Newsletter March 2008 — No. 2

Dear friends and fellow-laborers in the kingdom,

There is good news to report! We are beginning to see more and more exciting things happen “Down Under!” A growing number of people both in Australia, New Zealand and the USA are being used by God to accomplish His purposes. As you read this report, please remember to give thanks to our Father by whose power and provision makes everything possible. And please never forget that God works through His people…YOU! Your prayers, encouragement and financial support are possible because God has blessed you and through you blesses efforts such as Mission South Pacific.

New Zealand Team Arrives in Auckland! The excitement is palpable! Please look at the video posted by Elijah and Kris Peters recording the arrival of the Cherrys and the Elys at: http://lijandkris.blogspot.com/2008/03/team-arrival.html The team has been visiting the Otumoetai congregation in Tauranga for several weeks to be introduced to the culture and to establish a partnership with that congregation. If you want to get their reports, their addresses are on my blogroll at my Mission South Pacific blogroll (address below).

This is the way mission work should be done. This team formed among students at SIBI (it could be any school) who, in addition to Sunset’s strenuous Bible training, took Mission Track courses followed by six months of Advanced Missions. They received intense mentoring from Sunset’s Charles Speer and Mission Resource Network’s Alan Phillips who also accompanied them on a survey trip to New Zealand in 2006. Each family has a sponsoring/supporting congregation. The team has also received support from Bell Trust and various other churches and individual partners. They secured long-term visas through the invitation of the Otumoetai church in Tauranga. Only with this kind of cooperative effort can His people fulfill His commission.

The Peters family to depart early June. Craig told me today that, in faith that the remainder of their support will be forthcoming, they plan to leave for Sydney on or around June 1^st to resume his essential work as Director of MSOBS. They still need half of their monthly support so they are really stepping out on God’s promises (2 Corinthians 9:8-10). Why? We and they are convinced that’s where God wants them! We believe He will, through His people (maybe you?), supply what they need to prepare Australians to preach and teach the gospel. We are ready to come show you and/or your congregation why sharing the message and training the messengers is the most effective way to accomplish our mission.

Ed & Martha Wharton and John Massey are teaching at MSOBS as part of our partnership. We are super-pleased to have these knowledgeable and highly talented folks in Sydney for a few weeks to teach “Biblical Christian Evidences” and “Scheme of Redemption.” Martha is teaching a course for women about marriage called, “Adventures in Marriage.” This is Ed’s umpteenth (maybe an American word) trip to Australia! I get the impression he may like it.

Team Brisbane forms at Abilene Christian University. Under the leadership of my good friend and brother, Gary Green, former missionary to Venezuela and now Missionary-in-Residence at ACU, a team has formed to work in Ipswitch, Queensland (in the Brisbane metropolitan area) sometime next year. Gary is doing a great job mentoring this team and is allowing me to help along the way. We meet at 7 am each Monday morning for an hour of mentoring. One of the team members is Tish Harris who heard me make a presentation on Australia back in 2002 at the World Mission Workshop hosted that year by ACU. She made a decision that day to work in the region. She even found an Australian husband! Be sure and read her story in my next report.

We are ever conscious of the fact that we are living on the support of those who know us, love us, and believe in our work. We take not one dollar for granted!
We know those dollars come from folks who go to work every day whether they want to or not at jobs they may not like.
We know it comes from folks who worked for many years and then retired on a fixed income.
We know it comes from widows and widowers who, though they may not have much, want to make a difference with what they have.
We know it comes from folks who made smart investments and are now investing in eternal securities.

They all have one thing in common: they all know it is God’s money given into their stewardship.

Thank you, each and every one!

For the gospel of the Kingdom,

Dwight and Brenda Whitsett

UPCOMING:

Back on Track Seminar – Hunter Valley Church of Christ – New South Wales – 7-8 June

Back on Track Seminar – Southeast Church of Christ – Melbourne – 14-15 June

Back on Track Seminar – Bankstown Church of Christ – Sydney – 21-22 June

Discipleship Workshop (Samsill & Swinford) – Adelaide – 4-6 July

Visit AIM Students in NZ with Chris Swinford – 8-15 July

Macquarie Lectures (attend) – Sydney — 16-19 July

Global Missions Conference (attend) – Arlington, TX — 23-26 July