The lives of International church planters and missionaries can seem so far off and set apart that we can forget these are normal families doing regular things to serve the Lord. I pray that, in this upcoming season, we will honor and support these church plants for the good and godly work they’re doing to advance the gospel. I pray we are also able to get a clearer picture of these church planters as people. Veritas currently supports three church-plants around the world. Please choose one of these church planting families and their congregation to pray for!
See below for some updates and prayer requests directly from these church planters!
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:16-20
Jon and Linnea Ranson, Pillar Okinawa - Okinawa, Japan
Our first church plant, Gospel Life Church, was launched on Christmas Day of 2022. Gospel Life is focused on reaching Okinawan people with the gospel of Jesus. Please pray with us!
Our church planting initiative, Gospel to Okinawa, will kick off its annual cohort in March. Please pray as we engage with Okinawan pastors and ministry leaders, working together to spark church planting movements in Okinawa.
The Ransom family will transition away from Pillar Church, and from Okinawa, in June. Please pray for Pillar Church and for the Ransom family in this season of transition.
Daniel and Kelsi Crane, Agape Baptist Church - George, South Africa
Things continue at Agape with the primary focus of appointing Elders in the church within the next 14 months. I also hope to be evaluated by Agape to see if they would call me to be one of their elders. Right now I am serving as a church planter, but the church has never formally appointed its own elders.
Please pray: for the Spirit's leading as 13 men have committed to an "elder cohort" over the coming year. I'm thankful for the evaluation process I experienced at Veritas ... and I hope to translate that experience into this context.
An interesting development in South Africa: the country is struggling to keep the power on. For years we have been experiencing "load-shedding" where the power is turned off to entire communities for 4-6 hours every day. Recently we were without power for 6-12 hours a day. We often do Bible-study by flashlight, and we’ve got a car battery powering the fridge. But for now, Kelsi has become very adept at making dinner without power, and I'm learning to prepare sermons without access to online resources. Just another one of life's curve-balls.
John and Caroline Norris, Redeemer Al Ain - Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
Pray for more unreached people to hear the gospel and to be saved here in Al Ain. It’s an amazing place with so many unreached, but God must call them; and He answers prayer.
Pray for our membership to grow in speaking the truth in love to one another, and in boldly and sacrificially caring for the lost.
Pray for Caroline as she starts a new year of homeschooling with our children. She’s made several adjustments to the curriculum that have required a lot of work and energy this summer. Pray for strength for her, and for our kids to grow in the true knowledge of God and His world.
Praise the Lord for allowing us to move back to the Al Ain Convention Centre on Saturday mornings. We have prayed for this for a long time, and so our measure of gratitude is high! Pray that moving back would be an encouragement to our members and a benefit to the lost in our part of the city.