To Download a PDF copy of the original Progress Report, click here.

Ivory Coast, church planting in “the white man’s graveyard.”

By Jon Nelms

After having spent several days in Ghana, Pastor Louis DeMeo of Auchaud, France, and I boarded a plane for the Ivory Coast. I had first learned of the ministry in this nation through Missionary Arnold Skelton several years ago. Since that time, we have taken on the support of twenty-three fundamental church planters that were trained in his twenty-five years of ministry. When we arrived in the capital city of Abidjan, it was apparent that we had ventured into a modern metropolis. In fact, the population of Abidjan is nearly as great as that of all of the country of Togo. The city itself is spread out over a great distance.

Coconut plantations greet you as you exit the airport, driving on to a six-lane highway, lined with skyscrapers and bustling commerce, that continues late into the night. Abidjan is the most modern city in all of West Africa, but the poverty of the preachers living there prohibits them from taking advantage of the opportunities it presents.

We were greeted by Pastor Emile Gnossa Konan, who took us to his church where a service was already in progress. The singing was beautiful. Africans in this region do not have a reputation for being good singers, but the members of this church were a pleasant exception. Their music was enhanced by a sound system provided for them by Arnold years ago. In fact, the church buildings were a gift from Arnold, who labored to raise the funds for their construction so many years ago.

Intermittently, the singing would stop and different Believers would testify. There were eleven supported pastors there, with their wives. One wife stated that she never wanted to be married to a pastor, but God had changed her heart. Now she is happy to be the wife of God’s servant. Another pastor rose to say that they are all very poor, but very happy. In fact, both their poverty and joy were visible throughout our days with these mighty preachers.

Going from country to country in Africa, it was apparent that there is little difference between the people and weather. Most everyone is friendly and will laugh at anything; and everywhere you go, it is hot! I sat in the service drenched with perspiration. The nights were in the upper nineties with seventy percent humidity; yet they felt cool compared to the days. I was so relieved when we checked into a hotel room with an air conditioner. If only we could have stayed inside, but of course, you can’t see the works unless you go where they are.

The next morning, Emile began to share with us the history of the work. Arnold had led him and several others to Christ decades ago. Since that time, they had helped him in his work of winning and training others as preachers. Currently, there are twenty-three preachers in this group pastoring thirty churches. Most of these preachers were trained in a Bible school that Arnold started in 1980. Today it operates as a night school and since 1989 has changed its emphasis to being a missionary training school. At that time, it was hoped that the next five years would produce just one missionary to be sent out by their churches into the unreached regions of the Ivory Coast, as well as neighboring Liberia and Burkina Faso to the north. Now that the first session has ended, the anticipated “one missionary” has become fifteen. A great blessing as far as the churches are concerned, but a great concern when it comes to supporting these men. For of the twenty-three pastors producing this fruit, only eighteen are full time. That means the church is able to pay them just enough that they don’t have to work on a plantation. Five others, however, do. So with such paltry funds available, the churches were at a virtual standstill. Fortunately, and in God’s timing, it was then that they learned of Final Frontiers and made an application to have these preachers supported. I am happy to report that at this time, all of the preachers are sponsored. The new preachers, currently in training, will have a sponsor someday as well, once they have proven their ability and gained experience in church planting and discipleship.

Missions to the unreached seem to be the heartthrob of the Ivorian Christians. In Emile’s church, for example, every first Sunday of the month, he preaches on missions. Every second Wednesday night is given for a missions prayer meeting. Forty percent of the total church offerings are given to missions as well as a special monthly missions offering. These people are serious about reaching their nation and its many tribes to Christ. Of course, with such an emphasis, you would think that the mission coffers would be overflowing, but the truth is, these people are desperately poor. The economy over the past few years has been devastated; and though that is beginning to change now, their currency has been devalued by at least 50% in the past year. That means an item that cost ten dollars last year costs twenty this year. Unfortunately, the pay scale has remained level. The result is that the average family is literally living on less than half of what they did last year. I wonder how we in America would survive in such a situation, and would we, given the same circumstance, give 40% of our church budgets to missions. I doubt it, since most don’t and can’t do that today.

Forty percent of nothing is still nothing. Regardless of how great their percentage of giving, it is literally too little to purchase even daily items for the preachers to use. I was amazed to see the joy on the faces of the pastors when Louis DeMeo gave each man a packet of pencils that had been purchased by his church members in France. His people generously gave $400.00 to purchase pencils, paper, and books. This too is astounding when you consider that the French income is about half of what the American income is. In amazement, I wondered how these men can prepare sermons or even take notes for future study. They had virtually no paper and pencils. Then I was reminded how in other countries, you use whatever is available. Where we demand a notebook, they will use napkins, register receipts, paper bags, or the back of their hand. Anything that can be used is used. And that explains their philosophy of missions.

Another point of interest I observed in Africa is that nearly all professing Christians are charismatic. In fact, most Baptists are as well. This is because of inadequate training on the part of some missionaries and national leaders. Oftentimes, the preacher’s doctrine is literally like a ship tossed by the waves of the sea. A ship, in fact, with no rudder. (Emile and others are seizing this opportunity to train preachers that have never been trained before.) These African preachers, you see, had a desire to serve God, and someone gave them a title. Most don’t know the first thing about the eternal security of the Believer and other major doctrines. They are eager to be taught and readily “convert” to sound doctrine, once it is revealed in Scripture.

One charismatic bishop, who leads ten churches with a membership of more than one thousand, came to the services to learn about our doctrine. At the close of the service, he asked if he could enroll in the Institute so that he could learn what the Bible really says and then teach it to his people. Some of the most effective men I met on this trip were once charismatic because they had never been taught the Word. Once taught, what a difference it makes.

There are several other areas of interest in this region. One is land. A twenty-meter by thirty-meter piece of land sells for $600.00 in a town and $60.00 in a village. Even the small amount is out of reach for the church planter, but it will only get more expensive in days to come.

I spoke with the pastors about strategically planning their efforts so that we could help them raise funds to buy land in advance, while it is still affordable. Perhaps you as a reader can help by purchasing a church property for $60.00. (If so, see the ‘Now It’s Your Turn’ cutout on page 15.)

Teaching materials are also lacking. Pastor Emile asked if our readers would give them six flannel graph sets. I know that many of you have such items packed away in a box in your attic. Why not pull it out and send it to us. We’ll get it to a preacher who will make good use of it. This is such an easy way for you to make a difference for the cause of Christ. He also asked for Crayons, children’s literature and books on how to conduct a Sunday School class.

Before ending our tour, we went to a village called Yakasee Me, where pastor Kouassi Koffi Jean has recently planted a new church. Only last year, Louis DeMeo and a French team from his church conducted an open-air meeting that yielded an attendance of more than 500, with one hundred responding. Many were out-of-town guests, but twenty were citizens, who have been baptized and formed a church. The pastor is supported by Gary and Carol Quimby of SC. He told me that during the previous week he had gone to a nearby village and led an entire family to Christ. Now he will use the funds the Quimby family gives him to travel there as he plants a new church. Like Kouassi, most pastors have to travel by bus or “bush taxi”, then walk up to eighteen miles to evangelize a new village. Certainly, a motorcycle ($700.00) or a bicycle ($200.00) would be of great benefit.

The church in Yakasee Me rents a building for $12.00 monthly and is rapidly reaching the 12,000 people living there. These people are engulfed in cultism and demons. Here as in other villages, the people report that a spirit called “the husband of the night,” seduces and rapes women. They claim that it comes to them in a bodily form. Even men report such a spirit in a female form coming to them. These people offer sacrifices to the spirits of the river and trees, as well as this sexual demon. I know that many Americans find such a story remarkable, but in my nine years of this ministry, I find it to be commonplace. So radical is the work of Satan abroad, that often times I and others are afraid to speak of it for fear that we will be labeled charismatic. I do know this, that the Spirit of God in us can overcome any attack from Satan, both visible and invisible. The day before we arrived, the members had built a small shed to shelter us from the sun. It was more or less a lean-to held together by twine and branches. That night a great storm blew over, but it survived. On the contrary, a much larger and sturdier shed, made of bamboo and wood, and built for a visiting cult prophet was destroyed. God’s power was apparent to the several thousand people living in that village, as was His “sign” of blessing on His Gospel-preaching servants implanted there.

There really is no deficiency of desire or effort on the part of the Ivorian preachers. They suffer as do others worldwide, but they are faithful and consistent to preach as long as they have life. Tragedy often strikes, however. When we met with these men and encouraged them with gifts and support in April, we did not know that within two short months, one of them, Pastor Victor Koye, at the age of only 38 would die, and go on to be with his Lord. He was blessed in his last several months of being supported by a twelve-year-old boy from America, Robert Fuller, Jr. in Minnesota. For Robert, blessings abound. For Victor, a crown awaits. Such a loss should not discourage us in our efforts to evangelize the world; to the contrary, it should excite us to greater efforts. Together, working with these national preachers, there is no limit to what we can accomplish for the Kingdom of Christ.

A Word about Final Frontiers from an American Missionary

Rev. & Mrs. Timothy R. Matchett
Mission ABWE (Baptiste)
B.P. 1219, Lome, Togo, West Africa

17 May, 1995

Dear Jon,

Greetings once again in our Savior’s name. It was a unique answer to prayer the way God brought us together last month. We praise God that He knows our needs and works in mysterious ways to meet them.

Enclosed is Pastor Leo’s application. He is the man you met who I am proposing as coordinator for ABWE connections in Togo. He is the president of the ASSEBBTO (Association of Baptist Bible Churches of Togo). I will work alongside him for at least the first year to help get the majority of our people processed, and he will carry on from there.

Your ministry at Final Frontiers is a great encouragement to us as missionaries as you seek to encourage the men into whom we have invested so much of our lives. As we pour ourselves into them, and then see them doing great things for God, you and your donors participate by making their lives a little bit easier, and helping the work to be done. We never knew of the existence of groups like yours, and it is such a blessing to see how God has used you and will use you.

My colleague, Phil McMillen, tells me that you have received the address of a contact at Cedarville College who will be coming to Togo in the near future who will be able to bring the camera. The men are looking forward to receiving this.

Thank you again for coming to Togo. God sent you here at the right time with the right agenda, and we look forward to seeing what God will do through your ministry. May God strengthen you for the task ahead of you.

In Christ,
Tim Matchett

Child Care International

Name: Kalepu Varalakshmi
DOB: May 19, 1985
Sex: Female
Country: India

I am the youngest child in my family. I have one brother who is six years older than I am, and a sister who is four years older. My mother died giving birth to me, even before I opened my eyes. It was for this reason that I was raised by my grandmother. Everyone used to scorn and ill-treat me because I was the cause of my mother’s death. In time, even my grandmother died due to her old age. When she died, there was no one to care for me in the home and my family was greatly inconvenienced. This caused my situation to become even worse.

One day my father came home from work very sick. He consulted the doctor and bought medicines, but the next morning, we found him on his cot, already dead. From that time on we had no one to care for us. My brother would go begging and bring the food home for my sister to prepare for us. One day he did not come back, and I have never seen him since.

For days my sister and I would pull on begging for food, but we never had enough. One day a kind lady saw our condition and took my sister into her home to be her servant. She began to receive food and some money. I was only eight years old at the time, and was left all alone on the street. When the lady saw my hopelessness, she and her husband asked Pastor K. S. Kumar to admit me into his orphanage. Now I need a sponsor to care for me, providing for my food and living.

Team Report: Thailand

A report from TEAM Thailand
Kiatisak Siripanadorn
Bangkok, Thailand
May 26, 1995

What was the total amount of TEAM funds received?
$192.00 (for January-March, 1995)

What were these funds used for?

1. buy two cameras for evangelists ($90.00)
2. bus trip to Chiengrai to train evangelists
3. 2 sets of kitchenware for 2 evangelists moving to a new village
4. two lamps (kerosene type)
5. office expenses

Do you have any special needs we can pray about?
A second-hand pickup truck to be used in tribal evangelism ($9,500.00)

Below, please write a short letter of appreciation to your TEAM sponsors.

Thank you, the Lord, for you and as He calls you to do His work among the Thai people. The door for the Gospel to Thai people is still open for the Thai believers reaching our own people while the government is limited area for the foreign missionary to do the work and do less ministry. I was very much challenged for the task and lost souls in Bangkok and hill tribes. Then 3 years ago I started the new ministry among the Akha group and started with 7 men who are willing to save their own people but very limited knowledge in God’s Word. We started to train them right away and now we have more evangelists which from Final Frontiers. Since the work is new and we began by faith and all evangelists also live by faith. We thank the Lord for Final Frontiers faithfully looking for sponsors to support our evangelists that these people could have money for fare to go out to evangelize people in villages. The Lord is blessing us with many souls saved and many churches of our Lord Jesus Christ have been established in many villages and also in Bangkok. I need your prayers especially pray for Work Fund (TEAM support). I still need more funds to help the need of our evangelists (33 of them). Camera, medicines, fare for transportation, seminar expenses, and my own fare.

Let’s Get Acquainted

The purpose of this feature is to introduce our readers to preachers who are not yet sponsored. It is our hope that their testimonies will verify their worthiness and need, and will lead to prayer and support on their behalf.

Preacher’s Name:
Victor Vicente Morales Berduo
Wife’s Name:
Mercedes Marina Roblero
Number of Children:
2
Country:
Guatemala

Testimony:
I accepted Christ in 1982 and was baptized by the grace of God the same year. I went to Bible school in the city of Heuhuetenango and graduated in 1965. It was very fulfilling and a privilege that God called me. I then evangelized my parents and brothers and thanks be to God that they accepted Christ as their personal Savior, and all of the neighbors repented of their sins.

I thank the Lord for my wife, for her conduct and her willingness to work in the ministry. She teaches the Word of God and helps with the young people and has started a group of four voices. She loves the house of God and is very responsible in her works, both physical and spiritual. She does not receive any pay for her work from the church.

Since becoming a Christian I have led many people to Christ and I have started five churches. For a time I worked in Chiapas, Mexico. I speak both Spanish and Mam (the Mayan word for their dialect). My ministry regularly involves open-air evangelism, literature distribution, discipleship, showing film, prison ministry, and teaching the Bible. I am also involved in training men for the ministry.

While I do have some income, it is not enough to meet all our personal and ministry needs. Your financial help will be greatly appreciated and will raise our standard of living. The economic situation here in Guatemala is very bad and we need your help. It will enable us to reach more people for Christ as sometimes we have to travel many miles to reach a new village to evangelize.

From the Mailbag

From: Juttuka Moses
Sponsored by: Mr. and Mrs. Tim Anderson, Decatur, AL

Thank you very much for your help. During last month my wife had a stomach problem and was admitted to the hospital. Most of our church members visited the hospital and prayed for her. Of course, after 20 days she was recovered, and the doctor asked me to pay the bill. At that time I was not having any money to pay the bill. I requested the doctor to wait up to one more day, so that I will clear the bill. I don’t know how I can say but with faith I requested the doctor. Myself, along with my children, spent the whole night with fasting prayers for help. I am supposed to go to the hospital by 10 o’clock to keep on my promise. Just before going to the hospital the mailman handed over your cheque to me. Thanks for your timely help. Please pray for my work.

From: Tran D.
Sponsored by: Mr. and Mrs. Kent Kebemik, Rolling Meadows, IL

We thank you for your interest in my ministry and family. You have not only prayed for us but also given to us. We are so glad and moved by your love. May God bless you and your business. May God oil you in your serving Him.

We would like to tell you some blessing God gave the church (where I serve). There have been seven receiving Christ through last seven days. Every week there are 280 people attending the Sunday service. The church has 7 classes of Sunday School consisting of 230 students and 18 teachers. The church was constructed in 1958. During wartime it was destroyed by bombing; only the foundation existed. After 1975 it was reconstructed. It can accommodate 130 persons only and now is seriously degraded. There are more and more Christians gathering in services, and there is not enough space for them. We need help to repair the building and $170.00 to drill a well.

From: Jose Benigno Rodriguez
Sponsored by: Millie Stanley, Vienna, WV

Esteemed Sister, I hope this finds you healthy with your family and the church.

First, I’m grateful to God because you are the person that He used for helping me and specially for taking me as part of your blessings, materials as well as spiritually.

I always preach in Yusguare as a pastor and the work is growing each day. We have a very good attendance on Sunday. Also, I visit Tablones Abajo to teach or preach, although I have a new worker helping me over there.

I continue preaching in the radio from Monday to Friday. It’s a blessing. Also, I take food to feed the hungry every month. I’m teaching a class in the Theological Institute one week per month.

I ask you to pray for a new place that I want to visit. Its name is Pillado and I already gave 50 New Testaments. Thank you for everything.

From: Thang Za Khup
Sponsored by: Mr. David Anspacher, Battle Creek, MI

Thank you very much for the receipt of your helps. It saves part of my time because I must cultivate a field in order to feed myself, my family, and my parents. With your help, I can give more than ever before for the preaching. My area is one of the most primitive areas of the country. On Sunday morning, I have 2 SS classes in 2 villages about four miles apart. There are still many wild animals like bears and I am very much afraid. But the Lord protected me, and I never confronted any of the wild animals. God is alive, merciful, and did hear the cry of this servant. But since I have dedicated myself to the ministry, I completely trust myself for the blessing of the Lord and He did answer my prayers through you. Words cannot express my gratitude to you. My target is to win 3 more villages before the end of next year.

The Jon Nelms Family Report

Dear Reader:

I have returned from a two-week trip into Central America. Accompanying me was my good friend Philip Tyson. Philip, who was born in Costa Rica of American missionaries Bob and Joan Tyson, actually grew up in Nicaragua. When the Sandinista Revolution began, his family moved just across the border into Honduras where they could “begin again,” as well as continue the work in Nicaragua. As a result, the Good Samaritan Baptist Mission has flourished in these two countries, as well as establishing works in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Philip himself, some four years ago, began the Radio Samaritano Network in Honduras. His network is now the sixth largest in the nation and is heard by more than five million people in four nations. Though extremely busy, Philip agreed to travel with me for the two weeks acting as interpreter and helping me to make contact with new groups of preachers that he had “scouted out” for us, as well as meeting with others we have been supporting for some time. I am pleased to say that we have made solid contacts now in Costa Rica and Guatemala. These two nations alone should provide us with more than 1,000 church planter’s applications over the next two years.

The Tysons have the most tremendous ministry I have seen of any American missionary, anywhere in the world. For years we have informally arranged for church groups and individuals to take a mission trip to their works. I am pleased to announce that we are now “officially” promoting this tour for those interested in seeing missions work firsthand. This will truly be a Missions Adventure. (For more information, see page 15.)

Arriving back in my office, I learned that our last letter requesting your support for our new office is beginning to produce. Already about $2,000.00 has come in. We still need about $10,000.00 more, and the project will be complete. I do hope you will pray about assisting us with an offering for the new office God has given us. More than ever I see that we had reached our limit in our “shed,” and it was necessary for us to have a larger place if we are to do more and help more preachers. Along those lines, you might be interested to know that we are now supporting more than 800 preachers in twenty-eight countries. I am grateful to you for all you have done to help us help them. Truly, we have great rewards to look forward to, so let’s keep up the good work, keeping our eyes on the prize set before us.

Yours for souls,
Jon Nelms

Honduras Mission Adventure

Why settle for a missions trip when you can have a “Missions Adventure”?

Final Frontiers, in partnership with the Good Samaritan Baptist Mission, is now offering a full-service Mission Adventure to the country of Honduras.

Whether it be a youth group, church group, graduation class, or those just wanting to see what it’s like on the mission field (especially couples interested in potential missionary service), the GSBM has already hosted more than 2,000 people, and they are eager to host your next mission trip as well.

The “Monday to Monday” Honduras Mission Adventure offers you a chance to visit and have hands-on service in and with numerous national churches, child feeding centers, Christian schools, a Christian radio facility, and church planters supported by Final Frontiers. (Preachers are invited to preach to the estimated 5,000,000 person radio audience.)

The Honduras Mission Adventure Package costs only $350.00 per person and includes delicious American and Latin foods, clean, comfortable lodging, in-country transportation, rest, and recreation. For more information, call Jon Nelms at 1-800-522-4324.

Special excursions into Nicaragua and/or the Copan Mayan ruins are $50.00 per person each. Shorter, custom trips are also available. Round-trip airfare from the USA is extra.

Proverbs 28:27
“He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.”

Final Frontiers Foundation

New reports received from the field indicate that since last month’s report there were:

329 New Churches Started
1,739 New Villages Evangelized
9,320 Professions of Faith
3,570 Believers Baptized

Total Churches started to date: 4,306

MINISTRY INFORMATION

The Mission Progress Report is a free, monthly publication of the FINAL FRONTIERS FOUNDATION INC., whose purpose is to effectively take the Gospel to the more than three billion souls, who have never before heard. Currently we are ministering in Latvia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, India, Vietnam, China, Philippines, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, the Ivory Coast, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and the West Indies. These are all countries and peoples which are primarily closed to the traditional missionary outreach, but open to us because of our unique method of missions.

We believe that the training and subsidizing of national preachers is the most efficient and effective method of global evangelism. Thus we seek to raise prayer and financial support from believers in America, for God’s servants abroad, who are actively involved in church planting and discipleship.

Selection of those we sponsor is dependent upon their doctrinal beliefs, need and reputation. We support only those who are serving by faith, never those who are waiting for a salary in order to serve. Worldwide, the average preacher in a third-world country needs as little as $30.00 each month to support his family and ministry.

All those subsidized through this foundation are involved in church planting. Their various outreach ministries include: Bible translation and distribution, radio and television broadcasting, camps, Bible schools, outdoor and film evangelism, educational and health programs, blind and leper ministries, orphan and children’s ministries, feeding centers, and refugee ministries. The foundation also offers assistance in missionary training; and we provide mission trips for American believers who want to examine the ministries of the national preachers.

Current ministries available for support are:

• Sponsorship of a national or native preacher ($30.00 monthly)
• Sponsorship of a TEAM of preachers in a given country ($5.00 minimum per month)
• Sponsorship of an orphan through our CHILD CARE subsidiary ($30.00 monthly)
• Sponsorship of our radio evangelism ($30.00 monthly for free radio distribution)

FINAL FRONTIERS, as a non-profit, religious corporation, is governed by those serving on the Executive Board of Directors: Rev. Jon Nelms (founder, Chairman and CEO), Dr. James Mastin (Vice President), Rev. Gene Carpenter, Rev. Jimmy Sheffield, Mr. David Fluth, and Dr. Dan Burrell (Secretary-Treasurer). Further council is provided by those serving on the Board of Advisors.

Contributions and gifts to this ministry are tax-deductible and are applied to the ministry’s evangelistic outreach. FINAL FRONTIERS is classified as a 509 (a)(1) public foundation, under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Regional Offices:

• Office of Ministry Expansion and Development, Sioux Falls, SD
  Executive Director: Rev. Lewis Nelms
• Office of Publications, Des Moines, IA
  Director of Publications: Mr. Bryan Jones
• Office of Asian Expansion, Akron, OH
  Director: Dr. Minh Dang
• Office of Refugee Ministries, Long Beach, CA
  Director: Rev. Rick Davis

International Offices: International offices are maintained in every country of service for accountability purposes and are staffed by national and regional directors who are elected by the supported pastors and approved by the Executive Board of Directors. For further information concerning this ministry and its various programs, please call or write to the home office:

Home Office: Final Frontiers Foundation
1200 Peachtree St.
Louisville, GA 30434 USA