Archives for December 2014

Words from Grateful Graduates

December 24, 2014 By sleinen

Our graduates wrote thank you notes to their sponsors for their generous gifts. Here are a few of their notes:

“Thank you for helping me financially and praying for me. BTCP course helped me to minister more effectively.”
– B. Anand.

“I am very much blessed and strengthened by BTCP course. I am much inspired by the topic, ‘How to Make Disciples.’ I am thankful for all the financial support.”
– Bala Sundaram

“Most beloved STN family in the name of Jesus Christ, I bless you. I am grateful for all the financial support and the BTCP course which helped us a lot in edification of our personal life and ministry.”
– Pastor K. Solomon Ravi Raj

“Thank you for showing your love and supporting us through which we are able to serve and glorify our Lord. Thank you for encouraging us to study BTCP. Heb. 6:10, Eph. 3:16-21”
– N.T. Thomas

Of the six times I have been to India, this last time was by far the most challenging, both physically and spiritually. For some reason, the Lord allowed our team to experience some difficult struggles such as we have never had before. It was clear that our enemy wanted to thwart us and steal our joy. But just as clearly, we were convinced that the Lord wanted us to depend on His strength to bring glory to His Name in spite of our weaknesses.

First, we were able to visit one of our missionary families in North India. Paul, Diane, Susan and I were very impacted by the short time (3 days) we spent with them at their home, moving around the city and hearing about their ministry. The difficulties that they face and the sacrifices that they have chosen to make in order to bring the gospel of our Lord Jesus to a very dark place were quite overwhelming to me. And they still are. I cannot adequately express how proud I am of this couple. They are surely laying up eternal treasures in heaven and they are incredible examples to all of us. They need our prayers!

Leaving that place, our challenges continued for the next two weeks – travel challenges, health challenges and a lot of spiritual warfare. Unfortunately, I was unable to deliver a number of my teaching sessions, due to illness. But God used others to carry the load so that we were able to finish our goal and see almost 75 pastors graduate from this training. It was a very special time to see these underprivileged men who live in conditions much worse than you or I, joyfully accept their graduation certificates, showing gratitude for the gift of training they have been given. They testified of the tremendous impact that this training has had on their spiritual lives and ministry. What a blessing to hear and be a part of that!

It was also a bittersweet time with these men that we have come to know over the past 10 years. We said goodbye to them, knowing that this may be the last time we see them in this life – holding on to the hope that we will see them some day in glory.

None of this would have been possible without the prayer support and generosity of many of you over the past 10 years. Seeds have been sown and planted. Roots have grown deep and much fruit can already be seen. All of this has been accomplished because of your partnership in the Gospel and the fact that you have helped us in the work. May the Lord continue to bless the ministry of Shepherding the Nations for His glory and His ALONE.

Tammy’s Reflections on India

December 20, 2014 By Tammy Werth

What a beautiful time God had planned for me in India.

I was blessed and thankful the Lord gave me the opportunity to be in India for the conference and graduation. I looked forward to meeting faces I had only see in pictures. I was not disappointed. I was humbled and convicted to meet brothers and sisters eager to serve us with their whole hearts, never complaining about anything.

Meeting Suresh and Mercy and Ravi and Shanthi in the US was a blessing, but now I would see them minister, serve and worship the Lord in their environment. What a gift to watch them humbly serve their brethren they dearly love.

The darkness in Lucknow was overwhelming and heavy, but once I entered the gates and courtyard of Bethel Church where Suresh and Mercy faithfully serve, the atmosphere immediately changed. I only spent three days in Lucknow but I will never forget our brothers and sisters in this city. The eyes of these pastors wives sparkled with joy and it was sad to leave Suresh and Mercy and the beautiful sisters I only spent a few days with. Suresh and Mercy always do an amazing job, at the graduation we were blessed as we praised God for what He had done the past five years and will do in the future.

What a delight to then arrive in Hyderabad and see Ravi and Shanthi waiting for us at the airport gates. They greeted us with beautiful flowers and transportation helpers to help us after a long day of travel. I could not wait for the conference to start and was very excited to meet many of the pastors and their wives. The sister greeted us with grace and peace and their smiles were beautiful and contagious. In the middle of her busy week, Shanthi managed to prepare a tasty home cooked meal for all of us on top of all the things she had to do for the conference and graduation. I will never forget the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that knit my heart together even more with these special brothers and sisters in Hyderabad.

To God be the glory, Great things He is doing in India!!

First Two Graduating Classes

December 18, 2014 By pbrown

After 5 ½ years, 11 weeklong conferences, and nearly 500 hours of instruction in two different cities, STN celebrated its first two graduating classes on October 31st and November 7th. Words cannot express the joy we experienced watching 75 men finish the training program and graduate. Abraham Kumar & Diane Brown provided special music; Randy Leinen presented a history of STN and its ministry focus in India; graduating students gave testimony of how the training has impacted their lives and ministries; I delivered a commencement speech from 1 Timothy 6:11-16; David Nelson of Crossing Cultures International (the agency we partner with to teach the BTCP curriculum) encouraged and prayed for the men; and Diane Brown took photos as graduation certificates were given out.

Icing on the Cake!

The change in the men’s lives from the beginning of the training until now is almost unbelievable. They have grown as men of God and men of the Word. Their ability to handle Scripture accurately, defend sound doctrine, refute false doctrine, teach and preach, lead their congregations, train leaders, and make disciples has grown exponentially. And the final week of training was icing on the cake! The topics were: “Missions, Evangelism, and Discipleship.” The men got so fired up they couldn’t wait to get back to their villages to be faithful to what they learned.

These men are “doers” of the Word! One man told us that in the past 5 ½ years since the training began he has worked with a team of people to plant 12 new churches and has plans to train pastors to plant churches in hundreds of villages in India and beyond. One man has planted a number of churches in Northern India and has worked with others to plant 7 churches in Nepal. Two brothers started teaching the BTCP materials to 35 people in their city and are now halfway through the 10 books. One man is ready to leave his current position as director of a school to devote himself fulltime to training pastors all over Northern India. One of the men who translated for me while preaching in a church worship service said he now feels called to leave his position teaching in a college to serve God in fulltime vocational ministry. Several of the men pleaded with us to come to their region and help them train hundreds of pastors who have never had this kind of teaching.

And the wives of the pastors have grown as well! Susan Leinen, Flory Kumar, Diane Brown, Tammy Werth and Mindy Nelson all shared in teaching the women at each conference. We have observed dramatic change in their personal lives, their marriages, and their ministries since the training began. These women have become true partners in ministry with their husbands and will be used of God to disciple other women on into the future.

Special THANK YOU to those who taught in one or more of the 11 conferences (Dr. Keith Essex of The Master’s Seminary, Mike Amoroso, Jeff Forbes, Dr. David Nelson, Pastor Casey Danley, Sean Ransom, Ryder Kumar, and Randy Leinen). Special THANK YOU to all who prayed and gave sacrificially. The investment was so worth it and the abundant fruit in the coming years will bring much glory to our great God and Savior.

Preparation for Future Ministry

Please be in prayer for Ryder & Flory Kumar as they prepare to move back to India to head up the ministry of STN India. They will work with the STN India Board to provide on-going training & accountability for the men who have graduated, equip those men to train others, offer training for new pastors and church planters, oversee church planting efforts, handle administrative responsibilities, identify men to be supported as new church planters, network with other likeminded Christian organizations, etc. They need to raise about $3,000 per month in additional support to cover their personal and ministry expenses in India. We are hoping that can be accomplished so they can move sometime in the spring or early summer of 2015. If you would like to be a part of their prayer and financial support team please let us know.

Pray for Pastor Eddie Bueno. Eddie is the Senior Pastor of the Hispanic Ministry at our church and went with us to observe the training. He is now seeking the Lord to see if he should do something similar in Central and South America.

Pray for God’s direction and provision in the coming days as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission (Mt. 28:18-20) for His glory. Many of these men need financial support so they can give their attention to fulltime ministry. For as little as $60 to $100 per month these men can be fully supported. Pray that many more churches and individuals will support these men to reach the unreached villages of India and Nepal. If you know of a church that might be interested in hearing more about what STN is doing and how they can partner with us please let us know.

To God be the glory great things He has done, is doing, and will do!

Significant and Historical Mission Trip

December 17, 2014 By Ryder Kumar

By Ryder Kumar, International Director STN International.

As the eleven member team from the US ventured to be in India on a short term mission trip, none of us imagined that it would be tougher than we ever thought, more challenging than we could understand, and more hazardous than we ever believed. But this trip was also most rewarding, greatly refreshing and definitely of God’s undertaking. We are thankful to all who prayed and gave sacrificially.

75 Pastors Graduate

When 75 pastors who have successfully completed ten courses in six years and each one of them came forward to receive certificate, it was a ‘rewarding’ experience. It was not just an achievement but a life-changing experience for these men.

One of them, J. S. from North India said,

“These are some words of gratitude for STN international for bringing BTCP course to India – Thank you very much for all your efforts, preparation, sacrifice and perseverance to bring the course to us all. As I was studying course #10 I was motivated to share the Gospel to people of different faiths in India. I was so stirred up that I am willing to give up my position as the principal of my school (letting someone else take this position) as I move out from church to church, teaching what I have been taught. In the midst of severe opposition I envision a breakthrough by the power of God’s Spirit through the teaching of the Truth. I hope other graduates are encouraged to serve the Lord meaningfully just as I am.”

J. works in a remote village in a very strategic area surrounded by the Hindu and Muslim community.

Another graduate by the name of D. from a Hindu-dominated state of India says,

“After studying course #10 the Lord gave me a burden to serve in the church by ‘making disciples’. I am so excited to mention that a new church is planted on November 2nd in a village called ‘L.’ I have another challenge to see another church planted in a village called ‘R’”.

D. mentioned the number of people attending this church plant. Isn’t this refreshing in the spirit as we think of all those difficult days that the team had in India? D. graduated on October 31st and saw a new church plant on November 2nd.

The ministry of the Word by Paul Brown and Randy Leinen were a blessing in the local churches on Sundays. The ministry through singing by Diane Brown and Abraham Kumar was greatly appreciated in churches and graduation events as the hearts were lifted to praise and worship. About twenty five ladies in South and the same number in North gathered for five days. Flory, Susan, Tammy, and Diane ministered through teaching and counseling while Mindy Nelson and Tammy Werth also encouraged through their testimonies. Eddie Bueno, the pastor of Hispanic church at The Bridge Bible Fellowship, along with Tammy Werth, joined the team to India for the very first time.

We now encounter greater challenges than ever.

The work has grown so big that it needs structure, nurture and protection from the enemy. Launching out to India and neighboring countries can’t be kept in abeyance. It will be ‘too late’ to procrastinate combating the imported obnoxious theology. The time to launch out into SE Asia is NOW. Millions in India need to hear the Gospel and thousands are waiting to be trained in order to do church planting across the nation.

Year End Prayer List

December 13, 2014 By sleinen

[print_link]

Pray for Ryder and Flory as they look forward in relocating for the future ministry of STN India. They need to raise about $3,000 per month in additional support to cover their personal and ministry expenses in India.
Pray for Pastor Eddie Bueno. Eddie is the Senior Pastor of the Hispanic Ministry at our church and went with us to observe the training. He is now seeking the Lord to see if he should do something similar in Central and South America.
Pray for God’s direction and provision in the coming days as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission (Mt. 28:18-20) for His glory. Many of these men need financial support so they can give their attention to fulltime ministry.
Pray that many more churches and individuals will support these men to reach the unreached villages of India and Nepal.

India 2014

December 3, 2014 By Diane Brown

As in years gone by, I come to my computer to write to you about my recent trip to India. I have the very familiar sense of humility, gratefulness, unworthiness, and wonder at God’s grace.

Visiting Brad and Lisa in Northern India was most likely the most unique experience I’ve ever had in all my travels. (Okay, well, there was that time in a remote village in the Philippines ‘sleeping’ in a ‘motel room’ with lizards climbing on every wall and the ceiling…but that was a different kind of unique.) Paul and I stayed on a houseboat way across a lake from a dock and the town streets. So every day we took a ‘shakara’ (see pic) to leave our houseboat and to return. We all met in the mornings at the dock and we would do our outings and then they would come back to the houseboat on the shakaras with us so we could have dinners together. What an incredible time we all had hearing about the joys and challenges of their new ministry there. They are precious and deeply devoted servants of the Lord Jesus. What a blessing to spend extended time with them and be there in the very place where they minister to such spiritually needy people. We were able to visit their home and even meet some of their neighbors. One afternoon Brad led us in a sweet time of worship together, we had a picnic on a verrrry tiny island on the lake, we enjoyed beautiful gardens nearby, and everything was just (if there were such a thing) magical. Beyond all this amazingness, I have to say that my greatest joy during those 4 days was watching Susan and her sister. Of course they share a sisterly love that is beautiful, but their hearts are knit together with a love for missions and sharing the gospel that is profound. Saying goodbye to Brad and Lisa was…well, it makes me tear up just remembering it. They need our prayers as they stay and live among people who so desperately need the Savior.

What a joy to experience such an increasing closeness to the wives of our pastors. Even after our 5 year separation, they exuded a familiarity and friendship with us that was so sweet and could only be explained because of the Holy Spirit. They were demonstrative and expressed such an appreciation of the teaching and ‘gospel oriented’ gifts we prepared for them. The week long conferences in Lucknow and Hyderabad held so much excitement as the pastors moved closer each day to finishing the BTCP course and ultimately receiving their certificate at graduation. The ceremonies were so meaningful and everyone is still in awe of all that God has done in the lives of our pastors, their families, and their churches.

I have a couple of skills that I can use on these trips…or as I enjoy saying to Susan, “I have 2 jobs and neither one is teaching. I can sing and I love to take pictures (not very professional, but the trips get documented). Well, this year Susan said, ‘you’re teaching and here’s your topic.’ So, way outside my comfort zone on so many levels, I did a lesson for the sisters on ‘Spiritual Training of Children in the Home.’ God was very gracious to help me write a sufficient lesson and I can trust that He used it in the lives of our precious pastors’ wives in Lucknow and Hyderabad. I share that little story with you because it is so very true that God doesn’t always ‘call the equipped’ but He always ‘equips the called.’

How wonderful to have Pastor Eddie and Tammy Werth join us on this trip. They were both so easy going, always helpful, and seemed so comfortable in the Indian culture. Please be praying for the Lord’s leading as Pastor Eddie ascertains the possibility of an STN ministry in Central America. The Lord used Tammy’s powerful testimony in the lives of the sisters as well as my own. God has done great things in her life! David and Mindy Nelson are also a joy to partner with in ministry. The Kumars and Leinens…well, that just goes without saying. What a team.

The fact that I get to share these experiences with and (more so) because of my husband, Paul, is blessing upon blessing. Thank you Jesus for ‘Shepherding the Nations!’