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When I was a teenager, I would sometimes disassemble things like lawnmowers
and carburetors in order to rebuild and repair them. If someone saw all of the parts
lying on the workbench, they might say, “That’s going to be impossible to put back
together!” Although I was sometimes tempted to believe them (as I looked at the
workbench covered with parts), this only made me more determined to see the
project become a reality. Often, the only reason I could complete the project was
because I knew something they did not know and I used that knowledge to achieve
the “impossible.”
There are those who would say concerning the Great Commission, “That’s going to be
impossible to accomplish!” This should make us more determined to see the project
become reality. Unlike lawnmowers and carburetors, fulfilling the Great Commission
is not about knowing something others do not know but knowing Someone Who
knows everything. Of course, this Someone is God Himself Who not only gave us the
command to Go but also strongly desires that this “impossibility” be achieved.

The world was shattered into many “pieces” through the fall of man
(Genesis 3). As we look at those pieces lying on the “workbench” of
history, they seem to make achieving God’s command impossible
as we look to the future. Many say the world is too far gone or
there are just too many people. Some insist that we do not have the
needed resources or laborers. Others argue that the finances and
logistical challenges are beyond our capabilities. However, I would
contend that accomplishing the Great Commission does not depend
on our ability—or the lack thereof. Nor does the condition of our
world (no matter how “disassembled” it may be) hinder God from
accomplishing His purposes. Seeing the “pieces” of the world and
knowing the God Who wants to do a work through us, it is imperative
David H. Snyder that we focus on Achieving the Impossible—Because God Can!
President/General Director
2 If we look at the Great Commission from only a human perspective,
BIMI Number 1, 2023



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
Mike Norris, Chairman; Rodney Kelley,
Vice Chairman; David Snyder, President;
J.B. Godfrey, Vice President; James Butler,
Corporate Secretary; Michael Edwards,
Treasurer; Joel Bixler, Andy Bloom, Paul
Chappell, John Collier, Michael Creed,
Nathan Deatrick, Bill Egerdahl, Dale
Freeman, David Gamble, John Godfrey
Jr., John Godfrey Sr., C.O. Grinstead, John
Herdman, Tad Marshall, Dean Miller, David
Mims, David Pittman, James Ray, Don Sisk,
Rusty Smith, 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; 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, South
America; Steven Maldoff, Southeast Asia;
Jason Ritchie, Camp BIMI; Gary Sprunger,
Caribbean; Carl Vonnoh, CLAIM
REPRESENTATIVES Gailen Abbett, Jeff Alverson, Bob Green, Mark
Logan, James Ray
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 we will see it as completely impossible. But when we recognize
our human limitations and inabilities, we have taken the
first step toward achieving the impossible. It is only when we
realize that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness that we
can declare with Paul, “when I am weak, then am I strong”
(2 Corinthians 12:9–10). After the rich young ruler rejected
Christ, Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of
a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
The disciples’ troubled response was “Who then can be saved?”
In other words, “That’s impossible!” The Lord’s confident
response was “With men this is impossible; but with God all
things are possible” (Matthew 19:24–26). Perhaps you are
looking at the condition of the world or the multitudes who are
rejecting Christ or the lack of resources, finances, and laborers,
and your response is “That’s impossible!” If so, I would like to
remind you that Jesus said, “With men this is impossible; but
with God all things are possible.”
Considering the Great Commission from a heavenly
perspective, it is indeed possible. Jesus would not give us a
command that He would not enable us to perform. The Lord
knew how evil the world would be and how many people would
be on the earth today. He has allowed us to have resources like
the internet, airplanes, cars, and other modern conveniences.

Also, God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He owns the
hills and He owns the gold in the hills! Finances are no problem
for our heavenly Father. Think about it, God created the entire
universe, delivered Israel out of Egypt, brought down the walls
of Jericho, delivered Goliath into the hand of David, protected
the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, kept Daniel safe
in the lion’s den, healed the sick, raised the dead to life again,
and a multitude of other “impossibilities.” If God can do all of
these things, then getting the Gospel to the entire world is no
problem for Him. This should encourage us to do our part in
Achieving the Impossible—Because God Can!
Can we fulfill the Great Commission in our own strength?
Certainly not! Will God accomplish the Great Commission
apart from human instruments? No, that is not His plan! As
we consider all that is happening in the world today, it is easy
to see that Satan is at work. It would not be difficult to become
discouraged if we concentrated only on the negative events
around us—the myriad of “pieces on the workbench.” We must
remember that although Satan is definitely at work, our God
is sovereignly working His master plan—He can reassemble
anything. Our theme for BIMI this year is Achieving the Impos-
sible—Because God Can! With each passing day, it is increas-
ingly imperative that we see our weakness, seek God’s power,
and strive to achieve the impossible. In our own strength we
cannot fulfill the Great Commission, but with God all things
are possible! W
Number 1, 2023
BIMI 3