Each one of us have much for which to be thankful. Are you saved? Do you have a family? Has God allowed you to serve Him? Do you have friends? Are you alive and healthy? Do you have food, clothing, and a house to live? Simply put, it would do all of us good to make a list of what we are thankful for, and be vocal to God and others about His goodness in our lives.
Here at Vision Baptist Missions, we are super thankful for you! We pray you have a great Christmas season!
Welcome Noah Haught, VBM’s Newest Missionary!
I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home. Jesus Christ and our local church was the priority throughout my entire childhood, praise God! The night before my first day of kindergarten, I remember being burdened about my state as a lost sinner and in need of Christ. I spoke to my parents that night and made a profession of faith. As time went on, however, I began to forget the details of that night, and nobody else seemed to remember anything other than my own recounting of the moment! This coupled with sin in my life caused me to doubt my salvation. This persisted for years as I was too afraid to upend the image everyone had of me as a Christian! But at a teen camp in 2014 I coughed up my pride and spoke to my youth pastor about my salvation. He walked me through salvation as if I were a child and God gloriously saved me! I knew it all in my head but never made the connection to my heart.
Years later, the Lord began to burden my heart for missions via the ministry of other missionaries and two missions trips to South Africa. Since then, I have spent 13 months there for an internship and saw the Lord bless and work so mightily in my life. He is worthy of your everything! He answers prayers you forgot you had and blesses in ways you would never expect but fills you like none other! I eagerly look forward to serving Jesus Christ with the rest of my years as He sees fit!
PAC Meeting
On Thursday, we held the best Pastoral Advisory Committee meeting we’ve had since its inception. We rejoiced together what God has done, updated, prayed, and shared future plans. These men have been crucial to VBM!
As of January 1, 2025, Pastor Jason Georges will begin serving as the PAC chairman, and Pastor Kyle Coker will serve as the vice chairman. Pastor Matt Herrell fulfilled his leadership as chairman and will roll off end of the year. Also, Pastor Rick Spence, Pastor Keith Hamilton, and Pastor John Copeland, who have been with us from the beginning of the PAC, will be rolling off at the end of this year. We will make you aware of the three new pastors that will join the PAC in January.
Great Open House
God gave us a very good Open House, with 9 prospective students checking out the School of Missions. One young man signed up as a new student before he left campus!!! There were several good prospects, and we are praising the Lord!
Silicone Rings with Mark 16:15!
New silicone rings have arrived!! Some of the items we’ve used throughout the years for schools, colleges, and churches, are: bracelets, bag tags, fidget spinners, stickers, pens, and a few other things… and now we’re trying out silicone rings.
The Carey Center Classroom Project: A Call to Prayer, Participation, and Giving!
Every minute, 110 people die without Christ – many have never heard the gospel. Last year, VBM missionaries saw 931 professions of faith, 364 believers baptized, and 13 churches started! With your help, we want to partner with local churches to train and send even more missionaries! Please pray for a special classroom project on the VBM campus that will triple our training capacity, allowing us to train up to 60 missionaries and Christian leaders. The project will cost $246,000. You can give by check to Vision Baptist Missions with “Carey Center” in the memo or online at the link below.
“I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: that through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.” — Judges 2:21-22
God had already provided Israel with the Promise Land, but He left enemies, according to this passage, “that through them I may prove Israel.” Would these obstacles stop Israel from walking with God, or would they cause Israel to cling to God? God could have easily kicked out, removed, and given an easier path for Israel, but He did not choose to do so. God left the enemies for the good of His people.
And in like manner, God is big enough and capable enough to remove the problems and obstacles in your life, whether financial strains, sicknesses, people problems, discouragement, stress, anxiety, or loneliness. It might just be that God doesn’t remove problems in your life to prove you. As when the Apostle Paul asked God to remove his hardships, God’s response was that His grace was sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Yes, there are times that disobedience brings hard times in life, but sometimes it is just life happening that brings on difficulties. However the problems and obstacles may come, decide you will not fight against the methods that God uses in your life. God may not remove difficulties in your life because He wants you to depend on Him and remember that you cannot do life without Him. Allow the obstacles in your life to cause you to cling to God.
Guest speaker Dr. J.B. Godfrey taught Friday Mission Class, and we had several young people come to visit Vision School of Missions. We were so blessed to have so many visitors on campus. Pray that the Lord will use our time together to make a difference for the cause of Christ.
Guest Teacher In VSM, Dennis Blankenship
God gave us a great time with Dennis Blankenship last week as he taught in the School of Missions as well as taught Missions class on Friday. His topic for the week with the students, as well as for Missions Class, “Dealing with Depression.” Very helpful. The notes and audio are below.
We recorded a podcast with Dennis Blankenship about Depression. Don’t forget to subscribe, and to give a 5-star review of the Mission Post podcast. Thank you!
Next Semester Courses
We held a Vision School of Missions administration meeting to finalize the courses for next semester. We have improved greatly in this area (special thanks to our Academic Dean, TJ Gabriel), and each class has a syllabus, Master syllabus, description, and laid out plan. Our students are truly getting a great missionary education. The courses that will be offered at VSM this spring are:
• Discipleship with Mark Coffey
• History of Missions with Josh Ewing
• Homiletics I with Kevin Hall
• Homiletics II with Jim Roberts, III
• Teaching the Bible II with Corli Hall
• Old Testament Historical Books with Ty Pepperdine
• Pauline Epistles I with John Pearson
• Pauline Epistles II with Jeffrey Bush
• Spiritual Leadership with Jeffrey Bush
• Biblical Womanhood with Amy Coffey
• Biblical Counseling with David Dipboye
• Theology II with Travis Snode
• Missions Class with Various Missionaries
Missions Classes at VSM
Below is a list of the teachers and classes for the rest of this fall. We would love to have you join us on Fridays at 9am if you are in the area!
November 29 — Thanksgiving Break
December 6 — Jordan Gazaway, veteran missionary in India
December 13 — John Walz, Shawn Bateman & Josh Barton
We also offer lunch after missions classes. We encourage you to stay and fellowship with our student body!
Carey Center Project to Provide More Classrooms!
When God permits and finances come in, we plan to fix the foundation in the Carey Center, which will allow us to complete the “forever” classrooms. The gray is what is completely built, and the white area is what will be changed.
Congratulations to Mitch & Jacqulyn McCormack on a great 1-year anniversary at the church!
World’s Cheapest Missions Trips for 2025!
The World’s Cheapest Mission Trip is a four-day, all-inclusive event! For only $200, you will:
♦ Interact personally with missionaries from all over the world ♦ Engage with people from many different religions ♦ See mosques, temples, and cathedrals
♦ Get involved in challenges that stretch your faith ♦ Connect with others with a passion for God ♦ Learn practical steps for ministry
This trip is for teenagers, young adults, and sponsors who have a desire to gain a greater burden for evangelism and missions and get involved in sharing the gospel with all people. We will unashamedly promote surrendering your life to get involved in world evangelism through going and sending.
Last Saturday we held our last scheduled Y4tG of the year. It was held in Dalton, GA, and I’m grateful for Pastor Cofield and Whitfield Baptist Church allowing us to visit.
Guest Speaker at Vision School of Missions
Guest Speaker this week at VSM is Dennis Blankenship. He has served on the mission field and as a pastor in CA. He has been teaching a module for the missions students about “Dealing with Depression.” He taught our Missions Class this week as well.
Open House, November 20-22, 2024
If you are a young person (or know of a young person) interested in missions, the Open House is for you. Join us for this 3-day event and experience our distinctive missionary training program. You will experience classes, talk to veteran missionaries, and have fellowship with like-minded people.
Our special guest speaker will be Dr. J. B. Godfrey for BIMI. He will inspire and encourage us about the cause of the Gospel worldwide.
Below is a list of the teachers and classes for the rest of this fall. We would love to have you join us on Fridays at 9am if you are in the area!
November 15 — Dennis Blankenship, previously pastor and missionary to South Sudan
November 22 — JB Godfrey, Vice President of BIMI (during Open House)
November 29 — Thanksgiving Break
December 6 — Jordan Gazaway, veteran missionary in India
December 13 — John Walz, Shawn Bateman & Josh Barton
We also offer lunch after missions classes. We encourage you to stay and fellowship with our student body!
Carey Center Project to Provide More Classrooms!
When God permits and finances come in, we plan to fix the foundation in the Carey Center, which will allow us to complete the “forever” classrooms. The gray is what is completely built, and the white area is what will be changed.
Congratulations to Josh & Allie Miller for a great Sunday last week. God gave them a great crowd, some baptized, and others graduating their first level of discipleship! Amen!!
Vision School of Missions Update
Dealing with Depression Module – We are wrapping up a great semester at the Vision School of Missions. We currently have a great group of ten students who are taking classes in theology, missions, Bible, counseling, and leadership. Last week, the students had a module course with Bro. Dennis Blankenship, former pastor in California and missionary to South Sudan, on “Dealing with Depression.”
VSM Spring 2025 Course Schedule– The courses that will be offered this spring are:
Discipleship with Mark Coffey
History of Missions with Josh Ewing
Homiletics I with Kevin Hall
Homiletics II with Jim Roberts, III
Teaching the Bible II with Corli Hall
Old Testament Historical Books with Ty Pepperdine
Pauline Epistles I with John Pearson
Pauline Epistles II with Jeffrey Bush
Spiritual Leadership with Jeffrey Bush
Biblical Womanhood with Amy Coffey
Biblical Counseling with David Dipboye
Theology II with Travis Snode
Missions Class with Various Missionaries
Schedule a Visit– We’re excited to have several new students enrolling for the spring semester. If you’re interested in the training provided by the Vision School of Missions, please check out our webpage and consider visiting with us for an Open House event or setting up another time.
Internship Opportunities– For those who already have some Bible college training or ministry experience, we also offer internships that focus on just the missions training needed for missionary service. You can do this online while serving in your local church, overseas with one of our partner missionaries, or at our main campus in Georgia. Find out more about internship opportunities here.
World's Cheapest Missions Trips for 2025!
The World’s Cheapest Mission Trip is a four-day, all-inclusive event! For only $200, you will:
♦ Interact personally with missionaries from all over the world ♦ Engage with people from many different religions ♦ See mosques, temples, and cathedrals
♦ Get involved in challenges that stretch your faith ♦ Connect with others with a passion for God ♦ Learn practical steps for ministry
This trip is for teenagers, young adults, and sponsors who have a desire to gain a greater burden for evangelism and missions and get involved in sharing the gospel with all people. We will unashamedly promote surrendering your life to get involved in world evangelism through going and sending.
Would you takea minute to review the Mission Post podcast? Just go to the Podcast app, search “Mission Post” and scroll down until you see the section where you can rate us! This will help so that young people looking for missions podcast can find us more easily!
For more content about missions and ministry, subscribe to our YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@VBMintl) or find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or https://rss.com/podcasts/missionpost/
Missions Trips 2025!!!
We have completed the 2025 missions trip brochure and it is printed now! Thank you to many of you that are hosting a trip. I pray many young people will visit and join you as you try to reach your area for Christ! To download the PDF version, download HERE.
by Andrew Garcia, compiled from a Missions Class at Vision School of Missions
When I first read through 1 John 4, it struck a chord deep within me. The passage resonated with questions I had been reflecting on for some time, especially during my mission in Honduras. You see, one of the questions we are often asked by locals is, “Why are you here?” It’s a question that goes beyond simple curiosity; it’s layered with hope, confusion, and sometimes disbelief. Many Hondurans dream of coming to the U.S., believing it holds the promise of a better life. But for me, the answer to why I am in Honduras is simple: love.
But it wasn’t always so clear to me. When I first became a missionary, I thought I knew what love meant—I believed it was something I could define and control. Over time, I realized that true love, the kind of love God calls us to embody, is beyond our natural abilities. It’s rooted in something deeper, something divine.
There was a moment that crystallized this for me. I was faced with a difficult situation at work, and instead of reacting out of frustration or fear, I chose to pause. I recalled the words of 1 John 4:10: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” In that moment, I understood that love is not merely an emotion or a decision—it is an act, a sacrifice, and, most importantly, a reflection of God’s own love for us.
My three-year-old daughter, Sophia, often sings songs about Jesus loving her, and sometimes she makes up her own verses. They’re not always theologically accurate, but they’re sweet and innocent. Seeing her joy reminded me that this profound love should never become mundane to us. The danger of familiarity is that we forget to be amazed by it. Yet, when I think about the sacrifice Jesus made—dying for us, imperfect as we are—it rekindles that sense of wonder and gratitude.
Matthew Henry once wrote, “None of our words or thoughts can do justice to the free, astonishing love of a holy God toward sinners who could not profit or harm him.” This perspective is humbling and awe-inspiring. God’s love is extreme, unreasonable even, by human standards. It’s a love that’s 100% on Him, a commitment that is never reciprocated perfectly by us.
Reflecting on this has taught me that true love isn’t a transactional, 50/50 exchange. It’s giving fully, even when the other side falls short. It’s an unreasonable love, the kind that changes hearts and inspires transformation. And that is why I’m here in Honduras—to love as imperfectly but genuinely as I can, fueled by the perfect love of God.
So, as I continue this journey, I hold fast to the truth that we cannot love as God wants us to without relying entirely on Him. Love is not something we will ourselves to do; it’s a gift we receive and pass on. And in doing so, we reflect the most extraordinary love story ever told.
In a recent missions class, Missionary Tim Johnson was sharing what God had been teaching him. He presented a list that Pastor Chip Ray had taught a group of missionaries during their missions conference. This advice was specifically for missionaries regarding what pastors are looking for in a missionary. I was so helped by this list, and I wanted to pass it on to my missionary friends:
Be a soul winner.
Don’t fall for the idea that you will be a soul winner when you graduate, become full time, or get on the field. Be a witness where we are right now! Get tracts from the church where you are, and pass them out. Share about Jesus on the road.
Be engaged with the people.
No, you won’t know people when you first walk in to a meeting, but try to get to know them. Get out of your comfort zone, and be willing to talk to people. Pastors try to lead their people to engage with the missionaries, so help him by being engaged with the people. If they’re picking up chairs, cleaning up, or doing something, jump in and help them.
Be grateful.
It goes a long way when a missionary gives a thank you card. Too many missionaries expect a love offering and to be treated nicely, but many do not show gratitude. You would be surprised, according to the pastor, how many missionaries forget to say thank you or send a thank you card. This should not be the case. Express your gratitude!
Be humble.
A missionary is told he is doing the Lord’s work, he is a hero, and they are happy to have him present, and sometimes this gets to their head. Don’t believe you have arrived. Don’t become prideful. Stay humble. It is pleasing to God and the people.
Be positive.
Everyone deals with sickness and hard times. Don’t be a complainer, don’t dwell on the negative. Stay positive.
Be prompt.
Be on time. Thirty minutes early is not really early, so shoot for an hour. You don’t want to be late. Many times the pastor wants to get to know you and that happens best beforehand. Keep within your time limit.
Show manners.
Use words such as: “Yes sir, yes ma’am, thank you, please,” etc. Teach your kids to show manners as well, in speech, response, and behavior. Manners go a long way, so remember your manners.
Keep going.
Don’t give up, keep moving forward.
Don’t quit.
Pastors get frustrated by missionaries that quit. Know what God has called you to, and keep going. Everyone has difficulties, but you should know this before you start, so don’t quit when life is hard.
Don’t neglect time alone with God.
You might be in a different church every day of the month, and many times you are the one teaching or presenting, but please don’t neglect your time alone with God.
Be passionate.
You might be tired and have been in several churches and conferences, but this is that specific church’s one missions conference of the year. When you are presenting and preaching, be excited and passionate.
Preach and present about missions.
A pastor can invite someone else to preach and teach on other topics, but when you as a missionary are visiting a church, preach on your topic. The pastor invited you because you’re a missionary, so speak about missions.
