BARRY AND SHARI MURRELL

Barry and Shari have four children: Jon is 22, Rachael is 20, Sara is 15, and Amy is 14. All are Christians and Jon and Rachael have gone through two years of training to be missionaries. Sara and Amy are busy with home schooling, and all of the kids are learning New Testament Greek – with their mother being their main teacher!

Barry and Shari both teach Greek at the Cebu Bible College. Their primary work however is with the Bible Study Center (BSC). They have been involved with this work for almost 20 years now. It is a study facility where they offer Bible courses to the general public that focus upon the goal of helping people to learn HOW to study the Bible for themselves. Because of supporters back home, they are able to provide all study materials and Bibles FREE to students. The program is organized around courses that meet once or twice a week for 6 weeks and they schedule their weekday class meetings in the early evenings (from 5:30-8:00 pm) so that people can stop by for a class at the BSC on their way home from work or school. It has been a very successful tool both for evangelism and for teaching church members. Typically, they have anywhere from 20-40 students enrolled in a session. Currently, they have about 30 different courses on file and continue to add new subjects as needed. Their most recent work has been to add more in-depth studies for church members. They now have several book studies AND a 2-year Greek study program open to regular members of the church! (They also have their main BSC course – Jesus: Man of the Bible – available in a correspondence course format.)

The Murrells are also involved with the Uptown Church of Christ in Cebu City which they helped to start in 1993. The congregation has about 50 adults and kids with a core group of about 10 members who handle most of the activities of the congregation.

Over the years, Barry and Shari have also been heavily involved in apprentice mission training. This is where those wishing to experience the mission field first hand come to Cebu City to work with the Murrells as their supervisors and mentors. They have had many come from the School of World Evangelism which was formerly located at the A&M church. Recently they have worked with apprentices from the AIM program in Lubbock. This includes their two oldest children (Jon and Rachael).

If you want some more info about the Murrell family and their work you can check out their website at http://www.biblestudycenter.net/home1.html

Background of Work In Cebu City:  

Evangelism has been limited to the efforts of the various full-time (supported) workers living in the city. There are currently 15 full-time workers among 9 congregations. In addition, there are approximately 20-30 members who work in the evangelism effort on a part-time basis.

The Murrell family has been involved primarily in the evangelistic efforts connected with the Bible Study Center program. Through this program, they offer concentrated Bible studies to evangelize the general population of Cebu City and to train and strengthen the local members. Early evening classes are offered with scheduled meetings one to two times a week. The lesson materials are designed to promote an understanding of the Bible that will enable each student to discover God’s will for them and to decide for themselves how they should respond.

Long Range Goal:  

• Give every person in Cebu City an opportunity to hear the gospel in some form

Plan to Accomplish Long Range Goal:  

• Create a workforce of dedicated men and women from within the membership of the local congregations in Cebu City who will share the teachings of Jesus with others

Current Needs:  

• Study material designed to teach members a commitment to evangelism
• A coordinated plan of action

The Murrells Work Program for 2005-2007  

1. Evangelistic Efforts:

• Through the Bible Study Center, schedule an average of six 6-week classes per year with an overall target of 120 students per year
• Use an existing correspondence course program to generate students for one-on-one small group studies outside the Bible Study Center
• Develop additional correspondence courses to extend the evangelistic and member enrichment initiatives across the breadth of the city

2. Church Planting:

• Partner with the Uptown congregation to start another congregation in Cebu city. In the first year, select the location and train and prepare the Uptown members. In the second year, begin holding services and start baptizing new members.

3. Training for Workers:

• Accept and train American apprentice missionaries as opportunities arise
• Work to involve members of local congregations in teaching positions in the Bible Study Center and the local correspondence courses
• Travel to the island of Negros to hold monthly training seminars for the brethren who live there

4. Schooling of Children:

• Home school Sara and Amy (Shared responsibility between Shari and Barry)

5. Spontaneous Efforts

• Adapt and respond to unexpected opportunities and obstacles

JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE MURRELL’S MINISTRY

1. To develop and implement relevant outreach programs, primarily in metropolitan Cebu City but also throughout the central islands of the Philippines.

2. To actively prepare and conduct appropriate individual and group evangelistic efforts.

3. To conduct Bible studies to train new converts

4. To actively participate and assist in the teaching, preaching, training and other activities of the various local congregations of the Lord’s church both in the metropolitan area of Cebu City as well as in the surrounding islands.

5. To regularly communicate with and coordinate with the other missionaries and local church leaders in the metropolitan Cebu City area and to motivate and stimulate them to greater and greater activity for God’s kingdom.

6. To maintain contact with all financial supporters of our work through informative periodic reports.

7. To keep our sponsors fully informed about the progress and status of the work, our financial situation, and the general status of our family.

8. To attend Philippine mission forums and workshops as appropriate.

9. To maintain an appropriate balance between work and home life so we can meet the special needs of our family members.

10. To continue to advance our understanding of the people and the country through continued language and cultural studies.

11. To provide appropriate activities for visitors that will allow them to participate in our mission efforts while exposing them to all aspects of mission life and work so they too may choose to work in the mission field.

12. To participate with sponsors and supporters in the evaluation of and planning for the future work in the Philippines with special emphasis on the central portion of the country.

13. To find ways to involve our family members to the fullest degree in the work so that they will see themselves as missionaries in their own right.

14. To willfully and actively participate in an evaluation of the work programs anytime the sponsors and supporters think it is necessary.

Current Sponsorship and Financial Support  

The A&M congregation in College Station, Texas has been the sponsoring for Barry and Shari Murrell for over 20 years. They will continue to be the sponsoring congregation through December 31, 2005. The Murrells mission work is planned in 24 months tours. Each tour consists of 21 months in the Philippines followed by a 3-month furlough in the US. One of the main objectives for the furlough period is to visit the sponsoring congregation and to raise the financial support needed for the next 24 months.

The current work program for the Murrells started July 2005 and will run through June 2007. While in the US during April, May, and June of 2005, Barry and Shari raised support of slightly more than $2500/month beginning July 2005. The A&M congregation will provide additional money to give a total of $4375/month. The A&M financial support will end when their sponsorship ends December 31, 2005. The Church of Christ in Jersey Village is not currently providing any financial for the Murrells, but the Elders have agreed to provide $700/month beginning in January 2006.

While on his 2005 furlough, Barry was able to raise approximately $1170/month to begin in January 2006. This amount plus the $700 from JV and the support of slightly over $2500 which started July 2005 and will continue through June 2007 will make up the total support of $4375/month for the balance of the current two-year tour.

Summary of Budget for Current July 2005 – June 2007 Tour

The support for the Murrells is divided into three areas:

• Salary in the amount of $2500/month
• Work funds in the amount of $1875/month

Note: This makes up the $4375/month budget for the current tour.

• Travel funds of $5000 used to provide airfare and immigration expenses for the 2007 furlough in the US. Barry also raised the $5000 travel fund during his 2005 furlough and no additional funds are needed for this item.

Additional details for the financial support can be discussed during the September 18 th congregational forum.

Sponsorship for the Murrells Beginning January 2006  

The main purpose of the upcoming Elders’ visit to the Philippines is to evaluate the Murrells ministry for sponsorship by the JV congregation. A final decision to accept sponsorship of this work will be made only after completion of the evaluation of the work, a report to the JV congregation and further input from the JV members. Sponsorship of the Murrells will be contingent upon acceptance of the work by the JV membership.