Your gifts and support have allowed World Impact ministry partners to receive the training and resources necessary to plant churches, witness to those behind bars, bring hope to the homeless, and train the next generation of urban leaders in communities experiencing poverty in the US and around the world.
A great example of your faithfulness in supporting World Impact took place in June in Wichita, Kansas.
Three events took place over the span of four days, each with a particular focus and goal in relation to Christ’s Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-19.
An Inspirational Gathering
Four international leaders of World Impact partner organizations shared brief ministry updates with World Impact supporters and staff on Sunday afternoon, June 23.
Bishop Charles Sekelwa of the Charismatic Episcopal Church in Tanzania, Bishop Boaz Masinde of Maqor Ministries in Kenya, Pastor David Hernandez, Church-Based Seminary representative throughout Latin America, and Sudipta Nanda of Burning Lamp Ministries in India all shared brief updates.
They shared how God has used the resources you help to provide in their native languages to introduce people to Christ, disciple new believers, train the next generation of indigenous church leaders, and send out missionaries to unreached areas around them.
Long-time World Impact donor and volunteer Dave Miller attended the Inspirational Gathering and was impressed by how quickly Church-Based Seminary resources were being spread throughout the various regions.
Miller shared, “Getting to see them and hear them talk—they’re so excited about it, they’re energized for what they’re doing. My encouragement would be (to) go and see these missionaries and their environment, but if you can’t, coming to something like this is a good substitute.”
Miller also shared about the friendship he and his wife, Debbie, share with those they support in East Africa.
These ministry partners have supported the Millers in prayer and encouragement through Debbie’s recent cancer battle, while the Millers lift up these partners with prayers and gifts.
Key Leaders Summit
From Monday afternoon to Tuesday morning (June 24-25), World Impact program leaders led key international and domestic partners through a time of learning and collaboration.
They discussed the innovative ways to leverage World Impact resources to reach even more people around the world with the Good News of Christ’s life, death, burial, and resurrection.
Because of the group’s limited size, partners connected with each other personally and shared strategies, stories of impact, and prayer requests.
In this gathering, the “20/80 principle” roughly fits the description of the event.
These were the roughly 20% of our partners who produce roughly 80% of our results, which also allowed for opportunities to hear feedback and guidance from these passionate leaders concerning the direction and content of our programs.
These leaders are courageously advancing God’s Kingdom, with your support, and gathering them together provided tremendous insight into our program strategies.
The Missions Conference
From Tuesday evening through Wednesday evening, eighty leaders gathered under the theme of “Your Kingdom Come: Friendship for Great Commission Advancement” for a conference more than 2 years in the making.
Most traveled long distances to be encouraged and inspired and heard from one another of God’s work in their countries and ministry organizations.
The conference consisted of six sessions, each one centered around an aspect of missions according to Rev. Bob Engel’s book Mere Missions.
Each aspect of missions corresponded to a theme for each session:
- Jesus is Lord / Endearment
- The Holy Spirit / Empower for Church Planting
- The Gospel / Evangelism
- The Church / Equipping
- The Kingdom / Embrace
- Keep Moving Forward / Endurance
Six guest speakers guided attendees through these themes and passionately called on the audience to lean into God’s future calling on their lives and ministry. Pastor Samuel Hailemariam joined the conference from Indianapolis, where he shepherds Ethiopian immigrants at Indianapolis Ethiopian Evangelical Church.
He shared, “It is really encouraging to see what God is doing elsewhere. Sometimes, as a pastor, you feel cornered, you feel alone, (that) your effort is not paying off. Looking at other ministers sharing their struggles and listening to their testimonies gives you that perspective of ‘Kingdom.’ It helps you to keep doing what you’re doing.”
Because of your generous support, leaders like Pastor Samuel were able to come together and encourage one another toward chasing after Christ’s Great Commission.
Your prayers, donations, and encouragement allow leaders around the world to receive the training and resources they need to serve those in their communities.
