Global Advance Impacts Africa

What can we do for a country that has been traumatized by war, genocide and is ranked last in the world in most economic categories, including personal income? One thing we can do is to minister life and hope to their pastors and Christian business community. That’s just what Global Advance did last week through our Frontline Shepherds Conference and Marketplace Leadership Conference in Burundi. Global Advance partners Rick Kingham of Glocal Leadership Institute, Ralph Holland of Mundo de Fe and David Hatley ministered to several hundred pastors from numerous denominations.

Global Advance Marketplace Director, Kevin Pate, led a team of U.S. Christian business leaders to teach Christian principles of business, as well as practical business knowledge to Burundian Christian business professionals. “I believe that Christians in business are called to live out their faith in the marketplace and they will be influencers and difference-makers wherever they are in the world,” Kevin expressed. The Burundi Marketplace team challenged the attendees to give God a chance to prove Himself strong in their businesses. All who attended were hungry to know what the Bible says about business and desired to learn how to grow, expand and be more profitable. In addition, the team visited local businesses offering consultation and prayer with business owners and their staff.

A unique opportunity was presented to the team as they were able to attend an evening service and share a meal with the President of Burundi, his family and cabinet members. It was a memorable night under the African sky that was filled with lively praise and worship. Rick Kingham of Glocal Leadership Institute delivered the message and was able to minister God’s Word to the President and all in attendance. The First Lady attended the Marketplace Conference the following day.

Join with us in praying for the nation of Burundi and its leaders. Pray that the seeds sown for God’s Kingdom will bear much fruit.

Equipping Women Leaders

God has opened doors worldwide for Global Advance to minister to women leaders in underserved nations. We believe He is calling women around the world to become influencers, intercessors and catalysts for fulfilling the great commission. As we equip frontline shepherds and marketplace leaders we want to honor women and help them realize God’s purposes, priorities and power in their lives. This is so important, especially in developing nations where many times women are treated without dignity.

The past two years Global Advance has conducted many women’s leadership tracks alongside our Frontline Shepherds Conferences. Many of those who attend our Marketplace Conferences are women entrepreneurs. Just recently we sponsored a Women’s Leadership Conference in Davao, Philippines.

Here are a few testimonies:

From Pastor George: “My wife just attended the conference and I was so blessed to see the change in her countenance! This has made such an impact in her life. She has a renewed joy and passion to serve the Lord with gladness.”

From Judith: “This was so exciting for me. I have learned my true identity is in Jesus. This conference has encouraged and challenged me to step up in leadership, pray extravagantly and mentor other women.”

From Vivian: “Thank you for helping me see that a woman of destiny has an intimate relationship with God.”

We want to mobilize Godly women in business and the Church from our nation to pour into women leaders around the world. If you would like to learn more about Global Advance Women’s ministry or how you can be involved please contact our offices.

ANCHORED IN HOPE

Reflections on Biblical Hope by David Shibley

Too often Christians are trading in rock-solid, biblical hope for fragile, humanistic optimism. Believe me, they are not the same. Clear, scriptural teaching on our incontrovertible hope in Christ has too often been replaced with little homilies that basically admonish, “Hang in there! It’s gonna get better.” We are trading gold for fool’s gold.

Obviously a positive attitude has its merits. Nobody wants to be around dour, pessimistic people. We, of all people, should be the most encouraged and most encouraging. There is much to be happy about, and there is plenty to laugh about. But on the 9/11s of life, humanistic optimism alone will not cut it. Only a hope that rests on the sure foundation of Jesus will steady your life in times like these.

Let’s get real. Tomorrow things could indeed get better, or tomorrow things could get worse. The economy may recover, or we may sink into a “bottomless pit” of debt and hyper-inflation. We all face the very real potential of experiencing acts of terrorism. These are not “negative confessions;” these are facts of life. But if you know your Bible – and if you know your Savior – this does not mean you live in a morose pessimism. On the contrary, it means you live in joy, confidence and victory every day, no matter what may come.

I want to be very clear. Christ is our hope. His return, His rule, His global glory; this is our hope. No Jesus – no hope. With Jesus – great hope. All our hope is wrapped up in Christ. He is “the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope” (1 Tim. 1:1).

Don’t trade in biblical hope for mere humanistic optimism.
Believe me, they are not the same.

Through Christ we have:

• Hope that He will come again. “Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

• Hope for a glorified body fit for eternity. He “will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Phil. 3:21).

• Hope of a home in heaven. “In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn. 14:2-3).

• Hope that the scales of justice will finally and forever be balanced. God “has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Ac. 17:31).

• Hope that we will be reunited with loved ones already with the Lord. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

• Hope for the unrivaled reign of Jesus Christ over all the earth. “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Rev. 11:13).

• Hope of a new heaven and a new earth. “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Rev. 21:1).
  

It’s all because of Jesus. Stay anchored in the lordship of Christ over your life. His rule in you provides solid hope for the future and grounded strength and joy for today. “Christ is in you, the assurance of all the glorious things to come” (Colossians 1:27, Phillips).

Excerpted from Living As If Heaven Matters
by David Shibley (Charisma House).
To order your copy of this hope-filled book, click here.

God is Stirring Marketplace Leaders in Peru

Over 350 Peruvian business leaders and professionals recently attended a marketplace leadership event sponsored by Global Advance and the Peruvian Cathedral de Fe Christian business network. The Business Leadership by Design course on leadership character and Biblical principles for business were taught by Don and Deb Jones, entrepreneurs from Dallas. Kevin Pate, who directs Global Advance Marketplace Missions, lead the entire group to commit their businesses to God’s purposes in their nation.

Cleaning Up for Christ

José, a Christian businessman in Lima, Peru, is “cleaning up” with his business. His cleaning business is located in the heart of the interior design district of Lima. A true entrepreneur, José has excelled in the niche of cleaning commercial and residential carpets, rugs and curtains. He gives all the credit for his success to God, as he dedicated his business to Him years ago. At this time, he estimates that he has about 87% market share in the city.

For the past three years, José ’s company has experienced an annual growth trend of about 20%. He believes that his carpet cleaning company has flourished due to his diligence to base his business on the Biblical principles of hard work, excellence, honesty and good customer service. He further stresses the importance of customer service in saying that about 80% of his customers are repeat business and most of his new customers come based on word of mouth from satisfied customers.

Nicolas and Mary Elena

This dedicated Christian couple own and operate a successful business in Lima, Peru, which converts vehicles from gasoline dependent to natural gas or liquid propane gas dependent. They have just opened their second location in the city and are extremely excited about what God is doing in their business. They feel blessed that God is allowing them to be a part of this business, which they consider His business.

Nicolas and Mary Elena related the following testimony – Nicolas explained, “we have always believed in giving out of our business and over a year ago, God spoke telling us to give over and above our normal offerings for one year.” Mary Elena, the accountant on the team, said, “I was nervous about doing this, but we both felt with certainty that God had spoken.” In the next year, their business grew steadily each month and they had a banner year!

At the end of that year, Nicolas said that he and Mary Elena both agreed that they had completed their obligation to the Lord and would therefore, stop giving the extra percentage. Although they agreed to stop giving, “secretly neither one of us felt right, nor had a peace about stopping (our giving to the Lord). Immediately, our business dropped and we had a terrible month. In talking with each other, we discovered that we both strongly felt that we should not have stopped giving the extra percentage.” Without hesitation, they reinstated the extra percentage and their business rebounded the next month!

Nicolas and Mary Elena are a great example of a husband and wife team who work together, are generous and look to God for direction in their business. They are an inspiration of what can happen if we hear and obey the Lord’s voice in everything we do.

HOW TO MAKE GOD ANGRY

Reflections on Not Trusting God by David Shibley

In my morning times with the Lord I’ve been reading through the Old Testament. Looking again at the history of God’s dealings with His people, it jumps out that God was angered with ancient Israel because of their idolatry, their stiff-necked rebellion, and their unbelief.

Psalm 78 recounts the children of Israel’s sagas of skepticism. Even after God had dramatically caused water to gush from the rock, the people essentially said, “Yeah, He produced water but I’ll bet He can’t give us meat in this wilderness.” It was posited in the form of a half-mocking question: “Can God spread a table in the desert?” (Psa. 78:19, NIV).

God’s response to their faithlessness was swift and strong. “Therefore the Lord heard this and was furious; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel, because they did not believe in God, and did not trust in His deliverance” (Psa. 78:21-22).

God demonstrated His authority over the environment with a deluge of manna and a blinding rain of quail. He also gave these skeptics something else – spiritual famine. “He gave them their request [for meat]; but sent leanness into their soul” (Psa. 106:15).

Confessions of faith are being
subverted by declarations of doubt.

Here is the Psalmist’s verdict: “How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert! Yes, again and again, they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel” (Psa. 78:40-41). Their unbelief thwarted their own deliverance. In this sense, they limited God. That’s one indictment I don’t want over my life.

These Old Testament stories “were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Ro. 15:4). A serious caveat unfolds from these stories for our situation and our times. There’s way too much “wilderness whining” coming out of churches and ministries: “Well, with the economy the way it is …” “In this kind of climate, we can’t even think about growing; we’re just trying to hold our own.” “Obviously, we’ll have to cut back.” Confessions of faith are being subverted by declarations of doubt.

Are we making God furious? Are we limiting the Holy One of Israel?

Life sees to it that we walk through some deserts. But while we may be walking through the desert we are not subject to the desert. We belong to another Kingdom and we are subject only to King Jesus. While others die from the blazing heat, we live under God’s protective cloud. While those not in covenant with God perish from the cold, we are warmed by a pillar of fire. God provides and spreads a table in our desert!

You may have lost your job. Your investments may have tanked. But I have a message for you: If you belong to Jesus Christ you’re going to get through this! You’re not going to starve. Your needs will be met. And there is a Promised Land in your future!

Let’s not tempt God by unbelief. Let’s not limit the Holy One of Israel. Watch your words – and trust your King for supernatural protection and abundant provision.

PRAISE REPORT

God is at work in the nations! One of the greatest joys of Global Advance’s ministry is to pass the baton of training nationals to national leaders themselves. Just as Paul urged Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2 to entrust faithful leaders to teach others, Global Advance is endeavoring to do the same.

Through the financial resources and training materials of Global Advance, thousands of leaders are being equipped by nationals. In the past two weeks, we’ve had pastors training events in Russia, Zimbabwe, India, and Nigeria. Our Russian partner Illya writes, “Thank you for the resources you’ve provided to help us equip and encourage God’s people in Siberia.”

The heart behind Global Advance national-lead conferences is to take training to off the beaten path places where the hunger level and need is the greatest. We thank you, our partners, for your prayers and support in this effort!