| Brent Halstead Salvation
I was privileged to be born into a Christian home where Christ was the center of our home. My parents were faithful to pray for me and teach me biblical truth from a young age. As a result of this early training, at the age of five, I realized that I was a sinner and in need of a savior. On April 18th, 1969, in response to the invitation at the end of a revival service, I went forward to make the decision to accept Jesus Christ. A faithful deacon took me into a counseling room and showed me from the Bible what was necessary to be saved. I then prayed, repenting from my sins and trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior.
Call to Full-time Ministry
I Timothy 3:1 states, “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” As a twelve year old boy, I surrendered my life to do whatever the Lord wanted for me. I became involved in the church youth group and my desire was to serve the Lord with my whole life.
I went to Maranatha Baptist Bible College to prepare for full-time ministry. While in college, I served as a youth pastor in a small church. Upon graduation from college, I sought a full-time ministry position as a youth pastor, but did not find one. As I was considering what to do, the Lord taught me a valuable truth, “You need to serve the Lord where you are!” I found employment in the area and continued to serve as a lay youth pastor for two years.
I spent eight years working in the secular field and serving as a layman in the church. These were growing years for me. My employer was a Godly deacon who really discipled me by his example. It was during these years that I met and married my wife. I understand and appreciate the laymen that faithfully serve in the church.
In 1994 our church began a capital stewardship campaign. Pastor Wayne Van Gelderen Jr. asked me to be part of the steering committee. In the first meeting, everyone was challenged to lead by example in giving. I went home from that meeting and talked with my wife about the challenge. I then began to pray for the Lord’s direction about how much to give. Through this time, the Lord impressed upon my heart that he didn’t need my money, but he wanted my life. I continued to pray and seek counsel, looking for a confirmation of this call. After several weeks of praying and searching, I read John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” and I believe this was God’s confirmation of His call to me for the ministry.
Call to Missions
Having served in the pastorate for a number of years (nine years as Assistant Pastor and over two years as a Senior Pastor), the Lord led and enabled me to return to Seminary and finish my education. Though God used us and allowed us to see lasting fruit in both ministries, I was desirous to see what ministry God would lead us to after completing my graduate work. In September of 2002, I began to earnestly pray for the Lord’s direction concerning the next place of ministry the Lord would have for us. On Sunday, October 13th, a missionary was preaching. I only politely listened, thinking missions was not for me. But at the close of his message he said, “ I am praying that someone from this congregation will take our place and continue the work.” Immediately the Lord impressed upon me that I could continue his work. For several weeks my wife and I prayed and sought for confirmation of this call to missions. The Lord confirmed his call through His Word with Romans 10:14:15 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
| | Karolyn Halstead Salvation
I was brought up in an unsaved home. My parents were good, law-abiding, dedicated, kind, loving, concerned parents; but they did not know the Lord as their personal Savior. We went occasionally to the Unitarian Church. My parents allowed their children to have their own opinions about religion, so, as a teenager I decided that there was no god and I should do what I personally thought was right. In 11th grade, my best friend invited me to the youth activities at Falls Baptist Church. At the end of each activity the youth pastor gave a gospel challenge and invitation. This was the first time I had heard the Gospel. After a year of going to the youth activities, I went to the church on a Sunday. I responded at the invitation and prayed asking the Lord to save me. The next Sunday I went forward for baptism and became a member of Falls Baptist Church.
Call to Ministry
Shortly after I was saved, I heard Missionaries bob and Jean Williams give a report on their work in Zaire, Africa. I was deeply impressed by their testimony and zeal. I pursued a degree in nursing with the thought that if the Lord called me to Africa, it would be helpful to have a medical background. During Bible Conference week, my freshman year at BJU (1985), I went forward during the invitation and dedicated myself to do whatever God would have me do. I also felt that if God allowed me to marry, I needed to follow my husband, believing that God’s calling for him was my calling. I also have a deep conviction that if the Lord gave me children, I must be a full-time mother at home. I believe that a mother at home raising her children is full-time Christian service.
Call to Missions
In 1994, my husband answered God’s call to full-time service in the ministry. We have served in two ministries over the last 8 years. God led us home again in 2002, so that my husband could finish his Master’s Degree in the seminary program of Baptist College of Ministry. When we sold our home to go back to school, I was deeply impressed by our unique opportunity. With our house sold, my husband having completed seminary, ministry experience, and with the talents and gifts the Lord had given to us for service, we were totally available to go anywhere in the world. I was burdened to pray and seek out God’s perfect will for us and be totally willing to do it.
On October 13th, 2002; Missionary Bob Williams reported on his ministry in Tanzania, Africa in our church. He pleaded for someone to take his place. My 10 year old daughter, Johanna, looked up at me and whispered, “Us, we, can we go?!” She had a desire to go. I bowed my head and prayed, “Lord, if we are the family you want to go to Tanzania, please burden my husband’s heart. I want to do whatever you desire.” When we got home that evening, My husband said to me, “I’ve been thinking about Tanzania, maybe we are the ones to go.” We began to pray specifically about Tanzania. I felt nervous about the possible unknown dangers: wild animals, insects, disease, civil unrest, terrorism, etc… I prayed that the Lord would give me a verse of scripture. He gave me an entire Psalm! Psalm 91 directly addresses wild animals, snakes, the insects and disease, civil unrest, etc… It instructs us to abide in the Lord, make Him our habitation, and trust Him. Through this I have received great peace and even excitement about going to Tanzania, and the process of deputation.
On November 10th, 2002; my husband and I publicly surrendered to follow the Lord’s call to the mission field of Tanzania. Johanna, our 10 year old daughter, went with us as she also feels called to Tanzania. We were blessed that Missionaries bob and Jean Williams stood with us in that service, as we will be working with them and eventually taking over their ministry. Many friends in our church have spoken to me since then, and have told me that they were praying for a family to go to Tanzania and recognize our family as an answer to their prayers. This has been an encouragement to me!
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