This week, Stefan meets with church planters from Europe as they gather in Turkey for mutual encouragement and to learn from each other. In some places, the “soil” can be very hard, so they trust the Lord for new ideas and ways to connect with people in societies where they often question the relevance of the church.
In addition, the ongoing Ukrainian war and the refugees are creating opportunities for the church to show the love of the Lord. Believers have done a lot already, but coordinated efforts can enhance this even more. Pray that this gathering will help make those connections stronger.
In Africa, the coordinated efforts of our church planters in 36 countries during May resulted in great fruit.
- 256 trainings took place, equipping 22,357 people for church planting.
- 1,672 (676 new churches and 996 groups were planted)
- 863,145 people heard the Gospel of Jesus
- 101,566 people prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.
Each of these numbers represents a person that the Lord touched. There are many stories, but let us share this one from Guinea-Bissau. In one of the villages, a young lady who suddenly went dumb and lame in both legs six months earlier started to talk after one of our church planters ministered to her. She responded to the prayer of faith to the astonishment of everyone. As a result of this miracle, 20 churches were planted in that area.
We praise the Lord for what He is doing and how He continues to draw people to Himself. Thank you for joining us in making Him known.
Prayer Requests:
- Praise the Lord for His provision for our passports. Stefan, Marie, and Kenneth received new passports, and each passport has a miracle story as there were many complications in getting it.
- For the European church planters to be refreshed and inspired as they meet in Turkey.
- Next week, Marie will also travel to Turkey for meetings with the Global Executive Team. She is coordinating their program and will also facilitate two sessions. Pray for wisdom, insight and stamina for our leaders.
- Monica is starting to submit her university applications. Pray that the Lord will show her where He wants her to attend and reveal what He wants her to study.