(The FSB Newsletter)
Times Are Changing
By Nelson Miles
Ministry at a Bible institute affords the privilege of rubbing shoulders with a wide variety of Christian leaders and ministries. Mission organization representatives, Bible camp personnel, and pastors frequent our campus throughout the school year to recruit workers for their various ministries. As a result of these relationships, trends in ministry, both good and bad, become apparent. One of the trends, the lack of full-time Christian workers to replace the older generation of faithful helping servants, was discussed in a previous Signal article.
Another trend has surfaced in the past few years. Christian camps are struggling to find summer staff. This struggle is impacting Christian camping ministries in the United States and Canada. Today, Bible camps must search far and wide for staff, and many of them are facing a crisis of not being fully staffed. Approximately twenty-five Bible camp representatives visited FSB in the 2018-2019 school year seeking to recruit staff for the upcoming summer camping season. This was a record number of camps coming to us for help, and they came from all over the country. At one time, most staff positions could be filled regionally.
What is behind this current trend and crisis? I have seen two major factors. One reason for this difficulty is the high cost of education. Many high school and college students have the dilemma of wanting to serve in dilemma of wanting to serve in summer ministry, but also needing to save for college and avoid school debt. Another reason is that many young people are not being encouraged to serve the Lord through Christian camping, mission trips, and other ministries. Secular pursuits have replaced the emphasis on service.
Historically, summer ministries have made a significant spiritual impact on the lives of high school and college students who serve the Lord in this way. Often, this impact has given them the desire to be used of God at home and in ministries around the world. The value of these ministries is also seen in the changed lives of those campers to whom they minister.
What can be done to stem the tide of this crisis? One solution is to encourage our young people to use their lives to serve the Lord.Church leaders and parents are key to helping teens and college students see the importance of “seeking those things which are above” (Col 3:1). Another solution support is to pray those for who and financially serve in summer ministries.
In light of the fact that Frontier School of the Bible recognizes the great value of these summer ministries, we are establishing a Summer Ministry Scholarship Fund to assist our students who desire to serve, but also need to save for the fall semester. With the low cost of schooling at FSB (approximately three thousand dollars per semester), even a small scholarship of this type would help many students to be able to use their summer to serve in a ministry.
I encourage you to pray with us about this crisis and for these vital ministries. Also, pray for God’s provision of funding for this new scholarship. Together let’s trust in God to meet the challenges of our changing times.
Grace and Truth
By Matt Moore
Las Vegas—just the name speaks to how far we have come from LaGrange. From a town of a few hundred to a city of a few million, the change has been drastic. The reputation of Las Vegas is widely known. The city doesn’t lack outside opinions. The responses to church planting here have been diverse. Some responses are positive; many are negative, but we have something more important to concern us. The faithfulness we pursue and the example we follow triumph over any outside thoughts we receive.
What Emmerie and I know for certain is that the need for truth and grace is absolutely necessary anywhere and everywhere. Through the staff and classes at Frontier, we received truth and grace. Our time as students at FSB saturated us with the understanding of the importance of both. Therefore, our coming to Vegas in 2012 was founded on those two principles.
Truth and grace, in fact, are not new concepts. I love the writings of the Apostle John. In almost he references the connection between truth and grace. The foundation is, of course, Jesus. “We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 BSB)
When we were fresh out of college, we didn’t know what to expect as we anticipated planting a church in a city known for its sin. What we have seen God do is nothing less than amazing. I have learned that “Sin City” is made up of the same sin that exists in the rest of the nation and the world. Sin is not unique to Nevada. I have also learned that God’s grace extends to any person in any place.
Keeping truth and grace before us at all times is not easy. In our ministry, we have had addicts, prostitutes, fallen pastors, members of the mafia, and some in even worse situations. In our humanness, we would like to kick them out the door with truth, but we remind ourselves: these are the people Jesus loves.
Many have come to us who haven’t attended church in years or even decades. Their way of doing church was diluted and empty. It’s tempting to pray for more biblically mature people to join us instead of the strugglers, but we remind ourselves: Jesus showed compassion to these. “They are like sheep without a shepherd.”
The culture of Las Vegas may be alien to you. It may even sound scary… and we have felt scared at times. Because of the Biblical foundation we were given at Frontier, one of grace shown and truth taught, we want to make a difference even in a sometimes-uncomfortable place. Our church is still a fledgling, but we know God will do glorious works when truth is poured out boldly and grace is shown unconditionally.
Matt and Emmerie Moore live in Las Vegas, NV with their three kids, Camille, Mercy and Oakland. They graduated from FSB in 2012 and have been church planting in the Las Vegas valley for more than seven years.
Fall 2019 Prayer Points
Prayer Requests
- That God will use our theme, “Be Ready (for the Lord’s Return),” in the lives of our school family.
- For fruitful ministry of our students in their Christian Service Assignments.
- For this year’s interns – serving at FSB, in camps, churches, and other ministries.
- Ongoing prayer for at least 30 pastors and 30 missionaries to go out from each graduating class.
- For our students to grow in their knowledge of the Word and in their spiritual lives.
Answers to Prayer and Praises
- For a wonderful group of freshmen who joined our school family.
- For fruitful summer missions trips.
- For a fruitful time of ministry for the summer camping teams.
- For the completion of many summer work projects.
- For the increasing number of students enrolling at FSB to train for life and ministry.
- For a great spiritual life week at the beginning of the school year.
- For a record number of visitors at Frontier Focus! (Always held the last weekend of September.)