As we enter the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, we give praise and thanks to our heavenly Father for His steadfast love and care for us and those we serve. You have been generous in the past. Thank you! We again ask you to consider a year-end gift to support all that God is accomplishing through IBL.
There is much for which we give thanks and, though some circumstances might not be as we desire, we are confident in His sovereign oversight of His leaders and our labors. These are challenging days for Christ followers. The pastors and church leaders we serve in Kenya, Vietnam, India, and yes, even in the U.S. are facing harassment, disruption, and trials of various kinds. Yet, they are not dismayed. Nor are we, as we serve side-by-side with them, providing encouragement, advice, and exhortation regarding the real-world challenges to, and opportunities for, the advancement of the Gospel.
We are seeing abundant God glorifying impact in our training, coaching, consulting and counseling activities. We praise God for blessing the men and women we serve. Like the righteous man of Psalm 112, they are daily demonstrating faithful obedience in their service for our Savior, growing in knowledge and wisdom as they persevere, overcome, and advance Kingdom work.
Last month we led our 30th mission trip to Vietnam, where we trained more than sixty students. IBL-VN has now graduated 220 students from our three-year training program. These men and women are now serving our Savior throughout Vietnam as pastors, evangelists and other church leaders. Pastor Tan is enthusiastically training, consulting, and coaching pastors throughout Vietnam, encouraging them in their service for Christ.
After a resoundingly successful February kickoff to our three-year training program in India, we encountered an abrupt challenge in September when, upon landing in Delhi, we were denied entry to India! But we are not dismayed; instead, we are actively and creatively pursuing next steps, so that we can not only continue investing in our current students, but also expand our training to other Indian leaders in need of this biblical teaching on God-honoring ministry leadership.
From our home bases in North Carolina, Florida, and Arizona, we have served hundreds of leaders around the U.S. in 2016:
- Responding to crises in leadership
- Providing clarity about next steps in ministry
- Strengthening unity in churches and leadership teams
- Facilitating the development of God-honoring mission
- Providing one-on-one counsel regarding delicate matters
- Replacing disappointment and confusion with hope and opportunity
- Providing women leaders with support and counsel as they honor God in their service to the Body of Christ
Many other opportunities are in the planning stages for 2017, including Kenya, Russia, Nepal, and Albania; as well as serving numerous clients throughout the U.S.
We need $30,000 through this year-end appeal, to close out our year and lay the groundwork for an already busy 2017. Will you help financially strengthen us as we continue this vital ministry to God’s leaders here in the U.S. and around the world?
You can donate online at www.iblministry.org/donate.
Thank you for prayerful consideration and faithful support of us!
Straight ahead! (1 Corinthians 15:58)
- David Phelan, President
Psalm 112
The Righteous Will Never be Moved
Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish!