Posts by David Shumate
The FBFI and the Text and Translation Debate
I have been asked to write about how the FBFI should view the boundaries of fellowship and other practical issues relating to the text and translation controversy. A necessary starting point for discussing this matter is what the FBFI has already said. Below is a review the history of FBFI text and translation resolutions, after…
Read MoreFrontLine Sept/Oct 17 – Mentoring into Ministry
FrontLine September/October 2017 | VOLUME 27 | NUMBER 5 Editorial by David Shumate We all have a sad tendency to take for granted some of life’s greatest blessings. In thinking about this issue of FrontLine, “Mentoring into the Ministry,” I came to the realization that my Christian life has been enriched beyond words by the…
Read MoreThe Missionary’s Task and Qualifications
David Shumate As a young person I was an avid sports fan. Once I heard the wry observation that if the object of basketball were to get the ball into a hole in the floor, then the highest paid players would all be four feet tall. As humorous a mental picture as this may generate,…
Read MoreUna Puerta Abierta (An Open Door)
David Shumate The Great Hispanic Ministry Opportunity in the United States “Do you know of someone who could come and help us start a Spanish ministry? All of a sudden there are Hispanic people everywhere in our town, and we don’t know how to reach them.” Those connected with Hispanic ministries regularly receive such pleas…
Read MoreMinistering among Illegal Immigrants
David Shumate Those with opportunities to minister to immigrant groups are often confronted with the question of illegal immigration. This social and political problem often complicates what would otherwise be a straightforward ministry response. Although the problem most often involves people from Latin America, it is an issue that applies to other groups as well.…
Read MoreThe Promise and Perils of Speaking Up
David Shumate Our family recently visited the Titan Missile Museum south of Tucson, Arizona. The museum was inside a decommissioned nuclear missile silo that was part of America’s strategic defense system during the Cold War. There, underground, behind blast doors designed to withstand a nuclear attack, we saw the control room where Air Force crews…
Read MoreWhat We Are Learning (Part 3)
The following article is excerpted from the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of FrontLine. What We Are Learning David Shumate In Part 1, two common misconceptions of child abuse are discussed: Misconception 1: It can’t happen here. Misconception 2: Acts that do not involve actual intercourse are not “so-bad.” In Part 2, the following misconceptions are discussed:…
Read MoreWhat We Are Learning (Part 2)
The following article is excerpted from the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of FrontLine. What We Are Learning David Shumate In Part 1, two common misconceptions of child abuse are discussed: Misconception 1: It can’t happen here. Misconception 2: Acts that do not involve actual intercourse are not “so-bad.” Part 2 follows: ~~~ Misconception 3: Child sexual…
Read MoreWhat We Are Learning (Part 1)
The following article is excerpted from the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of FrontLine. Due to the importance of the issue of child protection, we are publishing these articles in their entirety, albeit in a serialized format. The articles on Protecting Our Children will be made available in pdf format as soon as our serialization is complete.…
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