An update from Todd Peterson, Pastor of Cross of Grace Church, El Paso, TX, and Emerging Nations Team ‘Representative’ to India…

Pastor Jayaprakesh Ravuri (JP), wonderfully supported by his wife Sathwika, pastors a small church in Gundugolanu, Andhra Pradesh, India.  JP describes his village this way:

“Gundugolanu is a small town with more than 3000 families residing in it. Most of these families are poor and live by their daily income. Christianity is very less in this town in comparison with other surrounding towns. People are not open to the Gospel and very hostile to it.  The freedom of preaching the Gospel is questionable!”

Gudugolanu is a predominantly Hindu village where openly sharing the gospel with a Hindu is strictly forbidden.  The village is segregated into a small area of Christians and the rest Hindu.  Even having a church service that could be heard from the streets might draw a visit and warning from the Hindu village “elders”.  Even though JP has lived there most of his life, and everyone knows who he is, passersby on the streets don’t even acknowledge him as they walk by.

The global COVID pandemic has hit 3rd world countries very hard because there are so many people who live day to day, earning money or begging for each day’s food.  As JP describes “Due to the strict implementation of the lockdown, ten percent of families in Gundugolanu are suffering a lot. The Indian Government is incapable to meet everyone’s needs!” As JP surveyed his village, he found that about 300 families had little to no food or would run out of food before the end of the lockdown with no way to buy more.  God moved on our hearts together that this was an unprecedented opportunity to show the love of Jesus to those who have been unwilling to listen!

JP and Sathwika put together a 10 day care package of basic food items and washing powder and with the permission of the authorities began distributing them to the poorest in the village.

JP said “We considered the widows and the old that needed our help. We had the privilege to pray with them and share the gospel. In fact they showed interest to pray with us! We could see some of them crying looking at the food. As we stepped into some houses, the situation is very pathetic. It's more pathetic to see the children at their houses and some others looking at us with hungry eyes.”

“Within the first week we were able to distribute food to 250 hungry families in Gundugolanu. God has given us (the church here) grace to identify the most needy irrespective of their religion, caste or community. We received warm welcome as we stepped into their houses with food supply. Some even received us with tears by looking at the food which they never expected to come their homes.  What we have done, has filled many hungry stomachs and glorified God! Besides, it opened doors for us with good opportunities to share the Gospel, distribute the gospel tracts and the N.T Bibles and also pray with some of them.”

JP and his helpers were able to step into hundreds of Hindu homes and not only meet their physical needs but also found an open door to share the hope of the gospel with many.  JP shares,  “The news spread over the whole village. People started talking in the streets and in agriculture fields that there are many rich class families in the town but none came forward to look for the needy, but a Christian church has come forward to look out for the needy and hungry. They have done something admirable!”

JP said those same people who used to pass him on the street and ignore him now smiled and warmly greeted him.  The next week another wave of poor nomadic families returned to the village, “Over the last week over 140 migrant nomadic working families came back to Gundugolanu because the work has stopped all over the state.  They come back on foot, or by catching rides on the backs of vehicles.  We visited all 140 families (as they live in the same area) and found that 128 of the families have little to no food.”  God continue to stir the hearts of the members of our church and we were able to send money for this new group of 128 families.  

The very first house they entered JP reported that “We began food help first with a muslim family. They invited us into their home. The man of the house broke his leg just before the lockdown.   As we began helping and encouraging them, they showed interest to hear the gospel. Today they told us that they want to join us in the church to know more about Christ!”

God is truly opening door after door to the gospel that has literally be shut for decades.  The work is ongoing as the poorest of families have needed another 10 days of provisions.  Word spread to the next village called Potunuru where JP also pastors a small church.  The church members asked if we could do the same for their village as they have many starving families as well. The member went and scowered the village and came back with 279 families were in dire need of food.  God continues to provide the finances and the first 140 packages are going out as I write this.

God has used this pandemic as an historic opportunity for the gospel of Jesus to be experienced by 665 families and counting in these villages unlike has ever been seen since they were formed.  Let us continue to pray that many will not only hear the hope of the gospel of Jesus, but that God will save them and give them new life in Christ!!

An update from Michael Granger, Sovereign Grace Church Planter in Ethiopia…

The effects of Covid-19 are universal.  It hits the rich and the poor alike.  It is not a respecter of religion; neither Muslims, nor Orthodox, Buddhists, nor Protestants are immune.  But, one group of individuals, from our perspective, has been significantly injured, and that is the persecuted church.  Below are two snapshots or portraits of individuals from this group.  Their names have been changed to protect their identities.  

To be a Somali is to be Muslim. To be a Somali who becomes a Christian is to cut oneself off from family, community, blessing, inheritance, business opportunities, and livelihood. Abshir (not to be confused with Muhammad his friend) considers "the sufferings of this present time...not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” in eternity (Rom. 8:18). For this reason he has lost his wife, children, health, and safety. With an Al-Shabab hit out on his life he came to Addis Ababa with some hope of escaping endless persecution and for greater provision. Yet even here the Somali community rejects him.  Daily he lives hand to mouth; if he doesn’t work today, he doesn’t eat today. And each day, he has only one meal to look forward to because that is all one day of work will afford him.  Since Covid-19 arrived in Ethiopia it has become increasingly difficult for Abshir to find any work whatsoever. And without his community to care for him, (more than that) with them despising and rejecting him, he has no safety net to catch him.

Rahel is from Northern Ethiopia where the Orthodox Church is militant and rejects the gospel.  She’s in her early 20’s and moved to Addis Ababa just a few years ago.  Upon getting married she became pregnant only to discover that her new mother-n-law practices witchcraft and commanded her son to leave his new wife so that he could come home and practice sorcery with her. After giving birth to beautiful twins her husband left her. At that point she became a Christian through faith in Christ. Her orthodox family was so enraged at her conversion that they disowned her, robbed her of all her possessions, and even threatened to kill the babies.  In recent months, without family to turn to and being fairly new to Addis Ababa, she had become so impoverished that she had to move her little family of three into a shack with a tarp for a roof.  This home, if we can call it that, barely protects her from the elements, it doesn’t even keep the rain out. Her twins are now three and faced with the decision of working or starving, she would occasionally lock her babies in the home and go out to make money.  In recent days, on one occasion, after having left them at home for a short time she returned and found them unconscious on the floor. They both had been raped.

These saints “of whom the world is not worthy” (Heb. 11:38) and for whom Christ shed his precious blood are only two among many many others who will probably remain in obscurity until the great unveiling in eternity. Far from "fixing" these devastating situations,  as a result of recent financial gifts through ministry partners, Abshir’s rent is being paid and he’s being given money for food. Rahel has been moved into a new home with running water and a toilet, an entire year of rent has already been paid, the children are receiving medical care, they have provisions, and she’s being discipled.

With the images of these portraits continuously passing through my mind I recently laid down with my kids on their bed to do our evening devotions and tuck them in.  We were recounting the promises of God to Abraham and his descendants.  Remembering that we, as gentiles, we were once completely separated from the good work that God was  doing among Israel.  That is until God sent his Son.  He died on the cross, he took our sin, he gave us his righteousness, he made us children of Abraham by faith, we are no longer strangers but children of promise by faith.  But he hasn't stopped there. Not only has he provided for our greatest need - to be reconciled to God - but he is caring for our daily needs as well.  We have a home, health, food, we have each other.  I was brought to tears recounting the riches of his grace and the many blessings he has lavished on the Granger family and we spontaneously started singing Love You So Much. 

I leave you with a link to the lyrics of this simple but sweet melody which served me so well in the early days of new founded faith. Oh how true they are.

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

As soon as we made the decision to establish a Church of Sovereign Grace in Santa Cruz, Bolivia we identified ourselves with Psalm 34, that invites us to taste and see that God is good, and we have not stopped seeing this to be true. 

We still remember very vividly when we were leaving the United States going to Santa Cruz, Bolivia in November of last year, after having been to the pastor conference and visited some churches telling them about the church plant. By that time we had already left our hometown in La Paz Bolivia, but upon arrival in Santa Cruz we immediately had delays to start the meetings due to political problems that our country was facing, but by the grace of God we were able to start meeting on February 16th, 2020. We were very excited to finally start. 

But what we did not dream of, like many of those who are reading this update, was that Covid-19 was going to impact the entire world, and that on March 22th, our country would dictate a total quarantine until May 31st, a measure that is being evaluated these days to see if it will continue. 

The quarantine is very severe in our country to the point that we can only go out once a week according to our ID and only in the mornings to buy groceries, and we cannot use our cars. This measure changed all our plans, since we had already lost time due to political problems and we were now facing Covid-19, on the other hand, our economic resources were beginning to decrease without any expectation of increasing.

It is then that God showed us once again that he is always in control and that He sustains those He calls. We started talking to some churches about our need to raise funds in February when Covid-19 was not yet in Bolivia. And we didn't get immediate answers at the beginning, we had almost two months of waiting and trusting, and then many generous donations from churches and friends began to arrive. And although we cannot physically open the church, we are working online and the Lord continues to provide both financial resources and people to whom we are able to disciple in an ongoing way. 

This week it was very good to meditate on the providence of God regarding work, because even though all the circumstances are “against us” his sovereignty goes beyond all circumstances. God provides as he reminds us in Matthew 6: 26-33. Thus, we thank our God for accompanying us in the midst of need. 

We give thanks to all who are reading, praying and helping us financially. We are waiting to see what the Lord has for us next here in Santa Cruz Bolivia, and are excited to see what He will do.

At this unique and challenging time in the United Kingdom over 65 churches and movements, representing hundreds of others, have come together to sing a blessing over their land. It’s a song based on Number 6.24-26…

‘The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.’

I leave you with this song. May we share this same heart as we think about the Nations. May His mercy and grace abound to us all.

As Mark Prater said in a recent podcast entitled 'Loving Our Neighbours’, there has been an “explosion of generosity” in Sovereign Grace Churches towards the nations in this pandemic.

And so there has… Over the last month, since seeing how this pandemic has been playing out in different countries, we’ve been able to raise and send out over $97,000 (USD) in aid to those most in need in our related churches - in the Philippines, Liberia, Pakistan, Bolivia, Mexico, India, Colombia, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. In many of these countries, being in lockdown has meant no work, and therefore no food and basic supplies. What a joy and honour then for us to play our small part in caring for our brothers and sisters there. It has been inspiring to see how so many have given to this plight… Honestly, how can we thank God enough for you!!

And yet that’s not all we have the privilege of doing at this time. We also have the privilege of “lifting our eyes to the hills, from where does our help come?” (Psalm 121.1). Together we can run to the LORD who “made the heavens and the earth” and “who neither slumbers of sleeps”. What an honour!

I’m aware though that it can be hard to know where to begin with so much going on around the world, and so here’s some specific thoughts for the month ahead…

• Pray for Dyonah Thomas, the Churches he serves in Liberia and the 50 pastors who graduated from the Grace Life Pastors College who pastor in semi-rural communities. Please pray that God would provide finances and resources to buy food and supplies for themselves and for all the saints in those churches. 

• Pray for Jorge and David Del Castillo who just planted Iglesia Gracia Soberana in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, but only had the opportunity to hold a few public services before shut in orders were given in that nation. Please pray that God would provide for this new church.

• Pray for Jeffrey Jo (Manila), Nilo Ebo (Cebu) and Pete Valdez (Bohol), who care for churches in the Philippines, asking God to provide finances and resources to purchase food and supplies for those in need.

• Pray for Carlos Contreras & Joselo Mercado, as they serve the churches in Mexico and Latin America. Please pray that God would give them much wisdom and insight as financial challenges and ramifications become clear in these countries.

• Pray for JP Ravuri in India, as he seeks to feed his Church and the village around him. That the Gospel would go out boldly and clearly into what is a heavily Hindu community.

• Pray for the pastors we are relating to in Pakistan, Colombia, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Ethiopia, Cuba, Italy, Zambia, Brazil, Nepal and the UK.

• Pray for Dave Taylor and the Emerging Nations Team. Please pray for much wisdom, clarity and faith as we serve in this unprecedented time.

... For His glory. May His goodness and mercy chase us down all over again in this.

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. 

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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.