LSI journey: Looking back and moving on It is always good to be able to look back and see how God has led us through another year: the blessings received, the new lessons learned and even re-learned, the new challenges we have been able to face and hurdle through by His immense grace and mercy. These are some glimpses of LSI’s journey with the Lord in 2008: |
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KAIROS LEADERS’ SUMMITS AND LRP LINKS  We were able to hold three leaders’ summits in the Philippines (one in Makati and two in Butuan) and helped coordinate one in a closed Southeast Asian country. The Philippine summits were a time to launch the Kairos National Team and to launch the Kairos name for the Philippine courses (from Condensed World Mission Course). After 14 years of running Kairos courses in the country and more than 20,000 graduates, it was time once again to look at where we’ve been and what still needs to be done. The summits enabled us to once again cast our sights not only on the Philippine’s LRPs, but those in other nations as well. A total of 120 people attended the three summits. Ian, our LSI national director, also helped coordinate a leaders’ summit in a closed Southeast Asian country. That summit, with 24 participants, saw the formation of the Kairos National Team there which now oversees Kairos in that country. LSI has also continued its involvement in church planting programs among LRPs through partnerships. Seventeen students from an LRP group have also been helped through an educational program. |
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LSI COURSES AND SEMINARS  LSI hosted a Biblical Greek study course for the first time in 2008 and we saw the excited response of pastors, ministry workers and even working professionals in joining the course. We had 27 students. We also ran other courses: a preaching course (Excellence in Preaching) which had an excellent number of students, Empowered to Serve (which helps Christians discover their spiritual passion, ministry gifts and personal style) and ISOM 4 (International School of Ministry). Gauging the turn-out of students, we are looking into offering the Bible Greek study course and Excellence in Preaching (expository preaching) courses more this 2009. We also held one Kairos course in January and one Youth Kairos during April. The Youth Kairos graduates beginning in September 2008 have been at the forefront in hosting an ongoing monthly prayer for the nations gathering at LSI. One of our Kairos youth graduates also volunteered for 5 months in reaching out a Least Reached People group. Ian served as Course Director for a Kairos course among Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA) leadership last May. Thirty-seven leaders joined the course and subsequently took the Facilitator’s training. We praise God for the significant outcome of this course: the Kairos course being implemented for the whole denomination, which is the second largest in the Philippines. All CMA pastors are now required to take Kairos and it will be used in all their Bible schools. LSI was also able to host a pastors’ and leaders’ gathering in August where Pastor Don Barry from New Zealand ministered and gave them input towards building the inner life. The participants appreciated the one-day event and even desired for it to run for several for more days. They commented that it is rare for seminars to be focused towards the pastor’s or ministry leader’s life. Pastor Barry also spent a day ministering to the LSI staff. |
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Building update. We are glad that provision came in 2008 for the much needed fence and gates for our LSI facility as well as for the living quarters for Brother Max and Sister Dorothy who are back with us in Butuan after having been based outside of the Philippines for several years. We continue to pray and seek out for the doors of provision God has for us so that our LSI building will be fully operational in 2009. 3rd Era plans and prayers. Brother Max and Sister Dorothy’s move back to the Philippines in 2008 was made in anticipation of LSI’s new ministry era. They have gone through the World Harvest Institute (WHI) missionary training in Australia in June together with two other LSI staff, Edgar and Bambi. LSI and our partner ministry, World Outreach, are keen in using the WHI training material for cross-cultural missionary training. The LSI team is looking into crafting a contextualized module which could be offered at LSI. The LSI team has also invested time in prayer and fasting in seeking the Lord’s direction for 2009 along with times of planning. There is much to be thankful for as we look back in 2008. We have seen God’s hand of provision and have tasted His goodness. And in the face of a global turmoil the likes of which we have never seen before, He continues to be on the throne and is outworking His very purpose. We stand in awe of what He has done and is yet doing and we bring Him back all the glory and honor He alone deserves. We continue our journey with Him as He leads us on in 2009. |
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GIVING ALL PEOPLES A CHANCE
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