Planning Continues for 2021 Classes
September 17, 2020
Dear friends and family,
This has been a month that went into our history books. So for a moment let’s ALL remember the lives that were lost on 9/11, and pray for their families and others affected on that tragic date. This is especially close to me as I served with the Lexington Fire Department for 23 years before I surrendered to the call to be a missionary to Brasil. God is AWESOME, we do not always understand all but one thing never changes, God is God. It is He who is in control!!
It has been another month for planning and preparation, but before I get into that I need to tell you about an interruption that has happened to me this month. While doing some clean up on the property here in Lexington I had an accident. I was removing some tree limbs from a trailer and lost my balance and began to fall. So I jumped and landed wrong and broke my ankle. Now I am wearing one of those boots and looking to be wearing it for 6 weeks. But the good part of this is that I did not have to have surgery.
As the planning continues, both here and in Brasil, we are zooming with our pastors there, working with leaders and professors here, and we are confirming dates for our 2021 classes. This planning involves choosing the locations, the professors, the translators, and the tech support people. We have completed our first virtual class. There were some minor glitches but we are getting them corrected. So, we have the first of many under our belt and looking forward to many more.
We request your prayers for this ministry and all our involved partners and volunteers, students, and most of all—YOU— our financial supporters and prayer partners.
It is with much appreciation and gratitude that I express our love and prayers to all of you who sponsor, support, and loyally give to BFM. During this pandemic we appreciate even more your financial support as we know you have families and it gets harder to continue your outside giving. So, one more time THANK YOU for your financial support and prayerful intercession for our ministry.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
592 Emery Court
Lexington, KY 40505
AJ: 859-539-2302Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
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Studies Being Taught in BBS
August 19, 2020
Dear friends and family,
This month has flown by with little change so we thought we would show you the studies that are being taught in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. These are the classes with a description of them.
Bluegrass Baptist Seminary Course Listing/ Descriptions
- BBS:101 Systematic-Theology
The Christian church has a long tradition of systematic theology, that is, studying theology and doctrine organized around fairly standard categories. This course presents material in each of these categories for the purpose of preparing students for ministry within the local church. The categories are examined in depth with an in-depth focus of contemporary application for today’s church.
- BBS-102 Old Testament Survey
This course is designed to provide a basic introduction to each book of the Old Testament. While traditional topics such as authorship, date, and historical context will be covered, there will be special focus on the revelation of Jesus Christ in each book. There also is a focus on providing keys to understanding each book in the context of the entirety of the Scriptures.
- BBS-103 New Testament Survey
This course is designed to provide a basic introduction to each book of the New Testament. While traditional topics such as authorship, date, and historical context will be covered, there will be special focus on the revelation of Jesus Christ in each book. There also is a focus on providing keys to understanding each book in the context of the entirety of the Scriptures
- BBS-104 Pastoral Ministries
This course is designed to equip students for pastoral ministry by examining the various aspects of ministry required of pastors serving in local congregations. Also, it includes identifying the biblical absolutes, priorities, and qualifications needed for effective pastoral ministry within the local church.
- BBS-105 Theology of Evangelism
This course provides a general introduction to the theology of evangelism. The course is divided into three major units: (1) Foundational Tenets of Evangelism; (2) Preaching Components of Evangelism; and (3) Practical Aspects of Evangelism. The purpose of this course is to provide the local pastor with basic theological understanding and tools for implementing a biblical plan of evangelism in the local church.
- BBS-106 Theology of Discipleship
This course provides a general introduction to the theology of discipleship. The course is divided into three major units: (1) Evaluation of Today’s Discipleship in the Local Church; (2) Biblical Foundations for Discipleship; and (3) Church-Based Discipleship. The purpose of this course is to provide the local pastor with basic theological understanding and tools for implementing a biblical plan of discipleship in the local church.
- BBS-107 Lexical Hebrew
This course provides the student with the basics for working in the Hebrew biblical language. It includes a basic presentation of Hebrew grammar, such as recognizing vowel markings and sentence structure. This is not a language course, per se, but provides tools for use such as lexicons, dictionaries, and grammars, to assist the student in gaining a better understanding of a biblical text.
- BBS-108 Lexical Greek
This course provides the student with the basics for working in the Greek biblical language. It includes a basic presentation of Greek grammar, such as recognizing verb endings and sentence structure. This is not a language course, per se, but provides tools for use such as lexicons, dictionaries, and grammars, to assist the student in gaining a better understanding of a biblical text.
- BBS-109 Biblical Proclamation
This course provides a general introduction for developing an expository sermon. The course is divided into four major units: (1) The Need for Expository Preaching; (2) Expository Sermon Preparation; and (3) Expository Preaching Hermeneutics, and (4) Delivering an Expository Sermon. The purpose of this course is to provide the local pastor with basic theological understanding and tools for preparing and delivering expository sermons.
- BBS-110 Survey of Church History
This course provides a general overview of the history of the church. The course covers the major events and philosophies of the church from 6 BCE to the end of the 20th century. It focuses on the historical setting and explanation of Christian ideas and institutions. The purpose of this course is to provide students with an annotated timeline of the church’s develop from the 1st century through the 20th century.
- BBS-111 Introduction to Christian Apologetics
This course studies Christian apologetics and its implications for and application to evangelism. It provides students with an explanation of key components within Christian apologetics. Points of tension between and within various apologetic methods are explored in the course as well. The purpose of this course is to aid students in the development of effective apologetic approaches for evangelizing people in the contemporary culture.
- BBS-112 Thesis Paper Writing
This course serves as an information class for writing a thesis paper. The student will learn techniques and styles for researching and writing a thesis paper. The course includes one week of in-class instruction and 4 months of research and writing. Upon completion of the thesis paper the student will defend their work to a seminary thesis committee. Upon successful defense (defined as receiving a passing grade), the course is complete.
These are the classes we are scheduling for 2021. Please pray for the courses and the professors and the Pastors planning to attend the classes. We serve an AWESOME God and we know that He is in control of everything that is happening. So, we are trusting that He will make everything right and in His timing.
In His service,
AJ and Barb
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
592 Emery Court
Lexington, KY 40505
AJ: 859-539-2302Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
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Paperwork & Planning for 2021
The Hensleys have served the Lord in Brazil, South America since 1996. They have worked with orphanages, started mission points, established churches, and are presently conducting a seminary to train Brazilian pastors.
July 18, 2020
Dear friends and family,
I have told you before how it is sometimes hard to get a letter started because I don’t know where to start. Well this is one of those times.
I have been totally blessed in that I have been to all my doctors and done all the tests. So now all the results have been sent back to the doctors and here are the AWESOME RESULTS. My PSA is undetectable (for those of you who have not dealt with prostate cancer, that is excellent), my heart is good, just working a little slower because of my age, my sugar diabetes needs me to eat better, lose a little bit and add one pill that I had been able not to take earlier. Oh well, over all I am good. I am going to blame the weight gain on the virus (being cooped in and eating everything I see, how can a poor boy win?). But I am blessed.
We are using this down time to get a lot of paperwork and planning done for the Seminary. Our goal is still the same for Blue Grass Baptist Seminary: providing the saints of Brasil with a solid understanding of God’s truth in Scripture, also equipping them to evangelize, disciple, and build God’s Kingdom in Brasil. We have been on the phone, the internet, and zoom with the pastors in Brasil looking at the schedule for 2021.
We had a couple in São Paulo who missed our first class there because of their first child. They asked when we would be giving that class again so that they could graduate with their original class. We had been looking into virtual classes, so we will be using this as an experiment for doing just that. We are hoping to do this soon, but that means that we have to have our Portuguese website up and running so this can happen. Will you pray with us for all the hurdles we are having to jump through at this time will be scaled with ease? The other concern is to not do anything to impede our accreditation status there in Brasil. Just lots more RED TAPE. Praise God we got the word that we can have 1/3 of our classes virtual this upcoming semester.
We have been working on the specific dates, assigning professors, and lining up the sites for the classes for this upcoming 2021 year. In doing this, we have run into a few things that we ask for your prayers for: two of our regular professors have accepted calls to new churches and they do not know if they will be able to teach in 2021. Pray these new churches will have the same hearts for missions that their previous churches had. If not, pray that God provides other Pastors to fill their places.
We have been able to accomplish all this planning with the great technology that is out there today. We have communicated with and have seen all those involved in this ministry through zoom and FaceTime.
Our greatest need right now is to be able to get to Brasil to teach those faithful Pastors, Sunday school teachers and Church workers. Pray with us as we work for Gods Kingdom through Bluegrass Baptist Seminary and Baptist Faith Missions.
In His service,
Aj and Barb
Contact Info:
AJ & Barbara Hensley
Cell #s — AJ: 859-539-2302 / Barb: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Preparing to Equip Amidst Bumps in the Road
June 22, 2020
Friends and family,
Serving as a missionary has been and is one of the most AWESOME things of my life. Though there have been some bumps on the road, the love of this calling is still AWESOME. These last three years have been filled with more bumps than the others. First there was the discovery of cancer, the operation of the cancer (they did not get all the cancer with this surgery), then after the waiting time for the surgery to heal, I had 38 radiation treatments—and to further assure that the cancer was gone, they started injections in the stomach of hormones for a year (this was more painful than any of the other treatments).
We do not always know what God has in store for our lives, but we know that He is in control. After all this I was sure that God was not finished with me yet. So instead of planting churches, my focus has moved to equipping the pastors and church workers with a seminary to train them in the Word. So, the way of doing God’s work has changed, not our focus.
As we enter into the second year of the seminary there is another bump in our road. The COVID-19 virus. As you know, this has changed all our lives and our way of life. So, we have had to cancel all the classes for 2020. Not only has COVID-19 changed our lives, but also the lives of the Brazilians. So, now we can no longer go to Brazil, and when the virus reaches Brazil, they are like Americans, they are quarantined and without work. This all means that we cannot go to Brazil, but even if we could, the pastors will not have any money to pay for their courses.
Now we are using this time to plan for next year. And boy, what a year it will be. So that we can make up the year we are losing this year, we are looking at having 20 classes in 2021. This means that we have to schedule the classes back-to-back so that I will be able to accompany each of the American professors.
We will be allowed to conduct 7 of the classes in the virtual format. This is something that we have been working on since the virus. The rest of the classes will be held in seven different locations. These will be with the professors, the translators, and me.
Well, I have seemed to ramble, but all to show that even though we have been in quarantine, we have continued to work.
We need much prayer for these plans to go forward smoothly. So please get on your knees and lift us up to the Lord because we know the AWESOME God that is in charge, and He knows the plans He has for our lives.
In His service,
Aj and Barb
Contact Info:
AJ & Barbara Hensley
Cell #s — AJ: 859-539-2302 / Barb: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
A Look Back
Dear friends and family,
Well, this month, we wives have been asked to write the letters. So, I have been thinking of my time as a missionary wife and all the different things I have done. But my mind returns to now and how everything has been put on hold because of the pandemic. I have been struggling with what to write in this letter so I think I will do a quick look back.
When we first came to Brasil our goal was to be helpers to Odali and Kathy Barros. We went to Vera Cruz, São Paulo, Brasil. There I walked to their house every day to help Kathy with the boys they had in their home. This was the start of the Orphanage.
Now I want to tell you that we went to Brasil without knowing the language, which is Portuguese. This is not something that I would recommend for a new missionary. So, we encountered many things that were language barriers in our day-to-day lives. For example, we learned how to say “bread”, but went to get some and did not know the word for how many we wanted, but we could hold up how many fingers. One day I wanted to make some bread and went to the store to get flour, but did not know the word for “flour”, so I looked for something that might indicate that it was flour but did not find anything. And this time, I could not figure out how to motion anything for that word. These are just two of the many challenges I faced.
I spent the majority of my days alongside Kathy, so she was my translator. But when I went home, we only had each other to communicate with. It was so funny. When a Brasilian tried to talk to us and we did not respond because we did not understand, they would just repeat it…only louder because they thought we did not hear them.
We moved later to the next city as Odali and Kathy moved to be closer to the Church and to have more space for the children. In these two places, my job remained the same: helper in the daily routine. We stayed in the house that we were able to rent for some time. Then in this town, we were to be able to get the use of an old abandoned hospital because the house that Odali and Kathy had was quickly getting too small.
In this place my duties became more intense as AJ and I became house parents to various boys. So then 24/7 we were in charge of the care of these boys. Their clothes, the managing of their chores, their studies, their bedtimes—well, you understand—all in. There were times I would sit up all night with a sick one, bake cookies at the last minute for a school party, etc.
After several years in Garça, we were invited to help another missionary couple start another orphanage. But after some time in this place it became clear that the Mayor of the town did not want Americans opening an orphanage in his town, so God moved us again.
This time we visited Odali’s brother and were invited to help him in his church. We have spent over 14 years in this town: Caraguatatuba. My work changed from a mother to boys at an orphanage to wife of a pastor. But in each phase of our lives, my main focus has been on the children. Whether it be in an orphanage or in a church, children naturally gravitated to me. It did not seem to matter that I am very strict with them; they seem to want this in their lives.
We have been just like all of you for some time, quarantined in a home in Florida, because it was from there that we were going to fly to Brasil. So, when this pandemic is over, our trips to Brasil for the Seminary will begin again.
I will close this letter with a story a Pastor here in Florida told me recently. He said when he heard at a Baptist Faith Missions Conference that AJ had been accepted as a missionary with BFM, he just shook his head. He thought AJ would make a good missionary, but he was sure that I would not last over a month. This pastor telling me this asked for my forgiveness at the Conference this year. Well I have, through God’s grace been on the field with AJ for 23 years. And with God’s grace, I think that I have a few more in me.
Thank each and every one of you for your faithful prayers and financial support—because missionaries do not do this on our own, it takes ALL of us working together.
In His service,
Barbara Hensley
Contact Info:
AJ & Barbara Hensley
Cell #s — AJ: 859-539-2302 / Barb: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Waiting on the Lord of All
The Hensleys have spent nearly 20 years serving in Brazil. They have established a church in Caraguatatuba and mission points throughout the city. They have also recently started a seminary to train pastors.
March 24, 2020
Friends and family,
Well, hope this letter finds you well. We are doing as well as can be expected in these trying times. We are like all you all, trying to keep our head above water and wait to see what God is doing in the whole world.
This past month we have had a funeral of my half-brother and now have had to review our whole schedule. We had two weeks of classes in Brazil in March that we have cancelled and then two weeks in April that we have decided to cancel also. Two of the tickets were booked on Brazilian airlines so it is not like the airlines in the States. We do not know if we are going to get a refund, get to re-book or lose all the money for the tickets.
We were so looking forward to starting the new classes in Manaus and Porto Velho in state of Rondonia. The state of Rondonia is where the fires in the rain forest were so rampant last month. The first two classes in April were to be there, and in Manaus, we were beginning a whole new group of students. We were starting our Masters of Theology program: Systematic Theology and Survey of the Old Testament. These were to be taught by Dr. Derek Coleman and Dr. Raymond Edge. So, not only am I, but our professors are doing hotel and travel cancellations and rescheduling. Then there is the procedure of trying to contact all the students and decide when we can try to reschedule, not knowing when this virus will be over. These students are from 5 different cities in São Paulo, Campinas, Garça, and the new classes in Manaus and Porto Velho. Sometimes life gets put on hold and we wait on God to put it to right. So please pray for the students, as it is our plan to reach Brazil for Christ through these Pastors and Church workers. Also pray for the professors, translators, administrators and other class helpers.
As far as the town where this Seminary gets its roots, it, too, is shut down. The main road that comes down the mountain has been closed except for necessary traffic. This is where Pastor Walmir and Mary and the grandchildren live. So, you see this virus is affecting the whole world.
As for Barbara and I, we are in Florida as we were planning to fly from Florida to Brazil because we found cheap flights from there, so we are now hunkered down here. We can wait on the Lord in any place as He is the Lord of all, and He is in control. So, God bless you all as we together wait for the next step of God’s plan.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
Aj and Barbara Hensley
ajcaragua@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online
Read more
Student Ordained; Planning Seminary Classes
The Hensleys have spent nearly 20 years serving in Brazil. They have established a church in Caraguatatuba and mission points throughout the city. They have also recently started a seminary to train pastors.
February 18, 2020
Dear friends and family,
This has been a time of planning for the year of 2020. The calling, traveling to set new places for classes, and planning the dates has been much busier than expected.
However, that is AWESOME. This means that we will be reaching many more pastors and church workers than we reached last year—and to do this we need to be out and about.
Bluegrass Baptist Seminary is reaching new areas and this means that plans sometimes have to be changed, revised and sometimes we are having to say, “Not now, but please be patient. We will get to your area soon.” Bluegrass Baptist Seminary with its accreditation in Brasil is an AWESOME blessing for pastors and church workers. Pray with us as we attempt to reach as many “areas” of Brasil as is possible.
We are continually trying to find more economical ways to travel, find hotels, and rental cars so we may reach more areas and train more Pastors. One way all may help is to donate to BFM and designate your donation to Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. But the most important thing that you can do is pray.
We are in Brasil doing this work because of BFM and their support and all they do for missionaries. Without them this ministry would not be possible.
Let me digress for a bit and tell you about an AWESOME bit of news. We are posting a picture of a family in the mission point of Natividade da Serra. This family attended the Seminary about two years in Natividade da Serra and this month the husband was ordained to the Gospel ministry. This is just one more example of how God is using the Bluegrass Baptist Seminary in Brasil.
Our God is an AWESOME God.
We ask all of you to continue pray for the ongoing ministries in Brasil, for strength and travel mercies as we travel to the many locations, and also for the future locations that God is putting in our paths and the future students. We are excited about this new year and the ministries that God is sending our way.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
Aj and Barbara Hensley
ajcaragua[at]gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online
Read more
Traveling Stateside; Planning 2020 Classes
The Hensleys have spent nearly 20 years serving in Brazil. They have established a church in Caraguatatuba and mission points throughout the city. They have also recently started a seminary to train pastors.
January 23, 2020
Dear friends and family,
When I was a young child and our parents said that we were going on a road trip we three boys would jump into the car screaming “shotgun”. This means that that person would get to sit beside the driver. And because we all said it at the same time, we would proceed to wrestle for the position.
It seems that for the last week we have been on one of those kinds of trips. We started in San Antonio Texas where we visited with an old Pastor friend, Jason Hamlin. We first met him in Brazil when he and his wife Stacey were searching for the area that God wanted them to serve in Brazil. They had a meeting with several Pastors and Missionaries and each of us gave them reasons why they should work in our work. As you can see, they chose us and Caraguatatuba. We had 3 to 4 years working together then Jason and family had to come home to the States because of health issues with his mom. He has since started to work with a non-profit organization and we got to meet those with whom he is working. We do not know if anything will come out of these meetings, but it never hurts to try plowing new fields for support.
From San Antonio we went to Bastrop, Texas. We spoke to a supporting church there. And met with Dr. Edge the pastor there and our seminary professors. Also, we were able to visit my brother on this trip as he and his wife are members of the church there.
From Bastrop we flew to Orlando, Florida, where we attended the Winter Conference for Baptist Faith Missions at Park Ridge Baptist Church.
During this time Barbara has not once called “shotgun” so I have always gotten the best seat during the trip. We both are feeling like gypsies, but we are having an AWESOME time. We are meeting new friends and renewing old friendships.
We are working diligently to put the schedule for Bluegrass Seminary together for the year 2020. It is going to be a VERY busy year. We will start out in São Paulo City, then on to Campinas in March. This trip we will give two classes, then we will return to the States. Then in April we will head to Manaus, and from there will fly to Porto Velho in another State. On this trip we will be doing four classes. After these classes we will return to the States. Then in June we will return to Garça, giving one class. Then in October we will do six classes spread out in São Paulo, Manaus, Porta Velho.
Pray for us as we endeavor to reach Brazilian Pastors and church workers. This is a very strenuous schedule and much travel, but the return is AWESOME.
Thanks to you and those who support Baptist Faith Missions with your prayers and your finances.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara Hensley
Aj and Barbara Hensley
ajcaragua[at]gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online
Read more
