By Dr. Don Bierle,
President of Faith Studies International
Bonnie Shoutz served on the administrative staff of FaithSearch
beginning in August of 1998. She was a faithful and dedicated
worker, though she did not view it so much as work, as a ministry
for her Lord. Even on the job, she was quick to stop and pray
for someone's need.
More than just a member of our staff, Bonnie for decades
exemplified the passion of FaithSearch, being
a strong advocate for the Gospel with evidence, a student
of the Word of God–a Berean (see Acts 17:11)–always being
prepared to give an answer and evidence for the hope that
was in her.
My first acquaintance with Bonnie was back in the early 1980's,
when by her own confession she was mostly a "pew warmer."
She was alerted to the ministry of FaithSearch
when I spoke in her church in the mid-80's. She caught on
fire for the Lord and prepared herself to give reasons for
the hope within her. She took on the "hard cases"
in her witnessing, meeting often with Jehovah's Witnesses
whom she developed a burden for and tried to help. Continuously
taking on difficult challenges like this was a characteristic
of Bonnie's life and ministry.
In the early 1990's Bonnie responded to my invitation to
become trained as a FaithSearch teacher–one
of the first to come forward in the early development of FaithSearch.
She used her training in countless witnessing and teaching
opportunities since then.
When cancer was detected in Bonnie's body, she responded
to this new challenge in a way quite similar to the way she
lived her life–she used it as an opportunity to be a witness
for her Savior and Lord. Her doctors and friends were amazed
at her resilience, but fully aware of her testimony that God
is her refuge and strength.
As president of our ministry, I recently spoke on behalf
of the staff, Board and friends of FaithSearch to
thank Bonnie for her service and spirit that inspired our
own walk with the Lord. Now she has left us for her heavenly
home. While we truly miss her, we also pray for her family,
that the Lord would provide comfort and peace to all who knew
and loved her. And in faith, we celebrate her complete
and final victory over death, for she lives now and for eternity
in the presence of her risen Lord.
But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable,
and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will
come about the saying that is written,
"DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.
O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?
O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is
the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ. –1 Corinthians 15:54-57
