The past month has been an encouraging time of ministry for us in spite of the surrounding uncertainties in Ethiopia. The government has declared a six-month state of emergency and we await the appointment of a new Prime Minister after our current one resigned unexpectedly a few weeks ago. We invite your prayers for our adopted nation of Ethiopia, that peace and justice would “roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing steam” (Amos 5:24). And we are thankful that God’s work and ministry endure and grow in the face of uncertainty. It has always been so with the gospel.
With love from all the Polks,
Jason and Liz
Our Suki Fellowship church plant team has been wrestling with our one-year and five-year vision, and through much prayer and discussion we have agreed on the following as our church planting goals for the next twelve months:
- Identify a new location for a “scratch” church plant and begin relationship building and an evangelistic bible study
- Help Suki Fellowship own the vision of planting a daughter church; identify a new location for a Suki Fellowship daughter church and begin an evangelistic bible study
I am simultaneously excited and a little scared of these goals. Our Suki Fellowship is still growing and maturing, and it would feel more comfortable to wait on expanding and multiplying our efforts. But at the same time, it seems that if we do not embed the vision and practice of ongoing church planting into our current fellowship now, that we will have lost an important opportunity to shape the DNA of our church planting efforts for ongoing growth and multiplication.
We invite your prayers for our planting team as we take steps of faith in the upcoming months toward two new church plant locations. God is faithful, and we trust in his leading and provision. Thank you for your partnership with us in seeing God’s Kingdom advance.
Teaching Church Planting in Kenya
Florence and Obed were two of my gracious hosts from All Nations College in Thika, Kenya, when I taught a Church Planting course there in February. Our group of forty Kenyan pastors and church leaders had a meaningful time of exploring the Scriptures, sharing experiences, and learning together.
Culture Night
“One class, many cultures” was the theme of this year’s 2nd Grade Culture Night. Nathan had an especially good time representing the U.S.A. with his display board (we actually had to make him leave at the end, as he kept saying, “Please, just one more presentation.”)
The kids amazed the crowd with their cultural dances (see blurry Chinese New Year dance at right). Liz and I have been teaching 2nd Grade music since there is no Elementary Music teacher this year. The kids sang “How Great is Our God” in English, Amharic, Italian, and Romanian. We could not have been more proud of them.
Cub Scouts Rule!
Last week I led our Wolf Scouts on a brief hike on Mount Entoto. The boys were especially interested in the massive grasshopper and abandoned hyena den we found! Scouting in Ethiopia definitely has its advantages. Pray for us as we work to expand the program to the broader community this fall.