Bluegrass Baptist Seminary Adding PhD Program
November 20, 2023
Dear friends and family,
This month we made a trip to Brazil to attend a missions conference. We were granted the privilege of telling about the Bluegrass Baptist Seminary to over 200 Pastors and Missionaries from various countries. We had a wonderful time and the Lord we serve was AWESOME with His presence there. It was even better than we had prayed for in that we got to talk to everyone there and many were interested in participating in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. For example, there was a missionary from Argentina and they have a Seminary there in Argentina, and want all 15 of their teachers/Pastors to enroll in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary’s Master’ s program. Many of their Pastors/ teachers have completed a four-year Seminary but their schools are not accredited; but for a window of time they can take a State course to get that training accredited, and that is important because we require an accredited diploma to enroll in our Master’s program.
Also present was one of the lead pastors from Temple Baptist Church in São Paulo City and we got to sit down with him and plan another graduation for the pastors there in São Paulo. Nine of them have finished their thesis and are now ready to receive their diplomas. It will be a grand ceremony for the Master’s of Pastoral Ministries, which is only given to pastors. AWESOME!
Also in January 2024 we will be initiating into Bluegrass Baptist Seminary an accredited Ph. D program. AWESOME IS THE GOD WE SERVE!!!! NOTE: we already have two students ready to enroll, one of which is a missionary to the Jews in São Paulo City.
We were able to set up a table with all our information about the Seminary and the classes for the coming year. The classes begin in January. Our family there in Caraguatatuba were a big help in manning the tables and talking to those interested in the Seminary.
As you know, it has been an uphill battle to get this Seminary running. Many prayers, tears and much sweat and dedication of our professors (all of whom are doctors and PHDs and are from the USA). These Professors donate their time as a gift to the Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. THANKS!!!
All this being said, it would have not been possible without Baptist Faith Missions and all of the AWESOME people who give regularly and pray for the missionaries and the works of Baptist Faith Missions.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 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.
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Influencing Pastors & Churches through Seminary
September 15, 2023
Dear friends and family,
I am rejoicing in the Seminary classes that have been taught. We are in the planning stage for next year’s classes while our final semester is beginning this week.
This November will be extremely busy for us as the Seminary, Pastor Derek and myself, and many others will be involved in a Missionary/Pastor Conference with around 200 Pastors and families in attendance. We will be presenting the Seminary, the classes that have been accomplished, our accreditation through the Masters Program and what will be added this coming year: an accredited PhD Program! How AWESOME is the God we serve.
As of now the Seminary has graduated 23 to the Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies and Masters of Arts in Pastoral Ministries.
However, we have also completed several classes in Pastoral Ministries where the students received a certificate of completion. These students just wanted to be better trained and informed Biblically.
This week I heard from one of these students. He is now the pastor of one of the mission points that we started. At the time, this man was just a member of that mission point in Natividade da Serra. And wanted to learn more about God’s Word. This mission point has since been organized into a church. Israel was voted to be the pastor and his wife Joyce is making a wonderful pastor’s wife. The letter I received this week from them was thanking us for the influence and the encouragement given to him. You never know how your words impact those you speak to. I am including pictures of the church there in Natividade da Serra. This type of letter helps to keep me in focus the objective for the seminary to take basic evangelical seminary training to the underserved pastors and church leaders in Brazil. God is moving and opening doors for the seminary. We are looking to open more locations in the coming years. Please keep Bluegrass Baptist Seminary in your prayers. Also pray for Baptist Faith Missions because if it were not for them, we would not be in Brazil doing God’s work. Keep us in your prayers also as we will be traveling a lot in the next months.
In His service,
AJ and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 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
The Awesome God of Miracles
August 15, 2023
Dear friends and families,
This semester of the Seminary is going great. We are having smaller numbers, but God is in control. There have been 15 in the classes and the interest in the advanced degree is growing. One of Dr. Derek’s classes had a Pastor whose wife was pregnant; the baby came but there were complications, and the baby did not make it, but the Pastor came to class anyway. The Pastor said, “I just need this class”. But I can tell you the class was not only good for him, but the students were blessed with encouragement from each other.
Our time in Brazil was well spent visiting different churches and seeing people from our past. But there was a miracle that happened while were there. Our youngest granddaughter Ashley has been suffering from food intolerances. There were two or three pages of food that she could not eat because she would vomit. So just before we got to Brazil, there was a birthday celebration at church and Ashley begged to eat one of the foods that she had not eaten for two and a half years, so her mom permitted it. We were just waiting for the normal reaction from eating non-permitted food, but the normal reaction did not come. So, she began eating everything she had been missing for so long. You know, we had been asking God for a miracle and He sent us one. So next, we started waiting for her to get sick again. You know…why do we ask for something then doubt when He gives it to us?
God is the AWESOME God of miracles, and we were able to witness one this trip.
Continue to pray for the Seminary and for our traveling to Brazil.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 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
New Plans for the Seminary
June 2, 2023
Dear friends and family,
Thank you, Lord, the COVID disaster is over. Now we can begin to get back to the planning of the Seminary. As with many ministries along with many churches, the job ahead of us is an uphill battle but we serve an AWESOME God and He is able to make things happen.
In all of the re-organizing of Bluegrass Baptist Seminary, we have a plan—then some things change. We are getting closer and closer to the structure we are desiring and praying for.
So here goes our “now” plan! In two years, a student in Brazil can complete a Masters (accredited) in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. The degrees are the same: a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries. A person can also elect to take all the courses for their own self edification and receive a certificate of completion for the courses they chose to take.
I pray all the time for these saints who choose to understand God’s truths in Scriptures and build God’s kingdom in Brazil through the local church.
These last two months have been a lot of telephone work getting classes organized for this year and the next year. Four of the professors we have for the classes are PhDs and the other two are Doctors. We also have two adjunct professors if needed. How AWESOME is He who puts His plans in motion. Along with these Professors we have three translators and one more for back up as needed.
All the classes are approved and planned for this year and next year. These classes will be done via Zoom with the exemption of the Greek and the Hebrew classes which will be taught on site in São Paulo City and one other location to be determined at a later date. And now for some AWESOME news: we have been approved to start a PhD program for the year 2024. At this time, I do not have all the details, but as we get them we will be passing them along to you. But for now, we invite you to rejoice with us for this blessing for the Brazilian students.
Thank each and every one of you who keep us at God’s throne for our safety and health. God has been faithful in all things. We are hoping to go to Brazil in July if God wills. Right now, we are waiting for our renewed passports, so pray with us for this. We have some people to see and places to go so we hope we are permitted.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 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
Reorganizing Seminary Classes
March 17, 2023
Dear friends and family,
It is great to report that the Seminary is going great. We are in the middle of doing two classes now and when those are completed, we will do two more. This will be our spring semester. For the fall semester we will have four more classes for a total of eight classes for the year.
The difference with these classes is that they are being done via zoom. In years past that would not even have been thought of, let alone been possible. Also, we are planning to have not only the zoom classes but along with the zoom classes, we will have one of our professors on site at a local church for one of these four classes each semester. That puts a more personal touch on these classes.
We are reorganizing our classes so a student in Bluegrass Baptist Seminary can complete their master’s degree in two years. Some ripples will be encountered, so pray for the students, the professors, and us as we implement these changes. The same degrees will be offered: Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries, Master of Arts in Biblical Studies. These degrees are with accreditation. Continue to pray for the Seminary and the students. As we look at all that is happening with Bluegrass Baptist Seminary all I can say is, “Our God is an AWESOME God”!
We are planning to be in Brazil either in July or August for a major Pastoral Conference where we can introduce more Pastors to Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. We are just waiting for the time and place to be announced so we can buy our tickets. There we will be able to talk to some of the Pastors who are presently taking the courses and continue encouraging them. And of course we could not go to Brazil without visiting the grandbabies. God gave us the best for last when he gave us our three grands!!!
When we started Bluegrass Baptist Seminary, I had a dream. We have been able to complete a part of that dream so now on to the next part. My dream, wish, prayer was to train the Pastors of Brazil and then because of that training, use some of those graduates to start a four-year Seminary of their own. God is faithful to answer prayers. He is AWESOME!!! I am pleased to tell you that God has put that dream to work. Some of the previous graduates have opened that seminary. The name of it is ETEBABI. They will be using some of the material that Pastor Derek Coleman wrote for Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. They will be able to piggyback on some of our zoom classes to help enhance their curriculum. We serve a God of AWESOME capabilities.
Continue to pray for us as we carry God’s Word to Brazil and for those who help in our support through Baptist Faith Missions.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 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
Amazed at God’s Miracles
February 20, 2023
Dear friends and family,
Being in the ministry and seeing all that God can do, I am still amazed when I see a special need that the Lord is working on. Either I have forgotten the last time, or I think that I can take care of it, BUT He says, “AJ, it is under control,” and He makes a miracle again. Sometimes I let my human side think too much, worry too much, and all the time, He’s got it. Thank you, Lord, for taking care of the need and once again showing me my smallness. How great and AWESOME is the One we serve!
As we are planning for the class in April, we ask you to pray that we are reaching the Pastors and Churches that need the seminary training. Also, please pray that they will reach those who need to hear that gospel for saving grace.
Allow me to digress for just a moment. During the last three classes in São Paulo City, we had a gentleman who sat on the first row in the class, and we soon discovered that he was blind. He used a recorder for his notes and when it came time for his test, I read the questions for him. He passed all the exams with flying colors by the way. This is just an example for us to remember that even the blind man sees the need for the gospel! Once more we see how AWESOME our God is!!!
I want to tell you about one more miracle. Our Brazilian son (of the heart), a child of the street, will be starting his veterinarian practice and his ambition is to use his knowledge to serve the Lord in India or Africa. Pray for him to be able to get a visa to visit us and then go to one of these countries to spread the gospel. From street kid to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine! God will and does make a difference in lives! AWESOME!!!
Continue to pray for the seminary and us as we are going to be starting classes via Zoom. We are and will be purchasing some computers for our Brazilian partners. They will be helping translate and guiding in finding other Churches and communities for the Seminary to reach for God.
Thanks to ALL who support BFM— partners, friends, neighbors, churches, pastors. Without you, it would be impossible for us to be on the field. THANK YOU!
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
A blind man participating in the seminary class
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 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
Plans for 2023
December 12, 2022
Dear friends and family,
Hope this letter finds all in good health and looking forward to the holidays. This time of year is a good time for reflections on what has been accomplished for God. Nevertheless, none of this could have been accomplished this year nor in the past years without everyone’s help, prayers, contributions, and encouragement! What an AWESOME privilege it is to be a missionary representative of Baptist Faith Missions on the field in Brazil. Seeing lives changed, churches started, ministers encouraged, and seminary classes completed (first graduation for the Masters of Arts in Biblical studies), all we can say is how AWESOME is the Lord and Savior we serve—Jesus Christ. It is just a privilege to be a part of this work.
We will be traveling in January to start the planning for expanding the outreach of Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. Our goal for the coming year is to reach other regions outside of the state of São Paulo. We have been talking to Pastors in two churches and reacquainting ourselves with another Pastor who was going to join with us before COVID. Also, we will be starting an online class with full accreditation. So please continue to pray for us and the Seminary and pray for us as we continue to equip the saints in Brazil to build God’s kingdom through a deeper understanding of His truth in the Scriptures.
Once more, THANK you and God bless you for your faithfulness serving alongside us here in Brazil.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara Hensley
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 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
First Graduation in the Master’s Program at Bluegrass Baptist Seminary
October 18, 2022
Dear friends and family,
It is a great blessing when you can see God’s work coming together with your focus on missions! We have just completed our first graduation in the Master’s program. We had 21 people who completed all the required courses. However, 11 of the Pastors still had to write their thesis papers and chose to not participate until those were completed.
The first 10 graduated with a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies. I was awarded the same degree by the students and the Professors. The 11 Pastors will receive a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries. They have also completed three additional courses: Greek, Hebrew, and Thesis writing for their Master’s degree.
One of the blessings for me was that one of the students in their graduating class was a member of our last church started in Caraguatatuba. She was a great help in that church – Sunday School teacher, visitation helper, and she perfected her English while there. She also helped Barbara with translation when we had groups from the States. She has now moved to São Paulo to complete her education and was able to come to the Seminary while studying in the University there. Isn’t it AWESOME how GOD works in lives who are serving Him?
In class, there is usually one person who tries to question the Professors in their Biblical knowledge. Well, Bluegrass Baptist Seminary was not exempt to that type of person. But to show you how mighty our God is, not only did this person question the Professors, but he did it constantly. But our Professors were able to answer every questions and this gentleman came on graduation day and asked for forgiveness from the Professors and all the students. Everyone forgave him without question.
Our upcoming classes are being planned, and Barb and I will be going back to Brazil in January. We will be setting up new locations and talking to the Pastors of the new churches. Continue to pray for us as we travel and for our health.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 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
