Two More Visits To North Africa This Month

Establishing Access & Mobilizing Workers

Tim leaves this week for another business trip to the region. Each of his visits this year have strengthened our relationships and produced new opportunities. Business gives us an opportunity to build genuine friendships with both devout and secularized muslims in a way that we never could as “Christian missionaries”. We love the people we are working with and consider it a joy to be invited into their homes and lives. We have made significant progress towards establishing a firm business footprint in North Africa and creating “legitimate” reasons for ongoing activity in the region.

Immediately after Christmas the three of us will travel back to North Africa to see the New Year in with our local ministry partners. We’ll spend time praying and planning an approximate schedule of training events for 2018.

We are considering conducting short intensives in several areas including;

• church planting movements
• evangelism
• disciple making
• business as missions

In response to a number of requests I’ve received, we will also look at the possibility of establishing a mentoring program for local female leaders.

The intensives will be open to current and potential church-planters/disciple-makers from across the Middle East/North Africa region. We have many pastors and denominational leaders who have already expressed interest in sending workers. These individuals are part of the growing informal network we are developing in the area. 

While we want to create pathways for foreign workers, our priority is developing, nurturing and mobilizing “homegrown” Arabic speaking believers. They are Christ’s body, this is their Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and God is calling them. The need is pressing. Pathways to mobilizing local believers for the Harvest are quicker. They are already better equipped in two primary areas (language and culture). There is a need to re-examine and challenge some prevailing views of church, church-planting, soul-winning and disciple -making. However, God is clearly working to ignite in His people a deep love and passion for reaching the lost. If we are able, even in a small way, to help strike a spark that lights this fire, we will be satisfied.

Get Involved! How You Can Help Us and Others:

• Pray:   I don’t think there has ever been a time when “pray without ceasing” has been such a reality in my life! Your prayers for us, these efforts, and our friends and partners in North Africa are extremely important. I’ll update you on more specific prayer requests in the months ahead.
• Give: Our 2018 budget will include costs like: multiple trips to the region; assisting in the completion of a training center; and supplementing the transportation costs of  field workers (from countries such as Libya, Iraq & Morocco) attending our training intensives.  As our financial base increases, we also want to take on more administrative support (Hallelujah, Jesus!) so that a larger amount of our attention and energy can be directed towards the field.  If you are not already giving regularly, would you please take a moment to bring the opportunity to partner with us before the Lord? Even a regular gift of $5 or $10 per month makes such a difference. We get to tangibly feel your care and support, and a multitude of 5 dollars add up!  Perhaps if you lead a small group or a ministry in your church, you could consider planning a fund raising event to help mobilize church planters in North Africa? We trust both God and you!

No matter who you are, if you are receiving this communication, we appreciate what you have already done; the multitude of ways you have strengthened, encouraged and empowered us to play our unique part in this Great Mission of God. Thank you!
Carolyn & Tim

UPDATE:
Online giving is now connected to our LoveCompels Fund
with the National Christian Foundation