By Pamela Hale, Staff writer
Long Beach Press Telegram
http://www.ptconnect.com

I've been a Christian for 19 years and one of the most important things I've learned is that you can't escape God's plan. Although oftentimes it seems as if there is no plan, it's important that we have unwavering trust in God and what his plan is. How do we maintain the level of trust needed in order to serve God? The Bible says that through prayer and the studying of his Word we become rooted and grounded in his will.

Many of us, in addition to our home study, attend church in a physical establishment, while there are others who can't or choose not to attend church in a conventional setting.

Ron Beckham, a man with a passion for reaching as many as he can with the message of Christ, came up with an idea: Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he would start a church on the Internet Friday Study Ministries. Why the Internet? The Internet has become an overwhelming source to connect us to a world of information.

But what subsequently led Beckham to proceed with his idea was when he met Jonathan, a soldier paralyzed in a car accident and hospitalized at the Long Beach Veterans Hospital in December, 1999.

Jonathan had sent a request to several Southern California churches asking for someone to come read the Bible to him. Beckham was touched by the request. "Jonathan and I met together three times a week for 10 months until his discharge from the hospital and we have become close friends," said Beckham.

This opened the door of opportunity for Beckham and his ministry.

"While meeting with Jonathan, I met others, and noticed that many were on the Internet," said Beckham. "With mouth wands and voice programs, a whole new world was open to them, and we wanted to go with Christ into that world for them."

Beckham, who spent five years of his childhood in a wheelchair, could relate to what many of his site's visitors experienced. "I remember the isolation I felt," he said. "These people have difficulty attending a church building and we wanted to be a church that was accessible to them."

It was after seeing the positive effect his visit had on Jonathan, and the overwhelming desire Jonathan had to attend church, that Beckham realized he could reach shut-ins who had an appetite for the Word of God.

"We were to learn that the Jonathans of this world are the catalyst and the reason for this ministry," said Beckham. "What I believed I was doing was responding to the leading of the Lord. Not until I met Jonathan did I know what that leading was all about."

How it all started. It was 15 years ago when the owner of a Cerritos factory, Don Araiza, started a weekly Bible study for his employees. "This ministry started in a workplace, an environment where the Lord is often overlooked," said Araiza. "It has helped me conduct business in accordance with biblical principles instead of the standards of the world."

Stephen Wack, one of the factory employees, taught the Bible study for several years. He became a Christian at the age of 14. In his attempt to evade God's plan, he became an alcoholic. However, Wack says the Lord gradually began to get through to him.

"When I was totally hung over one morning, I heard J. Vernon McGee on the radio. I laughed at him," said Wack. "But as I began to listen to him, there was something to what he was saying." In 1980, Wack stopped running from God and he sobered up. "I started to build my relationship up with the Lord ever since."

After some time, Wack asked Beckham to take over the Bible class. Beckham had been teaching for a few years when he was approached and asked to start a church. "My instant thought was, there are churches all over the place, does the world really need another one?" said Beckham. "But as I prayed, the Internet came to mind."

Marilyn Prasow is in a wheelchair. Living in a convalescent home and unable to attend regular church services as she once did, Prasow was overjoyed last April to find Friday Study Ministries on the Internet.

"It's a very good idea to have church on the Internet for people like me," said Prasow. "These studies really help me 'cause I can study the Bible on the Internet. And it's not like studying it all by myself." According to Prasow, not only is she able to study with others on FSM, the studies are easy to understand.

"The pastor goes into detail about how we can apply it to our daily lives," she said. "Ron is a very gifted pastor and he teaches straight from the Word of God. He doesn't deviate from the Word."

In addition to many other medical problems, Prasow was diagnosed with breast cancer only a few weeks ago. During her visits to the Friday Study Ministries Web site she noticed a support group for women with cancer. "I am really thrilled that once I get over the initial operation, I now had a support group," Prasow said.

Gus Roa, the pastor of International Missions Fellowship in Rancho Cucamonga, also attends the Bible studies. Even as a pastor, Roa says he learns a lot from the study.

"Sometimes as ministers we get caught up in helping and serving, that we forget we also need to be ministered to," said Roa. Roa hopes to branch off of Friday Study, translating the ministry into Spanish for his local ministry and to send to different countries.

Faye Dietiker, a member of Knott Avenue Christian Church in Anaheim and founder of the cancer survivors support group called The Angel Club, also receives the Friday Study lessons. The Angel Club, which goes into hospitals and prays with and for women with breast cancer, extended its services to Friday Study's Web site.

"Every time I go to the Web site there's something there I can use," said Dietiker. "This ministry has been very helpful to me. The Lord is an awesome networker. He has connected me with some wonderful women. I can't give enough back."

Ron Beckham is the first to tell you, his achievements were not all due to merely his own hard work. His wife of two months, Genevieve, has been his helpmate in the ministry.

They met and became good friends while working together with the Agent Orange Awareness Coalition, of which Ron is the chaplain. The organization, which visits hospitals, convalescent homes and homebound patients, praying with them and providing physical and spiritual support, gave Genevieve a feel for what it was Ron wanted to accomplish through his Internet ministry. And she remained by his side in support of his ministry.

"It's an honor and a privilege to be a pastor's wife in this ministry. We work well together," she said. "Ron is a wonderful Bible teacher. I believe it's on the cutting edge of new technology for churches."

The missions of Friday Study Ministries include: glorifying God (I Corinthians 10:31), promoting the Word of God (II Timothy 2:15) and proclaiming Jesus as the Lord (Romans 10:9). "It's there 24-7 so people can connect with spiritual support and spiritual growth," said Genevieve.

Membership in Friday Study Ministries is open to those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, but it is not necessary to join in order to visit the site. It offers a Sunday sermon and two weekly Bible studies.

"Our invitation is open to include agoraphobics, the hearing-impaired, the homebound of any kind, the busy traveler and the homeless," said Beckham.

The Bible tells us, as Christians, to go into all the world and teach all nations about Jesus. Friday Study Ministries is well on its way to doing just that, all because one man followed God's plan.

Pamela Hale's column appears in the Religion section of the Press Telegram every Saturday. Pamela has indicated she will soon do an article in Especially For Women for Friday Study Ministries. She can be reached at: prhale@verizon.net

Jesus said "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" (Mark 16:15) and the "world", of course, includes people on the Internet. The Long Beach Press Telegram may be located at http://www.ptconnect.com. Visit Friday Study Ministries at www.fridaystudy.org

Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org