Alliance Life: November/December 2023 by The Christian and Missionary Alliance

VOLUME 158

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

now. extend hope ON MISSION WITH GOD Our outreach to the world extends from our communion with Christ pg. 4

WORTH THE COST? Alliance workers share “what makes this a hard place” pg. 14

IF THERE IS ONLY ONE God’s goodness ignites one family’s evangelistic fervor pg. 26

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No. 06

| NOV/ D EC 2023

GUEST EDITORIAL

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Founder A. B. Simpson Editor-in -Chief Peter Burgo Managing E ditor Emmy Duddles

MISSION-FUELED GENEROSITY by Trey Martin

Over the last few months, I’ve been reflecting on how generous the Alliance family is. As a former international worker (IW), I’ve been on the receiving end of this generosity in ways that blow my mind. And as I’ve transitioned to the Development team at the National Office, I’m seeing it from an even wider angle. My conclusion is that you, Alliance family, get generosity. You also get mission. It’s our mission that drives us to do crazy things for Jesus. Throughout The Alliance’s history, when generosity and missions converge, we do even crazier things. It started with tossing gold and watches into offering plates to send workers around the world. Now, we see people liquidating stocks, giving away houses, or just living without a convenience so they can give more to see our mission fulfilled. Let’s be clear. It’s not our mission—it’s God’s mission and His calling. As we look to the next few years, we are being asked to dig deeper with generosity and step out in bold faith to reach five now. goals, which you can find at cmalliance.org/now. It’s not just for the sake of generosity but also is deeply tied to our vision of All of Jesus for All the World. Each of these goals attempts to limit barriers to people being able to experience Jesus and enable IWs to be present in the hard places. We are doing this by sending more IWs, fully funding our international work, planting more churches, and building Alliance Place—an attempt to change the posture of the Church’s engagement with society. Sometimes when I consider giving, I can move toward two flawed giving postures: being overwhelmed by the size of a goal or giving out of obligation. Both rob me of joy, and the latter wedges me into a posture of compulsive giving. Paul is super clear that giving out of cheerfulness and a willing spirit are critical pieces of a giving heart (see 2 Cor. 9). When I am overwhelmed by a large goal, I must remember that God takes care of His mission by providing each step of the way. My contribution may not seem to make a dent in the goal, but I get the opportunity to walk by faith and witness how generous His Body can be. When I am stuck in a posture of giving from obligation, it helps to take a step back and see what brings me joy. In that place of joy, it is the Holy Spirit that replaces compulsion with bold faith. Join me as we, Alliance family, continue to remove barriers for people to experience Jesus through joy-filled, mission-fueled, enthusiastic generosity.

Graphic Designer Caylie Smith A ssistant E ditor Julie Daubé Staff Writers/E ditors Julie Daubé Hannah Castro Hannah Packard E ditorial A ssistant Mandy Gove Circulation Fulfillment Julie Connon

© ALLIANCELIFE ALLIANCELIFE i s p ub li s h e d by T h e Christian and Missionary Alliance, One Alliance Place, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. Member, Evangelical Press Association and Associated Church Press. Printed in the USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ALLIANCELIFE, One Alliance Place, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. When requesting a change of address, pleas e gi ve b ot h t he old and new addresses. Direct all correspondence and changes of address to ALLIANCELIFE, One Alliance Place, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. Toll free: (877) 284-3262; email: alliancelife@cmalliance.org. Website: www.alliancelife.org.

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

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cover: Photograph by Olivia, Alliance

video team. Mrs. Jaan’s vegetable cart has become an evangelistic tool as she shares the love and hope she has found in Christ.

NOV/DEC2023 04 Christ-Centered ON MISSION WITH GOD Our outreach to the world extends from our communion with Christ | by Ciro Castro | pg. 4 TOO SMALL Living with a God-sized vision by Mark Ashton | pg. 8 FREE VERSE Quotes from the Kingdom | pg. 11 TOZER ANTHOLOGY compiled by Harry Verploegh | pg. 11

14 Acts 1:8 WORTH THE COST? Alliance workers share "what makes this a hard place" by Alliance Life staff | pg. 14 YOUR GENEROSITY IN ACTION Building Hope for the Urban Poor | by an Alliance international worker | pg. 22 IF THERE IS ONLY ONE | God’s goodness ignites one family’s evangelistic fervor by Emmy Duddles | pg. 26 BREAK THE POWER OF MONEY Giving everything back to God by Ron Blue | pg. 32

26 22 CONTENTS pg.

THAT WE MAY BE ONE Setting aside our differences to reach the lost by Jimmie Hull | pg. 34

36 Family PRAYER IS PRIMARY Requests from Alliance workers | pg. 38 ALLIANCE FAMILY NEWS Personnel changes, obituaries, and classified ads | pg. 39

OUR LIFE | Snapshots from around The Alliance | pg. 45 FOUNDATIONS | No Other Plan Adapted by Alliance Life staff | pg. 46

Plus 02 EDITORIAL 12 INFOCUS 20 THE PEOPLE WE SERVE 36 INFOCUS

ON MISSION WITH GOD ALLIANCELIFE

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Our outreach to the world extends from our communion with Christ

THE FLOURISHING OF CREATION First, God’s purpose was for the flourishing of creation through the pouring out of His love on them. In Genesis 1:27, God made mankind in His own image. Then by Ciro Castro in verse 28, it says, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.’” Later when Jesus came, He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” am an alien. I didn’t find that out until about five (John 10:10). years ago when I was doing my U.S. taxes for the first God’s plan was and is for us to experience fullness of time. The IRS defines an alien as “any individual who life from Him in the way He intended it to be not the is not a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.” If you expanded crooked way the world defines it. The flourishing that that definition, you could probably say that I’ve been an we experience from God involves a reconciled relationalien almost my whole life. I have not lived in the coun- ship with God, ourselves, others, and creation. try where I hold citizenship, Brazil, since I was a toddler. When I was three years old, my family left Brazil and COMMUNION BETWEEN HUMANITY AND GOD moved to the Middle East to be missionaries there. The Second, God’s purpose was for communion between humove was difficult for my parents with three young kids manity and God, love flowing back and forth between all under the age of five. When they moved, they felt like us and Him. We read of the close relationship Adam aliens because they were strangers in a land that was not and Eve had with God in the Garden as He walked with their own. I don’t remember much about that time, but I them. When Jesus came, He restored us into that same do know this—God’s plan and purpose for my life didn’t intimate relationship so we could have direct access to begin then. That was a significant year because God was God and walk closely with Him. at work in my life, but His plan and purpose were in Paul writes, “God was reconciling the world to himplace long before. The same is true for all of us. self in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:19). One definition of that word reconciliation is a restoration of favor. We have not THE MISSION OF GOD just been stripped of our sinful nature; we have been When talking about the mission of God, we often start restored into the favor of God where we get to discover with Genesis 3, with the narrative of the sin and Fall the joy of communion and intimate relationship with of humankind, and we talk about it in such a way that Him. Our communion with God goes beyond just perit feels like that was the key moment that kickstarted sonal relational restoration as the world witnesses the God’s plan for His creation. When we do that, we fail to life of Christ being lived out in us. grasp God’s overarching purpose that was set in place even before He made anything. We can’t ignore Gene- WORSHIPING GOD sis 3; we are all aware of our sin nature and fallenness. Third, God’s purpose was for us to worship Him, reBut we can still firmly hold to the fact that the plan and leasing our love back up to him. True worship is the purpose of God for His world didn’t begin after the Fall exaltation of God to His rightful place. It is the offering but before. of not just our bodies but our whole lives as a sacrifice God’s mission was set in place at the beginning. As He unto God (see Rom. 12:1). True worship is our obedient created in Genesis 1, God revealed His purpose for cre- response to Him and the priority we place on who God ation, which was threefold: is in our lives. This is where Adam and Eve failed. Their mistake in turning their worship toward something 1. The flourishing of humanity other than God not only robbed God of His worship but 2. The communion and intimate relationship also severed their communion with Him and replaced between humanity and God the flourishing God had intended for the world with 3. The worship of God death and brokenness.

Illustration by Julissa Matias Flores

SHARING OUR RESCUE STORY These three areas not only demonstrate the purpose of God toward His creation from the beginning of time but also what Jesus came to restore because of what we lost through our sinfulness. If we are in Christ, then we all have a rescue story. None of us have come to where we

This is what I believe God intended from the beginning. God didn’t alter His plans as a result of our sin—that would give the devil and us too much credit. God simply made a way for us to return to what He intended from the very beginning, to true and full flourishing, communion, and worship for eternity.

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are on our own. We were dead, and now we have been made alive with Christ. We are first and foremost the object of God’s mission and the recipients of His good work. God first needs to do His good work in us—to draw us to Himself, to give us new life—so that He can do His good work through us. We who are in Christ are to continually be the expression of what God intended for creation, in the power of the Spirit of God, becoming more and more like Jesus, the perfect expression of a life devoted to the purpose of God for His glory. The fullness of the life of Christ in us is what empowers us to live the life He has before us, joining Him in His mission as His witnesses in the world. We are the objects and the recipients, but we are also the agents of God’s mission and the instruments of His good work. This is what it means to be on mission with God.

wholeness, and delight . . . Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.” We are to seek the peace and prosperity—the shalom of God—in the city to which God has carried us, whether we have been there for 30 years or 30 days. ANSWER THE INVITATION TO RELATIONSHIP Second, we experience the deeper life and deep communion Jesus offers when we enter into relationship with Him, and we are sent out to invite others into relationship with Jesus. As my good friend Zach says, “We can’t do everything and then fall short of the proclamation of the gospel and the invitation into relationship with God.” Within our context in the Middle East, it often took us a long time to get to this point. The love of Christ we could offer may have softened their hearts, but it was only the gospel of Christ that would change and transform. We don’t just want to see a thriving community that is far from the presence of God. We know that true flourishing cannot happen apart from God. We want the people of our cities and beyond to come to an intimate relationship with Jesus, to experience the depths of His love, and to walk closely with Him in daily abiding.

SEEK THE SHALOM OF GOD First, we receive the abundant life Jesus offers when we join His family, and we are sent out to be on mission with Him in the communities He has placed us in, acknowledging that God is already at work in those places. We have been blessed to be a blessing to our neighbors and to the nations. Even if you feel like you have been displaced, listen to God’s directive to the Israelites in exile in Jeremiah 29:7: “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” The word used there for peace is shalom. We translate it as peace, but in his book Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be, Cornelius Plantinga says that scripturally, “shalom means universal flourishing,

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GO OUT BECAUSE HE IS WORTHY Third, as we enter into relationship with Jesus, we posture our lives around the worship of God. Once again, this requires us to go out to our communities with the purposes of God in mind. But why do we go? What should be our primary motivation? We can give a lot of great answers here. We go because we want people to experience the abundant life Jesus offers, to receive care and nourishment and health. We

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Jesus not only deserves to be known, but He is also worthy to be worshiped by all nations and all people.

go because people need to hear the good news, because there are parts of the world that have little to no access to the gospel, no opportunity to be in relationship with God. We go because there are parts of our own communities where Christ is rejected and there is no two-way relationship with Him. On the front page of the Alliance website, it states, “Because we have experienced His love, hope, and mercy first-hand, we are compelled to make Him known to all people in every segment of society.” And to all of that I say “Amen!” But let me give you another reason why we go. It’s because Jesus not only deserves to be known, but He is also worthy to be worshiped by all nations and all people. The conquering Lion came as a sacrificial Lamb to die for all people—for you and for me—and He was resurrected to provide us redemption from our sins and reconciliation with the Father for all eternity. You and I are standing here as a testament to the fact that this good news that has been shared with us and that we are now compelled to proclaim to others is not just for one people group—it is for all people. And if we truly believe that it’s for all people, and if we truly believe that Jesus is worthy, then we will go.

I started by sharing about my journey of discovering my alien status here in the United States, but the truth is that we’re all aliens and foreigners in this world. When Peter talks about being an alien in his epistle, he’s talking about Christians whose home is with God (see 1 Pet. 2). One day, we will be reunited to our Father, and will dwell in our eternal home with Him, where we will see the fulfillment of the purpose of God for His creation from before time.

THE FULFILLMENT OF HIS PURPOSE Our motivation to join God in the flourishing of our communities and the invitation into communion with God is so that God can be glorified in the lives of all people. We want worshipers of God to be raised up in our cities because God is deserving of all of our praise and honor and glory. We want worshipers of God to be raised up among the nations because He deserves to be glorified in the lives of all people.

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Ciro Castro was born in Brazil and grew up in the Middle East as a TCK. He now serves as the program developer and recruiter for Envision. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Columbus, Ohio.

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Living with a God-sized vision by Mark Ashton

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find many things in life to be too small. At 6’3” and southern tribes of Judah and exiled them by the Ke240 pounds of middle-aged manhood, the world bar River in Babylon. was not designed for me. Airline seats—too small for my While those two remaining tribes were sitting in Babshoulders. I pity the fool in the middle seat next to me. ylon, their prayers went up to God over and over, saying, Amusement park rides—too small for my knees. And “Oh God, would you only give us back the old kingdom when I eat a few too many donuts and pizza slices—my that we had? Would you restore things to the way that clothes can barely contain me. When you take on things they were? Would you put Jacob back together? Call us that are too small, you wind up getting stuck, being un- from the far corners of the earth!” And the Lord speaks to comfortable, and crowding other people. them through the prophet Isaiah, “It is too small a thing I find that not only can the physical world be too for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and small, but so can my dreams, habits, and my preoccu- bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you pations. What are the kinds of things that are too small? a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to Making my lawn perfectly trimmed, green, and beauti- the ends of the earth” (Isa. 49:6). The people were dreamful (with diagonal stripes!); getting a CrossFit bod; making too small. God’s dream was not only to restore a naing sure my kids are safe wherever they go; lowering my tion—it was to reach the world with the light of salvation. golf handicap; playing that app on the phone with the This moment in Isaiah was a precursor to the comcolored bubbles that you have to match. It’s all too small. mand that Jesus It’s not necessarily bad or evil—it’s just not big enough gave His disciples to capture your imagination, your devotion, your inspi- to take the gospel ration, your creativity. Green grass is not evil. A CrossFit to the ends of the body is not evil, but we have to stop giving ourselves to earth (see Acts 1:8), anything that’s too small. which is a precurJesus said that there are some things that are too sor to The Christian small. He named these two: food and clothes. In Mat- and Missionary Althew 6:31–33, Jesus said, “Do not worry, saying, ‘What liance stepping up shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall in obedience as a we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and Christ-centered, Acts your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But 1:8 family and sayseek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all ing, “We will take these things will be given to you as well.” I don’t know the gospel to Jeruwhat’s too small in your life, but I know that your Heav- salem, Judea and enly Father already knows that you need them, and He Samaria, and to the promises if you focus on the big thing, He will throw in ends of the earth.” the small stuff as a bonus. God is saying, “Don’t He says, “Give yourself to something that’s big enough.” give yourself to And the Kingdom of God is big enough. The Kingdom something that’s too of God is the place where lost people get found, where small. Don’t dream people who are disconnected from God find a relation- too small. Don’t live ship with Him, where lonely people find community, your life day in and day out for things that are too small.” where hurting and broken people find healing in Jesus’ Pastors, it is too small a thing for us to preach great sername, where the demonized find freedom, where chil- mons and run great programs. Instead, we should make it dren are raised, where marriages get put back together our goal that every woman, every man, every child in our again, where missionaries are raised up and sent out, neighborhood, in our city, and in our metro area, has the and where love gets poured out worldwide. opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus from someThis, my friends, is big enough for your devotion. body they love and make a decision for themselves. Parents, it is too small a thing for you to pray that your TOO SMALL A THING children be kept safe from the bumps and bruises of life. I remember a story about the Israelites in the era Instead, you should pray that God makes your children when they were in captivity in Babylon. The Assyri- dangerous to the kingdom of darkness. an Empire had come in about a hundred years earlier, Alliance family, it is too small a thing to pray that your taken over the northern tribes of Israel, and scattered church will experience comfortable Christianity and those 10 tribes to the far corners of the earth. Then one day slide safely into heaven. Pray that your church the Babylonian Empire came in and took over the becomes an offensive weapon in the hands of the Lord

Illustration by Erin Lillie

“Don’t give yourself to something that’s too small. Don’t dream too small. Don’t live your life day in and day out for things that are too small.”

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to bring about His Kingdom and multiply disciples who make disciples who make disciples all the way to the ends of the earth. It is too small a thing for us to be satisfied with 2,000 churches in a plateau for 10 years. We must not think about 2,000 churches for the next 10 years. Every church should be thinking “plus one”. It’s reasonable for every church to plant one church in the next 10 years. It is too small a thing to be satisfied with replacing our international workers with one new body for every one that retires. There are billions of people in this world who are headed to a Christless eternity. 683 workers are just not going to get the job done. Friends, we need to raise up a new generation of workers, dedicated young men and women who will take the gospel to new people groups and new mission fields all around the world. It is too small a thing for us to be giving 7.81 percent of our church incomes toward the Great Commission Fund. For decades, our dream as a movement has been to get to 10 precent. But do some math with me here. If everybody

We must not stop sending and giving until every tongue, every tribe, and every language under heaven and earth is represented in heaven, all worshiping Jesus.

is aspiring to 10 percent and stops there, then as a movement, we’re not ever going to make it to 10 percent overall. We need some people to step up and say, “I’m going to give 11 or 12 percent.” We need churches with big dreams and real visions to make up for the churches that are still along the way. Or maybe you would get radical and even give 15 percent because your church is a church that’s all in on this “ends of the earth” mission and you will not stop giving until the Kingdom of God comes. It is too small a thing to settle for planting churches among a small number of unreached people groups across the nations. It’s good when we reach people groups, but there are thousands of people groups that have been waiting 2,000 years for one person who will learn their language and come tell them how they can experience new life in Jesus, forgiveness of sins, hope for eternity and a connection with God. We must not stop praying. We must not stop going. We must not stop sending and giving until not just some tribes have been reached but until every tongue, every tribe, and every language under heaven and earth is represented in heaven, all worshiping Jesus. We must not stop until there comes a day when, in heaven and on earth, every knee bows and every tongue confesses the name of Jesus to the glory of God the Father (see Phil. 2:10-11). Mark Ashton serves as the lead minister of Christ Community Church in Omaha, Nebraska. He is passionate about introducing others to the powerful love and truth of Jesus, extending compassionate care to the underserved, and helping churches become more outward-focused in their ministries.

John Stumbo

V IDE O B LO G Watch John tell a story, share a devotional, issue a challenge, or cast C&MA vision. Released on the 12th of each month

Recent Releases: Blog 122: Celebrating South America Blog 123: Holding True to What We Believe

cmalliance.org/stumbo-video ALLIANCELIFE

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THE

FREE VERSE

T O Z E R ANTHOLOGY

“Whatever the particular call is, the particular cross He wishes you to embrace, will you rise up and say in your heart, ‘Yes, Lord, I pledge myself to walk in that path?’ Oh! but you say, ‘I don’t know what He will want next.’ No, none of us know that, but we know we shall be safe in His hands.”

compiled by Harry Verploegh

In the redemptive work of Christ, three major epochs may be noted: His birth, His death, and His subsequent elevation to the right hand of God. These are the three main pillars that uphold the temple of Christianity. Upon them rest all the hopes of mankind. All else that He did takes its meaning from these three Godlike deeds.

—CATHERINE BOOTH

His appearance at the mercy seat is not history past. It is a present, continuing fact. To the instructed Christian it is the most glorious fact his trusting heart can entertain.

“Jesus is God’s way of saying, ‘You don’t have to find me. I’ll find you.’”

—MONTY WRIG HT

As there is now no babe in the manger at Bethlehem, so there is no man on the cross at Jerusalem. To worship the babe in the manger or the man on the cross is to reverse the redemptive processes of God and turn the clock back on His eternal purposes.

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”

The glory of the Christian faith is that the Christ who died for our sins rose again for our justification. The crown of all our hopes is with Him at the Father’s right hand.

—ISAIAH 9:2

Paul writes of the Incarnation and the Crucifixion, yet he stops not at the manger or the cross but sweeps our thoughts on to the Resurrection and upward to the ascension and the throne.

“None of us is beyond the task of missions. The question is not whether or not we will be working to spread the gospel around the world, but what role we will play in this.” —FRANCIS CHAN NOV/DEC 2023

Should the Church shift its emphasis from the weakness of the manger and the death of the cross to the life and power of the enthroned Christ, perhaps it might recapture its lost glory.

—from Echoes from Eden. Originally published in The Alliance Witness, March 27, 1996.

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inFocus Say, Is It All for Jesus? by A. B. Simpson

Say, is it all for Jesus, as you so often sing? Is He your royal Master? Is He your heart’s true King? Is it a well-learned lesson, whose accents lightly fall? Or is it all for Jesus? Is He your all in all? Yes, it is all for Jesus, low at His feet I fall; I bring to Him the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all. Has He your heart’s affections, your being’s ransomed powers? Your thoughts and ways and doings, your days and all your hours? Do you perform His bidding? Do you run in His ways? Do you see Jesus only? Do you show forth His praise? Are you absorbed in Jesus and dead to all beside? Is all your being centered on Christ the Crucified? Is He your soul’s Beloved, your glorious King of Kings? Do you behold His glory and rest beneath His wings? Yes, it is all for Jesus, low at His feet I fall; I bring to Him the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all.

Photo by Daron Short

WORTH THE COST? Alliance workers share "what makes this a hard place"

compiled by Alliance Life staff

hether serving in the slums of Africa or the metropolitan cities of Europe, the many international workers you send around the world enter difficult contexts with joy and expectation, sharing the light of Christ with those who are still living in darkness. Recently, we asked them to tell us what makes their place of ministry a hard place. Although they agree that Jesus is worth the cost, the challenges are weighty—even crushing at times. As you read their responses, be mindful of their constant need for our earnest prayers.

Photographs by Olivia, Alliance Video

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What Makes Your Location a Hard Place?

Animistic practices have become deeply intertwined with Christianity, what Paul Heibert calls “Christian Paganism.” —an Alliance IW serving in Southeast Asia

Our country is not open to anyone who comes to share their faith. For this reason, the only way we can be here is by running a business. But running a business in a developing country is not an easy thing. There is a steep learning curve, and many Western business practices don’t work here. This also brings the hardship of trying to do spiritual ministry while having to also work hard at our business, all while operating in a language and culture not our own.

Isolation. As we’re a one-unit team and also geographically far from any other international workers, we feel the isolation more acutely. Getting a residency permit is also difficult. We have constant stress from the uncertainty it causes. The government also changes the policy almost every year, and there’s no clear guideline to follow as we prepare.

—an Alliance international worker (IW) serving in central Asia

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—an Alliance IW serving in central Asia

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I have worked in France for the last eight years. France is a hard place because of its emphasis on secular values. There are many atheists in France and many more who are agnostic. There is an underlying belief that the government will take care of them, which leads them to believe they do not need a deity. This belief has been challenged by COVID-19 and other changes. A culture of despair has resulted in violent demonstrations in many areas of France. Many French families live isolated lives. It is difficult to bridge this divide but not impossible. This does give us an opportunity to speak to people about our reason for hope in the coming Kingdom of God.

In the Balkans, believers can often face varying levels of persecution for choosing to follow Christ, but most often it is on a social level which means they could be disowned from their family, lose their job, not be able to find a spouse, or lose their friend group. Although I regularly have opportunities to share the gospel and talk about spiritual topics with local people, they often lack courage to take the step of putting their faith in Christ or even becoming associated with other believers because of what it could mean for them. —an Alliance IW serving in the Balkans

—an Alliance IW serving in France

—an Alliance IW serving in Berlin, Germany

What makes the place we serve hard is being separated from our children and grandchildren. We are not there to be with them through challenges or with our grandchildren as they grow. —an Alliance IW serving in Southeast Asia

We’re it. We are the only witness for a community of over 600,000 people. Our environment is very modern. We have grocery stores, delicious food, and a reliable infrastructure. Our challenge is the people. The local religion mixed with an oppressive political climate has everyone without hope and on edge. People ask us all the time why we would want to live in such a terrible country. Our children have no choice but to learn the local language—without it they are friendless. So, as a family, we lean into the language, the culture, and the relationships, pushing ourselves to understand the mindset so that we can share the hope we have in a meaningful way. For there is no place too far, too dark, that the love of God cannot reach (see Ps. 139).

In our modern, urban, secular, atheistic context, electricity is never cut, and you can safely drink tap water. But masses of people hurry everywhere and nowhere all at once—to work, to school, to hang out—without time to reflect on life or eternity. Some slow down to think openly but are so skeptical that it is difficult to get below surface level topics. The city has been exposed to institutional Christianity, so when you finally get a chance to talk about Jesus, many assume they already know what you’re going to say and have rejected Him. This work of making disciples from scratch is often slow and discouraging. But that’s why we go. The Lord is our strength in hardship, and He prevails in the long haul.

—an Alliance IW serving in Africa

—an Alliance IW serving in Berlin, Germany

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Photograph from Alliance Photo Archive

The city where I live is one filled with transient peoples and a difficult history layered with complexity. It’s also a city that has historically collected social outcasts and is filled with people who have experienced pain at the hands of the Church. The city is known as the capital of loneliness and overwhelmingly lacks an understanding of meaningful or consistent relationship. The deep work of chipping away at the strongholds can be difficult, time-consuming, and discouraging when we are seeking to help them imagine that a deeply meaningful, trustworthy relationship is even possible, much less that God longs to restore them to relationship with Him.

The Lord is our strength in hardship.

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Photograph by Olivia, Alliance Video

Paraguay is not hard to reach in the sense of persecution or isolation. People will listen to a gospel presentation; they are usually courteous and not offensive or nasty. What is difficult is breaking down religious barriers, people encrusted in tradition who don’t have a relationship with Jesus and don’t sense a need to seek God because the church here promises them eternal life without a change of heart. Also, they are happy with their lives the way they are. Only a work of God in their hearts through prayer, perseverance in faith, and our continual work to love and challenge them through relationships will bring new life.

Every day we face spiritual opposition where we serve. There’s a real battle going on for the hearts, bodies, and souls of the people in this place. This country is also extremely physically hard: exposure to extreme weather and terrible air quality, danger of injury, exhaustion, and mental and physical struggles without the security of access to decent health care. It’s lonely and isolated. The work we do is complex and demanding, as well as vital to the development of a network of faith communities. It sometimes feels like we’re making bricks without straw or standing in a downpour without an umbrella. We need the deep engagement and support of your prayers and giving to maintain presence in this place.

—an Alliance IW serving in Paraguay

—an Alliance worker serving in Mongolia

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• • • •

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Uncertainty about visas, work roles, and living situations; Suspicion/scrutiny, often having government minders around or appearing at random times and places; Lack of privacy, personal time, and space; High turnover among expat and local staff leading to weariness as we expend effort in getting to know people, having difficult conversations, adjusting to new coworkers, and developing deep relationships; and Materialism that impacts both believers and nonbelievers. Roots don’t go deep, so there is a lack of commitment to service and growth in faith. There is also temptation among many to take shortcuts to make money to improve their standards of living.

Overlaying all three of these is the spiritual warfare that Satan tries to use to make our lives so hard that we give up. Facing demon-possessed people, groups who want to kill us, no electricity or running water, and disease is all small in comparison to the spiritual warfare we face. —an Alliance IW serving in Southeast Asia

Diversity is a beautiful thing, but in our region, diversity means division. As we work to build bridges of peace between God and people, and between different people groups, we face many challenges. Crossing barriers between neighborhoods, religious communities, and ethnic groups with the gospel of peace is difficult in our city.

Thanks for bringing these things before the Lord in prayer.

—an Alliance IW serving in the Middle East

—an Alliance IW serving in Southeast Asia •

Our context is hard because the needs are so great, and there are so many cultures all living together. It is impossible to learn one language or contextual approach that can be applied across the board in our city. Standard ESL classes or ministry center approaches do not work because the various cultures are unwilling to learn together. Therefore, even though the needs are enormous, we must approach them individually, one by one, trusting the Holy Spirit to guide us to the next person or family in need and to give us what we need to love them well in His name.

• • •

—an Alliance worker serving in Atlanta, Georgia

—an Alliance worker serving in Washington, D.C.

My unhealthy and un-Christlike response to the circumstances I am in makes where I am a hard place. I am my own worst enemy, therefore being sanctified is key. Satan will always try to take us out of action by messing with our marriage or family. We can live at the gates of hell when we have a strong family united toward a common purpose, but I’m not sure we can even stand to live in heaven if we are living with division, disunity, and strife in the family. The third thing that makes this place hard is trying to work with teammates, especially us Westerners who are so individualistic and have such a hard time laying down our rights.

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The ongoing marginalization of the Deaf community through the prevalence of an incorrect bias that views Deaf people as less than hearing people; For most Deaf people around the world there is an absence of Bible translations in their local sign language, which for most is their first and heart language; Deaf people without a church background are resistant to church due to past mistreatment and stigmatization coming from church people; and When it comes to mobilizing Deaf believers, churches overlook the uniqueness and giftedness of the Deaf community.

• • • • • •

Hearing missile alert sirens once or twice a day; Enduring missile attacks almost every night around 3:00 a.m.; Caring for people who are losing or have lost everything; Listening to stories of death and loss; Feeling guilty when we experience blessing; and Knowing we can leave but they can’t.

The blessings and privilege of serving here outweigh the hardships. God is working in incredible ways through faithful believers. —an Alliance IW serving in Europe

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THE

The places we serve are hard because: • • • •

P E O P L E WE SERVE

People are very resistant to the gospel; There is a lot of turnover among the international workers due to the challenges of living here; There are many opportunities, but there aren’t enough international workers to meet the needs; and There are frequent demonstrations due to social unrest that disrupt the work. —an Alliance IW serving in Africa

• •

•

The limited capacity I have to address the injustice and inequality in the lives of the adolescent girls I serve; Being obedient to the Spirit’s voice and telling a friend “no” when approached to help with a financial need; Walking through life with people experiencing extreme poverty and feeling overwhelmed to know how to respond in a healthy way to so many in need; and Witnessing poverty force my friends to put their children into child labor. —an Alliance IW serving in Africa

Many things make this a hard place: the arrival of radical religious sects in our country and region a few years ago, daily news of threats and attacks, 10 percent of the population being displaced, overwhelming needs, etc. Even so, Jesus continues to build His Church! —an Alliance IW serving in West Africa

Even so, Jesus continues to build His Church!

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y name is Mamadou.* When I was 15 years old, I said goodbye to my parents, friends, and family in North Africa to start a better life in Europe. I got on a fragile boat with about 30 other people to venture across the Mediterranean—a journey that thousands of people die from every year. I didn’t know what I would face on the other side, but I believed—we all believed—that this would be the fulfillment of a dream for safety and prosperity.

But when we arrived, our dreams became nightmares. There was nowhere for us to live or work, and we no longer had our families to take care of us. I was suddenly alone and living on the street, begging for food. More than 300 kids like me have escaped their home country to this European city just to find that our lives are no better—and sometimes worse—than they were back home. A team of Alliance workers began inviting me to Sunday dinners and on outings, which has provided me with a safe environment to grow. They give me that advisory voice, that father’s hug, that word of encouragement, and that mentorship that I’ve been craving, telling me stories of a God of mercy, forgiveness, and hope. *Name changed

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Meet the team serving the Alliance family where Faith & Finance meet. We help people become better stewards and provide opportunities to connect their assets to Kingdom work.

W H E R E faith

& finance M E E T

A trusted stewardship and generosity ministry of The Alliance since 1959. • 866.824.4172, orchardalliance.org

YOUR GENEROSITY in action

BUILDING HOPE FOR THE URBAN POOR by an Alliance international worker serving in Southeast Asia

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Photograph from Alliance Photo Archive

magine a young woman with a veiled face standing under a tin roof. She is seeking to sell her body to one of the tourists passing by. She knows that because of her imprisonment in the sex trafficking industry of Southeast Asia, she will no longer be considered as a first wife. Shame follows her everywhere, making a loving God’s presence seem impossibly far. Yet, something stirs her heart when she overhears a conversation next door where women are chatting over tea. They are talking about a new vocational school open to women who are looking for a way out of “the industry.” Stepping into the doorway to let the other women notice her, she is both excited and terrified.

on a journey to build a five-story community center where they will operate the vocational school and an educational boarding program for youth from remote hill tribes. Several local believers have taken ownership of the project. One of these is Anika,* who is well known in the community for the many women she has taught. Her persistence with local government officials has allowed her to succeed where others fail. She acts as an advocate for the marginalized and has brought sanitation channels, electricity, and sidewalks to an underdeveloped area by convincing the local government to act. She even had a deep well dug on the property where the community center will be built, and she is providing clean water to many surrounding families at a very low price. Another courageous local believer is Tajrul, who envisions reaching every remote tribe in his native country with the gospel. Because of your generosity, he is implementing this bold vision through the residential boarding program, which allows youth from remote villages to complete their secondary education in the city. They are nurtured in the Christian faith and go back to villages equipped as evangelists to their own tribes.

LOCAL PARTNERS In 2018, we began to partner with local believers who were already hard at work, demonstrating God’s love to exploited, traumatized, and often overlooked people like the young woman depicted above. Since then, your generosity has allowed a small sewing program in a cramped, rented facility to rapidly expand its reach so that today it serves up to 120 women per year. Graduates from the vocational school earn a certificate that enables them to secure factory jobs in the garment industry. These graduates include 47 former prostitutes who use their sewing skills in work that brings them reliable income and dignity. Among the women attending daily classes are 56 refugees who fled violence in a neighboring country and are struggling to find acceptance in their new home. God has used the sewing program to open follow-up house visits, often with people asking for healing prayer. Through the sewing program, women of the majority religion hear the gospel for the first time. These encounters are, however, only the first step in building long-term, Christ-centered relationships in a city dotted with worship sites for other religious groups but still without a building for Christians to worship openly. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, our ministry partners and other members of their newly formed house church purchased land at a steep discount. It was a faith-filled move amid extreme chaos and uncertainty—and your giving made it all possible! In a bustling city of rickshaw drivers, hotel maids, and day laborers, our program leaders cemented their commitment to their neighbors by embarking

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MORE THAN A BUILDING The selfless devotion of leaders like Anika and Tajrul reminds me that a church is a family of believers, not a building. The building is only a tool. However, when placed in the hands of hardworking, compassionate, and resourceful servants, such tools can enlarge a family of believers’ capacity to serve their neighbors in bold and creative ways. Once complete, the community center will relieve our local ministry partners of the monthly burden of paying rent on borrowed facilities for the vocational school, office space, an assembly place, and personal residences. It will also allow them to expand income-generating programs, increasing the long-term sustainability of our work. We have only started to dig the foundation for the community center, and as we plunge our hands into the silty soil, the task of completing the 8,000-square foot facility can seem overwhelming—until we remember not to rely on our own understanding and provision but on God’s. If He can build the

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BUILD A NEW HOME Previous page: Your giving is making it possible for at-risk women to experience the hope of Christ. Above: This sewing program has empowered disenfranchised women to support themselves and their families.

mountains, how hard is it for Him to build a community center? Your giving is a tangible reminder of His capacity “to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20). Our loving Father makes a way for a prostitute to escape, accomplishing His purposes through people like you who act as conduits of His love and generosity. *All names changed

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In this Southeast Asian country, a training program has allowed underprivileged women to become clothing producers and fit into a community that shares the hope of a newfound identity in Jesus. However, the training program, which has paved the way for other ministry endeavors, has outgrown its rented facilities. To build a new home for these vital ministries, visit cmalliance. org/give; select “a project you love/Find a project”; and type in “CAMA - Badshaguna Community Center.” Learn more about Alliance strategic projects throughout the world in need of your prayers and financial support by accessing the 2023-24 Strategic Giving Opportunities Gift Catalog at cmalliance.org/giftcatalog or by calling toll free (866) 443-8262.

MASTER OF ARTS IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy consists of 60 credit hours. It is an asynchronous online hybrid program that includes all required coursework — including academic classes and professional internships — that are required for LMFT licensure in most states. All courses are taught by qualified professors with industry expertise from a biblical worldview perspective. Our low student-to-instructor ratio allows our students to better connect with the material and to master the skills needed to succeed both in their MFT degree program, and in their career.

by Emmy Duddles

or several years, Joe and Kate lived in Bangkok, Thailand, and had a thriving mushroom business with Kate’s mother, Mrs. Jaan. However, their marriage was contentious, and the whole family was in despair, eventually believing that life was not worth living. When a man tried to take advantage of the couple, Joe and Kate decided it was time to move away from Bangkok to a city in northeast Thailand. Their new home was across the street from a church, and Joe and Kate developed a friendship with the pastor because the church yard was a safe place for their children to play. Joe and Kate saw an opportunity to make some money by selling vegetables and fruit at the front gate of the church, and soon they began to follow Christ and attend services every Sunday while selling their wares. Within three months, Mrs. Jaan noticed a change in them. “They went from arguing and not speaking when they were upset to forgiving each other,” Mrs. Jaan says. “It made me curious, ‘Why is this God so good? Why is it that Buddhism can’t change us but this God, Jesus, can?’”

“Why is this God so good? Why is it that Buddhism can’t change us but this God, Jesus, can?” As Mrs. Jaan stepped inside their church, she felt a warmth and love she hadn’t felt before. “I found true happiness surrounded by followers of Jesus,” Mrs. Jaan says. At the end of the service, the pastor asked if anyone wanted to give their lives to Jesus, and Mrs. Jaan immediately responded. The family dug deep into God’s Word, ravenous to know more of Him, especially Joe. He would study his Bible late into the night, taking extensive notes and asking the pastor questions. Soon, the family met Mark and Kitiya Murphy, Alliance international workers in Thailand. Joe and Kate needed jobs, so Mark and Kitiya connected Mrs. Jaan (middle) found true happiness in fellowship with believers. ALLIANCELIFE

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IF THERE IS ONLY ONE God’s goodness ignites one family’s evangelistic fervor

them with their Moringa tree project, a business that makes medicinal products, soap, and cosmetics from the leaves and seeds of the Moringa tree. The two couples grew close as they worked together and chatted over lunch, and Mark started discipling Joe. He asked so many questions, always wanting to know and understand God better, and showed interest in being trained to be a church leader. “He had a heart to share the gospel with the lost,” says Kitiya. “He would often go to his home village and stay there to work and share the gospel. If one person came to Christ, it was worth it to him.” “Any time somebody has that kind of hunger and desire,” Mark adds, “it’s easy to invest in them and have that deeper connection. It was that genuine desire to seek God and know His Word that really drew us together. He was becoming one of my best friends. We were dreaming of the days when we would serve God together.”

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If one person came to Christ, it was worth it to him. Left: Mrs. Jaan and her family were wracked with grief as they processed their loss. Right: Mrs. Jaan and Kitiya (left) have a strong discipling relationship.

BROKEN GLASS One night, the family was having their regular time of says. “Prayed and prayed and prayed. It broke my worship together, like they did any other Friday. As they heart. Joe dreamed of many things.” prayed, sang songs, and studied the Word together, Joe “He was the foundation of our family,” Mrs. Jaan felt compelled to pray over his family. He laid his hands adds. “Before we went to the hospital, my daughter on each of his children to pray over them and tell them and I cried together because we didn’t want to lose how much he cared for them individually. Joe thought our loved one who was the pillar of our family.” he would be around for a long time, but he gave Mrs. Mark rushed to the hospital to pray with the family Jaan the extensive notes he had taken as he studied and comfort them as they asked for a miracle. The Scripture, telling her, “These notes are for you to use to doctors performed CPR on Joe for a long time, but lead our family in case I’m gone. If I am not here, you eventually they pronounced him dead. “When the hold on to Jesus.” family found out he had died, they were crying proAt about 4 o’clock the next morning, Mark and Ki- fusely, which is unusual for Thai people,” says Mark. tiya got a call—Joe was not breathing and was being “Kate was inconsolable.” taken to the hospital. “We prayed together,” Kitiya “The family was like broken glass,” says Kitiya.

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Photograph by Olivia, Alliance Video Team

Visit cmalliance.org/choosingtostay to watch the video.

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THE ONLY WAY THROUGH “At their very lowest point, in their brokenness, Jesus was their only way through,” Mark says. Despite her grief, Mrs. Jaan did not lose hope and took up the call she felt to continue Joe’s legacy and be the head of her family. She took in her grandchildren and started intensely studying Joe’s notes, asking the pastor questions whenever she didn’t understand something Joe had written down. Even before Joe died, Mrs. Jaan would push her cart through the streets, selling her vegetables and fruit and sharing the gospel. She was a natural at striking up conversations with people and telling them about Jesus’ love for them as they purchased produce. “Mrs. Jaan realized there were other people who were suffering and that she could be a voice and a witness to how Jesus changed her,” says Mark. The more Mrs. Jaan saw people put their faith in Christ beside her vegetable cart, the more hunger she developed for evangelism. Joe had been interested in the Center for Leadership Development (CLD), a program that was started by C&MA missionaries 20 years ago to help train lay leaders in their local churches. He had filled out an application to join the CLD program and had even given Mrs. Jaan an application. “He built the foundation for my desire to study Scripture,” Mrs. Jaan says. After he passed, she chose to go through the program, and now helps lead multiple house church groups in rural villages outside her city. These groups are filled with believers who want to be raised up in leadership and lost people who are still seeking out the hope Mrs. Jaan has found. Though many people are moving to Bangkok to find work, Mrs. Jaan is committed to creating gospel access in northeast Thailand so that local people and the poor can know Jesus without leaving their homes. “I am concerned for the lost because they do not have the same opportunity to hear the gospel as I did, so they haven’t received this new life,” says Mrs. Jaan. “Even if only one person responds, it is worth it. My service won’t be done until I go to be with the Lord.” Emmy Duddles is the managing editor of Alliance Life. She and her husband, Lucas, live in Columbus, Ohio.

Far Left: Mrs. Jaan selling vegetables with her granddaughter Top: Mrs. Jaan leads multiple house church groups in the surrounding villages. Middle: Many people have come to faith in Christ as they buy produce from Mrs. Jaan. Bottom: Mrs. Jaan has the joy of caring for her grandchildren and raising them up in the faith.

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BREAK THE POWER OF MONEY Giving everything back to God

by Ron Blue

f I could boil down everything I have ever learned about generosity into one sentence, it would be this: generosity and financial freedom are inextricably linked. The only people who experience financial freedom and peace of mind are those who give generously, which I wrote about in my book, Generous Living: Finding Contentment Through Giving. Living generously is the only way to break the power of money in your life. There are many biblical principles to be found throughout Scripture about generous living. The Bible instructs us that money is a tool, a test, and a testimony. How you manage your own resources depends on your understanding of biblical concepts and the time you take to discover firsthand what God wants you to do with the money you are blessed to receive.

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IT ALL COMES FROM HIM While looking at the word generosity in a concordance, one of the verses stood out to me: Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. . . . Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand (1 Chron. 29:11–14).

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These verses tell us that generosity flows out of an understanding that everything we have comes from Him. It all came from Him so when we give back, we are only giving back what He has already given to us. God gave it all to me, and I, in turn, am freed up to give it. Generosity is the key to financial freedom. When I give generously, I break the power of money. Generosity is summed up in God, and what God wants to use He gives to me to break the power of money in my life so I am free to serve the God of heaven as opposed to the god of materialism.

Deciding how much money you need to make is often about the “finish lines” you put on the way you desire to live. If you choose to run life’s race with a biblical or eternal perspective, that decision will be evidenced by your lifestyle and how you use the money you have. God has a way of providing for our material needs to free up more money for giving. If God owns it all—and He does—then we are stewards of the resources coming to us. If God can get money through us for the Great Commission, He will get money to us. To do our job wisely as faithful stewards, we must strive to ensure that our charitable giving is both strategic and leveraged. Only then will we be worthy of the Lord’s commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:23)!

A CHEERFUL GIVER Paul encourages generosity in 2 Corinthians 8 and discusses sowing generously in chapter nine: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:6–7). Having a biblical understanding of generosity requires us to develop the right perspective. To be joyful and generous, you must see things as God sees them. When your beliefs, your vision, and your actions align with a biblical perspective, the results will be nothing short of incredible.

Ron Blue has written over 20 books on biblical personal finance. He is the founder or cofounder of several organizations, including the Ron Blue Institute, Ronald Blue Trust, Kingdom Advisors, and the National Christian Foundation. Ron and his wife, Judy, have 5 children, 13 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren.

TREASURES IN HEAVEN What is your plan? How generous do you desire to be? How much is enough? In Matthew 6:19–21, Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

EDI TOR’S NOT E : Ron Blue has invested decades distilling scriptural truths into timeless principles to help guide people at every financial level as they seek biblical wisdom. Orchard Alliance is excited to partner with the Ron Blue Institute to create a series of Bible studies for Alliance churches and individuals. This partnership is a key part of Orchard Alliance’s ongoing efforts to see Alliance people, churches, and workers thrive financially. For more information, visit faithandfinance.org or see the ad on page 47.

If you choose to run life’s race with a biblical or eternal perspective, that decision will be evidenced by your lifestyle and how you use the money you have. NOV/DEC 2023

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THAT WE MAY BE ONE Setting aside our differences to reach the lost

his story began with an initiative by brothers from another denomination. In former days, the U.S. Alliance was one with this fellowship. Disagreements on points of theology and practice led to a split. I can only imagine what could have been if we had remained united. God seems comfortable with blessing us both these days and doesn’t appear to have chosen one side over the other. Recently, I had the opportunity to join this group in a prison ministry they’ve been running for 20 years. The stories I had heard about how God is working there seemed unbelievable. As an evangelist and revivalist, I had to see it with my own eyes. A DRAMATIC TRANSFORMATION This has been deemed the second-worst prison in this Latin American country based on both its conditions and the inmates’ behavior. It was so bad that when riots

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erupted a little over a year ago, the guards refused to enter the area and intervene. As the situation escalated, the prisoners threw their excrement at the guards through the bars. The mess remained on the walls as evidence of what had taken place. As I entered, the stench and filth from the overcrowded prison confirmed the reports I had heard. However, my brothers had something unique to show me. In the middle of the prison was a chapel—the only one in any prison in this country—and it is a direct result of the impact these ministry partners have had here. I entered and was soon followed by 50 prisoners. The brothers asked me to share a five-minute devotional as part of the chapel service. As the inmates were seated, one of the brothers began to lead worship. The prisoners were clapping and singing at the top of their lungs—it was almost deafening. They worshiped with deep emotion. I was amazed at what I was seeing. The service

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Photograph by Aaron Robinson

by Jimmie Hull

It didn’t matter that we don’t agree on what many would consider key theological points. Together, we served and laid hands on many prisoners.

ended with several responding to the call to accept Jesus. Then another group arrived, and we did it all over again. It’s hard to imagine, but since September 2022, revival has broken out in this horrific place. About half of the 1,200 inmates have accepted Christ. The environment has changed so dramatically that the national news media came to report on the phenomenon. A prison guard who has seen the transformation also received Jesus and is now the chief advocate for the brothers who serve there. After the two chapel services, we visited what is considered the worst part of the prison, where the guards had been afraid to enter when prisoners rioted. The brothers told me that in March 2023, six months after revival began, they were allowed to enter this area. The guards still wouldn’t follow as we entered. It was a warehouse-type structure where about 120 men were packed and waiting for us. Most of the inmates joined, worshiping with all their hearts and listening as the Word was preached. We even brought communion elements and shared the Lord’s Supper together. Yes, you read that right—in one of the worst parts of this prison, almost all the inmates are now followers of Jesus! During that first visit, I did my small part in the chapel services but mostly just watched as the favor of God settled on this place. I don’t even know the number of prisoners who accepted Christ that day, but many were added to our number. On the day of my visit, it was winter. The temperature inside was in the 40s. There is no heat, and many prisoners have no warm clothes and no blanket for the night. The transformation is great, yes, but that image of shivering prisoners stuck in my head. That night, I recounted my experience with a small group my wife and I lead. One of the women jumped into action and asked how to help. I messaged one of the brothers, and he said the biggest need was blankets. Our friend started a blanket campaign. Money poured in as people learned what was happening in the prison. With these donations from local people, along with those designated to our ministry fund by many of our Alliance supporters at home, we were able to order 110 new blankets within just a few days. I returned to the prison for my next visit with a van full of blankets. The brothers asked me to preach again. As I did so, I felt the Spirit of God fall on the place, and more prisoners met Jesus. At each altar call, I watched as my brothers joined me in ministering with great power. It didn’t matter that we don’t agree on what many would consider key theological points. Together, we served and laid hands on many prisoners. What an anointing is over that place! We distributed the blankets and then preached through the bars to other zones where we’re

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not yet allowed to enter. Men came to the doors, and even more accepted Christ! BETTER TOGETHER Alliance family—does this not excite you? Do you see what God can do through us together, even alongside believers with whom we disagree theologically? Is not unity something greater to fight for than division? Together, we are stronger. Together, we can go further and deeper. That we would be one—that was Jesus’ prayer and desire for us just hours before He faced the Cross. That we would be one, just as He and the Father are one. The family of God has many members; the Body of Christ has various parts. We need each other to be complete. Even when we disagree on important matters, we can’t let fear or offenses keep us apart. I exhort us to not repeat what happened long ago with our other brothers and sisters. Can we make it our goal to truly understand each other instead of requiring full agreement to stick together? True understanding is sufficient for us to continue as one body in Christ. Let’s remember who the real enemy is and fight him as a united front. We are stronger together. Don’t let any weapon of the evil one influence us in these days. Let’s listen to the Father’s heart and let the Holy Spirit guide us. Let’s put our eyes on Jesus—our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. Jimmie Hull and his wife, Timbrel, are Alliance international workers serving in Latin America with their four children. They passionately carry the presence of Jesus into every area of life and ministry. Bulldogs for healing, they refuse to relent until there is breakthrough.

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inFocus "I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber . . . the Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore" (Ps. 121:1-3, 7-8). Photograph by Abby Hamilton

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PRAYER IS PRIMARY Requests from Alliance workers THAILAND

UKRAINE

I’m usually ready and eager to share God’s Word, but to be honest, other times I’m tired or distracted. When I stopped at the market on the way home from school with my kids, all I wanted was to pick up some groceries and escape the 100-degree heat as quickly as possible. I was happily surprised to see someone selling hamburgers alongside all the Thai food, which is how I met Shane, who is a British Christian, and his wife, Pin, who is a Thai Buddhist. We started talking, and I learned that Shane is a believer who has been witnessing to Pin. Their language barrier is challenging, so I gave him some Thai tracts to share with her.

Praise God for several children’s day camps hosted by Alliance-affiliated churches; many of these kids didn’t know Jesus. During the first week at the main church, about 70 children attended, and some received Him as Savior. On the last day of our camp, we were preparing to serve a nice, hot meal. The children were on the playground when a rocket siren sounded. The camp had been cut short the day before for the same reason. Because the local safety bunker was closed, we would have to send the children home again. We gathered quickly to pray—in 10 minutes, the siren ended. These alerts can continue for up to five hours; even if they last only 30 minutes, we must still send the children home. Praise God that we were able to proceed with the camp, share the gospel, and hand out gifts. This is just one example of the difficulties we face here and how God meets our needs. Pray that many of these children, along with their families, will put their trust in Jesus.

The next time I stopped at their hamburger stand, Pin asked if I could get her a Thai Bible, which I was happy to do. Still, I wasn’t sure if she was truly interested or just humoring her husband. Later, I heard about them from a friend who stopped by the couple’s stand soon afterward. Pin had held up her Bible, saying, “Look—I have a Bible now. I’m going to put it next to my bed and read it every night.” I’m thankful God still uses me even on those days when I’m “out of season.” Pray that He will reveal Himself to Pin as she reads His Word.

—an Alliance international worker

—Brian, an Alliance international worker Wendy with Bongolo’s eye clinic staff

GABON One of our patients was from a West African country and followed the majority religion. While working for a French company, he developed eye problems. His employer sent him to Turkey for treatment, but he didn’t find the help he needed. Somehow, he ended up at Bongolo Hospital in the remote jungle of central Africa. We were able to treat his cataracts and glaucoma. While here, he heard about Jesus. The man said of our evangelist, “The words he spoke gave me goosebumps; I felt it in my whole body.” This patient received more than he hoped for at Bongolo—he has been adopted by his Heavenly Father, who pursued him across two continents. Pray for Bongolo and our team as we serve approximately 25,000 patients annually; each hears the gospel, and thousands have responded in faith. —Eric and Wendy, Alliance international workers

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ALLIANCE FAMILY NEWS From around the block to the ends of the earth TO THE FIELD BALKANS Dianna L. Ullrich, in June. Dianna is involved in medical/health ministries with CAMA. BOSNIA Petula S. Myers, in May. Petula is involved in leadership development, community center ministry, and church planting. FRANCE Kristofer J. and Brittany G. Cook and family, in July. The Cooks are involved in urban church planting and community development alongside local leaders. GABON Zachary J. and Jennifer M. O’ Connor and family, in August. The O’Connors are involved in medical/health ministries at Bongolo Hospital. GERMANY WAREN TEAM Benjamin A. and Sarah B. Carey and family, in July. The Careys are involved in administration, youth ministries, and church planting.

TAIWAN Charlie and Mary Dang and family, in July. The Dangs are involved in discipleship ministries and evangelism. Soo and Hannah Hwang, in June. The Hwangs are involved in church planting through sports evangelism and discipleship. Tim and Penny Iverson, in June. The Iversons are involved in church planting and administration. THAILAND Edward W. and Susan R. Danneker, in June. The Dannekers are involved in church planting.

PERSONNEL CHANGES Woodler Alezy, pastor, Bethesda Tabernacle Christian Community Church, Greenacres, Fla. Alexander D. Banks, senior pastor, Lockport (N.Y.) Alliance Church

Kam Chiu Cheng, pastor, New Life Chinese Church of the C&MA, Fort Lee, N.J. Kyle S. Christopherson, pastor, Hawley (Minn.) Alliance Church of the C&MA Joshua B. Clark, institutional chaplain, Western Pennsylvania District Nell A. Clark, campus pastor, Grace Church Olmstead Falls (Ohio) Robert K. Davis, other ministry, Alliance South Central Michael Dorich, pastor, Alliance Gospel Tabernacle, Coalport, Pa. Robert R. Douglas, district superintendent, Central Pacific District Kelly N. Douglas, outreach ministry, Long Beach (Calif.) Alliance Church Jordan M. Flanders, interim pastor, Piedmont Park Alliance Church, Tallahassee, Fla.

Thomas M. Becker, interim pastor, Cary Alliance Church, Apex, N.C.

Thomas R. Flanders, district superintendent, The Alliance Southeast

Matthew R. Bratton, director of youth ministry, Butler (Pa.) Community Alliance Church

Brandon M. Glenn, pastor, Foundry Church, Berwick, Pa.

JAPAN

Gabriel Bruno, pastor, Smyrna Church, Cleveland, Ohio

David L. Goodin, part-time institutional chaplain, Central District

Alan J. and Jill M. Kropp and family, in July. The Kropps are involved in church planting.

Diana S. Burg, outreach ministry, Third Way Community Church, Long Beach, Calif.

Javier Gomez Marrero, district superintendent, Puerto Rico District

Quinn K. McGarvey, in June. Quinn is involved in church planting.

Brad E. Burkhart, pastor, Cornerstone C&MA Church, Boone, Iowa

Michael D. Greenlief, associate pastor, Atlanta Road Alliance Church, Seaford, Del.

PARAGUAY

Hector Castro, interim district superintendent, Spanish Eastern District

Jorde Hutton, associate pastor, Community Alliance Church, Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Stephen T. Chamberlain, ministry coach, North Central District

Timothy M. James, coaching, South Pacific Alliance

Miguel and Keren Rodriguez and family, in July. The Rodriguezes are involved in church planting and leadership development.

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Southwest Florida Retirement Living Resort Amenities | State-of-the-art Health Care Ben Y. Kong, pastor, Metropolitan District Robin Koshy, associate pastor of discipleship & counseling, New River Community Church, Manchester, Conn. James T. Lampert, pastor, Ohio Valley District Brett J. Larson, associate pastor, Altoona (Pa.) C&MA Church David F. Lee, chief information officer, C&MA National Office, Reynoldsburg, Ohio Greg Lex, pastor, Muncie (Ind.) Alliance Church Jose L. Maisonet, volunteer chaplain, ACM Manati-Pueblo (P.R.) Richard P. Mann, director of leadership development, Central Pacific District Aaron C. Marshall, pastor of high school & young adults ministry, North Mar Church, Warren, Ohio Bovity Moeung, pastor, Tacoma (Wash.) Cambodian Evangelical Church

Vibrant Faithful Joyful Living Fulfilled Artful Healthy

Nhia Moua, pastor, Alliance Church of Merced (Calif.) Phien T. Nguyen, pastor, Vietnamese Evangelical Church of South Florida, Hollywood, Fla. Steven R. Olsen, pastor, Willow Grove (Pa.) Bible Church C&MA Francisco Pavia, pastor, Edinburg Road Chapel C&MA, Mercerville, N.J. Philip B. Petersen, disciplemaking pastor, Parkside Church of the C&MA

Join the C&MA Family for Your Retirement 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. VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.SHELLPOINT.ORG

Michael W. Plunket, pastor, Risen King Alliance Church, New City, N.Y. Todd Roome, pastor, Roseville (Calif.) City Church Aida I. Rosario, volunteer chaplain, ACM Manati-Pueblo (P.R.)

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Unparalleled setting. Unparalleled lifestyle.™ Shell Point is located in Fort Myers, Florida, just minutes from the islands of Sanibel and Captiva.

Giovanni L. Sanchez, youth pastor, Hillside Chapel, Dayton, Ohio

Samuel R. Bolt, associate pastor, Wadena (Minn.) Alliance Church

Jason W. Simmonds, pastor, Compass, Vancouver, Wash.

Ronaele K. Carpenter, director of pastoral care, Generations Church, Franklin, Ohio

Charles K. Simonson, pastor, Oasis Community Church, Casa Grande, Ariz. Khil Siu, pastor, First Montagnard Alliance of Raleigh (N.C.) Nyaj Thao, pastor, Fellowship Alliance Church, Eau Claire, Wis. Albert Vang, senior pastor, Hmong C&MA Church of Stockton (Calif.) Chuchi Vang, pastor, Hmong Menomonie (Wis.) Alliance Church Carlos A. Velez, special assignment, The Alliance South Andrea M. Vincent, assistant pastor, Central Alliance Church, Detroit, Mich. David M. Voelker, pastor, Sterrettania C&MA Church, McKean, Pa. Ronald W. Wende, special assignment, Ohio Valley District Leng T. Yang, church-planting resident, Refuge Church, Appleton, Wis. Zong J. Yang, lay pastor, Gospel City Church, Sacramento, Calif. Joseph D. Zach, pastor of discipleship, Kenmore Alliance Church, Tonawanda, N.Y.

NEW CHURCHES Maricopa, Ariz., Maricopa Alliance Church, 18600 N. Porter Rd., 85138

NEW WORKERS Robert A. Ajhar, associate pastor of family ministries, Quartzsite (Ariz.) Alliance Church Kevin R. Astorino, ministry intern, Christ Chapel of C&MA, Madison, Conn.

Andrew P. Chang, youth pastor, Cornerstone Alliance Church, Two Rivers, Wis. Nathan Christensen, PC3 intern, Providence Church, Omaha, Neb. Timothy A. DeWees, ministerial director, Chapel Hill Church, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Milton W. Douglas III, pastor, Community Alliance Church, Harrisburg, Pa. Claire A. Elrod, day camp assistant director, Central Alliance Church, Mount Airy, Ga. Edgar Florendo, pastor, Fil-Am International Gospel Church of the C&MA, Van Nuys, Calif. Adam Franken, pastor, Aberdeen (S.Dak.) Alliance Church Americo M. Garcia, assistant pastor, Iglesia ACyM de Woodbridge (Va.) Brian Haney, pastor, Hillside Community Church, Wrightwood, Calif. Derek Harm, pastor, Pelham Road Christian Fellowship of the C&MA, Greenville, S.C. Jolander A. Headley, executive director, Alliance Tabernacle, Brooklyn, N.Y. Seng J. Her, pastor, Lansing (Mich.) Hmong Alliance Church Erin Huber, assistant director of Renewal Ministry, Christ Community Church, Omaha, Neb. Daniel H. Hyeon, director of junior high ministry, Bethel Korean Church, Irvine, Calif. Sam Jones, associate pastor, Pelham Road Christian Fellowship of the C&MA, Greenville, S.C.

David M. Bennett, pastor, Hollidaysburg (Pa.) C&MA Church

Ronald E. Mason, ministry to men and recovery, Living Faith Alliance Church, Vineland, N.J.

Reagan H. Bergen, adult ministries resident, Christ Community Church C&MA, Omaha, Neb.

Daniel E. McClary, pastor for discipleship and outreach, Alliance Church, Lancaster, Pa.

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Criston Moore, worship pastor, The Grove Community Church, Riverside, Calif. Yong Shan, associate pastor, Greater Lafayette (Ind.) Chinese Alliance Taylor Sharp, pastor of student discipleship, York (Pa.) Alliance Church Alexander Sifuentes, assistant pastor, Iglesia ACyM de Franconia, Alexandria, Va. Philip Stinelli, church planter, Western Pennsylvania District Asa K. Sturtevant, executive pastor of ministries, York (Pa.) Alliance Church Yu Sun, family ministry director, San Gabriel Valley Alliance Church, Arcadia, Calif. Nathanial Wagoner, children & family ministries director, Community Alliance Church, Detroit Lakes, Minn. Nathan E. Wesson, pastor, Riverwood Community Church C&MA, Sterling Heights, Mich. Jung-Im Yang, spiritual clinic, Kerem International Ministry, Los Angeles, Calif. Cole Zick, pastor, Risen King Community Church, Redding, Calif.

CONSECRATIONS/ ORDINATIONS Milton J. Ruiz, July 19, 2023, Pastors’ Family Retreat. Milton is an assistant pastor/church planter at Iglesia ACyM El Shaddai, New Britain, Conn. He is also an international worker candidate and will serve in Guadalajara, Mexico.

RETIRED Douglas E. Cheshier, The Alliance South James B. Kline, Ohio Valley District Benjamin Lin, Alliance South Central Marvin E. Nelson, Western Pennsylvania District

Jose M. Nunez, Spanish Eastern District

Dale is survived by his wife; sons Michael (Mike), Paul, Ron, Joseph (Joe), Nathan (Nate); and Christopher (Chris); 19 grandchildren; and 31 great-grandchildren with 3 on the way.

Luis F. O’Bourke Jr., The Alliance South Kevin R. Robbins, Northeastern District James W. Ross, C&MA National Office

Elaine Valentine (Colby) July 13, 1937–May 21, 2023

Raymond E. Simon, Central Pacific District King Smith, MidAmerica District

Elaine was born in Forman, N.Dak., and attended St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minn.). On August 22, 1959, she married Norman (Ned) Valentine, who served as a C&MA pastor for over 60 years.

Steven M. Wible, Alliance South Central

WITH THE LORD Beverly J. Wood (Mumma) June 2, 1931–April 22, 2023

Together, Elaine and Ned served churches in Hamilton, Burlington, and Ottawa, Ont.; Windham, Ohio; Anoka, Minn.; Pittsburg, Pa.; and Bowling Green, Ohio. They also worked for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Lancaster, Pa. Elaine was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker who enjoyed daily Bible reading, sewing, and spending time with family.

Born in Nelson, Neb., Beverly attended St. Paul Bible Institute (now Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minn.), where she met Paul Wood. They married in 1951 at Central Alliance Church in Lincoln, Neb. Paul became an ordained minister with the C&MA, and the couple served together in ministry for 60 years. They pastored churches in Quinney/Chilton, Wis. (1955–1959); Tracy, Minn. (1959–1963); Hamlet, Neb. (1963–1965); Osage, Iowa (1965–1972); and St. Paul (1972–1978) and Maple Plain, Minn. (1978–1995). Paul passed away in 2013.

Elaine is survived by her husband; children Jeff, Gregg, and Elizabeth; 8 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren. James (Jim) William Hemminger February 17, 1943–July 10, 2023

Beverly loved music and was a gifted pianist and organist. She sang duets with Paul and in trios and choirs. Beverly was also active in children’s ministries, leading kids’ choirs, teaching Sunday school, reading Bible stories, and leading children’s prayer times. She died in Plymouth, Minn., at the age of 91.

Born in McKeesport, Pa., Jim came to faith in Christ at an early age. He attended Douglas Business School and Toccoa Falls (Ga.) College, where he earned a BS in missions. On June 5, 1965, Jim married Ann Barnes.

Beverly is survived by children Bernard, Kathy, Michael, Douglas, David, and Elaine; 14 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren.

Jim served in C&MA ministry for 40 years. He pastored churches in Wildrose, N.Dak, and Grand Island, Neb., before departing with Anne to Brazil, where they were missionaries for 33 years. Jim was also senior pastor of the Alliance Church of Dover (Del.) (1992–2000) before he and Ann returned to Brazil to complete their missionary service. Their work included church planting and administration. In 2010, Jim retired in Toccoa, Georgia, and was the visitation pastor at the Toccoa Alliance Church for several years. What defined Jim as a follower of Jesus was his love for people.

Dale Dwight Howard May 26, 1929–May 13, 2023 Born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Dale married G. Edna on July 27, 1951, in Wadsworth, Ohio. Although he never finished high school, Dale valued learning and earned advanced degrees in counseling and education that enabled him to provide hope to hundreds of individuals and couples. He received his BA in pastoral ministry from the Missionary Training Institute (later known as Alliance University, New York, N.Y.) and attended Fort Wayne (Ind.) Bible College. Dale earned his MA in counseling at Loretta Heights College (Denver, Colo.) and received his PhD from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Jim is survived by his wife; children Lori, Deborah, and Jeff; 6 grandchildren; and 4 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his granddaughter, Emily. Vaughn White May 30, 1940–July 2, 2023

Dale was in pastoral ministry for 25 years, serving C&MA churches in Austin, Tex. (1957–1960); East St. Louis, Ill. (1960–1966); Hamlet, Neb. (1966–1971); and Northglenn, Colo. (1970–1978). He was also a chaplain and missionary at Alliance Academy in Quito, Ecuador (1978–1983). Four of Dale’s sons have served as ordained C&MA workers.

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Born in Dayton, Ohio, Vaughn was a graduate of Crown College (St. Bonifacius, Minn.). On August 31, 1961, he married Marlene. During 53 years of C&MA ministry, Vaughn served pastorates in

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Onamia, Wadena, and Excelsior, Minn.; Appleton, Wis.; and Richey and Billings, Mont. He also held Sunday services in Swanville, Minn., for two years. During his time in Montana, Vaughn was the pastor of Richey Alliance Church for 25 years. In addition, he found fulfillment in mentoring young men for ministry. Vaughn is survived by his wife; sons Mark and Robert; 5 grandchildren; and 2 great-grandchildren. Paul L. Alford March 16, 1930–August 10, 2023 Born in Tampa, Fla., Paul served in the U.S. Naval Reserves. Sensing a call to ministry after attending the University of Florida for one year, he enrolled in the Missionary Training Institute (later Alliance University, New York, N.Y.), graduating in 1951. Paul then served as an evangelist in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. On December 29, 1951, he married Grace Tropf. For over 65 years, Paul served in a variety of roles. He was a church planter, missionary to Ecuador, pastor, director of Spanish Ministries, superintendent of the Southeastern District, Board member for 32 years, and

the C&MA vice president (1976–1986). In 1978, he became president of Toccoa Falls (Ga.) College (1978– 2000). He also served simultaneously as president of Trinity College of Florida (1998–2000, 2001–2002). After retiring from Toccoa Falls, Paul continued to serve on the Board of Managers and accepted many invitations to serve as an interim pastor and interim superintendent of the Mid-Atlantic District. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Salvation Army, Toccoa; American Association of Bible Colleges; and Trans World Radio. Paul was named president of the Georgia Association of Colleges and Universities (1997–1998) as well as Leader of the Year by the local chapter of the Boys and Girls Clubs (1998). Among his many accolades, Paul also received a DD from Trinity College and Asbury College as well as an LLD from Toccoa Falls College. In the year that he completed his 22 years of service as president of Toccoa Falls College, the City of Toccoa and the Stephens County Board of Commissioners honored him by naming November 17 “Paul L. Alford Day.” Paul was predeceased by his wife; he is survived by daughters Rebecca and Sharon; 6 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

THE GREAT COMMISSION FUND In The Alliance, 85 percent of Great Commission Fund (GCF) giving covers direct ministry costs for Alliance Missions and Church Ministries; 15 percent covers global ministry support services through National Office administration, processing, and resourcing, as well as district oversight. The majority of undesignated GCF gifts fund Alliance Missions costs, with a significant portion of that going to keep your workers on the field and equipped for gospel-advancing ministry. What is covered varies from worker to worker, but all workers benefit from undesignated GCF giving in more than one of the following ways:

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Compensation, housing, benefits, and taxes;

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Third culture kid ministry, childcare, and schooling;

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Home assignment housing and travel;

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Visas/passports;

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Conferences/retreats;

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Language study;

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IW member care, accounting, fundraising coaching, and donor services;

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And more!

As you pray about where to give, please consider a recurring contribution to the undesignated GCF that provides vital support toward our All of Jesus for All the World vision. ALLIANCELIFE

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OUR LIFE

THE ALLIANCE LAUNCHES NATIONAL YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY Alliance Young Adults (AYA) is a newly launched deeper life, church-driven, young adults movement within The Alliance that seeks to create community among 18–30-year-olds and affirm that they belong, have a unique and significant purpose in the Body of Christ, and that Jesus is inviting them to go deeper with Him. AYA held its first conference on October 14 at Grace Church in Cleveland, Ohio, where attendees worshiped, built friendships, played games, and participated in outdoor activities. They also experienced indepth teaching and honest discussions about finding identity in Christ, spiritual gifts, spiritual disciplines, healing prayer, vocation and calling, navigating church culture, local and global outreach, and an interactive Q&A with President John Stumbo. Visit cmalliance. org/alliance-young-adults for more information or to join the movement.

INVESTING IN A NEW GENERATION OF WORKERS This summer at Resonate 2023 in Columbus, Ohio, Alliance leaders welcomed more than 200 new Alliance workers, investing in their walk with the Lord and engaging in conversation about the local and global work of The Alliance. Nithin Thompson, lead pastor of City Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, focused on Christ our Savior and Sanctifier in the morning sessions, sharing the importance of Christ’s example of pain in the life of the believer. Ted and Sandy Kang of San Jose (California) Christian Alliance Church delivered the evening devotionals. Ted spoke on Christ our Coming King and the believer’s Blessed Hope, and Sandy offered compelling words and testimonies of Christ our Healer. During that time, two attendees experienced divine physical healing! Throughout the week, attendees heard from a number of speakers presenting topics on holiness and purity, biblical peacemaking, current legal issues facing the Church, Project ReImagine, Alliance National Office resources, and Kingdom investment opportunities available to churches and new workers. Professional counselors were on site to meet with anyone who expressed a need to process difficult areas of their lives. Visit cmaresonate.org/speakernotes to view highlights and presentations from this event.

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NO OTHER PLAN

Mrs. Christie treating Mrs. Gold’s hand

Adapted from “It Is Better for Thee.” Originally published in The Alliance Weekly, December 2, 1916.

rs. Gold was the second wife of Mr. Gold, who was a military leader in our own city. She was the mother of three little Gold children, besides having older children from a former marriage. At the time of the never-to-be-forgotten “White Wolf” raid, she saw her two little boys murdered before her eyes. She fainted then and did not know what happened next. We saw her about 20 days after this, when she was brought into our mission compound lying in an ox-cart, looking more dead than alive. We wondered why they had brought her, for we thought she would surely die. Mr. Gold had been killed, and she was brought to us by her son. Her hand had received an ugly sword wound which cut the tendons of her arm. It had swollen to a great size and looked more like an ugly red lobster than a hand. For those 20 days, it had received no medical attention. Her neck also had an ugly gash, and altogether she was a pitiable sight.

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Mr. Ruhl had a number of patients living on the compound at the time, where he was looking after their wounds. Mrs. Gold was also taken in and faithfully nursed by Mrs. Christie for some weeks. She was given not only nourishing food for her body but also the gospel for her soul. She heard and believed. Her son, who is with her, and who used to carry her around on his back, is also a baptized Christian now. He acts as cook for one of our missionary families. He is to be married to one of our older school girls, and we trust they will be useful in the Lord’s work in the coming days. Mrs. Gold is now matron of our girls’ boarding school, and her little girl, Hsinhsin, is also in the school. Her hand has diminished to a size below normal, and it hangs uselessly at her side. During the last year she has had the oversight of 35 girls. Her testimony is always, “I am as one resurrected from the dead.” Daily, you may hear her alone in a room, praying. When any difficulty arises, she says, “Pray; there is no other plan.” Satan did his work first, and then God did His. Satan desired her soul, but God saved it and is using her service. We are just entering upon the new fall term of the school with the encouragement that God will give us exceeding abundance.

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W H E R E faith

• C H A R I TA B L E G I F

& finance M E E T

T A N N U I T Y R AT E S A R E U P !

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NOW IS A GREAT TIME to consider the gift that benefits you and The Alliance. Gift annuities provide you with a stable, regular income—regardless of the economy—and an immediate tax deduction. After your lifetime, the remaining amount becomes part of your charitable legacy. Charitable Gift Annuity rates are higher than they have been in over a decade. Based on your age, annual payout rates are 5.4% to 9.7%.

Curious what YOUR rate would be? Try the online calculator at orchardalliance.org/incomeforlife or call 866.824.4172.

8595 Explorer Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80920 / Toll Free 866.824.4172 / orchardalliance.org Charitable Gift Annuities (CGAs) are issued by Orchard Alliance (Orchard) or as agent for The Christian and Missionary Alliance (the C&MA). Orchard or the C&MA, respectively, is responsible for and liable for the CGAs that are issued in their individual names. The Christian and Missionary Alliance issues annuities in the states of NY, NJ and CA. NOV/DEC 2023 47 ALLIANCELIFE

ALLIANCELIFE THE MAGAZINE OF THEALLIANCE SINCE 1882

ONE ALLIANCE PLACE, REYNOLDSBURG, OH 43068

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SENDING LIGHT BEARERS The hope of our Messiah’s coming is celebrated on every continent. Yet more than 40 percent of the world’s population live in places that lack a gospel presence. Together, we can change that—now. The international workers you send and support have followed the call of God as light bearers among those who remain in spiritual darkness. This Christmas, as you celebrate the hope that Jesus brings, will your church give to the 2023 Alliance Christmas Offering and extend the hope of Christ to the world’s hardest and darkest places?

GIVE NOW! Visit cmalliance.org/extendhope to access resources or cmalliance.org/give to send in your gifts.