Missions of the Wilshire Church of Christ
Work in Progress
-
Work in Progress
This page is a work in progress and is only partially complete. Information on the specific missions is not currently available but all missions locations are represented. All links will work, although some may not be populated with updates and instead link to this page.
-
Togo
Wilshire Church of Christ is the overseeing congregation for the African Mission Fund, a ministry begun by Walter and Ruth Bryan in 1973. Starting by supporting a single evangelist, Kouassi Gbedemah or “Tall Paul” as we know him, the ministry has grown and now supports more than 20 Togolese evangelists, as well as an orphanage and a school. This ministry maintains close ties to similar mission efforts in Van Buren, Arkansas, and Cooksville, Illinois. Several churches and perhaps 25 individuals are regular contributors to this work. There are now more than 250 churches of Christ in Togo, a small nation about half the size of Oklahoma but with more than twice the population. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of this work is that the churches are all led by Togolese citizens, and thus it is a very cost-efficient way to do mission. We are able to support 20 Togolese evangelists for fewer dollars than world be necessary to support a single American family.
-
South Pacific Bible College, New Zealand
South Pacific Bible College (SPBC) is a small institution focused on training preachers and church workers from the region of Oceania. Located in the beautiful coastal city of Tauranga on the north island of New Zealand, SPBC trains a handful of students in two and three year programs. Recently the college added a chaplaincy program which is mostly online, trying to supply a specialty program with strong appeal in that region. Wilshire Church of Christ has supported Steve and Gill Raine, directors of SPBC, for more than a decade. SPBC graduates are working with churches in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Chile, Thailand, the Philippines, and several other locations. Despite its small size, SPBC produces highly dedicated graduates who have a deep understanding of scripture and a strong dedication to the Lord’s church. Most graduates return to their home countries, working with churches among their own people.
