SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST
MISSION OF MALAWI
PO BOX 60150 BT. 6 BLANTYRE MALAWI AFRICA
TEL. 265-9-741-007/ or 265-8-751140 (mobile)
Missionary / Evangelist: Peter A. Halliman
Email: panagioite04@gmail.com
Website: www.sgbm-malawi-africa.com
Date: 25th July 2013
Dear Pastor, Church and Supporters;
2 Corinthians 8:7 “Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.”
As we are coming to a close for the month of July, there is much to report on, however I will only share with you the main points and trust the LORD will use this to encourage you in the work that we are involved in.
Firstly, one of the events I wanted to achieve when returning to Malawi was that of a Bible conference. Bear with me as I deliberate some on this matter, those Pastors of churches that have hosted Bible conferences will empathize with me on certain matters of which I speak.
For many years I have heavily invested in this mission work, not only on the spiritual matter, but financially as well. I held back nothing, and kept back no part for myself. In part of this investment, I agreed with pastors within our mission work that I would make sure that a Bible conference was hosted at the church where they were pastor as per their request.
I have been in the LORD’S work long enough with tribal and primitive people to know that besides the spiritual benefits there is a lot of personal gratification and a certain amount of “pride” that the “African” mind carries with it, when a village church (pastor) has been successful in bringing the “white missionary” to their home front.
That being said, there are two kinds of ways to teach, by “Theory” which is the preferred way by most, but then there is the practical (or by example) which often becomes the most difficult, most challenging, and most expensive in terms of time, energy, and resources. In the midst of a nation of people where the poverty is on a biblical scale, it is not hard to see, or learn in a short time that often crowds will gather, or follow a spiritual leader in order to gain some material need. As in the days of Christ, Jesus said, “ you follow me because ye did see the miracles, because ye were fed… so too, today.
It becomes difficult to separate from the overwhelming physical needs of folks, whilst at the same time ministering to them in the spiritual. However I did not come to Africa to become a ‘saviour’ of their physical needs or wants.
I have said all that to say this, through the years I have hosted many conferences in many villages, the transportation of pastors, the housing, and feeding, the medical all has been provided through the means brought my way. I have tried to show by example to these pastors how to host a bible conference and how to entertain visitors at such time.
As the years have toiled away, many pastors, and church members have simply come to the point to where they just went through the forms, the pastors didn’t preach well, because they were not prepared well, many would simply not show up… isn’t this always true with those who have ulterior motives. Was this not true with Israel, by the time we read Malachi we see Israel just going through the forms of worship, but the LORD said, … “though you give your offerings, I will not accept it of thee, I will snuff at your worship…”
These are stout words towards a stiff necked and rebellious people, however are we not also in many ways right alongside these people?
As fewer and fewer pastors prepared and attended these Bible conferences I came to the conclusion that it was time to cease from hosting them and give them what they wanted; … “ they have not rejected thee, the LORD said to Samuel, they have rejected me (the LORD GOD)… therefore give them what they want.
2008 was the last year I hosted a Bible conference and from there I turned it over to the Nationals, however it was not important enough to the churches, pastors, or the work for them to invest in a Bible conference, therefore no church, no pastor or group of churches hosted a bible conference for a period of five years. That to me is quite a dry spell, having experienced four conferences a year for thirteen years through the mission efforts to nothing for five years… one has to ask the question – what really were the people after?
Five years of silence… I departed Malawi July 2012 was absent from the work for nine months, returned 1st May and decided it was time to host a Bible conference to set some spiritual things in place and dismiss false hopes and securities. The time table was set for the last weekend of June, preparations were made, the budget fixed and the program organized.
The conference started with my wife and I departing early am on Friday 28th June as we set off to a pick up point where several pastors would be collected and then back to the church where the conference was to be hosted. With driving conditions, the turn around was five hours from the time we departed the house, to the time we arrived at the church building. It was a short time before lunch but I wanted to salvage some of the morning, therefore I opened the conference with a message. We took our lunch break and resumed, the preachers had been assigned subjects and the theme was on the “The Distinctive Doctrines of Landmark Baptist”.
For the next two days sermons were preached, and what we embrace as Landmark Baptist (Sovereign Grace Baptist) were expounded through the preaching. The conference was encouraging and needed to stimulate the work and brethren again.
There is a point I want and need to make, like all matured pastors / missionaries it is incumbent upon us to observe, evaluate humanly speaking the spiritual maturity of certain young preachers and make a decision as to the their readiness for ordination. I do take the position that this is a church authoritative service; meaning, I believe it is under and through the local church authority for the ‘ordination’ of a preacher, I DO NOT believe that a church ‘calls’ a man to the ministry – this is the work of the H.S.
However, I do believe that GOD puts spiritual leaders in place to guide, channel, and weed-out the goats in sheep’s clothing, and the novices that otherwise would rise to be prideful dictators, lording over the LORD’S people.
Such has been the case here in the work, there are two pastors which have showed mature qualities and fit the qualifications of a biblical bishop. Therefore, I suggested to their churches that these men prepare for their ordinations scheduled in late October.
There is however, another young pastor who felt he should be ordained, but due to unstable family issues, and immoral allegations I did not feel he met the biblical qualifications. This has turned into quite an issue and resulting in him breaking away from the work (just another sign) of immaturity and lack of commitment to the “Truth”.
The work will move on, some more will come and go, others will be encouraged and some will be discouraged. Still others will depart because they have not received the material things in this life of which they were seeking, still others will come in as wolves in sheep’s clothing. However through it all the LORD gave a promise to HIS church, that HE would be with her till the end of the age.
As I reported to many of you, one of our goals in returning to Malawi was to set things in order legally that is with the mission work, and to construct a small cabin type of dwelling for when we would return to revisit the work. There is another effort of which I am engaging, and that is to construct a building for the Bible school / seminar – for which the pastors will attend.
There are two young men who have been with me in the mission work, one since 1998, and the other since 2004. Both are married, and have children, they both are educated in English and have a good working knowledge of Landmark (Sovereign Grace) Baptist doctrine. I feel they are qualified to become the full time teachers in this Bible school.
I have confirmed with them both to this end and they assure me that they are ready and willing to commit to this effort. I say that in order to make clear my intentions of constructing this building for the Bible school. Any pastor and dedicated Christian worker will agree with me that any good Biblical school, especially of our kind of Baptist, is an invaluable tool in the LORD’S work.
This being said, I want to further confirm that the building (s) will be constructed on the property of which I purchased back in 2010 when we were forced off the farm. I hold a clear land deed that is recognized by the local authorities and is free of any disputes. I believe that which we surrender to the LORD for HIS work and advancement of HIS people, that not only will HE bless it, but will cause it to prosper.
In His Name,
Missionary Peter A Halliman
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