Missionaries to Cyberspace 4Q 2017 Newsletter

Volume 30 Issue 4 (November/2017)

• I was approached by a lady that wanted to do online Bible studies for some friends. She is calling her study “Lamplighters.” She registered a domain and set up a website (letyourlightsoshinetoday.com) on Goddaddy’s Website Builder using their one month free trial.She asked if I could host the website using WordPress. I told her I could (and would). I created (to the best of my ability) a duplicate Lamplighters website using her content (less the copyrighted images) in WordPress at wp.letyourlightsoshinetoday.com so she could look at WordPress and see how it works. She felt that the site looked fine and checked out WordPress (which admittedly requires a bit more technical expertise than Website Builder does). WordPress also offers more features and flexibility, and best of all is free.She told me she “would make it work.” I changed her domain over to the WordPress website, and spent a couple of hours on the phone training her in the use of WordPress. She is using the Posts or “Blog” feature of WordPress for her Bible Study.
• Migrated 20 WordPress Websites to new servers.
• Need to migrate 40 or so WordPress websites (two large ones) to new servers before April, as well as many other domains.
• WordPress had two minor and one major upgrade in last quarter.

4th Quarter Stats: 

• We sent out 619 Lessons, Issued 25 Certificates, had 122 active Students (13 are prisoners) in Cameroon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and USA.

Here are some comments we received from people that are taking the correspondence courses:

• From a student in Malawi-Many thanks to you my Parents in Christ. I know I am what I am today spiritually because of you people.May the Lord grant you what you desire in your life. Will advise you upon receipt of these wonderful materials.
• From a prisoner in GA-I most thank the FamilyNet International for working with me because I really Need Jesus in my life real strong.
• From a prisoner in NC-I am so happy and blessed to read the Practical Christian Living book 8, lessons 22-24. Lesson 22 Managing our Finances, knowing that everything is the Lord’s, that we are only stewards. It so refreshing to read how not to go into debt, managing money wisely. Everytime I take a class on re-entry we are taught that in order to be successful in the outside world we have to get into debt, through loans, credit cards, chasing a FICO score. Coming out of prison I feel the last thing I need is more debt. I just don’t see the need for it. I know I have enough debt already I will have to deal with. I plan to downsize my lifestyle in order to get my life right with the Lord and be debt free.
• From a prisoner in Mississippi-To Whom it may concern at the FamilyNet Bible school. I am writing to you this day 9/16/17. I just want to let you know how much I am enjoying the Bible lessons that you have been sending me. What I am learning as a result of the Bible studies will not only help me in my walk with Jesus each day. I know in my heart that what I am learning will also help me to help others in my personal ministry of our Lord and Saviour Jesus. I thank-u-for all that you do to help a person learn about our Lord and Saviour Jesus. You are very good people. I look forward to completing the rest of lessons on the Bible studies titled Practical Christian Living. The two books that you recently taught me a lot more also all through we never have met in person. I send my prayers out to FamilyNet ministries and all those who were involved in the recent hurricane.
• From a 71 year old student in AR-This lesson on prayer blessed my soul!
• From a 62 year old student from Tennessee-This was a very good lesson and it reminds me of who I was; and who I am now, because I believe God is Truth and I believed and was changed. Praise God!
• From a prisoner in MS-To whom it may concern at FamilyNet. I just want to take a moment of your time and say thank you for the Bible study list of courses that you sent me. This was very kind of you. I really do thank you for that. I am getting some good knowledge on the Bible from the Bible courses I am working on at this time with FamilyNet. I hope that you are all doing well at FamilyNet Bible school. I am keeping you in my prayers and I ask that you do the same for me. God is really showing me the things in my life that I need to work on to be a more effective witness for Him. I than you for all you do in helping ones to learn the Word of God. I look forward to the next Bible study lessons.

• The New Birth Contact: I just got saved! Spoke to Bob -This was the subject of the email I received a little while ago… If you follow our blog, you will remember me mentioning that I receive phone calls all the time from Telemarketers that are calling about the domains we register. I have started taking these calls as an opportunity the Lord has given me to give out the Gospel (it has also had the effect of cutting down the number of calls I have been getting). Late one afternoon in October I received another telemarketing call from a gentleman in Calcutta India wanting to discuss one of the domains we had “rescued.” I started out the conversation by asking him if “you were to die tonight do you know for sure you have a home in heaven?” Usually when I ask this question I hear the other end disconnect. This gentleman and I engaged in a conversation about salvation. He did not get saved on the phone, but was interested, and, being an internet person I gave him the URL of “The New Birth” tract (new-birth.us). He also had a lot of questions about our missions work, Bible lessons, and what exactly Independent Baptists were. We spent about 20 minutes or so on the phone, and I think his message “Would like to follow New Birth and was a pleasure speaking with Bob” indicates he would like to start taking some Bible courses.

• Please pray we can pick up more regular ongoing support.
• Bob went in for an Angiogram in October after issues with a stress test on his heart. There were no blockages, in fact the problem was the opposite, the arteries are actually enlarged. Attempts to treat with a very expensive drug resulted in negative reaction to the drug. Bob is off the drug. The issue is non life threatening, symptoms appear during physical exertion. Bob still having some unresolved minor problems with swallowing, latest kidney test came back as “abnormal” but stable. Followup on prostate in December. Ongoing prayers appreciated.
• Would you consider praying for us when special needs arise? If so, please subscribe to our prayer warrior’s mailing list. : http://eepurl.com/SYbI9.

• We still have a need to replace two A/C units to support our office space, and have a need for reliable transportation. We have set up an account for these needs. Donations can be earmarked to the “Helps” fund if you are able to help us out.

The following are some of the projected expenses for the coming year – we are still at 67% of support for ministry expenses:

• Server Costs $700 Dollars
• Security Costs $250
• Postage to Nigeria $925 (90 salvation decisions)
• Postage to Kenya (increasing) $250 (15 Salvation)
• Internet Costs $1000
• Telephone Costs $1500
• Nigeria Project – Two Nigerian Churches (Non Baptist ) want to use our Courses to teach their members and children including Sunday School, Pastor Training, Public Schools). This is an opportunity to get God’s Word and good doctrine into places that would not otherwise be able to receive it. We have had over 200 students  from these churches in the last several years , so we know these people, and have a history with them and trust them. $650