Our Heart for Missions

What makes a missionary? Not simply an overseas address or the fact that finances are provided through donations to a missions agency. A missionary, in the purest biblical sense, is someone who is proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Foreign missionaries, thus, are saints who proclaim the gospel in lands other than the United States. In particular, it is our growing vision at SCBC that our missions work be focused squarely on biblically-driven evangelism and the planting and building up of local churches in whatever context our missionaries serve. In addition, the necessary work of Bible translation and foreign pastoral training are high priorities. Mercy ministries serve an invaluable purpose, but must always be gospel-saturated first and foremost.

We desire to be ready and active to equip and send anyone from our flock who is called to full-time missions work. Please join us in praying that God may use many from among us in bold and effective gospel transmission here and around the globe. While we understand that exposure to existing missions work is an important part of the development of future missionaries, we are very methodical in putting together short-term missions trips in order to make sure that our efforts are most likely to be effective, desired and beneficial to the long-term missionaries and local pastors they partner with, wisest possible use of donated resources, and of the highest caliber example of biblical missions possible to those who participate in such a trip.

We commend passion for the lost and zeal for the building of the Lord’s church and aim for discernment and wisdom as God’s people see opportunities to serve in missions and outreach. One need not “go” to be a missionary and at the same time, if God is calling you to “go”, we want to equip you and spur you on to serve the Lord with radical trust in His saving power and intentions for your life.

Question: Have you shared the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection this week?

Our Spring Creek Missionaries

• Rudy & Janelle P. have a heart for rarely reached people in Asia. With an ultimate aim of helping a biblically solid church take root, the P. family is aiming to build relationships, master the language, and dive into more and more evangelistic strategies. Pray that the Lord will make an appropriate path for evangelism and church planting clear.
• David & Loida R. are serving long-term in Spain discipling a church body in Leon and training future pastors through the BEREA conferences and expository preaching program through The Master’s Academy International (TMAI). Pray that God would equip future ministry leaders and strengthen the Spanish church through the work of the R. family.
• Angela Y. is serving with Child Evangelism Fellowship, coordinating local outreaches and Bible clubs for Whatcom County kids. Pray that God will continue to provide freedom for them to preach the gospel in local schools and that many young hearts will embrace Christ!
• Lisa L. is serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators, surveying local languages in advance of future translation projects. Pray for effective interactions and the spread of God's Word throughout Asia.
• Zach and Naomi W. are serving in Asia, reaching largely unreached Asian people. Pray that the Lord would give them opportunities to create relationships with those around them who have not heard the gospel.
• Austin and Christiana Y. are pursuing the Lord’s leading to their field and team of coworkers in Asia. They both have a heart for strengthening the church that God brings them to on the mission field with biblical discipleship and counseling.

If you are interested in learning more or joining our missionaries’ support teams, please contact the church office.

Our Affiliated Missionaries

Spring Creek has also come alongside a number of other missionaries and outreach organizations in a temporary and less formal arrangement than with our “home-based” SCBC missionaries. These servants of Christ are often able to be supported by SCBC’ers through the church and, on occasion, are able to help equip our flock in various realms of foreign and domestic ministry. Information on Affiliated Missionaries is available on an occasional basis on the designated bulletin board on the Missions Wall near the foyer.

Our Missions Policy

Spring Creek Bible Church and the Missions Committee operate under the guidance of the Elder Board and the Missions Policy established by it. That policy has been a blessing for many years as it has helped us avoid some common pitfalls of church missions efforts. The policy permits us to be a significant partner to our home-based missionaries and in turn help prevent their need to partner with many, many other churches and thus potentially spread themselves too thin. On occasion we will be involved on a temporary basis with other missionaries we call Affiliated Missionaries. Of course we are happy to work in conjunction with other gospel-centered churches when possible and wise to do so.

Our Missions Committee

The SCBC Elder Board has delegated general oversight of our SCBC and affiliated missionaries to the Missions Committee that meets regularly. The Missions Committee is responsible to facilitate consistent communication between the church family and our missionaries with an aim of making sure missionary needs are being met and the flock is able to pray for them in a meaningful way. The Missions Committee also oversees SCBC’s formal gospel outreaches and our efforts to equip the saints at SCBC for personal evangelism and possible missions work.

Servants who serve on this committee are approved by the elders and asked to already be active supporters of the outreach and missions efforts of SCBC.

Missions Committee Members

• Michael Arnhart
• David Baird
• Mark Lind
• Wes Segar