Missions has always been a part of our belief and practice. Nannette was a part of the missions outreach in her church in Wilson, Arkansas during her high school years.. They were instrumental in starting a new church, holding services outside until a building could be secured. She became a missions volunteer in college at Ouachita Baptist University. So when she arrived at Southwestern Seminary, she was headed for the mission field.
I participated in the Royal Ambassadors at Mt Zion Baptist Church, near Many, La. Of course missions study and activity was at the heart of that program. Although I did not become a mission volunteer until my Seminary days at Southwestern, I was always interested in missions, and met a number of foreign missionaries through local churches and through the Baptist Student Union activities.
When Nannette and I first met one of the first questions she asked me was “Are you a mission volunteer?” The reason she asked was that she first saw me perform in a men’s quartet at a Mission Band meeting, where I served as the music coordinator. Naturally, she assumed that I was a mission volunteer.
The fact that she was committed to foreign missions and I was not proved to be problematic for the Dean of Women at the Seminary. It was not a problem for us, because we believed that God was working His purpose out. Later that year, I did make a decision to commit my life to serving the Lord overseas. The couple that served as counselors at that service were Don and Vi Orr, who were music missionaries on furlough from Colombia,
After consulting with representatives from the SBC Foreign Mission Board, it was made clear that we needed at least two years of practical church experience before we would be considered for missionary appointment.So following our marriage in Little Rock, AR, we moved to Savannah GA to serve as Minister of Music at Immanuel Baptist Church. Our first child Phillip was born there, and had some health issues that concerned us.The pediatrician put Phil on medication for his heart and we took precautions as we care for him. But after two years at that church, God called us to Columbus, GA, to serve the Eastern Heights Baptist Church. There we saw another pediatrician, who assured us that Phil was growing normally, and we should take him home and enjoy raising him.
Our commitment to missions was reconfirmed in Columbus, but we were led to accept the call from Elba, AL to serve as their Minister of Music. It was during our second year in Elba that we began correspondence with the Foreign Mission Board. As a requirement for appointment, we needed more Seminary training in Theology, so we moved to New Orleans Baptist Seminary in order to obtain the necessary credits for appointment.
After a year’s study there, where we met many missionaries and missionary candidates, we were finally appointed and moved to Calloway Gardents for our four month long Missionary Orientation. In late July, we boarded the President Cleveland for a 3 week ocean voyage to Taiwan where we would begin our missionary career. It was significant that we arrived in Keelung harbor on the day of our Wedding Anniversary, Aug 2, 1970.
The scripture promise for today is found in Psalm 2, and was the verse I read on the day of our wedding. It was a confirmation to me that God would lead us to serve Him overseas in His own time.
I hope it has significance for you
Psalm 2:8 (ESV)
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.