As Rose and I continue to serve our partners, individuals, churches, ministries, seminaries so that they would adopt unreached people groups in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, I want to pay tribute to personal friends in the US and Singapore who are making this spiritual vision a reality. These tributes will be in several posts beginning today.
William Booth, the founder of Salvation Army was introduced to Queen Victoria. The Queen asked Booth why God had used him to help the poor and suffering in England. Booth humbly answered: "I guess the reason is because God has all there is of me."
Booth's response is also the response of a few of our faithful friends, without whose prayers and support, our work would not be possible.
- Rev. Dr. Warren A. Stewart, First Institutional Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ (largest African American church in Arizona).Dr. Warren Stewart has been the Senior Pastor of First Institutional Baptist Church of Phoenix, AZ for 39 years. His church is the largest American Baptist Church in the State of Arizona. Rose and I are privileged to have his friendship for almost 30 years. I have had the honor of preaching and conducting Stewardship Seminars at this exciting and exuberant 2000-member church on many occasions. In March 2015, when I told Brother Warren of God's call on our lives to reach the largest Muslim populated country with the Word of God, his response was: "You can count on FIBC's partnership!"
First Institutional is one of the most mission-minded churches in America, and supports local, state, national and international missions on every continent.
Pastor Stewart is renowned for his preaching all over the world.
Thank you, Rev. Dr. Warren Stewart and his wife Rev. Karen Stewart for nurturing our friendship with your gift of encouragement. We celebrate your faithfulness to God's call on your lives for almost 4 decades of pastoral ministry.
- Rev. Dr. Garry Zeek, Grace Evangelical Free Church, Kelseyville, CA (largest Caucasian church in Lake and Mendocino counties).
Dr. Garry Zeek has been the Senior Pastor of Grace Church in Kelsyville, CA for 8 years. We have known Garry and Sue since 2001. Not only is Grace Church supporting us, Pastor Garry has also encouraged his members to be our prayer partners and financial supporters, and a few of them have.
I have had the honor of preaching and conducting Stewardship Seminars at Grace on several occasions. Early in March 2015, Pastor Garry prayed over Rose and me as we said "Yes!" to Jesus.
Pastor Garry's heart for missions has taken him to many countries, including Africa. Grace Church has supported many missionaries all over the world under Garry's leadership.
Thank you, Rev. Dr. Garry and Sue Zeek for cultivating our friendship with your gift of listening and wise counsel. Garry serves as my Pastoral Counselor on our Board. We continue to pray for you both and Carly's health condition.
- Rev. Dr. Netz Gomez, Houses of Light, Northridge, CA (largest Hispanic church in Southern California)
Rev. Dr. Netz Gomez and his wife Lourdes are Founding Pastors at this thriving 3000-member Houses of Light Church for 17 years! It all began as a Bible Study in their home. Even though we have known each other for only 2 years, God has caused our hearts to beat for the nations waiting on God's Word.
I have had the joy of preaching and conducting Stewardship Seminars at Houses of Light a few times. Pastor Netz committed to supporting our ministry outreach to the Indonesian people when we had lunch together in Pasadena in March 2015.
Pastor Netz reaches thousands in the US daily through his radio program. Houses of Light is poised to reach 5000 members in the next 3 years!
Thank you, Rev. Dr. Netz and Lourdes Gomez for blessing our friendship with your gift of exhortation and godly counsel. Netz serves as the Chairman of my Board at Great Commission International Partnerships.
These good and godly men, Warren, Garry and Netz are 3 faithful friends, and Rose and I would be at a deficit without them and their churches.
Please thank God for them and pray that their families and their church ministries would prosper because they sowed into our lives and into the people in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. As we begin the second year of our ministry in Asia, we thank God for the many friends and churches in the US who care for us and pray and support us. We also thank God that He is raising up leaders and ministries in Singapore to adopt the unreached people groups in Indonesia and Asia.
Thank you so much, our faithful friends in Christ's Great Commission.