MISSIONS MONTH AT GPBC
September is Missions Month at GPBC!
For forty years, Greater Portland Baptist Church has been active in sending the Gospel around the world through our Faith Promise Missions program. That has not changed, and will not change.
Missions is the heartbeat of God, at Home, and Abroad.
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” -Acts 1:8
This year, our church has faithfully supported 112 missionaries and missions projects around the world, and if the Lord allows, we wish to expand our impact in missions.
Our goal this year is to add several new missionaries on foreign fields, several new church planters in the U.S. and several Bible Colleges training nationals in foreign lands.
Please pray fervently that God would show you what role you can play in furthering the Gospel around the world. Then get involved by going soul winning locally, committing to giving weekly, and maybe even going to a foreign field on a short term missions trip.
Will you pray, give and get involved?
Bob & Micalah Mach
Ivory Coast, Africa
Sunday, September 29
Bob was saved in 1997 under his father’s preaching and was baptized at Cleveland Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio. Micalah was saved in 2014 and baptized at Faithway Baptist Church, Greensboro, North Carolina. Bob and Micalah met in Bingerville, Ivory Coast, in 2017. After some talking, much prayer, and the counsel of their parents, it was very clear that God wanted them to serve Him together; they were married in July 2020. The Lord allowed Bob to have an international internship in the Ivory Coast from 2018–2019. Micalah was able to attend one of her college semesters abroad allowing her to serve with Bob on their future mission field for four months. This internship, in addition to their active roles in their local church, has allowed Bob and Micalah to grow and gain more knowledge of the ministry. Bob and Micalah are thrilled that God has called them to the Ivory Coast and look forward to spreading the Gospel through church planting and deaf ministries. Bob and Micalah are excited to serve the Lord together and follow His next steps for their lives in the Ivory Coast.
Geoffrey Fahringer Family
Chile
Wednesday, September 25
Geoffrey grew up Catholic and lost. He served in the U.S. Military as a MEDEVAC, and then in law enforcement. In 2010, he got saved, and everything changed.
In 2013, the LORD called them to ministry. He went back to school, became a pastor, and then in 2022 was called to missions. They are headed to the city of Punta Arenas, a city at the tip of South America, closer to Antarctica than we are to Los Angeles.
Evangelist David Sommerdorf
Sunday, September 22
Dave Sommerdorf was saved while serving in the United States Marine Corps in 1980, and God called him to serve a new master. Over the past 40 years he has served as an assistant pastor, pastor, church planter and Christian School Supervisor. Then the Lord called his family into Evangelism to strengthen the Christian home and the Local Church.
CATHY DEMCAK
Columbia, South America
Wednesday, September 18
From a young age, Cathy loved reading missionary biographies. As she aged, she got involved in outreach with the bus ministry and neighborhood bible clubs. In 2019, the Lord called her to serve as a missionary, and then directed her toward the Amazon Basin and Colombia. Cathy will be serving with church planting and medical missionaries taking the gospel to remote tribes along the Amazon river.
Luis Nunes Family
Cape Verde, West Africa
Sunday, September 15
Missionary Luis Nunes will be our guest in all the services on Sunday, September 15.
The Nunes family are missionaries in Cape Verde, West Africa, an Island nation located about 400 miles West of Senegal. The Nunes family are from Brazil, and fluent in Portuguese. After serving several years in Portugal, God has given them a burden to reach the Portuguese speaking people of Africa.
In addition to church planting, the Nunes family are very involved in outreaches all over the islands including Public School outreaches, Military outreaches, and Sports outreaches.
Church Planter - Portland, OR
Tim Drinkard
Wednesday, September 11
Tim Drinkard served 5 years in Panama as a missionary among the Embrerá Indians. In 2022, he turned over the Darien Independent Baptist Church to a local pastor he had discipled and trained. He also started several refugee camp ministries in the area from those fleeing Colombia and other nations.
In 2018, Tim was passing through Portland, and the Lord allowed him to lead a man to Christ. From that day on, the Lord burdened him for the city of Portland and its need for the Gospel. After turning over the church in Panama, Tim followed the Lord to Portland, where he is establishing the Multnomah Baptist Church.
Dr. Terry & Peggy Ellis
This Sunday, September 8, 2024, we begin our Missions Month with a focus on Prison Ministry.
Dr Terry Ellis holds the position of president of Rock of Ages Ministries. He is a veteran missionary since January 1986. His ministry and leadership are marked by highest standards of character and integrity. Under the guidance of the Holy Ghost he is leading the ministry forward, expanding the work, and challenging the Rock of Ages missionaries to do more for Christ each day. His earnest desire to see every soul reached with the gospel of Christ is made evident by the countless hours he spends in prayer seeking God’s direction for Rock of Ages Ministries and it’s various outreaches.
Dr. Ellis and his family were members at Greater Portland Baptist Church twelve years while they served as missionaries in the Northwest.
Dr. Ellis will speak in all the services on Sunday, September 8.
On Monday and Tuesday, September 9-10, GPBC will be hosting a Rock of Ages meeting with 8 prison missionaries and many other churches. The purpose of this meeting is to encourage and instruct churches on how to be involved in prison ministry work. If you are interested in getting involved in the prison ministry at GPBC, you are invited to join us for dinner on Monday, September 9 at 6pm.