Dear Friends,

Since the close of our former mission, EBM, the last few months have been filled with many challenges and opportunities.  These days have been a great reminder of Proverbs 16:1-3:  “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.  All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.  Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.”  Basically, the verses teach that we make our plans, but it is God who decides.  God knows our hearts, and no amount of personal self-justification will fool Him.  However, if our desire is to serve Him, and we commit our actions and directions to Him, we will think right, and then do right!

Beabea and I are pleased and excited to share that God has led us to become a part of Barnabas Enrichment Ministries.  This small mission board is dedicated to helping in the support role of missions, especially missionary church planting as well as small church ministries.  It has operated mainly in North America, but is open to expanding to other places in the world.  Tim and Sandy Hewitt founded BEM several years ago and were its only missionaries.  Tim is now pastoring New Hope Baptist in Gas City, IN.  He remains as BEM mission director fulfilling the accountability role for us.  At this point we will be BEM’s only missionaries allowing the mission to position itself to facilitate the missionary ministry God has called us to do. 

Please take the time to check out the BEM website at www.barnabasenrichmentministries.org to learn more.

With the close of EBM we received input from missionaries and pastors encouraging us to continue what we had been doing as Regional Coordinators for EBM.  BEM allows us to do that.  We will continue to meet with missionaries (as well as pastors), evaluating their ministries upon their request and seeking to be an encouragement to them.  We will also continue in our role as a mediator in ministry conflict situations.  (Interestingly, this conflict counseling really has not let up since EBM closed down.  We have continued to be very active in this area.)  We will also continue to do seminars and conferences as the Lord gives us opportunities.  In addition to the many things we were doing as Regional Coordinators, we will be adding missionary/pastor refreshment to our responsibilities as time and opportunities permit.  This special and unique ministry allows the missionary church planter and the pastor with limited resources to be gone from their ministries for a short period of time with someone qualified to continue the ministry in their place.  Missionary church planters understand how important this ministry is.  Being freed up to report back to churches is a major help.

The mailing address for BEM is:  

Pray for our finances during this transition time from one mission to another.  Missionaries often loose support in transitions.  We are currently at about 40% of the support needed to do our ministry.  This means will need to continue to raise support.  If the Lord leads you to give us funds, send them to the address above with a note that the financial gift is for the Rogers.  Please note our new email address: jtrbem@gmail.com.

We have a busy schedule forming for us in 2012.  Please check out the website to follow our travels.  We will be in many places across the country as well as being involved in some interesting mission projects.  From helping a new church plant in Utah to returning to Alaska, this will be an eventful year!  We appreciate your prayers!!

We have some important family news to share.  First, on January 16^th of this year Garrett Michael Tjapkes was born to our daughter, Christy.  He is a cute little one that we enjoy holding so much.  Now we have the most beautiful granddaughter and most handsome grandson on the planet, at least in our unbiased opinion!

Secondly, we want to share with you that Jeremiah will be getting married on March 3^rd.  Many of you have inquired what happen with Jeremiah’s last marriage.  In October of 2010 Jeremiah was divorced.  This was a very difficult time for him, and he asked that we not share it in our prayer letters and email updates, but he did give us permission to talk about it in person when someone would ask how he was doing.  We respected his wishes and did not share it with you to pray for.  With the upcoming wedding, he felt strongly that he wanted you to pray for them, so I have his permission to share with you what has happened.  Please pray for Jeremiah and Jessica as they begin their life together that they will seek God’s face and become a strong Christian home.

Again, we wish we could thank each of you personally for your prayers and financial giving that has kept us going.  We are very excited about the path ahead and look forward to discovering all that God has for us.  Thank you for traveling with us in these discoveries!

Privileged to serve!

John

Commissioning Church: Shepherd Road Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1054, Mulberry, FL  33860

Barnabas Enrichment Ministries
P.O. Box 229
Elkhart, IN 46515-0229

(765) 667-2532

www.barnabasenrichmentministries.org

Please send all financial gifts to Barnabas Enrichment Ministries with a note designating the gift for the ministry of John & Beabea Rogers.