An update from Jacobis Aldana, Lead Pastor of Iglesia Bíblica Soberana Gracia in Santa Marta, Colombia…

“And the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly” (Acts 6:7) 

When we first started hearing terms like “biblical churches,” “gospel centrality,” and “expository preaching” in Colombia, no more than 12 years ago, it sounded strange; it seemed novel, yet appealing. We never imagined that one day this would become common language and that, years later, churches would proudly bear the title “Biblical Church” on their signs. 

After a long process of transition as a church in Santa Marta—which is a story for another time—in 2018, the Lord allowed us to plant a church in Barranquilla: Iglesia Bíblica de la Ciudad (City Biblical Church). Ángel Miranda and I were convinced that one of the most important cities in the Caribbean (the northern region of Colombia) needed more churches, but especially churches that could interpret the reality of their surroundings, their culture, their society, and that were deeply rooted in the gospel.

The church in Barranquilla was born and grew during the pandemic. In December 2020, we ordained its two pastors, Ángel and Alejandro, and by 2022, nearly 200 people were attending.

But our hearts beat (and still beat) with a desire to see more churches planted in the Caribbean, so, with the help of Joselo Mercado and Sovereign Grace Churches, we started a conference called “Centrados” (Centered). The purpose was to promote the centrality of the gospel as a concept and its application in various areas of life, leadership, the church, and in aspects of worldview.

At the 2022 conference in Barranquilla, we welcomed people from different cities across the country, especially from the Caribbean region. Among them was a group of about eight people who found out about the conference through social media and traveled from Sincelejo (four hours away) to join us. They told us that they had been praying for about eight years for a church to be planted in their city, but they saw it as something very difficult. Sincelejo is a city of about 350,000 inhabitants where there were no biblical churches exerting any influence at the time. We had been praying for these opportunities; we dreamed of seeing at least one biblical church in each Caribbean city (there are seven cities), so their need and our desire made us quickly understand this as God’s leading.

The conference was in December 2022, and in February 2023, I travelled to meet with some members of the group in Sincelejo who had attended the conference. We listened to them more closely, toured the city, knew what the Lord wanted, but still didn’t know how to make it happen. So, I started traveling once a month from Santa Marta (six and a half hours away) and we began a virtual meeting where we studied the Bible on Thursday nights.

In May 2023, Ángel and I travelled together for the first time, and that is how Iglesia Bíblica de la Ciudad and Iglesia Bíblica Soberana Gracia began our cooperation to make the church in Sincelejo a reality.

In July 2023, the Lord brought conviction to Ángel to relocate to Sincelejo and become the planting pastor. Iglesia Bíblica de la Ciudad, where he served as pastor, decided not only to let go of one of their pastors, but to support part of his salary for two years. Likewise, from the Sovereign Grace Churches, we received the promise of additional support, enough to trust that the Lord would take care of the rest.

In August 2023, the trips became more frequent (two Sundays a month), and we continued to sustain the Thursday Bible study virtually. In December, we held a conference where Manolo Quintal was our guest. At this point, we realised that we not only had desire, but we now also had significant momentum.

By early 2024, Iglesia Bíblica de la Ciudad was sending one of their pastors or leaders to preach three Sundays a month, and the church in Santa Marta covered the other Sunday, therefore covering all four Sundays of the month. Finally, in June 2024, Ángel said goodbye to the church in Barranquilla, moved to Sincelejo with his family, and was formally installed on August 18, 2024.

This has been exciting.

We have no doubt that the hand of the Lord has gone before us, has brought conviction to our hearts, the desire to see His Kingdom grow, and what is needed to make it happen. Our dream now burns even more intensely than ever.

We desire to train more church planters with a clear vision of the gospel and the church, but also of missions and the understanding of the cultural reality that surrounds us.

We desire even more biblical churches in the Caribbean, not only in urban contexts but also in rural areas, where the impact of the biblical gospel is almost non-existent.

We desire to continue organizing events that serve as meeting points for many who, perhaps, are praying like those in Sincelejo, but whom we do not yet know. 

We desire that not only in the Caribbean but throughout the country, we can see more churches being born with robust theology, but also with the clarity of the gospel necessary to apply it to the various areas of life.

But, above all, we need the Lord. We need to keep our faces to the ground, recognizing that the gifts are from Him, the flock is His, the strength comes from Him, and the glory is all His!

As we serve in Global Missions, music so often goes ahead of us. It’s often what people hear first, and so the following is an update from Bob Kauflin, Director of Sovereign Grace Music, on the wonderful success of WorshipGod 24…

From July 24-27, over 1300 people gathered in Louisville, Kentucky, to participate in our 18th WorshipGod conference. The theme this year was One with Christ: How our Union with Christ Affects Everything.

While WorshipGod is a Sovereign Grace conference, the majority of participants come from churches of all types. That’s largely because our songs are sung by local congregations throughout the world. But this year two Sovereign Grace churches together sent almost 100 people to WorshipGod! That helps explain why we had almost twice as many attendees as in 2022. 

WorshipGod is designed for those who plan, lead, serve, or participate in their Sunday gatherings. That includes musicians and pastors, but also songwriters, tech personnel, and anyone who wants to grow in their understanding of congregational worship. As an encouraging reminder of the riches we’ve received in the gospel (2 Cor. 8:9), we love to give stuff away. So this year everyone received a copy of Ask Pastor John, and we had a blast surprising people with books, instruments, and musical gear.

Around 250 people signed up for the pre-conference Master Classes, which focused on technical skills for bass players, drummers, pianists, guitarists, and vocalists. We also offered a general class on Habits of Grace, taught by David Mathis. 

During the conference, we explored the meaning and significance of our union with Christ. In three of the main sessions, we were privileged to hear from John Piper, HB Charles, Jr., and Mike Bullmore. For the remaining sessions we were served by three Sovereign Grace pastors, Josh Blount, Devon Kauflin, and Jared Mellinger. Mike Bullmore spoke for many when he began his message by saying, “If Sovereign Grace keeps producing preachers like this they are in great shape for years to come.”  Shout out to Jeff Purswell, dean of our Pastors College, who has been training and inspiring us in this area for decades!

The singing at WorshipGod conferences is loud. Really loud. We experienced passion, joy, reverence, celebration, tears, and more as different Sovereign Grace musicians led us. And the volume didn’t diminish when Jonathan & Sarah Jerez and Fabrizio Rodulfo added Spanish to the mix!

On Thursday night we sang through the 13 songs on our most recent album, Knowing God, and heard the stories behind them. It was fantastic. But when we sang “Crown Him with Many Crowns” at the end of the night, it felt like the roof was going to come off! A number of people referenced that as one of their conference highlights.

Along with the times of worship in song each session, we asked some friends to share their own Songs and Stories with us. Caroline Cobb treated us with some of her songs from the Psalms. My son, Jordan, shared 3 songs he's written with other writers from Getty Music. For the last one, "Come Unto Jesus," he invited 4 of his 5 siblings to join him. Definitely one of my highlights. Skye Peterson and Ben Shive introduced us to a few songs they've written together. Colin Buchanan, co-writer of Jesus, Strong and Kind, brought his at times hilarious and always theologically sharp songs for kids. Adam Wright of The Corner Room was back again singing his finely crafted, beautifully performed Scripture memory songs. And our own David Zimmer and Nathan Stiff shared three songs that aren't on an album yet, but a number of people thought should be! We’re working on that. It was a joy hearing from so many other songwriters who share our love for theologically driven, Christ-exalting songs for local churches. 

At the top of our planning document we posted this mission statement for the conference: WorshipGod exists to give people the opportunity to see and participate in the ways our biblical values shape our gatherings. So along with musical leadership and teachings in the main sessions and seminars, the Sovereign Grace Music staff (Bekah Heid, David Zimmer, Grace Nixon, Fabrizio Rodulfo, and Devon Kauflin) seek to model the gospel-rooted joy, humility, faithfulness, and excellence that characterize our meetings. But our labors were greatly amplified by the 50+ volunteers and part-time workers from Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville and Covenant Fellowship who served before, during, and after the conference. 

And that’s how it should be. Because as I reminded everyone before they left, Jesus didn’t come to build a conference. He came to build his Church. And from all I could tell, that’s what he enabled us to do at WorshipGod24. 

Here’s a short video of some of the highlights. Enjoy!

An update from Abelardo Munoz, a Pastor in Gracia Soberana de Ciudad Juarez…

On Wednesday, August 7th, Mexico's Council of Elders and National Assembly of Elders gathered for the very first time at Iglesia Gracia Soberana of Ciudad Juárez.

The 4-hour meeting was conducted by our national leader, Carlos Contreras, and was attended by all the delegates of the Council of Elders, and 23 of the 25 elders who make up the National Assembly of Elders. These men represent a number of different churches and regions across Mexico.

While these meetings help us grow relationally, they are also a means for us to come together to make crucial decisions relating to the polity, governance, and leadership of Sovereign Grace Churches in Mexico. These gatherings allow us to achieve so much in a short window of time.

For the Council of Elders, we were able to address a number of items on our agenda. We voted unanimously to confirm Carlos Contreras as our national leader, as well as for members for our National Leadership Team and National Polity Committee. We also separated our churches into two provisional regions; the 'North/Central' region and the 'Bajío' region, and appointed regional leaders for each. Financial matters were also discussed, and approval was granted for our 2025 budget.

For the National Assembly of Elders, similarly we were able to nominate and confirm men as members of the National Conflict Resolution Committee and National Ordination Committee. With joy, we were able to officially approve two church plants; one in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, and one in Huajuapan, Oaxaca, and were thrilled to hear updates from both church planters. Both churches meet in the homes of these two men and have an average attendance of 15-30 people. The next step for these churches is to find a suitable location big enough to accommodate the growth they expect in the coming months. We are looking forward to officially presenting these churches as Iglesias Gracia Soberana of Reynosa and Iglesias Gracia Soberana of Huajuapan.

While these meetings are necessary in helping us move forward together as a nation, we do not forget that each of these elders represents individual churches. These individual churches are made up of men and women whom Christ died and whose lives have been graciously redeemed.

Please continue to pray for SGC Mexico, in particular the elders who serve on the Council of Elders and National Assembly of Elders. May God be glorified as they press on together in His glorious mission!

An update from Leo Parris, US Global Missions Coordinator for Sovereign Grace Churches, and Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania…

Short-term missions trips aren’t the primary way God calls his people to fulfill the Great Commission, but when planned carefully in connection to ongoing partnership, they can catalyze global awareness and mission in our local churches. Many SG churches engage in short term missions trips.

Here are some snapshots of some of the trips that have taken place in the last few months:

Lord’s Grace Church Conference and VBS of Seoul, South Korea

For many years, Cornerstone Church (Knoxville, TN) and Trinity Church (Athens, TN) have partnered to send a missions team to Lord’s Grace Church in Seoul, South Korea—our only Sovereign Grace Church in the country. Each year, the pastors on the team hold a conference for the adults in the church, while the team runs a Vacation Bible School. This trip also serves to bring a fairly isolated church into the relational richness of Sovereign Grace Churches.

Rancho 3M of Guadalupe, Mexico

In Juarez, Mexico, Carlos Contreras has led our Sovereign Grace Church there for several decades. This wonderful church is not only the leading church of the Sovereign Grace Mexican Nation, they also partner with a wonderful orphanage called Rancho 3M in nearby Guadalupe. This orphanage seeks to rescue young people whose lives have been torn apart by the violence and sex trafficking in their community. Rancho 3M hosts several teams from SG each year, as well as providing internships for those who want to serve at the orphanage for larger blocks of time. Several SG churches send teams to this location, and more opportunities are available to interested churches.

Christian Camp of Playa Azul, Costa Rica

In the small and impoverished village of Playa Azul, Costa Rica, a beautiful and vibrant local church, Iglesia Biblica, exists that also serves as a community center and Christian camp. They have slowly built this camp through the collaboration of many churches over the past ten years. They continue to receive teams to do construction projects on the campsite and also to improve the small community of Playa Azul.

As a church pursuing partnership in Sovereign Grace Churches, that has planted another candidate Sovereign Grace Church, this is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen partnership. Over the years, they have seen the church double in size, ordain a new elder, and send out a church plant. The teams that visit this location typically focus on construction projects and strengthening the partnership of this church with Sovereign Grace Churches. More opportunities are available to interested churches.

Various Youth Camps of Covenant Fellowship Church

Covenant Fellowship Church (Glen Mills, PA) holds an annual Youth Camp for their youth that is a highlight of the year in the life of their church. Over the years, they have learned that taking these Youth Camps “on the road” is a wonderful way to bless other communities. They do this on a bi-annual basis in the Summer. 10-12th graders, parents, and young adult leaders are divided into teams to lead young people in other places in games, discussions, and worship services that aim at a clear proclamation of the gospel.

Covenant Fellowship has sent youth missions teams to Zambia, Ethiopia, and Uganda to serve Covenant Mercies Sponsorship programs, as well as to other churches in more isolated areas who have a sufficient number of young people to hold a camp.

Greentree Church to Oasis International Church in London, England

For many years, Pat Tedeschi has led a team from his church to London to visit Oasis International Church each Fall. This church seeks to reach many of the Islamic immigrants living in London.

Pat is now relocating to transition into leadership of the church there, as well as move them towards adoption into SG, something they are eager to do. Greentree Church plans to continue to send supporting teams to strengthen this ongoing work through outreaches. Greentree is eager to incorporate other SG members into this annual trip.

Greentree Church to a Guatemala Pastors College and Training Center

Kyle Huber, lead pastor of Greentree Church travels each summer to Chichicastenango, Guatemala to teach at ASELSI (Association for Equipping the Saints International). ASELSI is a training center that seeks to equip indigenous pastors to lead healthy churches. Located amidst widespread poverty, ASELSI also maintains a medical clinic, a therapy clinic, and a school for children with special needs. Greentree teams serve in each of these areas as well as helping with service projects on the ASELSI campus. These trips typically involve evangelistic opportunities at the clinic and through home visits. Greentree is eager to incorporate other SG members into this trip.

It’s been a great summer, and I pray that God continues to allow us to engage in short-term missions because of the way it enhances our partnership. And as we engage in short-term missions, I pray even more that God would raise up more long-term missionaries, and deepen and widen connections between our churches across the globe.

At the SGC Pastors Conference last year I played a short 4 minute video of some of the Global Missions highlights from 2023, and ever since then, I’ve had a number of folk ask me if there’d be something like this that could be played and used at a local church level.

Well, good news, there is now!! The following video is a gift to your church to use as you see fit. It is without a date and so should give you a timeless snapshot of so many of the highlights of our work around the world.

I trust it blesses and encourages your congregation. God has been so faithful to us as a family of churches!

In addition, if you’d like to get more people in your church signed up for this newsletter, then here’s a graphic you can use with a quick sign-up QR Code.

What a joy it is to highlight the great work of our Saviour across the world, and how kind He is to let us play our part.

One of the most striking quotes from Charles Haddon Spurgeon, that I believe conveys both his strong burden for evangelism and his great heart for the lost, is as follows. He writes…

             ‘If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies, and if they would perish, then let them do so with our arms wrapped about their knees imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled – then let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.’

For all of us, even now, there are so many in our neighbourhoods and nations that don’t know Jesus. They are far from Him and on a collision course with Hell. Yet we know a Saviour who can change their lives in a moment. Who can turn their lives and destinies around in a moment. For we can’t save them ourselves, but we can point them to a Saviour who can!!

So here’s how you can be praying for us in the month ahead, as we seek to win the lost to Jesus…

1. Pray that God would give the members and pastors of Sovereign Grace churches opportunities to share the gospel with unbelievers in our communities, workplaces and on our campuses over this next month.

2. Pray for our new Director of Church Planting, Joel Shorey, Sr. Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship, Newark, DE, asking God to give him wisdom, discernment, and grace in helping us plant more churches in the United States, so that so many more may hear about Christ.

3. Pray for the Fieles A Su Llamado Conference in Juarez, Mexico, August 7-9, 2024, asking God to encourage, equip, enthuse and strengthen the pastors and wives attending from Mexico and Latin America. Pray also pray for Carlos Contreras as he leads this strategic conference.

4. Pray for our new 2024-2025 Pastors College students and their families from 2 different nations who will be moving to Louisville, KY before classes start at the end of August, asking God to provide for them and to give them grace to grow over the next year while at the PC. That may be prepared well to bear much fruit upon their return home.

5. Pray for Brian Kiama, a 2022 Trinity Fellowship Pastors College graduate in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as well as Jonathan Leslie, a US Pastors College graduate in Indianapolis, US, as they move their families to Nairobi, Kenya, later in August for Brian, and September for Jonathan, to plant a Sovereign Grace church in Nairobi, asking God to provide all they need to advance the gospel in Kenya.

6. Pray for me, Dave Taylor, as I head to Zambia and Namibia, 9th-20th August, to encourage the pastors there, serve the Church in Zambia, and spend time with the Church Planting group in Namibia, as they prepare to ‘go live’ and launch.

   … ‘If Hell must be filled – then let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.’

An update from Jomarie Aquino, Pastor of Cross of Christ Salvation Gospel Ministries (CCSGM) Dasmariñas City, Philippines...

It has been a remarkable journey for CCSGM Dasmariñas City since its inception, and we are thrilled to share the incredible ways God has moved in our midst over the past twelve months. From humble beginnings to significant milestones, our church community has experienced profound growth and blessings. 

Our story began with the first worship service on July 23, 2023. Initially, we gathered in the afternoons, but as our congregation grew and the Lord continued to bless us, we transitioned to morning worship services. This change has allowed us to come together earlier in the day to praise and worship the Lord, setting a joyful tone for the rest of the week.

Before we share the significant events that transpired this year, we would like to share the challenges where the grace of God sufficiently helped us and led us to fully trust Him in everything.

One of the significant challenges we faced in our church planting work was securing financial provision to cover the expenses for our weekly gatherings and mission works. However, as our faithful God always does, we have witnessed God's grace working through the hearts of everyone, leading us to give our tithes and offerings faithfully and joyfully. This generosity is a direct result of the Gospel of Christ taking root in our lives, prompting us to contribute to the work of the church for God's glory. Through the grace of God in our giving, we have been able to meet our financial needs and continue expanding our ministries. 

Another challenge has been encouraging volunteers to serve in the church while being considerate of their responsibilities outside the church. We have been blessed to see many people stepping up to serve the Lord, using their gifts and talents to support various ministries. Additionally, we have received full support from church leaders and members of our CCSGM-SGC family, who have made themselves available to assist and use their God-given gifts for our community. This spirit of collaboration and dedication is a true blessing and reflects the unity and love within the body of Christ.

Many of our attendees came from churches that preached the "Prosperity Gospel". This presented a challenge as we sought to faithfully preach God's Word and shift the focus to the true Gospel. Through consistent and faithful preaching of the scriptures, we have seen God's grace powerfully at work. Many have embraced reformed theology and developed a deeper love for Jesus. This transformation is a testament to the power of God's Word to change hearts and minds. Additionally, these transformed believers are now reaching out to their family and friends, pointing them to Jesus by preaching the gospel that saved them.

Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing (The Gospel of Christ):

At the heart of every event and gathering, the Gospel has been preached faithfully. Our mission is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with everyone we encounter, and this commitment has been evident in all our activities. Whether through regular services or special events, the message of salvation remains central to our purpose.

Our commitment to outreach is demonstrated through regular home visitations every Friday and Saturday. These visits allow us to connect with church members and their families, offering support, prayer, and fellowship. It's through these personal interactions that we can truly live out the love of Christ and build deeper relationships within our community.

In a beautiful display of unity and generosity, we partnered with our brethren from 주님의은혜교회 (Lord's Grace Church) South Korea for a special gift-giving event on January 29, 2024. This collaboration not only brought joy to many families but also demonstrated the global nature of the body of Christ. It was a powerful reminder that we are all connected through our faith, regardless of geographical boundaries.

April 27 marked a significant milestone in our church history with the celebration of our first wedding. This joyous occasion not only united a couple in holy matrimony but also highlighted the growing sense of community and family within our church. Such events are a testament to God's blessing upon our congregation and the relationships being formed.

Expanding Our Mission:

The Lord has opened an exciting new door for us in Trece Martires City. What began as a simple visit to a church member's home one Saturday quickly turned into a new mission opportunity. The member invited their neighbors, and what was intended to be a friendly visit transformed into a chance to preach the Gospel. For nearly three months now, we have been conducting weekly bible studies every Saturday, teaching both adults and children in separate classes.

As we continue to see God at work in Trece Martires City, we are now planning to establish a home church service in the community. We are actively seeking a suitable location to host these gatherings, with the goal of planting a new church where the local community can come together to worship and grow in their faith. This mission endeavor is a testament to our commitment to spreading the Gospel and expanding God's kingdom.

As we look back on the past year, we are filled with gratitude for all that God has done in and through CCSGM Dasmariñas City. From our first worship service to the ongoing mission work in Trece Martires City, each step of the journey has been marked by His grace and provision. Despite the challenges we faced, God's faithfulness has been evident through the generosity of our members, the transformation of beliefs, and the support from other church leaders. We are excited to see what the future holds and are committed to continuing our mission of preaching the Gospel, serving our community, and expanding our reach.

Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Together, let us continue to seek God's guidance, embrace His blessings, and faithfully serve in His name.

Recently on the Mark Prater podcast, Mark (Executive Director of Sovereign Grace Churches) shared some exciting updates on Mexico. Here’s ia clip from that conversation with Ben Kreps. The full podcast is linked below…

Ben Kreps:

Excellent. I've had the honor of spending time with some of those guys down in Mexico and in Mexico a little bit, and it is always humbling to interact with these pastors. I mean, their example is compelling. These are gifted and godly men. Just hearing Carlos talk about how that church began as a small group of believers that met in a park leading up to where things have grown, to God be the glory, and we are certainly grateful for the grace in Carlos's life. So the Fieles Conference is coming up. You've talked about it before, but people checking on the podcast, don't necessarily know what it is and actually how strategic this conference really is in Mexico.

Mark Prater:

Yeah, this is one of the most strategic conferences we do in Sovereign Grace every year. Of course, we have our pastors and wives conference in November here in the States, but this conference is just as strategic, especially outside of the states. I mean this conference, which we'll be in Juarez, as you mentioned, it serves primarily pastors and wives in Mexico. But there are several pastors and wives that travel from different Latin American nations to attend this conference because it is a conference that is not only gospel centered, it is a conference where Carlos's leadership is very intentional to equip and care for and invest into pastors and their wives so that they leave not only equipped for what they've been called to do, they leave very encouraged and cared for, and the conference because of that, the conference has just grown. Last year they completely sold out.

Full Podcast link (click here)

An update from Leo Parris, US Global Missions Coordinator for Sovereign Grace Churches, and Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania…

Four years ago, my senior pastor, Jared Mellinger, approached me about spearheading our global missions initiatives at Covenant Fellowship Church. Desiring to be a good hire, I enthusiastically agreed to his proposal, but I was actually masking my inner doubts about my suitability for this role.

Me? The delco-boi who has lived his entire life in the same town, never been outside the US except to dip my toes in the water of a Caribbean resort, and has exactly 1 week of education on the topic? Yikes! But mercifully, global missions is not dependent on any of our brilliance, experience, or expertise; it rests on the faithfulness of God to continue and complete his mission. We are merely tools in the Almighty’s hands to magnify his glory among the nations, and he loves to use the weakest of people to show his power!

As I read God’s Word and a treasury of great books on Global Missions, my heart awakened to the amazing opportunity that lay before me. Now, leading global missions for my church is one of my absolute favorite things that I get to do. One particular aspect of this that I love is helping others catch a vision for God’s global work in Sovereign Grace Churches, and even consider whether God is calling them to become a missionary.

To help our people learn more about this, I invited them to participate in a 9-month class I called The School of Missions. Using Nathan Sloan’s You Are Sent curriculum as a basis, my hopes were to instill a global conscience into our people, identify leaders for our global efforts as a church, and missionaries that God wants us to send from our midst. By God’s grace, 13 people with a broad range of age and experience signed up for this class.

In the School of Missions, we walked through a Biblical theology of Missions, Church History, the Necessity of Missions, Cultural Challenges and the Priority of the Unreached, and Missionary Calling. Each time we gathered we video-called with missionaries or watched missions updates from around the world to increase our awareness of the progress of the gospel. As we learned together, we processed through the material in community, asking God to reveal how he wanted to use us in his global mission. At the end of the course the class participated in two separate missions trips: one to a Sovereign Grace Candidate church in Playa Azul, Costa Rica, and another to partner with a Sovereign Grace family working in Eurasia.

I was thrilled as I witnessed the joy of our people building new global friendships and outreaching to the lost. Putting into practice what they had learned throughout the year was a powerful experience for them. Many communicated a deep desire to return or follow closely in prayer and support the work that we had engaged with.

As we graduate our first School of Missions class, I’m grateful that several of these folks are earnestly pursuing a missionary calling, and many more are eagerly joining our church’s global missions committee to lead our church in its global endeavors.  It’s my prayer that God would continue to use this School of Missions for years to come to help to train our people to live as global Christians, and identify the missionaries that God plans for us to send.

If you want access to any of the School of Missions resources mentioned in this report, please contact me, Leo Parris at lparris@covfel.org. With so many lost around the world, in need of people to go to them with the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ, I’d love to help!

An update from Michael Granger, Lead Pastor of Trinity Fellowship Church, Ethiopia ...

For the last year, Trinity Fellowship has had ZERO space to grow. Sunday mornings are regularly standing-room only. Finding a meeting space for a church in an urban context can be difficult. We would know, our team has been looking for over a year. About ten months back we began a conversation with a Lutheran Seminary down the road because they have a conference hall that holds approximately 700+ and is not currently occupied. After months of dialogue, talk talk talk …. and more talk talk talk … and synod talk talk talk … Trinity Fellowship was approved for a one-year lease of the space on Sunday mornings.

On April 7th we experienced the answer to a year of prayer. Trinity Fellowship launched at our new location with an evangelistic sermon from John 6:37, “Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out.” In his providence, the room was packed out and many unbelievers heard the gospel. We are now getting 300-350 people on a Sunday, what a wonderful God we serve!

The first quarter of 2024 has certainly been jam packed. We’ve welcomed two short-term mission teams: one from Castleview and another from Grace Miami. As for the Trinity Fellowship Pastors College, it would not be what it is without our many friends. Our professors in recent months have included Eric Bancroft, Steve Wellum, Joseph Stagora, Brian Chesemore, Bob Kauflin, Steve Bice, Jason Derouchie, Joel Bain, Mark Alderton, Tyson Ziegler, Pete Payne, and Andy Farmer.  

As for our Sunday morning services - we are nearing the end of our Ecclesiastes series entitled: Normal Life to the Glory of God. As we’ve preached through this series we are doing something new. I am splitting the series 50/50 with Amanuel (Pastoral Intern at Trinity) so that he is preaching every other sermon. The purpose is to intentionally grow him as a preacher by giving him more reps. This also builds the church into his leadership. And as leaders we’re incredibly encouraged by the response of our members to this series.

In 2018 The Telegraph did a study finding Ethiopia to be the #1 most religious country in the world. If that is true, perhaps we are especially prone to a Pharisaical mindset. Ours is a culture of legalism, asceticism, and the prosperity gospel. However, week after week we’ve received feedback of how this book is correcting thoughts and helping to organize lives. Slowly it is helping to establish a theology of suffering, and also a theology of joy; slowly it is helping to establish a gospel culture. One of the most helpful resources has been Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Whitacre's book, True Life. We highly recommend it!

Also in the first quarter of 2024, Josh Pannel (Dean of Trinity Pastors College) and I jumped on a plane bound for Europe. The purpose? An MTh module at Union School of Theology in Wales. Union officially partnered with Trinity Fellowship last year and they are so so so generously giving us majorly subsidized tuition rates.

The set-up of our program consists of block-course modules. Similar to our Pastors College, we sit in class from Tuesday-Friday and then write an essay. Our professor Clive Bowsher is the provost for the school and he lectured on Union with Christ. He recently published Life in the Son in D.A. Carson's New Studies in Biblical Theology series.

For a week I felt pastored by his lectures. It was such a refreshing time. Additionally, we felt we left Wales with a new friend. I was texting Clive last week appreciating the effect his class has had upon my meditations and he asked, "Doesn’t union with Christ make such a difference to feeling at home and bold in prayer?" I responded, “You hem me in” is the feeling. Secure in every direction I look, like St. Patrick’s prayer: “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down.”

We are more aware of grace than anything else. Thank you for contributing to our awareness of grace. James 1:7 says "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights." If that is true, and it is, I cannot think of anyone richer than us because of you. You are a gift to us, worthy of celebrating God's generosity.

"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." 
Habakkuk 2:14

Recently on the Mark Prater podcast, Mark shared about church planting. Here is a clip from that conversation with Ben Kreps. The full podcast is linked below…

Mark, before we started recording the podcast, you were talking about how at the recent leadership team retreat you had a discussion about church planting and why we plant churches. We definitely don't plant churches to merely spread the Sovereign Grace Church brand or anything like that. We actually have biblical convictions about church planting. You guys were talking about that. Talk to us about your discussion…

Assumption number 1: We want to plant churches, and here's the reason why. We as a family of churches, we desire to reflect the New Testament model of advancing the gospel by sacrificing for the mission and sending people to plant new churches to reach people that haven't heard Christ or reach an area that may not have a solid gospel preaching church. So that's a biblical conviction. That's a New Testament model that we are wanting to reflect in Sovereign Grace.

Assumption number 2: We want to plant for endurance. So we want to plant churches that will be faithful to God's word, faithful to our theological convictions and endure over time. So what that means is we're not as interested in numbers and we're not going to have these goals for numbers, but what we're interested in is planting solid churches that will be faithful and endure over time.

Assumption number 3: We plant with Sovereign Grace pastors. And what that means is we plant with men who are ordained in Sovereign Grace, who share our theological convictions, our seven shared values and our seven shaping virtues and where possible they also have some degree of pastoral experience. Now that may change based on the planter and how much experience he either has or needs, but we're just learning that guys who've got some degree of pastoral experience plant more solid churches because they've learned about pastoral ministry and that helps them plant well. Basically, Eric Turbedsky, when he was our director of church planting just unashamedly said appropriately, we plant Sovereign Grace churches a Sovereign Grace way. And that's kind of a little bit of what he was getting at in that phrase, right?

Assumption number 4: We value team ministry. That's not new to the pastors and even members of our churches that are listening to this, but where possible we'd love to send a plurality of elders more than just a solo elder. Now that's not always possible, but where we can, we want to do that. Or if we can't send a man already ordained, we'd love to send somebody who certainly is called and potentially on that ordination track because it will strengthen the church plant because pastoral teams are a reflection of the church. And so that'll be a stronger church.

Assumption number 5: We plant with denominational financial support. So in other words, we together as a family of churches, we are committed to replicating this New Testament model of planting churches so much. So we want to give our financial resources; those coming from our national resources, Sovereign Grace Central, those coming from our region. It's just one way to invest into the gospel and that allows a man to really devote his time to planting the church and not needing to find ways to earn other income.

Assumption number 6: (This is really the next logical one) We plant with vocational pastors. Now this is one that may not work outside the United States because of the economy in certain nations, guys may need to be bi-vocational. But here in the states, our assumption is we want to plant with vocational pastors again because they can focus on the work of planting and not have to worry about how they're going to support their families.

Assumption number 7: We prioritize preaching, which is again not new in Sovereign Grace. CJ has led us down that road so well. You lead your church from the pulpit and you build your church on God's word Sunday after Sunday in solid expository preaching. And that's going to build churches that endure and that's going to build strong gospel centered churches.

Assumption number 8: We value denominational preparation and ongoing care. It's why we have a Church Planting Group. Those guys exist to help you, a planter, prepare, assess, and prepare. It's one of the roles that our regional leaders play in providing care for the planters. So our denominational structures that we have in place are in part there to foster and strengthen our church planting efforts.

Assumption number 9: We prioritize cooperative efforts. So we just believe that we're going to be able to do more together as a family of churches. And so the sharing of resources and the sharing of prayer, meaning we pray for one another as we plant churches is really important. And when I talk about sharing resources, I'm not just talking about financial resources, I'm talking about people. First of all, people that may be in one church that can join another church's church planting team because they have a desire to be a part of a church plant or the sharing of pastors. You may have a location to plant but not a pastor. And so a church in Sovereign Grace sacrificially gives that pastor to that other church so he can plant a church and the gospel can be advanced. Those are huge sacrifices, but they reflect the resources that we share.

Assumption number 10: We prioritize pastoral ministry. Planters are pastors. That's something that I think Eric said. It's something that Jon has emphasized. Pastors are planters we want to plant with. Men are shepherds who will shepherd the flock of God that they begin to gather as the church plant forms.

Assumption number 11: We prioritize godly character. In other words, we want to send planters who are proven in godly character, tested in godly character and we can affirm their godly character. I think that's one of the roles of our, not only of our local churches, but our regional church planting committees, as well.

Assumption number 12: We take faith-filled risks on the right things. So I want to continue to call us to take faith-filled risks, but we've got to take risks on the right things. I won't spend a lot of time on that because I dedicated a podcast to that topic just a few weeks ago. So if you haven't heard that, listen to it. But for example, we don't want to take risks on godly character, but we do want to take risks in sending our best to further the mission of the gospel as we plant churches.

Please pray that God would give us resources, men called to plant, people wanting to be on church plant teams, and financial resources to plant churches.

In March of this year, as I sat in the CCSGM one worship service in Manila, rejoicing with 400 others in the Lord’s goodness after what had been an incredible week at Worship God Philippines. I got to hear the testimony of Rhobie Sureta, a dear sister in the Church in Cavite, and what a wonderful testimony it was!

As I rejoiced in her story, delighting in what the Lord has done in her life, it was also a wonderful reminder to me of why we do all that we do, to plant and strengthen churches all across the world. I pray her story blesses you too... What an incredible Saviour we serve!

You can watch her testimony here

Psalm 127.1 says, ‘Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labour in vain.’

It’s a truthful and sobering reality. Unless the Lord builds the house, we labour in vain. We’re all just wanting and wasting our time, unless the Lord truly builds, and so as we look out on July and what’s ahead, here are some things you can be praying for…

1. Please pray for Sovereign Grace Pastors College Class of 2025. Even though the Pastors College only wrapped up graduation a few weeks ago, preparations for the upcoming class are well underway. This year the college will welcome nine students from all over the US and Australia. Please pray for them and their families, as they continue to fundraise and prepare to move to Louisville, USA.

2. Please pray for the WorshipGod Conference: One with Christ, How Our Union Affects Everything – July 24-27th. The conference will be held in Louisville, KY, and is designed to equip and encourage pastors, leaders, musicians, tech personnel, and songwriters as they seek to plan and lead congregational worship. Please pray for Bob Kauflin as he leads this conference, as well as the speakers John Piper, HB Charles, Jared Mellinger, Devon Kauflin, Mike Bullmore & Josh Blount.

3. Please pray for the 40-person missions teams that are heading to Rancho 3M (July 1-8th; 8-15th) from Cornerstone Church (Knoxville), as well as the 5 people who are doing summer internships there. Please also pray for the missions team from Covenant Fellowship Church (Glen Mills) that is heading to Iglesia Biblica de Playa Azul (July 1-8th), as well as the missions team from Covenant Fellowship that is heading to serve alongside our missionary family in Turkey (July 1-8th).

4. Please pray for Joselo Mercado as he serves in Peru this week. He and his wife Kathy will be with 150 pastoral couples at a marriage retreat of the Christian Missionary Alliance of Lima. These churches represent about 60,000 members. So please pray that as they invest in these marriages, it will encourage churches to grow families that model the gospel to a society that so needs it. In addition, Joselo will be in Miami later in the month (July 23-25th), meeting with the Gospel Coalition Spanish Council. TGC Spanish is the most visited Christian website in the Hispanic world and so please be praying for Joselo, as the council meets to talk about the future direction of this ministry.

5. Please pray for Pastor Ángel Miranda, who this month is leaving with his wife and daughter from his hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia to plant a church in Sincelejo. Although the two churches that are sending him (Santa Marta, Jacobo Aldana; Barranquilla, Alejandro Cueto) are still in the process of adoption, in their hearts, this is an SGC plant.

6. 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.

   … One thing’s for sure, we so need the Lord to build the house.

An update from Songhwan Kang, Lead Pastor of Lord's Grace Church, South Korea...

I am Songhwan Kang, serving at the Lord's Grace Church in Korea. I am grateful for the opportunity to share the Gospel & Life Conference that was recently held in our small Asian country of Korea.

The Lord's Grace Church hosted the Gospel & Life Conference from June 6th to 8th with a mission team of 17 people from the United States. This conference first began in 2012 when Pastors Larry Malament and Bill Kittrell visited Korea for the first time. Not considering the pandemic, this year now marks the conference's 10th anniversary. Firstly, I want to thank Pastor Larry, who is now in heaven, for his sacrificial love and dedication to the work he began with us many years ago. I am also grateful for the continued partnership, excellent cooperation, and sacrificial service of Pastor Bill of Cornerstone Church in Knoxville, TN.

When the Lord's Grace Church started in 2010, we were like children in the gospel and did not know what a gospel-centered church was. We wanted to learn and grow in living a gospel-centered life, but did not know how. God heard our prayers and sent a mission team from the United States, who then started the Gospel & Life Conference. This year, at our 10th conference, God poured out great grace on us once again.

For the 2024 conference, 190 people gathered, including members of the Lord's Grace Church and 18 families from outside. The theme of the conference was "Don’t Waste Your Life". Pastor Walt Alexander from Trinity Grace Church in Athens, TN delivered five thematic lectures from Ecclesiastes. He said, “life is meaningless, but God has given life as a gift, and we must live a life that fears and obeys the eternal God”. His message was clear, simple, and showed the excellent wisdom of the gospel.

Among the attendees was an unbelieving man who said, “I used to dislike the church and criticized the selfishness of Christians. At this meeting, I learned what God's love is and resolved my misunderstandings about the church.” There was also a family on the brink of separation before coming to the conference. God spoke to this couple, leading them to reconcile and restore their relationship.

The children participated in an English camp led by Pastor Jake Cronin from Cornerstone Church in Knoxville, TN. The children of our church look forward to this camp all year. This year's camp was themed around the sea, using the story of Jonah to reflect on God’s love and grace, despite our disobedience. The teachers worshiped with the children and led them in thematic songs, scripture memorization, crafts, and games, helping them to know God.

On the last day, the elementary students performed a play based on the book of Jonah, and the middle and high school students presented gospel tracts. All the parents were deeply moved. The joyful care and humble attitude of the teachers, along with their indescribable joyful service, touched the children. The children who attended the English camp said they wished it could be a week-long camp instead of just three days, and they shed tears when parting with their teachers.

God has given the Lord's Grace Church in Korea the gift of the conference. I'd like to share three clear evidences of grace over these years.

First, we are learning how to apply the gospel to our lives. Over ten years, the conference themes have included Gospel-Centered Believers, Gospel-Strong Marriages, Gospel-Based Parenting For The Next Generation, Biblical Masculinity and Femininity, The Excellence of The Word, and God Above Fear. These themes have taught us the principles of living as gospel-centered believers.

Secondly, the dedicated service and love of the American mission teams has set a wonderful example for the members of the Lord's Grace Church. We learn from our friends how to serve as those who have experienced the gospel and how to live as witnesses of the gospel.

Thirdly, we are deeply thankful that we get to witness the joy of church unity. The consistent and joyful service of American church friends to a small church in Korea spanning over ten years has been the greatest joy and thrill for us as we experience Christ, the head of the church. The reason the Lord's Grace Church in Korea is not alone today is because we have friends in the gospel. The passionate prayers, voluntary sacrifice, and loving care of our gospel friends have been great gifts and blessings to us over many years.

On behalf of the church, I sincerely want to thank Cornerstone Church of Knoxville, TN, Trinity Grace Church in Athens, TX, and Grace Church of Clarksburg, MD for serving us with humility and love at this year's conference. And I sincerely want to thank over 150 American friends who have attended Gospel & Life Conferences over the past ten years. Our church does not forget your gospel love. We express indescribable gratitude to Sovereign Grace Church for your humility and care. We praise God who builds us into His church.

An update from Mark, our missionary in Turkey (full name concealed for safety reasons)…

Nearly four years have passed since we moved to Turkey. The Lord has shown himself faithful and gracious every step of our journey. He paved the way for us to get here. He met all our needs. He sent help in unexpected ways. He has taught us and shown us much. As we celebrate what he has done, we also remember the challenges he has carried us through. Most days we have felt like we’re trying to move a mountain with a teaspoon. 

That picture regularly came to mind in Turkish language class. My Turkish teachers would ask me questions about Christianity, Easter, the Protestant church, etc. With broken Turkish, I did my best to get to matters of first importance—Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for sins. Yet, I was all too aware of my inability to communicate it well. Like trying to move a mountain with a teaspoon.  

The mountain looms large when we consider the lostness of people all around us. Turkey is 96% Muslim and 99% unreached. The evangelical Christian percentage is less than 0.04% of the population. The people here have been told every day of their lives, “To be Turkish is to be Muslim.” Sadly, most are convinced of that lie. Gospel advance has moved at a snail’s pace in this field for a long, long time. 

The situation feels additionally desperate when I consider the advice given us by a Turkish lawyer. Given the ongoing changes in Turkey’s residency program, his opinion is that we will need to buy a house to stay here long term… a house which quite frankly we don’t have the money for. Once again, a huge obstacle and a teaspoon of visible resources.

Yet, the Lord gives ample evidence and encouragement that he is on the throne.  We realize that this awareness of our inability is actually his grace and is by his design. It casts us on him again and again. It keeps us asking for miracles. We have already seen him work miracles in the lives of people here who came to faith. The situation keeps us asking for his provision. We have certainly seen his provision time and time again as well. He is helping us to lift up our eyes away from the mountain and away from our teaspoon onto the Lord of Glory himself. 

As we reflect on the last four years, we also anticipate the next four years (and beyond). We pray the Lord grants us the opportunity to continue our work, making disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ in this unreached land. We want to continue helping Turkish Christians keep their eyes on Christ.

When we dream of our future, we can envision a Sovereign Grace Church here, holding out the gospel for the glory of Christ. We long for that. We also recognize the challenges such an endeavor faces. And so we pray to the Lord who can move mountains with a word. Would you pray for this with us? Would you ask the Lord, who is able to do more than we can even imagine, to make this dream a reality?

What a comfort it is to pray bold prayers to our God who hears us and who promises to be with us until the end, no matter what happens. What a comfort to know that he guarantees one day there will be a multitude from every nation, language, and people joyfully worshipping around the throne.

Come, Lord Jesus!

An update from Bart Lipscomb, Senior Pastor of Christ Church of Conroe, TX and Sovereign Grace Area Leader for Africa...

In late May, Leo Parris and I had the privilege to participate in a young adults’ conference being hosted by Sovereign Grace Life Church in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was such a joy to be with that local church, to see the wonderful Gospel work happening and to spend time with brothers from all over West Africa who came in to participate. Lead pastor Morlai Kamara and his team of elders did an excellent job selecting the topics and order of messages. And, many tireless servants happily labored behind the scenes in hot conditions to feed and host the attendees!

There were so many highlights, it is hard to pick a few. But, one that really stood out to me was a Q&A panel that took place after one of the main sessions. It included a moderator from Liberia and leaders from Guinea, Sierra Leone and the US all sitting together fielding questions with Bibles open. It was a wonderful reminder of how we are truly becoming a global family of churches.

There are many denominations present in West Africa, some doing very good work. However, because of the overwhelming prevalence of prosperity teaching, Islam and works based salvation, the light of the Gospel is still veiled for so many. That’s why the clarity and power present in each of the messages was really encouraging. It was obvious light bulbs were going off, especially for people coming from other churches around Freetown who were invited to participate. Based on the questions being asked by the young people, the open declaration of God’s Word was definitely hitting the mark and affecting hearts. Pray those seeds fall in good soil!

After the conference each night, we were all able to stay up late. We ate together and spent unhurried time hearing personal updates from the brothers, learning about the challenges they face in their contexts, and fiercely, but healthily, debating some heavy theological topics. Each of the pastors participating was coming from a candidate church and is pursuing their ordination. So, those times were precious and a major answer to what we were praying for in getting everyone together in the same place.

And, finally, once the conference wrapped up, we were able to all go spend an afternoon outing at the beach, including renting a court for a very competitive football (soccer) match. The laughter and trash talk ensued! It was the perfect way to continue building that comradery that is a mark of SGC all over the world. And, I believe the bonds created and strengthened throughout the week are going to yield a lot of fruit in the years ahead.

Moving forward, there is still much work and many challenges. Daily life in this part of Africa is hard. Gospel work in a dark place is hard. But, we left there with full hearts and a sense of strong faith for the future. The Lord Jesus is building his church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it!

Please pray for the brothers who are serving this network of local churches - Morlai Kamara, Francis George, George Conteh, Sallieu Conteh, Roland Blackie, Emmanuel Willie, Harrison Suah, Joe Kolliegbo, and Samuel Kotee, Jr. Pray for their walk with and affection for Christ to grow. Pray for their marriages and homes to be enriched by the Gospel. Pray for their theological discernment and boldness to increase. Pray for their financial needs to be met. And, pray for a mighty anointing on the work, that many souls will be saved through faithful, Christ-exalting local churches in West Africa.

I am so glad to be a part of a family of churches who takes the Great Commission to heart, roles up our sleeves and gets to work. You already are and will continue to make a massively outsized impact on the continent of Africa, all for the glory of King Jesus and the radiance of his Bride!

An update from Michael Ostanin, Pastor of ARK Church in Dnipro, Ukraine...

Dear friends,

Thank you for your faithful and sacrificial service.

Thanks for your support and generous donations, from Sovereign Grace Churches and Arche Hamburg, so that we can continue to care for hundreds of people suffering from war and preach the Gospel to them.

This month we were blessed to have our friend, Pastor Frank visit us. He cared for us like a good pastor, like a father and an older brother. He shared the love of Christ with us, supported our hands in service, and strengthened us spiritually and morally. Our Lord Jesus is glorified in the humble service of His servants.

As a grateful testimony, I just wanted to share with you the story of Zinaida (82 years old) from the city of Bakhmut.

The Lord saved her life during the bombing. At night, while she was sleeping, a bomb hit her yard. The explosion was so strong that the house was completely destroyed and the roof came off. But the shock wave carried Zinaida out into the street right on the bed on which she slept.

Zinaida remained alive and did not even have a scratch. The bomb destroyed all of Zinaida's property, and she was evacuated to our city in her pyjamas. Our church helped Zinaida from the first day of her resettlement in Dnipro. We gave her food and clothing, medicine, a mattress, and a blanket, but most importantly, Zinaida heard the Gospel for the first time in church. 

She was an atheist all her life; during Soviet times she was a communist director of a large plant. The Lord opened Zinaida’s heart to faith in Jesus Christ and gave her repentance. Now Zinaida’s greatest wish is that her son also believes in Jesus, and she prays for him every day. Every time she meets me, she asks for one thing, that the Lord would give salvation to her son. This is one of hundreds of stories of God's glorious grace at work during war.

Thank you, friends, for effectively and faithfully helping us reach such people. The devil took away their earthly property, and the Lord prepared for them an imperishable eternal home.

Thank you for your words of encouragement and support!

An update from Rich Richardson, Lead Pastor of Center Church, Gilbert, AZ, and Sovereign Grace Area Leader for Latin America...

At the beginning of May, the Mexican Assembly of Elders gathered in Guadalajara, Mexico for the first time. Now, it wasn’t the first time that these men have gathered at Iglesia Gracia Soberana in Central Mexico, but it was the first time they gathered as an official nation in Sovereign Grace Churches. Last November, the United States Council of Elders voted unanimously to welcome the nation of Mexico on equal footing with the United States. This achievement came after years—decades really—of faithful and fruitful ministry in Mexico. 

It is one thing to vote an ecclesiastical nation into existence, and quite another thing for that nation to begin to function together in compliance with the BCO. Yet, through Carlos Contreras’ leadership, the Mexican National Assembly is beginning to take shape. During the three-day gathering in Guadalajara, Carlos announced the formation and responsibilities of the first-ever Mexican National Leadership team. Both Hellman Avila and Manolo Quintal will serve as regional leaders. Hellman will serve the churches in the Northern part of Mexico, while Manolo will take on the churches in the central and southern parts of the nation. Abelardo Munoz will continue to be responsible for all things ordination. Jaime Chow and Cuauhtemoc Campos are going to head up the administration and financial side of the Assembly. Carlos will continue to lead the nation but will also be responsible for training men to pastor and plant churches. 

To be there was to be aware of the Lord’s mighty work amongst these men. There are over 30 men who are in the ordination process, two who are serving a one-year training residency in Juarez, and many other churches pursuing adoption. Yet, the most important element of our gathering was that the men, this Assembly, is Sovereign Grace. They are committed to the same vision and values as the rest of Sovereign Grace Churches with a passion to see churches planted and supported. Praise the Lord for his mighty work! 

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!!