Alliance Life: January/February 2022 by The Christian and Missionary Alliance

ALLIANCELIFE ALLIANCE T H E M AG AZI N E O F THEALLIANCE SI NC E 1882

OVERLOOKED PRAYER WARRIOR Learning the importance of consistent prayer pg. 4

VOLUME 157

A KINGDOM FAMILY

Becoming a missionary in unlikely circumstances pg. 22 JAN/FEB 2022

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LIFE-ALTERING INTERCESSION How one prayer can turn a soul pg. 10

GUEST EDITORIAL

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Founder A. B. Simpson Editor-in-Chief Peter Burgo

PRESS ON IN PRAYER The importance of prayer can hardly be overstated. Intercession and corporate prayer are the primary ways we engage with God as His people to see His Kingdom come and will be done on earth. Prayer is also the primary way for us to grow in intimacy and friendship with God. Of course, Scripture also plays a significant role in the deeper life, but prayer should always accompany our reading of the Word. While prayer is often discussed in the Church, it is also regularly underestimated and undervalued by the Church. Sometimes, lies and misconceptions about God creep into our hearts and affect how we pray. If I can, I hope to dispel some of those falsehoods. First, prayer isn’t as complicated as we often make it. It doesn’t require a certain technique or vocabulary level. There are no shortcuts or cheat codes in prayer. It is simply talking to God and listening for Him to speak. It’s a conversation. Second, God wants you to pray and not just because it’s good for you. He wants you to pray because He wants to hear your voice and build a relationship with you. He likes you. Third, God isn’t far from you. We all go through seasons when we feel God is distant or not listening. I understand that feeling deeply. However, it’s altogether untrue, despite what we might feel. There will be times of silence in your prayer life—but press on anyway, knowing that God loves you and is constantly drawing you deeper toward Himself. He’s not distant. In fact, you couldn’t escape His presence even if you tried (see Psalm 139:7–12). Finally, prayer is one of the most significant and impactful things you can ever do. People often wonder about the meaning of life. I truly believe that the deepest meaning we can find in life is in knowing and loving God and being known and loved by Him (see John 17:3). This is our highest calling and greatest purpose. In an age of instant gratification, persisting in prayer can be a long, arduous task—don’t give up and don’t lose heart (see Luke 18:1–8). Every moment spent in prayer is valuable. My greatest hope for you is that you will pray at all times, in your best and worst moments. Bare your heart to Him and listen for His voice. He longs to speak with you.

Hannah Packard Digital Content Writer

Managing Editor Emmy Duddles Graphic Designer Caylie Smith Assistant Editor Julie Daubé Staff Writers/Editors Julie Daubé Hannah Ader Hannah Packard Circulation Fulfillment Julie Connon © ALLIANCELIFE ALLIANCELIFE i s p ub li s h e d by T h e Christian and Missionary Alliance, 8595 Explorer Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 8 0 9 20. M e m b e r, E v a n g e l i c a l P r e s s A s sociation and A s sociated Church Press. Printed in the U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ALLIANCELIFE, 8595 E xplorer Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80920. When requesting a change of address, pleas e gi ve b ot h t he old and new addresses. Direct all correspondence and changes of address to ALLIANCELIFE, 8595 Explorer Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80920. Toll free: (877) 284-3262; email: alliancelife@cmalliance.org. Website: www.alliancelife.org.

The Alliance is committed to world missions, stressing the fullness of Christ in personal experience, building the Church, and preaching the gospel to the ends of the earth. ALLIANCELIFE carries on the tradition of 140 years of publishing stories of God at work through Alliance people in the United States and throughout the world.

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cover: Photo courtesy of Alliance interna-

tional workers. Because of the consistent care of Alliance hospital staff, these two brothers became the first believers in their village.

JAN/FEB2022 04 Christ-Centered OVERLOOKED PRAYER WARRIOR Learning the importance of consistent prayer by Ron Morrison | pg. 4 THE TOZER ANTHOLOGY Compiled by Harry Verploegh | pg. 6 FREE VERSE Quotes from the Kingdom | pg. 7

10 Acts 1:8 LIFE-ALTERING INTERCESSION How one prayer can turn a soul by Darlene Bochman | pg. 10 GOD’S GLORY SHINING Healing hearts through prayer by Timbrel Hull | pg. 12 YOU SHOULD HAVE THE AUDACITY Embracing the power and privilege of prayer by Spencer Sweeting | pg. 16 A KINGDOM FAMILY Becoming a missionary in unlikely circumstances by Hannah Ader | pg. 22

32 Family

22 22 CONTENTS pg.

BOARD SUMMARY LETTER October 2021 by Steven C. Lausell | pg. 27 PRAYER IS PRIMARY Prayer requests from Alliance workers around the world | pg. 28 ALLIANCE FAMILY NEWS Personnel changes, obituaries, and classified ads | pg. 29

OUR LIFE Snapshots from around The Alliance | pg. 38 FOUNDATIONS Silence in Heaven Adapted by Alliance Life staff | pg. 40

Plus 02 EDITORIAL 08 INFOCUS 15 THE PEOPLE WE SERVE 18 YOUR GENEROSITY IN ACTION 20 THE LORD’S PRAYER POSTER 26 INFOCUS

by Ron Morrison

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s I reflect upon our deeply held values in The Alliance, I am frequently reminded of the struggle to consistently do what is agreed upon as our primary work: the ministry of prayer. Why is it often such a struggle to have the work of prayer as a practiced value rather than another aspirational value? While we are not naive about the work of the enemy and how he easily distracts believers from this mission-critical labor, we must own the fact that failure in this area is our own fault. However, the Lord is faithful to empower us to overcome our fleshly weaknesses and demonic opposition to do His will. We all have been inspired by the many stories in Scripture that tell of biblical heroes and heroines of the faith who gained victory through prayer. Hezekiah saw the Lord destroy 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night (see Isaiah 37). Esther called for fasting and prayer, and the Lord delivered the Jews from Haman’s plot to kill them (see Esther 4:15–17). David frequently received answers to prayer when he was running for his life as King Saul relentlessly pursued him (see 1 Samuel 23). We know how prayer works and that the Lord works through prayer, yet many of us still struggle for consistency. What else needs to be done?

seeing on Sundays. It forces me to step away from the urgent matters that I may be addressing while in the office and do what is even more important. It is amazing how my perspective changes on what felt so urgent as I do this. I also stand in the pulpit and pray for those who will hear the message whenever they are able to attend. I hope to grow to be more like Epaphras as I develop better prayer habits. THE MEMBER EVERY CHURCH NEEDS Those of us in pastoral ministry should remind ourselves often of what the apostles said was priority for us—prayer and the ministry of the Word (see Acts 6:4). However, in many cases, other important church business finds its way into our busy schedules and competes for priority time. We need more members like Epaphras. I have not heard of any church that did not lose members due to COVID. Some of the losses were directly caused by the virus, while others left because they concluded they did not miss the gathering of the saints. Certain losses are felt more than others, and certainly there is one kind of member no church can afford to lose—the prayer warrior. In fact, I hope every pastor can identify this member in their congregation. Scripture says Epaphras always labored fervently in prayer for others. What a great reminder of the kind of members we need in our churches so that we grow together and work together to do our Lord’s will. Our church has a faithful group of ladies who get together every Friday on the phone and pray for the youth and children in our church family by name. Our prayer team leaders also make sure at least one member is fasting and praying each day of the month for our church family and all of our ministry efforts to win the lost and disciple those who respond. Corporate prayer gatherings in groups, small and large, have been helpful for all of us to see the heart and hand of God at work in our midst. I see the evidence of their faithful prayers and the work of the Lord in response to those prayers.

We need more members like Epaphras.

A NEGLECTED HERO OF THE FAITH While reflecting on biblical examples of effective prayer, my attention was drawn to one of the overlooked prayer warriors in the Bible. We do not have the record of what his prayers accomplished, but we do know that his consistency is something we all need to emulate. His name is Epaphras, and his brief but powerful ministry is recorded by the apostle Paul in his letter to the saints in Colossae. “Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis” (Col. 4:12–13, NKJV). Epaphras is a neglected hero of the faith, and I can only imagine how much he loved the Lord and those people he prayed for. As I contemplated some of my inconsistencies in prayer, the testimony that Paul recorded about him challenged me to emulate what Epaphras had done. His prayer focus was different than that of many of us in ministry, as we can be distracted to pray about urgent needs and major problems that come in all shapes and sizes rather than praying for consistent growth in the faith of our members. If we refocus our prayers to model what Epaphras was doing, many urgent needs and major problems will be solved in the process. One of my favorite practices is to walk around our empty sanctuary while praying for those I am used to

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PRAYING OUT OF PASSION Epaphras labored in prayer while many have yet to discover that intense prayer is hard work. Fervent prayer is described as agonizing in prayer, which reminds us of our Lord’s intense prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane as He approached the agony of the cross. Epaphras prayed for his brothers and sisters in Christ to grow to maturity and completely fulfill the will of

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God for their lives. He did so because he was zealous for the people he prayed for. Do our congregations pray out of a real passion for the Lord and one another, or is it simply an obligation to fulfill that makes us feel better when it is done for the day? I am amazed to read that Epaphras would consistently and fervently pray for saints in three different locations (Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea). If we could start a movement of having our members pray consistently for three other people to fulfill the will of God for their lives, we should see life-changing results and healthy church growth. After all, fulfilling the will of God for each of our lives will result in God using some of us in ways we may have never imagined, for His glory, our good, and the benefit of those who have yet to meet the Lord who loves them. “Lord, stir in us a passion to pray for others in the same way we pray for ourselves when we cry out to You. Help us replace good intentions with good habits and spiritual disciplines motivated by love rather than obligation. Thank You again for Your investment in us, and may we all be willing to invest in others through prayer and action. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, amen.” Ron Morrison is the president of the African American Association of Pastors and Consecrated Workers and served on the C&MA Board of Directors for 16 years. He and his wife, Anita, planted Hope Alliance Bible Church in 1995 where he continues to serve as senior pastor.

T O Z E R ANTHOLOGY

Compiled by Harry Verploegh

God is speaking. . . . He is by His nature continuously articulate. He fills the world with His speaking voice.

Every one of us has had experiences which we have not been able to explain: a sudden sense of loneliness, or a feeling of wonder or awe in the face of the universal vastness. Or we have had a fleeting visitation of light like an illumination from some other sun, giving us in a quick flash an assurance that we are from another world.

The voice of God is a friendly voice. No one need fear to listen to it unless he has already made up his mind to resist it.

Whoever will listen will hear the speaking heaven. This is definitely not the hour when men take kindly to an exhortation to listen, for listening is not today a part of popular religion. . . . Religion has accepted the monstrous heresy that noise, size, activity, and bluster make a man dear to God.

The Bible will never be a living Book to us until we are convinced that God is articulate in His universe.

I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not only a Book which was once spoken, but a Book which is now speaking.

—from The Pursuit of God. Originally published in The Alliance Witness, January 20, 1982

PRAYER by Fred Allen

Photo by Olivia McCash

Is there any place but this? Any other land of bliss Beyond this simple ground of prayer? No. There is no elsewhere. Here the vassal realms converge; Nations, empires, worlds—all merge, Inhaled by brilliant, boundless being, All where and all seeing. Is there any time but now? Past and future each somehow

Present in the moment’s flow, To be and long ago Swallowed by a radiant bloom, Presence sweet of Him in whom Hour and day and age are one, Time’s latticework undone. Here the reins of time and space Loosen in the reign of grace. Here there is no when, no where, Only faith, only prayer.

FREE VERSE

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inFocus In one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, a woman feeds birds outside a mosque on market day. Our workers are present in this city to be a light to their neighbors and meet practical needs, like Sign Language education for deaf children and their families. Photo by Olivia McCash

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LIFE-ALTERING INTERCESSION How one prayer can turn a soul

Above: Darlene and Jeremy at the dumpster where they met

by Darlene Bochman

rayer is something we often take for granted. Yes, we offer up petitions and expressions of thanks at meals, before bed, and during moments of fear. But much of the time, these are rote prayers, and we fail to really consider who we are talking to and the total power He holds. Not too long ago, this became clear to me in quite an unexpected way. In December 2020, I was dumpster diving in a place where I could find nearly brand new blankets to bring home, wash, and take to a local homeless shelter. While there, I met a homeless man named Jeremy, and we struck up a conversation. Never one to be shy, I asked him why he was homeless. Jeremy freely admitted it was due to his drug problem. We chatted for a while, and before I left, I asked if I could pray for him. I didn’t think too much about it, but I felt this was something I should do. I don’t remem-

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ber the prayer—I didn’t know what to pray, either—but I prayed for him anyway. I saw Jeremy a couple times after that day and even took him a coffee once as we dumpster dove together, but I never gave the prayer another thought. UNEXPECTED IMPACT In April 2021, I got a message from a friend that Jeremy was trying to find me. I was told to call his mother since he didn’t have a phone. To my complete surprise, I found out that Jeremy had gone into drug treatment. But an even greater surprise—his mother told me he was getting baptized the next Sunday and wanted me to be there. When I arrived at the church where Jeremy was getting baptized, I saw him up on stage, very emotional, with another woman who was being baptized that morning. While giving his testimony, Jeremy said he had been on

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methamphetamines for 25 years and would dumpster dive to pay for his habit, taking what he found in the dumpster and selling it. Jeremy went on to say that he met a lady at a dumpster who was easy to talk to. When she asked if she could pray for him, he agreed, thinking she was just strange. She’s going to pray for me and then we’ll just leave. It’ll be weird, he thought. He didn’t even know her name, but that lady became his angel and saved his life. Instead of this being just a passing moment with a stranger, Jeremy told the congregation that God took a hold of him with that prayer, telling him to get his life together. Jeremy listened to God’s voice and went into drug treatment. At his baptism, he had been sober for 120 days. The pastor said that if anyone wanted to take pictures, they should come down and get in position. I walked down the center aisle and saw his mother and brother leaning over him in the baptismal tank, hugging him before he was baptized. When I got closer, Jeremy looked up, saw me, and jumped out of the tank. He wept as he hugged me for more than a minute saying, “You’re my angel. You’re my angel. You saved my life!” Since he had been standing in the tank, he got me all wet as well, but it was worth it. He then turned to the congregation and shouted, “This is her!” It was a privilege to see him get baptized.

he could stay as long as he had drugs to offer them. He started dealing drugs to help pay household expenses. Eventually, he ended up living in a tent all by himself for a year and a half. Jeremy has a 19-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son by two different women. A year ago, Jeremy’s son gave him an ultimatum—choose either the drugs or him. That day, Jeremy went home and got high on methamphetamine. Not even his love for his son could take Jeremy out of his life of addiction.

Photos Courtesy of Author

When I got closer, Jeremy looked up, saw me, and jumped out of the tank.

NEVER ABANDONED Despite everything, God never abandoned Jeremy. In fact, his mother and grandmother had been praying for him for years. He said that he never would have listened to them about turning to God, but after I prayed for him, Jeremy completely lost his desire for methamphetamines within a month until he was completely clean, even from cigarettes. Jeremy had struggled to process his emotions due to the drugs. He had been numbing himself for more than two decades; the only emotion he could feel on methamphetamine was anger. But as I prayed for him, he was no longer numbed by drugs—Jeremy could feel. At last, he felt like he might have a chance for a future. When Jeremy checked into a 40-day treatment center, he realized he needed to get right with God. He started going to church and soon had a desire to be baptized. He now has a full-time job doing construction and is involved in mentorship and a men’s Bible study to stay rooted in his new faith. Jeremy’s relationship with his son has healed as well. As for me, it was a profound moment. So often we get an inkling to pray for someone, but we never see the results. My prayer wasn’t anything fancy—it even felt inadequate. But God took that prayer and did something beautiful. I am just so thankful that God let me see the result of following Him. Jeremy may not have heard the words I said, but he did hear the words God said to him. Sometimes I wonder if I even hear from God, but we must learn to listen for His still, small voice. When we are obedient, God moves in incredible ways!

Despite everything, God never abandoned Jeremy.

LIVING WITH NO DIRECTION When we spoke later, he told me that before I prayed for him, all he felt was condemnation. He turned to drugs at a young age to cope with life and deal with his pain. Jeremy had grown up in a single-parent home and started drinking alcohol and smoking weed by the age of 12. As a young boy, he was diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed Ritalin, which is what ultimately got him addicted to drugs. As he got older, people traded him methamphetamines for the Ritalin. They gave him an addictive feeling of control. Jeremy dropped out of high school after his sophomore year and started living with friends. By 16, he got his own place to live. Eventually, he earned his high school equivalency diploma at age 18. Jeremy said that through all of this, he felt his life had no direction. He floated between jobs, addicted to methamphetamines, crystal meth, and crack. Because of his addiction, Jeremy couldn’t pay his bills. He was evicted from his apartment and then bounced between friends’ homes for three to four years, where

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Darlene Bochman has been an active member of the Menomonie (Wisc.) Alliance Church for 44 years, teaching Sunday school, playing piano, directing choir and musicals, working in the nursery, and running the coffee shop.

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GOD’S GLORY SHINING Healing hearts through prayer

by Timbrel Hull, with editorial help from Emmy Duddles

SHINING FACES Moment after moment, we lead many to Jesus, helping them visualize Him and be in a safe place with Him. Every time I had the opportunity to do it, it was like I could literally see God’s glory shining on that person’s face as they experienced His love. In 2020, fear and desperation set in for many people. Door after door began to open as people who would have called themselves atheist or agnostic were going through difficult things and would reach out for prayer over WhatsApp. Eventually, people I didn’t even know were contacting me for prayer, saying, “I know this is really weird, and I don’t know you, but somebody told me that you pray with people.” As we connected, I explained the prayer process to

ruguay is the kind of place where it can take years of being in relationship with people before they’re even willing to hear about Jesus. You can pour your energy out all day, every day, and feel like you’re not getting anywhere. It takes so much emotional and relational energy to try to put yourself out there. At the beginning of our second term in 2017, my husband, Jimmie, and I were really wrestling, wondering, “If the Father is always working, what is He doing right here, right now, and how can we learn to be in on that?” During this season, God opened the doors of inner healing prayer to us, helping us not just to be vulnerable about the painful things that we’ve been through, but to be positioned to listen to people and learn how to see them and connect with them in their pain through prayer.

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people are comfortable praying out loud. But Rebecca just gave her whole self to Jesus in that moment. It was beautiful. I didn’t even give her all the words. She just started praying. Every time we would go through these simple exercises, like, “Jesus, show me a place where I can connect with you,” she would receive so deeply. He even reminded her of places in her childhood where she felt connected with Him, like the sense of freedom she had when riding her bike in the neighborhood. When she first started coming, Rebecca had been on the fringes and was just enjoying the faith ride and the sense of community, but now her faith has grown leaps and bounds. Rebecca, like all of the people I’ve prayed with, had such a painful story. But this is the gospel— this is why He died so that He could carry all of it. I get to be present to watch them give that to Him and see the glory that He spills out on them.

Opposite: Andres (left) and Sylvia (right), a local Uruguayan pastoral couple. Sylvia received healing from depression through prayer.

them: “I’m just going to ask God’s presence to come and be with you.” Some days I was spending four to six hours just in our bedroom praying with people. And every single time, something miraculous happened. They encountered God’s love, and often it was tangible. Sometimes they would feel their hands get hot or this deep sense of peace in their back. “That’s the Kingdom of God,” I said. “You just experienced a piece of the Kingdom. And if you want to, you can live there. Would you like to invite God to come and let you be completely in His Kingdom?” And every time I extended this invitation, they said, “Yes, I want this all the time.” We had seen healing prayer as a way for believers to connect more deeply with God, but it became a powerful tool to help people experience God’s love for the first time.

CUT THE ROOF OPEN In June 2018, a local Alliance pastoral couple in Uruguay invited the College of Prayer, a revival prayer ministry, to come to Tranqueras, a podunk town in the middle of nowhere that has spiritual significance in the country for the Masons. During the first module of the College of Prayer, we started learning to pray together, and the Lord met this national church body of about 200 people in incredible ways. One of the couples who came was Andres and Sylvia. We knew Sylvia was struggling with depression and anxiety. One day, Sylvia wrote me a message saying she was starting to have migraines and they were sending her to heart doctors. Her whole body was literally falling apart. In my training for inner healing prayer, they had compared it to the story in Mark 2 where four men tore open a roof to bring their friend to Jesus for healing. After hearing from Sylvia, the Holy Spirit grabbed hold of me and said, “It’s time to cut the roof open. Do whatever you have to do.” We had heard too many stories of the worst happening, and the depression rate among pastors in Uruguay is high. I was only halfway through my training, but I wrote to Sylvia, saying, “I’m coming. I’m getting on a bus tomorrow morning.” I didn’t really know what I was doing, and I was having to do it in Spanish, which I’m still not that great at. But one of the biggest treasures

Photos courtesy of author

It was like I could literally see God’s glory shining on that person’s face as they experienced His love.

FULL ACCESS One of the many people I’ve prayed with was Rebecca,* a woman who had been coming to our church plant for a year and a half at the time. Nobody knew exactly what she believed. There are so many spiritual influences in Uruguay that you just never know. I told Rebecca about the training I was just about to start in inner healing prayer, and Rebecca said, “Well, if you need a guinea pig, practice on me.” It felt a little bit overwhelming. I thought, How in the world am I going to know that she really is coming to Jesus and not something else she may be carrying? Once our schedules aligned, I went to her house, which she loves dearly. And God told me, “Today’s her day. She’s going to come into the Kingdom. I’m going to tell you what to say.” We were sitting at the table when the words just started coming out without me having to put them together. It was so Spirit-given in that moment. I said to Rebecca, “If you were going to remodel this house, you would have to give full and complete access to the person who helps you. So if you want to invite Jesus into the hurting and scarred pieces of your heart, you have to give Him full access. Do you want to do that?” I couldn’t even finish before she started praying out loud. In Uruguay, it can take a very long time before

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Jesus took her back to that place in her mind, and she was sitting there on the table, looking at the doctor. And there was Jesus behind the doctor, shaking His head: “No, that’s not who you are.” He helped her reject the whole false identity she had taken on. Over the course of the next few months, people startI carry from these years overseas is learning to be deed asking her, “What’s going on? You were a wreck, but pendent on His voice because I have nothing else. I your face is radiant now.” Because who is Sylvia really? still don’t have the words in Spanish to say what I real- She’s a bubbly person, full of beautiful energy. ly want to say, but He keeps leading me and others to It was such a treasure to come alongside her. And now major breakthrough anyway. she’s giving away what she has to the people around her. When I arrived, I explained the process to Sylvia and Prayer is more powerful than I ever dreamed. asked her to invite God’s presence to be with her in her whole mind. Most of what she said, I couldn’t even un- A CHURCH ON FIRE derstand because it’s tricky to understand people when After the College of Prayer module in Tranquerthey are emotional even in as and the inner healing prayer we did with Sylvia, your first language, let alone Andres and Sylvia were eager to bring this to their one I wasn’t fluent in. But church. “We need revival in our church. Would you God was just so faithful. come?” they asked Jimmie. “Would you come and do We prayed several times, what you did in Tranqueras with our little group of and at one point, God took 30 people?” her to this moment when she We got another Uruguayan pastor to go with us to was a little girl, sitting in the their town, Chuy, for a College of Prayer weekend. One doctor’s office. Her mom was Friday night, we were ministering to the Lord, worshipsaying to the doctor, “Sylvia’s ing, praising, following the lead of the Holy Spirit, and an anxious girl. She’s just a high maintenance kind of just enjoying the Lord’s presence. kid. I don’t know what to do with her.” A woman came in about halfway through and just “That’s just who I am,” Sylvia said. “I’m just anxious all sat down and joined the group. As we were talking with the time about everything.” people afterward, she came up to Jimmie and said, “You “We know that You’re always with us,” I prayed. “So will never believe this!” show Sylvia where You were when that happened, Jesus.” “What?” Jimmie asked.

Above: Since the first one in Tranqueras, the Alliance team in Uruguay has been holding College of Prayer meetings all over the country, including this one in Rivera.

Prayer is more powerful than I ever dreamed.

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P E O P L E WE SERVE

“I had to work late, but I was riding my bicycle through town, coming to church because I didn’t want to miss this,” she said. “I got a block away from the church, and when I looked up, the church was on fire. Literally, there was a glow around the church and flames shooting out the windows. I got my phone out to call 911, but when I looked up again, I realized it wasn’t really fire. So I put my phone away and approached slowly. God’s presence was over this place and over this group of people.” We heard so many stories from that weekend of lives being transformed by encountering the manifest presence of God in a tangible way. We have continued to meet in Tranqueras twice a year and in multiple other cities for prayer and revival. God is meeting His people, preparing His Bride, and revealing His glory across Uruguay. *Name changed

Timbrel and Jimmie Hull serve with The Alliance in Uruguay. Their passion for inner healing began in 2010 when they crashed emotionally and almost didn’t leave for the field. They have received mentoring from College of Prayer and Healing Care Ministries.

My name is Ting.* I grew up in a Buddhist environment and always thought that the idol worship my family engaged in was merely a form of culture and tradition. I believed that there were forms of spirits out there, but I never realized the impact they have upon our physical lives—that is, until I started attending a seeker’s class led by Alliance workers and began to know the name of Jesus Christ. One night, I felt a strong, evil presence come upon my bed and pin my entire body down. As hard as I tried, I just couldn’t move. I was petrified, and I felt in my heart that the spirit was very displeased that I was being exposed to Christianity. The next morning, I went and told my seeker group leader, and he shared with me an experience he went through that was exactly the same. He then instructed me to call upon the name of Jesus if it happened again. Sure enough, that night, it happened again. The evil spirit came upon me and pressed me hard into the mattress—and into panic. I then called out, “Jesus, help me!” At that moment, a very gentle and firm voice comforted me and said, “Do not fear, only believe in Me.” That’s when I calmed down and the spirit left me . . . and I slept in peace that night. Now I know that spirits are real—and even more real is Jesus Christ, whose Spirit came to my aid that night and delivered me. *Name changed

by Spencer Sweeting

ecently, we’ve seen the images and heard the stories coming out of Afghanistan as the Taliban seized control of the country. We’ve been reminded of the devastation of massive storms hitting Haiti and our country’s coasts. We’re seeing a resurgence of COVID-19, and with it, increasing socio-political divisiveness that seems to permeate our society, both inside and outside the church. Everywhere we turn, we’re confronted by pain, disease, injustice, and other forms of the world’s brokenness on vivid display. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by it all and powerless to make a difference. But not one of us who is in Christ and has His Holy Spirit is without power. We have the power of God and the privilege of prayer.

THE ART OF ASKING In Luke 11, we encounter Jesus’ teaching on prayer. Though most of us have the Matthew 6 version of the Lord’s Prayer committed to memory, we see the same core components of prayer here, too: • Rehearsing our intimacy with God by calling Him “Father” • Ascribing greatness and holiness to God alone • Inviting God’s Kingdom (where the fullness of His

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goodness and justice exists) to come here • Calling upon God’s grace to provide for our physical and spiritual needs • Requesting His protection in the midst of spiritual warfare When these elements are present in our prayers, we can be assured that our will and desires in prayer will be aligned to the will and desires of Jesus. But Jesus goes further in shaping our prayers through one of His most amusing parables: He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him.’ Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs” (Luke 11:5–8, CSB).

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Illustration by Caylie Smith

What provokes the friend’s abundant provision? The audacity of the one who asks. This is the very basis of Jesus’ encouragement for His disciples to ask, seek, and knock. When it comes to prayer, Jesus is giving us permission to engage with God in persistent petition. This is the heart of intercessory prayer. The apostle Paul draws a connection between the intercession of the Church for all people and the delight of God (see 1 Timothy 2:1–4). In other words—ask! Petition! Intercede for everyone! Why? Because it is good and pleasing to God. He loves to respond to our shameless boldness—not because of anything we’ve done, but according to His abundant compassion (see Daniel 9:18). What’s more, God has given us His Spirit to empower us in prayer, helping us petition Him from the depths of our souls even when we’re at a loss for words (see Romans 8:26).

language but has been lived out in The Alliance from the very beginning of our movement. Why do we believe this? Scripture repeatedly teaches us that prayer is a powerful means for effecting change. Skye Jethani puts it this way: We are not merely passive set pieces in a prearranged cosmic drama, but we are active participants with God in the writing, directing, design, and action that unfolds. Prayer, therefore, is much more than asking God for this or that outcome. It is drawing into communion with Him and there taking up our privileged role as His people. In prayer, we are invited to join Him in directing the course of His world. In the moments when we feel the most overwhelmed by the brokenness of our world, may we have the audacity to intercede before God: For His provision. For His intervention. For His salvation. Let us pray like Jesus did with the persistence that Jesus urged. This is how we’ve been invited to participate in God’s renewal of our world. Spencer Sweeting is the lead pastor of North Springs Alliance Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

PRAYER IS OUR PRIMARY WORK The primary way we join with God to see His Kingdom advance on earth is through prayer. This isn’t just lofty

John Stumbo

V IDE O B LO G Photography by Stephanie Reindel

Watch John tell a story, share a devotional, issue a challenge, or cast C&MA vision.

Released on the 12th of each month Recent Releases: Video No. 100 Video No. 101

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YOUR GENEROSITY in action

B R I N G G O SPE L A DVA N CE TO JA PA N

od’s call on our lives had different beginnings. Don grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where his dad pastored Grace Church for almost 40 years. Missionaries regularly visited the church. Don was the second of nine children, so the table was full during meals, but they always had room for missionaries. When Don was 10, a little missionary lady from Japan named Mabel Francis visited Grace Church and talked about her ministry. Mabel Francis might have been small in stature, but the impact she had on so many was

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huge. Her love for the Japanese left an impression on Don even as a young boy, and that visit started his journey toward pursuing God’s call to reach the Japanese. Hazel grew up in the Philippines to missionary parents from Scotland. She was the youngest of six children. Her two older siblings went through the war with her parents, running from the Japanese military, the very people to whom God would call her to serve. A submarine miraculously rescued her family. Hazel’s parents were dedicated to God’s calling on

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Photos courtesy of author

Don and Hazel Schaeffer, Alliance workers serving in Japan

their lives despite great difficulties. Witnessing how they lived and hearing their stories impacted her at a young age. The pull on her life to go overseas was so strong that she knew God would have to call her to stay at home! When Hazel’s family arrived in Japan after years of preparation, they heard that ministry was hard, that the Japanese were resistant, and that the results were low. That hasn’t changed! Japan is a country of over 126 million people. Less than half of 1 percent know Jesus. That makes us weep!

Opposite: Alliance leaders praying over Pastor Nagumo as he is being ordained Below: Don and Hazel Schaeffer lead the Bible and Ministry Training project in Tokyo, Japan.

VISION FOR GOSPEL ADVANCE Our vision is to start an online ministry training program to prepare people who feel called to ministry. A pastoral track and a layperson track will give us the capability to train not only pastors but also lay leaders in the churches. We envision a training program that is multi-faceted, including seminars, internships, and online training. Our goal is to make ministry training more accessible to more people for greater impact. The freedom that an online program gives us is limitless! Equipping Christians for gospel advance is crucial for the future of the church in Japan.

BUILDING ON A LEGACY In our 37 years of ministry here in Japan, we have been involved in a young church plant, have started two churches, and have served in missions leadership. At every turn, we were faced with the reality that there was no one to work with and that we had no one to pass the baton to. Many of you have prayed for us from the very beginning of our journey and know that the need for more workers has been a constant request in our prayer updates. Ministry in Japan has hit many roadblocks. How do you build momentum in ministry in a country where churches and ministries struggle? How do you break the cycle of discouragement where there has been little response? What can a church-planting mission do to set a trajectory that shows upward and forward movement? For years we have prayed, and God is moving! His compelling voice is calling us to start a training school to raise up workers for the coming harvest. Now is the time for gospel advance! We need a training program based in the Kanto region (Tokyo area) that will equip believers to serve as pastors and lay leaders. Tokyo is the largest metropolis in the world with over 35 million people. We need to reach this city— and beyond. The Alliance has a seminary in Hiroshima in the western part of Japan. For many years, recruiting students to move to the seminary to study in its program has seen little response. We need a new model in Japan to raise up the next generation of church leaders.

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We need workers who will know God and be equipped to make Him known—workers who preach God’s Word, pastor God’s people, and plant churches. We want to train prospective pastors and church leaders at a school with Alliance DNA.

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Having Alliance pastors on board from the ground level is a key in seeing this initiative through. As we have met with pastors, we learned they are already beginning to identify those in their churches who would benefit

from a Bible training program like this. “The Alliance Bible Institute (ABI) is an opportunity for students to know God and to make Him known,” says Pastor Arthur. Pastor Nagumo adds that “studying the Bible shouldn’t be just about head knowledge but about experiencing the power of God’s Word. It’s about knowing how we can understand and recognize the power of God’s Word in our lives.” Pastor Kouichi, who is leading the Alliance Church Network, says his hope is that students at the Alliance Bible Institute will inherit the DNA of A. B. Simpson and A. W. Tozer and become disciples of Christ who (in the raw Japanese translation) “catch people!” Our target start date for ABI is April 2022. Training new workers has always been at the heart of The Alliance. A. B. Simpson saw the need for training workers and started Bible classes at the Gospel Tabernacle in 1882. The student body had to demonstrate one common qualification: “they had given up all for Christ, and His work meant all to them.” The first class graduated in July 1884. Here we are, 140 years later, ready to launch a program to train Simpson “irregulars” for the work in Japan! Irregulars—that’s who we want!

Below: A training class lead by Alliance international worker Stephen Woerner

PRAYER AND PARTNERSHIP Many of you have prayed, and many of you have given to see the Bible and Ministry Training in Tokyo project become a reality. Your giving and prayers are laying the foundation for this initiative. Our hearts are full of anticipation for what God wants to do through your partnership in this project. More than anything, we need your prayers. Pray for students. Pray for all those involved in this initiative. Pray for the never-ending details that need to be worked out as we launch this initiative. Pray for gospel advance in Japan. Alliance family members are some of the best givers—arigato! Your giving will help raise up more workers like Pastor Kouichi and Kelly, Pastor Nagumo and Shoko, and Pastor Arthur and Tomoko. We are partnering with the Alliance Center for Leadership Development (ACLD) in this initiative. No words can express our thanks to Stephen Grusendorf and his team for allowing us access to the courses, tools, and “know-how” we need to jump-start the Alliance Bible Institute. We are part of a global network through ACLD that God is using to train and send out new workers. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isa. 43:19). God wants to do something in Japan. We know it; we feel it! We have a God-sized vision before us. Training more people to join us in the harvest that is coming is not an option; it’s a mandate. The best is yet to come!

SPREAD THE GOSPEL IN JAPAN! The greatest roadblock to gospel advance in Japan is a shortage of workers. To reach the unreached people of Japan, more churches are needed. More churches require more workers. With your partnership, Alliance Bible Institute will prepare workers to reach the millions of unreached people in Japan. The time is now! You can play a part in extending Alliance hero Mabel Francis’s legacy by contributing toward building a strong church foundation in Japan that will continue for generations. To put your generosity into action for the people of Japan, visit cmalliance.org/ give; select “a project you love/Find a project;” and type in “Bible and Ministry Training in Tokyo.”

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Photo by Olivia McCash

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A KINGDOM FAMILY Becoming a missionary in unlikely circumstances

by Hannah Ader

s difficult as it may be to believe, Romans 11:33 is true: the Lord works in mysterious ways. We pray for His will to be revealed or to see and experience more and more of His goodness, but often His goodness is beautifully intertwined into our every day. It gets so ingrained into our “mundane” and “normal” lives that we must truly have faith to believe that His mystery is at work in the less obvious. Sometimes, though, we get to experience the Lord’s tangible majesty, and His goodness is magnified through witness and circumstances so obviously orchestrated by Him that we can’t ignore it. At a C&MA hospital in West Africa, God is mightily at work in a small town that has been sheltered from Him for many years. For Jake, one of the internation-

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al workers who serves at the hospital, witnessing God’s glory is common. In fact, it’s difficult not to see Him at work when there is so much obvious transformation in the hearts of their people, though it often takes time. It is common in this country for people to first experience the Lord through the kindness of international workers, especially in the hospital. The tangible love and kindness Alliance workers extend to these people is an extension of the gospel, and people are finding Jesus because they see Him in others. FACING RESISTANCE In 2015, Jake was working with pastors in a village that the Alliance church had been trying to evangelize for over 20 years. This particular village was extremely re-

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him, his family would visit him, and he was quite happy. His faith grew, and he discovered a new sense of family—a Kingdom family. He attended prayer meetings in the evenings and developed a sort of ministry to other patients. International workers serving at the hospital can name many people who were influenced and encouraged by Emad and came to know Christ because of him. Emad had an influential personality and showcased enormous amounts of compassion to the hospital staff, those he was living among in the hospital, and everyone he met. Without anyone encouraging him to do so, Emad organized regular prayer meetings and Bible studies for and with hospital patients simply because he wanted others to know Christ. These meetings and studies began with just a few people, but soon patients who were walk-ins from town started to join in too. Some even pressed for the hospital staff to hurry and finish with their care so that they could join in the study time. One patient in particular was incredibly moved by Emad’s presence and persistence in sharing the

Opposite: Emad was the first in his village to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Below: Emad’s (middle) faith was infectious, and many came to Christ because of him.

Photos Courtesy of Author

sistant to the gospel. But the Lord had called a Christian teacher to these people, and he invited Jake to share the JESUS film on his front lawn. The film was constantly playing on the hospital TVs, and the team often showed it in villages as well. When Jake and some team members went to this village, there seemed to be some traction and interest. They went back in 2016, hopeful that they could soon send a pastor to live in the village. But the villagers completely stopped this from happening and would not let a pastor in. The workers felt discouraged as it seemed like a place where the Lord was moving, but the door seemingly closed before it fully opened. “It was very disorienting,” Jake says. “It felt like we had taken on this big project—it was ambitious—and it just came to a stop.”

His faith grew, and he discovered a new sense of family—a Kingdom family.

OUT OF THE ASHES On one of those trips to the village, Jake met a young man named Emad* who had lost so much strength in his arms and legs that he could only scoot around on a tiny stool. When Jake and his team brought Emad back to the hospital for tests and physical therapy in order to improve his quality of life, they discovered he had muscular dystrophy. It was during his time at the hospital that Emad came to know the Lord. Out of the ashes of a village Jake had hoped and prayed for—sensing the Lord wanting to do something big—came one person. One who came to Jesus. One who was evidence of God’s mysterious ways. One who could go back and proclaim the gospel to his people. Emad. But with this new sense of hope came a new set of challenges. “No one wanted to send this brand-new believer back to this village where there were no other believers around,” Jake says. “Especially someone who was handicapped so severely.” So, they didn’t. Not yet, and the Lord continued working. Emad lived at the hospital for another five years. Some of the other patients would cook for

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Opposite: Emad and his brother, Adam, at the Alliance hospital

gospel. Derrick* arrived at the hospital paralyzed after a horrific fall into a well. By the Lord’s divine intervention, he was placed in the room next to Emad. Derrick was bound to his bed, so Emad spent time with him and held his prayer meetings and Bible studies right outside Derrick’s room. Soon after, Derrick and Emad began studying the Bible together, and Derrick was drawn to Jesus. Derrick’s wife joined him at the hospital after a couple of months, and she gave her life to the Lord as well. Where they live, he and his wife are the only Christians for miles, but they still steadily and faithfully follow the Lord, and Emad influenced them and many others by sharing the good news. Emad had so many friends, an incredible ministry, and a good support system. It was no wonder that he was content staying with his faith family in the hospital and not going back to his village; but the Lord had other plans. QUIET AND CONSTANT STIRRINGS The Alliance hospital workers had to leave West Africa in May 2021 due to safety issues. Along with uprooting their lives from the place they called home—the place the Lord had called them—they also had to leave their patients and their faith family and figure out a plan for long-term housing for some. Emad was one of them. Emad’s faith had grown exponentially, and Jake and his team felt that he was ready to go back to his village. During the five years that Emad had been living at the hospital, pastors had done much evangelistic work in the surrounding areas, and there were believers who wouldn’t be too far. Jake and his team started building Emad a handicapaccessible house in his village. While they were building, the team met Emad’s brother, Adam,* for the first time and wanted him to come back to the hospital to learn Emad’s physical therapy routine so that Adam could help Emad once he moved home. Adam came to the hospital over a weekend and stayed for three weeks. “I thought, ‘When I go in on Monday, I’m going to talk to Adam and see if we can start some spiritual conversa-

The Lord is moving, and He is using two young believers to plant His truth in their native soil.

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tions,’” Jake remembers. “Well, I got there on Monday, and everyone said, ‘Emad’s brother gave his life to the Lord over the weekend.’” Back in 2015, when Jake and the team had been visiting Emad and Adam’s village for the first time, a 12-yearold Adam had seen the JESUS film for the first time, and it stuck with him. When he came to the hospital to learn about Emad’s physical therapy, knowing it was a Christian hospital, the very first thing he did was find a chaplain. Adam gave his life to Christ right then and there. The Lord had been working. AN ONGOING TESTIMONY By the end of April, the team sent Emad and Adam back home to their village—the place that never had committed Christians, the place that was active with terrorist activity. But now, there is the start of a church. The village has two believers who can read God’s Word and learn, study, and grow in their faith together. “Emad has this kind of magnetic personality,” Jake says. “People are just drawn to him.” The story in this village is not over; it’s just getting started. The Lord is moving, and He is using two young believers to plant His truth in their native soil. What a blessing to this village that the Lord worked and moved in such a way that He could use new believers to bring His goodness back to a place that has been void of it for so long. What an answer to prayer that His mysterious ways were set in motion years before Emad and Adam even visited the hospital. What a continuous reflection of His heart for His people. We long for God’s greatness to shine throughout the world, for the gospel to be known and to be experienced, and we are not alone in that. The Lord desires that, too,

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Hannah Ader is the content writer for the Alliance National Office. She has been living in Lexington, Kentucky, while pursuing a master of arts in theological studies at Asbury Theological Seminary.

and as His hands and feet, we get to weave together the stories He has written, the lives He has touched, with our own touched lives to bring that very majesty to the places He calls us. He works in mysterious ways, and by His grace, we have incredible opportunities to witness that very grace through the stories of His people. *Names changed

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inFocus In Central Asia, Alliance workers travel great distances through mountainous terrain to stay with local families in remote villages, with the hope of building relationships and sharing stories from the Bible. The heart of these workers is for the gospel to be proclaimed and take root among these overlooked, isolated people. Photo by Olivia McCash

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BOARD SUMMARY LETTER October 2021

Dear Co-Laborer for Christ, The C&MA Board of Directors met at Fairhaven Church in Dayton, Ohio, on October 27–28, 2021. Pastor David Smith and his staff were welcoming and gracious hosts. Their preparation allowed for a smooth, efficient, informative, and productive meeting. We extend our gratitude to all of them! The opening devotional was presented by Pastor Mark Ashton of Christ Community Church in Omaha, Neb. The “big idea” was that “God wants to hang out with us,” which is a thought that should never stop impressing, inspiring, and motivating us. Mark tracked this idea through the tabernacle as presented in Leviticus, which, according to Hebrews 5, is a shadow of what is in heaven and revealed in Revelations 4. Mark ended with a “spoken word” that whatever the world has to offer, “Jesus is better.” The second day devotional was presented by Pastor Matt Cohen of Citylight Church in Philadelphia, Penn. Based on John 2:13–22, Matt developed the idea that the “temple” where God communed with His people was first with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, then in the Tabernacle, the Jerusalem Temple, and finally in Jesus, the True Temple. Wherever there is temple language, there is a pattern of sin, departure, exile, and promise. We need to come to Jesus, share His zeal for the Father’s glory, and take heart that our mission of taking the gospel to lost people through the Church cannot fail! The Higher Education Review Committee met with the college presidents: Nyack College—Rajan Matthews; Crown College—Andrew Denton; Toccoa Falls College— Robert Myers; and Simpson University—Norm Hall. Our higher education institutions weathered the pandemic without significant financial setbacks. They continue to face challenges, those common to all Christian colleges, such as declining traditional student enrollment and legal pressure from an increasingly secular culture. Nyack College faces financial challenges, while at the same time its ministry continues to have great impact among its students and community. The administration remains hopeful that God will lead them. The Board is grateful for and encouraged by President Matthews’ leadership.

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Ken Baldes, Tim Meier, and Tim Crouch provided information regarding the ongoing effort to consolidate all of the C&MA financial/accounting information into one system and restructure our giving model so it feeds directly into that system. All of this will maximize resources and efficiency as we continue to send and support international workers. We already see the benefits of the new system, and first quarter giving to the GCF has been very strong. Ted Kang presented the Alliance Missions Committee Report. Thirteen international worker appointments in seven regions were approved for service with The Alliance, bringing our total for the year to 34. The Board rejoices with the new workers God has called and for the faithful prayers and financial contributions of the Alliance family that allow them to be sent. Robb Childs presented the report on relocation. The Reynoldsburg site consists of four adjoining parcels. We are the grateful owners of the largest of the parcels and have also secured an adjacent property for our temporary National Office until new facilities are constructed. The vacant corner parcel is under contract. The former office in Colorado Springs was sold, and we have leased space for operations that remain in Colorado Springs for the time being. The way everything continues to “fall into place” confirms that God is leading the way! Two matters have been presented to the Committee on Rules for action. An official notice to delegates has been posted on the website and distributed in various communications (see cmalliance.org/notice). The Audit Review Committee reported on their review of the C&MA’s financial statements for the 2020–2021 fiscal year, audited by BKD LLP. The C&MA once again received a “clean audit.” Rejoicing in our times of prayer throughout the meeting and songs led by Kelvin Walker, we departed looking forward to our next meeting in February 2022. In Christ’s love, Steven C. Lausell, Corporate Secretary

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PRAYER IS PRIMARY Requests from our Alliance family INDONESIA

PORTUGAL At Alliance Council 2021, we were officially commissioned as C&MA international workers to Portugal. We deployed in August 2021. In this nation of approximately 10 million people, there is low gospel access, and it is becoming even harder to hear the saving message of Jesus. The number of churches is declining, from a high of 1,630 in 2000 to 964 in 2016. According to the Portuguese Evangelical Alliance, “Evangelical churchgoers are 0.4 percent of the population, and in some regions, believers are almost ‘invisible.’ The average size of an evangelical church is 49 people.”

Our school year at the Hope Language Institute has gone amazingly well thus far. Of the 36 students in this year’s cohort, 30 have received Jesus since the beginning of the semester; others had already trusted in Him before arriving. Only two haven’t yet responded to Jesus’ invitation. I asked if they understood the gospel—they do. When asked what is keeping them from receiving Christ, one mentioned sin; the other had unforgiveness in her heart. Pray that our students will understand that God loves us when we’re still sinners and changes our hearts so we can obey Him and forgive.

Pray for revival here and that many more Portuguese people will receive gospel access.

A series of spiritual attacks occurred in the girls’ dorm; some saw spirits and heard voices. My wife, Patty, and I talked with the girls about doors they may have opened for Satan. After a time of worship and confession, we prayed over each dorm room. A couple of girls experienced manifestations—one fainted. We learned that two had received “fetish” bracelets from their parents intended to protect them, but the girls were now ready to get rid of them. One opted to return the bracelet to her family, and we burned the other fetish. The next day, we heard the student was doing much better. The experience has caused many of our students to sign up for deliverance sessions. Thank God that He is victorious and gives His children victory! Pray for us we teach our students to walk that victory.

—Luke and Shana Camara

INCA LINK HONDURAS Inca Link was born of a vision to reach Latin America’s 300 million youth with Christ’s irresistible love. Our missionary in Honduras, Daniel Ascencio, has been exploring ways to reach new generations through evangelism and discipleship programs, compassion ministries, and more. Last February, he was joined by his wife, Nayeli. Together they are serving the people of La Sierra through kids’ literacy and Bible programs, which enable Daniel and Nayeli to share God’s love with area children. One way they fund their ministries is through a potato farm—all proceeds go toward Inca Link Honduras projects. The couple hopes to use this venture to become self-sufficient. Pray for God’s blessing and provision.

—Barry Jordan

Daniel and Nayeli are also youth directors for an Alliance church in Honduras. They have formed a partnership with the evangelical churches in La Esperanza–Intibucá, where pastors from all denominations work together to further the Kingdom. —Rich and Elisa Brown

Inca Link Honduras potato farm

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ALLIANCE FAMILY NEWS From around the block to the ends of the earth

TO THE FIELD AFRICA REGIONAL OFFICE

Kevin J. and Bonnie Oberg and family, in August. The Obergs are the regional director couple. BALKANS

Robert W. and Heidi A. Scott and family, in August. The Scotts are involved in language study. BALKANS (CAMA)

Grant C. and Dakota J. Shaw, in August. The Shaws are involved in language study and development ministries. BLACK FOREST ACADEMY

Samuel C. and Jennifer L. Stemple and family, in August. The Stemples are involved in thirdculture kid education. CAMBODIA

David C. and Leaksmy P. Rebok, in August. The Reboks are involved in field administration and discipleship ministries. CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Joel T. and Elin M. Bubna, in August. The Bubnas are involved in church ministries, discipleship ministries, and Marriage Encounter. FRANCE

Todd A. and Terri L. Althaus and family, in August. The Althauses are involved in church planting.

Ross T. and Ashlee Ballard and family, in August. The Ballards are involved in language study.

GABON

MONGOLIA (CAMA)

Zachary J. and Jennifer M. O’Connor and family, in August. The O’Connors are involved in medical/health ministries at Bongolo Hospital.

MONGOLIA

Renee E. Valach, in August. Renee is involved in medical/health ministries at Bongolo Hospital.

Christopher L. and Amanda J. Edman and family, in September. The Edmans are involved in language study.

Sandra L. Freeman, in September. Sandra is involved in medical/health ministries at Bongolo Hospital. Jeffrey L. and Amy M. Lane, in October. The Lanes are involved in medical/health ministries at Bonogolo Hospital. GUINEA CONAKRY TEAM

Arnold R. and Cheryl R. Solvig, in August. The Solvigs are involved in administration, business management, and discipleship ministries. EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST REGIONAL OFFICE

Joel J. and Kristen R. Cagwin II and family, in August. The Cagwins are involved in member care. ITALY

Martin L. and Gloria E. Banzhaf, in September. The Banzhafs are working with churches that minister to refugees. MEXICO

Carlos and Veronica E. Saavedra and family, in August. The Saavedras are involved in church planting.

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Peter Y. and Sarah S. Lee and family, in September. The Lees are involved in relief and development ministries.

Mark D. and Cinda S. Wood and family, in September. The Woods are serving on the National Church Development Team. PORTUGAL

Luke T. and Shana L. Camara and family, in August. The Camaras are involved in language study. SENEGAL DESERT SPRINGS TEAM Steven D. and Elizabeth R. Williams, in August. The Williamses are involved in language study. SPAIN

Miguel A. and Zulmarisse Toledo, in August. The Toledos are involved in social initiatives with an outdoor activities club to reach an unreached community. THAILAND

Tub J. and Gao-Jai Yang and family, in August. The Yangs are involved in language study. URUGUAY

Bruce R. and Stephanie J. Beers, in September. The Beerses are involved in administration, field bookkeeping, and church planting.

PERSONNEL CHANGES Douglas R. Anthony, Walk in Two Worlds, Shawnee Alliance Church, Lima, Ohio Thomas E. Allen, national evangelist, The Alliance South

Ryan C. Baker, pastor, Maple Ridge Church C&MA, Sunderland, Mass. Daniel P. Bartl, pastor, Canyon View Church, Hamilton, Mont. Charles P. Bohl, family ministry pastor, Grace Church of Forest Lake (Minn.)

Melody E. Buehler, director of women’s spiritual development, C&MA Church, Bowling Green, Ohio

Hiep N. Bui, assistant pastor, Vietnamese Alliance Church, York, Pa. Scott P. Calentine, churchplanting resident, Simple Church Collective, Marysville, Wash.

Meica B. Campbell, church planter, New City Church, Georgetown, Ky.

Kyle S. Cayton, staff pastor, Summit Church– Spartanburg, S.C. Matthew W. Cheung, nonAlliance assignment, Metropolitan District

Matthew J. Cluraghty, high school ministry resident, Christ Community Church C&MA, Omaha, Neb. Kevin D. Cornish, pastor, C&MA of Harrison Valley, Pa.

David A. Denyer, ministerat-large, South Pacific Alliance

Our shared curiosity drives us to think, create, do, and be better. Every day.

Christian P. Destremps, pastor, Canaan Community Church, Coatesville, Ind. Randall P. Dirks, special assignment, Bethany

On-campus | Online | Graduate

crown.edu

Joseph Kue, church planter Compassion Hmong Alliance Church of the C&MA, Woodbury, Minn.

Alliance Church, New City, N.Y.

Jessica E, Fleck, college personnel/youth ministries, Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minn.

Trai N. Le, pastor, Vietnamese Alliance Church, Westminster, Calif.

Edward I. Stuart Jr., special assignment: SALT leadership, The Alliance South

Svetlana Gidenko, teaching pastor, The Way, Salem, Ore.

Brent D. Liberda, associate pastor, Morgantown (W.Va.) Alliance Church

Fellowship, The Alliance South

J. K. Edwards, professor, Talbot Seminary, South Pacific Alliance Mark B. Edwards, associate pastor, Toledo (Ohio) Chinese Alliance Church

Christopher J. Laws, pastor, Stow (Ohio) Alliance Fellowship

Lt. Harold P. Garcia, navy military chaplain, C&MA National Office

Joel De Leon, pastor, Familias Con Destino Comunidad Cristiana, Chula Vista, Calif.

David L. Gilmore, district superintendent, South Pacific Alliance

Jang K. Lim, pastor, Korean District

Piero A. Gorriti Corzo, churchplanting pastor, New City NYC International Church, New York, N.Y.

Harold Mangham Sr., minister-atlarge, The Alliance Southeast

Paphoua X. Hang, director of discipleship ministry, Hmong American Alliance Church, Maplewood, Minn.

Daniel Moua, special assignment, Hmong District

Wendell K. Grout, minister-atlarge, MidAmerica District

Thomas M. Hanks, pastor, C&MA Church, Kenton, Ohio

Cheufue Her, pastor, Hmong Menomonie (Wis.) Alliance Church Bryan M. Hetterscheidt, nonAlliance assignment pastor, Central District

Michelle J. Kragt, site associate, Envision Twin Cities, North Central District

L. Ferrell Towns Sr., national evangelist, The Alliance South

Daniel R. Wetzel C., national evangelist, MidAmerica District

Boi H. Nguyen, pastor, Philadelphia (Pa.) Vietnamese Alliance Church

Gabriel L. Norton, pastor, The Bridge Church of the C&MA, Watertown, S.Dak.

Scott T. Kelly, executive pastor, Pine Knolls Alliance Church, South Glens Falls, N.Y.

William F. Kosel, associate pastor, Eagan Hills Alliance Church, Eagan, Minn.

Joseph R. Terry, campus and youth pastor–Sidney (N.Y.) campus, Circle Drive Alliance Church

Kurt A. Mueller, pastor, Ensley Alliance Church, Pensacola, Fla.

Whitney A. Pritchard, minister of connection and discipleship, Christ Community Church, Fort Myers, Fla.

Eber D. Kinne, pastor, CrossTown Alliance, Olean, N.Y.

Clayton W. Taylor, children’s ministry program director, North Central District

David W. Washington Jr., outreach pastor and church planter, Alliance Bible Church, Baytown, Tex.

Maurice R. Irvin, minister-at-large, Metropolitan District

David R. King, special assignment, Eastern Pennsylvania District

John R. Smith, senior pastor, Discover Community Church, Maricopa, Ariz.

Mitch N. Massey, pastor, Apalachin campus, Circle Drive Alliance Church, Sidney, N.Y.

Felipe A. Olavarria, churchplanting resident, Citylight Benson Church, Omaha, Neb.

David S. Janssen, associate pastor, Grace Fellowship Chapel C&MA, Bedminster, N.J.

Craig S. Smith, national evangelist, North Central District

Fred Polding, minister-at-large, The Alliance Southeast

Mario I. Register, associate/youth pastor, Community Bible Church, Mansfield, Ohio Jairo I. Reyes, pastor, ACM Sabana Hoyos (P.R.)

Samuel L. Sanders, worship pastor, North Country Alliance Church, Plattsburgh, N.Y. Kum H. Shin, pastor, Korean District

Anna E. Shuman, pastor of youth and family ministries, Risen King

JAN/FEB 2022

ALLIANCELIFE

Kevin L. Walzak, interim pastor, Milaca (Minn.) Alliance

Hang Wong, Candidate Recruitment and Development Office representative, Alliance Theological Seminary, C&MA National Office

Paul Yang, pastor, Compassion Hmong Alliance Church of the C&MA, Woodbury, Minn.

Joseph A. Zanayed, pastor, NorthGate Community Church, Cathedral City, Calif.

ORDINATIONS Anthony (Tony) Diaz, November 7, 2021, Cross Life Church, Land O Lakes, Fla. Tony is the associate pastor. Martin (Marty) Paparo, November 7, 2021, Friendship Alliance Church, Callahan, Fla. Marty is the pastor. Mark DiAndreth, September 17, 2021, Murrysville (Pa.) C&MA Church. Mark is the assistant pastor of administration and small groups.

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Alec David Sickel, September 17, 2021, Murrysville (Pa.) C&MA Church. Alec is the assistant pastor of youth ministries.

CONSECRATION Sharon Kendall, November 3, 2021, Blairsville (Pa.) C&MA Church. Sharon is the small group director.

NEW CHURCHES Morrisburg, Ohio, Triangle Chinese Alliance Church, PO Box 1098, 27560

NEW WORKERS Ramey E. Bachali, assistant minister of worship, HarvestDowtown, Colorado Springs, Colo. Cameron H. Booze, missions resident, Christ Community Church C&MA, Omaha, Neb. Nick O. Charbonnier, pastor of next generation, Canby (Ore.) Alliance Church

Randy Cook, pastor, Kodiak (Alaska) Bible Chapel Joseph B. Cox, pastor, Norwin Alliance Church, Huntingdon, Pa.

Lam Q. Duong, pastor, Vietnamese Alliance Church, Auburndale, Fla.

Jose L. Duvignau, director of men’s ministry, The Oaks Community Church, Bakersfield, Calif.

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Randall D. Fall, care ministry pastor, Westgate Chapel, Toledo, Ohio

Caitlin S. Fettig, student worship resident, Christ Community Church C&MA,

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Omaha, Neb.

Thomas M. Flynn, spiritual care chaplain, MidAmerica District, Omaha, Neb.

Todd Gallahar, pastor, Northwood Alliance Church, Blaine, Wash.

Bryce A. Goff, assistant pastor for missions, Allegheny Center C&MA Church, Pittsburgh, Pa. Andrew A. Griffin, associate pastor, Cody (Wyo.) Missionary Alliance Church Aaron R. Grossoehme, associate pastor, Missionary Alliance Church, Blairsburg, Iowa

Jervis Her, youth pastor, New Life Upstate Church, Boiling Springs, S.C. Jeriah Kiang, youth pastor, Stockton (Calif.) Chinese Christian Church Mark B. Little Elk, evangelist/ associate pastor in training, Cass Lake (Minn.) Alliance Church Joshua Medina, interim pastor, Iglesia ACyM de White Plains, Cornwall, N.Y.

Adam J. O’Connor, pastoral intern, Cape Cod Bible Alliance Church, Brewster, Mass. Jihoon Park, emergency services chaplain, MidAmerica District, Littleton, Colo. Richard D. Peck, pastor, Mount Union (Pa.) C&MA Church

Carla M. Povich, women’s deeper life ministries and ministries coordinator, Saltsburg (Pa.) Faith C&MA Church

Donovan A. Roberts, worship and youth pastor, The Journey, Tiffin, Ohio Randall H. Robinson, family pastor, NorthGate Community Church, Cathedral City, Calif. Daniel M. Rojas, youth pastor, Vietnamese Alliance Church, San Diego, Calif.

Brandon Sales, pastor, Lighthouse Christian Church, Puyallup, Wash. Joshua Schooping, pastor, The Christian & Missionary Alliance Church of Russellville (Ariz.)

Benjamin W. Sprague, pastor, Gather Church of Redding (Calif.)

Bogale Tadegegn, pastor, Ethiopian Word of Faith Church, Las Vegas, Nev. Locheng Thao, church planter, Hmong District, Stockton, Calif. Sang M. Tran, pastor, Houston (Tex.) Vietnamese Christian Church

Robert B. Tumbelston, assistant minister of mentorship and pastoral care, HarvestDowntown, Colorado Springs, Colo. Brian A. Wemple, pastor, Cedar Creek Alliance Chapel, Twin Lakes, Mich.

vehicle needed in winter. Located 35 minutes from Boise Airport. Available at AM rate beginning January 2022 for single or couple with no accompanying children and no cat allergies. WISCONSIN: Lower level of a home with two bedrooms, bathroom, office, living space, yard. Shared kitchen and laundry. Located in a peaceful small town 75 minutes from Milwaukee Airport. Available at AM rate beginning January 2022. For more information, email patricia.an@protonmail.com

RETIRED Timothy N. Brooks, Central Pacific District Jeffrey A. Burger, Central District Stephen M. Hess, Ohio Valley District William E. Hicks, The Alliance Southeast

Col. Ronald R. Huggler, Alliance South Central Jerry W. Hunter, Eastern Pennsylvania District

Fred G. King, The Alliance South

Glenn A. Lewis, Great Lakes District William W. Malick, South Pacific Alliance William A. Ness, North Central District

David J. Phillips, The Alliance South Rebecca L. Puchy, Eastern Pennsylvania District

Darien K. Sawyer, Alliance New England Vang C. Thao, Hmong District

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JAN/FEB 2022

ALLIANCELIFE

WITH THE LORD Mary Ann (Ratcliffe) Stengele August 31, 1927– August 26, 2021

Mary Ann was born in Buffalo, N.Y., to Chester Randolph and Doris Irene (Wojciechowska) Ratcliffe. She graduated in 1948 from the Missionary Training Institute (now Nyack College, New York, N.Y.), where she met Laird, her husband of 47 years. They married on August 7, 1948. In 1952, the couple departed for India, where they served as C&MA missionaries for 35 years. During her time in India, Mary Ann was involved in village ministry in Akola and Amravati, Maharashtra, for 13 years. She then served as a second-grade teacher, librarian, and housemother to hundreds of boarding school students from across the globe at Kodaikanal International School in Tamil Nadu. Upon retiring in 1988, Mary Ann and Laird returned to the United States, where they eventually settled in Allentown, Pa., and were members of Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship Church. In her final years, Mary Ann split her time between her three children in New Hampshire, New Jersey, and

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John A. Wilson June 25, 1942–September 21, 2021

Tennessee. She was known for her hospitality, her devotion to her family and church, her love for all people, and her deep faith.

Born in Waterloo, Iowa, John moved with his family at age five to Minot, N.Dak., where they attended a C&MA church. John became active in the youth group, as did several of his friends. Together they engaged in many shenanigans. Once when they went to the pastor’s home, he and his wife were not there, so they entered the house and turned all their living room furniture around to face the wall. Then John and his friends helped them put it all back.

Mary Ann was predeceased by her husband; she is survived by children Carol Sue, Donald, and David; 6 grandchildren; and 1 great grandson. James E. Lee November 18, 1926–August 29, 2021

James was born in Charlotte, N.C. He was married to Jennie and served with the C&MA for 35 years, having worked at the C&MA headquarters in New York City and Nyack, N.Y. (1968–1984), now the Alliance National Office, Columbus, Ohio. In 1988 James started Forest, Va., Alliance Church, where he was the assistant pastor for many years and served in visitation ministries.

While attending that church as a teenager, John accepted Jesus as his Savior. He had planned to become a mechanical engineer, but the pastor encouraged him to attend Bible college for a year or two to become grounded in God’s Word. During his first year at Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minn., John sensed God’s call to be a missionary. During his last year at Crown College, he met Betty, who was already a missionary and had been asked to speak in the school chapel. They married on August 29, 1964.

James is survived by his wife; daughters Pat and Jan; 9 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; and 2 greatgreat grandchildren.

After planting a C&MA church in El Paso, Tex., the couple was appointed to Irian Jaya, Indonesia (now Papua, Indonesia), the very place where Betty had served her first term. The Wilsons served for about 35 years together among the stone-age Dani tribal people. John endeared himself to them almost immediately, spending many hours with the locals trekking the rugged mountain trails, teaching them the Scriptures and how to build churches.

Lt. Col. Donald J. Spence March 3, 1939–September 15, 2021

Donald was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and served with the C&MA for more than 38 years. He spent his early years in New Jersey and New York, where his father pastored several C&MA churches. Donald graduated from Syracuse (N.Y.) University, was drafted into the U.S. Army, and was stationed at Fort Belvoir.

John and his team reached out to the north coastal area of the island to an unreached nomadic people, trekking 13 days to reach the first tribe they saw. They made many trips to build airstrips and churches with the help of the Dani evangelists from the island’s interior. John retired from the mission field in 2002. He was known for his caring heart to the end.

In 1965, Donald married Georgia Ann Gingrich in Utica, N.Y. He graduated with an MDiv from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Wenham, Mass., and received an MS and EdS from Bridgeport (Conn.) University. Donald also taught school in Rome, N.Y., and Stanford, Conn., where he pastored the C&MA church (1970–1975).

John is survived by his wife; son David; 3 grandchildren; and 1 great grandchild; his daughter, Carol, preceded him in death.

In 1975, Donald entered the U.S. Army Chaplaincy. He served in Fort Bragg, N.C.; Schweinfurt, Germany; Ft. Monmouth, N.J.; Ft. Huachuca, Ariz.; Ft. Leavenworth, Kans.; Seoul, Korea; Ft. Lewis, Wash.; Hanau, Germany; and Ft. Knox, Ky. Donald was the supervisory chaplain at Florida State Prison and retired in 2008 in Gainesville, Fla. He enjoyed spending summers at Delta Lake Bible Conference Center (Rome, N.Y.) and traveled to Israel, Scotland, and Alaska. Donald was buried with honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

Richard Firth Cutler May 6, 1932–October 2, 2021

Richard heard God’s call to missions late in life. He served in the U.S. Army from 1953–1955 and married his wife, Elizabeth, on August 25, 1955; they enjoyed 66 years of marriage. It wasn’t until Richard retired from his role as a staff engineer at IBM that he and Elizabeth, then in their 60s, were called to the mission field. They served as C&MA missionaries in Gabon, Guinea, Senegal, and Mongolia and considered it a great honor to have this opportunity. Richard is survived by his wife; children David, Daryl, and Dianne; 10 grandchildren; and 6 great

Donald is survived by his wife; daughters Julie and Sarah; and 4 grandchildren; he was predeceased by son Matthew James.

JAN/FEB 2022

ALLIANCELIFE

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grandchildren; he was predeceased by son Daniel and grandson Jeremiah.

(now Alliance Women). During the fall of Vietnam, the couple led a monumental response to help Vietnam refugees. In 1978, on the advice of the United Nations high commissioner for refugees and U.S. government leaders, Grady and Evelyn challenged World Relief (the relief arm of the National Association of Evangelicals) to launch a national church response to welcome refugees. The Manghams also cofounded World Relief’s refugee resettlement program.

Evelyn Mangham October 6, 1922−October 5, 2021

Born in Nyack, N.Y., to C&MA missionaries George and Lola Mae Breaden, Evelyn attended Wheaton (Ill.) Christian Academy and the Missionary Institute (now Nyack College, New York, N.Y.), where she met Grady Mangham. They married in 1942. After serving churches in Georgia and Florida, the Manghams were pioneer missionaries in Vietnam’s central highlands. Evelyn taught literacy and Introduction to the Old and New Testaments and made treks to mountain villages to share the gospel. Together she and Grady hosted colleagues, visitors, American GIs, dignitaries, and government leaders.

In 1988, the Manghams accepted a call from Kowloon Tong Alliance Church in Hong Kong, where they led a ministry relaunch and forged lasting friendships. They settled in Good Samaritan Village, Kissimmee, Fla., in 1990, where Evelyn assumed leadership of the church’s mission program and welcomed Village newcomers until her eyesight failed. She never lost her razor-sharp memory, her sense of humor, or her loving heart. Evelyn was predeceased by her husband; she is survived by children Ed, Connie, Tom, and Patty; 26 grandchildren; and 40 great grandchildren.

In 1967, the couple moved to Nyack. Evelyn quickly assumed leadership in local and regional C&MA Women’s Missionary Prayer Fellowships

ALLIANCELIFE

JAN/FEB 2022

Virginia Eileen Mink July 3, 1930–October 8, 2021

Doug is survived by his wife; daughter Nicole Suzanne; and 2 grandsons.

Born near Marquette, Neb., Virginia moved with her family to Waverly, Neb., and worked at Goodyear Tire Co. and the County Treasurer’s Office after graduation. She enrolled in St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College) in St. Bonifacius, Minn., where she met her husband, Alvin. They married on August 25, 1955.

Scott Russell Borderud November 26, 1950–October 24, 2021

Born in Fargo, N.Dak., Scott received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy and played offensive line on the football team. In 1972, he graduated from Annapolis and was commissioned as a U.S. Marine Corps officer. While stationed in Keflavik, Iceland, he met Carol Anne Sanders, a U.S. Navy nurse. They married in 1978 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

During more than 38 years of C&MA ministry, the couple served churches in Wildrose, N.Dak. (1956– 1958); and Beaverdale (1958–1966), Osceola Mills (1966–1975), Sharon (1975–1979), and Penn Hills, Pa. (1979–1994). Virginia ministered alongside Al playing piano and organ, singing, teaching Sunday school, serving as Alliance Women’s president, helping to start ministries for kids and seniors, and entertaining. She was an exceptional host and craftswoman.

After serving in the Marines, Scott received a divinity degree from Alliance Theological Seminary (Nyack, N.Y.). He was ordained in 1987 and was commissioned as a U.S. Army chaplain. For the next 18 years, he served in many places, including Fort Hood, Tex.; Amberg and Baumholder, Germany; Fort Monmouth, N.J.; Fort Carson, Colo.; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Fort Meade, Md.; and Brunssum, Netherlands. Throughout his military career, Scott served during the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the global war on terror. In Operation Desert Storm, he served with the First Cavalry Division, which fought in Iraq. While in the Army, Scott received a doctorate in theology from the University of South Africa. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2006.

In 1994, the Minks retired and moved to Lincoln, Neb. Virginia was the part-time secretary at her church, where she also played the piano and organ. Her faith was evident to all who met her.

Virginia was predeceased by her husband; she is survived by children Annetta, Ed, Beverly, and Don; 6 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren Douglas (Doug) Miller June 9, 1933–October 17, 2021 Doug grew up in Binghamton, N.Y., and attended Nyack (N.Y.) College, where he majored in theology and missions (1951–1955). During more than 40 years of C&MA ministry, he pastored churches in Brooklyn, N.Y. (1955–1957); Morgantown, W.Va. (1968–1985), Mansfield, Ohio (1985–1989); and Butler, Pa. (1989–1995). Along with Edith, his wife of 67 years, he served as a missionary to Guinea, West Africa (1958–1967); and Paris, France (1995–1997). While in Guinea, Doug was involved in Theological Education by Extension and Bible translation, pastored the International Church in Conakry, and served as the field director.

Scott was also a faculty member of the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kans., where he taught courses on ethics and leadership (2006–2010); a pastor in Toccoa, Ga. (2010–2018); and a C&MA district superintendent for Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas (2019–2020). Scott is survived by his wife; son, Josh; daughters Christy and Katherine; and 5 grandchildren.

CORRECTIONS The photo caption on the back Foundations page of the November/December 2021 issue incorrectly identifies Mabel Francis alongside Mitsuko Ninomiya. It was actually Mabel’s sister, Anne Dievendorf, who is pictured with Mitsuko.

Doug traveled to numerous countries in South America and Africa, where he led conferences and pastoral retreats. He served three terms on the C&MA’s Board of Managers and one on Asbury College’s Board of Trustees. Doug concluded his service working with the Morgantown (W.Va.) Chinese C&MA Church to develop an integrated community of believers with focused outreach to the city’s intercultural and international groups and on the WVU University campus as well as overseeing the visitation program of the American congregation that included newcomers, hospitalized patients, and homebound individuals.

JAN/FEB 2022

ALLIANCELIFE

OUR LIFE

SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS The Alliance has always been committed to serving the lost in both word and deed. Union Hill Church in Redmond, Washington, continues that tradition by providing tangible help to the underprivileged. In fall 2021, the church partnered with the Low Income Housing Institute, which builds villages of tiny homes for the homeless in and around Seattle. At the time of this writing, the church is building two tiny homes to be used in one of those 16 villages, with an ultimate goal of building 12. In October, members of the team were able to write prayers, Scripture passages, and blessings on the frames of those houses.

A FALL FESTIVAL FOR REFUGEES Envision Acres, the farm God led Envision Atlanta to purchase in December 2020, held its first annual Fall Festival in November 2021. It was a time of fun for staff and interns, partners from surrounding churches, the Envision youth ministry, kids from Envision children’s ministries, and refugee families. The weather was perfect for outdoor games and activities. Visitors enjoyed a fire pit and sample bags of goodies, along with a chance to explore the garden and check out the chickens and goats. Alice Brokopp, one of Envision Atlanta’s site coordinators, says, “It was good to watch over 200 visitors mingling, relaxing, and exploring the farm, and it was especially exciting to see our refugee friends enjoying themselves in a rural environment they often don’t get to experience. We are all looking forward to 2022’s second annual Fall Festival!”

ALLIANCELIFE

JAN/FEB 2022

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Orchard Alliance Presidential Search Orchard Alliance, in partnership with AGORA Search, is excited to announce the search for a new president to succeed Larry McCooey, who is planning to retire in 2022. The ideal candidate will be strategic and visionary, demonstrate leadership skills, understand financial matters, resonate with biblical generosity, have an unwavering love for The Alliance, and possess a desire to use professional skills for Kingdom advancement. If you match the description above or know someone who does, please send a resume and cover letter to ted@agorasearchgroup.com or scan the code for more information.

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ALLIANCELIFE

ALLIANCELIFE THE MAGAZINE OF THEALLIANCE SINCE 1882

8595 EXPLORER DR. COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80920 (719) 599-5999 | email: ALLIANCELIFE@CMALLIANCE.ORG

SILENCE IN HEAVEN

Prayer comes from the touch of God, stilling the earthly and natural, and sending up the higher life of the spiritual and divine to commune with the heart of God. The fragrance is invisible, and so the truest prayer is often inarticulate. It is the silent breath of the touched heart feeling its way to the great Heart above. Never again think your lives are weak and wasted because you can do nothing else but pray. As you kneel and perhaps weep in your lone closet because there is so little you can do, there are angels gathering around you and wafting away to heaven the very breath of your parted lips as the sweetest offering in all the heavenly sanctuary. God’s priceless treasures and perfumes are the prayers of believing and loving hearts. Let us pray on and on, knowing that not one word is wasted, but investing our hearts in the heavens, laying up our treasures of desire; and though He tarry, wait; for

ilence in heaven! (see Revelation 8:1–5). Every harp and hallelujah still; the thunders of the celestial choirs hushed; the sweet, soft notes of the harps at rest? “Not a sound invades the stillness.” Silence more impressive than speech or song holds the heavenly sanctuary in a hush of awe. But there is a deeper, sweeter meaning in this silence of heaven. It seems to be connected with the picture that immediately follows—the picture of the prayers of all the saints ascending before the throne. It would seem as if God were aware that the most important service of even the heavenly world was about to begin, and up from earth was to ascend immediately the incense of Christian intercession. What a striking and suggestive figure of prayer—“incense!” Incense was composed of spices of different kinds, ground or beaten very small, and then burned in a glowing censer so that their form disappeared and their own life, as it were, went out, and a sweet fragrance went up as a sort of finer ascension life A. B. Simpson preaching at The Gospel Tabernacle in New York, New York (Photo courtesy of C&MA Archives) and became the divine emblem of the communion of the human soul with heaven. The breath of burning spices was God’s suggestive ob- at the end it will speak and not lie, and He will surely ject lesson of the heart’s true prayer. Prayer is made up of come and not tarry. You may pray a whole year and see innumerable little things. What should we pray about? nothing. You may pray on for years, and still the heavens Everything. There is not a thought, not a trouble, not an seem brass; but wait, and trust, and be not afraid, and lo, incident, not a fear but should instantly be turned into a some hour of wondrous joy shall burst upon your soul, petition of prayer. Then everything will become a step- and it will take all eternity to tell the story of praise! ping-stone to God, an alphabet in the book of life’s sweet Pray. Pray on. Pray always, and do not faint! fellowship, and the hardest things will become memorials of the greatest deliverances, and the most gracious by A. B. Simpson divine revealings. Adapted from The Alliance Weekly, November 16, 1918