BMA Foreign Missions
Bethel Foreign Missions Foundation

The Bethel Foreign Mission Foundation began in 1960 as the David Merwin Family was getting ready to go to Korea for the first time.  The Pastors of the Bethel Ministerial Association felt the need of having a central point to forward funds to the Merwins and other missionaries who were going to foreign soil.  As the Lord led, others from the Bethel churches were called to areas all over the world to spread the good news of the Gospel to many who had never heard.  Soon, this small ministerial alliance was supporting missionaries in nearly every corner of the globe.

Rev. Don Matthews was the first secretary and helped to get Bethel Foreign  Missionary Foundation off and going to a good start.  He kept in contact with the missionaries and sent the funds that were designated to them each month.

Rev. David Williams assumed the responsibilities after Rev. Don Matthews, and held this task very dear to his heart until his death.  He was known as a friend to missions and did all he could to further the cause of World Missions.  Under his leadership, the number of missionaries and the amount of funds sent to the field continued to increase.

After the untimely death of Rev. Williams, Rev. Merwyn Masters took the responsibility of the Bethel Foreign Mission Foundation and did an outstanding job for the cause of Christ.  Then, the Missionary Secretary position was filled by former missionary to Korea, Rev. David Merwin.  In July of 1991, Rev. Merwin moved to the state of Oregon to take a position in a local church to coordinate their missions program.  Rev. Merwyn Masters filled the position again until November of 1992, at which time Rev. Joseph Greene filled the position. Brother Joe and Sister Hiawanna served for over twenty eight years, faithfully administering our support of missionaries, even serving on the mission field themselves in Haiti. Two years ago, they passed those responsibilities to Rev Jose and Sandy Rodriguez. The Rodriguez's served in the U.S. Army for a full career with Jose retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Since that retirement, they have served as executive directors in the Global Grace Fellowship, ministering to missionaries around the world, as they continue to do so. However, now they pass those responsibilities on to the BMA Secretary, Rev Dave Matthews who will become our new secretary for BFMF. We welcome his leadership!

As God has given increase, our Bethel churches have supported hundreds of missionaries over the years with hundreds of thousands of dollars and with the lives of its young people.  The witness of lives affected by its missionaries will only be fully known in heaven.  However, as many have been faithful to the call of God on their lives, even on occasion to their deaths, God has brought forth the fruit of their labors to His glory and His kingdom.  The current list of ministries and missionaries supported by Bethel Ministerial Association is listed below:

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Rev Dave Matthews

BMA Brethren,

Greetings in the Name of the Lord. I pray this finds you enjoying multiple blessings. The purpose of this note is to inform you of the change in management of the Bethel Foreign Missions Foundation and review its purposes and mission.

The purpose of Bethel Foreign Missions Foundation is to:
     - promote the ministries of mission works supported by the BMA, it's churches, it's ministers and it's ministries,
     - encourage communication about and between BMA affiliated missions and their supporters,
     - and coordinate and manage financial and prayer support of those ministries as they reach around the world with the Gospel.

We basically recognize three different types of ministries that we readily support:
     - Ministers and missionaries who live, work and develop ministries on mission fields around the world. These are recognized as full-time, in-country missionaries, associated with the BMA.
     - Ministers and missionaries who are not necessarily members of the BMA who our members and church ministries actively support and encourage other members to support.
     - Our own BMA members who either in a full time capacity or part time through the year give of their own time and finances to support mission works and/or travel to those missions themselves. Many times this includes retired ministers who continue to promote and participate in those ministries they gave so many years of their lives to develop and administer, and although they may have passed leadership on to another, they continue to give in the labor of love to that mission.

Bethel Ministerial Association gives to foreign missions in many ways. Many of our members pastor their own independent church and maintain membership with the BMA as well. They promote missions in their local churches and often, give directly to those missions rather than go through the Foundation. Many of them also support missions that might not be familiar to other member churches because of their individual relationship with those missions. Hopefully, we can occasionally highlight those missions to other BMA members as well, believing that we have always been able to do more together than we might individually. You may to choose to give to those missions as well. Secondly, we have many members who, although they are not currently pastoring a church body, continue to support mission works around the world, often participating in them themselves, and may choose to give through the BMA to those missions. The BMA is a 501c3 ministry and takes accounting seriously and will always attempt to keep the mission director and contributor in touch and provide record keeping with annual reports to each giver. Lastly, we always want to faithfully represent the missions, their directors and their ministries. We would hope that many mission directors would also become BMA members and welcome their participation. However, knowing that all missions do not always choose to become members of our association, we still strive to represent the work that our members have chosen to support, recognizing that we are all sowers in the field. We always pray that the Lord will find us faithful in fulfilling the Great Commission and taking the Gospel around the world for the building of His Kingdom.

Starting in June 2023, we will maintain the Missions account in the same account as the Bethel Ministerial Association. Pastor Kevin Horath will assist in accounting for offerings coming in and distribution of funds to the individual missionaries/missions. Please make offerings and checks out to Bethel Ministerial Association or Bethel Ministerial Association Missions, and put the missionary’s name on the memo line.

Please send all offerings for Missions to:

Bethel Ministerial Association Missions
6899 Scottsville Navilleton Rd
Floyds Knobs, IN 47119

You can also reach us at the following email address: Daveweb1@aol.com

The corresponding phone number is: 812-987-8824





Additionally, you may send offerings for Missions directly to the BMA if you choose to:
Bethel Ministerial Association
3575 E Greenhill Rd
Decatur, IL 62521





You also can contribute to the BMA or any represented BMA Mission online directly through our Subsplash link:

Just click on the following link: BMA Subsplash link
and follow the instructions to contribute via credit card or debit card. (Be advised, there is a service fee included with this option).

Again, please make sure we know your name and let us know the missionary’s name you are contributing to. If you have any questions with this process, please feel free to contact Rev Kevin Horath or myself at 217-853-0992.
Rest assured, 100% of your offering will go to the mission work you designate for your giving.






We look forward to faithfully serving the many missionaries that the BMA has been blessed to serve and hopefully new ones that will be served in the future together. Please view, discuss and support our missionaries that we briefly describe below as part of our BMA missionary vision to those ministries around the world.
To God be the glory!

Rev Dave Matthews, Missions Secretary



Jerry Rodriguez, Zapata, Texas, FRONTLINE MISSIONS
         Jerry and Connie Rodriguez have served as directors of Front Line Missions since the death of founder Jerry McSorerly in 2005. The work started as a missionary endeavor to Mexico, and wound up branching out to also include works in India and in the small border town of Zapata, Texas, along with other efforts in China and the Philippines. Works include Missions, Christian Schools, Orphanages, and Feeding Programs. You can find out more about their missionary work by writing them at Front Line Missions, P.O. Box 577, Zapata, Texas 78076 or email them at jerry.rodriguez@flmcentral.com or check out their website at: www.flmcentral.com by clicking here.


Steve and Cathy Mills, LIGHTHOUSE OUTREACHES, Africa and the Arabian Gulf
         Steve and Cathy Mills are products of International Bible College...they have ministered for decades reaching the lost in the "20-40 window" of Africa. Their work named Lighthouse Outreaches, ministers to Africa and the Arabian Gulf. Steve is gifted in speaking, teaching and organizing ministries around the world. For information on their ministry, contact them via email at smillskuwait@gmail.com or check out their website at www.lighthouseoutreaches.net

You can also view their latest news here: Surge

Just updated:Surge Update


Jerry and Jeanette VanRonk, Team Jesus Ministries, Africa
         Jerry is one of our BMA pastors who, after pastoring for several years in San Antonio, TX, established Team Jesus Ministries, dedicated to serving God by presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a personal relationship with Him. Jerry is traveling the US and much of Africa to Encourage, Exhort, and Edify the body of Christ through personal evangelism, body ministry, and service to the Kingdom of God. "Our personal belief is that ministry is not about us but about Him and the gift He has given the World. It is a TEAM effort!" Jerry is also the author of two books, promoted in this website as well.

To see more about Team Jesus Ministry click here: Team Jesus


         "Brother Joe", as he is so lovingly known by all who meet him, is a retired pastor (and former two-term Mayor of Rockport, Indiana) who doesn't quite know the meaning of the word "retire." Joe continues to serve the Lord actively by being the Praise and Worship leader at Bethel Christian Center in Reo, Indiana. He takes numerous trips throughout the year to Haiti under the auspices of an independent ministry, Missions of Love, to minister to the nationals of Haiti. He builds, he fixes, he does just about everything anyone needs to meet the needs of Haitians, often at personal risk to his safety. Joe reaches the people of Haiti with his love and skills built through many years of experience to build churches, repair vehicles, construct roads and a myriad of other activities. His mission is definitely a sacrifice of love for the Lord and the people of Haiti. Contact Brother Joe at jgreene435@att.net and check out the mission work he does at www.missionsoflove.org
Click here: to see Brother Joe speak about his ministry at the 2015 Fall BMA Conference about his mission work in Haiti.



Jerry and Sandy Owens, Guatemala City, Guatemala and Quito, Ecuador
         Jerry and Sandy began a work in Guatemala City in 1970 when they opened the New Life Evangelistic Center. The Center was a hub to reach thousands of souls through relevant training tools such as Christian literature, Christian films and videos, as well as preaching and teaching the Word of God in seminars and conferences. In 1987 the New Life Evangelistic Center was opened in Quito, Ecuador with the same vision. In Ecuador, the ministry also acts as a distributor and supplier to Ecuadorian Christian outlets as well as a major supplier of Sunday School material to local churches. This ministry is reaching the nations through Pastors/Leaders training and teaching seminars. It reaches well into Columbia and Peru with its widespread evangelistic efforts. Although Jerry and Sandy recently retired, they continue to support those mission works from their retirement home in Texas. You may contact Jerry and Sandy via e-mail at jerow@att.net
Check out Jerry preaching at Lincoln, IL in August by clicking here.
See the Owens latest newsletter here.



         Jerry and Nola Witt started a mission in the mountains of Durango, Mexico in the early 60s.  Jerry would fly his Cessna aircraft into the villages of the mountains around Durango and deliver the gospel to those who had never heard the Word.  He literally gave his life delivering the Word of life to the Indians of central Mexico when his plane crashed in 1965.  Shortly after his death, Frank Warren married Nola and fathered her three boys and had twin daughters of their own, while continuing the work begun by her and Jerry.   Frank went home to be with the Lord ten years ago and now our beloved Sister Nola has joined him. The members of Nola's family continue the work of many ministries there in Durango. After over 40 years, the work continues to thrive with a Bible School, Youth Camp programs and ministries in twenty churches throughout Mexico. Vicky Witt, daughter-n-law to Nola, now heads this ministry in and around Durango. Naki Theo, Sister Nola's son-in-law, now heads up the Witt-Warren Missionary Foundation. Please visit their facebook page at www.facebook.com/vickywitt.ministries/ or contact Vicky via e-mail at witt.vicky@ymail.com  
Click her to see her website at vickywittministries.org
Click her to see an interview at Family Church in Houston on Vicky Witt's work in Durango.


         The Rockport/Reo Church started a mission effort to Nepal just a few years back that is already seeing hundreds of souls won to Jesus in this predominantly muslim country. This ministry is seeing new churches and converts added to the kingdom daily.
Because of security threats to the ministry and its ministers, not much will be posted online here about that ministry.

For information, contact Brother Walter Phillips at watchman2002@hotmail.com



         Jose and Sandy are local grown evangelists. They both graduated from IBC and then Jose entered the Army. For many years, he represented the BMA as its representatives to military chaplains. He retired several years ago as a Lieutenant Colonel and was hired by Global Grace Ministry as its field representative. They previously served as our mission directors. Jose and Sandy travel around the world as liasons to missionaries through Global Grace, but also represent us as full time members of the BMA. Please check out their work at GlobalGrace.org



         Maurine has spent her entire adult life, since graduating from International Bible College in the 1970s, building and ministering to orphanage children in Culiacan, Mexico. Her dedicated love has seen countless children's needs met and won to the Kingdom of God.
Check out her facebook page here.
You can contact Maureen at annette.serving@gmail.com
      Click here to see Maurine's latest newsletter



         Don and Teleka have served the Lord with Midwest Indian Mission since 1974. Don currently pastors Lake Lucerne Gospel Chapel as well as being Director. Teleka does all of the treasury work and is involved in the everyday operation of the mission. They raised more children and grandchildren than can now be counted and they all live and serve with Midwest Indian Missions today.
Visit their website and see their most recent newsletter by clicking here.

E Mail them at ardtndd@newnorth.net


         Bethel Youth Camp is our very own "home mission" generated and maintained by the BMA for decades. Hallelujah Hill has seen scores of pastors, missionaries, Christian adults, business men and women and more next-generation Christians than anyone can count. This ministry has been supported by many who invested time, sweat and money where the Lord has shown multitude returns.
Check it out at our website at www.bmaministries.com


         Jerry & Rachel are based in Durango, Durango, Mexico. They are working with HALUSA ministries, under Vicky Witt (Jerry's mom). The vision of HALUSA is to reach indigenous tribes who have never heard the gospel by befriending them and offering social work as an introduction to the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Contact them and visit their facebook page by clicking here.



         Ron & Christi have spent all of their adult lives ministering in foreign countries like England, the continent of Africa and India. They work through ShepherdShaper ministries and most recently at the Love Botswana Outreach Mission in Maun. Their ministry work has taken them to Egypt, Peru, Ecuador and South Dakota, and now they are focusing their efforts in Botswana.
Contact them and visit their website by going to www.ShepherdShapers.com.



         Stephanie (formerly Merwin) Fast was an abandoned orphan herself, lost in South Korea and found and adopted by one of our first BMA Missionaries, David and Judy Merwin during their mission work in South Korea. Now Stephanie, a mother and grandaughter living in Oregon, is an internationally recognized speaker and outspoken advocate for world-wide orphan needs as well as an accomplished writer.
Please check out her ministry at: www.stephaniefast.org
Click here to view her Facebook Page.
Click here to listen to Stephanie speak at our recent BMA Spring Conference



Rev A.M. Sambo, Sr., Nigeria, Africa
         Brother Sambo has pastored a work in Nigeria for sixty years. He was a native Nigerian who was introduced to the Bethel Brethren in the 1970s. As Pastor Don Matthews, Indianapolis hosted him there, Brother Sambo returned to Nigeria and named the ministry there Bethel Memorial Church of Nigeria. In the photo to the left, you can see him extending the warm hand of fellowship to new pastor, Brother Udoh.
Brother Sambo has gone on to be with the Lord, but numerous ministries he founded there in Nigeria continue to reach the lost for the Lord.
          
          Bethel Memorial Church of Nigeria



         Garry and Becky are serving the Lord with Southwest Navajo Indians in New Mexico.
You can follow their work on the facebook site at: by clicking here.



         Lester and Peggy Seiler have served as missionary Bible teachers and mentoring national leaders since 1971. You can find out more about their missionary work by writing them at Worldwide Missionary Evangelism, Lester Seiler, Box 3262, Visalia, CA 93278 or email them at lpseiler@wmeus.com or check out their facebook page at: by clicking here.



         Phil & Rhonda Foley have been ministering for decades with a gifted singing, evangelism message that reaches across the world. They currently live in and maintain Frankfort Camp Ministries in Frankfort, Indiana. They also travel throughout the country with a sweet ministry of song that is highly sought after. They also represent a ministry that takes Bibles into the Far East and support several orphanages in Myanmar.
check out their facebook page here:


Churches and Ministries - Missions - Youth Camp - Conferences - BPH - Leadership - Doctrine - History - Doc Varnell

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DaveM3333@aol.com

 

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