Global Ministries
The purpose of missions at Blackhawk is to promote, encourage and support outreach aimed at bringing others into a personal relationship with Christ. It is the responsibility of every Christian to be involved in the process of missions. It is the responsibility of the local church to:
- Pray for Christian workers to be raised up. (Matt. 9:36-38)
- Train Christians to do the work of the ministry. (Eph. 4:11-13)
- Recognize the leading of the Holy Spirit in the directing of people into the ministry. (Acts 13:1-4)
- Encourage, financially support, & pray for missionaries and their work. (III John 5-8)
- Encourage a missional life-style among all believers. (Matt. 28:19-20) Missional living is defined as not living for self but for the present and eternal glory of God.
Blackhawk supports 33 full-time missionary families and/or individuals and 8 ministry organizations. We also encourage and support short term outreach trips. More information is available on the mission’s policy tab.
For more information about Global Ministries at Blackhawk, contact us.
Learn More About Global Ministries:
Missionaries Supported
Anderson, Vic & Cindy – Dallas – Cross-cultural missions in Ethiopia
Ballast, Mike & Carolyn – Philippines – Church planters.
Borror, Kevin & Melisa – Lesotho Africa – Directs missionary aviation program
Bristol, Cathy – Ghana, Africa – Runs a clinic in a very remote area.
Brower, Dan – Brazil – Church planter
Cole, Ken & Alice – Fort Wayne – Assists Thai churches
Collier, Paul & Patty – Costa Rica – Church planters
Corbitt, Andrew & Jill – Orlando – CRU headquarters – conferences support team
Deakyne, Chad & Kim – France – Church planters
Doden, Laurie – Fort Wayne – Christian life counselor, mentor
E., John – S.E. Asia – works with Bible translators.
Felkner, Dennis & Marcia – Dallas – oversees printing and electronic publishing
Haggard, Ray & Laura – Athens, OH – CRU – evangelism on Ohio State Univ. campus.
Hartman, Kevin & Paula – Little Rock AK – “Marriage in the Raw” presenting conferences, counseling & resources for marriage ministries
Howard, Denny & Debbie – Ft. Wayne – Family Care/Vitality Care Center – professional counselor & coach
Howard, Joshua – Slovakia – Youth ministry through music programs in high schools
Johnson, Delaina – Papua New Guinea – Bible translation work
Kelley, Dick & Barb – Rockford IL – Literature distribution in Russia
Kraybill, Rod & Lori – South Africa – Team leaders for 150 AIM missionaries
Mannes, Amanda – W. Lafayette – Evangelism on Purdue campus
Mitchell, Caleb & Alair – Uganda – New Hope Orphanage work.
Nelson, Chuck & Jeanne – Ft. Wayne – High school sports ministry
Provost, Bob & Louetta – Rockford IL – Helps Russian believers & pastors
Rondeau, Mark & Sarah – Kenya – Teachers at an international school
S., Matt & Joy – Canary Islands, Spain – Church planters & sports evangelism outreach
S, Jim & Sue – China – Works with Chinese believers
Southwell, Dave & Evelyn – Harrisburg PA – Mentors missionaries in Central America
Staedtler, Dave & Angie – Czech Republic – Evangelism & church planting
Storey, Jim & Becky – U.S.A. – Church rescue pastor
Tumas, John & Luci – Dallas – Financial services and literature development for SIL/Wycliffe
Y., Ruth – Bangladesh – Nurse supervisor at Christian hospital
TOTAL 32 (17 overseas / 5 cross-cultural, 10 stateside)
Organizations:
Allen County Jail Chaplaincy
Baptist Children’s Home – Valparaiso IN
Campus Ministry – College campus ministries in N.E. Indiana
Ft. Wayne Rescue Mission & Charis House (women’s division)
Hope Center – Crises pregnancy center
In As Much – providing assistance to the needy in Ft. Wayne
Love Church – Reaching out to inner-city residents in Ft. Wayne
Neighborlink Fort Wayne
TOTAL 7 – ALL LOCAL
Missionary Care
For years, Blackhawk has exhibited passionate care for the missionaries we support. As extensions of our body it is essential that we care for our missionaries as we do for the local body.
With advances in technology and intentional effort, we are able to care for our missionaries better than ever before. Our desire is to ensure that our connection to our missionaries is more than financial.
The care committee includes ABF missionary representatives and others who share our passion for loving and encouraging our missionaries around the world. To become a part of this ministry, please contact Linda Archer at LindaP.Archer@gmail.com
Missionary Prayer
Prayer is the cornerstone of ministry success. If God is not included, our efforts are futile. Whether we are helping to feed the hungry in Fort Wayne or translating Scripture into a previously unwritten language, the success of our efforts is largely dependent on prayer.
Currently, we distribute a monthly prayer update via e-mail. If you would like to receive this update, please contact Ken Zick at kenzick@frontier.com.
Missionary Education
One effort of Global Ministries is to provide continuing mission education to the body and community. We support the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course, held each spring at various Fort Wayne churches. We also offer periodic elective Sunday morning classes to the Blackhawk body.
Mission education is incorporated into the training for short-term teams sent out from Blackhawk. We desire to not simply train groups to serve in a specific place for a specific time, but to disciple and educate teams to live more missional lives here and abroad.
For more information about the Perspectives course, visit www.perspectives.org.
Missionary Communication
Communication is critical to Global Ministries. To be effective in global ministry, we must communicate with the body what we are doing in and around the world and how they can be involved. We use various tools to keep information in front of the body. These tools include:
- Sunday Bulletins
- Mission Wall: Located outside the East doors of the sanctuary, we keep current a comprehensive missions wall. It displays mission information, pictures and profiles of our missionaries.
For more information about the communication part of Global Ministries, contact us.
Missionary Exposure Trips
Missions Trips are a growing part of Global Ministries at Blackhawk and an opportunity for individuals and families to serve as “Priests that GO” across the street or around the world.
Blackhawk desires to see each person that participates in a mission trip:
– utilize their gifts to fulfill the Great Commission
– gain a greater perspective of who God is and His heart for the world
– have a tangible opportunity to serve people in need including the poorest of the poor
– become more enabled to share the love of Christ at home
– pray more effectively for Christians around the world
– become an active supporter of missionaries and God’s work around the world
–consider full time missionary work
If you are planning to go on a mission’s trip that is not sponsored by Blackhawk, please do let us know. Send an email to LindaBill618@gmail.com.
Disaster Recovery with Hope Crisis Response Network
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast destroying hundreds of homes and businesses. In the months following Hurricane Katrina Blackhawk joined other churches and organizations to purchase trailers for what was named Hope City located in Biloxi, MS. During the three years following Hurricane Katrina Hope City was operated by the Hope Crisis Response Network. completed 1400 projects. Hope City housed up to 40 volunteers at a time from churches and organizations to assist in the much needed reconstruction efforts in the Biloxi area. As a result 1,400 projects were completed from 2006-2008. Hope City hosted its last group of volunteers in December 2008.
Hope Crisis Response Network continues provide disaster recovery volunteer coordination where needed. Currently projects are on-going in Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana and Texas. Check back for details as these projects develop. More information about Hope Crisis Response Network can be found on their website, www.hcrn.info.
Wheels for the World
This is a branch of Joni and Friends’ Ministries and does several wheelchair distributions in other countries each year.
Visit Blackhawk Missionaries
Interested in going on a trip by yourself, with family or a couple friends? Blackhawk Missionaries would love visitors! We have missionaries in locations including Costa Rica, Spain, Thailand, and parts of the US. Visitors can encourage our missionaries and serve alongside them in ministry.
Missionary Links
Below are several of the organizations that Blackhawk Ministries supports. Click on the link to learn more about each ministry.
Association for Baptists in World Evangelization
Below are links to informational mission websites where you can learn about how to pray for the world and how you can be involved in missions.
Operation World- prayer guide for the nations of the world
Missionary Opportunities – Local
Blackhawk supports eight local ministries. Please click on the ministry you would like to have more information about. You will also see some ways to get involved.
Fort Wayne Rescue Mission and Charis House (the women’s division)
A Hope Center (a crises pregnancy help center)
In As Much (serving individuals with food, clothing, and individual help)
Love Church (a church whose ministry focus is on inner-city families)
Greater Fort Wayne Campus Ministries (A Christian outreach on the IPFW campus and Indiana Institute of Technology)
Missionary Policies and Applications
Below are our missionary policies and some application forms