Newsletter No. 13

Our dear friends and fellow-workers in the kingdom,

It is a great pleasure to announce that MISSION SOUTH PACIFIC is now a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. That means that tax-deductible contributions can be sent directly to the ministry. If you wish to contribute use the Abilene address below. Our Board of Directors consists of:

Robert P. Odle – Chairman,

Tracy Wilson,

Randy Becton, and

Sharon Sturgess

If you would like to receive an information packet, just let me know.

Our partnership with Woodland Oaks Church of Christ ends December 31^st. We are very grateful for their help these past five years. They have faithfully provided us a large amount of our funding, health insurance and served as a clearing house for contributions. I am especially grateful to Paul Gidden, chairman of the Missions Leadership Team and Robert (Bob) Odle, former preacher at WOCC. Paul has been a faithful and cooperative liaison. Prior to him, Tracy Wilson served faithfully in that capacity and now both he and Bob serve on our board of directors.

Rob amd Denyce Hindman pictured here with son, Malachi, are students in Advanced Mission and sent me this lovely note, “I really appreciate your involvement and time with our Advanced Missions class. You are one of my favorites to learn from, and I appreciate the lengths you go to, including the commute from Abilene.” Following graduation, the Hindmans will go with a team to Moscow, Russia to plant a church. They are the kind of students we are proud of. They put out a very attractive and professional newsletter. They also have a well-done website you will want to check out at www.robhindman.com.

We try to be helpers not pushers. From the very beginning, Mission South Pacific (formerly The Southern Cross Project) has had in mind helping the work in the South Pacific, not pushing an agenda off on the church in that region or forcing our way in where we may not be wanted. We want to always be sensitive to the people and cultures of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Islands.

It is a pleasure to work with brothers and sisters in the region who are working hard to bring the gospel to the lost. We want to assist their work and never be a hindrance. In New Zealand, the South Pacific Bible College in Tauranga has been training men and women for ministry for many years. In Australia Macquarie School of Biblical Studies has striven to do the same for over 30 years. In the last few years the Klesis Institute http://www.klesisinstitute.com/ has come on the scene and promises to be a valuable help to the work in the South Pacific.

A message from Robert Odle, Chairman of the Board: Mission South Pacific has a special place in my heart for numerous reasons. First, it is a ministry that directly answers the Master’s call to go and make disciples of all the nations.

Second, it answers the call not by sending one person or even a team of persons. It answers the call by going into the field and reproducing multiple workers for the harvest through the establishment of training centers right there on the field. This, in my mind, is the modern method of doing missions that is most faithful to what the early church did to reach its world with the gospel.

Finally, Mission South Pacific has captured my heart because of the man God has raised up to lead this effort. The Lord has prepared Dwight Whitsett for just this ministry at just this time. His years of experience in missions and preaching, his passion for the Lord and the lost, and his position at SIBI make him ideally suited to train the next generation of missionaries for Mission South Pacific.

A message from board member Sharon Sturgess: (pictured here with granddaughter, Bailey) What a joy to live to see such a fruitful harvest from seed planted forty-one years ago! I remember in 1967 when Gaylord and I drove to Love Field in Dallas to bid farewell to the Whitsetts as they embarked on their first missionary journey to Australia. With hugs and tears and prayers, we knew that this was a beckoning from the Lord God…that He had placed this burden for Australian souls “deep in the hearts” of these Texans. Now, in 2007, to be able to see God bringing Dwight to a position of equipping others through SIBI missions programs in Lubbock and of facilitating the partnership with Macquarie School of Preaching in Sydney, Australia is beyond our expectations, but was in God’s Master plan all along. What a mighty God we serve! We pray you will prayerfully consider joining us in helping with the financial support of this missionary couple as they continue to heed the Australian call through Mission South Pacific.

Lubbock, 1966

Once again, we find ourselves stepping out into the void. We’ve been doing it a long time and it’s becoming familiar territory. When you step off that edge, God either catches you or teaches you how to fly. I think He does that, as with most things, through the people of God, the Body of Christ. Some of you have been flying with us from the beginning and others have joined us along the way—in fair weather and foul. Some of you have caught us, on God’s behalf, in your arms. As we continue this amazing voyage, it is so nice to have your company.

Love,

Dwight and Brenda