Bill Edmondson Nov Dec. 2017

Where have we been?

It has been about a month and a half since I have sent my email prayer letter. Since that time, Deb and I have been on the road, which makes it difficult to keep current with weekly prayer letters.

Our time away started when we left Boston for Franklin, Tennessee, where we visited our son, daughter-in-law and three precious granddaughters. From there we traveled to Ottawa Kansas, ministering in a missions conference with Calvary Baptist Church, (supporting church) the pastor of Calvary introduced Deb and me as missionaries serving in Boston and Beyond. That is a good description of what we do, following human connections from Boston to other places around the world. Our time in Ottawa was a blessed time as we were reacquainted with a very supportive and engaged church family.

Our next stop was Ankeny, Iowa where we spent most of two weeks. Our primary responsibility was to minister at the Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary annual missions conference. This was a blessed time of challenging and being challenged to remain faithful to our calling to make disciples of all nations. My conference theme was Proclaiming Christ in the Globalized City (no surprise there). If you would like to see my rough speaking notes you may do so on my blog, Life and Ministry.

While in Ankeny, we also attended two cell groups of Saylorville Church. We had a wonderful time sharing our ministry report and vision for future ministry. Both groups were encouraging, and some continue to stay in contact. We have also been in three supporting churches in New England since returning home.

What are we doing now?

As I write, Deb is preparing a halal Thanksgiving dinner for several Muslim friends. When I went to pick up the specially prepared turkey at the local falafel shop, the proprietors chided me for not visiting them more often. In fact, they refused to give me the turkey until I sat and drank tea with them. Please pray for these folks who are originally from Palestine. The dinner for our Muslim friends will be this Friday night.

We have a second dinner planned for Sunday evening. A large immigrant family from China will join us for dinner that evening. The purpose of these dinners is to give testimony of the love of God by developing authentic relationships. It is our prayer that some of these relationships will result in opportunities to share the love of Christ which sent Him to the cross.

This weekend Dr. Vernon Rosenau (president of Baptist Mid-Missions) is coming to Boston for a visit. He will be spending time with Deb and me  to discuss the potential and importance for city church planting globally. Those of you who have been consistently praying for us, know how important this meeting could be–Please pray.

News Bulletin

Charity (one of our interns) just came from a Bible study with the glorious news that one of our friends has just passed from death to life!

What’s Next

In late December, we leave for Iowa where we will spend the next several months reporting to our supporting churches (check the prayer requests below). Until then, Deb and I will be continuing our ministry to individuals in Boston and Beyond, preparing for our departure to Iowa, speaking in one or two supporting churches, and spending time with my earthly brothers and sister.

Pray for my Sister

Recently, we discovered that my older sister, Linda, has stage four bone cancer which has spread throughout her body. She is fully engaged in battling the cancer, but I, along with two other brothers, thought it wise to gather at my sister’s home for a family time. Please pray for us we think together about family issues and eternal matters.

This is Great Commission ministry,

Bill and Deb

Dear partners in Great Commission Ministry,

I consider this to be a very important step forward in the Boston ministry. Last week Deb and I had the privilege of hosting Dr. Vernon Rosenau, the president of Baptist Mid-Missions. The visit was occasioned by a conversation, which Dr. Rosenau had recently initiated. He wondered if we would be willing to assist in a global internship program. My response was to say that such an internship program is only as good as the global vision that inspires it. He asked for an explanation, which resulted in his visit to Boston. The purpose of his visit was to assess and advise concerning our Globalized City Church Planting Plan of which you are well acquainted.

As you know, we consider the globalized city (an internationally connected city of over 1 million) to be a primary way in which our Savior has prepared the world for the building of His church. That is to say, by ministering the gospel to the world in the city (people of the world gathered in globalized cities), and by assisting those who become disciples to be faithful witnesses as they return to their home countries, we can actually do what Jesus commanded us to do—make disciples of all nations. As Dr. Rosenau talked with us, it became clear that the vision, which God had given to Deb and me, was almost identical to the desire God had placed in his heart. He simply emphasized the need to develop a global internship program targeting strategic cities world-wide, and the need to effectively minister to inner cities. Both of these needs were already embedded deeply in our hearts.

It is clear that effectively joining our Savior in a globalized city church planning movement must include networking with those of like theological convictions and methodological practice. Dr. Rosenau’s visit and institutional blessing gave us the courage to accelerate our efforts to lead in what we are calling a Globalized City Initiative. Our gracious God communicated a stewardship to Deb and me to obey our Savior’s command by disciplizing globalized cities. Many churches and individual supporters have agreed that this plan is of God, and have therefore joined our team. Now, what was once the dream of a few has become a mission-wide global initiative.

The Globalized Cities Initiative Plan (GCI)

Today I will briefly review individual aspects of the plan, with which many of you are already familiar. In the weeks to come, each part of the plan will be more thoroughly explained. I need to add that we are very aware that all of our plans are dependent upon our God. In fact, our courage comes from our belief that we are simply joining Him in the city doing the work of the Great Commission.

Build the Foundation: The foundation of the Globalized City Initiative (GCI) is the work already in progress in Boston–the International Baptist Church an orthodox Christian association (IBC). The IBC will need to grow and mature into the model from which our disciples can learn how to minister in the globalized city. Interns will learn the basics of relational ministry in Boston, while simultaneously engaging with individuals in Boston from that part of the world to which they will be eventually living and ministering. We are also planning to develop an international village for ministry purposes in Boston. More details will be given in future prayer letters.

Identify Globalized Cities: Much effort and time will need to be invested in doing demographic studies to determine the most strategic cities in the world to reach the world. Having been identified, interns will be recruited and trained to inhabit those cities for the sake of the gospel. One of our interns has already been working on this.

Recruit Interns: Our internship plan will be refined and expanded. The goal of the program will be the training of individuals for globalized city ministry. Interns will need to be identified, recruited and trained in Boston. In fact, next month, we will be traveling to the state of Washington and South Carolina to talk with two potential workers.

Disciple Globalized Disciples: We already have many disciples and interns who have passed through Boston and are inhabiting globalized cities around the world. We need to strengthen our connection with them, helping them do the work of ministry.

Network with the Body of Christ: As has been previously stated, the GCI must not be the work of a few. Rather, if we are to succeed at joining our Savior in the building of the body of Christ in globalized cities, those who are of similar convictions and practice must network together. It will take time to explain the need, discuss how best to work together, and to plan how to implement our thoughts. We have been doing this networking for years, but it will now be taken to a whole new level.

Increase our Support Base: The work of ministry in the globalized city is expensive and doing the work of leading the GCI will be more expensive. Our financial need will give individuals and churches the opportunity to join us in the work of globalized city church planting. Deb and I will be able to give you a more detailed information concerning our financial needs very soon, but, for now, I can tell you that we have  a  monthly need of more than $1,000, and we have several special project needs for which one time gifts would be greatly appreciated.

This is Great Commission Ministry

Bill and Deb