Embracing the unashamed wonder of being found pg. 4
Sharing the joy of the good news for all people pg. 26
A hospital chaplain’s journey through sorrow and joy pg. 22
“Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
—1 Peter 2:10
The only school assignment I ever failed was in Bible school—a short paper meant to define the gospel of grace. According to the teacher’s assistant who graded it, I had written an adequate definition of the gospel, but not of the gospel of grace. I failed to see (and still do) how the gospel and the gospel of grace were two separate things. Still, I got an F. The irony of this hasn’t escaped me over the years.
As I finished my time at Bible school and went on to seminary, I came to realize that the understanding of “the gospel” is far from universal, and certainly not always joyful or grace-filled. Evangelicals, and often those in the Holiness movement in particular, can be so focused on separating ourselves from and renouncing sin, often with an added measure of shame and blame, that we lose the true gospel of grace and mercy. Because we don’t always understand what we’ve been saved from, I believe our joy at what we have been saved into is diminished. We were not only saved out of darkness, as the Apostle Peter puts it, but into His astounding, wonderful light (see 1 Pet. 2:9).
In Luke 2:10, the angels bring good news of great joy—the long-awaited Savior and Redeemer promised by God in Genesis 3:15 was born. The moment all of creation had been yearning and aching for had finally arrived. What utter good news! What consummate joy!
I love Peter’s meditation on who we are in 1 Peter 2 because he captures the gospel transformation—from lost to found, from scattered to gathered, from under the power of sin to tasting the goodness of the Lord. This is mercy and grace. This is joy.
The gospel is always good and always efficacious—at any time, in any place, for any person. If what we’re preaching isn’t good news to everyone and anyone, if it doesn’t bring joy—even the bittersweet kind—then it’s probably not the gospel. I hope we never lose our grip on the joy of our salvation, or our understanding of the grace we have received, and I hope that joy always produces grateful, great love in us. And may it be gratefulness and love that isn’t idle but has unction to live out and share that good news, because there remain so many who have yet to hear.
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THE SHEPHERD’S JOY Embracing the unashamed wonder of being found by Jordan McCain | pg. 4
IS GLOBAL MISSIONS COLONIZATION?
Navigating the complexities of crosscultural ministry | by Rob Bashioum | pg. 8
FREE VERSE
Quotes from the Kingdom | pg. 12
TOZER ANTHOLOGY
Compiled by Harry Verploegh | pg. 12
EMBRACING KINGDOM ECONOMICS
Shifting our focus from worldly wealth to faithful generosity | by Rich Todd | pg. 14
18 Acts 1:8
AT OUR FRONT DOOR Addressing the needs of marginalized peoples in Spain by John Bils | pg. 18
CHRIST BRINGS LIGHT
A hospital chaplain’s journey through sorrow and joy | by Julie Griffin | pg. 22
T HE PULSE OF PARTNERSHIP Sharing the joy of the good news for all people by Hannah Castro | pg. 26
YOUR GENEROSITY IN ACTION Beauty out of Ashes | by Alliance workers serving in North Africa | pg. 34
38 Family
ALLIANCE FAMILY NEWS
Personnel changes, obituaries, and classified ads | pg. 38
FOUNDATIONS
I Will Say Yes to Jesus
Adapted by Alliance Life staff | pg. 44
PRAYER IS PRIMARY
Requests from Alliance workers | pg. 46
T H E S H E P H E R D ’S J OY
Embracing the unashamed wonder of being found
by Jordan McCain
For most of my life, I have not been a fan of a “joyful Jesus.” It certainly is not Jesus’ fault; I just don’t think I understand parties.
Take Luke 15, for example. In response to the Pharisees’ accusation that Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them” (15:2), He tells a parable where He describes Himself as a Shepherd who has lost a sheep. (Spoiler alert—you are the sheep.)
The lost sheep is just one out of 100. Ninety-nine out of 100 seems like a good record to me! Perhaps many of us would not bother with the pursuit of this one lost sheep. Yet while the parable does not describe the Shepherd’s emotional state, His response makes it clear: He must leave to go find that one missing sheep. The
Shepherd follows the lost sheep in leaving the security of the sheepfold and takes risks in doing so; He might lose more sheep while He is gone. The 99 might think He is wasting His time. They might even question His competency or trustworthiness.
Enter joy. Luke says the Shepherd joyfully puts the lost sheep on his shoulders (15:5). You can almost hear Jesus say to Himself, upon cresting a hill and seeing His missing sheep, “Ah, there you are!” And when He returns, He does not simply pat Himself on the back for a job well done—there is a party! “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep,” He says (15:6). The Shepherd’s joy is shared between the Shepherd, His friends, and His neighbors in an outsized and abnormal response to finding this one sheep. This has gone beyond professional interest or utilitarian asset management. There is no attitude of, “Well, I am just doing what I am paid to do.” Instead, there is unashamed enjoyment and celebration of this reunion!
As a millennial in Midwestern America, I do not see a lot of joy like this around me regularly. I am not referring to the subject of the celebration in the parable; I also join with heaven in celebrating when a new believer comes to faith. But I also do not throw a party when it happens. I do not gather friends, family, and neighbors to celebrate. Nobody I know does that. No, the joy that Jesus describes in this parable does not match my experience at all—but there seem to be few, if any, reservations on Jesus’ end that this is worth celebrating.
The joy I see most often in others is described well by researcher Brené Brown in her book, Atlas of the Heart, as “foreboding joy.” This is a half-joy, a suspicious joy. It is a joy that is almost too self-conscious to enjoy itself. Using Brown’s language, it is “waiting for the other shoe to drop.” Most American Christians I know seem to primarily experience this kind of joy. I would be hard-pressed to find someone who experiences what the Apostle Peter calls joy unspeakable (see 1 Pet. 1:8). Instead, they are waiting to find out things are not nearly as good as they want them to be.
For me, there has always been confusion between what I was taught as a young Christian and my later life experiences. I came to faith in high school in a nondenominational charismatic church. The very first thing I was taught about the Christian life was the nature of “biblical” joy. We were a church that exalted and celebrated joy as evidence that the Spirit was
at work! For us, joy was not based on circumstances or consequences, nor the result of anything worldly. This was how you knew the difference between Spirit-filled joy and worldly happiness, and happiness was looked down upon. So, we worshiped, prayed, lived sacrificially, and spoke in tongues in pursuit of the joy of the Spirit, hoping He would infuse our hearts with some semblance of it.
As a new Christian, I experienced a lot of shame early on because no matter how much I prayed, how high I jumped, or how often I spoke in tongues, the positivity I felt barely verged on some very suspicious contentedness. I had found a group of people who loved me very well, but I was still miserable. While I found it easy to fake ecstatic joy at church, at home I would likely have presented as someone with mild depression. Terms like “mental illness” and “trauma” were still a long way from being common in rural Indiana. Not to mention the incentive I had as someone celebrated in my church community for being the most joyful (read: funny) person in my youth group. Our church loved the story of a new convert who so quickly displayed the characteristics of Christ. What a transformation!
Expectations shifted when I went to college. If anything, they were reversed—being hypercritical, cynical, and somewhat nihilistic was in vogue. These are the skills of a mildly depressed person, like I was! Too much
joy was suspect, and to describe a Christ who displayed joy, especially outsized, unashamed joy, would have been seen as unrealistic in light of the world as we know it. This perspective translated strangely well to church ministry too. Perhaps because this seemed an easier burden, and it was not difficult to drop the hope and expectation that the Lord would seek out my joyless heart or, perhaps worse, invite me to come to a party with Him! What could be worse for the cynical and afraid than to follow Jesus into a joyful celebration when it could be taken away at any moment? For me, this was making peace with “Christian” foreboding joy.
When my son Alister came into the world, it was a difficult birth. He came way earlier than we expected, and by the end of our hospital stay, we had been pushed to the end of ourselves emotionally. As my wife, Hope, and I recovered at home, we found ourselves in an unintentionally beautiful routine—we would get up early every morning with our cranky newborn, make coffee, and, as Hope rocked Alister and I read my book, we would play Maverick City Music’s Old Church Basement album. For those not familiar with Maverick City’s work, two of the themes they emphasize the most in their writing and music are joy and gratitude. “The joy of our salvation,” “The joy of the Lord is our strength,” and “What a friend
we have in Jesus” are some of their refrains. The spirit of their worship worked its way into my cynical, unhappy, foreboding heart. And every morning, about halfway through the album, my wife and I would find ourselves looking at each other with tears in our eyes, overcome with gratitude for this little pocket of life we had been given. It felt like, despite the circumstances, we had managed to find ourselves at a party we were just lucky to be at—like we were being found by the Shepherd and invited into something beautiful and just for us. It felt like we were finding the joy of our salvation every morning.
There is nothing magical about Maverick City’s music (though some would disagree), and you do not need to have children to experience Jesus’ joy. But the Lord used those mornings to begin healing my heart and turning my suspicious, foreboding joy that was too afraid to hope into something closer to the oversized joy of the Shepherd. The beauty that I have found there is that it is a shared joy that is first of all His, in an unashamed joy at finding us, and second of all ours, in being gratefully found. It is found not only 2,000 years ago when He crossed the heavens to “eat with tax collectors and sinners” but also in a recovering cynical pastor’s living room in Delaware, Ohio, as my wife and I prayed for our newborn son. The invitation stands open for all of us, as found ones, to dip our toes into the warm waters of vulnerable, unashamed, shared joy with our Finder.
Jordan McCain is the husband of Hope and father to Rhema and Alister. He serves as a pastor at Delaware County Alliance Church, as well as the coordinator for consecration and ordination in the Ohio Valley District.
It is a shared joy that is first of all His, in an unashamed joy at finding us, and second of all ours, in being gratefully found.
Navigating the complexities of cross-cultural ministry
by Rob Bashioum
Global missions has been a cornerstone of the Christian faith since the 12 disciples scattered to preach the gospel, sparking a worldwide movement. Today, the call of the Great Commission to “go and make disciples” remains as relevant as ever, but it is fraught with complexities, particularly when it involves crossing cultural, religious, and linguistic boundaries. Engaging in global missions is complicated. We must honor other cultures and religions while bringing the invitation of Jesus. These complexities often lead to misperceptions and have caused many in younger generations to be slow to engage with missions and the Great Commission. This tension has created a sense of unease among many, raising the question: Is global missions inherently colonization?
Discussing global missions often brings to light uncomfortable questions and criticisms. For instance, a recent National Geographic documentary, The Mission, examines the tragic death of American missionary John Allen Chau, who was killed while attempting to evangelize the isolated Sentinelese people. The documentary critiques the cultural appropriateness of Chau’s actions, sparking debate on whether his mission was courageous or carelessly colonizing. The film’s tagline, “There’s a fine line between faith and madness,” encapsulates this tension. Critics of global missions argue that sending missionaries to convert people in places like Africa or Asia is a form of religious colonialism. They often depict missionaries as cultural imperialists, imposing their beliefs and practices on unwilling recipients. Over the years, I’ve personally encountered similar sentiments, with some expressing discomfort with my own involvement in The Alliance’s work in the Middle East, saying that it feels arrogant and self-righteous.
To address whether global missions is colonization, we must first acknowledge the historical reality that, in many cases, it has been. Colonization, defined in this context as forced conversion and conformity to a superior cultural way, has marked much of the history of Christian mission. The Crusades are a stark example, with castles still standing as reminders of this violent past. The merging of church and state power often led to the subjugation of local populations in the name of Christianity.
During the European colonization of the Caribbean, India, and Africa, Christian missions played a significant role in cultural and political dominance. Missionaries frequently partnered with colonizing governments, relying on them for transportation, protection, and status. Schools established by missionaries often promoted Western superiority, undermining local cultures and traditions.
Despite these problematic aspects, many early missionaries had sincere hearts and noble intentions. Their efforts were often driven by genuine compassion and a desire to spread the gospel, even though they sometimes made significant mistakes.
It is crucial to acknowledge and lament the colonizing history of global missions. Denying this history leads to ignorance and arrogance, risking the repetition of past mistakes. However, it’s also important to recognize that history is complex. While some missionaries contributed to colonial oppression, others found their prophetic voices, advocating for the rights of indigenous people and respecting local cultures.
During the early twentieth-century era of Protestant missions, new practices emerged that reduced colonial
tendencies. However, many missionaries still intertwined the gospel with their own culture. This has led to indigenous churches sometimes resembling Western churches more than their own cultural expressions. For instance, Africans wearing Western suits on Sundays or Middle Eastern Protestant weddings mirroring Western ceremonies are clear indicators of this influence.
Despite the problematic history of missions work, the Great Commission remains central to the Christian faith. Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18–20 command us to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them. This mandate transcends historical mistakes, urging us to spread the gospel with humility and respect for other cultures.
Over the last few decades, many mission-sending agencies have reevaluated their practices, striving to avoid the past errors of colonization. Christian nonprofits and charitable nongovernmental organizations are now leading the way in development fields, shifting from a needs-based approach (which assumes an outsider knows best) to an asset-based approach. This new model involves outsiders collaborating with local communities, enhancing their strengths and addressing areas of need together. This approach fosters mutual respect and learning, counteracting a superiority mindset and promoting humility and reciprocity.
Christian missions, when done well, is unique and beautiful. The gospel is adaptable, translatable, and can be contextualized to diverse cultures. Unlike Islam, which pushes conformity to a particular seventh century culture with a holy book that cannot truly be translated, Christianity celebrates and enhances local cultures. The gospel’s ability to transcend cultural boundaries is highlighted in the Council of Jerusalem (see Acts 15), where Early Church leaders decided not to impose Jewish customs on Gentile converts, allowing the message of Jesus to spread freely.
The throne room scene in Revelation 7:9 is fascinating because people from every nation, tribe, and language stand before the Lamb. This illustrates the gospel’s inclusivity and God’s celebration of our world’s many differing cultures and languages. Christianity transcends race, nationality, class, gender, and language, uniting all believers in Christ (see Gal. 3:28).
The essence of global missions is offering an invitation, not imposing beliefs. The gospel should be proposed with humility, allowing indigenous expressions of faith without altering the core message. This is missions done well, and beautifully.
Critics often accuse global missions of religious imperialism, but they overlook the fundamental justice
Christian missions, when done well, is unique and beautiful.
issue at its heart—people deserve access to the teachings of Jesus and the freedom to choose whether to follow them. Engaging in global missions is about providing this opportunity, not coercing conversion.
Having witnessed missions in various contexts, I can attest that many modern mission movements, like The Alliance, strive to respect and empower local cultures. The Alliance movement, which began in New York, is now a global network with national churches leading the charge in their contexts and countries. The Alliance World Fellowship allows for a model that ensures missions is not about “the West reaching the rest,” but rather about all nations working together for the completion of the Great Commission. This collaborative approach prevents colonizing tendencies, fostering a diverse and inclusive message. Toulouse International Church in France, which I have had the opportunity to visit on a few occasions, reflects this ethos well with their vision— From All Nations, for All Nations—written on a wall in their worship center.
While a single article cannot fully address the complexities of global missions, I hope it opens the door to meaningful dialogue and reflection. For those questioning the practices of global missions, I urge you to reconsider and engage with a fresh perspective.
The Great Commission still calls us to action. What will your role be in this mission? Whether you pray, give, send, or go, there is much work to be done—both locally and globally. Together, let’s honor the call to make disciples of all nations, embracing a mission that transcends history’s mistakes and celebrates the beauty of every culture in the Kingdom of God while sharing the message of Jesus.
Rob Bashioum is the lead pastor of Salem Alliance Church in Salem, Oregon, where he and his family moved after a decade of ministry in the Middle East. Rob develops leaders through Missio College (formerly Reach Training Institute) and pastors an incredible community of believers that care deeply about their neighborhoods and the nations.
“Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
—LUKE 2:10–11, NRSVUE
“We should be astonished at the goodness of God, stunned that He should bother to call us by name, our mouths wide open at His love, bewildered that at this very moment we are standing on holy ground.”
—BRENNAN MANNING
“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
—1 PETER 1:8–9
Compiled by Harry Verploegh
Above all gifts, God desires most to give Himself to His people.
Our nature being what it is, we are the best fitted of all creatures to know and enjoy God. “For Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee” (from The Confessions of St. Augustine).
To possess God—this is the inheritance ultimate and supreme.
There is a sense in which God never gives any gift except He gives Himself with it.
The mercy of God is but God giving Himself in mercy, and so it is with all other blessings so freely showered upon the children of atonement.
Deep within all divine blessing is the divine One Himself dwelling as in a sanctuary.
To know God—this is eternal life; this is the purpose for which we are and were created.
To give God back to us was the chief work of Christ in redemption. To impart Himself to us in personal experience is the first purpose of God in salvation.
—from We Travel an Appointed Way. Originally published in Alliance Life on August 16, 1989.
Shifting our focus from worldly wealth to faithful generosity
by Rich Todd
Irecently completed a two-year program that presented the ins and outs of banking. I’m sure this is also exactly how you would love to spend your free time! One of the early courses in the program was a high-level view of economics. In it, I was reminded that the economy of a nation is ultimately built on various cultural beliefs and values and not simply on economic principles. As an example of how this plays out, during the founding of the European Union, merging the various
European economies into one agreed-upon monetary system was a challenge. Everything went well at first, but during the Great Recession of 2008, things started getting rocky. Ultimately, it wasn’t simply a conflict over economic policy as much as a conflict of the beliefs and cultural values that drove these decisions.
We all live according to underlying values and beliefs that drive our actions, often without realizing it. As believers, some of these values and beliefs are shaped intentionally through Scripture, while others have a way of creeping in from the prevailing culture. This was much of what Jesus came to confront. As the “stumbling block” (see Isa. 8:14; Matt. 21:44; 1 Cor. 1:23), He causes us to stop and reconsider how we’ve been living and pay closer attention to the values that underpin our mindsets, behaviors, and choices. The challenge is that the shift from a worldeconomy perspective to a Kingdom-economy perspective requires a full leap. If we want to experience the deeper
life God intended for us, there is no halfway investment. We must commit to living out Kingdom-economy principles regardless of the cost.
One area that seems to be the hardest for us to embrace as Western individualists is our relationship with money and things. Part of this is likely because of the many voices in our society that extoll the values of worldly success, comfort, and individual rights. Emotionally targeted ads continually bombard us with alluring invitations to have it all. After all, you deserve it! The answer to life’s woes is just one purchase away. While we can easily recognize the fallacy in these statements, swimming against the current in our daily decisions can be a bit more difficult.
Many writers note how much time Jesus spent talking about money. I believe there are several reasons for this, but I don’t believe money, in and of itself, is at the center of His teachings. Instead, He’s addressing the core heart issues that money seems to ignite within us. If you struggle with control, it’ll show up in your relationship with money. Are you living a Kingdom-focused, missional life? Or a self-seeking, comfort-preserving existence? Take a look at how you use your money, and you’ll have your answer. Jesus forewarns us in the parable of the soil that if we fail to address our relationship with money and things, we will face an insurmountable obstacle in our journey toward the transformed life He promises.
Most Christ followers have hit this wall somewhere along their discipleship journey. We reason, “God, you can challenge me in many areas of my life—but not money. That’s mine. I’ve earned it.” Or, more commonly, we ignore the issue altogether and continue to walk the broader path forged by the prevailing values and behaviors we’ve grown so content to live by.
So, what’s at stake if we fail to address the biblical theology of money? The first issue is our hearts and the deeper life that God intends for us to live. We can’t fully experience the joy of the deeper life without surrendering all of who we are.
We must acknowledge that no area of our life remains untouched by Christ’s Lordship—including our plans, purposes, and possessions. Yet, as Scripture often reminds us, these elements are often the most difficult to surrender (see Mark 10:17–27). Our culture promotes individualism, materialism, and hoarding wealth. We need God’s help to avoid these cultural pitfalls, resist material temptations, and rely fully on His allsufficiency. His Word assures us of His power, presence, and provision along the way (see 2 Pet. 1:3).
This is clearly a lifelong journey of sanctification that the Holy Spirit works in us. However, we can’t expect to grow or progress if we’re unwilling to address or even
admit that we need help. The late Tim Keller once noted, “Over the years as a pastor, I’ve had people come in to talk to me about sins, but I don’t remember anybody coming to me to confess the sin of greed.” Our tendency in this area is to ignore the issue and refrain from taking the difficult but necessary steps of surrender and growth.
Another issue at stake is our ability to participate in the mission that we’ve been set apart to fulfill. God has called and resourced The Alliance since its inception to extend all of Jesus to all the world. Throughout our history as a gospel-advancing movement, Alliance people have been characterized by faith-filled risk-taking and radical generosity toward our God-appointed mission. Can we still claim those traits today?
While God doesn’t need us to accomplish His work on Earth, He has invited us to be active participants—not out of Christian duty or obligation but out of the joy that comes with aligning our hearts with His—delighting in the things that delight Him and grieving over the things that grieve Him. It’s an enormous privilege to participate with Him in reaching, loving, and caring for others through our praying, giving, going, sending, and serving. We sow abundantly to reap abundantly. And, as one international worker pointed out at an Alliance Council several years ago, “All of Jesus for All the World takes all of us.”
The greatest reward in forsaking world economics and embracing Kingdom economics is the immeasurable impact on our souls. There’s an indescribable joy that comes with Kingdom generosity that cannot be replicated through earthly means. And we’re not left to stumble alone in the darkness. God’s covenant promises assure of His redemptive intent—that He will do the deep work that needs to be done if we are willing to fully surrender to Him. And He surrounds us with others who can spur us on as we reclaim our Kingdom values together.
Rich Todd is the senior vice president for ministry development at Orchard Alliance. Prior to joining the Orchard team, Rich served as an Alliance pastor for 13 years and with Alliance Missions, both overseas and in the National Office, for eight. He and his wife, Kristi, live in Colorado Springs and have three daughters, a son-in-law, and a grandson.
The good news of Jesus Christ’s birth was first told to common people, shepherds (see Luke 2:8–15). The sign of His birth, a star in the sky, was first noticed by foreigners, the wise men (see Matt. 2:1–2). These events display with remarkable clarity that the gospel is for everyone—all people. No one is overlooked by God.
by John Bils
As we approach a neighborhood with narrow streets, terracotta roofs, and graffiti-covered walls, my host, Carlos,* welcomes me to the ghetto. Outside my car window, something like a giant concrete trough runs along the street. Its walls are also covered with graffiti. Carlos explains that I’m looking at the drainage system. The trough bed is dry now, but over 50 years ago, many died in this neighborhood because of flooding. The rainwater flowed from the mountains and filled the streets in the valley. Within three hours, the area was covered with over 200 liters of water per square meter. The drainage system keeps that from happening again.
As I saw firsthand during my visit this summer to northern Spain, this struggling yet resilient neighborhood is experiencing a different crisis today: a flood of immigration. The new arrivals come from many places, but mainly North Africa. Many are asylum seekers, and they are settling in a traditionally blue-collar region of the country.
For many African immigrants, the local economy functions like a drainage system, channeling them into low-income neighborhoods like this one
where, for most locals, they remain unnoticed and easy to avoid. With limited opportunities for work, housing, education, and networking, many settle for jobs in construction or food service. Wages are typically lower for immigrants than for Spanish citizens. Some are lured into signing an employment contract, paying a fee just for the opportunity to work. When landlords rent to tenants without an employment contract, they charge higher rent. Sometimes eight or more immigrants may end up living under one roof, each paying about a quarter of their monthly earnings for a cramped apartment.
Since Carlos and his wife, Sandra, arrived in Spain over three years ago, God has attuned their hearts to the needs of their marginalized and often exploited neighbors, especially their need for the gospel. They, and other Alliance workers in the region, recognize the flood of African immigrants into Spain as a blessing, an opportunity to gain access to communities that have been closed off to Christians for generations. They have imbedded themselves in the drainage system with the hope that gospel seeds may someday take root there. In the late 1800s, The Alliance was founded as “an aggressive spiritual movement” to evangelize, care for, and disciple working class immigrants in New York City. Today, this movement continues in a radically different setting. Carlos and Sandra find many avenues to connect with and meet the practical needs of their neighbors. They are involved with adult education classes and, to a lesser degree, an after-school program. In his efforts to help one North African man get acclimated to his new home, Carlos has even found himself giving driving lessons and assembling IKEA furniture. Their time together opens doors for deeper conversations about their spiritual views.
Carlos’ friend admits to being only nominally attached to the majority religion of his home country and has asked questions that reveal both his misconceptions about Christianity and his openness to learn. Carlos helps him work through these misconceptions, encouraging him to understand Christian teachings through the Bible and not through Spanish cultural norms or depictions in the media. He has also introduced him to the Book of Romans and the notion that our obedience to God’s Word is not prompted by fear but by love for our Creator. These informal talks in his car and living room are probably the closest the man has ever come to participating in a Bible study.
Carlos and Sandra are not the only Alliance international workers in northern Spain who carry on The
Alliance’s legacy for serving immigrants, the poor, and other outcasts even when the calling is inconvenient, unpopular, or costly. After spending an evening with Carlos and Sandra, I visit another city about an hour away, where Brian, the leader of a small Alliance team, shows me around on an afternoon when the sunlight feels like hot coals on our skin. Many of the lower-level windows in his neighborhood have been cemented over. The practice is intended to prevent squatting, which many immigrants resort to once they have been denied affordable housing.
While others in the community react to immigrants with disdain, annoyance, or fear, Brian and his team go out of their way to demonstrate to newcomers that they are worthy of dignity, kindness, and hospitality. They don’t condone or encourage illegal practices like squatting, but they frequently welcome young immigrants into their apartment for meals and Bible study and direct them to assistance programs and other resources that keep them on track to becoming Spanish citizens. He and his team are driven by the understanding that they are advancing the Great Commission—one meal, one conversation at a time—and that the opportunities open to them in Spain aren’t available in many other places.
“Unreached peoples are at our front door,” Brian says as we continue our walk through the neighborhood, crisscrossing the sidewalks for patches of shade we find under trees and awnings. Most prefer to spend the scorching afternoons inside, but even at this hour, we encounter one of the many friends Brian has made since arriving in Spain four years ago. He is a towering man in a traditional African robe. As we stop to chat, he smiles proudly, insisting we visit his new home. We can’t turn him down. He eagerly shows us into an upstairs apartment with a flatscreen TV, a few pieces of cheap furniture, and a woman’s photo on the wall—his wife, I believe, though she’s nowhere to be found. I wonder whether he had to leave his family behind in Africa. I can’t bring myself to ask, though.
After our brief visit, Brian tells me the man works in sanitation and earns a decent wage. If he had applied to rent the apartment, though, he probably would have been turned down. For him, the only viable path to permanent housing was to buy the apartment with cash. Saving up for the purchase took him years.
Brian eventually brings me to an empty storefront with plate glass windows under tile signage with ornate lettering (which I assume to be Arabic). This used to be a perfume shop, but in the next crucial phase of building meaningful, impactful gospel presence among the local refugee community, he and his team are transforming
the space into a community center for refugee youth to study English, exercise, and—because cycling is extremely popular in the region—get their bikes repaired. The community center will be the only gathering place of its kind in the neighborhood. The renovation project is so urgent and of such high strategic importance to advancing the Great Commission among displaced people that it has been featured in the 2024–25 Alliance Gift Catalog (cmalliance.org/giftcatalog).
Over the last four years, Brian has worked tirelessly to establish credibility with believers and nonbelievers alike who share his vision and passion for guiding children of refugees out of systemic poverty. Earlier on our walk, he admitted that he is often overwhelmed by the volume of emails he receives from local social workers, government officials, and others seeking his help with the refugee crisis facing their community.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in what God is doing,” he says. Yet, as he explains his vision for the community center, his energy, enthusiasm, and hope seem inexhaustible.
Like the African immigrants Carlos and Sandra meet in their community, most in Brian’s neighborhood don’t come to Spain hoping to encounter people of other faiths or to leave the religious traditions they grew up with. They are seeking security and job opportunities they couldn’t find in their home countries. The abandoned perfume shop is a harsh reminder that the dreams of many African immigrants are never realized. In the aftermath of frustrated human plans, though, God’s love and greater purposes prevail.
*All names changed
John Bils is a fundraising and campaign writer at the National Office. He has a bachelor of arts in English from the Ohio State University and lives in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
My name is Sidi,* and I arrived in southern Europe roughly four months ago. I left my home country because 70 percent of the people in my age group don’t have jobs and are unable to find them. The situation there is very difficult.
I decided to immigrate here in search of better opportunities. However, I don’t speak the local language yet, and on my temporary visa, I can’t work or rent an apartment.
In the city I now live in, there are thousands of people from my home country, but many of us are in the same situation. Some of us have to share small apartments just to avoid sleeping on the street. I share a one-room apartment with three other guys.
In order to get work visas, we have to take at least 30 hours of classes in the local language. Thanks to The Alliance’s language center in our community, I and others like me can take the needed classes so that we will be able to start new lives here!
*Name changed
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.”.”
—PSALM 24:1–2
May 26–30, 2025
by Julie Griffin
In hospital settings, patients and loved ones are praying, hoping, wringing their hands, and pacing the hallways desperately waiting to hear good news from doctors. Emergency rooms and hospital wings are not typically filled with people experiencing joy. But in my work as a hospital chaplain, I have come to see the effects of the gospel—a different kind of good news—in bringing joy amid sorrow and fear.
In September 2023, I had the opportunity to join a group of fellow military chaplain spouses who were visiting The Christian and Missionary Alliance headquarters in Ohio. While there, President John Stumbo shared his testimony and then opened the floor for us to ask any questions that we might have. The topic of women in ministry was raised and the recent decision made regarding ordination and consecration. President Stumbo answered our questions with grace and humility and told stories of women who were called to minister in various capacities but have not had the same access as men to effectively share Jesus with the sphere that they have been called to, largely because they haven’t been allowed to add the title of “pastor” or “reverend” to their name. He explained that while men are still elders and lead pastors, women now have access to minister in places like hospitals where ordination is required for pastoral care of patients. That was the moment when the seed was planted in my heart to pursue hospital chaplaincy. I have been honored to be a U.S. Navy chaplain spouse for 14 years, serving with and supporting my husband of 17 years, Commander Stephen Griffin. We have been blessed with four children and have grieved the loss of five miscarriages as we’ve moved from coast to coast and overseas. But I would have never thought of being able to have a ministry opportunity in a hospital setting until that meeting in Ohio.
One week before Christmas in December 2023, I felt a prompting within me to apply for the clinical pastoral education program at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia. I learned that it can be hard to get into this internship, as there is usually a waitlist. However, the director of the pastoral care office responded to me in less than 24 hours, and I was accepted into the program the next day. It felt as though I lightly tapped on the door, and it flung open so rapidly that I knew God was guiding my steps. After my orientation, I learned that chaplain interns are required to spend 400 hours at the hospital, 12 overnight shifts that are 16 hours each, 17 day shifts, five-hour training sessions weekly, and individual counseling with the director each week also. I immediately started to secondguess my decision, as I couldn’t imagine how this weight of added responsibility was going to work out. The timing didn’t make sense to me, and fear tried to settle in as I imagined the suffering and trauma that I was about to see others walking through. However, this perception of feeling out of control drew me to Jesus’ feet in dependence on Him. I realized that I had been living a comfortable lifestyle, and I was grateful for this challenge that got me out of my comfort zone and in desperate need of God’s strength and love. With the encouragement, blessing, and support of my husband, I began my journey of providing pastoral care to those walking through their unique valleys in the hospital.
On my first night of being the on-call chaplain for a hospital with 471 beds, I was shaking as I got the first call of the evening. A nurse requested that the chaplain come and provide spiritual care for a man in his 60s who had just lost his male partner. I prayed to the Lord for His love as I had not only never ministered to anyone while their deceased loved one was still in the hospital bed,
but I also had never ministered to a gay man without a judgmental heart. When I got to the door, I took a deep breath and prayed as I put on the mask, gloves, and apron required to enter the room. The patient’s lifeless body was still on the bed; by the window, I saw his partner, who was wiping tears from his eyes. Immediately, God infused me with compassion for this gentleman created in His image. As I spent time with him and asked questions, I learned that he had no one to be with him that night as he had experienced rejection due to his lifestyle. The Holy Spirit gave me courage to share the love of Jesus with this man, to show him value, and to pray with him. Before I left the room, he was crying again, but this time through a huge smile as he hugged me and thanked me for coming. I walked down the hallway, choking back tears as I realized God had used me as His vessel in a way that I would never have imagined. I merely answered the call and then got to watch joy fill a heart that was once inhabited with sorrow and loneliness. I felt conviction of my prejudice and would later learn how many other assumptions I have of others have kept me from boldly loving people well.
After the visit with that gentleman, I was then called to come provide care for a family who just lost their 91-year-old father. I heard their stories of faith, comforted them as they rehearsed memories of his life and confessed how hard it was at times to care for him, and held their hands as we prayed together. Later, another call came through for a man in his 80s who had tripped and fallen on his evening walk. On the outside, he looked like a frustrated, elderly man, but after getting to spend time with him, I learned that he was drafted into the Air Force as a young man, met the love of his life, retired, and then served as a government worker who had a pivotal role in rebuilding the Pentagon after the 9/11 attack. The gentleman shared that he felt lonely as his wife had passed away a few years ago, his children had moved out of state, and there was no one else coming to visit him that evening. I helped the patient get some more tissues for the blood dripping down his face, and through a smile, he thanked me for coming to “spend time with an old man.” Before I left to answer another call, we prayed together, and I watched God turn his sadness into joy. After midnight, the phone buzzed with the message, “Trauma Alert, Level 2, Room 5, MOI: MVC.” This told me that the ambulance was on its way with a patient who had just gotten into a car accident. When I saw the man on the gurney being wheeled to get CT scans, he looked like he was in his 20s, over six feet tall, covered with tattoos, and appeared to be doing well as he was chatting loudly about what happened with the staff. Truthfully, I was scared to meet with him, even though I knew it was mandatory—the chaplain is one of five peo-
ple required to respond to all traumas at that hospital. I reasoned to myself for hours that he probably didn’t need any pastoral care, and I intentionally focused on other patients instead. As my shift was about to end, I felt the Lord tugging on my heart to push through my fear and visit with that young man. I took deep breaths as I made my way toward his room, praying, God, grant me courage and fill me with Your peace, love, and words to share. As I asked questions to get to know him, I learned that he was in the Navy and on his way back to the base when he lost control of his vehicle on a winding road and totaled his car, smashing it into a tree. He explained that he had been an atheist until that moment as he realized his life had been spared. When he managed to get out of the vehicle, he fell on his knees next to the car and cried out to God. The young man confessed, “When I was on my knees, I remembered my roots as my grandfather used to take me to church when I was little. I can say now that I am definitely not an atheist anymore!” I rejoiced and prayed with him as we discussed that God evidently has a purpose and plan for his life. I nearly missed this opportunity because of my fear and assumptions. But thank God for the conviction that the Holy Spirit brings us!
I felt exhausted in the best way as the sun rose and I walked to my car the next morning. I couldn’t help but think of the Scripture verses, “I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me,” and “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:36, 40). As I have held the hands of the sick and dying, God is teaching me that the hope of Christ brings light into the shadows of death. Because of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, there is joy for those walking through suffering. Believers can cling to the truth that one day every tear will be wiped away (see Rev. 21:4). Brothers and sisters, God has divinely planted you in this exact moment for a reason. I encourage you to be bold in listening to the Holy Spirit and sharing the love of Jesus—we have good news that brings great joy to all people, in every circumstance, all over the world.
Julie Griffin serves as a hospital chaplain at Mary Washington Hospital and as a teacher at Fredericksburg Christian School. Her husband, Stephen, has been a Navy chaplain for 14 years, and they have been blessed with four children.
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Sharing the joy of the good news for all people
by Hannah Castro
“Just because there are Christians present in or around the immigrant community doesn’t mean that people will hear the gospel,” says Elizabeth,* an Alliance worker serving in southern Europe.
The Word of God is for everyone, for all nations, for all people—that is the heartbeat of the gospel.
One incredible challenge in ministry is the ups and downs of discipleship, of partnership—often, there is a lack of receptivity, but there’s never a deficit of need. Especially in regions like southern Europe, the demand for community and discipleship—among the immigrant population specifically—is extraordinary.
Last year alone, over 57,000 Muslim immigrants entered the European country Elizabeth and her husband serve in. Immigrants and refugees come to Europe daily, and their needs are extensive—language, medical, health care, education for their children, economic, social, systemic . . . and the list goes on and on.
“The immigrant community will always be in need as long as they’re seen as immigrants,” Elizabeth says. “There’s always felt needs, and on a spiritual level, there will always be a need for evangelism, for the sharing of the gospel, for people to proclaim the faith and hope we have in Jesus.”
There is great opportunity for the Church to respond.
God’s heart for the immigrant, for the outsider, for the foreigner, is abundant (see Lev. 19:34; Deut. 27:19). Jesus Himself was a refugee—fleeing with His parents to Egypt because of the threat of Herod (see Matt. 2:13–15). The Lord’s heart for His people stretches far beyond the bounds of borders or territories.
We read in Deuteronomy 10:17–19: “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.”
by Erin Lillie
The first person in Scripture, and the only person in the Old Testament, to give God a name was an immigrant woman from North Africa. Hagar had no power or status, yet she was the first to be visited by the angel of the Lord, and she named God El Roi, “the God who sees me” (Gen. 16:13). An immigrant woman had such an intimate encounter with God that she took such a risk as to give Him a name, and God saw her.
God’s heartbeat is for people, and ours should be the same (see Heb. 13:1–3).
Elizabeth and her husband host a house church weekly— with people from North Africa, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan West Africa, all with a Muslim background—gathering for a meal, Bible study, worship, and a time of prayer. They share personal stories, mixing in different languages and cultures.
“It’s a very lonely process for anyone that migrates, a very isolating experience for them,” Elizabeth says. “Our burden is simply to share Christ with them and give them the opportunity to respond to the gospel. It sounds very simple, but that’s what we’re called to do—share Jesus and the good news of salvation in Christ.”
Elizabeth feels very strongly about presenting the gospel to lost people. “I think everything we do is to encourage church planting among immigrants and refugees in Europe,” she adds.
For a long time, there were only men coming to the house church, and Elizabeth hoped and prayed that God would bring women to the group who she could see come to faith and walk beside. Some time later, Elizabeth met Nabila, a 37-year-old woman who immigrated to southern Europe when she was just 15 years old. She had found Christ as an adult but soon after reverted back to Islam.
At first, Nabila only stopped by the house church to drop off food—she said she wasn’t going to stay—but she did, and she kept coming back. Though a little reluctant, as she had turned away from God and returned to her old religion, Nabila continued to show up, to witness the consistent faith of those in the church, and her commitment to Christ was reborn.
Elizabeth credits the community of the house church, of those who came from similar backgrounds as Nabila did, sharing their own stories and journeys of how they came to faith in Christ, as what made such a significant impact on her.
Elizabeth’s prayer for a sister in Christ was answered, and God wasn’t stopping there.
As they shared in community, Nabila told Elizabeth about her faith journey—finding Christ, denying Him, and coming back into relationship with Him—and she said, “I honestly feel like maybe God might be calling me to be, I don’t know what you guys call it, like a missionary.” Nabila then shared her burden for her own people, her heart to reach women from her own background and context—God was giving her such an impression for ministry.
But she felt some hesitancy, some fear, and a lack of knowledge of where to even begin. “I felt alone, like my hands were tied,” Nabila says. “[Ministry] was impossible. I couldn’t do it on my own.” She had a missional heart but quickly realized that she couldn’t do life, let
alone ministry, alone. Luckily, God doesn’t call any one of us to do such by ourselves.
“It becomes difficult to carry both the discipleship burden as well as the burden for the lost and be in both places at the same time,” says Elizabeth. “It’s much easier and much better teamwork when we can do that together. So, what makes this story so wonderful is that God brought someone who is a growing believer alongside of me so that we can do that outreach together.”
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Rom. 12:4–6a).
The gifts of one may not be the gifts of another and vice versa—praise the Lord for that, for we could never complete what God has called us to step into on our own or simply by the same efforts. The call of the gospel engages in partnership (see Prov. 27:17; Gal. 6:2). When one is weak, the other can lift them up. We need one another. We can count on each other.
“Nabila knows a lot. She doesn’t struggle with the language here. She has unique cultural insight,” says Elizabeth, “but sometimes her knowledge of where to bring in the gospel, that’s where she feels hesitant and not empowered. That’s where we work well together.” Where Nabila is weak, Elizabeth can come alongside her. Where Elizabeth might not as easily reach those from a different culture, Nabila can carry the load. Partnership is Kingdom work.
After Nabila shared with Elizabeth that she felt a stirring to be a missionary, they started dreaming together about what that could look like. “It felt like such a great privilege to witness what the Holy Spirit was doing in her and also to come alongside her in that process,” says Elizabeth.
Nabila had the idea to start a handcraft workshop with some women she felt were spiritually open and who would engage in conversation. She handpicked a dozen or so women to invite, and Elizabeth found the place, supplied some materials, and set up the program; and once or twice a week, they gathered together, doing handcrafts. Nabila or someone else would teach, introducing different topics to reflect on each week—sowing seeds of the gospel, challenging them to think critically about their worldviews, and sharing the hope of Christ and how He treated women in Scripture.
These meetings eventually evolved into teaching the local language, as they recognized that was more of a
God’s heartbeat is for people, and ours should be the same.
felt need, especially for women who just don’t have the same opportunities that men and children do there, predominantly those who have immigrated.
Initially, 10–12 women came to the craft workshop. Now, the group of women is around 40–50. In the 12 months that Nabila and Elizabeth have been ministering to the immigrant community together, they’ve met and interacted with more than 70 women from North Africa.
“There’s so much distance between a North African Muslim and a Western Christian,” says Elizabeth. “And so, in my first contact with women—because of the love of Christ—I want them to feel seen, to embrace them with words, with a hug, with whatever it takes to shorten that distance between us.
“But as time goes on, I love to gather people together and create an environment where they feel safe with each other and where we can share things openly together. As we get to know each other, as they see our heart, they trust us more. There’s more openness.”
Through activities, conversation, and partnership, Elizabeth and Nabila have fostered a community among immigrant women that breeds openness and tilled soil.
By sharing life together, they’ve reduced the distance between cultures, between beliefs, and have made the ground more fertile to plant the seeds of the gospel. Together, they’re erasing the boundary lines between borders—Nabila with a missional heart to reach her own people and Elizabeth with a missional heart to reach people vastly different from herself.
Witnessing people come to Christ is always a joy-filled experience; partaking in a community and partnering with others in the process only adds to the delight. Elizabeth has found that walking alongside Nabila and gathering women, supporting them on their spiritual journeys, brings her the most joy.
“To have a person to walk alongside, like Nabila, gives me joy—it’s the joy of planting seeds but doing it with someone who’s so different than me; it’s such a privilege,” says Elizabeth.
“I see the women from North Africa as very undervalued, and so I feel like it’s important that they hear and see that they are valued. I feel a burden to show them the
heart of God as much as I can—that they are important, they’re seen, they’re beautiful, and that there’s a lot of potential in them as women who can impact their home, their community, and the next generation.”
It matters that we reach the immigrant, the broken, and the lost, and it matters that we do so in partnership. We’re better together, as one Body. As the heartbeat of God is for all people, to see everyone reconciled to Himself, let’s walk beside others together, bringing the good news of great joy to all.
*All names changed
The gospel is, at its heart, good news of great joy—for all people. And we must share it with those who have yet to hear.
This Christmas, as you celebrate the joy of the gospel, would you join with your Alliance family in giving so that more lost, suffering, and marginalized people may experience the joy of the good news? Visit cmalliance.org/joyforallpeople to give and learn more.
BE A U T Y O UT OF A SH E S
by Alliance workers serving in North Africa
We call them the Willow people. This is the code name we use because it would be too dangerous to use the group’s real name publicly. The Willow people are believed to have been Christians hundreds of years ago. In the late 1600s, however, members of a rival religious group conquered much of the region, violently driving out Christianity wherever they could. Over the centuries, the Willow became extremely devoted to the religion of their conquerors, reportedly more than other neighboring tribes. To demonstrate their devotion, they openly opposed Christianity, blocking all gospel access, allowing no churches to be reestablished among their people, and thwarting all forms of Christian witness by outsiders. The men grew up hoping to defend their faith on the battlefield, and they were willing to go to war for local authorities in exchange for the assurance that they would enter heaven as their reward.
In the 1980s and 1990s, when radical officials decided to rid the country of Christians once and for all, they recruited Willow men to carry out a brutal military campaign, which left some two million Christians dead. The Willow were considered a model of the region’s
majority religion. Seeking recompense for the horrific acts of violence they committed in the name of their faith, they demanded funding for schools, hospitals, and infrastructure improvements in their area. The authorities had no interest in satisfying these demands, however, and formed and trained a militia to exterminate the Willow people and confiscate their land. This genocide continues today.
Over the last 22 years, tens of thousands of Willow people have fled their homeland, becoming refugees in the North African country where we serve among them today. Many individuals and organizations from traditionally Christian nations have responded to the ongoing genocide and refugee crisis by providing food, medical care, and other forms of humanitarian aid. This outpouring of generosity and compassion has softened the hearts of many Willow people toward the West, which is often vilified in our region and viewed with extreme distrust.
Yet, the most encouraging development for us has been the way so many displaced Willow people have
left their former belief system and embraced the gospel as the only true way to salvation. We continually praise God for placing us where the harvest is so ripe! Because of your incredibly generous gifts, prayer, support, and all forms of partnership, 11 house churches have been planted among the Willow and are leading people to Christ weekly through clandestine worship, prayer, and discipleship sessions. It is only with much courage—and after much deliberation—that Willow people choose to follow Jesus. After embracing Christianity, they often face intense pressure to return to their former religion. Believers may be refused an inheritance, disowned by family members, or even have their wives and children taken from them.
Despite these risks, nearly 50 Willow students are enrolled in an intensive ministry training program to become leaders in the underground house church network. All these students have committed to serving with The Alliance for at least five years after completing their education. For most, this program includes college-level coursework at one of the local evangelical theology schools and hands-on training in ministry disciplines such as Bible translation, radio outreach, and film evangelism. From the beginning, the Bible translation work has been one of our highest strategic priorities. It was, admittedly, an ambitious undertaking. When we first started serving among this group of refugees over 20 years ago, the work to create an alphabet for their native language—unwritten for generations—was still underway. Since then, we have painstakingly worked alongside some of our Willow students to translate books of the Bible into their language using this newly developed writing system.
Through your generosity and prayers, you are spearheading the formation of a new national church. Each new baptism and church plant is a step in this direction. This past summer was highlighted by a historic occasion, as four of our seminary students were ordained as the first Alliance pastors from the Willow refugee community. Praise God for the courageous step of faith these men have made! We have confidence the Lord will continue to bless them with fruitful ministries and draw many more Willow people to salvation through their tireless work to proclaim the gospel in word and action. Our vision is to be joined in heaven one day by one million Willow worshipers. This may seem audacious to some, but we have unwavering faith in the Lord to accomplish even the boldest things we pray for. Radio outreach offers one of the most exciting and viable strategies to expand our pioneering work among the Willow people. Recently, an underground radio studio agreed to
record Bible readings at a discounted rate for us. These readings will be in the Willows’ native language. Bible studies will also be recorded. No such initiative has ever been undertaken for this people group. Eventually, the radio station hopes to broadcast Bible reading and study materials 24/7 to thousands who have never received gospel access.
There is no end in sight to the violence that has engulfed the Willows’ homeland for more than two decades. Since April 2023, an estimated 10 million people from that country have been internally displaced or have fled to neighboring countries to escape war and food shortages. Many of them are Willow people who are still without the light of God’s Word to guide them out of darkness. We believe the sovereign hand of the Lord has guided them to safety here in North Africa so they, like the Willows who arrived before them, can encounter followers of Jesus, be renewed by God’s Spirit, and receive “a crown of beauty” (Isa. 61:3) as coheirs with Christ in God’s Kingdom.
Believers from this refugee community have been growing in their faith through an underground network of house churches. They are also learning to read the Bible in their native language, which, until recently, was unwritten. To train and equip members of this refugee community as church planters, visit cmalliance.org/ give; select “a project you love/Find a project”; and type in “Willow CP and Training.” Learn more about Alliance strategic projects throughout the world in need of your prayers and financial support by accessing the 2024–25 Strategic Giving Opportunities Gift Catalog at cmalliance. org/giftcatalog or by calling toll-free (866) 443-8262.
Every person matters to God. And all of us—every member of His family—are invited to participate in the proclamation of His gospel, that the Savior of the world has come. We are the fruit of a harvest already gathered in—how can we not share this good news with the lost, suffering, and marginalized ones who have yet to hear?
From around the block to the ends of the earth
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Brandon M. and Bethany S. Nutter and family, in July. The Nutters serve with Envision as site coordinators.
EUROPE REGIONAL OFFICE
Joel T. and Elin M. Bubna, in July. The Bubnas serve with aXcess and are involved in pastoral ministries.
GERMANY
Kenny E. and Karissa A. Young and family, in July. The Youngs serve with aXcess and are involved in church planting and evangelism.
Benjamin D. and Chelsea M. Anderson and family, in July. The Andersons serve with CAMA and are involved in agriculture and community development.
JAPAN
David L. and Evangeline F. Kindervater, in July. The Kindervaters serve with aXcess and are involved in church planting and field bookkeeping.
LATIN AMERICA REGIONAL OFFICE
Keith E. and Teri R. Newburn and family, in July. The Newburns serve with aXcess and are involved in administration and church planting.
MEXICO
Jose Doniz and Marcela Gonzalez Doniz and family, in July. The
Donizes serve with aXcess and are involved in church planting in Guadalajara.
John J. and Cathy L. Howard, in July. The Howards serve with aXcess and are involved in church planting.
Dean H. and Donna R. Bracewell, in July. The Bracewells serve with aXcess and are involved in pastoral ministries and field administration.
Leonardo Ayala, military chaplain candidate, Catedral de La Esperanza, Rio Pedras, P.R.
Andrew M. Bashwinger, pastor, Bible Covenant Community Church, York, S.C.
Thomas M. Becker, pastor, Cary Alliance Church, Apex, N.C.
Brett D. Bower, special assignment, Central Pacific District
James J. Brandli, senior pastor, Melrose (Wis.) Alliance Church
Logan P. Esposito, pastor, CrossWay Church Sussex (Wis.) Campus
Keh-Jung Guu, senior pastor, Grace Christian Alliance Church, Flushing, N.Y.
Laura E. Haas, discipleship and community pastor, Cedars Church, Newark, Calif.
Sung S. Han, education pastor, The Gethsemane Church of New York, East Meadow, N.Y.
Kory J. Krusenstjerna, pastor, Casco (Maine) Alliance Church
Michael A. Labrum, special
assignment, Ohio Valley District
Thung S. Lee, assistant pastor, New Life Hmong Alliance Church, Milwaukee, Wis.
Robert T. Linn, associate pastor and district historian, Church on the Rock, Tucson, Ariz.
Mark C. Lynch, associate pastor, North Seattle (Wash.) Church
Ethan D. Martin, special assignment, Rocky Mountain District
Rio J. Martinez, military and veteran coach, South Pacific Alliance
Jimmy K. Nguyen, associate pastor, Vietnamese Evangelical Church of Fountain Valley (Calif.)
Long T. Nguyen, local church ministry, Vietnamese Evangelical Church of Fountain Valley (Calif.)
Samuel T. Parsons, lead pastor, Ohio Valley District
Timothy J. Poferl, lead pastor, Peoples Church, Geneva, Ohio
April P. Prahst, worship pastor, Anchor Church, Denver, Colo.
Dania R. Ramirez, director of worship development, Locust Valley Chapel, Coopersburg, Pa.
Paul B. Rogers, community outreach and discipleship pastor, Arabic Church of Sacramento (Calif.)
Brian W. Scott, district superintendent, Great Lakes District
Jyhkwei Shih, senior associate pastor, Grace Christian Alliance Church, Flushing, N.Y.
J. Wayne Spriggs, special assignment, Eastern PA District
Eric B. Stevenson, senior pastor, Cable Road Alliance Church, Lima, Ohio
Samantha R. Tait, director of care and counseling, Crosspoint Church, Temecula, Calif.
Le M. Tang, pastor, Vietnamese Evangelical Church of Fountain Valley (Calif.)
Jason D. Taylor, pastor, Mercy Church, Sioux Falls, S.Dak.
Tyler J. Theissen, institutional chaplain, MidAmerica District
Justin J. Thornton, other ministry, Great Lakes District
Tou H. Yang, care pastor, St. Paul Hmong Alliance Church, Maplewood, Minn.
Bakersfield, Calif., Agape of the Valley Ministries, 7424 Ruidoso Way, 93309
Bend, Ore., Catalyst Life Alliance Church, P.O. Box 7362, 97708
Big Bear Lake, Calif., Communidad Big Bear, 40946 Big Bear Blvd., 92315
Irvine, Calif., Irvine Chinese Alliance Church, 5200 Irvine Blvd. SPC 487, 92620
Mount Ayr, Iowa, Missio Church, 109 S. Madison St. #204, 50854
Phoenix, Ariz., Iglesia El Buen Samaritano, 3622 N. 35th Ave., 85017
Whittier, Calif., Nueva Vida, 11000 First Ave., 90603
Sean Badeer, associate pastor, Anchor Church, Denver, Colo.
Manuel Bustamante, church planter, Iglesia Cristiana Yo Soy, El Paso, Tex.
Stephen L. Eldredge, youth and young adults pastor, Rancho Murieta (Calif.) Community Church
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Randall S. Friberg, Alliance South Central
Ibrahim Hanna, pastor, The New Life Church, Smyrna, Tenn.
Andrew Hendry, campus pastor, State College (Pa.) Alliance Church
Truong X. Ho, assistant district superintendent, Vietnamese District
Nichoele C. Jezek, minister of outreach, Grace Church, Middleburg Heights, Ohio
Julianne Judge, outreach and missions director, Westgate Chapel, Toledo, Ohio
Brent A. Justice, pastoral resident, New Life Christian Church, Hudson, N.H.
Samuel Karlovich, associate pastor, Christ Community Church, Rugby, N.Dak.
Paul H. Karus, pastor, Sunnyside Alliance Church, East New Market, Md.
Julie J. Kim, assistant pastor, Dongsan Alliance Church, Little Ferry, N.J.
Kie Kyong Ling, interim associate pastor, San Francisco (Calif.) Chinese Alliance Church
Glenn Littrell, pastor, Hayes Center (Neb.) Community Church
Brandon C. Massie, Greenhouse resident, Fairhaven Church, Dayton, Ohio
Zachary J. Miller, pastor of worship and media, North Mar Church, Warren, Ohio
John P. Miner, worship/young adults pastor, The Bridge Church, Santa Rosa, Calif.
Hector O. Montoy, pastor, Iglesia Vida Radiante, Marysville, Calif.
Hector Montoy, pastor, Vision Espiritual, Woodland, Calif.
Michael Nelson, pastor, Sonrise Christian Fellowship, Enid, Okla.
Tim Ng, interim pastor, Kent (Wash.) Chinese Alliance
Paul Oliferchik, ministry intern, New York (N.Y.) Chinese Alliance Church
Brandt Overman, assistant pastor, The Table, Frederick, Md.
Thierry Premier Mabiala Pambou, lead pastor, Eglise Evangelique Amour du Christ, New York, N.Y.
Mark Pastoria, pastor of discipleship, Butler (Pa.) Community Alliance Church
Liem Phan, church planter, Alliance South Central
Jason N. Rollins, institutional chaplain, MidAmerica District
Katy M. Ross, director of intercultural ministry, State College (Pa.) Alliance Church
Titus Sam, associate pastor, Sound Hope Community Church, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Mekonnen W. Samuel, pastor, Grace Ethiopian Evangelical Church, Charlotte, N.C.
Alissa Sandoval, local and global missions pastor, Woodinville (Wash.) Alliance Church
Ward M. Satterlee, pastor, Bible Fellowship Community Church, Peever, S.Dak.
Alyssa R. Stockdill, youth pastor, Garland Avenue Alliance Church, Spokane, Wash.
Marc D. Syler, pastor, Green Mountain Chapel, Brattleboro, Vt.
Willard Tan, associate pastor, All for Jesus Christian Fellowship, Middleburg Heights, Ohio
Katalin S. Venneberg, pastor of children’s ministries, Living Hope Community Church, Wenatchee, Wash.
Jerry Wade, pastor, Dover (Ill.) Bible Church
Matt Walden, executive pastor, Rancho Murieta (Calif.) Community Church
Drew M. Walker, worship pastor, Indiana (Pa.) Alliance Church
Jiandong Wang, assistant pastor, Plano (Tex.) Chinese Alliance Church
Nathan T. White, teaching pastor, Community Fellowship, Lancaster, Pa.
Freddrick D. Williams, pastor, Mainline Christian Assembly, Malvern, Pa.
Kelvin L. Woods, worship pastor, One Mission Church, Tucker, Ga. Sherzong Yang, disciplemaking pastor, St. Paul Hmong Alliance Church, Maplewood, Minn.
George A. Zerbe, pastor, Community of Grace Fellowship, Mansfield, Pa.
Narin Phuong, July 7, Hacienda Heights Cambodian Evangelical Church, Pomona, Calif. Narin is the assistant pastor.
Glen Morris McKinney, July 14, Riverside Church, Big Lake, Minn. Glen is the connections and communications pastor.
Amanda Kaye Edin, July 28, Rose Hill (Minn.) Alliance Church.
Amanda is the executive assistant to the district superintendent, North Central District Office, St. Bonifacius, Minn.
Robert W. Brannon, Western Great Lakes District
Larry J. Carey, Great Lakes District
Richard D. Cooney II, The Alliance South
Douglas L. Enck, Eastern PA District
Robert C. Ether, The Alliance South
Jack E. Hannah, Western PA District
Laura M. Marshall, Alliance New England
Peter R. Marshall, Alliance New England
Michael G. Scales, Alliance Southeast
Edwin A. Shei, Ohio Valley District
Robert H. Trempert, Ohio Valley District
Barbara J. (Benedict) Hibschman
March 2, 1943–May 5, 2024
Born in Corning, Ohio, Barbara attended Fort Wayne (Ind.) Bible College (1962–1964). She received a BS in elementary education from Findlay (Ohio) College (now the University of Findlay) and earned her MA from Northeastern State University in Chicago, Ill. On August 1, 1964, Barbara married James “Jim” Hibschman. During 43 years of C&MA ministry, Barbara served with Jim in Vineland (1981–1986) and Warren, N.J. (1986–1997); the Metropolitan District, where Jim was the assistant district superintendent (1997–2005); Shalersville, Ohio (2006–2008); Cairo, Egypt (2009–2011); and Hudson, Ohio (2012–2021). Prior to serving with the C&MA, Barbara was a missionary at King’s College of the Philippines in La Trinidad (1969–1975).
Barbara was a recognized member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She received the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writer of the Year Award (1992) and the Distinguished Alumna Award from the University of Findlay (2018). During her lifetime, Barbara traveled to five continents and thirty countries on short-term missions trips. In 2023 and 2024, she traveled to Kenya to help build connections between the First Free Church and the Samburu tribe.
Barbara is survived by her husband; son John; daughter Christan; and 4 grandchildren.
Mark Leonard Jones
August 17, 1966–July 5, 2024
Mark grew up in a devout Christian family that laid the foundation for his lifelong dedication to Christ. He earned a BA from Ambrose College and Seminary (now Ambrose University in Calgary, Alta.) and later received an MA in leadership and community development. In 1992, Mark, along with his wife, Paula, began their overseas ministry in a creativeaccess country in Asia, where they served on the CAMA Services team until 2007.
Mark served with CAMA and The Alliance Canada (1992–2024) in various roles, including country director, regional developer for Asia, and, most recently, as strategy director for relief and development. He was also an active participant of the Alliance World Fellowship’s (AWF) Relief and Development Team and was instrumental in launching AWF’s global response to COVID-19. Mark’s passion for bringing hope and practical solutions to people affected by disasters was a
driving force in his life. He was instrumental in developing and nurturing leaders in Asia and elevating the C&MA’s focus on holistic engagement around the world. Mark was deeply committed to his family. Despite his many travels for work, he made it a priority to attend his children’s sporting activities and other important events.
Mark is survived by his wife; children Kurt, Kyle, and Keira; and 4 grandchildren.
Harriet Jane Pierce-Bartmas July 3, 1930–July 9, 2024
Harriet was born in the Congo to David Clifton Kopp and Daisy Elizabeth Galbraith Kopp, who were C&MA missionaries there. They returned to the States when Harriet was three, and she graduated from Punxsutawney (Pa.) High School in 1948. She and her first husband, Donald L. Pierce, lived in Greenville, Pa., and had a son, Donald Clifton. Harriet worked as a teller for the Greenville First National Bank and was a member of the local C&MA church. Donald passed away in 1993, and their son died in 2020.
In 2004, Harriet married Richard Bartmas, a longtime pastor in western Pennsylvania who served with the C&MA for over 36 years. They enjoyed 12 years of marriage before his death in 2016. Harriet died peacefully at her home in Brunswick, Ga., at the age of 94.
Harriet is survived by stepchildren Faith, Hope, Paul, and Richard; 2 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; 9 step-grandchildren; and numerous step-great-grandchildren.
Janice “Jan” Mae (Thornhill) Lanpher November 4, 1933–July 10, 2024
Born in Warren, Ohio, Jan earned a threeyear degree from the Missionary Training Institute (1951–1954), later Nyack (N.Y.) College. On August 28, 1954, she married Bill W. Lanpher. They planned to serve as C&MA missionaries in Vietnam, but after the death of their first son in 1956, the Lord led them to pastoral ministry.
During 40 years of ministry, Bill and Jan served pastorates in Lansing (1956–1959) and Pontiac, Mich. (1959–1961); Wheeling, W.Va. (1961–1963); and Toledo (1963–1967) and Cleveland, Ohio (1967–1969) before moving to New York in 1969. While Bill served at C&MA Headquarters in New York City and Upper Nyack, Jan began her ministry to college students while working in the Nyack College bookstore. She was also an administrative assistant for World Relief’s Refugee Services for several years before Bill was asked to serve at Crown College (formerly St. Paul Bible College) in St. Bonifacius, Minn., as vice president of student development and later
president. Recruited as the college’s financial aid director, Jan loved her many years of helping students in need of financial assistance and impacting their lives personally as the college’s first lady. She was also active in Alliance Women throughout her life.
After Bill and Jan retired from Crown College, they continued to serve the Lord at Trinity College of Florida, where Bill was president for seven years. Jan served alongside him as first lady while assisting the financial aid department. They moved to Shell Point Retirement Community in 2000.
Jan is survived by her husband; son James; 4 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by sons Timothy and David.
May 19, 1959–July 19, 2024
Debbie was born in Conway, N.H., while her parents were planting a church there. After graduating from Bowling Green State University with a BS in chemistry and astronomy, she married Joseph Beckley on June 16, 1979. During 37 years of C&MA ministry, the couple served churches in Madison Heights, Mich. (1980–1982); Mays Landing, N.J. (1983–1987); Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (1988); West Haven, Conn. (1989–1996); Frankfurt, Ky. (1996–2000), and Port Allegany, Pa. (2003–2015).
Debbie also wrote curriculum for children’s church and VBS for many years and served as president of Alliance Women for the New England District. After her husband died of Lou Gehrig’s disease, Debbie moved to Quito, Ecuador, where she enjoyed a fulfilling, fruitful ministry teaching physics, calculus, and Bible at the Alliance Academy for four years. She loved to travel and was working toward a goal to visit every U.S. national park and monument when she was stricken with brain cancer, the same illness that claimed her father.
Debbie is survived by children Aaron and Rachel and 3 grandchildren.
Hans “LeRoy” Josephsen
January 11, 1935–June 17, 2024
LeRoy was born in Pleasantville, N.J., and received a BA from Toccoa Falls (Ga.) College in 1956. On June 15, 1957, he married Nancy Valentine in Bowling Green, Ohio. LeRoy and Nancy served with the C&MA for over 38 years. In 1958, they were commissioned by Bowling Green Alliance Church as C&MA missionaries and served in Vietnam and the Philippines for over 35 years. They then continued Vietnamese and international evangelism and church-planting ministries in the United States for the remainder of
their lives. Nancy predeceased LeRoy in 2012. LeRoy died at the age of 89 in Bowling Green.
LeRoy is survived by son Tim; daughters Debbie, Beckie, and Shellie; 11 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren.
August 13, 1943−July 26, 2024
Born in Exeter, N.H., Bob earned his BS in electrical engineering from Syracuse (N.Y.) University in 1965. On June 26, 1965, he married Peggy Lee Allen. During the Vietnam War, Bob was dismissed from his draft status so he could answer the Lord’s leading to serve Him as a C&MA international worker in Vietnam. In 1967, he and Peggy started a servicemen’s center in Saigon to American and Allied soldiers. They served about 800 servicemen each month.
After Saigon fell four years later, the couple returned to the States. Bob worked as an electrical engineer in quality control at United Technologies in Lexington, Ohio. Bob and Peggy later returned to Southeast Asia, where Bob managed the Alliance guesthouse in Bangkok, Thailand, taught at Bangkok Bible College, and served as pastor to a small group of tech-minded students at the Asian Institute of Technology.
In 1980, Bob and Peggy moved to Kentucky, where Bob enrolled in seminary with the intent to be a more qualified chaplain to international students. He earned his MA in religion from Asbury Theological Seminary in 1984 and worked for over 14 years at Asbury College as a broadcast engineer. Eventually, Bob attended the University of Toledo to gain his teaching certification. He filled many roles at Madison Comprehensive High School, after which he retired. Bob is survived by his wife; children Madonna Katherine, Michelle Lynne, John Edward, and David Allen; and 11 grandchildren.
Arnold Woodring May 9, 1930–August 1, 2024
Born in Phillipsburg, Pa., Arnold dedicated his life to Christian service while at Mahaffey (Pa.) Camp, where he heard A. W. Tozer explain sanctification in terms he could understand. After serving for three years in the army during the Korean War, Arnold attended St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minn.) and received a degree in missions. While there, he met Mary Leigh. They married on June 28, 1956. Arnold later received a degree in philosophy from Taylor University in Upland, Ind. Upon graduating, he heard God calling him to be a minister of the gospel at home, rather than a missionary, and said, “God will bring the world to me.”
During 35 years of C&MA ministry, Arnold served churches in Madison, Owen, Curtis, and Menomonie, Wis.; Waconia, Minn.; Fairmont, W.Va.; and Van Buren, Ark. After retiring in 1995, Arnold was a counselor at the Samaritan House Community Center in Rogers, Ark. Arnold enjoyed telling stories of ministering to hippies, bringing them into church, and seeing them follow Christ and invite their friends to join them. He also started a restaurant and Christian coffee house and served on the local school board. In one church he pastored, Dallas Willard, the author and philosopher, held a prominent role and tried to persuade Arnold to become a philosophy professor. But, as Arnold liked to say, “God called me to be a country preacher.” He remained committed to that calling his entire life. Arnold was predeceased by his wife; he is survived by daughters Cheryl and Vicki; son David; and 2 grandchildren.
Evelyn Lucille Pinckney Landaw May 20, 1945–August 11, 2024
Evelyn was born in Valley County, Neb. In 1963, her family moved to Burwell, where Evelyn graduated from Burwell High School. On February 4, 1968, she married Rex Frederick Pinckney, the owner of Pinckney Hardware, which Rex and Evelyn owned and operated for 40 years. In October 2010, Rex passed away. Evelyn later met Harry Landaw, a widower and retired C&MA international worker to Japan. They married on July 19, 2014. Evelyn and Harry enjoyed serving in area churches, with Harry preaching and Evelyn using her
gift of music. They enjoyed 10 years together and had the opportunity to travel throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Japan.
Evelyn’s passion was music. A singer, drummer, and guitarist, she was in a country-western band with Rex and her sister and brother-in-law, Dixie and Bill Weber. The children of both families joined the band, and they performed family shows throughout the area. In the 1980s, Evelyn and Dixie received numerous music awards, including the Country Music Festival Award, the Newcomer’s Award, and Duo of the Year Award. In 1983, the two traveled to Nashville and cut a record.
Evelyn was an active member of the Burwell Baptist Church, where she sang on the worship team and served as church treasurer. She was a member of PEO Chapter CJ, a philanthropy dedicated to motivating, educating, and celebrating women.
Evelyn also served as chair of the Community Memorial Health Center and was a member of the Burwell Chamber Board and the Burwell Economic Development Board.
Evelyn is survived by her husband Harry; sons Kelly Ray and Michael Rex; stepdaughters Jill and Heidi; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
In the “With the Lord” section of the September/ October issue, Alex Zell’s obituary incorrectly states that he received his bachelor’s from Toccoa Falls College in 1958; he received it in 1985. Also, he served in Tappan, N.Y., after serving in Waldorf, Md., not Geneva, Ohio. We apologize for the errors.
The sun never sets on the Alliance family, spread out across the globe. Wherever we find ourselves, we can be certain that we are each sent. Just as the Father sent Jesus to proclaim the upside-down Kingdom of love, so He’s sending us.
tch John tell a story, share a devotional, issue challenge, or cast C&MA vision. Released on the 12th of each month.
Brian Scott and his wife, Susan, live in Nicholasville, Kentucky. He currently serves in the office of the Ohio Valley District.
Recent Releases: Blog 133: His People Blog 134: Paul Rader: Our Second President
cmalliance.org/stumbo-video
I WI L L S AY Y E S T O J ES US
by A. B.
Above: After an urgent plea in 1924 for missionaries to go to Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), eight single women and one married couple left for service and language study in November 1925. Among the women along the departing steamship’s rail are some of these missionaries sent to Congo by The Alliance: Mrs. M. Knudson, Agnes Killer, Esther Palmquist, Sylvia Parsell, Lenore Fulton, Agnes MacDonald, and Frances Eisensmith. Ethel Mason and Catherine Jones departed a few days later.
Iwill say “Yes” to Jesus, Oft it was “No” before, As He knocked at my heart’s proud entrance And I firmly barred the door. But I’ve made a complete surrender, And given Him right of way, And henceforth it is always, “Yes,” Whatever He may say.
I will say “Yes” to Jesus, His promises I’ll claim, And in every check He endorses I’ll dare to write my name; I will put my “Amen” wherever My God has put His “Yea,” And ever boldly answer, “Yes,” Whatever He may say.
I will say “Yes” to Jesus, To all that He commands, I will hasten to do His bidding With willing heart and hands; I will listen to hear His whispers, And learn His will each day, And always gladly answer, “Yes,” Whatever He may say.
I will say “Yes” to Jesus, Whate’er His hand may bring: And though clouds hang o’er my pathway, My trusting heart will sing, “I will follow wherever He leads, My Shepherd knows the way, And while I live, I’ll answer ‘Yes,’ Whatever He may say.”
As part of our ministry to the Deaf community, our team hosted a sign language camp in partnership with a short-term team from the United States. Every day, 33 Deaf kids, using lightning-fast sign language, spent their time gobbling watermelon, playing various sports, performing skits, doing crafts, and more.
One moment was especially meaningful. Our Deaf tutor, Moses,* was ill one day. When asked if we could pray for his healing in Jesus’ name, without hesitation, he said, “Yes, of course.” He then said he has decided to follow Jesus! After years of praying for the first Deaf person to come to Christ, we were overjoyed to see Moses publicly confess his faith. He has already started bringing Deaf folks to a local fellowship where our project manager is providing interpretation into sign language. Moses has been asking many questions about what it means to follow Jesus. Pray for our team and other believers to disciple him well on this new journey. Pray that like Moses in the Bible, our tutor will bring many out of bondage and into the Promised Land!
*Name changed
—an Alliance international worker serving with aXcess
When I first met Heba, a woman of the majority faith, she told me about a dream she had years ago. A man in white visited her, stood next to a pool of water, and told her, “I am the Truth.” His presence filled her with peace, and she couldn’t stop thinking about the dream. She asked what I thought it meant. I told her about the Messiah, how He is the living water, and what His Word says about Him. She looked at me and said, “I want to follow Him!” I have been working in this culture for 13 years and have never met someone so ripe to hear the truth.
Although Heba received Jesus that night, she has since been reluctant to be discipled. Pray that the Holy Spirit will move in her heart to commit herself fully to Christ’s Lordship.
—an Alliance international worker serving with aXcess
Praise God that the Circle of Hope opened a second venue this year even though we were on home assignment. This outreach began in 2018 in response to the overwhelming needs the Breath of Life church in Guadalajara had seen in their community. Women did not have the means to sustain themselves adequately or were in desperate situations due to the violence in Mexico. So many women and children were coming to our doors, finding hope, and learning about Jesus, but the one-room office we were renting was inadequate to provide the practical, tangible help they needed.
In 2020, we rented a home with support from Alliance Women. Embracing a multisite approach, our ministry is tailored to address the unique needs of the community it serves and is influenced by those who live and work there. It aims to empower women in need, starting small with a single day of impactful workshops. We also offer fun activities such as cooking and jewelrymaking classes. Pray for this venue as it forms a leadership team and expands its ministry.
Bob and Cheryl, Alliance international workers serving with aXcess
Thank you to our investors, donors, and partner churches for all you have done in 202 4 to advance the work of The Alliance in the U.S. and in the least-reached corners of the world.
We delight in serving the Alliance family where
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THE MAGAZINE OF THEALLIANCE SINCE 1882 | (877) 284-3262 | email: ALLIANCELIFE@CMALLIANCE.ORG
THE MAGAZINE OF THEALLIANCE SINCE 1882 | (877) 284-3262 | email: ALLIANCELIFE@CMALLIANCE.ORG
“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
—LUKE 2:10 b –11 (NIV 1984)
