Dear Brethren,
The year 2010 is now history and we are well into 2011. But, 2010 was an eventful year for the Hill family and International Bible Teaching Ministries.
Linda had knee replacement surgery on December 14 and all is progressing well. She is off the walker and getting around quite well with the use of cane. Eventually, she will be rid of the cane and be able to drive and get around better than she did before the surgery. Please remember her in your daily prayers.
Linda and I were able to visit several congregations in 2010 and meet some more of our wonderful brethren in our great brotherhood. We were privileged to go to Shady Valley, Tennessee and visit and present the work to the Crandull Church of Christ. We then attended the Mission Forum at the Forest Park Church of Christ in Forest Park, Georgia, just south of Atlanta. (Their focus on mission work is in the South Pacific. While there, we were encouraged by missionaries on the field and their sponsoring congregations and were also able to visit with many that we spent time with in the Lord’s work when we lived and worked in the South Pacific.) We also visited the Elijay Church of Christ in Elijay, Georgia (just north of Atlanta) and presented the work of IBTM and ICOTB there. Then, we went to Lebanon, Tennessee and visited with brethren at the Bethlehem Church of Christ and had the opportunity to present the work there as well as catching up with some friends we had not seen in great while, David and Janice Horne.
Brethren, travelling and meeting our brethren while presenting our work for the Lord to various congregations is truly an enjoyable part of our work. If you would like for us to come and present the work to your congregation, please let us know and we will make arrangements to do so.
Last year, through the work of IBTM, much was accomplished in the Lord’s vineyard. The following statistics are to serve as a barometer and not to glorify ourselves. To God be the glory!
In the year 2010, 84 souls were added to the Lord’s body and 388 were restored to the same. A new congregation was established just outside of Livingstone, Zambia and 9 men graduated from the School of Preaching. IBTM printed 5,300 hymnals and 100,200 Bible tracts. IBTM purchased and shipped 10,080 Bibles and 5,227 biblical textbooks for ICOTB. We shipped 5,300 hymnals, 101,450 biblical tracts, 710 Bible class booklets. IBTM purchased 29 bicycles for graduating students, gathered and donated clothing for 25 preaching students, and gathered $3,500 for a borehole for the people of Fakwasi, Ghana. Also, our Bible Correspondence Courses are up and running at http://www.ibtministries.org/. And all of this was accomplished because of YOUR generosity, YOUR good will, and YOUR dedication to the Lord’s work around the world.
And the year 2011 presents more opportunities to work for our Lord overseas. Linda and I have opportunity to go to Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, New Plymouth, New Zealand, and Pago Pago, American Samoa the last part of April and the month of May. We are looking forward to speaking in lectureships, holding Gospel meetings, daily classes, and one on one Bible studies in all of these areas. And, while in American Samoa, we will discuss the logistics and feasibility of establishing a school of preaching for our island brethren. Then in August, Ronald D. Gilbert and I will be taking a group to Zambia to hold Gospel meetings, to teach at the Zambia School of Biblical Studies, and hold classes for the International College of the Bible. Brother Gilbert and I will leave Zambia and travel to Ghana to work with and encourage our brethren. (Please, we are in need of funds for these Gospel efforts. If you will help, please send your contributions to the Hill Mission Fund at the address found elsewhere in this newsletter.)
Brethren, IBTM is in its fourth year and off to a good start. Let us keep the momentum going and not stop this good work. Please, pray for us continually. Tell others about our work and our need for prayerful and financial support. We need each one of you to act as unofficial fundraisers for IBTM. I am sure we are all having financial difficulties but the Lord’s work must not fail. And thank you for your continued support of our work. May our God bless you and grant you peace, happiness, and success in all of your Gospel endeavors according to His good will.
In Christ Who Saves,
Jimmie B. Hill
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Greetings from Georgia!It’s now 6 ½ weeks since my surgery and I’m pleased to report that Jimmie’s cooking skills have greatly improved. Recovery has been slower than I anticipated – keeping the stitches for 34 days rather than the typical 12 to 15 hampered my physical therapy and having an allergic reaction to the pain management contraption didn’t help – but I’m finally able to see some progress. I truly appreciate your prayers and well wishes.
I am also pleased about progress with the work of IBTM. We have 2 new websites! In December http://www.ibtministries.org/ began with Gospel materials and an online Bible correspondence study program open to all, and in January http://www.icotb.org/ replaced our previous site for college-level distance learning programs available to members of the church. Shawn Elliott is the wonderful volunteer who established the design, wrote the programming, and created a management system even I can manage. Bravo, Shawn!! I’ve been busy since last summer with the grunt work - uploading and formatting materials. I still have a long “To Do” list, but the sites are already being used. In the few weeks they have been available to search engines we have had more than 750 visits from people in 22 nations and 28 States. Several brotherhood works (such as the Gospel Broadcasting Network) have linked to us to offer the free online Bible correspondence courses, but we could also use your help. If you or your local congregation has a presence online please consider adding a link to the IBTM and ICOTB pages.
It’s a new year and I know God has great things in store. Let’s point souls to heaven in 2011.
In Christian Love,
Linda M. Hill