Volume 13, Issue 2, Fall 2008
Director Retires After 14 Years of Service
On August 31st the Stephens’ family officially retired from their ministry roles with EBI. Marv, who has a PhD in chemistry and is a science professor at heart, accepted a professorial position at Clearwater Christian College in Clearwater, Florida. While they remain excited about what God continues to do through the ministry of EBI they both are convinced of God’s leading back into an educational ministry. We are extremely grateful for their fourteen years of faithful ministry and for the leadership and service which Marv and Joan have provided. They will be sorely missed.
In the meantime BMM, the EBI board of directors, and the EBI staff are actively seeking God’s provision for a new General Director who will help guide EBI into an even greater and more effective ministry. Bruce Burkholder, our Director of Theological Curriculum, has been asked to function as an Interim Director. He and the remainder of the staff request your continued prayers and support.
What is a Digital Duplicator?
A digital duplicator is a relatively small piece of equipment that is capable of printing small runs of material with press-like quality at speeds of up to 135 sheets per minute (8100 per hour). It can produce high-quality imaging that is clear in sharpness and density. Material produced on a digital duplicator is much more cost effective than projects produced on large presses.
We have been using a digital duplicator for seven years and this over-worked machine has breathed its last breath. In total it produced some 2.6 million impressions. Recently our staff voted to purchase a new digital duplicator at an approximate cost of $18,000.
This piece of equipment is in constant use and is vital to the ministry here. Because of this urgent need EBI has stepped out on faith to make this purchase. While God has already supplied $13,000.00 of the needed funds, this still leaves us approximately $5,000 short. If you or your church would be interested in helping to pay for this machine, please send your offering to: Baptist Mid-Missions and specify it for EBI – Equipment Purchase. Thank you in advance for your part in this ministry.
Strategic Plans
In April several staff members met in Winston-Salem, North Carolina for a strategic planning meeting. Many items of business were discussed and recommendations were made for furthering the ministry of EBI. Two additional meetings took place here in Sebring, as the staff is looking for even better and more efficient ways of serving our Hispanic customers. It has been a time of assessment in the areas of staff, projects, and customer needs. One more planning meeting is scheduled for early December. Pray with us that our time will be used wisely and effectively. It is our desire to be good stewards of the resources God has given us as we meet the needs of Hispanic missionaries, pastors, and lay people.
Ministry Enrichment Libraries
We continue to send out libraries to pastors in Latin America, who would not otherwise be able to have a library of their own. To date we have mailed out over 700 libraries. The pastor must be recommended by a missionary and be a full time pastor of a Baptist church. The libraries are valued at $350.00, but EBI makes them available for a gift of $150.00. We pay the postage. Postage to foreign countries has increased from $26.00 to $119.00 in the past year, but we will continue to provide it as long as we are able. This is a good project for a Sunday school class. A one-time gift of $150.00 pays for one library. Gifts can be sent to BMM marked EBI — Pastor’s Library.
Prayer Requests
- A new director, the interim director and the staff
- Strategic Planning
- Funds for the new digital duplicator
- Joan Stephens’ continuing health problems
- Bruce Burkholder’s trip to Ecuador to teach a module in their Bible School
- Five additional Theological Curriculum courses which are in different stages of development
- Richard Meyer who is diligently working on the Primary Sunday school curriculum that we have scheduled for 2009
Staff Notes
EBI wishes to thank Bob and Georgia Owen for the 23 years of service they have rendered to the EBI ministry. Although they have officially retired from EBI since January, Bob has continued to offer his time as a volunteer for many pressing projects at the office. We wish you both the best as you focus more on family and fun!!
New Titles
Our most recently completed projects are:
- Wiersbe’s two commentaries on John – Be Alive and Be Transformed
- Juanita Purcell’s How Can I Love Those Prickly People?
- Shirley Hull’s Christmas program If Christ Had Not Come
- A Theological Education by Extension course Victorious Christian Living
- The first course in our new Theological Curriculum Program – Hermeneutics