Virgin Islands Missions

Virgin Islands Missions, Inc., is the Missions outreach organization that was created by and through the Bethel Missionary Church of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, for the purpose of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Caribbean Islands, ranging particularly from Haiti to Trinidad.

The Bethel Missionary Baptist Church was started in 1963, while, Virgin Islands Missions Inc’s Missionary conference was started in 1967. The purpose of the conference was to bring Pastors and Christian leaders together to share mission experiences on the field, plan mission strategies, participate in lectures and preaching, and preparing ourselves to face the challenges of the mission field.

Virgin Islands Missions emphases throughout the Caribbean islands were to plant Churches through Sunday Schools, Bible Clubs, Street meetings, Prison Ministries, and Christian Educational training for leadership through the newly formed Virgin Islands School of the Bible, which continued for many years before merging with North American School of Theology through the Godly influence of the Late Dr. Jay Wimberly.

From the very inception of the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and Virgin Islands Missions, Inc., God blessed us with committed and dedicated workers who have it made possible for us to be where we are today. It is right and fitting to mention names like the Late Evangelist Moses Davis who was my assistant, Missionary Earle Barnes, Bill Slaymaker, George Starling, Sisters Vivian Langley, Evelyn Fuqua, Dr. Douglas Gillies and his wife Dixie and Dr. W.O. Wells. I must mention Dr. Clarence Hedrington, my co-laborer for several years who still lives and resides in Georgia, U.S.A., Hazel Huff of Kentucky and Margaret Cline who now lives on Tortola.

Under normal circumstances, Virgin Islands Missions, Inc. should not have been in existence this long, for it was always told to us by those who came to missionize us, and also by many of us who were missionized that we can’t be leaders of such organizations because we are not and will never be able to meet the financial and educational qualifications that such organizations demand.

I’ve always said that the Word of God is for all of us to follow, and we know that our Sovereign God will not send us where He will not go, and where ever we go His promises to us are sure. He says “I Will never leave you nor forsake you, and we can do all things through Christ, knowing fully well that He will supply all of our needs according to His riches in Glory. Heb. 13:5, Phil. 4:13, 4:19.

Church planting and the support of struggling Churches have led Virgin Islands Missions Inc., through the years to establish and partner with churches in Haiti, St. Croix, St. John, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Barbuda, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, Trinidad, Surinam and in the last eleven years, Kenya and Uganda.

We have also been involved in Christian Schools providing education for children through Bethel Baptist Day School and Day Care Center since 1965. This movement was started mainly to educate children of immigrant parents who were barred from public educational opportunities at that time. The school still exists.

We have been told that we can’t continue to do mission work like we do, having to be always agonizing in prayer from one month to another asking the Lord to supply our needs, for we are a small organism with such great responsibility. But God has always supplied our needs. It is true that God has always supplied our needs, and has made us a people of great faith, spending up to 70% of our Church and Mission intake, on Missions. This is unbelievable but true. We praise our Sovereign God.

Special thanks must be given for the encouragement of the Late Julius Avery and Dr. Willie Young of Jacksonville Florida, The Florida General Baptist Convention from the days of the Late A. B. Coleman, President, and Dr. James B Sampson now President. We also thank the Associations like Florida East Coast and Moderator Rev. Johnny Barber, Second Bethlehem and Moderator Dr. Jerone Gamble, Bethel and Moderator Dr. Warren D. Michael of Florida, Great Lakes of Buffalo New York where Dr. William Gillison, Moderator, and the Home Missions Board of National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. Inc., where Dr. Gilbert Picket serve as General Secretary.

Thanks to the Sunday School Publishing Board of National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., Dr. Jerry Young, President, for helping us promote Christian Education using leaders like Dr. Amos Jones, Dr. Earl Thomas, Dr. Rouse, Dr. Jesse Billberry, Dr. Leo Cyrus, Dr. James Blackburn, and Dr. Derick Jackson, the present Director of Sunday School Publishing Board. Thanks also to Dr. Minerva Barnes, Dr. Minerva Barnes and Dr. Erma Jackson of Chicago who come to us each year for the past twenty-five years, and also Dr. Larry Mills who brings Christian Education workers and medical teams to the islands each year for the past eight years and many others who have been encouraging us down through the years.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE BEEN SO FAITHFUL TO US DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS.

Finally, my wife Joycelyn Thomas and I give special thanks to God for allowing us to lead this great Ministry, through the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, a people who share the vision, and also have become the sacrificial hub of all the work that God has mandated us to do.

The work of God through Virgin Islands Missions Inc. will continue through the leadership and power of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Savior, as long as God tarries His coming back for us.

We encourage your prayers, commitment and dedication to and for this Ministry as you seek ways to serve our Sovereign God.

Dr. Bentley Thomas