God has been leading and we are excited about our future. Converge has asked John to assume a new position with the Asia Impact Team beginning November 2020. This transition means fresh opportunities:
Change in Location – We will be relocating our home base to Illinois where we will serve leaders with online training and mentoring and traveling to Asia 2-4 times per year.
Change in Position – John will not retire but continue with Converge working with the newly formed Asia Impact Team. Elaine will go to volunteer status. John will serve as a trainer, mentor, and consultant in a team that already has six members who are working in Asia.
Change in Scope – Working with the Asia Impact Team will allow John to continue to serve Japan CPI, the Japan Church Multiplication Vision Festa, and accelerate and expand church multiplication leadership throughout Asian countries and people groups.
This transition comes with many implications. Next Spring we will be relocated to the US. Our “farewells” with Japanese friends, churches, and ministries have already begun. From May 2020 we will visit our supporting churches in the US for Home Assignment. Then in November we will make the transition to our new ministry roles. We are already lining up our first visits to Asia the fall 2020.
Please be in prayer over the next year as we will be moving our home base to the US, wrapping up ministry in Japan, establishing new work patterns and roles, continuing some old and setting up new ministry avenues. We anticipate many feelings and changes during this time of transition.