From Mark Prater, Executive Director of Sovereign Grace Churches…

At our Pastors Conference last November I shared a burden that Sovereign Grace Churches would take prayerful risks to plant more churches especially in the United States. The 1st quarter Sovereign Grace Mission Video captures one story that illustrates how taking risks to plant a church leads to good gospel fruit. Living Hope Church in Middletown, PA took the prayerful risk and made the sacrifice of sending over 100 of their best to plant their first church, Redeeming Grace Church in Mechanicsburg, PA. On September 3, 2023, Redeeming Grace Church held its first service. What I love about this story is that it includes families who were at Living Hope for 20+ years and families living in Mechanicsburg who were praying for a local church like Redeeming Grace. In many ways, the story of this church plant is decades old even though the church hasn't even celebrated its first anniversary. 

This video gives you just a glimpse of the sacrifices made by many to start a new church, as well as how God is using their small beginnings to make a big impact. This church is truly walking in the good works God prepared for them. As you watch this video, rejoice with me in the good work of a shared mission in planting churches that preach the gospel. What a glorious God we serve!

Please consider giving to the Sovereign Grace Church Planting Fund. The prayers and the generosity of the members and friends of our churches will allow us to continue to plant churches in the United States and beyond.

Let us continue to plant churches to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ, all for His glory alone.

This post first appeared on the Sovereign Grace Churches blog on May 15, 2024.

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 great commission that we have been given as Christians is far bigger than we could have ever asked or imagined... But how wonderful, comforting and inspiring it is to know that the One who has called us, is always with us, even to the end of the age. What a mission changing reality this is!!

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

1. Please pray for the Pastors College graduating class of 2024, students and their families from 3 different nations who having moved to Louisville, KY for the past 10 months, now head home to make a difference in their local churches. Please pray for a smooth transition back home and for faithful and fruitful days ahead for each of these graduates.

2. Please pray for the missions teams from Cornerstone Church (Knoxville) and Trinity Grace (Athens), as they send a group of 18 to South Korea, with Jake Cronin and Walt Alexander, June 4-11th. In addition, please also pray for the missions team from Sovereign Grace Church, Toronto (Canada) as they send a team of 7 over to Trinity Fellowship Church in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, along with Timon Lau and Tim Kerr, to partner with and serve the church there.

3. Please pray for Jeffrey Jo, National Leader of SGC Philippines, as he and a team head to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, to visit church members there and explore the possibility of a Church Plant. May God give them much wisdom and grace as they consider this great endeavour.

4. Please pray for Songhwan Kang (Lead Pastor of Lord’s Grace Church, Seoul, South Korea) as he leads the annual Gospel & Family conference. Please pray that they find great favour with the parents and kids alike, and that the Gospel goes forward in wonderful ways.

5. Please pray for Bart Lipscomb (Lead Pastor of Christchurch, Texas, and SGC Area Leader for Africa) as he heads to Guinea, West Africa, June 4th-7th to invest in our key leaders there and serve the local church. Please pray for safety and stamina in travel, for the Holy Spirit to guide him and for his teaching to be clear, Christ-centred and affective. 

6. Please pray for the Sovereign Grace Global Leaders Retreat in Rome, Italy, June 4th-7th, asking God to equip and strengthen our global leaders from around the world relationally and theologically, so they can better serve the Churches and endevours in their respective nations. Please pray also for me (Dave Taylor) as I lead this retreat, that I’d know His grace and wisdom, and that I’d serve these dear brothers well.

   … It’s a big world out there, so how good it is to know that He holds it all in His hands!!

An update from Bob Kauflin, Director of Sovereign Grace Music...

Joselo Mercado, Fabrizio Rodulfo, and I recently had the privilege of serving at the La Adoración Centrada en el Evangelio conference (Gospel-Centered Worship), in Barranquilla, Colombia. It was hosted by Iglesia Alumbra, not a Sovereign Grace church, but one we have been building relationships with for the past few years. Fabrizio and I led the worship in song with musicians from Alumbra, and Joselo and I had the joy of preaching from God’s Word numerous times. 

About 150 leaders, interested in or part of Sovereign Grace, came to the pre-conference on Thursday and Friday morning. We focused on the biblical foundations of worship, and practical ways musicians and preaching pastors can work together to serve God’s purposes for our Sunday meetings. The final session dealt with ways musicians can best serve the singing of their congregations, followed by a Q&A. We weren’t able to answer all of the questions, so we’ll be video recording the answers to the remaining questions and sending them to the attendees. 

Around 400 came to the actual conference on Friday night and Saturday morning, which was for a broader audience. During the conference we explored a gospel-informed view of worship both in our gatherings and in our lives. Again, Joselo and I had the privilege of preaching God’s Word. 

It was deeply encouraging to see the effect of the relationships Joselo has sown into over the past few years. In particular, he has been building with Jacobis Aldana from Iglesia Bíblica Soberana Gracia in Santa Marta. His friendship with Jacobis and other pastors has resulted in a deep respect, love, and appreciation for him and for Sovereign Grace. On this trip we were reaping rich fruit from his investment.  

On the flight back, Fabrizio commented that in America we can be distracted by the smallest of inconveniences - the temperature, the quality of the sound, the nearness of restaurants, or the comfortability of the chairs. But the people who came to the events in Barranquilla were eager to gather and expressed a joy that was no trace of complaining. People repeatedly expressed their gratefulness for how Sovereign Grace Music has impacted their families and churches and how Joselo has been a wise and godly friend to many pastors there. 

It was humbling to realize that within a few years we could have as many as 10 Sovereign Grace churches in Colombia, South America. These would be churches that confess our statement of faith, share our gospel values, are committed to living out gospel virtues, and have a vision for planting and strengthening other churches. It was a joy to play a small part in that process. 

An update from Brian Kiama, graduate of Trinity Fellowship Pastors College, Ethiopia, and SG Church Planter to Kenya…

My name is Brian Kiama, born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. I am married to Julia Kiama, and together the Lord has blessed us with two beautiful and energetics kids; Adriel who is 6 years old, and Tadya who is 5. Early on in my Christian life, I began to sense a call to some kind of ministry and, over time, the Lord seemed to make it clear that it was a call to pastoral ministry, though I did not know when or where that would come about. During that time, I grew in the conviction that I needed to be part of a healthy local church and to have my calling assessed and confirmed by my church community. Added to that, the Lord gave me a wonderful, godly, and gifted wife who has been of tremendous support and encouragement to me as we sought to discern the Lord’s call in my life.

The Kiama family at Trinity Fellowship.

Since before our wedding and early in our marriage, we had been part of faithful Bible preaching churches in different towns in Kenya that we lived in. The Lord gave us opportunities to use our gifts to serve the churches and build relationships with church members. However, we were never fully aligned doctrinally with any of them. Then the Lord led us to discover Sovereign Grace online through the music. We were immediately intrigued by the depth, joy, and passion for Christ that was so evident, not only in the music, but also in the preaching of various SG pastors.

Not long after our discovery, in 2017, the Lord led us to pray for an opportunity to move to the US and to join the Pastors College in Louisville. We prayed for a while, but eventually we gave up, because it didn’t seem that He would open that door. Fast forward to 2018, and the Lord led us to meet a missionary couple that had just moved to the same town in Kenya that we lived in. A friendship was quickly kindled between us and it grew tremendously from that time onward. Our friends knew my desire for pastoral ministry and particularly our desire to be part of Sovereign Grace someday. Toward the end of 2020, he reached out to an old friend of his from bible college whom he knew to be in Sovereign Grace, and asked whether there was any possibility of a Kenyan being accepted in the US Pastors College. This friend of his happens to be Josh Pannell, and in God’s amazing providence, Josh was planning to move to Ethiopia with his family to establish a Pastors College under Trinity Fellowship church, which had been planted in late 2020. There we were, thinking that the Lord had closed that door, and yet He was answering our prayers in His own amazing way!

Jonathan, Rick Gamache, Michael Granger, and Brian at a Nairobi Vision Trip in 2024.

So I got accepted and I moved my family to Addis Ababa to join the first PC class in 2021. Our plan was to go through the whole three-year program, from PC to Ordination, and to see where the Lord would lead us to serve Him and His church. From the beginning of our time in Ethiopia, my wife and I had no desire to ever live or plant a church in Nairobi. But it soon became clear that the Lord had different plans for us. It began with a conversation with my pastor, Michael Granger, during my internship year at the PC. He asked whether we would ever consider moving to Nairobi to plant a church. My wife and I quickly shot down the idea, primarily because we did not see ourselves as “city people”. Then in December 2022, the Lord brought the Leslie family into our lives. Jonathan (US Pastors College graduate) and Lillie Leslie had been living in Kenya for a few years up to that point and they desired to see a gospel-centered church that embodied the shared values and shaping virtues of Sovereign Grace in Nairobi. They visited Trinity Fellowship in early December of 2022 and when Michael realized that they desired to see a church planted in Nairobi, he quickly introduced me to Jonathan and the conversation about planting a church together began there. A friendship with the Leslie family was kindled, and has been growing ever since, and the Lord used them to spark a desire in us to plant a gospel-centered church in Nairobi.

The Kiamas, together with Jonathan Leslie (left) and Bereket, Abigail and their daughter (right).

Jonathan and I have been going through the ordination process, he at Cornerstone Community Church in Burnsville, Minnesota, and I at Trinity Fellowship Addis Ababa. My family plan to move back to Nairobi in August this year, and the Leslies shortly after, to begin the work together. Thankfully, the Lord has given us another couple, Bereket and Abigail, from Trinity Fellowship who desire to be part of the team.

Our city is one of the largest and fastest growing cities in Africa. Many profess to be Christians. However, not many truly know the Lord and many are led astray by churches that preach a false gospel of prosperity and moralism. Many are unchurched and others are de-churched. Still more are living in worldliness and their hearts and minds are captivated by the attractions, pleasures, and prosperity the city life has to offer. The Lord has given us a burden to bring the light of the gospel to our dark city, and beyond. We desire to see many come to the knowledge of Christ, to have their hearts and minds captivated by the beauty and worth of our God and Savior, and to see the transforming effect of the gospel in every part of our society. Would you pray with us toward that end, and pray that we, as a team and eventually as a church, would continually be objects of God’s renewing grace, even as we seek to be instruments in God’s hands to transform our city and our country through the power of the gospel.

The Leslies and Kiamas.

An update from Riley Spring, Lead Pastor of Sovereign Grace Church Parramatta and National Director of SGC Australia…

Recently, we had the sweet privilege of having Jim and Trish Donohue from Covenant Fellowship Church PA come to Australia to serve our family of churches. Our aim was twofold: to have Jim teach and equip both churches and their pastoral teams on mission and evangelism, as well as having Trish teaching and spurring on our ladies in their womanhood at the inaugural SG Aus Women’s Conference. The Lord used the week in so many ways, here are just a few:

Evangelistic Urgency

Spending time with Jim refocuses your heart and head to see the reality of eternity in sharper focus and especially to face the uncomfortable truths of the judgement and wrath to come for unbelievers. As we spent time with Jim we were freshly awakened with these truths and emboldened to share the gospel with greater zeal. He helped us see that we had sadly become too soft and afraid to turn up the heat for fear of appearing too ‘full on’ or looking weird. Instead, many of us have now gone out with greater urgency for the task of reaching out to the lost with the news of the glorious gospel.

Evangelistic Intentionality

Not only were we stirred up, we were equipped with better tools to help take more steps forward as individuals and as churches to share the gospel. Each of our Pastoral teams has taken this time to review our current practices and now we are planning on working together to run evangelistic courses in a coordinated effort so that we can try and reach more people, more effectively here in Sydney, Australia. We have committed to running the Bridge Course, the course developed by Jim which has recently been re-filmed, and it’s looking great; ‘https://bridgecourse.org’ check it out! By running it well and at the same time pooling our resources together, we can actually do the ‘retreat’ element, and we are really looking forward to seeing what God will do.

Evangelistic Resilience

Jim also helped us to see from Matthew 10 that Jesus intends us to go out and preach the gospel and expects us to get hit in the process. Read the chapter for yourself and note the perilous situation Jesus puts us in, ‘sheep amongst wolves’ for starters! We often see resistance to the gospel as signs that we aren’t sharing it well but actually it can be the opposite, and though we expect people to be saved, because the gospel is powerful, we ought also to learn how to cop a hit, like a boxer, and keep going.

SG Australia Women’s Conference

The theme of our time together was: When Life Is A Lot, and Trish Donohue gave three helpful talks which spoke into our sense of overwhelm in the midst of a full and busy life!

It was a sweet time of fellowship between our two Sovereign Grace Churches here in Australia and a timely opportunity for many of our ladies to slow down for the day and hear what God’s Word had to say about the lies we may believe, comparison with others and distractions in the busyness of day-to-day life. The talks are now available on the Sovereign Grace Parramatta streaming channels on Apple Podcasts and on Spotify or on their website.

This event was put on by a few key ladies and lots of volunteers, but I want to thank Emma Taylor, Rebecca Song, and CJ Lick in particular for their efforts and initiative to make it happen. We’re already looking forward to our next one! And the only unfortunate thing is that they have set a very high standard for us guys to live up to for when we have Eric Turbedsky out in October for our Men’s Conference!

Grateful For Partnership

We are pinching ourselves that we have such gospel centered, generous, and gifted friends who’d be willing to fly all the way out here to serve our growing family of churches in Australia. It makes such a difference for our people to meet and make friends with our pastors and families from around the world. It helps build our values, and it helps build family.

Thank you so much Jim and Trish!

Our friend Rocco Dalia, alongside his wife Mady, are gospel-partners in Turin, Italy, and recently had the opportunity to give a very open evangelistic talk on the true meaning of Easter to about 65 Italian students, 70% of whom were non-Christians. Here’s an update on how it went…

Dear friends, 

Following yesterday's prayer request, we want to thank you all for your overwhelming love and support - what a blessing it is to have you all beside us. Your messages and the verses you shared were so emboldening on a day of spiritual battle.

The message of Jesus, the victorious lamb of God who won over sin and death, got out. The seed has been sown. Carrying on what you began yesterday, let’s water it with prayer so that God may make it grow. 

By God’s grace, most students were very attentive. Sure, there were a couple of mockers, but that could be a sign the gospel was faithfully preached. I was particularly blessed by a 45-minute conversation with a non-religious student afterwards, which led him to say he’d like to believe to have hope, but that he doesn’t yet. Pray for God to reveal Himself to this student and for follow up conversations. Pray also for an angered and cynical (or, truly, hurt) atheist student I had a conversation with before the speech. At times he pretended to be indifferent during the talk, but I could see he was paying attention.

I will likely see most of these non-Christian students again at our social nights. Now that the gospel card has been played, pray that questions may be asked and further conversations may be had. Pray someone may even be in touch and join our meeting this Easter morning. 

With much gratitude and love,
Rocco

One of my hopes is to get good books on Global Missions into your hands and the following work, reviewed here by Leo Parris, our US Global Missions Coordinator, is a great place to start! The books called ‘Missions - How the Local Church Goes Global’ and it’s an outstanding read. Here’s what Leo has to say about it…

Out of the plethora of books you could read in order to begin to develop your theology of global missions, there is one book that tops the list. It’s the Bible. But my second recommendation to you would be this small yet powerful Resource. Do you want to be a missionary? Are you a pastor trying to sort out how your already overburdened church can be faithful to the great commission? Or are you merely trying to make sense of Jesus’s global command to every believer (Matt 28:18-20)? In a mere 120 pages, Andy Johnson provides a theology of global missions that is saturated with practical wisdom for local churches and Christians. Take and read!

Johnson begins by laying a foundation for global missions in chapter 1. He argues for the priority of spiritual concerns in the church’s global work and that the motivation for global missions must be God’s glory. He then demonstrates that the local church is the primary and normal means by which God plans to accomplish this mission. Johnson then spends the remainder of this book unpacking these important theological principles.

He begins to do this by carefully defining the terms gospel, missions, and missionary.  He argues that “missions” means “the unique, deliberate gospel mission of the church to make disciples of all nations. . . [and] evangelism that takes the gospel across ethnic, linguistic, and geographic boundaries, that gathers churches, and teaches them to obey everything Jesus commended” (p 35). By defining his terms in this way, Johnson prepares for requiring gospel proclamation and prioritizing church centered works in missions.

Johnson then dives into 3 John to derive 5 principles for the sending of missionaries. He encourages local churches to assess aspiring missionaries by focusing on character, fruitfulness, and Bible knowledge. He emphasizes that “the core of missions preparation is not missions studies. It is godliness and Bible knowledge and evangelistic zeal and love for Christ’s church and a passion to see Christ glorified.” (p. 47) Churches should assess and send their best as missionaries, only their best. After encouraging churches to equip their people through classes, international trips, and local engagement with internationals, Johnson challenges local churches to support missionaries generously and engage with a missions agency, but to maintain primary responsibility for their missionaries.

Churches that have encouraged global attention in their midst know the pressure of the many opportunities of need that arise. In Chapter 4, Johnson encourages churches to focus their support on reaching the unreached, work that is being done well, and those whom they know and trust. He concludes this chapter by cautioning against the temptation to seek out fast growth strategies, and urges churches to look more for faithfulness than impressive statistics.

After marking these priorities in choosing works to support, Johnson then begins to flesh out the characteristics of a healthy partnership between churches and global partners. In his experience, healthy partnerships are servant-minded, pastor-led, relationship-based, commitment-centered, congregation wide, and long term in focus. These values of humility, service, love, and committed community are values that we have long held dear in Sovereign Grace Churches. Johnson reminds us that these features will mark partnerships if they keep gospel believing and living at the center of their commitment.

In chapters 6-7, Johnson spends time cautioning against common mistakes churches make in short term teams. He urges churches to ensure that these trips are useful and a blessing to the partners that they join hands with. He challenges churches to focus on the needs of global partners rather than their own experience or desires. Johnson then considers other ways that churches can engage in global work (chapter 7). He points to the outreach of internationals locally, the planting of international churches in areas of common migration, tent-making in other countries, and those who work as supporting teams to missionaries. Rather than illegitimating these options, Johnson sees these options as viable and harmonious to the work of pioneer missionaries. Each type of approach carries with it important challenges to be noted, but each can be ways that God uses different kinds of Christians to reach the nations.

Whether you are a member eager to learn more about global missions, an aspiring missionary seeking to begin their study, or a pastor seeking to clarify your church’s global vision, I highly recommend that you read this book.

In a recent ‘Prayer Requests’ email Mark Prater sent out to Sovereign Grace Churches, he wrote the following,

'In 1859, Austin Phelps published a book on prayer entitled, “The Still Hour.” In his book, Phelps writes, “Any unperverted mind will conceive of the scriptural idea of prayer, as that of one of the most downright, sturdy realities in the universe. Right in the heart of God's plan of government it is lodged as a power. Amidst the conflicts which are going on in the evolution of that plan, it stands as a power. Into all the intricacies of Divine working and the mysteries of Divine decree, it reaches out silently as a power. In the mind of God, we may be assured, the conception of prayer is no fiction, whatever man may think of it.” (Page 21)

Prayer is one of the most downright, sturdy realities in the universe, and in God’s wisdom, He includes prayer as a power that is part of His good, sovereign government of the universe. These truths are not only amazing, they also remind us why we need to pray for one another in Sovereign Grace. As God continues His good plan for our family of churches, we don’t sit passively by, rather we pray knowing that God will use our prayers for one another in the best way He sees fit.' 

What wonderful truth that is, and so to aid you, here’s some ways you can be praying for us in the month ahead...

1. Please pray for the churches in Bolivia, India, and Pakistan who have recently started the adoption process into Sovereign Grace asking God to strengthen them, and to equip their elders as they pursue ordination.

2. Please pray for Bart Lipscomb (Lead Pastor of Christchurch, Texas, and SGC Area Leader for Africa) and Leo Parris (Pastor at Covenant Fellowship, PA) as they head to Freetown, Sierra Leone, to help teach at a Young Adults Conference at one of our EN Candidate Churches, and invest into our leaders that are leading our EN Candidate Churches in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Please pray for safety and stamina in travel, for the Holy Spirit to guide them and for their teaching to be clear, Christ-centred and affective. 

3. Please pray for Bob Kauflin, Joselo Mercado & Fabrizio as they head to Barranquilla, Colombia, May 16-18th for two events sponsored by Sovereign Grace Churches. The first is an event for pastors and music leaders associated with Sovereign Grace. The second is for a broader audience, focussing in on wider topics relating to music and worship in the church. Please pray for safe travel, deep and lasting fruit, and the strengthening of Sovereign Grace Churches in Barranquilla, Santa Marta and Cali. 

4. Please pray for Rich Richardson (Lead Pastor of Centre Church, AZ and SGC Area Leader for Latin America) as he heads to Guadalajara, Mexico, to lead a Pastors Retreat, May 14th-20th. The focus of this year's retreat, for all the SG Mexico Pastors and those in the ordination process, is the integrity needed for pastoral ministry. Please pray that this would be a rich time of fellowship and teaching for the 50+ brothers who will be in attendance. 

5. Please pray for Ed O’Mara (SGC Area Leader for Europe) as he travels to Antalya, Turkey, May 24th-27th, to meet with Sovereign Grace missionaries (names withheld for security reasons) and their local partners. The goal of this trip will be to strengthen our missionaries and help them think through their future steps and ways to serve in Turkey for the glory of Christ. 

6. Please pray that God would continue to stir the members and pastors of Sovereign Grace Churches all over the world, towards local mission and a renewed desire to share the glorious gospel with the unbelievers in their communities and workplaces. 

...Let us pray for one another knowing that it is one of the most downright, sturdy realities in the universe.

An aspect of our zeal in Sovereign Grace Churches is to plant churches, as illustrated by our friend Nick Kidwell…. Enjoy!! (Nick Kidwell Testimony)

An update from Bob Wright., member of Covenant Fellowship Church, Glenn Mills, USA…

Sovereign Grace Churches (SGC) is not unique in bringing the gospel to Costa Rica. It arrived long ago. The Holy Spirit, though, is drawing together gospel-centered church leaders and their members to magnify their impact upon the people of Costa Rica. In keeping with what God is already doing, SGC has been invited to assist particular churches that have been desiring greater fidelity to scripture in their preaching and practice. First one church, then two, and now five churches are seeking SGC adoption, with the support of their congregations.

The annual Por Su Gracia Conference serves those Pastors, along with so many others, and met on March 1 and 2 in Barva de Heredia, a suburb of San Jose, Costa Rica. The 275 attendees were from 15 different Costa Rican churches, with 12 different leadership teams represented. SGC pastors Joselo Mercado and Bob Donohue were the featured speakers, as well as Eduardo “Chespi” Sandoval and Juan Jose Solano who are engaged in the SGC ordination process.

The conference theme was Vivir Bajo La Suficiencia de la Escritura. Esteban Rojas, pastor of Iglesia Gracia y Verdad led worship with gifted singers and musicians from attending churches. Sovereign Grace Music is greatly appreciated among these churches as the songs helped bring the Conference toward adoration of the Lord and an awareness of His presence.

Each teaching expanded upon this theme – that we can have absolute confidence that the word of God is sufficient. It protects; it purifies; it points us to our Lord’s glorious grace and will sustain us until we go home to be with the Lord. Helping us in our worship, discipleship, holiness, parenting, church leadership, reaching the lost, and above all, to love and long for Jesus – the word made flesh.

As is their practice, Joselo and Bob Donohue hosted pastoral teams and their spouses for meals at every opportunity to encourage fellowship, burden sharing, and growth in relationships. These are intimate times with mutual respect and affection freely expressed. My friends in leadership at Casa 242 and Iglesia Biblica de Playa Azul were among those who benefited from these times of fellowship and food.

A book table provided conference attendees with gospel-centered resources; Alan Monge and his family from Soberana Gracia Cartago served in that capacity. The Director of Hispanic Initiatives at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was also in attendance at the conference. Joselo brought Irma and Luis Lebron to the conference from his home church in Gaithersburg, Maryland – Iglesia Gracia Soberana. Like me, they were excited to see how our Lord is using Joselo and Bob Donohue as representatives of local SGC churches to expand the reach of the gospel internationally. Already active at their home church, they were inspired to grow in their support of this work globally.

I was personally impacted by the devotion of my new friend Nayib Bukele. Nayib graciously adopted me for three days as we visited Casa 242 in Escazu and his own church, Iglesia La Gracia in San Pedro, San Jose. I was consistently greeted with affection at these churches and felt the care that these members have for one another and their leaders. Spirit filled worship, faith driven prayer and gospel centered teaching were found here.

The Sunday meeting at Iglesia La Gracia was a momentous one for the congregation as Pastor Juan Jose Solano shared the biblical basis for church planting missions, and his proposal to move to Lebanon in 2025 with his family to impact the Muslim community. His other elders and the church are praying for God’s confirmation and provision for this very large undertaking for a relatively small church.

After church we enjoyed a feast at Nayib’s hillside home which has a magnificent view of San Jose. Irma and Luis Lebron were there as well as the team of elders from Iglesia La Gracia and their families. Nayib’s hospitality is overwhelming, fueled by his gratitude to God for all of His many blessings.

It is a privilege to witness what God is doing as we pray: Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Please pray for God’s continued grace among these churches and their leaders.

An update from Todd Peterson, Pastor at Cross of Grace Church, El Paso, Texas, and Erik Rangel, Lead Pastor of Legacy Church in Yuma, Arizona, both SGC Representatives to India…

For our 2024 India trip, we made four total stops with two of them being the major objectives of the trip. The first main stop we made was in Bhubaneswar, Odisha to visit brothers Caleb and Sidhanta Suna who pastor ‘Church on Mount Zion’.

We have been relating to the Sunas for three years now and the purpose of this visit was to talk through any final questions on partnership and discuss future plans for ordination and regional church relationships. God has really knit Erik and I together with these men over the years and it seems that the Lord is leading us to proceed together toward church partnership. Caleb and Sidhanta have signed the EN Candidate Church Letter of Intent and having been approved, they will now begin the process of ordination, which they’re really excited about.

Our other major stop was to Gundugolanu, Andrah Predesh to visit JP Ravuri. On this visit we discussed a plan for developing existing relationships with pastors in the area in order to gauge doctrinal agreement as well as possible interest in future partnership. We also discussed possible options for expanding the existing church building as it has become too small to provide for any future growth of the church, praise the Lord!

We also spent considerable time continuing to explore the plans for a possible Christian school for the area. We met with banks, land brokers, civil engineers, a school principal and several teachers to better understand how the Lord may be leading us in this endeavor.

Please continue to pray for these three men as things move forward in India. All for His glory!

An update from our Missionary to Thailand. Please note, that all names have been changed for the sake of the work there…

Little did we know what God was about to do when we met a Thai believer one year ago in our town in a remote province in Thailand. Through a story only God could weave, we became acquainted with Tom, Pam and their young son who live just 300 yards down our road. Pam, a young believer in Christ, is married to Tom, who’s a Buddhist, and quickly opened up with us about some significant challenges in her life. Over time and through various means of God’s care, we saw the Lord bring help to their family and we started a bible study with Pam. During these times of coming around God’s Word, praying, and providing biblical counsel, we saw God working in Pam’s heart as well as Tom’s life too. Tom invited us to start praying together for family needs, and we started to observe an interest grow in his heart for God.

As Christmas time approached, we planned a few outreaches in our local community. Pam expressed interest in the outreaches and started to ask if we could do one in a community 30 minutes down the road where they have a farm. “Sure,” we answered, but how would we do this in a community where we don’t have permission or know people yet? After a phone call, Tom and Pam made an appointment with the highest county official who granted us permission and even wanted to help coordinate the life bag mercy ministry among 50 of the poorest in this community. On the day of the life bag outreach, our team provided bags with food and gospel literature, and shared the gospel through the Christmas story at three distribution points.

But Pam didn’t stop there. She also wanted to have a Christmas party at her farm and invited those in surrounding villages to come. So after the life bag outreach, about 80 people, young and old, came to the farm for fun activities and an opportunity to clearly hear about the real meaning of Christmas - Jesus! During the time we saw Pam boldly engage with her neighbors about her hope in Jesus. Children also received book bags with school supplies and the Christmas story due to the generosity of one of our supporting churches in SGC. The Lord shined His light into the darkness during the Christmas season.

As the Christmas outreaches wrapped up, Pam again expressed a desire to bless the community at her farm by showing a Jesus film around Valentine’s Day in February. As we prayed, the Lord provided a Jesus film in Thai, and locals helped to setup a large screen and speakers in the rice field, lights, food, and activities for children. God also blessed us with funding for the event through a partner SGC church.

As we value working with the local indigenous church, we invited a pastor and his wife from the capital city to come share the gospel after the movie. Around 120 people came and had a lot of fun. The village leader even showed up and enjoyed watching the movie. All the kids received gift bags with Kevin DeYoung’s The Biggest Story in Thai which covers the big picture of the bible. The gospel was clearly and boldly proclaimed through many means that day. Young and old watched the movie, and we saw interest expressed by a few as the local pastor shared at the end.

As a result of this outreach, God opened yet another door to start a small study with about 10-12 children who were interested in learning from The Biggest Story. Over the last 10 weeks at the farm, the children learned the gospel from the storyline of the bible. The children enjoyed learning and singing The Gospel Song in Thai, and they started asking questions and showing interest in Jesus. In addition, Tom’s interest and openness to the gospel has only increased over this season.

Through this unexpected relationship which has been such a mutual blessing, the Lord has provided unique opportunities to scatter seeds among those who have never had a chance to hear. We ask that you would join us in prayer that these seeds would take root, not be stolen or snuffed out, and bear much fruit in this community. All to His glory, honor, and praise.

We sincerely want to thank SGC and all the churches that have partnered in the gospel with our team in Thailand. It’s a privilege and honor to do this together in His name and for the sake of Christ. If you have questions on how to partner in this ministry, please inquire with your pastor at your local SGC church.

An update from Josh Montague, SGC Pastoral Candidate at Cross of Grace Church, Chaska, USA, and Director of Expository Training at Training Leaders International…

Over the last eight years, the Midwest-Northwest US region of SG churches has partnered with Training Leaders International (TLI) to train ten Pakistani pastors in the fundamental elements of biblical interpretation and expository preaching.

For me personally, as the Director of Expository Training with TLI for the past ten years, I have led numerous teaching trips to meet these pastors in Dubai, UAE or Amman, Jordan. In addition, Pastors from four different churches in our US Region have taught over the course of this training.

When the curriculum cycle was completed last June, the region began asking, “What’s next?”

I was already leading some training trips to the Philippines and began meeting with Jeffrey Jo of Cross of Christ Salvation Gospel Ministries (CCSGM) online and in-person in Cavite. In God’s kindness, these conversations led to the development of another partnership.

Sixteen potential SG pastors from numerous islands around the Philippines will now come together as we launch the training with Course 1, Knowing God, Scripture, and Ourselves. Nine total trips over the next three years are scheduled, beginning with a second course in December called Knowing the Bible’s Story, followed by six courses focusing on understanding and communicating different genres of the biblical text, and a final course entitled Doing the Ministry of the Word. 

The impact of this sort of training doesn’t stop with a week long course in Laguna, Philippines or Amman, Jordan. Following Paul’s suggested pattern in 2 Timothy 2:2, those who have been trained are urged to pass on the training to others. This has resulted in hundreds of Pakistani believers studying biblical books like Genesis, Mark, Psalms, Ephesians, Isaiah, and Revelation. Six of the Pakistani pastors who participated in the TLI training now meet monthly with me and another elder from our region, as we work through the Sovereign Grace Churches ordination process with them.

Churches are being planted in the Philippines through CCSGM as well as His Dwelling Christian Church in Cebu, pastored by Nilo Ebo. Please pray that this training helps train and equip pastors for these churches as God grows his kingdom in the Philippines.

Please pray for wisdom and provision of funds and teachers as other possible training sites are considered. TLI is already training potential SG pastors in Sierra Leone and other partnerships are being explored in Africa and Asia.

For more information, you can contact me at josh.montague@trainingleaders.org or subscribe to my updates updates at https://joshmontague.epistle.org/subscribe. I am so grateful to God for our partnership.

In a recent ‘Quarterly Prayer Update’ from Mark Prater, SGC Executive Director, he wrote the following...

      'A verse that has been on my heart for a year now, which I spoke from at the Council of Elders meeting, and during the Pastors Conference is John 15:5 where Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” We will bear much fruit for Christ by abiding in Jesus dependently for apart from Him we can do nothing. One of ways we abide in Jesus dependently is to bring our needs to Him in prayer. Jesus says in John 15:7, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” 

Abiding dependently means asking Jesus consistently in prayer for His help and provision so that we can bear much fruit for Him… We so need Him!! 

With that in mind, here’s how you can be praying for us in the month ahead...

1. Please pray that God would give the members of Sovereign Grace Churches a renewed desire, and opportunities to share the gospel with unbelievers in our communities and workplaces.

2. Please pray for the Ark Church in Dnipro, Ukraine asking God to continue to protect them, and to use them to meet practical needs, and to offer gospel hope to those around them who have been impacted by the war.

3. Please pray for Chiesa Grazia Sovrana of Torino, Italy as they ’soft-launch’ the Church this month and begin to meet. As they look to reach out and invite others into the church, please pray that the Lord would expand the church plant team and that the unbelievers they are working with would come to saving faith.

4. Please pray for Joselo Mercado, Lead Pastor of ….. and Emerging Nations delegate to Latin America, as he heads to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 11th-13th April, to run a marriage seminar and leadership training for Oasis Church. A Church SGC has related to for around 20 years.

5. Please pray for the 10 students currently in our Ethiopian Pastors College (Trinity Fellowship Pastors College) in Addis Ababa asking God to equip them for pastoral ministry. Pray also for Josh Pannell, Dean of the Trinity Fellowship Pastors College asking God to give him grace in leading this second class of students. 

6. Please pray that God would continue to provide financially for Sovereign Grace Churches so that we can fund the many gospel opportunities He is giving us throughout the world. 

… May we depend on Him and bear much fruit!!

An update from Ed O'Mara, SGC Area Leader for Europe...

The steady decline of Christian witness, liberalization and ongoing extinction of gospel-preaching local churches, and fragmentation amongst once vibrant denominations have made for a dark spiritual climate in Europe. Pastors often feel alone in their call. Interdependency plays a vital role in nourishing healthy churches and supporting pastors. We need one another, and when we say this we mean that our conviction is not simply “association” but “partnership.” We believe in being bound together in shared values and vision to press forward our commission, jointly defend biblical doctrines we hold dear, and encourage one another in our walk as pastors.

In Europe, we are beginning the exciting steps of establishing this sort of meaningful partnership as part of the Sovereign Grace Churches family. For this reason, from 12-15 March, 14 men from various European nations gathered near Milan for our second annual SGC European Pastors Retreat. The retreat was divided into two portions in which the first half of the retreat focused on building strong SGC partnership structures. We began by fostering our relationships and caring for one another. We then moved to charting a path forward for future development. We do not take for granted that we have inherited robust partnership structures from our SGC family. Yet we also know we have a responsibility to apply these to our European context. As such, we talked through what a European BCO might look like, and how we would proceed with church planting evaluations, ordinations, and adjudications in ways that take ownership for a maturing SGC-Europe.

During the second half of the retreat we welcomed a larger group of pastors who are interested in either joining or planting with SGC. Our primary focus was on building relationships and introducing these men to the shape of SGC partnership. We also took time to press into specific shared values, namely our pneumatology, and then we worked through the procedural steps for joining SGC.

You may be thinking that all of this was very procedural, but I can assure you that we spent a lot of time learning about one another, encouraging each other, and laughing together. Perhaps the sweetest moment for me was near the end of the retreat when it struck me that the environment that the Lord is building already feels like our broader SGC family! This is a grace that cannot be underestimated. Yes, loneliness and darkness exist across the evangelical landscape of Europe. Yes, the procedural and structural elements of partnership are important to how we build. But how we care for and love one another is also vital; our relationships matter! How exciting it is to recognize that God is at work, even in our small beginnings, both in the practical and relational elements of SGC-Europe!

As we look forward to our year ahead, we will continue to focus on building together in relational ways. We plan to gather the European pastors and their wives for connection and care. We also plan to host our 3rd European Pastors Retreat in 2025.

Meantime, we will be working together toward a draft European BCO (to be ready for the day the Lord enables us to formally exist as such!). Personally, I will have the privilege of being in regular contact both with those who are already committed to our family and those who are growing in their interest in SGC in Europe. Above all, we will be seeking to bring encouragement to one another as we work hard for the fame of Jesus in our local settings.

None of this could be possible without our broader SGC family! Thank you to all of you who are praying for us. We deeply appreciate your partnership. Please continue to pray that we would be both structurally and relationally connected so that our partnership might aid gospel proclamation and the bright light of Jesus might shine anew across Europe!

There are some trips that you go on, that as you sit on the plane to return home you can’t help but smile, and this last trip to the Philippines was one such trip for me.

I have had the privilege of travelling over to the Philippines many times over the last 8 years. When I first went over, Sovereign Grace had two churches that were in partnership with us, and many loose associations. It was clear we had a whole lot of friends, which was wonderful. But there’s a big difference between ‘friends’ and ‘partners’, and so I committed at that point to going over and running two Pastors Conferences a year, to seek to establish who wanted to ‘stay friends’ and who wanted to ‘build partnership’ together. It was a sweet season, as we taught through the seven-shared values and laid out what partnership could look like. Not everyone stayed, for some Sovereign Grace was not for them, but for others, it was home… God was so clearly on the move in the Philippines.

Fast forward then to just a couple of weeks ago on the plane. Having experienced such an incredible week, my heart was full... God has done so much more than I could’ve ever asked or imagined!

The week was full in terms of schedule. Tuesday through Thursday, we led a Pastors Conference for about 200 people, primarily pastors, wives, and key leaders from Sovereign Grace Churches, as well as around 10-12 guests who were invited to join us. These numbers included folks from Pakistan, Nepal, Australia, the Philippines & South Korea, and for three days we focused in on the values of corporate worship. Singing was as loud as ever, God’s Word was freshly built into people’s lives, and friendships were newly strengthened. As we heard testimonies and updates from Pakistan, Australia, the Philippines, and Global, it was a faith-building and strengthening time for everyone involved.

Friday night, Sovereign Grace Music led of night entitled ‘Gathering Around the Gospel in Song, Scripture & Prayer’, for around 3800 people. It was a wonderfully Christ-exalting evening, to be honest, I’ve not seen anything quite like it!! God was so good to us!! Here’s a short video for you.

On Saturday, Sovereign Grace Music then led a day seminar for around 1000 musicians that focused on why Jesus is greater than music, and how to arrange your music to best serve your congregation. Before Bob Kauflin and the team led the music and Bob preached for CCSGM in Manila, Jeffrey Jo’s Church, on the Sunday. It was a very special morning, as the four CCSGM Churches in Manila came together for this.

This week in the Philippines provided a wonderful example of how Sovereign Grace Music is helping to plant and strengthen Sovereign Grace Churches. For so much of the week they were sowing into leaders and potential leaders of Sovereign Grace churches, and having conversations about how they can use music to edify the church, proclaim God’s Word, and exalt Christ. It was a sweet, sweet time!

Big shout out then to Bob Kauflin, Devon Kauflin & Dave Zimmer for serving so tirelessly and excellently throughout the week. Also, to Jeffrey Jo and all of the 80 plus volunteers from CCSGM who helped run all of these events. As well as Riley Spring, our big event MC extraordinaire… All of you served so incredibly well, not only in what you did, but also in the way you did it.

I so love our partnership. How kind of the Lord that we get to do these things together, as we make much of His great Name... Surely lines have fallen for us in pleasant places. Soli Deo Gloria!

For over two decades the Pastors College has been teaching called men how to build their lives and families and churches upon the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

When the gospel is consistently and faithfully applied, it produces a particular kind of pastor—and you know it when you see it. They become joyful, humble, grateful, encouraging, servant-hearted shepherds.

Such pastors display the beauty and power of the gospel they proclaim. They are infectious, resilient, and steadfast—in a word, faithful. And these are the kinds of pastors whose own joy in Christ creates cultures of joy, humility, servanthood, and grace in the churches they lead.

That’s why we train these men for ten months, in both life and doctrine.

Here’s Rocco Dalia’s testimony of his year at the Pastors College, which he shared at last year’s SGC Pastors Conference… Enjoy!!

An update from Joshua Varnedoe, Pastoral Resident at Cornerstone Church of Knoxville, Tennessee, USA…

Isaac came to the University of Tennessee with a lot of questions and uncertainties, but there was one thing he was absolutely sure about: he wanted nothing to do with God. And yet, the day before the fall semester began, as he wandered around campus, he had no idea that the God he was running from was graciously pursuing him.

It was on that day that he met Leyton, an intern for Volunteers for Christ. Leyton was handing out cold water and because it was a hot day in August, Isaac eagerly took him up on his offer. Leyton then asked him if he was interested in filling out an information card. Isaac, won over by Leyton’s friendliness, gave him his phone number. Little did Isaac know that less than 8 months later, he would be baptized on a Sunday morning and pursuing membership at Cornerstone Church of Knoxville. And if Isaac was unaware of God’s redemptive purposes on that August day, then he was definitely unaware of all the work God had done years prior to make that interaction with Leyton possible.

It all began in April of 1990 when Bill Kittrell founded Cornerstone Church of Knoxville. By the grace of God, what began as a Bible study on campus (led by Bill) grew to become a vibrant congregation passionate about reaching Knoxville, TN with the Gospel. In the early days of the church, the Sunday morning meetings were held on the university’s campus. But as the church grew, it became necessary to find another space. Cornerstone eventually moved off campus, but the desire to see students transformed by the Gospel never went away.

Now, Volunteers for Christ is Cornerstone’s outreach to the University of Tennessee. As an outreach of Cornerstone, our mission is very simple: We exist to proclaim the Gospel on the campus and to connect students to the local church (specifically Cornerstone). VFC is an evangelistic ministry, and everything that we do as a ministry is geared towards meeting unbelievers and winning them for Christ. Our prayer is that unbelievers attend our meetings and events, hear the Gospel, trust in Christ, and then join Cornerstone as faithful members.

Over the years, hundreds of students have become Christians through VFC’s involvement on campus and as a result, Cornerstone has grown! CCK is filled with men and women who first heard the Gospel at a VFC event and are now faithful husbands, fathers, wives, mothers, and members in the church. God has also used this ministry to provide pastors for Cornerstone. Many of the men on the pastoral team first became Christians through VFC and were discipled as young believers in the church.

Year to year, VFC is served by a team of interns who commit to raise their own support and work full-time for the ministry. Their job is to make VFC as successful as possible, and much of their time is spent sharing the Gospel and discipling young believers. In addition to a full-time intern team, VFC is led by a team of students (called the Mission Team) who have volunteered to give of their time to assist the interns in evangelism, discipleship, and the various logistical needs of the ministry (set up, hospitality, tech, etc.).

Every week on Thursday nights, VFC hosts a meeting on campus that consists of games, free food, singing, and preaching from God’s Word. We also host a variety of events throughout the week including tailgates, house parties (at the VFC House near campus), sports tournaments, cook-outs, etc. Every fall and spring break, we take the students on retreats and the Lord has used these retreats to strengthen our community and to bring students to saving faith.

It is exciting to think about what the future will hold. Lord willing, there are future church members, community group leaders, and pastors getting acceptance letters to come to UT this fall! Who knows who will wander up to a VFC information table or walk into Cornerstone for the first time in August? Remembering the Lord’s past faithfulness to VFC and to Cornerstone is what fuels our efforts now. Our prayer is that students for years to come are transformed by the power of the Gospel and are joined to the people of God!

An update from Rich Richardson, Lead Pastor of Center Church, Gilbert, Arizona, and SGC Area Leader for Latin America...

In a momentous occasion marking a significant milestone in the history of the Sovereign Grace family, the recent vote at the Sovereign Grace Council of Elders has sparked jubilation and celebration worldwide. After three decades of unwavering commitment and faithful service within the Sovereign Grace community, Mexico has been officially and unanimously recognized as its own ecclesiastical nation. This historic decision not only acknowledges the flourishing growth of the church in Mexico but also heralds a new chapter of empowerment and autonomy for the faithful congregations across the nation.

At the heart of this remarkable moment stands a man of unwavering dedication and vision – Carlos Contreras. For years, Carlos has been the driving force behind the establishment and nurturing of faithful churches throughout Mexico. His steadfast leadership, coupled with an unyielding passion for spreading the gospel, has been instrumental in shaping the spiritual landscape of the nation. Through his tireless efforts, the seeds of faith have been sown, and today, we witness the abundant harvest of his labor.

The journey towards this momentous occasion has been marked by perseverance, faith, and unwavering commitment. From humble beginnings to soaring heights, the Sovereign Grace churches in Mexico have flourished under the guidance of dedicated leaders and devoted congregations. What began as a small seed of faith has blossomed into a thriving community of believers, united in their commitment to proclaiming the gospel and making disciples.

With the official recognition of Mexico as its own ecclesiastical nation, a new era of empowerment and responsibility dawns upon the churches and leaders across the nation. This momentous decision not only affirms the maturity and growth of the Mexican churches within the Sovereign Grace family but also underscores the trust and confidence placed in their ability to shepherd their flocks with wisdom and grace.

Currently boasting ten vibrant churches spread across the nation, with over 30 men actively engaged in the ordination process, the future of the Sovereign Grace movement in Mexico shines bright with promise and potential. As these faithful men are equipped and empowered to lead with integrity and humility, the impact of their ministry is poised to resonate far beyond the borders of their nation, touching lives and transforming communities for the glory of God.

As we celebrate this historic moment, let us pause to reflect on the faithfulness of God and the remarkable journey that has brought us to this point. From the humble beginnings of a handful of believers to the vibrant tapestry of diverse congregations united in their love for Christ, the story of Sovereign Grace in Mexico is a testament to the power of God's grace and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.

Looking ahead, let us continue to uphold the churches and leaders of Mexico in prayer, as they embark on this new chapter of their journey. May they be strengthened and emboldened by the Spirit to proclaim the gospel boldly, to make disciples faithfully, and to shine as beacons of light in a world desperately in need of hope and redemption.

In closing, let us rejoice and give thanks for the incredible work that God has done and continues to do in the hearts and lives of His people in Mexico. May His name be exalted, and His kingdom come, as we press on together in the glorious mission of advancing the gospel to the ends of the earth. 

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 great commission that we’ve been given is far bigger than we could have ever asked or imagined... But how wonderful, comforting and inspiring it is to know that the One who has called us, is always with us, even to the end of the age. What a mission changing reality!!

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

1. Please pray for our newly forming SGC Europe Pastors Fellowship that will be meeting just outside of Milan, Italy, from 12-15 March 2024. Men from Belarus, Poland, Italy, the UK, Ireland, Czech Republic, Spain, and Serbia will be in attendance. Among this group is a subset of men who are in various stages of investigating if God would have their church partner with SGC in Europe. During the retreat, the fellowship will spend time digging into our pneumatology and the SGC Global Partnership Pathway. Additionally, they will be discussing how to build a strong "SGC Europe" both structurally and relationally. This will include discussing a path forward for implementing our shared ecclesiology and future relational and equipping contexts in Europe. Please specifically pray for Ed O’Mara (SGC Area Leader for Europe) as he leads this time, and that the 15 men who are attending will be refreshed, strengthened and freshly envisioned for the future.

2. Please pray for Todd Peterson (Pastor of Cross of Grace Church, El Paso, USA) and Erik Rangel (Pastor of Legacy Church, Yuma, USA) as they head to India this month. Whilst there they’ll be looking to encourage a pastor in Utter Pradesh who is one of the heads of a large denomination of churches that are currently experiencing significant persecution, please pray that God would show them any part that SGC might play in their ongoing dynamic. In addition, they’ll also be speaking at length with two Pastors in Odisha, about what next steps to partnership would look like with Sovereign Grace, as well as spending time with JP Ravuri (Pastor of Calvary Gospel Church, Andhra Pradesh) as he begins to work out next steps towards partnership for some of the like-minded pastors in the region of India that he is based in. Please pray for much wisdom and favour for Todd & Erik as they serve in this way. 

3. Please pray for Bob Kauflin, Jeffrey Jo, Myself (Dave Taylor), and the Sovereign Grace Music Team as we head over to Manila, Philippines to lead three different events, with over 3000 people already registered across the three events, with folk coming in from all over the Philippines, as well as Australia, Nepal, South Korea & Pakistan. Please pray for all those who will be in attendance, that they’d be encouraged and refreshed, and that with so many folk coming in from outside of Sovereign Grace, that we’d be a blessing to them.  

4. Please pray that wherever we find ourselves in the world, that God would give the members of Sovereign Grace Churches a renewed desire, and opportunities to share the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ with the unbelievers in our communities, colleges and workplaces. With Easter on the horizon, may we seize the moment in our nations and neighbourhoods to make much of Jesus.

… May the One who has commissioned us, also give us favour and faith for the road ahead.