Show Low: Carrying Christ's Love to the World

Construction Team
by Gaye Pesnell

The American Indian Christian Mission has taken over a seemingly large project of rebuilding an Apache girls camp, originally built in 1940, that is on the reservation. The scope of the project includes completely tearing down 6-10 dilapidated cabins, rebuilding these cabins and also restoring other numerous buildings at the camp.

The construction team, which had as its mission to help accomplish this, was able to tear down 4 cabins. The Blue Bus team was a big help for half of the day before they went to the reservation to minister to the young kids.

Highlights of the week would be the loving, joyful and helpful atmosphere of the construction team and the blue bus team as they worked together and showing a young girl age 8 or so how to use the Bible given to her by the Blue Bus team.

Blue Bus Team
by Jeff Knowles

I was so thankful for my Bus Ministry team which was used by the Lord for His purpose and worked together tremendously! Although our hurtles were not nearly as steep as what the camp team had to endure; we knew “patience” and “flexibility” were going to be the words of the week when our “Blue Bus” that the “Blue Bus Team” was supposed to be riding on for the week wasn’t even blue- but white!

I am proud of how the Bus Team stepped up to the challenge as each day presented new obstacles that were thrown at us! There was heavy rain each day (including a lot of hail one day), there was anti-freeze spewing out into the bus cab right after praying for protection, there were backed-up sewers on our restroom breaks, there were killer squirrels that had an appetite for backpacks PLUS once we picked up the Apache kids, there were short attention spans, hecklers, and distractions! BUT it was worth it to see how God was working in the lives of many of these children, who were coming from broken homes, as they responded to the Gospel; who have put or will put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! When we brought out Bibles and candy to give to the kids getting off of the bus, we were shocked when they were more interested in getting a Bible than getting the candy!

This was my first ever mission trip, and it was fulfilling to see the Lord use not just myself but my boys Caleb and Micah as well! Thank you to those who made it possible for Caleb, Micah and I to travel to Show-low for this mission trip! It was so gratifying to see the Lord use my boys to minister to the Apache reservation kids (sometimes older than them) with Christ-minded attitudes in small and big ways such as: handing out tracts, Bibles and candy to kids who they built relationships with, showing kids how to make rubber band bracelets, playing basketball with them, helping me out with the demonstrations during the Bible stories and assisting with demolition work on construction site (ie: nail pulling, plank removing, and bagging drywall).

I think that each Bus team volunteer saw how their own God-given skill set was used as part of the body of Christ: from Rusty Farrell’s love of baseball, to Adeline Trojacek painting nails, to Pastor Bruce who went out the last two days and apparently can play guitar, to Sarah Shipley teaching the others how to make rubber band bracelets, to Melanie Trojacek and her love for play dough, to Betty Hawkins pulling nails and giving back massages, to Sheila Zimmerman doing her flannel graph teaching, to Amanda Shipley who made the kids feel special when they came on board the bus, to Jeffrey Trojack who pro-actively did anything that was needed at any time, to Annie Trojacek and Megan Shields who discovered they weren’t afraid of scooping a ‘little’ poop and finally to Melissa Rose who didn’t even make it on the bus the first couple days because of breathing difficulties (from atmospheric conditions) that the Lord allowed her to be used in a mighty way in the kitchen to bake morale-boosting muffins, cookies and cake!

Thank you everyone for your prayers and financial support that made this mission trip a productive and successful one to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Camp Team
by Rusty Manning

On July 11th we left for Show Low, AZ with 19 people to run a camp for Junior High boys and girls coming from the nearby reservation. In all, we were able to minister to 11 girls and 15 boys over a four day period. One boy decided that he needed to go home after the first day and another went home sick at the end of the 3rd day. Even though this was technically a “Middle School” camp (with another church group coming in the following week to run a High School camp), several of our campers were in the 9th and 10th grades as well.

We found ourselves in a challenging place fairly quickly. I am not certain if you can credit the culture of the Apache and Navajo or maybe it was just the collection of campers, but immediate obedience was not one of the virtues that was readily observed. Even the best behaved campers took a good bit of prodding to do even small tasks. The behavior seemed to be based more on apathy than belligerence, but made it difficult none the less. Fortunately, the team that went along demonstrated tremendous patience and Christ’s love for these young men and women. We had several “veterans” that we could look to for guidance (is this normal?), as well as many who were there for the first time. We had staff ranging from grandparents to those younger than some of the campers, consisting of family units as well as single individuals. All-in-all, it really made for a good mix of people who came to love on these campers. They all did a wonderful job with nearly always smiles on their faces. The boys seemed to have a lot of fun just hiding from us. They also enjoyed the activities that come with camp such as swimming, games and crafts as well as a little hiking and fishing at a not so-near-by lake.

The chapel time was led by our own Lee Coleman. His theme for the week was “Flipped,” and the focus was on living life turned around from what seems normal to the world. Again, challenges arose due to cooperation and participation, but adjustments were made and God moved in these times. During this time, we had three of our youth members lead the worship who prior to this camp had not had much experience in that area. However, they rose to the challenge, did an excellent job and led us all in great worship. One of the campers “Face-booked” me and said the worship songs were stuck in his head! These really are some good kids with tremendous potential.

In the end, relationships were established or deepened, and at least three campers prayed to receive Jesus as their savior! So, on the last day of camp, since all of our “professional” ministers were unavailable, Matt Prescott (on his third trip with these students) baptized the two who wanted to make a public demonstration of their trust in Christ in the camp pool. It was a touching time as we saw new family members added to our numbers.

Though things were difficult at times, we understood that we were involved in things that Satan stood to resist. Life on the reservation (the “Res”) can be tough. It was rewarding to be able to offer them a different environment for a while and hopefully a glimpse of what opportunity there is in living a life that has been “flipped” by Christ. Thanks for giving us all the opportunity to serve.

FUSE @ Camp Collide 2014

Ministry Partner of the Month - Imanuel & Violet Christian

Ministry: Preparing original Bible commentaries, other study materials and devotional books in our mother-tongue Guajarati; a language of India

Prayer Requests:

1. Pray for God’s guidance, help and wisdom for the commentary on the book of Romans

2. Same thing for preparing monthly English articles, articles for two Gujarati Christian monthlies.

3. Strength and keeping at it for Violet as she types and takes care of other things.

4. Pray for our three sons and their families that:

- They will keep growing in their relationship with each other and with the Lord
- Their marriages continue to be strengthened and blessed
- Our six grandchildren growing well and growing in the Lord

5. Praise and Thanksgiving for all God’s blessings in our family.

6. Praise and Thanksgiving for good health.

7. Praise and Thanksgiving for many praying and supporting friends He has given us.

8. Pray for continued good health

9. Praise and Thanksgiving for the good response to the books published so far

10. Gujarati Christians using these books and the church of Gujarat growing spiritually

11. Pray that there would still be wider distribution and use of these commentaries.

How Would YOU Like to go to Prison?

by Linda Green


What a question! Of course not, right?

Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 25:36 “...I was in prison and you visited me.” Do you picture Paul and Silas or Peter when you read this verse, like I once imagined? Because I didn’t know anyone unjustly imprisoned, especially for their faith, I felt like I was off the hook on this one. Those called to evangelize could visit if they felt the pull of the Spirit, but the rest of us could set this project on the shelf. Or so I felt before.

Pastor Bruce sent out an invitation to the WBC family and beyond to join him on a trip to the Venus prison to serve with a chaplain who loves the Lord and shares that love with prisoners. Gaylord Hanes and others had spoken of the privilege of bringing the good news of forgiveness and freedom through Jesus to inmates. Their stories were intriguing and inspiring, and I was glad God had called them. But I never planned to go!

How glad I am that I stepped out of my prison of fear and onto the bus bound for the Venus prison. Going through the locking steel doors after the requisite security checks was a little unnerving, but as we walked down the concrete walled halls, I was surprised by the light colors and artwork on the walls. This particular prison seems to be attempting to create positive surroundings for the men whose lives have been plunged into darkness. I felt a little more of the weight of fear lifting from my insides.

As we entered the cafeteria, several inmates in white prison suits were preparing the room for our worship service. Except for their uniforms, they appeared much like men in any church; busy setting up chairs and the sound system, doing whatever was needed with a positive spirit. I watched them with interest, while wondering if any others would come to the service.

Slowly, the men began to trickle in, many carrying worn Bibles with them. Awkwardly I stood back and watched others in our group greet them, and the positive response of the inmates. I began to imagine myself in their place, and how I would appreciate a friendly face, a handshake, and a smile. The Holy Spirit seemed to give me a little inward push, and I joined the line of greeters. Very quickly my attitude of fear and self focus changed to marveling that these men were here because the same Spirit of the living God had drawn them.

More and more came, until the room was full. And we began to praise the Lord together. If you have a hard time worshiping because of all the distractions of the world, come to a prison worship service. True praise comes from a thankful heart for the Savior that is bigger than our sin. Deep thankfulness was written on the faces of many of the men there that night.

Fellow church members then shared their testimonies of God’s grace that saved them and preached from the Word of God. What a joy to see men eagerly turning the pages of their Bibles to find a scripture passage!

Was I a great evangelist that night? No, but God asked me to go, be friendly, and to pray like crazy for the work of the Spirit in the hearts of prisoners.

So, back to Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:39-40, when He says the righteous will ask the King, “When did we see you sick, or in prison, and go to visit You? The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

So now I believe that Jesus tells us to visit those in prison that have come to be brothers through shared faith in our Savior. Maybe the evangelism can be the work of others, but as the Body of Christ we are called to visit the brothers of Jesus behind bars.

Will you go?


For more information, contact Jerry Weiler at 254.582.8889.

Vacation Bible School 2014: After the Escape!

by Jeff Knowles


June 16th - 20th turned out to be one of the wildest and best Vacation Bible Schools Waxahachie Bible Church has seen in a long time! 350 children came through our doors throughout the week! Each day, we showed the kids a new truth from the Bible on how they can trust God: by knowing that He is always with us, knowing that He will provide for us, knowing that He gives us strength, knowing that He saves us and knowing that He guides us.

Just like every activity the WBC Kidnation children’s ministry puts on, there was a purpose behind each snack, each craft, each activity and each song that pointed children towards having and strengthening a personal relationship with Christ. This year was no exception, and we also taught kids to know that God has made each one of them unique and has a special purpose for them.

For the first time ever, WBC VBS had EWE-Pet petting zoo out on Wednesday morning, which was a huge hit for the younger kids and even for the youth and adult volunteers! They brought out everything from piglets to ducks and even a tortoise and a yak! After asking a lot of kids, their favorites were by far the guinea pigs and the yak.

Thank you for all your help with VBS this year: from overflowing donations, amazing volunteers, to constant prayer support! It could not have happened without your help. God used over 75 volunteers this year to step up and help out. A huge thank you to over half of the Fuse student ministry for stepping up and out of their comfort zones to help out this year!

With all the terrific things that God did that week, it is important and necessary to state there was a sad note to add to this year’s Vacation Bible School. We had to start turning down kids because we did not have enough volunteers to help. My prayer for next year’s Vacation Bible School is that God would continue to move in the community and send even more kids, AND that Waxahachie Bible Church would step up in an even greater way in 2015. After all, you don’t always have to travel far for a mission trip - VBS is a mission that happens in your own backyard!

Ministry Partner of the Month - Axis

Prayer Requests:

1. Praise! God has allow Axis to speak at 380+ locations to 100,000 people since 2007.

2. Pray that God would provide a new Team Director to lead our third team.

3. Pray for Jeremiah as he shares the vision of Axis with schools and churches every week. Pray that he is able to book many many places for us to minister.

4. Pray for the Axis staff as we research and improve our presentations over the summer.

5. Praise! We just did an event for Easter that was digital. 47 schools, and over 60 families participated. One senior student in CA committed to following Jesus after he saw it.

6. Pray that our administrative team would be creative and efficient: Gary Alan, Jon Jon, David, Amy, Melanie, Jeremiah and Nicholas.

7. Pray for all the students that will hear the Gospel starting in August because of Axis. 

8. Pray that God would continue to provide for the financial needs of Axis. 

9. Praise! We have a new office. God provided it for us at a 60% discount. 

10. Pray that the Axis marriages continue to grow and become strong.

11. Pray that we would find two more board couples to round out our board of directors.

12. Pray for our traveling teams that they will serve humbly: Colin, Patrick, New Team Director, and 9 new team members.

13. Pray that many parents will come to our parent meetings.

14. Pray that we will find favor in the eyes of people who partner financially with Axis.

15. Pray for the right mentorship and wisdom as we continue to grow.

16. Praise that God allows us to do a job that is so needed and that we love to do!

Mission Trip to Show Low, AZ

We are headed back to American Indian Christian Mission (AICM). The local students we worked with had a great experience last year, and many of them have already indicated they are looking forward to coming again.

Our primary goal is to lead these teenagers to faith in Jesus Christ and to help them grow as His disciples. We do this through teaching times, interacting and activities with the teens, but mostly by living out the gospel of Jesus Christ in tangible ways while running a summer camp for these students. These junior high or high schoolers are watching us constantly as we are living letters of Jesus Christ being read by all of them (II Cor 3:3). By living with the students during the camp week, we get to know them, and they get to know us... building relationships that will have eternal impact.

Another goal is to lead children not at the camp into a new knowledge of Jesus Christ by organizing and holding Back Yard Bible Club style gatherings daily in the area surrounding the AICM camp for teenagers.

A third goal is to form work teams who will do various projects for the camp and for residents and organizations in the ACIM camp area.

AICM is located in the white mountains of Arizona. It is cool and beautiful there. We are on the grounds of AICM, which is a boarding school during the school year. There are dormitories, a cafeteria, gymnasium, swimming pool, chapel and classrooms.  

We need people like you who will listen to people, learn from them, love them, live out the life of a disciple, and lead them to Jesus. We will interact with each teenager/child or adult on their walk with the Lord in a personal way.

Dates:  July 11-19

Trip Staff and Elder Support:

• Bruce Zimmerman  - Trip Coordinator and Work 

  Project Coordinator 

• Jeff Knowles - Children’s Ministry Coordinator

• Lee Coleman - Co-Camp Coordinator/Camp 

  Speaker

What can you do to support this trip?

First, be in prayer for the team members as they prepare for and head out on this short-term mission trip. Second, each team member is responsible for raising financial support for the trip. If you would like to contribute in this way, please contact the church office.