focus:

uti^ach Interna
"A Mission Organization that Expands
- Without Getting BiG"
n November 2007, at the National Missionary Convention, Outreach International invites
Ichurches, workers and all interested persons, to attend a 30th anniversary - praise time
and "thank you Jesus time" - for many years of service to churches and missionary work
ers and recruits.

Al Hamilton
International Director,
Outreach International.

In 1977 John O. Schofield suggested the name "Outreach International" for the work
ofAI and Annette Hamilton (and family) and the work they had been engaged in since
1973. Already Pioneer Bible Translators was an idea from these years and, in 1974 the first
incorporation of PBT as PBTRS (Pioneer Bible Translation Recruiting Services) had been
realized when Marvin Carr, minister in Oregon, and Al Hamilton incorporated that ministry.
John Schofield and Al worked together in Puerto Rico in 1972. Then the Hamiltons
moved back to the States and Outreach International became the structure which is still

active as a Missionary Motivation Ministry and has been a tool, by the grace of God, for
recruitment of workers who are now in 15 countries, many of which are among "resistant"

Outreach
International
was

established
to be a

"starter" of
new work

and new

just as a
church starts
other
churches.
4 HORIZONS

and hard to reach or unreached areas. Today, work in the ministry of evangelism includes
Bible Translation, educational and medical efforts (Sudan, Uganda, Papua New Guinea,
Equatorial Guinea, France, etc.) as tools for soul winning and starting churches.
As recruitment continued and other fields came into focus, Outreach International
was incorporated in 1977. Recruitment of workers for hard to reach areas of the world and
Jonathan Hamilton preaching to high school
students in Uganda, East Africa in 1982.

ontents
HORIZONS
May 2007

COVER STORY

No. 1129 Vol. 56, No. 5

Outreach International
The operating philosophy ofOutreach International, since
its beginning in 1977, is based on the fact that all mankind
deserves the chance to hear about the saving grace ofJesus
Christ and that it is each Christian's responsibility to do all
we can to reach the world with the Good News ofsalvation
found in Jesus Christ

HORIZONS is a mission-oriented

magazine of the undenominational

fellowship of the Christian Churches
and Churches of Christ Mission

Services, as publisher of
HORIZONS magazine, publishes
articles written by field missionaries
rather than staff writers. We believe

this offers a clear image of the

variety of opinions that exist
between missionaries within the
historical Restoration Movement.

Editor: Reggie Hundley

ARTICLES
Editorial - Pioneers Wanted

'

Human Interest - Like Mind, Same Love, United in

Spirit One Purpose!

Editorial Assistant: Carol Hundley

Graphic Design: Cheryl Elliott
Pre-press: Steve Sharpe
Pressman: Bill Topley
Circulation Manager: Gary Elliott
Bookkeeper/Treas.: Georgia Sharpe
Web Developer: Jim Nickerson
Publisher: Mission Services
Association

UPS Delivery:
7545 Hodges Ferry Road

SPOTLIGHTS
June Prayer Guide

Coming Events
In Touch: Around the world

Gifts in Memory

Knoxville, IN 37920-9731
Editorial Office:
PC Box 13111

Knoxville, TN 37920-0111
Phone: 1-800-655-8524
Outside USA: 865-577-9740
Fax: 865-573-5950

E-mail: msa@missionservices.org
News Briefs
Web Site: www.missionservices.org

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May 2007

tional
Ai in Uganda with local church leaders.
fields often referred to as "difficult to work in" has been the

purpose of Outreach International. Outreach International

was established to be a "starter" of new work and new

missions, just as a church starts other churches. Early in

the history of Outreach International, while traveling to meet
a worker in East Asia, C. J. Visser, a deacon in a church in

Albuquerque, met a Ugandan medical student. This young

man, Charles Mugero, invited us to visit his homeland to help
his people. C.J. took the time to inquire about the people of
Uganda. Charles set up a meeting later with his minister in
Uganda to invite AI and C.J. to see how Outreach Interna

Outreach International was also

designed to expand without getting big.

A mission agency need not become a
large "control center", but rather serve
as the advisory non-profit base which is
needed In America for those who have

gone to other countries. In this way, the

mission has been In the shadows, but

tional could help their people. This was the beginning of the
Uganda Christian Mission. New work was started in Uganda,

still In the picture, for many families who

East Africa, when the Hamiltons moved there in 1982. Later

tinue to win many to Christ every year,

although the name of Outreach
International may not be attached to
much of Its activity and ministry.

work was started in Samburu, Kenya, because of the work in

Uganda. Other work was started in East Asia and the former

Eastern Block country of Hungary. Work continues in these

areas and other mission ministries have been added by the
grace of God. Today there are over 30 teams of missionar
ies on the field with O.I.

Some of the work in Uganda was later turned over to

national workers. Larry Smith, a minister in Missouri who
was a short-term volunteer on behalf of Outreach Interna

tional, also helped to turn other parts of the work over to the
Churches of Christ. That work still continues today. Joshua
Owor, one of the early believers, has recently incorporated
the Christian Churches of Uganda. Today there are many be
lievers. As the Lord has provided, Outreach International has
reached into 15 countries, helped establish village churches
and become a registered ministry with the local government
in other countries such as Papua New Guinea, in order to
bring the Gospel to those places.
The Missionary Motivation Ministry of Outreach Inter
national was designed in the beginning to help find places for
non-college graduates as well as college graduates or anyone
who had church support and desired to win souls for Christ in
foreign fields.

now serve around the world and con

In recent years, as we went to colleges and churches

to find workers for some of these established fields, many
young people volunteered to go to other fields for which
they were burdened. These workers sought an organization
(mission ministry) to be their non-profit structure in order
to fulfill the calling that God had given them. As recruits
came to us, it was our purpose and vision to provide that
structure which would also encourage the sending churches
and that young people (college students & graduates)
would still have the experienced mission counsel and
advice as needed for their work. For the Bible states, "...in
the multitude of counselors there is success" (Proverbs).
Outreach International and staff do not make deci

sions for those on the foreign field, however, when called

upon for advice and recommendations, we offer a compos
ite total of more than 100 years of experience just from the
state-side staff and directors. One of the families which

was working in Equatorial Guinea came to us needing a

mission structure for their ministry of Bible translation.
May 2007

They have many years of experience in their

work and they brought their ministry (mis
sion) to Outreach International. They do
not need advice on how to do their work

kind deserves the chance to hear about the saving grace

of Jesus Christ and that it is each Christian's respo\isibility to do all we can to reach the world with the Good
News of salvation found in Jesus Christ. Therefore,

as they already have the skill and

talent and wisdom necessary for
that work; they only needed a mis
sion agency in the USA. They have
recently recruited other workers who

Outreach International has acted as "starters" for those new

come under Outreach International's

these 30 years, believed in and encouraged this concept.

"Expansion without bigness" is a Biblical approach to
service in Christ and it encourages fellow believers to work
together in many places with low profile and low visibil
ity and yet with high levels of fruit as the Lord gives the
increase. We thank God for these opportunities and those

to worldwide missions and has helped start, by the grace of

God, several new missions across the world.

The ministry of Outreach International belongs to

the Lord and those friends and churches who have, for

service. Outreach is the "helper" min

istry to them as needed, but Outreach

Jonathan Hamilton,

President, speaking at
a missions workshop
work, nor do we exercise the authority
several years ago.

International does not "own" their

to dictate their field policies. The field

workers call upon us as they need our input and assistance.

This is how Outreach International operates as a "helper

service" to this team and their project, as one example.
Since everyone's responsibility is to do their part
in carrying the Gospel to the world, we believe it is not
biblical for the mission agency to make requirements and
demands that the Bible does not place upon believers in or
der for them to feel qualifiedto simply proclaim the Good
News to lost people. Many more workers would go to the
mission field in their capacity today as tent makers if the
mission agencies serving them would not place academic
stipulations on their service. If this unfinished task of find

brothers and sisters in Christ who are the "unknowns" to

the lost whom they reach but KNOWN to God who puts
the unreached who need Him on their hearts.

The state-side Outreach International building and

office is a brick home which was donated by Lucille Bower
of Bethel, Missouri of the Bethel Christian Church in 1997.

All the state sidestaff receives support from those who have
known of this mission since its beginning. The president of
Outreach Intemational is Jonathan Hamilton who with his

wife, Teri (Layman) Hamilton, live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth

area. The board of Directors is kept small in number (4-5
members) and the board of advisors is usually 12 to 15 who

ing approximately two billion people who have never heard

the Gospel is ever to be accomplished, then obviously it
will mean that believers must get in on this task, who today
may be led to feel unqualified. These verses in I Corinthi

all come with mission experience and support for foreign

missions. With grateful hearts we thank the following

ans 1:26-31; 2:1-16,1 Corinthians 3:18 and Acts 4:13 make

and individuals, many of whom have served over these 30

it clear - God is not requiring man designed qualifications

to do Kingdom of God business. It is God who gives the

years.

people who have served and are now serving with us as

workers in the field and those who send them - churches

increase.

The operating philosophy of Out

reach International, since its beginning
in 1977, is based on the fact that all man

On the cover: Samburu, Kenya

where Jonahtan Hamilton helped get
a work started among the Samburu
people In 1984.
HORIZONS

Equatorial Guinea work

The cuprent board of Advisors:

Jonathan Hamilton, Texas (Board of Directors)
Dr. Floyd E. Clark, Tennessee (Advisor)
John Leech III, Pharmacist, Tennessee (Field Advisor)
John 0, Schofield, Indiana (Board of Directors)
Greg Stephens, Indiana (Board of Directors)
A1 Hamilton, Texas (Board of Directors)
Dale Hawkins, (Advisor)
Sonja Hawkins, Missouri (USA Director)
Lany Smith, Missouri (Field Advisor)
Del Chafey, Indiana (Advisor)
Richard Castle, Missouri (Advisor)
Dr. Michael J. Smith, Texas (Sudan Projects)
Wayne Black, West Virginia (Field Advisor)
A1 Baxter, Illinois (Advisor)
Mark Layman, Texas (Advisor)
Doug Orton, Michigan (Advisor)
David Fielding, Texas (Advisor)
Stacy Gamer, Missouri (Advisor)

Jonathan & Teri Hamilton

Outreach International

Al & Annette Hamilton

Outreach International

In Bedford, Texas

in Bedford, Texas

Some of the long time supporters:

A1 and Shirley Baxter
Ron and Shirley Greenland
Monrovia Christian Church
Martelle Christian Church

Myron and Sue Ehersmans

Bruce and Mary Grogg
..v.*

North Boulevard Christian Church

Marceline, Missouri, Church of Christ

Reddington Christian Church
Stephens Machine, Inc.
Crossroads Community Church

Dale & Sonja Hawkins

Outreach International at the Bethel, Missouri office

Orion Christian Church

Countryside Christian Church

If you would like a complete listing of those sup

porters of the stateside staff, feel free to contact us. For
more information, mission reports on churches started,
and souls reached for Christ, you can e-mail the Mis
souri office at dashhome@marktwain.net or the Dallas/
Ft. Worth office at mumzajambosana@yahoo.com
orjonham@flash.net. All inquiries are welcome.

Outreach International
Missouri Office

Dale & Sonja Hawkins

PO Box 272

Shelbyville, MO 63469
660-284-6528

dashhomeigmarktwain.net
Texas Office
PO Box 952

Bedford, TX 76095
Al & Annette Hamilton
817-657-5493

a.hamllton@charter.net
Jonathan & Terl Hamilton
817-355-9598

jonathan_hamllton@msn.com
jonham@flash.net
Al baptizing a young man In the Sudan

www.outreachinternationaIonline.org
May 2007 7

. human

ind, Same Hove,

It

Knifedin Spirit-One IPurhnse!

V

A gracious woman attains honor...Proverbs 11:16

**...make myjoy complete by being ofthe same mindy

maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one
purpose. Do nothingfrom selfishness or empty conceit, but
with humility ofmind let each ofyou regard one another as
more important than himself... Fhilippians 2:2-4
Sonja Hawkins
USA Director,
Outreach InternationaU

In thinking ofthe "role ofwomen" in Outreach International and missions, it is my

hope and prayer that we have no other role than that which the Lord himself gave
us! After all, there is no higher calling than that of doing our part in service to the
Lord. Now what does that mean for us? It means not adding some role not de
scribed in the Word.

Because
of Mom's

calling to
Christ, she
was able
to follow
God's

Many years ago, 52 to be exact, there was a young lady who went to Johnson
Bible College because the minister who led her to the Lord when she was 9 years old
taught her that "all Christians are called to take the Gospel of Christ to the world."
She took that to heart and headed to Bible college with the intent of doing her part in
reaching the world for Christ. While there, she immediately got involved in the mis
sions group called "Africa for Christ". Some of that group (including herself) went to
Phoenix, Arizona, to start a church as preparation for going to Africa, believing that if
they could start a church in the USA among a different race and culture (a black com
munity), they could
then do it overseas.

After 3 years in this

work, 50 souls came
to the Lord and the

church called their

ovra minister. While

involved in this

leading In

work, the young lady

married a young man

Dad's life.

who had also come

from Johnson Bible

College and had a

passion for
HORIZONS

Al &Annette Hamilton, approximately 1959