Kenneth and Andrea Jack equipping the next generation of tribal church planters Reflections on 2011
Each new year brings its own challenges and chances to rejoice in God’s faithfulness.
A highlight of the year was July’s trip to COLORADO. We visited supporters at Majestic Baptist Church, took our first family camping trip, and rode the Royal Gorge train.
Ken continues to serve in grounds and maintenance at the BIBLE COLLEGE; he also helps with the student sports events in the evenings. He taught an elective last year, and will teach it again in 2013. Andrea continues to serve in childcare; this year she switched to the Preschool class.
Ministering through the LOCAL CHURCH is a privilege as well. Ken got to lead a single parent to the Lord last year; it is neat to see the church members rally around this family. Ken is on the deacon board and teaches often; and Andrea teaches each Sunday in Preschool.
Saturday odd jobs have been helping supplement our MISSIONARY SUPPORT. Although we still have some significant needs in this area, we have been encouraged by three new supporters and a new supporting church this year.
Our four CHILDREN are doing well. James (10) seems to be thriving in the older hallway at their charter school, and has chosen Karate as his sport. Christina (8 ½) and Sarah (6) enjoy Awana Bible club and Ballet. Samuel (2 ½) is almost potty trained; after 10 ½ years of diapers, we are planning to celebrate the end of that phase of parenting. 
Gospel Unites Sepik!
This is the second year the Uraiys have truly understood the meaning of Christmas. Missionaries are thrilled with their growth and their decision to unite with seven other language groups for a time of Christian fellowship. For the first time they are putting away long-standing cultural differences to hear God’s Word and to worship side by side.
In 2004, when Ken had helped the missionaries to build their houses among the Uriay, the people misunderstood what they were there for. Some believed the missionaries would build an airstrip, that stuff would almost magically start to be flown in each month. When the team instead chose to use the people’s more strenuous hiking and river travel, villagers scattered to their bush houses. They eventually realized the missionaries were there to bring them something more important than “cargo”; and returned to the village to attend the evangelistic lessons. The rest is history, as a church was born among the Uriay.
Organization-wide, New Tribes Missionaries are working in 258 language groups; New Testaments and literacy training is completed for 59 language groups, with 108 more in progress. Culturally relevant evangelism and long-term discipleship have helped establish over 1100 independent churches worldwide. Others are using our cutting-edge missions training in combination with business or educational skills to serve the Lord in countries closed to traditional missions.
What the Uriay learned challenges our own ideas of Christmas. The heart of the holiday is not about shopping frenzies and fairy-tale Santas. Christmas is about God becoming man, and sharing in our struggles. It is about God bringing hope by giving us Himself. No matter what your Christmas is like this year, we pray that (like the Christians among the Uriay) you would find hope in Jesus Christ.
Never Give Up
Thanks so much for your faithful prayers. Instead of waiting for those elusive “free hours” to send you a well-thought-out update, we decided a few lines are better than nothing. So here goes . . . If you are able to check out internet videos, this is a three-minute update from one of the tribes you have prayed for in the past. …Jason’s prayer… Ken did a remodel for missionaries in Siawi and often met church leaders when he used their airstrip for building trips further interior. They overcame health issues to remain and finish the church-planting work there.
Another recent (and short) video clip is from the Uriai tribe where Ken did his first building trip when we were overseas. http://usa.ntm.org/videos-pics/ In the past year missionaries finished their final language and culture exams and saw people respond to the Gospel.
We were really encouraged to see three new supporters come on board with us in January of this year. We still have a long way to go to see our support level get up to where it should be, however. This year at the New Tribes Bible Institute there have been 66 graduates in the spring, replaced by 65 freshman, for 145 total enrollment this fall. Presently there are about 37 of our graduates at the missionary training center, with many more planning on attending in the near future. NTM is working in 228 People Groups, with 7 new church plants in 2010. Throughout NTM since 2000, about every 45 days, an unreached people group hears the Gospel. To God be the Glory!!! (and thanks to NTBI president Rex Schaffner for the stats.) (submitted by Andrea for all the Jacks)
Coming “Home”
Have you heard the song that goes “This world is not my home-I’m just a-passing through”? It reminds us of the time our 8-year-old asked what his home state is. He has lived more years in Papua New Guinea and Michigan than in Dad and Mom’s home state of California (or Missouri, where he was born). What a privilege to remind him that our real home is in Heaven!
Nevertheless, we are excitedly preparing to spend July 6-27 in California. It has been three years since we were last able to visit our supporters and home churches in California. (Contrary to midwestern stereotypes, we will not be near any warm beaches. Oh, well-it is the warm hearts that make it home!)
Our confirmed meeting dates are below. We hope to visit as many of our California friends as possible.
Thursday, July 8th – Ladies’ meeting at Temple Baptist Church
Sunday, July 11 – 8:30 & 6pm, Temple Baptist Church in Perris, CA
- 10:30 at First Baptist Church of Menifee
Sunday, July 18th – Morning Service at Calvary Baptist in Larkspur
- Evening service at Vallejo Bible Church
Sunday, July 25th – Evening service at Elmira Baptist Church
Ken and I have been challenged recently to see our ministry as more than just the work we do here. Those who pray and support us are part of the big picture of what God is doing to send out His people to the “uttermost parts of the earth.” And the churches who send their young adults to the Bible Institutes and then on to foreign fields are part of the big picture as well. We are so thankful for each one.
Their turn at last!
On May 30th, Alex’s widow and children will begin hearing the Bible’s message clearly presented in their own language for the first time. Many of you will remember hearing Ken speak of the trips he took helping missionaries move in to a village in the Uriay language group. His first tribal friend, Alex, was eager to hear the missionaries’ message; but shortly after they moved in he suffered a bad fall and died of the complications. This team of two families and two single women has diligently studied these people’s language and culture, developed an indigenous literacy program, and translated Scripture portions. Please pray that Satan would not succeed at keeping more of these tribal people from hearing the Gospel. You can read the missionaries’ most recent update at www.ntm.org/news/10922.
Stories like these keep reminding us of why we are here; the above missionaries are all graduates of New Tribes Bible Institutes in the US and England. Here at our center in Jackson, Michigan, graduation for forty-six seniors was held two weeks ago. One of the valedictorians, Cassie Bouska, shared that she came here to train for a new career as a missionary; she realized instead that through her two years studying the Bible, God was training her to live life. A high percentage of our graduates do go on to the Missionary Training Center in Missouri; all of them leave with the challenge to live out the Word of God, enabled by the Spirit of God.
On a more personal note, we have been challenged recently to see our ministry as more than just the work we do here. Those who pray and support us are part of the big picture of what God is doing to send out His people to the “uttermost parts of the earth;” and the churches who send their young adults to the Bible Institutes and then on to foreign fields are part of the big picture as well. We are thankful for a recent workshop where we were given tools to keep our supporters informed in a more organized fashion; please pray that we would use them effectively.
Starting a New Semester
Tuesday: August 18, 2009
Dear Praying Friends,
This is an exciting week as the quiet summer days give way to the buzz of 160 students. We praise the Lord that half are new, an answer to prayer for enrollment to grow. Please pray for those who are counting on finding jobs in the area; as you are probably aware, Michigan’s economy is one of the worst in the country right now. Also, some of the student families have houses that they are renting out since they could not sell in the current real estate market.
This year’s theme is from Romans 10:14 — “HOW WILL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? BE THE VOICE!” The signs are posted around the campus, reminding us that there are still people around the world who have no one to tell the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection to free them from the penalty of sin. 70% of our missionaries come out of the two Bible Institutes.
The grounds look beautiful. Ken has worked hard and been reading up a lot on lawn care this season. He was sick last week and could not get out to oversee the watering during a heat wave. But the Lord sent several soaking rains just before the students returned. Ken really enjoys being able to welcome the students in this way, and it has been stretching his management skills too.
Ken continues to teach at the prison and write lessons on the book of James for an adult Bible Hour class. We are all being challenged to make our faith practical—to live it out in our actions and words. He is on the schedule to share a chapel message this semester.
I will be in Toddlers this year—there are ten 2-year-olds; the new age will be a bit of a stretch for me. Please pray that my coworkers and I would be a good team, that we could provide a cheerful and consistent environment for these little ones, and would really rely on the Holy Spirit’s leading as we deal with each of these families. Baby Samuel has settled into fairly predictable routines, making it easy to have him in the nursery as I work with the older ones.
Please pray that I would know what responsibilities to take on and what will just be a distraction for the care I need to give at home. I have been asked to consider two areas of involvement at church; since having the baby I have filled in only on a substitute basis. Ken and I would also like to improve our communication with those supporters who do not get email, but I struggle with finding the large chunks of time to think and write.
Please pray for good health for the children this semester. Sick days can add up quickly when germs pass from child to child. I try to emphasize the importance of hand-washing, but it is easy to not notice when they forget. September and October are usually the months when things circulate here.
Thanks so much for your love and prayer and encouragement in so many ways. The Lord uses you in many ways in our lives and thus in the lives of these young people and families who are preparing to leave all to follow Christ “to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
In our Savior’s love, Andrea for the Jacks
Sending forth laborers
We just arrived back from a wonderful visit with my parents and sister down in Arkansas. We were able to visit our training center down at Lake of the Ozarks and speak in two separate churches along the way. It was a much needed rest after being surrounded by students all semester, but we are back now and back to business.
This summer we are involved in several ministry opportunities. Andrea and I each tutor a Korean student once a week as they work on their English skills before going on in the missions training. (This is a new program requirement for our missionaries coming from South Korea; please pray for wisdom for those developing it and patient understanding for the families and singles taking it.) I (Ken) have the privilege to teach the adult Sunday school class at the church we attend here in town; we are going through the books of James and Jude. There is also the prison ministry on Thursday nights. Please pray for us as we are involved in these different areas and also find time to be with our children during their school break.
The children are doing fine and are moving on to the next level in their schooling–James to 3rd grade and Christina to 1st grade. James received an academic excellence award, and Christina is reading. Sarah can say her ABC’s and little Samuel is healthy. We are praying for their understanding of the Gospel as I take them through another chronological Bible series. And we are working on good manners this summer (especially table manners).
We are looking forward to a big freshman class coming this fall–9 couples and the rest are singles. Thanks for praying for enrollment to increase. Remember that 70% of the missionaries for New Tribes Mission come from these Bible schools.
We love serving here and will continue to do so until the Lord opens the door to return to Papua New Guinea. Our hearts are still in the Sepik region, where friends we helped move into tribes are now seeing many coming to know the Lord as Savior. As you know the economy is in bad shape right now so please be in prayer for our finances and that we can continue to get more people to partner with us in this ministry. We thank you for your continued prayers and support and hope to see those of you on the west coast next summer as the Lord provides. We had some auto repairs and medical this summer that have depleted some of our savings; so pray that the Lord would help replenish that for us. We will have more on that later as we work out all the details