WINTER 2020
Reaching the least-reached, 'til the whole world knows
Global Disciples
"I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever." Psalm 145:1-2
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Worship, Our Dwelling Place Csaba sat motionless in his seat, his eyes misty, his face pale with astonishment. We had just concluded a worship service and as I noticed this young man, I asked if he was okay. He turned to me and with choked voice said, “Before tonight, I didn’t believe that God exists. But I felt his presence in the worship. Now what?” This young man’s entire world had just been turned upside down; his belief system proven false. Our conversation continued, and over many days, God opened Csaba’s heart to receive Jesus as his Savior.
families, broken communities. It reminds us that following Jesus is never a solitary journey. We are members of one Body, the Body of Christ, and we are interdependent. In Ephesians 2:21-22, we see the Body of Christ joins together and “rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.” And in Christ, we also are “being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
We saw that living, joyous reality during Global Disciples’ recent NationsWorship event. From their homes and churches in many nations, hundreds of people joined our livestream to express their love and worship for Jesus Christ. What a thrill Something extraordinary happens when we to experience so many earnestly praise and hearts and voices raised in worship God together. Something extraordinary harmony despite distance, The presence of the Lord language, and culture! happens when we comes in our midst and the Holy Spirit is present to When we sense God’s earnestly praise and touch, heal, and transform. palpable presence while worship God together. worshiping together, we We find an encounter with experience the fulfillment God’s presence through of God’s promise to dwell worship described in 2 Chronicles 5:13: “The among us. The Holy Spirit is not only in us as trumpeters and singers joined together to praise individuals but among us, in our midst, and we and thank the Lord with one voice.” Then, after are empowered and transformed as a result! these singers and musicians had lifted their voices in praise to the Lord, the glory of God came and Yet, we know over two billion people have never filled the temple like a cloud. His manifest presence heard that God earnestly desires to be with them. was so strong the priests could no longer stand! We pray He will send more and more near-culture A key to this powerful moment of worship seems workers through Global Disciples and others to to be “one voice.” They sang together and played share the Good News of Jesus and draw people their instruments with heightened oneness. into the worship and praise of our God. So leastreached people will—like Csaba—encounter Why is this ‘oneness’ in our worship so important? the living God who loves them and offers life Our corporate worship counteracts the frag—Tim Bentch, Gobal Worship Specialist through Jesus. mentation of our society—strife, disunity, broken
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Generous Love Opens Doors For Makena, an act of generosity expressing Christ’s love opened the door to sharing the Gospel with a least-reached people. Makena and her husband, Kirui, participated in a Global Disciples training near their home in Kenya. Eager to make disciples, they saw an urgent need to take the Gospel to a people group within their reach.
This generous feast spoke volumes to this people, often marginalized by others. Several Dorobo told Makena and her husband they had never seen anyone love and care for them in this manner. As they felt valued and welcomed, they opened their hearts to hear about Jesus and His saving love.
About 40 new Dorobo believers are now worship"I sensed the Holy Spirit ing Jesus and growing in The Dorobo are several prompting me to express faith. They are being related people groups discipled to share Christ the love of Christ to our scattered across southern and disciple others. Lives Kenya and northern Dorobo community." are being transformed Tanzania. Some have and God is glorified, as adapted to changing times this marginalized community is receiving and and settled down; others remain hunters and embracing the life of the Gospel. gatherers, moving wherever they can find food. A Dorobo community near Makena and Kirui still As you gather and give this holiday season, may lives on wild fruit, roots, whatever they hunt, and your generosity—like Makena’s and Kirui’s—open honey—these Dorobo are expert beekeepers. a door to bring people to Jesus Christ. Over the years, outreach to the Dorobo has been erratic and they remain primarily animists; only a small percentage know about Jesus. Makena and Kirui believe it’s time to change this, so they took the initiative in late 2019 to begin reaching out to the local community. Covid-19 restrictions slowed activity down for a few months, but as those eased in July 2020, Makena knew it was time. She said, “I sensed the Holy Spirit prompting me to express the love of Christ to our Dorobo community. We needed to give them a feast! To slaughter a goat, to provide food, and invite them all to join in.”
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The Dorobo are one of Kenya’s 110 people groups, and among the 32 groups—or 5.7 million people—still considered unreached with the Gospel. Pray for more people like Makena to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
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A Tribute to Your Generosity Giving is an act of worship. It’s a way to thank God for all we’ve received: salvation through Christ, life and health, family, friends, meaningful work... The list goes on.
(our seed funds), “or by putting them in the way of business so that they may earn an honest livelihood” (our small business development) so they do not need to “hold out their hand for charity.”
Giving is about investing in people. It grips my heart to know that one of every three people in The local sustainability and multiplication of our world—people created for eternal training, disciple-making and church planting relationship with God—have never had an taking place through Global Disciples is a tribute opportunity to choose and follow Jesus. I thank to your Holy Spirit-directed generosity. the Lord for each one As you give and pray of you who shares our for Global Disciples, burning desire to provide Giving to Global Disciples is you make self-reliance that opportunity. We’re possible for people in about seeing people come honored to be partners need. Churches that with you! to know and worship Jesus didn’t think they could Giving to Global train and send out as their Savior and Lord, Disciples is about seeing disciple-makers and leading to transformed lives, people come to know church planters now do families, and communities. and worship Jesus as it in locally sustainable their Savior and Lord, ways. Small businesses leading to transformed are multiplying to lives, families, and communities. Our generosity provide for church planters and further outreach. expresses God’s heart to those we serve—so Giving as worship does not require human people can live with dignity, hope, and purpose recognition; it is a sacrifice of praise, and deeply as redeemed sons and daughters of God. fulfilling. As Jesus said, A 12th century Jewish rabbi named Maimonides our Father in Heaven “will developed a ‘ladder of giving.’ Each rung up reward you,” even if many represents a higher ‘virtue’ in giving. The two recipients of your gifts highest levels reminded me of your generosity can’t thank you on this to Global Disciples. side of eternity (Matthew 6:4). On their behalf, we Maimonides described those top rungs as giving Galen Burkholder, thank you! to someone you don’t know, who doesn’t know President/CEO Global Disciples you; and assisting with a “gift of a sum of money” Thanks to our Annual Sponsors 6 Global Disciples
Global Impact: 2019 Annual Activity
83,515 New Believers in Fellowships
17,658
Active Training Programs 532
2014 2016
949 1,202 1,596 1,966
778
2016
2015 2017
3,507
New Churches Planted
Disciple-makers Trained
2017
2018
736
Programs are fully sustained by local resources
2019
2018
Call or text 717-733-8985
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949
1,202 1,537 1,898
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IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE WHEN OUR HEAVENLY CHOIR IS COMPLETE—WHEN PEOPLE FROM EVERY NATION, TRIBE AND LANGUAGE JOIN WITH US IN WORSHIPING OUR CREATOR! REVELATION 7:9
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