Meanwhile, Back On The Home Front. . .

I’ve been reminded this past week that not all of the impressive activities going on in the mission world these days are happening on the “front lines.” 

Since last Sunday, I’ve had the privilege of being the keynote speaker for a mission’s conference at a church celebrating its centennial anniversary. The Western Springs Baptist Church (WSBC) is located in the first tier of suburbs just west of downtown Chicago. I came prepared to impress folks with my latest PowerPoint presentation on the state of the mission world. I did not come prepared to become impressed instead by the amazing stories people have been sharing with me about the historic mission involvement of WSBC.

For example, I’ve learned that this church. . .

Some famous WSBC pastors including Lloyd Fesmire (left)
and Billy Graham (right)

• ·         Was the first place that Billy Graham pastored right after he graduated from Wheaton College back in 1943.
• ·         That his successor, Rev. Lloyd Fesmire, made the weekly, Sunday evening radio program “Songs in the Night” a huge success. It can still be heard today on Moody Radio.
• ·         That George Beverly Shea, who was the great baritone soloist for Billy Graham crusades, not only attended this church, but also dedicated the pulpit used for many years as a memorial to his father.
• ·         Among the many illustrious missionaries supported over the years was the Newman family who served in Irian Jaya and whose tragic death in a plane crash was made famous by Don Richardson’s book, Lords of the Earth.

If that isn’t enough, WSBC was also one of the first churches that supported my parents, Art and Helen Lewis, when they became missionaries to Portugal in 1951. (I was just one year old!) Years later, Anita and I came to this church in 1978 after joining Mission Aviation Fellowship and have been supported by these friends ever since—a total of 33 years!

But what is even more impressive than all of these great historical facts is the continued enthusiasm for missions at WSBC--something I have witnessed here this entire last week.  From Sunday morning services to Saturday evening banquets, and multiple meetings in between, it has been so refreshing to see an entire church body—children included—so engaged with the cause of building God’s Kingdom around the world.

What a great reminder that the exciting stuff happening out there on the front lines of missions simply does not happen without a home-base commitment like I have witnessed this week at WSBC!