As a child, my family had a tradition of giving “yapas,” a Quechua word my grandparents brought home from Ecuador, where they served as Al liance missionaries. A yapa is a gift that goes above and beyond, an extra, a cherry on top. It is something undeserved and unexpected. Our God is the God of yapas. His generosity is driven by love and is always more than we could imagine. His giving is not based on our works or abilities, but simply His incredible love.
This summer at the age of 40, my wife, Sarah, and I welcomed our sur prise double portion of yapas—our twin boys, Judah and Luke. At just 28 weeks, these miraculous gifts certainly arrived unexpectantly. During our 10 weeks in the NICU, God’s ongoing generosity and continuous provi sion were on vivid display.
As new parents, one of our greatest desires is to cultivate a heart of generous stewardship in our sons. We hope to model a lifestyle of giving, even giving above and beyond. We pray that we may leave a legacy of radical, disproportionate generosity for many generations to come.
The Alliance has a similar legacy. When Sarah and I lived in New York City last year for the first several months of our marriage, we reflected on the beginnings of the C&MA movement. Walking down Broadway under the towering skyscrapers and among the hurried crowds, we were often struck by the realization that in this very city—where making it to the top, being the best, and having the most is valued above all—a movement of “disproportionate generosity” was born.
The Alliance was birthed on those streets, just a block from Times Square, out of A. B. Simpson’s passion for Jesus and love for those who were overlooked, on the move, and lacking access to the gospel. Capti vated by the love of Christ and propelled toward others, those followers of Christ starkly contrasted the surrounding culture. On October 11, 1909, the New York Times took note of this disproportionate generosity, telling the story of one Alliance woman who gave all she had—$15.
As an Alliance family, we have a rich legacy of radical generosity, which impacts millions of lives across the globe today. According to a recent study of U.S. denominations, as a whole, Alliance churches give away more money to foreign missions in relation to their income than any oth er denomination (see the 2019 Empty Tomb, Inc. Report).
Praise God for the long heritage of Alliance givers whose footsteps we follow, giving our yapas to our God of abundance for the sake of the lost
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The Alliance is committed to world missions, stressing the fullness of Christ in personal ex perience, building the Church, and preaching the gospel to the ends of the earth. ALLIANCELIFE carries on the tradition of more than 140 years of publishing sto ries of God at work through Alliance people in the United States and throughout the world.
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Earlier on in my 54-year-long journey with Christ, I was an “either/or” thinker, creating my theolo gy by deciding between right or wrong, true or false. In my more mature years, I have become more comfort able with “both/and” thinking. There are still doctrines in our theology that are “either/or;” however, there are other beliefs we carry that live in the “both/and.” Our theology and the way we practice our Christian life may seem incompatible at times because of this, but there’s a
beauty in resting in the tension between two truths rath er than gravitating toward one or the other.
There’s mystery in this space in between, which shows itself through many of our theological doctrines. For ex ample, Jesus is both God and human, God is both loving and just, and we can experience both mourning and hope in the same breath. However, God has been working out one particular tension in my life over the last few years: what it means to be both beloved and a servant of Christ.
Jesus is clear about our status as beloved sons and daugh ters of the King, but He is also clear that we are to be servants of the Most High. These two ideas don’t seem compatible on the surface, but they are bedrock truths.
All of us are more deeply loved than we fully realize this side of heaven. As Paul was writing out his prayer for the Ephesians, he said, “I pray that you, being root ed and established in love, may have power . . . to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Eph. 3:17b–18). His love is so vast that we cannot measure it. If we could even begin to grasp how immea surable it is, it would change our lives.
At the same time, however, Christ calls us to live out our lives as servants. In Mat thew 23:11, Jesus says, “The greatest among you will be your servant.” He invites His disciples and us to follow His example as He came not to be served but to serve (see Matthew 20:28). We’re called to follow His example.
Jesus furthered this claim in Luke 17. When His dis ciples asked Him to increase their faith, Jesus replied: “When you obey me, you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty’” (Luke 17:10, NLT). On the surface, this seems harsh. How do we rec oncile this tension between being unworthy servants who are just doing our duty with being beloved sons and daughters in Christ?
When we talk about being beloved children, that’s a description of our relationship with the Father and our security in Him. Once we have invited Christ into our lives, we have been adopted into God’s family, and there is no one who can separate us from that position.
Jesus’ harsh statement in Luke 17 doesn’t describe our secure position in the family of the King; it describes our posture. We have a position of being beloved, and out of that flows a posture of servanthood, much like Christ. He was both divine and human, living as both beloved and servant: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Phil. 2:5–7).
Christ, the beloved Son of the Father, gave up His privileges to take on the posture of a servant, and we are invited to do the same.
As we live this out, we must be careful of the theological dangers of leaning too much to one side or the other. If all we think about is being a beloved child and we don’t wrestle through the tension of also being a servant, we begin to question God’s faithfulness to us. When He lets things happen in our lives that seem incompatible with what He should do for a beloved son or daughter, we begin to ask questions like, “Don’t I deserve better? I’ve served You for all these years, and now You’re going to treat me this way, Father?” (see Luke 15:28–30).
However, if we park ourselves on the servant side, we lose our connection to the reality of our position as a beloved son or daughter. Our service becomes more of a drudgery or an obligation. We lose our joy. By know ing our position as children of God, we keep our joy and serve with hearts of obedience and faithfulness to God’s path for us. Until we are secure in the truth that we are sons and daughters of the King, we will not be able to fully live out what it means to be a servant of the Most High.
For the last few years, God’s been drilling into me what it looks like to truly be that servant. I don’t get to pick my as signments—this has been true for my entire adult life. Part of my struggle recently is that what I’m doing now is not what I thought a lifetime of service would lead to.
But God has gently replied, “Robb, to be a servant means that you do not get to pick your assignments, and you don’t get to determine whether My assignment to you is of value or not. That’s for Me to decide.” This is what the Master has for me, and I’m learning to live my life with joy and in the richness of doing what He’s called me to, no matter the value I believe it has.
Where do you find yourself in this tension between beloved child and servant of the King? Are you focused on being beloved and struggling with servanthood, or are you leaning too hard on your status as a servant and needing to remember how beloved, loved, and cher ished you are by the Father?
There’s a great space in between where we know with confidence that we are beloved sons and daughters of the King and where we’re living as His servants with great joy and obedience.
Robb Childs is the relocation assistant to U.S. Alli ance President John Stumbo. Robb previously served as executive pastor at Salem (Oregon) Alli ance Church. He and his wife, Sandy, are proud grandparents to two granddaughters.
Jesus is clear about our status as beloved sons and daughters of the King, but He is also clear that we are to be servants of the Most High.
In October 2021, I had the privilege of attending the Alliance World Fellowship in Ecuador. During the hour-long bus ride every morning, I was introduced to a pastor from a Middle Eastern country who told me a story of God’s powerful work among his people.
This man, John,* was practicing his majority religion and had been stealing Christian videos to keep them out of the hands of their “weaker brothers.” But one day, John watched one of these videos, which led to him put ting his trust in Jesus. Evangelism is illegal in his country,
Jesus’ miraculous work of saving the lostIllustration by Kenneth Crane
but John does it anyway. He is often detained by author ities, but he still faithfully pastors five house churches. People of the majority religion in his country are hear ing the gospel and coming to faith in Jesus Christ.
One young lady often snuck away from her family to come to the house church and soon experienced salva tion. When her mother found out about this, she made her daughter take her to the church to “set these Christians straight.” Instead, she, too, came to saving faith in Jesus.
Sometimes we struggle to believe that anyone will listen and respond in faith to the gospel in our own cultural context. We may even wonder if evangelism— proclaiming Jesus’ gospel to lost people— will work in the ad verse conditions we face. However, if the gospel is bringing people to salvation in places where evange lism is illegal, surely it still works in our cul tural context as well.
Salvation is a divine work of God, and He is still calling us to engage in the work of evangelism with a sense of hopeful expectation and gives us the privilege of participating with Him to see the impossi ble happen.
As we dwell on Jesus Christ our Savior and His mirac ulous work of saving the lost, we should focus on Luke 18:26–27: “Those who heard this asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’ Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’”
The need for people to be saved implies their lostness. Grasping the lostness of people apart from Christ is es sential to understanding Jesus’ saving work, as well as the need for evangelism and missions. Before any of us came to faith in Jesus as our Savior, we were lost. To be lost is to be separated from our Creator and His life. To be lost is to not know where we are going or how to get there. To be lost is to live in darkness and hopelessness.
All of us once lived in that state, and everyone around us who does not know Jesus as Savior continues to live there. If we weren’t lost, we would not have needed to be saved.
Generally, there are two objections that Christians (and others) tend to raise to the doctrine of lostness. The first is this: “My neighbor is a good, nice person.” Lost ness isn’t about whether someone is bad or mean; some lost people are genuinely kind. Lostness is about being separated from God because we haven’t embraced the Savior He sent for us.
The second objection to lostness is: “What about the person who has never heard?” Some people have never heard of Jesus so they don’t know the gospel or the way of salvation. Aren’t they saved—won’t they spend eterni ty with God because of their lack of knowledge?
Aren’t there some who have an excuse for not be lieving because they’ve never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ? This is the kind of person Paul talks about in Romans 1. In verse 20, he responds that everyone is “without excuse” because we all have access to a revela tion of God as we observe the world He has created.
What we read in the Book of Acts confirms that if a person responds to the spiritual light they can see, then God in His gracious sovereignty will make sure they receive an adequate revelation of Him and His Son, Jesus, so they have an opportunity to believe.
For example, in Acts 8, the Ethiopian eunuch responded to his incomplete understanding of God, and God made sure the gospel was brought to him through Philip. The eunuch believed and was saved.
Even in our own history, God has been faithful to bring the gospel to people who had already responded to Him with the small revelation they had. When ear ly Alliance missionaries to French West Africa would arrive in an unreached village, the villagers would say, “We knew you were coming. Tell us the message of God.” These people understood that there was a Creator and that, in His sovereignty, He had led missionaries to them to proclaim the gospel so that they would believe.
If people were saved by their lack of knowledge about the gospel, then we should call our missionaries home. We shouldn’t enlighten them further for fear that they will know and not believe. Obviously, this contradicts Mat thew 24:14, Matthew 28:19–20, and every other passage where Jesus places the mandate on us to go to those who have never heard and make sure they have the opportu nity to believe. They are still lost and need to be saved.
That’s what drives us to send our missionaries to dark and sometimes dangerous places. It’s why 80 percent of Al liance international workers are in the least-reached places of the world. Billions of people are lost, and they need to hear of Jesus so they have the opportunity to believe.
If a person responds to the spiritual light they can see, then God in His gracious sovereignty will make sure they receive an adequate revelation of Him and His Son, Jesus.
Luke 18:27 reminds us that salvation is humanly impos sible. We can’t save ourselves. Anyone who believes (like the rich young ruler in Luke 18) that they have perfectly lived up to God’s commandments is deceived. Paul says, “There is no one righteous, not even one . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:10b, 23). We cannot reverse our unrighteousness and sinful ness in the face of a holy God by our own efforts. We cannot save ourselves—or anyone else.
By our mere human effort, persuasiveness, and in genuity, we will never convince anyone to believe. No matter how hard we try or what human regulations or reform we try to impose on other people, we can’t change a life. Salvation is not a human work. Rather, it is a divine work, and it requires the intervention of the Triune Godhead.
Through the work of His Son, Jesus, God is able to save. Speaking of salvation, Jesus said, “What is impos sible with men is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). The sacrifice and shed blood of Jesus are suf ficient for anyone who will come to Him by faith.
In God’s redemptive plan, He sent His Son into our world as one of us—born miraculously, lived sinlessly, died vicari ously, and rose victoriously. In Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins, He did all that needed to be done for the salvation of lost people. Through Jesus Christ our Savior, God has made the way for the impossible to be done—for people to be rescued out of their lostness, to be saved, forgiven of sin, reconciled to God, and given the gift of eternal life. This is true even of those we deem to be the most impossible cases.
In reality, all of us were impossible cases, yet the Lord saved us. Some seem to us like they are more impossible, but don’t give up and cross them off your prayer list. Jesus Christ our Savior can still do His miraculous work in them, change their lives, and change their eternal destiny. May we be willing participants and say with Paul: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16).
Terry Smith is the vice president for Church Ministries for The Alliance and author of Changing Course: Leading Older Churches in a New Direction. He holds degrees from Toccoa Falls (Georgia) College and Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Min nesota. He and his wife, Ruth, have two sons and five grandchildren.
Salvation is not a human work. Rather, it is a divine work, and it requires the intervention of the Triune Godhead.
“It is beyond the realm of possibilities that one has the ability to out-give God. Even if I give the whole of my worth to Him, He will find a way to give back to me much more than I
SPURGEON“All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.”
compiled by Harry VerploeghChrist is certainly a man as was Adam or Moses or Paul. He is a man glorified, but His glorification did not dehumanize Him.
Today He is a real man, of the race of mankind, bearing our lineaments and dimensions, a visible and audible man whom any other man would rec ognize instantly as one of us.
More than this, He is heir of all things, Lord of all worlds, Head of the Church and the Firstborn of the new creation. He is the way to God, the life of the believer, the Hope of Israel, and the High Priest of every true worshiper.
He holds the keys of death and hell and stands as ad vocate and surety for everyone who believes on Him in truth.
“Mission arises from the heart of God Himself and is communicated from His heart to ours. Mission is the global outreach of the global people of a global God.”
“Leave it all in the hands that were wounded for you.
With Him rest the noblest hopes and dreams of men. All the longings for immortality that rise and swell in the human breast will be fulfilled in Him or they will never know fulfillment. There is no other way.
Salvation comes not by “accepting the finished work” or “deciding for Christ.” It comes by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, the whole, living, victorious Lord who, as God and man, fought our fight and won it, accepted our debt as His own and paid it, took our sins and died under them, and rose again to set us free. This is the true Christ, and nothing less will do.
—from The Warfare of the Spirit. Originally published in The Alliance Witness, November 1, 1995.
—ELISABETH ELLIOT
I wish somebody’s church would catch on fire, burning with the Holy Ghost.
You see, when an empowered leader’s soul catches on fire, and he or she catches a vision for going far rather than going fast through building an empowered culture where everybody gets to use the gifts of the Spirit that pour out of them, then the church catches on fire, burning with the Holy Ghost.
When an empowered leader builds an empowered culture, the leader doesn’t have to be the only one laying hands on the sick and praying for healing. The body is equipped and trained and empowered to lay hands on the sick and pray for healing.
And the sick become well, and the church catches on fire, and everybody gets to play.
When an empowered leader builds an empowered culture, the leader doesn’t have to do all the administration. Those who are gifted with administration will be freed up to step forward and say, “Let me take that off your hands.”
And the administration gets done, and the church catches on fire, and everybody gets to play.
When an empowered leader builds an empowered culture, the leader doesn’t have to be the only one discerning the next steps the Lord desires the church to take.
He or she can call together the discerners in the body, and together they discern the will of the Lord for the body.
And the church catches on fire, and everybody gets to play.
When an empowered leader builds an empowered culture, the leader doesn’t have to be the only one praying to receive a prophetic word for the body. He or she can bring together the prophets of the house to lean in together and ask, “Is there a word from the Lord?”
And the Lord gives a word, and the church catches on fire, and everybody gets to play.
When an empowered leader builds an empowered culture, he or she doesn’t have to be the only one who has to have faith to see that God moves together. He builds the community of faith and calls on those who have the gift of faith, and together they believe in faith. And the power of faith rubs off, and the church catches on fire, and everybody gets to play.
The gifts of the Spirit—He owns them; we steward them. The gifts of the Spirit are meant to unify not divide. The gifts of the Spirit are empowerment for all on mission.
Brothers and sisters, If the work of the Kingdom is dependent on your gifts and not the gifts the Spirit gives to the Body, then it’s all done by you, it’s all dependent on you, and ultimately it will end with you. But if the work of the Kingdom is built upon the leading and the filling and the ministry and the gifts of the Holy Spirit as He empowers the Body, then the world will see that God is on the move, the gospel is being preached, Jesus is being exalted, the Kingdom is advancing,
Illustration by Caylie Smith
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken togeth er and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Luke 6:38).
Photo by Olivia McCash
In a country that God has blessed with an abundance of wealth, it is heartbreaking that certain people groups are still consistently overlooked and under served in our own neighborhoods. Native American communities certainly are some of these people groups that doesn’t have equal access to the resources needed to live healthy, well-balanced lives. The question is, “What can we do to help?”
Navajo Nation is the largest land area retained by in digenous people in the United States, covering roughly
17,544,500 acres in northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico. Despite its large size, this Native American reservation still lacks many of the basic comforts we often take for granted, with most homes having no access to electricity, running wa ter, or phones.
The people in these communities not only lack water, but they also have a lack of relationship. In some areas, the homes are 20 miles apart, and many towns are an hour and a half away from each other. Can you imagine the isolation? Having a Sunday fellowship at church is a special time of encouragement for these people who live
Providing for the underserved in our communities
all alone, but with the rising costs of gasoline, a pastor needs a large budget to serve his community.
Despite the challenges, four Alliance pastors are working tirelessly to bring the love of Christ to these areas: Pastor Delmar and Pastor Nez of Navajo Moun tain Alliance Church in Tonalea, Arizona, and Pastor Haskins and Pastor Dayzie of Tuba City (Arizona) Al liance Fellowship and Shonto (Arizona) Bible Church. They are all bivocational, making money outside the church while still juggling the difficulties of serving their congregations.
In July 2021, three members of the church I pastor, Hope Alliance Bible Church in Maple Heights, Ohio—Susan Ber ry, Rayfield Benton (one of the church’s preaching elders), and his wife, Lana—made a visit to these churches to support their ministry through providing essential re sources, like water. While planning for the missions trip, Susan and the Bentons were able to develop relationships with these pastors and Arlene Edd, their communi ty liaison who also travels from Phoenix to serve these churches as their secretary. These leaders communicated the needs of their communities, and the team from Hope planned their trip accordingly.
The main goal was to provide much-needed water to these three communities in Arizona while also worshiping and communing with the believers who attend the Alliance churches. The Hope Alliance Bible Church family and the National Office’s Multicultur al Ministries team supported this effort with prayers and donations.
There was no way to transport enough water to help, so our ini tial idea was to raise funds to buy bottled water to share once the team arrived in Arizona. How ever, we realized that Convoy of Hope might be willing to help us with this endeavor. In 2019, Hope Alliance Bible Church hosted a Convoy of Hope event for the greater Cleveland area, serving approximately 5,000 guests in our community with groceries,
hot meals, clothing, free medical screenings, and other services. Because of this relationship, Convoy agreed to bring a tractor-trailer full of bottled water for our team mates to bless the Native Americans in Navajo Nation.
Rayfield, Lana, and Susan traveled to Arizona and spent eight days in a central location known as Kai beto, where they could access the three communities they were hoping to serve. Most of the roads the team traveled on were unpaved with no signs or streetlights, providing many occasions to ask for prayer from their supporters back home.
Rayfield, Lana, and Su san partnered with Convoy of Hope and Flagstaff Food Distribution Center to dis tribute more than 20,000 water bottles to these three underserved communities. At Navajo Mountain Alli ance Church, a long line of pickup trucks waited to re ceive thousands of cases of water bottles to take back to their homes and share with their neighbors. Due to the
The main goal of this trip was to provide muchneeded water to three communities in Arizona while worshiping and communing with Alliance believers.
vast need, Convoy of Hope continues to regularly pro vide water to this reservation.
Because of this trip, Susan, Rayfield, and Lana were able to develop relationships with many of the believ ers from the Native American Alliance churches they visited. Before they ar rived in Arizona, a secret sister “pen pal” program was established so that the women from Hope Alliance Bible Church and the women from Navajo Nation would be able to send encouraging notes and prayers to each other. While in these villages, Susan and Lana had the opportunity to facilitate small group Zoom meetings so these pen pals could connect face-to-face virtually.
Rayfield also made connections with many in the churches as he shared a Sunday message through an interpreter, experienced divine encounters with church members, and had opportunities to pray with total strangers.
During this trip, the team from Hope had the oppor tunity to help implement some ongoing ministries and training, including a trauma training institute that is
Below left: Two sisters who attend an Alliance church in the Navajo Nation.
Below middle: A Navajo woman playing a Q Chord, a cross between a keyboard and a guitar, during the worship service at an Alliance church.
helping equip Native American women to minister to their friends and family members who have experienced trauma in various ways, especially domestic violence.
We continue to see fruit coming from these unique relationships. A few months ago, Hope Alliance Bible Church paid for Arlene Edd to come and spend a week with us. As Arlene spoke during a Sunday service, our entire congregation was able to hear firsthand about the challenges facing the Navajo Nation and the incredible ways God is at work in their midst. We were excited to hear about the progress being made at Navajo Mountain Alliance Church, including the generous donations that allowed them to install supply lines and begin construc tion on indoor restrooms. Arlene now occasionally joins us via Zoom for our Wednesday night Bible studies or via livestream for our Sunday services.
Our team is looking forward to our next visit to the Native American community and the opportunity to rejoice in the Lord together. Join us in prayer as we con tinue to encourage these often-neglected brothers and sisters in Christ.
Ron Morrison is the president of the African Ameri can Association of Pastors and Consecrated Workers. He also served on the C&MA Board of Directors for 16 years. In 1995, Ron and his wife, Anita, planted Hope Alliance Bible Church, where he continues to serve as senior pastor.
Below right: Dozens of these pallets of water bottles were distributed by the missions team. Our team is looking forward to our next visit to the Native American community and the opportunity to rejoice in the Lord together.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. —John 1:14
During the Christmas season, we celebrate the arrival of Emmanuel, our God who chose to be with us as the ultimate expression of His uncontainable love. A love that demands to be present. A love that must be “with.”
This Christmas, the U.S. Alliance family will come together to extend Emmanuel’s presence among the world’s overlooked, oppressed, and displaced. We want them to experience His loving embrace amid their suffering and uncertainty.
Will you send a special gift this Christmas so that your Alliance workers can proclaim Love Is Here to those who have not yet heard the good news of great joy?
scanning this code with your smartphone or by using the letter and envelope that were enclosed in the back of this magazine.
more info, visit cmalliance.org/christmas
by an aXcess worker serving with The Alliance in Spain
“Did you ever imagine that you would reach Ukraine?” my friend asked when I visited the English conversation café in France recently.
I quickly looked around the café. It was filled with refugees—Ukrainian refugees. Where did they all come from? I wondered.
Though my family now ministers in Spain, when we moved to the south of France 10 years ago, we started this English conversation café. As I thought about how this ministry was now reaching people from around the world, I remembered those first divine appointments I had with local women.
One of the first people I connected with was Chantal,* the French cashier at our local supermarket. My son and I were sacking our groceries, and she overheard me speaking in English.
“Where are you from?” Chantal asked, with an almost perfect American accent.
“Missouri,” I said. “Do you like to speak English?”
She told me how much she loved the English language and American culture, so I invited her to the English conversation café, which we were just starting at our local French church, located right down the street from the grocery store.
Chantal was interested and excited, so we exchanged numbers, and she promised to come the following week.
Then, there was Natalya from central Asia. Since I was new to the area, I had been wandering around town aimlessly with my baby in the stroller looking for the town hall. I stumbled upon a local community center where they were doing a blood drive and decided to ask for directions.
“Where is the town hall?” I asked the woman behind the counter. “I’m lost.”
Natalya overheard me and offered to take me. I thought she would just give me instructions and point me in the right direction, but she actually wanted to accompany me to my destination. Because she loved to
How God brought the world to an English café in FrancePhoto from Alliance
speak English and wanted to practice, I invited Natalya to the English conversation café as well.
For our first meeting, many others from Algeria, England, France, the United States, Ukraine, and Guatemala walked through the doors of our small, in ternational Protestant church. There were also those in cross-cultural marriages whose husbands were from New Zealand, Peru, and Ghana.
The world had come to our English conversation café!
Over the years, women came to our cafe weekly to learn English. In the process, they also interacted with Christians who shared the gospel with them, and many, including Chantal and Natalya, became open to hear ing stories and testimonies about God. He brought the world to us, and He is actively working in their hearts to this day.
Little did we know, though, what the Russian-Ukrainian conflict would bring to the world—and who God would bring to our English conversation café as a result. “My mother, Marta, needs to get out of the country,” Yana told everyone at the café while they sipped hot tea and ate homemade chocolate chip cookies. Yana had been coming to the café since that very first meeting, and she never left. “Ukraine is getting dangerous,” she said, “and my mother doesn’t have any money to fly out or any other way to escape the country.”
Those in the café who attended the church listened to Yana as she expressed her fear and concern for Marta. At the following Sunday service, they publicly shared about the need, and this small French church took a special offering for Marta’s plane ticket.
When they gathered at the café the next Friday, the ladies from the church gave Yana the money they had raised. Yana cried, overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. It didn’t take her long to tell her mother about the gen erosity of the local Christians in France and to purchase an airline ticket—Marta’s only means of escape from war, danger, poverty, and possible death.
Marta arrived in the south of France just a few weeks later, and she wasn’t the only one arriving from Ukraine. Because of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, refugees were flocking into the area. They all seemed to know each other and created a community among their own people.
During my recent trip back to France, these Ukrainian refugees lined the couches along the wall of the café. They filled the tables and chairs next to the coffee bar covered with hot water kettles, tea cups, coffee, sugar, cream, cakes, and cookies.
Yana had happily transported all of these refugees from their homes to the community center. She was there by their side to support them in their transition and adjustment. On this particular day, the café vol unteers were teaching the women French instead of English. If these refugees were going to make a new home here, they needed to learn the host language and culture. In the meantime, they were rubbing shoulders weekly with believers in Christ who were sharing their faith and love in practical ways.
As I looked around the café that day, it felt surreal. I never could have imagined that starting this outreach ministry in our local French Alliance church 10 years ago would one day reach into and impact communities from around the world—including Ukraine!
This was a special year for FATELA (Latin Ameri can Alliance Graduate School of Theology) as the school just celebrated its 25th anniversary in February 2022. FATELA offers master’s degree programs for the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world to identify and equip more Latin American leaders in The Alliance.
It all began on a stormy night in Colombia in March 1994. A group of educators from various C&MA nation al churches from across Latin America met in a small room during the Latin American regional annual con ference. The electricity had been cut because of a nearby lightning strike, so with the help of a lantern, Fred Smith, the regional director for Latin America at the time, read the plan for a modular theological school.
The previous two years had been spent develop ing this idea, and final permission had been given to move ahead. It was a bold plan that would break the traditions of many years that had created a shortage of
graduate-level leaders in many Alliance ministries out side of the United States. The seed of what was to be come FATELA was planted that evening.
The plan was to establish a modular seminary, con ducted almost entirely online so that the professors could meet the students where they were rather than students traveling great distances to attend a physical school. Bruce Jackson, a C&MA Canadian missionary in Ecuador, agreed to step in as the head of the program until a Latin American student could take over as the school’s president.
Considering the circumstances of Latin America in the 1990s, we chose to have modular, short-term class es, thus breaking the traditional pattern offered at other seminaries of organizing classes into quarters or semes ters. FATELA’s classes ran for seven weeks at a time with one week of intensive in-person classes.
The first week-long intensive course began in February 1997 with a total of 43 students enrolled. Five other cours es were taught in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru through
Photo courtesy of the author
years
Opposite: The FATELA graduating class of 2019 from Guayaquil, Ecuadorout the rest of the year. FATELA’s first year of operation was hugely successful. We expected about 72 students to enroll for those first courses, but we had 135 instead.
Three years later, the school had its first Latin Ameri can president, Miguel A. Palomino, accomplishing one of our main goals—to have FATELA in the hands of Latin American leaders. In 2022, only one member of FATELA’s leadership is from North America.
FATELA’s objective from the beginning was to create a Latin American graduate program that would meet the needs of students who wished to obtain their education within their own context and their local church and serve the Latino communities in other parts of the world through an online program. Classes were available in Spanish and Portuguese with the best professors in their areas of study. Soon, FATELA was widely recognized for its academic excellence and strong spirituality.
It is difficult to fully grasp the influ ence that FATELA has had in these 25 years. Theological education is not just about the transformation of its students; it also involves the churches, congregants, and communities that are affected by the development of their leaders in the short- and long-term.
Several factors have contributed to FATELA’s development, like the qual ity of its professors and the fact that FATELA has no campus or offices. From the beginning, the school was designed to function without buildings and still does not have rented space anywhere. We often joke that
FATELA’s main of fice is wherever the president’s laptop is at that moment. The support of The Alliance and oth er donors has also been instrumental in allowing this ministry to move forward.
During this time, hundreds have passed through FATELA’s classrooms, and now 315 graduates from
a dozen countries are scattered throughout the Ameri cas and other parts of the world. They serve as pastors, missionaries, Bible seminary teachers, chaplains, pres idents of national churches and NGOs, and leaders of all kinds.
In summer 2022, Miguel A. Palomino published an abbreviated English version of Blazing a Trail, the history of FATELA, which previously had been published only in Spanish. If you are interested in obtaining copies in either language, email Miguel A. Palomino at mapalomino@ fatela.org or Fred Smith at fhsmith2@liberty.edu.
One of these graduates, Alex Fajardo, saw his mother taking FATELA courses and was intrigued. He says, “I took classes with the desire to be inspired and trained by international professors who were biblically literate and experienced in their areas of ministry.” Alex went from FATELA to post-graduate studies and assumed a major role in transitioning FATELA to full-time online courses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alex also left his high-paying job as a continent-wide senior manag er for a multinational energy company to oversee the online program and now is the full-time dean for academic affairs.
Two more graduates, David Muthre and David Cárde nas, were recipients of scholarships provided by their national churches or donors from the United States, which made it possible for them to further their educa tion and their ministry impact.
David Muthrie was born in Ecuador and graduat ed from FATELA in 2009. He has been the pastor of a C&MA church in Milagro, Ecuador, since 1991, a
Soon, FATELA was widely recognized for its academic excellence and strong spirituality.
congregation of more than 1,000 members. He is cur rently a member of the Alliance World Fellowship’s (AWF) Executive Committee; the president of the Alliance Latin American Fraternity (CLA), the Latin American chapter of AWF; and the president of the Ec uadorian Alliance national church. He is a strong sup porter of the pastors under his care and is deeply invest ed in seeing them be better prepared for ministry.
David Cárdenas graduat ed in 2010 and served as the missions pastor at Cruzada Cristiana church in Bogotá. He was also the president of The Ibero-American Missionary Cooperation (CO MIBAM) from 2015–2021. Cárdenas currently serves as Americas area director for the Wycliffe Global Alliance. Thanks to your prayers and financial support, an idea God planted more than 25 years ago has matured into
Below: A FATELA intensive class in Brazil
one of the premier graduate-level Christian programs in Latin America. What does the future hold for FATELA? We do not know what the Lord has in store for us in the future, but we are excited to know that He will continue to pave the way just as He has done in these last 25 years.
Miguel A. Palomino has a PhD from Edinburgh (Scotland) University and is the president of FATELA and pastor of Casa de Gracia Alliance Church in Davie, Florida. Fred Smith has a PhD from the School of World Mis sions/Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches fulltime online for Liberty University.
We are excited that God will continue to pave the way!
Expectancy leads to anticipation, and we are readily anticipating how the Lord will lead and move us.
Your presence at Alliance Council 2023 is vital to the growth and vitality of our work together. Come expectant of the Spirit’s presence as we gather and seek Him in:
• Worship
• The updating of our Alliance Statement of Faith
• Polity on men and women in leadership
• The election of new Board members
• The Project ReImagine timeline
• Healing and Communion
• The commissioning of new international workers
• The forward momentum of our All of Jesus for All the World vision
more information
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Deep in the mountains of Mexico, a group of in digenous Christians lives ostracized from the community that once offered them love and support. Much like the early Christians in Acts, these believers have endured extreme persecution due to their faith. They have been beaten, jailed, and exiled from their homes. Yet with the help of local and international Alliance workers, these persecuted believers have con tinued to travel great distances to share the love of Christ with the forgotten and unreached.
In 2002, a young boy from this indigenous tribe became dangerously ill, so his father, Fernando,* took him to the nearest hospital a few hours away. Fernando met a missionary while they were there, and the missionary offered to pray for his son. Despite all of the predictions from the doctors, the boy was healed, and Fernando became the first in his tribe to put his faith in Jesus. He returned to his community, publicly renounced all
of the animistic practices of his previous religion, and shared the gospel with his neighbors.
When 13 families came to Christ through witnessing Fernando’s transformation, the shamans who control the village began threatening their lives when they re fused to renounce their faith. Fernando was thrown in jail, had his land and livestock taken away, and eventu ally was dumped outside of town.
Another man, Alfredo,* wanted to stay in the commu nity despite their threats. However, after he spoke with the leaders to find a way to still live in his home, two men attacked him with knives and almost beat him to death. Alfredo’s teeth were shattered, and he had mul tiple serious wounds from the assault. A man nearby saved Alfredo in the nick of time and brought him to a hospital, where he spent several months in recovery.
Eventually, all 13 families were stripped of their possessions and expelled from the reservation with nowhere to go. They received refugee status and were given land right outside of the reservation from the
Photography by Olivia McCashEditor’s note: This is just one of the many stories demonstrating how Alliance international workers are extending Emmanuel’s loving presence among the world’s overlooked, oppressed, and displaced. You can join your workers in proclaiming Love Is Here to these and other suffering and marginalized people by giving to the 2022 Alliance Christmas Offering.
To watch a compelling video of this story and learn more about the 2022 Alliance Christmas Offering, visit cmalliance.org/christmas or see the letter that was enclosed in the back of this magazine.
Above: A house church run by local believers
Mexican government. With what little they had, they created a new home. The first building they constructed was a church so they could regularly gather together and spur each other on with hope in their new reality.
Even while in exile, these believers continued to share the gospel with people from their tribe and created a safe place for people to land when they were expelled from their communities as well. Fellowship Church* is now thriving with 75 to 100 believers every Sunday.
About five years ago, The Alliance found out about this remote people group and sent in Heather, a Canadi an Alliance international worker, to start helping this community of believers. Bob, an aXcess worker serving with The Alliance in Mexico, says, “I was astounded to find 60,000 people living so close to the United States border who have never heard of Jesus Christ.” Since then, the Mexican Alliance national church and a few Alliance international workers—including Heather, Bob
and Cheryl, and Phil* and Rebecca*—have been work ing hand in hand to offer tangible help and discipleship to these isolated believers.
One of the main ways The Alliance has helped Fel lowship Church is by providing them with the resources they need to start microbusinesses that can sustain their village. The workers bought bread ovens for a bakery, farming equipment for small farms, and materials to create beadwork like jewelry and other decorative items.
As they have done for other indigenous groups in the area, the workers also plan to hand out reading glasses they receive from Alliance donors to many of the artisan women. These women learn beadwork as young girls and are often working on their projects into the night by the light of a fire. By the time they are 40 or 50 years old, they struggle to see the small beads, so these read ing glasses would allow them to continue to provide for themselves with their beautiful artwork.
Discipleship has been another important part of The Alliance’s ministry to Fellowship Church. The Mexican Alliance national church and Phil have been conducting basic discipleship classes once a month for the whole church, with most workers traveling 11 hours to care for the village. Phil is also in a one-on-one discipling rela tionship with the young pastor of Fellowship Church, whose family was expelled from their village in 2005.
The Alliance hopes that these indigenous believers will grow deeper in their understanding of their faith and be well-equipped to continue sharing the gospel with their tribe.
The areas surrounding Fellowship Church are still dif ficult to traverse, as the mountains of this region are underdeveloped, and the leaders of these villages want to scare away any outsiders, especially Christians. The reservation is also able to make their own laws and has now outlawed Christianity.
Our Alliance workers have encountered many obsta cles as they have been reaching out to people who still live in the tribal villages. One group of workers was left without guides or food on the trails just because they were suspected to be Christians; Bob has been threat ened with being thrown in jail; and the shamans who lead this indigenous tribe have tried to tail the workers who come in.
When Mexican Alliance President Tomas Bencomo was traveling into the villages, a group of armed men stopped him on the road. They held Tomas at gunpoint and told him they were going to assassinate him.
Before they could do anything, he asked if he could talk to them for just five minutes, and they agreed. By the time Tomas was done sharing the gospel, they were in tears and said, “We need your help. You have a free pass. You can come and go as much as you want.” God gave him favor in that moment, and this has given Tomas much more access to the area than before.
“Pray that God will keep the doors open so that we can maintain these ministries without being chased out,” Bob says.
Despite the danger, the villagers often ask questions because of the boldness of Alliance workers and local believers in dealing with the shamans. When Bob first arrived, the villagers thought that he was also a type of shaman. They could tell that Bob carried something spiritual with him but they couldn’t figure out what it was. They named him “He who talks with the spirits.”
People have pulled Bob to the side and whispered,
“Who is the God you worship?” Bob has been able to share with some of them that our God is the one true God and is more powerful than any other gods or spirits. “We get the most beautiful opportunities to quietly share about the Lord because they are seeing Him in us,” Bob says. “That is all part of us being present.”
Our Alliance workers are hoping to create several strategic communities of believers who live in “frontier towns.” These towns would be established on the reser vation’s edge so that new indigenous believers can live freely and safely while also being strategically placed to go into the reservation for evangelism. These com munities would also provide safe places for other new believers to live when they are kicked out of their homes for their faith in Jesus.
Breath of Life Church, where Bob serves in another region of Mexico, is hoping to create one of these safe plac es by planting their fourth church campus in a city close to this indigenous tribe. “We want to continue to create
Bottom Left: A woman makes fresh tortillas with the flour she was given by Alliance workers on a recent evangelistic trip to the mountain villages.
Below: The Mexican Alliance national church president, Tomas Bencomo, leads a caravan through mountain roads and across rivers to deliver gifts and the gospel to the surrounding villages.
Opposite: A woman from this indigenous tribe sells her beadwork and embroidery at a market in the major city a few hours away from her home.
presence,” Bob says. “If someone comes to Christ, we celebrate. At the same time, we know what they’re facing. Our desire is to provide faith community for them as they navigate the change.”
Because of the prayers and financial support of people like you, local and international Alliance workers have created an incarnational presence in these communities. More people who never knew of Christ before are coming to Him, and current believers are able to continue sharing the gospel with their indigenous brothers and sisters. “There is hope for these people,” Bob says. “They have not been forgotten.”
*Name changed
Emmy Duddles is the manag ing editor of Alliance Life. She and her husband, Lucas, relo cated to Columbus, Ohio, in June 2022.
My name is Barry.* I am the old man on the bench outside my apartment building from morning to night. There is nowhere else for me to be, nowhere else I am wanted. My body has been riddled with health problems that, seven surgeries later, make me too weak and frail to do meaningful work. My family hates me for all the pain I’ve caused them. Our apart ment is a place to sleep not to call home. I don’t trust anyone anymore, so I have no friends to speak of ei ther. As I often say, “I can rely only on myself.”
Recently, a new neighbor is quite the exception. He actually seems interested in me and has been will ing to help. I call him my hope and one true friend. He seems to be the religious type, and he’s rubbing off on me. Whether it’s to please my new friend or convince myself, I regularly credit God for helping me now.
I know my time is running out. My body makes that clear every time my blood is checked for a resur gence of cancer or I fall on the ice during this long winter. Winter is a fitting description for my current season—cold, dark, and not much life. But one thing I’m truly thankful for is when my neighbor stops by and sits with me awhile. It’s like a warm wind, a ray of hope.
*Name changed
“Idon’t understand it,” said one of my friends in Colombia when I asked him about poverty in his country. “We have so many resources here—natural resources, environmental resources, and people who want to work—but we never seem to be able to get ahead.”
Unfortunately, my friend is right. There are a vari ety of reasons for this problem. Some are “built in” to the country, and there’s little we can do to bring about change in those areas. We’ve discovered, however, that CAMA Services can address two of the biggest hurdles to overcoming poverty—education and partnership—by teaming up with local churches to reallocate resources and provide ongoing mentorship to the underprivileged and marginalized in our communities.
During the height of the pandemic, we provided neces sities like food baskets and personal hygiene products, but I realized that when things got back to “normal,” even those who had weathered the pandemic were going to have a difficult time getting back to work. Our efforts had to go beyond relief work. The generous support of
our donors allowed CAMA to partner with an entrepre neurship program at an Alliance church in Cali, Colombia. Our unique approach to leadership training helped us stand out. While many other entrepreneurship pro grams teach participants how to start a specific type of business (e.g., carpentry, handicrafts, baking, etc.), our project empowered participants to launch businesses that lined up with their own visions and talents.
Because of your generosity, our initiatives paved the way for restaurants, clothing projects, a welding business, a honey distributer, and many other creative business ventures. Using her connections as a nurse, Diana* started her own business selling medical sup plies. Paola* learned how to use her cooking skills to launch a restaurant in a tourist area. Diana, Paola, and many other participants experienced the dignity that comes with meaningful work and the ability to provide for their families.
We didn’t want our program to only stand out for the success stories we generated in the business world, how
Photo by Olivia McCashever. We also wanted to stand out for the deeper spiritu al impact of our work. The keys to achieving this objec tive were the curriculum and one-on-one mentorship. The curriculum was clearly evangelical, and each course included a mixture of participants from inside and outside the church. The one-on-one mentorship that followed the curriculum was even better. For a year after completing the classes, each participant was paired with a Christian who had been successful in the marketplace. These believers served as mentors, praying and sharing their own wisdom with the current participants.
The impact of our mentors inspired me to incorpo rate a mentorship aspect into future projects whenever possible. When we began an agricultural development project in another part of the country, we intentionally introduced mentorship in the project at two levels. First, we made sure to include the voices of those who had ex perience growing and processing cocoa plants. Second, we brought in two Christian businessmen to coach the community in the sales process. This small project led to 60 families finding sustainable income—and even bet ter, we saw 50 people come to Christ for the first time!
One of the key principles of sustainable, faith-based community development is that we don’t approach communities with a mentality of solving their problems. Instead, we pause until we understand where the Lord is moving. Then, as we join His work—fueled by those who come alongside us with their prayers and support—we assess and develop the resources at our disposal within the community. We’ve been blessed to work with a church network in Colombia that is eager to engage deeper in the community and take risks by working outside the walls of the church. This type of partnership is proving to make differences in lives today and for eternity.
Today, we’re in the early stages of launching a new en trepreneur project in partnership with the Colombian Alliance national church in a strategic city in the Amazon Rainforest. This project is different from the others because we’re not simply training. Instead, we’re starting a business. This community is drowning in plastic waste, and because it’s isolated in the jungle, building materials are expensive to import.
The problem of plastic waste has become a source of tension between the indigenous and nonindige nous groups in the area. We recognized that we could work together to create a factory that recycles plastic into building materials. Through the project, we can provide dignified work, add value to the community, and be a bridge of peace by cleaning the environment and restoring relationships between indigenous and nonindigenous peoples.
Early on, I was convinced of the importance of bring ing mentorship into the project but wasn’t sure where it would fit. While I was sharing my vision with sever al close friends, they introduced me to others who had experience in this area and were eager to participate in the project. It was clear the Lord was directing people toward our new project, which will allow us to start with a solid foundation of Christian mentorship. These initiatives would not be possible without the engagement and generosity of our Alliance family— so thank you! As we undertake new work for the King dom, we ask for your prayer and financial support. Pray that the recycling project complements the church plant well; that we are seen in the community as peacemakers; that we realize many opportunities to share the gospel in word and deed; and, finally, that we develop the next generation of workers in Colombia who will spread the gospel to the surrounding communities.
*Name changed
In the Amazon region of Colombia, many people live in extreme poverty despite the region’s abundance of natural resources. Will you invest in a plastic recycling factory that will reduce waste, generate employment op portunities, and provide access to the most valuable resource of all—the gospel of Jesus?
To bring new opportunities for econom ic and spiritual growth in an impoverished community, visit cmalliance.org/give; select “a project you love/Find a project”; and type in “CAMA - Colombian Business Incubator.”
Learn more about Alliance strategic projects throughout the world in need of your prayers and financial support by requesting a copy of the 2022–2023 Strategic Giving Opportu nities Gift Catalog at give@cmalliance.org or by calling (866) 443-8262 toll free.
lliance University is The Christian and Missionary flagship school celebrating its 140th anniversary this year. At home again in New York City, where founder A.B. Simpson’s vision for advancing the gospel message was first launched, this pacesetter in Christian higher education enters a new era with the dynamic leadership of Rajan S. Mathews, the institution’s 13th president.
The new name, Alliance University, more accurately depicts how the mission to “take the whole gospel to the whole world” is strategically accomplished. At AU, personally transformed men and women are prepared to lead effectively in our nation and around the globe. Their educational experience is further enhanced by collaborating with churches, community organizations, affiliate agencies, donors and other stakeholders, which leads to a true alliance.
At AU, students learn the Bible from Bible scholars, but also have the extraordinary chance to touch the history of the Bible. Now in Season 6 of the El Araj Excavation Project in Israel, AU’s Ancient Judaism and Christian
Origins Department Chair, Dr. Steve Notley, has been joined by students, alumni and faculty in the Holy Land for an annual archeological dig.
To date, evidence of the ancient fishing village of Bethsaida and a large Greek inscription during excavations of what is being called the “Church of the Apostles” have been uncovered.
With core values of being academically excellent, globally engaged, intentionally diverse, personally transforming, and socially relevant defining the institutional DNA, Alliance University has been recognized again by media giant, U.S. News & World Report, for being among regional universities in the North who are leaders in fostering social mobility.
Located in Manhattan, a hub of business, entertainment, sports, and fine arts, Alliance University will conclude the 2022 fall semester with an Off-Broadway production of the Tony Award-winning musical, Aida–showcasing the remarkable talent of its students.
Learn more about Alliance University in a gate way city to the world. We go to the nations and the nations come to us. Greater things are yet to come!
Learn more at
A local Mexican couple hosted the Alli ance video team on a recent trip to an indigenous tribe in the mountains of Mexico. These believers could live any where, but they chose to live in a remote part of the country in order to be pres ent among a specific indigenous tribe to share the love of Christ with them. In this photo, the video team is crossing a floating bridge (a cement bridge under the raging river’s surface) in order to get to this couple’s home for an evangelistic trip with local believers and internation al workers. At one point, one of the cars strayed too far down stream, drove off the bridge, and got stuck. After rescu ing the car, they continued on to deliver food to a remote mountain village.
Photo by Olivia McCash
A little over a year ago, we left our home in Wiscon sin—as well as our friends, family, and church—and landed in Kosovo. There have been some difficult days for sure, but God has been so good and He con tinues to confirm our call. Praise God with us for His provision and presence. We are also grateful for those who have partnered with us in prayer!
We are thankful for an opportunity to make connec tions with Kosovar kids in the church neighborhood through some outreach events. We have really enjoyed serving as a family and showing God’s love to these children. Several families have children with disabilities, and it was encouraging to the parents that we had inclusive activities.
Pray for perseverance in learning Albanian. As we continue language study, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us regarding our future ministry here.
Rob and Heidi Scott, aXcess international workers
This past summer, 12 children ranging in age from 3–12, along with five moms, one of the mom’s friends, and two toddlers, gathered in our home for a mini vacation Bible school. On the last day, one boy saw a friend while walking to our house and invited him to join us.
The children were full of energy and enthusiasm, and their favorite part was the interactive Bible stories. Angel, one of the young people from Breath of Life church, played the role of Jesus, and the children were the disciples or others in His life. Angel also led them in songs about the Savior who wants to be their best friend.
A special moment was on the last day during a reen actment of the Crucifixion and Resurrection. When “Jesus” came out of the tomb dressed in a white robe after having died on the cross, there was a collective “WOW!” from the kids and the moms. The children’s faces were filled with awe and excitement. Pray for continued opportunities to share the love of Jesus.
—Zac and Julie Stutler, aXcess international workers
In July 2022, the Association of Free Churches (AFT) was finally able to have a baptism service. Many church members have waited two years to be baptized due to COVID restrictions. Once the government loosened them, we were able to schedule the service.
We anticipated 1,200 people, but 1,588 showed up. The night before the baptism, it rained all night, and we wondered if that would discourage people from coming—it didn’t. Another concern was scheduling the baptism on the “holiest” day on the Buddhist cal endar: the beginning of Buddhist lent. Before they knew Jesus, these believers would have felt obligated to “make merit” at their local Buddhist temple. Not this year! Instead, they chose to turn from their old ways and follow Christ.
We opened another district church, the Wachi rabarami Free Church, July 16. Pray for the pastors, Arm* and Niew,* who are responsible for discipling the believers in the house churches located in the 51 villages of this district. Continue to pray for AFT, where two more baptisms were scheduled in August.
—Dwight and Mary Kay, Alliance international work ers serving with marketplace ministries
A baptism service in Thailand saw 1,588 believers get baptized after COVID restrictions were lifted in Thailand.
From around the block to the ends of the earth
Jeffrey J. and Melissa L. Singfiel, in July. The Singfiels are involved in leadership development, women’s ministries, and project coordination.
Bounsoeuth and Syna V. Lao, in July. The Laos are involved in youth ministries and church planting.
Brian M. and Valerie G. Weidemann, in July. The Weidemanns are dorm personnel and also serve as third culture kid (TCK) advocates.
Daniel B. and Lisa O. Lawrence Jr. and family, in July. The Lawrences are involved in church ministries.
Jose L. and Melanie R. Chinchilla and family, in July. The Chinchillas are involved in discipleship ministries and church planting.
Sebastiaan M. and Jeana J. de Vroome and family, in July. The de Vroomes are involved in CAMA and development ministries.
Michael B. and Amy G. Gilbert and family, in July. The Gilberts are involved in relief and development work.
Timothy G. Agnello, district missions mobilizer, South Pacific Alliance, Temecula, Calif.
Brian V. Baldwin, associate pastor, Newbridge Church of the C&MA, Morristown, N.J.
Jeffrey A. Bean, special assignment, Eastern Pennsylvania District
David J. Beddoe, pastor, Restore Church, Poulsbo, Wash.
Blair T. Blakeslee, assistant pastor, Union City (Pa.) C&MA Church
Danny Bobe, pastor de Iglesia en Desarrollo, ACM Isabela, Sabana Hoyos, P.R.
Heather R. Bolstridge, youth director, Maranatha Bible Chapel, Horseheads, N.Y.
Jared B. Bolstridge, youth and teaching pastor, Maranatha Bible Chapel, Horseheads, N.Y.
Scott D. Brooks, pastor, Sarasota (Fla.) Alliance Church
Mark E. Brumley, church-planting director, Mid-Atlantic District
Michael C. Burrows, pastor, Roots Church, Muskegon, Mich.
Meica B. Campbell, director for ministry development, Ohio Valley District
Joy E. Corby, special assignment, Eastern Pennsylvania District
Joshua J. Eggerson, pastor, Faith Restored Church, Southaven, Miss.
Marcos R. Ferreira, pastor, Galion (Ohio) Alliance Church
Stephen R. Fletcher, teaching pastor, Faith Bible Alliance Church, Neosho, Wis.
Wendy J. Gierhart, part-time institutional chaplain, Central District
Michael D. Harris, non-Alliance assignment—Heritage Classical Academy, Central District
Tou G. Her, senior pastor, Victory Hmong Alliance Church C&MA, Madison, Wis.
Kevin A. Hercula, interim pastor, Osage (Iowa) Alliance Church
D. R. Hoke, pastor, Alliance Chapel, DeLand, Fla.
Zachariah D. Hummer, NextGen pastor, Fellowship Alliance Chapel, Medford, N.J.
Zhirong Jiang, senior pastor, Toledo (Ohio) Chinese Alliance Church
Troy Johnson, chaplain with hospice division at Mission Healthcare, South Pacific District
Jerome W. Lewis, chaplain, Central District
John A. Malone, non-Alliance assignment pastor, Central District
Osvaldo Mata, pastor, Hope CC, Napa, Calif.
Kendall T. McKee, Greenhouse coordinator, First Alliance Church, Lexington, Ky.
Roberto J. Melendez, pastor, ACyM de Leesburg (Fla.)
Enrique Miranda, pastor, New Hope Alliance Church, Brownsville, Tex.
Terrance L. Nichols, pastor, Jesus Risen Lord Alliance Fellowship, Canyon, Calif.
Eric A. Oleson, coaching and assessment, South Pacific Alliance
Kathleen M. Poach, institutional chaplain–OhioHealth, Ohio Valley District
Timothy D. Pollitz, associate pastor, Faith Alliance Church, New Bremen, Ohio
Mykel L. Pollock, pastor, Visible Church, Toledo, Ohio
George F. Rhoades Jr., special assignment—mission ministries, Central Pacific District
Luke D. Richter, worship & adult ministries pastor, First Alliance Church, Eastanollee, Ga.
James B. Rudd, pastor, True Vine Church Community, Philadelphia, Pa.
Nicholas R. Ruport, other ministry, North Central District
Stephen Russell, online content & production coordinator, Christ Community Church C&MA, Omaha, Neb.
Bruce D. Rzengota, pastor, New Hope Community Church, North Port, Fla.
Daryl Sam, senior pastor, Kiel (Wis.) Alliance Church
Nathaniel L. San, pastor of student ministries, New Life Christian Church, Whittier, Calif.
Nathan B. Seckinger, pastor, Neshannock Alliance Church, West Middlesex, Pa.
David P. Smock, pastor, Ambridge (Pa.) C&MA Church
Jens L. Sundem, church planter, Rocky Mountain District
Char B. Thao, pastor, Hmong Alliance Church, Stevens Point, Wis.
Jose R. Valdez, assistant pastor, ACyM de Leesburg (Fla.)
Paul Vang, pastor, Calvary Alliance Church, St. Paul, Minn.
Zhong Vang, associate pastor, Alliance Church of Merced (Calif.)
John M. Vargo, program director— Whosoever Gospel Mission & Rescue, Eastern Pennsylvania District
Philip R. Vaughn, other ministry, Central Pacific District
Mark A. Wiggins, pastor, Hope Community Church, Cottage Grove, Minn.
Kue Xiong, NextGen pastor, Hmong New Hope Alliance Church, Auburn, Ga.
Michael C. Xiong, interim pastor, Hawaii (Honolulu) Kai Community Church
Tou C. Xiong, youth pastor, First Hmong Missionary Alliance Church, Wausau, Wis.
Anoka, Minn., Compassion Church, 2665 4th Ave., 55303
Bakersfield, Calif., Open Gate Community Church, 7850 White Ln., Ste. E., 271, 93309
Fox Island, Wash., Heart Church, 655 6th Ave., 98333
Greensboro, N.C., El Shaddai Vision Church, 6309 W. Friendly Ave., 27410
Irvine, Calif., Bethel Grace Church, 18700 Harvard Ave., 92612
Lexington, S.C., Mosaic Church, 6180 Platt Springs Rd., 29073 Minneapolis, Minn., Zion Evangelical Minneapolis, 2801 E. 22nd St., 55406
Wheaton, Ill., Martus Collective, 26W068 Jewell Rd., 60187
Jonathan M. Ayin, assistant pastor, Leeward Community Church, Pearl City, Hawaii Stephen A. Baker, pastor, Church of Emmanuel, Foxboro, Mass.
Kevin P. Boothby, pastor, Tracy Creek Memorial Church, Vestal, N.Y. Sam T. Buchmeyer, pastoral intern and youth director, Arise Church, Sheboygan, Wis.
Pedro Castro, pastor, Ministerio Agape of the C&MA, Sacramento, Calif.
Jordan A. Chapple, pastor, Connexion, Danville, Ill.
Abigail J. Hall, special assignment–Zebulon ministries, Ohio Valley District
Bradley J. Heltman, executive director of implementation, Penns Valley Community Church, Spring Mills, Pa.
Nathan Her, youth pastor, Denver Hmong Alliance Church, Westminster, Colo.
Brian R. Higgins, assistant pastor, North Shore Fellowship of the C&MA, Holmdel, N.J.
Christin M. Jacobs, missions intern, Deltona (Fla.) Alliance Church
Edmund J. Keene, pastor of connecting ministries, Daybreak Church at Orrs Bridge Road, Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Cody S. King, pastor of media and online ministry, Deltona (Fla.) Alliance Church
Joe Kisselburgh, pastor, East Park Church, Vancouver, Wash.
Kory J. Krusenstjerna, youth pastor, Bethel (Maine) Alliance Church of the C&MA
Derrick Liferidge, pastor, Mosaic Church, Lexington, S.C.
Tommy H. Lor, youth pastor, RiverLife Church of the C&MA, St. Paul, Minn.
Kaitlin M. Malone, prayer/ conversation partner, Global Friends, MidAmerica District
John W. Mumford, pastor, Garden City Church, La Mesa, Calif.
Prince Mushunju, pastor, El Shaddai Vision Church, Greensboro, N.C.
Timothy A. Neargarth, pastoral assistant, Plymouth (Wis.) Alliance Church
Jessica Ng-Lam, youth pastor, Queens Herald Church C&MA, Fresh Meadows, N.Y.
Christopher M. Nolan, pastor of grow and global ministry, CrossWay Church, Germantown, Wis.
Ka L. Pau, pastor, Honolulu (Hawaii) Chinese Alliance Church
Kramer Payne, pastor, Heart Church, Fox Island, Wash.
Leah E. Potter, director for worship, youth, & children’s ministries, Dorseyville Alliance Church, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Tyler J. Puharic, assistant pastor, Girard (Pa.) Alliance Church
Daniel E. Rudolf, assistant youth pastor, Ridgeway Alliance Church, White Plains, N.Y.
William Reinmuth, pastor, All Souls Community Church, Suffern, N.Y.
Lauren E. Reyes, discipleship coordinator, Connexion Church, Bowling Green, Ky. Tyler S. Richards, pastor of worship and creative arts, Hope Church of the C&MA, Brunswick, Ohio
Brandon D. Rockwell, high school director, Christ Community Church, Rochester, Minn.
Victoria G. Spencer, leadership development coordinator, Kenmore Alliance Church, Tonawanda, N.Y.
Daniel J. Stringer, missions intern, Deltona (Fla.) Alliance Church
Karis M. Stringer, missions intern, Deltona (Fla.) Alliance Church
Raymond A. Taylor, pastor for connection and worship, Alliance Church, Lancaster, Pa.
Richard V. Thompson, chaplain—OhioHealth, Ohio Valley District
Zaixing Tian, pastor, Chinese Alliance Church of Pittsburgh, Turtle Creek, Pa. Jonathan Vizcarrondo, assistant pastor, Iglesia Biblica Gracia y Misericordia, Allentown, Pa.
Tou Z. Yang, youth pastor, Twin Cities Hmong Alliance Church, Maplewood, Minn.
Edwin Young, worship director, Crossroads Neighborhood Church, Bremerton, Wash.
At Shell Point® , you’ll enjoy a fulfilling lifestyle where you can explore, worship, learn, grow and even continue to serve. And with new additions to our campus, like Tribby Arts Center, a sparkling centerpiece for the arts, and the state-of-the-art Larsen Health Center, you can rest on a firm foundation, knowing that your needs will be taken care of – both now and in the future.
Unparalleled setting. Unparalleled lifestyle.™
Shell Point is located in Fort Myers, Florida, just minutes from the islands of Sanibel and Captiva.
Shell Point is a nonprofit ministry of The Christian and Missionary Alliance Foundation, Inc. ©2021 Shell Point. All rights reserved. SLS-4424-21
A lliance C ommunity eliminates the complexity of choosing where to live throughout your retirement. Our Christ-centered community, located in the heart of Central Florida, provides the location, quality, affordability, amenities and healthcare you need and the lifestyle, fellowship and recreational activities you desire! And, our LifePlan program ensures quality healthcare to meet your needs into the future and is guaranteed for life.
AllianceCommunity.org 644 S. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, FL 32720 | 800-334-4133 Call 386-734-3481 or scan the QR code to learn more.
Ciro Moraes Costa De Castro, August 27, 2022, First Alliance Church, Lexington, Ky. Ciro is the trips and marketing coordinator for Envision at the C&MA National Office.
Paul F. Gedden, MidAmerica District
Robert A. Huffer, The Alliance Southeast
Reth Nhar, New England District
James J. Oh, The Alliance Southeast
Mark A. Patterson, Northeastern District
Ted H. Swinburne, The Alliance Northwest Guy R. Thompson, Eastern Pennsylvania District Joseph D. Vallier, MidAmerica District
June R. Bainer
August 2, 1921−July 21, 2021
June passed away peacefully at her Cape Coral, Fla., home two days shy of her 100th birthday. She was married to Claude J. Bainer for 56 years. During their ministry, the Bainers served in three districts (Eastern and Western Pennsylvania and the Central District). June was the Women’s Missionary Prayer Fellowship (now Alliance Women) president in the Western and Central Districts as well as a skilled storyteller and flannel board teacher. She ministered to children at Edinboro (Pa.) and Beulah Beach (Ohio) Camps.
During retirement in Kissimmee, Fla., June organized community outreach efforts including Bookmark Buddies where volunteers read to children in local elementary schools and “Love Bears” that recruited retirees to knit bears that were donated to missionaries, hospitals, and police units.
Thank you for your trust. It’s our honor and mission to serve you. Call 833.672.4255 to learn how we can help you do immeasurably more with the financial resources God has entrusted to you.
A trusted stewardship and generosity ministry of The Alliance since 1959.
Meet the team who prays for and serves more than 450 Alliance church borrowers, 5,000 investors, and 500 donors.
June was preceded in death by her husband and her son, Mark; she is survived by daughters Claudia, Deborah, and Rebecca; 3 grandchildren; and 2 great-grandsons.
Gabriela (Gabby) Marks Cisneros
October 13, 1965–September 14, 2021
Gabby passed away at Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, Tex., at the age of 55. She was the daughter of Adolfo L. and Olivia R. Marks, founding members of New Hope Alliance Church (Brownsville, Tex.). Gabby graduated from the University of Texas in 1994 with a BA. On December 18, 1994, she married Ramon Cisneros Jr. and moved to Minnesota where Ramon was a student at Crown College in St. Bonifacius.
Gabby served as an adjunct professor of Spanish for one year at Crown and worked in the Registrar’s Office (1995–1999) under the leadership of Paul Gedden. She also served alongside Ramon in C&MA churches in Oak Grove, Minn. (1997–1999); Brownsville, Tex. (1999–2001, 2002–2005, 2005–2020); and Mercedes, Tex. (2020–2021).
Gabby served as a teacher for 24 years and in many student organizations. She left a legacy with her students that changed many lives and will be remembered as a compassionate and dedicated educator, mentor, and friend.
Gabby is survived by her husband and sons Timothy R., John M., Matthew A., and Jacob A. Cisneros.
December 13, 1925–December 21, 2021
Lloyd was born in Osceola Mills, Pa. He graduated high school with high honors in 1943 and enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 17 to attend engineering school at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa. He served during WW II (1943–1946), stationed in England, Germany, and France.
In July 1946 at Mahaffey (Pa.) Bible Camp, Lloyd met the Lord in an encounter that changed the course of his life. He committed himself to full-time ministry and enrolled in St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minn.). On August 22, 1950, he married Eva May Evans in Lincoln, Neb.
During 47 years of C&MA ministry, Lloyd was an assistant pastor in Lima, Ohio (1952–1954) and pastored churches in New London (1954–1959) and Toledo, Ohio (1959–1974); Indianapolis, Ind. (1974–1985); and Missoula, Mont. (1985–1993). He also served as an interim pastor in Greensboro, N.C. (1993–1994) and Toledo, Ohio (1994–1995); was a pastoral care pastor in Toledo (1995–1999); and was
the founding pastor of Tamiami Village Church in North Fort Myers, Fla. (1999–2016).
Lloyd was preceded in death by his wife; he is survived by children Lloyd Jr., Mark, Brian, John, and Heather; 14 grandchildren; and 8 great-grandchildren.
Roland was born in Mount Sterling, Ill.
On August 20, 1955, he married Joan Sloane while they were students at Taylor University in Upland, Ind. They were married for 65 years.
Roland was involved in pastoral ministry in 13 congregations for more than 65 years. While a student at Taylor University, he pastored two rural Methodist churches in Indiana (1953–1955). He then served C&MA churches in Louisville, Ky. (1956–1962); Akron, Ohio (1962–1965); Armonk, N.Y. (1965–1974); Orlando, Fla. (1974–1986); Burlington, Vt. (1989–1993); Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (1993–2000); and Deltona, Fla. (2000–2007). Roland also served with LeTourneau Ministries (1986–1988) and was pastor of care at Christ Community Chapel, Hudson, Ohio (2007–2016).
Roland was preceded in death by his wife; he is survived by sons Brian and Joe; 7 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren (at this writing, 2 more are on the way).
Gayle was born in Altoona, Pa. In 1948, she married Merlin (Mike) C. Feather shortly after they graduated together from Altoona High School. During their 22+ years of C&MA ministry, Gayle served alongside Mike when he was the C&MA’s vice president and treasurer (1977–1988), the Southeast District’s business administrator (1993–2000), and on the board at Nyack College (now Alliance University, New York, N.Y.) and three C&MA retirement communities: Shell Point Village (now Shell Point Retirement Community), Fort Myers, Fla. (treasurer); the Alliance Community for Retirement Living, DeLand, Fla. (president); and Town and Country Manor, Santa Ana, Calif. (treasurer).
Gayle’s time on earth was filled with love, laughter, and devotion to God and family. She and Mike lovingly gave of their time and talents to friends and community. At retirement, instead of living a life of leisure, they committed themselves to a period of Christian service, and the next chapter of their life saw stints in Nyack, N.Y.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Charlotte, N.C.; and some international travel. In
2000 they returned to central Florida, settling in the Alliance Community for Retirement Living.
After Mike’s passing in 2010, Gayle spent eight more years in their DeLand home before moving to an assisted living facility in Falls Church, Va., where she could be close to her youngest daughter, Amy. Gayle was preceded in death by her husband and her eldest daughter, Betsy; she is survived by sons Dan and Jonathan; daughters Jane and Amy; 10 grandchildren; and 2 great-grandchildren.
June 23, 1927–July 5, 2022
Harold was born in Atlanta, Ga. On August 12, 1949, he married Martha at the Miami (Fla.) Gospel Tabernacle. He received a bachelor of theology from the Missionary Training Institute (now Alliance University, New York, N.Y.) and an honorary doctor of divinity from Toccoa Falls (Ga.) College.
During 47 years of C&MA ministry, Harold served churches in Hamilton, Ala. (1950–1955); Lakeworth,
Fla. (1955–1960); Pittsburgh, Pa. (1960–1963); Greensboro, N.C. (1963–1968); and Bangkok, Thailand (1968–1972). He was superintendent of three districts—the South Atlantic, South Pacific, and Pacific Northwest. Harold was also vice president for Church Ministries at the C&MA National Office in Colorado Springs, Colo. He “retired” at age 70. For the next 15 years, he served numerous interim pastorates.
Harold was preceded in death by his wife; he is survived by children Bob, Sandy, and Kim; 9 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
July 23, 1929–July 6, 2022
Betty was born in South Fork, Pa., and was the daughter of a C&MA pastor. After high school, she worked in a government office for two years before enrolling in the Missionary Training Institute (now Alliance University, New York, N.Y.).
On June 21, 1952, Betty married Jesse A. Peace. For 40 years, she served alongside her husband in C&MA
churches in Warrensburg (1952–1954), Franklinville (1954–1963), Poughkeepsie (1963–1973), and Painted Post, N.Y. (1973–1992). She was a choir director, church secretary, Sunday school and children’s church teacher to all age groups, Christian education chairperson, and substitute organist and pianist. Betty loved music and directed choirs. She coordinated the music program in every church she served. She and Jesse were married for 70 years.
Betty is survived by her husband; son David; daughter Cheryl; 4 grandchildren; and 8 great-grandchildren.
June 19, 1933–August 8, 2022
Kathy was born in Bend, Ore., and grew up in a missionary family in West Africa, having moved with them to Ivory Coast (also known as Côte d’Ivoire) when she was three years old. Kathy accepted Christ as a very young child and was baptized at Medicine Lake Camp, Minn., at the age of nine. She felt God’s call on her life in grade school
and had her call confirmed while attending nurses’ training at Swedish Covenant in Chicago.
Kathy married Roy on September 2, 1955, and they enrolled in St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minn.). After receiving their degrees, they were appointed to serve as C&MA missionaries in Guinea, West Africa. Five years later, the political situation made it impossible to remain there, and they were reassigned to Ivory Coast in 1967. They made the most of this time by adopting their first son, Arnie. During the remainder of their 40 years of ministry, Roy was involved in village evangelism and church planting while Kathy was a teacher and utilized Theological Education by Extension courses for church members.
Roy and Kathy retired in 1999 in Lexington, N.C. They joyfully served in Grace Alliance Church while telling stories about their experiences of God’s grace and the miracles they witnessed in Africa. The couple was in constant prayer for their families, fellow missionaries, and friends across the globe.
Kathy was preceded in death by her husband and son David; she is survived by son Arnie; and 3 grandchildren.
Visit cmaconverge.org or scan the QR code to register or for more information.
Laird was born in Mt. Oliver, Pa. He attended Moody Bible Institute (Chicago, Ill.) for a year and then joined the U.S. Navy, serving in Guam. When Laird returned from the Pacific following his honorable discharge, he reenrolled in Moody Bible Institute and then went on to St. Paul Bible Institute (now Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minn.). He married his wife, Dorothy, August 10, 1947, and they celebrated their 75th anniversary the day before Laird died.
Laird was a C&MA missionary in Israel for 15 years, then served in pastoral ministry in Clearfield County (1969–1973) and Jeanette, Pa. (1973–1985), and Springville, N.Y. (1985–1987). He retired from the pastoral care team at the Allegheny Center Alliance Church in Pittsburgh, Pa. Laird enjoyed studying Hebrew and reading his Hebrew Bible.
Laird is survived by his wife; children Laird Jr., Stephen, and Joanna; 5 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren.
Donna passed away at the age of 58 in her home surrounded by her family. She was the loving wife of Randall R. Cross for 37 years.
Born in Toms River, N.J., Donna received a BA in music education from Toccoa Falls (Ga.) College. She was a music teacher before becoming a devoted mother and homemaker. Donna enjoyed cooking, scrapbooking, cross-stitching, and most of all, spending time with her family.
Donna is survived by her husband; and sons Adam and Michael; she was preceded in death by her triplets Rachael, Joel, and Olivia.
The ”To the Field” section in the July/August 2022 issue incorrectly stated that George and Doris Nuss are involved in language ministries and medical/ health ministries at Bongolo Hospital. Following is the correct information about their ministry involvement:
George W. and Doris E. Nuss Jr., in March. George is primarily involved in translation work, and Doris is working at Compassion Evangelical Hospital.
In the September/October 2022 issue of Alliance Life, the InFocus picture of the coffeehouse was mislabeled as a ministry of Mission 2535. The Greenhouse coffee shop is run by Brandon and Bethany Nutter, the Envision Dominican Republic site coordinators. We apologize for the confusion!
This photo illustration, used in the 2022 special issue of Alliance Life, was created by Peter Keady and Paul Keidel. If you would like to purchase a poster, either 12x16 or 16x20, you can do so by contacting Peter Keady at peter@pk3photography.com
What Does The Alliance Really Believe?
Sorting Out Essentials, Distinctives, and Open Questions in United Loving
Liberty by Paul King, a C&MA theologian. For LOCCs, candidates, students, pastors, and those seeking perspective on current issues facing The Alliance. Available on Kindle and Amazon.
An autobiography by Angelika Mitikas, Witness of God’s Voice: God’s Nurturing of a Prophetic Call, conveys with brutal honesty the authenticity of God’s nurturing of a life so unworthy and inadequate for a prophetic call. Available on Amazon.
The Land of Promise challenges believers to go deeper in our relationship with our Lord by allowing His Spirit to slay sin, expose selfseeking motives, and unfold the glorious inheritance that awaits all who seek Him. The Church is in need of revival today, and it begins by embracing the Land of Promise He offers every yearning believer. Available in print and eBook versions at TheAllianceStore.com.
One central Asian country has long posed one of the greatest challenges for Christi anity, but through a simple Discovery Bible study in Omaha, Nebraska, an interna tional student became a powerful church planter! Max* grew up being taught that there was no creator and no hope of ever lasting life. While in Omaha as a visiting scholar, Max joined a weekly Discovery Bible study group with Global Friends, an Alliance partner ministry. After a few months, Julie Arant, the program director, offered a simple explanation of the gos pel to Max over lunch. Not only did Max surrender his life to Christ, but he also started an underground church-planting movement as soon as he arrived home. Je sus is bringing international students and scholars from around the world to Global Friends’s doorstep to save them and send them back to their own people to share His love in difficult places.
*Name changed
In spring 2022, North Deering Alliance Church in Portland, Maine, purchased a van with money they received from the Dream Incentive Grant and the Alliance New England district. This van has been used in many different ways, including helping people get to church on Sunday mornings. This has given them access to a faith community that they would not have otherwise had access to. The van was also used to serve asylum seekers staying at two hotels near the church. Every Tuesday this summer, a team from North Deering Alliance Church prepared African food and loaded it into the bed of a pickup truck. Volunteers of all ages then rode in the van to the hotel to help distribute the food and some clothing to these asylum seekers. Praise the Lord for His provision for this ministry!
by Frederick A. Smith
Adapted from “A Transformed Character” published in The Alliance Weekly, October 2, 1948.
Don Zoilo Torres, born in the rugged hills of the Andes, found no satisfaction in his religion. There was no purifying power to defend him from the youthful evils surrounding him, so Zoilo soon became a slave to alcohol.
One day a peddler passed through selling the “forbid den Bible.” Zoilo bought it, thinking, What bad teachings does this book contain, which causes our priests to forbid us to read it? As he read in the New Testament, he thought, How could this book be bad when it teaches about God’s love?
Zoilo accepted Jesus’ invitation: “Come unto Me . . . and I will give you rest.” A newfound joy flooded his soul! The desires for drink and other evils were replaced by the desire to lead others to Christ. Soon, Zoilo found himself explaining the Word of God to a large group of neighbors in his home. Many accepted the Lord as Sav ior, and the Church of Campohermoso was born.
But Zoilo longed for some teacher to come explain more about this precious Book. He read about the inau guration of a gospel mission, and Zoilo, his brother Da vid, and a friend determined to trudge by foot over the Andes for five days to attend. These gospel services were a spiritual feast to Zoilo and his companions.
They asked the missionary to send a gospel teacher,
but they had no one to send such a great distance. The missionary gave Zoilo a hymnal and encouraged him to preach the Word of God to his people as the Holy Spirit directed him. Arriving back home, Zoilo and his companions constructed a small chapel where they met together weekly to worship God and study His Word.
Henry Fast, an Alliance missionary, soon heard of these believers and visited them. Believers were encour aged in the faith, and unbelievers became interested as they heard there was One who could liberate them from their sins. Their chapel had to be rebuilt twice to fit the more than 400 who attended.
But Zoilo and his fellow Christians were not content with gospel work only in their own farming district. They traveled over the mountains to other districts to witness and preach the gospel. Daughter groups of believers were born, one of these soon becoming an or ganized church. Thus, Campohermoso became known as a center of evangelism.
In 1943, Zoilo went home to the Lord after only 13 years, but in that time he had been instrumental in win ning hundreds of souls to Christ and was a mighty force in building the Church in that part of Colombia. Fruit is still being born from his undying, fruitful testimony.