The Life Fall 2016 by Fountain of Life

THE LIFE FALL 2016

A publication of Fountain of Life Church

Taking hope to a young country in turmoil. page 6

Read how

COFFEE gets Christ into closed countries. {pg 10}

PG. 12

DOES JESUS LOVE THE MUSLIM REFUGEE?

world missions edition

The Life Magazine is published quarterly by Fountain of Life Church in Elizabeth City, NC. Editor in Chief/Hans Hess * Editor, Communications Director/Tiffany Harris * Editor, Layout Designer, Graphic Designer/Kristina Granstaff * Writers/Hans Hess, Jackie Davenport, Matt Bennett, Steve Cofer, Talmadge Gardner, Tiffany Harris. Proofreaders/Brenda Harris, Tina Kirkland, Tiffany Harris, Christy Wells, Courtney Taft, T.J. Long, Gracie Sawyer Cover William Perugini, Shutterstock; Muslim woman at a mosque in Turkey ; Index 2-3 Daniel Davis, Lightstock

Contents

Mission Possible

Pastor Hans shares his heart for missions.

Hope for South Sudan

Learn about the IPHC ministry called Hope4Sudan.

Building Hope for a Hurting World A look at People to People Ministries.

Christ Through Coffee Read about Coffee House Ministries and its many locations around the world!

Q&A With Brian Sawyer, World Missions Director for Redemption Ministries

COVER STORY:

Pulling Back The Veil: Learning to love Muslims like Jesus

A Letter from Bishop Talmadge Gardner Bishop over World Missions Ministries for the IPHC.

Missionaries We Support Get to know about all the IPHC missionaries that our church supports on a monthly basis.

Pastor Alan Meads

Transitions into a new role at Fountain of Life

Harvest Fest

We need volunteers for our annual Harvest Fest. Learn how you can get involved!

Pearl, Lightstock

BY: PASTOR HANS HESS

Mission Possible

If you’ve been around Fountain of Life for very long you know that we are a missions minded church. Mission is the heartbeat of everything we do. There is a difference in the terms mission and missions. MISSION- God’s redemptive work building His Kingdom throughout the earth. MISSIONS- The cross-cultural work of mission. If mission is God’s redemptive work of building His kingdom throughout the earth, we ALL should be involved in God’s mission. We should be involved in building God’s kingdom whether we are at our job, at school, at Walmart, or on a trip to India. We are ALL to be involved in helping with the expansion of God’s kingdom. The purpose of the Church is the same as that of the individual Christian, to build God’s kingdom in the earth. Yet, so many times in church we focus on our personal needs and preferences. When this shift happens we often become mired in arguments over small issues and lose focus on the mission of God. This is why we constantly emphasize outreach and missions. It puts our focus back on the reason for our existence as a church. Each Fall we emphasize World Missions. Throughout the year we have missionaries visit our church from different parts of the world. Our church has several outreach ministries that are very successful in reaching people for Christ. Our church hosts several revivals each year where soul-winning is the focus. On a weekly basis it is our endeavor to give altar calls and calls for commitment to follow the Lord. We do all of this, because it is what God has called us to do. It is the why of our existence.

Now let me take this mission idea one step further. If we exist to accomplish the mission of God, we cannot be satisfied knowing there are over 6,600 unreached people groups in the world. According to the Joshua Project, those 6,600 unreached people groups total over 42% of the world’s population, totaling over three billion people! A People Group is “a group of individuals who share ethnic, linguistic, or cultural traits.” An Unreached People Group is “a people group within which there is not an indigenous community of believing Christians with the spiritual resources to evangelize their own people group.” The difference between the common citizen of Elizabeth City and the Ad Dharmi people of Northern India is access to the Gospel. There are approximately 100 churches in Elizabeth City serving 18,000 people in the city. Whereas, there are NO Christians among the 789,000 Ad Dharmi people. In America we have approximately 350,000 churches, thousands of Christian bookstores, numerous Christian television stations, freedom of religion, open Gospel crusades, stadiums used for worship events, and churches flourishing. How can we hold what we have and not share it with the rest of the world?

Oswald J. Smith said, “Why should anyone hear the

gospel twice before everyone has heard it once?” Henry Martyn, missionary to India and Iran, said “The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become.” Let me add one final thought; if Jesus told us to preach the Gospel to all nations, should we not set a goal of accomplishing this task? Should we not look at the end of the commission? Should we not be concerned with finishing the task? Many may say it’s impossible especially in our lifetime. However, there have been so many advances and technological breakthroughs that we should believe it is possible within our lifetimes. C.T. Studd said, “Christ wants not nibblers of the possible, but grabbers of the impossible.” You may ask, “Pastor, are you not concerned with the church in America?” My answer is, “YES! I am desperately concerned for the church in America!” Yet I know that

if the church in America would refocus on the MISSION of God, the church would become a transformative force in America and in the world like never before. If we would focus on WHY we exist and the MISSION of God, we would rise above the petty issues that make the church in America ineffective. If we would focus on MISSION, our churches would become outwardly focused, church planting would explode, individuals would see themselves no longer as consumers who sit on the pews but as dispensers of His grace. In this edition of The Life magazine you will hear from missionaries and missions leaders who are actively engaged in reaching the unreached. I believe you will be inspired and encouraged as you read their stories. Let’s be bold in our faith and believe that we can finish the task of the Great Commission. Let’s get active and do our part.

Hope for South

Sudan BY: JACKIE DAVENPORT

hen we think of the word “missionary,” thoughts of hardship or lacking basic supplies and necessities cross our minds. To most missionaries, hardships are not the first thing they think about. Rather, many ask, “What can I do to bring the love of God to people who have never heard of Him?” Hope4Sudan tries to answer that question by meeting the physical needs of the South Sudanese in order to gain an opportunity to meet the spiritual needs by leading them to Christ. South Sudan is the newest country in the world. After decades of civil war, South Sudan gained its independence on July 9, 2011. The years following independence have been filled with violence. Many people have been displaced from their homes and left to find shelter in relief compounds. Although it is illegal, UNICEF reports there have been documented at least 16,000 child soldiers as young as 12 who have (sometimes forcibly) been a part of the growing tensions between those in power and those trying to take power. It is in this environment, compounded by already harsh living conditions, that Hope4Sudan has found opportunities to reach others for Christ. It is important to realize that those opportunities come in more than just one way, so Hope4Sudan has developed many avenues to reach those who are hurting by taking a holistic approach to their mission. The story of how Hope4Sudan began starts in 2007, when Greg McClerkin went on his first missionary journey to South Sudan. He felt a call to begin building compounds for the South Sudanese people. After sleeping in tents and facing indescribable hardships, Greg joined the IPHC World Missions Ministry in 2010 and was requested to go build a combination clinic, conference and training center in Mozambique. After the project was completed, he resumed his role as the Ministry Director of Southern Sudan and now he, his wife, Latoya, and son, Ethan, are working in one of the Hope4Sudan’s compounds in Kopeota. Also in 2007, Lauren Pickens went on her first missionary journey to South Sudan. It was a trip that forever changed her perspective and her life. Lauren’s burden for the people of South Sudan became so great that the idea of Hope4Sudan was born. She works as the director of Hope4Sudan and partners with Greg and his family to raise awareness and support as well as lead mission groups with Hope4Sudan. Lauren says, “I have such a vision of things I want to see Hope4Sudan do, but it’s not an easy place to go. You can rest assured that…

it’s obviously a call from God and a burden He has to put on someone’s heart… to go there!” In November of this year Michelle and Sarah McGrath, partners at Fountain of Life Church, will be going on a medical mission trip with Hope4Sudan. Michelle echoes Lauren’s sentiment. “I just know I have to do it. I know I have to go. God has placed such a burden on my heart for the people there and for their mission.” When asked what they will be doing, Michelle is quick to point out that you do not necessarily have to have a medical background to go on a mission trip. She says: There are a lot of things we will be doing that aren’t medical. Hope4Sudan has teamed with People to People, so some of our group will be helping with updating records and information. Some will help in the clinic by giving out medicine or other supplies. There’s a school and other programs that Hope4Sudan is involved in. The opportunities to help are endless and, as Lauren says, “Hope4Sudan is a perfect example of what God can accomplish if someone is willing and makes himself or herself available to be used.” In an online interview with Lauren, she mentioned one medical mission trip in which a little girl had broken her femur. If the child had not gotten to the clinic, she could have died or, at the least, spent the rest of her life as a cripple. Lauren has also seen people become physically better by simply receiving a bag of fluids they would not have had if not for the clinic. Through their medical missions Hope4Sudan is able to meet the physical needs of the people and then given opportunities to tell them about the love of God and direct them to the One who can heal them spiritually. Once the door is opened to speaking life into their spirits, Hope4Sudan incorporates the use of teaching through orality. South Sudan has a literacy rate of just over 25 percent so the vast majority of the 142 people groups are oral learners. Mark and Darah Olayo, missionaries who work with Hope4Sudan, know that it is not as simple as giving someone a Bible. The lessons of the Bible must be taught in such a way that the people can understand the truths contained in the Word of God. In her blog, Darah explains “We naturally interpret stories (Biblical or otherwise) through our own grid of knowledge and experience. Imagine a tribesmen….what goes through his mind as he listens to the Word of God? How does he see the stories we’ve grown up envisioning?” It is the goal of using orality and incorporating all the other projects and aspects of missions provided by Hope4Sudan that as many people as possible can be reached with the gospel. Finally, in the online interview with Lauren, she stressed that the greatest need the mission has is that God would call more missionaries and raise up indigenous leaders for the work that is still left to be done. The remoteness, the harsh living conditions, and the ever-changing political situation add to the difficulty of the work but it is all worth it. Most humbling is when Lauren speaks of her favorite part of being involved with Hope4Sudan. What seems “so little to us can be so huge and life-changing for people there. Sacrificing what we would pay here for dinner and a movie (would) pay to feed a family there for a month!” Hope4Sudan cannot do it alone. Just as Greg and his family work on the day to day operations in the compound in Kopeota, Lauren directs missions and finds support, and Mark and Darah work with teaching and discipleship, it takes a team of individuals using their gifts to do the work God has called each of us to do. Everyone may not be able to go on the mission field to South Sudan, but everyone can support those that are. hope4sudan.org; The Hope 4 Sudan organization ministering to the locals through their different projects.

Building Hope for a Hurting World

BY: MATT BENNETT

eople to People Ministries is helping to build a place of hope for thousands of often neglected and forgotten people trapped by circumstances beyond their control.

By providing resources for education through our child sponsorship program, People to People Ministries is giving hope of a better future to the next generation of IPHC youth. Presently we help provide education, school supplies, food, and uniforms to over 5,000 children in 50 underdeveloped countries. By helping to dig water wells, People to People Ministries is giving hope of clean drinking water, a healthier life, and a sustainable food supply through irrigation. Supplying clean drinking water is the most effective method of alleviating poverty and transforming a community. Water wells range in cost from $750-$12,000 depending on many variables such as location, accessibility, and equipment required.

8, Examples of real People to People microbusinesses; 9, Beneficiaries of different People to People programs including Disaster Relief and Water Wells.

By establishing micro businesses, People to People Ministries is giving hope of economic solutions as we empower the extreme poor to create their own wealth. Through these innovative solutions such as greenhouses and fish, rabbit, and poultry farms national IPHC pastors and ministries are being empowered to break dependency and take responsibility for building the church locally, regionally, and globally. In addition, a mindset of only receiving is now being replaced by a spirit of generosity and of blessing others! By helping those who have lost everything in times of natural disaster, People to People Ministries is giving hope that they are not alone, but they are a part of a greater IPHC family. During the recent earthquake in Nepal, IPHC missionaries, Tara and Ging, were able to distribute food, medical supplies, and tents as well as tools necessary to remove rumble. As a result, not only were Tara and Ging a blessing to this Hindu nation, but the IPHC grew exponentially in the aftermath of this tragic situation. Today the IPHC has over 80 churches in Nepal. Most importantly, through these acts of kindness and love, People to People Ministries is bringing the good news of Jesus Christ and sharing the hope of salvation and a restored relationship with God. So, together let us continue to empower the impoverished, inspire the next generation of leaders, and build a place of hope for a hurting world! For more information about People to People Ministries visit ptpministries.com.

Left Everything, Shutterstock; Right Pictures of different IPHC coffeehouse in Spain and the Philippines.

Christ Through Coffee

orld Missions Ministries’ first Coffeehouse began in 1982 in Jerusalem, Israel. For many years it was WMMD’s flagship coffeehouse directed under the leadership and vision of the late Rev. Rick Hurst. Implementing this ministry provided Christian presence and entrance into the Jewish community. Also, it provided a communication avenue to interact and witness to international visitors coming to Jerusalem. Through the years, this model of outreach has mushroomed into a global marketplace ministry, a great concept initiated by God’s leading and direction providing effective ministry in today’s global communities. In a changing world of diverse nations, cultures, languages, political correctness and etc., Coffeehouse Ministry is an effective tool in sharing the gospel over a cup of coffee. It’s so simple to meet and build relationships through our missionaries and national workers ministering in strategic locations many times considered non-accessible to the church. Coffeehouse Ministry has been successful for over 34 years as a vital instrument in evangelism and church planting. Busy lives are touched daily in the local marketplace which results in born-again experiences and discipleship of new Christian converts. It’s remarkable how a cup of coffee opens the door to share one’s faith in Jesus. Mark 9:41 says, “Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.”

“A cup of coffee?” some have asked.

BY: STEVE COFER

Yes! A hot cup of coffee is only an effective tool in the midst of multi-cultures and diverse generations. Simply serving a cup of coffee becomes an opportunity to share the most valuable gift ever, Christ! In today’s world where unsaved people have little or no interest in attending a local church, other ways of communicating the unchangeable gospel must be considered. Coffeehouse Ministry provides a non-threatening environment for local and transit people. It’s a place for a time-out from pressing daily schedules and life’s demands. The value and strength of this method provides ministry opportunities during the hustle and bustle of workdays in the marketplace. The setting and atmosphere for personal involvement and witnessing comes together as Christian workers serve a cup of coffee in Jesus name. Over a period of time relationships are developed and guests began sharing their hearts and needs. It’s such a natural way for speaking into lives and sharing our hope in Jesus. People hear it for the first time, faith develops, and lost souls are saved. Particular locations, depending on demographics, offer diverse ministry strategies. The list is long and includes some of the following: Wi-Fi connection, entertainment through media sources, live Christian music, evening culture gatherings, special events or days of celebrations, teaching English as a second language, tutoring university students, art galleries, spiritual counseling, and prayer for anyone in need. Many times a listening ear gives opportunity to

share the love of God. Coffeehouse Ministry offers an open door to any community by providing a social avenue to establish and develop relationships. Results are reflected in nearby congregations enlarged by new converts or a new church plant. Most coffeehouses are located in cities targeting large populace areas where the multitudes live their daily lives. People work, enjoy friendships, and live near our coffeehouses, and the proximity results in non-Christians who have no interest in going to church entering the doors of a local coffee shop. In some locations, a coffeehouse will open and close, accomplishing its purpose in a short time. Others remain open for years. Since Coffeehouse Ministry’s beginning in the early eighties, 48 locations have been opened, providing growth for local congregations plus numerous church plants. Thousands of lost souls have been ministered to because someone gave generously so others were able to share Jesus over a cup of coffee. Please pray for the future of this ministry and the many lives that will be touched. Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Coffeehouse Ministry is based on evangelism and church planting. This relational approach has proven to be powerful and fruitful in diverse cultures including Latin America, Asia, and Europe and the Middle East. With the help of ministry partners, more locations are waiting to be opened and souls are waiting to be saved!

QA &

with Brian Sawyer

World Missions Director for Redemption Ministries

What is your leadership role regarding IPHC World Missions?

My job is to network between local churches and missionaries on the field.

Is there a big misconception about the life of a missionary overseas?

I think many times we don’t understand that missionaries also have to live a normal life. We expect more out of missionaries. Missionaries can be afraid to go on vacation or spend any money on anything. Because they’re supported by people, they feel like they have to be working 24/7…the truth is they move to those countries to live a normal life serving Jesus just like we do here.

What’s the benefit of short term missions?

Many people serving long term realized their passion for missions while serving short term.

What would you say to someone who argues that there is too big of a need here to go overseas?

Why should we tell someone about the gospel twice before everyone has heard it once? According to the Joshua Project, the 10/40 window alone has more people, more false religions, and more unbelievers in that one area then in all of the rest of the world put together.

How does someone choose a missionary to support?

Ask yourself what type of ministry do you believe in and want to get behind. Maybe you’ve always had a heart for Africa. See who does what you believe the most in. Pray through the LINK guide. Ask God to speak to you about somebody in one of these countries.

What is a big need in World Missions right now?

Giving! For example, we have 75 churches in Redemption Ministries and only about 15 gave to the GO Offering in 2015. We need people giving and going. We also need people praying. In 100 years, Coca Cola made its way into every country. In 2016, we still haven’t completed that task in world missions. We need more missionaries on the field. Even Jesus said that the laborers are few but the harvest is plentiful. I believe there’s enough money and people in America to complete the Great Commission by the end of this year.

What is the easiest way to get involved in world missions?

1. Get a LINK guide and start praying and asking God to speak to you about how to contribute to Missions. The LINK gives you an identification and description of everyone involved with missions in the IPHC. Email briansawyermissions@gmail.com for a copy of the link. 2. Communicate with your church’s Global Missions contact and ask questions. 3. Go to iphc.org and click missions.

What do missionaries need the most from the US?

Resources and people on the ground. Jesus said the laborers are few.

How can someone give if they’re financially stretched already?

You could save your change. You could ask the Lord and pray about what you could cut out of your budget. You could sacrifice things. Maybe you could give up a cup of coffee or fast meals. I think one of the greatest reasons people don’t give is because people can’t give what they want to give. But if 1,000 people gave $1, you’d have a $1,000.

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The author of this article wishes to remain anonymous due to his/her dangerous work on the mission field

}

Pulling Back The Veil Learning to love Muslims like Jesus

iving like Jesus these days seems increasingly challenging. Our faith is being tested on all sides, and it is certainly hard to keep a soft heart when we feel threatened. As I’ve served in the Middle East the last ten years, I’ve found myself between two communities. I’m sent to a community where there is real danger but also incredible need for the gospel. Yet, I’m sent on the mission field from the American church which has struggled at times to have compassion for Muslims. How can we, like Jesus, be more merciful towards millions of Muslims?

Merciful Jesus The evidence of Jesus’ compassion and mercy is in the Gospels. Jesus lived and gave out of love and mercy towards the lost, sick, outcast, and despised people. He healed many people even though they didn’t meet contemporary standards of Jewish righteousness. The demon-possessed found compassion and mercy at the hands of Jesus. Jairus, the synagogue of-

ficial, and the Roman soldier experienced compassion when they came to Jesus. Jesus was concerned and caring when He healed outcast lepers. Even the guilty criminal suffering on the next cross experienced His compassion. Jesus was and is compassionate and merciful. Jesus also calls us to compassion and mercy. Our attitudes matter to God. The parables of Jesus were a direct response to lack of mercy and hardness of heart. The parables found in Luke 15 are great examples of this. Many focus upon the patient, forgiving love of the Father as seen in the parable of the prodigal son. This is wonderful, but the point of the parable is found at the beginning of the chapter. Luke recorded, “The Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble.” They complained that Jesus shouldn’t associate with the wrong kind of people. As Jesus related the parable, His point became clear. He was contrasting the hardness of heart and the wounded, earthly sense of fairness in the elder son

12-13 Pearl, Lightstock; 14-15 Lukasz Z, Shutterstock; Real refugees wait for aid in Turkey

against the wonderful unconditional love of God. Jesus was exposing their hardness of heart towards lost people. Today, we still struggle to live out what Jesus asks of us. Hardness of heart and lack of mercy is everywhere on earth, even in church. We must let Jesus give us His compassion and mercy for the lost.

Why is it hard? It’s hard because we allow the media to shape our perspectives and worldview. When it comes to Muslims, most Americans don’t have a lot of intimate contact with them. We don’t have many opportunities to get to know them. Lacking that, we focus on what the media feeds us. They have an agenda, and it shapes what information they give and how they frame the events of the world. Fear, anger, and suspicion are powerful forces they use to influence thoughts and opinions. As followers of Jesus, we must align perspective and world view with what Jesus demonstrates and teaches. Each of us has one heart with which to love God, family, spouse, children, and all oth-

ers. We must constantly evaluate our hearts. What am I allowing to shape my attitude? Is it the media? American culture and values? Or is it Jesus? As Christians, we remember our true identity. Before we are westerners or Americans or anything else, we are disciples of Jesus. We lay down national identities, cultural identities, as well as collective and individual wills. We are citizens of a heavenly kingdom, and we live according to Jesus, His words and character.

Who are Syrian Refugees? I’ve listened to many speak of the threats Muslims pose to our communities. It’s true that groups like ISIS are a threat to the entire earth, but we can’t forget their first victims--Muslims. The reason 50-60% of the population of Syria is displaced is because they don’t want to live beneath their cruelty. We must see the situation of the individuals in this community. Jesus didn’t see the uniform on the Roman soldier, he saw the man wearing it. He didn’t see Nicodemus’ Pharisaical garb, he saw Nicodemus.

“They lose home and possessions, community and family (often killed), livelihood and sense of purpose, security and peace, dignity and honor. They lose their past and their future, and the present is hopeless.”

Meet our friends, Sami and Samira (not their real names). We love them dearly. They and their four children were forced to flee early in the Syrian conflict. Initially, they remained in Syria, but after returning to their city, they discovered their home and everything they possessed was destroyed.

Jesus Knew the Game

I met them after they fled to a neighboring country to attempt to make a new life. However, they found no help. The people in this new country, though also Muslim, exploited them and took advantage of them. I was appalled to learn that employers hired Sami for work only to disappear when payment was due. His eldest son was similarly treated.

Many Jews expected the Messiah to be a political hero. They wanted Jesus to defeat Rome and restore them to their godly past, giving political power back to Israel. Jesus had to correct this idea after the resurrection and just before He was lifted into the clouds! (Acts 1:6)

After months of mistreatment and prejudice at the hands of their host country, it broke our hearts to learn that they were going back to Syria. They returned only to have the situation in their city worsen over the subsequent two years. Their life is full of unspeakable horror. Recently they left us a voice message. The first minute and a half is nothing but the sounds of warfare leading to Sami’s whispered voice. “This is how we live. Thank you for caring. Thank you for praying.” Getting to know families like these has opened our eyes to the suffering of refugees. The suffering affects every group. Young men risk military conscription, death and horror. Young women become victims of rape and enslavement. The very young and very old are often killed outright, or die of starvation and neglect. The devastation is total. They lose home and possessions, community and family (often killed), livelihood and sense of purpose, security and peace, dignity and honor. They lose their past and their future, and the present is hopeless. Meet another sweet Muslim couple, Munir and Munira (names also changed). Both of them come from educated and respectable families in Syria. Members of their families teach in universities in several nations. When the war began in Syria, they found themselves at the center of unspeakable horror. Shortly after giving birth to their only child, they were forced to flee the country. I’ve watched them tremble and cry as they related their unbelievable escape. They once knew several languages now almost completely forgotten because of stress. Munira confesses that she can’t remember her son’s birthdate. They have lost so much and stand to lose more still. These are just a few of the lives we have been privileged to get to know and help as the war rages in Syria. There are many others like them.

Many people tried to force on Jesus their own agendas and ideas about His mission and purpose. Satan tempted Jesus to divert Jesus from His purpose of redeeming men and women and restoring worship to the Father.

Others expected Him to act as God’s scourge upon the earth. After being rejected in a Samaritan village, James and John asked Jesus if He wanted them “to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them.” But Jesus rebuked them (Luke 9: 51-56). Jesus said, “to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’” (Matt. 11:16-17). In other words, “You didn’t play our game!” Jesus didn’t (and still doesn’t) play the politics game. He is after the hearts of men. He is redeeming people from every tongue and tribe. His reward is eternal, not temporal.

Whose Game are We Playing? I want to play on Jesus’ team! I hope you will join me in asking God to examine my heart. I’m praying that He would expose my hardness of heart towards lost and hurting people. Do you have an ungracious attitude towards Muslims? Are you concerned for the physical suffering of millions of Syrians? Do you pray that their bondage to Islam be broken? A Syrian Muslim man recently told me he thought that as many as 80% of Syrian refugees are walking away from Islam. Today, we have such an opportunity to bring Jesus to Muslims once considered to be unreachable with the Gospel. The souls of men, women and children are at stake. There is eternity in the balance for millions. Muna (name changed) is another dear lady. She fled Syria early in the war and made a new life in another country. While homesick one night, she began to wonder about Jesus. Over the following weeks, she read the Bible and researched online. In three dreams, Jesus appeared to her and gave her the Holy Spirit! We watched as she was baptized a couple of months ago. Let’s open up our hearts and lives so that more people like Muna can know the risen Lord Jesus!

A letter to Fountain of Life by World Missions Ministries Director, Bishop Talmadge Gardner

ear Fountain of Life Church Family:

Thank you for the privilege of speaking to you directly through this published communique. Let me begin by thanking you personally for your commitment and partnership in our global efforts to honor our Lord’s commission to us To Go and Make Disciples. In the natural this seems to be a daunting task – but those of us who call ourselves disciples of Christ know that we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to do what seems impossible. Your partnership in our collective mission has positioned Fountain of Life Church as our third leading contributor [second leading US contributor] totaling $137,722 in 2015. I also know that many of you pray for our missionaries daily by using our monthly prayer guide –The Link. Your prayer support undergirds the efforts of our missionaries who encounter the forces of darkness daily. John Maxwell famously phrased the leadership quotation “that everything rises and falls with leadership.” In my opinion, this may be his most profound statement. Pastors Hans and Jackie Hess have aligned Fountain of Life Church for greater effectiveness by casting a vision that emphasizes a commitment to serving its ‘Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world.’ They have taught you correctly in that ‘not everyone is called to be a missionary, but every one of us must be willing to step away from our home culture in order to take the gospel to the world.’ We are also indebted to Dr. Barbara Carter, your Missions Director. Barbara and Dave are passionate about taking the gospel to those that have never heard. They lead you corporately to do this and demonstrate it personally. I read a blog recently that was written by Jonathan Shibley. Jonathan is the son Dr. David Shibley the founder of

Lifestock, TheRealFindo

Over the last three years, we have been building momentum to reach this point; we can now be extremely active not just in training but also in facilitating different ministry opportunities for these young adults!

28: 18-20]

Global Advance.

4) That God will give us compassionate hearts that demonstrate Christ’s love practically. [ James 2: 14-23]

The article read like this: EVEN IN THESE TOUGH TIMES HERE ARE FIVE REASONS MISSIONS MUST STAY TOP PRIORITY! 1) The world is desperate for salt and light. 2) The Gospel is great news-to set captives free. 3) We must work while windows of opportunity are still here. 4) We are closer than ever to every people group hearing the gospel and having a church in its midst. 5) It’s more strategic than ever to invest in front-line leaders. THE GREAT COMMISSION IS THE ULTIMATE PLAN AND PURPOSE OF GOD. One of the bright spots in IPHC Missions is The Awakening ministry. The Awakening serves as the WMMD’s College and Young Adult ministry. If you talk about investing in front-line leaders – that is what The Awakening is doing. Here is just a quick glimpse of their ministry schedule from this past summer:

Summer Tour: S e r v e d the following conferences with ‘camp’ responsibilities - New Horizons, Mississippi, River of Life, Ephesians 4 Network and Redemption Ministries. Working with several conferences already for Summer Tour 2017. Teams: Took mission teams to Wales, Costa Rica, Haiti and Hungary! Over 500 individuals have gone with The Awakening on a shortterm trip since its inception in 2009! In September, The Awakening will release all the information regarding their 2017 teams! Traditional Internship: Twenty interns from Southwestern Christian University will be a part of the new term program (2016-2017). Over the last three years, we have been building momentum to reach this point; we can now be extremely active not just in training but also in facilitating different ministry opportunities for these young adults! Thank you again for the privilege of speaking directly to you. Please join us in praying... 1) That God would ‘kindle’ in the heart of every IPHC member a zeal and passion for missions. [2 Timothy 1: 6; Matthew

2) For people to willingly answer the call to serve the nations and reach the least, the last and the lost. [Matthew 9: 37-38] 3) That God will give us the means, the method and the manpower to reach the 29% of the global population that have never heard the Gospel. [Isaiah 9: 2]

5) That the Lord will enable us to engage with and provide opportunities for Millennials to take their place in fulfilling the Great Commission. [Isaiah 54: 3] 6) Transition World B & C from being receiving to sending Nations. [Acts 13: 1-3] 7) Implement systems that model/teach sustainability rather than subsistence. [Acts 18: 3] Thank you for standing with us in the critical work of sending missionaries to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. I thank the Lord for a church and people like yourselves that have a heart and vision ‘that extends to the ends of the earth.’ Your investment is making a difference. I witness it first-hand wherever I go. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.”

-Tal

ernest & cheryl turner For over 30 years, the Turners have dedicated their time and talents to serve the people of Africa. It has been their honor and privilege to minister and reside in several African countries. Serving as the continental directors of Africa, the Turners travel extensively in 27 countries, using their ministry gifts to reach, teach, encourage, and empower leaders and laity of the IPHC. Under the Turners’ leadership, a great harvest of souls is being reaped, yet the call goes out for more laborers. The responsibilities are great and prayer is essential. Thank you for committing to the call for prayer so that the “Great Commission will become the Great Completion!”

willard & yvonne wagner Willard serves as regional director for West Africa, while Yvonne is the area representative for Women’s Ministries. Please pray for more missionaries to assist them in reaching this vast area with the Gospel and for the training of national missionaries to reach neighboring countries. Pray for the continued ministry of West Africa Bible College and the colleges in Togo, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. Pray that the primary schools in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Togo will continue to produce Christian citizens so these young people will someday help lead their generation into righteousness. They rejoice in what the Lord has done these past 24 years in West Africa. 18

rose boyd Rose Boyd assists missionaries and national leaders by conducting discipleship training in churches and Bible schools throughout the world. She is the founder and director of Operation Teaching Tools (OTT), an organization that recycles Christian resources from publishing houses, churches, and pastors and ships them to various locations upon request. OTT sponsors at least three missions teams each year to train national churches in Sunday school, children’s/youth ministries, and spiritual leadership. Please pray for Rose and OTT, specifically for provision of wisdom, resources, and finances and to stay strong in faith to accomplish the vision and mission “to make disciples of every nation.”

russell & sandra board The Boards have lived in Japan since 1989, and pioneered the IPHC work there. Russell has served as World Missions continental director for the Asia/Pacific region since 2002, overseeing IPHC work in 18 countries. This involves supervising and pastoring missionaries, as well as traveling extensively to train, encourage, and mentor national pastors and leaders. The Boards seek to mobilize resources of prayer, personnel, and finances to strengthen the churches and to reach the lost in this needy part of the world. Pray for wisdom and strength for Russell in his extensive travels to pastor the missionaries and mentor the national leaders throughout the region. Also, pray for revival in Japan!

hiro & eryn bamba The Bambas serve in Saitama, Japan, where they direct the youth and children’s programs at the IPHC church there. Their desire is to reach Japanese children and youth with the Gospel and to train them to reach their own generation. As field director for Japan, Hiro’s goals include mobilizing Japanese churches to fulfill their part of the Great Commission. Pray for the Bambas as they seek to convey the truth of the Gospel with Japanese children and youth.

david & cheri arthur The Arthurs serve as Scripture Media coordinators for Wycliffe Bible Translators across Asia. They are building Scripture media partnerships that produce powerful media tools for Bible translators and churches in Asia. Pray for wisdom as they seek the best means to reach the many millions of non-readers in Asia with the Word of God in a non-print format. This task requires David to do a lot of traveling. He is separated several times a year from the family, so please pray for God’s protection during those times. 19

jeff & verna willhoite The Willhoites have lived in Asia since 1990 and are based in Thailand, where they serve as regional directors for the Indochina region. Please pray for fruitful ministry as they follow the Lord in establishing the Indochina Ministry Center and the Hands of Hope Women and Children Life Center in northern Thailand. Pray the strongholds of false religions will be broken and for the truth of the Gospel to be received throughout the land. Pray for favor with local authorities, for health, protection, and steadfast hearts to run the race set before them. Pray for additional financial provision needed for Jeff to continue his responsibilities, working alongside national pastors, missionaries, and church leaders in the six countries of this region.

tim & beth salley Tim & Bethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision is to see world harvesters activated and released throughout the Asian Circle spreading the Gospel of Christ amongst the unreached people groups. Their mission is to establish equipping centers and to train world harvesters. In partnership with the South Carolina conference School of Ministry & Advantage College, Tim & Beth have established 21 Schools of Ministry in the Asian Circle since 2007. Since 2010, approximately 400 students have graduated with degrees in Practical Theology. Their goal is to establish at least 30 such schools and to have 1,000 total graduates by 2020. Serving as regional directors for Southeast Asia, they teach at Bible schools, conduct leadership seminars, cooperate with national leadership to develop ministry strategies and provide oversight & care for WMM missionaries in the region. Please pray that Tim & Beth will reap a bountiful harvest of souls for Christ in the Asian Circle. Thank you.

danny & judith williams Danny and Judith have a heart to fulfill the Great Commission with a love and call to India and Asia. They have partnered with Dynamic Church Planting International as master trainers and are believing for a move of church planting in Asia. The call to mentor, evangelize, train, equip, and reach is constantly growing in their life and ministry. They believe it is Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for a greater move of the Holy Spirit and to see the potential of the Gospel realized, so the Will of God will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

dan & brenda clowers The Clowers have been missionaries with WMM for 27 years. Dan serves as the continental director for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAMCAR) with their South American base being in Lima, Peru. They are committed to helping missionaries, nationals, and other leaders reach their greatest potential as they live out the call of God on their lives. The Clowers are committed to furthering the ministry to more than eight unreached people groups through tribal ministries from Mexico to the Amazon. They also work hand-in-hand with the leaders of the Missionary Training Center in Trinidad, which is preparing new, young missionaries to go into other regions of the world. They thank God for all who are responding to the call.

mitch, jewel & addison nichols Mitch, Jewel, and Addison Nichols are our newest missionaries, will serve in Quito, Ecuador, with a focus on the tribal ministry in the Amazon. It’s their desire to share the love of Christ with the people - that every tribe in the Amazon will hear the name of Jesus! Mitch plans to teach and train pastors throughout the region, while Jewel will introduce Women’s Ministries and Girls’ Ministries to South America. They will also work with People to People Ministries, hosting various teams from local churches in the U.S.

larry & deborah Mininger The Miningers are now in their 24th year of missions, where they have active ministry in over a dozen nations within Eastern Europe. They are involved in church planting, raising up leadership, teaching Bible school, conducting radio and TV ministry, and serving as conference speakers and evangelists. Also, they carry a portable School of Ministry to the nations in cooperation with Advantage College. They are master trainers for Dynamic Church Planting International, generating new potential and assisting pastors and leaders to acquire fresh interest, vision, and practical instruction to plant and grow healthy churches.

linwood & nancy berry Linwood is the regional director for Southwest Europe, serves as superintendent of the Spain Conference, and directs the CReA Network Arts and Culture Center. Nancy is the director of the Mustard Seed Institute and serves as the WIN director for Europe and the Middle East. They are heavily involved in church planting and evangelism. Pray for the Berrys as they mentor European nationals in church-planting projects throughout the region. Pray for European churches to catch a vision of the Harvest and make a sacrificial commitment to reach their own nations for Christ. 21

Alan Meads Transitions into a new role at FOL BY: TIFFANY HARRIS

Lindsay Roode Photography

hough not new to the FOL staff, Fountain of Life Church, or Elizabeth City, Pastor Alan Meads recently stepped into a new role. He now administrates the entire office including pastoral and secretarial staff under the direction of the Senior Pastor, Hans Hess. His job will alleviate some administrative duties from Pastor Hans, so he can focus on studying, preaching, and teaching. The Administrative Pastor role also encompasses the management of church building and grounds. Pastor Alan brings 35 years of management experience and 28 years of ministry experience as well as actively attending and serving at Fountain of Life Church for 16 years. “God prepared me for this job,” Pastor Alan says. “Because I was a construction superintendent for about 27 years and managed money, people, built houses, dealt with home owners and customers.” After working in the construction world, he has always enjoyed ministering and working in the church full time. “Who wouldn’t want to serve the church, serve God, and serve the people?” he says. The growing staff at Fountain of Life appreciate the change as it means better structure and organizational flow to complete ministry projects and office tasks. Student Ministries Pastor, Chris Williams acknowledges this saying, “He brings so much administrative experience to the staff which has greatly improved the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the ministries of the church.” Administrative Assistant, Tina Kirkland, says his quick thinking and wisdom in resolving issues make him great at his new position. Pastor Alan looks forward to opportunities to use his acquired skills and God-given gifts to serve God, the people at Fountain of Life, and the community.

HARVEST FEST 2016 | OCTOBER 31 | FOUNTAIN OF LIFE CHURCH

All photos by Lindsay Roode Photography or Lyree White

OCTOBER 2-7, 2016