ACCTS 2011 Annual Report
Photo courtesy USDOD
Association for Christian Conferences, Teaching and Service PO Box 27239 Denver, CO 80227-0239 USA
Please contact us for more copies of this report
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(800) 487-8108 www.accts.org; accts@accts.org
Changing the World, One Military Person at a Time Dear ACCTS Friends,
“Likewise, in the Christian world, military personnel who become Christians and spread their faith to their coworkers and family can have just as much of a world-changing impact.”
2011 was a year that reminded us that a small group of people, or even just one person, can literally change the world. Time magazine even named “The Protestor” as its Person of the Year; from the Tunisian fruit vendor who set himself on fire and sparked the Arab Spring revolutions, to the protestors in Greece, Spain, and Russia, it has been a year of great change. Likewise, in the Christian world, military personnel who become Christians and spread their faith to their coworkers and family can have just as much of a world-changing impact. Major “A” is an example of one man’s faith that is transforming the spiritual landscape of his country. A major in the armed forces of a Central Asian country that is not friendly towards Christianity, he was sent to the U.S. to study and further his usefulness to his military. While here, he met ACCTS staff members who befriended him, shared Christ’s love and story, and led him to a new relationship with Christ. When his education here was complete, he returned to his country and, a while later, formed the first military Christian fellowship in his nation. It hasn’t been an easy road for him or other military believers, as Christianity is not well tolerated in their nation, but they and others in Central Asian nations continue to follow Christ despite the cost. Scripture is full of examples of individuals who courageously followed God, and whom He used to bring His plan of salvation to the world. In ACCTS we are privileged to work with such men and women, who boldly obey the voice of God, and whom He is using today to transform their militaries and their nations. During the past year, ACCTS staff have visited dozens of countries to help establish and nourish military Christian fellowships (MCFs) and chaplaincies, and to support, disciple, and mentor military Christian leaders, many of whom feel isolated because they serve in countries that are hostile to Christians and the Gospel. But despite the many challenges to the Gospel in the militaries of the world, we have much to be thankful for. General Lee Pil Sup, the president of the Association of Military Christian Fellowships (AMCF), recently reported that there are now MCFs in over 130 countries.
ACCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2011 • Page 2
Yet that still leaves over sixty countries with no MCF. Therefore, we will continue to work to see the Gospel message reach every military of the world. To this end, we will keep supporting international military Christians through staff visits and ministry that support the goals of local and regional MCFs. This includes leadership, ethics, and military family conferences; English language camps; international chaplain training; and other activities. In addition to working overseas, we want to expand our outreach to foreign military personnel who are studying here in the U.S., as well as passing on the vision of international military ministry to the next generation of U.S. military personnel. So we are prayerfully looking for new staff who can carry forward the work that God has accomplished through our current staff members. Finally, we have begun working with our sister organizations in the U.K (Military Ministries International) and South Korea (Military Service Organization) to plan for an AMCF World Conference in South Africa in 2014. At the last world conference in 2004, there were representatives from over 130 countries, and we are looking forward in faith to seeing even more countries send leaders who will unite as “all one in Christ Jesus” in 2014. In all of these efforts, we are confident that God will provide the people and resources to accomplish His work, as we seek His face and strive to live lives worthy of the Gospel. God gave us much fruitful ministry in 2011, and we are profoundly grateful for those of you who have supported ACCTS through your intercessory prayers and continuing financial support. We look forward with great anticipation to 2012, and we pray for the lives that will be changed forever by hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ in the foreign militaries of the world through the ministry of ACCTS. Thank you for being part of this world-changing ministry. In Christ,
Phil Exner COL (USMC, Ret.) Executive Director
2011 in Review “We are very grateful to you for equipping ourselves with the Word of God, encouragement and guidance which will be very effective for MCF-B [Military Christian Fellowship of Bangladesh], as well as our life for spiritual growth.”
Japanese and U.S. cadet participants in ACCTS’ Academy Exploration Asia
•
•
•
ACCTS’ annual Chaplains Interaction program in April provided training for international chaplains from Bangladesh, Cameroon, Grenada, Haiti, and Mongolia. Discussions focused on ministering to soldiers with combat operations stress, ministering to wounded soldiers, marriage and family counseling issues, suicide prevention, and Bible study methods. Our staff organized, taught at, and participated in numerous conferences hosted by indigenous military Christian fellowships (MCFs) in Moldova, Swaziland, Ukraine, and other nations. They presented seminars and small group discussions covering topics such as Christian leadership, military ethics, financial planning, and Bible study methods. At the request of local military Christian fellowships, ACCTS staff were heavily involved in planning for and leading MCF-
hosted chaplaincy training courses in Panama, Argentina, and Paraguay. These courses included training in critical incident stress management, critical incident debriefing, and Bible study methods. •
In Ukraine, staff members worked closely with MCF leaders to host English language camps for military personnel, their family, and friends. These camps included English-language Bible studies and spiritual discussions. ACCTS’ also hosted an English language program in China.
•
ACCTS’ online Journal of Faith and War continues to reach people around the world with military ethics-related articles, and we published the book, We All Knew a Little Greek: An Account of the Life of “Tok” – Charalambos Nikolaou Tokatloglou, featuring the life and witness of a man who has been deeply involved in military ministry. • ACCTS staff members at several locations in the U.S. ministered to hundreds of international military students who come to this country each year to study. Their ministries included helping with physical needs (such as helping them find places to live, etc.) and spiritual needs (hosting English-language Bible studies). • Our ongoing work in China is geared toward friendship and (continued)
West Point cadet teaching English to Chinese students
ACCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2011• Page 3
2011 BOARD MEMBERS CDR (USN, Ret.) Bryan and Sherri Burt Ward and Jody Bursley Capt (ANG) David Chang LCDR (USN, Ret.) Cal and Linda Dunlap Col (USMC, Ret.) Phil Exner LtCol (USAF) Terry and Kristin Goodrich CDR (USN) Steve and Molly Hoffman Sue Huggler Ann James COL (USA, Ret.) Phil and Rosa Lewis LtCol (USAF, Ret.) Ed and Elizabeth Lorenzini COL (USA, Ret.) Tony and Julia Pfaff
Military-related dependents learning English in Ukraine (continued)
2011 STAFF MEMBERS
• cultural exchange. With that in mind ACCTS sponsored five trips to this land, including medical missionary work, leadership conferences, and U.S. cadet visits. •
LtG (USA, Ret.) Gary and Cathy Speer
LTC (USA, Ret.) Harry Argo LTC (USA, Ret.) Dick and Linda Barnes LtCol (Australian Army, Ret) Russell and Helen Bielenberg Chaplain (COL, USA, Ret.) Ken and Jonna Carpenter COL (USA, Ret.) Earl and Sue Casner CDR (USCG, Ret.) Frank and Ginny Cole LtCol (British Army, Ret.) Noel and Meryl Dawes
Two U.S. military cadets participated in our Academy Exploration Asia trip, during which the cadets met with military leaders and personnel in Korea and Japan and taught English in China.
LCDR (USN, Ret.) Cal and Linda Dunlap Col (USMC, Ret.) Phil and LtCol (USMC, Ret.) Sue Exner LTC (USA, Ret.) Brock and Linda Fallon COL (USA, Ret.) Mike and Leslie Fligg Maj (USAF, Ret.) Vic and Marsha Grazier LtCol (USAF, Ret.) Jim and Lois Greshel Emanuela Kalemi Haien
•
In 2011 ACCTS featured several military-related prayer events for various regions of the world to keep military needs in people’s minds and prayers.
Chinese children who received medical care through ACCTS
Maj (USAF, Ret.) Russ and Bonnie Hammerud He, Gang and Jodie Wang Elizabeth Humphrey CDR (CHAP, USN, Ret.) Don and Elaine Jukam Bernhard and Cheryl Kaltenbach Mike and Joyce Knefley COL (USA, Ret.) Bill and Suzanne Lumpkin COL (USA, Ret.) Don and Karen Martin CAPT (USCG, Ret.) Stan and Doris Waldrop Mincks
Director Steps Down
LtCol (USAF, Ret.) Dell McDonald CAPT (CHAP, USNR) Steve Morgan LtCol (USAF, Ret.) Paul and Suzy Neu
After 17 fruitful years as
Christians around the world,
ACCTS’ executive director,
as well as with our staff and
Cal Dunlap stepped down
supporters. We are blessed
from that position in July
as well to have them
2011. We are incredibly
both continue on as staff
thankful for the direction
members, directing ACCTS’
Cal and Linda gave to
work in China.
ACCTS over those years and the unique ways in which they shared Christ’s love and joy with military
ACCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2011• Page 4
Dickson Ogwang CAPT (USCG, Ret.) Pete and Jacki Prindle Gina Rajah LTC (USA, Ret.) Bob and BJ Reifsnyder COL (USA, Ret.) Rick and Melissa Ryles Leslie Santee Chaplain (LtCol, USAF, Ret.) Rob and Delores Stroud Maj (USAF, Ret.) Carson and Wendy Tavenner Col (USAF, Ret.) Ed and Sally Ward LTC (USA, Ret.) Harry and Linda Waters CHAP (COL, USA, Ret.) Norris and Dr. Lois Webster
Ministering in Difficult Financial Times
“Yet even in the ‘lows’– or what we view as the challenging times – God is providing, financing and empowering His work so that individual lives are changed.”
God’s economy does not necessarily match our own, a fact which has been brought home to me many times during this last year. ACCTS’ finances have seen wonderful “highs” – thanks to the generosity of God’s people who support us – and “lows”, as donors find their financial situation changing, necessitating lower donations to charities like ACCTS. Yet even in the “lows” – or what we view as the challenging times – God is providing, financing and empowering His work so that individual lives are changed. Praise God! Our ministry is not flashy, and does not lend itself to reports where we list how many people we helped save from starvation, or how many hospitals we built to serve the sick. Rather, what we have accomplished spiritually might be best summed up by this letter we received recently from a soldier in Afghanistan: Thank you so much for the devotional! It is always nice to get a package from back home. I want you to know that I gave it to a young captain who works with me who was struggling with his faith. He now reads it every day and meets with me on Wednesdays for a small mini Bible study…getting stuff like the devotional lets us know that you haven’t forgotten that we are still out here. Thank you for your kind and thoughtful gift. In Christ, Maj. E. ACCTS’ mission is to encourage soldiers around the world, no matter what their nationality, by developing their Christian leadership skills, assisting them in forming and growing strong independent military Christian fellowships, and helping them grow closer to Christ. We provide a means for military folks to be led to God through the witness of their fellow soldiers, to whom we were privileged to minister. While the need for international military ministry grows,
our finances have not kept up with those needs – yet God, through His people, is still faithful. As in past years we have kept our overhead expenses under 9% -- which means that for every dollar we received, at least $0.91 went directly to ministry. We are excited about 2012 and what it holds for God’s kingdom work among the world’s armed forces. By the careful and prayerful use of the financial donations with which we are entrusted, we believe God will move mightly in the lives of military Christians in nations around the world. In Christ,
Bernhard Kaltenbach Director of Finance
Overhead
$74,773
8.62%
Publications
$117,855
13.59%
International Ministries
$674,531
77.79%
Total
$867,159
100%
Sharing the Gospel and Our Lives Phone calls, emails, newsletters, and
fellowship leaders to discuss outreach
Jamaica, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania,
hand-written notes of encouragement
ideas, pray over ministry and personal
Moldova, Mongolia, Panama, Paraguay,
are all ways in which our staff stay in
needs, plan for upcoming conferences and
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania,
touch with military Christians in over 130
meetings, and teach ideas on ministering
Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa,
nations – but there is no substitute for
effectively:
South Korea, Spain, Swaziland, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Vietnam,
face-to-face ministry. The countries listed in this segment are ones to which our staff
Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil,
traveled in order to meet with individual
Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile,
military Christians and military Christian
China, Costa Rica, Germany, Hungary,
Zimbabwe
ACCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2011 • Page 5
While “Finally, brothers,
this
annual
accomplishments,
pray for us that the
report
plans
focuses
for
2012
on are
ACCTS’
2011
already
being
implemented – and we hope you can be a part of them. This
message of the Lord may spread rapidly
year we are specifically looking for co-workers to join us
and be honored, just
in the area of ministry to international military students.
as it was with you.”
Thousands of international military personnel come to the
2 Thessalonians 3:1,8
U.S. each year to study, and we are looking for people to build relationships with those students, befriend them, share Christ, and encourage others to do so as well. If you would like more information on becoming an ACCTS staff member or co-worker working with international military students in Monterey, California; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Washington, D.C.; or San Antonio, Texas, please visit our website (www.accts.org) or call our office at 1-800-487-8108.
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PO Box 27239 Denver, CO 80227-0239 Phone: 1-800-487-8108 Fax: 303-986-4710 Email: accts@accts.org Web: www.accts.org
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Jamaican, South African, and Mongolian military personnel photos via USDOD
Moving Ahead… With You
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ACCTS Prayer Reminder “Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.” -- Brennan Manning, Abba’s Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging
Note: ACCTS staff member names are in bold print.
1 Pray with ACCTS as we look to expand our
ministry to international military students who are studying in the U.S. Today, pray that we will find staff members to minister in the Monterey, California area, which is home to international students attending the Defense Language Institute, and the Carlisle, Pennsylvania area, home to the Army War College.
2 Today, pray with ACCTS as we look for staff
members whom God is calling to befriend and share Christ’s hope with international students in the Washington, D.C. area and the Fort Leavenworth area, which is home to the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College.
3 Today, ask that more people join our ongoing
work in San Antonio so that international military students will have an opportunity to get to know American Christians while they are here. Praise God with us for ACCTS staff members Bill and Suzanne Lumpkin, who already minister in San Antonio.
4 International military students who study in the
U.S. return home to careers enhanced by what they learned here. Our hope is to also enhance their understanding of Christ and, if they are already Christians, what it means to minister to military personnel in their home countries. Pray for our current staff who are working with international military students, including Vic and Marsha Grazier.
5 Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide ACCTS’ leadership, including Phil Exner, executive director, and Sue Exner, staff member. 6 Today, please pray for wisdom for Ed Lorenzini, ACCTS’ board president, and Bernhard Kaltenbach, ACCTS’ deputy director. ACCTS Prayer reminder • February 2012
7 Most of ACCTS’ donations come from individual
Christians who believe in the need for international military ministry; thank God with us for these donors and pray as we also look for other sources of donations, such as foundations, chapels, churches, and individuals who are doing estate planning.
8 Pray with Frank Cole, Dell McDonald, and others who are preparing for this April’s Chaplains Interaction. Pray also that the international participants will be given leave time and visas to attend. 9 Ask that the Ukrainian military Christian fellowship’s newsletter, Be Ready, continue to help Christian and non-Christian military personnel learn more about Christ. Pray for Dick and Linda Barnes and their ministry of encouragement to Ukrainian MCF leaders, including Vasily K. 10 Pray that God will open doors between South and North Korea, and for wisdom for all government leaders involved. 11 Pray for the Holy Spirit’s leading for staff member Leslie Olmstead Santee in using her video skills to promote the work of ACCTS in 2012.
12 Late last month the military Christian fellowship of Chile, the MEU, held their national conference. Ask that the Holy Spirit give attendees the desire to follow Christ faithfully while also serving their nation. Praise God for the stability and prosperity of this South American nation and ask for God’s continued blessings on Chile and its people. 13 From 13-24 February the military Christian fellowship of Peru, with help from ACCTS and other organizations, will host a Basic Chaplaincy Course for approximately 50 students. We will
Creative Commons copyright Bruckrrlb, flickr.com
February 2012
also help them with an American English Language Training course which runs congruently. From 22-24 February they will also give an updated course for students who participated in a previous chaplaincy course. Please pray for these events.
14 St. Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day can be par-
ticularly poignant for military couples separated by the demands of their service. Pray for these defenders of our country, asking the Source of all love to give military families a special sense of His comfort and hope while they are apart.
15 Pray that the German military Christian fellowship, the CoV, will find ways to effectively minister to Germany’s military personnel who are deployed overseas, as well as to those in Germany.
Creative Commons copyright Celestial Photography, flickr.com
16 A Chinese leader has asked ministries to come to China “to listen, to learn, and to love.” Pray for ACCTS and other Christian organizations as we seek to do just that in this country of 1.35 billion souls. Pray particularly for He Gang, Jodie Wang, and Cal and Linda Dunlap’s work in China.
United Kingdom, and pray for God’s hand over their upcoming ministry events, including the 2-4 March Spring Weekend.
23 Pray with military Christians in Russia who hope to have their registration as a multi-regional organization (named “Faith and Courage”) approved. Pray that God will guide and direct their ministry in this huge and diverse nation. 24 ACCTS’ sister ministry, Military Ministry International in the U.K., hosts its Supporters Weekend this Saturday and Sunday. Pray that God’s love and unity will be evident during this weekend event.
25 In early March military Christians in Central African Republic will gather for a week of chaplain training. Pray with all those who are attending and leading the event, including ACCTS staff member Dickson Ogwang.
17 Pray with military Christians in Moldova as they continue to distribute Bibles to their nation’s military personnel.
18 Pray for peace and “Missions is the overflow of our delight in God.”
-- John Piper reconciliation in Iran and safety for Iran’s armed forces personnel during this volatile time, as well as safety for international troops still in Iran.
19 General Lee -- the president of our ministry partner, AMCF -- requests daily prayer for nations which don’t have MCFs. Pray today that individual military Christians in those nations will be led by God, in His timing, to develop fellowship groups to encourage their fellow believers. 20 Presidents Day (USA) Pray for U.S. political
leaders, including President Obama and Congress, and U.S. judicial leaders. 21 Ongoing financial issues in the U.S. have had an increasing impact on ACCTS’ international ministry, as our financial donors feel the pinch of tightened budgets. Pray for wisdom as we continue ministering with reduced funding.
22 Praise God for the world’s oldest military Chris-
tian fellowship, Armed Forces Christian Union in the ACCTS Prayer reminder • February 2012
26 Praise God with us that ACCTS staff members Bob and B.J. Reifsnyder were recognized in January for their ongoing ministry to the world’s military chaplains. They received the NAE Chaplains Commission Centurions Award in recognition of their work. Ask for God’s continued guidance of their work with military chaplains and other military Christians in Latin America.
27 Pray with ACCTS as we plan for Academy Exploration trips in March with cadets and midshipmen from the USNA and USAFA. 28 Pray that ACCTS staff members who are attending February’s leadership conference in Germany will be a blessing to military Christian leaders who will be in attendance. 29 Today is Leap Day – an “extra” day to do as Jesus stated in Matthew 22: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Pray that today your heart will be drawn closer to God, that your love for others will grow, and your opportunities to share God’s love will also expand.