Second Pastors Conference needs sponsors
Hello friends.
It is with an unusual sense of subdued confidence that I come to you all to announce that we are once again right at the doorstep of another trip to India to conduct our second annual pastors conference and our 4th crusade.
I am confident because of the peace God has given me regarding how the funding for the trip will come together, yet I am subdued because I personally don’t like to send out letters like this to people at the last minute. I had hoped we would be all set by now. For one reason or another, I find myself increasingly in this position of having my hand out to friends, family and business contacts. Whether it is for a ministry trip, or for a new business startup, I think I just need to settle into the idea that I have wealth in the form of enterprise, and am meant to find partners with those who can help me execute on big ideas. Please don’t be nervous about this call for sponsorship if your role to prayer for this trip. That works too.
There are really two things that keep me confident through all this. First is the peace of knowing that these plans have been laid out before God and He has directed me to be at peace and he will bring in a few people to contribute the $31k needed. Secondly, I am 100% convinced that the idea of holding annual pastors conferences and crusades in South India as a way to develop leaders and build bridges of relationship between churches across the Pacific is a very effective use of finances. I would pay it all myself if I could.
Each person from our team is paying their own way for the trip, and the leaders we are working with in India are of the highest integrity. I have seen this play out for 3 years now, and each year God strengthens relationships with the leaders, inspires them to pull together and really help the people of Kanchipuram break free from the wreckage of idolatry and the caste system that has enslaved South India for over 3000 years.
Last year, at our first pastors conference, we had over 700 in attendance and the leaders there were treated to a time of great honor and blessing. Many of these pastors labor in obscurity beyond what we in the US can comprehend. Living in villages and standing for those rejected by society and abused by ancient slavish agricultural labor practices, these pastors share in the suffering of those they are working to reach. We pay for their transportation to the conference, food and dormatories at the TransWorld Radio conference center on the coastline of Tamil Nadu. This alone brings them a refreshment they seldom receive elsewhere.
The two day conference itself has 3 morning speakers and an evening service where the Word is delivered in ways to help them practically in leadership development in their churches and in personal ministry. Last year, the theme of the messages was on recognizing and creating the Tipping Point of change and revival where you live. Leaders present made pledges to push through barriers, embrace change and inspire courage as leaders not only of a small band of believers, but as leaders of the community itself. The answers to poverty, abandonment, desperation and oppression lie not in outside help, but in the inspiration of local leadership to reject the status quo and equip people around them with the hope of Christ.
The conference this year will build upon the good will created from last year, and stress the theme of love as the only force capable of conquering our fears. We expect a strong attendance with leaders coming from greater distances. Please check out past posts on the blog to get a greater sense of what happened in last years conference and crusade.
To make this years ministry a success, we need a few of you to partner with us. I am thinking it is less than 10 people, because I can’t shake the idea that a few people will join me and give all the money that is needed. I think that is God’s plan in this.
I’ll trust you of course to know if you are meant to partner at this time, and I hope in any case you can join us in prayer or at least cheer us on as Chris, Katy, Bonnie, Dustin, Austin, Adam, Mike and I set out on the 11th of July for 3 weeks.
Thanks for reading,
Andrew
