A Worthwhile Investment

by Bryan Baggett

It is a great honor to serve our U.S. Military Forces and their families through the Gospel ministry of our missionary efforts here at BIMI. Many of our military churches have been in existence for decades and have been filled with countless congregations that have rotated in and out during their time of active duty service. In addition to the active duty military personnel, these churches also provide a home church experience for many military contractors and embassy personnel as well as English-speaking nationals from the host country.

One of these churches, Faith Baptist Church of Iwakuni, Japan, has been in existence for over 40 years. The church owns its property and its buildings, which is not a common occurrence among our Military Ministries. This particular church has served as a Gospel preaching, soul-winning station for the Marine Corps and Naval aviation communities. As mentioned in some of my other articles, the government is planning to widen the road where the church currently sits, just outside of the gate of the base. This expansion will greatly reduce the church’s lot size and will necessitate a dramatic change. In order for us to remain in close proximity to the base, it means that the buildings that are well past their original designed lifespan must be torn down and a new building reconstructed. This is all in order to maintain this wonderful location for decades to come.

It has been a tremendous blessing to see the number of souls that have been saved through the efforts of this church, currently under the leadership of Missionaries Brandyn and Alicia Knight. As a result of their Friday night Rally Point outreach and the preaching of the Word of God by Pastor Knight, the church is seeing tremendous growth. They have already seen their sanctuary and current overflow room filled.

In January 2025, we set out to raise the funds for this much needed demolition and rebuilding. The goal has been set to raise $800,000. This amount will not only provide for the demolition needed but also for the construction of a three-story multiuse building with church auditorium, fellowship hall, and classroom space. This will be a brand new building that should serve for many decades to come. As of November 2025, we have seen over $450,000 come in for this project. We also have a matching funds offering of $175,000. All of this together will take us to the goal of $800,000. We appreciate those investing in a cause like this where so many of our young Marines and Naval aviators will come to know the Lord, be discipled, and be prepared to serve the Lord for the remainder of their lives!

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