The past month has been crazy filled with amazing stories of faith, growth, multiplication and transitions and Im super excited to share with you highlights of what God has been growing as we continue to sow the seeds of the gospel in the lives of the next generation. Let me begin by sharing with you this message shared by our very own Bishop Manny Carlos on the Parable of the Mustard Seed and along the way there will be snippets of stories on this amazing journey we have taken: "I'd like to remind you from the parable of the mustard seed how Jesus encourages us to believe that the Kingdom of God, even though it starts small like a mustard seed, will eventually grow into a big tree that the birds can build their nests in. There is power in the seed, but what makes it so powerful?Jesus' previous parable on the soil likens the seed to the Word of God. Also, when Jesus cursed the fig tree, He said that if one has faith as small as a mustard seed, one can speak to the mountain to move and it will move. We learn two things about the mustard seed and the other parables that make the seed powerful:
"The seed is alive, because it is a metaphor for the Word of God."
"It doesn’t matter how small or big your faith is; what makes faith dynamic is that it is based on God's living Word. As the Word is preached into the hearts of people, it won’t return empty; it will produce the fruit of righteousness in the lives of people."
This year marks Kenya's 1st year anniversary and we are also ending our journey of co-laboring with them for this season, please do continue to pray for Dewet and Miemie Spies as they lead our church in Nairobi Kenya as well as our local Kenyan leaders Martin and Rahab Kabiru as well as Claxon and Carol Tudor.
"The seed has the power to multiply. The seed can bear fruit thirty, sixty and even a hundredfold."
"These two truths about the seed is what gives us the confidence that every time we start a campus ministry, every time we start a Victory group, every time we plant a new church, or whenever we preach or teach the Word of God, it will surely grow and expand and bear fruit for the Kingdom"- Bishop Manny Carlos
Seeing our Every Nation family from different continents from so many different nations is such a vivid reminder that there are still so many people in dire need of the gospel and there remains to be a void of labourers, please continue to pray with us for this verse:
...therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”Matthew 9:38
One continent of major concern for us right now is Europe, historically they have been the one who radically spread the gospel in the continents of Asia and Africa. But today, Europe is spiritually dark and the churches are in massive decline. Many of the young people are 2nd and 3rd generation atheists with no understanding of the message of the Gospel nor a Biblical view of the Church or any Christian influence in their lives. They currently have only 8 campus missionaries reaching 14 campuses for the whole continent versus just here in the Philippines we have 331 campus missionaries reaching around 538 campuses. Thus next year we are believing God to send workers on this mission field, we are believing to stand with our brothers and sisters in Europe to make disciples, plant churches and reach students with the power of the gospel.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15
Again our constant gratefulness for co-laboring with us in reaching the next generation. Thank you for journeying with us in what God has done in the nation of Kenya and believe with us for God's next adventure in the nation of South Africa and the continent of Europe!!
Credits:
Babes Bato