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Perhaps the title of this editorial caused you
to ask, “Is there any such thing as a good
roadblock?” Some would say that a good
roadblock is an oxymoron. Nonetheless, not all
roadblocks are bad. As a matter of fact, many
of the roadblocks along the pathway of life are
extremely good. Having the proper attitude is
the biggest determining factor as to whether a
roadblock is detrimental or beneficial.

No matter what road we travel in life, we
will experience roadblocks. However, in
this editorial, I would like to consider three
good—and essential—roadblocks that God
places in front of young people who surrender
to full-time missionary
service. The excitement
of having been called to
the mission field often
produces a sense of I
need to be there now.

However, God places
good roadblocks in
their paths that seem
to—from a human
perspective—add time
to their journey.

The Education Road-
block is one of the first
roadblocks that a young person encounters on
his way to being a church planter. Paul wrote
that Israel had a zeal of God, but not accord-
ing to knowledge (Romans 10:2). If an Israel-
David H. Snyder
President/General Director
2 BIMI WORLD
Number 2, 2019
ite remained in that state, the result would be
destruction. Likewise, if a missionary candi-
date has a zeal for missions but not according to
knowledge, the results can be detrimental. Too
many young people crash through the Educa-
tion Roadblock and cause damage to them-
selves and others. It is important that a future
missionary receive a proper education in order
to be prepared and equipped. The local church
is God’s center for educating and preparing
someone for the mission field. This is where
the future missionary learns about ministry
and the operation of the local church. Addi-
tionally, there are other institutions that God
uses in the lives of Christians to prepare them
for missionary service. For example, Bible
colleges are places where students gain book
knowledge as well as countless other life les-
sons found only in the college setting.

The Deputation Roadblock is the second
good roadblock I would like to mention.

Although there are many today who think of
deputation as an antiquated necessary evil,
I truly believe it is a modern-day, beneficial
roadblock that God continues to use in a
tremendous way. Deputation allows the
missionary candidate to raise his necessary
financial and prayer support. Too many
missionaries hurry past the Deputation
Roadblock and arrive on the field under-
supported. Sadly, a good number of those
missionaries leave the field discouraged and
deep in debt. Deputation is a tool that God



BAPTIST INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS,
INC., was founded in 1960 as an independent
Baptist faith mission. BIMI is a fundamental
mission agency, true to the Word of God in
doctrine and method. The purpose of BIMI is to
assist fundamental Baptist churches in fulfilling
our Lord’s command to evangelize the world with
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our objectives are to
establish indigenous Baptist churches and train
national pastors and leaders. There are over 800
missionaries with BIMI working in 100 fields of
the world.

OFFICERS/BOARD OF TRUSTEES
David Pittman, Chairman; Chris Edwards,
Vice Chairman; David Snyder, President; J.B.

Godfrey, Vice President; James Butler, Corporate
Secretary; Michael Edwards, Treasurer; Jeff
Amsbaugh, Andy Bloom, Paul Chappell, John
Collier, Michael Creed, Nathan Deatrick, Bill
Egerdahl, John Godfrey, C.O. Grinstead, Rodney
Kelley, James Ray, Don Sisk, Rusty Smith, Ray
Thompson, Robert Wall, Tom Wallace
ADMINISTRATION/FIELD DIRECTORS
David Snyder, General Director; JB Godfrey,
Executive Director; James Butler, International
Office Director;
Doug Cunningham,
Comptroller; Bryan Baggett, Military; Jeff
Bassett, Enrichment; Roger Blevins, South
America; Eric Bohman, Africa; Alan Brooks,
Assistant Southeast Asia; Tony Bulawa, Far
North; Dan DeLong, Candidate, Deputation;
Bob Green, Aviation; David Harris, Far East; Ed
Hembree, Europe; Terry Jones, Central America;
Robert Larson, USA; Jim Lilley, Estate Planning;
Sean Lunday, Brazil; Steven Maldoff, Southeast
Asia; Gary Sprunger, Caribbean; Carl Vonnoh,
CLAIM REPRESENTATIVES
Gailen Abbett, Jeff Alverson, Dennis Bellew, Bob
Green, Mark Logan, Michael McCombie, James
Ray, Jimmy Rose
STAFF Ken Catoe, Printing Services; Kevin Wnuk,
Computer Services
BIMI World
David Snyder, Executive Editor; Ken Catoe,
Editor; Jonathan Bergen, Designer; Field
Editors: Eric Bohman, Africa; Alan Brooks,
Southeast Asia; Tony Bulawa, Far North; David
Harris, Far East; Stuart Jellison, Military; Ed
Johnson, Brazil; Robert Larson, USA; Mark
Lockhart, Central America; Gary Sprunger,
Caribbean; Donald Thatcher, Europe; Clint
Vernoy, South America
Official Publication of
Baptist International Missions, Inc.

All Scripture quotations are from the KJV.

Mailing Address:
PO Box 9 - Harrison, TN 37341
Shipping Address:
8614 Harrison Bay Road - Harrison, TN 37341
Phone: (423) 344-5050 / Fax: (423) 344-4774
Info@bimi.org / www.bimi.org
BIMI Canada:
100 Ridgewood Ave. - Guelph, ON N1H 6C5
519-265-1950 uses to develop and support missionaries, to expand the
missions outreach of local churches, and to call more laborers
into His harvest field.

Finally, the Adaptation Roadblock is essential to
effective ministry in a foreign culture. Cross cultural
adaptation entails innumerable aspects of missionary life
and is a learning process that never ends. One of the most
important parts of adapting to a new culture is learning the
language. Sometimes missionaries go around the language
school part of the Adaptation Roadblock and try to pick
up the language as they continue traveling down the road.

Others hire a part-time tutor and learn just the basics.

Sometimes a husband learns the language well but fails to
get the same level of training for his wife. Again, too many
missionaries leave the field discouraged because they ignore
the Adaptation Roadblock.

There are some who consider the three roadblocks mentioned
above as unfortunate obstacles rather than unlimited
opportunities. They reason that rather than spend four years
in Bible college, two years on deputation, and a year or two in
language school, they should instead be on the field winning
souls. However, God’s Word teaches that roadblocks are not
only allowed by God but also ordained by Him. For example,
Moses did not spend just four years in Bible college but,
rather, 40 years in “Wilderness University” before leading
the Israelites out of Egypt (Acts 7:30). Later in his life, while
hearing the desperate cries of dying Israelites who had been
bitten by serpents, Moses took the necessary time to properly
prepare a brazen serpent and put it on a pole—a process that
most likely took a great deal of time and effort (Numbers
21:9). Additionally, even though the laborers are few, Paul
admonished Timothy to lay hands suddenly on no man (1
Timothy 5:22).

I mentioned earlier that attitude plays a large part in whether
or not a roadblock is good or bad. There is much truth to the
saying attitude determines outcome. We can view roadblocks
to be something negative—obstructions, restrictions,
distractions, or simply a waste of time. Or, we can consider
roadblocks to be something positive—divine delays,
providential pauses, heavenly hindrances, or simply God’s
guidance. So, it is important that we have a biblical attitude
toward roadblocks. As we do, we will find that
good roadblocks
are actually
directional signs
that God uses to safely and efficiently
lead us to our final destination. W
Number 2, 2019
BIMI WORLD
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