An update from Dyonah Thomas, Lead Pastor of Grace Life Church, and Founder of Grace Life Churches...

Thanks for the encouragement and support during this critical time. 

A few months ago, the reality of our initial steps hit me so hard. When we embarked on the Journey to plant Grace Life churches and schools, it was clear to us that the Lord was directing us to prioritize least accessed communities - where the poor live with very limited resources. 

We have seen beyond our imagination in terms of gospel transformations of hearts. God has worked in turning many hearts away from Idol worship, to worshipping the Living God. Yet COVID-19 and all its lock down implications has brought a new reality to us – an opportunity to serve the congregation with basic food for living, and an opportunity to build gospel applications into our daily lives in the midst of stress and suffering. 

The story of Martha gives a clear picture of a very high percentage of our population in the midst of COVID-19 and the lockdown implications. Martha is a Christian and a member of a Grace Life Church plant. She goes to the fish cold storage depot every morning, to credit two to three cartoons of fish. She walks around all day trying to sell the fish to the communities, around about 3:30pm, she takes the sales money back to the stores and normally keeps 3-4.5 percent as profit. With the 3-4.5 percent she then buys food to cook for her house for the day. 

As the challenge hit, through lots of prayer and scripture guidance we launched a COVID-19 relief fund. The goal was to make consistent supply of food available in a designated storage and supply each member of our local churches and very vulnerable populations in our communities during the periods of Lockdown. 

We reached out to Dave Taylor and his team, dear friends and brothers. Graciously with initial help from Sovereign Grace Churches Australia we made food available to 141 families, from 4 church plants, living in 9 communities. Within another week, Dave had reached out to Ben Kreps, and Ben mobilized his region (Lower Great Lakes) and they also made a generous donation.  We were amazed by the intervention and thankful to the Lord and the Sovereign Grace family for reaching out with such generosity. We were able to purchase rice, which is a major meal for Liberians, oil, maggai cube, tuna fish, luncheon meat, cereal milk, sugar and dis-infectant.

We have been able to help brethren like Joana. Joana is a grandma and lost her daughter and son in-law to Ebola.  Now she is caring for their children. These kids have been helped through the Grace Life school system and God has saved Joana. She wept has she received her food knowing that she may not have had a way out.  As a petti trader she is not allowed in the street during lock down. 

Dickerson and his family are grateful and keep praising the Lord. Dickerson cried thanking God, he said, “Honestly , I never knew where the food was going to come from during this time, but God showed up.”

Ma Martha, as many may call her. She walked around her house with hands in the air thanking God as we gave her the food.

Stephen and his family of four kids, who lost their parents to Ebola. God has saved them, and they are active members in one of our local churches. Stephen said to me, “Pastor, we don’t know how to say thanks, but we feel the care of God.”

Thank you Sovereign Grace for all of your help. As I am writing, all of our local church members have basic food needs to last for the lock down which ends on May 14, 2020. 

May the blessing of the Lord be with you all as you continue to pray for Liberia and others and as you find ways to help so many through this. 

An update from Scott Crook, Lead Pastor of Cross of Grace Church, Chaska, MN…

For the past several years Sovereign Grace has partnered with Training Leaders International in a specific project to help train a group of Pakistani pastors. Meeting in neutral cities throughout the Middle East, the training has centered on how to preach gospel-centric sermons all through scripture.

Back in their home country, this group of 16 pastors travel to many different villages on bicycle, motorbike, or on foot to preach the gospel and to raise up disciples for Jesus. And during the pandemic, they have also been faithful to help meet the physical needs of the poorest Christians in these villages. Like many struggling nations around the world, their need is great. 

Any aid offered by their government is going only to Muslim families and businesses. Christians are excluded. The brick factories that many Christians are forced to work in for their meager wages have been shut down. A massive shortage of food and basic supplies continues to increase throughout Pakistan.

In response, our region (the Midwest/Northwest Region) recently took a collection to help with this need. Through the generosity of Sovereign Grace churches, we were able to collect just over $30,000 to help the hungry and poor of Pakistan. Praise God!

One of the lead pastors “Brother F” recently sent me this update:

Dear Brother,

Greetings and Prayers. First of all, I would like to give thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the best protector and provider. As everyone knows that lockdown is going on all over the world and everyone is suffering but the daily wagers, the brick-making people and private workers are more affected. They can’t work because of lockdown and on the other hand, they have to provide for their families. On one hand it is good that they are not going out, but on the other hand, they are suffering and praying for food. 

We are happily sharing that we were able to distribute food items, hygienic things, and face masks. Our main priorities are widows, orphans and the neediest people. We are very thankful to you because you have donated the funds generously for them. 

During the distribution on the brick factories we saw young children locked down in one room, and waiting for God’s miracle for them so that they can eat. One of the mother’s said, “My children were starving but I keep them busy in prayer and asked them to pray and God will provide and all of a sudden we heard a knock on the door and God provided the food.” She said, "We are so thankful to God that He listens to our prayers. It is a difficult time but it will pass soon. Our God will protect us because He has promised us that he will never forsake us." 

You are always in our prayers. God bless you.Your brother,

F

While our training for these brothers has temporarily postponed, our prayers and support for them continue. Their faith inspires me to trust in our ever-present, faithful Savior to meet all of our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).

An update from two of our key leaders in the Philippines; Jeffrey Jo, Lead Pastor of CCSGM (Church of the Chief Shepherd Gospel Ministries) in Manila; and Nilo Ebo, Lead Pastor of HDCC (His Dwelling Christian Church) in Cebu. These brothers represent over 20 churches between them…

Jeffrey Jo – Manila & Mindanao (13 Churches)

It was March 16, 2020 when the president of our country placed the entirety of Luzon under an ECQ or Enhanced Community Quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19. On March 17, the Philippines was declared under a state of calamity for a tentative period of six months.

Such announcements resulted to the lockdowns of all major roads, seaports, and airports. Commercial establishments, schools, and even offices are closed since mass gatherings are prohibited.

We just came from the Sovereign Grace Churches’ Pastors and Wives Conference in Cebu City that started March 10 and ended by the 12th. We left Cebu the following day as we carry God’s message in our hearts that the church really is, “the dearest place on earth”. 

Such truth indeed inspired us and prepared us for the events to come. Due to the lockdown, a lot of members from our churches both here in Manila and in Mindanao are greatly affected. Some lost their jobs, others were urged to work from home. Those who have businesses need to temporarily close their offices/establishments. Those who have blue collar jobs are greatly affected along with their families. Our government, just like the rest of the world, seemed to be caught by surprise by this pandemic but in all fairness, they are doing their best to meet the needs of the people and at the same time, prevent the spread of the said virus.

These made me, along with our elders and pastoral team, to pray, to plan, and to purposely initiate a project called “Project Backliners”. Its aim is to raise money so that we can give financial assistance to the brethren in our main church that are greatly affected by the lockdown. In God’s providence, we were able to raise P82,000.00 that helped 12 families and 8 individuals. Project Backliners then ended on April 12.

However, as the elders convened, we thought of our brethren from our daughter churches here in Cavite and down south in Mindanao, 13 churches in all. Our challenge was how to raise such an enormous fund of P280,000.00 plus, and we only had P8,000.00 remaining fund from our previous Project Backliners. We prayed to the God of heaven for His wisdom and providence, knowing that it is His will to help the suffering brethren. We knew that our hands are tied, but His are not.

We then started a second wave called “Project Backliners 2.0”. True enough out of God’s grace, Pastor Dave Taylor of Sovereign Grace Church Sydney, Australia messaged me and offered help for our brethren in need. In due course, donations came in from Sovereign Grace Church, Sydney & Sovereign Grace Church of Parramatta, Pastor Riley Spring. Pastor Eric Turbedsky of Sovereign Grace Church in Orange, California, Pastor Dave York of Covenant Life Fellowship in Oregon, Pastor Rich Richardson of Center Church, Gilbert, and Pastor Lynn Baird of Sovereign Grace Church, Pasadena. 

We were in tears when we received the news and the acts of generosity of the leaders and members of these six Sovereign Grace Churches. This fund along with the continuous giving of our church members here will surely feed families, sustain utilities, support medications for the sick but above all, it will surely bring praise to God from the heart and lips of all the leaders and members of our churches as they acknowledge God’s providence and the loving support of the church families of Sovereign Grace churches.

Indeed, the church—His church is the dearest place on earth!

Nilo Ebo – Cebu & Provinces (12 Churches)

The Philippines is a growing economy, however the growth has been stunted due to the present Covid 19 crisis. The government’s Enhanced Community Quarantine resulting in work stoppage, the temporary closure of stores, malls, amusing parks, recreation centers, churches & religious places of worship has greatly slowed down the economy, affecting the livelihood of all families. 

The Government’s stimulus program called “social amelioration fund’ intended for the poorest of the poor ranging from P 6-8 K per family per month is not enough to feed a family of 5. The average income earner, being also greatly affected by the crisis, is not included in the goverrnment subsidy. The rising cases of Covid 19, the police & military personel in the streets to impose government regulations has added fear & uncertainty to the populace, since they cannot go out to work to provide for their family.

Pastors and most of the church members are struggling since they were not included in the SAF leaving them destitute. They need food & supplies, they have no where to go, like being under a dark tunnel of uncertainty.   

When Dave emailed me, informing me about the financial assistance of $6,500.00 US, coming from Sovereign Grace Churches, its as if we saw a light at the end of the tunnel for our churches. We were excited & immediately bought rice and canned goods and distributed the relief goods to the homes of the church members. They were very grateful, big smiles on their faces, we felt a joy & excitement seeing them received the goods. Thank you Dave & Sovereign Grace Churches for your love & concern for our plight. 

Our relationship has not only grown deeper, but will never be the same again after this act of kindness & generosity. Your love and kindness will go a long way, you are part of our church and this deed will be a highlighted event in the history of the Church in the Philppines. 

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you Dave Taylor, Rich Richardson, Eric Turbedsky, Dave York, Riley Spring, Lynn Baird & Sovereign Grace Churches for this unexpected gift!   

1 Corinthians 8. 1-5, ‘We want you to know brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches in Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favour of taking part in the relief of the saints - and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.’

I started last months ‘things to pray for’ post with exactly the same verse, making comment on the wonderful interdependence that we experience in Sovereign Grace, and how we really are family, understanding that we can do far more ‘together’ than we can ‘alone’. Since then COVID-19 has affected us all, economies are crashing, lockdown for most of us is a reality, and borders have been shut. We can no longer just get on a plane to go and support our global churches, we can no longer go just go and visit… But here’s what we can do, we can pray, and oh my, what a glorious faith-building reality that is!

Over the last few weeks I have been able to reach out to all of our global partners, to encourage them, listen to them, care for them and let them know we’re with them. In all of the countries we are serving in, there is either a key Pastor or Pastors that we are working with. Some of them, in turn, care for a number of Churches themselves, sometimes in upwards of fifty, and so please pray for each of these men, their families, pastoral teams, churches and countries. We may not know all that the future holds, but we do know the One who holds the future... 

• Australia - Myself, Dave Taylor - Sovereign Grace Church, Sydney

• Bahamas - Cedric Moss - Kingdom Life Church

• Belarus - Sergie Lukyanov - New Covenant Church

• Bolivia - Jorge Del Castillo - Iglesia Gracia Soberana

• Brazil - Fabiano Silveira - Igreja Graca Soberana de Sao Paulo

• Brazil - Emerson Soares - Igreja Nova Vida

• Colombia - Jacobys Aldana - Iglesia Soberana Gracia in Santa Marta

• Costa Rica - Allan Monge - Gracia Soberana de Cartago

• Croatia - Mario Vucenovic - Church of God’s Grace

• Cuba - Juan Vineta - Iglesia Biblica Emanuel

• Cuba - Eddy Cambria - Iglesia Biblical de a Gracia

• England - Nathan Smith - Grace Church, Bristol

• Ethiopia - Michael Granger - Sovereign Grace Church Plant

• Germany - Christian Wegert - Arche Church

• India - Jayaprakash Ravuri - Calvary Gospel Church

• Ireland - Ray Clancy - Calvary Galway

• Italy - Lee Walti - Verita di Grazia Church

• Italy - Giuseppe Fortuna - Chiesa Grazia e Verità

• Jamaica - Joel Bain - Grace Family Church

• Liberia - Dyonah Thomas - Grace Life Church

• Mexico - Carlos Contreras - Gracia Soberana de Cd Juarez

• Nepal - Pastor/Church name concealed for protection purposes

• Pakistan - Pastor/Church name concealed for protection purposes

• Philippines - Nilo Ebo - His Dwelling Christian Church

• Philippines - Jeffrey Jo - Church of the Chief Shepherd Gospel Ministries

• Philippines - Pete Valdez - Sovereign Grace Church of Tagbilaran

• Puerto Rico - Josue Caceres - Iglesia Redimodos

• Puerto Rico - Richard Gonzalez - Torre Fuerte

• South Korea - Songhwan Kang - Lord’s Grace Church

• Spain - Gabriel Reyes-Ordeix - Sovereign Grace Plant (Preparation)

• Thailand - Pastor/Church name concealed for protection purposes

• Turkey - Pastor name concealed - Sovereign Grace Plant (Preparation)

• Venezuela - Eduardo Oistochea - Iglesia Cristiana Biblica Palabra Viva

• Zambia - Wilbroad Chanda - Christ Community Church

… May His grace and mercy abound to us all. The whole world is in His hands.

An update from Mike Seaver, Lead Pastor of Risen Hope Church in Summerville, SC, USA, and member of our US/CAN Church Planting Team;

Our church planters are one of our most important assets we have as a family of churches.  Pastoring an existing work is difficult.  Beginning a new church is even harder.  One way that our US/CAN Church Planting Team has helped church planters the last several years is through having trained and certified SG Coaches meet monthly with our planters.  These Coaches have intentional gospel conversations with focused discussions about the planter’s relational, personal, missional, and spiritual life.    

In February, Greg Dirnberger and I had the honor of moving our Gospel Coaching Training beyond our borders.  We began the training of ten Sovereign Grace pastors who are connected with our Global church plants in Belarus, Brazil, Croatia, India, Italy, Nepal, and Thailand. 

The training consists of three days of sessions that help these future coaches absorb the coaching material and methods, but then also give them practical experience through coaching one another.  After the initial training, each guy has monthly Tri-hort calls where he coaches, gets coached, and observes others who are coaching. 

We are excited to serve our Global Church Planters in this way and we are grateful for Dave Taylor and Rich Richardson for having the heart and vision for this training.  Please pray for our Global Church Planters and that these coaches would be as valuable in other countries has they have been in the United States.

A report from Joselo Mercado, Lead Pastor of Iglesia Gracia Soberana in Gaithersburg, on a pre-Covid 19 trip…

I arrived in Trujillo, Peru after a long flight and layover in Lima.  Trujillo is a city of one million people in the north coast of this beautiful country.  I was invited by the CMA church in Trujillo, this denomination is the most influential in Peru and this church has a big presence in the city.  

I was able to teach 3 days on the Gospel and Marriage.  People are starving for Gospel truth and by God’s grace I think we were able to serve them.  One of the problems in Peru is that reformed doctrine has been hijacked by a group of churches that only accept people that also accept their liturgy and preferences. So many churches are looking to go deeper in scripture but have some reservations because of the testimony of this other group.  

I think more than anything, we were able to give a testimony that going deep in Scripture comes with humility and love for others.  Not sure If there is another chance to go back, but I pray that the seed that was put in the ground will give fruit. 

IMG_0143.jpg

Before COVID-19 became a global reality, myself (Dave Taylor, Lead Pastor of Sovereign Grace Church, Sydney and Director of Emerging Nations), Lynn Baird (Pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Pasadena, California) and Todd Peterson (Pastor of Cross of Grace Church, El Paso, Texas) were able to get over to the Philippines for our annual Sovereign Grace Pastors & Wives Conference, and I’m so pleased that we were able to make it!

The weekend before the conference, we had the privilege of serving our friend Jeffrey Jo and his wonderful Church in Manila. I have known Jeff, his Elders and Church (CCSGM) for a number of years now and it continues to be an absolute joy to serve them and call them friends. 

On the Saturday Jeff gathered all of his key leaders together, as well as some guests, and we ran a leadership summit entitled ’The Gospel & Family'. It was a wonderful day of worship, teaching and fellowship. We reconnected with old friends and continued to make new ones. It was a truly fantastic day.

As was the Sunday, where all three of the CCSGM Churches came together for a combined service. It was a wonderful occasion.

On the Monday, we then relocated to Cebu for the Pastors & Wives Conference, and in headline, in God’s kindness, the conference could not have gone any better. The teaching was well received by all of the 100 plus pastors and wives that we had in attendance. We were thanked numerous times for coming and serving them in this way, something that it was a pure delight to do, and once again His Dwelling Place Church in Cebu, led by our friend Nilo Ebo, did a wonderful job of pulling everything together to run this conference.

All of the churches in attendance are pursuing formal partnership with Sovereign Grace, something that we are eager for as well. They have become dear friends over the last many years and so we count it a joy to continue to move forward together in this way. As they would say so well, "To God be the glory".

1 Corinthians 8. 1-5, ‘We want you to know brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches in Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favour of taking part in the relief of the saints - and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.’

One of the things I so love about our family of churches is the desire and commitment to display a similar interdependence to what we see in those verses. We really do believe that we can do far more ‘together’ than we can ‘alone’, and I love that about us!

With that in mind then, here’s some of the ways that you can be praying for us in the month ahead…

1. Please pray for Lynn Baird (Pastor of Sovereign Grace Church, Pasadena, CA ), Todd Peterson (Pastor of Cross of Grace Church, El Paso) and Myself (Dave Taylor) as we head to the Philippines, 6th - 15th March. Whilst there we will be preaching at the Church of the Chief Shepherd Leadership Summit in Manila, on the first weekend. We’ll then be relocating to Cebu to run our third annual Sovereign Grace Churches Philippines Pastors Conference, and so please pray for us and the 80+ delegates that are planning to attend that conference. All these delegates are pursuing partnership with Sovereign Grace Churches and so please pray that this conference is a blessing and encouragement to everyone in attendance.

2. Please pray for Joselo Mercado (Senior Pastor of Gracia Soberana, Gaithersburg, MD) as he heads to Peru, 4th-7th March, to preach at a CMA Church in Trujillo. This is a great gospel opportunity in a country that is ever growing in the area. Please also pray for Joselo as he then heads to Barranquilla, Colombia, 27-30th March, to preach at Centrados, a conference put together by the Caribbean Coast Network of Churches. He will be preaching three times at this event, and then on the Sunday he’ll be heading to be with Soberana Gracia Church in Santa Marta, to continue the conversation of partnership and adoption with them. Gabrielle Reyes (Pastors College Graduate) will also be accompanying Joselo.

3. Please pray for Nathan Smith (Senior Pastor of Grace Church, Bristol, England) as he hosts a Worship Matters Intensive, 16th-22nd March, alongside Bob Kauflin (Sovereign Grace Director of Music). There are over 14 UK delegates signed up for this event and so please pray that this will be a really effective and encouraging time for everyone involved.

4. Please pray for Ben Kreps (Senior Pastor of Living Hope Church, PA), Doug Hayes (Pastor of Covenant Fellowship, Glen Mills, PA & Director of Covenant Mercies) and Steve Bice (Senior Pastor of Sovereign Grace Church, Dayton, OH ) as they head to Liberia, Africa, 27th March - 2nd April, to serve our good friend Dyonah Thomas. They’ll be teaching over 200 pastors who will be attending the Pastors College for that week, teaching in some of the Grace Network Churches, and continuing to develop and strengthen our partnerships with the dear brothers there. Please pray that God would give them wisdom in how to best steward our growing partnership with Dyonah and the churches he serves in West Africa.

5. Please pray for Michael Granger and his team in Ethiopia as they prepare to launch their Church Plant in June. This month of March marks a ‘soft-launch’ for them, and so please pray that all goes to plan and that the glorious grace of God abounds to them all!… Thank you so much for partnering with us in prayer, we appreciate it very much!

Update from Doug Hayes, Pastor in Covenant Fellowship, PA, and Executive Director of Covenant Mercies…

In my capacity as Executive Director of Covenant Mercies, I have the immense privilege of visiting our partners on the ground in Uganda, Zambia, and Ethiopia three times in a typical year.  “Covenant Mercies exists to serve orphans in collaboration with indigenous local churches in the developing world,” our mission statement reads.  While there is not a 1:1 correlation between Covenant Mercies partners and Sovereign Grace partners, there is much overlap and much opportunity for me to push forward the mission goals of Sovereign Grace even as I focus most of my energies on the mission of Covenant Mercies.  On all these levels, I count it a tremendous blessing to work hand-in-hand with the godly, competent, and mission-compatible partners the Lord has connected us to through the years. 

One such partner is Wilbroad Chanda, lead pastor of Christ Community Church (CCC) in Ndola, Zambia, and the first African pastor ordained by Sovereign Grace.  My visit to Ndola in early February marked my first opportunity to address the church since Wilbroad’s official ordination last November, so I decided to surprise him with a presentation of his framed ordination certificate and a beautiful leather-bound Bible from Sovereign Grace.  It proved to be a meaningful family moment in a church whose relationship with Sovereign Grace is ever-deepening.  

Welcoming CCC into the Sovereign Grace family also means welcoming beautiful music.  While I love the musical traditions everywhere I travel, I must admit that there is something special about the Bemba choruses we sing in Zambia.  Though I frequently have only a rudimentary understanding of the lyrics I’m singing (dangerous, I know… but I trust my Zambian friends!), these songs move me deeply and help me anticipate the day when people from every tribe, nation, and tongue will worship together around His throne.  

The video clip below is of Pasha Magaba, worship leader at CCC and also the lead caseworker for Covenant Mercies’ Orphan Sponsorship Program in Ndola, singing one of those songs (with yours truly on backing vocals).  Perhaps it will affect you as it does me.

Also on my itinerary was Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where I had the pleasure of sharing a lunch with Michael & Kenean Granger and family.  It was encouraging to get an update from Michael on plans for a soft launch of their church plant this spring, and hear about their prospects for renting a building in a very strategic part of the city.  Whether I’m wearing my Covenant Mercies hat or my Sovereign Grace hat, these are exciting developments on the African continent that we pray will yield much fruit to the glory of God in the years to come!   

An update from David Del Castillo, Pastor of Gracia Soberana Iglesia Cristiana, Santa Cruz, Bolivia…

After a little more than a year of prayer and planning, Gracia Soberana Iglesia Cristiana, Santa Cruz, has finally launched.

It took us quite a few months to find a place for the church plant to be carried out that met the requirements that we had demanded; that being a large room that allows us to grow, within our budget, in a place of easy access and that is relatively central and in the area where we wanted to work. However, at the end of December we found a place that met almost all those requirements, and then we took the whole month of January and the first half of February, adapting it and equipping it with everything necessary to be able to make comfortable meetings in that place. 

This whole process, although it was a difficult time and a little slower than we wanted, we could see the hand of the Lord leading and guiding us and putting unanimity in our hearts that this was the place he had reserved for us. 

And then finally, on February 16, 2020 we had our first meeting and we were five families on the first Sunday. We had a time of prayer, worship, preaching of his word and a time of communion at the end to get to know people more. 

The families who attended were committed and enthusiastic to be part of this new church. Myself and Jadwy led the praise, and then Jorge preached 2 Corinthians 5: 11-21, whilst Tere helped by taking care of the girls and having a snack at the end of the meeting. 

And the most important thing is that the Lord was with us that day because otherwise we would not have been able to start meetings, that's why we give all Honor and Glory to Him. 

It was a lot of encouragement and joy to finally begin and see that the people who attended shared the same enthusiasm. We thank all the brothers and sisters of Sovereign Grace Churches, SG Emerging Nations, our region and the many different churches that have supported us in prayer, with their encouragement and even economically. In addition, Chris Deloglos who was part of all this from the beginning. 

The next steps that we have marked are those of continuing very strongly with Sunday meetings, doing activities so that new people can meet us and taking short courses of theological bases. Please be with us in prayers as the Lord builds his church here in Santa Cruz. 

An update from Mark Prater, Executive Director of Sovereign Grace Churches…

Joselo Mercado, Bob Donohue and I traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica where we participated in the Por Su Gracia Conference, February 21-22. The conference was organized by a group of pastors in Costa Rica who are working together to remain faithful to the true gospel in a country where the prosperity gospel is pervasive. These men share many of our theological distinctives that we share in Sovereign Grace. It was humbling to serve them, and the members of their churches, who are fighting for the genuine gospel in Costa Rica.  One of those men is Allan Monge, Lead Pastor of Gracia Soberana in Cartago, Costa Rica whose church is a part of Sovereign Grace. Allan is a faithful pastor and it is our hope that our time with him, and the 20 members of his church that he brought with him to the conference strengthened the gospel partnership we share.

Approximately 400 people attended the Por Su Gracia Conference. One man I met had taken a 10 hour bus ride from Nicaragua just to hear gospel-centered expository preaching. Joselo taught 4 times effectively, preaching sermons like, “The Gospel and the Word of God,” “The Functional Centrality of the Gospel,” and “The Gospel and the Family.” I had the privilege of preaching twice; “The Gospel and the Favor of God,” and “The Gospel and Dependence on the Holy Spirit.”

Joselo, Bob and I also participated on several panels that covered topics like “suffering,” and “trusting God.” The feedback we received was encouraging and humbling. It’s our prayer that this conference strengthens our brother’s and sister’s in Costa Rica as they fight for the genuine gospel.

On Sunday, February 23, Joselo preached at Gracia Soberana in Cartago where he served Allan and his church looking to strengthen their partnership with Sovereign Grace. Bob Donohue and I spoke at different churches, both of which have interest in exploring a partnership with our family of churches. Bob spoke at a church in Playa Azul, led by Eduardo Sandoval, the man who led the conference. I spoke at La Vina Escazu in San Jose, which is led by Rodrigo Fournier. They share many of our theological convictions and it was a joy to worship with a group of saints that clearly love Jesus. One next step is to follow-up with the pastors who lead these churches to talk about what exploring a partnership with Sovereign Grace looks like.

The Christians in Costa Rica are wonderful followers of Jesus Christ. Please pray for them and their churches as they fight on to see the genuine gospel protected and proclaimed in their country.

A report from Carlos Contreras, Senior Pastor of Gracia Soberana de Ciudad Juarez and Regional Leader for Mexico…

This past January my wife Kena and I had the great joy of visiting the two churches that are pursuing adoption from Sovereign Grace in the Mexican state of Veracruz.

Sovereign Grace Church in Orizaba, Veracruz was planted 2 years ago by Enrique Villegas and is growing, reaching many young families in this beautiful mountain town about 4 hours east of Mexico City.

We had an opportunity to spend time encouraging and teaching their leaders as well as the group of volunteers who serve the church. Kena had the opportunity to teach the ladies in the church regarding Biblical Femininity. On Sunday I spoke on The Power of the Gospel to reach the world as they are concentrating on much evangelism.

The church currently meets in an old warehouse in a great location. Much work has gone into their facility which still needs considerable work to make it more efficient. We spent a whole day encouraging the young pastor and his wife Maricruz and we rejoiced to see so much growth and maturity in this couple as well as in the young church.

We also spent several days with David Puga, the pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in the city of Cordova, Veracruz, which is about 15 minutes east of Orizaba. This church is about 10 years old and is located in a coffee & sugarcane producing agricultural community. They purchased a property a couple of years ago and are in the process of building their own facility which is still unfinished, but allows enough for the church to be able to meet there.

David and Ruth his wife were blessed 3 months ago to receive a baby daughter through adoption. They are overjoyed by this wonderful miracle as they had been praying for a child for more than a decade. Even though their lives have been wonderfully upset by a baby, this has also filled the church with much joy and gratefulness.

We also had opportunity to share with their group of servants and leaders and Kena as well was able to teach the women in the church. The hunger for a Gospel centered church in the area is such that a new family is driving an hour every Sunday from the Port of Veracruz to attend the church.

From Marty Machowski, Author & Pastor in Covenant Fellowship Church, PA:

I had the privilege to spend two weeks in South Korea in early February. Thank you to everyone who prayed for me. The trip was timed to coincide with the release of two of my books, translated into Korean for the annual Home School Support Center homeschooling conference. 

I gave 5 messages at the conference and then spent a week touring South Korea, speaking at a new church each day. My visit culminated with speaking two messages at  Lord's Grace Church (our Sovereign Grace Church in South Korea). It was so wonderful to spend time with Songhwan Kang and his wife Miran. The following day I got a chance to speak two sessions to a group of church planters that Songhwan has been helping. 

There has been a push in South Korea to promote transgender ideology in schools. As a result, the Korean translation of my book God Made Boys and Girls which was released in November has sold more than 5,000 copies in a few months. People were purchasing multiple copies to give to friends and family.  One woman bought 100 copies and another 25 while I was there. Folks were deeply touched as I shared my own struggles in parenting and helped envision parents with the gospel for both their marriages, parenting, and homeschooling.

Hebrews 12.1-2, ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great cloud a witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.'

We are all in a race. The great race. Indeed the greatest race of our lives! And so looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, here’s how you can be praying for us in the month ahead…

1. Please pray for the growing number of Sovereign Grace Pastors and Members that are seriously considering cross-cultural Church Planting & Mission. Please pray for myself (Dave Taylor), the Emerging Nations Team, Mark Prater (Executive Director of Sovereign Grace Churches), and those asking the question. May we together discern the will of God in each of these situations and may His guidance be clear. May His will be done.

2. Please pray for Mark Prater, Joselo Mercado (Lead Pastor of Iglesia Gracia Soberana in Gaithersburg), his wife Kathy, and Bob Donohue (Lead Pastor of Grace Community Church, Ashburn), as they head to Costa Rica, February 21-23rd. Together they will speaking and serving at the ‘By His Grace Conference' in San Jose, a new opportunity for us, aswell as spending time with Allan Mongue and his Church,  an existing Sovereign Grace Church plant already in Costa Rica. Please pray that they’d be able to freshly encourage, equip and care for everyone involved.

3. Please pray for Carlos Contreras, Senior Pastor of Gracia Soberana de Ciudad Juarez and Regional Leader for Mexico, as he travels to Silao, Guanajuato, to take part in the Ordination Service of Manolo Quintal, on Sunday 15th February. This is a historic moment for us, marking the first time the ordination process has all been done in Spanish, from beginning to end.

4. Please pray for Marty Machowski, Author & Pastor in Covenant Fellowship Church, PA, as he heads to South Korea. He’ll be speaking to home schooling families some 24 times in the space of two weeks, teaching them to make the discipleship of their children a higher priority than their secular education, something that is such an important issue in South Korea where competition is fierce and the pressure to succeed is so very high. Please pray that God keeps him healthy, that the Spirit of God would breath life into his messages, and that there’d be much grace for his family whilst he is away. Please also pray for his time with our very own Songhwan Kang and Lord’s Grace Church. That he’d be a very real encouragement and blessing to them.

5. Please pray Mike Seaver, Lead Pastor of Risen Hope Church, Greg Dirnberger, Senior Pastor of Emmaus Road Church, Sioux Falls, and Rich Richardson, Senior Pastor of Center Church, Gilbert, as they begin to train 12+ Church Planting Coaches for our Global work, 25th-27th February, in Gilbert, Arizona. With growing global opportunities before us, we are eager to have more men trained in this most important task. … Looking then to Him, the founder and perfecter of our faith. May His grace abound to us all!

An update from Nathan Smith, Senior Pastor of Grace Church, Bristol, UK…

2019. How would I describe it for us at Grace Church Bristol?

In some ways it felt like we just plodded along -- experiencing the usual ups and downs of church life -- doing the things we've done every year for the last 17 years of our church's existence. Nothing really remarkable, nothing particularly innovative; just seeking to be faithful -- fix our eyes on Jesus, preach the word, pray the word, sing the word, counsel the word, fellowship together as we encourage one another with the word, and look for ways to proclaim the word to those in our community who don't yet know Christ.

Yet in all the seemingly ordinariness of our life together as a local church, we've seen the extraordinary work of our God in countless ways! His fingerprints have been all over our church in 2019!

We've seen disciples made and baptised; disciples growing in love for Christ and likeness to Christ; new members added; prayers answered; partnership with like-minded churches across the city strengthened; relationships among our church family deepened; gospel opportunties seized; people giving themselves to serving one another more, and serving the community.

From the youngest to the oldest -- whether in Grace Kids (our Sunday children's ministry), G2 (our teens group); Life (students & singles group), small groups, mens and womens groups, at youth camp, in our outreach events (like Kids Club or Christmas), or on Sunday mornings -- we've experienced and enjoyed the richness of the grace, goodness and faithfulness of our extraordinary God. For which we give him loud praise!

Our hope for 2020? More of the same! God doing his extraordinary work through our small, ordinary church -- for his great glory.

An update from Dyonah Thomas, Lead Pastor of Grace Life Church in Monrovia, Liberia...

It has been a great joy and encouragement in this developing relationship to see more and more gospel-centered foundations being built in my life and the ripples in other leaders lives. 

I have monthly meetings with Dave Taylor that I believe are not actually just catch up times, but Spirit directed and lead, resulting in doctrinal definition, gospel clarity and insight into gospel ministry. For example, sharing with us the series on the ‘Five Solas’ was groundbreaking for us. I walked the ministry team through it and taught it in our local church. One of the young men on our team said in an exciting way, “The light is on.”

My story with Sovereign Grace Churches started with music. Music actually drew me to this ministry, and it was then that I started to interact with quality men. Seven years on I’ve had the opportunity to interact and forge friendships with some real quality elders, husbands and fathers, and I just can’t stop thanking God for how safe I feel to be in this relationship.

One development from last year came as I prayerfully thought about revisiting the worship culture in our local church. It was more ‘me’ centered then ‘God’ centered.  I understood that this was going to be a process, but we were eager to make some changes and so Dave Taylor gave me Bob Kauflin’s book, ‘Worship Matters’. I read it twice, I had our leaders read through it and then together we carved out a vision for Christ exalting, gospel centered worship. This included our song selection, training worship leaders, teaching the congregation and ongoing learning.

Upon returning from the 2019 Sovereign Grace Pastors Conference, I downloaded the worship matters course and so we now have Bob Kauflin teaching us via video. After each session, we’ve spent time discussing the teachings in light of our context, prayed and discussed practical transitions. One of the initial gains is that we now have a new and updated list of biblical songs that we are beginning to use in worship. We’re aware that there is whole lot more to see God do here in this and other areas, but we are overwhelmed with joy at these beginnings. This is an awesome journey for us, and we are thankful. 

On another note, our Grace Life Seminary has recently commenced a three-year Master of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry and Church Planting in partnership with TLI (Training Leaders International). Dave was able to get hold of 20 copies of C.J. Mahaney’s book, ‘Humility’, kindly donated to us by Sovereign Grace Churches. This text formed the main text for my Spiritual Formation class and so for 13 weeks, 18 guys and myself went deep into God’s Word, into CJ’s book, and into supplementary material, and in God’s kindness there were as result so many confessions to the Lord and to one another. 

The subject of humility confronts the big boss type leadership style in African cultures that influences both home and the church. Each one of us then saw ourselves in light of God’s Word and the Spirit has begun a good work in our lives, that He will surely continue. We are so blessed.  

An update from Joel Bain, Senior Pastor of Grace Family Church, Caymanas Estate, St Catherine, Jamaica…

As I reflect on our first year, I am amazed and humbled by the kindness of God to us at Grace Family Church. It has been a joy-filled year of gathering people and laying the foundations of gospel-shaped community. 

Planting for us has been slow going. But God has used that to teach us patience and steadfastness. We’re learning to welcome people with the love of Christ and point them to the grace of Christ each Sunday, and to see and call attention to the grace of God at work in the lives of those he’s given us. We’ve recognized a unique opportunity we have to build deep relationships and culture of grace. And our confidence in the power of the gospel has grown as we preached through Colossians and taught on our shared values and what it means to be a local church. 

On November 17, with great joy, a total of 19 adults (with 11 children between us) committed to pursuing Jesus together as members of our local church! We also officially ordained Sean Taylor and Sheldon Campbell as elders. These men have led and served alongside me from day one, so it was particularly delightful to see them affirmed and embraced as pastors by our members. It is humbling to look out at our congregation each Sunday and to see people whom I didn’t know at all months ago who are now treasured members of our family. 

At the beginning of this year, God opened the door for my family to move into Caymanas Estate,  the area where our church meets. We are confident that God has put us exactly where he wants us to be because he loves many who live near to us but are far from him. And we’re looking forward as a local church to learning to love those around us - in this neighbourhood and beyond. 

In the next few weeks, we’re looking forward to beginning to preach through the gospel of Mark and to starting small group meetings. We long to see Jesus more clearly, to grow in our understanding of what it means to follow him, and to help each other to be more faithful disciples who make disciples of others. 

May it all be for His glory.

A testimony from Michael Granger, Sovereign Grace Church Planter in Ethiopia…

A bit over a year ago I found myself preaching at an international church just outside of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. Upon concluding, a man in his late 30’s approached me to articulate how he’d been affected by the sermon. Through conversation, I eventually asked where he was from (there are over 80 different languages and people groups in Ethiopia). “I’m a Muslim background believer from Somalia,” he answered. I was ready to leap into the air, I may have done so. To know anything about the spiritual state of that war-torn failed country is to know the population is over 99.9% Muslim. And so my new friend Muhammad (name changed for his protection) was and is a pronounced proclamation of the miracle of regeneration. What is more, I had been praying for the Lord to bring me a Somali believer to partner with for a couple of years.

As the months rolled by and our friendship developed I became aware that Muhammad has quite a bit of influence amongst the small numbers of Somali believers. And also amongst the unbelievers. Since his conversion he’s been arrested 14 times for the faith, been beaten unconscious multiple times for his faith, his wife and children left him because he left Islam, and he’s had many friends assassinated for the faith. On top of all of that, a major terrorist network has a hit out on his life. 

The first time Muhammad asked me to preach to his small community of believers, it was a three-point sermon from Genesis 1-3. Point 1) Men and Women created in the image of God; Point 2) That image marred: & Point 3) Future restoration of that image. Oh, how I wish you could have seen these converted Somali women sitting on the edge of their seats upon discovering that they too are created in the image of God. I had become the feminist in the room simply by preaching complementarianism! In their religion and culture, they are merely cattle: husbands are permitted 7 wives and if they are good they will receive 70 virgins when they die. But the wives – just property.

I met up with Muhammad a week later for coffee. He was wearing huge black sunglasses inside on a dark rainy day. I noticed what appeared to be a long gash down the side of his face and I asked, “What happened?” He took off his glasses only to reveal a bashed face and an eye filled with blood; he responded, “I was beaten by the Muslim husband of one of the women listening to us preaching last week. He gathered other men from the neighborhood and they beat me unconscious." But this sort of treatment doesn’t stop them, they have a theology of persecution. And if you ask Muhammad what he thinks about going underground, he sort of grimaces his face and cocks it to the side like a confused puppy.  Endeavoring to be gracious, he replies, "It's not love to go underground.  My people are dying and going to hell, and if we go underground they won't hear the gospel.  And more than that, Christ was publicly crucified for me and my sins. I want to be public about him." I was asked to return later that week and teach on the core beliefs of the Church.  For 8 straight hours with only a lunch break in the middle, I lectured from Sovereign Grace’s Statement of Faith. For them, clarity in doctrine is mesmerizing.

I’d like to share one more story. Back on September 21st Muhammad and I spent 3 hours training some Somali believing youth to evangelize, then we got down on our knees and prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill us. This wasn’t a prayer for the gift of tongues, or prophecy, or healing. This was a prayer for the Holy Spirit to help us be bold in the face of persecution, freshly stirred affections for Christ, and gospel clarity in our proclamation. While on our knees Muhammed picked up my phone and asked if he could take a picture. I though that sounded silly because what we were doing seemed so insignificant. Amid that training, I had passed around bibles in their language only to discover that half of them are illiterate. As a result, by the time we finished, I thought it had been a complete waste of time. I couldn’t have been more mistaken. Three weeks later Muhammed wrote to tell me that those young believers had already led 27 Muslims to Christ. It is uncanny how near the Lord feels in answered prayer. 

In 2020 we will endeavor to see more Somalis trained and equipped, and by God’s grace, perhaps we may even see the birth of a Somali church. 

Matthew 28.18-20, ‘And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

The commission that we have been given as Christians is far bigger than we could have ever asked or imagined... For a start, the world is a big place isn’t it!! But how wonderful, comforting and motivating it is to know that the One who has called us, is always with us, even to the end of the age. What hope and exhilaration that brings!!

With that in mind then, here are a few ways that you can be praying for our mission in the month ahead…

1. Please pray for the 15 or so Sovereign Grace Pastors, from all over the world, that are taking part in the Moore College PTC ‘Demonstration Course’ over the next few months. They’ll be looking to familiarise themselves with the content of the course and how it is administered, before we look to role this out to the wider Sovereign Grace world in the months ahead. With English not spoken in so many countries and good education sometimes at a minimum, it continues to be our hope that we could use this mouldable course as part of our training for some of our partners around the world. Please pray for ongoing favour and wisdom for all involved in this.

2. Please pray for the Grangers as they head back to Ethiopia on January 4th following their furlough in the USA. Please pray for Michael as he looks to start a Christ-Centered Church in Addis Ababa that would serve as a model to all of Ethiopia. To that end, please pray that God would continue to give Michael grace for a life-long sustained obsessing love for the person of Christ, as well as many faithful and gifted indigenous partners to disciple and train for ministry.

3. Please pray for Joselo Mercado, Lead Pastor of Iglesia Gracia Soberana in Gaithersburg, and his wife Kathy, as they head to Puerto Rico (11th-13th) and then Colombia (24th-25th) to run two Marriage Conferences. Please pray for favour on their lives, safe travels, and a wonderful time of refreshing and teaching for all involved. 

4. Please pray for Sovereign Grace Churches of Australia as they launch into their first ever Pastors & Wives Retreat, January 13-15th. Please pray that it would be a wonderful time of fellowship and discussion, as well as vision casting and planning for the year ahead.

5. Please pray for Jorge & David Del Castillo (and their families) as they look to launch Gracia Soberana Iglesia Cristiana - Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on Sunday 19th January. Please pray that God would continue to give them more people for their planting team, as well as favour and blessing in their work. May God establish the work of their hands and shower them with much grace in the year ahead.

… May the One who has commissioned us, He who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, be ever with us. Oh how gloriously we need Him! Amen.

Just last month, I had the privilege of heading over to South Korea once again, along with Andrew Leung (my Executive Assistant) and John Leung (Andrew’s Dad and member of Sovereign Grace Church, Sydney), to spend time with Songhwan Kang (Lead Pastor) and his church, Lord’s Grace Church. 

Spending time with Songhwan & Miran Kang is always a treat. Their love for the Lord and the glorious Gospel is so good to be around and the maturity in which the Gospel is being built into Lord’s Grace Church is an absolute testament to Songhwan’s leadership.

Time and time again we would talk with people about their history in the Church, both new and old, and it wouldn’t take long for them to be sharing about how the Gospel has changed their lives and marriages and families. The fruits of Gospel centrality are on full display throughout Lord’s Grace Church. In headline, they’re such a grateful, enthusiastic and mature Church to be around!

It’s also wonderful to see how the Church is increasingly embracing evangelism, mission & thoughts of church planting. To that end, Songhwan has been investing into 15 or so Church Planters over the past two years, all from Seoul and the surrounding areas, and on this trip I had the privilege to once again be with them all and to spend some time investing into them.

The task Songhwan assigned to me was to teach through the Sovereign Grace 'Seven Shared Values’ and so I had the privilege of doing that, and we then followed that up with several hours of Q & A, which for me was once again a highlight. They are an enthusiastic and inquisitive group and I so appreciate their zeal and desire to learn. 

Please pray for Songhwan as he seeks to discern the best way forward with this Church Planting Group, and in particular, that from their number there may be one or two of them that may go on to plant Sovereign Grace Churches.

Please also pray for Lord’s Grace Church, that grace may abound to them and that their passion for planting more Churches may only grow stronger. It is truly an honour to have Lord’s Grace Church as part of the Sovereign Grace family!!