An update from Riley Spring, Lead Pastor of Sovereign Grace Church Parramatta and National Director of SGC Australia…

Recently, we had the sweet privilege of having Jim and Trish Donohue from Covenant Fellowship Church PA come to Australia to serve our family of churches. Our aim was twofold: to have Jim teach and equip both churches and their pastoral teams on mission and evangelism, as well as having Trish teaching and spurring on our ladies in their womanhood at the inaugural SG Aus Women’s Conference. The Lord used the week in so many ways, here are just a few:

Evangelistic Urgency

Spending time with Jim refocuses your heart and head to see the reality of eternity in sharper focus and especially to face the uncomfortable truths of the judgement and wrath to come for unbelievers. As we spent time with Jim we were freshly awakened with these truths and emboldened to share the gospel with greater zeal. He helped us see that we had sadly become too soft and afraid to turn up the heat for fear of appearing too ‘full on’ or looking weird. Instead, many of us have now gone out with greater urgency for the task of reaching out to the lost with the news of the glorious gospel.

Evangelistic Intentionality

Not only were we stirred up, we were equipped with better tools to help take more steps forward as individuals and as churches to share the gospel. Each of our Pastoral teams has taken this time to review our current practices and now we are planning on working together to run evangelistic courses in a coordinated effort so that we can try and reach more people, more effectively here in Sydney, Australia. We have committed to running the Bridge Course, the course developed by Jim which has recently been re-filmed, and it’s looking great; ‘https://bridgecourse.org’ check it out! By running it well and at the same time pooling our resources together, we can actually do the ‘retreat’ element, and we are really looking forward to seeing what God will do.

Evangelistic Resilience

Jim also helped us to see from Matthew 10 that Jesus intends us to go out and preach the gospel and expects us to get hit in the process. Read the chapter for yourself and note the perilous situation Jesus puts us in, ‘sheep amongst wolves’ for starters! We often see resistance to the gospel as signs that we aren’t sharing it well but actually it can be the opposite, and though we expect people to be saved, because the gospel is powerful, we ought also to learn how to cop a hit, like a boxer, and keep going.

SG Australia Women’s Conference

The theme of our time together was: When Life Is A Lot, and Trish Donohue gave three helpful talks which spoke into our sense of overwhelm in the midst of a full and busy life!

It was a sweet time of fellowship between our two Sovereign Grace Churches here in Australia and a timely opportunity for many of our ladies to slow down for the day and hear what God’s Word had to say about the lies we may believe, comparison with others and distractions in the busyness of day-to-day life. The talks are now available on the Sovereign Grace Parramatta streaming channels on Apple Podcasts and on Spotify or on their website.

This event was put on by a few key ladies and lots of volunteers, but I want to thank Emma Taylor, Rebecca Song, and CJ Lick in particular for their efforts and initiative to make it happen. We’re already looking forward to our next one! And the only unfortunate thing is that they have set a very high standard for us guys to live up to for when we have Eric Turbedsky out in October for our Men’s Conference!

Grateful For Partnership

We are pinching ourselves that we have such gospel centered, generous, and gifted friends who’d be willing to fly all the way out here to serve our growing family of churches in Australia. It makes such a difference for our people to meet and make friends with our pastors and families from around the world. It helps build our values, and it helps build family.

Thank you so much Jim and Trish!

Our friend Rocco Dalia, alongside his wife Mady, are gospel-partners in Turin, Italy, and recently had the opportunity to give a very open evangelistic talk on the true meaning of Easter to about 65 Italian students, 70% of whom were non-Christians. Here’s an update on how it went…

Dear friends, 

Following yesterday's prayer request, we want to thank you all for your overwhelming love and support - what a blessing it is to have you all beside us. Your messages and the verses you shared were so emboldening on a day of spiritual battle.

The message of Jesus, the victorious lamb of God who won over sin and death, got out. The seed has been sown. Carrying on what you began yesterday, let’s water it with prayer so that God may make it grow. 

By God’s grace, most students were very attentive. Sure, there were a couple of mockers, but that could be a sign the gospel was faithfully preached. I was particularly blessed by a 45-minute conversation with a non-religious student afterwards, which led him to say he’d like to believe to have hope, but that he doesn’t yet. Pray for God to reveal Himself to this student and for follow up conversations. Pray also for an angered and cynical (or, truly, hurt) atheist student I had a conversation with before the speech. At times he pretended to be indifferent during the talk, but I could see he was paying attention.

I will likely see most of these non-Christian students again at our social nights. Now that the gospel card has been played, pray that questions may be asked and further conversations may be had. Pray someone may even be in touch and join our meeting this Easter morning. 

With much gratitude and love,
Rocco

An update from Bob Wright., member of Covenant Fellowship Church, Glenn Mills, USA…

Sovereign Grace Churches (SGC) is not unique in bringing the gospel to Costa Rica. It arrived long ago. The Holy Spirit, though, is drawing together gospel-centered church leaders and their members to magnify their impact upon the people of Costa Rica. In keeping with what God is already doing, SGC has been invited to assist particular churches that have been desiring greater fidelity to scripture in their preaching and practice. First one church, then two, and now five churches are seeking SGC adoption, with the support of their congregations.

The annual Por Su Gracia Conference serves those Pastors, along with so many others, and met on March 1 and 2 in Barva de Heredia, a suburb of San Jose, Costa Rica. The 275 attendees were from 15 different Costa Rican churches, with 12 different leadership teams represented. SGC pastors Joselo Mercado and Bob Donohue were the featured speakers, as well as Eduardo “Chespi” Sandoval and Juan Jose Solano who are engaged in the SGC ordination process.

The conference theme was Vivir Bajo La Suficiencia de la Escritura. Esteban Rojas, pastor of Iglesia Gracia y Verdad led worship with gifted singers and musicians from attending churches. Sovereign Grace Music is greatly appreciated among these churches as the songs helped bring the Conference toward adoration of the Lord and an awareness of His presence.

Each teaching expanded upon this theme – that we can have absolute confidence that the word of God is sufficient. It protects; it purifies; it points us to our Lord’s glorious grace and will sustain us until we go home to be with the Lord. Helping us in our worship, discipleship, holiness, parenting, church leadership, reaching the lost, and above all, to love and long for Jesus – the word made flesh.

As is their practice, Joselo and Bob Donohue hosted pastoral teams and their spouses for meals at every opportunity to encourage fellowship, burden sharing, and growth in relationships. These are intimate times with mutual respect and affection freely expressed. My friends in leadership at Casa 242 and Iglesia Biblica de Playa Azul were among those who benefited from these times of fellowship and food.

A book table provided conference attendees with gospel-centered resources; Alan Monge and his family from Soberana Gracia Cartago served in that capacity. The Director of Hispanic Initiatives at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was also in attendance at the conference. Joselo brought Irma and Luis Lebron to the conference from his home church in Gaithersburg, Maryland – Iglesia Gracia Soberana. Like me, they were excited to see how our Lord is using Joselo and Bob Donohue as representatives of local SGC churches to expand the reach of the gospel internationally. Already active at their home church, they were inspired to grow in their support of this work globally.

I was personally impacted by the devotion of my new friend Nayib Bukele. Nayib graciously adopted me for three days as we visited Casa 242 in Escazu and his own church, Iglesia La Gracia in San Pedro, San Jose. I was consistently greeted with affection at these churches and felt the care that these members have for one another and their leaders. Spirit filled worship, faith driven prayer and gospel centered teaching were found here.

The Sunday meeting at Iglesia La Gracia was a momentous one for the congregation as Pastor Juan Jose Solano shared the biblical basis for church planting missions, and his proposal to move to Lebanon in 2025 with his family to impact the Muslim community. His other elders and the church are praying for God’s confirmation and provision for this very large undertaking for a relatively small church.

After church we enjoyed a feast at Nayib’s hillside home which has a magnificent view of San Jose. Irma and Luis Lebron were there as well as the team of elders from Iglesia La Gracia and their families. Nayib’s hospitality is overwhelming, fueled by his gratitude to God for all of His many blessings.

It is a privilege to witness what God is doing as we pray: Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Please pray for God’s continued grace among these churches and their leaders.

An update from Todd Peterson, Pastor at Cross of Grace Church, El Paso, Texas, and Erik Rangel, Lead Pastor of Legacy Church in Yuma, Arizona, both SGC Representatives to India…

For our 2024 India trip, we made four total stops with two of them being the major objectives of the trip. The first main stop we made was in Bhubaneswar, Odisha to visit brothers Caleb and Sidhanta Suna who pastor ‘Church on Mount Zion’.

We have been relating to the Sunas for three years now and the purpose of this visit was to talk through any final questions on partnership and discuss future plans for ordination and regional church relationships. God has really knit Erik and I together with these men over the years and it seems that the Lord is leading us to proceed together toward church partnership. Caleb and Sidhanta have signed the EN Candidate Church Letter of Intent and having been approved, they will now begin the process of ordination, which they’re really excited about.

Our other major stop was to Gundugolanu, Andrah Predesh to visit JP Ravuri. On this visit we discussed a plan for developing existing relationships with pastors in the area in order to gauge doctrinal agreement as well as possible interest in future partnership. We also discussed possible options for expanding the existing church building as it has become too small to provide for any future growth of the church, praise the Lord!

We also spent considerable time continuing to explore the plans for a possible Christian school for the area. We met with banks, land brokers, civil engineers, a school principal and several teachers to better understand how the Lord may be leading us in this endeavor.

Please continue to pray for these three men as things move forward in India. All for His glory!

An update from our Missionary to Thailand. Please note, that all names have been changed for the sake of the work there…

Little did we know what God was about to do when we met a Thai believer one year ago in our town in a remote province in Thailand. Through a story only God could weave, we became acquainted with Tom, Pam and their young son who live just 300 yards down our road. Pam, a young believer in Christ, is married to Tom, who’s a Buddhist, and quickly opened up with us about some significant challenges in her life. Over time and through various means of God’s care, we saw the Lord bring help to their family and we started a bible study with Pam. During these times of coming around God’s Word, praying, and providing biblical counsel, we saw God working in Pam’s heart as well as Tom’s life too. Tom invited us to start praying together for family needs, and we started to observe an interest grow in his heart for God.

As Christmas time approached, we planned a few outreaches in our local community. Pam expressed interest in the outreaches and started to ask if we could do one in a community 30 minutes down the road where they have a farm. “Sure,” we answered, but how would we do this in a community where we don’t have permission or know people yet? After a phone call, Tom and Pam made an appointment with the highest county official who granted us permission and even wanted to help coordinate the life bag mercy ministry among 50 of the poorest in this community. On the day of the life bag outreach, our team provided bags with food and gospel literature, and shared the gospel through the Christmas story at three distribution points.

But Pam didn’t stop there. She also wanted to have a Christmas party at her farm and invited those in surrounding villages to come. So after the life bag outreach, about 80 people, young and old, came to the farm for fun activities and an opportunity to clearly hear about the real meaning of Christmas - Jesus! During the time we saw Pam boldly engage with her neighbors about her hope in Jesus. Children also received book bags with school supplies and the Christmas story due to the generosity of one of our supporting churches in SGC. The Lord shined His light into the darkness during the Christmas season.

As the Christmas outreaches wrapped up, Pam again expressed a desire to bless the community at her farm by showing a Jesus film around Valentine’s Day in February. As we prayed, the Lord provided a Jesus film in Thai, and locals helped to setup a large screen and speakers in the rice field, lights, food, and activities for children. God also blessed us with funding for the event through a partner SGC church.

As we value working with the local indigenous church, we invited a pastor and his wife from the capital city to come share the gospel after the movie. Around 120 people came and had a lot of fun. The village leader even showed up and enjoyed watching the movie. All the kids received gift bags with Kevin DeYoung’s The Biggest Story in Thai which covers the big picture of the bible. The gospel was clearly and boldly proclaimed through many means that day. Young and old watched the movie, and we saw interest expressed by a few as the local pastor shared at the end.

As a result of this outreach, God opened yet another door to start a small study with about 10-12 children who were interested in learning from The Biggest Story. Over the last 10 weeks at the farm, the children learned the gospel from the storyline of the bible. The children enjoyed learning and singing The Gospel Song in Thai, and they started asking questions and showing interest in Jesus. In addition, Tom’s interest and openness to the gospel has only increased over this season.

Through this unexpected relationship which has been such a mutual blessing, the Lord has provided unique opportunities to scatter seeds among those who have never had a chance to hear. We ask that you would join us in prayer that these seeds would take root, not be stolen or snuffed out, and bear much fruit in this community. All to His glory, honor, and praise.

We sincerely want to thank SGC and all the churches that have partnered in the gospel with our team in Thailand. It’s a privilege and honor to do this together in His name and for the sake of Christ. If you have questions on how to partner in this ministry, please inquire with your pastor at your local SGC church.

An update from Josh Montague, SGC Pastoral Candidate at Cross of Grace Church, Chaska, USA, and Director of Expository Training at Training Leaders International…

Over the last eight years, the Midwest-Northwest US region of SG churches has partnered with Training Leaders International (TLI) to train ten Pakistani pastors in the fundamental elements of biblical interpretation and expository preaching.

For me personally, as the Director of Expository Training with TLI for the past ten years, I have led numerous teaching trips to meet these pastors in Dubai, UAE or Amman, Jordan. In addition, Pastors from four different churches in our US Region have taught over the course of this training.

When the curriculum cycle was completed last June, the region began asking, “What’s next?”

I was already leading some training trips to the Philippines and began meeting with Jeffrey Jo of Cross of Christ Salvation Gospel Ministries (CCSGM) online and in-person in Cavite. In God’s kindness, these conversations led to the development of another partnership.

Sixteen potential SG pastors from numerous islands around the Philippines will now come together as we launch the training with Course 1, Knowing God, Scripture, and Ourselves. Nine total trips over the next three years are scheduled, beginning with a second course in December called Knowing the Bible’s Story, followed by six courses focusing on understanding and communicating different genres of the biblical text, and a final course entitled Doing the Ministry of the Word. 

The impact of this sort of training doesn’t stop with a week long course in Laguna, Philippines or Amman, Jordan. Following Paul’s suggested pattern in 2 Timothy 2:2, those who have been trained are urged to pass on the training to others. This has resulted in hundreds of Pakistani believers studying biblical books like Genesis, Mark, Psalms, Ephesians, Isaiah, and Revelation. Six of the Pakistani pastors who participated in the TLI training now meet monthly with me and another elder from our region, as we work through the Sovereign Grace Churches ordination process with them.

Churches are being planted in the Philippines through CCSGM as well as His Dwelling Christian Church in Cebu, pastored by Nilo Ebo. Please pray that this training helps train and equip pastors for these churches as God grows his kingdom in the Philippines.

Please pray for wisdom and provision of funds and teachers as other possible training sites are considered. TLI is already training potential SG pastors in Sierra Leone and other partnerships are being explored in Africa and Asia.

For more information, you can contact me at josh.montague@trainingleaders.org or subscribe to my updates updates at https://joshmontague.epistle.org/subscribe. I am so grateful to God for our partnership.

An update from Ed O'Mara, SGC Area Leader for Europe...

The steady decline of Christian witness, liberalization and ongoing extinction of gospel-preaching local churches, and fragmentation amongst once vibrant denominations have made for a dark spiritual climate in Europe. Pastors often feel alone in their call. Interdependency plays a vital role in nourishing healthy churches and supporting pastors. We need one another, and when we say this we mean that our conviction is not simply “association” but “partnership.” We believe in being bound together in shared values and vision to press forward our commission, jointly defend biblical doctrines we hold dear, and encourage one another in our walk as pastors.

In Europe, we are beginning the exciting steps of establishing this sort of meaningful partnership as part of the Sovereign Grace Churches family. For this reason, from 12-15 March, 14 men from various European nations gathered near Milan for our second annual SGC European Pastors Retreat. The retreat was divided into two portions in which the first half of the retreat focused on building strong SGC partnership structures. We began by fostering our relationships and caring for one another. We then moved to charting a path forward for future development. We do not take for granted that we have inherited robust partnership structures from our SGC family. Yet we also know we have a responsibility to apply these to our European context. As such, we talked through what a European BCO might look like, and how we would proceed with church planting evaluations, ordinations, and adjudications in ways that take ownership for a maturing SGC-Europe.

During the second half of the retreat we welcomed a larger group of pastors who are interested in either joining or planting with SGC. Our primary focus was on building relationships and introducing these men to the shape of SGC partnership. We also took time to press into specific shared values, namely our pneumatology, and then we worked through the procedural steps for joining SGC.

You may be thinking that all of this was very procedural, but I can assure you that we spent a lot of time learning about one another, encouraging each other, and laughing together. Perhaps the sweetest moment for me was near the end of the retreat when it struck me that the environment that the Lord is building already feels like our broader SGC family! This is a grace that cannot be underestimated. Yes, loneliness and darkness exist across the evangelical landscape of Europe. Yes, the procedural and structural elements of partnership are important to how we build. But how we care for and love one another is also vital; our relationships matter! How exciting it is to recognize that God is at work, even in our small beginnings, both in the practical and relational elements of SGC-Europe!

As we look forward to our year ahead, we will continue to focus on building together in relational ways. We plan to gather the European pastors and their wives for connection and care. We also plan to host our 3rd European Pastors Retreat in 2025.

Meantime, we will be working together toward a draft European BCO (to be ready for the day the Lord enables us to formally exist as such!). Personally, I will have the privilege of being in regular contact both with those who are already committed to our family and those who are growing in their interest in SGC in Europe. Above all, we will be seeking to bring encouragement to one another as we work hard for the fame of Jesus in our local settings.

None of this could be possible without our broader SGC family! Thank you to all of you who are praying for us. We deeply appreciate your partnership. Please continue to pray that we would be both structurally and relationally connected so that our partnership might aid gospel proclamation and the bright light of Jesus might shine anew across Europe!

An update from Joshua Varnedoe, Pastoral Resident at Cornerstone Church of Knoxville, Tennessee, USA…

Isaac came to the University of Tennessee with a lot of questions and uncertainties, but there was one thing he was absolutely sure about: he wanted nothing to do with God. And yet, the day before the fall semester began, as he wandered around campus, he had no idea that the God he was running from was graciously pursuing him.

It was on that day that he met Leyton, an intern for Volunteers for Christ. Leyton was handing out cold water and because it was a hot day in August, Isaac eagerly took him up on his offer. Leyton then asked him if he was interested in filling out an information card. Isaac, won over by Leyton’s friendliness, gave him his phone number. Little did Isaac know that less than 8 months later, he would be baptized on a Sunday morning and pursuing membership at Cornerstone Church of Knoxville. And if Isaac was unaware of God’s redemptive purposes on that August day, then he was definitely unaware of all the work God had done years prior to make that interaction with Leyton possible.

It all began in April of 1990 when Bill Kittrell founded Cornerstone Church of Knoxville. By the grace of God, what began as a Bible study on campus (led by Bill) grew to become a vibrant congregation passionate about reaching Knoxville, TN with the Gospel. In the early days of the church, the Sunday morning meetings were held on the university’s campus. But as the church grew, it became necessary to find another space. Cornerstone eventually moved off campus, but the desire to see students transformed by the Gospel never went away.

Now, Volunteers for Christ is Cornerstone’s outreach to the University of Tennessee. As an outreach of Cornerstone, our mission is very simple: We exist to proclaim the Gospel on the campus and to connect students to the local church (specifically Cornerstone). VFC is an evangelistic ministry, and everything that we do as a ministry is geared towards meeting unbelievers and winning them for Christ. Our prayer is that unbelievers attend our meetings and events, hear the Gospel, trust in Christ, and then join Cornerstone as faithful members.

Over the years, hundreds of students have become Christians through VFC’s involvement on campus and as a result, Cornerstone has grown! CCK is filled with men and women who first heard the Gospel at a VFC event and are now faithful husbands, fathers, wives, mothers, and members in the church. God has also used this ministry to provide pastors for Cornerstone. Many of the men on the pastoral team first became Christians through VFC and were discipled as young believers in the church.

Year to year, VFC is served by a team of interns who commit to raise their own support and work full-time for the ministry. Their job is to make VFC as successful as possible, and much of their time is spent sharing the Gospel and discipling young believers. In addition to a full-time intern team, VFC is led by a team of students (called the Mission Team) who have volunteered to give of their time to assist the interns in evangelism, discipleship, and the various logistical needs of the ministry (set up, hospitality, tech, etc.).

Every week on Thursday nights, VFC hosts a meeting on campus that consists of games, free food, singing, and preaching from God’s Word. We also host a variety of events throughout the week including tailgates, house parties (at the VFC House near campus), sports tournaments, cook-outs, etc. Every fall and spring break, we take the students on retreats and the Lord has used these retreats to strengthen our community and to bring students to saving faith.

It is exciting to think about what the future will hold. Lord willing, there are future church members, community group leaders, and pastors getting acceptance letters to come to UT this fall! Who knows who will wander up to a VFC information table or walk into Cornerstone for the first time in August? Remembering the Lord’s past faithfulness to VFC and to Cornerstone is what fuels our efforts now. Our prayer is that students for years to come are transformed by the power of the Gospel and are joined to the people of God!

An update from Rich Richardson, Lead Pastor of Center Church, Gilbert, Arizona, and SGC Area Leader for Latin America...

In a momentous occasion marking a significant milestone in the history of the Sovereign Grace family, the recent vote at the Sovereign Grace Council of Elders has sparked jubilation and celebration worldwide. After three decades of unwavering commitment and faithful service within the Sovereign Grace community, Mexico has been officially and unanimously recognized as its own ecclesiastical nation. This historic decision not only acknowledges the flourishing growth of the church in Mexico but also heralds a new chapter of empowerment and autonomy for the faithful congregations across the nation.

At the heart of this remarkable moment stands a man of unwavering dedication and vision – Carlos Contreras. For years, Carlos has been the driving force behind the establishment and nurturing of faithful churches throughout Mexico. His steadfast leadership, coupled with an unyielding passion for spreading the gospel, has been instrumental in shaping the spiritual landscape of the nation. Through his tireless efforts, the seeds of faith have been sown, and today, we witness the abundant harvest of his labor.

The journey towards this momentous occasion has been marked by perseverance, faith, and unwavering commitment. From humble beginnings to soaring heights, the Sovereign Grace churches in Mexico have flourished under the guidance of dedicated leaders and devoted congregations. What began as a small seed of faith has blossomed into a thriving community of believers, united in their commitment to proclaiming the gospel and making disciples.

With the official recognition of Mexico as its own ecclesiastical nation, a new era of empowerment and responsibility dawns upon the churches and leaders across the nation. This momentous decision not only affirms the maturity and growth of the Mexican churches within the Sovereign Grace family but also underscores the trust and confidence placed in their ability to shepherd their flocks with wisdom and grace.

Currently boasting ten vibrant churches spread across the nation, with over 30 men actively engaged in the ordination process, the future of the Sovereign Grace movement in Mexico shines bright with promise and potential. As these faithful men are equipped and empowered to lead with integrity and humility, the impact of their ministry is poised to resonate far beyond the borders of their nation, touching lives and transforming communities for the glory of God.

As we celebrate this historic moment, let us pause to reflect on the faithfulness of God and the remarkable journey that has brought us to this point. From the humble beginnings of a handful of believers to the vibrant tapestry of diverse congregations united in their love for Christ, the story of Sovereign Grace in Mexico is a testament to the power of God's grace and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.

Looking ahead, let us continue to uphold the churches and leaders of Mexico in prayer, as they embark on this new chapter of their journey. May they be strengthened and emboldened by the Spirit to proclaim the gospel boldly, to make disciples faithfully, and to shine as beacons of light in a world desperately in need of hope and redemption.

In closing, let us rejoice and give thanks for the incredible work that God has done and continues to do in the hearts and lives of His people in Mexico. May His name be exalted, and His kingdom come, as we press on together in the glorious mission of advancing the gospel to the ends of the earth. 

An update from Jeffrey T. Jo, Senior Pastor of Cross of Christ Salvation Gospel Ministries in Manila, and National Leader for our work in the Philippines...

During the last week of January this year, joyful gospel partnership was lived out between the Lord’s Grace Church of South Korea and the Cross of Christ Salvation Gospel Ministries (CCSGM) of the Philippines. It took almost a year of planning and much prayer on which the objectives were the following:

1. To organize a joint youth camp between the two churches where participants could immerse themselves in each other’s cultures, build meaningful relationships and deepen their understanding of the gospel.

2. To give gifts to less fortunate children in our new church plant in Dasmariñas city, Cavite.

The youth camp was held in Jabez campsite, Dasmariñas city, Philippines on January 26-28 earlier this year. Through various activities like language lessons, traditional dance performances, and culinary experiences, both groups appreciated the richness of God’s grace demonstrated through the Korean and Filipino cultures. Moreover, through sessions of bible studies, worship services, and sharing of spiritual journeys in life, relationships with God were inspired and strengthened in the youth.

In God’s kindness, the fruits of this camp were remarkable and meaningful.

• Knowing that the youths were saved by the same gospel (indeed they are brothers and sisters until eternity), the love of God bound them together in joy and camaraderie, creating friendships to last a lifetime.

• Through worship songs and the preaching of the Word, they were able to embrace the beauty of the gospel that saved them, which we pray will preserve them in the midst of this confused generation.

On January 29, members from the Lord’s Grace Church, South Korea partnered with our new church plant in Dasmariñas city. The leadership team of CCSGM Dasmariñas City prepared school supplies to be given to 40 less fortunate children, as well as a sack of rice for their parents. Pastor Songhwan and his team fed them not only with physical food but much more with the gospel of Christ emphasizing to the children that Jesus is our Shepherd who provides salvation for anyone who believes.

We witnessed how our Korean brothers and sisters loved the children and were joyful in serving them. In the other room, at the same time, one of our elders shared the gospel of Christ with the parents of those children. Today, a lot of these children attend our children’s church every Sunday and their parents continue to be reached out to by our team.

There was much mutual learning through all of these God-ordained experiences, one of which is that biblical partnership should not be a competition, but rather a cooperation as we find delight in the gospel of Christ and seek to proclaim it in the region where He has planted us. It is my prayer and my hope that our family of churches will continue to nourish, expand, and treasure gospel partnership. God is glorified in this exercise of unity as we follow the call to proclaim the gospel.

As declared in Sovereign Grace's 7th Shared Value, “Our shared governance and mission protects our churches doctrinally and ethically, and enables our individual churches to do far more together than we could ever do separately.”

An update from McDonald Chanda, Dean of the Copperbelt Pastors College and Pastor in Christ Community Church, Ndola, Zambia…

We are thrilled to share with you the exciting developments and future plans of our mission endeavors at the Copperbelt Pastors College.

In the wake of the passing of the Late Pastor Wilbroad Chanda, the Copperbelt Pastors College has admirably continued its mission to train men for leadership and ministry in Zambia. Pastor Chanda's legacy of dedication and passion for nurturing leaders has inspired the ongoing work at the Pastors College.

Previously, the College had a broad focus, extending its training to leaders outside the church who lacked theological training. However, the leadership team at the Copperbelt Pastors College underwent a careful reevaluation of its mandate, resulting in a refined focus. The new emphasis is to identify and equip men from within the local church for future leadership and church planting of Sovereign Grace Churches in Zambia and possibly Southern Africa.

This strategic refocus marked a pivotal moment for the Copperbelt Pastors College. The new approach guided the training of a fresh intake in the academic year 2022/2023, comprising a total of 6 students. These dedicated individuals completed their training in December of last year, and we are delighted to announce that their graduation ceremony is scheduled for the 16th of March, 2024. Join us in celebrating their accomplishments and dedication to ministry.

Looking ahead, the 2024/25 intake, consisting of 8 students, represents a continuation of our commitment to develop leaders with a specific focus on potential church leaders and church planters. Among the current intake, we are blessed to have individuals like Mulinda Mundia and Bright Nalubambe, who not only excel in their studies but also actively serve within the church, particularly in the Youth Ministry and Missions. Additionally, we have promising individuals like Jackson Kabosha and Jeff Zulu, who show great potential as future church leaders and planters.

Our immediate goal in the next 24 months is first to focus on providing comprehensive training and hands-on experience to our current students and former students to ensure they are well-prepared for ministry both within the local church and for future church planting. We are also focusing on establishing a solid tutor base, as we currently have a shortage of tutors to facilitate the training of these men. Only one tutor is fully involved with one of the elders at Christ Community Church who comes in to teach a course or two. Therefore, having a consistent flow of tutors is one of our immediate goals. Thankfully, the 2024/25 intake was blessed to have Joseph Stigora from Covenant Fellowship church coming to teach the first class of this intake. Also, we look forward to having Steve Bice come to teach a class in March and subsequently Dave Taylor and Kyle Huber who are coming through to teach classes this year.

Beyond our immediate goals, our vision extends to the next decade, with plans to establish church plants in all 10 provinces of Zambia. Also, we are hoping for the establishment of a Pastors College Campus (the piece of land is already available for this cause), as this will foster an environment that nurtures growth, collaboration, and community among those we train.

Further, as part of our commitment to regional collaboration, we are enthusiastic about intensifying missions to support churches within the Southern Africa region. This extension of our reach aims to contribute to the vitality and strength of sister churches within the region, creating a network of shared vision and support.

In closing, we express our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support, prayers, and commitment to our mission. Together, we honor the legacy of Pastor Wilbroad Chanda by continuing to build a foundation for future leaders who will carry the torch of faith into every corner of our nation and beyond.

May God's grace continue to guide us on this journey of purpose and service in preaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

An update from Mark, our missionary in Turkey (full named concealed for safety reasons)…

“But the word of God is not bound!” (2 Timothy 2:9, ESV).

These words have been an encouragement to us for the last several months. Particularly because we have been so keenly aware of our own limitations. Unlike Paul, our limitations have not been chains and guards. Rather for us, it looks something like this: struggling with a new language, walking through the season of life with young children, facing the regular uncertainty of visa issues in Turkey, and experiencing sickness at the most inconvenient of times.

We are glad that on our most limited of days, the Word of God is not bound.

It has been a process, but the Lord has graciously allowed us to learn how sweet it is to watch him work in and through our weaknesses. We rejoice that sickness cannot render His Word homebound. We thank God that His Spirit does not need a visa to operate in Turkey. We are confident that his gospel is bearing abundant, sweet fruit, even in the hard fields of one of the most unreached nations on earth.

We are grateful for the privilege we have had to observe some of that fruit up close. When our home church (Sovereign Grace Church Dayton) sent us to Turkey in 2020, we came to be part of a small Turkish church (the name of the church is concealed for safety reasons). This has been a wonderful context for us to spend time with Turkish believers.   

It has also been a unique place for our family to serve. One of my ministries has been coordinating various translation projects of Sovereign Grace resources. By God’s grace, we have completed the Statement of Faith, Living the Cross-Centered Life, Humility, and other Sovereign Grace publications. My prayer for these translations is that they encourage Turkish Christians and bolster their love for the Savior.

I also have the joy of leading the music for our church on Sundays. I want to mention that I am only able to serve in this way because of my wife, Becca, who graciously cares for our young children in the back week after week. Both of us are overjoyed that our Turkish church has worked with us to translate some of the songs we love from Sovereign Grace Music. One of the sweetest things for us has been listening to former Muslims joyfully singing these words from the song Before the Throne of God Above in Turkish: Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free.

Our church recently had the joy of baptizing a new friend and brother whose sinful soul has been counted free in Christ. His name is Brother O (identity concealed for safety purposes). Brother O works as a handyman in a Turkish resort, holiday town. He has interacted with a number of Christian tourists over the years. His whole life, he has been taught that Christians were infidels who believed lies about God, the Bible, and the prophet Jesus.

However, over time, he noticed a difference in the way these infidel Christians lived their lives. He found himself attracted to this difference. A powerful curiosity arose in Brother O’s soul. He had read the Quran before, but not the Bible.  

One day he found a Bible and started reading it side by side with a Quran. Over time, he realized the profound difference in the Bible. He told me that the most significant book of the Bible for him was the Gospel of John.

Most likely those Christian tourists will have no idea about any of this until Heaven. The Lord used them to prompt Brother O to begin reading the Bible. And God’s Word changed him forever. He rejected Islam and came to faith in Christ.  

Last summer he found our church. We had the privilege to baptize him in November. At his baptism, our church gathered on the beach. After singing together, our Turkish leader took Brother O into the waves. He confessed his belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and his intent to follow him all his days. As I watched, I rejoiced. Jesus Christ, the Great Fisher of Men, had done it again. He had rescued yet another soul.

No matter what happens in our lives, no matter what our visa situation looks like later this year, and no matter what limitations we experience day to day, we know we will have the joy of watching Jesus save more and more people just like Brother O. That’s who Jesus is. That’s what Jesus does.

He is not bound.

An update from Jared Mellinger (Senior Pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA, USA), and Jon Payne (Senior Pastor of Redemption Hill, Georgetown, TX, USA)…

On January 4-6, 700 young adults from 50 Sovereign Grace churches—including people from Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom—gathered in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania for the first Relay Conference. We gathered to hear God’s word, sing God’s praises, build relationships across churches, and to invest in future leaders. We also played games and had a lot of fun. 

God is generous and faithful, and he did far more than we imagined. The entire conference was remarkably blessed, as God’s presence was manifested, friendships were made, lives were changed, and partnership was strengthened. In addition, over fifty people attended a four-hour pre-conference for young men exploring a call to ministry.

It is difficult to convey the gift it was to gather with the many young people from our churches, many experiencing global partnership in a tangible gathering for the first time. The grandchildren of our founding pastors were in the room, ready to receive the call of the Lord to love the doctrines that we hold dear. That profound link between our past and our future was felt in song after song and message after message. We felt privileged to witness it.

Timon Lau, a pastor from Sovereign Grace Church, Toronto, drove over 10 hours with over 55 young adults to attend Relay. Timon shared, 

“The conference was a beautiful display of our gospel culture and gospel partnership, especially for most of our young adults (and a large portion of our church) who are fairly new to Sovereign Grace and its values. It was such a joy to have them experience the family of churches that I have come to know and love. I'm excited for how the rich deposits of grace and friendships formed will impact our own church and Sovereign Grace as a whole in the next 15-20 years and beyond.”

Timon’s reflections capture the reasons for Relay. The Leadership Team has a desire for every church in Sovereign Grace to be a multi-generational church, and for Sovereign Grace to be a multi-generational family of churches. We have a desire to build together, and to strengthen churches by influencing young men and women for Christ. 

After all, the real action is not at conferences, but in local churches. Yet conferences can be used by God to deepen our love for Christ and our commitment to his church. And this is exactly what we saw God doing during our time together.  

C.J. Mahaney preached the opening session on extravagant devotion to Christ, and Jeff Purswell preached the next day on a love for God’s word. Dave Taylor also joined us in preaching on our gospel mission. Sovereign Grace pastors taught breakout sessions on holiness, spiritual gifts, godly romance, faith for missional risk, and wisdom from Proverbs. Bob Kauflin led the singing. The time of prayer and ministry on Friday night was a highlight for many. The result of the conference was many young adults returning to their churches with faith and joy.   

A founding generation prayed that God would show his power to their children and their children’s children, and that God would establish the work of their hands. This conference is evidence that God is answering those prayers.

We are already counting down the days until next year—Relay 2025 will be held at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA, USA January 2-4. We are asking God to use this conference for his glory and the strengthening of our churches for decades to come. May the children’s children of Sovereign Grace live for the glory of Christ alone.

An update from Marty Machowski, Executive Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, USA and Emerging Nations Representative to South Korea…

If you traveled to Lord’s Grace in Suwon South Korea, you’d soon discover the only difference between your home church and Lord’s Grace Church is the language. Pastor Songhwan Kang and his wife Miran have given their lives to build a gospel-centered church in South Korea that models the values and virtues we in Sovereign Grace have come to love.

In fact, Yeon Jin Kim, a member of Lord’s Grace Church, recently translated the Sovereign Grace Journals on Our Shared Values and Our Shaping Virtues into Korean. Songhwan gave them away to the nine area pastors and their wives who joined us for our pastor’s seminar on gospel-centered sanctification and counseling.

Songhwan holding copies of the Sovereign Grace Journals on our shaping virtues and shared values that were translated into Korean.

The pastors gathered were amazed as they witnessed the partnership between Sovereign Grace Churches in sending me to support and partner with Songhwan and his wife and Lord’s Grace Church. Most church planters in Korea struggle all alone to build their churches. I am grateful for the support of the Northeast Region of Sovereign Grace for covering the expenses for my trip to South Korea and I am not surprised that this gesture of partnership had such a deep impact. By the end of the pastor’s seminar, the pastors who attended from other churches were asking if I would return again. Privately some of the men asked if I would extend my next trip to visit with their churches also. Some of these pastors have expressed a desire to join Sovereign Grace and are eager for their people to experience gospel-centered teaching and care.

Songhwan and his wife have modeled biblical fellowship in their church. Korean Christians struggle to share their lives with other believers as they work to break free of a strong history of shame culture where you do not share your weaknesses and family trials. By modeling humility and promoting CJ Mahaney’s book on the topic, Songhwan, and Miran have helped the couples in Lord’s Grace Church to begin sharing their struggles with one another.

Couples break down into small groups for discussion after a parenting message. 

We held a day-long family seminar the Saturday of my visit. After the first message on parenting Songhwan divided the couples into small groups where they could share their struggles in parenting with one another. Songhwan strategically included his leaders into each group to model biblical fellowship. Some of the participants came from other area local churches. For them, this was their first time they ever experienced biblical fellowship in a community environment. Later in the Q&A, after the second session on Building a Cross Centered Marriage, the participants opened up their lives and asked specific questions for help with their particular trials. Their openness testified to the effectiveness of the small group discussions. 

Area Pastors and wives with Marty teaching at day-long seminar.

Joining Lord’s Grace church on Sunday morning was a blessing for me. People with smiles and tears filled the room with the familiar melodies of Sovereign Grace songs sung with Korean lyrics. The congregation eagerly received my message on the shaping virtue of encouragement. We ate lunch together and then Songhwan led the whole church in a “Marty Machowski Trivia Contest” with prizes for the children. The kids were all in for the cookie prizes as they shot their hands up to guess the number of my children and grandchildren. Songhwan mixed in a number of strategic questions for me to answer that promoted Gospel living and drew out practical examples from my experience. We began the service at 10:30am and finished the last of the discussions at 4pm.

All in total, we were able to pack in over 30 hours of messages and meetings. Most of the meetings were informal with Songhwan and his wife and the pastoral interns of the church. We spent time together conversing over issues in the church and my experiences back home. I spent my last day before my evening flight relaxing in the Kang’s home, grateful for all the Lord had done in my week-long visit. It was clear that God heard the intercession of the people back home who were praying.

Couples from Marriage and Parenting Seminar.

Psalm 126:3 - The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.

Trinity Grace Church in Athens, Tennessee, USA celebrated God’s faithfulness with a 5-year anniversary service just a few months ago now, on October 29, 2023, with dear friend and guest speaker C.J. Mahaney, a pastor of Sovereign Grace Church Louisville, who encouraged them by preaching from Psalm 126. They produced two anniversary videos: a slideshow celebrating 5 years, and another highlight video with testimonies from members about how God has used this church family in their lives.

WATCH "CELEBRATING 5 YEARS”

WATCH “I WISH TOMORROW WERE SUNDAY”

5-Year Anniversary update from Walt Alexander, Senior Pastor, Trinity Grace Church

Who is someone you cannot imagine life without that you never would have met apart from Trinity Grace? That was the question. As we anticipated five years of gathering together as Trinity Grace Church in October, that’s the question our family discussed over dinner. The names of specific people began to roll off our tongue. Carter. Lauren. Adam. Ella. Sawyer. Chris. Tony & Gladys. Allison. Josh & Mandi. Bess. Greg. And many more. Each individual providentially drawn to Trinity Grace. Many called to life in our midst. All—whom we did not know five years ago—now precious to us. It’s hard to describe the effect of watching God build a church over five years, but let me try. 

The Beginning of Trinity Grace

Location is never incidental to church planting. The God who determines the “allotted periods and the boundaries of [our] dwelling place” prepares people in specific places to receive the gospel and walk together. But, unlike most church plants, Trinity Grace did not begin with us choosing a location; Trinity Grace began with a location choosing us. Over about a decade, God began drawing a unique and impressive group of folks from the smaller, rural town of Athens to Cornerstone Church (Knoxville, TN). Each week, this growing group of folks would drive 50 miles to worship with Cornerstone. Many of them joined and began serving. A number of them made this commute week in and week out for years. While they loved Cornerstone, they had no plans to move to the big city. They were praying and longing for a church like Cornerstone in their town. When one family joined Cornerstone, they were direct: “I only want to join this church (Cornerstone) if you will prayerfully consider planting a church in Athens.” Years later, the penny finally dropped. We—the pastors of Cornerstone—realized God wanted us to plant a church in Athens. In fact, it seems that God had already begun planting it! So, with a group of twenty five folks, we began gathering as Trinity Grace Church on October 28, 2018. 

The Story of Trinity Grace

Athens is a smaller, rural town. Situated in the heart of McMinn County, it is the county seat with a population of around 15,000 people. Like many of the small towns across America, life in Athens is better than you think—intact families, life-long friendships, and thick community. But, life in Athens is also worse than you think—job loss, substance abuse, and loneliness. Without the transience that brings visitors to church plants in bigger cities, we resolved to not be in a hurry. We wanted to build friendships. We wanted to engage the community. We wanted to communicate to the people of Athens that we were here to stay. As we have said many times, we want to build a church that “outlives us and thrives long after we are gone.” So, we began meeting at the local middle school. After that, the local college. Then the movie theatre and later a few wedding venues. Now, we meet at the Athens YMCA. Perhaps more than anything else, over these past 5 years, the story of Trinity Grace has been the rescuing and reviving of people who thought they were Christians.

Athens is not the heart of post-Christian America. It’s a smaller town, where prayer still happens before the football game and where Jesus makes it on to more billboards than McDonalds. But it’s still an area filled with people who are lost, even though they think they are Christians. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said, “One of the most exhilarating experiences in the life of a preacher is what happens when people whom everybody had assumed to be Christians are suddenly converted & truly become Christians. Nothing has a more powerful effect upon the life of a church than when that happens to a number of people.” That has been true for us. And it has been exhilarating. It has been exhilarating to watch folks come to grips with superficial Christianity and turn everything over to Jesus. It has been thrilling to see vague notions of the love of God shattered by the unfathomable love of God for them in Christ. It has been exciting to see “good people” born again and to see the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.

Five Years of Trinity Grace

It has been said that people in small towns are not used to being excited about something in their small towns. They are excited about things going on in the big city, but not in their small town. One of the most staggering things to me over these five years is watching people realize the biblical vision for the local church and finding Trinity Grace to be the local church for them. And then watching them become excited and thankful and committed to the local church. On Sunday, October 29, 2023, in God’s kindness, we celebrated five years of gathering together as Trinity Grace Church. There was a lot of joy that day—that our names are written in heaven but also that God has given us a family to worship with and walk with in our town!

An update from Manolo Quintal, Pastor of Iglesia Sublime Gracia Sublime, Silao, Mexico…

In early December, I had the privilege and blessing of traveling for six days to the region of the Colombian Caribbean. I was invited to participate in the conference ‘Back to the Book’ (in Spanish, De vuelta al libro) in the city of Sincelejo in the Sucre department. It was very remarkable to see that some people traveled 4 hours and others 6 hours by road to serve at the conference. I also met people who arrived from cities that were 2 and 3 hours away and a couple who traveled 13 hours from the city of Armenia.

Volunteers from both churches (Barranquilla and Sincelejo) serving at the conference.

After the conference, I had the opportunity to teach at a prayer workshop at Iglesia de la ciudad of Barranquilla, and attend the 8th anniversary of Iglesia Biblia Soberana Gracia in Santa Marta. I was very blessed to see from the front row what God is doing through the ministry of three pastors and two churches who have joined in their efforts to plant gospel centered churches in their region. These men are Jacobis Aldana from Iglesia Biblica Soberana Gracia in Santa Marta, and Miguel Miranda and Alejandro Cueto from the Iglesia de la ciudad of Barranquilla.

The 8th anniversary of Iglesia Biblica Soberana Gracia (Santa Marta City).

The grace of God over these men and the churches the Lord has called them to serve is very evident. They have embraced this call, and the call to plant gospel centered churches in their beautiful region of Colombia.

The city of Sincelejo, like so many others in the area, does not have even one church where the gospel is preached and with a sound ecclesiology. This led them to start the ‘Back to the Book’ conference which was attended by 200 people, including some pastors and leaders from local churches. The response was greater than the organizers expected.

With Jacobis and family (His wife Keila and their sons Santiago and Jacobo).

It is evident there is a gospel environment both in the churches and in the relationship between these pastors. We might possibly hear in the following years of at least another 4 churches being planted by these brothers.

One of the best ways we can support this beautiful work in Colombia is by praying for them. Here are some prayer suggestions:

• May the Lord continue to add his grace to these pastors and their churches to continue advancing the Gospel of Christ in this beautiful land.

• May the Lord help them disciple more men who can serve in church planting.

• May the Lord give them grace to face difficulties and oppositions for the sake of the Gospel.

Iglesia Biblica Soberana Gracia (Santa Marta City) celebrates 8 years.

An update from Markus Kniesel, Dean of the Arche Pastors College in Hamburg, Germany...

In a few months, the Arche Pastors College (APC) will have existed for 10 years in Germany. We are glad to share with you with much gratitude to God how He has built and blessed the APC for His Kingdom during this time.

The model for the development of the APC has been the Pastors College of Sovereign Grace Churches that was located in former times in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where Christian Wegert, Senior Pastor of the Arche church, and myself, Dean of the Arche Pastors College, were able to receive our pastoral training (in 2007-2008, and 2011-2012 respectively).

In February 2014, the APC was founded out of the desire to plant and to strengthen gospel centered churches in Germany and beyond. According to 2 Timothy 2:2, it is our goal to train men for pastoral ministry through 3 things: theological training, building character, and practical serving in the local church. The APC is not a full-time program. Rather, within 4 to 5  years the students undertake 4 modules each year. Each module is taught on Friday, Saturday, and Monday in the classroom. Since 2017, parallel to the lectures, the wives of the students meet with my wife, Kati on Saturdays to prepare them for ministry by their husband's side and to be strengthened in their personal spiritual lives.

Sovereign Grace Churches has been a great support in the development of the APC, both in an advisory and practical way. From the beginning, we have been supported by pastors and theologians who also teach at the US SG Pastors College. These men include Pastor Josh Blount (SGC Living Faith, Franklin, West Virginia), and Dr. Thomas Schreiner (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky). We are especially grateful to Jeff Purswell for his personal commitment to come to Germany every year whenever possible to teach one out of four of the yearly modules.

Since the very first module which was taught by Jeff Purswell in March 2014, two cohorts of students have graduated from the APC. In 2018, the first class of 11 men from German churches and Arche Church plants in Ukraine and Russia graduated. The second graduation took place in May 2022 with 15 more students after 4 to 5 years of training. Several of the graduates now serve in full-time ministry in Germany, in the Arche churches of Hamburg, Stade, and Hannover as well as in our daughter churches in Ukraine and Russia. We see that the APC is serving to be a church planting and mission project.

Over the years, the students of the APC have consistently expressed gratitude for theology taught in a true-to-life manner and the high quality of education. We are deeply grateful to God for this wonderful partnership with Sovereign Grace Churches in the gospel!

Currently about 25 students are being trained at the APC. Our prayer is that God would use the APC to equip our students to be godly, skilled, and faithful shepherds who lead and care for local churches in Germany and beyond.

May God use the APC to equip a lot of men to spread out God`s gospel over Germany and beyond to save sinners like me and you. We have the hope that each student, his family, and the church he will serve will be strengthened as we endeavor to proclaim in our ministries and reflect in our lives the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ for the glory of God.

Watch this overview video to get an idea of the Antioch Program.

An update from Ricky Alcantar…

For the last two years I’ve had the privilege of sitting in a room with other Sovereign Grace pastors as we studied Scripture, prayed, and strategized about how to advance the gospel beyond our own local churches. And as I’ve done this something powerful often happens. 

One retreat in particular I was fighting some persistent health issues and discouragement about mission in our local church. Spending three days thinking and praying about mission felt like it might only add to a sense of frustration or burden. But in fact, the opposite happened.

• As we spent time around God’s Word and as brothers in Sovereign Grace led us in teaching and discussion the mission that might feel vague and overwhelming began to feel much more specific and concrete. 

• As we spent time in prayer and ministry to one another my sense of excitement for God’s mission and faith for playing a part in it grew. 

• As we spent time around good meals (many of them!) I no longer felt isolated or alone in pursuing the mission, but felt I was linking arms with other brothers and churches. 

The Antioch program was created exactly for these reasons. 

The main piece of the Antioch program is a retreat for pastors in Sovereign Grace focused on equipping churches at the intersection of ecclesiology and missiology to be sending churches. It’s called “Antioch” because we want to see our churches become Antioch churches in the model of Acts 11-13. The retreat is followed and supported by coaching from a trained church planting coach in Sovereign Grace and the project will wrap up with a meeting just before the 2024 Sovereign Grace Pastors Conference. 

Our hope is to see Sovereign Grace churches intentionally, effectively, sacrificially, and consistently pursuing church planting and mission work. We believe every church regardless of its size, location, and resources can participate in this work. It will not look the same in every context but should be marked by the same consistent faithful pursuit. 

As we gathered in 2022 and 2023 God met us and we’re seeing God do some amazing and encouraging things in churches as a result. That only builds our anticipation for what God could do in the future.

Our next planned Antioch retreat is March 2024. Please let us know if you’re interested, and we’d love to get you more information. 

Also, I just wrote an article in the recent SGC Journal on the church in Antioch and what we can learn from it.

Ricky serves on the National Church Planting Group with Sovereign Grace Churches, leading the Antioch Program, and is the lead pastor at Cross of Grace Church in El Paso, Texas, USA.

An update from Brendan Willis, Pastor at Sovereign Grace Church Wahroonga, Australia…

 “How did you come to faith in Christ?” For many of us that question may raise memories of a specific moment or event that was pivotal in our journey towards faith in Christ.  

Yet for every pivotal moment, there is nearly always as many names and faces of those who have been deeply influential: praying for us, encouraging us and challenging us to consider following Christ. That youth leader. That parent. That aunty or uncle. That close family friend or neighbour.  

In fact ––though we don’t often like to admit it–– it is often the example of those closest to us that have far more profoundly shaped us than any single ‘moment’ or ‘event’ in our lives.  

All of us stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us.  We are a part of an incredible gospel chain stretching back from God’s calling of Abraham (Gen 12:1–3) through to the very first disciples of Christ (2 Tim 2:2). Generation after generation faithfully commending the message of Christ to the next. As King David himself wrote, 

“One generation shall commend your works to another,  
and shall declare your mighty acts.”  Psalm 145:4 

“Don’t break the chain.” This is the task of the church in every generation. It’s also the heartbeat of our Young Leader’s Internship! 

Ever since Sovereign Grace Churches Australia was founded in late 2010, we’ve had a deep desire to invest into the next generation of leaders, and so in January of this year we launched our very first Young Leaders Internship with 11 interns from our two churches. 

The aim of the year long program? Simply that our interns might fall deeper in love with the Lord Jesus and His Bride, the local church! 

The program consists of monthly readings, teaching sessions and assignments aimed at growing students in their character, competency, and convictions. These topics have ranged from ‘Humility’, to ‘the Doctrine of Scripture’, ‘the Gospel’ and ‘Engaging With Culture’. 

Alongside these monthly teaching sessions, each intern has also participated in a ministry mentoring group aimed at providing them with opportunities for further accountability, encouragement in their focus area of service, and a more detailed look at an area of character specific to serving (e.g. interdependence, joy, generosity etc). 

Lastly, each semester the interns have had a ministry project that they’ve participated in. In the first semester this was to run together a Holiday Kids Club: Egyptian Adventure, and in Semester 2 it has been to participate in our Team Leaders Training program. 

It’s been an absolute joy to watch the way the Lord has been at work amongst the cohort over the course of the year, stretching them and growing them together in friendship with both one another and the Lord!  

They served their socks off during our Kids Club which was a huge success with well over 40 kids in attendance–– we were stretched just to have sufficient leaders! It was incredible to see their devotion to everything from set design to Bible talks, and prayer for the families represented! In addition, many of them have stepped out in faith to take on new leadership responsibility in their home churches. 

More importantly, it’s been incredible to see the way God has been growing our interns in their heart for the Lord Jesus and the local church over the course of the year! Here are just two reflections from the group: 

“Over the past year, I have developed a deep love for serving the local church. I have embraced various areas of serving […] These opportunities have allowed me to experience the joy of serving God's people in different capacities.” Esther Monck

“My heart for the local church is something I pray people notice. Not to boast in myself, but instead to make known the unmatched beauty of Christ that is present in and through the local church. My heart to serve the local church is not something that may have been well displayed. I believe God is continuously working in my heart to increase my joy in serving, not doing it out of obligation, but out of love for my community.” Amy Taylor

Excitingly, two of our interns are now even stepping into paid internships in 2024! Marcos Cabral will begin an internship focused on Youth & Evangelism and Hannah Payne an internship focused on Youth & Community! We couldn’t be more excited to see these guys want to continue to pour their time and energy into serving Christ and his Church! 

As we step into our final month of our Young Leaders Internship, how can we do anything but thank God for his work in our midst this year!  

An update from Josh Pannell, Dean of Trinity Fellowship Pastors College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia…

As I sit down to write this update, my heart is filled with gratitude. It is evident that everything happening at Trinity Fellowship is a testament to the Lord's grace and your unwavering support. Your faithful prayers and generous gifts have been instrumental in advancing the gospel in Addis and we are excited to share how you have propelled the gospel forward in Ethiopia through your partnership with us.

In the growth of Trinity Fellowship Church, God has consistently brought young men to us with a desire for pastoral ministry. In September 2021, we inaugurated Trinity Fellowship Pastors College, with eleven church members making up our first class. Today, we're thrilled to see another cohort of ten men, all church members, who started the Pastors College this past September. Their backgrounds include Ethiopians with theology and Bible degrees, a popular secular music artist with a desire for pastoral ministry, and a Somali man with an MDIV who aspires to plant an underground church among his people.

Following the apostle Paul's charge to Timothy—"watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" (1 Timothy 4:16)—we seek to equally emphasize both theological precision and the development of pastoral qualifications. Pastors are not merely conveyors of the gospel; they are living examples of its transformative power. Because of this, our program places great importance on the pursuit of practical holiness and pastoral qualifications. Throughout their studies, students receive personalized discipleship from Trinity Fellowship Church's elder team.

Our program also offers demanding academics. It consists of 42 one-week master's level block courses, each comprising 25 classroom hours. The curriculum is rigorous and designed to prepare men for the challenges of pastoral ministry.

The year began with me teaching the first three weeks of class. I covered Prolegomena and Bibliology, followed by Hermeneutics, and concluded with Biblical Theology. Michael Granger, our lead pastor at Trinity Fellowship Church, then taught The Gospel-Centered Life, and Kruger DeKock from South Africa taught The Gospel-Centered Pastor. Jason Hudson, a seasoned Sovereign Grace pastor, led Pastoral Ministry 1, and Ben Lovelady taught our course on The Torah.

Looking ahead, we are excited to welcome teachers from Africa, Europe, and North America. They are both scholars in their respective fields and seasoned pastors with decades of faithful shepherding. In the coming months, we eagerly anticipate the arrival of individuals such as Thomas Schreiner, Steven Wellum, Jason Derouchie, Andreas Köstenberger, Michael Heykin, Conrad Mbewe, Peter Leithart, Matthew Harmon, Thomas Renz, Ronald Kalifungwa, Paul Kayumba, Eric Bancroft, Bob Kauflin, Mark Prater, Josh Blount, Tim Kerr, Markus Kniesel, Pete Payne, Mark Alderton, and others. Truly, the Lord continues to abundantly bless us!

One of our main objectives at Trinity Fellowship is to gradually phase ourselves out and pave the way for the ministry to be fully led by locals. Our goal is to achieve this within the next decade. The new year at the Pastors College marks significant progress towards this vision, as several graduates from 2022 are actively serving the college.

Mekdim has taken on the role of Operations Manager while pursuing certificates in counselling through CCEF to further prepare himself for ministry. Samuel, another graduate, now serves as my Academic Assistant while also advancing his studies as he pursues an MTh at Union School of Theology. Finally, Amanuel has taken on the role of Student Care Coordinator, dedicating 10 hours per week to student discipleship. This year has also given several of our graduates the opportunity to assist me in teaching selected sections of my classes. In the image above, Brian Kiama is teaching his 30 page thesis paper on membership in the New Covenant from Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8, which he wrote during his time at the Pastors College.

Witnessing these graduates stepping into these roles is not only a testament to their growth and the Lord's faithfulness, but also a significant step towards transitioning Trinity Fellowship completely to Ethiopian leadership.

I am grateful to God for the work unfolding at Trinity Fellowship, and I am grateful to each of you for partnering with us on this journey. Drawing from Paul's words in Philippians 4:18–20, we can confidently say that we “have received more than enough. The gifts you sent, through Epaphroditus, are a fragrant offering and a sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And just as God has provided for us, He will also supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Let us give glory to our God and Father forever and ever. Amen.”