I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says,

“Those who have never been told about Him will see, and those who have never heard of Him will understand.”
(Romans 15:21 NLT)

Nearly 20 years ago, Lura and Sangte left their home and family in Mizoram, India, following God’s call to plant churches in the isolated Asian country of Nepal. They studied local languages and held evangelistic meetings in their home. In 2001, they organized their first church, a multicultural congregation of Nepalis and Tibetans – former Hindus and Buddhists.

Back then Nepal claimed to be the world’s only officially Hindu nation. Christian baptism was illegal. But then in 2008, a huge change came: the authoritarian monarchy was replaced with a secular democracy. The transition was abrupt, but the pace of progress has been painfully slow. A history of radical isolationism, rugged geography and poor infrastructure keep Nepal on the list of the world’s poorest countries. Yet there is reason to celebrate: this is a season of unprecedented opportunity for the gospel in Nepal! And Free Methodists are responding to that opportunity.

In today’s Nepal, Christians can worship freely – and registered churches can own property. God’s hand is visible in these changes; His Spirit is moving throughout the land. Under Superintendent Lura’s ministry, more than 5,000 converts have been baptized into the Free Methodist Church – and more than 80 new churches have been planted!

Nearly all of these churches have been planted in the lower foothills of the Himalayas. Most of the membership is Nepalese. There are exciting opportunities to plant more churches deep in the mountains – in remote Tibetan villages – where Superintendent Lura has completed a number of evangelistic journeys on foot. He is known and respected in the Tibetan communities: “Please send a pastor to our village,” one couple said to Lura. “He can stay with us and use our home for a church.”

As the work grows, so does the need for resources. To participate in these amazing divine opportunities, finances are needed (you can give through Nepal’s Country Support Account (CSA). In addition, it’s time to build a Free Methodist ministry center in Nepal – a facility designed to help equip and oversee the courageous leaders God is raising up. With support from around the world, pioneering Free Methodists in Nepal will be able to keep following the plan: bringing the gospel to those who have never been told about God, so those who have never heard of Him will understand.

This story is from the April-June 2013 issue of World Mission People magazine. Click here to read more.

In these days since his passing, I find myself reflecting on the life of my friend Larry Judy. Larry passed away on April 12, 2013, while helping a team in Haiti. He had been bringing teams into Haiti to build churches and schools for 30 years. I first met him in January 2010, two weeks after the earthquake. As I was a new missionary to Haiti at the time, Larry promised me that he would help me with teams for six weeks – until I got my feet on the ground. Three years later, he was still helping with Haiti construction teams when he died. In all that time he and his wife, Alice, who assisted him, served as volunteers to help with the recovery and ongoing operations in Haiti. How do I describe the life and impact of such a man?

Our world has a very distinct concept of leadership. We tend to think of the leader as the one on top telling everyone else what to do. But in John 13, Jesus gives us a very different picture. As the disciples gather to celebrate the Passover, Jesus strips off his outer clothes, takes a basin of water, and washes the disciples’ feet. And then in verse 15, he says:

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 

Jesus is showing us what a servant leader looks like. Others don’t serve Him; He stands alongside others and serves them. I cannot think of a person who more perfectly modeled Jesus as a servant leader than my friend Larry.

He wasn’t afraid to get dirty. Larry never asked another to do something that he wasn’t willing to do himself. If it was a really difficult and dirty job, Larry was more likely to do it himself than to ask others.

He was a person under authority. When we first started working together, Larry had been coming to Haiti for almost 30 years and I had been there once before. Yet there was never a question in Larry’s mind that as the missionary I was the delegated authority. He kept me informed as to what was happening. He sought my advice and counsel. Even when he disagreed with a decision I made (and he did), he followed my leading.

He understood the central purpose of servant leadership is to empower others. Many years ago Bill caught Larry’s attention. Bill is a Haitian who had been hired to work on a project. He was a very hard worker but totally uneducated. Larry challenged him, “If you will enroll in school, I will pay for your education.” So in his late 30s, Bill started attending first grade in evening classes. Larry gave him the money for school but demanded a receipt and at the completion of the year, a report card. A few months ago when Larry was staying with me in Port-au-Prince, Bill stopped by. He showed Larry his sixth grade report card. He is doing well. He hopes to finish high school. Then Larry invited Bill in and the two of them sat down and played cards for the evening. Bill didn’t really speak English, and Larry didn’t really speak Creole. The language of Christian love and respect is all they have really needed to communicate over these years. This relationship is a wonderful example of healthy helping. Larry was willing to give Bill a chance, but he incorporated accountability into the plan.

A servant leader is Christ-centered. Larry and I have traveled a great deal together over the past three years. I tend to be an early riser, but I have never managed to get up before Larry. When I walked out into the common space, there he would be: a cup of coffee on the table, an open Bible before him, and his head bowed in prayer.

Over the past three years Larry became my right hand man in Haiti. I valued his friendship, his counsel, and his sense of humor. (We laughed a lot.) His record of service is second to none, and his quiet leadership was like a lighthouse in the dark. He has been an example of true Christian service and love, and a model to many, including my wife and me.

Let us all echo the words I know he has heard from his Savior: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Download video …

Ethiopia is a fascinating country for many reasons, not least of which is its religious complexity. A long Christian history exists with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church — too much history to give here — but we do not see an evangelical activity through its ministry today. Compromises of the Christian message — together with the expansion of Islam — have given us an environment that has great need for the gospel.

Regions of Ethiopia are unreached — meaning the gospel has never reached there. Other areas, including cities, have large segments of the population who have never known that there is a good news message that can reconcile them to God and transform their lives.

The Free Methodist work in Ethiopia advances the frontier of God’s kingdom in spiritual climates like these. As Pastor Mekebib says in the video on this page, pastors make many sacrifices to carry the gospel to unreached people in Ethiopia.

Some of these places present the risk (or even certainty) of persecution. Other places have difficult environments in which to live. Virtually all pastors serve while significantly underpaid for the work they do. But these pastors are sent. They go. They minister, and people are coming to Christ. Praise God! We invite you to be a part of what these leaders are doing in Ethiopia.

By giving to the Ethiopia Country Support Account, you can help with the training of pastors, the reaching of the unreached and the transforming of street kids’ lives.

Learn more about the work in Ethiopia …

Jenny Switkes, Minister of Prayer at Brookside Free Methodist Church, Redland, CA, prepared this year’s resource materials for Free Methodist World Missions with the belief that your congregation will change the world and be changed by God through prayer.

Global Day of Prayer service by Jenny Switkes

From GlobalDayofPrayer.com

A Prayer for the World

Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, We gather with believers all over the world, to glorify You as Creator of heaven and earth. You alone are holy and righteous. We submit to Your authority. We praise and adore You alone.

Father, we honour You Lord Jesus Christ, we honour You Holy Spirit, we honour You

Our Father in heaven, Thank You for loving the world so much that You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins so that we could be reconciled to You. Fill us with your love as we faithfully intercede for the lost, the hopeless, the helpless and the world.

Thank You Father, for adopting us into Your family.

Lord Jesus Christ, You died on the cross and redeemed us to the Father by Your blood. You are Head of the Church and Lord of all heaven and earth. Let Your kingdom be established in every nation of the world bring transformation among peoples of all tribes and languages so that righteousness and justice will prevail. May Your Name be great, from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Jesus Christ, You are Lord of all.

Father of mercy and grace, We have sinned. Our world is gripped by the power of sin. Our hearts are grieved by injustice, hatred and violence. We are shamed by oppression, racism and bloodshed in our land. We mourn all loss of life in murder, war and terrorism. Our homes are broken and our churches are divided by rebellion and pride. Our lives are polluted by selfishness, greed, idolatry and sexual sin.

God of mercy, forgive our sins. Pour out Your grace and heal our land.

Spirit of the living God, Transform Your Church into the image of Jesus Christ. Release Your power to bring healing to the sick, freedom to the oppressed and comfort to those who mourn. Fill us with compassion for the homeless and the hungry for orphans, widows and the elderly. Give us wisdom and insight for our world’s problems to use the resources of the earth for the well-being of all.

Holy Spirit, guide us and lead us.

Lord Jesus Christ, You destroyed sin, conquered death and defeated Satan. Remove the veil of darkness that covers the peoples. Restrain the evil that promotes violence and death. Deliver us from demonic oppression. Break the hold of slavery, tyranny and disease. Help us to tear down strongholds and ideologies that resist the knowledge of God.

Almighty God, deliver us from evil.

King of Glory, Come and finish Your work in our cities, our peoples and our nations. From all continents and islands we cry:

Lift up your heads, O you gates! Be lifted up ancient doors so that the King of glory may come in!

Come fill the earth with the knowledge of Your glory as the waters cover the sea.

The Spirit and the Bride say:

Amen! Come Lord Jesus!

Other resources from GlobalDayofPrayer.com, including videos

All those with interest in Hope Africa University have been saddened by the death of Bishop Elie Buconyori, a founder and the Rector of Hope Africa University. Dr. Buconyori died of cancer on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013. Bishop Elie’s death is a huge loss to the university, the Burundi Free Methodist Church and to the nation of Burundi. In recognition of Bishop Elie’s contributions to the nation in so many areas the street that passes Hope Africa University and the Van Norman Clinic has been named “Chaussée Monseigneur Elie Buconyori.” President Pierre Nkurunziza awarded a national medal of honor to Bishop Buconyori.

Bishop Elie’s accomplishments were many and varied. As leader of the Free Methodist Church of Burundi he saw continual growth even during the civil war that drove thousands of refugees to neighboring countries. His commitment to education led to the formation of primary and secondary schools for refugees and ultimately, in cooperation with church leaders from DR Congo and Rwanda, the founding of Hope Africa University. His leadership skills were recognized by international academic and religious organizations and his wise counsel was valued by many in the national government.

Bishop Buconyori’s decline in health was rapid and his death was unexpected so finding a replacement for him as Rector will take some time. To help with this transition the Board of Governors of the university has asked Dr. Gerald Bates to serve as a transitional leader while the board conducts a search for a new rector for the school. Gerald Bates is uniquely qualified to serve in this capacity. He and his wife Marlene served in Burundi as missionaries for many years so languages and culture are familiar to them. They both are founding members of Friends of Hope Africa University board of directors and have been involved with the planning and support of the university since its inception. Gerald is President of Friends of Hope Africa University and, as such, has served on the Governing Board of HAU throughout its history. Dr. Bates has a PhD from Michigan State University and served as interim President of Spring Arbor University in 2007-2008.

Even though this assignment comes several years into their retirement the Bates feel that this is an area where they can help. Gerald says, “After considering the implications and the need Marlene and I have decided that we will accept the invitation of the Board of Governors of Hope Africa University to come to the university as rector for a transition period. The board feels that they do not have a candidate at this time and that they need our help. Our target date for arriving at HAU is on or around June 1. We envision periods of 3-4 months in Burundi with interspersed months back in the US. We are now in regular contact with HAU. Things are going well. We must give immense credit to second-level leaders who have taken in a new class of over 1,000 new students, assigned all the students to classes and provided instructors. There are, however, many things that need to be cared for and many administrative matters to deal with. We would appreciate your prayers as we make all the adjustments that are necessary to prepare for this assignment.”

Contributions to help with the added costs of this transition period may be sent to: Friends of Hope Africa University, PO Box 580, Spring Arbor, MI 49283

Video and stories focusing on Urban Priorities

Shouldn’t Somebody Call the Police?

by Hope Owsley, Brazil

As the sun went down, we put on our sweaters to ward off the evening chill. We walked down the street in the dim light and could just barely see the outline of a large trampoline blocking the road. A large sound system was blaring Christian music throughout the neighborhood of Sao Caetano. I wondered about the legality of our open air service, but no one seemed to mind the noise and confusion. As the kids swarmed around the trampoline and a cotton candy machine, a couple dozen members of the Luziania Free Methodist Church arrived to start the service. The pastor opened with prayer. Then he asked each church member to find a non-church member to pray with.

View the video, “The Urban Reality,” and read more from the story above.

REPORT FROM DAVID YARDY; PHOTOS BY LIVINGSTON SATHISAM

On Saturday, April 13, at 5:15 p.m. in India, high winds and hail hit the Umri area causing significant damage on the Umri Hospital campus. Several staff homes, the school ICCM children attend, the hostel manager’s house and other buildings were severely damaged. The roof was blown off the outpatient department, and electricity is currently out on the entire campus. Total damage is estimated at $45,000. $4,000 from the Bishop’s Crisis Response Fund is being sent immediately to assist those in need.

Many people were brought to Umri Hospital with injuries, but none of the injuries was serious.

Umri Christian Hospital is a Free Methodist Mission hospital situated in a small village by name Umri in Central India. It was started in the year 1951 by Dr. Paul Yardy, a young medical missionary from the United States with a vision to provide quality medical care to the poor and needy at an affordable cost. Today, UCH is a 60-bedded hospital with full-fledged medical facilities.

In a world connected by Skype and nonstop international flights, local churches are able to work alongside brothers and sisters in Christ across the globe. International connections also bring more people who need to hear about Jesus right into the neighborhood of local churches. This is an unprecedented time to be part of God’s global family.

But working together effectively across cultures and continents takes practice. Local churches can participate in the worldwide body of Christ by discovering their role in God’s already-unfolding plan, by supporting leadership development and by building cross-cultural relationships.

God’s story has been unfolding since the beginning of time. Christians arriving in an area that is new to them must look for God’s work already happening and learn from people on the ground as they join the story in progress. Working with the global church is like arriving late at a meeting, where getting involved requires understanding who is there and what has been done so far. Acting as though a missions group is the first or perhaps only way God might speak sadly isolates that group from the beautiful tapestry God is weaving, of which any group is only one thread. Local churches must watch for the Holy Spirit’s presence worldwide and be ready to team up as part of God’s bigger story.

Read more …

Nzigo Onesiphore,
 the 
Burundi Free Methodist Church’s executive secretary, said that Buconyori died on Easter Sunday, March 31. A funeral was held Friday, April 5, at the Ngagara Free Methodist Church in Bujumbura.

In a joint statement, the Free Methodist Church – USA Board of Bishops described Buconyori’s death as “a huge loss to world Free Methodism and to the broader Body of Christ. In Burundi (and all of central Africa), he was a beloved and respected bishop. At Hope Africa University, he was an esteemed leader. In the World Conference, he has made invaluable contributions in times of turmoil and has been a wise member of the World Conference Executive.”

Buconyori was elected bishop in 2000, the year Burundi became a full general conference. He succeeded Bishop Noah Nzeyimana, who had served for 15 years.

Buconyori served as the director of the Mweya Bible Institute in the early 1980s and then became the director of the All Africa Literature Center in Kenya. At the same time, he launched the Free Methodist Church in Kenya with the sponsorship of the Burundi General Conference. He supported refugees and shared the gospel with them.

“In the late 1990s, Bishop Elie analyzed the refugee situation where tens of thousands of refugees were in camps in Tanzania with a great vision for growing the church as these refugees returned home,” said Bishop Emeritus Gerald Bates, who attended the funeral. Through Buconyori’s work, Bates said, the Free Methodist Church doubled within the refugee camps. “What looked like a tragedy was turned into a blessing whereby the FMC in Burundi quickly sprang up in areas we had not previously touched.”

He was the founding rector of Hope Africa University, which began in Kenya and later moved to Burundi. In 2011, Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza gave Buconyori a presidential award for his entrepreneurial achievements with Hope Africa University, the nation’s fastest growing and largest private university. In 2012, the Inter University Council of East Africa elected him as president, its first leader from Burundi. He also served as a board member of Chicago-based Olive Branch Mission, which operates in the United States and Africa.

David E. Bates, Olive Branch’s president and chief executive officer, said Buconyori had experienced “serious health challenges” but is now transitioned “into the arms of His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Buconyori led Burundi’s Christian Church Forum that represents 80 percent of Burundi’s population. Iwacu, the nation’s largest magazine, named him one of Burundi’s five most powerful people in 2010.

The Free Methodist Church – USA bishops said people around Buconyori “were always cheered by his infectious smile and his evident love for the Lord Jesus. We were looking forward to the leadership contribution that he would make as president of the World Conference. He was our brother and friend. We will grieve his death and miss him greatly.”

“We want to express sincere sympathies to Joy and the Buconyori family, to the Free Methodist Church in Burundi and to the staff and students of Hope Africa University,” the bishops said. “We call the Free Methodist Church – USA to join us in prayer for the Buconyori family and the FMC in Burundi.”

Along with his wife, Joy, Buconyori is survived by his children, Désiré, LaCharité, LeBonheur and LeBeni.

BY MARGARET NELSON

At midnight on January 1, 1995, Dr. Bob Cranston symbolically turned over strategic files to the new Asia Area Director for Free Methodist World Missions (FMWM), David Yardy. Eighteen years and three months later, on March 31, 2013, David will turn his responsibilities over to the next Area Director for Asia – Steve Evoy. The files this time will likely be on a USB drive – just a small thing that represents how much has changed over the past 18 years.

When David took over the job, just 10 Asian countries boasted FM ministries, several of which had been in existence since before David was born in 1946. The number of countries has nearly doubled over the years, and many of the new countries are creative access areas.* Membership in Asian FM churches has exploded – growing from around 40,000 in 1995 to more than 330,000 in 2011. Ninety people groups in Asia are now being reached by Free Methodist ministries.

Missionaries are no longer being sent only from North America – the mission team in Cambodia is made up of Chinese from Hong Kong, Japanese, American, and Filipino Free Methodists, all working together to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Cold statistics do not tell the full story of God’s work in Asia. A quiet and humble servant’s attitude of being willing to work behind the scenes to foster relationships, partnerships, healing and growth has characterized the ministry of David Yardy and his wife, Sherrill. In the early years, David was willing to close down unhealthy, unproductive programs and reject alliances built on the wrong foundations. The “Theology of Mission” he commissioned in 1997 made sure that missionaries and leaders were clear about the biblical foundations for how we operate. He is always reading new books to keep up with trends in missiology and recommends them to his team of missionaries.

As the church in Asia has matured, the Yardys have focused on partnerships, encouraging national leadership to take over many areas formerly considered the responsibility of missionaries. When the burden of his area directorship became too much for one man, David came up with the idea for the Asia Leadership Team (ALT), asking other Asian missionary teammates to come alongside him and share the management load in areas such as personnel, finances and planning for future expansion.

In their extensive travels throughout Asia, David and Sherrill have observed the needs of the church and been instrumental in starting up such programs as A Bible for Every Believer and SEED Livelihood Network. They made sure the main purpose of SEED was to help develop microenterprise projects among disadvantaged Free Methodists while using the projects as vehicles for discipleship.

The Yardys have also made sure that International Child Care Ministries (ICCM) in Asia has been free to grow and expand into new Asian countries. Asia ICCM Regional Coordinator, Belle Villanueva-Requiroso of the Philippines, assists in encouraging preferred standards for existing and new work. David is always pushing for contextualized and culturally appropriate methods, policies and plans.

David has been promoting urban initiatives since the beginning of his term as Asia Area Director, realizing that over half of the world’s megacities (cities with more than 10 million in population) are in Asia. Providing the resources needed for outreach and growth has been a priority. The most recent tool is the Community Church Planting strategy (CCP), now getting under way in several Asia countries after two training consultations in 2011.

Growing up as a missionary kid in India and living 22 years in the Philippines and another eight in Thailand have uniquely molded David Yardy as God’s servant for Free Methodism in Asia. His obedience to the Lord through many challenges and difficult circumstances has resulted in many Asians having the opportunity to hear about Jesus. When April 1 rolls around next year, David and Sherrill aren’t retiring – they’ll continue on as FMWM missionaries, focusing on the transitions in India as it becomes a full General Conference and on David’s responsibilities as the cross-cultural consultant to FMWM. Thank the Lord with Asian Free Methodists for David and Sherrill’s ministry!

* Creative access areas are places that limit or forbid the entry of Christian missionaries and for which alternative legal means of entry are required.