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Celebrating
50 Years of Marriage and Ministry
Caleb
had represented Judah among the twelve spies sent out by
Moses from Kadesh Barnea into the land of Canaan (Numbers
13). Caleb and Joshua had the distinction of being the only
two who on that strategic occasion believed that God would
enable His people to overcome the Canaanites in battle.
So Caleb and Joshua were blessed by God to outlive their
critics and the defeatists who said it couldn’t be
done. Now most of the promised land has been conquered.
Caleb is eighty five years old. Surely Caleb is long overdue
for retirement – but no! Caleb declares "I
am as strong this day . . . for war . . . Now, therefore,
give me this mountain . . ." Joshua 14:11-12. Caleb
wasn’t interested in the flat plains or any easy task,
nor was he going to hide behind any excuses for indemnity,
he wanted the mountain, and not just any mountain. This
included great fortified cities protected by the feared
giants of the Anakim. For Caleb, faith in God’s promises
was not expressed in human passivity, but in active obedience.
Not only did Caleb attempt great things for God in his later
years, but he accomplished great things . . . "because
he wholly followed the Lord God . . ." Joshua 14:14.
This
year is a very special year for the Bathmans and for ITMI.
2001 marks the 20th anniversary of In Touch Mission International
and the 50th wedding anniversary of Bill and Harriett Bathman.
In addition the Bathmans are celebrating 50 years in ministry
together. It was on 30 May 1951 that Rev Bill Bathman left
for his first summer of ministry, evangelising in Europe.
On 2 September 1951 Bill and Harriett were married.
Rev.
Bill and Harriett Bathman at a special banquet in Cape
Town to celebrate their 50 years of marraige and ministry. |
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To
celebrate 50 remarkable years of marriage and ministry,
Lenora (the Bathman’s youngest daughter –
my wife) and I invited Bill and Harriett to enjoy 2
months of ministry and special family activities here
in Africa. So far this has included Bill being a plenary
speaker at a Ministers Conference at KwaSizabantu Mission
in Zululand. The 1 000 delegates responded with great
warmth and enthusiasm to the ministry of their beloved
brother who has so often before been a blessing to them.
Bill was also the main speaker at the 10th Anniversary
supper and rally of Africa Christian Action (the most
active pro-life ministry in Southern Africa). The Pinelands
Town Hall was packed out to overflowing for this joyous
event.
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There
have also been other special ministry opportunities for
Bill Bathman such as the Jivinnadi Mission, The Bible
Institute, at churches and on radio broadcasts.
On
23 March, the night before Harriett’s 70th birthday,
we held a special banquet at an exclusive club where various
leaders and special friends gathered for a feast in their
honour. Messages from around the world were displayed and
read out and I showed a special slide presentation of highlights
of the half century of missions accomplished by God’s
grace through the Bathmans. (A mosaic of some of those
photographs
will be included in this newsletter for you to enjoy).
Now,
in the tradition of Caleb, Bill Bathman is celebrating his
50th year in missions by flying into the no-fly zones of
Islamic Sudan to deliver Bibles, train pastors and preach
the Gospel. By the time this newsletter is delivered to
the printer, Bill Bathman will be in the midst of the longest
war of the 20th century, serving the oldest community of
Christians in Africa (dating back to Acts 8:27-39), who
are suffering some of the worst persecution in the world
today. Sudan is the largest country in Africa and it is
part of the Muslim Middle East and firmly within the 10-40
window (the largest block of unreached people in the most
needy, neglected and resistant mission fields in the world.)
The National Islamic Front government of Sudan has declared
Jihad against the Christian Black South. Over the last year
the Sudan Air Force has conducted a terror bombing campaign
against civilian centres in the South.
Rev.
Bill Bathman with Chaplain Moses at the battlefront
on the road to Juba in Sudan. | |
During
my mission trip to Sudan in January, I gathered details
from eyewitnesses of 55 bombings. In just over 2 months,
over 458 bombs had been dropped on churches, schools,
medical clinics and homes – mostly in Equatoria.
The community which includes the Frontline Fellowship
mission base and our Christian Liberty High School has
been bombed 9 times in the last year, by MiGs and Antonovs
of the Sudan Air Force. Over 100 bombs have been dropped
on our community during the last 12 months! So, please
be in earnest prayer for Rev. Bill Bathman and the Frontline
team in Sudan and for all the precious pastors, teachers,
chaplains and other resilient Christians who are standing
firm under fire.
To
celebrate the 50th anniversary of ministry, please
read "Going Through – Even if The Door
is Closed." This God honouring book is full
of inspiring and uplifting stories of God’s provision,
guidance and protection amidst the dramatic events
of the Cold War.
Some
years ago at a missions conference, I introduced myself
to George Verwer (the founder of Operation Mobilisation
– one of the largest mission organisations in
the world) as "Bill Bathman’s son-in-law."
George instantly exclaimed "Bill Bathman is
the reason there is an Operation Mobilisation today!
He was the one who urged me to come to England and
he organised the NETWORK conference and month of meetings
– out of which OM was born."
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At
another missions conference I met Mike Evans, the
Principal of the Geneva Bible Institute in Switzerland.
He testified at the conference that it was Bill Bathman
and his NETWORK that changed his life back in 1961
and launched him into missions, 27 years of which
was spent with OM co-ordinating their work in France.
Dr.
Paul Negrut of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Romania told
me "It was through Bill Bathman’s preaching
in our church in 1983 that God was pleased to bless us
with revival."
When
I identified myself to Brother Andrew recently, he reminisced
about the ministry trips behind the Iron Curtain he took
with Bill Bathman in the 1960’s, particularly in
1968 when the Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia. They met
in Prague
to distribute Bibles to the Russian troops.
Richard
Wurmbrand, who with his wife Sabrina, recently went to be
with the Lord, had often worked together with Bill Bathman
to channel aid to suffering Christians in Romania.
It
has been my privilege to travel and minister with Bill Bathman
in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia,
Albania, Germany, Mexico, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia
and now Sudan. Bill Bathman is a dedicated and anointed
evangelist and he is much loved by the Christians in Eastern
Europe and Africa. The Bathmans are an inspiring example
to all of us – of faithfulness and perseverance in
obedience to the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding
in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not
in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58
Dr.
Peter Hammond
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