Unleashing the full force of the church to love people one at a time

Unleashing the full force of the

church to love people one at a time
Table of
BE THE BRANCH

Contents
10 Enemies and Friends
A Racial Reconciliation Story

14 When the Church Went Online

Finding Digital Connection
and Community

18 Social Distancing
Everyday Life for an
Isolated Missionary

22 3Thirds
A Simple and Effective Tool
for Discipleship

26 Open Doors
How the Shutdown in Greece
Multiplied the Church

30 Pruning and Purification

Encounter Online Provides
Platform for Growth

CATCH THE WIND

34 New Community Campuses

Holy Spirit Moving in
Diverse Neighborhood

36 Tiny Homes, Big Possibilities

More Than a Place to Live
in Shelby County

42 Guided by the Spirit

New Campuses in Shelby
and Bullitt Counties

46 Late-Life Missionaries
Dunlaps Faithfully Work
in Field a Second Time

48 Planting During a Pandemic

Southeast Helps Launch
Pair of Churches

54 Singing Praises en Español

Awaken Worship Reaching
Growing Population
 WRECK THE ROOF EMPTY THE JAR

58 From the Bottle to the Bible 108 Finishing the Task

How Saramarie Combs Found An Effort to Share the
Faith in a Bar in Elizabethtown Gospel with All Nations

62 Camp Freedom Revised 112 Giving Her All

A Shift in Community Outreach
66 Second Chances
Court Diversion
Program Offers Hope
68 Childlike Faith
Indiana Campus Kids
Serve in Big Ways
70 Human Trafficking and
the Church’s Response
The La Grange Campus Learns from
The Samaritan Women Ministry
A Missionary’s Commitment
to the Kingdom
116 Sharing the Good News in Cuba
A Short-Term Trip
with Lifelong Impact
118 Feeding the Community
When the Going Got Tough,
the Church Kept Giving
122 Meeting the Need
Southeast’s Benevolence
Response during COVID-19

74 Ministering in Crisis 126 Intentional Generosity

Mission Partners Aid Extravagant Giving
India During COVID as a Business Plan

GRIP THE PLOW INFOGRAPHICS

80 Fostering the Possibilities 6 2020 Missions Giving Impact

One Step of Obedience at a Time
20 New in 2020
84 Proem Ministries
30 Years of Service in Poland 40 Local Engagement Map

88 From Muslim to Ministry 52 Southeast Church Plants and

Tony Weedor’s Reason for Hope National Engagement Map

90 The Value of a Mentor 60 Baptisms in 2020

Helping Students
102 Sent Out
Step into Their Gifts
114 International Engagement Map
94 GMHC at 25
Continuing to Equip and Inspire 124 COVID-19 Relief in 2020

98 Life in Abundance 128 Unleashed Conference

Celebrating 25 Years
of Faithful Ministry
Copyright © 2020
Southeast Christian Church

All rights reserved. This book or any portion

thereof may not be reproduced or used in
any manner whatsoever without the express
written permission of the publisher except for
the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America.

First printing, 2020.

Southeast Christian Church

920 Blankenbaker Parkway
Louisville, KY 40243

southeastchristian.org

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations

are taken from the Holy Bible, New International
Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan.
All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.
com The “NIV” and “New International Version”
are trademarks registered in the United States
Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
LETTER FROM KYLE

One of the great encouragements to me in the midst of such a strange time has
been the clear evidence that none of this has caught God off guard. We have seen
again and again how God went before us; in fact, this is one of the ways God is
described in the Old Testament. He is the God who goes before you.

Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you;
he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Isaiah 45:2 says, “I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break
down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.”

As a church, we believe that there is no mountain that God can’t level. So, we
look back on this last year, and it seems there in front of us was one mountain
after another—the mountains of financial uncertainty, physical disease, and
racial division. Mountains of social distancing and family tensions. Mountains
of addiction and isolation, and even when we look ahead it seems like the path in
front of us is mountain after mountain.

But we worship the God who goes before us and levels the mountains. It’s not
just that He gives us strength to overcome the mountains—He levels them. He
is the way maker, the miracle worker, and the mountain leveler. This book is a
celebration of the ways that God has gone before us in 2020. It’s a reminder of all
that He has done and a proclamation of hope for Him to use us to do it again.

My prayer is that this book would empower the full force of the church to be
unleashed to love people one at a time. As followers of Jesus, may we never hold
back the sails when the wind is moving, may we never limit Him to our personal
preferences, and may we never put out the Holy Spirit’s fire.

Kyle Idleman
Senior Pastor
Southeast Christian Church

5
2020 Missions
Giving Impact
Each of you should
give what you
have decided in
your heart to give,
not reluctantly or
under compulsion,
for God loves a
cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
2020 Missions Giving Im

Because of your generosity, Southeast’s cumu

MISSIONARIES

17

NATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS

Twenty-one percent of all Southeast giving goes to Southeast supports a

Missions and gets spent from our community to the organizations throu
most remote areas around the world. directly with vulne
mpact
At Southeast Christian Church, we’re excited about Connecting
people to Jesus and one another. Here are some of the ways
we did that through Missions in 2020!

ulative missions giving since 1999 exceeds $147M.

Local Churches 16
Local Organizations 45
Local Missionaries 18

LOCAL

60
ORGANIZATIONS
National Churches
13 National Organizations 15

National Missionaries 17

INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS
International Churches 4
International Organizations 32
8 International Missionaries 64

a variety of missionaries and

We walk with and support many churches,
ghout the world that work
organizations, and missionaries!
erable children every day.
Be
the
Branch
John 15

Jesus is the vine; we are the branches. This

metaphor reminds us that we can do nothing

of any real value apart from Jesus. When we

know who we are, we will know what to do. We

are the branches, which means that our job is

to stay connected to the vine.

If Jesus is the vine and we are the branches,

then fruit comes from Him alone. And, since

we’ve been grafted into Him together, we can

do nothing of any real value apart from one

another. Because we connect as a community,

we’ll constantly look to be the branch to others.

BE THE BRANCH

10

Enemies
and Friends
A Racial Reconciliation Story
I
nitially, Randy Stinnett resisted
joining the white supremacist
gang at Northpoint Training
Center near Danville, KY, mostly
because he didn’t want to shave his
head. But he changed his mind one
day when he was unpacking a care
package in his cell and three Black
prisoners attacked him and stole new
t-shirts and socks. “That was it,” Randy
said. “I told them to sign me up.”
Within a few years, the 21-year-old
was running the gang. He earned
his reputation as one of the most
powerful and dangerous men in the
yard. Hatred simmered and boiled
over on anyone not in his gang.
“I hated everybody,” Randy said.
“But on the inside, I hated myself. I
was filled with sadness, pain, and
Former enemies Dave Thomas and Randy Stinnett find common ground in Christ.
BE THE BRANCH
depression. I’d traded everything
that mattered for another high. The
only way to deal with something like
that is by hating other people.”
Dave Thomas first saw Randy at Green
River Correctional Complex in 2010. He’d
heard about Randy from other inmates.
As a Black man, he knew their paths
should not cross. He didn’t know that
God was already working in Randy’s life.
Internal Struggle
Dave knew allying himself with the
right group would determine his
future. “I got involved in what I called
God’s gang,” he said. “I immediately
started going to chapel, joined a Bible
study group, and hung around them.
God was transforming my mind,
heart, and perspective in life.”
Continued on next page
11
 Continued from page 11
Of course, trying to follow Jesus didn’t mean
there were no obstacles. “I definitely had a
major issue with white people,” Dave said.
“I felt a lot of them were against me. I would
hear the term ‘the white man is the devil’ and
felt a lot of white people were operating more
like the devil. That they were a stumbling
block to the African-American race.”
But while he was in prison, Dave began to
look beyond skin color. “I saw that they were
lost. They didn’t have a relationship with
God,” he said. “I knew Randy’s gang was led
by hate. I saw them out in the prison yard,
doing what they do—mostly intimidating
people, selling drugs, and gambling. I knew
I could not have a conversation with him.”
While Dave was hanging out with his “God
gang,” an inmate asked Randy to try the Malachi
Dads program. Started in Angola, the most
12
violent prison in the U.S., it helps dads behind
bars take responsibility and break the cycle of
incarceration. He learned that his children
were seven times more likely to end up
incarcerated because he was, unless he could
make dramatic changes.
Randy was alone in his cell the day he hit
bottom. He didn’t know much about faith, but
he got down on his knees and prayed. “God,
please give me something I can see the end of,”
he began. “If You help me survive prison, I’ll live
my life for You.”
Making Changes
Despite Randy’s new-found hope, there
was another reality to consider: he was still
leading a gang.
“I realized that the same people who followed
me to hell would follow me to heaven if I had the

“I hated courage to lead them
there,” Randy said.
everybody, “So I started using my
but on the influence to lead men
inside, I hated in the right direction.”
myself. I was
His life changed so
filled with drastically from that
sadness, time on that Randy
was given parole
pain, and
the first time he was
depression.” eligible. He didn’t
take that second
chance lightly. Before his release, Randy
became involved with Southeast’s Mission
Partner, Prodigal Ministries, a faith-based
prison care program for men and women.
After his release, Randy moved into the
Prodigal house in La Grange, where he
went to Bible studies, counseling, met with
a mentor, and began attending worship
services at Southeast’s Crestwood Campus.
He got married and began raising a family.
At a Prodigal fundraiser in 2018, Randy told his
story. Dave was in the audience, and after the
testimony, he made his way to the stage. Both
men were different people than they had been
during their days behind bars. Dave is a pastor.
Randy owns his own plumbing company. Both
are members of Southeast Christian Church.
In that first conversation, Randy told Dave
about burying his newborn baby boy,
about mentoring other young men leaving
prison, and about chasing after Jesus.
He asked Dave to meet him for lunch.
“Years ago, Dave would have been my worst
enemy,” Randy said. “Today he is my friend.”
The two men tell their story in this time of
racial unrest and division.
BE THE BRANCH
“Jesus is the key to racial harmony,” Dave said.
“I want to be the person who is hard to hate.
The greatest commandment is to love the Lord
your God with all your heart, soul, and mind
and love your neighbor as yourself. Start with
the one person you know. Loving your neighbor
is the most powerful thing you can do. Only
Christ’s love will bring reconciliation.”
Learn More
The work of the Spirit is always calling us to greater
unity, not greater uniformity. We’ve not been called
to look like one another, we’ve been called to look
like Jesus. We pray that the Holy Spirit would work
in us so that we would be a church that reflects
the fullness of God through both our diversity and
simultaneous unity. To learn more about how to
engage in the work of racial reconciliation, Senior
Pastor Kyle Idleman wants to recommend the
book One Blood by Dr. John Perkins, an incredible
pastor who has devoted his life to this work.
Prayer Requests
• P raise God for being the source of all
true healing, hope, and reconciliation.
• P ray that God will bring healing, restoration,
and reconciliation as His people learn to listen
and grow with one another toward His love.
• A sk God to use people, programs,
and ministries to break chains and
unhealthy cycles of sin and consequences
in the lives of His people.
13
GRIP THE PLOW
 BE THE BRANCH

When the Church

Went Online
Finding Digital Connection and Community

t’s no overstatement to say that the

The Beginning of SE Online
COVID-19 pandemic transformed American
Back in 2018, Southeast’s leadership began
life. Restaurants abandoned the indoor
investigating what it would look like to expand
dining experience to highlight their take-
ministry into the digital arena. The desire wasn’t
out options. Entertainment venues from movie
simply to live-stream a service; they wanted to
theaters to bowling alleys shuttered up their
find a way to truly do ministry online. So, a team
businesses for months. Parents transitioned
began investigating the different platforms and
from the bus stop to the new frontier of NTI and
tools the church might use to connect and engage
virtual learning. Life as we knew it changed in a
with people across the globe through the power
matter of days.
of the internet.
That includes the way we gather as a church.

On March 15, 2020, Southeast Christian

Church made the decision to do something
unprecedented. With cases of the novel
coronavirus surging across the nation, Southeast
held services exclusively online for the first
time. Though circumstances required social
distancing, our commitment to community as a
Body never wavered. Changing times require the
good news of an unchanging God. In June 2019, SE Online officially launched.
Livestreaming across Facebook, YouTube, and
Thankfully, God had already been working to SoutheastChristian.org, the launch brought the
prepare His church to deliver such a message. Southeast experience home to people across the
country and around the world. Over the following

Continued on next page

15
BE THE BRANCH
Continued from page 15
Visiting speaker Albert Tate and Associate Pastor Matt Reagan engage with the SE Online community.
months, the digital team further honed their
craft, adding more platforms and incorporating
new technology to improve the user experience.
More important than the technological
advancements, however, were the relational
lessons the team learned. Connecting with
people isn’t always easy. It’s even more of a
challenge when you’re doing it across a computer
screen. Still, the SE Online team made it a point
to keep relationship as their number one priority.
SE Online Pastor Stephen Puricelli remembered,
“We learned a lot in those early days about what
it looks like to engage people online and value
them one at a time.”
Church Online
Over the course of nine months, the SE Online
team learned about doing ministry across
digital environments. The arrival of COVID-19
gave them a crash course in getting it done. “No
one was prepared for the pandemic,” Stephen
said, “but by God’s grace, we were able to not be
caught scrambling.”
16
As the church moved online and away from
meeting in person, SE Online emerged on the
frontlines of that transition. Online viewership
jumped more than tenfold overnight. A ministry
that might have seemed like a luxury suddenly
became a necessity. Though the church never
changed, the way we approached church had to
be adapted.
The transition to online ministry came with its
fair share of challenges, but also brought some
amazing opportunities. For Stephen, the greatest
of these is how this season has refocused the
church on mission. “Following Jesus is more than
worshipping together in a building. Following
Jesus has so much to do with what we do while
we are on our own, what we think, how we
respond, and the wells we draw from to engage
in our life.”
This renewed sense of mission has sparked
connections in unexpected places. Stephen
points to the story of Mark and Marina Bromley,
a couple from Alabama who began watching SE
Online in the midst of the pandemic. Though they
struggled to connect with the online experiences
 BE THE BRANCH

of their local churches, they found a quick home
within our digital family. The Bromleys’ journey
has taken them from viewers to participants
to leaders of an online group. They may be
hundreds of miles from our campuses, but they
are united with us in mission.
week. No matter how ministry will continue to
grow and evolve in the seasons ahead, the goal
will always remain the same: Connecting people
to Jesus and one another.

In a time when social circles were largely Learn More

contracting, SE Online saw its reach expand. To learn more and connect online, visit
With participants from Wisconsin to Nevada and southeastchristian.org/location/seonline.
Africa to Australia, Southeast’s digital ministry
has started to realize that original vision to
Prayer Requests
engage people from different cultures and
• Praise God for going before us and preparing
countries around the world.
the church for this season of online ministry.
While the online team’s footprint has grown,
• Pray that God will use SE Online to reach new
its focus has not changed. The emphasis on
people and places.
connection and community drives every aspect
of digital ministry—from the chat hosts who
• Ask the Spirit to empower new leaders to help
converse with viewers during Sunday services
the digital ministry expand.
to the online groups that meet throughout the

17
 Social Distancing
Everyday Life for an Isolated Missionary
solation often felt like my closest
companion in the remote jungle
location where I served for 11 years,”
Courtney remembered from her experience as
a missionary with her family in Southeast Asia.
During long nights, Courtney searched to
understand the pain of human suffering and
loneliness in her relationship with God. As the
mosque call punctured the silence of her room,
she longed for a closeness with the Father. In
the midst of her loneliness and desperation,
she turned to Scripture for guidance. She knew
her priority was to connect with the Father.
18
While studying the Word, Courtney learned
that Jesus was a brother to her, taking on
human flesh and emotions. He knows the
loneliness deep inside, He understands the
struggle with temptation, and He feels the
pains of this life. He offered comfort in His
words in John 16:33, “In this world you will
have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome
the world.”
As Courtney wrestled with loneliness, she was
continually reminded that God is with her and
has made her human home His home. Paul said
it well in 1 Corinthians 3:16: “Don’t you know
 BE THE BRANCH

that you yourselves are God’s temple and that remain in the vine.” She has remained in Him,
God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” not just in the intimate quiet time of Scripture
reading, but also in the communal body of
Whether Courtney is serving as a field worker
Christ. “Just as God lives in me, He also dwells
in another country or quarantining at her home
in the Christian brothers and sisters around
in the U.S., she knows that the Lord is dwelling
me,” Courtney reflected. She and her husband
inside her.
now regularly walk with, encourage, and care
for other field workers. What a beautiful picture
In Trials and Suffering
of God’s transforming work through Courtney’s
Being cross-cultural workers, Courtney and her surrender of her experience as a cross-cultural
family have faced crisis after crisis, from medical worker! May this be a reminder that the presence
evacuations to interrogations and flash floods. of God is within us, even through the depths of
Courtney recalls a particularly difficult event loneliness and the struggles of crisis.
concerning her son, who was napping upstairs.
As she prepared dinner, she suddenly heard a
loud crash. Concerned for her son’s safety, she
rushed upstairs only to see that, miraculously,
Learn More
debris from the ceiling had fallen everywhere If God is drawing your heart to the nations, learn
except his crib. It was as if a protective shield more at southeastchristian.org/missions/go.
had been laid as a barrier, leaving him unscathed
from harm. When she reflected on that moment, Prayer Requests
Courtney was drawn back to the presence
• P raise God that even when we are alone, He is
and powerful protection of the Lord. She was
enough to sustain and supply our needs!
reminded of God’s mighty control and the power
He holds in our lives. • P ray that God would sustain Courtney and
her husband as they continue to catalyze
In the stringent circumstances of life abroad,
the advancement of God’s Kingdom through
coupled with the struggle of loneliness as a field
training and equipping disciples among
worker, Courtney has continued to seek the Lord
unreached peoples.
in all things. She has sought to be the branch
through deeply abiding in the presence of Jesus. • Ask God to empower and encourage the local
believers in the midst of the persecution they
John 15:4 says, “Remain in me, as I also remain
face as a result of their faith.
in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must

19
New in 2020
See, I am doing a
new thing! Now it
springs up; do you
not perceive it?
Isaiah 43:19
New in
2020 Community Church
BABYLON, NY

City Church
CINCINNATI, OH

Through the
congregation’s generosity, Nation
Southeast is continuing 3 Church Pla
to help meet felt needs Renaissance Church
BOSTON, MA
1 Partner
wholistically in order
to make disciples and
connect people to Jesus.

Oakdale Christian Academy

JACKSON, KY

GO Ministries
DOMINICAN REPUBLI
 Dwight Gwinn Jennifer Roberts
FCA Barren Heights
CROSSROADS
MISSIONS LOUISVILLE

h
Helping Hands of Hope
ELIZABETHTOWN

Local
Highpoint Charitable Services
LA GRANGE

2 Missionaries
nal 6 Partners
ants Lifehouse Maternity Home
LOUISVILLE

Maya Collection
LOUISVILLE

International
5 Missionaries Veteran’s Club

2 Partners
Remaining missionaries are not named
LOUISVILLE

due to security concerns.

Justin & Lindsay Thomas

IC UNITED KINGDOM

4Africa Josiah & Laura Martin

UGANDA & SOUTH SUDAN JAPAN
 3Thirds participants rely heavily on prayer and the Holy Spirit.

18
 BE THE BRANCH

3Thirds
A Simple and Effective Tool for Discipleship

The simple, replicable

W
hat was started by two faithful
men five years ago in a small room approach allows for
at Southeast Christian Church
has grown to encompass 329 groups—70 at personal, Christ-like
Southeast—with more than 1,447 members
worldwide in attendance weekly.
growth and a deep dive

into the Word.

What is 3Thirds?
speak to each individual. In fact, the study
3Thirds is a discipleship approach marked by
depends completely on the work of the Spirit in
prayer and obedience. The 3Thirds vision is
and through the lives of each participant.
to create a Disciple Making Movement (DMM)
that is not dependent on people, but on the
1. The first third, the Look Back, focuses on
movement of the Holy Spirit. In obedience to
the previous week. Each individual is asked
the calling Christ gave in His final moment
about their personal relationship with God,
on earth, the mission statement is “To make
how they obeyed what they learned the
disciples who make disciples who make
previous week, as well as who they shared
disciples and thus to see God raise up a disciple-
and trained with.
making movement that will bless this church,
this city, this state, this nation, to the ends of
2. The second third is the Look Up, in which
the earth.”
members read and discuss a passage
of Scripture.
The simple, replicable approach allows for
personal, Christ-like growth and a deep dive
3. The final third is the Look Forward, when
into the Word. You can step into any 3Thirds
members make commitments for the coming
group and find the same three-portion format
week in obedience to the passage read and to
being used. Each portion is opened by prayer—
the Gospel.
asking the Holy Spirit to be present and to

Continued on next page

23
 BE THE BRANCH
Continued from page 23
By studying God’s Word and holding one another
accountable, members are able to experience
abundant life and the fullness of joy, as it is
recognized this comes through obedience to
God’s Word.
3Thirds in Brazil
In the Spring of 2020, before the COVID-19
pandemic, leaders from Louisville’s 3Thirds team
were able to go to Brazil and train leaders in the
Amazon to reach the unreached tribes as Christ
commanded, as well as to train local pastors and
churches in the DMM process.
While there, they cast a vision of a multiplying
movement that would spread from Brazil to the
ends of the earth. Just weeks after their visit, the
pandemic hit and international travel was halted.
Brazil quickly became one of the hardest impacted
countries. People were thrown into turmoil, and
churches were failing due to strict lockdown
restrictions.
Through Zoom and international calls, the
Brazilian branch stayed in contact with the
Louisville DMM base and praised God for His
timing in aligning their community with the
3Thirds movement. The lockdown was so strict
3Thirds at a Glance
329 groups
Over 1,447 members
trained to multiply disciples
24
that, had the church there not had the training
and the small group option available, they would
have had to close their doors like many of their
neighboring churches.
By employing the 3Thirds model and tenants,
the leaders in Brazil saw growth and renewed
hope. One church formed groups out to the third
generation in a matter of mere months. For them,
living the Word out and bearing fruit through
3Thirds has been a life-changing reminder that the
Gospel still stands—even when the world seems to
be falling apart.
A Movement Fueled by Prayer
Every week, the Louisville DMM leadership
team prays and fasts for the continued blessing
of the Lord over every group and every member.
It is because of this dedication to prayer that
the movement has been blessed with such
exponential growth.
The Louisville DMM has branched out to 12
countries and has groups out to the eighth
generation. It is a replicable model, as evidenced
by the rapid growth, and welcomes both new
believers and mature Christians.
12 local churches
43 international churches
2 correction facilities
 BE THE BRANCH

3Thirds Discipleship groups encourage community

with others and communion with the body of Christ.
We strive to build one another up, to walk alongside
one another in the journey to growing closer to
Christ, and to fulfill His final command to make
disciples of all the nations.

Learn More
If you are interested in joining the 3Thirds Disciple
Making Movement, text CONNECT to 733733 or find us
on southeastchristian.org/groups.

Prayer Requests
• Praise God for the abundant harvest
already created through 3Thirds!

• Ask the Holy Spirit to use 3Thirds

to multiply disciples who multiply
disciples in our communities, cities,
nation, and throughout the world.

• Pray that God would raise up obedient and

faithful followers who will be transformed
through the study of His Word.

Because Brazilian church leaders were trained in 3Thirds,

the Gospel continues to spread during the pandemic shutdown.

More than

217 Mission Statement:

baptisms

12 countries To make disciples who make disciples who

make disciples and thus to see God raise up a
disciple-making movement that will bless this
church, this city, this state, this nation, to the
ends of the earth.
8 languages
25
BE THE BRANCH

Open
Doors
How the Shutdown in Greece
Multiplied the Church

S
outheast volunteer Charles McKibben first
visited Advancing the Ministries of the Gospel
(AMG), Southeast’s Mission Partner in Greece,
in early 2016. On his last day, they made the hour-
long trip from the Athens area to the southern tip of
Greece. His hosts explained that he would not see an
evangelical church that day. At the time, there were
only 350 evangelical churches, with 30,000 members,
in all of Greece. The country’s 11 million people are
overwhelmingly Orthodox, and evangelical small
groups or home churches were not easily started.

Nevertheless, the dream of AMG and the Greek Evangelical

Alliance (GEA) was to plant churches throughout the
area. Recognizing the size of this task, the leaders
committed to rely on the Father for unprecedented
opportunity rather than their own plans or strength.
Prayerfully, they pleaded for a way to see the people
around them have opportunity to connect to Jesus.

One Million Refugees

Shortly after Charles’ visit, the circumstances began to
change when one million refugees started pouring into
Greece. AMG and GEA began offering meals, water, and
tea to refugees when they arrived in the Athens port.

Continued on next page

26
BE THE BRANCH
Continued from page 27
Southeast joined the partnership to help open a
relief center in the port area. Laundry facilities,
hot showers, and internet access were a big
draw, but primarily the center offered a safe
place to gather. There was even childcare.
For many of the refugees, most of whom
were Muslim, this would be their first
face-to-face encounter with Christians.
It was an ideal opportunity to give them
a favorable impression. There were many
questions and discussions about faith and
Christianity and the opportunity to connect.
Although these refugees were “in transit”
and moved through Athens fairly quickly,
volunteers had the opportunity to introduce
the Gospel and follow up with some individuals
after they moved on. Mostly the prayer was
for the refugees to leave Athens open to
further discussions as they encountered
Christians down the road. The volunteers
recognized their primary influence was
to prayerfully intercede and connect to
the Father on the refugees’ behalf.
The circumstances then shifted again.
Refugees pass through a relocation center in Greece.
Political tensions caused the flow of refugees
both in and out of Greece to virtually stop.
Those in Athens were now being given
permanent refugee status and other European
countries were no longer accepting them.
The relief ministry was quickly replaced
with Homespot, a ministry center offering
basic language and life-skill classes. Among
other services, Homespot provided much-
needed help with the paperwork required for
housing, financial assistance, and immigration.
The biggest attraction, though, was van
rides to the different government offices.
These could be an hour long and provided
uninterrupted time to share the Gospel
and offer refugees a connection to God.
Through these efforts, a regional worship
service became multi-ethnic. It was normal
to have people from two dozen countries in
attendance with translation into five or six
languages. There was even a children’s choir and
a special Arabic-language family camp. Bible
discussion groups began and grew rapidly.
 Refugee women find community and resources through AMG.
Growth Through Distancing
The next shift was dramatic—the COVID-19
pandemic. All of Greece shut down immediately.
No more large worship services in many
languages. No more classes. People could only
leave their homes for a limited list of specific
errands, and even then, they had to register
with the government when they went out.
Like in the U.S., contact was limited to
electronic meetings with smaller groups.
Bible discussions could continue online and
regular meetings began to be held in various
homes, providing the opportunity to prioritize
connection over production. A few relief visits
to distribute food and other necessities were
allowed and provided brief times of fellowship.
God’s plan wasn’t limited by government
restrictions. His work continued on His
schedule. The enemy may have intended
to close the churches, but God opened the
opportunity for a church in every house. This
has been the most effective time for their
ministry, with more people participating
in those small groups every week than ever
participated in their church gathering.
Now no one is lost in the crowd. Everyone
gets individual attention and the ability to
participate by prayer, learning, and discussion.
Remember the original dream for this area
of Greece? The Homespot refugee center
is only a few blocks from where Charles
and the team had lunch and discussed the
dream of planting evangelical churches
in this region. Now, in houses throughout
the region, groups gather for worship
together and reach others electronically.
The team in Greece has seen that
connecting with the Father has led to
impact they couldn’t have known to ask
for. The results are something only God
could have accomplished. They’re just
following His lead and holding on!
Learn More
To keep up-to-date on short-term trips that serve
partners like AMG, text Mission Trip to 733733.
You can also get involved with refugees in our
area with ministries like Hope Collaborative
(hopeccd.org) and Refuge (refugeintl.org).
Prayer Requests
• P raise God for using painful, difficult
circumstances to bring about growth
and transformation as only He can!
• P ray for the refugees who were exposed to the
Gospel in Greece, that the seed planted grows
into new and multiplying faith in their lives.
•A
 sk God to equip and sustain the new
believers in Greece as the church continues
to multiply in that region and beyond!
29
 BE THE BRANCH

Pruning and
Purification
Encounter Online
Provides Platform
for Growth

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in

me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from
me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
opportunity to step out of the painful silence of
isolation and into community.

T
he image painted through the words
of Jesus in John 15 is one of growth—
a deep inner work that produces a
beautiful sweet fruit that reflects the goodness
of the Father. This is fruit the participants
in Encounter know well. In the Encounter
community, any fruit reflects the strength
and resilience it takes to endure the painful
“pruning and purification” necessary to remain in
relationship with Jesus and one another.
This community exemplifies what it means to do
the painful inner work required to stay connected
to the life-giving, fruit-producing power of Jesus.
Encounter is a community of people seeking
healing and hope through prayer, worship,
testimonies, teaching, and support and
recovery groups.
Through Encounter Online, hundreds of
individuals were able to participate in Support
and Recovery groups over the three-and-a-half
months of in-home quarantine. A large number
of these individuals, some of whom had never
stepped foot in a Southeast campus, continued to
stay connected as Encounter began regathering in
the first week of July.
Encounter is a community of
people seeking healing and
hope through prayer, worship,
testimonies, teaching, and
support and recovery groups.

The success of attendance in the Teen Support

Encounter Online
Formed almost instantly out of the COVID-19
pandemic, Encounter Online provided the
opportunity for many to maintain—or be
introduced to—this vital connection to Jesus and
one another. With meetings available four days a
week via Zoom, participants were given the
Group, for example, is a result of Encounter Online
participation. Students participating in in-person
gatherings have almost all been connected via
our online presence. A group that wouldn’t have
developed otherwise has been formed and is
creating space for community and friendship in a
season where isolation is so easy to fall into.

30
 Through Encounter Online, hundreds of individuals were
able to participate in Support and Recovery groups over
the three-and-a-half months of in-home quarantine.

Grasping onto Jesus those who are actively participating in groups

of any kind to extend an invitation, because that
The stories of those seeking wholeness and healing
invite may be what connects someone else to the
through Encounter are all unique, yet they share
life-giving, fruit-producing, abundant goodness of
the same strength and hope. As they grasp onto
the Vine, Jesus.
Jesus, they bravely allow the Father to work
through community to remove the pieces of their
hearts and lives that prevent the production of
fruit. This fruit is the evidence of a restored life
that is in deep and constant connection
with Jesus.
Learn More
To learn more about Encounter and to get involved,
Tana Tomes, an invested group participant visit southeastchristian.org/ministries/care or
in Encounter, has experienced more growth text ENCOUNTER to 733733. You can also contact
via Encounter Online than she could have ever the team at care@secc.org or 502.253.8400.
imagined. Tana explained that, by its nature,
group work brings light to the things in life that
Prayer Requests
need to be pruned, through both insight and • Praise God for the fruit He’s producing
encouragement from other group members. To through the hard work of healing and
Tana’s surprise, Encounter Online provided a restoration in the Encounter community.
consistent and safe outlet for this type of growth.
The pruning and purification required to remain • Ask God to provide protection and
in Jesus and produce much fruit is, for Tana healing over each group member and
and many others, cultivated deeply within the facilitator involved in Encounter.
Encounter community.
• Pray that those seeking healing and hope would
Tana encourages anyone who is considering not feel isolated, but would find community.
becoming a part of the Encounter community to
get involved. “Just do it! Jump in before your
thoughts convince you otherwise.” She challenges

31
Catch
The
Wind
Acts 2, John 3:8

The Hebrew word for spirit is the word ruock, and in

the New Testament the word for Spirit is numa. Both

words have the root meaning of wind or a breath

of air. In John chapter 3, Jesus helped a religious

leader named Nicodemus understand how the Holy

Spirit works in our lives, and He said, “The wind blows

wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot

tell where it comes from or where it is going.”

If the Holy Spirit is the wind, then as a church, we

must individually and collectively answer what our

relationship with the wind of the Spirit will be. Will

we hide behind big buildings and closed doors, behind

traditions and tested theories? Will we place our trust

in that which we can contain and control? Or will we

choose another way?

The wind is what moves us. The wind is what directs

us. Wind can’t be contained. Wind can’t be controlled.

You can’t capture wind, wrap it up, and stick it in a

box. Wind blows where it pleases. The wind is not

especially concerned with our 5-year plan or our

strategic goals. The wind can come up suddenly

and it can change directions unexpectedly. All we

want to do is raise the sails and catch the wind.

CATCH THE WIND

New Community
Campuses
Holy Spirit Moving in Diverse Neighborhood

magine a place where dozens and dozens

of different languages and cultures
co-exist on an everyday basis. Now,
imagine that none of those languages or
cultures are native to that area, yet the people
there must somehow navigate the native
language and culture just to survive. Finally,
imagine this whole dynamic takes place within
a 6-block radius.

That is Beechmont.

Beechmont truly is a home to many languages

and cultures from all over the world.

Truly Present
Cliff and Heather Beach love people. They love
being with people, to form friendships, to sit
and listen—to be present. And they love to help.
What started as a Summer outreach to help
newly-arrived refugees primarily from war-torn
Syria learn English over time grew into real,
deep, solid friendships. The kind of friendships
where someone calls and invites you over for
dinner on the spur of the moment, and you say,
“Yes.” The kind of friendships where you rejoice
when they rejoice over the birth of a new child,
and you mourn when they mourn over sickness
and the death of a loved one. That’s what Cliff
and Heather developed.

But to be truly present, it’s best if you are near.

Cliff and Heather lived in Oldham County and
attended Southeast’s Crestwood Campus,
while most of their friends lived in Louisville,
specifically in the south side of the city. If they
 he SE Beechmont Community Campus is geared toward groups
T
of people who encountered cultural barriers in attending one of
Southeast’s existing regional campuses.

34

were truly going to be present with their new
friends, they were going to need to move. So,
following the Spirit, they did.
A New Kind of Campus
In the meantime, God was leading Southeast to
establish a new kind of campus—a community
campus. A campus focused on community
transformation and geared toward groups
of people who encountered cultural barriers
in attending one of the church’s existing
regional campuses.
As Southeast’s Elders and Missions staff prayed
about this new type of campus, one area of
town became an obvious location—Beechmont.
God had already been at work in the South
Louisville neighborhood for many years, with
several ministries and churches located there.
God also began moving people to the Beechmont
area, many of whom came without necessarily
a specific goal or target in mind, but simply an
obedience to God’s leading to relocate to this
specific part of town.
The wind was blowing and people were being
obedient to go where it was leading.
When the Beaches decided to move closer to
their friends so they could be more present, God
opened a door for them to buy a house in the
Beechmont area. And after they moved in, they
learned Southeast was about to open a new kind
of campus right in their neighborhood.
Beechmont truly is a home to many
languages and cultures from all
over the world. And it is where the
Holy Spirit has been moving.
A community campus. The SE Beechmont
Community Campus.
So, as Cliff and Heather continue to love on
their friends, sharing life with them and
telling them about Jesus as opportunities
present themselves, the SE Beechmont
Community Campus is also looking for
opportunities to follow God’s leading in
reaching out to the community.
Learn More
To learn more about the SE Beechmont Campus
and the community transformation efforts, email
beechmont@secc.org or
southeastchristian.org/locations.
Prayer Requests
• P raise God for the Beaches while praying
that more families will be willing to
catch the wind of what God is doing in the
Beechmont neighborhood.
• P ray for wisdom and discernment as specific
community transformation action plans are
developed.
• P ray the hearts and minds of community
members will be open to hearing the good
news that Jesus loves them.
35
CATCH THE WIND

Tiny Homes,
Big Possibilities
More Than a Place to Live in Shelby County

T
ime seems to move quickly when you
are in the midst of doing ministry.
Catching the wind sometimes happens
sooner than we might think. That is so
true for Dr. Pippin—or Doc, as he is fondly
referred to by many who know him—and a
small group of fellow veterans serving the
Shelby County community. This group of
men founded Veteran’s Rural Outreach (VRO)
and brought their vision of the Veterans
Village to Awake Ministries, whose board and
leadership embraced the ideas of expanding
their areas of service to their local heroes.
That is when ministry began to move quickly.
A Sense of Home
On October 1, 2019, ground was broken for
the Veterans Village, a small plot of land for
six tiny homes. Fast forward to October 1,
2020 and the first person moved into one of
the six finished homes. When you step on
the grounds of this village, you get a sense
of home. Although the roads still need to be

36
 CATCH THE WIND

The Veterans Village features six tiny homes that, through a partnership with Awake Ministries, help veterans in
the Shelby County community achieve self-sustainability.

paved and the Community Center is a well- When you while Doc was walking
thought-out plan moving toward completion, the grounds, he heard a
step on the
the feeling of true transformation in the lives loud noise. As he moved
of the men and women living there is obvious. grounds of closer, he saw a small
this village, group of men and their
John (not his real name) agrees. He is one of motorcycles planted in
you get a
the first residents and knows he still has many front of the building
challenges ahead of him. He also knows that sense of discussing the days they
God is faithful. He is proof the village is not home. used to visit The Palace.
just a place to live. It’s the partnership between Doc shared with them
the Veterans Village and Awake Ministries his dream of having a Community Center in
as they stand in the gap with wraparound the building where veterans could gather to
services for these men and women who gave hear the Gospel and get the help they needed.
so much that will help him achieve his goal When leaving, one of the men asked what he
of self-sustainability in the near future. needed. Doc mentioned TVs for the homes and
a projector and screen for movie nights at the
Also on the property is a building that used to Community Center. The next morning all of
be The Palace—a local nightclub where, as Doc the items were ordered and ready for delivery,
would say, “nothing good happened.” One day courtesy of the guys on the motorcycles!

Continued on next page

37
CATCH THE WIND

One of the veterans who helped found Veteran’s Rural Outreach, Dr. Pippin—or Doc, as he is known to many—is pictured with
his granddaughter on the porch of one of the tiny homes.

Continued from page 37

As the Veterans Village website states, the

Community Center will foster relationship
building, help with job search and readiness
assistance, on-site Veterans Affairs counseling,
and food insecurity assistance. Or as better
said by Doc: “A hand up, not a handout.”

Community Engagement
Awake Ministries and VRO are catching the wind
at every turn of this journey. One of their main
goals is to continue to engage community churches
to help with counseling, Bible studies, worship
nights, and fellowship at the Community Center.

Southeast Christian Church Shelby County Campus

 he Community Center— a renovated nightclub— will
T
foster relationship building, help with job search and is already highly engaged in serving alongside
readiness assistance, on-site Veterans Affairs counseling, Awake Ministries and the many wrapround services
and food insecurity assistance.

38
 CATCH THE WIND

they offer to the community. In fact, a group of

individuals from the campus joined with other
Southeast members on a local mission trip
to help renovate the Community Center this
past October 22-24. The team was briefed on
community transformation, shared devotions
each morning, and debriefed each night on
how they saw God move during the trip.

Learn More
To learn more about Awake Ministries and the
Veterans Village, including how you can help,
visit awakeky.org. To take a mission trip, even
a local one, text MISSION TRIP to 733733.

Prayer Requests
• P raise God for the six homes being completed
in such a short time, allowing residents to move
in and relationships to begin being developed.

• P ray that the lives of the men and women living

at the Veterans Village will be transformed.

• P ray for God to continue to bless the

partnership between Veteran’s Rural
Outreach and Awake Ministries. The first person moved into the Veterans Village on October 1, 2020,
exactly one year after ground was broken for the six tiny homes.
Local Engagement Map
My command is this:
Love each other as
I have loved you.
John 15:12
 CLARK
COUNTY

FLOYD
COUNTY

48
20
11

47 34
21 25
26
42 7 5 38 40
3
12 5 35
27 41
15 37
44 9 22
13 46
6 13
10 24
14

4 39
17
HARRISON 8
28 2
COUNTY
1

45

Southeast engages deeply 43

with partner organizations,

churches, and missionaries
throughout our communities.

1 Antioch Church
2 Bethlehem Baptist, African Service
3 City Church Inc.
4 Evangelical Church for Winning All
5 Fountain of Faith
6 Greater First Timothy Church
7 Greater New Beginnings
8 Kentucky Myanmar Christian
9 Liberty Tabernacle
10 Mt. Hermon Baptist Church
11 Nomad Church
12 Portland Memorial Missionary Baptist
13 Senda de Luz
14 Taylorsville Community Church
15 True Believers
16 Victory Christian Center

15

7
31
 16 9
OLDHAM
COUNTY 19
33 36

29
1 ALC Shelbyville
2 ALC Shepherdsville
3 Awake Ministries
4 Barren Heights
5 BsideU for Life
6 Choices New Albany
7 Clarity Elizabethtown
8 Crossroads Missions Office
9 Crossroads Pregnancy Resource Center
16 11 12
10 Elevate Dance Ministry
18 30
1 11 Endeavor Office
32
10 12 FCA Metro Louisville Office
4 3
13 FCA UofL
8
14 Friends of International Students
15 Helping Hands of Hope
16 HighPoint Charitable Services
17 Hope Collaborative - Hope Place
18 Hope Collaborative - Public Schools Office
19 Hope Health Clinic
20 Hope Southern Indiana
21 Hosea’s House
22 Ignite the Ville
23 Isaiah’s House
24 KY Racetrack Chaplaincy
25 Lifehouse Maternity Home
26 Love City
27 Love Thy Neighborhood Office
28 Maya Collection
14 29 M.E.R.C.Y.
30 MCLA Clinic (various locations)
31 Mission Hope for Kids - Elizabethtown
32 Operation Care and Mercy Medical
33 Operation Parent
34 Portland Promise Center
35 Priscilla’s Place
36 Prodigal Crestwood
37 Prodigal Louisville
38 Re:Center Louisville
Legend
39 Refuge
40 Scarlet Hope House
Local Local
Mission Partner 41 Scarlet Hope Office
Partners Churches 42 Shawnee Christian Health Clinic
43 Shively Area Ministries
44 The Fuller Center
45 Veteran’s Club
23
46 Young Life Office
Southeast also 47
48
Youth for Christ, City Life
Youth for Christ - Southern Indiana
supports 18 Not pictured on the map:
families or Choices Corydon
Choices Salem
individuals Clarity Radcliff
Lifeline Christian Mission - Westerville, OH
as local Mission Hope for Kids - Leitchfield
Mission Hope for Kids - Radcliff
missionaries!
CATCH THE WIND

Guided by the Spirit

New Campuses in Shelby and Bullitt Counties

oon after Southeast leased space in

early 2019, hundreds of people in
Shelby County began engaging with
one another and being fed spiritually. That Fall,
when the church hosted a Watch Party in Bullitt
County, 400 people attended.
There could only be one explanation:
The Holy Spirit.
As a church, we’re ready to take risks to
follow the Spirit. It was clear He was moving
throughout both communities, leading
Southeast to open a campus in each.
Investment Bearing Fruit
Max Semenick has a heart for Shelby County.
When he became the Community Pastor there
in 2014, he and his wife, Sara, dove in head
first, moving their family to Shelbyville and
quickly working to develop relationships. That
investment has borne fruit, with the Holy
Spirit providing opportunity after opportunity,
including the announcement of the Shelby
County Campus.
“Our first several years, we just kept finding
this recurring pattern where there were a lot
of Southeast people here. They just were not
connected to each other,” Max said.

Shelby County Campus Pastor Max Semenick speaks during a worship service at Gallrein Farms
this past September.

Those attending the service at Gallrein Farms lift up their voices in worship.
Southeast initially focused on creating activity
among those folks, giving them opportunities—
from small groups to working with local Mission
Partners—to engage with one another while
participating in Kingdom work.
A key point came about three years ago when
The Brick Room in downtown Shelbyville
offered space so Southeast could host a local
Man Challenge group. “That really turned the
corner from just kind of a loose connection of
Southeast people to really an engine where we
could start equipping people and turning out
leaders,” Max said.
The Holy Spirit wasn’t finished. At the
beginning of 2019, Southeast signed a lease
to be The Brick Room’s only tenant, allowing
the church to launch groups for women and
students. All of a sudden, several hundred
people were coming in and out of the building
each week.
CATCH THE WIND
Having local programming made it easier for
those connected to Southeast to invite their
unconnected family, friends, neighbors, and
co-workers. “We definitely saw that among
students,” Max said.
Feeling the unmistakable stirring of the Holy
Spirit, Southeast in late 2019 announced the
Shelby County Campus and that Max would
serve as the Campus Pastor. The campus—
located in a former Tractor Supply Co. store
at 196 Midland Boulevard in Shelbyville—is
expected to open in late Spring.
“We feel like we have a fully functioning
campus right now,” Max said, pointing to the
various programming already offered, including
the addition of Encounter groups last Fall.
“We just don’t have a building that we attend
worship together in on Sunday.”
Continued on next page
43
CATCH THE WIND

Continued from page 43

Eastside Middle School in Mount Washington is transformed into Southeast’s Bullitt County Campus
each weekend.

Different but the Same Southeast opted for a different type of campus.
It opened its first portable campus—at Eastside
While it was announced after the Shelby County
Middle School just up the road from Pleasant
Campus, the Bullitt County Campus launched
Grove Elementary.
first—this past October 4.
“It allows us to move more quickly, it allows us
“It was just this great thing where it was clear
to be flexible, and it really allows us to respond
that God was working in Bullitt County,”
faster to what we feel like the Spirit is calling us
Campus Pastor Heath Barth said, pointing to
to do,” Heath said.
that Fall 2019 Watch Party at
Pleasant Grove Elementary The school is essentially
School in Mount Washington. transformed into a Southeast
campus each weekend. “Our
“In the first two hours that the
goal is to give you the Southeast
signup was (live), we had 200
experience and to make it as
people,” he said.
close to another campus as
possible,” Heath said.
More impressive to Heath—the
Community Pastor for the area at the time—
The Bullitt County Campus—announced in
was the number of people seeking to engage.
December 2019—was to launch on Easter
“What was fascinating was how many people
Sunday 2020. Just weeks before the launch,
were looking to connect and serve in their
however, in-person gatherings were suspended
community,” he said.
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wanting to answer the Holy Spirit’s call

“Our people were excited,” Heath said. “The
as quickly as possible and having a good
week we wound up not hosting services because
relationship with the local school system,

44
 CATCH THE WIND

of the pandemic, we were supposed to have

Learn More
a worship service that Sunday night. We had
To learn more about the Shelby County and Bullitt
almost 800 people registered.”
County Campuses and serving opportunities, visit
Initial disappointment quickly turned to southeastchristian.org/locations.
action: Volunteers delivered 600+ meals to
area medical workers, joined other community Prayer Requests
churches in writing more than 1,100 letters
• P raise God for opening doors for
of encouragement to graduating seniors, and
Southeast to share His love in both Shelby
called 60 elderly shut-in residents in Mount
and Bullitt County.
Washington to see if they needed anything.
• A sk God to bless the efforts of the staff and
“My favorite is one lady just wanted a Diet
volunteers at both the Shelby and Bullitt
Vanilla Coke and some low-sodium chicken
County Campuses to connect people to Jesus and
noodle soup,” Heath said, adding he was thrilled
one another throughout their communities.
they were able to bring her some happiness.
• P ray that the people in both communities
The additional time ended up being a blessing,
would be receptive to the life-transforming
he said, as it helped foster a culture “that says
message of the Gospel.
we’re going to be a campus that invests in
people and loves this community in such a way
that they recognize the presence of Jesus.”

Campus Pastor Heath Barth and others, including many volunteers, work to ensure the Bullitt County Campus
provides the same experience as Southeast’s other campuses.
CATCH THE WIND
Dave and Carole Dunlap, left, who were called to become field workers a second time after having served for almost 15 years, continue
to build relationships while they serve.
Late-Life Missionaries
Dunlaps Faithfully Work in Field a Second Time
M
ost people as they approach their
late 60s are considering plans for
retirement or at least winding
things down a bit. But that’s not the case for
Dave and Carole Dunlap, who packed their bags
to become field workers a second time. Their
missions journey, however, began 20 years ago,
when the Dunlaps took the Perspectives on the
World Christian Movement class at Southeast
Christian Church, sparking a desire in them
to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Helping Others Hear Jesus’ Name
Being obedient to God’s calling on their
lives, Dave and Carole started serving as
missionaries in 2001, translating the Bible
for language groups across North Africa.
While living in Mali, they worked with SIM
46
to record audio versions of God’s Word in the
native language of the people groups. The
Dunlaps’ work made it possible for people
to hear the name of Jesus and understand
what the Gospel is for the first time. After
almost 15 years, Dave and Carole faithfully
completed their task of Bible translation in
that community and humbly returned home.
Far from Over
But the Dunlaps’ missions story was far
from over. They continued to pursue the
Lord and became an advocate for missions
at their home church in Florida. Through
initiating a Perspectives class and sharing
about the Global Missions Health Conference,
Dave and Carole created awareness about
God’s desire to reach the nations.
 CATCH THE WIND

In 2018, an opportunity arose for another One at a time, Carole and Dave have invited
Bible translation project—this time in Spain. these young men to have a seat at their table.
Discerning individually in their time with
Jesus, they wanted to be confident in where the In demonstrating this sacrificial love, the
Spirit was leading. Together, they answered His Dunlaps have devoted themselves to the
call, saying yes to serving internationally again. advancement of the Gospel wherever the
Spirit leads through Bible translation and
Along with Bible translation, the Dunlaps are relationships with refugees. “I want God
also working with refugees at a community to squeeze every drop out of me,” Carole
center in Spain. They are walking alongside said. Even in “retirement,” the Dunlaps
five young men who are seeking safety and feel more fulfilled and alive than ever.
structure in the midst of their chaotic life.
Being unable to provide for themselves, these
young men receive job training at the center in
addition to learning life skills such as financial Learn More
responsibility and relational communication.
To learn more about the Perspectives on
the World Christian Movement class, visit
In demonstrating Furthermore,
perspectives.org or email missions@secc.org.
the Dunlaps are
this sacrificial working to instill
Prayer Requests
love, the Dunlaps value and dignity
• P raise God that the Bible is being
have devoted to these young
translated into the native language
men struggling to
themselves to of different people groups, making it
find out who they
the advancement are. Most of them
easier for the Gospel to be shared.

of the Gospel come from Islamic

• P ray for Dave and Carole’s health and for
backgrounds and
through Bible them to continue to be learners of culture
are wrestling
and open to God’s leading in their lives.
translation and with what it
relationships looks like to be • P ray that the five young men the Dunlaps
a Muslim apart
with refugees. are working alongside will continue to
from their family have open hearts and minds about Jesus.
culture. Carole
and Dave spend their time simply loving
these young men right where they are.
Through the cultivation of trusting
relationships, the Dunlaps are able to engage
in conversations with the young men about
faith and what it looks like to follow Jesus.

In Luke 14:13-14, Jesus said, “But when you

give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled,
the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.
Although they cannot repay you, you will be
repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The Dunlaps’ mission work includes translating

the Bible and working with refugees in Spain.

47
 CATCH THE WIND

Planting
During a
Pandemic
Southeast Helps
Launch Pair of Churches

S
outheast Christian Church isn’t new
to church planting. Since 2001, it has
helped plant 60 churches in the U.S.,
focusing on large, densely populated cities with
few strong evangelical churches. Though some
planters have experienced frustration and even
depression because of limited connection to
new people during the COVID-19 pandemic,
their young churches have largely remained
healthy during this challenging time.

“At the beginning, I was pretty surprised

by how well they were doing as things were
shutting down,” Eugene DePorter, who leads
Southeast’s church planting efforts, admitted.
“But church planters are usually younger and
they tend to reach a younger audience. This
demographic is more tech savvy than most,
so the shift to online church was a fairly
easy transition for these new churches.”

That’s not to say that launching a new church

during a pandemic isn’t extremely challenging.
Developing a core team is highly dependent on

Continued on next page

City Church opened in downtown Cincinnati, OH on September 13.

49
CATCH THE WIND

Though two able to meet for 10

weeks prior to the
church plants COVID-19 lockdown
in a year is and had an average

relatively few for attendance of 256.

 od brought college friends Chris Marlin and Tyler Chenesky
G
back together years later to plant City Church in Cincinnati’s
Over the Rhine area.
Continued from page 49
building personal relationships, and these
new relationships have been difficult to
develop. Pre-launch outreach efforts usually
center on serving in large events, something
that is almost impossible right now because
of social distancing. Additionally, securing a
facility to meet has been hampered because
schools and theaters have been closed and
hotels and other venues are restricting
groups. However, even with these limitations,
Southeast followed the Spirit and helped
launch two church plants in 2020.
Building Community
The first—Community Church in Long Island,
NY—launched on January 5. They were
Southeast, it is
The lead church
truly a testament planter, Lou
to God’s power Pizzichillo, who
is from the area,
to launch and
recalled having to
sustain both in drive 45 minutes
the middle of a to attend a church
when he was
global pandemic!
younger. Studies
show that, on
average, there is one church for every 800 people
in the U.S., but in Long Island that number is one
church for every 4,300 people. This motivated
Pizzichillo to consider planting a church in the
very community where he grew up. As a native, his
understanding of Long Island’s unique culture has
worked out incredibly well for Community Church.
Southeast’s Southwest Campus has adopted
this thriving church plant. In fact, members
were scheduled to go on a mission trip there this
Summer before the pandemic hit, and still plan to
as soon as possible.
A Unique Story
The second new church plant—City Church in
downtown Cincinnati, OH—actually launched
during the pandemic—on September 13—and has
averaged approximately 50 people at its services.
This plant also has a unique story. Co-church
planters Chris Marlin and Tyler Chenesky met
while attending Indiana University. During
those college years, as they were growing in
their faith, they began talking about planting
a church together one day. After graduation,
however, they went their separate ways, starting

50
 CATCH THE WIND

jobs in different cities. Not finished with Learn More

His work in them yet, God drew them back
To learn more about Southeast’s church plants, visit
together years later to see their dream become
southeastchristian.org/missions/explore.
a reality. They are now planting a unique
church in Cincinnati’s Over the Rhine area, a
neighborhood much like NULU in Louisville. Prayer Requests
• P raise God for allowing the Gospel
Though two church plants in a year is relatively to spread through new church plants
few for Southeast, it is truly a testament to even during a pandemic.
God’s power to launch and sustain both in the
middle of a global pandemic. The other good • P ray for Community Church and City
news is that 2020 has served as a preparation Church, along with the other churches
and incubation period for many new church Southeast has helped plant.
plants, and it appears Southeast may have
• P ray that God will continue to use Southeast
a record number of launches in 2021. These
to plant churches in parts of the U.S. that
include church plants in Manhattan, NY; Miami,
have few strong evangelical churches.
FL; Derry, NH; Oakland, CA; and a potential
for up to three more, which could mean as
many as seven church plants in 2021.

Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, Community Church—which launched on January 5, 2020—has made a big impact in the Long Island,
NY area. In addition to averaging 256 people at its weekly services prior to the lockdown (bottom left), the church has hosted meetups
(bottom right) and conducted its first community baptism (top).
Southeast Church Plants and
National Engagement Map
Then I heard the
voice of the Lord
saying, “Whom
shall I send? And
who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here
am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8
 56
40

Church Plants
57
35

1 Rehoboth Victory Church 18 Church of the Incarnation

Winston Salem, NC Manhattan, NY
Launched 2002 Launched September 27, 2009

2 Discovery Church 19 Northpointe Christian Church

Simi Valley, CA Providence, RI
Launched February 2003 Launched October 25, 2009

3 LifePoint Christian Church 20 Restore Community Church

Raleigh, NC Sterling, VA
Launched February 2004 Launched October 25, 2009
31 64
54
4 EastPointe Christian Church 21 Verve
AND NATIONAL ENGAGEMENT
SOUTHEAST CHURCH PLANTS

Portland, ME Las Vegas, NV

Launched March 7, 2004 Launched January 1, 2010
55

5 Live Oak Christian Church 22 The Avenue 21

Bluffton, SC Louisville, KY 2
39
Launched September 1, 2004 Launched October 10, 2010

6 Forefront Church 23 Revolution Christian Church

Manhattan, NY Annapolis, MD
Launched September 18, 2005 Launched October 24, 2010

7 Kinetic Christian Church 24 SouthPointe Christian Church

Charlotte, NC Providence, RI
Launched February 2005 Launched October 30, 2011

8 Watermarke Church 25 CityEdge Christian Church

Canton, GA Cleveland, OH 35 Church of the City
Launched September 2005 Launched September 11, 2011 Portland, OR
Launched January 25, 2015
9 Parkside Church 26 Village Christian Church
Kansas City, KS Buffalo, NY 36 Community Lincoln Square
Launched October 2005 Launched October 2, 2011 Chicago, IL
Launched March 1, 2015
10 Ridge Community Church 27 Everyday Christian Church
New Berlin, WI Manhattan, NY 37 Restoration Church
Launched January 1, 2006 Launched Fall 2011 Philadelphia, PA
Launched March 22, 2015
11 Velocity Christian Church 28 Restore Christian Church
Richmond, VA Silver Springs, MD 38 Miami Church
Launched March 19, 2006 Launched October 1, 2012 Miami, FL
Launched September 20, 2015
12 Momentum Christian Church 29 BridgePointe Christian Church
Cleveland, OH Providence, RI 39 Collective Church
Launched October 1, 2006 Launched March 17, 2013 Los Angeles, CA
Launched September 20, 2015
13 Reunion Christian Church 30 Foundry Christian Church
Boston, MA Baltimore, MD 40 Intrepid Church
Launched February 18, 2007 Launched September 22, 2013 Seattle, WA
Launched October 4, 2015
14 Common Ground 31 Redemption Church
Tampa, Florida San Francisco, CA 41 Restore Church
Launched September 9, 2007 Launched February 1, 2014 Boston, MA
Launched October 18, 2015
15 Mosaic Christian Church 32 Oceanpointe Christian Church
Baltimore, MD Newport, RI 42 Epiphany Church
Launched September 14, 2008 Launched March 16, 2014 Brooklyn, NY
Launched March 20, 2016
16 Velocity Christian Church 33 Renaissance Church
Cleveland, OH Harlem, NY 43 Mavuno Church
Launched April 5, 2009 Launched October 1, 2014 Nairobi, Kenya
Launched September 1, 2016
17 Legacy Christian Church 34 Renewal Church
Allentown, PA Chicago, IL 44 Thrive Church
Launched September 20, 2009 Launched September 7, 2014 Lake Nona, FL
Launched December 4, 2016
 Partners
4
1 Ability Ministry
49
Louisville, TN
62
41
11
13
58
2 Bob Russell Ministries
26
10 19 24 Louisville, Kentucky
50 63 29
42 6 18
33
27
32 59 3 Christ in Youth
36
12 16 17 Joplin, MO
34
25
37
14 53 4 Christian Student Fellowship
52
51
15 30 Lexington, KY
48 23

12
15 60 20 28
5 Convoy of Hope
9 13
22 11 Springfield, MO
4 10
8
2
9 6 Cookson Hills
5
3 Kansas, OK
1 3
7
6
1
7
7 Crescent Project
Nashville, TN
8
8 Manhood Journey
Louisville, KY
5
9 Oakdale Christian Academy
Jackson, KY

10 Refuge for Women

Lexington, KY

11 Sojourn Collegiate
44
14
Boston, MA

12 Spire
61
Monument, CO
38

Legend 13 The Post/Lantern Network

Alton, IL

Church Plants 14 The Samaritan Women

Southeast also has helped launch churches Baltimore, MD

in Nairobi, Kenya; Cape Town, South Africa; Partners

15 World Impact
Cincinnati, OH
Lagos, Nigeria; and Paris, France!

45 Pro Deo Church 50 The Gathering 55 SLO City Church 60 City Church OTR
Cape Town, South Africa Harlem, NY San Luis Obispo, CA Cincinnati, OH
Launched February 4, 2017 Launched September 17, 2017 Launched September 8, 2019 Launched September 13, 2020

46 City Church 51 CU Church 56 Icon Church 61 HIStory Makers Church

Lagos, Nigeria Champaign, IL Seattle, WA Miami, FL
Launched March 1, 2017 Launched September 17, 2017 Launched September 8, 2019 Launching January 2021

47 Eglise Saint Lazare 52 United Church 57 Generations Church 62 Beacon Church

Paris, France Owings Mills, MD Vancouver, WA Derry, NH
Launched September 3, 2017 Launched October 1, 2017 Launched October 6, 2019 Launching Winter 2021

48 Encounter Church 53 Delaware Church 58 Renaissance Church 63 Reunion Church

Washington, DC Wilmington, DE Boston, MA Manhattan, NY
Launched September 10, 2017 Launched April 22, 2018 Launched January 5, 2020 Launching Fall 2021

49 Movement Church 54 Bay City Church 59 Community Church 64 Oakland Project

Manchester, NH San Francisco, CA Babylon, NY Oakland, CA
Launched January 1, 2017 Launched September 9, 2018 Launched January 5, 2020 Launching Fall 2021
CATCH THE WIND
Singing Praises
en Español
Awaken Worship Reaching Growing Population
O
ver the years, the Worship Ministry at
Southeast Christian Church has relied
on the Lord’s direction, continually
asking Him, “What is next?” God has repeatedly
responded by putting the need for the expression
of worship in Spanish in front of them. In
obedience, following through with how God
asked them to catch the wind, the team set out in
search of how to do this locally. But God’s ways
are not our ways, and He instead wanted it to
start out globally.
Leading Worship at
Festival Por La Vida
In May 2019, Awaken Worship participated
in Festival Por La Vida hosted by Southeast
Mission Partner Mike Silva International at
Awaken Worship partnered with Mike Silva International a second time this past Fall, when it was part of Festival Por La Vida Global.
Iroquois Amphitheatre. Leading worship
in both Spanish and English, the team got
a taste of where God was guiding them.
In 2020, the opportunity to serve with Mike Silva
International presented itself again. COVID-19
forced the postponement of Festival Por La Vida
in the Dominican Republic. The festival, however,
moved to an online setting, making it a much
bigger experience. Festival Por La Vida Global
began airing this past October on Enlace TV and
all Mike Silva International social media platforms.
Enlace TV is the most widely viewed Spanish-
speaking Christian television network in
the world, reaching every Spanish-speaking
country as well as Brazil and the United States.
Mike Silva says this will “reach people in three
linguistic groups—English, Portuguese, and
 CATCH THE WIND

The very same songs the team writes, records, and sings at worship
services at Southeast will now also be available in Spanish.

Spanish—and that’s a couple of billion people

around the world.” For Awaken Worship, again
being part of the festival created a starting
point for resourcing the local community with
music in Spanish as almost the entirety of the
team’s involvement was in that language.

The excitement of what the Lord wants to do with

the songs birthed out of the Southeast community
on a greater scale than imagined is here. Currently,
Spanish is the second most spoken language in
the United States. It is projected that by 2050, the
United States will have the largest concentration of
Spanish speakers in the world. While the number
of people speaking Spanish in Kentucky is not as
high as other states, it is rapidly growing. That
means that the need for songs for the Southeast
community in Spanish is here and it is real. God A
 waken Worship performs from the stage at Southeast’s
has given Awaken Worship the opportunity to Blankenbaker Campus during Festival Por La Vida Global,
resource the local and global community. which began airing in October. At top, Mike Silva addresses
the audience at home.

A New Chapter of Ministry available in Spanish. Catching the wind of where

God is leading can look as simple as leaning in to
Last Fall, the Worship Ministry at Southeast
the very things that are right in front of us.
launched Awaken Worship en Español. The mission
of Awaken Worship has always been to awaken
generations to the glory of God through music,
worship, and creativity. Each song is an extension Learn More
of the heart of the church and all that God is
For more information about Awaken Worship
doing in and through the people at Southeast to
en Español, visit southeastchristian.
encourage, resource, and connect with Jesus. Now,
org/ministries/awaken-worship.
they will be doing so in Spanish as well as English.

The work of translating songs, teaching non- Prayer Requests

native Spanish speakers to sing in Spanish,
and growing in confidence to lead worship in
Spanish was all done by the team as God had
faithfully gone before them, putting in place
the people and tools to do so. From now on, the
goal will be to release worship music in Spanish
in tandem with worship music in English.
• P raise God for faithfully working ahead, putting
the people and tools in place to reach the Spanish-
speaking population through worship music.
• P ray for Spanish speakers in Kentucky,
Indiana, and beyond to encounter
God’s love and receive Jesus.

• A sk God for Awaken Worship en Español to be

In asking God what is next, Awaken Worship has
a ministry known by His presence and joy.
launched a new chapter of ministry. The very
same songs the team writes, records, and sings at
worship services at Southeast will now also be
55
Wreck
The
Roof
Luke 5:17-39

As Jesus preached in a full house, four men showed

up carrying a paralyzed friend on a mat. They knew

he needed to get to Jesus, but the house was packed

and there was no way to Him. So, what did they do?

They climbed up the side of the house and made a way

through the roof!

Why did they wreck the roof? One is why. The

friends were willing to do what was impractical,

inconvenient, cost-prohibitive, and messy because one

is worth it. The four men could’ve turned around and

gone home, but they knew who Jesus was and that He

was their friend’s only hope. So, instead of playing it

safe and waiting outside or giving up and going home,

they climbed up and wrecked the roof. By faith, they

refused to accept the limitations set before them and

found a way to get their friend to Jesus, even when it

seemed risky or impractical.

We’re called to do the same. We will do for one

what we wish we could do for everyone. When

we wreck the roof, we commit to doing whatever

it takes to bring one more person to Jesus.

 WRECK THE ROOF

From the
Bottle to
the Bible
How Saramarie Combs
Found Faith in a Bar
in Elizabethtown

G
rowing up, Saramarie Combs felt like
religion was just one long list of dont’s. Don’t
do this. Don’t do that. And don’t even think
about doing that. For her, the walls of religion closed
in, leaving her with the sinking feeling that she had no
freedom or choice in her life. That all changed when she
went to college.

With her new-found freedom, Saramarie fully embraced

the college social life. Her pursuit for freedom mostly
revolved around drinking and sex. She said, “For eight
straight years, from the time I was 21 until I was 29,
there was not one single day that I was sober.”

New Friends
Three years ago, everything began to change for
Saramarie. She moved to Elizabethtown and began
bartending at a local tavern. One of the bands that
played there on a regular basis was led by a father and
daughter, Southeast members JT McAdams and Alexis
Hurley. Their mission was to use music to take the light
of Jesus into places where it was rarely shown. Alexis
and Saramarie were about the same age and had a lot in
common, so they quickly became close friends.

The McAdams family has dinner together every Sunday

evening. It wasn’t long before Saramarie was invited
to join them on several occasions. Alexis knew that

58

Saramarie loved movies, and it just so happened
that Southeast was starting the At the Movies
series. Over dinner, Alexis extended an invitation.
Saramarie accepted, and for the first time since she
was a young girl, she came to church. But instead
of feeling claustrophobic, she heard a message of
God’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
Sobriety and Sanctification
While she loved the messages that she heard,
she was still struggling with her addictions.
On Christmas Eve of 2019, Saramarie’s sister
Jamie took the risk and confronted her about her
alcoholism. Jamie was afraid for Saramarie, and if
she didn’t get sober, Jamie couldn’t be around her
any more.
Saramarie started to
ask questions and Alexis
explained to her that
following Christ wasn’t
about religion, but
a relationship.
That was the motivation that Saramarie needed.
She made the decision that night to quit drinking,
cold turkey. She knew that she needed help, so she
joined a Celebrate Recovery group at a local church
and began her journey back to health and God.
The first person Saramarie shared her decision
with was her good friend Alexis. She confessed her
struggle with alcohol and her decision to get sober.
That led to a conversation about God. Saramarie
started to ask questions and Alexis explained to
her that following Christ wasn’t about religion,
but a relationship. Alexis told her friend that God
doesn’t want us to keep a list of unattainable rules;
He offers us forgiveness and love.
WRECK THE ROOF
For the first time in her life, Saramarie began to
understand and wanted to begin that relational
journey with God. She knew that it started with
being baptized. She turned to the person who was
always there for her—the person who saw her for
who she was and not for what she did. She asked
her friend Alexis to baptize her. In January 2020,
Saramarie gave her life to God and was baptized!
The next few months weren’t always easy,
including a move out of state. But Saramarie’s
relationship with God continued to grow and her
sobriety journey keeps moving forward!
Saramarie never expected to follow Jesus after an
encounter with a family in a bar. But God found
her just where she was through people who were
willing to wreck the roof to bring even one person
closer to Him.
Learn More
If you or someone you know is struggling with
alcohol or addiction and looking for a Christ-centered
solution, check out Encounter Ministry
at southeastchristian.org/ministries/care
or text ENCOUNTER to 733733.
Prayer Requests
• P raise God for His kindness and grace, which
shines through His Church when they wreck the
roof for one person to be connected to Jesus.
• A sk God to equip His people to go outside the
walls of the church to reach those who are lost,
struggling, hurting, and alone. May His light
reach into dark corners through the love of
His people.
• P ray for those struggling with addiction,
trauma, and loss, that God’s Spirit will sustain
and transform them through His power.
59
Baptisms in 2020
Number of Total Baptisms 711
Through November
 Camp Since 2004, Camp Freedom has served as one
of the most anticipated and beloved events
for Southeast’s Shine Disabilities Ministry.

Freedom
The event has grown into an action-packed
weekend where campers with intellectual,
developmental, or physical disabilities

Revised
experience Summer camp in ways they
most enjoy. In 2019, Camp Freedom included
more than 110 campers, who were joined
by more than 100 volunteers and staff

A Shift in Community
for three days and two nights of worship,
fellowship, activities, and community

Outreach
at Country Lake Christian Retreat.

Like many things in the world around us, the

plans for Camp Freedom changed in 2020. As
the realities of health and safety for everyone

62

The Camp Freedom Family Day Camps in July provided Shine Ministry students, families, and volunteers their first
opportunity to connect in months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
were altered in the Spring, the usual Camp
Freedom format was canceled. However, rather
than closing the door on the popular Summer
event, that cancellation opened a new door
and a new way to experience Camp Freedom.
Thanks to the efforts and commitment of the
staff at Country Lake, Shine Ministry partnered
in hosting a pair of Camp Freedom Family Day
Camps during the same weekend in July as the
cancelled event.
Family Day Camps
As nearly everything in our world came to a
halt, and opportunities to meet together ceased,
the Camp Freedom Family Day Camps on July
17-18 served as the first in-person gatherings
WRECK THE ROOF
for the students, families, and volunteers
connected to Shine Ministry since weekend
worship on March 8. On a beautiful weekend
in Southern Indiana, approximately 270 people
converged on Country Lake for a few hours
of the fellowship and community they had
been missing for more than four months.
Rather than having campers paired with
volunteers for a three-day weekend, the new
format allowed campers to be joined by their
families, while experiencing a snapshot of the
Camp Freedom weekend during one action-
packed day. The Camp Freedom Family Day
Camps featured annual traditions like fishing,
archery, crafts, outdoor games, swimming,
wagon rides, and worship while also including
Continued on next page
63
 Campers and their families are all smiles as they enjoy an afternoon of swimming at Country Lake Christian Retreat.

Continued from page 63

Camp Freedom is a a first-time event—the zip line. All of the

pivotal evangelistic
event for Southeast’s
Shine Ministry, which
seeks to equip and
disciple children,
students, and adults
with disabilities into
the life and community
of Southeast
Christian Church.
activities were conducted in a safe, socially-
distant way to ensure the health of everyone.
Reaching the Community
Of the 270 people who attended this year’s Camp
Freedom—which included campers, families, and
volunteers—about 50 of those were not regular
attendees at Southeast and many in that group
were first-time guests for Shine Ministry and the
church. Events like Camp Freedom and the Shine
Gala allow the Shine Ministry team to reach and
build relationships with numerous individuals
who typically do not attend Southeast. This year’s
Camp Freedom Family Day Camps allowed for even
more personal connections for the Shine Ministry
staff and volunteers—not only with campers,
but also with parents, caregivers, and siblings,
many of whom who do not have church homes.

64
 WRECK THE ROOF

Camp Freedom is a pivotal evangelistic event Learn More

for Southeast’s Shine Ministry, which seeks to
To learn more about Shine Ministry
equip and disciple children, students, and adults
and get involved in future projects, visit
with disabilities into the life and community
southeastchristian.org/ministries/
of Southeast Christian Church. The Shine team
deaf-and-disabilities-ministry.
strives to empower individuals with disabilities
to know and love Jesus and others with their
unique abilities, and Camp Freedom allows Prayer Requests
them to do that each year. Along with all of the • P raise God for providing a safe,
activities and fellowship, the Gospel of Jesus encouraging, inclusive way for campers
Christ was shared with all of the attendees to experience Camp Freedom with their
at Camp Freedom, and the importance of a families through Summer day camps.
personal relationship with our Savior is at the
forefront of everything Shine Ministry does. • P ray for the families who connect
to Christ and Southeast through
Though Camp Freedom 2020 looked different Shine Ministry outreach events.
than in previous years, it was no less memorable
• A sk God to equip and sustain the
as God provided a way for the campers,
Shine Ministry leaders, volunteers,
families, volunteers, and staff to experience
and families as they grow in their
His goodness and provision in ways that can
relationships with Christ and find ways
only be attributed to Him. He opened new
to serve and connect with the church.
doors and new ways for Shine Ministry to
continue reaching individuals and families in
the disabilities community—one at a time.

The Camp Freedom Family Day Camps featured traditional activities, like fishing, outdoor games, and swimming, while also
including a first-time event—the zip line.
65
 The government Court Diversion Program, in partnership with Southeast Mission Partner Hope Collaborative, is helping
change the course of the lives of young people.

Second Chances
Court Diversion Program Offers Hope

If
a kid is in the government Court
Diversion Program for a chance
to change course, something has
already gone wrong. Not yet a big thing—
maybe trespassing, assault, intoxication,
or shoplifting—but there’s been some kind
of red flag that indicates there’s trouble
ahead unless something changes.
Southeast Christian Church member Jason
Allen works with the Diversion Program through
Hope Collaborative, one of the church’s Mission
Partners that works to bring unity and healing
to the community. The program includes kids
in Jefferson, Oldham, Trimble, and Henry
Counties who have been offered a chance to
expunge their record by completing the 6-month
program of education, civil engagement, and
service projects.
The Mentor Difference
Each participant in the program is assigned a
mentor who checks in with them once a week
through the entire six months. The mentors
give the kids a chance to see life in a different
context. Every participant needs someone who
will do for them what the mentor wishes he or
she could do for everyone—give inconveniently
of their time and effort and love one at a time.
“I believe change takes place when you
invite someone into a new experience,”
Jason said. “This program gives kids an
opportunity to see an experience they’ve
never seen before. We hear about the Great
Commission all the time. That begins with
relationships. As kids go through the Court
Diversion Program, we devote time into
those relationships to give them value.”

66
 WRECK THE ROOF

Much of the impact is a result of one-on-
one time and small moments of change:
• M inutes after sharing that he didn’t like
religion, one teen found out the meaning of
his name in connection with one of the tribes
of Israel. Later that night, he thanked the
volunteer for sharing that information.
• A fter multiple teens admitted that they
did not feel as if they had any options and
would probably end up in prison, volunteers
were able to highlight some strengths
and gifts of each teen in the group.
• A teen scoffed when a volunteer asked about
his future, but later he admitted he had dreams
of becoming a musician. That hope came up
in conversation many times afterward.
• A fter the group ended one week, a teen
suggested they lock arms and end the night in
prayer. That became a weekly tradition with
multiple teens praying—some for the first time.
Often, Jason talks with kids who feel
trapped in the only life they know. “They
believe they’ll end up in prison. They’ve
lost hope life can be different,” Jason said.
“Mentors listen and encourage, hold kids
accountable, and help them navigate hard
situations, solve problems, and reach goals.”
support, treat the participants with respect,
and expand their grasp of the possibilities.
And that can make all the difference.
Learn More
There is always a need for mentors
at Hope Collaborative. For more
information, go to hopeccd.org.
Prayer Requests
• P raise God for the ways He’s already
using this program to change the lives
of kids who need a fresh start.
• P ray that the teens who participate in
the Court Diversion Program would know
how deeply God loves them and would
experience His total redemption.
• Ask the Spirit to equip the mentors and
volunteers with wisdom, compassion,
patience, perspective, and grace
as they walk with the kids.
According to research, kids who have a mentor are
far less likely to use illegal drugs and alcohol, skip
school, and exhibit other negative behaviors.

According to research by Big Brothers Big

Sisters, kids who have a mentor are:

• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs

• 27% less likely to use alcohol

• 52% less likely to skip school

• 33% less likely to hit someone

“If you look at the world and our country, there’s

a strong indicator that there are not enough
people to sit with a kid and be curious about
their lives,” Jason said. “My favorite part is
seeing the good in their situations. We look for
strengths in their parents, and we believe most
parents are trying to do the best for that kid.”

Mentors show they care, challenge the kids to

take responsibility for their actions, provide

67
WRECK THE ROOF
Childlike Faith
Indiana Campus Kids Serve in Big Ways
he hope and excitement on December
31, 2019 almost feels like a dream
now. What first seemed like the start
of a new decade of growth and opportunity
quickly gave way to a level of isolation and loss
that many of us had never experienced before.
Yet, none of this caught our God by surprise.
Many stories began to flood in about how the
Spirit was leading Southeast Christian Church
and its members, who faithfully followed
God’s call to be a Gospel presence. Some of
the most powerful stories of wrecking the roof
to love and serve a hurting community came
from the littlest representatives of Christ’s
hands and feet.
Loving Their Neighbors
One such story involved Indiana Campus
members Stephen and Meridith Black and their
kids Norah, Boaz, and Ben. Due to Stephen’s
work, the family has moved eight times across
the country in the past six years.
Norah, Boaz, and Ben Black, with help from their mom and dad, assembled and delivered care packages containing
Scripture cards, candy, and more during the COVID-19 pandemic.
68
“It has been tough being away from family,
making friends and having to leave them. God
has really had to redefine ‘home’ and ‘family’
for us,” reflected Meridith. In spite of their
circumstances, the Black family has continually
found support and community in their various
church families. The kids quickly realized,
however, that during the season of COVID-19, not
everyone had the same blessing of community
their family experienced.
Through prayer, the kids and parents felt called
to specifically care for and love their immediate
neighbors. Working with their mom and dad,
the kids assembled bags filled with candy,
Scripture cards, bubble wands, and their family’s
contact information in case their neighbors
needed anything like grocery runs, yard work,
homeschool tips, or simply a friendly face. The
kids played an active role in passing out these
packages around the neighborhood, in addition
to scavenger hunt guides for kids and flowers for
moms in their cul-de-sac on Mother’s Day.

The Grote children showed Christ’s love by passing out baked goods to their neighbors and utilizing their artistic
talents in partnership with the Indiana Campus’ initiative to feed local medical professionals and staff.
“The kids loved serving, meeting children along
the way, and seeing smiles. It didn’t have to cost
much to bless someone else,” Meridith said. By
being willing to reach out to their neighbors in
the simplest of ways, the Black family was able to
deepen relationships with their neighbors and be
a source of joy and support for those struggling
during this season.
Treats and Art
The Grote family was similarly inspired to act.
Brookston, Emerson, and Sutton, with a little
help from their parents, Mark and Nicole, and
two-year-old sister Leighton, passed out baked
goods to their neighbors and utilized their art
skills to partner with the Indiana Campus’
initiative to feed local medical professionals and
staff. Both the tasty treats and art projects were
perfect ways to share Christ’s love to those who
were struggling.
During meal deliveries to a local hospital, the
kids provided homemade cards for the staff and
medical workers to encourage them and let them
know they were praying for them as a church.
“They loved knowing their thank you notes
were chosen by the staff to be on display in the
break room as a way to bring smiles to those who
may feel underappreciated or overworked,”
Nicole said.
The Grote kids recognized, through
conversations with their parents, that just as
WRECK THE ROOF
Jesus sought out the hurting and broken, they
had the opportunity to take something simple
and enjoyable, such as coloring, and use it as a
tool to help someone else experience Jesus’ love
in a time of exhaustion and anxiety.
Even the smallest members of the body of Christ
are of incredible importance to the whole. In the
words of the Apostle Peter, “Each of you should
use whatever gift you have received to serve
others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its
various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10)
Learn More
To learn more about how you and your family can
engage with your community, visit your campus’
Community Engagement Facebook page.
Prayer Requests
• P raise God for the many ways He used His
Church to care for the most vulnerable during
this season of grief and anxiety.
• P ray that God would continue to open
your eyes to those in your life like neighbors
or co-workers who He might be calling you
to engage.
• A sk God to reveal the gifts and interests
that you and your family have that can be
leveraged for the Gospel.
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 WRECK THE ROOF

Human S
everal years ago, God swung
open a door for Southeast’s
La Grange Campus that they

Trafficking
didn’t even know was cracked. Southeast’s
Mission Partner, The Samaritan Women
(TSW), orchestrated a life-altering trip to

and the
Baltimore for the La Grange Campus. Six
participants came face-to-face with human
trafficking, specifically sex trafficking. They

Church’s
were immersed for five days in the dark,
evil culture that exists. Most of them didn’t
know anything about human trafficking,

Response
let alone accept it as real and close by.

After those five days, they came home

determined and prayerful that God
would give them ways to wreck the roof
The La Grange in order to bring trafficked persons to
Jesus. They came home knowing God had
Campus Learns called their campus to be in this fight.

from The Samaritan At first, it was scary and overwhelming.

They had to resolve that the lives of the
Women Ministry enslaved and oppressed are more important
than their comfort, but also their safety.
As the campus actively sought out trauma
training and learning, God answered them
and brought women, literally, to their door.

Soon, God opened their eyes to a woman

in a middle-class neighborhood, then
another woman in a nearby apartment,
then one at the truck stop at the next
exit. Now they are partnering with law
enforcement and advocating weekly for

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71
WRECK THE ROOF

Continued from page 71

women who are current victims and survivors.

Many of them are crippled and hurting and have
to be fully carried, like the man whose friends
lowered him through the roof. And like him, they
are worth any inconvenience of time loss or house
destruction! It’s not easy work to carry someone
who has no strength left to carry themselves.

Worth the Cost

After the trip to TSW, the La Grange Campus
had to decide if they wanted obedience to Jesus
more than they wanted things to be easy. They
realized that any of their discomfort was nothing
compared to the suffering of the oppressed.

The trafficked women and children among

us—literally among us—in our neighborhoods,
schools, churches, and online—need the Church
to see them and carry them, even up a ladder or
through a ceiling to get to Jesus. He may be the
only safe man many of them will ever know.

TSW is being loud and clear about what is happening

in this spiritual battle. They are leading the way
in raising up and establishing survivor houses for
women who have no other place to go. They are
rapidly working for trauma-informed, wholistic
care for women—women who have triggers, night
terrors, consuming flashbacks, suicidal thoughts,
sexual misconceptions, scars, and extreme mental
and physical health challenges like few can
comprehend. All of that damage was done to them
because of the wickedness and depravity of sin.

One at a Time
The La Grange Campus has had the honor to
serve and love a woman who was sold by a selfish,
sexually-deviant father, stepfathers, and uncles
since she was five years old. They cared for a woman
who was sold by her husband over Facebook and
Instagram on weekends and holidays to pay for
vacations, school bills, and other women. They’ve
served children who were sexually exploited
by strangers online and family members.
 outheast Mission Partner The Samaritan Women
S
is leading the way in establishing survivor houses for
women who have been trafficked.
72
 WRECK THE ROOF

The horrific situations are real and present.

Satan wants to destroy people, and
Fortunately, there are Mission Partners to lead
for far too long, he has used the easily-
the way for the Church to care for these precious
accessible booming pornography industry,
people like Jesus would. TSW even hosted an event
mixed with shame and silence. He has
in October to train Southeast and other churches
led millions into this underground
in the awareness and care of victims of trafficking.
sexual prison that has become a multi-
billion-dollar industry of trafficking.
Southeast’s Mission Partners like TSW, Refuge
for Women, and Scarlet Hope are reflecting
the gracious hope of Christ. The love of Jesus
to this population is transformational. He
came to release captives and set free the
oppressed (Luke 4:18). May we wreck the roof
to get the trafficked slaves to Jesus.

• If you are reading this and wondering if you may have There are
been or are currently being trafficked, or someone
you know may be trafficked, please don’t hesitate
20-40 million
slaves worldwide.
to email us. We would be honored to talk with you,
as soon you have safe access to reach out to us.

• If you have bought sex or sold someone else

for sex, we would also like to talk with you.

Learn More 1 in 3 women

is being abused
Are you called to help with this ministry?
before age 18, and
Learn more at thesamaritanwomen.org/
iamcalled. If you or someone you know needs 1 in 5 women
assistance, contact LaGrange@secc.org. is severely abused, which
renders them more vulnerable
to a trafficker—or a Savior!
Prayer Requests
• P raise God for the women and children who
have been rescued, cared for, and transformed
by the love of Christ through His people.

• P ray that God would open our eyes to

1
see and love the oppressed and that He
would provide more resources to grow the
Kentucky is currently
spectrum of care and mission for all of the
ministries seeking to serve these victims. number 1
in the U.S.
• A sk God to unify His Church to
for abuse and neglect
move boldly against this evil.
of children. Indiana
is second.

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Ministering
in Crisis
Mission Partners Aid
India During COVID

W
hen COVID-19 began spreading
early last year, some of the world’s
most vulnerable communities were
hit disproportionately hard. This was especially
true in India. Communities that were already
struggling with food security and basic hygiene
found themselves in an even more difficult
situation. Add to that the high population density
and the lack of access to resources, and these
areas were almost instantly in a crisis situation.

Mass migrations began as many people headed

back to rural areas where they had family roots,
filling the roadways with overloaded buses and
trucks, though most were forced to walk. Many
didn’t have food, water, shoes, or the means to buy
them, leading to several deaths along the way.

Southeast Mission Partners Caleb Rayapati and

Shankar Pawawar witnessed this crisis firsthand.
“The visuals that were beaming out from the
media were agonizing, painful, heart-rendering,
and deeply touching,” Caleb recalled. “A couple of
times I was reduced to tears.”

Both Caleb and Shankar refused to sit back and

do nothing. Even when faced with government
barricades and police-enforced “stay at home”
orders, they did what was needed in order to
minister to those in crisis.

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74
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75
 Despite obstacles, Southeast Mission Partners Caleb Rayapati and Shankar Pawawar
have worked to aid those in India disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continued from page 75
A Step of Faith
Caleb, who leads Harvest Ministries, mobilized
the few resources he had at his disposal to begin
helping migrants as soon as he could even though it
would become uneasy and impractical. Some funds
began to come in for him to continue the work, but
the first step was certainly a step of faith for Caleb.
Even when faced with
government barricades and
police-enforced “stay at home”
orders, they did what
was needed in order to
minister to those in crisis.
“I had no money in the bank, and the little that was
to come had been delayed due to lockdowns in the
U.S. and India,” he said. “Even as I was struggling,
a voice told me to look at the resources that
I already had—stock of rice that I had to
sustain 40 people in the school campus, a
kitchen, and a cook at our disposal.”
76
This was all Caleb needed to begin his relief
efforts. Within 12 hours of hearing this call, he
mobilized his team, provided meals, miraculously
moved through various police barricades,
met with various police and community
leaders, and received many pledges to help.
“I realized that when I obey Him—whether we
have money or not—and am willing to use the
available resources, He is more than willing to
use and multiply it. Certainly, when He guides,
He provides!” Caleb said.
Since then, Caleb has ministered to
thousands during the lockdown with
food, soap, and transportation.
Seeing God’s Hand Move
Shankar, who leads the Global Banjara Foundation
in Mumbai, was also thrust into the middle of one
of the worst humanitarian crises. “I have never
experienced anything this bad in my whole life,”
he recalled.
The slums of Mumbai were already very
vulnerable before the virus, but now people were
 WRECK THE ROOF

literally starving all around him. The church

network that Shankar leads jumped in and began
providing food for needy families and widows.

Though these have been some of the hardest

times for Shankar and his churches, they have
also seen God’s hand move in this difficult season.
“While distributing food to needy people, many
of them have seen the love of Christ,” he said. “For
the first time in our ministry, over 400 people
accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior
in three months!”

Shankar’s team is now working on programs to

disciple these new believers while appropriately
socially distancing.

In his book The Rise of Christianity, sociologist

Rodney Stark talks about how Christians in
Rome stayed to help their neighbors with the little
they had as a horrible epidemic hit the empire
and others fled. Christians, for the first time,
were known for their selfless love and care for
others, leading to great church growth. May future
generations look back and be able to say the
same about the church in India during the
COVID-19 pandemic!

Learn More
To learn more about Harvest Ministries,
visit harvestministriesindia.com.

Prayer Requests
• P raise God for using His people to
demonstrate His love to those in need.

• P ray that God would bless the efforts of

Caleb and Shankar to serve the people in
India who have been disproportionately
affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• P ray for others to also be called to

take a step of faith to help during this
and other humanitarian crises.

77
Grip
The
Plow
Luke 9:57-62

Jesus didn’t mince words about the radical demands

of living faith. As He walked along the road (Luke

9:57), He addressed three potential followers. When

the third wanted to go and bid his family farewell,

Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and

looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” These words

are hard to hear, but they’re honest.

If you’re with Jesus, then you’re with Him. There’s

no lukewarm faith allowed here. There’s too much at

stake to play it safe. Grip the plow, get your hands dirty

in the fields, get to work, and don’t give up. It’s not

hard to imagine why so many people wanted to follow

Jesus and learn from Him.

What is hard to grasp, though, is how hard He made

it for them to come and follow: give up your house;

skip your father’s funeral; leave home without saying

goodbye. It can seem harsh, but Jesus knew that

the high cost was worth the reward. We are called

to grip the plow with both hands and not look back.

A follower is not someone who simply attends; a

follower is personally engaged. As a church, we

want to engage in a community that is committed to

working in the fields and completing the mission.

GRIP THE PLOW

God used small steps of obedience to forever change Marty and Lynn Willing.

Fostering the
Possibilities
One Step of Obedience at a Time

ifteen years ago Marty and Lynn
Willing were enjoying their life in
Texas. They had a young daughter,
some great friends, and a comfortable life
when tragedy struck. Marty’s son passed away
at age 24. At that point, they decided to move
back to Kentucky to connect and support
Marty’s adult daughter and her family. Life
was different, but they started to build a new
foundation in Louisville.

80
 GRIP THE PLOW

I want to use
you, but you are
living so safe.

A few years later, Lynn was searching for some

parenting classes on the Southeast website
when she came across a video titled Empty
Bedrooms. An empty-nester couple shared their
story about looking around their home at all
the empty bedrooms and deciding to foster
children. The video was confirmation of some
ideas that Lynn had been thinking and praying
about. She was inspired as she looked around
her house at all the empty bedrooms, and she
felt like God was saying, “I want to use you, but
you are living so safe.”

Taking the First Step

When Lynn shared her convictions with
Marty, he felt similarly, but didn’t think it was
practical. In his late 50s, Marty was concerned
about what kind of dad he could be to a young
child. Surely there was a better option out
there—another family could step up. But God
would not let the conviction go, so Lynn and

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81
GRIP THE PLOW
Continued from page 81
Sebastian and Gracie join their big sister Emily in the Willing family.
Marty decided to take the foster parent classes
and see what happened. They would just be
open to the possibilities.
The first class was overwhelming and they
pressed pause for almost a year. And yet, God
kept bringing fostering back to their hearts.
When they decided to restart, the closest
training was in Versailles, Kentucky. They drove
the hour there and back for five Saturdays to
complete the training. Five weeks later, they
had a lot more information, but still weren’t
certain what to do. They decided to just keep
82
taking the next step—trusting God to show
them what was possible.
Marty was still battling internally with his
age and ability as a father, and his friends and
family were also raising their own questions.
Nonetheless, Marty became convinced that
God was telling him, “Quit fighting and just
do it.” So, without looking back, Marty and
Lynn committed to become available and
stepped toward the hard work of becoming a
foster family.
 GRIP THE PLOW

Foster Parenting The journey was not easy or predictable. It had

plenty of twists and turns along the way, but
Their first placement came and went in just a
the Willings took each step, gripping the plow
few months. Then, a few weeks later, a four-
and moving forward. They tilled the soil and
month-old, ten-pound baby was placed with
prepared the way, not knowing that God was
them. From the first time he rocked Gracie,
planting the seeds for a beautiful family. Despite
Marty was in love. But he was also afraid. Marty
all our concerns and hesitations, “with God all
acknowledged, “It was going to feel like I lost
things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
another child if they took her away.” But Gracie
never left and she was adopted by the Willings
when she was two years old.
Learn More
Even though they had a successful adoption,
To learn more about caring for vulnerable
their fears were not removed. Marty and Lynn
children through Foster Care or Adoption, visit
decided to protect themselves from feeling the
southeastchristian.org/ministries/foster-and-
loss of fostering by only taking respite or short-
adoption.
term placements. That way they would know
that the children were going to leave and they
could protect their hearts. But God knew that
Prayer Requests
something else was possible. • P raise God for families who obey His leading
to love and care for vulnerable children
After a few short placements, the Willings met
through foster care and adoption!
two-year-old Sebastian. Marty and Lynn got to
know Sebastian’s birth mother and supported • P ray for the many children in Kentucky and
her even after Sebastian was placed back in her Indiana who are in need of loving foster
care eight months later. They closed their foster families, that God would place them with
home, believing that part of their story was over. safe families.
However, when Sebastian needed to come back
into foster care, they re-opened their home just • A sk God to encourage and equip the foster and

to be available for him. At four years old, the adoptive families in our communities.

Willings adopted Sebastian too.

83
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Campers participate in Junior Mixer Kids Camp in Zakościele in August 2020.

84

Proem Ministries
30 Years of Service in Poland
O ften some of the greatest
organizations in the world come
from humble beginnings. This
was certainly the case for Southeast Mission
Partner Proem in Poland. It was September
1994 and Polish nationals Maui and his wife
Eva were living in Columbus, Ohio for several
months working to raise funds for a ministry
they had started in 1990. They had just spent
$300, a lot of money to them at the time, to
send out 1,000 letters to churches introducing
themselves and their vision and simply asking
for a meeting to discuss possible support.
Maui remembered, “We honestly thought we
had sent too many letters and wouldn’t have
time to follow up with everyone that responded.”
So, they braced themselves for a busy few
months. One week passed and nothing. Two
weeks, nothing. Three weeks, four weeks and
nothing. After traveling to the U.S. with an
exciting vision and a passion to share with
churches, they were very discouraged and
thought they might return to Poland early
with no support from American churches.
Then, in January 1995, Maui received a
phone call out of the blue from a church in
Louisville to invite him to come share what he
was doing. Maui laughed as he recalled first
arriving at the Southeast campus on Hikes
Lane. “I drove right past the church looking
for the address, thinking there is no way a
church that large would invite us to share!”
It didn’t take long for the Southeast Missions
Committee to fall in love with Maui and Eva,
travel to Poland to see the work, and start
GRIP THE PLOW
partnering with them in a significant way. In
2000, Southeast joined the vision in a big way,
agreeing to donate the $300,000 needed to
purchase the camp property they still use today.
Growth of the Ministry
From its humble beginnings, Proem has
grown tremendously in its 30 years. “From the
beginning,” Maui recalled, “we were focused
on doing camps for youth. This changed as
our campers grew older, started families, and
needed church communities to continue their
walk with Christ. We wanted to do something
to help meet their needs, and we began
planting churches and focusing on families,
which also led us into Christian education.”
The camp property is currently used year-round
for camps, retreats, trainings, and other church
leader gatherings. Their youth Summer Camps
literally fill up within minutes of going live each
year. Proem planted churches in Tomaszów and
Łódź and are preparing for more. They started
a preschool, which has since grown into a full
private Christian school, receiving some of the
highest academic marks in the region. They
put on experiential walkthroughs each year for
Christmas and Easter, drawing thousands of
people by the busloads from the whole region.
Proem also launched a worship band, Exodus 15,
which is wildly successful in Poland. They have
started counseling and disability ministries.
Maui was even the chair of the committee that
brought the Franklin Graham Crusade to Poland
in 2014!
Continued on next page
85
GRIP THE PLOW

Continued from page 85

Exodus 15 creates worship music for the next generation of youth throughout Poland.

Looking Forward Learn More

Even with all this growth and success in 30 To learn more about Proem, visit
years, Maui remains as humble as he was on that proemministries.org.
first visit to Southeast in 1995. “If God had shown
me at the beginning what Proem would be today,
Prayer Requests
I would have run away scared!” Maui said with
• P raise God for 30 years of faithful and thriving
a smile. “God had to use progressive revelation
ministry in the spiritually rocky soil of Poland!
with me. I started as a youth pastor and God
kept opening up doors to new opportunities,
• P ray that God would continue to equip the
and we kept walking through them.”
Proem staff and volunteers with wisdom,
creativity, endurance, and grace.
The partnership with Southeast has grown
through the years as well. Southeast member • A sk God to open even more doors for the
Stan Franczek helped establish the U.S. ministry to thrive and grow in Poland
office here in Louisville and is the current and beyond.
board chair. Southeast usually takes five
or six mission trips each year from several
campuses to join Proem in ministry activities,
including sports camps, outreach projects,
and even a camp for kids from five different
nationalities—including Jews and Palestinians!

Maui isn’t content just celebrating what God has

done so far. “We see the phenomenal potential
for growth in the future within our four areas of
ministry, including camps, Christian education,
church planting, and community help,” Maui said.
“Our hopes and prayers are that each area would
expand into greater effectiveness over the next
30 years, believing as we always do—that the  Proem sent a team to Greece, to serve
process is just as important as the product!” on a mission trip in July 2020

86
 GRIP THE PLOW

Proem’s Christian Education Center provides innovative education

and traditional values for students in Pre-K through 12th grade.

Fellowship at Tomy Christian Church in Tomaszów helps build relationships.

87
 GRIP THE PLOW

From Muslim to Ministry

Tony Weedor’s Reason for Hope
saved him from the jaws of Islam. Through her
commitment not to look back, God changed
Tony’s life forever and transformed him by
reconciling him to God (Romans 9:9-10).

Joy in Suffering
When civil war broke out in Liberia, Tony and
his wife Beth watched neighbors kill other
neighbors they had known for years. Men,
women, and children were slaughtered simply
because they were from the wrong tribe.

Teen soldiers armed with AK-47s forced Tony

and Beth to leave their home on the mission
compound. They grabbed a Bible and some
clothes and fled in search of safety. They
escaped and lived in a refugee camp in Ivory
Coast for three-and-a-half years.

Everyone in the camp had faced violence, evil,

T
ony is not a missionary, but he is the hunger, thirst, and carnage. Many refugees

result of a missionary’s work. A young were driven at gunpoint from their homes.

woman left her home and country to Others were betrayed by neighbors because

share the Gospel of grace with a people who they belonged to the opposing tribe. But

did not know the God of hope in Liberia, Africa. because the camp was for Muslims, the greatest

Her message was counter-cultural and brought suffering there was for those like Tony and

the truth of God against the strongholds of Folk Beth, who had forfeited everything for Jesus.

Islam and the African religions.

During that painful season, Tony believes God

Her message about God brought about a great used their suffering to draw them closer to Him.

change for young Tony. Hope against hope, she His experiences resonate with the C. S. Lewis

presented the Gospel that helped him see the quote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures,

God of all comfort—not in spite of, but because speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our

of, His great mercy. She sacrificed her normal pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf

life by leaving her culture and people to share world. We are most keenly aware of God’s

the Gospel of grace, which unraveled Tony’s character in our suffering. It is when our self-

myth of hope in Allah and religiosity, and sufficiency is peeled away that we see how
weak we really are.”

88

Reaching Muslims
Now on staff with Southeast Christian Church, Tony
is using his life experiences to share the Gospel with
Muslims. Hungry for God, most Muslims pray five
times a day hoping to find favor with Allah. They’re
regularly asking, “What can I do for God to accept
me?” They hope to get to paradise by doing all the
right religious things.
God is using every piece of Tony’s story for others
who have suffered and fear the future. Only Jesus has
the power to drive out fear. Muslims are hungry for
the way, for the truth, and for eternal life (John 14:6).
The Gospel helped him see
the God of all comfort—not in
spite of, but because of, His
great mercy.
God is working among the 1.7 billion Muslims in the
world. There are underground churches in many
countries. Many are asking, “Who is Jesus?” Tony
sees this as the time to pour out all the knowledge
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and understanding he’s learned since growing up in
a Muslim family, coming to know Jesus, studying His
Word, earning degrees, and teaching.
Tony’s desire is to help the church understand Islam
in order to reach Muslims with the Gospel
of Jesus.
Learn More
To learn more about engaging Muslims with the Gospel,
email missions@secc.org. You can also learn more
about Tony’s story through his book,
The Reason for Tears.
Prayer Requests
• P raise God that the Gospel is spreading into
the spiritually desolate nations of the world!
• P ray for new Christian believers from a
Muslim background, that God would grant
them courage and strength in their new faith.
• A sk God to encourage the persecuted church
around the world, so that they will remain faithful.
89
GRIP THE PLOW
The Value of a Mentor
Helping Students Step into Their Gifts
ach child has the ability to thrive.
Because they’re created in the image
of God, they have inside them the
capacity to create, to be kind, to learn, to show
compassion, to solve problems, to engage with
others, and to pursue a goal.
Unfortunately, many children
experience loss, poverty, abuse,
hunger, neglect, instability, and
other forms of trauma. These
struggles can rob children of
their God-given potential and
leave them struggling just to
survive their worlds.
That’s where mentoring comes
in. The primary way to combat the effects of
trauma is through meaningful, stabilizing
relationships. When a mentor fully engages
with a student, they can help reverse the mental
and emotional damage. With their consistency,
a mentor can give a child the chance to thrive.
Although it is risky, mentors personally engage in
the lives of the vulnerable.
90
Southeast Christian Church’s local Mission
Partner, Hope Collaborative, provides many
avenues for mentoring. Their Public Schools
Outreach ministry connects willing adults with
vulnerable children and teens through local
school districts. For a year, each
mentor meets for just one hour
every week with a student or
group of students. During this
time, the mentor’s main tasks
are to show up regularly and
care genuinely.
Of course, like everything
worthwhile and meaningful,
mentorship can be difficult for
both the student and the mentor. It’s hard to
unwind years of disappointment and frustration.
It’s hard to learn to trust and grow. It’s hard to
suddenly have dreams and balance them with
the fear that they could all be taken away again.
There could be days for everyone when the whole
process seems like a waste of time.
 GRIP THE PLOW

But God often calls His people into hard things.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, mentors
grip the plow and focus on what’s ahead, straining
toward the work God has given them to do.

Public Schools Outreach also thoroughly equips

and sustains their mentors for such difficulties.
They provide training, ongoing support,
encouragement, and resources. They remind the
mentors that these kids need them and that God
can change everything for a child.

A Win for Everyone

When a student finds acceptance and stability
with a committed mentor, everyone benefits.
The schools that have mentors through Hope
Collaborative are able to observe and document
positive changes—like regular attendance,
better behavior, and improved academics.
They feel like they’re offering a service to their
students that will truly change the course of
their lives without the additional burden of
carrying that load alone.

The mentors also experience great satisfaction

and purpose in their role. They come to love
and care for the students they walk with, often
growing in their knowledge and perspective. For
each mentor, there’s a realization that they can’t
save anyone, but with grace, consistency, and
prayer, they can trust God to use them to create a
new path for the students they love.

Continued on next page

91
GRIP THE PLOW

Continued from page 91

Even the families of the students can be forever hopelessness and fear and a life lived with
changed through the mentorship opportunity. purpose and joy.
During the COVID-19 school shutdowns, one
Each child inherently has the ability to thrive.
of Hope Collaborative’s In-School Program
With a mentor, that ability can finally become
Coordinators got a chance to drop off a backpack
a reality.
of goodies to one of the mentees from his mentor.
When he was at the house, he met the student’s
mother, who shared some of the trials their
family had faced. She admitted that her son had
Learn More
“really, really, really, really needed mentoring.”
She loved knowing he had someone to talk to To learn more about personally engaging in the
when things were difficult for him. As she talked lives of vulnerable children by becoming a mentor,
about the difference it had made, she began visit hopeccd.org.
to cry. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I get emotional
about this.” Prayer Requests
• P raise God for connecting adults
Of course, the greatest impact is for the student.
with vulnerable children through the
Maybe for the first time, the student has someone
mentorship program.
who listens, who loves without condition, and
who encourages and believes in them. This kind
• P ray that the lives of the children in the
of healing relationship can take the baggage
program would be positively affected.
of trauma and transform it into the hope of
potential. For a vulnerable child, mentorship • P ray God would place it on the hearts of more
could be the difference between a life lost to people in the community to serve as mentors.
 GRIP THE PLOW

Mentorship Testimonials

My kids need to know that people are genuinely interested in them. I had a lot of students
that talked about the fact that no one really cared about them. I knew that if I was going to
make an impact at the school, that I had to get some people in to help me do the work. So,
Hope Collaborative came, and we’ve had this partnership and I look forward to them being
here every year.

Kym Rice, Executive Principal, The Academy of Shawnee

Miss Ronda is a lady that I love to meet with. She actually does inspire me to go ahead
and pursue my passions, and so do the other girls in there. Without her, I would be a very
unmotivated person to go ahead and pursue my passions.

Eleanor, Student

Something I would like to say to Jill is thank you for helping me through high school,
even though I’ve only been there for two years. It really does brighten my day, and I look
forward to seeing her every Friday. It’s like another form of therapy, to let all of my feelings
out at school instead of having to go to an office every week. She never lets you leave
unhappy. You have a smile on your face.

Lacey, Student

If another student asked me about being in a group, I would tell them not to be nervous
because they’re always going to be nice. And if you have anything on your chest, you can
talk to them and let it out.

Zayden, Student

My mentees have impacted me greatly. I am in love with them. I love them fiercely. And it
has also caused me to truly deepen my prayer life. You only have once a week together,
and it’s during school. I don’t have a relationship with them outside school, so really, I have
truly deepened my prayer life. It’s been amazing.

Sherry Fields, Mentor

For any schools considering Hope Collaborative, I would say definitely do it, to put it
simply. We have had great success with the program. It’s something that we take pride in
having here. We have awesome buy-in from our students and parents and teachers and
admin. It’s been a wonderful program for the students. We’ve seen them grow a lot. We’ve
seen increased attendance. We’ve seen better behavior. We’ve seen students being more
successful. And for a lot of our students, it’s just been a great source of support that they
may be missing otherwise.

Cour tney Swain, South Oldham High School Guidance Counselor

93
 GRIP THE PLOW

GMHC
at 25
Continuing to
Equip and Inspire

T
wenty-five years ago, Southeast
Christian Church member and local
cardiologist Dr. David Dageforde
prepared to host a small conference on medical
missions. The goal was simply to engage
Southeast members who were involved in
some aspect of healthcare about medical
missions. Looking back, it is clear that God
had additional plans.

equipped, and inspired to find their place in

From Local to International
healthcare missions. With world-class plenary
Of the 220 people in attendance that first year,
speakers and over 150 breakout sessions, the
180 lived outside of Kentucky and Indiana, and
conference has new things to offer—even for
many of those actually wrote letters about the
those who attend each year!
need for such a conference nationally. Today,
as the largest medical missions conference in
GMHC, which remains a ministry of Southeast
the world, the Global Missions Health Conference
Christian Church, has an important role in
(GMHC) welcomes more than 3,200 participants
the medical missions community as a whole.
annually, serving as a rallying point for medical
Though the large gathering is exciting, the
missionaries, sending agencies, universities,
true impact is measured in people’s lives.
and students to converge and be connected,
Various partners recruit well over half of

94
 GRIP THE PLOW

The annual Global Missions Health Conference, which began 25 years ago, has grown from 220 attendees
to become the world’s largest medical missions conference, with more than 3,200 participants annually.

their long-term missions candidates right out
of the conference. There are literally hundreds
of stories of individuals who have found their
calling into lifelong work in difficult harvest
fields while sitting in a classroom or the
Sanctuary at Southeast’s Blankenbaker Campus.
Many partnerships between organizations
have been forged in the exhibitor space in the
Fellowship Halls. Thousands of missionaries have
sharpened their skills to better serve cross-
culturally at GMHC. There are even stories like
that of Eric and Rachel McLaughlin, who met at
the conference and are now married and serving
in rural Burundi together! The McLaughlins
even returned 15 years later in 2018 to teach a
breakout session titled Missions and Marriage.
Continued on next page

95
 GRIP THE PLOW

Continued from page 95

Though the large gathering is exciting, even when

virtual, the true impact is measured in people’s lives.

2020 GMHC

2,184 1,042
Attendees From Commitments to

67 133
Countries Countries

112 130
Breakout
Sessions Exhibitors

96
 GRIP THE PLOW

Why We Are Here

We will never fully know the impact of GMHC here
on earth, as many of the commitments that happen
at the conference are lived out in the far corners of
the world with unwavering commitment. But every
now and then God gives us a story to encourage us
to keep going. One such story happened in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia many years ago, where a missions
team from Southeast was staying in a guest house
with an American couple for a few days. At one of
the meals they shared, the couple asked a member
of the team where they were from, and when they
answered Southeast, the couple began to tear up.

“That church is why we are here,” the wife, through

her tears, said. “We went to the GMHC one year just
to learn more about healthcare missions, but were
called to full-time missions there. We returned
home from the conference, sold our practice, and
are here in Ethiopia right now looking into an
Hundreds of people have found their calling into
missions while sitting in the Sanctuary at Southeast’s
Blankenbaker Campus during the annual GMHC.

opportunity to serve in missions here! Thank you!”

Learn More
Needless to say, this chance encounter had the
whole team in tears and praising God for what He To learn more about the annual Global Missions

had done. Health Conference, visit medicalmissions.com/scc.

“I love how Southeast diligently works to bring Prayer Requests

this conference to life each year with very little of
• P raise God for the impact the Global Missions
known impact,” Conference Director Will Rogers
Health Conference has had throughout the world.
said. “It’s not until things like Ebola hits the world
stage a few years back where you learn that all • P ray for God to continue to use GMHC
of the most influential people engaging this global to connect people and organizations.
epidemic had made their connections at the GMHC.
I love when God is up to things that we never • P ray for medical missionaries across the globe as

know about!” they care for those in need in the name of Jesus.

97
GRIP THE PLOW
 GRIP THE PLOW

Life in
Abundance
Celebrating 25 Years of
Faithful Ministry

1995, Festus and Dr. Florence

Muindi quietly resigned their
established positions in Nairobi,
Kenya and relocated their family to serve in a
rural setting among the Maasai people. This
small step of obedience 25 years ago was a seed
that has since grown into Life in Abundance (LIA),
a large multifaceted ministry.

LIA celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2020

and the more than 1 million people they have
served through the years. “And that’s just
what we’ve been able to record,” said Carley
Buckingham, Executive Director of LIA Support
Offices. Since the very essence of LIA’s model is
for disciple-making, training and equipping, and
reproducing, the full impact of their ministry
cannot be fully known. Even with impressive
growth, LIA has remained a ministry that
cares for the “least of these”—one at a time,
wholistically, and with care and compassion
that is second to none.

Continued on next page

99
 GRIP THE PLOW

Continued from page 99

A Long Partnership transformation we use in our communities

was adapted directly from LIA principles. In
Southeast has had the privilege of walking
fact, Victor Mikebanyi, who is now on staff at
with LIA in partnership for 21 of their 25 years,
Southeast, was a former regional director for LIA.
having started supporting Florence and Festus
Now he is leveraging his experience from Africa
as missionaries in 1999. After Southeast Elder
to help transform communities in Louisville!
Russ Summay had a chance encounter with the
Muindis in Ethiopia when he was visiting other
Empowering Local Churches
Southeast missionaries in a nearby village, there
was an instant connection. From the beginning, LIA’s goal was simple: To
empower the local church to sustainably meet
In many ways, Southeast Missions and LIA have the needs of the community. LIA questioned the
grown up together, constantly learning from old dependent models of ministry where outside
and sharpening each other through the years. resources are the only means of sustaining any
Reflecting on the relationship, Carley said, “From work, instead believing in the potential that
growing various programs, establishing Ministry exists within each community. While LIA works
Support Offices, starting clinics, launching
training centers, advancing the underground
church in closed countries, and launching a
conference together, over the past 25 years, in
every bold move the Father has invited LIA into,
there is a thread where Southeast can be found.
Similar to Paul finding Titus, LIA has found
Southeast and Southeast has found LIA—yoked,
siblings, advancing together!”

Southeast has learned from LIA over the years

at the local level, their impact has been felt
as well. The model of wholistic community
far beyond the community—gaining national
attention in several places where they serve.

“We’ve seen communities and regions

transformed,” Florence said. “However, the
Father has invited us into 14 nations, and we will
stand, pray, and advance in aim to see national
transformation.” This boldness comes from a
deep and abiding relationship with the Father, a
fervent prayer life, an unwavering belief in His
Word, and the work of the Holy Spirit—never
in her own strength and abilities. This type of
Spirit-led leadership is what has brought LIA
to where it is today, celebrating 25 years with
an incredibly rich history of ministry, large
geographic footprint, and an industry influence
far beyond what Florence would have envisioned

Festus and Dr. Florence Muindi launched LIA in from the start.
Kenya in 1995.

100
 GRIP THE PLOW

Crestwood Campus member Debra Rodriguez interacts with children during a service trip with LIA.

We will never fully understand the impact of

the decision the Muindis made 25 years ago—a
decision to obey God’s calling on their lives to
step into the unknown. We can just thank God Snapshot of LIA
for what He has done and for allowing Southeast
to be a part of LIA’s beautiful story, both in the
past and moving forward.

Established community
development program work in
14 countries in East Africa and
Learn More the Caribbean

To learn more or get involved with Life in

Abundance, check out lifeinabundance.org.
Ministry Support Offices in the
U.S., the U.K., and Switzerland
Prayer Requests
• P raise God for 25 years of effective and fruitful
Oversight of Multiple Entities:
ministry, and for the sustained partnership
• LIA International
between Life in Abundance and Southeast.
• Blue Wings
• P ray that God would continue to sustain and • Wholistic Community
equip the ministry of LIA. Transformation Training
Centers in Jamaica and Kenya
• A sk God to guide Florence and the LIA staff and
volunteers who serve vulnerable people around
the world.

101
Sent Out
Southeast’s Prepare Ministry connects
ministry-minded students with solid Biblical training

he Prepare Ministry at Southeast is Scholarships, we gather regularly with ministry-

for students who feel called to pursue
full-time, vocational ministry. Through
our Prepare Scholarships, we are currently able
to help 58 Southeast students pursue a Biblical
ministry education. In addition to Prepare
minded students to connect them to one another,
and we also seek to equip parents and students
with college information to help families make
the best decision to pursue God’s call.

Makenzie Mullin
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: I just graduated from Ozark Christian College
(class of 2020), and in August I will move to Colorado and start grad school
at Denver Seminary.
MAJOR: Theology and Biblical Communication (Ozark) and New
Testament (Denver)
I want to faithfully and accurately teach the Gospel in whatever
capacity God leads me to. I have a deep desire to help people come face
to face with the truth of who Jesus is and help them see how that truth
changes everything.

Matthew McConnell
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: Ozark Christian College
MAJOR: Theology
When I finish school, I want to be involved in church ministry of some
form somewhere in the country. I’m not sure exactly what kind of
ministry God wants me in as of right now, but I know He is sending me to
Ozark now to start preparation for ministry the next few years, and I’m
sure what specifically that looks like will become more clear later on.

Continued on next page

103
 Continued from page 103

Caleb Newman
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: Johnson University
MAJOR: Urban Studies; Bible and Theology
I will be a full-time missionary. My first place is in Poitiers, France
serving with other missionaries for the next nine months. I’m
leaving in Fall 2021.

Devin Zabel
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: Johnson University
MAJOR: Urban Studies; Bible and Theology
I want to be a pastor.

Morgan Kast
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: Johnson University
MAJOR: Intercultural Studies
I hope to become a missionary or work for
a missions organization!

I want to faithfully and

accurately teach the Gospel
in whatever capacity God
leads me to.
104
 McKinley Harrington
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: Johnson University
MAJOR: Youth Ministry, Pastoral Care & Counseling, Bible & Theology

After graduation, I am hoping to do a residency in student ministry

somewhere to continue learning and growing before stepping into a
full-time ministry role.

Jacob Foote
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: Johnson University
MAJOR: Preaching, Youth Ministry, and Bible

When I graduate, I would like to find a church and be a youth

pastor. I would also like to possibly one day start a church of
my own, but that is very far in the future.

Through our partnerships with great Bible Colleges, Prepare tries

to help students find the best schools to help them grow into the
ministry calling God has for their lives.

We invite you to join with us in praying the prayer of Matthew 9:38

that God would raise up more workers for His harvest fields.

If you are a student who feels called to ministry or the parent of

a student who does, go to southeastchristian.org/prepare for
more information and to get in touch with our Prepare team.

105
Empty
The
Jar
Luke 7

When the sinful woman emptied her jar on Jesus’

feet, she embodied the true worship that He had

come to find. The beauty of Jesus is only visible to

those who’ve seen the ugliness of their rebellion

against God.

Unlike Simon in the story, this woman knew she

was unworthy to come into Jesus’ presence. Even

so, Jesus didn’t just receive her gift—He affirmed

it as an act of worship more precious to Him than

whatever Simon may have laid out on his table.

Like her, the love of Christ compels us to become

informal, expressive, and extravagant in the

way we demonstrate our love for Him—even if it

means offending a few religious people along the

way. In our worship and service, Jesus is calling

us to break open and empty out our metaphorical

jars upon His feet. It’s not so much that He needs

our gifts; He wants them. The gifts we bring

don’t just glorify Him; they transform us.

EMPTY THE JAR
Finishing the Task
An Effort to Share the Gospel with All Nations
esus gave His disciples a clear command
to “make disciples of all nations.” Yet,
more than 2,000 years later, there are
still entire people groups that have never heard
the good news of Jesus! This means there are
still places where people will be born, live their
entire lives, and die without ever having heard
the name of Jesus or even meeting a Christian.
Though it is clear in Scripture that no one knows
the day and time of Jesus’ return, we are told
that before that happens, the Gospel will be
preached to the whole world as a testimony to
all nations (Matthew 24:14). The good news is
that much progress has been made through the
years. We are living in exciting times, where our
generation has the potential to be the first to see
every tribe, people, and tongue reached with the
good news of Jesus.
Hundreds of people groups have no known
Gospel exposure and no known missionaries
or ministries engaging those people. There
are many challenges to reaching these groups,
who comprise millions of people spread around
the world. Some don’t have the Bible in their
language, while others live in places where it
is illegal to share about Jesus. All are in need
108
for the global Church to step up, take Jesus’
command seriously, and finish the task.
A Life-Changing Trip
Doug Cobb, Louisville entrepreneur and Elder
at Southeast Christian Church, has committed
himself to doing everything he can to see this
task completed within his lifetime. Doug wasn’t
always passionate and committed to missions,
though. When he was invited to see the need
firsthand in West Africa in 1994, he did not even
want to go. It was a trip, however, that would
change the trajectory of his life forever.
Doug met various amazing African leaders on the
trip, but made a special connection with one in
particular, Brother D (name omitted for security).
After returning from Africa, Doug helped Brother
D establish an organization reaching some of the
hardest-to-reach Muslim scholars in unreached
parts of West Africa. This ministry has since
become one of the most effective ministries
at reaching Muslims with the Gospel of Jesus,
discipling them into a deep faith, and training
others to do the same around the world.
Continued on next page
 EMPTY THE JAR

Hundreds of people groups have no known

Gospel exposure and no known missionaries
or ministries engaging those people.
EMPTY THE JAR

Continued from page 109

Seeing the Gospel Spread “The world can be very discouraging at times,
but to think we are actually getting close to the
Doug’s involvement with missions didn’t stop
finish line on this is a pretty amazing thing,”
there. Paul Eshleman, the man who had invited
Doug said. “I frequently tell Gena that I can’t
Doug on the trip to West Africa, was asked
believe I get to be a part of this! Having a ringside
to lead an organization called Finishing the
seat to hearing the stories of these brand-new
Task (FTT) with the goal of getting the first
believers in places that I’ve never heard of—it’s
missionaries to the last remaining people groups
just unbelievable.”
who were without the Gospel or engagement.
Doug loved the vision and found himself heavily
engaged in the ministry. He was challenged to
use his venture capital experience to raise funds
Learn More
for missionaries to finish the task, so they started
an organization called Issachar Initiative to focus For more information about Finishing the Task, go
on raising funds among business leaders and to finishingthetask.com.
established the Finishing Fund.
Prayer Requests
Doug and his wife Gena were both so convinced
• Praise God for the amazing work He is
that they personally funded the engagement of a
accomplishing through the Finishing the Task
number of different people groups in Nepal and
collaboration.
India. A year later, Doug found himself standing
in a large tent in India filled with 1,000 new • Pray that God would send workers to the people
believers, some of whom were the first known groups who currently have no access to the
believers from the people groups he and Gena Gospel, no known believers, and no churches.
had helped fund!
• Ask God to equip His global Church to fulfill
Since Doug started the Finishing Fund in 2017, His Great Commission, so that people in every
God has responded exponentially. They have nation may know and worship Him.
raised over $9.2M, funded the engagement of 445
people groups, and have seen new believers in
250 of those.

Doug Cobb meets with

leaders in South Sudan to
plan for the engagement
of the remaining people
groups of that country.

110
 EMPTY THE JAR

Finishing the Task Stats

There are at least

12,000 7,067 people groups are

people groups in the world. unreached (populations of less than
2% Christian), which means most
have not heard and will not have the
opportunity to hear the Gospel.

142 of these people groups

still need a plan to be reached.

233 people groups of

2,000 languages do
more than 500 people have
no Bible, no believers, and no
not have a single verse of the churches. These are considered
Bible in those languages. unreached and unengaged.

There has been great progress toward finishing the task:

3,096 P E O P L E G R O U P S E N G AG E D

141,954 CHURCHES PLANTED

3,364,711 NEW BELIEVERS

111
EMPTY THE JAR
Giving Her All
A Missionary’s Commitment to the Kingdom
J
esus transformed Southeast member
and supported missionary Jo when
she was an adult, and immediately she
had a deep desire to share the love of the Father
and be an advocate for the vulnerable. She
attended the Global Missions Health Conference
at Southeast Christian Church and began
exploring opportunities to use her skills in
physical therapy. After several short-term trips,
she moved to a country in Asia—leaving behind
adult children and several young grandchildren.
112
Instead of staying in a stable job and saving for
retirement, she sold everything and followed
Jesus on a new journey.
Language was a challenge, but Jo persevered.
She walked the streets and practiced with
food vendors and drank tea with new friends.
She learned new ways of doing life. Her new
homeland is spiritually very dark, so she had
to pray differently. Time alone with God was
absolutely essential—not just a good practice.
 EMPTY THE JAR

She Prays grandkids, church family, air conditioning, and

a less risky life because she is a good person.
Jo serves in an official capacity researching the
Instead, she is pouring out her life as an offering
number of children in the region with disabilities.
in order to bring good news to the poor, bind up
She literally must go out and search for them on
the brokenhearted, and proclaim freedom for
foot. The mountain trails to the small remote
the captives.
villages are rugged, steep, and particularly
dangerous during monsoons. So, as she goes, she
“He continues to
prays. She prays that she’ll connect with people Because of the lead each day in
of peace who are spiritually open. She prays that
Holy Spirit living unique ways, as I
God will provide a place for her to stay at night.
She prays the enemy will not thwart her in
in her, Jo has look to Him to direct
my paths,” Jo said.
new villages. the ability to
“He has been so
look in the face faithful, and what a
Jo also prays for the children she’ll find. She
of each person joy to be able to be
prays that she will find those precious kids who
under His care. His
are hidden away in shame, kept inside due to the she encounters
Word sustains
stigma of disability. When she does find them, and see them me here!”
she tries to build relationships with their parents,
as God does.
assess the specific needs, model dignity and
honor of human life, and give practical help. She
can teach the families simple exercises or how to
build makeshift walkers with local materials. She Learn More
talks about Jesus and His love for them.
Explore missions opportunities through Southeast
at southeastchristian.org/missions/go.

She Hopes
The pain, suffering, abuse, neglect, trauma, and
hopelessness that she continually engages with
are overwhelming. She gets sick because of bad
water. She can feel discouraged and lonely. But
because of the Holy Spirit living in her, she has
the ability to look in the face of each person she
Prayer Requests
• P raise God for sustaining and encouraging
Jo and other isolated missionaries
with His Spirit and His Word.
• P ray for a female believer to join Jo as she

encounters and see them as God does—as His walks and ministers to those in need.

creation. Jesus loves through her. Jesus brings

• A sk God to send people of peace to meet
hope into hopeless situations.
Jo and welcome her as she travels.

Jo knows this hope from her own life. She has

received the love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy
of the Father. She did not give up birthdays with

113
International Engagement Map
Sing to the Lord, all
the earth; proclaim
his salvation day
after day. Declare
his glory among
the nations, his
marvelous deeds
among all peoples.
1 Chronicles 16:23-24
 Direct Engagement
Afghanistan
Australia
INTER
Belarus
Bosnia
Burkina Faso
China
Congo
Croatia
Cuba
Czech Republic
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Egypt
England
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Haiti
India
Indonesia
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Laos
Latvia
Malawi
Malaysia
Mexico
Myanmar
Nepal
Nigeria
Poland
Portugal
Saudi Arabia
Scotland Southeast is
Somalia
South Africa engaged in
South Sudan
Spain
partnerships
Sudan
Sweden
with locally-led
Taiwan organizations
Tanzania
Thailand and Southeast
Turkey
Uganda
missionaries
Ukraine throughout
United States
Zimbabwe the world!
RNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT

Albania Lesotho
Algeria Liberia
Angola Lithuania
Argentina Macedonia
Armenia Mali
Austria Mauritania
Bangladesh Moldova
Belize Montenegro
Bengal Morocco
Benin Mozambique
Bhutan North Ireland
Bolivia New Zealand
Botswana Nicaragua
Brazil Niger
Bulgaria Pakistan
Burundi Panama
Legend Cambodia Peru
Cameroon Philippines
Directly Canada Romania
Involved
Canary Islands Russia
Indirectly Central Africa Rwanda
Involved
Chad Senegal
Chile Serbia
Colombia Sierre Leone
Costa Rica Singapore
Cote D’Ivoire Slovakia
Ecuador Slovenia
El Salvador Solomon Islands
Equatorial Guinea Somaliland
Fiji Sri Lanka
Finland Swaziland
Gabon Switzerland
Gambia Tajikistan
Georgia Togo
Guatemala United Arab Emirates
Honduras Uruguay
Hungary Uzbekistan
Israel Venezuela
Kazakhstan Vietnam
Kuwait Zambia
Kyrgyzstan Zanzibar
Lebanon
EMPTY THE JAR
Sharing the Good
News in Cuba
A Short-Term Trip with Lifelong Impact
hen Community Pastor Jon Weiner
invited Tim to go to Cuba on his
first mission trip more than five
years ago, Tim immediately heard the Lord
clearly say, “Get out of your comfort zone and
go.” Despite his willingness, he believed he was
totally unprepared for the mission. He was not
at all comfortable going out in groups of three
to four people to share the Gospel. But the Lord
knew differently.
On that first trip, Tim found a pamphlet of
the Gospel of John translated in English and
Spanish at the Alamar church, and he has been
using that pamphlet ever since to guide his
conversations on return trips.
Tim led the trip to Cuba for the first time in
February 2020—still carrying the pamphlet
and several other items as he walked the streets
of Cuba. One of those items is a cross that was
found in his dad’s pocket when he died that Tim
now carries wherever he goes.
Planting the Seeds
Tim no longer has the same hesitations he
experienced on his first trip. “It’s easier to
share the Gospel in Cuba. They are curious and
receptive,” he said. Using the items from his
past Cuba trips and his studies of apologetics,
it is now easier to reach out not only there, but
also here at home. “I’m studied up,” he said
with a smile.

V
 olunteer teams teach kids about Jesus in Cuba.
The conversations Tim and his team were able
to have in Cuba in 2020 continue to humble him.
While walking in and around communities, they
were able to share their faith journey or just talk
with the people they met. During this trip to
Cuba, at least 12 people confessed Jesus Christ as
their Lord and Savior.
The team’s role is to plant seeds. Watering and
harvesting will be done by Southeast-supported
partner Eduardo and his team at Mission Partner
Campo Amor after the team has gone home.
Eduardo loves the 100+ churches in Cuba he has
started, and Tim admires how Eduardo speaks
into the lives of his sheep. During one training,
Tim noticed that Eduardo had a handful of rocks
with him while speaking to his church leaders.
Eduardo was using simple rocks he had picked up
in the Holy Land years ago as an object lesson to
equip his leaders in discipleship.
Year After Year
Tim doesn’t doubt the value of going back to
Cuba on the same trip year after year. While
some may consider the time and expense a
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sacrifice, he thinks of all the people they get to
see each year. He continues to empty the jar in
order to build on relationships one person at a
time, one trip at a time. He even carries a paper
map of Cuba with him wherever he goes. He
knows each part of the island where he’s visited.
Tim encourages others to consider a short-
term trip, explaining that they will be teamed
with experienced people. “We will educate
and prepare you for your journey and most
importantly, the Holy Spirit will intervene and
give you the words!” he said.
Learn More
To learn more about Southeast’s short-term trips,
text MISSION TRIP to 733733.
Prayer Requests
• P raise God for the doors He has opened for
the Gospel in Cuba and other previously
resistant nations!
• P ray for the church leaders across the island
of Cuba, that God would grant them continued
growth in their disciple-making movement.
• A sk God to send more workers on short-term
trips locally and around the world, where they
can encourage missionaries, plant seeds for the
Gospel, and experience God’s global church.
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EMPTY THE JAR
Feeding the
Community
When the Going Got Tough,
the Church Kept Giving
O
ne of the unbelievable
characteristics of the Southeast
congregation is the sacrificial
generosity of the people. In the midst
of the first worldwide pandemic in 100
years, with the economy shut down for
weeks, job loss rising to the steepest
levels since the Great Depression, and
personal suffering abounding, Southeast
responded by giving. Generously.
The congregation gave $383,299.75
in-kind value of food and hygiene
items in three Urgent Needs Drives
from March to June. These resources
blessed over 70 local churches and
nonprofits, meeting unprecedented
need in their neighborhoods.
Individuals and families gave deeply
and sacrificially, as Alice and Rowe
Hamilton discovered. After they emailed
their neighborhood, about 37 families
118
in St. Matthews, to explain the need for
food for our community, they realized
they’d need help with the response. Alice
called a close friend who lives in Bullitt
County because she would need a bigger
vehicle to deliver the food to Southeast.
The friend not only provided the larger
vehicle, she announced the food drive
in her own neighborhood, and, in just a
couple of days, the collections grew!
Before they delivered the food, they prayed
over the families who would receive it.
A Legacy of Service
But, where did all that food go? To
churches and food pantries all over
the community! One recipient was the
food and clothing pantry at Sunnyside
Assembly of God in Jeffersonville, Indiana,
where John and Sharon Williamson served
about 100 families each day until John’s
Continued on next page
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Southeast volunteers collect food for the community.

119
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Continued from page 119
John Williamson leaves a legacy of service and compassion.
passing in September 2020. He loved and served
his community faithfully until his death.
John never doubted God’s call to open the
pantry 17 years ago. He retired from his own
engineering firm in 1990 at age 55, then assisted
with a clothing ministry in New Albany, and
Southeast members gave almost $400,000 in food and hygiene items.
120
finally started one in Jeffersonville. At the
time, John was already pushing 70, had two
heart surgeries, atrial fibrillation, and carried
an oxygen tank. He knew God kept him going.
As the pantry met needs, the focus was
always on meeting the greatest need—
knowing Jesus. Volunteers looked for
open doors to share the Gospel. Because
COVID-19 caused uncertain days, many
people want to know more about God. ­­­
Before COVID-19, those who came to the pantry
parked, then came into the building to fill out
paperwork, pray with a counselor, and talk about
where they stand with God. With the beginning
of the pandemic, there was a drive-through line
where volunteers connected through masks. ­­­
Volunteers also delivered food to seniors who
could not come to the pantry. Each food box
contained about $200 worth of groceries,
including meat, vegetables, and treats. ­­­
John never asked for food to stock the
pantry. About 60 to 65% of his food supply
 EMPTY THE JAR

came from Dare to Care, but increased

need often created gaps. Often, God used
donations from LifeBridge to provide
exactly when it was most needed.

Learn More

To learn more about how to meet needs in our

community, text RESPOND to 733733.

Prayer Requests

• P raise God for using physical needs

and lingering uncertainty to open
doors to share the Gospel.

• P ray that those facing loss and hardship

will get connected with those who can help
provide physical and spiritual assistance.

• A sk God to equip non-profit ministries

with strength and wisdom as they
try to meet increasing needs.

121
 Southeast members give generously to meet the needs of our community during COVID-19.

Meeting the Need

Southeast’s Benevolence
Response during COVID-19

IN
Scripture and throughout church
“For you know the grace of history, we find people who followed
the sacrificial example of Christ as they
our Lord Jesus Christ, that
cared for others, and Southeast embraces that heart

though he was rich, yet for to empty the jar. Our church family regularly empties
the jars of time, talent, and treasure into the lives of
your sake he became poor, those in need—one person at a time.

so that you through his Even before the COVID-19 crisis, our church family,

poverty might become rich.” both collectively and individually, was driven
by deep generosity. When the pandemic hit, our
response was swift and sacrificial. As businesses
2 Corinthians 8:9 shut down, we were able to care for many people

122

who suffered due to job furloughs and layoffs. Tens
of thousands of pounds of food were donated and
distributed to those in need.
During this crisis, we
have helped many who
While many have lost their income
to afford their rent or
were fearfully
mortgage. Before the
hoarding, our middle of the year, we
had doubled the amount
church family of financial assistance we
had budgeted for those in
was eagerly
need. While many were
donating. fearfully hoarding, our
church family was eagerly
donating.
One Need at a Time
While the numbers and percentages of our
collective efforts might be impressive, the
individual efforts of believers who are loving
and caring for their neighbors are even more
significant. The best kind of generosity embraces a
partnership between the individual and collective
efforts of the church family.
David, a Southeast member, reached out to the
church on behalf of his cousin Beth. Her baby
girl had been born with a congenital heart defect
that required two open-heart surgeries, ongoing
hospitalization, and, ultimately, a heart transplant.
Though her prognosis is looking good, there were
deep financial struggles taking place. In addition
to the overwhelming burden of having their
newborn in that situation, Beth and her husband
had been unable to work because of furloughs and
needing to be with their daughter.
David knew the need outstretched his personal
generosity. He hoped his church family would
partner with him in assisting Beth’s family. From
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our benevolence fund, Southeast was able to
cover three months of mortgage payments to help
carry Beth and her family through their difficult
circumstances.
Relationship, Sustainability,
Dignity, and the Gospel
The body of Christ—the members of the Church—
operates as the eyes and ears and hands and feet
of mercy, proclaiming the Gospel individually
and corporately through acts of kindness and
generosity. Southeast has heard countless stories
of generosity—from members who donated their
stimulus money to single moms to families who
provided meals and assistance to neighbors or
co-workers.
Southeast provides food and financial assistance
to members and to non-members who are referred
by a member. We value relationship, sustainability,
dignity, and the Gospel as the high marks of
Biblical generosity.
Learn More
To learn more or get involved, call us at 502.253.8145
or email stewardship@secc.org.
Prayer Requests
• Praise God for the generosity of
Southeast’s members in a season when
it was more natural to turn inward!
• Pray for Beth’s family and that her young
daughter would continue to heal and thrive.
• Ask God to continue connecting Southeast with
individuals and families who need to experience
the love and care of Christ’s generous people.
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COVID-19 Relief in 2020
Carry each other’s
burdens, and in this
way you will fulfill
the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
EMPTY THE JAR
Intentional
Generosity
J
im Williamson worked hard to
build Power of Design Group, a
successful engineering firm.
That meant sacrifice-packed days, a tight
budget with checks and balances, and a
carefully crafted long-term business plan.
When Jim, who attends the Southwest Campus,
heard Senior Pastor Kyle Idleman preach about
what it means to empty the jar, it seemed like
no one else was in the room. Kyle told story
after story of radical giving. A young couple
gave away the money they’d saved for a down
payment on a house. Others gave up vacations
and prized possessions to extend the reach
of the Gospel. Jim had never done that.
126
Women find encouragement and support at Hosea’s House.
Extravagant Giving
as a Business Plan
Jim logged onto the Southeast website to learn
about Mission Partners in the community
and made an appointment to meet Teresa
Oeschsli, founder of Hosea’s House. They met
on a rainy day in the muddy driveway of a new
transitional home in the Portland neighborhood.
At first glance, they seemed quite different. Jim
is a CEO focused on business. Teresa’s business
plan is faith. Just as the women come to Hosea’s
House one at a time, funds also come in one
dollar at a time. Sometimes at the last minute—
what Teresa calls the midnight hour. It didn’t
take long, though, to realize they are more alike
than different: raised by single moms in the
same neighborhood, attended the same schools,
 EMPTY THE JAR

survived tough backgrounds, and passionate
about helping single moms like their own.
Helping Women
As they walked through Hosea’s House, Teresa
explained how most of the women she helps
come from a dark place of abuse, addiction,
abandonment, and trafficking. The goal is to
walk alongside women as they learn to work,
parent, and make good decisions. They attend
Bible studies, parenting classes, counseling,
and school or work. They learn about a God
who loves them and has a plan for their lives.
Jim emptied the jar for women who often feel
forgotten. That gift means a lot to Teresa,
but it also means a lot to the residents. “I
felt invisible my whole life. No one cared
if I was OK. I now know that God sees me,
and so do His people,” Amanda said.
In Jim’s world of strategy and wise
financial decisions, Hosea’s House is
proving a great investment.

On that first visit, Jim met Amanda McKenzie,

a graduate of Hosea’s House who has come a
long way toward healing from the trauma of
addiction and the
loss of a child.
At first glance, She was finishing
they seemed college classes on
a full scholarship
quite different.
and working
Jim is a CEO part-time at a
The women at Hosea’s House gather for family
focused on recovery center.
dinner before Bible study together.
business.
“A lot of us
Teresa’s business come from a Learn More
plan is faith. place where we To learn more about Hosea’s House,
have no family, visit hoseashouse.com.
no support,”
Amanda told Jim. “Hosea’s House gives us a
Prayer Requests
sense of family and love. Here we learn about
Jesus, who loves us without conditions.” • P raise God for how faithfully He uses
His people to care and provide for
those who need to know of His love.
A Surprising Partnership
• A sk God to provide for Hosea’s House
When Jim left, Teresa had no idea if that
and other ministries that serve and
meeting would lead to anything. She had
care for vulnerable women.
one wild thought: maybe he’d help pave
that muddy driveway. But a few weeks • P ray for more men and women who will
later, Jim gave Hosea’s House a check for empty the jar for the sake of the Kingdom.
$25,000 and a commitment for even more
over the next three years, with a promise
to stay involved with the ministry.

127
 C O N F E R E N C E

Saturday, March 6
Just as those in the book of Acts were the
hands and feet of Jesus in their day, we want
to unleash the full force of the church to love
people one at a time! Join us in learning how,
when, and where you can be unleashed!

Learn more at southeastchristian.org.