joy spring 2017 report the living word transforming lives · the respect he’d earned in his...

Freedom in Armenia:A wealthy criminal gives up a life of luxury.

JoyreportSpring 2017

The Living Word Transforming Lives

The Crisis in South Sudan: Thanks to you, thousands of Bibles give hope.

A NEW YEAR OFGod’s

Powerful Work

Children are the Key:Thousands of Filipino children learn about Christ.

Our Mission:

We are called by God to provide Scriptures and training worldwide, so that people prepared by the Holy Spirit will be brought into relationship with Christ and His Church.

The Joy Report is published four times per year to inform you about what God is doing in the lives of individuals we support and about specific results of your gifts and prayers. Permission is granted to copy, re-publish and/or distribute the information in this issue as long as Bible League Canada is credited. Additional copies of this newsletter may be obtained by contacting us at 1.800.363.9673 or

[email protected]

Bible League Canada is registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) as a charitable organization,registration number 10822-2084-RR0001

399 Main Street West Grimsby, ON, Canada L3M 1T1 1.800.363.9673 bibleleague.ca | [email protected]

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BIBLE LEAGUE CANADA | BIBLELEAGUE.CA

Dear Friend,

We hope your new year has been off to a blessed start. While we’re only a few months into 2017, we can already see God’s amazing power at work in countries around the world.

As I read through the many reports we’ve received from ministry partners across the globe, I am inspired by the stories of transformation and evangelism from local champions, who are tirelessly working to advance the Kingdom of God in places like Kenya and Macedonia.

In this Joy Report, you will find updates from regions like South Sudan, a situation where you recently partnered with us. Because of you and by the grace of God, we have been able to make a difference and speak light into these tragedies. Thank you for your continued prayers, as there is still much work to be done to bring healing and restoration.

As we continue to journey together this year, I look forward to sharing with you more testimonies that demonstrate the goodness and faithfulness of God.

Blessings,

Paul RichardsonPresident, Bible League Canada

MINISTRY NAME | COUNTRYLETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

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SPRING 2017 | JOY REPORT

Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.PSALM 36:5 (NKJV)

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MINISTRY NAME | COUNTRY


ADULT MINISTRY: ARMENIA

Wealthy Criminal Finds Jesus

and Gives Up a Life of Luxury



Then he met a Christian named Petros 1. “We became friends,” says Petros. “He told me that he felt overpowered by the emptiness of his life. He realized that since he was drunk all the time, he didn’t know how his life was passing. So he made the decision to run away from that life.”

Before Gor left the city, Petros invited him to church. “He was very interested in the Gospel after his first visit,” says Petros, who then invited him to a Bible study class. It was here that Gor came into relationship with Christ.

“We had many conversations about the Gospel and his progress with his Bible studies. He told me the Ten Commandments struck him the most and that he didn’t realize that he had been living in so much sin. He said he wanted to go back home and tell his parents about this.”

“I was very sad to see him leave, but I also knew that he had to return to his family,” says Petros.

1 Name changed to protect Petros’ privacy.

As soon as Gor got home, he told his parents about the change in his life. His parents didn’t take the news of his conversion well. They thought that he had joined a cult. His family, friends and community attacked him for his faith and tried to make him give it up. Even Petros came under attack, because Gor’s family blamed him for Gor’s newfound faith.

But that didn’t stop the two men. They encouraged each other and prayed for each other in the face of persecution. Four years later, Gor decided to get baptized. “He now has a wonderful testimony of his faith,” says Petros.

“I am very thankful to have the chance to help Gor in his journey with God,” exclaims Petros. “I am also grateful for the literature that Bible League Canada provided which gives us a chance to help people like Gor and many others.”

At age 23, Gor seemed to have it all. The young man in Armenia loved the respect he’d earned in his city’s criminal underworld. On any given day, you could find him at luxurious parties or drinking at a raucous bar. He loved his life, or so it seemed.

To support our adult ministry in Armenia and other countries around the world, please give by completing the enclosed reply card. You can also donate online at

BibleLeague.ca or by phone at 1.800.363.9673.

Dr. Paul Richardson, president of Bible League Canada, and Rev. Bob Beasley, Bible League’s vice-president of international ministry, beautifully capture the momentous celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday.

With inspiring accounts of the faithful individuals who founded this country upon Jesus Christ, One Dominion tells more than just the history of Canada. You’ll explore how and why Canada has been transformed into a country of remarkable peace, freedom and prosperity.

This Canada Day, be inspired by God’s purpose and mandate for our nation!

Order today (FREE shipping) at:

Online: BibleLeague.ca/OneDominion

Phone: 1.800.363.9673

Email: [email protected]

ONE DOMINIONC E L E B R AT I N G C A N A D A

Prepared for a Purpose

$29.99 Product code 1-E1001

1. Pray that as youth across Canada meet Jesus through our many ministry partners, that they help spark a mighty revival in our country.

2. Lift up our brothers and sisters in persecuted or war-torn regions, including in Asia and Africa.

3. Ask God to give our local champions around the world the strength and courage they need to persevere as they reach out to their communities.

Please Pray...

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PLEASE PRAY

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CHILDREN’S MINISTRY: PHILIPPINES

On the Philippines’ 7,107 islands, children ages 14 and under make up 35% of the population. Reaching the children of this tropical nation is key for the growth of the Kingdom of God. Today, because of supporters like you, more than 40,000 Filipino children in 600 village schools across remote mountain regions are learning about Jesus. Children who once had no joy, peace or hope in their lives, now have a real purpose.

“I consider it a great blessing to me and to my church to be part of this,” says local champion Sis Nelia. “Since I started, our Sunday school class has been growing and it was such an encouragement to my pastor.”

“Now, my pastor has realized that reaching the students at the school is the most effective way to see church growth,” says Nelia. The Holy Spirit has been moving powerfully, with more and more children drawn to the church’s

Children Growing Churches

are the Key to

children’s ministry. “Our Sunday school room is no longer big enough to cater to the children,” says Nelia, “and some of their parents are also coming to church.”

Your continued support helps us to reach the children of the Philippines. It also helps us to equip and support local champions like Sis Nelia who need more supplies, more space to host and teach the children, and more training.

Pastora Beth, another local champion, agrees. “I am enjoying the growth of my church with the young people flocking to my Christian values class,” she says, “but I realized I needed more training to be able to meet the needs of the young people. Thank you for the educational, encouraging leadership training you provided for us!”


Holistic transformation happens through a l iv ing church. Local champions fo l low Chr ist ’s leading to star t new churches and reach communit ies through adult and chi ldren’s ministr ies , inc luding in areas with opposi t ion and persecut ion. But t ransformat ion doesn’t happen overnight !

Our local champions, many of whom you have read about in th is Joy Repor t , need to know that B ib le League Canada and fa i thful suppor ters l ike you are in i t for the long haul . They need a stable f inancia l foundat ion to lean on so they can focus on bui ld ing God’s K ingdom instead of worr y ing about whether they wi l l have enough money tomorrow to pay thei r b i l l s , feed thei r fami l ies and do outreach.

Introducing Cornerstone. I t ’s our new monthly donor program. When you jo in the movement , you equip our network of ministr y par tners to t i re less ly work towards long-term grow th and heal ing in reg ions around the wor ld.

join the movement

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JOIN THE MOVEMENT!

Visit BibleLeague.ca/Cornerstone to join the movement and watch our documentaries on India, Asia, Africa, and other regions! Or, call 1.800.363.9673.

As a Cornerstone partner, you help to strengthen and support our local ministry partners to:

• Tra in local champions to fac i l i tate community t ransformat ion.

• Inspire chi ldren and adults through B ib le-based educat ion.

• Equip persecuted Chr ist ians in thei r fa i th .

• Star t new churches to cont inue our grassroots ef for ts on the ground.

EXPERIENCE THESE BENEFITS

As a Cornerstone Par tner, you take the impor tant step of pledging a monthly contr ibution of $40 or more. Experience al l the benefits of this new monthly donor program!

SuStain the MoveMent

I t takes a large, s table source of f inancia l commitment to keep th is movement a l ive . Your suppor t g ives them the assurance that funding is consistent ly ava i lable for t ra in ing c lasses , B ib l ica l mater ia ls , t ranspor tat ion, renta l fac i l i t ies and more.

ChooSe Your region

Suppor t a speci f ic reg ion that God has placed on your hear t . Your monthly g i f t wi l l go to th is area. Then, see the progress and mirac les that God per forms in that reg ion through specia l b i -annual repor ts just for Cornerstone Par tners . Keep reading to f ind out more about each region!

get SpeCial invitationS

When you jo in the Cornerstone movement , our team inv i tes you to exclus ive annual onl ine web events for a behind-the-scenes look at how you’re making an impac t .

leSS Mail , More inforMation

Because we know we can count on you ever y month, Cornerstone Par tners receive 40% less fundra is ing mai l ings . This helps us s ave on overhead costs , so even more of your contr ibut ion goes to making an immediate d i f ference in people’s l ives . You wi l l cont inue to receive updates l ike the quar ter ly Joy Repor ts , unique match campaigns and Chr istmas campaigns.


PRAY FOR KENYA

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STARTING NEW CHURCHES: KENYA

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Kenya, a country of sweeping plains, lush plateaus and arid deserts, is home to more than 46 million people. Recently, our new Kenyan ministry partners began their first Starting New Churches training there.

The training program was led by two lead trainers from Ethiopia and Uganda. We trained 14 people, who have now returned to their cities in Kenya and will use the curriculum to train an additional 25 leaders each. That’s 350 new local champions!

Our vision is to start living churches in every single community in Kenya, each started by ordinary believers who are equipped with practical

skills and encouraged to work together.

Although it’s said that Kenya is 78% Christian, this statistic hides the fact that the majority of those who say they are Christians are Christians by name only. Our ministry partners in Kenya say this has played a role in crime, promiscuity and similar social issues that put an ever-increasing toll on the country.

As we start new churches throughout Kenya, the Living Word can reignite true faith and show people how to follow Biblical principles that can speak light and truth into their communities.

Bible League Canada has new ministry partners in the country, and the work continues to move forward. Please pray for our partners and lead trainers as they continue to raise up additional local champions who can return to their communities and start new churches.

God’s Work Continues to Grow in Kenya

Indoor Camp NightsDraw Children by the Hundreds

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CHILDREN’S MINISTRY: CANADA

One of Bible League Canada’s Canadian ministry partners is Awana International Canada. Awana focuses on long-term children’s discipleship with a vision to see every child grow to know, love and serve Jesus. We have seen the Holy Spirit’s transformation come full circle in some of these kids.

As children, Kyle and Ruth Anne Crouch grew up going through the Awana program. After graduation they continued to volunteer in their local clubs. Today, they are directors at a children’s camp in Ontario! They now have an incredible opportunity to invest into campers’ lives, just like how others invested into them when they were children.

Our Canadian children’s ministry continues to expand and reach more and more youth for Jesus. Last summer, the Crouch’s camp even added an additional week-long camp to better teach each child.

In the past few months, the Crouches ran leadership sessions for 76 church volunteers, reached more than 528 kids through their traveling camp nights, and shared the passion for children’s ministry at five adult ministry meetings with more than 200 attendees present.

Indoor Camp NightsDraw Children by the Hundreds

The feedback from campers, staff and parents was overwhelmingly positive. This year, they’re also adding brand-new winter camps. Plus, the Crouch’s have started traveling across Ontario to bring the camp experience to kids who can’t actually make it to camp. These indoor camp nights come complete with indoor campfires and fun camp games.

It’s an exciting and new way for Canadian kids to get to know God more. “To be given this opportunity to serve God in a ministry that He used to impact each of our lives is a dream come true for us,” the Crouches tell us. “We are so honoured to be His hands and feet to so many, and we pray that He will make us worthy to fulfill this calling He has placed on our lives. It is our complete joy to serve Him in this capacity.”

YOUTH BY THE NUMBERS


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In December, we shared with you the deteriorating situation in South Sudan. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes in the past few months, some with nothing but the clothes on their back. Within just the first few weeks of January 2017, nearly 37,000 refugees had arrived in camps.

"We travelled in the bush, praying that we would not get caught or get killed,” one refugee told us. “We were terrified and all the strength we had left was to plead to God for divine protection. When we arrived in the refugee camp, thousands and thousands of hopeless South Sudanese people were already ahead of us fighting for the one meal per day offered by the United Nations. My family waited in line for hours to get a scoop of porridge."

"How can we encourage and speak words of hope to those who have lost loved ones, or lost everything they possess?” asks one of our ministry partners. “There is no solution to the crisis. What we have left is faith in God, His promises and the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit."

Leaning on that faith, in December our ministry partners took dozens of boxes of Bibles to makeshift schools in the refugee camps. None of the thousands of students in the camps had a Bible. Even the teachers had none. When they were fleeing their homes, whatever copies of Bibles anybody had were left behind.

Thanks to your generosity, these Bibles are already speaking hope and love into the refugee camps. But we’re not done yet. As the crisis grows, the critical need grows too.

"We have now distributed all of the available Bibles we brought,” says our ministry partner. “So we have decided to take the risk and bring in 10,000 Bibles from another region. This will be done during a challenging, risky security situation. We need people to pray.”

Your Continued Prayers and Support in South Sudan Are Needed

PRAY FOR SOUTH SUDAN Please continue to pray for South Sudan and for peace. Please also pray for more Bibles and funds to print children’s Bibles that can reach the thousands searching for hope and meaning. If you feel called to make a difference, visit BibleLeague.ca/TransformingSouthSudan today.

MINISTRY NAME | COUNTRYUPDATE FROM SOUTH SUDAN


New Believers Pack Up Their Belongings to Start a Church

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STARTING NEW CHURCHES: LATIN AMERICA


New Believers Pack Up Their Belongings to

Start a Church

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STARTING NEW CHURCHES: LATIN AMERICA

Soon after Rufino and his family became Christians, this family in Honduras decided to move from La Guacamaya to a new city. But it didn’t take long for them to have to move again. In fact, they had to move back to La Guacamaya.

Why the sudden change?

They realized that their friends and family in their hometown needed to hear the Word of God. They had personally seen how Jesus transformed their lives from the inside out, and they couldn’t stand the thought that their community didn’t know the same transforming power.

Rufino felt God telling him that since God had rescued him from his life of sin and darkness, he should go and spread the Good News to everyone he knew.

Upon returning to La Guacamaya, Rufino was approached by his pastor.

"Pastor Roberto invited me to participate in training to start new churches," Rufino says. That meant traveling two hours to receive the training in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Despite the long distance, Rufino didn’t hesitate. He knew this was an answer to prayer. God had called him to share the Gospel and now God was providing a way to do just that.

"I loved everything about the training to start new churches,” says Rufino. “We have learned many new and different things. They give you practical tools to start churches.”

The work is not without its challenges, however. "There are people who do not want to know about the Gospel because of the bad examples of other Christians who have come before us,” Rufino says. “Those experiences are like weeds to our work. However, we are seeing that people are slowly receiving us and want to hear and learn more”

During this whole process, Rufino has appreciated the support from Pastor Roberto, who is acting as his mentor, and his wife María. Bible League Canada’s Starting New Churches program encourages all local champions to have the support of their mother church and their spouse so the local champion is never alone in this work.

Equipped with what he is learning at Bible League Canada’s training, Rufino walks more than 40 minutes to take the Gospel to the people of San Juancito, another community close to the area where he lives.

His goal, with your continued support, is to start more churches in the surrounding area and see the Holy Spirit multiply the harvest.

To support our starting new churches ministry in Latin America and other regions around the world, please give by completing the enclosed reply card. You can also donate online at BibleLeague.ca or by phone at 1.800.363.9673.


1.800.363.9673 399 Main Street West, Grimsby, ON, Canada L3M1T1

bibleleague.ca [email protected]@BibleLeagueCAN Bible League Canada

VOLUNTEER!

BFM Foundation (Canada) is a volunteer-driven, non-denominational organization that operates 48 Mission Thrift Stores across Canada (and growing!). Mission Thrift Stores convert donated used goods into cash so that BFM Foundation Canada may, in joint ministry with Bible League Canada, transform people through the Living Word of God. As we prayerfully receive God’s blessings for the growth of newly developed Mission Thrift Stores, we are seeking passionate volunteers. These volunteers will contribute to our BIG HOLY AUDACIOUS GOAL: That Mission Thrift Stores will raise enough money so that the joint ministry of BFM Foundation Canada and Bible League Canada may reach all peoples everywhere with the Living Word of God.

Meet New People…

Join the Excitement...

Be a Positive Influencer…

Raise Awareness…

Develop New Talents…

Grow from the

Experience…

Learn and Serve…

Personal Satisfaction…

Work for a Cause…

Be part of a Team…

Face New Challenges…

Pass Along Wisdom…

Preserve the

Environment…

Keep Active…

Have Fun...

Share Your Vision...

To learn more aboutvolunteering for BFM,please contact:

BFM Foundation (Canada)[email protected]

Toll-Free: 1-855-204-4980

Or visit your local Mission Thrift Store and ask to fill out a volunteer application form!

We presently have over 4,200 devoted volunteers working from coast to coast, and this is why they choose Mission Thrift Stores as a workplace and a way to give back to their communities.

WHATEVER YOUR AGE...WHATEVER YOUR SKILLS...

VOLUNTEER!We have a position for you.

joy spring 2017 report the living word transforming lives · the respect he’d earned in his...

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