What Missionaries are Thankful for This Year

TEAM – The Evangelical Alliance Mission • Nov 01, 2021

We spend most of the year asking you for prayer, and God spends all year moving through those prayers. This month, instead of asking missionaries how we can pray for them, we asked what they’re thanking God for in their ministries and in their personal lives.

We hope you’ll take a moment to praise God with us — and share your own stories of praise in the comments!

Indonesia: Local Evangelists Sharing Jesus Every Week

“We are deeply thankful for three Indonesians who are part of our evangelism team in Merauke, Indonesia ,” says TEAM worker Jared Riepma.

COVID-19 continues to make ministry a challenge in Indonesia. In fact, Jared says, the pandemic has been harder in 2021 than in the year before. Still, his Indonesian co-workers send him messages almost every week about opportunities they’ve had to share the Good News of Jesus.

“I am thankful for and challenged by their bold example of evangelism and testimony of the power of Jesus Christ to forgive and save sinners,” Jared says.

Peru: Bible Study Grows Through Pandemic

When COVID-19 started, Jessica Malec’s Bible study for women went online. The women attended faithfully, but like so many, they deeply missed the chance for real fellowship. “I prayed about it, and God helped me see that small groups could be a solution,” Jessica says.

They started using Zoom’s breakout rooms for 30 minutes of each meeting. There, the women could discuss the lesson more deeply and pray for each other. Today, the group has more than doubled in size !

“It’s amazing how God used this small change to make the ladies feel more united,” Jessica says.

Mexico: Decades of Faithful Support

Brenda Matthews has served with TEAM for almost 40 years — and some of her supporters have been with her the whole time. “My oldest supporter is 95 and has been supporting me from the very beginning,” Brenda says.

As God has led Brenda to new places and ministries, He’s continued to bring new friends to partner with her. “My heart overflows with thanksgiving to God and to my supporters for their faithful giving, especially during the pandemic and hard times,” Brenda says.

eSwatini: Reunited with Co-Workers

Lynda spent two months as the lone resident at eSwatini’s Evangelical Bible College. She’s grateful to have her co-workers back on campus.

Lynda spent two months as the lone resident at eSwatini’s Evangelical Bible College. She’s grateful to have her co-workers back on campus.

This summer, TEAM workers at eSwatini Evangelical Bible College all returned to the United States for various reasons. This left Lynda Collison as the lone resident on campus, with the occasional company of locals who came on and off campus. “I am deeply thankful for the return of my fellow TEAM missionaries … after I had been on campus alone for about two months,” Lynda says.

Zimbabwe: ‘I Wish I Could Preach Like That’

Sean Doyle was invited to record a sermon for a local church. At the end of the session, the young assistant pastor said, “I wish I could preach like that.”

Sean offered to teach the young man — if the pastor could find five other young men who would join him in study. Within a week, the pastor had gathered his classmates, all young men with a passion to see God’s word impact Zimbabwe ! Since then, the students have invested many hours into their training.

“In some ways,” Sean says, “the limitations of lockdown has freed up time for this intensive training to fit into their normally overcrowded schedules.”

Ireland: Walking with Local Believers

“We are so thankful for the web of believers that lies in Ireland ,” Brenda Taylor says. “In that web, we have been able to connect with hurting church leaders and those struggling to carry on. The Lord reminded us that we were once the same , and it would have been so nice to have someone to walk with us during those dark times. So, we are very thankful and honored to walk with a group of brothers and sisters as the Lord heals them in preparation for only He knows what.”

Czech Republic: New Opportunities to Learn and Grow

Melissa Zikanovi has several roles as a missionary: church planting, language coaching, member care facilitating, to name a few. With many ministries on hold or unable to continue in the same way, Melissa decided to turn her focus to her own training.

Because so many conferences and workshops moved online, Melissa could participate at a low cost while still caring for her small children. She attended a language-learning conference, took cross-cultural conflict resolution training and more!

“I was able to put into practice something from every training, making me more effective in every role and ministry God has called me to, Melissa says. “For that, I am exceedingly grateful.”

United States of America: Giving the Homeless a Reason to Say Thanks

Marj was able to show Christ’s love by crocheting simple mats for people in the local homeless community.

Marj was able to show Christ’s love by crocheting simple mats for people in the local homeless community.

This year, many missionaries were unable to travel abroad. TEAM missionary Marj Patrick took this limitation as an opportunity. She started crocheting mats out of grocery bags and giving them to local homeless people. The simple mats cushioned the ground and helped keep their blankets dry.

“I will never forget the day I gave one to Shannon, who, the next day, gave birth to her baby girl on the mat,” Marj says. A fellow minister led Shannon to give her life to Christ and helped her get a part-time job. Marj was grateful to be able to share with Shannon, “The plan is in His hands, and if she strays from His hand, she’ll miss His plan.”

Philippines: Supporters Stay Faithful through Trials

Dan and Louise Hubert are grateful for all the supporters who partner with them in ministry, but one couple stands out for their faithfulness amid trials.

“This couple has been with us from the very beginning of our journey overseas,” Dan says. Over the years, the wife has suffered physical struggles, while the husband has suffered from cancer and lost two of his brothers from cancer in the same week. Still, Dan says, “They continue to be faithful partners with God’s ministry in the Philippines. We are truly grateful for them.”

Spain: Watching God Change Hearts

TEAM missionary Natalie Widman shares, “One of the greatest joys in church planting has been watching God change the heart of a person , see them be conformed into the likeness of Christ and then desire to disciple others!”

Working with teenagers, Natalie has gotten to see young people apply Scripture to their lives and learn to fear God. And as a result, God is transforming them into disciples who make disciples. She says, “May they continue to pursue the Lord, passionately follow Christ and steadfastly trust in Him alone!”

What are you thanking God for this year? Let’s turn the comments section into a place of praise and worship!

By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
By Suzanne Pearson 23 Feb, 2024
Justin Burkholder, pictured here with his wife Jenny and their daughters Isabella, Olivia, and Zoey, has recently been named as TEAM’s next International Director. On February 19, 2024, with much excitement and gratitude to the Lord, TEAM announced that Justin Burkholder will become our organization’s new International Director, effective July 1, 2024. Justin, who is currently TEAM’s Executive Director of Global Ministry, will assume his new role upon the retirement of the current International Director, Dave Hall. ( Read the full press release here. ) We sat down recently with Justin to learn a little more about his background, his family, and the journey that has led him to TEAM. Q: Tell us a little bit about your “origin story” - Where did you grow up? What was your family like? A: I grew up in Mexico City as a missionary kid. My parents were focused on church planting. We were very close as a family. Both of my parents are still alive, and my dad serves as a pastor in southern Florida. I have one brother who is a pastor in Wisconsin, and the most special individual in my family is my sister, Amber. She was born with a very severe case of cerebral palsy and is entirely dependent on my mother...who is extraordinary! The three most impactful forces that have shaped who I am (outside of God’s grace) are growing up in Mexico, having parents who loved and planted churches, and sharing life with someone with a severe disability. My parents belonged at the time to a church and denomination that came with quite a bit of legalism and performance-oriented Christianity. Grace was a challenging concept to grasp. While I had an awareness of my sin and need for redemption, it wasn’t until I attended Moody Bible Institute that I began to grasp the fullness of God’s grace and His delight in His children. I have continued learning and trusting in the Gospel through formal education, like completing my M.Div., and through spiritual practices in community. Learning the Gospel and believing the Gospel has been a daily exercise. The Gospel is as beautiful and multi-faceted as a diamond! At an individual level, it is simple enough for us to live convinced that “Jesus loves me, this I know.” At a corporate level, it becomes the foundation that forms and informs our life as a spiritual family. At a cosmic level, it is redemption that reaches as far as the curse is found. It is hard to even grasp the multiplicity of goodness found in the Good News. Q: Share a little bit about your family life now. What does a typical day look like in the Burkholder household? A: My wife Jenny is my high-school sweetheart! She brings joy and kindness wherever she goes. She’s the best listener I’ve ever met, and we love spending time together. We have three daughters. Isabella is ten, Olivia is seven, and Zoey is four. Each of the girls is unique and has taught us a lot in our process of following Jesus together. We like to go out on walks and go to the park together. Once a month I try to get some alone time with each of my daughters which usually includes bowling or trampolines. A typical day in the Burkholder house starts around 5:00am. Because of traffic here in Guatemala City, we have to leave early for school. After school, the girls come home to different activities - sometimes swimming class, sometimes piano lessons. Four or five nights a week we have dinner together where we usually talk about our high and low moments of the day. On weekends, we enjoy time together, playing outside, or watching sports together. Go Cubs and Go Buckeyes! Q: What are your interests and hobbies? If you have the day off, what are you likely to be up to? A: I enjoy physical activity, running, strength-training and following sports. I also love music and, truth be told, am a bit snobby about my taste in music! I also am a very curious person and love reading just about anything that passes through my hands. A day off is usually an opportunity for time with family. Jenny and I like to cook something interesting together on our days off. Often there is time for some reading and watching some type of athletic event. Q: How did God lead you to TEAM? A: My wife and I were working in the Chicago suburbs. I was a youth pastor and she was a Spanish teacher. When we got married, we had already sensed God’s direction to serve cross-culturally, but it was a matter of discerning when and where. There was a driving desire in me to see a church deeply love the Scriptures and at the same time, be deeply engaged in loving and serving their city and the most vulnerable among them. As God directed our paths, we visited a variety of places and made some friends in Guatemala who opened up the path for us to serve here. While we were exploring, we knew that the International Director of an organization called TEAM happened to go to our church, so I decided I should probably invite him out for breakfast - his name was Charlie Davis. Charlie was extremely thoughtful, passionate about disciple-making, and very gracious in creating space for us as we stepped into this endeavor. Charlie connected me with Steve Dresselhaus, a fellow TEAM global worker who was at that time serving as the Senior Director for the Americas. I cannot express the debt that I owe Steve. He walked closely with me in the transition, encouraged courageous thinking about the church and her role in society, and blasted open the doors for us to serve in Guatemala. After meeting Steve, we spent some days praying about joining TEAM. One thing I will never forget – one night during the process, I found myself wide awake in the middle of the night. A peace like I have seldom experienced passed over me confirming that we should join TEAM. There is no doubt in my mind that God tied all of these pieces together to bring us into the TEAM family and community. Q: What roles have you held in TEAM? What have been the milestones in those roles? A: The most important role I have held in TEAM is that of a global worker. God in His grace has allowed us to help plant two churches here in Guatemala, serve in leadership development, counseling, and discipleship. Our greatest joy has been found walking with those who are learning to follow Christ more deeply. I served as the Ministry Area Leader in Guatemala from 2016 to 2019. We helped to establish and lead this ministry area as it grew from just four global workers to over 15. I then served as Senior Director for Mexico and Central America from 2019 to 2021, Regional Executive Director for the Americas in 2021 and 2022, and then transitioned to the role of Executive Director of Global Ministry which I’ll continue in until the end of June. Q: What do you love most about being a part of TEAM? Why TEAM rather than other organizations or job opportunities? A: The TEAM community is full of people who have faithfully served God’s mission and have given up a lot to do so. It is a privilege to know many of our global workers and be counted among them. I am also fascinated by the fact that TEAM has existed now for more than 130 years! There is something to be said about the resilience and faithfulness of an organization that has continued to impact the world for so long. The rest of our conversation with Justin will be coming soon on blog! We’ll hear more about how God called Justin to the role of International Director, and what Justin sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church.
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