In 2 Tim 4 Paul reminds Timothy that he is to "fight the good fight". As Pastors we do not do things by our own rules, after all we are only foot soldiers... no we please our commanding officer. He is the one who has gone before us in the battle. In fact he is already victorious the battle is already won, and he calls us simply to follow his strategy into victory, taking the land behind him. The strategy is simple... because he (the risen Christ) has all authority (Matt 28) Go, make desciples and teach them all that he has commanded us.
Imagine log cabiins, open log fires, big chunks of meat for men, and around 50 pastors talking tactics for the battle. This is "pastor boot camp", encourageing each other with stories of battles won, suffering and joy, trials and inner courage from knowing the commander in chief is with us. We are talking about how we mobilise the troops in battle, keep our focus on the main things and stay on mission. Pray with us for these men. They are my kind of men, good men who suffer for Christ, but take land. Couragious men who pay the price of looking after those in their chanrge.
In TERNOPIL REGION, churches are being planted, the next generation is rising up to the cause. There is joy in the camp as more and more stories of new subscriptions are emerging. We are not naive. We know the enemy is still present, but our God is the God who does the impossible. Nothing is too great for Him and so we recharge, refuel, and head on into batlle, ready to love the lost with a desire for our gentleness to be evident to all.
Pray with us today as we continue...
Maybe today we give away some good books...
Maybe drink more coffee, eat more meat and grow closer as a band of brothers.
Thank you for all who win the battle with us on our knees... we are "nobodys", nothing special but our God has all the power needed, and here is our courage... our Saviour has gone before us, and in him the best is yet to be.
Love and gratitude to all back home,
We miss you, we pray for the churches, and our mission in the uk, but rejoice that worldwide our God is winning.
Your brother and friend,
BLOGSKI
Sowing with love and care.
The photo is from part of our work yesterday at the "boarding school". Elijah is just delving into his bag of goodies to get out all the props needed for his gospel talk. The children (6-16) are spellbound and captivated in the palm of his hand. One girl has brought her bible with her and guards it like gold. Slight of hand tricks have been done, they know sweets may be on the way. One child has discovered that the cardboard boxes we had in the back of the car were full of produce from the kremenets grocery store. (NB don't go shopping for apples or bananas in Kremenets today because there are non left. - Ivan joked ..."the store assistant is considering closing up shop after we leave, her quota for the day has been met").I was extreemly impressed with Elijah's talk, as he produced an animal trap (I wasnt sure if this would pass health, safety and risk assesment in the UK). He talked about the trap of sin, and placing his hand in the trap let the trap close on his hand. He explained that Jesus took all our pain and punishment for us so that we are released from the power and pain of sin. It is easy to see why the youth evangelism team is loved in this place, why they are greeted with joy through the school gates.
Reaping in an expanding work.
We shared our evening meal time with some of the young people who had come from this exact boarding school and are now living at church. 6 of them had taken this journey and shared their experience, and it was a real joy to see where they are now... following Christ, full of love, joy and laughs. They have such a passion to reach the next generation and two of them drove us and are committed to the ministry of going in this school each week (where they grew up). The once lost sheep are now returning to where they grew up to find lost sheep as loving shepherds. We pray for this ministry. As we rennovate the second property, our prayer is Lord do this more and more. Find the individual sheep and bring them to a safe place where they can feed on you and enjoy life in the joy of your presence and be well cared for in your family.
Pray for today's residential pastors conference.
We prayed for up to 30 pastors to be able to attend the conference. I am thrilled to share that God has been so gracious and answered our prayers... in fact the conference is oversubscribed, and sadly we are over capacity. Please pray for over 40 pastors. Each come with responsibilities, burdens, a large mission field, and a need for refreshment.
- Pray that we will grow as a band of brothers as we share informal time together and encourage each other, as we look to strengthen the hand of each other in gospel ministry
- Please pray that our formal time will help as we strategically plan to reach this region for Christ and follow the biblical directives of our commanding officer. May we be faithful men as we fight the good fight.
Hi Friends, and wonderful team who work so hard / all those who are interested and praying with us and for us.
As promised, each month we hope to focus on a couple of ministries and people you can pray for with some more specific prayer detail (as appropriate for public broadcast).
TERNOPIL REGION
Tomorrow morning Dennis and myself fly out to North West Ukraine. Ternopil region was once part of Poland. Historically it has had a number of sociological and economic challanges (the slaughter and migration of Jews during the war, underinvestment by global corporates and business etc etc). The Oblast (region) is home to over 1,000,000 people. Despite all it's challanges this the region is beuatiful in many ways (scenery, moutains, it's rural unspoilt landscape, it's surviving architecture) and most wonderful are it's people. Our home will be a base in Kremenets where our good church family friends are doing all they can to encourcage gospel growth in the region.
- OUR MOTIVATION and INTEREST: This region is very unreached for the gospel. Churches are looking to love their communities in a desire to share everlasting Joy and certain salvation hope in Jesus Christ. To this end many provide clothes for the harsh winter, and food / bread where it is needed.
Our trip this time is just to spend some time encouragine those (especally pastors) who lead the churches. I have the privelege of sharing with up to 30 pastors from the region as we go away for a residential conference. We'll be considering the reality of what it means to lead churches through the gears of growth and all the challenges (and joys) this presents.
As we "go" (Matt 28:19) to make disciples and as we "go" through the gears of missional growth in church life we see that God is with us. As we get involved in his agenda for his world, we discover who we are made and remade to be in Christ, he equips us to go and he equips his pastors - "to equip" his church for "works of service" (Eph 4). Our GOD IS GREAT, and HE IS GRACIOUS !
PLEASE PRAY WITH US OVER THESE NEXT FEW DAYS IF YOU ARE ABLE.
- Pray that Dennis and Paul get there ok, and thatAustria and Munich connections go ok.
- Pray for every pastor coming to the conference. Whatever situation stage in ministry (whether city central church, or small rural plant). Pray that they will be reminded of their calling as pastors, re-foccussed on the joy and glory of serving Christ.
- Pray that in each expsoition and pastoral training session, each will find practical help for their ministry ready to go back with renewed clarity, conviction, and compassion.
- Pray that the bond of brothers will grow deep in its love and cooperation, and that a future ministry might develop and expand in this region as we all work together for his glory.
- Pray for preaching Sunday. As brothers go back to their churches and tell of what God is doing, that together we will see a great faith step in God's people as they recommit to serving the gospel with anticpation and prayer for this region.
- OUR GOD IS ABLE TO DO IMMEASUREABLY MORE. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM.
- Pray that a new season of gospel fruit , future church leaders and new churches will emerge to reach this region for Christ. This is already happening, and green shoots are emerging, pray that this will happen more and more.
- PRAY FOR A small army of CHURCH PLANTERS - especially in rural regions. Precious guys like our good friend Ruslan (more of his ministry next month.)
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- We are encourageing these treasured folks in whatever way we can, knowing that they travel a lonely pioneering road but in a strategic place where the gospel must go forward. Pray that they will be encouraged, find good fellowship, financial support, helpful mentoring, and most of all see people come to Christ in their labours.
- Please also pray for those who are administering Humanitarian aid in the East during harsh conditions. Some of you will know that we as a team have had the privilege of supporting the work of a bakery and a number of Christians in this place to take the hope, help and gospel of Christ to those in difficult circumstances.
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- Pray that these folks who find love, bread and help from good people will also find their "all in all" in Christ.
- We are so grateful to God for all he is doing and so humbled that he has given us a small but privileged role in these exciting times.
- I am so grateful for such a wonderful team that I have the privilege of serving. I praise God for your loving heart for people, the liberty of self forgetfulness which drives you to serve him and not yourself, and the joy of giving and encouragement which you excel at !
Thank you for your faithful friendship and partnership.
For his Glory ... praying with you,
BLOGSKI.
Small people in God's big plans.
Summary of the year.
2019 was a hugely significant year for Equip4good. The year started with us being prompted to stop, regroup and submit afresh to God's purposes.
Stopping what you are doing (and find value in) is a humbling thing. Being reminded that what we are (character) is more important to God than what we do for him out of habbit (continual industry and activity) is a good thing. It reminds us that any involement we have in his plans to reach this world with his love, is an act of grace. He includes us becuase he is gracious, not because we have anything to offer ourselves. He alone is our worth. This reassessment needs to be a regular discipline of every person who cliams to follow Jesus Christ. We live for him and not ourselves, we live for his glory (not our fulfillment), we live to say "thank you" to him for his immeasurable grace, to build his kingdom and not our own. Anything we do of worth is becuase he gives us gifts and strength.
This period of reflection and submission was hugely profitable. The year ended with us being involved in incomparibly more projects and partnering with far more people than before; the completion of a second transition house, the purchase of a second in the North. We are praising God for many young people who have found Christ this year, multiplied involvement in the training and encouragment of pastors, evangelsists, youth workers, new / growing churches and the imeasureable priviage of partnering with the extraordinary move and work of God in Donbass War region.
Previously our work in Ukraine was concentrated in the South, but 2019 saw our ministry of encouragement also develop and widen in the North / West and East. The work in the South multiplied in it's capacity to give a home to many new boys and girls in need. The building of 4 new homes in October was a huge answer to prayer, the gospel is being preached in many unreached areas, a growing number of children in both church and state orphanges are coming to Christ, areas where very few have been reached with the love of Christ are seeing churches born and grow. New partners have come on board for the work in the South. We are so thankful to God for the timing of this - they became involved in a crisis which sadly grows in need and but also grows wonderfully in the fruiftulness of the church as many of us work together. The work of Black sea camp continues to grow and encourage, with young people finding salvation at summer camp, and thousands encouraged and recharged to work for Christ. Accross the nation many people are coming to Christ, new gospel workers, church planters, evangelists, youth workers and pastors are and increasingly being used of God to forward mission to Ukraine, and neighbouring countries. A new army of the next generation hear the call of Christ and set off for countries that are as yet unreached by the good news, their faithfulness and fruitfulness is stunning. During the year we comitted in faith to several major new financial comitments (all of which were multiples bigger than previous years) to support these things, yet ...abosultely all we needed was completely provided by God's goodness and through the partnership and generosity of brothers and sisters in the UK.
God is so good, and his plans and faithfulness are so glorious. Our part is really small but by God's grace hugely profitable and immensely blessed.
Thank you so much all of you who heard his voice and went, gave, prayed, trusted and stayed faithful to his calling and voice of grace. You did not give to us but Him, and you will reap in Him.
Our Aims:
- Equip4good exists to encourage those who seek to reach the world with the love and grace of Jesus Christ, through showing compassion, practical help, works of encouragement and biblical training.
- We aim to partner christians and churches in the Uk with many good people and fruitful gospel projects in Eastern Europe and central Asia. Our focus is on the growth of the local church in unreached, needy and crisis hit areas.
- The nature of what we do means that not all we do can be broadcast publicly. Our web communications are now only a small part/ snapshot of what we do. We therefore aim to protect those we work with in other sensitive countries, maintaining that personal contact (often visiting your church, group or school) is our primary and best means of communication.
- We look to support strategic works of God at critical times of gospel growth. Our financial comitment is always intentionally "short term" with a desire and action plan to see long term indigenous support supercede our help,
- Currently much of our work is focussed on Ukraine with a desire to reach that country and the surrounding countries for Christ. We remian open to the leading of The Holy Spirit and maintain links with many countries and individuals. His clear direction, timing and equipping is critical in all we attempt and commit to. We remain comitted to existing partnerships especially in those more difficult places that we cannot share here where the majority have not yet heard the gospel.
- At the centre of our ministry is a desire not only to encourage and revitalise the church away from the UK but to be reenergised, retrained and fruitful ourselves as we return to serve the Uk church. The UK is a postChristian mission field. To this end a vital part of what we do is encourage each other for "works of service" in the local church, wherever God has placed us to serve with renewed compassion. clarity, conviction and vigour. On our trips away we do train others... but we also train ourselves through what God is teaching us by his word, and through the worldwide local church we have the privelege of serving . We work in partnership with Uk pastors and churches, serving together in mutual accountability, submission and cooperation. This worldwide partnership equips us to better understand the call of God and make us more fruitful in the UK.
- All who come out on our teams do so under the accountability of their local church leadership. Together (through references, conversations and orayer) we seek to encourage gifts in each other that will benifit the church and grow his kingdom wherever he sends us.
- There are 3 strands of our work...
- 1) Encouragement through building and practical help for local churches. These include:
- building transition houses for children and teenagers, street kids, and the institutionally unloved - any in need of a loving Christian home.
- building conference or training facilities for the church where there are no other facilities, clothes for the winter in the name of Christ,
- Support in crisis areas: bakery facilities to support gospel work. basics for those in poverty, food for those who struggle to eat on a daily basis.
All of these practical helps are bridges which facilitate the faithful local church to preach the gospel and are baring much eternal fruit.
- 2) Training and Spiritual encouragement. Our pators conferences, 1:1's with evangelsists, youth workers, church team leaders and regional networks and preaching programs are partnered in ongoing prayer from the UK. These are leading to longer term missional and training partnerships as we seek a growing church in unreached areas. It is good to see the weary not lose heart in doing such amazing things for His Glory, and his truth vibrantly equipping his church for works of service. God has brought us together for "such a time as this". Likeminded pioneers, and experienced practicioners are "found together" by Him so that "Iron sharpens Iron" and the shared work becomes focussed and fruitful. He takes all the glory, our strength is renewed as we find our joy together in Him.
- 3) Partnership support and introductions. Over time many links and partnerships of mutual interest of care and spiritual are created and nurtured. This is increasingly the case and an immense privelege as many churches in the UK are look to link up with those in other places (maybe with a church the same size in a crisis region or pinoeering missional program). This is of immeasureble benifit and encouragement to the UK Church as we seek to serve together. We thank God for this mutually benficial relationship, he is the one who has brought us together at such cost. We are one eternal and joyful family because of Him.
Highlights of 2019
There are too many highlughts to include here and what we share is with much fear about what will be missed out.
3 things stand out however...
1) Our new partnerships, many with the churches in Northern / Western Ukraine, are a huge encouragement. Not only did we see the completion of the first Kremenets transition house, but were able to secure the purchase of a second house downtown and therefore the expansion of the ministry and facilities of this gospel hub. When we left in October the church finlised/ finished off the buiding to fantastic standard, the girls moving in for a very happy Christmas.
(click on the pictures for a larger view)
Yes it is just a building but these are doors and rooms of welcome, which say "come, just as you are, find a home here in the name of Jesus Christ"
Infinitely more important to God than buildings though, are people. He is the true Creator, each individual made to display his likeness, love and glory. Our team was blown away by seeing God at work in this vast and unreached area through many wonderful, sacrificial, generous, brothers and sisters in Christ. Many precious folks are doing great things;
People like Elijah, travelling many miles each week to share the gospel with orphanages, schools and young people.
People like Ruslan looking to plant churches in tough places, areas oppressed by the tyranny and darkness of man-driven religion and idolatory as he and his family live a life of simplicity and obedience, discipline and submission to Christ.
Churches which welcome in young and old in desperiate need of a loving home, showing them Christ and redirecting them to live for Christ in the joy of Christ.
Precious friends like Vlodic and Ira and their family...
...comitted to many, many, ministries to see the next generation won and mobilsed for Christ (youth work, transition houses, numerous camps, programs for childrens ministry and training for new workers, evangelism, village outreach etc. etc.) They work tirelessly yet with joy. They model what it is to give their lives and energy for the gospel.
Pastors, church planters and faithful people who work persistently to advance the gospel, at the same time work in demanding secular jobs.
All of this has been a huge encouragement and challenge to us as a team and the UK Church. We are so grateful for our partnership in Him as we see his church grow and missional momentum emerge in places where many are yet still yet to hear and are without Christ.
2) Our small role in supporting believers in the war region though times of extraordinary challange and blessing.
We were so pleased to help support the bakery double its daily output of bread to the Donbass region. Their act of love impacts many each day ...
In schools, war-torn villages, as the rejected and displaced receieved unconditional love and compassion. Many want to hear about Jesus due to this extraordinary and counter cultural initiative.
It was a joy to spend time with pastors and churches, regional pastors/ bishops and humanitarian workers at the forefront of what God is doing in extraordinary times. We may have been there to train and encourage others, but we came away the better informed and ignited. The way that God is blessing this ministry cannot be detailed here, but it is nothing other than extraordinary. Churches born, pastors trained, unnumbered coming to know Christ.
In the darkest of times the church shines brightest and it was such a joy to preach the love,character, work and invitation of Christ in this place, where his people authenticate the message of grace by their actions and cooperation. The work of God's Spirit is so evident here. I will never forget the privilege of sharing the certain hope of Christ with a backdrop of; shelling, bullet holes, destruction and fear, the tears of gratitude and repentance of those who heard of Christ for the first time, the joy of those who found eternal security in the midst of perpetual daily chaos and man-made devastation.
We pray for lasting, ongoing and eternal legacy. The maturity of many fledgling believers and churches. We look to support these things in whatever way we are directed to by Him.
3) The growth of our work to encourage more pastors and gospel workers. Training is about information, but it is much more about supporting others in the challanges and demands they face. We are so pleased to have been of any help in small ways. What a wonderful thing to see first hand when pastors come to a conference, seminar or conversation under the cloud of seemingly impossible challanges, and then be present as they see God in his word, the one for whom nothing is impossible. God is the great physician, healing the broken hearted and downcast. What a joy then to see the best of God's people leave recharged, reenergised to take the gospel of hope, and to lead the church with clarity and God given certainty. We are bystanders, participaters at best... not instigators in this, but we are so grateful to be part of what God is doing.
Plans for 2020
From hereon in our updates in 2020 will feature a ministry focus, some individuals and projects that you can pray for and if desired partner with. There are more trips happeneing this year than ever before.
Some Key Dates for your diary and prayers...
- January 29- February 5th: Ternopil region pastors conference and encouragement.
- April 12th-26th. Start of Uk teams going out to work on "downtown Kremenets transition house", shelter and youth outreach building.
- (booking now open - other dates around this time may also be available )
- July 19-31. Summer teams and Summer camps; Youth and outreach trips from Uk, working teams to Kremenets transition house 2nd project, encouragement of youth and support in training youth ministry.
- (open to those aged`16-99 with a suitable pastoral reference)
- 27th Sept - Oct 11th: Provisional dates for further Work, Training and Team trips.
We will go into more detail in future blogs, more possibilities and expectations than we can outine here.
1) THANK YOU for those who gave, prayed, went, served and remained faithful partners in 2019. Thank you to those new churches coming on board in 2020 to help through this time of opportunity and growth.
2) PLEASE do consider getting involved.
- There are more opportunities for youth (during summer) , women (mentoring and encouragement) , the non-DIY'er, builders, and humble bible sharers this year than ever before.
- If you can speak English and would love to be a friend in his name, we can use you and would really value you on our team.
- If you can help us in prayer, giving of materials, clothes or finance we'd love to talk privately.
- We would love to come and share what is going on with you, your family, your church, your group or midweek get-together. We have no agenda other than serving his purposes and fitting in with Him. You don't need to be an existing partner to enjoy what he is doing, we'd love just to help you see the glory of of our God at work and give him all the praise.
Praise him for all that is past, and trust him with us for all that is to come.
Yours with great gratitude and appreciation of your love and partnership,
BLOGSKI
