by Dr. Ray Thompson

The 35th annual West Indies Baptist Fellowship convened on the island of Trinidad January 15-19. This year’s conference was hosted by three churches whose pastors are graduates of Bluewater Bible College: Cyril Gumbs, Attlee King, and Reynold Williams. The theme of the day services was “Preparing the Church for the 21st Century,” and for the night services, was “Heroes of the Faith.” Missionary Pastor Audley Charlton was the key note speaker for the night messages. During the day meetings, the messages and work-shops covered these subjects: ethics and integrity, current trends of theology, personal soul winning, mass evangelism, church planting, and a study of third millennium missions.

There were 180 delegates representing 34 churches from 18 islands. Dr. Pat Creed, BIMI Caribbean Director and guests from USA were also in attendance. Effects of recent hurricanes and the geographical location of Trinidad kept some regular delegates from attending. However, about 40 preachers were there, 30 of them being pastors of island churches.

The music program was superb. Each night just before the message, Pastor Cecil Richardson and Roderick Webster blessed hearts with duets. They chose favorite songs of the past that brought back many memories and glorified the Lord. Special music was presented by students of Bluewater Bible College. In addition to the choir numbers, there were ensembles, quartets, duets, and solos under the capable direction of Miss Hazel Campbell. Miss Campbell is from Barbados and received her Masters in Music degree from Bob Jones University. She is head of the music department and Dean of Women at Bluewater.

For the past thirty-five years Baptist International Missions has had a fruitful ministry throughout the West Indies and the Caribbean. With the combined efforts of BIMI and other missionaries of like faith, there are now well over one hundred churches that make up the WIBF. BIMI missionaries have planted churches all the way from the Bahamas in the north to Trinidad and Aruba in the south. Bluewater Bible College has trained pastors and teachers to lead many of these churches to become strong mission-minded ministries. Graduates are serving on more than 30 islands and in six of the United States.

Caribbean Baptist Missions, a mission outreach of the WIBF, was established to reach islands that do not have Baptist churches. It is the goal and prayer of the Fellowship that fundamental, Bible-believing Baptist Churches be planted on every island between North and South America. In 1995, there were over one-quarter-of-a-million dollars given through CBM to help establish churches in the islands of the Caribbean.

BIMI-owned-and-operated radio station, Caribbean Radio Lighthouse, located on the island of Antigua continues to broadcast the gospel throughout the islands. The station is celebrating its twentieth year of operation. Radio has been a tremendous soul winning tool plus a great means of discipling new believers as well as strengthening the saints. There are eight Baptist churches on Antigua.

Dr. Creed would have you pray that every island, city, and village will have a strong gospel witness as a result of our missionaries training island Christians and leaders to obey the Great Commission. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send laborers into His island harvest field.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jonathan & Heidi Huff -  TOGO
Robert & Gail Huffman -  FRANCE
Don & Helen Hughes -  USA - NEW YORK