As the Lord enables us in 2025, we want to aggressively advance Christ-centered, expositional training into more restricted-access and persecuted contexts around the globe. Within the first weeks of the new year, we engaged with existing partners and began developing new relationships for the sake of the gospel in some of the hardest-to-reach places in the world. The need is great. The opportunities are many. And your partnership is crucial for the work ahead.
As I compose this letter, we are meeting in Antalya, Turkey with a team of training partners from a persecuted region of Central Asia. In the Book of Acts, Antalya was called Attalia (Acts 14:25). The Apostle Paul sailed from this city on his missionary journeys. Through his ministry, the Word of God spread throughout Asia Minor, churches were being planted, and the gospel of Christ was reaching more and more people in this part of the world.
“As God’s Word is expounded, life comes not only to individuals, but also whole communities and nations come to know their creator and redeemer.”
Today, we hear the prayer call from the minarets. We see a society that is filled with beautiful people enjoying this beautiful scenery. The mountains surrounding us speak of the majesty of God and creation. But it’s very clear that there aren’t a lot of people in Antalya who know the God who made all of this and who entered into our world to bring redemption.
That’s why we equip pastors to preach the Word of God. As God’s Word is expounded, life comes not only to individuals, but also whole communities and nations come to know their creator and redeemer. Through the preaching of the Word, they experience the transformation of the gospel.
As we meet in this ancient city with pastors who know the afflictions of persecution, we rejoice to hear their heart and passion to continue preaching the Word. Pastor V expressed his thankfulness for the past few years of partnership:
People are asking for this training and coming to the workshops. God is blessing the work. . . . . The partnership with you is valuable. We are more than workers in a field. We are becoming friends.
They long to equip more and more pastors to spread the Word of God in their region of the world so that more people will come to know Jesus. And as we spend time here in Turkey, we’re longing for more and more people in this country to hear the Word of God.
The gospel of Jesus Christ shines through the cultural and spiritual darkness these brothers face daily as God’s Word is proclaimed. Will you join us in this vital work by making a significant investment today? Through the incredible generosity of an existing donor, the Lord has provided a remarkable opportunity for first-time donors to double their impact. Every new financial partner’s gift through August 2025 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to a total of $300,000. This means that your first-time gift will go twice as far in equipping pastors from Antalya to Central Asia and beyond to proclaim God’s Word boldly and train others to do the same.
