We are seeking God for what He'd have us do next. We continue to pray for missionary colleagues on the field, and also to appeal to Southern Baptists to urge change in our IMB missionary candidate policies that many more conservative, qualified Southern Baptists may join you on the field than are currently able to be approved.
As for our feelings toward IMB, I want you to know that I also recently sent the following to State Baptist Papers and Baptist Press...
Dear Southern Baptist Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It is very important to me that you know that while I
believe change in IMB Trustee policy is needed, I still love
and support the IMB. I want to urge all missionaries of IMB
to carry on and give even greater service to Christ in
eradicating lostness in the world, and for Southern Baptists
to give even greater financial and prayer support to IMB
missionaries and ministry.
While I urge Southern Baptists to consider the appeal to
change the new missionary candidate guidelines (policies)
and contact your state's IMB trustees...I also urge you not
to cut funding. This would not address the policies or
trustees, but would only hurt the staff, missionaries (their
outreach and deployment), and the unreached. I have
included similar statements such as this in my previous
letter and other communications but wanted to make it
explicit.
I sent an "Open Letter to Southern Baptists" to State
Baptist papers and Baptist Press so that my fellow Southern
Baptists could see my entire thoughts and not just the
leaked portions and few excerpts previously published by BP.
May God do with it what He desires, may all IMB personnel be
encouraged by the Lord and the concern and support of
Southern Baptists, and may many more truly qualified, called
Southern Baptists be able to serve overseas through the IMB
to the glory of God.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rodney Hammer
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Follow up on Family-Do Angels Drive Dodge Ram Trucks?
Thanks to all who prayed for us as we went to Kansas City for Debbie's grandfather's funeral. It was truly a blessed time.
We drove back to Colorado where we are on STAS on Thursday, a day later than originally planned to spend more time in KC. We didn't realize that the Lord would have to help us dodge multiple tornadoes and get us through a late spring Rocky Mountain snow storm!
We literally drove through the edge of one thunder storm which 30 minutes later produced hail and a tornado that touched down right where we stopped for a brief break...only to learn on the radio there were more spotted tornadoes and storms in surrounding areas. The Lord blessed us by letting us drive on in beautiful sunshine...albeit with high winds...with storms behind us and north of us which continued to move out of our path.
We stopped in Denver to buy cheaper groceries and a break and the weather was nice. But as we drove further west on I-70 up into the mountains, we encountered a snowstorm as we neared the Eisenhower tunnel. We and the traffic had slowed. Unfortunately, despite the slower speed I hit a patch of snow and black ice and hydroplaned big time! The car began to fish-tail out of control and we swerved back and forth, in traffic! Each time we were about to go into a total 360 degree spin, the Lord would enable me to get the car going back the other way. Yes, I applied all the lessons about steering, non-breaking, etc when skidding on ice and snow. But God definitely kept us and everyone else from crashing. Good thing too! On our left and behind us was traffic trying to avoid us...and on our right was a constant series of large light poles. The Lord kept us from hitting anyone or the poles while no one else lost control or crashed either. We swung somewhat wildly between traffic and the poles yet came to a stop between two of the large poles on the shoulder of the highway.
As if that weren't enough, a "God sent good Samaritan" pulled over behind us with his flashers on to protect us from oncoming traffic. The man in a large Dodge Ram pickup truck waited as we collected ourselves, prayed thanking God, and then proceeded. He pulled out behind us as we now very slowly, in 2nd gear, went up and through the tunnel and then down the very steep, slippery, and icy highway on the other side of the pass. He stayed behind us for 30 minutes, flashers on, protecting us all the way to our exit. He then waved, slowly passed us and went on his way down the highway.
God was so gracious! Do angels drive Dodge Ram pickup trucks? I don't know. But I do know that the Lord very mercifully spared us and many others just a couple of days ago. We press on to follow hard after Him, thanking Him for His continued faithfulness.
With love and appreciation for your prayers,
Rodney, Debbie and Luke
We drove back to Colorado where we are on STAS on Thursday, a day later than originally planned to spend more time in KC. We didn't realize that the Lord would have to help us dodge multiple tornadoes and get us through a late spring Rocky Mountain snow storm!
We literally drove through the edge of one thunder storm which 30 minutes later produced hail and a tornado that touched down right where we stopped for a brief break...only to learn on the radio there were more spotted tornadoes and storms in surrounding areas. The Lord blessed us by letting us drive on in beautiful sunshine...albeit with high winds...with storms behind us and north of us which continued to move out of our path.
We stopped in Denver to buy cheaper groceries and a break and the weather was nice. But as we drove further west on I-70 up into the mountains, we encountered a snowstorm as we neared the Eisenhower tunnel. We and the traffic had slowed. Unfortunately, despite the slower speed I hit a patch of snow and black ice and hydroplaned big time! The car began to fish-tail out of control and we swerved back and forth, in traffic! Each time we were about to go into a total 360 degree spin, the Lord would enable me to get the car going back the other way. Yes, I applied all the lessons about steering, non-breaking, etc when skidding on ice and snow. But God definitely kept us and everyone else from crashing. Good thing too! On our left and behind us was traffic trying to avoid us...and on our right was a constant series of large light poles. The Lord kept us from hitting anyone or the poles while no one else lost control or crashed either. We swung somewhat wildly between traffic and the poles yet came to a stop between two of the large poles on the shoulder of the highway.
As if that weren't enough, a "God sent good Samaritan" pulled over behind us with his flashers on to protect us from oncoming traffic. The man in a large Dodge Ram pickup truck waited as we collected ourselves, prayed thanking God, and then proceeded. He pulled out behind us as we now very slowly, in 2nd gear, went up and through the tunnel and then down the very steep, slippery, and icy highway on the other side of the pass. He stayed behind us for 30 minutes, flashers on, protecting us all the way to our exit. He then waved, slowly passed us and went on his way down the highway.
God was so gracious! Do angels drive Dodge Ram pickup trucks? I don't know. But I do know that the Lord very mercifully spared us and many others just a couple of days ago. We press on to follow hard after Him, thanking Him for His continued faithfulness.
With love and appreciation for your prayers,
Rodney, Debbie and Luke
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Family Update
Debbie's grandfather's funeral was held on Monday. It was a wonderful time of celebrating Glenn Lichty's life lived for God. Wonderful tributes were shared by family members and a close friend who is retired Salvation Army Lt. Colonel. I had the wonderful blessing of sharing from Scripture and remembrance as well. Jesus Christ was lifted up, the gospel presented, and God was glorified. Please pray for family members and perhaps a few others present who don't know the Lord personally.
We drove from Colorado to Kansas City to be here with Debbie's family. We leave tomorrow to drive back to Colorado where we continue our stateside assignment.
On another front, I sent an "Open Letter to Southern Baptists" to State Baptist papers and Baptist Press. Some have begun to publish it. I wanted fellow Southern Baptists to see my entire thoughts and not just the leaked portions and few excerpts previously published by BP. May God do with it what He desires, may all IMB personnel be encouraged, and may many more truly qualified,called Southern Baptists be able to serve overseas through the IMB to the glory of God.
We continue to pray, respond to inquiries, and seek what God would have us to do next in His service.
Thanks much for your prayers,
Rodney
We drove from Colorado to Kansas City to be here with Debbie's family. We leave tomorrow to drive back to Colorado where we continue our stateside assignment.
On another front, I sent an "Open Letter to Southern Baptists" to State Baptist papers and Baptist Press. Some have begun to publish it. I wanted fellow Southern Baptists to see my entire thoughts and not just the leaked portions and few excerpts previously published by BP. May God do with it what He desires, may all IMB personnel be encouraged, and may many more truly qualified,called Southern Baptists be able to serve overseas through the IMB to the glory of God.
We continue to pray, respond to inquiries, and seek what God would have us to do next in His service.
Thanks much for your prayers,
Rodney
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Answers to Some Questions
Dear Friends,
Thank you to all who have written and called us...for your many kind words, encouragements, and expressions of love. Thanks also for your prayers especially! We pray for and support the current Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Regional Leadership Team and Interim RL Mark Edworthy, the missionaries of CEE and entire IMB, Senior Leadership and IMB Trustees, and all concerned.
We are in Kansas City this week as my wife's grandfather passed away Sunday. So, we are here to help, be with family, and participate in the funeral and celebration of Debbie's grandfather's faith and life in Christ this coming Monday.
You are probably visiting this blog because you either know us, or you read or heard about my appeal to change two new missionary candidate policies. I would like to clarify some erroneous information. It was my intent to write the missionaries of CEE and the Trustees privately, and then to share publicly if needed. However, some well intentioned folks evidently shared my letter to the missionaries of CEE explaining our resignation and position. It was then published on a blog. I need to clarify that I was not asked to resign nor fired by trustees, but rather it was necessary to resign my role if I was going to appeal further. I was the one who informed our regional trustee committee that I was resigning for that reason.
While I believe change in policy is needed, we still love and support the IMB, and urge all missionaries of IMB to carry on and give even greater service to Christ in eradicating lostness in CEE and the world. We urge Southern Baptists to consider the appeal to change the new missionary candidate guidelines (policies) and contact your state's IMB trustees...while we also urge even greater financial and prayer support of IMB missionaries and ministry. To cut funding would not address the policies or trustees, but would only hurt the missionaries, their outreach and deployment, and the unreached.
We've been incredibly blessed and privileged to serve as Southern Baptists through the IMB. We are currently on stateside assignment with the IMB seeking what God would have us to do next. Thank you again for your prayers.
Gratefully,
Rodney, Debbie and Luke
Thank you to all who have written and called us...for your many kind words, encouragements, and expressions of love. Thanks also for your prayers especially! We pray for and support the current Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Regional Leadership Team and Interim RL Mark Edworthy, the missionaries of CEE and entire IMB, Senior Leadership and IMB Trustees, and all concerned.
We are in Kansas City this week as my wife's grandfather passed away Sunday. So, we are here to help, be with family, and participate in the funeral and celebration of Debbie's grandfather's faith and life in Christ this coming Monday.
You are probably visiting this blog because you either know us, or you read or heard about my appeal to change two new missionary candidate policies. I would like to clarify some erroneous information. It was my intent to write the missionaries of CEE and the Trustees privately, and then to share publicly if needed. However, some well intentioned folks evidently shared my letter to the missionaries of CEE explaining our resignation and position. It was then published on a blog. I need to clarify that I was not asked to resign nor fired by trustees, but rather it was necessary to resign my role if I was going to appeal further. I was the one who informed our regional trustee committee that I was resigning for that reason.
While I believe change in policy is needed, we still love and support the IMB, and urge all missionaries of IMB to carry on and give even greater service to Christ in eradicating lostness in CEE and the world. We urge Southern Baptists to consider the appeal to change the new missionary candidate guidelines (policies) and contact your state's IMB trustees...while we also urge even greater financial and prayer support of IMB missionaries and ministry. To cut funding would not address the policies or trustees, but would only hurt the missionaries, their outreach and deployment, and the unreached.
We've been incredibly blessed and privileged to serve as Southern Baptists through the IMB. We are currently on stateside assignment with the IMB seeking what God would have us to do next. Thank you again for your prayers.
Gratefully,
Rodney, Debbie and Luke
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