We are Getting Closer to India
Just a couple of weeks away and Janey, Benjamin and I will be boarding a plane to fly to India to see our ministries work in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. The purpose of our trip is to ignite our vision for reaching India and sending pastors to 100,000 villages. It is so easy to get distracted from the vision while living in the United States. Sitting down with our pastors and leaders in India, hearing the testimonies and enjoying corporate worship; will give us a greater understanding of God’s great love for this nation and how He plans to reach every village that is without a Gospel witness. As many of you have visited with me in the past, I am sure you will recall how much I talk about India and how much I have learned about India. Much of this zeal and knowledge has come from my past 3 trips to India. These trips add fuel to our fire!
As you can see from this map of India, there are 52 districts that we currently have mission fields (groups of pastors) that are equipping 953 pastors to each evangelize 5 villages and ultimately planting churches. With these pastors we are currently working in nearly 5000 unreached villages.
Janey and Benjamin will return to Kansas City on February 27th but I my time will be extended until March 6th. Brother Ebey and I have an important opportunity in Delhi on March 3rd. We will be receiving a leader of a Christian businessmen’s group call the Barnabas Group. He will spend two days with us meeting many of our North Indian missions leaders. While in Delhi, we will also be receiving a group of leaders from a teen missions group called Global Tribes Outreach. This group deploys young people for 2-6 month missions outreaches.
We are very thankful for each of you as you have prayed for us, encouraged us and given generously to support our ministry. We have made important progress during 2011 in many areas. Here are some highlights:
Last month, I shared with you about these following projects: Here are some updates:
* Photo Journalism Tour – Raise funding for travel to and throughout India (need funding by mid-January).
o We have two photographers, one videographer and two writers on the tour. Please pray that they will gather much-needed media content for our website and communications for 2012. We were able to raise about 70% of the needed funds for this project.
* Raised support for an Inductive Bible Study Training (160 pastors in two locations) (need funding by mid-January).
o We have been able to raise enough support to train about 100 pastors. Please pray that we can raise enough for all 160 pastors in the next couple of weeks. This project was completely funded and the training has been completed with the targeted number of pastors. This project was a great success!
* Launch new website and fund the web development project (need additional funding throughout 2012).
o Web site looks great (http://www.serveindiaministries.org/). Pray that we can have 5000 new visitors per month of people who have a burden for India. This website has been launched and now we are ready to build a robust traffic increase!
* Raising funds to travel to India in February of 2012. (We have raised $4500 - only $1000 to go!)
o We are getting ready to go to India on February 15. Janey and Benjamin will return on February 27, but I will travel to North India with Brother Ebey and return on March 6. We have raised the $5500 but I will need to raise an additional $1000 for the extended time in Delhi.
* Year-end campaign that will fund unsponsored pastors, unsponsored children, and new mission fields.
o We have seen good response so far. The campaign will go through next year, and we are praying to raise the funds needed to cover expenses for our unsponsored pastors (300 pastors) and unsponsored Stepping Stone children (500 unsponsored children). We also need funds for our U.S. projects for our website and development. We have raised about $40,000 of the $108,000 goal, we hope to reach the goal by the end of April.
Family News – India Prayer Request
* Health (protection from all sicknesses)
* Safety (protection from accident, injury or attack) as we travel
* Endurance to handle road and air travel
* Strengthen our vision and resolve to fulfill God’s purpose
* Pray as God leads you by His Spirit
Support Update: The end of February will mark 15 years that Janey and I left Arkansas and started full time in missions. Over these years so many of you have cheerfully, prayerfully and sacrificially given support that allows us to bless the nations (particularly India;) Thank you! With your support over these many years we have touched thousands of villages and millions of people through the pastors and missionaries that we have supported. By God’s grace, may we have many more years of ministry and may we see the completion of the Great Commission (Matt 28:19 & Matt 24:14.)
We celebrate that we have been able to raise the needed funds for our India trip later this month. Because my time in India has been extended, I am praying that I might raise an additional $1000 so the it will not cost Serve India Ministries additional money. We are asking if any of you that have interest in investing in this important trip to help us with these expenses.
Our goal in 2012 is to be an encouragement to our current partners and raise up additional partners that will give an additional $300 per month support. In the meantime we trust that God will supply! We are very thankful for all you do and how much you encourage us. Because we are partners, you make us more effective in ministry! As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
God bless you, Michael, Jane and Benjamin Erwin
“Over 1 Billion People are Waiting to Hear the Gospel in India – Let’s Partner Together to Help the Hear the Good News and Bring Glory to God!”
