- Pray for Ryder and Flory as they are in India traveling, speaking and ministering in the name of Jesus this month. Pray especially for difficult heat in Lucknow (120 degrees). Pray for good health and safe travel.
- Please pray as lot of discussions are taking place regarding Ryder’s move, driving license, adjustments to be made, etc. during the current trip to India.
- Praise God for His amazing provision of $700,000 through an anonymous donor! Pray for wisdom for our board as we are seeking the Lord’s will in how to best utilize these funds.
- Pray for monthly support to be raised for Ryder and Flory. They have currently raised $1838 in monthly support commitments with a goal of $4000.
- Praise for the good news from Ravi and Shanthi regarding their church property in Hyderabad.
- Provision of new pastor at East West Community Church when Ryder moves.
Words from Grateful Graduates
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
Year End Prayer List
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- 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.
Tammy’s First STN Mission Trip
Tammy Werth will be joining us for the first time for our upcoming short-term mission trip to India. She writes the following about her decision to join our team:
“God has given me a passion for India and I feel as if I am already connected to many on the other side of the world; I am humbled by this life changing opportunity. God called me to support the ministry of Shepherding the Nations with my organizational and accounting skills shortly after STN received non-profit approval in 2007. I pray for the pastors, know their profile pictures, have the joy of finding sponsors for them and have enthusiastically read every field report for many years. How gracious God is to allow me to finally meet these men and their wives face to face.”
Prayer Requests Oct 2014
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- Safety, health, and bold testimony during our travels
- STN’s first-ever graduation event at Lucknow and in Hyderabad to bring glory and honor to the Lord as 75 pastors will be receiving certificates
- Travel, health and saftey for participants and their wives in India – booking and reservations and travel by bus and train
- Fruitful and Spirit-led ministry of our team in teaching, preaching and music
- Great translators for the team while preaching in churches and teaching in conferences
- Financial provision
- The ministry of the preaching of the Word on Sundays – that many in attendance would commit themselves to the Lord
- Clear vision for Eddie Bueno for the future ministry of STN in Central and South America
Team
Update:
Thank you so much for your prayers for our Fall 2014 Bible Conferences in India. Our graduation services were such a blessing both for our team and the graduates, their families and guests. We will be adding photos and summaries about our trip soon – stay tuned!
Please join our prayer team!
We are excited to let you know about our upcoming Bible Conference in India. Very soon a team will be leaving for a three-week trip to facilitate Bible training conferences in two parts of India.
We are particularly excited about this trip because this is our first graduating class!
This trip is the culmination of five years of Bible training with a group of 80 pastors from various parts of South and North India. Our team will teach through the tenth and final book in a series of instructional materials written by BTCP (www.bibletraining.com). These pastors have studied hard and put into practice what they have learned through our twice-a-year conferences over the past five years and they will be our first graduating class! Our team will teach through this last crucial book on Missions, Evangelism and Discipleship. We will have one five-day conference in Lucknow culminating with a graduation ceremony. Then we will travel to Hyderabad and hold a conference there for pastors in that area. About 40 pastors will be traveling to each city from the rural villages where they live and lead their churches.
The pastors will be bringing their wives to this conference and we will have special seminars designed just for these ladies. We will have the privilege to teach the Bible to these women who rarely have the opportunity to leave their villages or to gather as women to learn from one another.
In case you were wondering…
Yes, we are still raising funds for this trip! Each team member needs to raise $3,500 to fund this trip. Not only do we need to cover our own travel expenses, but we also need to fund the conferences themselves. The pastors that we minister to could not afford to get this training in any other way. Your tax-deductible donation will be helping to cover the cost of travel, meals and books for our team and these 80 pastors and their wives. Just use the donate button on this page to donate by credit card or paypal or send your check to:
Shepherding the Nations
18644 Sherman Way
Reseda, CA 91335
Prayer Requests August 2014
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- Our Fall seminars in Hyderabad and Lucknow are the culmination of five years of teaching and study. Course #10 on missions, evangelism and discipleship is very important and all the participants are required to complete it promptly and successfully. Pray for us as we finalize the teaching schedule and for the teachers (Paul, Randy, Ryder and David). Pray for the effectiveness and fruitfulness of this last seminar.
- Many of the wives of the pastors will attend the seminars with their husbands. Pray for Susan, Flory, Tammy, and Diane who will minister to these ladies. These pastors’ wives not only play a important role in families and church but also have significant influence in the community. Pray that the teaching received at the seminar could make a profound impact in these lives. Pray for their children who would be left behind in towns/villages while the mothers are at the seminar.
- Graduation day to be a celebration in the cities of Lucknow and Hyderabad as many Christian leaders, and local churches will participate. Pray that many local believers will catch the vision to establish systematic Bible study in their churches. There is a great need for doctrine based study/preaching/teaching in the congregation due to assault of false prophets and false teachings that are rising in India.
- Pray for those outside the teaching staff who are planning to join the team to have a profitable, mission-oriented and eye-opening trip to India. Also, please pray for Ryder to have God’s wisdom and direction in leading this team while in India. Pray for those who need passports/visas and travel preparation. Orientation begins in September 2014.
- Pray for finances for the mission trip to India. There will be 10 team members traveling to this significant celebration. Pray for hotel booking, places to visit, travel arrangements etc.
- There will be opportunities of extra preaching and teaching for Paul, Randy and Ryder during the trip. Travel and ministry of the word, serving people etc. is expected to be very tiring. Pray for good health and strength for the whole team.
- Pray for Ryder and Flory as they look forward in relocating for the future ministry of STN India. There is a long list of things to be accomplished. Ask for God’s direction, wisdom, and power, along with financial provision through one-time and sponsorship giving.
An Evening with Shepherding the Nations by Pastor Ryder Kumar
It has been my great honor to be associated with TBBF for several years. TBBF has a Christ-centered, mission-oriented and people-focused philosophy of ministry and has taken the driver’s seat to raise funds for Shepherding the Nations (STN).
On May 10, 2014, a fundraising event was held at TBBF. The estimated crowd of around 150 were spellbound by the beautiful music and gifted voices. Steve Lively and Diane Brown presented several songs that lifted our soul. Mike Vos, the event organizer, worked with his team for months of preparation. Their efforts included a wonderful silent auction with many items of interest. There were also many drawings where those in attendance could win a vacation, gift cards or tickets to attend various sporting events, etc. Tammy Werth, who handles the finances for STN, oversaw the collection of donations that night. Susan Leinen’s creative work on brochures and take-home packets helped people to have written material they could read to learn more about STN. During intermission, there was Hawaiian shaved ice and a coffee bar available, as well. Many, many volunteers helped to make this event a success!
Pastor Paul Brown, president of STN International, passionately presented STN’s ministry in India with personal examples from his own involvement overseas. India has 1.2 billion people! and STN’s involvement in this country for the past 10 years has borne fruit that is beyond comprehension. About 90 pastors have been equipped over the past ten years though a systematic teaching of the Scriptures and key Biblical principles and doctrines. They are ready to graduate in the Fall 2014. There is tremendous excitement as several thousand living in remote villages will be impacted by these very men. In addition to this, a multiplication method has already begun in India. Churches are being multiplied and STN ministry has spread to Nepal.
Paul Brown closed by inviting my wife, Flory, and me to come to the stage. Based on a unanimous decision of the STN Board, I will be assuming the position of STN National Director for India. This will involve a myriad of responsibilities and will require us to relocate in India. Flory and I were blessed and encouraged by the time of prayer over us and our future ministry as the evening closed.
Thank you to everyone who helped or participated in any way in this event. STN appreciates your support of its ministry and its mission – to resource national leaders to shepherd their nations, developing a global partnership which trains and supports indigenous pastors to shepherd their nations.
Spring Ministry at Bethel Church
by Ryder Kumar, STN International Director
Flory & I have been invited by Bethel Church in Lucknow, India to participate in a conference during Feb/March 2014. I (Ryder) will teach on Church administration, and Flory will teach at the ladies conference.
Over the years, STN International not only held Seminars at the Bethel church but also had many opportunities of ministering the Word and shepherding the believers. The local believers in the church were profoundly impacted by the ministry of STN.
My previous relationship with Bethel (being in the pastoral role for 17 years) and the present involvement through STN brought a beautiful partnership with this ministry opportunity that would focus on:
- Ladies conference for about 40 ladies. Please pray for Flory as she ministers.
- Teaching on Church administration to the main leadership of the church.
- Waiting on God for directions and implementing specific plans.
- Meeting of the elders, deacons, deaconesses, management board and staff.
We do praise God for Bethel Church and the key role they have been playing in building up of His Church in India.
The main founding members of Bethel Church are Ken Getty and his wife Racille. Ken is the former India and Canada Director of Worldwide Evangelization Crusade. He is planning on supporting this trip with prayer, counsel and finances. Over the decades, the Getty’s have been actively involved in the ministry of Bethel Church and supportive of STN International ministry. Our partnership with Ken and Racille Getty is greatly encouraging.
Brief Report On the Fall 2013 Seminars
by Ryder Kumar, International Director.
Hyderabad
As the participants gathered in South India the scenario was a clear display of the accomplishment of our purpose of equipping and training. Vara Prasad, who had been attending the seminars regularly and shown diligence in study, said, “I am so blessed by the training received during the seminars that whenever I minister the Word, there is a greater interest in the congregation and there are new people joining the church. The course on Church history has been a very helpful subject. We have studied about Roman Catholics which motivated me to teach in my village. As a result of this, some Roman Catholic people came to know truth and two families have started to attend the Church services. Please pray as they desire to witness in the waters of baptism.” It was an honor for me to co-teach this seminar with Casey Danley.
Vijayawada
Following the Hyderabad seminar, two special events took place in Vijayawada. The first was a dedication of the first baby (Ruhamah) of our first STN India pastor, Isaac, and his wife, Usha. The other event was the baptism of Stephy.
Lucknow
Our final seminar was in Lucknow where we had 31 participants gathered to study Church history. Here is what Jose Simon, the principal of village school said, “It was interesting to know how God brought the gospel through the ages. In history God has made known His manifold wisdom through His Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly realms. God warned me to love the people of other faiths as we studied about the Crusades, which failed to demonstrate the love of Christ. I was challenged by Martin Luther who responded by being motivated by the Word Of God, to bring reformation ….” It was a blessing to co-teach this seminar with Kishore Mathews.