Category Archives: Testimonials

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…”

Matthew 28:19

It used to be that foreign mission trips were long, arduous, and full of uncertainty. At least that’s the way I viewed them as I was growing up. They also required a deep level of commitment. Only those Christians who were completely committed would venture off to distant lands to share the gospel. I’d heard about missionaries like David Livingston and Hudson Taylor from the 1800’s who gave up everything and endured great hardships to take the gospel to Africa and China, respectively. These were incredible men of faith who responded to God’s call to “go and make disciples of all nations.” And while I admired them greatly, I did not feel the call to that level of adventure.

In the early 1990’s while attending a new church in Milwaukee that we had just joined, the pastor’s daughter, who was younger than I, was raising money to go on a mission trip to smuggle Bibles into China. And I thought to myself, “I don’t have the courage to do that!” But I was certainly willing to provide funds for her to go. Little did I know at the time that it would change the course of my life. It was because this was the first time I had heard about short-term mission trips. Here was an opportunity to spread the gospel to a distant land without the long-term commitment that I had thought was necessary.

Several years later, we had moved to the Chicago area and were attending a new church. One of our pastors announced that he was going on a short-term mission trip to Kazakhstan and was inviting any church members who might be interested to go along. When I saw that invitation in our church newsletter, I immediately felt the call to go. God had been preparing my heart for such an opportunity and here it was! So, I signed up to go, not really knowing what I would do or even where Kazakhstan was! But at least I knew it would only last 2 weeks!

That trip gripped my heart for missions and has led me on a journey that I never asked for nor contemplated. But it has blessed me in more ways than I can count. After that first mission experience I wanted others to experience the foreign mission field as well. And so I began leading mission trips and recruiting others to also “go and make disciples of all nations” with me. Since 1999 I have recruited and taken over 250 people to the foreign mission field, some of them more than once.

However, there were others that I had tried to recruit to go to the foreign mission field with me who had lots of reasons why they could not go – I don’t have the time; I don’t have the money; I don’t like to travel; I don’t have anything to share; I can’t make a difference. It reminds me of the Parable of the Great Banquet story from Luke 14:16-23, where Jesus recounts the excuses that people make for not coming to enjoy what God has prepared for them. In the same way, Jesus is calling every believer to be His missionary!

You might ask, “What is a missionary?” According to Webster’s Dictionary, a missionary is “a person undertaking a religious mission, which is a ministry commissioned by a religious organization to propagate its faith or carry on humanitarian work.” According to the Bible, a Christian missionary is someone who goes and tells the good news about Jesus, makes disciples, and serves others in His name! (Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:19, Galatians 5:13) As 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” In effect, all Christians are called to be missionaries!

So, how do we do that?  One way is to go into our neighborhoods, communities, and places of work since they are the closest and easiest to go to. But another way is to go on a short-term mission trip to another country. Foreign mission trips offer unique opportunities to grow closer to God and to other believers, which I will discuss later.

All short-term mission trips, whether near or far, give us an opportunity to obey and serve God, to serve and bless others, to help make disciples, to use our gifts for building the kingdom, and to encourage other believers. But many believers are still hesitant to go. This is especially true for foreign mission trips because they don’t know what the nation and its culture are like. They usually envision it as difficult, uncomfortable, dangerous, and even a bit scary. But that has not been my experience.

Here are what I call the 5 myths about foreign missions:

Myth #1: We sleep in tents out in the jungle

The reality is that we generally sleep in hotel rooms, although sometimes we sleep in people’s homes or in guest houses. In each case, we sleep in beds, we usually have hot showers, heat, or air conditioning, and we sometimes even have cable tv! And when the rare times occur that we don’t, it’s amazing how we humans can adapt to our environment rather quickly.

Myth #2: We eat weird food

The reality is that the food we are served or eat is very good! And in some countries, better than what we eat here in America! We normally eat in restaurants and the meals generally consist of meat, chicken, fish, rice, potatoes, and vegetables. And contrary to what most people think, when we are eating in homes, we don’t necessarily have to eat what does not taste good to us. We can respectfully decline or only eat what we can.

Myth #3: It is dangerous!

The reality is that we are often safer than in most major U.S. cities. While there are some places we should not go (especially at night), our hosts will generally not expose us to such dangers. We are normally with Christians and in church environments where we are safe. Additionally, we typically keep a low profile when we go and are usually gone before other people know we are even there.

Myth #4: I have nothing to offer

The reality is that everyone has a gift they can share. The Bible says 2 things about us in this regard. First, each of us is gifted by God. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” In other words, each of us has been given a gift we can share. Second, God will give us gifts when we need them. 1 Corinthians 12:11 says, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” In other words, God will equip us with the gifts we need for the task He has given to us!

Myth #5: There is little impact

The reality is that God will use us for His purposes, not ours, and the people we minister to are often impacted in ways we may never know! When we go and serve, God uses us to plant seeds for Him. The harvest of what we planted (the impact) will almost always occur much later and after we’ve left the mission field. A foreign mission trip will also give us the opportunity to touch a life. I could share dozens of testimonies of how I’ve seen God work through people to impact the life of someone in another country. To experience that is truly one of God’s greatest blessings.

A foreign mission trip will also impact our life and faith as well! How? First, because we are in an unfamiliar environment, we are forced to totally rely on God. It’s because we don’t speak the local language and we can’t just get in a car and go home. We also experience new and unfamiliar things and will likely face personal challenges that require God’s help. Putting our complete trust in Jesus is what enables us to overcome these challenges and grow in our faith! Second, we will have the opportunity to experience God in a different culture. This will often allow us to see real poverty up close as well as vastly different lifestyles. This gives us a better understanding of how truly blessed we Americans are compared to the rest of the world, which often causes us to rethink our priorities. But we will also feel the unity we have in Christ with other believers that cuts across all nations, cultures, and customs.

So, the next time you are invited to go on a foreign mission trip, don’t just say no. Instead, pray about it and be open to God’s call to go! When you go, you will experience an adventure like no other while making an impact for Christ in the world!

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

One of our global MCL Trainers, Hanna Karam from Lebanon, conducted a training on our Management for Church Leaders training material at a Bible College in Vinetsia, Ukraine back in May. He recently shared this testimony with me that he received from one of his students named Nastia. I believe that this testimony represents and affirms why God has called us into this ministry:

“Dear Hanna, I’m glad to write you now after several months since our last meeting. When we started the course of Management in the seminary I couldn’t even imagine how much information I would use during this summer. For the last month our church (which is in my village, not in Vinetsia) has organized a mini-camp every Wednesday till today. I believe God will help us to continue it. But that was not easy. The Covid-19 canceled a lot of projects. Last year we didn’t do any camps. I think the main problem was to START after such a big pause.

As you know, I am only 18, but I had great friends in church who encouraged me to take responsibility for that project. And I took it. So there I could use everything I received at the course of Management this spring. The most important thing I understood was that I couldn’t do ANYTHING without God. You know that verse in John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing”. That was my “credo” for the last months. I can do nothing without Him. But what can I do WITH Him?  “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13). These 2 verses encouraged me a lot!

When we had our first planning, I knew we should divide all things into “priority” and “minor”. Just as we prayed, somebody from our team started to list that we should clean the territory, buy sugar, bags of corn, create invitation cards… I said: “Wait… I know, it is IMPORTANT. But it is not PRIORITY”. I remember that during the course we wrote the sequence of proper planning. So first of all we chose the programme, decided it would be camp for non-Christians, agreed to date, time and place, discussed finances, the quantity of children and the responsibilities of each leader. The role of coordinator is not easy, but… God blessed me with our wonderful team and showed He would always be with me. Every Wednesday for the last month 25-36 children could listen to Gospel and spend time with a great pleasure.

It is so difficult for me now to go back to Vinetsia as the school year starts in a few days. Even though there were some unpleasant moments (during the mini-camp), they taught me to trust God more. One day our teenagers, who are from Christian families but non-believers yet, had a big argument after camp. They are not leaders, but they help a lot with equipment, sport games, popcorn, etc. After that incident I had prayed for the whole day saying: “Lord, I can’t change them, but YOU can!” Yes, He is truly almighty! That was a great experience and I’m so glad that I had had a good preparing for it. I think it’s a good chance to thank you one more time! I believe God will use me and other students in a miraculous way. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you!” – Nastia

Nastia’s testimony refers to some of the principles that are taught in our MCL training manual concerning leadership and planning. It is gratifying to see and hear how our training is being used and applied where it is taught, especially by young leaders with a zeal for serving the Lord like Nastia. It demonstrates how God is continually at work in the hearts of those who seek Him! While we don’t always get to hear these testimonies, we know they exist and truly enjoy receiving them so that we can share them with you. 

We give all the glory to God! “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)

“Listen and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”

Proverbs 19:20

I went on my first foreign short term mission trip to the nation of Kazakhstan in April of 1996, and it was the beginning of an incredible journey of faith for me and also led me into full time ministry! Over the past 25 years, I have been blessed to be a part of 136 foreign short term mission trips to 48 different nations. Through these trips and cultural experiences, God has taught me some valuable lessons about life and people. He has also given me a new and much broader perspective.

Here is my top 10 list of the things I have learned from Him on the foreign mission field (in reverse order):

#10 – Everything is edible, but not everything is tasty.

I have eaten horsemeat, dog meat, guinea pig, hippo, shark, snake, and many other unusual foods. And guess what? I am still here! And I never got sick from any of them either!

“As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself.” – Romans 14:14

#9 – Lack of air conditioning and hot showers will not harm you.

A cool shower after the heat of a day is actually refreshing. It’s amazing to me how well I adapted and adjusted to my surroundings rather quickly.

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

#8 – I have way too much stuff.

People I met usually had only 2 sets of clothes, the ones they were wearing and the ones they were washing. I had a closet full of clothes that I did not use or need.  So, I got rid of them, mostly to those who needed them, such as the homeless and other charities.

“A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” – Luke 12:15

#7 – Americans have 2 things to offer – our money and our time.

We are a blessed nation with abundant resources, and we are a blessed people with abundant gifts to share. And when we give to others, we are blessed even more in return!

“Give, and it will be given to you.” – Luke 6:38

#6 – People are virtually the same in every culture.

All humans have the same needs and desires – meaningful work, to raise a family, to live in peace, and to be free. The family is the foundation of every society and God put freedom in the heart of all of His creation. People need hope to truly live, and true hope is only found in Jesus!

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31

#5 – Happiness is not found in wealth or possessions, but in knowing God.

Being poor does not mean people are unhappy, and being rich does not mean people are happy. The poor in foreign nations are generally happier than wealthy Americans! True peace and contentment is in knowing God.

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” – 1 Timothy 6:17

#4 – The most important thing in life is our relationship with God and other people.

Life has a purpose with God. Relationships enrich our lives and the lives of others. The Church is a community of believers who have a relationship with Jesus and one another.

“All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” – John 13:35

#3 – The Bible is universal and applies to everyone, everywhere.

God’s word is flawless (Proverbs 30:3) and God’s Word never changes (Malachi 3:6). God’s principles were meant for all peoples in all places and in all times!

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” – 2 Timothy 3:16

#2 – Worship is a lifestyle, not Sunday church attendance.

We worship God by how we live. We worship God not only when we praise Him, but also when we trust Him, obey Him, share His love, and serve others.

“If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.  If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 4:11

#1 – The love of Christ cuts through every cultural boundary.

All people need the Lord. We cannot impact a culture without first impacting its people. I could always tell a Christian in every culture or nation by the smile on their face that comes from the joy in their hearts! We are called to make disciples of all nations! (Matthew 28:19)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

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I have been blessed beyond words by the experiences I have had serving people in other nations and by the personal relationships I have built across cultures and national boundaries. God is the one who has knit us all together in His tapestry of love and brotherhood, and I cannot imagine what life would be like without God’s presence and these dear friends in my life!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will makes your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Our ministry celebrated its 20^th anniversary on January 22nd. In our January newsletter I shared the milestones we had reached along the way as well as the accomplishments that we had achieved. But I also said that God was the one who was responsible for all that we had done in His name! God established this ministry, grew this ministry, and produced all of the results that were achieved. Our part was simply to seek His wisdom and guidance and to obey His direction. Putting our trust in the Lord enabled Him to use us to fulfill His purpose and plan for this ministry!

Last year during the shutdown I wrote a book entitled “God’s Spirit at Work: Lessons from the Mission Field.” In that book I shared many stories and testimonies of how God’s Spirit was at work in our ministry and in my life while serving Him on the foreign mission field since 1996. God demonstrated His power many times to bring about what He desired. He first chose me for His purpose and then provided for me, protected me, and even carried me at times. He also answered my prayers and let me know that He was with me all the time! (Please visit http://www.faithlifeministries.net/books. to get a copy. It is available in a variety of formats.) I enjoyed writing that book because it forced me to recall all the times God had been faithful and was at work even when I didn’t know it.

I was recently reflecting on what God had done to bring us to this point in our ministry and began to realize how God’s Spirit was still at work today even though I have not traveled to train in over a year. For example, although most of the world shut down last year due to the corona virus, the Lord enabled our global trainers to resume our MCL training so that we ended up training over 4,700 pastors and leaders in 29 nations in 2020! It also resulted in our ministry reaching the 100^th nation through an on-line training! Additionally, He led me to use my time at home to write the book and also to develop more resources that our trainers needed!

But that’s not all. During the past year God led us to establish relationships with three new ministries that are enabling us to extend our training to other networks of contacts.

First, we were contacted by a ministry called China Partner that has a network of registered churches and seminaries in China. Last December I recorded our first Zoom training for them (with a translator) which was distributed via email to their network of pastors and church leaders. More training session recordings are scheduled for this year.

Second, God led another ministry to us last year called Leadership International to conduct our MCL training for their ministry network in Africa. I had planned to go and train in Cape Town, South Africa last October but that trip was cancelled due to the virus. Instead, our trainer in Cape Town, Dr. Nsimba Baboka, is working with their contact in Cape Town to do a training there this year. They in turn, will train others throughout their network in Africa.

Finally, I was contacted by the leader of a ministry called Servants of Christ International that assists churches in the majority world with funding and support for church construction, food programs and other aid. They wanted some background on one of the pastors they are working with that happens to be one of our global trainers in Nepal. As we talked about our respective ministries, he asked me for a copy of our MCL self-training book. He was so enthused about our training that he proceeded to email all of his global ministry contacts to encourage them to get a copy of it. We have received requests for our MCL training from many of them already! God was indeed at work growing our ministry last year despite the pandemic!!

So you might ask me, what is God’s Spirit up to this year? Well, first of all, he is opening up doors for me to teach our MCL on-line since I am not able to travel. I have been praying for opportunities to do so and He answered my prayer. I was scheduled to do an initial MCL training for pastors and leaders in Mandalay, Myanmar last week but the start had to be postponed due to the political unrest there at the moment and the instability of their internet service. But it will take place at some point this year.

Second, God led me to the founder of Lucent University, an on-line Bible College. They are interested in having me teach a course on Strategic Management using our MCL material for their Bible degree and even secular degree curriculum. We will be meeting on Zoom again shortly to work on more of the details.

Finally, God’s Spirit has led us to develop a series of short 3 minute videos that contain training tips from our MCL training. Our first training tip was released on our ministry FaceBook page last Thursday. You can watch it at www.faithlifeministries.net/MCL-training-tips.

And through all of this the Lord continues to provide for us financially while He works and speaks through us. I am reminded of the Scripture passage from Zechariah 4:6 that says, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”

Indeed, God’s Spirit is at work today in FaithLife Ministries and is a living testimony to God’s faithfulness! Because we put our faith and trust in Jesus, He will bring about God’s purpose and plan for this ministry.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

2 Timothy 2:2

God has given us the privilege and honor of training pastors and church leaders about leadership and management principles for almost 20 years now. And in 2014 we set up a global trainer network to extend our training through those we have trained. This is often called multiplication ministry. We now have a network of over 70 pastoral trainers who teach our Management for Church Leaders training to others each month around the globe. I often share the numerical results of these training conferences in our newsletters but don’t share some of the feedback and testimonies that I receive from them.

So I thought I would share a few of those that I have received recently to give you a little insight on the impact our ministry is having:
 

“We had a great training session last week in Chitwan and the next one will be in Delhi, India among Nepali Pastors and Leaders (expecting around 50 participants). I have a plan to conduct MCL training monthly in different parts of Nepal, at least 12 sessions this year on average.”      
– Pastor Dhan Thapa from Kathmandu, Nepal

“We have done a three day seminar with Missionary Blake Northam.  Attendance was 63. All in attendance were our college students. Blake is a very committed man of God blessed with explicit teachings and of sound doctrine. Looking forward to receive more teachings from FaithLife Ministries.”
– Pastor David Evans from Thika, Kenya

“I’m happy to report to you that MCL training took off today with an enrollment of 18 attendants. Praise the lord Jesus Christ for his grace. It was attended by two Bishops, 3 Pastors and 13 other Church leaders. They have really appreciated you for authorizing me to facilitate the training as a Pastoral Trainer. They have promised to mobilize more Pastors and Church leaders for the same course.”
– Bishop Chebon Eriama from Busia, Kenya

“I took much longer days than as usual because I was using chalk boards while they were copying, It was an exciting exercise but I finished well and the leaders send their appreciation to FaithLife Ministries for sending me to train them such practical materials. I was in a group that was discussing on how to handle people and finance management especially in the Church. I thank you for encouraging me and when I raised my faith God moved and here I testify of His grace. Be blessed.”
– Pastor Okumu Eryeza from Kampala, Uganda

“I greet you in the great name of our lord Jesus Christ. Thank you so much for all the great work you are doing. We thank God for His love and protection. The training started very well for the pastors and church leaders who managed to come. And God protected us from this virus. Thank you so much for all the support. May God bless you.”
– Pastor Kiyingi Emmy from Kampala, Uganda


As you can read, our global trainers are grateful for our training and having the opportunity to teach our training to others. And while most of our global training has been canceled due to the corona virus pandemic for April & May, these testimonies give us hope that our training will spread even further once we are able to resume.

Please pray for all of our global trainers, and that the Lord will keep them safe and healthy as well as provide for their families and financial needs during this global crisis.

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”

1 Corinthians 3:6

Every once in a while we come to a point in our lives where we take time to reflect on our past, consider our present circumstances, and ponder the future. FaithLife Ministries has been my life and passion since our beginning in 2001.  I have been blessed beyond measure by God who called me into this ministry of training and equipping pastors and church leaders in the majority world. When it began I had no idea what, or where, it would lead to. Nor did I stop to consider the cost, the struggles, or the perseverance it would take to get to where we are today. However, when I do take stock of where our ministry is today, I am humbled just to be a small part of what God is doing. And the future before us is as unknown as it was when we started.

But there has been one constant throughout the years – God! He has been the guiding force in the ministry and the One I have tried to look to for wisdom, counsel and provision. And He has never failed me or this ministry!

They say hindsight is 20/20, so it is not that hard for me to look back and see that all that this ministry has accomplished has been through the Lord’s Hand. I have simply been His instrument and the one He has called and willed for the purpose of building up His Church around the world through the training of pastors and church leaders. I still don’t know why He chose me, but He did. And I’ve spent the past 19 years trying to be obedient to that call and His purpose. And as I look back and reflect on how far we have come, I am simply astounded and amazed at what He has done with the little I had to offer. Like the feeding of the 5,000, God took the “few fish and bread” I had to give and has used it to feed so many (ref. Matthew 14:15-21).

The road here has not always been easy, however. We had fund shortages, difficulties recruiting people, travel challenges, health issues, miscommunications and a myriad of other obstacles that caused me at times to question our plan and purpose. But I also knew that we had His Holy Spirit to help us overcome them. And through it all, God provided, God sustained and God proved faithful to His Word to “never leave us or forsake us” (Hebrews 13:5). And when I thought that I might have failed Him, He reminded me that “many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it’s the Lord purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:26). So I stand here today knowing that God has used this ministry to bring about His purposes for it. Of that I have no doubt!

As I look around today and consider all the training that is taking place around the world through our Global Trainer Network I realize that I am not the only person that God has called into this ministry. God has sent us laborers to work in this “vineyard” alongside of me to produce the harvest He desires. Perhaps the most important lesson God has taught me the past few years is that I was never meant to do this alone. Once He revealed that truth to me the ministry has been able to expand, multiply and grow faster and more effectively than it otherwise would have. As the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow!” Because of this truth, this ministry is stronger and has deeper roots today. And I treasure the relationships I have with all of our trainers and training hosts that we have had over the years who are co-laborers with me in this global vineyard!

I am confident that the future of this ministry is in great hands, because it is in God’s Hands, as it always has been! And as I contemplate the future, pray for God’s vision, and listen for His voice, I know He will speak to me and “reveal His thoughts” to me (ref. Amos 4:13) for the future of this ministry. The vision is not ours, it’s His. And whatever that vision is, He will not only give it to us but He will provide the resources needed to accomplish it as well! Although the future is not ours to see (as the old song goes), it is ours to inherit if we follow Him and His call!

I was confirmed in my faith at the age of 14. My Confirmation Bible verse was Matthew 28:20 that says, “…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” Though I did not know it then, I can’t help but believe with certainty that I am doing exactly what He planned for me to do and acknowledge that He has been with me and guiding me every step of the way!

Thank you, Jesus, and praise God from whom all blessings flow!

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.”

Romans 8:26

I recently received this wonderful testimony from Pastor David Akinsanya from Lagos, Nigeria (photo) who went through our Management for Church Leaders self-training book and began to apply some of what we teach within his church. Here is his testimony of how God used it to impact his ministry and congregation:

“I have been experiencing tremendous positive changes in my leadership. I had to conduct a training for my under leaders last week Saturday from 6am-2pm. The outcome has been wonderful. I am blessed in my life by the Holy Spirit and the resources you sent to me. I am more conscious of Holy Spirit more than ever before in my life and ministry, and the results of this has been Awesome. Our Sunday service was a super Sunday because I committed the under-leaders to His Holy hands and He used them in a way that made me cry at my ignorance and what my pride has blindfolded me from seeing.

I quickly see my ugly picture and how I have been insensitive to His Leadership role and place in the church management, mostly in our church – HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH COVENANT CHURCH. The leaders (workers) were so excited and happy to be given a role to play in the kingdom assignment, a goal that I have been assigned by God. It was so visible that with the enthusiasm of each and every one of them that were given a role to perform for God during the service and you can see that they have long been waiting for this kind of mighty move in the church with the backing of the Holy Spirit as well as to be trained and to be trusted with such responsibilities. 

And you need to see the Joy of been allowed to use their God given gifts for the Lord. Oh Barry, Holy Spirit moved in a new dimension in our fellowship last week Sunday and I strongly believe IT IS A NEW DAWN!!!! You won’t believe how quickly people began to use their gifts with joy (for example, one of them walked up to me and said, “Pastor, the Lord Says you should not minister by sharing message today. Instead, you should let Brother Ruben take the message.”).  I said noted and I called the said  brother during the workers fellowship (which is where we workers always pray for one hour before the Sunday School and Main Service and commit everything during the service to God). I told him I was told that the Lord wants you to minister to us today, so please go prepare your message and whatever the Holy Spirit places in your heart please say it (HE MINISTERED USING THE TOPIC HOLY SPIRIT). 

It was a powerful Ministration (sermon), and with the backing of the Holy Spirit it made everyone present to tremble. I cannot but shed tears!!!! I only ministered during the service in the administration of the Holy Communion which we do often on the first Sunday of the month. This was the product or result of one day of training showing them the Scriptures on the place and role of leadership and Holy Spirit in Church Growth and Health as well as the role and place of the 3 types of workers in the church being (1) Congregation, Committed, and Core from your training material. All I did was to tell them what we all need to do to move to the next level now from that of being just a Congregation to being Committed members, and to keep developing ourselves and playing our role of going out (evangelism) according to Matthew 28:19-20. I returned all the Glory to God.

Things are gradually changing for the best. Thank you Holy Spirit and thank you Barry, for allowing God to use you and your training to minister to me.”

We are very grateful to David for sharing his testimony with us so that we could share it with you. To God alone be the glory!

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” – 1 Timothy 6:17

As we near the end of our 18^th year of ministry later this month I am constantly reminded of God’s provision for our ministry and family. As a ministry, we have relied on donations to train and equip pastors and church leaders globally. Those donations cover our own travel costs, funding for our global trainers, and our administrative expenses. They also provide an income for our family as well. And throughout our 18 years God has never failed to provide for us or our ministry! We put our trust in Him and He has proven faithful!

Hudson Taylor, a British missionary to China in the1800’s, is credited with the famous saying that “God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.” It is a testimony to the faithfulness of God that He alone takes care of our needs and provides for our ministries. We are often tempted to think that we are responsible for what we receive through our superior fundraising skills or our extensive network of relationships with people of means. But that is not true at all.  It is God working through the Holy Spirit that causes people to give or donate to ministries. And although we must still do our part of informing and asking for financial donations, it is really the Holy Spirit that causes other people to give according to God’s holy and perfect will and desire.

We faced a big challenge to our trust in God’s provision when I felt the call to work full-time in this ministry in 2005. The Lord had been growing our ministry and leading me to do more training in more places, thus requiring more of my time to train and travel and less time for income earning work. Up until then we only needed to raise funds for our travel and training for a couple of trips a year. Now I had to raise an income to help support our family as well as additional funds for more travel and training. He was asking me to step out in faith and to trust in His provision alone. I had been working for years in professional jobs and so having to rely on fundraising alone was a bit daunting. But I felt the Holy Spirit calling me to full-time ministry and so we trusted Him to provide.

At that time, we had recently opened up an account with a new local bank that was started by a Christian. He wanted to run his bank on Christian principles and had established a Foundation (from their profits) to give grants to local ministries. So I went to the bank and asked to speak to the President about a grant. When I mentioned that God was also calling me into full-time ministry he immediately said their Foundation would support us and told me to prepare and submit a grant request to him for what we needed. He also pulled out his personal checkbook and wrote a check to us for $1,000 and committed to also supporting our ministry in that amount for the next 12 months! He paraphrased 1 Timothy 5:17-18 to me which says that “those who work for the Lord are worthy of a double honor” and that the “the worker deserves his wages.” I was stunned! God not only provided for our ministry but also did it rather quickly and in a big way!

Shortly thereafter I was training at a Bible School in Almaty, Kazakhstan and teaching on fundraising.  In the teaching I had shared how I was now working in this ministry full-time and had to raise funds for my income. One of the students asked me if it was easier or harder for me now to rely on God’s provision solely as compared to earning an income with a job. I thought about it for a minute and then I said it was actually easier. He asked me why? I explained that when I earned a paycheck, I thought it was because of what I did to earn it. But in reality, it was always God’s provision whether I worked for it or not. I had the illusion that it was my effort that produced the income instead of God providing the income through my efforts. Realizing now that God was always the sole provider allowed me to “eliminate the middle man” (my employer) and to trust directly in the true source – God!

I have also seen God provide for others. One individual I had asked to go on a mission trip with me readily agreed to go. He said he needed to raise funds for his trip cost and began that process. About a month before we were to leave he had only received about half of the amount of money he needed to go and was ready to back out of the trip. I asked him 2 questions. First, did he believe God had called him to go on this trip? He said yes. I then asked him if he trusted in God to provide what he needed for the trip? He again said yes. So I just said to trust in God and He will provide. And God did provide, with the final amount he needed coming the day before we left! It is reminiscent of the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis where God provided a ram at the last minute because of Abraham’s trust and obedience. That place on the mountain is also called “The Lord will Provide!” (Genesis 22:14)

I have experienced the truth of Hudson Taylor’s quote many times, both positively and negatively. For example, there have been occasions when I was not able to raise the funds that were needed for a trip and so I did not go. In those cases I believe the trip was not in God’s will and thus did not have His provision.  So we must always be willing to trust God and accept that whatever the outcome it is always according to His will.

As we begin 2019, let us all resolve to seek his will for all we do in His name and to trust in God’s provision for all of our needs! To God alone be the glory!

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“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Isaiah 55:11

One of the pure joys of ministry is watching how God works behind the scenes to produce the outcomes He desires. Last month I wrote a short article in our newsletter about how we have been called to “Scatter the Seed” of our training and how God has prepared some soil to receive it and others not so much. Since we are based in the USA we rarely get to see all of the fruit that God produces from the “seed scattering” of our training materials. But even though we don’t see it, God is still at work and through His invisible hand is multiplying the seed that we had planted. And it’s interesting that within a week of publishing that article I received a testimony of God doing just that!

Last week I received an email from someone at a Bible College in Kenya (whom I did not know) stating that he had been teaching our Management for Church Leaders™  (MCL) training there and if I had any other training materials he might use. I was curious about this since I was not aware of any training at this place or in this city and thought one of our MCL Trainers must have been there or else he attended a training we did in Kenya. So I asked him for some background as to how he came across our training. He indicated that he had been using a printed copy he received from someone named Blake from the USA and wanted a PDF copy that he could more easily reproduce. I said I did not know Blake but was glad he found our training!

So I sent him the PDF version of our MCL training manual along with the Trainer’s manual to help him teach our material. I also sent him a link to our training videos on our website to further assist him in teaching our training at his Bible College. I also asked for some background on the Bible College and his ministry there.

He said his name was Rev. Dr. David Njoroge Evans and he was the Principal & Director of Studies at the Kenya Bible College in Thika, Kenya (see photo above). He also pastors a local church. He said he had been using our MCL training since February and had already trained 400 leaders this year! Additionally, he mentioned that he had plans to teach it again this past weekend in a town called Nyeri. He subsequently emailed me photos from that training and said they had trained another 94 pastors and church leaders there!

He also included the following testimony from the training in Nyeri:

“The leaders were so excited and actually the Host Bishop shed tears when he saw how receptive his leaders were and the manner by which they participated. They asked as to whether I can give them certificates of attendance.  Being the trainer I was very much moved by the teachings and would commend them for all leaders. I have never had such an inspiring material so far. Shalom.”

His testimony was a blessing to us and so I wanted to share it with you. I did email him training certificates that we have and also sent him our other training materials. I am not sure who Blake is or where he is from, but hopefully one day the Lord will reveal him to me and I’ll finally know how God brought all of this about! In the meantime, I wonder how many other Blakes and David Evans are out there training our material for God’s glory?

We are thrilled to see how God has been working through people we don’t know to bring about His desires to see our training reach those who need it. God is absolutely amazing!! It’s a privilege and an honor to serve Him by training and equipping pastors and church leaders around the world, both known and unknown to us!

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”

1 Corinthians 3:6

One of the struggles I face in leading this ministry is how to evaluate and measure the effectiveness of our training. Just counting the number of pastors and leaders we train is fairly meaningless because it does not capture the impact of the training on each individual that receives it. Additionally, just because someone attends our training does not necessarily mean that they put what they learned into practice and that it has positively impacted their ministry in a tangible or measurable way. Consequently, the impact of any training is very difficult to quantify and measure in an objective manner.

So, how do we evaluate the effectiveness of our training? The only option left is to try and evaluate it subjectively by surveys, focus groups and testimonials.  While this is certainly not comprehensive and only represents the views from those willing to participate, it does reflect the impact that the training has had on those individuals.  And that limited amount of feedback does provide guidance to our training development and delivery and gives us insight into what participants find useful, practical and meaningful for their ministry.

In our 17 years of teaching our Management for Church Leaders™ training we have learned from our participants and trainers several things about our training.  First, we continually hear that our training is very basic, Biblical, and easy to understand. Second, it is often mentioned that our training is very practical and something they can readily implement. Third, many participants like the fact that our training is comprehensive (includes a lot of what the Bible says about management) and is put together in one document which they can reference when necessary. This was our original intent and affirms what we set out to accomplish. And these comments have come from virtually every part of the world where we have trained.

But this feedback does not really answer the question as to the impact of the training. It’s one thing for participants to say they like our training and quite another for them to actually put it into practice and test its merit. For that type of feedback we ask for testimonials and stories from individual participants of how our training was actually used. That information is often harder to obtain because we do not have the ability to contact individual participants several months after they have attended one of our training conferences. So we must rely on our global network of trainers to provide that type of feedback for us when they can.

Recently I contacted seven of our key contacts and trainers around the world and asked them if they felt our training was effective and if so, how they knew. All of them said our training was effective and they knew that because of their personal contacts with some of the participants and the testimonies that they were receiving from them. They also mentioned being able to witness changes in the lives and ministries of those they had trained. Again their observations are limited and subjective but do provide evidence that there is impact from our training.

But I believe that the greatest testimony on the value and effectiveness of our training is that we have a network of 64 pastors and leaders around the world who have invested their time, resources and energy in teaching it to others on our behalf. I do not think they would do that unless they felt that the training was effective and important. While that is not conclusive evidence on its own, it does represent a significant indicator of the potential impact that our training is having.

Finally, I want to share with you a recent testimony that I received from Pastor Wilson Esambe from Cameroon. He is one of our MCL Trainers and has taken our training to many nations in West Africa on our behalf. He wrote, “I give thanks to God for FaithLife Ministries for bringing out the value that was hidden in me. Every month, I make it a habit of reading the manual and teach my church leaders also. Today, they understand the vision of our ministry through training using this manual. This year, we have a target of 60 church plants, as a Senior Pastor, I am relaxed but we have been able to plant 4 churches already. Thank you Mentor Barry. God bless you. Because of the goodness and practicality of the material I am prepared to go anywhere to teach others and sleep anywhere. Nothing is more important than having an organized and well managed church.” While this is only one testimony, it is very encouraging for what we do and shows the kind of impact our training can have!

I know that I will not truly understand or know the full impact that our training has had until I am in heaven. The Bible reminds us in Isaiah 55:11 that “so is my Word that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”  I trust that the Lord (who called me into this ministry 17 years ago) is using each of us who teach our training to impact others and together we will expand His Kingdom on this earth!

So, as a laborer in the vineyard of the Lord, and one who trains others, I am constantly aware that “neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:7)  Our duty and responsibility is to be obedient to God’s call, teach others what He has taught us, and to trust that God will provide the impact and effectiveness according to His desire and purpose!

Amen! Thank you Lord!

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