Serving the Lord is always a thrill, but the past six months have been especially exciting. No doubt you have read in my previous updates that we have been blessed with the addition of a few new SGWM staff members and some fantastic, committed volunteers. It is an answer to twelve years of prayer. I can finally breathe a little, focus on pastoral ministry with our missionaries, and lead SGWM into the future. The additional staff and help couldn’t have come at a better time either as SGWM has been exploding with new missionary applicants and ministry opportunities from all over the world. It is such an honor leading this phenomenal team of world changers.
In the context of God adding more individuals to the SGWM home office, I wanted to share some exciting news and a potential opportunity. My friend Gary Barrow, who served with SGWM for many years in Germany and was a missionary in Europe for fifteen years has started the process of transitioning his family and support raising effort to join our home office staff. He will (Lord willing) be coming alongside of me to help manage and develop our video-based Bible colleges. I shared last month how the Lord gave me a vision when I was in South Asia last year to try to teach live through a video conferencing software. When I got home, I tested it and through Skype was able to teach live from my office in California into a very closed area in South Asia. Since then, I have organized ten different pastors and Bible teachers and created a teaching schedule where we can through live video teach Monday through Friday in South Asia. So far, we have taught (or are currently teaching) John, Acts, Romans, Ephesians, 1st Timothy, 2nd Timothy, Titus, 1st Peter, 2nd Peter and Old Testament History. I sense that the Lord wants to grow this vision into something substantially larger than this one location. I would like to see this extend to our bases in Pakistan, Nepal, Africa, two more location in South Asia, and a few undisclosed locations in the heart of the Middle East. Also, I would like to see our teacher base grow and add dozens of pastors to the lineup. Growing this vision will be a huge task and Gary will be a monumentally important addition to seeing this vision come to fruition. I implore you to join with me in prayer that the Lord would bring all the needed pieces into place.
I know that I shared last month about my weekly missions Bible study that I have been leading with my good friend Pastor Nadeem from Pakistan. Last week (January 25th) two of Nadeems leaders were able to join our meeting, and I felt lead to change up the teaching and was able to teach about the need for unity and love within a mission team. It was amazing listening to Nadeem translate my English into Urdu and to dialogue with these amazing men of God. Then yesterday (February 1st), Nadeem and I, along with our SGWM staff, were able to dialog how worship is the ultimate goal of missions. We are going through John Piper’s book ‘Let The Nations Be Glad’ and are having a phenomenal time. Yesterday before we closed, Nadeem had shared how this study has rocked his paradigm and has deepened his theological view of missions.
Lastly, Nadeem also sent me a very humbling video that really blessed me. I’d like to share it with you also.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this update and for your faithful prayers and support. If you would like to become a financial supporter and partner with me in this ministry please visit my Support Page.
God Bless,
Pastor Mike