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To The Point: A message from Dr. Kenneth A. Hughes, President
Welcome to the first edition of The Fountain, International Theological Seminary’s e-newsletter. It has been a long time coming and we’re excited about the opportunity to communicate with you in this fashion! We want you to know us and be part of the worldwide ministry of ITS. In this and future editions, we’ll be spotlighting the various branches and programs of ITS, as well as, current students, alumni and ministers who are harvesting the fields in what we believe are the last days before Christ’s glorious return.
There are many people who think the Church of Jesus Christ is powerless, stagnant and declining. We know different! With more than 28 years of leadership experience in the Kingdom, we know the Church is alive and being made ready for HIS SOON APPEARING. It is powerful, being cleansed to near perfection…without spot or wrinkle. Our goal is to inform you about this miraculous time in which we live, encourage you with practical information on navigating the quagmire of our surroundings, and lead you through the end-time events that are rapidly approaching!
In each newsletter, we will be introducing you to honest and successful ministries all over the world. As you may or may not know, International Theological Seminary students and ministers are located in the United States and more than forty countries on six continents! We want to share some of their victory reports. This edition’s spotlight is on Brenda Applegate, a 2004 ITS graduate, who’s seen the Lord transform her small Bible study into an international network of pray warriors. It’s an amazing story and we know you’ll be blessed when you see the mighty work of God being done.
Again, welcome to The Fountain. Be encouraged and refreshed as you discover the power and awesome work the Lord is doing through the International Theological Seminary Ministries.
In Him,
Dr. Ken Hughes
ITSMA News: by Dr. William DeSue
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Renewal Time!
Amazingly, another year has come and gone. It’s time to renew your credentials for 2008 with the International Theological Seminary Ministerial Association (ITSMA). Have you moved this year? Please be certain you’ve updated your records with ITSMA and look for your renewal forms in the mail. They’ll be arriving soon.
For those of you who might not know, ITSMA is recognized worldwide and
serves the ITS faculty, graduates, student body, FACT members and others ministers who have joined in with us. God has called many of you into active ministry who find yourselves without connection and discouraged due to your lack of credentials. Let us help you fulfill your ministry to expand the Kingdom of God.
For an ITSMA membership application, contact theosem01@verizon.net or telephone (941) 753-7616. Go to www.itsworldwide.info for additional information on membership requirements and annual dues. We want God’s best for you and those God has gifted you to serve.
Join ITSMA today. ‘ITS’ more than just a membership,
‘ITS’ A life time connection! |
ITS-Arabic Harvest Events - Will you help us meet the need?
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*Note: Due to possible dangers faced by our brothers and sisters in Arabic speaking countries, names and exact locations have been withheld.
Dear Dr. Ken and the ITS family:
Wonderful things are happening in the Arabic speaking world. Currently, we are involved in establishing house churches in North Africa. There are presently 15 student leaders who would like to study with ITS.
On my last trip to this area, I noticed a lack of teaching for new believers. They have received Jesus as Savior in an emotional way, but when you come to the Biblical area they are not strong. After I prayed, I felt a responsibility to help build a foundation for the new Christian church in this area. There are about 55,000 new believers in North Africa. This is a huge mission field.
As God provides, the next step we need to take is to encourage the spiritual leaders by providing some teaching. A friend lives in an apartment, but can move into a larger unit. Now he is paying $300 a month. A larger unit will cost $600. There is a need to provide $300 to make this change. If we can support him by this amount then there is the potential to develop a room in which the people can study. We can also put some computers into this place. This helps those students who do not have a computer or who cannot study at home. This place of learning would also have a room where some teachers could come to help. We could teach a Bible course and provide support for these students.
To provide for the utilities in the house, the rent, as well as for the computers it may cost a total of $500 a month. Please pray for this project. If God places any of this on your heart, please contact the ITS office.
In His service,
A Friend of ITS
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Harvest Events – Your praise reports and comments!
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Spotlight: Brenda Applegate, Class of ‘04
“Thank you for the opportunity to share. I don’t have an exciting overseas missionary experience or a huge church ministry project to share, but I would like to encourage those who, like me, have their degree, but have yet to find a “permanent” ministry. I am the wife of a professional soldier. Due to my husband’s mission we move frequently. Since I earned my degree in 2004, we have moved four times for “Uncle Sam” but in truth, we have moved where God desires. He knows the plans He has for us. Just when we thought, after 24 years of service, my husband would retire, we were yet again asked to move. We knew this particular duty would only be for 9 months and would require another move afterwards. As husband and wife we chose to go together, leaving our house, my “permanent” job and our ministry opportunities. This duty station included over 400 other military families. Before our boxes were unpacked and our gear all stored I took a walk to the chapel. I prayed on the way that God would give me the opportunity to serve Him. When I walked through the church yard the chaplain, who generally worked out of the schoolhouse office, came from the chapel and greeted me (which had been my plea when I asked for God’s confirmation, should He want me to do something for HIM in that place). Standing in the front yard we talked briefly and I knew that God wanted me to lead a woman’s home study group. Within a few weeks, with the chapel’s assistance, our group grew from 3 to 24 women. By God’s grace we were able to meet in my living room once a week for the brief 9 months.
In my flesh I had hoped for a HUGH ministry for God’s glory. Twenty-four women out of 400 families seemed like such a small number. As the months quickly passed God reminded me that HE chose 12 men to minister to at first. Now, 6 months since our husbands’ short duty came to a close, I receive frequent email confirmations from these women of how the Lord is working. Several have answered the challenge of developing their own neighborhood fellowship groups; others are involved in women’s groups affiliated with their military units. All remain in continual prayer for their families – several of which had been back sliding and not even talking to God before our short time together. All of these are wives of senior professional soldiers from various military occupations, over half of which are leading deployment units in foreign countries even now. This one little neighborhood Bible study group, in a remote military community, had been dispersed to vast locations all over the United States and overseas. From this small group of women God is sending forth His message to several nations.
I write these words to encourage those like myself, who desire to use their (International Theological Seminary) degree for God but do not know how to begin, not to be afraid to start small. Allow God to walk before you, follow Him in all your ways. God has a way of multiplying your efforts. These military families are not just defending our nation’s freedom, they are going where God sends and living the promise of freedom in our Lord Jesus Christ, fueled with God’s Word and the support of a small group of sisters in Christ. “To God be the glory!” Amen!” |
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