Updated: January 2021.
The information below provides background for web site visitors that may be interested in assisting CHRISTWORKS MINISTRIES projects in terms of praying, giving, or going. If you want to by-pass this information and contribute to ministry projects directly, click here.
We always welcome prayer. If you would pray for our concerns, we would be delighted. Our practical and spiritual works require decisions all the time, so having direction from the Holy Spirit, whether through prayer, the scriptures, a direct leading, or circumstance, is helpful. People-related concerns are nearly always at the top of our prayer list, which includes ourselves, because keeping ourselves as well as making or encouraging others are fundamental. After this, financial needs to support project work are important. We update prayer concerns periodically although the top items mentioned in the first paragraph stay constant. Thank you for your participation.
CONSTANT PRAYER NEED:
1. Edification, encouragement, and exhortation in personal relationships with Jesus Christ for key volunteers and those we influence. If we are increasingly walking and abiding in Him, fruitfulness shall occur.
2. Fruitful contacts that lead to a relationship with other believers, who we can encourage and train to use our biblically based materials. At the top of this list in 2020-2021 is to spread the biblical creation course in cell phone APP form worldwide. There is much work to be done.
2021-2022 Project Needs:
Pray for believers, who we could train to begin doing some of the same things we have been doing, especially in relation to sharing Christ through sharing about biblical creation and observing the created heavens (the subjects of our two primary downloadable courses). In the meantime, we will be doing most of the training ourselves (Roland and Faylene Beard).
Pray for our work in with the Institute of Foundational Learning (IFL) in the Philippines. This is our primary mission location as we continue to develop relationships, work on school curriculum (biblical creation), and provide other staff helps. It is highly likely we will spend quite a lot of time at IFL in the next few years. COVID-19 stopped the ability to return in 2020, but we are planning to return in 2021 as soon as immigration restrictions are lessened.
Pray for translation assistance for our educational materials on biblical creation so they can be distributed to people groups of other nations. If we get translations of the biblical creation course, for instance, then we can construct free APPs to distribute the material where it is logistically and financially impossible to do with standard printed or ebook versions.
We personally support IFL in the Philippines and have for years. We are not on salary. Travel expenses to accomplish training among the Philippines islands will begin to rise during the next two years. We have downsized our US presence to reduce US expenses and put more funds toward the work at IFL and any other doors that open. IFL is a Philippine non-government organization that has no US office. It is dedicated a variety of education functions for a federation of 200+ Christian schools, a base school of about 350 students, 50-75 orphans that live on the base IFL compound, community work, and emergency relief. Most of their staff are also volunteers. With these things in mind, if anyone wishes to support the functions we have (primarily training and pastoral work) or the IFL functions and staff, we can provide information on how you can forward money to the IFL base.
When we say “GO” we mean going yourself or possibly going with us. Several things, however, must be understood. As a matter of policy, we support indigenous mission work because we believe local people from an area are the best possible answers to practical and spiritual needs. With this in view, we work alongside IFL staff in the Philippines and only with their invitation. We are not able to assist any other groups at this time but pray about needs as we come in contact with them. Do you want to visit and be at IFL for a period of time? Consider the following:
1. We do not consider receiving visitors at IFL unless we get to know them, they are committed Christians, and they coordinate with key IFL staff. They (and we) have biblical standards of conduct.
2. We must also verify that those who want to come have been exposed to overseas travel to areas where health hazards are present and they are familiar with working among different ethnic groups. There is plenty to do if someone wants to help the disadvantaged. If someone wants to visit us personally, we still must coordinate that visit with IFL staff to make sure they can accommodate those who wish to come.
2. Going with us is not the only option if you want to “GO”. We encourage other believers to prepare and train themselves to assist others. It begins at home where believers live and eventually expands to other places as God opens doors to assist other people outside their home. If we can do this, and we have done it for decades, then you can do it. A small church or group of believers can do even more but it takes patience and a process of learning for every individual. We have found that the Holy Spirit is very thorough as He has exposes us to different situations to teach us how to be a help to others. He can do the same for you, whether you are a part of what we do or not. We would be glad to talk with you or encourage you to establish your own pattern of good works using the strength of your relationship to Jesus Christ through your home, which is where it must begin.
