to the natives but one after another spumed the claims of Christ and continued in their drunken, derelict manner of living. But we continued to preach the Gospel. “ Last summer I spoke to the All- Alaska Native Bible Conference. Who
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THE K IN G 'S BUSINESS
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