Ministry Updates and News from the Mehns
The last week seemed like a whirlwind of change as several opportunities for this year presented themselves at the same time. When you are in God’s ministry sometimes opportunity comes right up and knocks on your door. Most of ministry is not planned but is situational anyway. I wish I was this flexible and open to opportunities when I was younger. First, an old colleague from Japan wrote me and said that he will be…
2024 was a significant year. The most national elections were held worldwide in one year affecting the largest number of people. Besides the US, there were elections in India and many places where we work. In some cases our Asia partners were encouraged, but for some this year will bring some continued uncertainty. The growth of the Kingdom of God and the spread of the gospel always brings hope. “When is your next trip?”…
A few incredibly significant milestones happened last month. Our focus has always been to multiply disciples, leaders, and churches. Missions is relationships and our ministry is always to move people to their next stage of development both in ministry, character, and skills. But as a resident missionary we know we cannot be in a context, such as Japan, forever. We have to build things and people that will outlast our tenure in a place. Over…
Elaine and I wish you and yours a wonderful Christ-filled Christmas celebration. May the promises of God be more real to you as you understand more fully the tremendous gift of God at Christmas.
Sometimes you invest a lot in some people and all at once are surprised by their progress. Each month I equip many leaders throughout Asia. Some I meet online, often monthly, just this last week I coached online with a South Asian leader who is training nearly 1,000 local church planters, advised a leader pursuing his master’s degree in theology, met with a training core group mobilizing more missionaries, and a group facilitating theological education…
As you may remember, I have been working with an entire network of churches seeking to increase their impact in world missions in their part of the globe. I met at a regional missions conference that was attended by over 380 people, a record attendance. Several of the pastors challenged more to dedicate themselves to becoming missionaries and for each church to invest at least 10% of their income for missions. I was asked to…
Then I was back in Japan to meet with some church planters and church planting team leaders that I am coaching. Later I met with 22 key leaders from all over Japan and from key church multiplication groups in the Japan Church Multiplication National Roundtable. For two days we discussed the current state of the church in Japan, the challenges of planting 50,000 new churches, where repentance and change is needed, and how we could…