December 2021 - Monthly Report

 

Status Report

As a result of Covid-19, we have had to make some major adjustments to our regular teaching routine.  Prior to the covid pandemic, we were traveling to the Solomon Islands in the months of January, April, July and October to conduct seminary classes.  When I returned home from the January 2020 classes, we were moving along well towards the completion of our 5-year teaching plan, with three teaching trips remaining in 2020.  In addition to those three teaching trips, we had a graduation and transfer of administrative duties scheduled for the spring of 2021.  The transfer of administrative duties would essentially represent the beginning of the indigenous seminary in the Solomon Islands, the very thing for which we'd labored since the work began in 2012.

Even though significant technological advances have been made around the world, it is still inadequate in the Solomon Islands to continue educational work with the students.  We have been able to maintain some degree of contact with them through a few men who either have Facebook, email or a working phone.  

Along about 2018, we received an invitation from a pastor friend of mine in Oklahoma to visit their missionary in India, primarily to survey the possibly replicating the work of SIMBSS there.  While we still had quite a bit of work to do in the Solomon Islands, it was exciting to receive such an invitation.  Sometime shortly after, we began considering changing the name of Solomon Islands Missionary Baptist Seminary School (SIMBSS) to reflect a more global approach.  It was our thought that if our supporters were ok with this broader view, we'd consider invitations as they came, while maintaining a primary commitment to the Solomon Islands, at least until we completed our 5-year teaching plan.

Back to Covid. For the first 9-10 months of the pandemic, we expected that travel would resume any time.  During those 9-10 months, we changed the name to Students International Missionary Baptist Seminary School, which allowed us to continue using the acronym "SIMBSS".  As 9-10 months turned in to 16, SIMBSS was invited to participate in a teaching module in Juarez, Mexico.  That trip took place in the last week of May 2021.  While no deputation appointments were sought or requested during the height of the pandemic, things began to loosen up in August 2021. Since that time, many visits have been made.  I've been invited to update churches about SIMBSS, speak in mission conferences and also visited state and local associations.

In the fall of 2021, SIMBSS entered into a new season of ministry, which we believe can co-exist with the international ministry once the Covid numbers recede and borders of other countries reopen.  We have conducted a teaching module at a local church in Arkansas, where I presented a lesson on Outreach and Discipleship.  We also conducted a teaching module at a local church in Missouri, where me and 3 other pastors presented lessons on Discipleship, Teaching Techniques, Outreach and the Kingdom over a 6 day period.

If you have questions for me about any of this, please don't hesitate to contact me.  There is a Contact Form on the left side of the home page of this blog.

Blessings,

Doug Clements