Author: bbyrd

Praise God that team in Ancona Italy has opportunity to train some small groups from a local church in disciple making movement principles. The training won’t begin until the New Year, but be praying that God would prepare the hearts of those in the small groups with excitement and eagerness to put into practice what they will learn; and that they would see a God-inspired movement.
“O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, in plainness you were growing
Until we came and brought you here and set your branches glowing.
Your living beauty helps us see how clothed with Christ our lives can be
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, you live our eyes to heaven”

Missionaries in Quevedo are meeting people every day through “Adopt a Block”. They go door to door sharing the story of the Good Samaritan and putting into practice the philosophy. They meet people who are hurting, suffering, and going through many problems. It is not easy to earn their trust, but eventually are welcomed into their homes. God is touching hearts of gang members, changing the barrios, and disciples are reproducing. Praise God for His unfailing love and witness in lowly places that has impacted nations since that first “Silent Night.” 

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” – which means, “God with us” (Matthew 1:22-23). Praise God for revealing Himself to us through His Son. Ask God to use this Christmas season as a reminder that many in the world have never heard the Gospel of Christ. Pray that God would send workers into His fields, so that all might know our Emmanuel – God with us!
“Christ by highest heaven adored; Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come, offspring of a virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel”

“Noel, born is the King of Israel”. At Christmas, we often hang ornaments on trees to celebrate “firsts” – a baby’s first Christmas or the first Christmas in a new home. Pray for those around the world who are waiting to hear the Good News for the first time. Pray they would experience their own significant spiritual “firsts” – like the first words of Scripture, a first New Testament or even a first Bible!

“They gave themselves first to the Lord” (2 Corinthians 8:5). Think of a Christmas chorus entitled What Can I Give Him? Give thanks to God for the Marketplace ministry of Team Expansion. Pray for a team of volunteers to come together to design, develop and launch the marketplace restoration website. There’s a lot of work to be done to get it launched. Pray that it will be a blessing to many.

“Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light and usher in the morning;
Ye shepherds, shrink not with affright, but hear the angel’s warning.
This Child, now weak in infancy, our confidence and joy shall be.
The power of Satan breaking, our peace eternal making.”
Praise God for the increased interest among university students to intentionally connect their faith and work for the Great Commission. Pray for the development of creative ways to help them train, grow and engage in fruitful practices.

Praise God for the growth of Team Expansion in new workers and new teams launched. In another troubled land in Southeast Asia, we are on the cusp of launching 13 new teams! Join us in thanking God. By His grace we will then be working in over 90 field locations with well over 300 full-time workers. “O Thou Joyful, O Thou Wonderful Grace revealing Christmastide! Jesus came to win us from all sin within us. Glorify the holy Child!”

“How Great Our Joy!” Celebrate the launching of 3 new teams by God’s grace. Team Expansion launched not one, not two, but THREE teams of partners (recruited from a sending base nearby) in a very sensitive and war-torn land in East Africa. Praise God. May HE increase the harvest through the efforts of these new teams. We praise the Lord in heaven on high! We praise the Lord in heaven on high!