Facts about South Africa: The Republic of South Africa is the southernmost nation at the tip of the continent of Africa. It is almost twice the size of Texas with a population of 54 million people. Spread over its nine provinces are many people groups including Zulu, Afrikaans, English, Indian, mixed ethnicities, and immigrants from other countries. There are 11 official languages. Religions include traditionalism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and so-called Christianity. Most Christian churches in South Africa teach and believe in a works salvation. The average South African is religious but lost.
attended services. The people became burdened for their own community and attended soul winning and blitzing times on Saturdays! God blessed abundantly and on November 9, 2014, Victory Baptist Church was chartered and was turned over to its own pastor. Cameroon The Nathan & Karie Owens Family We praise God for saving us and giving us the privilege of serving Him with our lives. Ministering to others as a family has been our joy! Through the years we ve enjoyed singing and playing musical instruments, teaching singles and young married couples, preaching, soul winning, discipling and planting churches here and abroad. God has blessed us with our daughters: Elisabeth, Summerly, and Victoria, and our sons: Nathan, Daniel, and Jeremiah who gladly serve with us. In 2009, God called our family to start churches in Cameroon, West Africa. We were the only independent Baptist missionaries in the southwest region. We began by holding Bible studies in our home. We were engaged with winning people to Christ, baptizing, and discipling new converts. Our converts were taught how to win their fellow Cameroonians to Christ. By God s power, Calvary Independent Baptist Church was planted in the city of Buea. The church grew rapidly and other ministries developed including public school outreaches, choirs, ladies, children, and orphan ministries, and a Bible Institute. Other Bible studies developed in the city, one of which became Grace Independent Baptist Church. United States In May 2014, Victory Baptist Church in Whitehouse, Texas, was planted. We prepared door hangers, passed out flyers, and blitzed neighborhoods. For the next six months, services at Victory were held each Sunday and discipleship Bible studies were held on Thursday nights! What a joy it was to win people to Christ and watch them begin to grow in grace! Converts followed the Lord in believer s baptism and eagerly Our Vision for Reaching South Africa for Christ South Africa is a country of 54 million people. It is diverse with many different people groups who need Christ! While visiting the city of Durban, a city of 4 million people, our hearts were broken for the souls that have not heard the Gospel and desperately need a Biblebelieving, soul conscious, Baptist church. By God s grace, our goal is to plant local, New Testament, Baptist churches by winning people to Christ, baptizing and discipling nationals. Through the local churches planted there, we will train and equip national pastors for the ministry. Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ... Colossians 4:3.
Dear Pastor, Greetings from the Nathan Owens family! I want to thank you for taking the time to look over this information and prayerfully considering us as one of your church planting missionaries. We are excited about the souls that will be reached with the Gospel and the churches that will be planted in South Africa! God has used our family to plant local, New Testament churches in Africa and in the United States. Karie and I were married in May of 2004 and have strived to serve God together as a family. Together, we served on bus routes, taught adults, singles, and children's classes, led choirs and special music, went soul winning and discipled new believers. In 2009 God called us to Cameroon, West Africa, where we were used of God to start two churches: Calvary Independent Baptist Church and Grace Independent Baptist Church along with Calvary Bible School. In order to seek much needed medical attention, in 2013 our family relocated to the United States. During this time of seeking medical care we were not idle. God used us to start Victory Baptist Church in Whitehouse, Texas. God has used church planting in Cameroon and in the United States to teach us to reach a culturally diverse South Africa. The 54 million people of South Africa are searching for the Truth. God has given our family the message of the Gospel to bring to them. Our goals are: Winning lost souls Discipleship Local church planting starting in the city of Durban and throughout South Africa Training nationals Starting a Bible Institute We ask you to pray for us as we raise the necessary financial support to serve as church planters in South Africa. We appreciate your prayerful consideration in partnering with us to reach South Africa for Christ! Thank you for taking the time to read over this material. May God bless you and your ministry. Reaching South Africa for Christ! The Nathan & Karie Owens family www.owens2za.com 412.973.2363
Dear Pastor, Greetings! It is with great support and enthusiasm that I recommend to you the Nathan Owens family. Our paths crossed several years back as Nathan Owens was in the states to take care of much needed health issues for his family and to help with the starting of two churches. Even with the furlough here in the states, Bro. Owens stayed busy with the planting of churches. We know that Bro. Owen s will continue winning souls and planting churches as he heads to the field of South Africa. I would love for your church along with ours to partner with the Nathan Owens family to see the Gospel get to South Africa. If there is anything that I or the Longview Baptist Temple can do to be of service to you or yours, please do not hesitate to let me know. May God bless you as you prayerfully consider supporting Bro. Nathan Owens and his family. In His Service, Bob Gray II Senior Pastor Longview Baptist Temple BGII/jlp
Eric Bohman Africa Field Director June 17, 2015 Dear Supporters of Nathan and Karie Owens, What a blessing it has been to see the Owens involved in the ministries of Reseeding America over the past year! Although the Owens family was saddened to leave Cameroon, West Africa, they put those feelings aside and without hesitation began their new church planting efforts. It became apparent as they served in America that the Lord had not removed Africa from their hearts nor from His divine calling in their lives. However, the one main hindrance was Karie s health. During this past year, Karie s strength and health slowly returned and soon she was able to fully participate alongside Nathan in the ministry. Furthermore, she was overjoyed to receive word from her doctor that he was releasing her to return to the foreign field if the Lord so led. The Owens began praying for a renewed direction from the Lord, and the Lord provided that direction to the country of South Africa. After taking a survey trip there, they feel God directing them to the city of Durban. The city and its surrounding communities boast of nearly four million people but only two independent Baptist missionaries! It is a modern city with excellent healthcare in case additional treatment would be necessary for Karie. After approval from their sending pastor, the leadership of Baptist International Missions, Inc. (BIMI) has unanimously agreed for the Owens to transfer back to serving as missionaries in Africa. I hope we can count on your continued support for them as they transition back to the continent of God s calling. If there is any question regarding this, feel free to contact me by cell phone 615.631.0628 or by email africa.director@bimi.org. Your co-laborer, Eric Bohman Africa Field Director BIMI EB:ed Enclosure
Westside Baptist Church Where The View Is Beautiful But The Message Is Eternal June 12, 2015 Dear Pastor, This letter of recommendation is easy for me to write! Yes, I believe the Nathan Owens family is worthy of your support as they have already proved themselves as missionaries. Their record speaks for them. This family was a soul winning and church planting missionary family in Cameroon, Africa. They had to return to the states because of seriously critical health issues but left behind in Cameroon a new and thriving Baptist church. While back home they did not sit around, but were instrumental in the start of a Baptist Church in Tyler, Tx. They haven t given up or quit and with the health issues under control are returning to South Africa. Pastors, please seriously consider supporting this family as they continue to do in South Africa the same as they have done in Cameroon and here in America. Their record speaks for itself. God Bless! Because of Jesus, Pastor David Owens 390 Inverness Drive Pacifica California 94044 650-355-0522 Pastor David Owens
ALLEN DOMELLE MINISTRIES Dear Pastor, If I could take a few minutes of your time to recommend Missionary Nathan Owens and his family to you, I would greatly appreciate it. I have known Bro. Owens since he was a teenager. He has always had a heart for God and for reaching people, and his heart has not changed. Since he married Karie, they have made a great team in reaching the lost for Christ. She is a great compliment to his ministry and has always encouraged him to follow the LORD s will for his life. As you may know, the Owens were missionaries to Cameroon for a few years before Mrs. Owens was rushed back to the States because of health issues. During the time of her recovery, they have stayed busy serving the LORD by planting churches in the United States. After receiving a clean bill of health from Mrs. Owens doctors, they are planning on going back to the mission field. They are going to a region in South Africa where they will not only be able to reach an unreached group of people, but they will also be near any medical facilities if they are ever needed. Pastor, please consider taking Bro. Owens and his family on for support. I believe it will be a wise investment of your missions money. You will not be choosing to support a missionary who you hope can do the job, but you will be supporting a missionary who has already done the job and plans on returning to continue planting churches as they have done in the past. Bro. Owens and his wife are committed Christians, and they also have a very strong marriage and family. Thank you for your consideration of this dear family. If I can help answer any questions, please don't hesitate to call me at: 903.746.9632. I m excited for the Owens family, and I m thrilled that you would consider supporting them. Your for Souls, Allen Domelle Evangelist, Editor Oldpathsjournal.com PO Box 5653, Longview TX 75608 903.746.9632 Oldpathsjournal.com