God is multiplying SGWM’s efforts to expand the reach of the Gospel in many ways. We are getting new applications every week from missionaries all over the world. Each one of these missionaries has their own unique needs that myself and the SGWM staff are equipped and excited to assist them in fulfilling what God is doing. I am blown away as I reflect back over the past fifteen years. When I first started here at SGWM, there were a handful of missionaries, all from Calvary Chapel Saving Grace, in five or six countries. Now we have over 75 missionaries scattered in about 25 countries and we have about 5 missionary applicants in process. It is an honor and completely humbling to be in this place of leadership and to be used by the Lord in this way.

South Asia and Erin’s Upcoming Trip

Student Dorms – Photo by Heather Gaona

One aspect of our ministry here at SGWM that is under my direct care is our three training bases in South Asia (I am being intentionally ambiguous on the exact locations for safety sake). First, in the northern part of this country, our national guys are plugging away at pastoring their churches in previously unreached villages. They will, Lord willing, be launching the Pastor’s School there this fall. In the central part, our Pastor’s School is about to finish its first year. I have also been able to, through Skype, schedule U.S. based pastors to teach at this location Monday through Friday. We have taught through Acts, John, Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, Romans, and much more. In the south, the construction on our Bible College property is nearing completion. Pastor Bond and Heather, along with Sam and Amy, have done a fantastic job overseeing all the building projects. It has been an administrative juggernaut, but the light is at the end of the tunnel. We officially started our first semester about two weeks ago.

Bible College Building – Photo by Heather Gaona

I am also thrilled to announce that my wife Erin will be traveling with a small team to South Asia in June. Her job, as a professional photographer, will be to document all three of our bases and our national missionaries on the ground so that we can create promotional material.

Shepherding Missionaries

I am very blessed by our SGWM staff, as I can now focus on what God has specifically called me to and that is pastoring missionaries and providing missional leadership. It has been a long road of laying the administrative foundation and laboring in the trenches. But now I see the fruit of those efforts coming to realization.

Often we perceive missionaries as superstars who walk on water just like Jesus. That is not accurate. Of course, our missionaries are superstars in my mind, but I also know the human side of their lives and the struggles that they experience. Obviously, these conversations and meetings cannot be put in a monthly update and shared publically. I just wanted to share with you how privileged I am to be able to step into this role on a more full-time basis. I love our missionaries and I want to see them flourish. Please continue to lift me up and pray for me as I need a tremendous amount of wisdom.

Lastly, I want to thank you for your time and I want to encourage you, if your not, to prayerfully consider getting behind Erin and me as financial partners. Like all of our overseas missionaries, we too are on missionary support.

God Bless,
Pastor Mike