T
hank you for your special friendship
with Appalachian Bible Fellowship. Your
partnership engages in a full range of
ministries: Appalachian Bible College and
Graduate School, Mount Olive Bible College serving
West Virginia inmates, Alpine Ministries with its
resident camping and adventure programs, and
many related church and community ministries. It
is exciting to consider the thousands of lives being
touched as we serve together!
At the heart of all these is our core commitment to
advance the gospel around the world. This issue of
Doulos
portrays that essential element as we reflect
on our commitment to missions. As a mission
agency, Appalachian Bible Fellowship exists to
model and promote our Lord’s command to make
disciples (Matthew 28:16-20). I believe you will be
blessed and challenged as you explore our mission
fervor through the features included in
Doulos
.
Our dedication to Christ’s missions mandate is
included in our “20/20 Vision, Our Destination:
Servants For the Church.” This strategic plan
delineates eight goals we are seeking to accomplish
by 2020. Goals five and six specifically identify our
desire to see missions advanced.
5. Annually see at least 33% of B.A.
graduates pursuing church-commissioned
missionary vocations.
While every B.A. graduate majors in Bible/Theology,
each will also have a second major. It is thrilling to
see how every second major can be effectively used
in global missions. For example, we have Camping
majors headed to the mission field to lead camping
ministries. Our Elementary Education majors often
serve in missionary settings around the world. Our
goal is to see at least a third of graduates directed
into missionary vocations.
Daniel L. Anderson, Th.D.
President
Psalm 84:11, 12
Join the President's
Prayer Partners
at
abc.edu/pray
6. Annually see at least 85% of B.A.
graduates pursuing gospel-focused
vocations.
This goal emphasizes our essential purpose
of “educating and equipping servants for the
church of tomorrow while edifying the church of
today.” Two overriding words motivate our efforts.
First, “URGENCY.” Our world urgently needs the
gospel. We want our graduates to give themselves
for gospel-focused vocations. The second word
is “UTILIZATION.” As stewards of facilities God
provided, we are responsible to utilize these for the
advance of the gospel in service to the church.
My wife and I recently ministered for a unique
missions conference on the island of Malta.
Missionaries serving in restricted access countries
like China and Iran were in attendance. It is
impossible to describe the powerful impact these
humble but heroic servants had upon our hearts.
We returned with a zeal to see God move among
our students.
Missions is the heart of God (Isa. 6:8). Thank
you for your partnership as we advance Christ’s
mission in the world
…Because life is for service
.
Doulos
(pronounced DOO-loss) is the Greek word
for “slave.” In Matthew 20:25–27, Jesus declares
that the qualifying mark of a Biblical leader is to be
a “doulos”—a slave for Jesus.
– from the –
PRESIDENT’S HEART