(Photo courtesy Far Corners Missions)

Nepal (FCM/MNN) — For many in Nepal, the earthquake isn’t over.

More than three million people are still living in temporary shelters during torrential monsoon rains. There are frequent aftershocks; according to National Seismological Center, since the 7.8 magnitude quake hit on April 25^th, there have been over 380 aftershocks above magnitude 4.

Even while the government is trying to deal with putting the country back together, political violence over the new constitution threatens to tear it apart.

The real problem is that only 8 out of 75 districts were badly affected by the quake. In the 18 weeks since the disaster struck, the government appears to have lost a sense of urgency.

(Photo courtesy Far Corners Missions)

Far Corners Missions hasn’t forgotten the survivors, though. A team of Christian workers recently took supplies to survivors in some rural towns and villages.   $5,000 raised by a Fort Worth Church kick-started FCM’s $100,000 response project.

A month ago, a landslide killed 20 people in the same area where the earthquake happened.

From their first foray, Brother Kiran, one of the team leaders, shared:

[SIC] “Still, occasional jolts are taking place. Still, thousands are living in the tents and unable to go back to their villages because houses are collapsed. Last month I visited them, and many recognized us and we distributed the remaining food to them. As I brought to your kind notice, they are minorities, low cast people and marginalized.

“All the gospel workers came to conclusion to help the victims with food besides help them with housing material like tin sheets for roofing, bricks, and some doors and windows. So that we can have foothold in their villages, ultimately foot soldiers will enter the village and plant a Church among these people. We need air cover and bombard them with these materials so that we could occupy the enemy territory inch by inch. Already these people gave us some indications. So we are praying for imminent air attack with prayers and relief and foot soldiers work will be easy as enemy is strong.

“We are praying for the donors who contributed generously to Nepal work. Here we are ready to do the Job. All the gospel workers in Nepal send their love and appreciation to you all.”

Please pray for the 20 FCM workers as they work on the front line of serving the victims. It will take everyone pitching in to support this effort.

For a pair of lepers in rural India, church planting was lifesaving in more ways than one.

Church planting: saving lives literally

(Photo courtesy Far Corners Missions via Facebook)

Far Corners Missions’ Gary Bishop recently shared the story of a husband and wife in rural India, who both happened to have leprosy. Because of their disease, they were ostracized and forced to live on the village outskirts.

Lepers are social outcasts in India. As such, neither the husband nor wife could find jobs to support their daily needs.

However, the wife was a seamstress before she contracted leprosy and the disease took her fingers. One day, she figured out a way to sew garments holding an extra-large needle and the fabric between her palms, and then pulling the end of the needle with her teeth.

It was all working fine until the woman somehow swallowed the needle.

Her husband ran around frantically seeking help, but “because they were lepers and were ostracized by the village, no one would help him,” says Bishop.

“Basically, they just turned away and ignored him.”

If a church planting pastor trained by Far Corners hadn’t been there to help with the compassion of Christ, the woman likely would have died.

“The man is so overjoyed that he went around the whole village telling them, ‘No one would help me except this village pastor. And so, we’re here to tell you that you should listen to him’.”

Church planting: saving lives eternally

Today, villagers pour into the church planted by this pastor to hear the Truth of Scripture.

“The Word of God goes out in this little village because of the testimony of a Hindu leper,” Bishop shares.

(Photo courtesy Far Corners Missions via Facebook)

While powerful, this testimony is a rare one. Church planting in rural India isn’t an easy process, and it usually doesn’t happen overnight.

“It is a difficult proposition to plant a church in a Hindu village where there are no other believers,” states Bishop.

Occasionally, church planting in a rural village happens quickly with little resistance.

“It’s almost like the Holy Spirit’s gone before us there and prepared the hearts of people; there [are] responses right away,” Bishop shares.

“Sometimes, though, it takes literally years to break through the very hardened mindsets and attitudes of the people.”

With your help, the Lord can use more events like this one to bring entire villages to Himself.

Click here to sponsor a church planting pastor trained by Far Corners.

“It takes about $75 a month to support a pastor and his family in an unreached village,” explains Bishop.

Far Corners’ sponsorships are holistic in nature, “not only sending him financial support, but praying for him daily [too].

“As he goes in to that village, sometimes they’re able to integrate fairly easy, but other times they are all but thrown out.”

(Photo courtesy Far Corners Missions)

Gary Lynn Bishop of Springtown, a disciple of Christ and gentleman farmer, died peacefully at his home Monday, Oct. 26, 2015. He was 68.

He received his undergraduate and MBA degrees from Dallas Baptist University. Gary’s military service included being a flight engineer aboard anti-submarine warfare aircraft for the United States Navy and a security police commander and officer in the Texas Air National Guard.

While serving in the Navy, Gary married Donna Cofer. Building a life with his wife, Gary’s career encompassed a wide variety of experiences designed by his Creator to prepare them for a life in His service. His work history included time as a Dallas police officer, a private and commercial flight instructor, a technical occupational dean in the Dallas County Community College District, a division manager at Southwestern Bell/ATT, an executive vice president of Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, and director of Pittsburgh International Airport.

These experiences, coupled with the knowledge and life experience of being a devoted husband and father, prepared Gary for a life of service as a leader within God’s Kingdom while serving as president and CEO of Mission Aviation Fellowship, president of World Bible Translation Center, and president and CEO of Far Corners Missions.

(Image courtesy Far Corners Missions)

In addition, Gary also served as a board member for Christian Community Credit Union of San Dimas, Calif. Gary was preceded in death by his father, Lynn Paul Bishop; and sister, Paula Kay Bishop.

Survivors: His wife of 47 years, Donna Bishop; sons, Christopher Todd (Christina) of Charlotte, N.C., and Mathew Noel (Emily) of Fort Worth; mother, Jo Bishop of Azle; grandchildren, Emily, Jamie, Brian, Ellie and Cate; and a host of family and friends from around the world.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorials be made to Far Corners Missions, 8401 Jacksboro Highway, Lakeside, Texas 76135. Gary was born Dec. 31, 1946, in Rock Springs, Wyoming.

(Photo courtesy Far Corners Missions)

International (MNN) — What does it take to reach unreached villages? It may require spending hours and days hiking mountains, rappelling cliffs, and rowing boats to reach one small village. Why put all that work into getting there? Why go at all?

Gary Bishop, President of Far Corners Missions, says, “If it’s an unreached village, there are no Christians and no churches there. So, obviously, it’s imperative…if we’re following the Great Commission, to make disciples there so that they have to hear the Gospel.”

Instead of simply sending Bibles or Christian books to the villages, Bishop stresses the importance of placing pastors in these unreached villages. “They have to be there with them, form a relationship, be in their village…, get to know them.”

One way Far Corners helps pastors form relationships with villagers is to address physical needs as well as spiritual needs.

Chinni had lost both her husband and infant son to AIDS and had contracted the disease herself. She felt lost and believed her only solution was to sell her four daughters so that they might have a chance at not starving. However, a pastor heard her story, talked and listened to her, and was able to provide help.

“Far Corners Missions began to take care of her medical needs, in terms of medications for combatting the AIDS virus. Then, also we took the four children, and they are living in our Far Corners missions home, That is just an amazing situation for them,” Bishop said. Through this, Chinni heard the Gospel and has been holding prayer meetings for women in the village.

“Does it make a difference that we put village pastors in unreached villages? You bet! It makes not only a real physical difference, but it makes an eternal difference as well.”

Far Corners pastors are reaching villagers with the Gospel in five different countries: India, Nepal, China, Mexico, and the Philippines. But, it’s not free. It is only possible through donations. “It costs about $75 a month to provide for a village pastor and his entire family. When you stop and think about it, most people in America today spend about $75 [per month] on knick knacks.”

You can sponsor pastors around the world by clicking here.

(Photo courtesy Flickr/CC/Soul Motor)

International (MNN) — If you walk into a store right now in the United States, you see evidence of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all mishmashed together.

The retail creep on the buying seasons for gift-giving opportunities is so prevalent that people are starting to look for more meaningful alternatives.

One of those alternatives is charity gift catalogs. The items shown in these catalogs give shoppers the chance to buy a sheep for a family or to educate a girl instead of buying a Cuisinart or an iPhone. Gift catalogs are attractive because they’re almost always “gifts in action.” People want to see exactly how their gift will effect change.

Far Corners Missions President Gary Bishop explains that that desire for connection is normal. “One of the questions people ask is, ‘What’s the greatest gift that’s ever been given?’ People say, ‘It’s life itself, it’s (one thing or another).’ But I think all believers would agree that the greatest gift that’s ever been given is Jesus.”

When put into that context, sharing that gift becomes part of a mandate because it’s all about the Gospel. “It’s the same thing that Jesus would do: loving and caring for people. That’s what the Giving Book does. It gives people the chance to do a specific thing for [people] on the other side of the world that have no way to provide for themselves, to give them an important gift.”

(Photo Giving Book 2013, courtesy Far Corners Missions)

Through national partners, Far Corners is able to resource nine different countries: China, England, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Peru, Philippines, and Thailand. Bishop uses India as an example of what a difference a single gift can make. “You can give a Telagu Bible to somebody in India for $4. But you can also give them a water buffalo, and that costs $1300.” Or for $6, someone could ensure that a daycare child gets meals for a month. Bishop observes, “If we go to McDonald’s, we would spend almost $6 per person. You can feed a daycare child in India for a whole month for that $6. Or for $6, you can give a widow a 5kg bag of rice.”

From health care to job training to spiritual equipping, Far Corners has a variety of ways to immediately impact lives. “Other people pass by them every day and don’t concern themselves with them, or would do anything to avoid contact with these people. And so their very natural question is, ‘Why are doing this for us?'” That question allows the local believer to turn the discussion to the hope of Christ. “That gives us the great opportunity to say, ‘It is only because of Jesus’ love,’ and that allows us to tell them the story of Jesus.”

(Photo courtesy Far Corners Missions)

The community at large sees transformation through feeding programs, medical outreaches, rescue operations, and educational programs, along with evangelical activities like church plants and pastoral training. It all goes toward investing in relationships, both now and in the future. “They know that the Church in India is the conduit through which all that comes to them. That’s really what we want them to know: God’s Church in India is responsible for getting that help to them.”

All you have to do to get started is request a copy of The Giving Book.

(Photo by Far Corners Missions)

India (MNN) — Have you ever been on a short-term mission trip? How about going to India?

Gary Bishop with Far Corners Missions recently returned from India. “Our trip actually allowed us to look at seven projects that are specifically designed for members of churches or other groups: Bible study groups or small groups’ churches that want to go have an impact on the mission field where they can actually be involved with the work.”

The seven projects include bore wells, toilet construction, solar lighting, church plants, vocational school, VBS, and crop improvement.

Bore wells are desperately needed for villages to have clean water. With Bore wells, villagers don’t have to walk for miles to get water, and people won’t get sick from contaminated water. Building toilets may not seem like a glamorous job, but it is a very important need to be met. Bishop explains, “85% of the population of India does not have an in-home or residential toilet available to them. 50% of the population has no toilet at all.”

Solar lighting is a big need for villages in India. “Safety and security is a big issue. From animals and snakes to robbers and people that would harm them at night,” says Bishop, “solar lighting addresses those problems and is quickly installed.”

(Photo by Far Corner Missions)

Remote villages in India without a place to meet and grow as a church benefit from the church-planting project. Teams assemble multiple buildings a day to provide a meeting place for the village church.

What about technology?

There is a high demand for desktop publishing and Photoshop experts in India. Through the vocational school, people taking the classes learn these specific skills to get jobs. “Within a week or so, people can have a skill where they can start earning a living wage. It is a great help for people who are trapped in poverty or oppression and have no way to earn a living,” says Bishop.

If you love kids, the Vacation Bible School project involves sharing the gospel with tens of thousands of children who have never heard the gospel. VBS also provides a place for children to go while their parents try to make a living.

Veterinarians and farmers are needed for the crop improvement project. “We are looking for people with special skills, both veterinarians and farmers, who could go and help really poor India farmers who don’t have the skills or knowledge of how to best care for or produce land, crops, and farm animals,” says Bishop.

The opportunity to help people in India not only impacts their physical needs but also gives them a picture of who Jesus is. Bishop says, “You know what the question they always ask is? ‘Why are you willing to help me? Why do you care about me?’ It’s the perfect opening to say, “You know, it’s because of the love of Jesus.'”

By going on a short-term mission trip, you can make a difference in the lives of people in India.

(Photo by Far Corner Missions)

“Once you go and engage with the people, your heart is captured,” says Bishop. “Once people’s hearts are captured, their tendency is to stay involved for longer periods of time and look for additional ways to be helpful.”

Far Corners Missions will soon have a video on their Web site that will show work done in previous trips and explain what future short-term teams can do in India.

Visit the Far Corners Missions Web site to find out how you can join a short-term team.

(Courtesy of Far Corners Missions)

India (MNN) — Graduation is associated with the beginning of a career and a time  to begin making one’s mark upon the world. That’s all good in itself, but it’s not everything. Christians must ask themselves if they’re ultimately following their calling and making their mark for the name of God.

Far Corners Missions recently saw two separate classes from two schools in India graduate with their eyes set on Jesus.

The first school is Word of Life Bible College where 24 pastors graduated the program. Gary Bishop of Far Corners was there. He says, “What a great time to be there to celebrate with them, to acknowledge their hard work, and to just rejoice with them over how God’s prepared their lives to go make a huge difference in a village.”

The curriculum is comparable to what a bachelor’s Bible program might look like in the U.S. The 2-year program prepares the pastors to plant churches in unreached villages.

Bishop explains, “We’re not targeting a village that already has a church in it. We’re only going to places where you don’t have any believers. They would, for the most part, be villages that are dominated by Hindu believers.” There are Muslim communities where these pastors will be working as well.

After the pastors graduate, Far Corners supports them for 5 years so they can focus on planting the church.

Bishop shares a story about one graduate. When asked what he needed most now that he is graduated, he said “prayer.” He explained that he needed courage to go back to his village where everyone–his family included–is Hindu and resistant to Christ.

People who feel called to sponsor one of these pastors will soon have many options. They can commit to supporting a pastor through schooling for two years. The sponsorship covers all the pastor’s immediate needs.

Sponsors can also focus on graduates for five or seven years. “They’re going into…an unreached village: there’s no church there. There is, in most cases, not even one believer in the village,” Bishop says.

The cost is $65-$75 a month. While this may be difficult for one person or family to do, it is a great commitment for groups of people to make. “Any church, or small group, or Bible class can come alongside these guys and be the support for them. The great thing is they get to hear from him regularly. We get quarterly reports from these guys, whether they’re in school in the field, and all the sudden the church forms a real bond because he becomes their guy in the field in India, planting a church.” Sponsors are essentially planting a church in India.

While in India, Bishop witnessed the graduation ceremony at The Self-Help New Life Center. The center is a vocational school that provides practical skills training for victims of society. This includes women and girls rescued out of human trafficking, orphans, and oppressed individuals of the caste system.

“We have nine skill areas that we teach in our vocational school,” Bishop explains. For prostitutes, slum dwellers, and dump scavengers, this is an opportunity to earn a living outside of the cruel worlds they have known.

“Often people are trapped in the poverty and oppression of the untouchables and the ‘have-not’ of India. One of the best ways we can help them is to offer them some skills training.”

These skills include sewing, garment piecing, typing, computer processing (data entry), and small appliance repair.

270 students finished six months of training. These graduates can now look at the world around them with the hope for a new life. Bishop says, “Not only do they get skills training, but they become aware of a Savior that loves them so much.

He continues, “They hear over and over again in that six months why it is that somebody would provide this kind of help for them, and it is through the love of Jesus. They get multiple chances to hear the Gospel.”

Even sweeter than seeing these classes graduate, Bishop also witnessed nine baptisms: three children from the orphanage, three children of staff members, and three ladies from local churches.

While the hand of God is clearly moving strong in India, there is increasing governmental opposition. Far Corners asks you to pray that the doors will stay open in India for continued Gospel work.

If you’d like to support a pastor, that option is available here. If you want to give to the ministry, click here.

(Photo courtesy of Far Corners Missions)

India (MNN) — Think about any long-term goals you may have. In the next twenty-five years, do you plan on significantly impacting over 1200 people?

Often for such large goals, you need help from many people. Far Corners Missions knows well how effective the body of Christ can be to reach an unreached people. This truth is embodied in their long-term goal, “Vision 25.”

Gary Bishop of Far Corners explains how the project was started: “It came as a result of myself and our board specifically seeking God’s direction for ‘What do you want us to really be focusing on in India?’ We’ve been there 46 years now, and we’ve planted 1060 churches in India. The direction from God was very clear to me, and that was: ‘Finish the job.’”

What does it mean to finish the job? It means to reach everyone in India with the Gospel.

Bishop defines their area of focus on the Central East Coast of India, an area 450 km long. “We have found 1250 more villages that are unreached villages. That is, there’s no identifiable believers, there’s no church, and there’s no one planting a church there now. So we’ve accepted the responsibility as an organization to finish the job of planting a church in each of those villages.

“So that’s what Vision 25 is about. We’ve given ourselves the next 25 years to train and equip enough village pastors to go out and plant churches in each of those villages.”

The training is done in a two-year education program at Word of Life Bible Training Center. Right now, Far Corners is able to produce about 22 graduates out of a program designed for 25 each year. However, in order to reach their goal, they need to double that number.

To do this, Far Corners must add another floor to their dormitory. The project is projected to cost about $88,000. The construction has not yet begun, but you can begin support of it now. Construction is expected to begin this year.

For more personal support of the project, you can support a young pastor for $65 a month. “That covers his entire expense. That covers all of his tuition, books, actually even his clothing, his food, and his lodging,” Bishop clarifies. “Then we support them [pastors] for the next five years while they go to an unreached village and plant their church.” $65 continues to be their monthly support during this time.

People who feel led to support a pastor will have essentially planted a church in an unreached village without going there.

With excitement Bishop asks, “Can you imagine just maybe your family, your Bible class at church, or even your church could have the role of planting a church in a village where there are no believers today? What a tremendous response to the Great Commission call.” Look for a newsletter update on the project with details on how you can support.

A potential area for concern is the constantly shifting anti-conversion laws in India. Andhra Pradesh, the focus of this project, is a state surrounded by anti-conversion sympathies. The possibility for the state to adopt any sort of similar law is always there.

Bishop is not concerned, however. Of their 46 years of work in India he says, “God has allowed the door to shut in certain places in the world, and we’ve witnessed that and seen it happen before. But our job is, until that happens, is to be faithful, to continue to do everything He’s called us to do until He closes the door.”

They have had no indication that their work will need to stop in India anytime soon. One advantage that Far Corners has is their missionary strategy: “We only use indigenous missionaries. We have no sent missionaries, we have no expatriate people from the United States on our staff there.” This commitment to indigenous missionary work is key because often indigenous missionary work can survive where other types cannot.

If you are unable to support the ministry monetarily or are committed elsewhere, you can always pray for Far Corners efforts and the people they reach.

In this situation, pray for the families sending their young men to be pastors, and for the pastors themselves. Pray for people to come alongside to provide the monthly support for the pastors.

Finally, pray that God would prepare the hearts of the lost people in those 1250 villages. “The darkness is so profound because you’re talking about a society that has been for thousands of years living in the darkness of a false religion. And so, it’s not easy to go in and plant a church and introduce Jesus Christ to them. [We] need their hearts to be open and for God to provide that door of openness to their hearts.”

Give all year round with Far Corners Missions (photo by Far Corners Missions)

Int’l (MNN) — Christmas may be over, but the promise that Christmas represents is always here. Jesus gave the ultimate gift that lasts forever. Were you inspired by any other gifts given this season?

Christmas shopping is done, but it’s not too late to pay a charitable act forward.

Far Corners Missions has a Christmas gift catalog that lasts all year. The Giving Book is a unique opportunity to share God’s love in ways that matter. From health care to job training to spiritual equipping, Far Corners has a variety of ways to immediately impact the lives of the hurting and the lost around the world. Gary Bishop, President of Far Corners explains: “It offers people about 22 different ways to provide support depending on what interests God has put into their hearts.”

One of the more interesting gifts you can give is a water buffalo. “We use water buffalos at our leprosy hospital in India to provide milk. Water buffalos are an expensive commodity,” Bishops says, “We have a farm attached to our leprosy hospital to provide food for the hospital and other feeding.”

Other gifts include baby chicks, meals for the elderly, supporting a child or a pastor. Bishop shares that they feed people for about twenty-five cents a day. That’s cheaper than most phone or cable bills.

You can also provide job training for a woman who has been rescued out of trafficking. Or perhaps your heart lies in reaching people with the Gospel: you can provide copies of the Bible along with a two year scholarship at the Word of Life Training Center. Another opportunity is to support Far Corners’ movie ministry.

“So I encourage people to go to our Web site,” says Bishop, “and they can see 22 different ways they could bless the lives of people that are suffering, in such really drastic human suffering, and [who] also are lost in spiritual darkness.”

For a complete list, click here. Or if you’d prefer a monetary gift, follow this link.

You can always support the ministry through prayer. Pray that the Gospel will be spread effectively by Far Corners, and that many who are lost will come to know Jesus as their Savior.

According to reports, trafficking of minor girls is a $1-billion-a-year industry in Mumbai, India alone. Bishop says Far Corners wants to do something about it. "We have to get into a preventative mode and that is to find children at risk, put them in a safe place, care for all their needs, and give them the opportunity to get to know Jesus Christ and His love."

The director of Far Corners in India has taken 29 children into his home. Now they need an orphanage. "God led us to a vision of a 250-child orphanage. But in order for the group in India to be eligible to receive funds from North America to do that, they have to be registered."

According to Bishop, that hasn't been easy. "That application started last year, and it has been held up. We're not sure why. It's just been dragging. We know there are some revisions in the laws in India, so perhaps that's part of it. Or, perhaps, the evil one just doesn't want this to come about," says Bishop.

The money to purchase the land in Gannavarum, India has already been raised. Now Bishop says bureaucracy is in the way. "Be praying for favor in the eyes of the bureaucracy in India, and more specifically, the departments that will approve this, that our registration will come through and that we can move forward with the orphanage."

Once the approval happens, you can help build the orphanage. "Believe it or not, we're going to be able to construct this facility to house and care for the complete needs for 250 children for around $90,000."

While all this is important physically, Bishop says it not the only thing. "Not only do they make sure that these children are safe, but they also let them see the love of Jesus in their hearts. Then they tell them about this Jesus who loved them so much that He would give himself up for them."

If you'd like to find out more about this project, click here.