IMI 2010 Dinners

Fall 2010 Dinners:  San Jose, Los Angeles and Colorado Springs.

These are fund-raising dinners to benefit IMI’s General Ministry Fund.   To reserve a ticket today, email our office at:  imidesk@gmail.com.  See you soon!

Faith in Action - Indonesia

PENDEKATAN: IMI partners with local churches to encourage proper growth, partnership and self-sustainment within their respective communities.  Finding ways to foster economically stronger members of the church brings renewed opportunities for these Believers to work together in “Pendekatan,” or, practically, micro business in action. 

This is accomplished through various programs, including lending funds for goats, wood-working tools, small food production projects and handicraft projects. 

If you would like to help with funding one of these projects, please email Resty Enguerra, IMI’s Indonesia Project Manager at renguerra@imiglobal.org.

Church Planters in the Middle East

Pray specifically for four new church planters with IMI in the Middle East regions.  These men minister under difficult circumstances in their communities, yet have a tremendous burden to share Christ and to shepherd those God gives them in their respective churches.  To support one of these men, please consider partnering with IMI for $400 per month per pastor.  You can donate online or send a check in to IMI.

The Church’s Challenge

Strong and Balanced?

What makes a strong church?  What takes a church from its struggling beginnings to a fruitful and mature Body of Believers?  Spiritual training, wise mentoring and carefully directed resources are some of the key elements to take a church from vision to an engaged group of Believers.

Can resources, however, cause more problems then the burdens they alleviate?  Many come from the West with good intentions into third world countries bringing massive amounts of money and end up overwhelming those who serve with a small salary and a large heart of faith. This can cause a vast scope of issues from destroying faith in the Lord to securing faith in the West, to greed and encouraging issues of power and control.

Only a few indigenous nationals are able to handle this, and the vast majority lose ambition and purpose. Unless there is a system of knowing how to inject resources wisely and at proper economic levels, we can destroy what and how the Lord intended to build.

To help with this, imagine the mental image of a butterfly struggling so hard to get free of its cocoon.  It seems the merciful thing to do to free it from its bonds, yet this is a death-sentence to the butterfly.

No matter where the church is planted she must go through struggles and trials to be able to earn the right to stand upon her own. Knowing this, IMI has had the vision to carefully and prayerfully assist to manage resources to gain the maximum advantage within a culture and community, with being sensitive to this core issue.

Child Sponsorship Program (CSP)

INDONESIA—God is moving in the hearts of Indonesians.  As the message of forgiveness and God’s unconditional love is shared, we are hearing of amazing testimonies of God’s grace in action.  It is a great joy to be part of this Harvest.

IMI is involved partnering with the indigenous church to provide scholarships (”Child Sponshorship Program” or, CSP) to children of impoverished families.  The number of children enrolled in the CSP program in one village has doubled from 12 to 24.  There are dozens on the waiting list to be sponsored.

The Lord has brought a seminary student who will work as an intern for a year in one of the villages. He will establish new contacts, follow-up and disciple new believers. They meet every Sunday evening.  As the parents are discipled, the CSP tutorial staff works with the CSP children on their homework. The students are also taught English using the Gideon Bible that has Bahasa Indonesian on one side and English on the other side.  They then lead the children in singing and games after the studies.  Pray that when he graduates from seminary the Lord will burden him to stay in this village and possibly become the Pastor of this village church.

How you can help:  Pray for these Believers in this predominately Muslim country who are boldly evangelizing during this open window of opportunity. 

Support a CSP child @ $25/month:  This will enable a child to receive education, a uniform, tutoring and an opportunity for him or her and the family to learn about the Gospel. A packet will be mailed to you with information on your child.  You can donate online on this website or mail your check to IMI.  

New Church Plant Opportunity

Truly, the LORD works in mysterious ways. The key contact person of Grace Church in this village is a schoolteacher that fully supports the CSP objectives. There is a piece of land on a hill next to the school that is deeded to her (see    picture, left) and she is making it available for Grace to build a church (the first Christian church, ever, in this area!). We will keep you updated on this.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support for this important ministry here.

In April, the Evangelism Explosion Team of Grace Church was able to share the Gospel with five families in this village: the five CSP students together with their parents professed to trust Christ as their SAVIOR and LORD!! Praise God!  Please pray for hearts that the LORD will touch:  

a. Prayer intercessors for this village, CSP and micro business ministry workers

b. Micro business (1 time $35)

c. For growth and boldness in their faith for the new believers, a church plant in this village

This article was emailed from Indonesia by one of the elders of Grace Church.  Resty & Mel        Enguerra, of Morgan Hill, CA are IMI’s Indonesia ministry coordinators—RestyIMI@gmail.com.

Pastors’ Conference Held March 2009 in India

Central India – March 16-20, 2009 were the dates for indigenous Pastors and their wives to attend IMI’s annual conference to build up and encourage these co-laborers in Christ.  It is always a joy to meet together, to sing, to fellowship, yes.  However, when the Word of God is opened and shared, the true ministry begins.  This is perhaps the greatest joy and privilege we at IMI have with our Indigenous Pastors. 

Our Bible College students were very much a part of this conference along with local pastors.  I think the best part of training pastors is seeing the next generation engaged and involved in every part of these learning sessions.  Their notebooks are out.  Their pens are taking notes the entire week.  Most receive exams from their professors on what they learned so it is retained.

Grace Bible College, now in its 5th year of existence is already seeing many of the graduates planting churches, preaching and ministering in full time evangelism. 

These conferences are vital to the buiding up and encouraging of our current indigenous pastors and helping to bring up the next generation of pastors and evangelists.  Thank you for helping to make this possible with your prayres and financial support!  You are a part of this process.  To God be the Glory!

Women meet for Conference in Egypt Jan 2009

EGYPT - It’s cold in January near the Nile.  It’s a damp cold that goes right down to your bones.  Even so, most of the windows were wide open and a steady breeze blew through them in the room that 35 Egyptian women gathered together in.  We all layered on extra clothes and carried on - the Egyptian women in the room were wonderfully warm with smiles and hugs and a blessing to be with. 

Kris S. from Wyoming and I were there to speak to the women in this one day conference.  What a joy to see their faces as we sang together, prayed together and studied Scripture together.  They were hungry for the teaching of the Word of God and also for the fellowship. 

One woman in the back of the room, a heavy set woman with a large dark shawl over her head, nodded furiously when I spoke about how the Lord understands how difficult lonliness is.  How He has given us Hebrews 13:5 - and He will NEVER leave or forsake us.  Another group of about 15 young women gave us a clear picture that many young people are seeking for a relationship in the Lord and that the Church of our Lord is growing in Egypt. 

Kris brought a beaded bracelet project which was a huge hit - proving once again that we all enjoy fun times (especially when beads spill on the floor) and that language isn’t a barrier when hearts are united in God’s wonderful love.  - Dee A. Cook, Director of “Beautiful International Women’s Ministry,” an IMI Ministry.