Volume 25 Issue 4 (Fourth Quarter 2012) – Missionaries to Cyberspace Newsletter

“When you see the DOG go to GOD in prayer for the Hoffman Family – missionaries to Cyberspace.”

The Latest News: Work at Greyhound is still going non-stop. The bad thing about this is we are in the slow season. When the holidays hit in a couple weeks it should go faster. Please keep us in prayer.

Church Website Ministry:

1. The Guide School of Biblical Discipleship – Ben Watson of the Alternative Media Department at Source of Light Ministries International in Madison, Georgia contacted me about setting up a website for him. He is establishing an online associate discipleship school under the Alternative Media department at Source of Light. The school will be a parachurch activity. The school will be called The Guide School of Biblical Discipleship. The basis for that name is found in Acts 8:30-31 where Phillip asks the Ethiopian eunuch if he understands what he is reading and the eunuch asks, “How can I except some man guide me?” Then there is Jesus’ words in John 16:13 where He promises that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. I registered a domain (http://www.gsbd.net) and set up WordPress for Brother Ben.
2. Charity Baptist Church in Oxford Michigan – I was contacted by Pastor Jeff Walters of Charity Baptist Church in Oxford Michigan. He is a friend of Evangelist Russell Kidman, and wanted to set up a website. I registered the domain (charitybc.com) for him and set him up on the Website Baker Templates back in July. He has some content up now. I sent him an email to see if he wants to change the coding on the template to update a static piece of the template.
3. Calvary Baptist Church in Luther Oklahoma – We had an unofficial website for Calvary Baptist Church up for several years. I was contacted by a member saying the new pastor wanted her to update the webpage. The webpage was not a top level domain. I registered a top level domain for the church (www.cbcluther.com). I installed WordPress.
4. Eureka Baptist Church – New Website – I was on vacation in September, the Lord arranged the vacation to coincide with a Revival at Calvary Baptist Church in Mesquite Texas. Calvary is one on the first churches we started hosting (http://www.cbcmesquite.com) and is one of our supporting churches. We originally met Pastor Floyd Brown several years ago as a missionary. He became Pastor of Eureka Baptist Church in Weatherford Texas in January of 2012. Their church did not have a web page, so at Pastor Brown’s direction I registered a domain for them (http://eurekabc.org) and built an initial website using WordPress.
5. New Beginning Baptist Church Edgewood Texas – At the revival we saw Pastor Bryan Easley from NBBC in Edgewood Texas and several of his church members. At the end of the service the church members inquired about updating the church website. I set up the church back at the Camp Meeting (2009 I think). I converted them over from the old SOHOLaunch templates to WordPress. I recreated their old content and provided login information to the church members. WordPress is much easier to use and more intuitive. Their website can be seen at: http://nbbcedgewood.com.
6. Bible Baptist Church in McKinney Texas – I have been involved with a web presence for this church for years. Back in the summer I noticed that their domains and web content has expired. I re-registered their domains and put up a basic website. I was unsuccessful in contacting them. I received an email from Amy, the Pastor’s wife indicating they did not know we had put their web page back up until she received a phone call from someone interested in attending their church that found out about the church via their website. Maureen and I decided to attend the church during my vacation. The same day we attended, a young lady introduced herself, in tears, thanking us for getting the website up, saying she had desperately been looking for a church and if it wasn’t for the website she would still be churchless. It was a blessing to see real time how the Lord uses our ministry!

Bible Correspondence Courses:  We want to thank Katherine Feguer, John & Lydia Henrici and JL and Florence Smith for helping on the Bible Correspondence courses over the last quarter.

• We have received several individual donations that have helped us meet our postage cost in sending out lessons.
• Third Quarter Stats: We mailed out 1,328 lessons, 36 certificates to 273 active students (89 international (in 20 countries) and 23 incarcerated). We had four salvation decisions. We had students in the USA, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, St Lucia, Uganda and United Kingdom.
• Here are some comments we received from people that are taking the correspondence courses:
• 28 year old from Oklahoma: Thank you for your letter. I always enjoy reading them and the Bible references; those are always helpful. I have been reading the Bible almost every day and I really like the lessons so I’m excited to get the next ones.
• From an inmate in IL: Thank you for every course and lessons you had send me and may God bless every soul of that ministry. In the course I had learned a lot. It keeps me with my mind focus on positive things from the Bible and I really appreciate that. Inmates like me need somebody like you that send us Bible lessons for our spiritual areas. They are blessings to us and you know we appreciate it. God bless you richly.
• Note from a young man in Uganda – Thank you so much for having enrolled me in this course. I am enjoying every single lesson of it. I can’t wait to receive course three about the New life in Christ.
• Note from a 24 year old student in the Philippines who was saved in April 2012 – Dear Bob and Maureen, Greetings in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ! I would like to thank you for sending me another set of MNL booklets, I enjoyed studying the Word of God through the booklets. I enclosed the questionnaires in this letter to be checked. I wrote to Dr. Luz Nacionales regarding to my request of a Bible but she did not respond to my letter, I was disappointed but I understand. I have already a copy of a Bible because I have earned some money from my generous friends here. The Bible is very useful in my studies and my quiet time with the Lord. Actually I am now studying in a Bible seminary school here in our country as a preparation to become a pastor someday in our province of Leyte. I am very thankful to the FamilyNet International because you are the instrument of God to me to accept his calling to become one of His servant to serve Him and His people sincerely and dedicatedly. After I finish my studies in Bible seminary, I am planning to have an office of FamilyNet in our province so that I can share also the lessons and the truth I have learned to others. Please send me the next set of MNL lessons so that I can continue my studies. Lastly, Bob and Maureen I would like to request from you or anyone who are generous enough to give me a free copy of a Bible dictionary because we are required in the seminary to have that book to study the whole Bible. I hope this time you will grant request for the last time. Thank you in advance and may God bless you and to your ministry. Your student…
• 35 year old man from Malawi, Africa – GNI per capita: US $340 (World Bank, 2011) Monetary unit: 1 Malawi kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala / Dear the beloved family of the Hoffman, I write to accept receipt of the Lesson today this morning. I have read your loving letter to me and I feel the love you have for me and my family. Let me in a special way thank for the US $5 which is MK1,500. This will make a difference. Please keep us always in your prayers and we love you to be our spiritual parents. Have a blessed day

Tract Ministry:We have “given out” over 58,000 Bible Tracts online.

Support: We are currently at 67% of support for our ministry expenses. 100% of money donated to us goes to support the ministry – we use NO money for personal expenses.

Prayer Needs: The Lord’s will regarding secular work and health benefits. Help in raising support for the ministry. Please keep us in prayer for our personal financial needs in addition to the ministry’s financial needs.

Specific Financial Needs:  We still have several needs-

• Projector for the ministry presentation $500-$700
• Phone Service $149 for 5 years of service.
• Dedicated server for the year – $468
• Shared server for the year $289 – Special thanks to our sending church, Harvester Baptist Church for picking up this cost.

Please consider a donation. FamilyNet is a 501 (C)(3) charity. Donations are tax deductible in the US – You can donate via PayPal (Donate button is on http://www.cyber-missions.com) or mail a check:

FamilyNet International
P.O. Box451951
Garland, TX 75045
(214) 257-0229

Thanks to Harvester Baptist Churchin Ellicott City Maryland, Lavon Drive Baptist Churchin Garland Texas, Cornerstone Baptist Churchin Roanoke Virginia, Marion Baptist Church in Marion Texas, Jim and Carol Cahill, Dr. Nancy Shields of ToolKit Ministries, and Calvary Baptist Church in Mesquite,TX for ongoing regular support.  Additionally we received individual donations from Jane Quarles and an unexpected generous donation from Lighthouse Baptist Church in Horseshead NY.

In Jesus,