Partnering in the Care of our Missionaries
For each missionary that our church sends out, the decision to enter the mission field is one that requires obedience, courage, and the firm conviction to bring the gospel to another part of the world. This commitment is a faithful response to a unique calling from the Lord. The mission field is often fraught with peril, loneliness, and sacrifice, but it is fundamentally reassuring that the calling is accompanied by the same divine promises God gives all believers: He will never leave nor forsake those who are His, and He will faithfully supply everything needed for life and godliness. The Lord’s care is abundant and merciful for all of us, but it is especially evident for those who serve as missionaries.
Grace Church has always been passionate about seeing the gospel go forth to the ends of the earth. This is reflected in our church’s rich history of sending missionaries to the field. Sending, however, is just the first step in the journey. Our church also plays an active and ongoing role in the Lord’s care for our missionaries. It is a continual blessing for our missionaries to be reminded of the camaraderie, prayers, and support of their sending church. Your faithful giving to Faith Promise is essential in this effort, supplying many of the financial resources necessary for the effective care of our missionary families.
The direct shepherding care of our church’s leadership is one critical aspect of the spiritual well-being of our missionaries. In recent years, as the number of missionary families continued to grow, our ECHO elders realized that our shepherding blueprint needed to be both strengthened and broadened to maintain a standard of excellence. The Regional Shepherd model was developed so we could appoint veteran missionaries who are easily and readily accessible in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, and the Middle East. They provide pastoral care, prayer, accountability, guidance, and wisdom to help each of our missionaries thrive spiritually. Funds from Faith
Promise provide bi-annual stipends that allow each Regional Shepherd the time and ability to travel to different families throughout their region to support, encourage, and care for them. Through this model, Funds from Faith Promise are an investment in the priority of shepherding every missionary family.
The physical health of our missionaries is also a critical part of effective care. Their well-being in the field enables them to pour themselves out in service to the Lord. While our missionary families are covered by global medical insurance, sometimes unexpected needs arise outside of that coverage. Faith Promise funds ensure a safety net to bridge this gap. Just over the past few months, Faith Promise funds have enabled two different families to seek necessary medical care outside of the country in which they were ministering. In both cases, these families needed to seek extremely specialized medical evaluation and treatment, which has greatly impacted their quality of life and ability to serve the Lord faithfully long term.
Encouragement Through Christmas in September
Grace Ministries International would also like to thank our church family for the heartfelt cards and generous financial gifts given to our missionaries via Christmas in September. These expressions of encouragement and love remind our missionary families of the unity we share in
Christ and the special place they hold in our hearts. It is a joy to see your desire to support and care for our missionaries in this personal and tangible way.