Thanks to You, Work Is Underway!
Dear ministry partners, co-laborers in Christ,
Thank you for once again allowing God to work through your generosity. The outpouring of response to the spring issue of Ethnos360’s “Partner to Partner” has provided great cause for hope and thanksgiving.
The spring issue described four critical needs within Ethnos360’s training infrastructure that must be addressed with urgency: three at Ethnos360 Bible Institute in Wisconsin, and one at Ethnos360 Training Center in Missouri. These four projects, making up Phase One of a multi-phase investment into the missionary training facilities, require $900,000 for the training operations to continue unabated, as we strive together to see a thriving church for every people.
Thanks to our faithful Lord and to you, the first two projects at the Bible Institute have been fully funded! The third — the fire system — is nearly fully funded, just $56,000 from completion. Many generous partners have contributed to the “Revitalize EBI” campaign; since its unveiling, Ethnos360 Bible Institute has received more than 150 gifts totaling an incredible $494,000 — a true cause for celebration. Thank you!
Your generosity has enabled work on the Bible Institute’s campus to begin in earnest. This summer, contractors have laid groundwork to alleviate safety concerns and to ready the campus for one of our biggest incoming classes of students in school history. At a time when colleges around our nation are seeing application numbers and enrollments decline, we are witnessing the opposite: an uptick in young people interested in studying God’s Word, being discipled, and learning about His heart for the lost in our world.
Additionally, Ethnos360 Training Center has received 70 generous gifts totaling over $10,000, a strong start toward the $350,000 goal for the campus hub Vision Center. A fully operational Vision Center for Ethnos360 Training Center will be transformational for the campus, allowing students and visitors to encounter more vividly and understand more fully the Lord’s heart for the nations. This will present the team with new, exciting opportunities to engage and partner with neighboring churches and communities.
The sum of $400,000 is still needed to complete Phase One, but your combined impact in just a few months is already over $500,000. We are so grateful that you are choosing to be a part of this massive endeavor. It’s a long and challenging journey of faith, but it is one we are privileged to travel with you and friends like you as we seek to share Christ’s name with those who have not yet heard.
Upon completion of Phase One, Phase Two will begin, focusing on the singular goal of replacing the elevators at Ethnos360 Bible Institute. The existing elevators, installed in 1944, are high-maintenance items requiring specialized parts and contractors. They are old enough, in fact, that we are finding some of the parts needed are no longer available. Keeping the elevators even somewhat functional demands thousands of dollars in annual upkeep.
The significance of this need has become more apparent in recent days. Ethnos360 Bible Institute is welcoming a new Bible teacher on campus for the fall, one who has unique needs; he has been partially crippled since a childhood accident. The importance of reliable accommodation for staff and students has never been clearer. We are trusting the Lord to position us to care more properly for the students and co-workers He brings to us.
This will be a $1 million project.
As you can see, much work lies ahead … but with God’s help and yours, we move ahead in faith, trusting that He will meet these needs. God’s faithfulness and your generous hearts provide every reason for hope.
Please pray together with us that we can meet Phase One’s remaining $400,000 benchmark this fall so that work may begin towards the all-important elevator replacement before too long! We are deeply grateful for your partnership, most of all in prayer, as we continue to trust the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers to join us.
I was personally reminded recently of the impact of the training our missionaries receive. My wife and I were privileged to visit our son, our granddaughters, and our son’s teammates, as they continue to disciple the recently born Konomala church in Papua New Guinea. Outside religion had reached the Konomala, but the gospel had not. The Konomala are somewhat unique in that they have two mother tongues, two languages that they speak fluently and constantly mix together. The team had to put their training into action and learn two languages before they could begin teaching God’s Word.
Many of the village residents were not interested in what God had to say, but one family was. William, a man in his eighties, told my son that he had been waiting all his life for this message to reach him. William is a strong believer today, and he and his son Michael are two of the leaders in this growing church that did not exist just a couple years ago.
As I left that village, I was eager for the opportunity to thank our training teams at EBI and ETC in person for how well they prepared the Konomala team.
More than three billion people remain unreached across the world today. Let’s not rest until every people group has heard. Thank you for partnering with Ethnos360 to reach the nations. May God bless you for your continued generosity.
Sincerely,
Steve Sanford
CEO of Ethnos360