Monticello — "I will also make you a light to the nations, that you may bring Mysalvation to the ends of the earth." Isaiah 49:6



At the beginning of his junior year in college, Wayne County native Brad

Bell sensed God calling him to the mission field to spread the gospel in

Africa. Over the next year and a half God constantly reinforced this calling

in remarkable ways, according to Brad. Near the end of his senior year, Brad

was applying for the Journeyman Program, a two to three year commitment that

would allow him to apprentice under a seasoned missionary.

Brad responded to God's call and has been serving abroad in Africa as a

missionary with the International Missions Board (IMB). While in Africa,

Brad wrote a letter to a local church and noted that the time he has spent

in Africa "has been the most exciting and most challenging time of my life."

Local and area residents are invited to hear Brad speak about his

experience as a missionary in Africa at a special gathering on Sunday, April

25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wayne County High School Gymnasium. The event is

being sponsored by the Wayne County FCA.

Although he is only 25 years old, Brad has experienced more in the past

two years than most missionaries experience in an entire career. He is

serving in a difficult and dangerous place, and cannot openly share his

faith. For this reason, Brad searches for what he refers to as "people of

peace," people who trust him enough to allow him to get close to them so he

can tell them about God, noted his mother, Crystal.

Not only do these "people of peace" have to trust Brad, but he also has

to trust them, she added. He has to trust them not to expose him to the

enemy and disclose his true purpose and mission, because if this information

fell into the wrong hands, Brad could lose his life. In fact, Brad and his

teammate know all too well what it feels like to be in danger of being

killed, "but the Father protected us," he noted in his letter to the church.

Even though Brad and his team are serving in a dangerous place, they

continue to witness to and teach those people who are willing to trust them.

Many people remember Brad from his days as a member of the Wayne County

Cardinals Basketball Team, and basketball is still a part of his life.

Crystal noted that her son uses basketball as a way to interact with the

people he encounters and gain their trust, so he can share the gospel of

Jesus Christ with them.

According to Brad, the overarching principle of his team is to do

everything according to the Word. Therefore, they attempt to form churches

that reflect Acts 2 as closely as possible in the context of the culture

where they serve. The elements of New Testament churches are included in

their foundational discipleship program. Brad pointed out that "this is all

done in groups, or churches, and everything is kept simple so that it

remains very reproducible."

Brad also stated in his letter, "Just as Jesus Christ commanded in

Matthew 28:18-20, each member of the group is equipped and expected to lead

groups of their own. In this way we hope by the power of the Holy Spirit to

ignite a church-planting movement that spreads across the entire nation."

After about a year into his service as a missionary, Brad wrote that he

and his partner had "labored together both in our city and throughout the

countryside. The Father has allowed us to start two churches within the city

in which we live. Both are groups of young men. Several of them are

beginning to lead groups of their own. Some of them have experienced heavy

persecution for their faith."

"My teammate and I have also been given much fruit in the countryside,"

Brad added. "There are several families of peace that have trusted in Jesus

Christ and are in the process of discipleship."

This is the reason that Brad gave up all that is familiar to him...to

share Jesus Christ with those who do not know Him.

It is for this reason that Brad has not seen his family or enjoyed any

of the comforts of home for almost two years.

It is for this reason that he has endured limited communication with his

friends and family, only managing a few phone calls and emails to his

parents, Howard and Crystal Bell, as well as other family members and

friends. Brad had to talk in code during any communication with his loved

ones.

It is for this reason that Brad has battled with Giardia, a stomach

issue caused by bacteria, and Malaria.

It is for this reason that Brad and his teammates have to treat all the

water that they use.

It is for this reason that Brad plans to return to the mission field

after returning home a brief break. Because no matter what sacrifices are

involved, it is his heart's desire to share Jesus with those who do not know

Him, or possibly have not even heard of Him.

It is for this reason that local resident Pattie Corder stated that he

is the closest thing to a disciple that she knows, because he left his

family and all the comforts of home behind as he responded to God's call to

share the gospel in a dangerous country.

Brad counts it all as joy, though, because he knows that he is exactly

where God wants him to be, doing what he wants him to do.

Brad is enjoying a brief break right now and his family met him at the

airport on Monday evening and he is spending time with them this week. They

have not seen each other since Brad left for Africa nearly two years ago and

they will celebrate the opportunity to just be together again after such a

long absence.

He will speak to local residents this Sunday, April 25, after which he

will be leaving and making stops in Louisville and Hawesville. Then, Brad

will travel to Williamsburg, where he will speak at First Baptist Church,

where he served as youth minister prior to leaving for Africa. While in

Williamsburg, Brad has also been asked to speak to some of the students at

the University of the Cumberlands, his alma mater.

Anyone who would like to hear more about Brad's experiences as a

missionary in Africa is invited to attend the gathering on Sunday, April 25

at 6:30 at the Wayne County High School Gym. He will be enjoying pizza with

local youth before he speaks.

"Less than two years after Christ's resurrection the gospel began making

its way to the country in which I now serve (see Acts 8:26-40). Over 1,500

years later the gospel reached the shores of America, found its way to

Kentucky, and arrived in a town we now call Monticello," stated Brad in a

letter the Wayne County FCA sent to local churches. "Though separated by

miles and millennia, the two places may have more in common than you know.

So let's gather together as the Body of Christ on April 25 not simply to

marvel at God's mysterious work in a strange land called Africa, but to

collectively stand in awe of this great God who brought salvation to our end

of the earth and is still at work among us."