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February 2025
News & Updates
Thank you for standing with us in ministry. Here is an update on some of what God has been doing at the start of the new year. It's a bit of a long one, but stay with us until the end for a big ministry update!
JANUARY KICKOFF
Well…it has been an interesting and exciting start to 2025. If you were like us, Jan seemed to last FOREVER. Elaine kept saying that it must be the 57th day of Jan by now. But, as long as it felt, we kept sensing God at work, positioning us for what He has for us. You all were in our prayers too – as it seemed we had extra days to pray for you :)
We started with a 21-day fasting and prayer time with our family and several of the Asian city pastors. Let me just say, God moves in mighty ways during these times – or maybe He opens our eyes and lets us see more clearly what He is doing during these times.
We did a digital fast with our kids – as you can imagine it was not always easy (as fasting never is), but in the end we renewed our prayer times together as a family, we created a ‘THANKFUL’ wall, and we regained our sense of God working in and through us as a family.
We did more of a traditional fast with our Asian city pastors and God really began to open some doors, remove some obstacles, and bring new opportunities.
On Jan. 21, I was able to meet with a group of interested church planters from different cities in Asia. It was such an incredible meeting. We had 1 from Nepal, 1 from Indonesia, 1 from Bangladesh, 1 from Vietnam, and 1 from Sri Lanka. Keep these church planters in your prayers as we begin assessment and training this month.
On Jan. 31 – Feb. 2 I had the privilege of speaking and leading a stewardship seminar in Word for the World Hong Kong. Our theme was 'Stewardship not Guilt-trip'. We had so much fun together talking about the Word of God and His call for us to live generous lives. Please keep Pastor Raffy and his wife Susan in your prayers, they are doing an incredible job in a very difficult situation – government regulations, high expenses, etc. We are believing as God grows them, they will be able to plant a church in Macau.
On March 5, I will be going to Sri Lanka to meet with 3 more potential church planters. We are targeting the northern region as there are already many churches in the south. Please keep this trip in your prayers.
On March 30 I will be visiting one of our partner churches Word for the World-Marthandam, India. Pastor Bright and his wife Jerocin are doing an excellent job there. We are working on building a Bible school and church with them. I will send photos after my visit.
On April 6 I will be with our newest church plant on their one-year anniversary – our church in Chennai, India. Pastor Joshua is a young man with a great desire to see many souls won to Jesus. I will also visit with Pastor Able who is in the beginning stages of planting a church there as well. Thanks to your generous giving, not only are we able to help them get started, but we will be purchasing each a motorcycle for their ministry. Again, I will send photos in the next update. They are so very excited, as am I.
On Valentine's weekend Elaine and I had the opportunity to visit Singapore. I love when God turns ministry trips into awesome times with my wife – what a blessing! We are exploring some new opportunities there but nothing concrete yet. Singapore is a high-tech, world-class city. Resources for the advancement of the Kingdom of God in Asia are abundant. Who knows what God will do!?
Something else that is so cool, I have been in contact with one of the most effective church planting organizations in the US – ARC (Association of Related Churches)
– and they are looking at getting some things started here in Asia. As of now, they have 1 church plant in Malaysia. We have just started talking but who knows? I do know God is up to something and I want to be a part of it.
As of now we plan to continue to live in Manila, Philippines for at least another year as our son Brandon will be a High School Senior next year and we want to see him graduate from the school and with his friend group here. After that – June 2026 – we are praying about what city in Asia God might lead us to be based in. Pray with us about that – while it seems a long way off, we know it will be here before we know it.
