Strength comes from encouragement "March 2010 Prayer Update"

About 20 years ago when I was working in New York City, my father visited me and shared his vision to start a Bible training institute for church planters in India. I saw how challenging it would be to underwrite such an ambitious plan on a monthly basis. With no organization or donor base, we needed help.

My father had sparked a vision for year round training of church planters in India. The only way we could fulfill this vision, was to do something with the available circumstances. I was reminded of how my mother had been to Amsterdam in 1986 for a week, to attend a training conference organized by Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The Lord gave pioneer evangelists and church-planters on the frontline, like my mother and others from the local churches, the opportunity of a lifetime when they were able to attend Amsterdam 86 and to see Dr. Billy Graham in Holland. What a blessing to hear my mother quoting pastors from Holland to Honduras.

Their perspective grew, the world was getting smaller and the vision was becoming clearer. The seed was planted in their minds and hearts and it bore fruit that was in turn sewn into the lives of other leaders. It was not practical to fly all of our frontline leaders to international conferences, but we could still provide a time and place for them to rest and receive from God.

Similarly, we imagined a large group being trained together during a weeklong session in India. My father's vision stirred up strength in me, to have Alpha Ministries committed for a lifetime of training native church planters annually in Asia. “And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.” 1Sa 23:16

The Lord gave me a burden to take another job exclusively for the need of training church-planters. I worked at a hospital in the Bronx from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Then, I hopped in the car and drove 30 minutes to White Plains, NY where I worked from midnight to 8:00 a.m. I did this for a year. One job was for my needs and the second job was for the training of native church-planters. I took the responsibility to strengthen the hand of my father in his service to the Lord. Over the last 20 years since then, our IMPACT conferences in Asia have trained over 26,000 people.

Courage comes from encouragement
Encouragement is the antidote to fear and produces the courage God meant. As we look in the scriptures, we see two great encouragers. David was blessed by Jonathan and Barnabas empowered Paul. If faith starts as a small mustard seed, then that seed is germinated by Godly encouragement. By the grace of God, Jonathan was sent to David in his difficult time as David's heart grew faint. Barnabas put his arm around Paul as a mantle of blessings and God multiplied those blessings into the heart of every believing gentile since the days of the early church.

Simple gestures and words of encouragement act as the spark to ignite great works of God.

Last month while I was in India looking at the financial situation and other expenditures, I was going to cancel my Burma trip. It was then that my heart grew faint. I informed our ministry leaders in Burma that unless the Lord does a miracle I would cancel my trip. Lina called me and encouraged me to go. She reminded me that people in Burma need us. The Bible College Students and the children were counting on us.

It is always encouraging to have your wife and family on board with your vision and mission. I mentioned to my friends and ministry prayer partners in India how we are facing a giant financial crisis around the world. Whether we are sharing our victories in Him or confessing our fears, God blesses sharing.

One of my friends called me aside and in turn shared a personal word of encouragement and strengthened me in the Lord. He said, "Brother Benny, trust God and don’t worry. He will complete what He has started." God put the burden on another friend's heart to send some money to Burma to help cover the graduation expenses. God understands that we need encouragement to promote courage.

The next day early in the morning, another friend called and said, "Benny, the Lord laid on my heart to take a second job and help Alpha Ministries. Whatever I will earn as income I will keep it aside for you and the Burma mission. I pray that next year, Lord willing, you will have funds for your Burma mission trip." He said, "Benny, please remember that people in Burma need Alpha Ministries and your help." I was humbled and blessed at the same time.

I had chills run through my veins. It was like God reminding me that 20 years earlier, it was me encouraging my father and strengthening his hand in the Lord. Today, in my hour of confusion He was preparing someone in India to encourage and bless me. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The tasks are His tasks and He is faithful to know the emotional and physical needs we have better than we know ourselves.

Encouragement “strengthens the hand” of the one encouraged and the encourager. It is the “hand” which then works, performing the task God has given. Our God is not a debtor of any person. I never expected someone in India to do this where people are worried about their simple-bare-necessities (which is quite basic compared to what we perceive our necessities to be). God raised up a friend to strengthen our hand in the Lord. It was a reminder to me that He is able and His hand is not short.

Has God called you to be a Jonathan? Lasting friendships among believers are bonded in Christ Jesus. If those that serve Him work to develop and maintain those Godly friendships, we will find ourselves blessed with joy and peace from the Holy Spirit. Pray for that person and ask God to show you how you might be a Jonathan.

Your friendship is a walking manifestation of Christ's love here on earth. God desires such a close relationship with us that he doesn't just call us servants, but friends. As we all face tough times we need friends and encouragement. Over the years you have been a great friend, partner and encouragement to me and the work of God in Asia. You have stood with us and we saw God’s work through you and understood that God’s hand is not short!

Despite India and Burma being closed countries to foreign missionaries, we are seeing a great thirst for God's love in the hearts of people. Since January 2010, the Lord helped us train 1,450 church-planters through Alpha IMPACT conferences in India. The delegates left with a vision and a goal train five others over the next year. Outreach remains vigorous in many north Indian states. In Burma, 500 people gathered for just the 6th commencement of Alpha Bible College. Twenty three young people graduated from the Alpha Bible College of Myanmar. Praise His holy name. To God be the glory. Great things He is doing!

2009, Day by day the Lord added…

People attending
outreach meetings 79,315
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Bibles Distributed 8,000
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NT Distributed 6,915
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Trained though IMPACT
Conferences 4,000
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Villages covered with
evangelism 1,200
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People who made deci-
sion to follow Jesus 6,472
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People baptized 2,372
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New Churches Planted 371
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God is indeed doing an amazing work around the globe. We thank God for leading you to help bring this to pass. We commit to training as many more leaders as God blesses to reach the millions who have yet to hear the Good News, even once, in a way they can understand in their own language from their own culture.

My encouragement to you is to find the best investment you can make in these turbulent times for the souls of men and women, who will spend eternity in Hell, unless they turn from sin and to the Savior. On behalf of those who found new life in Jesus Christ in 2009 WE SAY THANK YOU!
Benny C. Mathews
Executive Director
Alpha Ministries