Global Impact Report 2015 by MK Designs

Global Impact Report

Global Impact Report Walk Thru the Bible 4201 North Peachtree Road Atlanta, GA 30341 www.walkthru.org 2015 Published annually President Phil Tuttle Editor Chris Tiegreen Designer Michael Koiner Contributors Chris Tiegreen Dave Ball Emily Tuttle

Walk Thru

the

Bible

What? We ignite passion for God’s Word. We take the cellophane off the Bible for readers to engage with it every day. We help people get through Leviticus—and the kings, prophets, and begats. We equip leaders and develop mature, committed, and spiritually reproducing believers. We help people understand the book so they can know its Author. And hearts and minds are forever changed.

How? We develop innovative live events and inspiring biblical resources. We serve the whole body of Christ across denominational, cultural, and national lines. We partner with the local church worldwide to fulfill its mission, coming alongside pastors and leaders to help them in their ministries. Our live events tell God’s story in a way that’s interactive, relevant, and fun. Our resources help people grow in their relationship with God. Every day, His Word fills them with power and purpose.

Where? Walk Thru the Bible ignites passion for God’s Word through innovative live events, inspirational biblical resources, and lasting global impact.

© 2014 by Walk Thru the Bible® Ministries, Inc. Contents may not be reproduced in any form unless authorized in writing by the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 2011 by Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Through our strong global network, our live events and small-group curricula are taught in more than 45 languages by more than 25,000 trained instructors in more than 100 countries. More than 100 million devotionals have been packaged into daily magazines, books, and other publications that reach over five million people around the world every year. As people grow deeper in their desire for God’s Word, they grow deeper in their love for Him.

Why? Lives are transformed when people regularly and frequently encounter God in His Word. They see with new eyes and live with new passion. This is the heart of discipleship, which in turn is the heart of the Great Commission. As people engage with Scripture, they grow to be like the one who inspired it. Radically changed by His Word, they are ignited to change the world.

Take a Walk. Change the World.

Contents 4 A World of Need 7 Our Training Model 9 What They Are Teaching 10 . . . . Biblical Character Series 11 . . . . . . . . .Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grand Story 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Newest Resources 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where in the World? 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hotspots and Hard Places 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beyond the Walls 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Africa 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Asia 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CIS/Ukraine 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Europe 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Middle East/North Africa 41 . . . . . . . . Latin America 45 . . . . North America 49 The Big Picture 52 Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Your Passion? 53 Letter from the President 54 Our Leadership

The Need A world of new believers

A loss of biblical worldview

The number of Christians in Africa has increased from 143 million to 630 million since 1970—and is expected to double in the next 25 years. In the same time period, Christians numbering less than 100 million in Asia have now grown to more than 400 million— more than double the growth rate of the general population.* New Christians are added daily on every continent. Who will disciple them?

The Bible is God’s Word, yet many Christians don’t know it very well. We live in a sound-bite generation when few people take the time to understand God’s epic story of redemption. Pastors necessarily focus on the most pressing needs of the congregation and may not feel equipped to help people regularly engage Scripture, or even to teach biblical courses on subjects like marriage, parenting, and interpersonal skills. Who will help them?

A church of under-equipped pastors Many pastors outside of North America and Europe have little or no training, and culture, cults, and dominant religions can easily fill the void. Many pastors have never studied the Bible formally; some have not finished high school. In describing his call to ministry, one African pastor said that when the evangelistic meetings successfully converted his village and then left town, he was chosen as pastor because he had the loudest voice. Leaders like him are hungry for more training and resources. Who will provide them?

A scarcity of resources In North America, Christians can go to any bookstore or search any online bookseller to find a vast wealth of biblical resources. In some countries, only a handful of Christian books exist in the local language. And many Christians in those countries aren’t able to read them anyway. Christianity is growing, but discipleship resources and live training are not. Who will develop and deliver them?

Outside the U.S. and western Europe, as many as 90% of pastors have no formal Bible training.

*Christianity in its Global Context, 1970-2020, Center for the Study of Global Christianity, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, 2013.

kgf The Great Commission is about making disciples, not making converts.

The Mission The whole commission Most Christians are familiar with the Great Commission, Jesus’ last words to His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20 niv). The church has done a good job of emphasizing evangelism and decisions for Christ. But Jesus didn’t say to make converts; He said to make disciples. Followers. People who understand God’s Word and are committed to living it out. That requires more than powerful meetings and great speakers. It involves long-term commitment, trained teachers, and an ongoing investment in lives. It isn’t a quick process.

Multiplying effects New Testament Christians understood this process. Peter, Paul, and the other great leaders of the early church preached the gospel message and then taught new believers about God’s ways. Those believers were then equipped to teach others, on and on into widening circles of influence. Paul put it this way: “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others” (2 Timothy 2:2 nlt). This is exactly what our training model accomplishes.

The Response To all people With our focus on the biblical story itself and on the core teachings broadly accepted by Christians, God has given us a unique platform for crossing denominations, cultures, and racial and language barriers. We don’t target a certain group of people; we equip Christians and church leaders with the tools they need to develop their own communication skills and teaching. The truth of the Word spreads organically in a local context. This is how movements are not only launched but also sustained over time. With local churches The local church is God’s plan for reaching people, so we come alongside churches to set them up for success. It’s powerful when one person sees the big picture and becomes a part of God’s story, but it’s even more powerful when a church does that together. So we give pastors and leaders

everything they need to cultivate a Bible movement in their church. They can use whichever components they want—our resources are adaptable to the context and easily transferable from teacher to teacher across cultures. Immersing a congregation in the Word makes a dramatic difference in the lives of the church and its people. In every area of life Our goal is not just to make a difference. We’re very interested in the kind of difference we make. We love to see changed lives and churches, but the vision is bigger than that. In God’s big-picture plan, He wants His truth to reach outside the walls of the church and impact every area of life—in every community, city, country, and continent. We’re thrilled that our materials have been used not only in churches but also in school systems, government programs, prisons, social reform movements, and more. God’s Word has the power to change lives, families, businesses, organizations, and even entire cultures.

WE HELP PEOPLE EVERYWHERE LIVE GOD’S WORD.

f IF YOU TRAIN

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A PASTOR,

IF YOU EQUIP A

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IF YOU IMPACT A

YOU EQUIP A

CHURCH, YOU

YOU CAN

COUNTRY, YOU

CHURCH.

INFLUENCE A

IMPACT A

CAN CHANGE THE

COMMUNITY.

COUNTRY.

WORLD.

The 2-2-2 Plan

Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. —2 Timothy 2:2, nlt

a Model for Multiplying It begins in the hands of a few people and ends up reaching thousands. Or hundreds of thousands. Or perhaps millions. Like pebbles in a pond, a Walk Thru the Bible course creates overlapping ripple effects that continue to expand. A new course goes through several stages of development—from conception to research and development within a team, and then to international input from regional directors. After all components are produced—live event, visual aids, workbooks, leader guides, and often more—it is presented to a handful of trainers in each country that chooses to use it. These trainers, usually representing zones within their country or region, give input too. What works in that culture? Which illustrations might not go over well? How can the course be tailored to the relevant issues of the culture? What questions are likely to come up when this material is taught? Sometime during this two-way process, an adaptable, transferable, context-appropriate resource emerges.

After that, things take off. Trainers are either trained in an exclusive group setting or in a model presentation open to the public. They learn the material and see it taught effectively, and they practice it. Then they take it and run with it. They will teach it when they have opportunities, but they will also train others to teach it in various congregations and settings. (See example on next page.)

The result is exponential increase. A few people train several, those trainers each train many more, and those who have been trained to teach it use it in their ministries again and again. By the third or fourth generation of teaching, the course has impacted tens of thousands of people. And over time, that number grows. Lives change. And passion for the Word burns brighter.

Content that is easily adapted without being compromised.

TRAINING DIAGRAM Research & Development Team

Concept Creator Regional Directors

Zone/District Trainers

Teachers and Trainers fkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkff ffkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkf ffkfkfffkfkfffk People in Churches, Organizations, Agencies, Businesses fkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkfff fkffffkffffkffffkfffkfkfffkfkffffkffffkffffkff ffkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkfffkfkff fkfkfffkfkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkffffkf fffkffffkffffkffffkfffkfkfffkfkfffk

Example—300 Leaders in Middle East/North Africa: f One leader will impact and teach 100 people. fffff Five of the 100 he impacts and teaches will be leaders, too. And those five leaders will impact 100 more. f One leader = 600 people 300 leaders = 180,000 people 8

Different Courses, Different Needs F or 38 years, Walk Thru the Bible has created, distributed, and taught more than 30 biblical courses. Crucible and Detour, the first two installments in the Biblical Character Series, have been the most recent and are quickly spreading into each region of ministry. But other courses introduced years ago still have significant impact around the world. Before the Biblical Character Series, our events generally fell into three categories: Thru the Bible—This includes the events that launched Walk Thru the Bible, Walk Thru the Old Testament and Walk Thru the New Testament, and their student and children’s versions: OT Live, NT Live, and Kids in the Book. Leadership and Teacher Training—Solving the People Puzzle helps leadership teams in any sector of life—churches, businesses, public agencies, etc.—understand relationships and maximize team members’ strengths and gifts. Courses like The 7 Laws of the Learner and Teaching with Style are among several that equip teachers and speakers to express their message effectively with maximum impact. Marriage and Family—Biblical Portrait of Marriage, Understanding the Love of Your Life, and Raise Up a Child are the most popular of several events designed to strengthen marriage relationships and equip parents

for the challenging task of raising children according to biblical principles. Instructors in each region of the world teach courses from each of these categories, as well as from the Biblical Character Series. But it’s interesting to see the different emphases given to these courses across regions. Africa, for example, heavily relies on the leadership and teacher training events to raise up leaders for the many churches where extensive training has not been feasible. The CIS/Ukraine and the Middle East/North Africa regions make extensive use of the marriage and family events. And in Europe, the “thru the Bible” events have been particularly helpful in schools and other settings where public agencies have provided open doors to increase students’ familiarity with the Bible. These are not hard-and-fast emphases; all regions take full advantage of all the courses Walk Thru the Bible offers. But the variety of these events allows each region, country, and local church to choose whichever approach best meets immediate needs. And the impact of these courses continues to grow.

A Question of

Character W

hat are the world’s worst social problems? That question generates a range of answers: the breakdown of the family, addictions, corruption, declining moral values, rampant materialism, extreme poverty . . . the list could go on and on. But all of them, to some degree, are character issues. They are largely the product of human choices. The Bible’s instruction on character traits like faith, patience, generosity, integrity, discipline, and perseverance addresses most of the world’s social ills. That’s why churches and leaders around the world asked us to develop biblical resources on character. We began a multi-year effort in 2012 to address that need. The first resource in the Biblical Character Series was called Crucible, a six-session teaching on key decisions in the life of David. It includes live-event material, including PowerPoint visuals, a workbook for large- or small-group

participants, a DVD for small groups, and a full-length book that includes two additional chapters. Last year’s installment was Detour on the life of Joseph. Already translated into 9 languages including Spanish, Arabic, and Hindi, these courses are meeting a vital need around the world. The next character in the series is Mary, mother of Jesus. These resources can make a significant impact on discipleship efforts around the world, eventually reaching thousands of churches in hard-to-reach fields of ministry. They are helping growing Christians live with character in a world full of problems. By helping them walk in the footsteps of David, Joseph, or Mary, we help them change their world. For more information on the Biblical Character Series, visit

www.biblicalcharacterseries.com.

or scan with your smartphone

The Answer to

What’s Next? “

campaign that involves virtually every ministry of the participating church. It has been tested in select churches in North America, South Africa, and the Philippines.

We have some of those: The Daily Walk Bible or The Great Rescue Bible for a year; 90 Days Thru the Bible for individuals or small groups; or one of our many shorter smallgroup discussion guides. But most are up to one person, or perhaps a few, to keep the momentum going. Engaging with God’s Word often requires more.

“Our Old Testament and New Testament events have been great catalysts for stirring passion and getting people to engage or reengage with God’s Word, but we have never followed them up with a structured curriculum plan for the entire church,” said John Houchens, outgoing senior vice president for advancement and international. “We want to provide six weeks of guidance that will hopefully build a habit so people will continually stay in the Word.”

We began a pilot program last year that engages the entire church community in daily Bible reading and prayer for at least six weeks—long enough to establish habits and change the culture of a congregation. God’s Grand Story is a comprehensive

The campaign launches with a Walk Thru the Old Testament live event and then follows up with daily Bible reading, a weekly Bible study overview of the Old Testament with DVD and guidebook, and sermons that introduce and explore the Old

I’ve never understood the Bible like this before! I can’t wait to see what’s next!” That’s how many people respond to a Walk Thru the Old Testament or New Testament live event. But that enthusiasm sometimes lasts only a few weeks or even days without a follow-up plan.

“Church attendance alone doesn’t necessarily transform a life. But regular engagement with God’s Word does.” —Phil Tuttle, president

Testament in six major sections. It doesn’t just start the momentum. It keeps it going. Habits change, passion for the Bible ignites, and lives are transformed. Some of those results are measurable, and independent auditors have confirmed

substantial impact of the campaign on churches. The campaign is now widely available to any church of any size in any part of the world—and we fully expect God to spark movements with His Word.

“The response we get from pastors is, ‘This makes sense to me. I want this for my people.’” —David Hodge, senior VP for North American Ministries

“God’s Grand Story...a pastor’s best friend.” —Kurt Parker, pastor

“It’s unifying for a church. Everyone is literally on the same page.”

Get more info on your smartphone

—Phil Tuttle, president

Learn more about this easy to implement, momentumbuilding campaign at www.walkthru.org/ggs.

• Innovative Live Events • Biblical Resources • Global Impact www.walkthru.org | 1.800.361.6131

Resources that

Ignite Passion

Deepening the walk of people in the Word. Increasing the effectiveness of teachers of the Word. Strengthening the relationships of families through the Word.

Discover God’s Heart Bible For years, the Daily Walk Bible has taken people through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation with a daily systematic plan. With a similar through-the-Bible reading plan, a new Bible focuses on God’s heart as it’s revealed through Scripture. The Discover God’s Heart Devotional Bible (NIV) is available as a new release from Walk Thru the Bible and publishing partner Zondervan. It helps readers “explore the King’s love for His people.” Each devotional includes a summary section of the Scripture passage, an application section that reveals God’s good heart, and an insight section that ties each passage into the rest of God’s great story. Those who experience God’s Word through this devotional Bible will see His divine fingerprints from beginning to end, even in the most unexpected places.

Walk Thru the Pentateuch The first five books of the Bible are fascinating, foundational, and . . . well, a little frustrating for many people. That’s because among the stories of great figures like Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses are confusing rituals, ancient customs, and obscure genealogies. Walk Thru the Pentateuch, a popular Walk Thru the Bible resource for years, explores the importance of these books, ties the storyline together, and paints a picture of a God who overflows with love and looks for every opportunity to forgive. Now Walk Thru the Pentateuch, originally developed and taught by Bruce Wilkinson, has been remastered and is available on DVD for the first time as a Walk Thru the Bible Classic. The series includes 10 half-hour sessions and a workbook for group participants.

World Religions In nearly every corner of the world today, religious pluralism is an everyday experience—and a challenge for those exploring the similarities and differences of what they and others believe. How do you talk about God with a Mormon or a Buddhist? How do help Muslims understand Jesus? Walk Thru the Bible’s new World Religions workbook helps navigate the basics of five of the most common faiths a North American Christian will encounter: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mormonism, and popular spirituality. This book is not intended as a comprehensive or in-depth resource, but rather as an introductory guide from a Christian perspective. The guide is designed for individual use or small-group discussion. Each religion is covered in five brief readings, which are followed by questions for personal reflection. Group questions are provided at the end of each section, and a leader’s guide is provided at the end of the book.

Day by Day Devotionals Some of the best material from devotional magazines we have produced for Lifeway Christian Resources has been compiled into books published by B&H Publishing Group. Stand Firm Day by Day: Let Nothing Move You and Journey Day by Day: Living Life Well, released this fall, are 365-day hardcover devotionals that will help readers stay in God’s Word throughout the year. In Journey Day by Day, each daily reading begins with a verse or passage from Scripture, includes a short vignette that relates the Bible to daily experience and concludes with an application. In Stand Firm Day by Day, each daily reading includes a verse or passage of Scripture, a related quote or anecdote, some commentary on the Scripture and a “bottom line” insight or application.

Browse our estore on your smartphone.

Daily Walk Bible For more than 25 years, The Daily Walk Bible has been helping readers understand and apply God’s Word. With more than 700,000 copies in print, it’s the widest-read book in Walk Thru the Bible’s publishing history. Many people have remarked that The Daily Walk Bible is the first Bible they have been able to understand and read consistently over the course of a year. Two new editions of The Daily Walk Bible—one in the New International Version and the other in the New Living Translation—were published by Tyndale in late 2013. The reorganized material in the new editions makes the Bible even more user-friendly. The simple reading plan and tools will help readers understand how the parts of the Bible fit together as a whole.

www.walkthru.org/resources 14

The One Year God With Us Devotional Several years ago, devotional readings based on the early church were collected from indeed magazine and published as The One Year Wonder of the Cross Devotional by Chris Tiegreen (Tyndale 2009). The book has now been republished in a leatherlike gift edition as The One Year God With Us Devotional. The book is the fourth devotional drawn from indeed material. All were first released in paperback, but the durable leatherlike cover makes it suitable for gifts and long-term use. A Spanish version of the devotional will be available after November 2014.

God’s Grand Story Part of a comprehensive church-wide campaign, God’s Grand Story resources include a book with daily Bible readings, discussion guide, and a weekly Bible study overview of the Old Testament; a DVD with introductions to each week of material; and sermon outlines for pastors who preach through the six weeks of material. (See pages 11-12 for more details.)

Deeper Walk For three decades, Daily Walk magazine has guided readers on a journey through the Bible in the course of a year and, with the help of overviews, charts, and special features, helps them understand how it all fits together. It has been a great source for personal devotions. Now it’s easier to use Daily Walk as a teaching or discussion tool for small groups. “Deeper Walk,” a small group study guide companion to the magazine, is available free for every Daily Walk subscriber. The guide provides engaging discussion questions that expand the magazine’s benefits in personal study, small-group study, and Sunday school classes.

Detour The second installment in the Biblical Character Series (see page 10 for details) is Detour: Finding Purpose When Life Doesn’t Make Sense—a 6-session study on the life of Joseph. Detour resources include a live event with PowerPoint visuals, a DVD and workbook for small groups, and a full-length book with two additional chapters. The six sessions of the event and small-group curriculum explore the issues and dynamics of Joseph and his family, his work, his choices, his nation, his heart, and his legacy. The book also examines his perspective and his success. The series offers insights into how God accomplishes His purposes in each of us and helps us read between the lines of our lives to see the story He is creating.

Overview of Resources Bibles • The Daily Walk Bible (KJV, NIV, LB, NLT), Tyndale 1987, 1997, 2008, 2013 • The Discover God’s Heart Devotional Bible (NIV), Zondervan 2014. • The Great Rescue Bible (NIV), Zondervan 2012 • The Once-a-Day Bible (NIV), Zondervan 2012 • The Once-a-Day Bible Chronological Edition (NIV), Zondervan 2012 • The Once-a-Day Bible for Women (NIV), Zondervan 2012 • Once-a-Day: 31 Days of Wisdom—Proverbs (NIV), Zondervan 2012 Biblical Character Series • Crucible: the Choices that Change Your Life Forever by Phil Tuttle (with Chris Tiegreen), 2012 • Detour: Finding Purpose When Life Doesn’t Make Sense by Phil Tuttle (with Chris Tiegreen), 2013 Devotionals • 365 Pocket Devotions: Inspiration and Renewal for Each Day by Chris Tiegreen, Tyndale 2013 • 90 Days Thru the Bible: a Devotional Journey from Walk Thru the Bible by Chris Tiegreen, Tyndale 2012 • Journey Day by Day: Living Life Well, B&H Publishing Group 2013 • Stand Firm Day by Day: Let Nothing Move You, B&H Publishing Group 2013 • The Once-a-Day Devotional: Walk with Jesus, Zondervan 2011 • The One Year At His Feet Devotional: 365 Daily Readings to Instruct, Strengthen, Encourage, and Challenge Your Faith by Chris Tiegreen, Tyndale 2003/2006 • The One Year Walk With God Devotional: Wisdom from the Bible to Renew Your Mind by Chris Tiegreen, Tyndale 2004 • The One Year Worship the King Devotional: 365 Daily Bible Readings to Inspire Praise by Chris Tiegreen, Tyndale 2008 • The One Year God With Us Devotional: 365 Daily Bible Readings to Renew Your Faith by Chris Tiegreen, Tyndale 2009/2014 (formerly The One Year Wonder of the Cross Devotional) • Your Daily Walk, Zondervan 1991 Discussion Guides • Story Thru the Bible: an Interactive Way to Connect with God’s Word by Chris Tiegreen, NavPress 2011 • A Walk Thru the Book of Acts: Faith that Changes the World, Baker 2010 • A Walk Thru the Book of Ephesians: Real Power for Daily Life, Baker 2009 • A Walk Thru the Book of Esther: Courage in the Face of Crisis, Baker 2010 • A Walk Thru the Book of James: Faith that Endures, Baker 2009 • A Walk Thru the Book of John: Encountering a Surprising Savior, Baker 2009 • A Walk Thru the Book of Jonah: Experiencing God’s Relentless Grace, Baker 2009 • A Walk Thru the Book of Luke: A Savior for the World, Baker 2010

• A Walk Thru the Book of Philippians: Experience the Joy of the Lord, Baker 2010 • A Walk Thru the Book of Ruth: Loyalty and Love, Baker 2009 • A Walk Thru the Life of Abraham: Faith in God’s Promises, Baker 2010 • A Walk Thru the Life of Elijah: Standing Strong for Truth, Baker 2010 • A Walk Thru the Life of Joseph: The Power of Forgiveness, Baker 2009 • A Walk Thru the Life of Peter: Growing Bold Faith, Baker 2009 • A Walk Thru the Life of Solomon: Pursuing a Heart of Integrity, Baker 2009 • A Walk Thru the Faith: the Power of Believing, Baker 2010 • A Walk Thru Love: Loving God, Loving Others, Baker 2010 • World Religions from a Christian Perspective, 2013 Magazines • Closer Walk • Daily Walk (with leader’s guide) • Indeed (with leader’s guide) • Pathways • Tapestry • YW (with leader’s guide) DVDs • Biblical Portrait of Marriage, Bruce Wilkinson • The Heart that Makes a Home, Donna Wilkinson and Bruce Wilkinson • Leading and Loving, Bruce Wilkinson • Personal Holiness in Times of Temptation, Bruce Wilkinson • Raise Up a Child, Phil Tuttle • Surviving Financial Meltdown, Ron Blue and Jeremy White • The 7 Laws of the Learner, Bruce Wilkinson • The 7 Laws of the Teacher, Howard Hendricks • Teaching With Style, Bruce Wilkinson • The Testing of Your Faith, Bruce Wilkinson • Walk Thru the Pentateuch, Bruce Wilkinson Backlist • Almost Every Answer for Practically Any Teacher by Bruce Wilkinson, Multnomah 1992. • Closer Walk devotional, 1992 • Closer Walk New Testament, 1997 • Family Walk Bible, Zondervan, 1996 • Family Walk: 52 Weekly Devotions for Your Family, 1991 • Family Walk Again: Family, Friends, Self-Esteem, and 49 Other Weekly Readings for Your Family Devotions, 1993 • Lifewalk devotional, 1998 • Talk Thru the Bible by Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa, Thomas Nelson 1983, 2005 • Talk Thru Bible Personalities by Bruce Wilkinson and Larry Libby, Thomas Nelson 1983 • The 7 Laws of the Learner by Bruce Wilkinson, Multnomah 2005 • Your Daily Walk devotional, 1991 • YouthWalk Devotional Bible (NIV), Zondervan 1992, 1997 • YouthWalk devotional, 1991, 2002 • YouthWalk 2 devotional, 1994, 2003

Did you know . . . ? Millions of readers use devotional magazines we’ve produced for LifeWay Christian Resources, The Salvation Army, and other ministries. There are more than 700,000 English copies of The Daily Walk Bible in print. Walk Thru the Bible resources have been translated into more than 40 languages. 16

Risks

In Hotspots and Hard Places

he world is not a safe place. But God never called His people to play it safe, did He? Many of our instructors live in dangerous places, especially for those who follow Jesus. But they choose to stay in the fire because igniting passion for God’s Word and impacting eternity is better than safety and comfort. They know nations bow to Him, and they consider Him worthy of the risks. Some countries are relatively safe but still place restrictions on biblical teaching. Even so, our instructors look for opportunities to teach when they can. Following are a few examples of global hotspots or restricted areas where Walk Thru the Bible is reaching lives. Please remember them in prayer: Syria—Despite the ongoing civil war, 39 instructors recently traveled to Lebanon at great risk to meet with us for training. Even in areas of active conflict, they and others trained by Walk Thru the Bible are taking opportunities to proclaim the message of reconciliation with God and others. Iraq—The ISIS threat in Iraq has temporarily limited activity in churches, especially in cities, but it hasn’t prevented God’s work. In the northern area of Kurdistan (straddling the borders between Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan), instructors continue to teach in spite of the ongoing crisis. Please pray for this country.

Libya—One of our instructors was jailed for more than a month for distributing Bibles and engaging Libyans with the

gospel message. He and his family are safe now. But their heart still beats for Libyans. Ukraine—The last year has been extremely stressful for Ukrainians, but Walk Thru the Bible events and resources are still impacting lives in Kiev and beyond, and work is expanding into nearby countries. Egypt—Recent years have been tumultuous for Egypt, but our team at the Middle East Leadership Training Institute is still taking advantage of every opportunity, in spite of pressures and threats. North Africa—Some Walk Thru the Bible instructors are finding openings to use our resources with Muslimbackground believers, most of them very young in the faith. They are being rooted and grounded in biblical teaching. Israel/Palestine—Walk Thru the Bible instructors are working in Israel to develop training that bridges cultural divides and reaches past the complex divisions of the region. In Haifa, an instructor who is a Ukrainian immigrant is ministering to Russian, Arab, and Jewish people. Sudan—One of our instructors was arrested for teaching the Bible. She was under house arrest for more than a month while authorities pressured her to share more details about her network of believers and fellow teachers. She remained faithful in protecting their identity and is now safe.

Angola—Though the 30-year civil war is over, division between government and rebel loyalists is not. Even the church has been split between these two sides. But in the spirit of post-war reconciliation, one of our instructors is reaching across lines and training Christians who have been marginalized. Pakistan—There are few legal and political restrictions against Christians in Pakistan, but cultural pressure can be intimidating. Yet trainers and teachers faithfully continue to teach and even hold open-air evangelistic meetings that sometimes attract thousands. Our country leader frequently organizes these events and is poised to launch God’s Grand Story this year. Sri Lanka—Many Tamil and Sinhalese don’t work together, but our instructors on both sides do. They target their teaching primarily to their own cultures, but they cooperate well. In fact, one training event for instructors was held in spite of nearby fighting, and when roads were shut down and instructors couldn’t return home, they simply extended the training and the fellowship with each other. Bhutan—Our country director belongs to Bhutan’s minority Nepalese community, which is losing legal status and is often persecuted for cultural differences. Many Nepalese have left the country, but

he has chosen to stay and continue teaching those who aren’t able to leave. Vietnam—Our instructors in Vietnam carry on quietly in cities and rural areas. Their counterparts from Singapore and the Philippines make regular trips into the country to encourage them and offer further training. There are other areas where Christian work is difficult too—not necessarily hotspots or danger zones, but places where the cultural or political climate has a chilling effect on biblical teaching. China, for example, we have growIn ing work in both registered and unregisMexico, tered churches. In places like Colombia, and Venezuela, as well as other regions of Latin America, our training and resources are reaching people in the midst of ethnic conflicts, political factions, and drug cartel activity. In countries Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, like small and marginalized Christian communities are receiving much needed nourishment and encouragement. One of the most beautiful expressions of the Great Commission is when God’s people make huge sacrifices for His purposes. Our instructors around the world are doing exactly that every day. And lives torn by the dangers of the world are being restored by the power of His Word.

Beyond M

inistry often seems confined within the walls of the church while those who need it most—non-Christians or nominal Christians—remain unreached. But many Walk Thru the Bible resources, especially those dealing with leadership issues and marriage/family issues, create opportunities for biblical teaching among people who would never enter a church on their own. For example: Mexico—The municipal police and at least five schools in Juárez—a city in the crossfire of drug wars—recognize the need for Walk Thru the Bible courses and use them in their training. And pastors are meeting with the mayor and city officials regularly to pray for the needs of the city. The mayor of Monterrey has begun using our courses for his administrative offices and the police force. In Puebla, the University of Madero is giving course credit for every Walk Thru the Bible course students elect to take. Honduras—Sixty police officers from Olancho, many of whom had never been exposed to biblical teaching or considered its relevance to their work, attended a conference on The Power of Decisions (the Latin American version of Crucible) last year. Philippines—A series of citywide training events involving pastors and leaders from a variety of denominations not only brought disparate congregations together,

the Walls

they also attracted the blessing of municipal authorities. The former director of police used several Walk Thru the Bible events for more than a year to teach staff and police cadets about character, integrity, and personal relationships. Europe—Public schools in England and Sweden require an introduction to the Bible for elementary school students. More than 30,000 students in each country now go through age-appropriate versions of Walk Thru the Old and New Testament each year. For many, it’s their first exposure to the Bible. Angola—As courses like Solving the People Puzzle are being used in broad leadership initiatives with the military officers club, the fire department, and the secret service are benefitting from a biblical understanding of interpersonal relationships. Southern Africa—God’s Answer for AIDS is being taught in public schools and prison systems throughout South Africa, Zambia, and Swaziland. In South Africa, the chaplain corps of the police force also offers Effective Parenting in a Defective World. North Africa—In recent years, Muslim authorities exposed to Solving the People Puzzle and The 7 Laws of the Learner requested modified versions—edited for social and religious concerns, but with biblical principles remaining intact—for training in government agencies.

Walk Thru the Bible

Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi

Cameroon Chad Comoros Ethiopia Ghana Ivory Coast Kenya Lesotho Liberia Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritius Mozambique Namibia

Niger Nigeria Rwanda Seychelles South Africa South Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe 21

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Pastors/Teachers Trained: 462

Event Attendees: 82687

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Radio Audience: 3479837 Resources Distributed/Sold: 20360

young pastor, one of the privileged few who was able to attend college and get some ministry training, dreams of coming back to his hometown to preach Scripture, disciple his congregation, and see lives changed. He knows that the Word of God breathes life into hopeless situations, and his community has encountered its share of hopeless situations—poverty, AIDS, and a seemingly endless cycle of debt from funeral expenses.

help support their ministry. Our courses and teaching series make it easier for pastors to give instruction to their congregations. Well-educated pastors find them helpful when the demands of ministry are pressing in. And pastors and leaders who have had no ministry training find them essential tools in their professional development. Pastor

Praise Nkosi of Soweto believes our training approach But his dream has a hard time addresses one of the getting off the ground. He region’s greatest needs: finds himself spending leadership developmost of his weekdays HIV rates among 15- to ment. Most of South visiting bereaved 49-year-olds in sub-Saharan Africa’s Christians families and most Africa range from less than 10 agree that the of his weekends percent in some countries to nearly country has no o ff i c i a t i n g a t shortage of pow30 percent in others, resulting in funerals. Over erful preachers, millions of children who have lost time, the tone of but few of them his ministry is at least one parent to AIDS. These represent effecaffected by seenumbers weigh heavily on the tive leadership in ing children and church; our resource God’s any widespread young adults, one Answer to AIDS helps Christians or long-lasting after another after address the problem. level. Pastors like another, die early, him are looking to unnatural deaths. make a deeper impact. This is a typical dilemma “We need to raise up leadfor many pastors in Africa. The ers who can fill a leadership need for biblical truth is overwhelmvacuum in the community.” ing, but the demands of practical ministry are urgent and overwhelming. And most pastors hold jobs outside of the church to

HIV

Global Leaders

Phil Walker, East, West, and Central Africa Phil is the president of International Christian Ministries (ICM), which was founded in 1986 in Kitale, Kenya. Walk Thru the Bible and ICM forged their partnership in 1990 with the purpose of bringing Walk Thru the Bible resources to communities throughout Africa. ICM exists to serve the church by discipling and equipping its leaders. ICM and Walk Thru the Bible work together to train Christian leadership from every arena including pastors, elders, and community leaders throughout the countries of East, West, and Central Africa.

Lee Helling, Southern Africa Lee graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Communications degree from the University of Witwatersrand. He attended his first Walk Thru the Old Testament live event while still a college student. While working with student ministry on a local university campus, Lee and another instructor formed Walk Thru the Bible Southern Africa. Initially, their activities were on a part-time basis, but it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take long for their efforts to lead to tremendous impact throughout the region. Lee became the regional director in 2005. Lee and his wife, Brigette, have three daughters: Robyn, Erin, and Laura.

Walk Thru the Bible

Australia Bangladesh Bhutan Cambodia China Fiji French Polynesia India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Mongolia Myanmar Nepal New Zealand Papua New Guinea Philippines Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Thailand Vietnam 25

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Pastors/Teachers Trained: 2546

Event Attendees: 1278152

Resources Distributed/Sold: 64055

ohn Houchens traveled nearly 9,000 miles from Atlanta to lead a conference in Hyderabad, India. It was 10 times farther than any other attendee’s journey, but some spent a lot more time getting there. Many journeyed 20 hours on various modes of transportation—bus, train, or something else, as the options in India are numerous. But no one traveled longer than Samuel from Bhutan.

pastor in western India. “We tell them it is not ours. It is Walk Thru the Bible’s. But really it is God’s.” Samuel is the only Christian in his extended family of 52 and the only member of his family remaining in the country. Bhutan is 75 percent Buddhist and 25 percent Hindu; Christians don’t even rank a percentage point. But there are some, and Samuel spends much of his time training and equipping the pastors of these isolated, persevering churches.

Samuel’s trip began with a bus ride from Phuentsholing, Bhutan, to Siliguri, India—a five-hour In most areas of South ride. The train from Asia, Christians are there to Kolkata was a small minority of 12 hours, “but I got the total populaa nice rest there for tion. Church leadfour hours before Hindus 827,578,868 (80.5%) ers often feel isocatching the train lated and face Muslims 138,188,240 (13.4%) to Hyderabad.” intense oppoThe last portion Christians 24,080,016 (2.3%) sition in their of the trip was work. This creSikhs 19,215,730 (1.9%) 30 hours. On one ates a profound train. A 51-hour need for building trip overall. Of the 1.1 billion people of India, only relationships with 750,000 claim no religious affiliation. Why would Sama network of other Christians are outnumbered more uel take more than leaders for fellowthan 40 to 1. four days of travel time ship, accountability, (both ways) for a threefeedback, and exchange day conference? “Because I of ideas. That need is deep can’t get this teaching anywhere enough to prompt a pastor to else.” travel for days to meet it.

Religion in India

We hear that a lot. “The people tell us, ‘You have wonderful teaching’,” says one

Global Leaders

Vallab Sathyabal, South Asia Brother Sathyabal was born and raised in a Christian family and accepted Christ in 1980. After being called to the ministry full time four years later, he joined Bible Centered Ministries (BCM) as a missionary to work among children. While serving with BCM, he received training on how to teach Walk Thru the Bible live events and has coordinated trainings for thousands, just like the one he attended. He has been regional director for South Asia since 2005. He and his wife, Anitha, have a son, Isaac.

Gen. Herman Mantiri, Indonesia Lieutenant GeneralArmy (retired) Herman Bernhard Leopold Mantiri was born in 1939 in Bogor-West Java. In his 32 years of military service, he had an exemplary career starting from a platoon leader in 1963 to his last post in 1995 as Chief of General Staff in the Army. He earned a total of 17 military medals and stars. In 1996, Gen. Mantiri was appointed by the second president of Indonesia as the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambassador to Singapore. Gen. Mantiri currently ser ves as National President of Full Gospel Business Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fellowship International. He founded Walk Thru the Bible Indonesia in 2001 and continues to serve as the regional director of Walk Thru the Bible Indonesia.

Federico Tancongco, Philippines Federico Primavera Tancongco is a lawyer whose present practice and professorial load is focused on banking, taxation, trusts, securities, corporation law and governance. He is a senior executive at Banco de Oro, the second largest bank in the Phillippines, seconded to its subsidiary as the Head of Legal and Compliance Division. Over the last two decades, he has served in various capacities in boards of corporations engaged in industries including automotive, real estate, and joint ventures, and also in non-profit corporations. He is the chairman of Conservative Baptist Seminary, Asia Foundation, the training arm of Conservative Baptist Association of the Phillippines and the former chairman of Faith Christian Fellowship, Antipolo.

Chae Lee, South Korea Chae immigrated to the United States at the age of 19. Within a year of his immigration, his entire family accepted Christ. Chae graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1991 and has been involved with Walk Thru the Bible since then. He trains Korean pastors in China, the United States, Korea, and throughout South America. Chae resides in Seoul and Los Angeles with his wife, Hwa, and three children: Joyce, Joshua, and Timothy.

Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia Walk Thru the Bible

Kazakhstan

Moldova Russia Tajikistan Ukraine 29

Scan with your smartphone for more photos of Walk Thru the Bible CIS-Ukraine, or visit www.walkthru.org/where-we-work/cis-ukraine

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Pastors/Teachers Trained: 2524

Event Attendees: 139543

TV Audience: 31000000

Resources Distributed/Sold: 26640

astor Peter’s oldest daughter, Alyona, a wife and mother of two children in Vladikavkaz, conducted live radio broadcasts on the only Christian FM station in Russia. She daily presented messages about Jesus to Muslims in the northern Caucasus.

Yuri also sent Peter a DVD series on How to Rebuild Your Broken World. Peter’s family watched the sessions nightly and were greatly encouraged. In the mornings, he would go to the hospital and teach the material to his daughter—and other women with cancer. “The question ‘why?’ has disappointment in it. But the question ‘what?’ has hope in it,” he explains. And that hope led the women in the hospital to receive Jesus as their Savior.

But in the fall of last year, Alyona got sick. The doctors didn’t know what was wrong, so Peter’s family moved her to St. Petersburg, where it was discovered that she had stagefour cancer involving her lymph nodes. Shocked and discouraged, Peter and his family began to lose More than 37 percent hope.

One year later, Alyona has been through seven rounds of chemotherapy. She is weak in the flesh but strong in spirit. Because of of Eastern her illness, many Europeans under communism doctors, nurses, Like most of and patients were atheists or agnostics in 1970. us, Peter asked have heard Today, that number has dwindled to “why?” And, about Jesus and like most of less than 10 percent.* Members of have admired us, he sent out her faith and the Orthodox church have nearly emails requesting optimism. They doubled since communism, and prayer from his have learned not Christian friends. A evangelical groups have only how to rebuild few hours later, Yuri begun to flourish too. a broken world; they Shelestun, Walk Thru have witnessed the hope the Bible’s country director of the gospel. for Ukraine, called him with words of comfort. “Do not ask ‘why,’ Peter. Ask ‘what.’ ‘What do You want to teach us in this situation, Lord?’”

Declining Atheism

*Christianity in its Global Context, 1970-2020, Center for the Study of Global Christianity, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, 2013.

Global Leader

Yuri Shelestun Born in Kiev to a Christian family, Yuri wanted to enroll in the Institute of Economics but was denied entry because of his religious status. Christians were not allowed to study at universities, so he studied at a vocational school and became a refrigerator repairman. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Yuri entered the Ukrainian Bible Seminary and became a missionary. He began teaching Walk Thru the Bible programs to his students as he worked in middle schools. Yuri began working with Walk Thru the Bible in 1994 and was appointed director of Ukraine four years later. In 2000, he became the regional director of the CIS and earned a Master of Divinity that same year. Yuri and his wife, Natasha, have been married for 25 years and have three children: Liza, Benjamin, and David.

Walk Thru the Bible

Austria Belarus Bulgaria Denmark England Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Italy Latvia

Lithuania Netherlands Northern Ireland Norway Poland Romania Serbia Scotland Spain Sweden 33

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Pastors/Teachers Trained: 550 Event Attendees: 68341 TV Audience: 16900000 Radio Audience: 8058000 Resources Distributed/Sold: 40699

lena often overheard her mother praying, “God, please help my children find a real purpose for their lives.”

was becoming a new person. She caught a vision for implementing new communication skills and methods.

Elena tried. She saw people with money who seemed to live only for making more money. She saw friends investing themselves in fun and relationships but ending up sad and tired. Determined to make a difference, Elena became a teacher.

Still, something was missing. What did these trainers have that Elena didn’t? In the last session on “internal beliefs,” she found out. She learned about Jesus as the model teacher, and about the real purpose of His life and mission on earth. And she learned that He was looking for a personal relationship with her.

But after seven years in a public school, she began to lose her passion and didn’t understand “Me, a teacher sought by why. With a resignation the great Teacher. I could letter in hand, she not resist the invitawent to the school tion to receive the The Romani people—better known to end one phase gift of salvation.” in the U.S. as gypsies—are scattered of her life and Elena called her throughout the world, especially in the look for another. mother to tell countries of continental Europe. Population While there, her that she had she saw a Walk finally found her statistics are unclear, but they may number Thru the Bible real purpose. as many as 12 million. Walk Thru the Bible poster: “Ignite resources have impacted the Romani in Elena’s passion your passion for many of these countries, particularly was restored. She teaching,” the Austria, Bulgaria, France, Italy, began to read the poster read. FurRomania, and Spain. Bible every day. She ther down were the shared her life with words, “Take a walk; her students and hopes change the world.” Pasthey see Jesus in her. And sion and purpose—just she believes that many more what Elena was hungry for. teachers in public schools will be On a rainy day in western Romania, transformed by training events like the Elena and a colleague attended the train- one she attended. ing event. As she listened, she felt like she

Gypsies

Global Leaders

Paul Keeys, Western Europe Paul’s enthusiasm for Walk Thru the Bible began when he was just 11 and saw its early growth as his parents established the ministry in the U.K. Paul was trained as a live event instructor in 2005 and has taught Walk Thru the Old Testament and Walk Thru the New Testament regularly since then. Many of his early live events were in the northeast of England. In 2007, he became a full-time staff member and moved south to lead the children’s ministry team. In 2008, he succeeded his dad as director for Western Europe.

Beni Lup, Eastern Europe Beni was born into a Christian family and raised in a persecuted church. He is ordained with the Romanian Evangelical Alliance. He graduated from law school in 2008 and is currently enrolled in a master’s degree program. In addition to their training and counseling efforts, Beni and his team established a publishing company that has been nominated for several awards.

Beni became involved with Walk Thru the Bible in 2000 and believes that the ministry is the Paul’s passion is to see his nation reached tool that God will use to reach Eastern Europe with the Word of God in a relevant and life- for Christ. Together with his team, he teaches changing way. When he’s not teaching or in public schools, churches, Bible schools, working in the office, he spends almost all of prisons, orphanages, and youth camps. Beni his free time with his wife, Jane, and their two also plants churches and is a frequent guest cats, Fred and Ginger. Paul and Jane enjoy on radio and TV programs. He and his wife, leading tours to the Holy Land. Eugenia, have a daughter named Christiana.

Walk Thru the Bible

Algeria Cyprus Dubai Egypt Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Morocco Palestine /West Bank Qatar Saudi Arabia Sudan Syria Tunisia Turkey 37

Scan with your smartphone for more photos of Walk Thru the Bible MENA, or visit www.walkthru.org/where-we-work/mena

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Pastors/Teachers Trained: 253

Event Attendees: 3962

TV Audience: 25000000

Resources Distributed/Sold: 146443

ome might find the pastor’s evangelistic approach a little unusual, but it’s working in North Africa. After he explains the way of salvation, he tells his Muslim listeners to put his words aside. “Don’t rely on what I say,” he declares. Instead, he urges them to ask Jesus for confirmation. He knows their faith will not endure if it’s based on a single testimony rather than a divine encounter.

The pastor of this church is originally from Lebanon, but God called him to a country in North Africa years ago to minister to Muslims. His congregation is made up of believers who have come out of Islam and many who are still seeking.

He feels the need to protect his flock from the ideas and teachings of foreign ministries, especially those from the West. But Walk Thru the Bible resources transfer well So his listeners pray. They talk to Jesus across cultures, and he says he can’t get Himself. They ask for some kind enough of them. Unlike many of sign, some answered conferences and pre-packprayer, some confiraged materials, they are Train 300 leaders in at mation that “these rooting his church in least one course in the next year. things are true.” the Bible itself. Then, over time: And, because God That’s especially • One Leader will impact is faithful to His important in and teach 100 people Word, they hear this area where • Five of the 100 he impacts and from Him. Christians are teaches will be leaders too Most of the badly • Those five leaders will impact 100 treated church in this and some have more North African received threats. 1 Leader = 600 people city have come to Our courses are 300 Leaders = 180,000 Christ this way— helping his conCost per trainee: $120 through some gregation and oth300 in 12 months = $36,000 sort of miracle or ers endure and even Impact: 180,000 people answered prayer. One thrive in a difficult is a woman who prayed environment. and experienced an end to the bitterness she felt toward the father who long ago abandoned her. Like many in this small but growing church, she knows her heart has changed.

Goal:

Global Leader

Wahid Wahba A dentist by trade, Wahid left his practice in 1994 to enter full-time ministry with the Bible Society of Egypt. He graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 1998. At a training meeting with the British and Foreign Bible Society of England, he met an instructor who invited him to a Walk Thru the Old Testament live event. Wahid enjoyed it so much that he became an instructor and met with Walk Thru the Bible to discuss becoming the regional director of the Middle East. Before becoming the regional director of the Middle East and North Africa region in 2002, Wahid served as the executive director of the Haggai Institute for MENA from 1999-2001. Wahid founded The Good News group, the first evangelistic group in the Catholic Church in Egypt. Wahid and his wife, Laila, have two sons: Sameh and Nader.

Walk Thru the Bible

Argentina Belize Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Dominican Republic El Salvador Ecuador

Guatemala Guyana Honduras Mexico Nicaragua Paraguay Peru Trinidad & Tobago 41

Scan with your smartphone for more photos of Walk Thru the Bible Latin America, or visit www.walkthru.org/where-we-work/latin-america

Pastors/Teachers Trained: 580 Event Attendees: 26582 TV Audience: 9202392 Radio Audience: 6000000 Resources Distributed/Sold: 19509

even years ago, Mexico’s seven largest drug cartels waged open war in the streets of Juárez. At first it only involved drug traders, with an occasional bystander getting caught in the crossfire. But drug lords soon began to target employees of multinational corporations, wealthy citizens, and even churches.

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line many of Juárez’s streets. Playgrounds are vacant. Factories have shut down and moved elsewhere. The evening entertainment and shopping that used to enliven the city are a fading memory. Hardly anyone goes out after dark. This is the environment in which pastors serve each week—and in which 60 church leaders gathered to hear about Walk Thru the Bible recently. Teaching and training, especially on topics like perseverance and faith, are vital encouragement for people who courageously face many challenges.

Lalo, a bivocational pastor who came out of the drug trade years ago, found his past invading his present. His son was targeted and killed. Then his daughter, a married mother of two, was kidnapped and held for six weeks. Fellow pastors and churches contribLatin America is the least religiously uted to the randiverse region of the world, but tension som to purchase between denominations runs high in her release.

Unity in Diversity

And those resources a re s p re a d i n g beyond the walls of the church into government many places. Walk Thru the Bible events offices, police At times, cartel forces, and educaand resources are broadly trusted and, members would tional institutions. in some areas, are bridging the gap come to a random Growing relationbetween Christians through crosschurch on Sunday, ships between pasdenominational events and point a gun at the tors and the mayor’s initiatives. pastor, and have the office kindle hope for congregation pass the lasting solutions. And offering plates in exchange truth gains a little more for his life. Congregations influence in the streets of Juárez. began meeting in smaller groups at less public locations.

The violence has decreased recently, but the damage has been done. Empty stores 43

Global Leaders

Alejandro Oviedo, Central America Alejandro has a degree in general medicine and worked as a forensic physician for the Public Ministry of Honduras. After serving in this capacity for nine years, he felt a deep need to serve God. He had been thinking of producing a radio program focused on family values and decided to pursue his dream. A busy schedule of counseling, lectures, and preaching soon followed, as well as the opportunity to earn a master’s degree in pastoral theology at the Latin University of Theology. Alejandro has served as regional director since 2002. He and his wife, Luisa, have three children: Alejandro, Laura, and Ana Lucia.

Alex Colombo, South America Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Alex graduated from Word of Life Bible Institute for Theological Studies and earned his B.A. in education from Universidad Autonoma de Asunción. He is the current general director, CEO, and founder of Grace Education Center, Biblical School in Asunción. Prior to this, he and his wife founded the Educational Biblical Foundation, worked for the Theological Evangelical College of Asunción, and Word of Life, and also planted a church in Fernando de Mora, Paraguay. Alex serves as a board member of ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International). Alex and his wife, Mirta, have two daughters: Laura and Sandra.

Walk Thru the Bible

United States Canada Bermuda 45

Scan with your smartphone for more photos of Walk Thru the Bible North America, or visit www.walkthru.org/where-we-work/north-america

Pastors/Teachers Trained: 74

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Event Attendees: 38928

Resources Distributed/Sold: 3122788

t had been a difficult year for Darrell—a year full of “crucible moments” that left him feeling beaten, bruised, and broken.

That’s when he came across the Crucible book, the companion volume to Walk Thru the Bible’s course on David and the choices he made. At several strategic crucible moments, Israel’s king made decisions that impacted the course of his own life as well as those of the people around him. Darrell could relate. His critical moments had been a challenge too.

confidence grounded in the knowledge that God’s ways with him were the same as God’s ways with David, a man after His own heart. Like David, Darrell sensed the courage and faith to overcome his disappointments and press ahead into God’s calling.

Many others have encountered the same encouragement and strengthening during the course of a live event, through a devotional magazine, or in a daily Bible reading. God has a way of causing expressions of His Word to intersect Like David, Darrell with our moments struggled between of need at just the fear and faith, Nearly 80 percent of Americans right time. His despair and consider themselves to be Christian. Yet … Word speaks life resolve, and disinto difficult situ• Fewer than half of American adults appointment and ations and helps can name all four gospels. expectancy. Like us persevere • 60 percent of Americans can’t name most of us, the through trying five of the 10 Commandments. tension between times. And our • 82 percent of Americans believe “God helps these perspeccrucible moments those who help themselves” is a Bible verse. tives were stretchbecome our great• Only half of self-identified Christians ing him and changest blessings. believe the Bible is accurate in the ing his relationship principles it teaches. with God. But uncom-

Biblical Literacy

fortable situations like these are often the catalyst for growth in our lives.

Darrell found that to be true, and he discovered it in an encounter with a Walk Thru the Bible book. He felt his faith strengthened, his trust restored, and his 47

Global Leader

David Hodge David Hodge is senior vice president for North American Ministries, but also functions as regional director for the U.S. and Canada. Prior to his role with Walk Thru the Bible, David served as executive director of Winning With Encouragement for 11 years. Before WWE, he enjoyed his initial tour with Walk Thru the Bible for 10 years, serving as director of leadership training. David has also served as a pastor and college instructor of Greek and New Testament. As director of North American ministries, David leads three areas of Walk Thru the Bible: publishing, live events, and product development. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, Pam, and three children.

the Big Picture ) 550 f 68341 E 16900000 ` 8058000 B 40699

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Event Attendees

Pastors/Teachers Trained

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In the last two years, Walk Thru the Bible teachers have taught in 124 countries.

We currently teach in 23 time zones. A volunteer to teach on Pukapuka Island would make it all 24.

Algeria Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cuba

countries/territories where we’ve taught in • the last 2 years • countries projected in the next 3 years Cyprus Denmark Dominican Republic Dubai Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France French Polynesia Georgia Germany Ghana Guatemala Guyana Honduras Hungary India Indonesia Iraq Italy Israel

Ivory Coast Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Mali Mauritius Mexico Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua

Niger Nigeria Norway Pakistan Palestine/West Bank Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Scotland Serbia Seychelles Singapore South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Swaziland

Sweden Syria Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Trinidad & Tobago Tunisia Turkey Uganda United Kingdom Ukraine United Arab Emirates United States Vietnam Zambia Zimbabwe

Mauritania Yemen Laos East Timor Kyrgyzstan

and

Resources Languages Y Regardless of how many languages a person speaks, that person is most receptive in his or her native language.

Walk Thru the Bible instructors teach in at least 60 languages, and materials have been published in 40 languagesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that we know of. Languages in which Walk Thru the Bible events and resources are taught and/or published Aborigine Afrikaans Amharic Arabic Armenian Bemba Bengali Bhutanese Braille Bulgarian Burmese Cantonese Chichewa

Chinese, simplified Danish Dutch English Farsi French Georgian German Greek Gujarati Hausa Hindi

Norwegian Pidgin Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Shangan Sinhala Spanish Swahili Swedish Tagalog Tamil

Hungarian Indonesian Japanese Kannada Khmer Khwe Korean Latvian Malagasy Malayalam Mandarin Mende Nepalese

Telugu Thai Tswani Turkish Ukrainian Urdu Vietnamese Xhosa Zulu

Top 20 native languages worldwide* Language

native speakers (millions)

% of world population

native speakers (millions)

% of world population

Mandarin

955

14.4

German

1.39

Spanish

405

6.15

Javanese

1.25

English

360

5.43

1.2

Hindi

310

4.7

1.16

Arabic

295

4.43

Malay/ Indonesian

Portuguese

215

3.27

Telugu

1.14

Bengali

205

3.11

Vietnamese

1.14

Russian

155

2.33

Korean

1.14

Japanese

125

1.9

French

1.12

Punjabi

102

1.44

Tamil

1.12

Marathi

1.1

Language

* Statistics compiled from Wikipedia and Ethnologue

Take a Walk. Change the World. What’s your passion? • a particular region or country? • a specific segment of the population? • a kind of ministry? • a topic that addresses a distinct need? • new resources or innovative techniques? Maybe you’re moved to invest in God’s kingdom but can’t put your finger on exactly how. You know the needs but haven’t yet connected your interests with one of them. We can help you invest your heart and your resources into an area of ministry that will have real impact—an investment with eternal returns. Think about it: You can help . . . • transform a church in central Africa • put God’s Word in the hands of Christians in a Muslim country • improve the effectiveness of teachers in Southeast Asia • restore marriages in Europe • and much, much more. There are several ways Walk Thru the Bible can help you connect your heart with God’s purposes for the world: l support a country or region Our partners already know the language and culture, and they are already trained to serve and equip others. This allows for a highly efficient use of your resources in direct ministry. l support a type of ministry Leadership training, developing print resources, broadcasting, marriage and family . . . Walk Thru the Bible is continually

developing resources for print publishing, video recording, broadcasts, and live event presentations. These resources are highly effective but costly to produce and distribute. Designated gifts can fund their early development or their on-the-field implementation, and everything in between. l support a specific project We have frequent opportunities and requests to produce new, targeted resources like devotional Bibles, training series, smallgroup aids, conferences for leaders in a particular city or country, and more. Funding a specific project is a direct, tangible way to connect your resources with a need. l support the ministry as a whole “Wherever needed most” may not be an exciting category, but it’s an extremely important one. General gifts to Walk Thru the Bible enable the ministry to meet urgent requests from the field, support vital staff positions, sustain ongoing partnerships, and respond to unexpected circumstances in any area of the world—whenever and wherever needed. Take the Next Step If God is prompting you to connect your heart and your resources with His work in the world through Walk Thru the Bible, you can partner with us by:

c calling Mitchell Ridgeway, manager of donor services, at 678-578-5534

w connecting to

www.walkthru.org/donate

From the President Julius never had an opportunity to go to seminary or Bible college. He hadn’t even been to a conference because they were always too far away and too expensive. He was simply a young man who had read his Bible often, saw broken lives around him, and sensed God’s call to pastor. So he talked with other pastors in nearby towns and received their blessing to start a church. Julius loved being a pastor, but he struggled. So when he had an opportunity to attend a training event for pastors—this time not too far away, and at minimal expense—he enthusiastically attended. He learned how to teach more effectively; got deeper insights into biblical stories and characters he had read about many times before; and was encouraged by the number of pastors in his exact situation. He returned to his church with new enthusiasm and a wealth of understanding. And that enthusiasm and understanding quickly spread through his congregation. Julius took the tools he had been given and shared them with other leaders in his community. Churches in his town began to grow larger and deeper. And the multiplying effect of his training has continued. God promised in Isaiah 55 that His Word would always accomplish its purposes. It would not return to Him empty like land without fruit. It would produce a harvest. His Word carries the power to change lives, families, communities, and even nations. When people engage with the Bible—and when pastors and teachers show them how—they have meaningful encounters with God Himself. But there’s one condition. For God’s Word to bear fruit, it has to be taken into the world. It can’t change hearts if it never reaches them. The Word has to be taught effectively in order to bring back a harvest. You’ve seen many examples of changed lives in this year’s Global Impact Report. That’s what your prayers and generous support of this ministry have accomplished, and we all thank God for that. Now we want this harvest to continue and even increase—to impact more people, more families and churches, and more countries. We want more stories of changed lives. Please partner with us to help people everywhere live God’s Word. Help us ignite passion for Him. Together, we can provide the means to transform lives, equip leaders, strengthen families, grow churches, and impact society. We can change the world through the power of His Word.

Phil Tuttle President

Board of Directors Dr. John H. Isch, chair John is a retired cardiovascular surgeon from Indianapolis, Ind., where he founded and served with a large clinical practice for 32 years. He continues to serve on the board of St. Vincent Health Systems and the dean’s council of the Indiana University School of Medicine. He is a consultant to the Indiana Heart Center and teaches for the Christian Medical Society. He serves on the board of the Navigators and the advisory board of Wheaton College. John and his wife, Mary, are active in teaching and discipling in their community, local church, and home.

Thomas W. Steipp, vice chair Tom is the president and CEO of Liquidmetal Technologies, a leading force in the research, development, and commercialization of amorphous metals. Other career highlights include marketing and general management positions in mass storage, computer networking, and government programs. He has had assignments in the U.S. Air Force as an electrical engineer in support of Titan missiles and as a T-38 instructor pilot. Tom received his BSEE from the U.S. Air Force Academy and an MBA from the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University. He currently serves on the boards of several public, private, and nonprofit organizations. Tom and his wife, Deb, live in California and have two married children and three grandchildren. Paul H. Johnson, treasurer/chairman emeritus Paul is a semiretired real estate developer in Birmingham, Mich. He studied architecture and design at the University of Michigan before starting his own construction business in 1950. He has been a leader in the Christian Business Men’s Committee of U.S.A. He has held many leadership positions at his home church, Highland Park Baptist in Southfield, Mich., as well as Maranatha Bible Conference in Muskegon, Mich. Paul also served as chairman of the board of Moody Bible Institute and Walk Thru the Bible, where he currently serves as board member emeritus. Paul has three adult children and fourteen grandchildren. He and his wife, Pam, live in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Dr. Mark L. Bailey Mark joined Dallas Theological Seminary in 1985 as a professor in the Bible exposition department. In 1997, he was appointed as vice president for academic affairs and academic dean and assumed the additional role of provost two years later. In 2001, Dr. Bailey was named as the fifth president in the seminary’s 80-year history. For more than 25 years, his career passions have been theological education and pastoral ministry. He was an event instructor for Walk Thru the Bible Ministries for 20 years. Mark and his wife, Barby, have been married for over 30 years. They have two sons and two grandchildren.

Edwin T. Bryant Ed earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in actuarial science from Georgia State University, and he is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries. Ed spent his professional career with Towers Perrin, a large international management consulting firm, where he was the managing director/principal for the firm’s southeastern offices. Since his early retirement, he has been president of his own consulting firm, Bryant Advisory Group, and has served as chief operating officer for Firstdoor, Inc., a human resource technology firm. In addition, he served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for Walk Thru the Bible from 2005 to 2007. Ed and his wife, Lorraine, live in Atlanta and have two adult children and four grandchildren. Lisa Geeting Lisa has been involved with Walk Thru the Bible for more than a decade. Actively involved in both local and international missions, she has traveled to 28 countries to share the joy and redemption of Jesus Christ. Lisa has had the opportunity to speak to a variety of international audiences including the Romanian parliament. Lisa and her husband, Marc, sit on the Board of Visitors for Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She is a member of Calvary Baptist Church and is currently involved with an initiative to engage the church body in fulfilling the great commission found in Acts 1:8. Lisa and Marc live in Clemons, N.C., with their two sons.

Dr. Carter Harsh Carter has been a practicing neurosurgeon in Birmingham, Ala., since 1991. He is a member of the Alabama Medical Association, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. He is also involved in his church in a variety of positions, including the global missions leadership team. He has served on the boards for the Christian Medical Ministry of Alabama and Briarwood Christian School, and in leadership for Young Life. He and his wife, Cindy, have four children.

John Van Diest A book publisher for more than 30 years, John founded Multnomah Press and Vision House and currently serves as associate publisher of Tyndale House Publishers. He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. John has helped establish publishing in Russia, China, and several Muslim countries. He serves on the board of directors of the Portland Rescue Mission and Teeny Foods Corporation. He and his wife, Pat, have three adult children and eleven grandchildren.

Executive Team Philip S. Tuttle, President & CEO For more than two decades, Phil Tuttle has been a vital member of the Walk Thru the Bible family. While pastoring in central Illinois, he began teaching Walk Thru the Bible’s live events in 1988 and then moved to Atlanta in 1992 to serve full time as dean of faculty. He later served as senior vice president for International Ministries and global teaching pastor before becoming president and CEO in 2007. A native of Normal, Illinois, Phil received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian Education and Bible from Wheaton College in 1980 and his Master of Theology degree in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary. As president of Walk Thru the Bible, Phil continues to share God’s Word throughout the world in churches, Bible conferences, Christian education conventions, and corporate gatherings. Phil is also deeply involved with his home church, The Bridge, in Duluth, Ga., where he serves as a teaching pastor. His unique blend of biblical instruction, real-life illustrations, and spontaneous humor makes learning easy and enjoyable. Phil and his wife, Ellen, have two adult children, Emily and Philip. David Hodge, Sr. VP for North American Ministries For over two decades, David Hodge has been helping train and develop leaders to achieve success in any field of expertise. Prior to his role with Walk Thru the Bible, David served as executive director of Winning With Encouragement for 11 years. Before WWE, he enjoyed his initial tour with Walk Thru the Bible for 10 years, serving as director of leadership training. David has also served as a pastor and college instructor of Greek and New Testament. David has traveled all over the United States leading seminars and workshops on topics including leadership, encouragement, building effective work teams, integrity, marriage, and people/relational skills. David leads three areas of Walk Thru the Bible as director of North American ministries: publishing, live events, and product development. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, Pam, and three children, Elizabeth, Jamison, and Spencer. Genny Baxley, VP of Human Resources and Administrative Services Genny studied music and voice at the University of West Georgia and somehow ended up in administration, which has turned out to be her true calling. She has served in a variety of positions at Walk Thru the Bible over 20 years, and began serving in human resources in 2000. She is passionate about providing the environment and tools for the staff and associates of Walk Thru the Bible to be able to truly help people everywhere live God’s Word. Genny oversees the areas of human resources, information technology, and facilities management. Genny is also a certified Lay Speaker and a Stephen Minister. She and her husband, Allen, live in Cumming, Ga. Allen Baxley, VP of Finance Allen is a graduate of North Carolina State University. He also holds master’s degrees in electrical engineering and in operations research, both from Georgia Tech. For Allen, the bridge from operations research to finance was a short one, and he brings unique gifts combining his skills in operational efficiency with financial operations. Allen brings eight years of nonprofit business administration to his current role and is a true partner to the executive team at Walk Thru the Bible. Allen and his wife, Genny, live in Cumming, Ga.

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