Generosity Magazine Spring 2022

WAT E R S E D G E A D V I S O R S & M I N I S T R Y S E R V I C E S

Spring 2022

96 MILLION & COUNTING

Local believers make the best missionaries — it’s the strategy that’s enabling Reaching Souls International

to bring millions to faith in Jesus. You can help.

2021 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT

SMART GIVING: CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES

CHURCH LOAN NIGHTMARE

Giving Do Good And Secure Your Future With A Charitable Gift Annuity A charitable gift annuity provides the security of a guaranteed lifetime income while allowing you to support Gospel-centered ministries that will impact the next generation and beyond. Start a conversation with our giving professionals today.

GET STARTED:

WatersEdgeServices.org/CGA or 800-949-9988

A Word From Our CEO

M&M’S AND SACRIFICE I

’ve always been struck by the sacrifices made by missionaries.

Over the years, the Lord has blessed my wife, Tonia, and me with opportunities to travel overseas as missions volunteers.

Some of our journeys have taken us to difficult parts of the world that require considerable concessions from the missionary families who serve there, often due to extreme poverty, remote locales or hostility to Christianity.

On one particular trip, several of our mission team members tucked bags of M&M’s in our luggage as a gift for the missionary family we were visiting. The candy was a favorite treat that was either too expensive or simply unavailable where the family worked to plant churches.

I am ashamed to say all but one of the bags had been eaten by the time we landed. The surviving bag was presented to the mother of the family for the benefit of her three young children, whose eyes gleamed when they saw it. Fast forward a week to the end of our trip when I asked the kids if they had enjoyed the M&M’s. They replied in earnest, “Oh yes! Momma lets us have three M&M’s a day.”

How thankful those sweet children were for a mere taste of something that I typically eat by the handful — one of a thousand small sacrifices

made by those who answer God’s call to take the Gospel to the nations.

Other sacrifices are much more costly.

On another trip I remember talking with a missionary mom about the joy I had watching my two daughters run cross-country in high school. I was surprised when my story brought tears to her SWEET SURRENDER – Missionaries give up eyes. I learned that the place so much, from small comforts to significant family milestones, as they follow God’s call for their lives. where she served couldn’t provide an adequate education for her twin boys. This world at this very moment? Whether hardship ultimately forced her and her through the International Mission husband to make the heart-wrenchBoard or other missions organizations ing decision to send their sons to a like Reaching Souls International, Christian boarding school in another these missionaries desperately need country for nine months of the year. our support.

While I had cheered for my daughters as they ran at dozens of cross-counYour giving enables them to be sent to try meets, she never once saw her boys the mission field, but it is our prayers play for their school’s basketball team. that sustain them. If we can’t give up a few moments of our day to petition What have I given up for the sake our heavenly Father on their behalf, of the Gospel that even begins to how can we ask them to surrender so compare? The older I get, the more much more?

I value God’s words in Romans 10: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”

Will you join me in praying for the thousands of evangelical Christian missionaries serving around the

Robert K. Kellogg Chief Executive Officer WatersEdgeServices.org

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Inside

REACHING SOULS INTERNATIONAL Thirteen countries, 2,000-plus missionaries and more than 96 million salvations. Find out how God is using Reaching Souls’ “local” missions strategy to make Christ’s name known around the globe. PG. 16

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Spring 2022

SMART GIVING: CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES Over 65? Learn how you can support ministry and receive lifetime income with a CGA. PG. 8

WHY I GIVE: CAROLYN BLANTON BARRETT Generosity has been an integral part of Carolyn Barrett’s family for generations. See how her family is giving back.

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT From your local church to international missions, giving changes lives. Understand the numbers that provide insight into your generosity’s impact through WatersEdge in 2021. PG. 10

PG. 30

WATERSEDGE NEWS Staff milestones, promotions and more.

PG. 36

ON THE COVER A Reaching Souls missionary in Zambia preaches God’s Word in an open-air market.

Generosity

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE A promising rate buried Sunnylane Baptist Church in a painful process of loan paperwork and months of waiting. Discover what makes renovating and refinancing with a WatersEdge loan different. PG. 32

Spring 2022

Generosity is published biannually by WatersEdge.

To subscribe for free, request a copy or update mailing information, please call 800-949-9988 or email info@WatersEdgeServices.org.

Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

Contributors Jess Frankmore Sheryl Hash Carla Hinton Katie Hurst Christa Rogers Nathan & Flori Troost Marcus Wehmuller

Production Mike Schueler Editor-in-Chief Anna Dellinger Managing Editor Marissa Crowson Visual Editor Jacob Blaze Design

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#BECAUSEYOUGIVE

UKRAINE CRISIS As millions of Ukrainian refugees — mostly women and children — poured across the Ukraine-Poland border in February and March, Southern Baptist missionaries and their national partners were there to serve through Send Relief. The sanctuary of the Baptist Church of Chelms, Poland, has been converted into a makeshift shelter with dozens of beds. #BecauseYouGive, Send Relief is able to provide families fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with shelter, water, clothing and other practical emergency supplies.

Make a donation today by contacting a WatersEdge giving professional at 800-949-9988 or give@WatersEdgeServices.org.

You can also give online at WatersEdgeServices.org/Ukraine.

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#BECAUSEYOUGIVE

THE CHURCH-PLANTING GRIND The church-planting team for Garden City Church gathers after-hours at a local coffee shop in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Once a month, the team meets to pray, worship, cast vision and discuss the values they want to embody as a congregation. The process of starting a church can feel painstakingly slow and isolating. It requires faithfulness, intentionality and a dependence upon the Holy Spirit. Wes Robertson (plaid shirt), who will serve as Garden City’s pastor, says he is grateful for the resources and coaching provided by the North American Mission Board (NAMB). #BecauseYouGive, NAMB supports hundreds of church plants like Garden City across the country. To maximize your generosity, start a conversation with a WatersEdge giving professional today at 800-949-9988 or give@WatersEdgeServices.org. You can also give to NAMB online at WatersEdgeServices.org/give.

Photo by Marcus Wehmuller 6

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Charitable Gift Annuities A GIVING SOLUTION THAT BLESSES MINISTRIES — AND DONORS.

By Christa Rogers

vice president, client engagement

Charitable gift annuities often offer a higher percentage payout than certificates of deposit or savings accounts.

T

here’s an old adage that it’s better to give than to receive, but with a charitable gift annuity, you can do both. Charitable gift annuities, or CGAs for short, are an excellent philanthropic solution for anyone of retirement age who has the desire to give back and values the security of a dependable source of lifetime income.

HOW IT WORKS

Give

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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A CGA? Given today’s low interest rate environment, charitable gift annuities often offer a higher percentage payout than certificates of deposit (CDs) or savings accounts. In addition to annual income, you also benefit from an immediate tax deduction, as well as the satisfaction of knowing

Spring 2022

Receive Guaranteed Income for Life

Gift Remainder Transferred to Ministry at Your Passing

GIVING EXAMPLE COUPLE

$25K AGE 70

ANNUITY (GIFT)

4.2%

$1,050

$6,500

ANNUAL INCOME

INITIAL INCOME TAX DEDUCTION

$1,175

$9,000

ANNUAL INCOME

INITIAL INCOME TAX DEDUCTION

GIFT ANNUITY RATE

(approximate)

INDIVIDUAL

4.7%

$25K AGE 70

ANNUITY (GIFT)

GIFT ANNUITY RATE

(approximate)

Actual annuity rates and income tax deduction depend on current ACGA and IRS rates.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith are both 70 years old and decide to establish a $25,000 charitable gift annuity to ultimately benefit their church. They qualify for a 4.2% rate on their annuity, meaning they would receive a $1,050 annual payment from the annuity. The Smiths will also receive an initial income tax deduction of about $6,500, plus ongoing annual tax benefits. This $1,050 annual payment will continue for the rest of the Smiths’ lives, even if they outlive the value of their $25,000 gift.

that when you die, any remaining funds will bless the ministry or ministries you love most. What’s more, if your CGA is funded with an appreciated asset, you can also avoid capital gains taxes.

In a constantly shifting economic climate, the appeal of a fixed, guaranteed rate is attractive for many senior adults.

The predictability of a set, recurring payment provides peace of mind and alleviates concerns about market corrections or fluctuations in income.

HOW DO I KNOW IF A CGA IS RIGHT FOR ME? The American Council of Gift Annuities sets CGA rates based on the age of

the donor. Charitable gift annuities are a great fit for many senior adults (both individuals and couples), because while there is no age limit, the older you are, the higher your annual payout. To see your annuity rate and potential annual

income, use our online calculator at WatersEdgeServices.org/calculator.

If desired, WatersEdge can also provide you with a customized CGA illustration based on your individual circumstances.

A charitable gift annuity benefits ministry and provides guaranteed income for life. Talk to a WatersEdge giving professional today to find out if a CGA is right for you. give@WatersEdgeServices.org | 800-949-9988 WatersEdgeServices.org/CGA

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2021

ANNUAL REPORT I M PAC T

WatersEdge distributed $25.9 million to Kingdom-impacting ministries in 2021, nearly $5 million more than anticipated. This growth represents the generosity of generations of donors and progress toward the realization of the organization’s 25x25 vision — to distribute $25 million to ministry annually by 2025.

The 2021 Annual Report offers insight into the $25.9 million total, a glimpse of the Gospel transformation facilitated by the faithful stewardship of those who answered God’s call to give back.

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Endowment Distribution Each year, hundreds of Christ-centered churches, ministries, organizations and institutions receive millions in endowed funding through WatersEdge. These resources are used to meet a myriad of tangible financial needs, from missions to scholarships to disaster relief. In 2021, WatersEdge distributed $13.6 million in endowed funds to more than 300 charitable beneficiaries.

Evangelism & Church Planting

$1.4 Million

Missions & Seminaries

$0.9 Million Senior Adults At-Risk Mothers & Children

$0.5 Million

$3 Million

Churches & Other Ministries

$1.9 Million

Christian Higher Education

$5.9 Million

TOTAL GIVEN TO MINISTRY THROUGH ENDOWMENT

$13.6 Million

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Contributions Individuals and families gave more than $11 million to ministry through WatersEdge in 2021, an increase of $2 million from 2020. Utilizing smart giving solutions like endowment, donor advised funds and charitable gift annuities, WatersEdge helped hundreds of donors multiply their gifts’ impact while simultaneously maximizing tax benefits.

Endowments

$5.3 Million

Donor Advised Funds

$3.3 Million Other

$1.4 Million Charitable Remainder Trusts

$0.8 Million

Charitable Gift Annuities

$0.2 Million

Estate Planning Charitable estate planning acknowledges Christians’ responsibility to use God’s provisions for His glory. In 2021, WatersEdge estate planning professionals assisted 169 individuals and families with plans that protected loved ones, safeguarded assets and funded ministry. A total of $19 million in charitable gifts were pledged through these estate plans, benefiting 76 churches, ministries, organizations and institutions.

169 FAMILIES

$19 Million PLEDGED GIFTS

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MINISTRIES

Assets Under Management WatersEdge was founded in 1946 with $76,776 in charitable assets under management (AUM). Thanks to 75 years of generosity, wise investment and God’s blessing, AUM grew from $527 million in 2020 to $630 million in 2021.

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TOTAL ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT

$630 Million

Ministry Loans More than $52.2 million in financing was provided to churches in 2021 through WatersEdge. A total of 28 loans, ranging from $38,500 to $7.1 million, funded new construction, refinancing and renovation projects. And, $6.2 million in interest was collected from these loans and reinvested in ministries across the United States.

$6.2 Million

28 Loans CLOSED IN THE AMOUNT OF $52.2 MILLION

LOAN INTEREST RETURNED TO MINISTRY

Ministry Investments

Ministry Accounting

WatersEdge helped more than 200 churches, ministries and organizations invest $82.2 million of cash assets in 2021, up from $69.7 million in 2020. These short- and long-term investment options are designed to multiply ministry resources through above-market yields.

Churches saved an average of $6,000 per year in software and employee costs through WatersEdge in 2021, which provided affordable accounting, payroll and contribution tracking services to more than 90 churches across the nation.

100 Million

$82.2 Million

80 Million 60 Million

$6,000

40 Million 20 Million 0

AVERAGE SAVINGS IN SOFTWARE AND EMPLOYEE COSTS

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

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R.A. LEMEN SOCIETY

2021 HONOR ROLL OF GIVERS

Gifts of $5,000 to $9,999

Gifts of $10,000 to $24,999

Mr. Karl D. Babb

Mr. and Mrs. Perry A. Badley

Mr. and Mrs. Greg N. McNeece

Mr. and Mrs. David Blankenship

Mr. and Mrs. Tim Best

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Meyers

Ms. Pam Castrale

Mr. and Mrs. Doyle W. Brewer

Mrs. Bettie S. Patterson

Rev. and Mrs. C. Wayne Childers

Mr. and Mrs. Paul S. Buntz

Dr. and Mrs. Bill Pierce

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Evans

Drs. Jay and Sherry Chance

Mrs. Marcia K. Robb

Mr. and Mrs. Garen Forsythe

Mr. and Mrs. David L. Depuy

Mr. and Mrs. Don Spicer

Mr. and Mrs. Clay McAlpine

Mr. and Mrs. W. Tuffy Goforth

Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Thomas

Mr. and Dr. Randall Pogue

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Jantz

Mrs. Mary Ellen Warren

Mr. Darrel Sims

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Kliewer

Mr. and Mrs. David Wright

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Loftis Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Mastagni Mr. and Mrs. Verne L. McCabe, Sr. Mrs. Charlotte McDowell Mr. and Mrs. Ronal McMurtrey 14

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In 1944, an Oklahoma businessman named R.A. Lemen gave what would become the first gift received by WatersEdge — 615 acres of land in the Texas panhandle. Lemen’s vision was to provide the support needed to send a missionary to China.

The land was sold for $32,000 and the funds placed into an endowment for the benefit of the International Mission Board (IMB). Today, the R.A. Lemen Trust is valued at more than $204,000 and distributes nearly $8,000 to IMB every year. Since 1946, Lemen’s gift has distributed more than $430,000 to international missions and will continue supporting IMB’s work to spread the Gospel across East Asia in perpetuity.

Gifts of $25,000 to $99,999

Gifts of $100,000 or More

Mr. and Mrs. Leland Arthaud

Mr. and Mrs. Luther Moore

Mr. and Mrs. Paul W. Abbott

Mr. and Mrs. Gene Brown

Mr. and Mrs. Greg Piatt

Mr. and Mrs. Scott A. Arthaud

Mr. and Mrs. George A. Cannon

Mr. Matthew Regier

Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Bauman

Mr. Harry Currie

Mr. and Mrs. Lee W. Rice

Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Coplen

Mrs. Doris L. Curtis

Ms. Phyllis Rustin

Mr. Russell M. Graeter

Mr. and Mrs. William D. Evans

Mr. and Mrs. Joey Sager

Mr. and Mrs. Billy Graham

Mr. and Mrs. Jason C. Henson

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis D. Stone

Mr. and Mrs. Carl N. Peterson

Dr. and Mrs. Randal D. Ice

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Stone

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Springer, Jr.

Mrs. Joan E. Ice

Dr. and Mrs. James Tadlock

Mr. and Mrs. Rick Thompson

Mr. and Mrs. Gene L. Jones

Mr. and Mrs. Cris Taylor

Mr. and Mrs. Luke Wittenbach

Mr. and Mrs. Robert K. Kellogg

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry N. White

Rev. and Mrs. Gary W. Lillie

Mr. and Mrs. Jessie L. Willsie

Mr. and Mrs. John Loftis Mr. and Mrs. Dayle Majors WatersEdgeServices.org

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PRAYING FOR DELIVERANCE – Eric (left) was a drunkard who came to hear about Jesus as a Reaching Souls missionary preached God’s Word in a public space in Malawi. After the sermon ended, many pastors, including Reaching Souls’ president and CEO, Dustin Manis (khaki shirt), prayed over Eric and he was saved. He now testifies that his whole life has changed — and that his family is now happy to see him when he returns home — because he is no longer a drunkard but a follower of Christ.

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EVANGELIZE LOCAL FOR 35 YEARS, REACHING SOULS INTERNATIONAL HAS PROVIDED ESSENTIAL EVANGELISM TOOLS AND SUPPORT THAT EMPOWERS THOUSANDS OF MISSIONARIES AROUND THE WORLD TO REACH THEIR OWN PEOPLE WITH THE GOSPEL. YOUR GIVING MAKES IT POSSIBLE.

By Carla Hinton • Photos by Nathan & Flori Troost

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C

harles grew up viewing majestic Malawi sunsets.

He experienced the hustle and bustle of open-air markets and the camaraderie among the people in his own African village and the villages around it. He also saw something else — a mission field full of men, women, boys and girls who hadn’t heard the Gospel. These were his friends and neighbors who needed the hope found only in Christ.

So, Charles, a “preacher’s kid,” leapt at the chance to expand his efforts to save souls. In 2003, he joined Reaching Souls International and watched his ministry grow beyond anything he ever could have envisioned.

“Though I was already pastoring in my rural area there, I had no knowledge about how I could go preach the Gospel to the masses,” Charles says. “This was the first time I heard how to spread the Gospel to the most souls.”

Reaching Souls equips more than 2,000 missionaries around the globe with funding, bicycles for reliable transportation, small portable sound

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systems, flip charts featuring biblical images and other items like evangelism puzzle cubes to give them an exponential boost in proclaiming the Good News.

with trusted national leaders and identifying men with a passion for reaching the lost created a strong foundation for the organization.

Charles remembers how his partnership with Reaching Souls changed his life in more ways than one. First, the ministry provided the necessary funding needed so that he could devote more time to evangelism without worrying about how he would put food on the table for his wife and three children. The partnership also had other benefits.

In 1996, JHMI selected 50 missionaries to serve as evangelists in their own villages and cities in Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania.

That’s when Hodges’ vision expanded.

“I had a Bible that was left by my father who was a pastor when he passed away, but it was not a full Bible. I got a full Bible from Reaching Souls,” he says.

And most importantly, Reaching Souls taught Charles how to use his newly acquired equipment to help transform the lives of those around him.

A VISION FOR THE LOST God began stirring evangelist Jimmy Hodges’ heart on his first trip to Africa (Uganda) in 1972. More than 10 years later, Hodges received a vision from God for training African pastors “to go reach their own people for Christ,” based on 2 Timothy 2:2 — “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

From its founding in 1986 to 1996, Jimmy Hodges Ministries International (JHMI) trained 3,429 pastors and evangelists and saw 211,718 salvation decisions. Building relationships

The name of the organization was changed to Reaching Souls International in 2007, but its message and mission were never altered. Reaching Souls grew from those first 50 missionaries in five African countries in 1996 to its current group of over 2,000 missionaries serving in 13 countries. Starting in July 2022, the nonprofit plans to equip 460 more missionaries within a year.

Left: RIVER REVIVAL – It’s common for Reaching Souls missionaries to baptize new believers in a nearby river, pond or lake since local churches often lack formal baptismal facilities.

Top: SHOW AND TELL – A flip chart helps a Reaching Souls missionary illustrate the Gospel at an open-air meeting in Zambia. These tools are valuable visual aids as evangelists spread the Good News in villages, schools and marketplaces.

Bottom: EARLY BEGINNINGS – Reaching Souls’ founder, Jimmy Hodges (left), and Ben Manis (center) preached the Gospel through a translator during a pastors’ conference in Kenya in the 1980s.

Today, Dustin Manis serves as Reaching Souls’ president and chief executive officer, and Odus Compton is its chief operating officer. While the number of missionaries may be impressive, the two leaders say what really matters is the heart of each person whose life is touched and transformed through the organization’s work.

Compton, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, says 96 million

people have come to know and invite Christ into their hearts through the work of Reaching Souls’ missionaries. This summer, that number is expected to reach 100 million. It will be a cause for celebration, because winning souls is at the heart of everything the ministry does.

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A NEW MAN – While on the road, Kingsley (right) a Reaching Souls missionary, met Aron, who had just been released from prison for murder. Kingsley shared the Gospel with him, and Aron repented and asked Jesus to be his Saviorand Lord andSavior.

Lord.

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“We believe it’s biblical — Jesus was going from village to village, from place to place,” Compton says. “Our job is to help raise up laborers to bring in the harvest.”

“My wife said if we go there, even for a year, think about all the lives we can impact for Christ,” Manis recalls. He eventually accepted the position, and he’s never regretted it.

Manis knows firsthand how one person’s commitment to sharing the Gospel can impact individuals and families for generations. Hodges was the youth pastor at Northside Baptist Church in Lawton, Oklahoma, when Manis’ dad, Ben Manis, was a teenager. When Ben joined Hodges on his first mission trip to Kenya in 1986, he returned to Oklahoma with a new vision for his future.

Manis says it was also Mischelle who recently recognized that Reaching Souls’ premise of helping missionaries win the souls of their own countrymen was the perfect system

“WE BELIEVE IT’S BIBLICAL — JESUS WAS GOING FROM VILLAGE TO VILLAGE, F R O M P L A C E T O P L A C E .”

“He came back and the whole trajectory of his life changed,” Manis says of his father.

Ben ultimately ended up embracing Hodges’ missions dream, serving in various roles with Reaching Souls for over 25 years. Manis says he remembers going on Reaching Souls trips with his father and Hodges and came to understand why they were so passionate about the ministry.

Manis is also an ordained Southern Baptist minister and says the Great Commission has always been important to him. By the time Manis was 28 years old, Hodges had approached him more than once about joining Reaching Souls. Each time, Manis turned him down. But, in 1997, he and his wife, Mischelle, felt the Lord tugging on their hearts. It was a calling they had to answer.

during the height of the COVID pandemic. At a time when borders were closed, Reaching Souls’ missionaries were able to continue their evangelization efforts, because they have always been focused on expanding God’s Kingdom in their own backyards.

“My wife understood that Reaching Souls was built for a time like this,” Manis says.

The number of people who receive salvation is recorded daily by Reaching Souls’ missionaries. Manis uses those numbers to gauge the ministry’s effectiveness.

“Results matter to God and so they’re important to us. It’s not bragging about this ministry — it’s bragging about the Lord,” he says.

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TRANSPORTING THE TRUTH – Bicycles are an inexpensive, reliable form of transportation that Reaching Souls provides to its missionaries, along with Bibles, visual aids and monthly financial support.

BUILDING BRIDGES Compton describes Reaching Souls missionaries as “bridge builders,” helping to fill the gap between the lost and Jesus with the truth of the Gospel. He says their responsibility is to be obedient and sow the seed for the Lord’s harvest. “In Scripture, Old Testament priests functioned like bridge builders. As followers of Christ, that’s also our responsibility,” Compton says.

Several of those “bridge builders” — 22

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missionaries living in places like Malawi, Zambia and Mexico — embody that description. All of them were chosen because they were already actively preaching the Gospel and are willing to do so anywhere, anytime. He described one missionary’s visit to a Major League Baseball game while visiting the United States. The man’s eyes lit up with ideas to gain access to the stadium’s sound system or to simply begin talking to each person he met in the crowded venue; he was ecstatic about

the evangelism opportunities the event represented.

“They humble me. I learn from them,” Compton says.

Two such men, Habacuc and Aminadab, minister in the mission field of Mexico, which was recently added to Reaching Souls’ growing list of countries. Aminadab, who serves as Reaching Souls’ regional missions director for Latin America (which currently consists of Mexico and Cuba),

Aminadab has served as a missionary in other places like southeast Asia, Puerto Rico, Belize and Peru.

But as a native of Mexico, he says it’s been very rewarding to return to his home country “to support nationals reaching nationals.”

“God’s using me in my own continent and my own culture and my own language,” he says.

Evangelistic efforts in Mexico differ from those in places like Kenya, Aminadab explains, because while his African counterparts may reach numerous people by going to crowded marketplaces or the middle of villages, in Latin America the evangelistic work involves more consistent one-on-one relationships.

“In our culture, it’s all about building trust,” Aminadab says. “For me, this is not just a job, it’s truly a calling.

It’s what God has been preparing me to do.”

Habacuc believes Reaching Souls is the right fit for his ministry gifts.

“I feel that I am on the right track and where God wants me to be,” he says in Spanish, with Aminadab providing English translation.

He was approached by one of his

seminary professors who thought his passion for sharing Jesus would match Reaching Souls’ mission. Habacuc says the ministry has provided him with much-needed resources to effectively evangelize to those he encounters.

Habacuc, his wife and their ministry team go door-to-door each week to make one-on-one connections with people. Their evangelism strategy also includes larger ministry venues like jails, rehabilitation centers and children’s centers. Often, they take tangible items including shoes, food and clothing so they can meet people’s physical needs while they tend to their spiritual needs.

“God has really been good to us, and there are always people leaving [the centers], but there are always people coming in,” Habacuc says.

“We average preaching the Gospel to about 10 of them a day. We hope to be able to do more big events when COVID protocols are lifted.

There’s a lot of prayer involved in this ministry.”

On the other side of the world, Zebrone became a Reaching Souls missionary in 2006 in Zambia. He gave his life to Christ in 1997 while he was a student and began sharing the Gospel with his friends.

When his pastor approached him about working with an organization that trained people who were already proclaiming the Gospel, Zebrone joined Reaching Souls and felt the ministry’s leaders “sharpen” his evangelistic abilities as Proverbs 27:17 calls believers to do.

RSI MINISTRY AREAS

grew up in the Christian church and had been a follower of Christ for 17 years before connecting with the nonprofit in 2020. He says the organization was looking for someone to help spread the Gospel in Mexico while overseeing others on the same mission path.

Burundi Cuba

DR Congo

India

Kenya

Malawi

Mexico

Mozambique

Rwanda

Tanzania

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe

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SOCCER & SALVATION – Prosper (speaking), a Reaching Souls missionary, preaches to children at a soccer field in Zambia.

Open-air evangelistic meetings take place at markets, slums, schools, prisons, funerals and weddings — any place people gather is an opportunity to share the Gospel, because “everywhere is a pulpit.”

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“When I am preaching in the roads, when I am preaching in the markets, when I am preaching in the church, everywhere — Reaching Souls, it sharpens me,” he says.

Like Charles, Zebrone says the financial support provided by the organization has been vital. He knows of other pastors who are not affiliated with such a ministry and this lack of funding encumbers and limits their evangelistic work.

“There are many, many preachers who are preaching from empty stomachs.

I know many pastors who receive nothing from their church,” he says.

“Every missionary with Reaching Souls is well trained and well supported. We work hard.”

Indeed, Charles and Zebrone have moved into leadership roles over the years, with Charles acting as Reaching Souls’ Southern Africa director and Zebrone serving as national director of Zambia, overseeing 280 missionaries.

“God is really moving here in Africa — I believe it is God’s time so people can come to his Kingdom,” Charles says.

“We want to make sure they have hope — that’s where we start because that hope is only in Jesus Christ. Then it’s God’s part to make sure that some of them, many of them, make decisions for Christ.”

JOY AND SORROW Zebrone shares a story that is as uplifting as it is heartbreaking.

In the fall of 2021, he was in a tragic car accident. Zebrone was driving on a 26

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road flanked by ravines when a young boy darted out in front of his vehicle.

He barely avoided hitting the youth — only to end up hitting another boy who had emerged out of the ravine and ran out into the road, following after his brother.

After the collision, Zebrone immediately pulled off to the side, gathered the child into his arms and rushed him to the nearest medical facility.

Sadly, the boy died and Zebrone was arrested, as is the custom for accidents in his country. Local authorities

placed him in jail while they investigated the accident, which also protected Zebrone from any of the boy’s family members who may have wanted to harm him.

The Zambian missionary says he was immediately bombarded with questions by people in his cell. They wondered why he had been jailed.

“What did you do, Pastor?” they asked.

Once Zebrone explained what happened, he naturally moved into evangelistic mode. Who better to share with than inmates who needed to hear that God loved them and wanted to transform their lives? He didn’t waste one minute of his imprisonment.

“I began to tell them that Jesus is here, so now everyone is quiet. Some were crying, most were listening,” Zebrone says, recalling the scene.

“The minute I finished, 10 people received their Savior,” he says. “From the time I entered the cell, I never rested. I forgot my problems — I was encouraging my fellow prisoners.”

Zambian authorities found Zebrone innocent and released him the next morning — but not before he agreed to bring God’s Word to the inmates who begged for it.

Left: SAY CHEESE – Children in Zambia pose for a picture. Reaching Souls shares the Gospel with young and old alike in 13 countries around the world.

Right: IRON SHARPENS IRON – Every year, Reaching Souls leaders from across Africa, like Zebrone (pictured) and Charles, gather together with the organization’s U.S.-based leadership to be encouraged, trained and to fellowship.

“THE MINUTE I FINISHED, 10 PEOPLE RECEIVED THEIR S A V I O R ,” H E S A Y S . “ F R O M T H E T I M E I E N T E R E D T H E CELL, I NEVER RESTED. I FORGOT MY PROBLEMS — I W A S E N C O U R A G I N G M Y F E L L O W P R I S O N E R S .”

“I promised I would get Bibles for the cells,” he says.

He did just that, serving and eating breakfast with the new disciples, too.

Zebrone also felt the hand of God upon him as he learned the boy’s family understood that the death was truly an accident, and that they did not blame him for the tragedy.

Zebrone says Reaching Souls, as

always, came alongside him with support and resources, especially during this difficult time. Zebrone and his family attended the funeral and comforted the boy’s family.

“It was very peaceful,” he says.

The event brought sorrow but also joy and redemption as he helped bring numerous people to Christ in the jail. While Zebrone’s story WatersEdgeServices.org

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SHADY SPOT – The wife of a Reaching Souls missionary teaches a group of children about Jesus under a tree adjacent to Joy Baptist Church in Zambia.

is unique, his behavior is not. This zeal for the Gospel is representative of all Reaching Souls missionaries.

AN URGENCY FOR THE HARVEST As Reaching Souls prepares to celebrate a milestone of 100 million salvations, Manis sees the nonprofit’s

warriors and partnerships with other Gospel-minded organizations.

“We partner with WatersEdge because I trust the leadership,” Manis says. “We’re looking for effectiveness and results in our investments, so we decided endowment was a wise choice.”

Reaching Souls started an endowment with WatersEdge in 2008 with just $10,000, but thanks to generous donors and smart management,

“THIS MINISTRY EXISTS TO RE ACH THE MA XIMUM NUMBER OF PEOPLE FOR CHRIST IN THE LEAST A MOUNT OF TIME IN THE MOS T EFFICIENT WAY. OUR GOAL IS TO LOOK FOR THE LORD’S HARVEST — A N D B R I N G I T I N .” mission as more critical than ever before. Today, Reaching Souls supports more than 2,000 missionaries and hopes to add 460 more in 2022.

As the organization continues to grow, Reaching Souls expects to see 10 million salvations each year in the near future.

Though it varies by region, Reaching Souls estimates that it costs about $100 per month to support a missionary, which includes salary and the tools of the trade (portable sound systems, bicycles, Gospel flip charts, etc.). This Kingdom work cannot happen without faithful givers, prayer

it grew to more than $1 million by 2021. Endowment is a long-term strategy for securing a ministry’s

financial future because it is perpetual. It works by growing a donor’s gift through investment and annually distributing a percentage of the endowment’s value to the ministry.

This cycle repeats year after year, eventually multiplying a donor’s gift many times over.

Manis says Reaching Souls’ endowment represents a significant investment in its future, especially since the organization currently elects to pour annual distributions back into the fund, further accelerating the endowment’s growth. But he adds that this forward thinking doesn’t distract from the immediacy of Reaching Souls mission and the need to use financial resources wisely today.

“We know there’s a sense of urgency,” Manis says. “We want to keep running hard with the Gospel until Christ returns. I believe we’re in a bare-knuckle, drop-dead battle for souls. It’s as serious as it gets. This ministry exists to reach the maximum number of people for Christ in the least amount of time in the most efficient way. Our goal is to look for the Lord’s harvest — and bring it in.”

Reaching Souls International empowers local missionaries around the world to share the Good News with their own people. Your giving provides the resources that equips these missionaries. WatersEdge can help you multiply your gifts to Reaching Souls and maximize your tax benefits. Start a conversation with our giving solutions professionals today. give@WatersEdgeServices.org 800-949-9988 | WatersEdgeServices.org

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WHY I GIVE CAROLYN BLANTON BARRETT

By Katie Hurst • Photo by Jess Frankmore

G

enerosity has always been a family value for Carolyn Blanton Barrett. As far back as the early 1900s, her mother’s family, the Gardners, were known for providing hospitality to settlers passing through Oklahoma. Her mother, Sadie, and her mother’s twin sister, Madie, were raised offering meals and rooms to strangers, and they passed that spirit of generosity on to their children and grandchildren. Now, the family honors them through their own giving to The Gardner Family Endowed Scholarship Fund.

That’s when the women of First Baptist Church of Texhoma, Oklahoma, stepped in and collectively raised the money to cover Madie’s tuition.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if the women in the church hadn’t done that,” Barrett says. “My mother (Sadie) would never have gone to OBU. She might not have married my dad in Trousdale, Oklahoma, where she went for her first teaching job. With the scholarship fund, we want to honor them and recognize the power of a few people getting together to give and the impact it can have on others.”

“They taught us that every good

“They taught us that every good and perfect gift is from God,” Barrett says.

“We’re called to be generous and to share. Because we’ve been blessed, it’s good to give back.”

and perfect gift is from God. We’re called to be generous

and to share. Because we’ve been

Sadie Gardner Blanton and Madie Gardner Schaffer were longtime champions of education. Both spent decades serving their communities and investing in thousands of students during their 40-year teaching careers. But they might never have gotten their start if it weren’t for the generosity of others. After graduating high school as valedictorian, Sadie was offered a scholarship to Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU), but her sister Madie, salutatorian, was not. Sadie refused to go to OBU without her sister, who did not have the financial means to cover tuition.

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Sadie and Madie’s children and grandchildren, all college graduates — most with advanced degrees — now collectively contribute to an endowment through WatersEdge.

That endowment funds the Gardner Family Scholarship, which is given every year by First Baptist Church of Texhoma. Over the past seven years, they’ve funded more than $4,000 in tuition for seven different university students from the area.

blessed, it’s good to give back.”

“It’s a tribute to my family,” Barrett says. “We hope it’s an encouragement to those who may need a little extra help to go to school — it’s our way of giving back.”

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OUT OF SPACE AND OUT OF TIME, SUNNYLANE CHURCH NEEDED A LOAN TO GROW. BUT THE PROMISE OF AN ULTRA-LOW INTEREST RATE TURNED INTO A FINANCING NIGHTMARE FOR THIS OKLAHOMA CITY CONGREGATION.

By Mike Schueler • Photos by Marcus Wehmuller

D

rew Sanford was frustrated.

He’d already wasted too much time working to secure a loan for Sunnylane Church, the Southern Baptist congregation where he served as student and administrative pastor.

A California-based credit union had wooed Sanford with an ultra-low interest rate, but after nearly four months of negotiations, the relationship had yielded little more than a mountain of paperwork. Sanford felt like he was getting nowhere, and the church didn’t have time to lose.

Nestled in a suburb of Oklahoma City, Sunnylane was growing. Attendance on an average Sunday morning regularly topped 300, and though the church’s sanctuary hadn’t yet reached capacity, education space was

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at a premium. Adult Sunday School classes, which Sunnylane brands “Connect Groups,” were completely out of room, forcing some classes to meet in odd, improvised spaces like hallways or the foyer outside the church’s sanctuary.

Danny Gandara, Sunnylane’s senior pastor, says it’s a good problem to have, but one that needed to be addressed quickly to facilitate future growth.

“The heartbeat of Sunnylane is advancing the Gospel throughout our community. We want to focus outward, not inward,” Gandara explains.

“As our Connect Groups grow, we want them to birth new groups. But finding the space to accommodate

BEACON OF HOPE – Sunnylane’s current campus, a 34,000 square-foot building that includes a 500-seat sanctuary, was completed in 2009 and financed

by WatersEdge.

these groups has been one of our biggest challenges.”

As Gandara and Sanford searched for a solution in the summer of 2021, they quickly ruled out new construction — costs were simply too high. That’s when they turned their attention to an existing church building adjacent to Sunnylane’s property. The church had disbanded and the building was

no longer in use. It needed significant renovation but would be cheaper than new construction and would provide Sunnylane with plenty of growing room. Total estimated cost for the project, including the property purchase, was about $500,000.

the loan that funded construction of Sunnylane’s sanctuary 12 years earlier.

WatersEdge offered a competitive

of the church’s resources, so they also shopped the loan with several banks.

That’s when a California-based credit union made an offer they couldn’t ignore — 3.25 percent — nearly a full percent less than any other quote they’d received, including WatersEdge.

The rate represented an overall savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“The heartbeat of Sunnylane is advancing the Gospel throughout our community.

We want to focus outward, not inward.”

With a plan in place, Gandara and Sanford turned their attention to financing. They reached out to WatersEdge Ministry Services, which had provided

interest rate for the new project, but Gandara and Sanford wanted to ensure they were being good stewards

“We did the math and it was like $64,000 a year that we would save on our payments just from that WatersEdgeServices.org

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1 percent difference,” Sanford says.

“That’s huge, especially to a ministry like ours where every extra penny goes to missions or something that spreads the Gospel.”

The 3.25 percent rate almost seemed too good to be true — and it was.

As Sunnylane began the loan process, the credit union asked for extensive documentation that WatersEdge doesn’t require. This often includes items like an appraisal, inspections, compliance certificates and audited financial statements — all paid for at the church’s expense. Sanford says the

credit union even asked for “nitpicky stuff” like additional signatures on the church’s bylaws. Each time Sanford supplied the requested information, the credit union would ask for something else. Weeks would go by between each request, and the process soon passed the two-month mark, then three.

“Every step the credit union had took forever,” Sanford says. “They just kept giving us more paperwork.”

The ultra-low interest rate the credit union offered began to climb, too.

It jumped to 3.4 percent, then 3.65 and then 3.85. That was the breaking point. Now a full half percent above the credit union’s original 3.25 offer, Gandara and Sanford reached back out to WatersEdge.

Gandara shared his frustration with Jerry Vaughan, WatersEdge’s chief lending officer, who offered a rate that could compete with the credit union.

What’s more, Vaughan promised to close on Sunnylane’s loan in less than a month.

“They sent me to the WatersEdge website to fill out the loan application, which took maybe 30 minutes,” Sanford remembers. “They asked for budget to revenue numbers for last year, and that was it.”

Left Top: SHEPHERDS – Drew Sanford (left) grew up at Sunnylane and today serves as the church’s student and administrative pastor. Danny Gandara (right) was called to Sunnylane as senior pastor in 2017.

Left Bottom: GROWING ROOM – Renovations continue on Sunnylane’s new 6,000 square-foot Ministry Center, which is scheduled to open in May 2022.

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“Every step the credit union had took forever,” Sanford says. “They just kept giving us more paperwork.”

Vaughan closed Sunnylane’s loan three weeks later, as promised, with an added bonus. In addition to the $500,000 needed to purchase and renovate Sunnylane’s new educational space, WatersEdge was able to refinance Sunnylane’s existing sanctuary loan, lowering the interest rate by 1.4 percent — a drop that will save the church $1,069 per month, or $256,000 over the life of the loan.

Today, four months after securing financing with WatersEdge, Sunnylane is busy with renovations on its new 2-acre property, which the church has dubbed the “Ministry Center.”

The plan is to move Sunnylane’s student ministry into the 6,000 squarefoot building, which will free up additional space for the children’s ministry as well as provide seven new Connect Group classrooms. Renovations are expected to be complete by the end

ON MISSION – Christ’s call to missions in Acts 1:8 is front and center in Sunnylane’s foyer, part of senior pastor Danny Gandara’s emphasis to keep the church focused on reaching its community with the Gospel.

of April with the Ministry Center’s grand opening scheduled for May. “We’re calling it the Ministry Center because we want to use it to minister to our community,” Gandara says. “It’s focused around Sunnylane’s vision of reaching and teaching and ministering for the purpose of souls being saved and lives being changed for the glory of God.” Sanford is especially excited about the Ministry Center’s kitchen, a feature missing from Sunnylane’s original building.

“One of the big ministries we have is feeding the local high school football team every Friday night during the season,” he explains. “But we don’t only feed them physically, we feed them spiritually — we put the Gospel right in front of these students. That’s what this new Ministry Center is all about: reaching people outside the walls of the church.

“The Bible says to be good stewards,” Sanford adds. “WatersEdge helped us do that. They gave us a really good rate, streamlined the paperwork and made it easy.”

Renewing and Redeeming WatersEdge partners with congregations like yours to bring new life to church campuses through renovation and new construction. But unlike traditional lenders, the interest from a WatersEdge loan is poured back into ministries that change lives with the Gospel. Contact a WatersEdge lending expert today to learn more or apply. loans@WatersEdgeServices.org | 800-949-9988 | WatersEdgeServices.org/loans

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WATERSEDGE NEWS

MILESTONE

PROMOTION

David Depuy Chief Investment Officer

ddepuy@WatersEdgeServices.org

Bobby Hart President, Ministry Services

David Depuy planned to work at WatersEdge for just one year. But, 25 years later, he is still pouring into the ministry. Serving first in an information technology role, Depuy transitioned into accounting and then into investments, where he’s transformed the department. “What I love about WatersEdge is that we’re not a frontline ministry, but everything we do is made to strengthen and support frontline ministries,” he says. Depuy led the way in hiring investment consultants and managers that have grown assets exponentially over the past decade, allowing WatersEdge to lower fees and better serve ministries and donors. “I never thought WatersEdge would become a long-term career choice. But, I fell in love with the mission and the people that I work with. Now, I plan to stay as long as I can — I hope I’m able to retire from here,” he says. Depuy and his wife, Andrea, have two children. They are longtime members of Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

bhart@WatersEdgeServices.org

After a year as vice president of WatersEdge Ministry Services, Bobby Hart has been promoted to president following the retirement of Jerry Vaughan. Hart brings more than a decade of ministry experience to the role, as well as a six-year tenure on the WatersEdge Board of Directors.

“I have learned volumes about ministry lending and investments and how these services impact the local church,” he says. “I want to continue the trajectory that WatersEdge is on. That means growing nationally — serving more ministries outside Oklahoma — while simultaneously ensuring that we’re taking good care of the Oklahoma Baptist congregations we were created to support.”

Hart and his wife, Heather, have been members of First Baptist Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma, for 26 years. They have four children and one grandchild on the way.

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PROFESSIONAL DISTINCTION

Kaitlyn Precure Ministry Services Associate

kprecure@WatersEdgeServices.org

Kaitlyn Precure is all about maintaining momentum. She earned a bachelor’s in business administration at Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) in December 2019, followed shortly by her employment at WatersEdge in January 2020. Less than two years later, Precure completed her MBA at OBU in December 2021. “I’m not even 24, and I have a lot to learn,” Precure says. “This degree has accelerated my learning process and given me a deeper understanding of how everything is connected in the business world. It allows me to serve WatersEdge clients better.”

Precure is a member of Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

LAST LOOK

TOOLS OF THE TRADE A portable sound system, Gospel flip chart and other evangelistic materials sit atop a bicycle parked in a Zambian village. Your generosity helps Reaching Souls International provide these simple, inexpensive resources to each of the organization’s 2,000-plus missionaries, who serve in 13 countries around the world. Donors’ financial gifts also allow Reaching Souls to provide missionaries’ salaries, which allow them to support their families while serving as full-time evangelists.

WatersEdge can help you multiply your gifts to Reaching Souls and maximize tax benefits.

Start a conversation with our giving solutions professionals today at 800-949-9988 or give@ WatersEdgeServices.org.

You can also give online at WatersEdgeServices. org/give.

Photo by Nathan & Flori Troost WatersEdgeServices.org

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