I pray this message finds you well as we live through these peculiar times. The entire world is impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Church of Christ has an extraordinary and urgent opportunity to minister hope and share “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding.”
Jesus predicted it 2000 years ago, and he’s doing it. In our generation and in many parts of the world, the Church of Christ is growing at unprecedented rates. And at BrookLink we get to be part of that story. What a privilege! Next month Jan Ryder and Leslie Osborne will be training 40+ children’s workers for the Kale Heywet Church in Ethiopia. We are currently halfway through a three-year commitment to equip leaders in the Ethiopian church.
As the new year (and a new decade) dawns, it thrills me to dream of what God may want to do through the ministry of BrookLink. I believe we are entering a new frontier in God’s global missionary enterprise. Training leaders is the next natural focus in those places where the national church is exploding with growth.
We are one month away from the biggest giving day of the year, #GivingTuesday, where people around the world come together to make an impact. Save the Date!
“They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned…, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.” Acts 14: 21-22a NIV
As we’ve shared with you recently, BrookLink’s facilitator team had a summer of extensive travel. You helped send six members of our training team and affiliates from Europe to Africa to South Asia. The stories they shared upon their return were inspirational, and we want to share them with you!
It is my hope this letter finds you in good health and experiencing the abiding joy of relationship with our God and Father during the Lenten season. As we enter springtime, our hearts delight in extended daylight, rebirth and growth. At BrookLink we are humbled and thrilled to be celebrating ten years in ministry and are steadfastly focused on why this ministry was created a decade ago.
In the final days of 2018, my hope and prayer is that you will know the nearness of Jesus Christ and how he entered the world in humble fashion “to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). At BrookLink, we count it a privilege to know this same Jesus, and to be involved in equipping pastors across the world and at home to proclaim Him too!
As my wife, Terry, got off the plane from West Africa in Detroit, Michigan, I was boarding a plane for East Africa in Chicago, Illinois. We spent Thanksgiving Day apart this year. But don’t feel too sorry for us. We were on Kingdom business and following His lead. Last month we talked about why we do what we do at BrookLink. Strengthening the church is WHAT BrookLink is all about. We were invited and available, so off we went.
Your generosity is astounding! Our fundraising goal for #GivingTuesday was $5,000 and with your help, we were able to raise just over $13,000! And let's not forget the group of faithful donors who pledged to match up to $5,000 bringing the overall #GivingTuesday total to over $18,000. Thank you for helping strengthen churches around the world!