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May 20, 2020
ATTN: If the pictures in this article are distorted, then click on the "view it in your browser" link located at the top right-hand corner of the page.Dear Friend,
Greetings to our Virtual Family in 45 nations from Los Angeles on May 20th – the 63rd day of our "Safer at Home Quarantine!" As of today, we are approaching 5,000,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the world of whom sadly over 325,000 have passed away. Of these, 1,600,000 have been in the United States, where almost 100,000 have died. Metro New York City continues to be the hardest hit American city with over 30,000 dead.
The worldwide COVID-19 Pandemic has
claimed over 325,000 lives! God has moved in unprecedented ways in this
generation compelling this lost world to be
more conscious of a "lack of control" and
mortality, thus creating more openness
to the Gospel in every nation!
In the SoldOut Movement, there have been 42 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The highest number of disciples in a single congregation who contracted the dreaded virus was 9 in the Paris Church! The two Lead Ministry Couples both had COVID-19 – Anthony & Cassidy Olmos and Kevin & Sandra Lackenn-Toto! Sandra was placed in an induced coma as she had COVID-19 when she prematurely went into labor with "Baby Laël." Kevin, her awesome husband, took great care of their son while Sandra recuperated in the hospital! Laël was born on March 23rd and first met "Maman" on April 14th!
Praise God that Kevin, Sandra and
"Baby Laël" have been re-united!
Amazingly, to my knowledge, no one in God's Movement has "gone to glory" through the coronavirus! However, of great sorrow for several disciples is that many family and friends have died. Also of concern, our dear New York City Sister – Shivanthi Crawford, who was a "first responder" as a nurse – has been in critical condition. She has needed a ventilator for over three weeks.
Please pray and fast for the complete recovery
of our dear sister – Shivanthi!
A few days ago, Shivanthi had a tracheotomy to avoid permanent damage to her vocal cords. She remains on the ventilator, but they have begun taking her off for a few minutes to encourage breathing on her own. Her amazing husband and our brother Travis believes his prayers and the prayers of the NYC Church have been answered by God sparing Shivanthi's life for more "fruitful labor!" (Philippines 1:22) And to God be all the glory!
Travis' & Shivanthi's happy memory of her
graduation from nursing school!
MCKEANS' VIRTUAL MISSIONARY JOURNEYS Los Angeles The last Global Good News Email was published on Friday, April 10th! The following day, I was humbled to celebrate my 48th Spiritual Birthday! As we do seven days a week after our quiet times, Elena & I embarked on our daily 8:00AM 3-mile prayer walk! I had so much to express to God and to Elena as my heart was full of gratefulness to be a disciple and to have Elena as my wife, best friend and "partner in quarantine!" At about 6:00PM, we headed out again for our customary 2-mile evening walk, as our days have become so sedentary in quarantine.
Often on the McKeans' prayer walks, they see seals
and other wildlife reminding them of the
greatness and glory of God!
That night, we celebrated by ordering dinner from India's Oven our favorite Indian meal of reshmi chicken with rather hot masala sauce on the side along with saag khumb (spinach and mushrooms)!
Even during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the McKeans
"Zoom" around the world on their
missionary journeys!
On Sunday, April 12th, we joined the live online City of Angels ICC Virtual Easter Service!
The striking graphics of the CAICC Worship Services
were made by the gifted Rob Onekea!
Highlights included my beautiful sisters inside and out – Lauren Zepeda, Heather Harvin and Maraia Lastra – singing in both English and Spanish, The Via Dolorosa, and Cory's lesson on THE RESURRECTION CHANGES EVERYTHING!
The singing before Communion of The Via Dolorosa
by Heather, Lauren and Maraia drew every
listener closer to the cross!
Cory preached THE RESURRECTION with great "fear and trembling!" (1 Corinthians 2:3)
Also, RD & April Baker "wrapped up" the service with these powerful words, "It wasn’t nails that kept Jesus on the cross, but love!" Elena & I felt that from beginning to end we were ushered into the very presence of God!
RD & April – the missionary heroes of Dubai –
have brought a greater passion for missions
collections to the City of Angels Church!
Afterward I wrote on the LA Staff Chat, "Thank you Tim (Kernan), Brian (Carr)and Rob (Onekea) for this outstanding production! Each week, the Virtual CAICC Worship Service goes from "one degree of glory to another which comes from the Lord!" (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Have you tested positive for faith during
the COVID-19 quarantine?
Then as Elena & I do every Sunday afternoon, we had the "McKean Family Zoom Meeting" with my mom, our three awesome children, their amazing spouses, and our three granddaughters! My son Sean calls this weekly event: "The McKean Extravaganza!"
The Sunday afternoon McKean Family Extravaganza
has been a great encouragement to all
during the quarantine!
That evening, as on almost all Sundays, the World Sector Leaders (WSLs) based in LA met with Elena & me over Zoom for a lesson, a d-group and an open discussion of the needs in the churches throughout the world. Included in these amazing meetings are: Tim & Lianne Kernan (Tribe Pacific Rim WSLs), Cory & Jee Blackwell (Middle East WSLs), Tony & Therese Untalan (Shepherding WSLs), and Michael & Sharon Kirchner (Administration and Law WSLs)! As most are aware, the Kernans and the Blackwells also zealously serve as the Lead Ministry Couples for the LA Church! As well, the Untalans and the Kirchners serve as the local LA Church Shepherding Couples with great compassion!
"What a fellowship, what a joy divine" on
Sunday evenings for the LA based
World Sector Leaders!
Kiev And Moscow Tuesday, April 14th at 10:00AM, we held a Zoom Kiev and Moscow Staff Meeting! After hearing good news from Oleg & Aliona Sirotkin – the Eurasian World Sector Leaders, Luca & Sophia Di Beo – Kiev Campus Ministry Leaders, and Dima & Tanya Serafonov – the Moscow Church Leaders, I preached on the theme, GOD IS AT WORK!
The opening Scripture of Kip's sermon GOD IS AT
WORK was Ephesians 1:18-22, where Kip re-
minded the Kiev and Moscow Disciples that "God placed [the coronavirus] under Christ's
feet… for the sake of the church!"
Sophia – the McKeans' precious Granddaughter
in the Faith – is a gifted artist as seen
with this self portrait! Viareggio, Italy is…
…the city where the family of her adored
husband Luca once resided! Disciples are called by God to use their gifts!
Then the very next day, Elena & I received our two $1,200 stimulus checks from the USA Government! We preached at the Kiev Staff Meeting again on Monday, April 20th – a day after "their" Ukrainian Easter Sunday! I began this lesson by sharing that on the previous Saturday, we joyfully gave our stimulus checks to Missions!
Ron Harding's masterful history of the New
Movement – The Chronicles Of Modern-Day
Christianity – is now available in
Russian on Amazon!
We also shared with our Eurasian Family that Saturday was Cathi Martinez of Washington DC – our dear Daughter in the Faith's – 50th Birthday!
Given the quarantine, Cathi's 50th birthday was
celebrated with a "parade of cars," which
stopped for a moment at her driveway
to drop off amazing cards and gifts!
Los Angeles Thursday, April 23rd was the First Zoom Women WSLs D-Group! Elena's lesson was entitled, OVERCOMING THE PANDEMIC – GOD IS THE ONE! Her text was Esther 4 and her simple points were: 1) The Power Of Fasting And Prayer To Move God; and 2) The Power Of Clear, Compassionate And Concise Communication!
Elena so enjoyed seeing her dearest friends
at the First Zoom Women World
Sector Leaders Meeting!
Atlanta Friday, April 24th was the First CyberMinistry Global Virtual CyberAppointment Jamboree at 1:00PM PCT! This historic event began with a stunning Opening Video made by Rob Onekea! (https://youtu.be/-E8Tem-qZ-4) Then Jeremy Ciaramella – the Phoenix Lead Evangelist and the first CyberEvangelist appointed by me in the early Portland Days – welcomed everyone with excitement and joy!
After Rob prayed, Ron Harding – the Global Leader of the SoldOut Movement's CyberMinistry – said, "Greetings from Hot'lanta and the Invisible Continent!"
Ron is one of the hardest working brothers in the
Kingdom and sustains a standard of excellence
as the Atlanta Evangelist and the Movement's
Lead CyberEvangelist!
Ron went on to share the new CyberMinistry Mission Statement: Creating, Maintaining, Preserving and Propelling the Legacy of God's people in our Generation!
The SoldOut Movement CyberMinistry
Mission Statement!
He eloquently delivered an overview of the CyberMinistry's vital role in the Movement. He defined in detail about the key roles of WebDeacons, WebDeaconesses, CyberEvangelists and CyberWomen's Ministry Leaders (CyberWMLs). Ron further explained what qualifies a person to be appointed, the crucial relationship they must have with their Overseeing Evangelist. He preached about the work ethic, self-motivation and skill required to honor God in these roles. He concluded by saying, "These 17 Kingdom Appointments in 13 different churches on 5 different continents of CyberEvangelists and CyberWomen's Ministry Leaders will be 'heard round the world!'"
The McKeans' computer was one of 35 with
multiple disciples watching the historic
Jamboree in groups!
Let's honor our newest appointed CyberEvangelists and CyberWMLs:Administration World Sector Dominic D'Angelo Sears – Kingdom Admin CyberEvangelist
(Nick Economo of LA)*
*(Appointed by)
Africanus World Sector Joseph U. Nelson, Jr. – CyberEvangelist of Washington DC
(LuJack Martinez of Washington DC)
Central & South America World Sector Vinicius Rodrigues De Souza – CyberEvangelist of South America
(Raul Moreno of São Paulo) Carlos (Carlitos) Mejia II – CyberEvangelist of Central America
(Carlos Mejia and Albert Wagers of Mexico City)
Carlos Sr. (left above) wept as Albert and he
appointed his brilliant son "Carlitos"
a CyberEvangelist at just
17 years old!
European World Sector Dominik Herlitzek – CyberEvangelist of Europe
(Michael Williamson)
Every appointed CyberEvangelist and every
CyberWoman Ministry Leader will receive
a "Computer on the Globe Statuette!"
SAGES World Sector Jackson Isaac Jones – CyberEvangelist of India
(Prathap Kumar of Chennai) Jonathan Davis – CyberEvangelist of NYC
(Luke Speckman of NYC) Kiana Davis CyberWomen's Ministry Leader of NYC
(Brandyn Speckman of NYC) Aaron Viscichini – CyberEvangelist of Intellectual Property
(Mike Patterson of Boston)
Prathap Kumar – the Chennai Church Leader –
appointed Jackson Jones (with his very proud
wife Geomol at his side) a CyberEvangelist
in the Kingdom of God!
Tribe Pacific Rim World Sector Orion Abel Traullé CyberEvangelist of LA
(Rob Onekea of LA) Donna Cruz – CyberWomen's Ministry Leader of LA
(Rob Onekea)
During the Jamboree, Branesha lovingly pointed
out that LA's newest CyberWomen's Ministry
Leader – Donna Cruz – was not dating… yet!
Patrick Boea – CyberEvangelist of Marketing/Advertising
(AJ Penedo of Chicago) Sparkle Boea – CyberWomen's Ministry Leader of Chicago
(AJ Penedo)
Pat & Sparkle not only serve the Lord tirelessly in
the CyberMinistry, but as the Chicago
Downtown Region Leaders too!
Jason McNeill – CyberEvangelist of the First Principles App
(Jeremy Ciaramella of Phoenix)
Jeremy (above) and Jason are both "geniuses"
guiding the Movement to evangelize
the "invisible continent!"
Sean O'Connor – CyberEvangelist of Southeast Asia
(Ricky Challinor of Metro Manila) Aki Cabañero CyberEvangelist of Metro Manila
(Ricky Challinor) Rafael Dumaraos De Jesus Jr. – CyberEvangelist of Phnom Penh
(Ricky Challinor)
Ricky had the privilege to appoint three
CyberEvangelists: Rafael of Phnom
Penh, Sean of Guam, and
Aki of Manila!
To close this electrifying event, Ron gave his signature sign off, "Keep frying the airwaves – through every computer, tablet and phone – til every soul has heard!" If you would like to view the Jamboree, please go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qECqjxnwFmw&feature=youtu.be.
In a word, Ron Harding's preaching is "fire!"
Amazingly, Ron not only shoulders the SoldOut Movement CyberMinistry, but he is also the Lead Evangelist of the Atlanta Church! Since the Atlanta Inaugural on January 24, 2018, the Atlanta ICC has grown from 15 to now 49 disciples through 26 baptisms, 8 restorations and 3 place memberships directly from the ICOC!
Dystany – of LA's AMS Region – was able to
watch her cousin Catherine's glorious
baptism on Facetime!
Los Angeles On Tuesday, April 28th, Elena & I "visited" the LA Staff Meeting to address the low weekly contribution. I shared from the Scriptures that not giving to the weekly contribution was "robbing God" and a sign of unfaithfulness. (Malachi 3:6-12) (Of course, there are extraordinary situations: A disciple lost their job; they or a loved one was very sick and needed money for the doctor; or they themselves were shut ins.) The LA Region Leaders took this message back to their people and preached the Word to their groups and individually "with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Timothy 4:2) Incredibly, just five days later on Sunday, May 3rd, praise God, the City of Angels Church gave the largest weekly contribution to date in 2020 – an astounding $48,000! This was more than a $8,000 "jump" from the week before! The LA World Sector Leaders gathered as usual that evening for the sermon, A TIME TO SHINE!
Tim Kernan (above left) and Nick Economo help
Kip with monitoring missions finances in LA
and around the United States!
Interestingly, on April 30th, I found Georgina Olysse's post on my Facebook Page and I remembered 1 Corinthians 12:26, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it!"
Voted "Most Likely to Succeed" senior year of high school (2011), I had no idea that part of that entailed me becoming a nine-year resident of Gainesville, Florida 😬 4 years undergrad, 5 years grad! Tonight would have been the night that I walked across the commencement stage to be hooded – Dr. Georgina Olysse! Due to COVID19… that won't happen 😂😂 However, I'm still so fired up to have come this far 👊🏾 It was not easy and I wanted to quit several times but God continued to provide, teaching me and refining my heart and mind about persevering! I look forward to how God will use me powerfully as I continue to grow in all areas of my life (mind, body, heart and soul) as I embark on my next journey!
Congratulations to Kip's & Elena's fellow
University of Florida Gator…
"Dr." Georgina Olysse, as she is…
"Phinally Done" with her PhD!
On May 2nd, Elena & I participated in the gorgeous virtual wedding of Taylor & Khamille Jaynes! Matthew Lovacheff masterfully presided!
Khamille was sooooo excited about Taylor's
& her wedding that she kindly invited
the McKeans twice! Taylor & Khamille "did it right" – their
first kiss was at the alter! Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Jaynes!
Monday, May 4th was Star Wars Day… "May the 'Fourth' be with you!" So I greeted all of my closest brothers with the picture below! A few minutes later, I received a picture in response!
In the spirit of "brothers being brothers," on
May 4th, Kip sent the above picture to
all of his closest brothers!"
It was quickly answered by "one in whom the
force is strong" – the São Paulo Jedi –
aka Dr. Raul Moreno!
Tuesday, May 5thwas Cinco de Mayo! Again, Elena & I met with the LA Zoom Staff Meeting go over those who had not given in three weeks or more.
At the LA Staff Meeting, Tim asked RD to preach
on REGIONAL FRUITFULNESS as the now
48-disciple Ventura Region had grown
through 9 baptisms and 1 restoration
since the lock-down on March 18th!
Friday, May 8th, was the Second Zoom Men World Sector Leaders Meeting! (The first was on Thursday, April 9th.) The lesson was entitled, A JEHOVAH-JIRAH PERSPECTIVE! (Jehovah-Jirah means "God will provide.") I shared that with the quarantine and the number of deaths from the Coronavirus (worldwide that day the total was 275,000 deaths) for so many these times were "almost apocalyptic!"
For the Second WSL Zoom Meeting, Nick Bordieri
in Phnom Penh tuned in at "his" 3:00AM!
So I began the lesson by reading an "adapted" historical perspective from an unknown author that I saw on Facebook, which I called, THE PERSPECTIVE OF MY GRANDFATHERS:For a small amount of perspective at this moment, imagine you were born in 1905 like my grandfathers – Thomas Augustus Kimberlin and Gorman Ferdinand McKean. On your 9th birthday, World War I starts, and ends on your 13th birthday. 22 million people perish in that war. Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until your 15th birthday. 50 million people die from it in those two years. Yes, 50 million. On your 24th birthday, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, the World GDP drops 27%. That runs until you are 28. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy. When you turn 34, World War II starts. You aren't even over the hill yet. On your 36th birthday, the United States is fully pulled into World War II. Between your 34th and 40th birthdays, 75 million people perish in the war. At 45, the Korean War starts. 5 million perish. At 50 the Vietnam War begins and doesn't end for 20 years. 4 million people perish in that conflict. On your 57th birthday you have the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tipping point in the Cold War. Life on our planet, as we know it, could have ended. Great leaders prevented that from happening. When you turn 70, the Vietnam War finally ends. Think of everyone on the planet born in 1905. How do you survive all of that? When you were a kid in 1985 and didn't think your 80 year old grandparent understood how hard school was. And how mean that kid in your class was. Yet they survived through everything listed above. Perspective is an amazing art. Refined as time goes on, and enlightening like you wouldn't believe. Let's try and keep things in perspective. Let's be smart, help each other out. Keep your eyes on God.
I concluded by saying that I had never heard either of my grandfathers complain about these intense trials or dire financial times. Though difficult beyond words, I was honored to preside at both of their Memorial Services.
Kip was so blessed that both "sets of his beloved
grandparents" participated in Kip's & Elena's
wedding on December 11, 1976!
Then, we looked at Genesis 22:1-18 where God provided the ram in place of Isaac. Following, we studied in the Book of Ezra how God provided the money and the people to build the Second Temple! Bottom line, I challenged all the brothers to have the perspective that God will provide His New Movement with all the people and all of the money necessary to evangelize the nations in this generation… even during the Coronavirus Pandemic! Following, we had a Financial Meeting led by Michael Kirchner. We were all completely united in: 1) Meeting the huge benevolence needs in the Third World by Families of USA Churches; 2) Scaling back our Fall Missions Collection; 3) Eliminating all Fall USA Missions Collections after 2020; 4) Only sending out a few more mission teams this Fall, and 5) Putting before the Lord the following plantings in 2020 and 2021:2020
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Campinas, Brazil
DFW Supplemental Mission Team
Guam
Kolkata, India
Minneapolis, Minnesota – OPERATION EAGLE
Salt Lake City
Tucson, Arizona
2021
Ann Arbor, Michigan – OPERATION EAGLE
Baguio City, Philippines
Bahrain
Boise, Idaho – OPERATION EAGLE
Brazzaville, Congo
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Crouching Tiger #3
Dover, Delaware – OPERATION EAGLE
Edinburgh, Scotland
Madrid, Spain
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – OPERATION EAGLE
St. Louis, Missouri – OPERATION EAGLE
St. Petersburg, Russia
Tuscaloosa, Alabama – OPERATION EAGLE
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Green – Planted / Purple – Remnant Group / Red – To Be Planted
Lord willing, with the Minneapolis Mission Team
being sent out from LA in August 2020, the
SoldOut Movement will be in 24 of
the 50 States of America!
Celebrated on May 10th was the CAICC Mother's Day Church Service! At this occasion, we also rejoiced over the 13th Anniversary of the City of Angels Church and thus the official beginning of the SoldOut Movement! Celebrating Mother's Day and the 13th Anniversary was so appropriate as the City of Angels Church is the "Jerusalem Church" of the SoldOut Movement – the "Mother Church" of the New Movement!
The Kernans – Tim, Lianne, Junior and David –
delivered a rousing Welcome to the
Mother's Day Service!
Sandra Smith of the AMS Region… …Pleng Rodphai and Singles from all of the
other LA Regions shared incredible
good news reports!
After the incredibly vulnerable and touching Mother / DaughterCommunion by Marlo and Maya, the NYC Singers gave a performance for the ages in singing Marvelous!
During the Communion both Maya and her mom
Marlo shared about the joy they had on the day
Maya was baptized on December 16, 2018!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCX_rxkCKmA This is a must see!
The first singer was Veeraniqica Green, who was
baptized about a month ago when her fiancé
(Mark Sims) was restored in the
New York City Church! Then came the surprise… Luke Speckman
sang the base part amazingly!
The indomitable Ricky & Coleen – the Manila
Church Leaders – both shared about their
moms being Christians! Therese Untalan – Coleen's mom – and Gidget
Challinor – Ricky's mom – shared a quiet
moment with their ever-so-cute
granddaughter Mina Challinor!
Cory began his message with the history of Mother's Day whose roots can be traced to May 10, 1908! It became a national holiday in America on May 9, 1914! In perhaps Cory's finest lesson to date, he shared about his mom – Wazirah Yamin – who was a disciple that went to glory just 6 months ago.
Cory's favorite picture of his mom and him was
taken immediately on the day he was
drafted by the NBA! Cory has had three guiding dreams: 1) Play in
the NBA, 2) Become a preacher, and
3) Baptize his mom… All
became a reality! Cory's mom and his spiritual mom Elena celebrated
together at Cory's 50th Birthday Party!
Cory shared his "mama's" wisdom with us in his sermon, LESSONS FROM MY MAMA! "His mama's points" were: 1) Obey God's Word, 2) Stop Neglecting Prayer, 3) Forgive Everyone No Exceptions, and 4) Deny Self – It Takes Sacrifice!
After the epic sermon, there were several baptisms! In a fitting close to the Mother's Day Service, a
moving montage of Patricia Velasco and the
other over 100 mothers and "spiritual
mothers" in the City of Angels
Church was shown! Jennifer Haynes is an awesome mom, as well as a
Shepherdess for the Southland Region! The montage was creatively designed by Rob
Onekea and inspired by his love for his
incredible wife Burgandie!
Earlier that morning, I wrote a Tribute Thank You to my momincluding a few recent pictures:
Dearest Mom, Happy Mother's Day! Thank you for being such an incredible mom to Randy, Dana and me through all the years! Thank you as well for becoming the "most awesome" grandma and great grandma to all of our extended families!
Kip visited his mom in Florida on her 91st
Birthday on September 30, 2019!
Thank you for all of my precious memories growing up in Norfolk, Bermuda, DC, Boston, Libertyville, Virginia Beach, Maitland and back to Libertyville! Thanks for those amazing summers in Indiana and Michigan!
Kip wrote under this picture, "At your 90th
Birthday Party, you received the… …ever appropriate Wonder Woman glasses!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for welcoming Elena into our family as more than a daughter-in-law but a true daughter! Thank you for your loving support of our marriage and ministry through all the years to this very day!
Kip wrote, "Your great granddaughters –
Scarlett and Savannah!" Under this picture was written, "Your
great granddaughter – Alicia!"
Mom, I so look forward to our daily phone calls to hear your perspective on everything from "food to finances!" Thank you for your sage advice gently spoken in between topics!
Thanksgiving 2019!
Thanks for being the "crown jewel" of the "McKean Extended Families!" Your always "sunny" and "effervescent" outlook on life continues to inspire us all! Thank you in a word for – everything! With all of my admiration, appreciation and affection, Kip
A specialty cake – of an aircraft carrier to honor his
father and an artist's easel to honor his mother –
was made to celebrate their 80th Birthdays!
Kip wrote, "Thanks for being such
incredible parents! Love, Kip"
Following writing to Mom, I wanted to encourage all of my Crown of Thorns Council Sisters:
Dearest Crown of Thorns Council Sisters, Greetings for a very Happy Mother's Day to all of you as moms and spiritual moms! Thank you for being "The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world!" This quote is from a poem by William Ross Wallace that praises motherhood as the preeminent force for change in the world. The poem was first published in 1865 under the title, What Rules the World.
Thank you for all of the precious memories that Elena & I have shared with you like the 33 baptisms in New Delhi on November 17, 2019! Thank you for your steadfast faith during the COVID-19 Pandemic! I pray the Lord will allow us to share even more memories of miracles in the future! On Elena's & my prayer walk this morning, your names were raised before the throne of God! Thank you for being my sisters, daughters and granddaughters! Enjoy "your" day! We are family… filled with visions and dreams, Kip
The unforgettable 2019 Crown of Thorns Meeting
was combined with the South Asia
Missions Conference in India! The 33rd baptism in New Delhi on the Sunday of
the 2019 South Asia Missions Conference
was Raja's & Deb's son – Ashwin!
On May 14th, Elena & I were excited about an extra day of fasting this week so we could pray all the more earnestly for Pam Boea of Chicago for her twice-returned cancer to be cured; for Raul's father in Miami who had a stoke most likely from his brain tumor which was to be operated on the next day; for our dear Shivanthi in New York City to be released from the hospital; for the medical scientists to find a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year; and for the USA Churches to more than meet the Spring Missions Prayer Goal! (God has blessed the sacrifices of the Boston, Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, and Syracuse Churches as they have already surpassed their Missions Goals!) So encouraging, at a little after noon that same day, I received the following email from Mark Garrido, who serves gallantly as the Honolulu Lead Evangelist:
Family, We [the Honolulu Church] are sending to Movement Missions $20,000 via wire transfer this morning. This will bring us to $82,400 of our $94,775 Missions Goal. Please pray for us as many have lost jobs and so many have had hours cut tremendously! The Hawaiian Islands certainly will have a challenging recovery, but praise be to God that the Honolulu Disciples have not withheld.
Mark & Keri Garrido are so admired by
all three of the Hawaiian Churches!
I replied, Dearest Mark & Keri, Amazing! $82,400 toward your $94,775 Prayer Missions Goal! Elena & I remain so inspired by the Hawaiian Disciples… "Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and extreme poverty [from the coronavirus] welled up in rich generosity. For [Mark] testified that the [Hawaiian Disciples] gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability!" (2 Corinthians 8:2-3) And to God be all the glory! Love, Kip Chicago On Saturday, May 16th at 3:00PM CST, Elena & I "virtually traveled" to the Miraculous May All PACK Staff Meeting! (PACK is an acronym for Proclaiming Always Christ's Kingdom. These churches include: Chicago, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Toronto, Seattle, Portland, Eugene, and Lord willing, very soon Minneapolis!)
The Chicago Church has a new theme every month! Cesar & Debbie Limon – the right-hand leadership
couple for the Causeys – gave a terrific Welcome!
On the previous Monday, Elena & I had our d-time with John & Emma Causey – the Chicago ICC and PACK Church Leaders. The Causeys shared so many awesome accounts of faith in the PACK Churches, that we were very much looking forward to seeing them with "their people!"
The ever-young John & Emma Causey celebrated
their 36th Anniversary on May 5th!
The Chicago Church has set the pace for all USA Churches by growing from 131 on January 1st – adding the 34 on the Supplemental Mission Team from Portland and LA on January 5th – to smashing the "200 barrier" now having 207 sold-out disciples! A Chicago record of 14 disciples were added in April during lock-down! As well, on the previous Sunday, the Chicago Church was at over 90% of their Spring Missions Goal! So growth does not have to be at the "expense" of missions!
John shared that many Chicago Disciples sacrificed
their stimulus checks to give to the
Spring Missions Collection!
At this auspicious occasion, all of the PACK Church Leaders shared and John made an appeal for benevolence for Africa! He also, encouraged everyone to pray for Pam Boea who found that her cancer had returned.
On her Facebook prayer request, Pam wrote,
"My cancer is Big, but the God that I
follow is BIGGER!"
Following a break, Manilyn Pogoso of Columbus sang an original song, Bring A Miracle! I was really moved by the chorus, Anything is possible even if it is difficult because God will bring a miracle!
Manilyn is a "miracle worker" in her
song writing and singing!
Then Elena and Emma each gave an impassioned 5-minute charge from 1 Kings 4:1-8 entitled, BRING ME A MIRACLE! Then I was privileged to preach the lesson, THE GOD OF MIRACLES! This glorious Staff Meeting concluded at 5:00PM CST!
Elena preached with so much passion
on BRING ME A MIRACLE! As a "thank you" for preaching at the PACK Staff
Meeting, the Causeys and the Chicago Church
sent to the McKeans a beautiful
"edible bouquet of fruit!"
Sunday, May 17th, Cory & Jee gave an awesome Welcome for the City of Angels Church Virtual Service, where Cory said, "Don't relax! Get ready to worship!" Then we heard "good news" from married couples in all 12 LA Regions!
The dynamic Petersons shared the "Good
News of the Married Ministry" from
the Southland Region!
Following, came the moving Kingdom Appointments of Chris & Maraia Lastra and Stacy & Lynette Ybarra! Both were raised up and appointed by the Orange County Region Leaders – Brian & Joaly Carr!
Brian gave the "ancient charge" to Chris, "In
the presence of God… preach the
Word!" (2 Timothy 4:1-2) The powerful Orange County Region Staff met
together for the Kingdom Appointments of
the Lastras and the Ybarras!
Congratulations to Stacy & Lynette! Congratulations to Chris & Maraia! After the Contribution Charge, a moving montage
was shown dedicated to the City of Angels
Church's hardworking administrators,
like Yelena Astanina!
Then, Dr. Tim C. Kernan preached from Matthew 28:16-20 a tremendous lesson entitled, THE FINAL CONQUEST! Tim called every LA Disciple to "level up" to new spiritual heights and leadership roles!
Every time Tim preaches he "brings it!"
That evening at 6:30PM, in our LA WSL D-group, Nick & Denise Bordieri of Phnom Penh visited with us! So great to have this group reunited… at least for one Sunday! I preached on EXTRA MILE CHRISTIANITY from Matthew 5:14! From our study which ended with the Parable of the Good Samaritan, we discovered that for Jesus 1) Extra Effort, 2) Extra Patience, and 3) Extra Expense were all "salvation issues!" So good to be together and be "completely united" in Christ! (John 17:20-23) And to God be all the glory!
Since Nick & Denise (lowest screen) were
quarantining in Long Beach, California,
they visited the LA WSLs D-Group!
GLOBAL GOOD NEWS Jason Dimitry – Lead Evangelist of San Francisco:"Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion!" (2 Samuel 5:7) I am very inspired by what I like to call the "nevertheless" attitude of the San Francisco Saints! The "Shelter In Place" ordinance has been in effect in the Bay Area since March 16th. Yet, the spirit of the 257 San Francisco Disciples to keep fighting for a lost world no matter the circumstances, has been blessed by our God as since March 16th we have witnessed 20 incredible souls added to the Kingdom through baptism and one precious soul restored to his first love! During this time of quarantine, it has also been inspiring to see teens become disciples! This week, we saw Saul Mercado and Annie Chiu – both high school students – baptized into Christ!
According to some in San Francisco, "Saul"
may become another Paul! With the baptism of Annie, the San Francisco
Teen Ministry became 9-strong!
I am so proud of Christian & Devon Enos who have done an outstanding job leading the Lord's church in Sacramento!
Christian & Devon would never "blow their own
horns" about how powerfully the Spirit
is moving in California's state
capital of Sacramento!
This week, they celebrated the baptism of Tiara Scott, the point guard for the Sacramento State Women Basketball Team! And to God be the glory!
Tiara's baptism lifted everyone's spirits!
Tiara was very fired up to share
with all of her teammates!
Nick Bordieri – World Sector Leader of MERCYworldwide: The COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill, leaving so many in need, and forcing those previously in need to even greater depths of despair. It is said that there may not be just one famine, but multiple famines around the globe as a result of this pandemic. Jesus said, "The poor you will always have with you." (Mark 14:7) MERCY is making efforts to address some of these needs around the world. We coined our efforts, COVID-20: Compassion Over the Virus In our Day – 2020!
MERCY Ambassadors: Let's all fervently get behind:
Compassion Over the Virus In our Day – 2020!
We would like to give a Special Tribute on the second anniversary of Sharon Wong's passing, in whose name and spirit the Sharon Wong Foundation was established. This year's anniversary coincides with the unprecedented hard times in our lifetimes. Thank you Dennis Wong and to all in the Wong Foundation for generously giving MERCY over $90,000 these past two years for our projects in Nigeria, Haiti and of course the CSW MERCY Orphanage in Cambodia! Also, I would be amiss, if I did not thank Kip (who serves as Chairman of the Board for MERCY) and all SoldOut Movement Disciples – MERCY Ambassadors – for giving the MERCY Orphanage an extra $100,000 from Missions for each of the past two years!
Dennis & Sharon Wong affectionately called their
beautiful three daughters – "the 3 M's" for
Megan, Madelyn and Mabel! Thank you from the entire SoldOut Movement
Family to the Sharon Wong Foundation!
During the time when the children at the CSW-MERCY
Orphanage are confined to the orphanage premises,
they are taking advantage of the new all-purpose
field the Wong Foundation made possible!
On the domestic front in America, thank you Jim Fenton and Renee Loheed for continuing to do a masterful job presenting the 5-Week MERCY Life Skills Program virtually, which was modified to address the changing job landscape due to Covid-19.
Jim Fenton of Los Angeles is the distinguished
and eloquent Life Skills Global Director!
And one more very special thank you goes to Joselo Cimafranca of Cebu, Philippines for literally transforming his factory into one that produces masks, shields and even protective suits for the fight against the coronavirus! Of note, the BJMP Cebu City Jail has a capacity of only 500, but is now packed with over 6,000 inmates, living in extreme conditions. To date there have been over 500 Covid-19 cases among the prisoners (several have died). As well, 11 guards and even the warden have been infected.
BJMP Cebu City Jail is packed
with over 6,000 inmates!
Joselo Cimafranca's company now mass
produces masks, shields and protective
gear while "advocating" MERCY! Our dear and enterprising Cebu Brother – Joselo!
In addition, Joselo and MERCY Cebu continue to provide food packs and vitamin C for prisoners and many more in the city!
MERCY Cebu has become a model of "MERCY"
for the entire Movement!
In Cebu, AJ distributed a food package to Alerose!
This act of compassion impacted Alerose so
much that she expressed her desire to
come back to be restored to the
Lord and His church!
On a personal note, at the outbreak of the pandemic in America in mid-March, my awesome wife Denise flew to be with our college daughters in Eugene, Oregon.
Denise spent a delightful Mother's Day in Eugene
with her gorgeous daughters – inside and out –
Sonrisa (left) and Makaela!
I remained in Phnom Penh to help the orphanage and the church. Sadly, I too had to quarantine, making my separation from Denise all the more difficult. On May 11th, I flew back to LA to quarantine there for 14 days reuniting with Denise. After this time, we are presently planning to both go back to Eugene to be with the girls, and then sometime in June return to our work in Phnom Penh. Please pray for us!
Nick & Denise are missed in Cambodia as they serve
as the MERCY Orphanage Directors and as the
Shepherding Couple for the Mighty Phnom
Penh Church, which was planted
on August 4, 2019!
Matt Sullivan – Lead Evangelist of Miami:"He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers…" (Malachi 4:6) Since the lock-down in Miami on March 10th nine weeks ago, the Lord has blessed us with one place membership and 22 baptisms! The most inspiring thing has been watching God unite families in Christ! In February, Angie was baptized, and today, her brother Telxandre was baptized! Last year in December, Caron was baptized and three weeks ago, her mother Natividad was baptized!
Caron and her precious mother are now closer
than ever as "spiritual sisters!"
Yinet became a disciple 13 years ago, and due to a hurricane pummeling the Dominican Republic, her mother Gloria needed to move to the States and live with Yinet. Best thing ever, because two weeks ago Gloria was baptized!
Yinet's prayers of 13 years were answered when
her mom Gloria was baptized!
Good News from our Campus Ministry: In Tallahassee, we now have an ongoing Virtual Bible Talk at Florida State University – known as the "Seminoles" – with several who want to study!
When Kip – a University of Florida Alum – heard of the
Florida State Bible Talk, he said, "So then, God has
granted even the [Seminoles] repentance
unto life!" (Acts 11:18)
I am once again amazed at the overwhelming grace of God to save as many as possible! Lastly, please be praying as my mother, Pam, moved in with us two weeks ago!
When Matt's mother Pam moved in with the Sullivans,
it brought the whole family together including
Matt's brother Shawn and his wife Amy!
Joe Willis – Lead Evangelist of Sydney: Greetings from the "Harbour City!" I am very happy to report that we are coming out of the lock downs in our churches in the Austral-China World Sector after some great baptisms!
Kip & Elena always look forward to "Skype
D-time" with Joe & Kerry Willis every
Wednesday at 4:00PM!
Chris Gazzard was baptized during the lock-down! He came as a result of his cousin JJ, who originally asked him to sponsor him to run the Sydney Church Half Marathon for special contribution!
Chris is now running with "perseverance
[his] race that is marked out for
[him]!" (Hebrews 12:1)
Frida was baptized as soon as she was 18 years old and allowed to leave her "home stay accommodation" and move-in with the sisters! She is a "foundation student" at University of New South Wales! (Many Chinese students come for a year before officially starting their degrees taking a "foundation course" where they "master" English.)
Frida (far right) embraced her true family!
Our church in Apia, Samoa has finally been allowed to meet together as of last Sunday! Praise God, there have been no recorded cases of the COVID-19 reported in that country! Our Hong Kong Church has been able to meet in groups of 10, as are Sydney and Auckland as if this Sunday!
The Samoan Brothers and Sisters have
been "freed" from lock-down!
Excitingly, the Crouching Tiger #2 Church has been meeting for over a month, and last week, the 4 disciples had 34 different friends out to their combined weekly meetings! Prayers are so needed: The United States occupies 3.8 million square miles while China has a slightly smaller geographic area of 3.7 million square miles! However, China's 1.43 billion people are more than four times the 329 million population of the United States! The SoldOut Movement has 32 USA Churches, but presently only two in China. So much work to do!
Though similar in geographic size, it would take more
than "four USA's" to have the same population
as China's 1.43 billion!
Another exciting note is that my son Luke with his band "Lucid Hoops" has released their third song available on Spotify, aptly titled at this time of quarantine, Get Me Out Of Here! (This can be viewed at https://smarturl.it/LucidHoopsGMOOH)
Luke (left) is the very talented drummer
for Lucid Hoops!
Blaise Feumba – Overseeing Evangelist of Hispaniola and French-speaking Africa: Praise God, that on the small Caribbean island of Hispaniola there are now 11 SoldOut Movement Churches! Incredibly during this pandemic, they smashed the "600 Disciple Barrier" and now have exactly 606 disciples! Haiti has 10 congregations and the Dominican Republic (DR) presently only has 1. All of them meet in House Churches and Bible Talks. These congregations include: The "Mother Church" which is led by Alexis Turgeau – Port-au-Prince (94 disciples), Jacmel (70), Meyotte (44), Duclair/Chantal (25), Camp-Perrin (33), Saint-Marc (42), Cap Haïtien (110), Limbe (42), Sainte-Suzanne (47), Mirebalais (54), and our DR Church – El Pocito (45)!
Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Island
of Hispaniola, where Columbus first landed in
the New World on December 6, 1492!
Dear Brother Kip, Patricia & I have been honored by God's calling and your trust at the 2013 GLC as you handed Alexis to me – a former Mainline Church of Christ Preacher who became our first Haitian baptized disciple – with the charge to build the New Movement in Haiti! We are humbled by what God has done in one of the most difficult and poorest mission fields! We believe with all of our hearts that the amazing Matt & Helen Sullivan of Miami will take this resilient group of disciples to even greater heights! I am looking forward to connecting with Matt this next week to officially hand over the discipling and the oversight of these precious churches! We will always be available to help in any way needed. Your comrade-in-arms, Blaise
As a true grandfather, Kip promised to Blaise &
Patricia that when they move to Africa in
September to lead the Abidjan Church
that he would take "great care" of
the Feumba children!
Jeremy Ciaramella – Lead Evangelist of the Phoenix Church: Greetings from "The Valley of the 'Son!'""Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations…" (Ephesians 3:20-21) God added 6 to His Phoenix Church through baptism during the last week of April – more than we have ever seen in week! On Sunday, April 19th, a great single sister named Jana Pennington was baptized, whose sister Leah was baptized just 10 days prior! Both of these "sister sisters" are fruit from this year's Women's Day!
Jana Pennington (left) is now a
"sister-sister" with Leah!
Monday, April 20th, the "Women of Wisdom" Bible Talk triumphantly baptized Michelle Romes, whose sister Liz Tyo persevered with her for several months as she wrestled with the truth! On Wednesday, April 22nd, a gentle-spirited Spanish-speaking sister named Nadyn Vasquez was baptized into Christ!
Nadyn has found peace by being with the
Father and being surrounded
by joyful sisters!
Also baptized on Wednesday was a single Native American man named Marcus Xochihua, who is attending the University of Advancing Technology here in Phoenix!
The Tempe-Downtown House Church celebrated
with their newest brother Marcos Xochihua
stating, "You'll be next!"
We are so grateful for the Movement as our dear brother Blaise Feumba helped count the cost with Junior Oroko, a French-speaking native of Cameroon who was baptized on Thursday, April 23rd! Most inspiring for me was to see a "Kingdom Kid" make Jesus Lord on Saturday, April 25th as Zach Hamblin, the son of Robb & Theresa Hamblin, was baptized into Christ!
Zach is so appreciative of Christopher Burdick (left)
and West James, who helped to make
him into a disciple!
Also, equally exciting, God continued to move in our Teen Ministry as Travis, the oldest son of Scott & Sandy Lunde (the slated Tucson Mission Team Leaders) was baptized into Christ on Saturday, May 16th! We are so inspired to see Travis make Jesus Lord and join his best friend Zach Hamblin who was also baptized just a couple of weeks ago!
Congratulations to Travis and the entire Lunde Clan!
My incredible wife Amy & I are also greatly encouraged by the sacrifice of the disciples here in Phoenix, as this week God has allowed us to see His glory in surpassing our $107,650 Special Missions Prayer Goal! The Phoenix Church has joyfully given over $110,000 with still more expected this weekend and for the next few weeks! We are grateful for the training and encouragement from Mike & Brittany Underhill and are honored to serve in the Southwest Churches!
Jeremy & Amy Ciaramella were sent out of
Portland in January 2004 to plant
the fruitful Eugene Church!
Ricky Challinor – Lead Evangelist of Metro Manila: Greetings from the 469 Filipino Disciples and 55 Cambodian Disciples on Sunday, May 17th! On March 14th, we began an enhanced "Community Quarantine" in the city known as the "Pearl of the Orient!" Yet, since the quarantine began, God has given the Manila Church 26 additions – 25 baptisms 1 restoration!
Ricky & Coleen have grown so much since
coming on the Los Angeles Mission Team
in 2007, as teens just graduated
from high school!
This week, God gave us 2 additions – 1 baptism and 1 restoration! During the lock-down, Rosas was "locked in" with her brother John Rey, his wife Roxanne, and their two children – Jolie Ann and Sam! As a true hero in the faith, Rose used this time to convert "her" household! This week's baptism is Roxanne, and we are praying that John Rey's will be very soon!
Roxanne was so grateful that she was "stuck"
with Rosas during the quarantine!
Praise God, He blessed the Metro Cebu Church with 1 restoration!
Alfie (blue and white shirt) was so fired up
to be back in the Kingdom!
The Metro Davao Church saw another soul being baptized into Christ!
With Steve's baptism, the Davao Church has grown
since its Inaugural Service on August 11, 2019
from 9 on the mission team and 5 in the
remnant group to 48 disciples – exactly
33 of whom are students!
In Phnom Penh, the Spirit gave them 1 baptism! Khim is the disciples' tutor for Khmer Class! They began reaching out to him, and in spite of the quarantine, Khim desperately wanted to get right with God and so was baptized!
As Khim teaches the disciples Khmer, the brothers
will teach him to "obey everything!"
Sean O'Connor – Lead Evangelist of Guam:Hafa Adai! Bea was heavily persecuted for even considering meeting up to get baptized! Though Satan delayed this miracle, Bea persevered; the girls met up; and she was baptized into Christ! So, since the March 1st Inaugural Service, God has grown the 11 on the Guam Mission and the 6 in the Remnant Group during this pandemic to now become 24 sold-out disciples!
With Bea's (red shirt) baptism, the Guam Church
now numbers 24 sold-out disciples of Jesus!
Raja Rajan – Lead Evangelist of New Delhi: Greetings from the land of more than 19,500 languages! During this pandemic, it has been a great struggle for us to be in touch with the disciples. Many disciples do not have smart phones and hence being connected virtually has been a challenge.
In Chennai, Revathi (left) and Shirly rejoiced as
Johnsi, a former atheist who just completed
her BBA, traveled from a Red Zone
enduring family persecution
to be baptized!
In India, the police have been on the streets to ensure that no one is loitering around during this lock-down. They use intense measures to punish anyone who is outside without any genuine reason. Since we all use public transport, traveling to disciples' houses or visiting the studies is next to impossible. In our South Region of New Delhi, one of the studies' father passed away. No one was willing to help her to cremate the body. Deepak Singh – the leader of the South Region – along with three other brothers decided to go and help out. On the way, the police saw them and started beating them severely; no questions were asked and no reasons were given. After being beaten acutely, they were let go. God blessed their hearts with three baptisms in the South Region in the past week!
Deepak's (left) and Mahesh's (right) boldness was
rewarded as Sachitanand, a Bachelor's of
Commerce Graduate, was baptized! Preethi (center), who is preparing to join Loyola
College to do her Masters, was met by
the zealous Dhanalaxmi (left)
and studied with Shirly!
Also Johnson & Vandana Gona, our New Delhi Shepherding Couple, decided to take a radical step by going to visit the disciples across the border of our state. 10 disciples live there. There were police everywhere and especially at the border, stopping every vehicle, some being questioned and some getting beaten. Johnson & Vandana stated that, it was as though God had blinded the policemen's eyes, we crossed the border. They stayed there for four days, strengthening the disciples. They could travel from one house to another only in the cover of the dark as the unfriendly neighbors threatened to call the police. They would jump from one terrace to another in the dark to avoid being seen. There they studied the Bible with a couple Vipin & Sarita; baptized them; and returned home safely!
Johnson's and Vandana's bravery paid off as
Vipin & Sarita made Jesus their Lord!
To date, the Lord has blessed the four Indian and Nepali Churches – New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Kathmandu – with 14 baptisms and 1 restoration in these 15 days of May. Please continue to pray for your South Asia Family, as in turn, we are constantly praying for you!
In Kathmandu, Binod – who has only attended
their virtual services – was eagerly baptized!
Andrew Smellie – Lead Evangelist of Johannesburg: Greetings from the Motherland! Of all the 54 African nations, the South African government has been enforcing the most stringent of COVID-19 restrictions, as residents have been unable to go out for a jog or walk their pets until just recently!
The Guardian Newspaper reported that South African
Police have used rubber bullets to enforce
COVID-19 restrictions! Food lines in South Africa have reached
over two miles (3.2 km)!
Despite these circumstances as well as unstable internet platforms, the Lord has blessed our efforts over the past month as three more souls were added: The restoration of Patricia Muzambi, who was baptized 20 years ago in Zimbabwe, and the baptisms of Ditebogo ("Didi") and Bokang Ledwaba! Didi's and Bokang's baptisms also brought great celebrations, as they are remarkable teenagers! Didi (18) was baptized on April 26th and her brother Bokang (16) was baptized on May 3rd!
Didi was so proud of her "little brother" at his
baptism! They are very excited that their
mom is now studying the Bible!
Despite her young age, Didi works as an actress and teen presenter for YoTV, and already has four movies to her credit!
Didi was being held by her fellow stars
on YoTV that airs on SABC1! Didi has performed in four films
at only 18 years old!
As you are probably aware, God worked powerfully through Amadou & Angele Sountoura – Abidjan (Ivory Coast) Church Leaders – to baptize 80 souls on one weekend in Bujumbura, Burundi in March! Following this, the Spirit carried them to Cotonou, Benin to help build a campus ministry there through Euloge Tcahmmou, a PhD student in Mathmatics who was baptized in Abidjan! However, the closing of the borders of Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast due to COVID-19 detained them for over two months in Cotonou. The Sountouras took confidence in God's sovereignty, and they were able to baptize a dozen campus students! Also, while the Sountouras were in Cotonou, Bolaji Akinfenwa – the Evangelist of the Lagos ICC – referred his dear friends Winceslas & Gloria Adet – an ICOC Ministry Couple in Benin – to Amadou! After meeting with the Sountouras and studying out in the Bible the SoldOut Movement's 5 Core Convictions, the Adets and their right-hand Shepherding Couple, Godwin & Nathalie Dossou, joined God's New Movement! Before the Sountouras returned to Abidjan, the two couples were appointed the leaders the Cotonou Church with now 15 campus students! All 15 study at the University of Abomey Calavi – the best university in Benin!
Winceslas & Gloria Adet (left) and their son Exaucé
were joined in the New Movement by Godwin &
Nathalie Dossou after studying out the
Five Core Convictions!
The 19 sold-out Cotonou Disciples have been
zealously preaching the Word daily! The Ivory Coast Goverenment finally allowed
Amadou & Angele to return home to their
children: Jean-David and Ina Laureine
"Patricia" (after Patricia Feumba)!
Recently, a remnant brother named Chiku Magalasi from Blantrye, Malawi also contacted us, seeking revival from God's New Movement! Chiku was converted in 2001 during the "Great Tribulation" that brought the ICOC back to Mainline Church of Christ Theology. Although the Blantyre ICOC reached a height of 100 disciples since its planting in 1997, the return to a lukewarm standard reduced its numbers to now less than 30 disciples. Though the new ICOC Blantyre Leadership teaches "some" of Brother Kip's First Principles Studies, they do not teach the Kingdom Study, calling it "unnecessary!" This alarmed Chiku.
Blantyre is a short 2 hour and 15 minute
flight from Johannesburg!
After studying with Chiku about God's plan to "gather the remnant" (Jeremiah 23:3), he has "officially" joined God's New Movement and has already translated the First Principles into Chichewa, the native language of Malawi!
Please pray for God to strengthen Chiku – as a
"one-man remnant group" – so he may provide
a light of hope for Blantyre, which has
over 800,000 lost souls!
On behalf of the Johannesburg Church, and the entire AFRICANUS World Sector, Patrique & I will be forever grateful for the love expressed through the financial support of the USA Churches, as we strive to win the Motherland for Christ!
Today, May 20th, Dr. Andrew Smellie celebrated
a unique Spiritual Birthday; he was baptized
at 20 and is 20 years old in the Lord!
COVID-19 FAMILY MILESTONES Milwaukee: On March 13th after 33 hours of labor, Shane & Tracy Russell welcomed their first born – Luka Alexander! He weighed 10lbs. 8 oz. and was 21 1/2 inches long!
Congratulations Shane & Tracy on the birth
of future prophet Luka Alexander!
New York City: Congratulations to David & Hope Nisivoccia, who happily said, "I do" at their "virtual wedding" on April 4, 2020!
Super congratulations to David & Hope Nisivoccia!
Sausha & Umberto rejoiced at the birth of their new son Luka Muniz – born on May 4, 2020!
"Mama Sausha" and "Baby Luka" enjoyed
a moment of peace!
Victor & Sue Vilanova celebrated the birth of their son Cash Brooklyn on April 16, 2020!
Congratulations Victor & Sue Vilanova on
the birth of "Little Cash Brooklyn!"
Please keep Shivanthi Crawford in your prayers! Both she and her husband Travis are COVID-19 positive. Travis is mostly recovered, but Shivanthi has been hospitalized nearly 6 weeks and been on a ventilator over 3 weeks! Shivanthi has been working as a nurse for the last 9 years!
Please continue to keep Travis & Shivanthi
Crawford in your prayers!
Honolulu: Congratulations to Nathan & Sharisse Carr who were married on April 11, 2020! They are highly regarded Bible Talk Leaders in the dynamic Honolulu Church!
Ho'omaika'i 'ana to Mr. & Mrs.
Nathan & Sharisse Carr!
Sacramento: On Sunday, April 26th, Trever & Maile Paschall welcomed Orion Kekoa into the world! Orion weighed in at 7 lbs. 4.2 oz and was 19 inches! Orion is the second child of Trever & Maile. Their elder son's name is Tiberius!
Trever was blessed with his second
son – Orion Kekoa!
Columbus: Craig & Keshia Davidson (Shepherds-in-Training) had their first child – Jayden Elijah, who was born April 8, 2020! Jayden weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. and measured 21 inches long!
Craig & Keshia are praying that their first
child – Jayden "Elijah" – will become a
great prayer warrior like
his namesake!
Los Angeles: In the Coachella Valley Region of the ever-expanding City of Angels Church, since the pandemic started, little Naomi Love Robinson was born to Ben & Chieyanne on April 7th making them a family of five! She was a healthy 6 Ibs. 12.5 oz. and 19 inches long! Naomi's addition catapults our Kids Kingdom Ministry to more than half the number of disciples – 27 disciples and 14 children!
Who will not "love" – Naomi Love Robinson? With three children, the Robinsons have so
much for which to be thankful!
On April 22nd at 7:14PM in the Ventura Region, Brian & Vanessa Clavel welcomed Carmila Belenon! She arrived unexpectedly 3 weeks early, but was very strong at 6 lbs. and 19 inches!
Arriving 3 weeks early, Carmila just could not
wait any longer to see her Kingdom Family!
Chicago: Praise God that on April 19th, Johnny Dawson was restored at 75 years old, as he was originally baptized in the ICOC and fell-away 15 years ago! His wife Mary, son Theo Sr., daughter Christina, grandson Theo Jr., and granddaughter Tia, are all beloved and key disciples in the Chicago Church! We had nearly 100 members and family online attending his restoration! God had finally answered their 15-year prayer, as Johnny confessed again, "Jesus Is Lord!"
Johnny – with his wife Mary and daughter Christina
by his side – was so fired up to receive his steak
filled "Fatten Calf Basket" from the Chicago
Church to celebrate his return "home!"
COVID-19 DISCIPLE HAPPENINGS In closing out this Good News Email, let me suggest that as well as watching and listening to a wealth of church services, there are several more "opportunities" for spiritual strengthening and growth! Here is a listing of several "Disciple Vlogs" and other edifying websites:
Ricky Challinor's – Daily Dose! Daily at 7:30AM in the Philippines
Tracy Harding of Atlanta – Behind Closed Doors! Monday through Friday 11:00AM EST
(In Tracy's Closet / War Room)
Raja Rajan of New Delhi – Let's Bible It! Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00PM India Time
(+5.30 GMT) Emma Causey's – Faming For God! Mondays 3:00PM CST
Mike Patterson of Boston – Mike's Morning Manna!
Monday through Friday Noontime EST
(On Mike's Facebook Page)
Zach Shields of Metro Davao – Stay Connected! Monday through Saturday 10:00AM in the Philippines
Quite interestingly, on Sundays at 7:00PM in the Philippines, Zach airs a second program, but this is in Davao's native language of Visayan! This novel presentation is called Ang Bisayang Amerikano (The Visayan American)! Though Zach & his amazing wife Ariel – both members of the original Manila Mission Team – are not yet completely fluent in Visayan, they are diligently taking classes. So for the video program, he reads a well prepared script! His first episode was quite humorous as he "taught" Filipinos how to make one of "their" national dishes – "chicken adobo!"
Zach enjoyed his very tasty "chicken adobo!" Ang Bisayang Amerikano Sundays at 7:00PM in the Philippines! In their Facebook series, How To Be Excellent In
Life And Ministry, the most popular session
by Marcel & Tia Turner of Miami
was The Top 5 Tips To Start
Dating In 2020!
The 3-Week Webinar The Making Of A Queen by Courtney Parlour of Seattle can be found
on the Seattle ICC Facebook Page! The Virtual Kids Party in Chicago organized by
Fabian & Vicky Chagolla and Kasey
Christiansen was a huge "hit" with
the children and their now
rested parents!
To receive the Spanish Good News Email translated by the Mexico City Disciples, please go to this link: http://eepurl.com/gSBBx1.
Dr. Elena Garcia McKean – being born in Cuba – so
appreciates the monumental effort to translate
theGood News Email into Spanish!
The goal of The Good Muse is to encourage disciples and friends alike with music of all kinds! This comes from the heart of Gary Ochs – a Shepherd for the great San Francisco Church! Every week different songs and the stories that inspired them are posted, as well as sent out to those that subscribe. Some songs are from the San Francisco Band – Sovereign Sounds, which is led by Gary! However, most are "throw backs" such as my favorite, the recently featured, Wind Of Change by the Scorpions! This song has great history-making appeal as it depicts the fall of the Soviet Union! In essence, "Tell your story. Share your song!" Gary may be contacted at: gary.ochs@usd21.org, +1.650.307.0918, or https://www.facebook.com/gary.ochs.96.
Do you have a favorite song and story to share?
Shoot Gary a text, email or hit him up on
Facebook! He may share "your song"
and "its story" in future editions
of The Good Muse!
Please continue to pray for Shivanthi, Pam, Raul's father, the USA Missions Collections, the future church plantings, and all of our world leaders, as God our Savior is working among the nations like never before in our lifetimes as He "wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth!" (1 Timothy 2:4)
Please continue to pray for the McKeans
and their virtual missionary journeys!
May "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen." (Philippians 4:23)
We are family… filled with visions and dreams,
Kip
All content within this email is for the intended recipient only. Any unauthorized duplication, distribution and/or copy is a violation of applicable laws.
May 20, 2020
ATTN: If the pictures in this article are distorted, then click on the "view it in your browser" link located at the top right-hand corner of the page.Dear Friend,
Greetings to our Virtual Family in 45 nations from Los Angeles on May 20th – the 63rd day of our "Safer at Home Quarantine!" As of today, we are approaching 5,000,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the world of whom sadly over 325,000 have passed away. Of these, 1,600,000 have been in the United States, where almost 100,000 have died. Metro New York City continues to be the hardest hit American city with over 30,000 dead.
The worldwide COVID-19 Pandemic has
claimed over 325,000 lives! God has moved in unprecedented ways in this
generation compelling this lost world to be
more conscious of a "lack of control" and
mortality, thus creating more openness
to the Gospel in every nation!
In the SoldOut Movement, there have been 42 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The highest number of disciples in a single congregation who contracted the dreaded virus was 9 in the Paris Church! The two Lead Ministry Couples both had COVID-19 – Anthony & Cassidy Olmos and Kevin & Sandra Lackenn-Toto! Sandra was placed in an induced coma as she had COVID-19 when she prematurely went into labor with "Baby Laël." Kevin, her awesome husband, took great care of their son while Sandra recuperated in the hospital! Laël was born on March 23rd and first met "Maman" on April 14th!
Praise God that Kevin, Sandra and
"Baby Laël" have been re-united!
Amazingly, to my knowledge, no one in God's Movement has "gone to glory" through the coronavirus! However, of great sorrow for several disciples is that many family and friends have died. Also of concern, our dear New York City Sister – Shivanthi Crawford, who was a "first responder" as a nurse – has been in critical condition. She has needed a ventilator for over three weeks.
Please pray and fast for the complete recovery
of our dear sister – Shivanthi!
A few days ago, Shivanthi had a tracheotomy to avoid permanent damage to her vocal cords. She remains on the ventilator, but they have begun taking her off for a few minutes to encourage breathing on her own. Her amazing husband and our brother Travis believes his prayers and the prayers of the NYC Church have been answered by God sparing Shivanthi's life for more "fruitful labor!" (Philippines 1:22) And to God be all the glory!
Travis' & Shivanthi's happy memory of her
graduation from nursing school!
MCKEANS' VIRTUAL MISSIONARY JOURNEYS Los Angeles The last Global Good News Email was published on Friday, April 10th! The following day, I was humbled to celebrate my 48th Spiritual Birthday! As we do seven days a week after our quiet times, Elena & I embarked on our daily 8:00AM 3-mile prayer walk! I had so much to express to God and to Elena as my heart was full of gratefulness to be a disciple and to have Elena as my wife, best friend and "partner in quarantine!" At about 6:00PM, we headed out again for our customary 2-mile evening walk, as our days have become so sedentary in quarantine.
Often on the McKeans' prayer walks, they see seals
and other wildlife reminding them of the
greatness and glory of God!
That night, we celebrated by ordering dinner from India's Oven our favorite Indian meal of reshmi chicken with rather hot masala sauce on the side along with saag khumb (spinach and mushrooms)!
Even during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the McKeans
"Zoom" around the world on their
missionary journeys!
On Sunday, April 12th, we joined the live online City of Angels ICC Virtual Easter Service!
The striking graphics of the CAICC Worship Services
were made by the gifted Rob Onekea!
Highlights included my beautiful sisters inside and out – Lauren Zepeda, Heather Harvin and Maraia Lastra – singing in both English and Spanish, The Via Dolorosa, and Cory's lesson on THE RESURRECTION CHANGES EVERYTHING!
The singing before Communion of The Via Dolorosa
by Heather, Lauren and Maraia drew every
listener closer to the cross!
Cory preached THE RESURRECTION with great "fear and trembling!" (1 Corinthians 2:3)
Also, RD & April Baker "wrapped up" the service with these powerful words, "It wasn’t nails that kept Jesus on the cross, but love!" Elena & I felt that from beginning to end we were ushered into the very presence of God!
RD & April – the missionary heroes of Dubai –
have brought a greater passion for missions
collections to the City of Angels Church!
Afterward I wrote on the LA Staff Chat, "Thank you Tim (Kernan), Brian (Carr)and Rob (Onekea) for this outstanding production! Each week, the Virtual CAICC Worship Service goes from "one degree of glory to another which comes from the Lord!" (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Have you tested positive for faith during
the COVID-19 quarantine?
Then as Elena & I do every Sunday afternoon, we had the "McKean Family Zoom Meeting" with my mom, our three awesome children, their amazing spouses, and our three granddaughters! My son Sean calls this weekly event: "The McKean Extravaganza!"
The Sunday afternoon McKean Family Extravaganza
has been a great encouragement to all
during the quarantine!
That evening, as on almost all Sundays, the World Sector Leaders (WSLs) based in LA met with Elena & me over Zoom for a lesson, a d-group and an open discussion of the needs in the churches throughout the world. Included in these amazing meetings are: Tim & Lianne Kernan (Tribe Pacific Rim WSLs), Cory & Jee Blackwell (Middle East WSLs), Tony & Therese Untalan (Shepherding WSLs), and Michael & Sharon Kirchner (Administration and Law WSLs)! As most are aware, the Kernans and the Blackwells also zealously serve as the Lead Ministry Couples for the LA Church! As well, the Untalans and the Kirchners serve as the local LA Church Shepherding Couples with great compassion!
"What a fellowship, what a joy divine" on
Sunday evenings for the LA based
World Sector Leaders!
Kiev And Moscow Tuesday, April 14th at 10:00AM, we held a Zoom Kiev and Moscow Staff Meeting! After hearing good news from Oleg & Aliona Sirotkin – the Eurasian World Sector Leaders, Luca & Sophia Di Beo – Kiev Campus Ministry Leaders, and Dima & Tanya Serafonov – the Moscow Church Leaders, I preached on the theme, GOD IS AT WORK!
The opening Scripture of Kip's sermon GOD IS AT
WORK was Ephesians 1:18-22, where Kip re-
minded the Kiev and Moscow Disciples that "God placed [the coronavirus] under Christ's
feet… for the sake of the church!"
Sophia – the McKeans' precious Granddaughter
in the Faith – is a gifted artist as seen
with this self portrait! Viareggio, Italy is…
…the city where the family of her adored
husband Luca once resided! Disciples are called by God to use their gifts!
Then the very next day, Elena & I received our two $1,200 stimulus checks from the USA Government! We preached at the Kiev Staff Meeting again on Monday, April 20th – a day after "their" Ukrainian Easter Sunday! I began this lesson by sharing that on the previous Saturday, we joyfully gave our stimulus checks to Missions!
Ron Harding's masterful history of the New
Movement – The Chronicles Of Modern-Day
Christianity – is now available in
Russian on Amazon!
We also shared with our Eurasian Family that Saturday was Cathi Martinez of Washington DC – our dear Daughter in the Faith's – 50th Birthday!
Given the quarantine, Cathi's 50th birthday was
celebrated with a "parade of cars," which
stopped for a moment at her driveway
to drop off amazing cards and gifts!
Los Angeles Thursday, April 23rd was the First Zoom Women WSLs D-Group! Elena's lesson was entitled, OVERCOMING THE PANDEMIC – GOD IS THE ONE! Her text was Esther 4 and her simple points were: 1) The Power Of Fasting And Prayer To Move God; and 2) The Power Of Clear, Compassionate And Concise Communication!
Elena so enjoyed seeing her dearest friends
at the First Zoom Women World
Sector Leaders Meeting!
Atlanta Friday, April 24th was the First CyberMinistry Global Virtual CyberAppointment Jamboree at 1:00PM PCT! This historic event began with a stunning Opening Video made by Rob Onekea! (https://youtu.be/-E8Tem-qZ-4) Then Jeremy Ciaramella – the Phoenix Lead Evangelist and the first CyberEvangelist appointed by me in the early Portland Days – welcomed everyone with excitement and joy!
After Rob prayed, Ron Harding – the Global Leader of the SoldOut Movement's CyberMinistry – said, "Greetings from Hot'lanta and the Invisible Continent!"
Ron is one of the hardest working brothers in the
Kingdom and sustains a standard of excellence
as the Atlanta Evangelist and the Movement's
Lead CyberEvangelist!
Ron went on to share the new CyberMinistry Mission Statement: Creating, Maintaining, Preserving and Propelling the Legacy of God's people in our Generation!
The SoldOut Movement CyberMinistry
Mission Statement!
He eloquently delivered an overview of the CyberMinistry's vital role in the Movement. He defined in detail about the key roles of WebDeacons, WebDeaconesses, CyberEvangelists and CyberWomen's Ministry Leaders (CyberWMLs). Ron further explained what qualifies a person to be appointed, the crucial relationship they must have with their Overseeing Evangelist. He preached about the work ethic, self-motivation and skill required to honor God in these roles. He concluded by saying, "These 17 Kingdom Appointments in 13 different churches on 5 different continents of CyberEvangelists and CyberWomen's Ministry Leaders will be 'heard round the world!'"
The McKeans' computer was one of 35 with
multiple disciples watching the historic
Jamboree in groups!
Let's honor our newest appointed CyberEvangelists and CyberWMLs:Administration World Sector Dominic D'Angelo Sears – Kingdom Admin CyberEvangelist
(Nick Economo of LA)*
*(Appointed by)
Africanus World Sector Joseph U. Nelson, Jr. – CyberEvangelist of Washington DC
(LuJack Martinez of Washington DC)
Central & South America World Sector Vinicius Rodrigues De Souza – CyberEvangelist of South America
(Raul Moreno of São Paulo) Carlos (Carlitos) Mejia II – CyberEvangelist of Central America
(Carlos Mejia and Albert Wagers of Mexico City)
Carlos Sr. (left above) wept as Albert and he
appointed his brilliant son "Carlitos"
a CyberEvangelist at just
17 years old!
European World Sector Dominik Herlitzek – CyberEvangelist of Europe
(Michael Williamson)
Every appointed CyberEvangelist and every
CyberWoman Ministry Leader will receive
a "Computer on the Globe Statuette!"
SAGES World Sector Jackson Isaac Jones – CyberEvangelist of India
(Prathap Kumar of Chennai) Jonathan Davis – CyberEvangelist of NYC
(Luke Speckman of NYC) Kiana Davis CyberWomen's Ministry Leader of NYC
(Brandyn Speckman of NYC) Aaron Viscichini – CyberEvangelist of Intellectual Property
(Mike Patterson of Boston)
Prathap Kumar – the Chennai Church Leader –
appointed Jackson Jones (with his very proud
wife Geomol at his side) a CyberEvangelist
in the Kingdom of God!
Tribe Pacific Rim World Sector Orion Abel Traullé CyberEvangelist of LA
(Rob Onekea of LA) Donna Cruz – CyberWomen's Ministry Leader of LA
(Rob Onekea)
During the Jamboree, Branesha lovingly pointed
out that LA's newest CyberWomen's Ministry
Leader – Donna Cruz – was not dating… yet!
Patrick Boea – CyberEvangelist of Marketing/Advertising
(AJ Penedo of Chicago) Sparkle Boea – CyberWomen's Ministry Leader of Chicago
(AJ Penedo)
Pat & Sparkle not only serve the Lord tirelessly in
the CyberMinistry, but as the Chicago
Downtown Region Leaders too!
Jason McNeill – CyberEvangelist of the First Principles App
(Jeremy Ciaramella of Phoenix)
Jeremy (above) and Jason are both "geniuses"
guiding the Movement to evangelize
the "invisible continent!"
Sean O'Connor – CyberEvangelist of Southeast Asia
(Ricky Challinor of Metro Manila) Aki Cabañero CyberEvangelist of Metro Manila
(Ricky Challinor) Rafael Dumaraos De Jesus Jr. – CyberEvangelist of Phnom Penh
(Ricky Challinor)
Ricky had the privilege to appoint three
CyberEvangelists: Rafael of Phnom
Penh, Sean of Guam, and
Aki of Manila!
To close this electrifying event, Ron gave his signature sign off, "Keep frying the airwaves – through every computer, tablet and phone – til every soul has heard!" If you would like to view the Jamboree, please go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qECqjxnwFmw&feature=youtu.be.
In a word, Ron Harding's preaching is "fire!"
Amazingly, Ron not only shoulders the SoldOut Movement CyberMinistry, but he is also the Lead Evangelist of the Atlanta Church! Since the Atlanta Inaugural on January 24, 2018, the Atlanta ICC has grown from 15 to now 49 disciples through 26 baptisms, 8 restorations and 3 place memberships directly from the ICOC!
Dystany – of LA's AMS Region – was able to
watch her cousin Catherine's glorious
baptism on Facetime!
Los Angeles On Tuesday, April 28th, Elena & I "visited" the LA Staff Meeting to address the low weekly contribution. I shared from the Scriptures that not giving to the weekly contribution was "robbing God" and a sign of unfaithfulness. (Malachi 3:6-12) (Of course, there are extraordinary situations: A disciple lost their job; they or a loved one was very sick and needed money for the doctor; or they themselves were shut ins.) The LA Region Leaders took this message back to their people and preached the Word to their groups and individually "with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Timothy 4:2) Incredibly, just five days later on Sunday, May 3rd, praise God, the City of Angels Church gave the largest weekly contribution to date in 2020 – an astounding $48,000! This was more than a $8,000 "jump" from the week before! The LA World Sector Leaders gathered as usual that evening for the sermon, A TIME TO SHINE!
Tim Kernan (above left) and Nick Economo help
Kip with monitoring missions finances in LA
and around the United States!
Interestingly, on April 30th, I found Georgina Olysse's post on my Facebook Page and I remembered 1 Corinthians 12:26, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it!"
Voted "Most Likely to Succeed" senior year of high school (2011), I had no idea that part of that entailed me becoming a nine-year resident of Gainesville, Florida 😬 4 years undergrad, 5 years grad! Tonight would have been the night that I walked across the commencement stage to be hooded – Dr. Georgina Olysse! Due to COVID19… that won't happen 😂😂 However, I'm still so fired up to have come this far 👊🏾 It was not easy and I wanted to quit several times but God continued to provide, teaching me and refining my heart and mind about persevering! I look forward to how God will use me powerfully as I continue to grow in all areas of my life (mind, body, heart and soul) as I embark on my next journey!
Congratulations to Kip's & Elena's fellow
University of Florida Gator…
"Dr." Georgina Olysse, as she is…
"Phinally Done" with her PhD!
On May 2nd, Elena & I participated in the gorgeous virtual wedding of Taylor & Khamille Jaynes! Matthew Lovacheff masterfully presided!
Khamille was sooooo excited about Taylor's
& her wedding that she kindly invited
the McKeans twice! Taylor & Khamille "did it right" – their
first kiss was at the alter! Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Jaynes!
Monday, May 4th was Star Wars Day… "May the 'Fourth' be with you!" So I greeted all of my closest brothers with the picture below! A few minutes later, I received a picture in response!
In the spirit of "brothers being brothers," on
May 4th, Kip sent the above picture to
all of his closest brothers!"
It was quickly answered by "one in whom the
force is strong" – the São Paulo Jedi –
aka Dr. Raul Moreno!
Tuesday, May 5thwas Cinco de Mayo! Again, Elena & I met with the LA Zoom Staff Meeting go over those who had not given in three weeks or more.
At the LA Staff Meeting, Tim asked RD to preach
on REGIONAL FRUITFULNESS as the now
48-disciple Ventura Region had grown
through 9 baptisms and 1 restoration
since the lock-down on March 18th!
Friday, May 8th, was the Second Zoom Men World Sector Leaders Meeting! (The first was on Thursday, April 9th.) The lesson was entitled, A JEHOVAH-JIRAH PERSPECTIVE! (Jehovah-Jirah means "God will provide.") I shared that with the quarantine and the number of deaths from the Coronavirus (worldwide that day the total was 275,000 deaths) for so many these times were "almost apocalyptic!"
For the Second WSL Zoom Meeting, Nick Bordieri
in Phnom Penh tuned in at "his" 3:00AM!
So I began the lesson by reading an "adapted" historical perspective from an unknown author that I saw on Facebook, which I called, THE PERSPECTIVE OF MY GRANDFATHERS:For a small amount of perspective at this moment, imagine you were born in 1905 like my grandfathers – Thomas Augustus Kimberlin and Gorman Ferdinand McKean. On your 9th birthday, World War I starts, and ends on your 13th birthday. 22 million people perish in that war. Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until your 15th birthday. 50 million people die from it in those two years. Yes, 50 million. On your 24th birthday, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, the World GDP drops 27%. That runs until you are 28. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy. When you turn 34, World War II starts. You aren't even over the hill yet. On your 36th birthday, the United States is fully pulled into World War II. Between your 34th and 40th birthdays, 75 million people perish in the war. At 45, the Korean War starts. 5 million perish. At 50 the Vietnam War begins and doesn't end for 20 years. 4 million people perish in that conflict. On your 57th birthday you have the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tipping point in the Cold War. Life on our planet, as we know it, could have ended. Great leaders prevented that from happening. When you turn 70, the Vietnam War finally ends. Think of everyone on the planet born in 1905. How do you survive all of that? When you were a kid in 1985 and didn't think your 80 year old grandparent understood how hard school was. And how mean that kid in your class was. Yet they survived through everything listed above. Perspective is an amazing art. Refined as time goes on, and enlightening like you wouldn't believe. Let's try and keep things in perspective. Let's be smart, help each other out. Keep your eyes on God.
I concluded by saying that I had never heard either of my grandfathers complain about these intense trials or dire financial times. Though difficult beyond words, I was honored to preside at both of their Memorial Services.
Kip was so blessed that both "sets of his beloved
grandparents" participated in Kip's & Elena's
wedding on December 11, 1976!
Then, we looked at Genesis 22:1-18 where God provided the ram in place of Isaac. Following, we studied in the Book of Ezra how God provided the money and the people to build the Second Temple! Bottom line, I challenged all the brothers to have the perspective that God will provide His New Movement with all the people and all of the money necessary to evangelize the nations in this generation… even during the Coronavirus Pandemic! Following, we had a Financial Meeting led by Michael Kirchner. We were all completely united in: 1) Meeting the huge benevolence needs in the Third World by Families of USA Churches; 2) Scaling back our Fall Missions Collection; 3) Eliminating all Fall USA Missions Collections after 2020; 4) Only sending out a few more mission teams this Fall, and 5) Putting before the Lord the following plantings in 2020 and 2021:2020
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Campinas, Brazil
DFW Supplemental Mission Team
Guam
Kolkata, India
Minneapolis, Minnesota – OPERATION EAGLE
Salt Lake City
Tucson, Arizona
2021
Ann Arbor, Michigan – OPERATION EAGLE
Baguio City, Philippines
Bahrain
Boise, Idaho – OPERATION EAGLE
Brazzaville, Congo
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Crouching Tiger #3
Dover, Delaware – OPERATION EAGLE
Edinburgh, Scotland
Madrid, Spain
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – OPERATION EAGLE
St. Louis, Missouri – OPERATION EAGLE
St. Petersburg, Russia
Tuscaloosa, Alabama – OPERATION EAGLE
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Green – Planted / Purple – Remnant Group / Red – To Be Planted
Lord willing, with the Minneapolis Mission Team
being sent out from LA in August 2020, the
SoldOut Movement will be in 24 of
the 50 States of America!
Celebrated on May 10th was the CAICC Mother's Day Church Service! At this occasion, we also rejoiced over the 13th Anniversary of the City of Angels Church and thus the official beginning of the SoldOut Movement! Celebrating Mother's Day and the 13th Anniversary was so appropriate as the City of Angels Church is the "Jerusalem Church" of the SoldOut Movement – the "Mother Church" of the New Movement!
The Kernans – Tim, Lianne, Junior and David –
delivered a rousing Welcome to the
Mother's Day Service!
Sandra Smith of the AMS Region… …Pleng Rodphai and Singles from all of the
other LA Regions shared incredible
good news reports!
After the incredibly vulnerable and touching Mother / DaughterCommunion by Marlo and Maya, the NYC Singers gave a performance for the ages in singing Marvelous!
During the Communion both Maya and her mom
Marlo shared about the joy they had on the day
Maya was baptized on December 16, 2018!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCX_rxkCKmA This is a must see!
The first singer was Veeraniqica Green, who was
baptized about a month ago when her fiancé
(Mark Sims) was restored in the
New York City Church! Then came the surprise… Luke Speckman
sang the base part amazingly!
The indomitable Ricky & Coleen – the Manila
Church Leaders – both shared about their
moms being Christians! Therese Untalan – Coleen's mom – and Gidget
Challinor – Ricky's mom – shared a quiet
moment with their ever-so-cute
granddaughter Mina Challinor!
Cory began his message with the history of Mother's Day whose roots can be traced to May 10, 1908! It became a national holiday in America on May 9, 1914! In perhaps Cory's finest lesson to date, he shared about his mom – Wazirah Yamin – who was a disciple that went to glory just 6 months ago.
Cory's favorite picture of his mom and him was
taken immediately on the day he was
drafted by the NBA! Cory has had three guiding dreams: 1) Play in
the NBA, 2) Become a preacher, and
3) Baptize his mom… All
became a reality! Cory's mom and his spiritual mom Elena celebrated
together at Cory's 50th Birthday Party!
Cory shared his "mama's" wisdom with us in his sermon, LESSONS FROM MY MAMA! "His mama's points" were: 1) Obey God's Word, 2) Stop Neglecting Prayer, 3) Forgive Everyone No Exceptions, and 4) Deny Self – It Takes Sacrifice!
After the epic sermon, there were several baptisms! In a fitting close to the Mother's Day Service, a
moving montage of Patricia Velasco and the
other over 100 mothers and "spiritual
mothers" in the City of Angels
Church was shown! Jennifer Haynes is an awesome mom, as well as a
Shepherdess for the Southland Region! The montage was creatively designed by Rob
Onekea and inspired by his love for his
incredible wife Burgandie!
Earlier that morning, I wrote a Tribute Thank You to my momincluding a few recent pictures:
Dearest Mom, Happy Mother's Day! Thank you for being such an incredible mom to Randy, Dana and me through all the years! Thank you as well for becoming the "most awesome" grandma and great grandma to all of our extended families!
Kip visited his mom in Florida on her 91st
Birthday on September 30, 2019!
Thank you for all of my precious memories growing up in Norfolk, Bermuda, DC, Boston, Libertyville, Virginia Beach, Maitland and back to Libertyville! Thanks for those amazing summers in Indiana and Michigan!
Kip wrote under this picture, "At your 90th
Birthday Party, you received the… …ever appropriate Wonder Woman glasses!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for welcoming Elena into our family as more than a daughter-in-law but a true daughter! Thank you for your loving support of our marriage and ministry through all the years to this very day!
Kip wrote, "Your great granddaughters –
Scarlett and Savannah!" Under this picture was written, "Your
great granddaughter – Alicia!"
Mom, I so look forward to our daily phone calls to hear your perspective on everything from "food to finances!" Thank you for your sage advice gently spoken in between topics!
Thanksgiving 2019!
Thanks for being the "crown jewel" of the "McKean Extended Families!" Your always "sunny" and "effervescent" outlook on life continues to inspire us all! Thank you in a word for – everything! With all of my admiration, appreciation and affection, Kip
A specialty cake – of an aircraft carrier to honor his
father and an artist's easel to honor his mother –
was made to celebrate their 80th Birthdays!
Kip wrote, "Thanks for being such
incredible parents! Love, Kip"
Following writing to Mom, I wanted to encourage all of my Crown of Thorns Council Sisters:
Dearest Crown of Thorns Council Sisters, Greetings for a very Happy Mother's Day to all of you as moms and spiritual moms! Thank you for being "The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world!" This quote is from a poem by William Ross Wallace that praises motherhood as the preeminent force for change in the world. The poem was first published in 1865 under the title, What Rules the World.
Thank you for all of the precious memories that Elena & I have shared with you like the 33 baptisms in New Delhi on November 17, 2019! Thank you for your steadfast faith during the COVID-19 Pandemic! I pray the Lord will allow us to share even more memories of miracles in the future! On Elena's & my prayer walk this morning, your names were raised before the throne of God! Thank you for being my sisters, daughters and granddaughters! Enjoy "your" day! We are family… filled with visions and dreams, Kip
The unforgettable 2019 Crown of Thorns Meeting
was combined with the South Asia
Missions Conference in India! The 33rd baptism in New Delhi on the Sunday of
the 2019 South Asia Missions Conference
was Raja's & Deb's son – Ashwin!
On May 14th, Elena & I were excited about an extra day of fasting this week so we could pray all the more earnestly for Pam Boea of Chicago for her twice-returned cancer to be cured; for Raul's father in Miami who had a stoke most likely from his brain tumor which was to be operated on the next day; for our dear Shivanthi in New York City to be released from the hospital; for the medical scientists to find a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year; and for the USA Churches to more than meet the Spring Missions Prayer Goal! (God has blessed the sacrifices of the Boston, Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, and Syracuse Churches as they have already surpassed their Missions Goals!) So encouraging, at a little after noon that same day, I received the following email from Mark Garrido, who serves gallantly as the Honolulu Lead Evangelist:
Family, We [the Honolulu Church] are sending to Movement Missions $20,000 via wire transfer this morning. This will bring us to $82,400 of our $94,775 Missions Goal. Please pray for us as many have lost jobs and so many have had hours cut tremendously! The Hawaiian Islands certainly will have a challenging recovery, but praise be to God that the Honolulu Disciples have not withheld.
Mark & Keri Garrido are so admired by
all three of the Hawaiian Churches!
I replied, Dearest Mark & Keri, Amazing! $82,400 toward your $94,775 Prayer Missions Goal! Elena & I remain so inspired by the Hawaiian Disciples… "Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and extreme poverty [from the coronavirus] welled up in rich generosity. For [Mark] testified that the [Hawaiian Disciples] gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability!" (2 Corinthians 8:2-3) And to God be all the glory! Love, Kip Chicago On Saturday, May 16th at 3:00PM CST, Elena & I "virtually traveled" to the Miraculous May All PACK Staff Meeting! (PACK is an acronym for Proclaiming Always Christ's Kingdom. These churches include: Chicago, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Toronto, Seattle, Portland, Eugene, and Lord willing, very soon Minneapolis!)
The Chicago Church has a new theme every month! Cesar & Debbie Limon – the right-hand leadership
couple for the Causeys – gave a terrific Welcome!
On the previous Monday, Elena & I had our d-time with John & Emma Causey – the Chicago ICC and PACK Church Leaders. The Causeys shared so many awesome accounts of faith in the PACK Churches, that we were very much looking forward to seeing them with "their people!"
The ever-young John & Emma Causey celebrated
their 36th Anniversary on May 5th!
The Chicago Church has set the pace for all USA Churches by growing from 131 on January 1st – adding the 34 on the Supplemental Mission Team from Portland and LA on January 5th – to smashing the "200 barrier" now having 207 sold-out disciples! A Chicago record of 14 disciples were added in April during lock-down! As well, on the previous Sunday, the Chicago Church was at over 90% of their Spring Missions Goal! So growth does not have to be at the "expense" of missions!
John shared that many Chicago Disciples sacrificed
their stimulus checks to give to the
Spring Missions Collection!
At this auspicious occasion, all of the PACK Church Leaders shared and John made an appeal for benevolence for Africa! He also, encouraged everyone to pray for Pam Boea who found that her cancer had returned.
On her Facebook prayer request, Pam wrote,
"My cancer is Big, but the God that I
follow is BIGGER!"
Following a break, Manilyn Pogoso of Columbus sang an original song, Bring A Miracle! I was really moved by the chorus, Anything is possible even if it is difficult because God will bring a miracle!
Manilyn is a "miracle worker" in her
song writing and singing!
Then Elena and Emma each gave an impassioned 5-minute charge from 1 Kings 4:1-8 entitled, BRING ME A MIRACLE! Then I was privileged to preach the lesson, THE GOD OF MIRACLES! This glorious Staff Meeting concluded at 5:00PM CST!
Elena preached with so much passion
on BRING ME A MIRACLE! As a "thank you" for preaching at the PACK Staff
Meeting, the Causeys and the Chicago Church
sent to the McKeans a beautiful
"edible bouquet of fruit!"
Sunday, May 17th, Cory & Jee gave an awesome Welcome for the City of Angels Church Virtual Service, where Cory said, "Don't relax! Get ready to worship!" Then we heard "good news" from married couples in all 12 LA Regions!
The dynamic Petersons shared the "Good
News of the Married Ministry" from
the Southland Region!
Following, came the moving Kingdom Appointments of Chris & Maraia Lastra and Stacy & Lynette Ybarra! Both were raised up and appointed by the Orange County Region Leaders – Brian & Joaly Carr!
Brian gave the "ancient charge" to Chris, "In
the presence of God… preach the
Word!" (2 Timothy 4:1-2) The powerful Orange County Region Staff met
together for the Kingdom Appointments of
the Lastras and the Ybarras!
Congratulations to Stacy & Lynette! Congratulations to Chris & Maraia! After the Contribution Charge, a moving montage
was shown dedicated to the City of Angels
Church's hardworking administrators,
like Yelena Astanina!
Then, Dr. Tim C. Kernan preached from Matthew 28:16-20 a tremendous lesson entitled, THE FINAL CONQUEST! Tim called every LA Disciple to "level up" to new spiritual heights and leadership roles!
Every time Tim preaches he "brings it!"
That evening at 6:30PM, in our LA WSL D-group, Nick & Denise Bordieri of Phnom Penh visited with us! So great to have this group reunited… at least for one Sunday! I preached on EXTRA MILE CHRISTIANITY from Matthew 5:14! From our study which ended with the Parable of the Good Samaritan, we discovered that for Jesus 1) Extra Effort, 2) Extra Patience, and 3) Extra Expense were all "salvation issues!" So good to be together and be "completely united" in Christ! (John 17:20-23) And to God be all the glory!
Since Nick & Denise (lowest screen) were
quarantining in Long Beach, California,
they visited the LA WSLs D-Group!
GLOBAL GOOD NEWS Jason Dimitry – Lead Evangelist of San Francisco:"Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion!" (2 Samuel 5:7) I am very inspired by what I like to call the "nevertheless" attitude of the San Francisco Saints! The "Shelter In Place" ordinance has been in effect in the Bay Area since March 16th. Yet, the spirit of the 257 San Francisco Disciples to keep fighting for a lost world no matter the circumstances, has been blessed by our God as since March 16th we have witnessed 20 incredible souls added to the Kingdom through baptism and one precious soul restored to his first love! During this time of quarantine, it has also been inspiring to see teens become disciples! This week, we saw Saul Mercado and Annie Chiu – both high school students – baptized into Christ!
According to some in San Francisco, "Saul"
may become another Paul! With the baptism of Annie, the San Francisco
Teen Ministry became 9-strong!
I am so proud of Christian & Devon Enos who have done an outstanding job leading the Lord's church in Sacramento!
Christian & Devon would never "blow their own
horns" about how powerfully the Spirit
is moving in California's state
capital of Sacramento!
This week, they celebrated the baptism of Tiara Scott, the point guard for the Sacramento State Women Basketball Team! And to God be the glory!
Tiara's baptism lifted everyone's spirits!
Tiara was very fired up to share
with all of her teammates!
Nick Bordieri – World Sector Leader of MERCYworldwide: The COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill, leaving so many in need, and forcing those previously in need to even greater depths of despair. It is said that there may not be just one famine, but multiple famines around the globe as a result of this pandemic. Jesus said, "The poor you will always have with you." (Mark 14:7) MERCY is making efforts to address some of these needs around the world. We coined our efforts, COVID-20: Compassion Over the Virus In our Day – 2020!
MERCY Ambassadors: Let's all fervently get behind:
Compassion Over the Virus In our Day – 2020!
We would like to give a Special Tribute on the second anniversary of Sharon Wong's passing, in whose name and spirit the Sharon Wong Foundation was established. This year's anniversary coincides with the unprecedented hard times in our lifetimes. Thank you Dennis Wong and to all in the Wong Foundation for generously giving MERCY over $90,000 these past two years for our projects in Nigeria, Haiti and of course the CSW MERCY Orphanage in Cambodia! Also, I would be amiss, if I did not thank Kip (who serves as Chairman of the Board for MERCY) and all SoldOut Movement Disciples – MERCY Ambassadors – for giving the MERCY Orphanage an extra $100,000 from Missions for each of the past two years!
Dennis & Sharon Wong affectionately called their
beautiful three daughters – "the 3 M's" for
Megan, Madelyn and Mabel! Thank you from the entire SoldOut Movement
Family to the Sharon Wong Foundation!
During the time when the children at the CSW-MERCY
Orphanage are confined to the orphanage premises,
they are taking advantage of the new all-purpose
field the Wong Foundation made possible!
On the domestic front in America, thank you Jim Fenton and Renee Loheed for continuing to do a masterful job presenting the 5-Week MERCY Life Skills Program virtually, which was modified to address the changing job landscape due to Covid-19.
Jim Fenton of Los Angeles is the distinguished
and eloquent Life Skills Global Director!
And one more very special thank you goes to Joselo Cimafranca of Cebu, Philippines for literally transforming his factory into one that produces masks, shields and even protective suits for the fight against the coronavirus! Of note, the BJMP Cebu City Jail has a capacity of only 500, but is now packed with over 6,000 inmates, living in extreme conditions. To date there have been over 500 Covid-19 cases among the prisoners (several have died). As well, 11 guards and even the warden have been infected.
BJMP Cebu City Jail is packed
with over 6,000 inmates!
Joselo Cimafranca's company now mass
produces masks, shields and protective
gear while "advocating" MERCY! Our dear and enterprising Cebu Brother – Joselo!
In addition, Joselo and MERCY Cebu continue to provide food packs and vitamin C for prisoners and many more in the city!
MERCY Cebu has become a model of "MERCY"
for the entire Movement!
In Cebu, AJ distributed a food package to Alerose!
This act of compassion impacted Alerose so
much that she expressed her desire to
come back to be restored to the
Lord and His church!
On a personal note, at the outbreak of the pandemic in America in mid-March, my awesome wife Denise flew to be with our college daughters in Eugene, Oregon.
Denise spent a delightful Mother's Day in Eugene
with her gorgeous daughters – inside and out –
Sonrisa (left) and Makaela!
I remained in Phnom Penh to help the orphanage and the church. Sadly, I too had to quarantine, making my separation from Denise all the more difficult. On May 11th, I flew back to LA to quarantine there for 14 days reuniting with Denise. After this time, we are presently planning to both go back to Eugene to be with the girls, and then sometime in June return to our work in Phnom Penh. Please pray for us!
Nick & Denise are missed in Cambodia as they serve
as the MERCY Orphanage Directors and as the
Shepherding Couple for the Mighty Phnom
Penh Church, which was planted
on August 4, 2019!
Matt Sullivan – Lead Evangelist of Miami:"He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers…" (Malachi 4:6) Since the lock-down in Miami on March 10th nine weeks ago, the Lord has blessed us with one place membership and 22 baptisms! The most inspiring thing has been watching God unite families in Christ! In February, Angie was baptized, and today, her brother Telxandre was baptized! Last year in December, Caron was baptized and three weeks ago, her mother Natividad was baptized!
Caron and her precious mother are now closer
than ever as "spiritual sisters!"
Yinet became a disciple 13 years ago, and due to a hurricane pummeling the Dominican Republic, her mother Gloria needed to move to the States and live with Yinet. Best thing ever, because two weeks ago Gloria was baptized!
Yinet's prayers of 13 years were answered when
her mom Gloria was baptized!
Good News from our Campus Ministry: In Tallahassee, we now have an ongoing Virtual Bible Talk at Florida State University – known as the "Seminoles" – with several who want to study!
When Kip – a University of Florida Alum – heard of the
Florida State Bible Talk, he said, "So then, God has
granted even the [Seminoles] repentance
unto life!" (Acts 11:18)
I am once again amazed at the overwhelming grace of God to save as many as possible! Lastly, please be praying as my mother, Pam, moved in with us two weeks ago!
When Matt's mother Pam moved in with the Sullivans,
it brought the whole family together including
Matt's brother Shawn and his wife Amy!
Joe Willis – Lead Evangelist of Sydney: Greetings from the "Harbour City!" I am very happy to report that we are coming out of the lock downs in our churches in the Austral-China World Sector after some great baptisms!
Kip & Elena always look forward to "Skype
D-time" with Joe & Kerry Willis every
Wednesday at 4:00PM!
Chris Gazzard was baptized during the lock-down! He came as a result of his cousin JJ, who originally asked him to sponsor him to run the Sydney Church Half Marathon for special contribution!
Chris is now running with "perseverance
[his] race that is marked out for
[him]!" (Hebrews 12:1)
Frida was baptized as soon as she was 18 years old and allowed to leave her "home stay accommodation" and move-in with the sisters! She is a "foundation student" at University of New South Wales! (Many Chinese students come for a year before officially starting their degrees taking a "foundation course" where they "master" English.)
Frida (far right) embraced her true family!
Our church in Apia, Samoa has finally been allowed to meet together as of last Sunday! Praise God, there have been no recorded cases of the COVID-19 reported in that country! Our Hong Kong Church has been able to meet in groups of 10, as are Sydney and Auckland as if this Sunday!
The Samoan Brothers and Sisters have
been "freed" from lock-down!
Excitingly, the Crouching Tiger #2 Church has been meeting for over a month, and last week, the 4 disciples had 34 different friends out to their combined weekly meetings! Prayers are so needed: The United States occupies 3.8 million square miles while China has a slightly smaller geographic area of 3.7 million square miles! However, China's 1.43 billion people are more than four times the 329 million population of the United States! The SoldOut Movement has 32 USA Churches, but presently only two in China. So much work to do!
Though similar in geographic size, it would take more
than "four USA's" to have the same population
as China's 1.43 billion!
Another exciting note is that my son Luke with his band "Lucid Hoops" has released their third song available on Spotify, aptly titled at this time of quarantine, Get Me Out Of Here! (This can be viewed at https://smarturl.it/LucidHoopsGMOOH)
Luke (left) is the very talented drummer
for Lucid Hoops!
Blaise Feumba – Overseeing Evangelist of Hispaniola and French-speaking Africa: Praise God, that on the small Caribbean island of Hispaniola there are now 11 SoldOut Movement Churches! Incredibly during this pandemic, they smashed the "600 Disciple Barrier" and now have exactly 606 disciples! Haiti has 10 congregations and the Dominican Republic (DR) presently only has 1. All of them meet in House Churches and Bible Talks. These congregations include: The "Mother Church" which is led by Alexis Turgeau – Port-au-Prince (94 disciples), Jacmel (70), Meyotte (44), Duclair/Chantal (25), Camp-Perrin (33), Saint-Marc (42), Cap Haïtien (110), Limbe (42), Sainte-Suzanne (47), Mirebalais (54), and our DR Church – El Pocito (45)!
Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Island
of Hispaniola, where Columbus first landed in
the New World on December 6, 1492!
Dear Brother Kip, Patricia & I have been honored by God's calling and your trust at the 2013 GLC as you handed Alexis to me – a former Mainline Church of Christ Preacher who became our first Haitian baptized disciple – with the charge to build the New Movement in Haiti! We are humbled by what God has done in one of the most difficult and poorest mission fields! We believe with all of our hearts that the amazing Matt & Helen Sullivan of Miami will take this resilient group of disciples to even greater heights! I am looking forward to connecting with Matt this next week to officially hand over the discipling and the oversight of these precious churches! We will always be available to help in any way needed. Your comrade-in-arms, Blaise
As a true grandfather, Kip promised to Blaise &
Patricia that when they move to Africa in
September to lead the Abidjan Church
that he would take "great care" of
the Feumba children!
Jeremy Ciaramella – Lead Evangelist of the Phoenix Church: Greetings from "The Valley of the 'Son!'""Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations…" (Ephesians 3:20-21) God added 6 to His Phoenix Church through baptism during the last week of April – more than we have ever seen in week! On Sunday, April 19th, a great single sister named Jana Pennington was baptized, whose sister Leah was baptized just 10 days prior! Both of these "sister sisters" are fruit from this year's Women's Day!
Jana Pennington (left) is now a
"sister-sister" with Leah!
Monday, April 20th, the "Women of Wisdom" Bible Talk triumphantly baptized Michelle Romes, whose sister Liz Tyo persevered with her for several months as she wrestled with the truth! On Wednesday, April 22nd, a gentle-spirited Spanish-speaking sister named Nadyn Vasquez was baptized into Christ!
Nadyn has found peace by being with the
Father and being surrounded
by joyful sisters!
Also baptized on Wednesday was a single Native American man named Marcus Xochihua, who is attending the University of Advancing Technology here in Phoenix!
The Tempe-Downtown House Church celebrated
with their newest brother Marcos Xochihua
stating, "You'll be next!"
We are so grateful for the Movement as our dear brother Blaise Feumba helped count the cost with Junior Oroko, a French-speaking native of Cameroon who was baptized on Thursday, April 23rd! Most inspiring for me was to see a "Kingdom Kid" make Jesus Lord on Saturday, April 25th as Zach Hamblin, the son of Robb & Theresa Hamblin, was baptized into Christ!
Zach is so appreciative of Christopher Burdick (left)
and West James, who helped to make
him into a disciple!
Also, equally exciting, God continued to move in our Teen Ministry as Travis, the oldest son of Scott & Sandy Lunde (the slated Tucson Mission Team Leaders) was baptized into Christ on Saturday, May 16th! We are so inspired to see Travis make Jesus Lord and join his best friend Zach Hamblin who was also baptized just a couple of weeks ago!
Congratulations to Travis and the entire Lunde Clan!
My incredible wife Amy & I are also greatly encouraged by the sacrifice of the disciples here in Phoenix, as this week God has allowed us to see His glory in surpassing our $107,650 Special Missions Prayer Goal! The Phoenix Church has joyfully given over $110,000 with still more expected this weekend and for the next few weeks! We are grateful for the training and encouragement from Mike & Brittany Underhill and are honored to serve in the Southwest Churches!
Jeremy & Amy Ciaramella were sent out of
Portland in January 2004 to plant
the fruitful Eugene Church!
Ricky Challinor – Lead Evangelist of Metro Manila: Greetings from the 469 Filipino Disciples and 55 Cambodian Disciples on Sunday, May 17th! On March 14th, we began an enhanced "Community Quarantine" in the city known as the "Pearl of the Orient!" Yet, since the quarantine began, God has given the Manila Church 26 additions – 25 baptisms 1 restoration!
Ricky & Coleen have grown so much since
coming on the Los Angeles Mission Team
in 2007, as teens just graduated
from high school!
This week, God gave us 2 additions – 1 baptism and 1 restoration! During the lock-down, Rosas was "locked in" with her brother John Rey, his wife Roxanne, and their two children – Jolie Ann and Sam! As a true hero in the faith, Rose used this time to convert "her" household! This week's baptism is Roxanne, and we are praying that John Rey's will be very soon!
Roxanne was so grateful that she was "stuck"
with Rosas during the quarantine!
Praise God, He blessed the Metro Cebu Church with 1 restoration!
Alfie (blue and white shirt) was so fired up
to be back in the Kingdom!
The Metro Davao Church saw another soul being baptized into Christ!
With Steve's baptism, the Davao Church has grown
since its Inaugural Service on August 11, 2019
from 9 on the mission team and 5 in the
remnant group to 48 disciples – exactly
33 of whom are students!
In Phnom Penh, the Spirit gave them 1 baptism! Khim is the disciples' tutor for Khmer Class! They began reaching out to him, and in spite of the quarantine, Khim desperately wanted to get right with God and so was baptized!
As Khim teaches the disciples Khmer, the brothers
will teach him to "obey everything!"
Sean O'Connor – Lead Evangelist of Guam:Hafa Adai! Bea was heavily persecuted for even considering meeting up to get baptized! Though Satan delayed this miracle, Bea persevered; the girls met up; and she was baptized into Christ! So, since the March 1st Inaugural Service, God has grown the 11 on the Guam Mission and the 6 in the Remnant Group during this pandemic to now become 24 sold-out disciples!
With Bea's (red shirt) baptism, the Guam Church
now numbers 24 sold-out disciples of Jesus!
Raja Rajan – Lead Evangelist of New Delhi: Greetings from the land of more than 19,500 languages! During this pandemic, it has been a great struggle for us to be in touch with the disciples. Many disciples do not have smart phones and hence being connected virtually has been a challenge.
In Chennai, Revathi (left) and Shirly rejoiced as
Johnsi, a former atheist who just completed
her BBA, traveled from a Red Zone
enduring family persecution
to be baptized!
In India, the police have been on the streets to ensure that no one is loitering around during this lock-down. They use intense measures to punish anyone who is outside without any genuine reason. Since we all use public transport, traveling to disciples' houses or visiting the studies is next to impossible. In our South Region of New Delhi, one of the studies' father passed away. No one was willing to help her to cremate the body. Deepak Singh – the leader of the South Region – along with three other brothers decided to go and help out. On the way, the police saw them and started beating them severely; no questions were asked and no reasons were given. After being beaten acutely, they were let go. God blessed their hearts with three baptisms in the South Region in the past week!
Deepak's (left) and Mahesh's (right) boldness was
rewarded as Sachitanand, a Bachelor's of
Commerce Graduate, was baptized! Preethi (center), who is preparing to join Loyola
College to do her Masters, was met by
the zealous Dhanalaxmi (left)
and studied with Shirly!
Also Johnson & Vandana Gona, our New Delhi Shepherding Couple, decided to take a radical step by going to visit the disciples across the border of our state. 10 disciples live there. There were police everywhere and especially at the border, stopping every vehicle, some being questioned and some getting beaten. Johnson & Vandana stated that, it was as though God had blinded the policemen's eyes, we crossed the border. They stayed there for four days, strengthening the disciples. They could travel from one house to another only in the cover of the dark as the unfriendly neighbors threatened to call the police. They would jump from one terrace to another in the dark to avoid being seen. There they studied the Bible with a couple Vipin & Sarita; baptized them; and returned home safely!
Johnson's and Vandana's bravery paid off as
Vipin & Sarita made Jesus their Lord!
To date, the Lord has blessed the four Indian and Nepali Churches – New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Kathmandu – with 14 baptisms and 1 restoration in these 15 days of May. Please continue to pray for your South Asia Family, as in turn, we are constantly praying for you!
In Kathmandu, Binod – who has only attended
their virtual services – was eagerly baptized!
Andrew Smellie – Lead Evangelist of Johannesburg: Greetings from the Motherland! Of all the 54 African nations, the South African government has been enforcing the most stringent of COVID-19 restrictions, as residents have been unable to go out for a jog or walk their pets until just recently!
The Guardian Newspaper reported that South African
Police have used rubber bullets to enforce
COVID-19 restrictions! Food lines in South Africa have reached
over two miles (3.2 km)!
Despite these circumstances as well as unstable internet platforms, the Lord has blessed our efforts over the past month as three more souls were added: The restoration of Patricia Muzambi, who was baptized 20 years ago in Zimbabwe, and the baptisms of Ditebogo ("Didi") and Bokang Ledwaba! Didi's and Bokang's baptisms also brought great celebrations, as they are remarkable teenagers! Didi (18) was baptized on April 26th and her brother Bokang (16) was baptized on May 3rd!
Didi was so proud of her "little brother" at his
baptism! They are very excited that their
mom is now studying the Bible!
Despite her young age, Didi works as an actress and teen presenter for YoTV, and already has four movies to her credit!
Didi was being held by her fellow stars
on YoTV that airs on SABC1! Didi has performed in four films
at only 18 years old!
As you are probably aware, God worked powerfully through Amadou & Angele Sountoura – Abidjan (Ivory Coast) Church Leaders – to baptize 80 souls on one weekend in Bujumbura, Burundi in March! Following this, the Spirit carried them to Cotonou, Benin to help build a campus ministry there through Euloge Tcahmmou, a PhD student in Mathmatics who was baptized in Abidjan! However, the closing of the borders of Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast due to COVID-19 detained them for over two months in Cotonou. The Sountouras took confidence in God's sovereignty, and they were able to baptize a dozen campus students! Also, while the Sountouras were in Cotonou, Bolaji Akinfenwa – the Evangelist of the Lagos ICC – referred his dear friends Winceslas & Gloria Adet – an ICOC Ministry Couple in Benin – to Amadou! After meeting with the Sountouras and studying out in the Bible the SoldOut Movement's 5 Core Convictions, the Adets and their right-hand Shepherding Couple, Godwin & Nathalie Dossou, joined God's New Movement! Before the Sountouras returned to Abidjan, the two couples were appointed the leaders the Cotonou Church with now 15 campus students! All 15 study at the University of Abomey Calavi – the best university in Benin!
Winceslas & Gloria Adet (left) and their son Exaucé
were joined in the New Movement by Godwin &
Nathalie Dossou after studying out the
Five Core Convictions!
The 19 sold-out Cotonou Disciples have been
zealously preaching the Word daily! The Ivory Coast Goverenment finally allowed
Amadou & Angele to return home to their
children: Jean-David and Ina Laureine
"Patricia" (after Patricia Feumba)!
Recently, a remnant brother named Chiku Magalasi from Blantrye, Malawi also contacted us, seeking revival from God's New Movement! Chiku was converted in 2001 during the "Great Tribulation" that brought the ICOC back to Mainline Church of Christ Theology. Although the Blantyre ICOC reached a height of 100 disciples since its planting in 1997, the return to a lukewarm standard reduced its numbers to now less than 30 disciples. Though the new ICOC Blantyre Leadership teaches "some" of Brother Kip's First Principles Studies, they do not teach the Kingdom Study, calling it "unnecessary!" This alarmed Chiku.
Blantyre is a short 2 hour and 15 minute
flight from Johannesburg!
After studying with Chiku about God's plan to "gather the remnant" (Jeremiah 23:3), he has "officially" joined God's New Movement and has already translated the First Principles into Chichewa, the native language of Malawi!
Please pray for God to strengthen Chiku – as a
"one-man remnant group" – so he may provide
a light of hope for Blantyre, which has
over 800,000 lost souls!
On behalf of the Johannesburg Church, and the entire AFRICANUS World Sector, Patrique & I will be forever grateful for the love expressed through the financial support of the USA Churches, as we strive to win the Motherland for Christ!
Today, May 20th, Dr. Andrew Smellie celebrated
a unique Spiritual Birthday; he was baptized
at 20 and is 20 years old in the Lord!
COVID-19 FAMILY MILESTONES Milwaukee: On March 13th after 33 hours of labor, Shane & Tracy Russell welcomed their first born – Luka Alexander! He weighed 10lbs. 8 oz. and was 21 1/2 inches long!
Congratulations Shane & Tracy on the birth
of future prophet Luka Alexander!
New York City: Congratulations to David & Hope Nisivoccia, who happily said, "I do" at their "virtual wedding" on April 4, 2020!
Super congratulations to David & Hope Nisivoccia!
Sausha & Umberto rejoiced at the birth of their new son Luka Muniz – born on May 4, 2020!
"Mama Sausha" and "Baby Luka" enjoyed
a moment of peace!
Victor & Sue Vilanova celebrated the birth of their son Cash Brooklyn on April 16, 2020!
Congratulations Victor & Sue Vilanova on
the birth of "Little Cash Brooklyn!"
Please keep Shivanthi Crawford in your prayers! Both she and her husband Travis are COVID-19 positive. Travis is mostly recovered, but Shivanthi has been hospitalized nearly 6 weeks and been on a ventilator over 3 weeks! Shivanthi has been working as a nurse for the last 9 years!
Please continue to keep Travis & Shivanthi
Crawford in your prayers!
Honolulu: Congratulations to Nathan & Sharisse Carr who were married on April 11, 2020! They are highly regarded Bible Talk Leaders in the dynamic Honolulu Church!
Ho'omaika'i 'ana to Mr. & Mrs.
Nathan & Sharisse Carr!
Sacramento: On Sunday, April 26th, Trever & Maile Paschall welcomed Orion Kekoa into the world! Orion weighed in at 7 lbs. 4.2 oz and was 19 inches! Orion is the second child of Trever & Maile. Their elder son's name is Tiberius!
Trever was blessed with his second
son – Orion Kekoa!
Columbus: Craig & Keshia Davidson (Shepherds-in-Training) had their first child – Jayden Elijah, who was born April 8, 2020! Jayden weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. and measured 21 inches long!
Craig & Keshia are praying that their first
child – Jayden "Elijah" – will become a
great prayer warrior like
his namesake!
Los Angeles: In the Coachella Valley Region of the ever-expanding City of Angels Church, since the pandemic started, little Naomi Love Robinson was born to Ben & Chieyanne on April 7th making them a family of five! She was a healthy 6 Ibs. 12.5 oz. and 19 inches long! Naomi's addition catapults our Kids Kingdom Ministry to more than half the number of disciples – 27 disciples and 14 children!
Who will not "love" – Naomi Love Robinson? With three children, the Robinsons have so
much for which to be thankful!
On April 22nd at 7:14PM in the Ventura Region, Brian & Vanessa Clavel welcomed Carmila Belenon! She arrived unexpectedly 3 weeks early, but was very strong at 6 lbs. and 19 inches!
Arriving 3 weeks early, Carmila just could not
wait any longer to see her Kingdom Family!
Chicago: Praise God that on April 19th, Johnny Dawson was restored at 75 years old, as he was originally baptized in the ICOC and fell-away 15 years ago! His wife Mary, son Theo Sr., daughter Christina, grandson Theo Jr., and granddaughter Tia, are all beloved and key disciples in the Chicago Church! We had nearly 100 members and family online attending his restoration! God had finally answered their 15-year prayer, as Johnny confessed again, "Jesus Is Lord!"
Johnny – with his wife Mary and daughter Christina
by his side – was so fired up to receive his steak
filled "Fatten Calf Basket" from the Chicago
Church to celebrate his return "home!"
COVID-19 DISCIPLE HAPPENINGS In closing out this Good News Email, let me suggest that as well as watching and listening to a wealth of church services, there are several more "opportunities" for spiritual strengthening and growth! Here is a listing of several "Disciple Vlogs" and other edifying websites:
Ricky Challinor's – Daily Dose! Daily at 7:30AM in the Philippines
Tracy Harding of Atlanta – Behind Closed Doors! Monday through Friday 11:00AM EST
(In Tracy's Closet / War Room)
Raja Rajan of New Delhi – Let's Bible It! Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00PM India Time
(+5.30 GMT) Emma Causey's – Faming For God! Mondays 3:00PM CST
Mike Patterson of Boston – Mike's Morning Manna!
Monday through Friday Noontime EST
(On Mike's Facebook Page)
Zach Shields of Metro Davao – Stay Connected! Monday through Saturday 10:00AM in the Philippines
Quite interestingly, on Sundays at 7:00PM in the Philippines, Zach airs a second program, but this is in Davao's native language of Visayan! This novel presentation is called Ang Bisayang Amerikano (The Visayan American)! Though Zach & his amazing wife Ariel – both members of the original Manila Mission Team – are not yet completely fluent in Visayan, they are diligently taking classes. So for the video program, he reads a well prepared script! His first episode was quite humorous as he "taught" Filipinos how to make one of "their" national dishes – "chicken adobo!"
Zach enjoyed his very tasty "chicken adobo!" Ang Bisayang Amerikano Sundays at 7:00PM in the Philippines! In their Facebook series, How To Be Excellent In
Life And Ministry, the most popular session
by Marcel & Tia Turner of Miami
was The Top 5 Tips To Start
Dating In 2020!
The 3-Week Webinar The Making Of A Queen by Courtney Parlour of Seattle can be found
on the Seattle ICC Facebook Page! The Virtual Kids Party in Chicago organized by
Fabian & Vicky Chagolla and Kasey
Christiansen was a huge "hit" with
the children and their now
rested parents!
To receive the Spanish Good News Email translated by the Mexico City Disciples, please go to this link: http://eepurl.com/gSBBx1.
Dr. Elena Garcia McKean – being born in Cuba – so
appreciates the monumental effort to translate
theGood News Email into Spanish!
The goal of The Good Muse is to encourage disciples and friends alike with music of all kinds! This comes from the heart of Gary Ochs – a Shepherd for the great San Francisco Church! Every week different songs and the stories that inspired them are posted, as well as sent out to those that subscribe. Some songs are from the San Francisco Band – Sovereign Sounds, which is led by Gary! However, most are "throw backs" such as my favorite, the recently featured, Wind Of Change by the Scorpions! This song has great history-making appeal as it depicts the fall of the Soviet Union! In essence, "Tell your story. Share your song!" Gary may be contacted at: gary.ochs@usd21.org, +1.650.307.0918, or https://www.facebook.com/gary.ochs.96.
Do you have a favorite song and story to share?
Shoot Gary a text, email or hit him up on
Facebook! He may share "your song"
and "its story" in future editions
of The Good Muse!
Please continue to pray for Shivanthi, Pam, Raul's father, the USA Missions Collections, the future church plantings, and all of our world leaders, as God our Savior is working among the nations like never before in our lifetimes as He "wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth!" (1 Timothy 2:4)
Please continue to pray for the McKeans
and their virtual missionary journeys!
May "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen." (Philippians 4:23)
We are family… filled with visions and dreams,
Kip
All content within this email is for the intended recipient only. Any unauthorized duplication, distribution and/or copy is a violation of applicable laws.
April 10, 2020
EASTER EDITION
ATTN: If the pictures in this article are distorted, then click on the "view it in your browser" link located at the top right-hand corner of the page.Dear Friend,
Greetings from Los Angeles to our "Virtual Church Family" in 43 nations around the world! This indeed is one of the darkest hours in our lifetimes, as there are 1.7 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world (almost 500,000 in the USA) and over 102,000 deaths around the globe (18,000 in the USA)! As with the ninth plague on Egypt, God has spread over the world, a "darkness that can be felt." (Exodus 10:21) Yet an old preacher once said, "Where it is darkest, the light shines brightest!" Indeed, among the Israelites in Egypt, "All had light in the places where they lived." (Exodus 10:23) And so it is with all of the "sheltered in place disciples!" We have light where we live… and through Zoom too!
God has used the global COVID-19 Pandemic to
inspire the SoldOut Movement to "fry the
airwaves" with the true Gospel
into all nations!
Elena & I are so inspired by all of the Virtual Sunday Services and we sense a greater unity in and among our 104 churches around the world, as we have all come together like never before during this present crisis!
The April 5th City of Angels International
Christian Church Virtual Worship
Service had an amazing
almost 25,000 views!
MCKEANS' VIRTUAL MISSIONARY JOURNEYS Los Angeles, California On the weekends of March 7-8th and 14-15th, the City of Angels Church Sisters – led nobly by Lianne Kernan and coordinated by Karen Gregory – celebrated the 2020 Women's Days in each of the 12 LA Regions! The Inland Empire Region and the Coachella Valley Region had a combined Women's Day, so there were 11 Women's Days throughout Metro Los Angeles – a five county area of over 20 million lost souls! The exciting theme for this year was CAPTIVATED!
Lianne gave her all to the Women's Days as she
spoke in South Region, IE / CV Regions, and
for the Phoenix Sisters!
The Ventura Women's Day Speakers – Sarah Dimitry
of San Francisco and April Baker the Ventura
WML – greeted each other with the
"holy elbow bump!"
Amazingly, over the two weekends, the 452 LA Sisters had an astonishing attendance of 1,098! Of special note, each of the 11 Women's Days had more visitors than disciples! Particularly inspiring was Jee Blackwell and the then 67 bold and beautiful Southland Region Sisters who welcomed 137 registered guests for a total attendance of 204! This was on average more than 2 guests for every disciple!
Caleb's adorable "mom" traveled all the way
from Portland to participate in the
IE / CV Women's Day!
Caleb led the "GQ" IE and CV Brothers in
ushering the IE / CV Women's Day!
Sharon Kirchner (right) and all of the West
Region felt so blessed to hear Sonja
Chloupek – one of the best Women's
Day Speakers – who flew all the
way from Orlando!
On April 1st, Chris & Sonja – the Orlando Church
Leaders – celebrated their 25th
Wedding Anniversary!
After 25 years, Chris & Sonja are more in love with
God and each other than ever before!
The timing of the Women's Days allowed many of the LA Sisters to have several ongoing studies, when on Thursday evening, March 19th, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti announced an order for all residents of Los Angeles to be "locked-down." Encouragingly, directly from the Women's Days, 17 women have been baptized and 1 restored! And to God be the glory!
At the Orange County Women's Day, Sabrina –
a very talented Saddleback College
Student – was baptized!
Sabrina was thrilled to be added at baptism to
God's glorious worldwide family!
Maria from CSULB was so grateful to study with
the South Sisters and finally be a part of
the Kingdom of God! Karen Gregory (left) – who assisted Lianne in
overseeing all 11 CAICC Women's Days –
was fired up that her South Region was
fruitful with Maria at the close of
their incredible event!
Instead of calling this directive, "Shelter in Place," LA Mayor Garcetti used a gentler term for the same order: "Safer At Home." Immediately, Tim Kernan, Cory Blackwell and the LA Men Region Leaders began preparing for Regional Virtual Services in Los Angeles for Sunday, March 22nd. Sensing the magnitude of the moment, the World Sector Leaders called for a WorldwideDay of Prayer, Fasting and Confession on Monday, March 23rd! Elena & I prayed on our knees through the list of the over 100 SoldOut Movement Churches, as well as for their leaders listed in the March 20th Good News Email! Then, we focused our prayers on 1 Timothy 2:1-4, "Pray… for kings, [presidents, dictators, governors and mayors] and all those in authority that we may live peaceful lives… because God our Savior… wants all men [and women] to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth!" (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
Kip believes that the the Worldwide Day of Prayer,
Fasting and Confession changed the SoldOut
Movement and the entire world!
We prayed by name for many of the people that God has put in authority in the nations, so that the world will lower the walls of prejudice and hate that separates nations, thus allowing the Gospel to spread more freely!
The COVID-19 Pandemic has forever
changed the world!
Mexico City, Mexico Elena & I were planning to fly to Mexico City to attend the wedding of Joey Underhill & Magnolia Estrada scheduled on April 19th! However, when the "Safer at Home" order was given, we knew that traveling of any kind was out of the question. (Elena & I are both in "high risk groups" for death by the coronavirus, as we are both over 60 years old and Elena is a cancer survivor and I have a little high blood pressure.) Therefore, we were overjoyed that the Estrada / Underhill Wedding was moved up to Friday morning, March 27th!
Magnolia was baptized in the IE Region of LA on
February 22, 2015 and then went to Mexico to
begin and complete her PhD in Molecular
Biology! She now co-leads with Joey the
40 Mexico City Campus Disciples!
After prayer and council, Mike Underhill flew down to Mexico City on Thursday so that he could be with his little brother Joey as his best man and to represent Joey's entire family! (Lance & Connie Underhill – the LA South Region Shepherding Couple – like Elena & I – are "high risk groups" and therefore did not fly down to Mexico.)
At the beautiful wedding, Mike held his iPad
allowing Joey's and his proud parents –
Lance & Connie – to not only watch,
but to give an inspiring charge!
Praise God, all of Magnolia's immediate family were able to attend! Carlos Mejia was masterful in his wedding sermonette, which held up Joey's & Magnolia's purity in their dating relationship. The kiss at the end of the wedding ceremony was Joey's & Magnolia's first kiss!
The first kiss! Right after the first kiss! Congratulations to Joey & Magnolia Underhill!
Salt Lake City, Utah After the "Safer at Home" directive, I had several disciples contact me asking, "Are we going to push back the Salt Lake Church (SLC) planting?" My simple response was, "This is the Kingdom and nothing can stop God forcefully advancing His people!"
The Virtual Salt Lake City Inaugural Service was
a historic first for God's Movement!
So, on Sunday, March 29th, Elena & I "attended online" the Salt Lake City Virtual Inaugural Service! In a word: Incredible! Dustin & Amanda Miller are to be highly commended for this Movement first!
As the creative introduction to the Inaugural Service,
Dustin took the viewers on a virtual tour of Salt
Lake City – population 1.2 million – and the
University of Utah with an enrollment
of 33,000 students!
There was awesome singing and a tremendous Welcome by Jason & Sarah Dimitry – the Overseeing Evangelist & WML from San Francisco!
Cristian Aviles brilliantly led the singing for the
Worship Service accompanied by Gabrielle
Hill (left) & Janay Higgins! Jason & Sarah warmly welcomed everyone –
no matter where they were "sheltered" – to
the first ever Virtual Inaugural Service! Dustin Miller introduced Richard Kahakui before
he gave the powerful Opening Prayer!
A touching Communion Song by Lauren Zepeda was followed with a fantastic Communion by Amanda! Then came a great Contro Charge, which highlighted our zeal to plant churches in the most hard hit of nations by the coronavirus: Italy, Iran and Spain, as we already have two dynamic churches in China!
Lauren Zepeda of LA beautifully sang I Surrender All
that prepared hearts for Communion!
Amanda vulnerably shared her
conversion for Communion! Cristian Aviles & Clarissa Nunez boldly called
everyone to sacrifice like never before
for the Contribution Charge!
Then came the phenomenal Sermon by Dustin on THUNDER! Dustin explained that a "bolt of lightning heats the air along its path causing it to expand rapidly. Thunder is the sound caused by the rapidly expanding atmosphere. The light and sound actually happen at the same time, but the light of the lightning flash travels faster than the grumbling sound of the thunder." I really loved how Dustin closed out: "Jesus is the lightening and James and John are 'Sons of thunder!'"
Greetings from your new sister churches in Johannesburg, South Africa and Indianapolis, Indiana! What a joy to be reunited with our dear son & daughter in the faith Andrew & Patrique Smellie for the Johannesburg Inaugural Service on Sunday, September 8th! Our awesome God blessed them with 162 in attendance, two incredible baptisms and two heart-felt restorations!
Greetings from Kiev, New York City and Los Angeles! For Elena & me, this has been an unforgettable month of glorious Kingdom Weddings! The first was in Los Angeles with Joey & Karen Gregory on March 31st, and the second, was in Kiev on April 13th with Luca & Sophia Di Beo! Let us consider that Acts 17:26-27 teaches that “God determined the times set for them and the exact places where they live,” so each Kingdom Wedding is indeed “a match made in Heaven!”
“I now pronounce you husband & wife!You may kiss your bride!”
Joey & Karen Gregory’s first kiss!
The Gregorys are “a match made in Heaven!”
God’s purpose in determining the times and places we live is for “men to seek Him…” Seeking God is not just for “non-Christians,” but faithful disciples “seek Him” all of their lives! So at every Kingdom Wedding comes the ultimate charge of marriage: To get each other and their future children to Heaven! And to God be the glory!
“A profound mystery… the two shall becomeone flesh!” (Ephesians 5:31-32)
Luca & Sophia Di Beo’s first kiss!
The Di Beo’s are on their way to Heaven
on earth and Heaven above!
BREAKING NEWS New Delhi Has Had A Record Number Of
Baptisms For A First Year Planting – 141! Raja Rajan – Lead Evangelist of New Delhi: Greetings from the Capital of India! God has been looking with favor on the New Delhi Disciples! Ever since the 38 Spartans of the New Delhi Mission Team landed on April 28th last year, and had our first Sunday on April 29th, God has poured out His blessings on the efforts of the disciples. There had been numerous persecutions and difficulties, but through all of this, God encouraged us with 141 baptisms and 25 restorations for our first year!
So key for the New Delhi Church to break the Metro
Manila Church’s first year baptism record of
135 was a very fruitful Women’s
Day, entitled RADIANT!
The incredible leadership and preaching of Debs
Rajan (second from the left) were used by God
to move many hearts at the Women’s Day!
Also, Evangeline, Mrs. Sunita and Salma
shared their testimonies!
Only after coming to Women’s Day did Khushboo
(second from the left) open up! On Easter
Sunday, she was baptized and is
planning to continue her
studies in medicine!
We started with one teen disciple – Isheeta, Debs & my youngest child – and now have 39 baptized teens!
The 39 disciples of the New Delhi Teen Ministry have
been “dubbed” the Knights! (The original teen
Isheeta is seated second from the right!)
Salma – the Knights’ Woman Leader – and Isheeta
studied and baptized Angela, the 141st baptism
of the New Delhi Church’s first year!
On June 30, 2019, we will be sending out the Kathmandu Mission Team led by Luke & Brandyn Speckman! After two months, Roger & Yassa Green will assume this mantle of leadership!
The city closest to Mt. Everest – the highest
mountain in the world – is Kathmandu!
Kathmandu is just 500 miles (800 km) from
New Delhi – a one hour plane flight!
The New Delhi Church is now at 170 disciples! Please be praying for us so we can continue to forcefully advance the Kingdom of God as we begin our second year!
Nick Bordieri – MERCY World Sector Leader in Phnom Penh:Greetings from beautiful Cambodia! The Boys Bathroom Project at the CSW MERCY Orphanage is heading to the finish line and God has added to our number!
The “Boys Bathroom Project” broke ground in early January…
They are closing in on the finish line!
Saravuth, our contractor, has his 12 year old nephew, David in the CSW MERCY Orphanage. David recently lost his dad and mom. Saravuth is very grateful to the CSW MERCY Orphanage for providing David with a loving and secure home. Consequently, Saravuth has committed to helping us with all future construction projects!
In all of Saravuth’s construction projects,
he strives for excellence!
Dun, one of the older boys at the orphanage who is 17, studied the Bible for almost four months. On March 24th, he made Jesus Lord of his life!
Rasmey (left), Rithy (right) and Nick studied
with Dun almost daily!
That day, God blessed us with a record attendance of 41! So encouraging for the church was that the 14 that were visiting from the orphanage included Dun’s brother and sister! We had 30 at lunch to celebrate Dun’s new life! From seeing the baptism, Kim Chai, one of the orphans who is 13, asked Denise to study the Bible with her!
Our new brother Dun’s amazing “celebration lunch!“
The compassionate Global Directors of
MERCYworldwide and the Directors
of the CSW MERCY Orphanage –
Nick & Denise Bordieri!
After six months of studying the Bible, Morakod (13) was baptized on April 28th! She is the daughter of Rasmey & Srei Oun, the first couple to join Blady & Cielo Perez to form the Phnom Penh Remnant Group! A special thank you to Denise, our dear sister Naomi (who is now in Manila training with the Phnom Penh Mission Team), Marysa and Suvnai – all of whom studied the Bible with Morakod! During the sharing before the baptism, Rasmey expressed how grateful he is for God! Morakod apologized to her dad the night before for things she has done that hurt him. As Rasmey shared, “We both cried and then hugged. It was a special moment for us.” Marysa (13), who was baptized in November shared, “Today my best friend becomes my sister in Christ!”
Before Morakod’s (center) baptism, Marysa (left)
shared how Morakod had “transformed” from
being a “best friend” to becoming
her sister in Christ!
We cannot wait to have Blady & Cielo and the entire Phnom Penh Mission Team come from Manila in June!
Sean Valenzuela – Lead Evangelist of Auckland: Greetings from the saints in Auckland! April has been a month of “FIRSTS” for the family down here in New Zealand! God has blessed us with our FIRST male baptism, Pascal – an Engineering student at the University of Auckland! He was met by Merari (now Singer) and myself near the end of March, and it only took Pascal three weeks to make the decision to be baptized!
The Auckland Disciples were so jubilant
after seeing Pascal baptized!
Another FIRST that God has blessed the Auckland Church with was being able to host Chris & Merari Singers’ Wedding on Saturday! It was a beautiful “Kingdom Wedding” organized in godly fashion as everyone pitched in to make it heavenly! Thank you to all the visiting disciples who came from Sydney and showed the Singers how much they are loved and valued! Thank you to the London Disciples who sent funds to purchase Chris gifts for his wedding and videos to encourage him!
Congratulations to Chris & Merari Singers!
The last FIRST in April was Joe Willis being able to preach his FIRST sermon in Auckland titled, NEVER GIVE UP! He encouraged us to“not becomeweary in doing good!” (Galatians 6:9) We are so very grateful to be a part of a worldwide family where we are constantly“[spurred] to love and good deeds!” (Hebrews 10:24)
Chris & Merari cheered on the “old guys” – Joe Willis
(center) and Ian Clague – as they tried to
find their “groove!”
Joe Willis – Lead Evangelist of Sydney: Greetings from your very international sister church in Australia! We presently have 24 nations represented in our congregation from just 64 disciples! There are not many days when at the beginning of church that I am laughing at what God is doing, but our International Day Service was such a day! To be frank, our attendances before that Sunday were low, but our attendance at Bible Talk had been high. So that is why we decided to plan an International Day Service! We organized everyone to bring their national food, got a prayer list going, and on Sunday, “oh baby,” I looked around at the beginning of church because there as so much noise at the back… I had to smile, as the ushers were hurriedly dragging in more and more chairs from everywhere! The church was not filling up, but overflowing! There was standing room only!
The jammed-packed auditorium of the
International Day Service in Sydney!
Well, God more than answered our prayers, as we had a new record attendance of 177 – 112 visitors plus five children! Of special note: One of our young Christians had 17 personal visitors, all students from her university! She stood up; invited her whole class at university; and they all came!
Tasty dishes from 24 different nations were prepared
by the Sydney Disciples for their magnificent
International Day!
Obviously, it would not have been complete without another baptism! Yi was met a year ago at the University of New South Wales by our dear Mongolian sister Naomi Radnaabazar (who is now in Manila)!
Though our dear sister Naomi is in Manila, training
with the Phnom Penh Mission Team, she
continues to bear fruit in Sydney –
her spiritual home!
We just heard back from the Australian government on Friday, April 26th, that Scotty Iakopo as well as Berek Saleimoa cannot stay in Australia after their graduations since an extension was refused. Both need to return to Samoa by June 24th this year, just eight weeks away! Kip challenged Kerry & me to “keep in step with the Spirit” this year, and where the Spirit leads, we will gladly go! (Galatians 5:25) Therefore, we have concluded that the Spirit is calling Scotty, his new wife Jenna, and Berek to plant Samoa! (Acts 16:6-10)
In Acts 16, Paul was guided by the Holy Spirit by
being blocked from preaching in Bithynia so
that he went onto Europe! Similarly, Scotty
& Jenna believe the Spirit is guiding
them to plant Samoa, which will
lead to “even greater
things” as well!
Samoa is a country in the South Pacific consisting of two main islands – Savai’i and Upolu – and four smaller islands. The capital city is Apia with a population of 200,000!
Samoa is 2,700 miles (4,300 km) from Sydney!
This Sunday morning, April 28th, Scotty & Jenna with Berek set out 12 chairs and prayed for them to be filled with other Apia Mission Team Members! Therefore, we are appealing for anyone who has a Samoan passport or can get one to help join them for at least a year to build God’s church there! Of note, this is an island that was never reached in the old movement and so you will be the first disciples on the island!
ATTENTION ALL SAMOAN PASSPORT
HOLDERS: Pull up a chair!
ATTENTION ALL DISCIPLES WITH SAMOAN PASSPORTS OR THE ABILITY TO SECURE ONE: Please contact Joe Willis (Joe.Willis@usd21.org) and your lead Evangelists ASAP to let us know of your opportunity to be on a mission team with one of the great young ministry couples in the Movement! And to God be all the glory! KM
Your ticket to save the Samoan people!
Carlos Mejia – Lead Evangelist of Mexico City: Greetings from the city with the largest population in the Western Hemisphere with over 21 million… lost souls! We are so grateful for our Campus Ministry! We now have a total of 42 campus students sold-out for the Lord, most of whom are studying at the two top schools of Central America – Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN)! This past week during “Spring Break,” the Lord allowed us to have three more campus baptisms! Joey Underhill and Anna Hernandez have been “shining like stars” on campus as our leaders! (Philippians 2:15) We are praying to imitate the São Paulo Church in raising up many powerful young Evangelists and Women’s Ministry Leaders!
Mauricio – our newest brother in Mexico City –
is a chemistry major at UNAM!
Anna (center) saw so much potential for the
Kingdom in Citlali, as she is a law
student at UNAM!
We are also thankful to God for returning to us, Jose & Daniela Otero from Monterrey, Mexico to lead one of our four regions!
The Oteros were so excited to be back in Mexico
City to work side-by-side with their best
friends – Carlos & Lucy Mejia!
The 2019 Latin American Mission Conference(LAMC) on July 18th to July 21st is fast approaching! Prayerfully, many of you will come down and join us here in the city, as our theme comes from John 13:34-35, that “everyone will know you are my disciples by your love one for another.” So, the official theme is: TODOS SABRAN (EVERYONE WILL KNOW)! You can now register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latin-american-missions-conference-todos-sabran-2019-tickets-55079214413.
The moving theme of the 2019 LAMC is TODOS
SABRAN (EVERYONE WILL KNOW)!
Oh yes… One last piece of good news: Philippe Scheidecker now of Mexico City & Paula Harpole of Orlando were engaged in Paris on April 25th!
Congratulations to Philippe & Paula
on their engagement!
Andrew Smellie – Lead Evangelist of Lagos: In Nigeria – from Friday to Monday – is considered a four-day holiday to celebrate Easter! It was a busy weekend for all of us, as my brave wife endured a surgery for an abscess on her left hip on “Good Friday.” While the concerns of doing so in a third-world country were very real, God blessed her faith through the painful procedure, as she invited the entire surgical team to church! I was so proud of Patrique’s perseverance as the church was in awe to see her “up and out of bed” on “Resurrection Sunday!”
Patrique joyfully “resurrected” from surgery
to attend Easter Sunday Service!
On Saturday, our first engaged couple in the church, Kate Awara & Tolani Abiodun, celebrated the first step of their journey to marriage in Nigerian custom – the Traditional Ceremony! In Nigeria, there are actually three steps of marriage: 1) The Traditional Ceremony, which brings the families of both the bride and the groom together; 2) The Court Registry, which is done for their marriage to be official in the eyes of the government; and of course, 3) The “White Wedding,” which is done before the church and in the eyes of God! At each section of the process, there is a reception!
For disciples, the elaborate Traditional Nigerian
Marriage Ceremony is only the first step
to “really being married!”
In the Nigerian tradition, family members can see the couple as “married” after the Traditional Ceremony, but as disciples, Kate & Tolani knew better and educated their family on keeping their purity as they prepare to be united before the Lord and His church on Sunday, June 30th – the final culminating event of our 2019 AFRICAN MISSIONS CONFERENCE!
The African GQ Couple – Tolani &
Kate “future” Abiodun!
This past Sunday service was also inspiring as the church celebrated the baptism of Elisha Uche! Elisha is a single professional who works in the IT Department of a local bank here in Lagos! He was overjoyed to begin his new life in Christ on Resurrection Sunday!
Seyi (left) is one of Lagos’ newest ministry interns!
He was as fired up as his friend Elisha, a
recent campus graduate, who he
had the privilege to baptize!
Thank you for all your prayers and support as we prepare for Missions! The Lagos Church is raising funds to help with providing households for indigent disciples and supporting staff with our Third Annual Run4Missions on the Ikoyi-Lekki Bridge this Saturday! Please do not forget to register for our 2019AFRICAN MISSIONS CONFERENCE (AMC), entitled, SHINING LIKE STARS! This momentous event will be held in Lagos from Thursday, June 27th to Sunday, June 30th! You can sign up at our Eventbrite Website, which will answer all your pertinent questions: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-african-missions-conference-shining-like-stars-tickets-58125311371.
It is not too late to secure a plane ticket and a
visa to participate in the 2019 AMC –
SHINING LIKE STARS!
Pray for this historic conference as the Holy Spirit will be sending out the Johannesburg Mission Team to South Africa!
The nickname “City of Gold” is at the forefront
of the Johannesburg ICC Logo!
Pray as well for Bolaji & Chinyere Akinfenwa, who will become the new Lagos Church Leaders upon Patrique’s & my departure to plant the Johannesburg Church! Bolaji was baptized January 26, 1992 and Chinyere was baptized January 29, 1995 – both in the Lagos ICOC! Since they serve so effectively as our right hand couple in Lagos, the disciples have full confidence that God will continue His powerful work in Nigeria and in all West Africa through them!
The incredible Akinfenwa Family: Bolaji, Chinyere,
Abigail (16), Timothy (13), and Tobi (6)!
HEADLINE NEWS Metro Manila Breaks The 300 Barrier! Ricky Challinor – Lead Evangelist of Metro Manila: Greetings from the Philippines! Praise God that your many prayers on our behalf have been heard, as Coleen & I received our missionary visas!
Mina Challinor said to her mom Coleen,”The
Philippines just bring out the
best in us girls!”
God has graciously given us 89 additions since the start of the year – 71 baptisms, 12 restorations and 6 place memberships! Equally encouraging is the few fall aways that we have had. This year we have fought to help the weak and encourage the timid, and in so doing, have had only 17 fall aways! To further this effort, last Sunday we appointed 10 couples as Shepherding Couples-in-training! God willing, some of which will be appointed Shepherding Couples at the PACIFIC RIM MISSIONS CONFERENCE (PRMC)! Amazingly, God has grown the Metro Manila Church to now 305 sold-out disciples!
The Year of Boldness in Manila has been
one of historic growth!
Lastly, we encourage all to come to the PRMC on June 13-16, 2019 to see the completion of Phase One of evangelizing Southeast Asia with the planting of Davao, Philippines! Equally exciting will be the beginning of Phase Two for evangelizing Southeast Asia with the sending out of the Phnom Penh Mission Team! The Eventbrite link to register at $200 per person is: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ambassadors-of-christ-2019-pac-rim-conference-tickets-49247421363?ref=eios&aff=eios.
The valiant Phnom Penh Mission Team is led by
Blady & Cielo Perez, who are fluent in Khmer –
the native language of Cambodia!
Lastly, Lord willing, Coleen & I will personally plant the seventh region of the Metro Manila Church with a fiery “evangelist in-the-making” Clieford Ablin and Rosas “the baptizer” Sobrino at University Belt! As well, we will begin to meet weekly by super regions! There is so much to be done in the next six weeks before the PRMC, please keep us in your prayers!
John Malnegro – Lead Evangelist of the Metro Cebu Church: Maayong Buntag! (Visayan for Good Morning!) The Metro Cebu Women’s Day was indeed a very RADIANT day! In planning, my awesome wife Anna set out to imitate Coleen Challinor – her discipler – and the Metro Manila Sisters!
At the conclusion of the Leader’s Huddle, Anna
Malnegro had all the sister leaders “bring it
in” to “fire them up” for Women’s Day!
In March, God blessed Coleen with the record-breaking Metro Manila Women’s Day where 136 sisters had 601 in attendance! By imitating Coleen’s heart, the 40 sisters of Cebu (along with two visiting sisters from Manila) had very similar results with an incredible attendance of 164 women!
The Spirit used 42 disciples to bring 122 non-Chrisitan
visitors to the Cebu Women’s Day!
Anna Malnegro directed this flawless event!
The afternoon started off with a powerful Welcome and an International Prayer in six languages!
The International Prayer included the three dominant
languages of Cebu: Visayan, Tagalog and English!
Then a feast of “Filipino Merienda” (a light meal) and great fellowship was followed by three women vulnerably sharing their powerful testimonies: Liza Javier, Lou Cabañero and Macy Llauderes! After that was a heart-rending performance by Vynne Mharie!
Vynne Mharie was blessed by God to have one
of the best singing voices in the Kingdom!
Then a powerful lesson by Coleen challenged and encouraged the women to have a radiance that only comes from God!
According to John Malnegro, Coleen’s message
entitled, RADIANT was spectacular!
Lastly, they had a fun raffle with prizes and closed out with Grace Merzo getting baptized into the Lord!
Mrs. Cynthia Sanchez – a visitor at the Cebu
Women’s Day – was so encouraged to win
one of the raffle prizes!
Praise God that Grace received
grace at her baptism!
As of this Sunday, we praise God that the Cebu Church has 82 disciples and so in the first third of 2019 has grown exactly 50%! Mabuhay!
The brothers were honored to usher at
this truly incredible day!
Raul Moreno – Lead Evangelist of São Paulo:“We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) In 2012, “Grace and Truth” – Venia et Veritas – was selected by Kip as the Latin motto for the International College of Christian Ministry (ICCM), to signify that we are striving to hold to Jesus’ standard of excellence in teaching! In Brazil, we strive to uphold this same standard! Therefore, April 7th was an historic day as we celebrated our Second ICCM Commencement Ceremony awarding nine prestigious Bachelor Degrees in Ministry!
The São Paulo ICCM Commencement crowd
was standing room only!
Our valedictorian was none other than Carol Placco Costa, who is the Women’s Ministry Leader in the Rio de Janeiro Church! She along with her awesome husband, Caio, came to São Paulo for the graduation!
Carol Placco Costa as the Valedictorian led the
processional of ICCM BA Degree Recipients!
During the ICCM Commencement, Lynda Moreno –
Dean of Women for the ICCM-São Paulo –
shared from the Scriptures that Jesus
was a unique rabbi as he selected
both men and women disciples!
Tulio Amaral, the Lead Evangelist in Bogota, Colombia, also made the trip with his wonderful wife Vaítsa to receive his much anticipated and desired degree! He had sacrificed finishing college in order to support his family, so they were quite moved when he received his BA Degree!
Tulio and his family were so grateful that he
received his BA Degree from the ICCM,
that recognized Tulio’s years of
studying and training!
To conclude the Commencement, Raul called the
graduates to move the tassel on their cap
from the right to the left signifying the
application of their new knowledge
would come form the heart!
The ICCM Commencement was a magnificent celebration of hard work and dedication! Thank you ICCM-LA for giving us the example to follow!
The 2019 Class of the ICCM-São Paulo and the
esteemed faculty of Raul, Lynda, and Renato
Tria (second from the right)!
Finally, we are excited to announce that the 2020 SOUTH AMERICAN MISSIONS CONFERENCE (SAMC) will be hosted in São Paulo on February 7-9, 2020 at the impressive Renaissance Hotel near the beautiful Avenida Paulista! The theme of the 2020 SAMC will be from John 4:35, OPEN YOUR EYES! Indeed, we need to open our spiritual eyes to see that the world can be evangelized in our generation by our faith in Jesus’ power! Of note, Americans no longer need tourist visas to enter Brazil making it much easier to participate in this glorious event!
The spectacular skyline of São Paulo as viewed
from the Renaissance Hotel that will host
the 2020 SAMC – OPEN YOUR EYES!
Cesar Limon – Lead Evangelist of Portland: Grace and peace from Oregon! Debbie & I are so grateful and honored to be in the city where God birthed His new Movement! His Spirit moved to bless us with an amazing record attendance for our Easter Service, as well as 12 additions in the last 6 weeks with 8 baptisms, 3 restorations and 1 place membership! We also appointed today at our service Gidget Challinor and Paul Reddy to be Shepherds-in-training to help us shepherd these new brothers and sisters to stay in the Kingdom!
Gidget Challinor is so proud of her son
Ricky and his efforts for the Lord
in Southeast Asia!
It has been a very eventful month with the BLITZ Campus Campaign, the wedding of our beloved Torres, and the two beautiful Women’s Days that we hosted! The first Women’s Day was in Spanish entitled, MUJER VALIENTE where 14 sisters had 39 guests! The keynote speaker was a dynamic, radiant and very spiritual woman named Debbie Limon! She connected with a woman named Monica who came because her son’s fiancée approached her the week before with the desire to find God. Since Monica at one time was a disciple, the only thing that came to mind for Monica was to go through “the studies” that were given to her and now do them with her son’s fiancée. After doing so, she realized she needed to practice what she taught, and so she was restored this past week!
Monica brought to the Limons’ home this
beautiful plant telling them that she was
ready to be rooted in “the Vine”
once again! (John 15:1)
We also had our English Women’s Day entitled BRAVE, that was “bravely” held on Friday night to attract more campus women! God blessed the 30 sisters with 90 in attendance!
90 BRAVE women attended the Portland
English Women’s Day!
April Baker was selected as the keynote speaker,
because of her bravery on the Middle
East Mission Field!
One more miracle to share! Debbie & I put up one of our rooms in our home for Airbnb to raise Special Missions, and Tony – a traveling nurse from Colorado – booked the room from the end of February to the check-out date being the day after Special Missions… Debbie & I knew this was of God! He moved in and despite growing up very religious, he saw the life of true disciples, and was baptized two weeks later! He has become a best friend and truly part of the Limon Familia!
Through the blood of Christ, Tony became part
of the Limon Familia!
Ron Harding – Lead Evangelist of Atlanta: Greetings from ThePEACH in Hot’lanta! The entire Atlanta Church sends their love and gratitude for sending the Special Missions money used to plant our amazing church! We have had 11 additions in 16 weeks, which included four amazing baptisms! The latest baptism was Bridjette – Keyanna Malone’s sister – who came to the Inaugural Service on February 24th!
Bridgette (left) was so grateful for her sister
Keyanna, who came all the way from
Houston to take her to the Atlanta
Inaugural Service!
Out of our gratitude and desire to see souls added like this in every city, we wanted to share the incredible fund raising idea of our Campus Interns – Ed Shaw and Josh Galindo! They are charging all makes of electric scooters all over the city! The more you charge, the more they give you, just like Uber and Lyft Drivers! Each brother – using ONLY two to three hours a day – is raising $100/day! The campus is on pace to make our goal ($2,400/disciple) for the year by the end of summer! While teens cannot sign up, the campus students can work with teens to help and then pay them for their services. I also believe this could be a terrific way for unpaid interns to support themselves without being tied down for hours with Starbucks, Subway, etc. The following are the websites to sign up for Bird: https://chargers.bird.co/join, Lime:https://web.limebike.com/juicer, and Skip: https://www.fountain.com/skip-scooters/apply/general-location-ranger. Keep us in your prayers!
By charging electric scooters, Ed (left) and Josh
continue to support themselves in the
“almost” full-time ministry!
Micky Ngungu of Kinshasa: The Kinshasa Church is in awe of God, as last Sunday, He gave us eight more baptisms – four men and four women: Tressy Dola, David Gondola, Isaac Ngalamulume, Jean Baptiste Lekili, Fabrice Nakasila, Annie Magangu, Niclette Moke and Fideline Mamboka!
The eight Easter Baptisms of the Kinshasa Church –
the second largest church in the Movement!
Therefore, in the last seven weeks, the Kinshasa Church Family has been blessed with 22 baptisms! The Kinshasa ICC currently has 343 disciples… and counting!
PRAYER ALERT from Andrew Smellie: Our brother Micky Ngungu – the Overseeing Evangelist for the four Congolese Churches – is in Mbuji Mayi, a city with 70 disciples. He landed on April 25th, but came down with malaria, typhoid fever and a urinary track infection. He is in the hospital and in need of prayer!
Pray for our dear brother Micky to have a speedy
and complete recovery from malaria,
typhoid fever and a urinary
track infection!
Sharmayne Viscichini – Women’s Ministry Leader of Boston: Greetings from the City of Champions! On the weekend of April 14th, the 26 Boston Sisters had a record attendance of 69 at Women’s Day! Every aspect of the event was heartfelt and tear-jerking!
The Boston Sisters imitated the LA Women’s
Day Invite, except for using their
own RADIANT Women!
The keynote speech – RADIANTLY HIS – was given by Brandyn Speckman! There was not a dry eye in the room as Brandyn vulnerably shared her life’s story! I am personally very grateful for her for not just moving our hearts and inspiring us with God’s love, but also for helping me and guiding me to coordinate my first Women’s Day!
Brandyn Speckman in New York City has set a
terrific example in leading and inspiring
women in a local congregation!
LuJack Martinez – Lead Evangelist of Washington DC: God is moving in miraculous ways in the Capital of the USA! As many of you know, the Fisher Family gave up EVERYTHING in Harrisonburg, Virginia – a beautiful home, a successful barbershop business, and the comfort and security of “Small Town USA” – to move to “The Swamp” of cutthroat politics and corruption here in Washington DC! It was not an easy decision; but it was the right decision, as they needed to be part of a vibrant family of disciples! Another one of the things they sacrificed for the Kingdom was the proximity to their famous choir, the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir (SVCC), of which two of our teens – Josiah & David Fisher – are members! Well, Josiah decided to think “outside the box” and asked his choir director if their 93-member choir could come to visit our church in DC to hear him preach and to sing some worship songs for us… and they accepted!
The 93-member Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir!
It was a Sunday Service to remember as THREE HUNDRED AND THREE (303) – our BEST attendance since Cathi & I have been in DC – worshiped with us and heard Josiah Fisher and Matt McGruder, our Teen Leader, preach on Faith, Hope, Love And DISCIPLESHIP! The choir kids and their parents were ALL cut to the heart and several of them are now studying the Bible! Please pray for a house church to start in Harrisonburg and for a Campus Ministry to start at James Madison University!
Josiah literally was “preaching to the choir!”
As for our 2019 Women’s Day, Cathi – my awesome, adorable wife – and the 63 other women of the DC CHURCH were blessed with an incredible attendance of ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-FOUR (184) prominent and influential women from the DC Metropolitan Area! The visitors lives were forever changed by the fellowship of the disciples and the powerful preaching of our sister Sonja Chloupek from our Orlando ICC Family!
Best of friends for many years, Cathi and
Sonja worked as a team to lead the
outstanding DC Women’s Day!
That same weekend, Chris Chloupek helped to “RELAUNCH” our AMS Ministry with an Open Mic AMS Friday Night Devo! Herb & Melika Johnson will serve as the new leaders of this promising and cutting-edge ministry!
Herb & Melika Johnson are the new AMS Leaders
for the Washington DC Church!
We also had an amazing wedding on March 10th: The holy matrimony of Olivier & Deanna Gyenguere, which was a joy and an inspiration to us all! AND we celebrated the engagement of Dale Bryant & Ruth Guteng, who are planning to be married in December 2019!
Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Gyenguere! Lord willing, Dale & Ruth will be married
by the end of the year!
Finally, on a personal Kingdom note, God enabled me to baptize Javier Lazaro Garcia, a Baptist Minister from Havana, Cuba into the Kingdom of God! I first met Javier through my Book Club in DC! Grace Droblas ran into Javier out in front of the host hotel and brought him in to meet her husband Steve, me and several other disciples who were there reaching out! After an intense New Testament Conversions Bible Study, Javier realized that he needed to be baptized as a true disciple! He was baptized on our “Shenandoah Valley Sunday” as the disciples and several of the SVCC Members looked on! And to God be all the glory, honor and praise!
Prayerfully, Javier Garcia will become
an Apollos in DC and Havana!
Michael Williamson – Lead Evangelist of London: We had an incredibly fiery Resurrection Sunday Service with tons of new international visitors! The West Region – led by Kolby & Rebecca Gray – baptized a great Egyptian single professional Henry; while Dara the sister of Denzel was restored; and excitingly Nayomie Jarvis – engaged to Samuel Ajayi – placed membership! I am so proud of Nayomie as she stayed strong through intense border control persecution!
On Easter Sunday, Kolbe (left) baptized Henry,
an incredible single professional from Egypt!
It inspired the London Church to see the next level of leadership of the European World Sector, as four young prophets had the opportunity to preach! Luke Snow is a classically trained pianist and former atheist who is now a full-time intern with hopes of leading the mission team to Scotland (Bold Preaching)! Michael Green is also a former atheist and digital media specialist who has a heart for the South of England (Bold Prayer)! Chris Worth is a former Muslim, Biochem student and Captain of the Queen Mary University Boxing Club, who wants to lead a mission team to Manchester (Bold Evangelism)! And Tom Tanak (Bold Missionary) will serve as the right hand man for Tomiwa Safe-Adewumi on the Amsterdam Mission Team to be sent out at our October EUROPEAN MISSIONS CONFERENCE!
Michele Williamson boldly preached the Word
at the Stockholm Women’s Day!
Praise God that on Thursday, April 25th, Anthony & Cassidy Olmos received their French Missionary Visas and will return to lead the Paris Church next week!
After several months of waiting for their visas in
Los Angeles, Anthony & Cassidy will return
to once again lead their beloved
Paris Church Family!
Mark Garrido – Lead Evangelist of Honolulu: A few weeks ago, Savannah who is the team captain and point guard of the University of Hawaii Basketball Team was met by our Shepherd Joe Santos at “Da Spot” Restaurant. Joe convinced her to come to Women’s Day!Savannah came and was blown away and started studying the Bible! Savannah then brought out two of her teammates the following Sunday and they are studying the Bible! After Savannah completed the Discipleship Study, she asked one of the sisters, “Can I get baptized tomorrow?” The next day, we studied the Bible for over seven hours straight, and Savannah was baptized at our Sunday service! After her baptism she looked at Lauren and said, “You’re next!” God willing her teammate Lauren will be baptized this upcoming Sunday! Please pray for Lauren!
Pray for Savannah to make an impact on
all of her University of Hawaii
Basketball Teammates!
So fired up that we are officially 75 disciples in Oahu and 14% growth for the year! Pray with us for “100 for the Lord” in Honolulu!
Jason Dimitry – Lead Evangelist of San Francisco: Hello Family around the world! This week was truly extraordinary! Yesterday, we held our Annual NorCal Classic Basketball Tournament! I will boast in the Lord as the Silicon Valley Region, led by Sarah & myself, took home the tournament trophy!
Coach Dimitry took the coveted NorCal
Classic Basketball Trophy… again!
After finishing out our three Regional Women’s Days here in San Francisco, we tallied that over 300 came out with our 120 sisters in the church! Therefore, today at our Easter Worship Service, we honored the Women Region Leaders – Jackie Chavez, Ashley Sarkodie, Julie Clark, and of course, my remarkable wife Sarah with flowers for a job well done!
After preaching in LA for Women’s Day, Lianne
Kernan traveled north to speak
in San Francisco!
The Sisters are always a little more
RADIANT at the photo-booth!
Also, we examined the resurrection from an apologetics point of view! To close out the service, we saw four more souls added to the Kingdom through baptism!
Since Pascal is a student at Mission College, Lord
willing, in the near future a Bible Talk
will be started there!
An incredible account: Alicia divorced her husband
because he became a disciple; yet she
never forgot his stand for the truth,
and so was baptized!
Last but definitely not least, many in the church gathered at Marin Headlands after church, a beautiful vista overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge! Here Christian Enos asked Devon Donahue to be his wife! We are so proud of our dear son and daughter in the faith! God is good and His Kingdom is the best place on Earth!
Congratulations to Jason’s & Sarah’s precious son
and daughter in the faith – Christian & Devon –
on their engagement!
Luke Speckman – Lead Evangelist of New York City: Greetings from the “Big Apple!” In the month of April, we kicked off our Annual New York City Church (NYCICC) Basketball League at Columbia University and had our Congregational Women’s Day with the theme of RADIANT! The NYCICC Basketball League has been a blast with one more week to go! The Championship Game will be played next week between Queens and New Jersey!
In all SoldOut Movement Athletic Events, there is a
Prayer Huddle before the beginning of the games! Malik Speckman made another
“signature dunk!”
Women’s Day was perhaps the best I have ever seen – both in content and in the venue! Brandyn and the women did a sensational job putting the program together which was held at the beautiful Marriott Marquis Times Square!
As in New York City and all around the world,
sisters have imitated the City of Angels
Church’s theme of RADIANT and the
design of the invites for their
Women’s Days!
We decided to go for a higher-end, more selective event so as to have a greater focus on high character conversions! Each person, both visitors and disciples, paid $25 to be at the event. Our Prayer Goal was “one-for-one” visitors, so that each disciple has one friend to follow up with and to baptize! So with 115 NYC Sisters, our prayer goal was for 230, and we ended up with 235 women! So we were right on target!
All 235 women paid a $25 registration fee for the
New York City Women’s Day, thus saving
the church $5,875!
Regine Francois, a Columbia University senior,
was quite poised in her presentation as
one of the speakers!
Jersia was baptized at the end of Women’s Day, and to date, we have had four additional incredible women baptized as a direct result of Women’s Day!
Jersia rejoiced in her salvation! The NYC Ushers compared notes after Brandyn’s
speech had convicted them all!
Matt & Helen Sullivan visited over the Easter Weekend and spoke to the church! Matt preached and Helen shared for communion! Also, we had three baptisms!
Matt & Helen Sullivan – the World Sector Leaders
overseeing New York City and most of the East
Coast of the USA – have built tremendous
relationships with all of their
church leaders! Shi was baptized through the efforts of the very
fruitful New Jersey Region!
Praise God that we now have 223 sold-out disciples in New York City!
Cory Blackwell – Lead Evangelist of Chicago: What an incredible week! Truly, God has been gracious and merciful to the Chicago Church! With four baptisms, a wedding and a visit from Caleb & Lizabeth Cohen of LA, who will become our Campus Leaders in June! They will spearhead all the campus work throughout the Midwest.
Caleb & Lizbeth will oversee all of the
Midwest USA Campus Ministries,
when they move to Chicago
in June!
On Thursday about 15 disciples accompanied Jee & me to greet the Cohens at the O’Hare Airport! We immediately went the famous pizza spot Giordano’s! Let’s just say Caleb ate his fill!
Cory now calls Caleb and Markus, “Two of my
American sons in the faith!”
On Friday, Markus Cameron, Heather Schmidt, Pat & Sparkle Boea and the Cohens visited the campuses of Northwestern, DePaul and UIC! (Time did not permit to visit the most prestigious university in the Chicagoland Area – the University of Chicago, which is ranked number three in America!) Later that evening Caleb preached a fiery message for what I believe is the beginning of a very dynamic Chicago Campus Ministry! Thank you so very much Tim & Lianne and the City of Angels Church for sacrificing one of your all-time best couples!
With an enrollment of 21,000 students,
Northwestern University is ranked
number 10 in America, and has a
tuition of over $54,000 per year! DePaul University has an enrollment of 15,000
students and a tuition of $40,000 per year!
The wedding of Magdaleno & Lucy Suarez was incredible, particularly given that it was our Latin Ministry Leader Lalo Palacios’ first wedding!
Congratulations to Magdelano & Lucy Suarez!
Tim Kernan – Lead Evangelist of LA:“Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hosea 6:3) Greetings from sunny and beautiful Los Angeles, California!
So much good news from the City of Angels Church!
The warm weather has begun here in LA, and with so much rain this winter, the flowers are blooming all over our “golden mountains!” And, so is our Spring Into Action Campaign!
The charismatic City of Angels Church
Leaders – Tim & Lianne Kernan!
God certainly answered our prayers for a “Bold Winter Harvest” here in Los Angeles! At the advice of John Causey, a brother who walks with a spring in his step, we called every disciple to pray and fast for fruitfulness at the City of Angels Church Winter Workshop. As of Sunday, the Lord has powerfully responded, for in the first 118 days of 2019, God has blessed us with 124 additions – an amazing 104 mind-blowing baptisms and 20 powerful and heartfelt restorations – more than daily additions!
Isn’t it nice when a tree begins to
“bear” much fruit?
Our actual growth (after sending out the Columbus Mission Team in September and the Atlanta Mission Team in December) is as follows as we were at 881 disciples on January 1, 2019: In January, God grew our membership to 897 (+16); in February, He increased our number to 904 (+7); in March, the Spirit used our Women’s Day to grow to 927 (+23); and in April, we were blessed to grow to 934 (+8)! This gives us a growth of 54 disciples in the first third of the year! Much of this growth comes down to:
1) Having every disciple pray and fast for fruitfulness, thus focusing on the power of God. This has been my Co-Evangelist John Causey’s mantra this year.
2) Emphasizing priorities and daily studies. I especially want to thank Kip for his steadfast accountability on this with me and the Staff. His rebukes and encouragement were life-giving! It’s been huge!
3) Calling for disciples to be “fast family,” as City of Angels Church has sent out so many disciples during my three years “at the helm.” So many were “orphaned” as a cost of sending out mission teams. Again, thank you Kip for your watchful eye on each sheep in “my” pasture! Indeed, our “fall away rate” has steadily declined this year. Our Congregational Shepherds – the Untalans and Kirchners – have been pivotal in establishing a culture of retention and insisting on sound structure.
We are now in reverent awe coming before our God the Lord of the Harvest for abundantly fruitful spring and summer seasons! Also, we are attacking our Prayer Missions Goal with gusto, and as of today, we are at 51%! We are asking God that we smash our goal on May 19th! Please continue to pray for us as we pray for you!
The REACH Short Film Festival is sponsored by
the City of Angels Church AMS Region to
raise money for Spring Missions! Come
join us this Saturday, May 4th
from 5PM to 8PM!
Praise God that date for the “LA Super Service” has been set to be Sunday, August 25th! We will meet at the Anaheim Hilton, the site of several past Global Leadership Conferences! Not only will LA be in attendance, but other congregations such as San Francisco, Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix and Sacramento will be there for the 2019 LA ICCM Commencement! As well, the ICCM Chancellor’s Gala will be held on Friday night! Please keep all of this in your prayers! KM
MCKEANS’ MISSIONARY JOURNEYS
A couple years ago, I had decided that my days of presiding over weddings – as they are very time-intensive – should be left to the younger ministers with the exception if any of my three granddaughters would ask me to do theirs, I would. However, my dear wife Elena gently shared with me that weddings are so bonding and family building, that if asked by future “Kingdom leaders” that I should strongly consider participating in these weddings as these young ministry couples are our spiritual children and grandchildren! So, on December 9, 2018, Elena & I were so overjoyed to receive a phone call from Joey Gregory & Karen Maciel – our dear daughter in the faith – as Joey asked Karen that morning to be his wife at the Columbus ICC Church Service! (They co-lead “The” Ohio State Campus Ministry!) Over the phone, they asked me to do their wedding! I gladly said yes!
Getting engaged to the man of her dreams
brought tears of joy to Karen!
Joey & Karen serve as the Campus Leaders
of “The” Ohio State Ministry!
However, since Joey & Karen had so many more relationships in Los Angeles than Columbus, they decided to have their wedding in the church that gave them both spiritual birth!
Karen and the McKeans baptized Karen’s mom
Araceli on December 30, 2018!
This created several challenges as the “future Gregorys” had very limited funds with which to work. However, so many disciples stepped up to help Joey & Karen in various ways, as the two had endeared themselves to so many through the years! Of particular note were Tony & Therese Untalan! Not only did they host on Thursday evening, March 28th, the Bridal Shower in their living room and the Groom Honoring Party in their backyard, as well as the Rehearsal Dinner on Saturday night, but Tony bought the handsome suit that Joey wore at the wedding!
Therese Untalan went to great lengths to decorate
her living-room for Karen’s Bridal Shower!
At the Rehearsal Dinner, Tony Untalan grilled his
famous pork ribs! Because of his tireless
service to the saints, Tony will be going
full-time as a Movement Shepherd
on July 1st!
On Sunday morning, March 31st, I must admit that I was getting more nervous than usual for a wedding, as I had the honor to marry this amazing couple and escort Karen down the aisle as her “Dad in the Faith!” After all, Elena & I had bonded to Karen in a very special way as we worked together for three years side-by-side on the Good News Emails! During this time, we watched Karen grow so much spiritually, as she received her ICCM BA Degree at the 2017 Manila Global Leadership Conference and became so skilled in writing and editing that she became the Assistant Redactor for ICCM-Global! As well, we saw Karen grow in her “courage” as she “fell in love” with the dashing and fruitful intern Joey Gregory, who became the Valedictorian of the 2018 BA Degree Class!
When he first began ICCM, Joey’s secret
prayer was to be the 2018 Class
Valedictorian… God honored
that bold request!
Courage? Since Joey was on the Columbus Mission Team, the cost for Karen to pursue a relationship with him was leaving her beloved church family and her physical family – both of whom were in LA. Unknown to some, Karen’s awesome mom Araceli had been both “mom and dad” for so many years as Karen never met her father.
All of Karen’s sisters – Vanessa (left), Sarah (second
from right) and Lizbeth (right) – participated
in the wedding!
Most amazing about the date that Joey & Karen chose to be married was that very day Joey’s paternal grandparents – Karl & Judy Newell – celebrated their 35th Wedding Anniversary and his maternal grandparents – Bobby & Sandy Gonzales – celebrated their 52nd Anniversary!
Amazingly, both of Joey’s grandparents were
married on March 31st – the same
as Joey & Karen! Karen’s three spiritual moms – Therese, Elena
and Coleen – ready her for “The Big Event!”
The wedding opened with Lauren Zepeda singing “At Last!” Then came the two sets of Joey’s grandparents, followed by Elena escorting in Karen’s maternal grandmother Martha, whom Karen was named after!
At the Rehearsal Dinner the night before, Karen’s
grandmother celebrated her 73rd Birthday! Even while Lauren was singing At Last, Tajai
Reed – an expert makeup artist – was putting
“the final touches” on the Bride!
Then came the moms each with a candle representing the life that they gave to Joey & Karen, which they placed on each side of the Unity Candle.
Jodi (left) and Araceli – the two moms – walked in
together each with a lit candle representing
the lives they gave to their children!
So special were all the relationships in the wedding: Tim Kernan gave the Welcome; Coltin Rohn was the Best Man; and Coleen Challinor flew all the way from Manila to be Karen’s Matron of Honor!
Tim and Coltin walked in on The Mission
Impossible theme! Carlos Robielos and his fellow Groomsmen “danced
in” on Uptown Funk! Ricky Challinor!
Since most at the wedding knew that Joey grew
up in Alabama, the Groom “brought the house
down” when he came in on the song Sweet Home Alabama!
Engaged the night before to JC Sanchez,
Frida was a very “fired up”
Maid of Honor!
Joey’s adorable sister Abbi!
The Ringbeares – Karen’s nephews Raymond
Martinez (right) and Anthony Castro –
“informed” Joey that his princess
was coming!
I escorted Karen to the song, Can’t Help Falling In Love by Kina Grannis. Though Karen could not remember a time that she saw Joey cry, when we reached Joey, he was so moved that tears were rolling down his face!
Kip was very honored to escort down the aisle
his precious daughter in the faith!
After I “gave away” Karen to her future husband, Coltin Rohn, the best man prayed! Then, we sang accapella, Our God He Is Alive! In all of the weddings at which I preside, I always have an accapella song as the Dedication of a wedding, so the non-Christian families “see and hear” the hearts of the true church in their singing!
Coltin Rohn – the Best Man – delivered
the opening prayer!
I try to make every wedding just a little different! My two charges to Joey & Karen were: SEALED FOR LIFE and WITH A LOVE THAT ALWAYS BURNS BRIGHT! So many commented afterward about the godly purity of Joey’s & Karen’s dating relationship, as at the end of the wedding was their very first kiss! Also, that 75% of marriages in California end in divorce, and yet in God’s SoldOut Movement Family of Churches around the world, there has never been a divorce between two faithful disciples!
As Coleen – the Matron of Honor – and Coltin
looked on, Kip began the wedding!
During the ceremony, I shared that in the scores of weddings that I have been privileged to perform, only for my three physical children had I incorporated 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. Yet because Karen is so special as a true daughter, I used it for Joey & her! (It was also Elena’s & my privilege to buy Karen’s wedding dress.)
The Bride!
1 Corinthians 13:1-8 is truly a great Scripture for weddings, as in this eight verse passage, the word for “love” in Greek – used seven times and referenced another eight times – is not “eros” (romantic/sexual love), but “agape” (a total self-sacrificing love)! If all couples would practice “agape” and not rely solely on “eros,” then all marriages would last a lifetime! Well, the theme selected by Joey & Karen for the wedding was Prince Charming & Cinderella! This Kingdom Fairytale came true as the King of King’s son – “Prince” Joey kissed the “East LA girl” who became a “Princess” of the Kingdom!
Congratulations to Prince
Charming & Cinderella!
What a night of celebration as Joey & Karen began their “happily ever after” lives!
The jubilant Maciel / Gregory Wedding Party!
The charming Flower Girls –
Hailee and Trina Rohn!
During the Wedding Sermonette, it was shared
that Joey would like to have 2 children,
but Karen has always dreamed
of 11! Pray for them!
The Happy Couple!
The Father / Daughter Dance!
The Mother / Son Dance!
Unique to this unforgettable wedding –
the Mother / Daughter Dance!
Oh yes, they were given a honeymoon to Hawaii by several disciples coming together to honor this amazing couple! And to God be the glory!
At the end of their dream honeymoon in Hawaii,
Joey & Karen presided over the Contribution,
while sharing about the Columbus
Church planting!
Joey & Karen will become the LA South
Region Leaders on May 26th, and the
IGNITE Teen Leaders for the
Movement on July 14th!
The next Sunday, April 7th, Elena & I visited the West Region where we were reunited with Richie & Elizabeth McDonnell – the new West Region Leaders, Michael & Sharon Kirchner – the Admin World Sector Leaders, and Jonathan (Jay) Causey & Alicia Winthein, who lead the UCLA and Teen Ministry! Richie “hit it out of the park” in his sermon entitled, THE CALLING OF MOSES! His three powerful points were: 1) We May Not Understand But Trust God’s Plan, 2) Saved Slaves Saving Slaves, and 3) There Is No One Else! Not only was the sermon eloquently delivered and asking great things of us, but it was a tremendous Bible Study!
Heroic Missionaries of Manila and the dynamic
West Region Leaders – Richie &
Elizabeth McDonnell!
I was asked to close out this amazing service with news that would encourage the region in their Missions Contribution on May 19th. From being in the fellowship, I discovered that few knew all of the SoldOut Movement’s Church Plantings for 2019! So, I shared the 11 plantings for 2019:
Auckland, New Zealand (February)
Atlanta Georgia (February)
Lima, Peru (May)
Kathmandu, Nepal (July)
Phnom Penh, Cambodia (August)
Davao, Philippines (August)
Johannesburg, South Africa (September)
Indianapolis, Indiana (September)
New Haven, Connecticut (September)
Amsterdam, Netherlands (October)
Calcutta, India (November)
Eleven church plantings in a calendar year is a new record for the SoldOut Movement! If one counts church plantings and remnant group churches, Lima will be the 100th congregation in the Movement! The Lima Mission Team had their first baptism today!
Praise God that on May 19th at the Lima
Inaugural Service, there will be exactly
100 congregations in God’s
SoldOut Movement!
Though not counted as a “planting,” a supplemental mission team was sent to Bogotá, Colombia as the remnant left in opposition to the preaching of the Distinguishing Five Core Convictions of the SoldOut Movement by the heroic young ministry couple, Tulio & Vaítsa Amaral. Only nine courageous disciples remained in the Bogotá ICC. Therefore, Raul Moreno, the World Sector Leader for Central and South America, sent the supplemental mission team to Bogotá after the February SOUTH AMERICAN MISSIONS CONFERENCE! Praise God, they reported that they had their first three baptisms yesterday from the Universidad Nacional, which is the top university in Colombia, bringing the church to 14 sold-out disciples!
The gallant Bogotá Supplemental Mission Team:
Gabriel, Amanda, Vaítsa & Tulio – all of São
Paulo, as well as Juan of Miami and
Victor of Rio de Janeiro!
Please welcome Daniel, Sofia and Cristian
to God’s worldwide family!
However, the ultimate reason for going to the West Region was to see Jack Fenton be baptized into Christ! The Fenton Family has meant so much to so many over the years including Elena & me, so we wanted to support Jim & Donna as they baptized their youngest child into Christ! What joy was felt throughout the entire West Region!
A fellow “Kingdom Kid,” Jay Causey (green shirt),
studied with and shared about Jack Fenton!
Jim Fenton encouraged his son to
always persevere in his faith!
Jim & Donna joyfully baptized their youngest!
Jack cannot believe how awesome
it is to be a disciple!
Donna was so proud of Jack!
Two days later, on Tuesday, April 9th, Elena & I boarded the first of three flights to go to Kiev (Ukraine) for the wedding festivities of Luca Di Beo of São Paulo and Sophia Sirotkina of Moscow, but born and in her early years raised in Kiev! We were warmly greeted at the Kiev Airport by Oleg & Aliona Sirotkin and the “future” Luca & Sophia Di Beo at 2:00AM on Thursday, April 11th – my 47th Spiritual Birthday!
The Sirotkins and the “future” Di Beos welcomed
the McKeans to Kiev at 2AM on April 11th –
Kip’s 47th Spiritual Birthday!
Very interestingly, Sophia knew Luca was “the one” when they started dating! Sophia at 14 years old first watched what became her favorite movie – La Vita E Bella! In the movie, the main character meets his future wife and greets her with the words, “Buongiorno Principessa!” These were the words that Luca said to Sophia when he asked her to start dating! As for Luca, his heart went to Sophia after being introduced to her by Oleg with the words, “We have many beautiful and spiritual sisters in Moscow, like Sophia! She wants to go full-time! Please come visit!”
When Luca asked Sophia to be his girlfriend at
the 2018 Eurasian Missions Conference in
Moscow, he greeted her with the
words from her favorite movie,
“Buongiorno Principessa!”
Anyways, at Thursday noontime, the Sitotkins, the “future” Di Beos and Elena & I, met again to essentially plan out the entire Wedding Ceremony! Since so many in the Wedding Party were not coming in till Friday, we had previously agreed that there would not be a Groom Honoring Party or Bridal Shower. That said, in Russian and Ukrainian Weddings there is so much sharing at the Wedding Reception that the pre-wedding festivities were not missed! As well, after an early Rehearsal Dinner on Friday at 5:30PM where there was also some sharing, we then had the actual Rehearsal which went quite well!
At the Rehersal Dinner, Luca presented all of
his Groomsmen with swords!
This wedding was quite easy to make unique with a mix of Brazilian Wedding Customs from the Di Beo Family and Russian / Ukrainian Customs from the Sirotkin Family! It truly was a “Kingdom Wedding” as disciples came from all around the worldwide Kingdom: Brazil, Russia, Sweden, USA, England and of course Ukraine!
Sophia has traveled the world with her family to
preach the Gospel and has made so friends
of fellow disciples in so many nations!
The wedding took place in the heart of Old Kiev in the beautiful Khreschatyk Hotel! So amazing was the ballroom where there was a giant video monitor behind the stage! So, Oleg planned a very moving and thrilling three minute Opening Video – complete with fireworks – to introduce Luca & Sophia! (Sofia is considering changing the spelling of her name as “Sofia” is the Italian spelling!)
The fantastic Opening Video!
Luca & Sophia in Ukrainian!
Following was the entry of Sophia’s two grandmothers – Larissa and Anna – on the song, Close To You! Then Luca’s father Sandro’s favorite Brazilian song Che Fantastica played as Raul – the Best Man – and I walked in followed by the Groomsmen! As the song continued, in a special tribute to his mom Marissa – who is a disciple in São Paulo, Luca was escorted in by his mom! Then Dancing Queen was played for the Bridesmaids and Ringbearer! Afterward came the much anticipated moment, during which was the playing of a romantic live instrumental: The Flower Girl – Aliona, whom Sophia converted in high school – walked in tossing rose petals high in the air! Then we saw the beautiful bride and her proud father coming down the aisle! I asked Oleg in English, “Who gives this gorgeous woman to be married to this amazing man?” He responded in Russian, “Her family and I!”
Oleg gave away his cherished daughter to a
man he trusted would get her to Heaven!
Then Oleg brought Luca & Sophia together, and Oleg stood by my side to translate the Wedding Sermonette into Russian! For the Song of Dedication, the congregation sang, O Lord Our Lord – the first stanza in English, the next in Russian, and the last in Ukrainian! Both Christians and non-Christians stood in awe of God, as we sang this accapella hymn, knowing this could only happen in the Kingdom!
The Song of Dedication was O Lord Our Lord –
the first stanza in English, the next in
Russian, and the last in Ukrainian!
The theme for my charge to Luca & Sophia was “Destiny” from Ephesians 1:4-8, where all are “predestined in love by God!” My three challenges for this incredible couple to remember were: DESTINED IN LOVE, DESTINED FOR EACH OTHER, and DESTINED FOR GREATNESS! I closed with my usual charge to pray every night together as the secret to greatness in the Kingdom!
The Wedding Sermonette was sometimes humorous,
sometimes sobering, but always encouraging!
Luca & Sophia exchanged deeply
moving Personal Vows!
After the Pronouncement that they were husband and wife and their first kiss, Luca placed a Ukrainian wreath on Sophia’s head representing his pledge to see her someday receive the “crown of eternal life.”
At the Presentation, when for the first time
Luca & Sophia were introduced as Mr. &
Mrs. Di Beo, Sophia was ultra excited!
Following the ceremony, pictures were taken of the Wedding Party!
The gorgeous Bridesmaids and Aliona – the beautiful
Flower Girl (in red) that Sophia converted
in high school!
The ever-so-handsome Groomsmen!
The multi-national Sirotkina / Di Beo Wedding Party!
Congratulations to Luca & Sophia!
The Reception – held in a elegant Italian-style hotel – began with the traditional “Korovai” (Wedding Bread Cake) given to the Newlyweds by the four parents! The bride and groom each partook of the Korovai and dipped a bite in salt, which symbolized being unified even during the bitter moments of life. This was followed by a sip of wine, which symbolized savoring the sweet moments of their future married life! As well, Oleg shared with me, “Bread symbolizes life. Therefore, parents bless their children with bread and give a toast of wine, so that they will have a fruitful life!”
The “Korovai” was served to the Newlyweds
by their four parents!
The Bride & the Groom each took a piece of
the bread and dipped it together in salt
symbolizing their unity even through
the bitter moments of life!
Moments later, wine was sipped by Luca & Sophia,
so they would remember to celebrate and
savor the sweet moments of married life!
Then off to the Reception…
The “Korovai” was displayed prominently
at the Head Table!
Following was lots of food, toasts, sharing, laughter… and dancing!
The First Dance!
Lidia – Sophia’s sister and Maid of Honor – translated
Oleg’s mom (yellow) and Aliona’s mom (blue)
as they gave advice to Luca & Sophia!
Michael & Michelle Williamson are looking
forward to having Luca & Sophia come to
London after Luca graduates
from USP in July!
Raul & Lynda are going to miss the Di Beos
in their world sector!
Oleg & Aliona shared their advice to Luca & Sophia!
A great banquet was graciously given by Oleg & Aliona to all invited to the wedding!
It was quite a Wedding Feast!
The Cutting of the Cake was fun
as it is in every culture!
The McKeans with their beloved grandchildren
in the faith – Luca & Sophia!
Early Sunday morning, Oleg and I had breakfast with a remnant disciple. While we were talking, Oleg and his friend just stared at this huge, very “chiseled” man, who sat down fairly close to us! (I later learned that Wikipedia lists him as 6′ 7″ – 201 cm!) Then, in disbelief that I did not know him, Oleg shared that this was Vitali Kiltschko, the three-time World Champion Ukrainian Heavyweight Boxer, and now the mayor of Kiev! As we were leaving, I went over to Mr. Kiltschko and introduced myself in English saying that I had been coming to Kiev off and on since 1992. When I shared I was from LA, Mr. Kiltschko warmed up and said, “If I had a second life, I would live in LA!” After about 15 minutes of dialogue sharing about the Kiev Church and Oleg, I invited him to church. He kindly said that he would consider it!
While in Kiev, Kip shared with Vitali
Kiltschko – the Mayor of Kiev!
Mr. Kiltschko is the second longest reigning WBC
Heavyweight Champion of all time!
Sunday with the Kiev Church was so encouraging! The church has gone through many trials and only numbers 65. Yet, God used persecution to block Aliona Sirotkina from Moscow in February, so the wedding and all the participants came to Kiev instead of Moscow… God’s ingenious plan to strengthen Kiev! The church was greatly strengthen by 15 disciples from Moscow and the participation in their worship service of four World Sector Leader Couples: the Morenos – Contribution, the Sirotkins – Welcome, Michael Williamson – Sermon and Michele lighting up the fellowship, and Elena & I closed the service!
The Kiev Sunday Service was electric!
A packed house sang powerfully in Ukrainian,
Russian and English!
So many great visitors including Bogdan Mekeda – a former Kiev City Boxing Champion, photographer and former disciple – and his beautiful wife Aliona, a former Miss Ukraine!
The Mekedas have a beautiful young
son named Daniel!
Sunday night, Elena & I spent time over dinner with Michael & Michele Williamson discussing the European Churches. In the midst of this discussion, we glanced over at the TV and there was a special report that the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was in flames! We watched the report for several minutes and saw the parallels between Notre Dame being in flames and Europe being in flames spiritually!
Praise God with Europe spiritually in flames,
the Olmoses are being sent back to
Paris by the Holy Spirit!
That Monday afternoon, we had an incredible lunch with the Mekedas and Sirotkins, where Bogdan made the decision to be restored and would like to baptize his wife! (Bogdan was baptized in 1998 in Kiev as a 15 year old young man.) Oleg & Aliona have now done all “the studies” with them, and Lord willing, they will be restored and baptized Sunday at the EURASIAN MISSIONS CONFERENCE on May 5th!
During lunch, Bogdan expressed his desire to be
restored and then to baptize Aliona at
the EAMC in Moscow!
Following lunch, the Sirotkins and us planned the EURASIAN MISSIONS CONFERENCE which will be held this week on May 3-5, 2019 in Moscow!
The inspirational theme of the 2019 EURASIAN
MISSIONS CONFERENCE in Moscow –
where it is against the law to share
your faith – is BRAVE HEART!
It was announced last Friday, April 26th at the Moscow Church that Oleg – to be reunited with Aliona – would be moving to Kiev to forcefully advance the Eurasian World Sector! Dima & Tanya Serafonov will assume the leadership of Moscow!
With the Sirotkins in Kiev, Dima & Tanya
Serafonov will become the Moscow
Church Leaders!
The Di Beo’s dream – since Luca is fluent in Italian and carries an Italian passport – is to train in London with Michael & Michele Williamson and plant the Rome ICC in 2022! Of course, the Di Beos honeymooned in Italy!
On the very first day of their honeymoon in Rome,
Luca & Sophia prayed for two hours at the
Colosseum to evangelize all Italy from
the Rome ICC, which is their
dream to plant!
On Tuesday, April 16th, we flew to New York City to finalize plans with Luke & Brandyn Speckman on the planting of Kathmandu (Nepal) in July! The Speckmans have done an outstanding job in rebuilding the foundation of the New York City Church, as they have raised up so many full-time ministry people! During our time, we also discussed in detail the plans for the NOVEMBER SOUTH ASIA MISSIONS CONFERENCE(SAMC) in New Delhi! Since the almost 70 disciples of the Crown of Thorns Council oversees missions for the SoldOut Movement, my hope is to get the entire council to the SAMC to better understand the challenges of third world missions! Prayerfully, on the Sunday of the SAMC, the Holy Spirit will send out the Calcutta (India) Mission Team!
Elena visited her favorite store in Times
Square – the M&M’s Store!
At the planning meeting with the Speckmans, Elena
shared her “bounty” of M&M’s with Brandyn!
At Strawberry Fields in Central Park, Elena
“imagined” an evangelized world!
We stayed till Friday in New York City to spend time with our son Sean, his wonderful wife Alex, and our 21 year old granddaughter Alicia! That night, the five of us celebrated Sean’s new career with gelato – a family favorite!
Kip & Elena celebrated their son Sean’s new job
by eating gelato with his lovely wife –
Alex and their beloved 21 year old
grandaughter – Alicia!
On Saturday, we flew home to LA in time for Easter Sunday with our beloved AMS Region Family! And to God be all the glory!
FAMILY NEWS Boston: We are excited to announce the birth on April 17th of Abigail Gomes – the beautiful daughter of our treasured brother and sister, Jackie & Aradhna!
Congratulations to the Gomeses on the birth
of their daughter Abigail!
Dallas/Ft. Worth: Congratulations to Damont & BJ Webb on the birth of their daughter Tetiwe! She was born two months early and had to stay over a week in the NICU. At birth, she weighed 4lbs. 12oz. and praise God now both Tetiwe and mom are doing great!
Jayden – Tetiwe’s big brother – was so
excited that his little sister came
home “safe and sound!”
Honolulu: Congratulations to Dennis & Corinna Sloan on the birth of their firstborn – Noah Christopher-kai!
Congratulations to Dennis & Corinna on the birth
of Noah Christopher-kai Sloan!
Los Angeles – AMS Region: Chantelle Anderson – former WNBA player and part-time intern of the City of Angels Church AMS Region – recently wrote, “Never did I expect that a little over two years after becoming a full-time motivational speaker, that I would be speaking at Google Headquarters in Silicon Valley for the second time! God’s plans are always bigger than ours!”
Chantelle Anderson – former WNBA Player and AMS
Region part-time intern – spoke at Google
Headquarters for a second time!
Inland Empire Region: At our breath-taking Easter Wedding, Jared McGee gave a magnificent sermonette impacting not only Sergio & Selene Narine, but their lovely families as well! Congratulations Sergio & Selene!
Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Sergio &
Selene Narine!
Kirk Hamula – Lead Evangelist of the East Region of LA:“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”(John 13:34-35) It has been so encouraging to see this Scripture come to life as our love can change the world! God allows us to endure hardships so that we can fulfill this very Scripture! As most of you are aware, Dennis Wong lost his wife Sharon to cancer less than a year ago, but not before she became a disciple! I have been so proud of the East Region Family as we have wrapped our arms around Dennis and his three daughters: Megan, Madelyn and Mabel during this troubling time.
Dennis, Sharon, Megan, Madelyn and
Mabel Wong in Bangkok in 2003!
On Friday, March 22nd, the doctors told Dennis that Megan has B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The news was devastating and yet despite the circumstances, Dennis called me and we then pray in tears together over the phone. As soon as I could, I went straight to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County where Dennis and Megan were. I was unfortunately unable to go up and see them, and so in turn, I got on my knees and prayed for the next 45 minutes in the lobby for Megan, Dennis and their whole family. Thankfully, I was able to spend time with Dennis that night after my lobby prayer.
Dennis enjoyed a light moment with Megan!
Since then, Dennis has been the best Dad I have ever seen: Being by Megan’s side, finding strength in God, and staying in communication with the disciples. On April 12th, we had an incredible opportunity to be able to help them move as Dennis moved closer to the hospital just in case of emergencies. The entire East Region Campus Ministry helped move them into their new house and sanitize every “nook and cranny” so that it would be safe for Megan.
The East Region graciously helped the Wongs
move into their new home!
As well, many in the East Region have come forward to donate their platelets in order to help Megan have a healthy supply as she undergoes chemotherapy. I personally was able to (Praise God!) on Tuesday, April 16th! Please keep praying for Megan and the Wong Family!
Kirk was overjoyed to donate platelets to Megan!
Miami: The Lord blessed Jacob & Hannah Wessels at their wedding with the breath-taking backdrop of the Miami skyline on the Atlantic Ocean!
Congratulations to Jacob & Hannah
Wessels of Miami!
New Delhi: Eroz & Bindu, who Lord willing will one day be leading a mission team to their home-city of Chandigarh, were blessed with a baby boy – Joel!
Congratulations to Eroz & Bindu on the birth
of their first child – Joel!
Orlando: Congratulations to Travis & Vanessa Lewis, who were gloriously married on April 20, 2019!
Travis & Vanessa will inspire each other
to “dance blissfully through life!”
Portland: Miguel & Katherine Torres had a very beautiful Kingdom Wedding! She wrote on her Facebook, “Fairytales do exist, but only when God is the author!”
As Katherine shared, “Fairytales do exist, but only
when God is the author!”
Ragusa (City on the Italian Island of Sicily): Passalacqua Ragusa – the Italian Women’s Basketball Team of our new sister Jessica Kuster – won the March Tournament called the ItalianCup! Passalacqua Ragusa soundly defeated Sesto San Giovanni 77-61! By winning it, the Sicilian Team Ragusa proved they were the best team in all Italy… until the playoffs start!
Passalacqua Ragusa won the Italian Basketball Cup!
(Our sister Jessica is seated on the left
in the front row!)
Congratulations dearest Jessica! We will pray
for you during the Italian Basketball
League Playoffs!
San Diego: On April 7, 2019, we were blessed to witness the union of Mark & Chantelle George (formerly known as Chantelle Alcover)! What was amazing was having disciples visit from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hawaii and Las Vegas for this momentous occasion! Even more encouraging, was the baptism the day before on Women’s Day at which one of Mark’s friends, Margie Jones, finally became his sister in Christ! We are excited to have Mark & Chantelle place membership here in San Diego!
Congratulations to Mark & Chantelle! (Mark is the
father of Princeton George – the Las
Vegas Evangelist!)
Syracuse: Congratulations to Rafael & Melissa Jerez on the birth of their second son – Kris Leandro! He was born at 8:20AM on Thursday, April 25th! Mother and child are doing awesome… so is dad!
“Children are a heritage form the Lord, offspring
a reward from Him!” (Psalm 127:3)
Congratulations Jerezes on the
birth of Kris Leandro!
On Saturday April 13th our dear sister, Kathy Hoxie, finished her race and went on to glory! Several months ago, she had been diagnosed with Stage Four Lung Cancer and given a year to live. She began having lunch with one of our mature sisters and joining her for Bible Talk. Kathy was touched by the genuine love of Christ she felt through our sisters. After diligently studying the Bible, she was baptized on December 15th! Rafael Jerez fondly remembers how Kathy started her race “running,” as she did not even wait for the step stool or assistance to get into the baptistry; Kathy jumped right in the water eager to begin her new life!
Our dear sister Kathy “finished the race”
just as she started it – sold-out!
EDITORIAL Weapons of War
Written just days after Israel’s ignominious defeat on Mount Gilboa, 2 Samuel 1:19-27 was David’s heartfelt “Lament Of The Bow!” In this extraordinary eulogy, David lifted up both Saul and Jonathan as “weapons of war that have perished!” For me, this is all the more moving because Saul in jealousy had sought David’s life for years! Yet, David chose to remember that in death both Saul and Jonathan sacrificed their lives for Israel – God’s people! Clearly inferred is that these men were God’s “weapons of war!” Indeed, that is what leaders are: “Tools” for our God to battle Satan for God’s conquests – the Promised Land in the Old Testament, and for us in the New Testament era, the conquest for “every creature under Heaven” to hear the Gospel in THIS generation! (Colossians 1:23)
God’s weapons of war against Satan are His leaders!
In my opinion, perhaps the three most effective ministries in raising up leaders are: New Delhi/Chennai, India; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Los Angeles, California. New Delhi (and earlier Chennai) were planted by Raja & Debs Rajan. Through the power of prayer and following the example of Jesus, the Rajans have multiplied God’s “weapons of war” in India by baptizing and raising up leaders the majority of which came through the Singles Ministry in their earlier “Chennai Days!” These include (now most are married):
John & Salma Jayakaran (Baptized from Singles – New Delhi Region Leaders)
Roger & Yassa Green (Singles – “future” Kathmandu Church Leaders)
Prathap & Maggie Kumar (Singles – Chennai Evangelist & WML)
Nishanth Arockiyaraj (Singles – Chennai Region Leader)
Nalini Elangovan (Singles – Chennai Region Leader)
Johnson & Vandana Gona (Singles – New Delhi Shepherding Couple)
Jeffery & Reena Norris (Singles – New Delhi Region Leaders)
Thomas & Shirly Vijayan (Singles/Campus – Chennai Shepherding Couple)
However, very fascinatingly, the newest paid interns in India were converted in the Campus and Teen Ministries:
Ani Debbarma (Campus working on her PhD – New Delhi Intern)
Debzy Kent (Campus – New Delhi Intern)
Jude Niranjan (Campus – New Delhi Intern)
Rhea Kristine (Teens – New Delhi Intern)
Shefali Rajan (Teens – New Delhi Intern)
Raja & Debs Rajan – great Heroes in the Faith!
In São Paulo, Raul & Lynda Moreno have done a splendid job baptizing and raising up Evangelists, Women’s Ministry Leaders and Interns, especially from the University of São Paulo (USP)! Almost to a person, their leaders were baptized in their Campus Ministry (now many have married):
Vini & Bia Rodriquez (Baptized from Campus – São Paulo West Region Evangelist & WML)
Danilo & Carol Bataglin (Campus – Lima Evangelist & WML)
Caio & Carol Costa (Campus – Rio Evangelist & WML)
Tulio & Vaitsa Amaral (Campus – Bogotá Evangelist & WML)
Luca & Sophia Di Beo (Campus/Teens – São Paulo English Region Leaders)
Gabriel & Amanda Espeçamilha (Campus – Bogotá Interns)
Lucas Cardoso (Campus – São Paulo East Region Campus Intern)
Leticia Cassimiro (Campus – São Paulo East Region Campus Intern)
Luis Dias (Campus – São Paulo South Region Leader)
Malu Malaquias (Campus – São Paulo South Region Leader)
Gabriel Freitas (Campus – São Paulo Intern)
Camila Honorio (Singles – São Paulo Intern)
Lucas Tria (Teens – São Paulo Intern)
Good to remember that the top two couples – Raul & Lynda and Renato & Maria Jose Tria – were baptized off the campus in the ICOC Days!
Raul & Lynda – God’s Weapons of War for
Central and South America!
Though many ministries have contributed to the City of Angels International Christian Church (CAICC), this congregation has baptized, restored, trained, appointed or reappointed the majority of the key leaders in the Movement. Of special note is one of the 12 Regions of the CAICC – the South Region! Indeed, the South Region was Elena’s & my “home region” for many years. Therefore, the following disciples were influenced directly by us or by Tim & Lianne Kernan, as in time the South became their “home base” after us.Remember all of these leaders were baptized, restored, trained, appointed or reappointed FROM ONLY ONE of LA’s 12 Regions:
Tim & Lianne Kernan (Baptized from Campus – World Sector Leaders of the Pacific Rim)
Ricky & Coleen Challinor (Teens – Manila Evangelist & WML)
Mike & Chenelle Patterson (Teens/Campus – New York City Evangelist & WML)
Ashley Tambaur (Campus – Stockholm WML)
Coltin & Mandee Rohn (Campus – Columbus Evangelist & WML)
Jason & Sarah Dimitry (Singles/Campus – San Francisco Evangelist & WML)
Anthony & Cassidy Olmos (Teens/Singles – Paris Evangelist & WML)
Oleg & Aliona Sirotkin (Singles – World Sector Leaders of Eurasia)
Masha Bizimova (Singles – Moscow WML)
Sasha Davitadze (Singles – Eurasian World Sector Admin)
Kolbe & Rebecca Gray (Singles/Campus – London Regional Evangelist & WML)
Jason & Daniela Woody (Singles/Campus – Houston Evangelist & WML)
Stacy & Lynette Ybarra (Singles – LA House Church Leaders)
Heidi Bradley (Campus – LA Admin)
Caleb & Lizbeth Cohen (Teens – Chicago Campus Ministry Evangelist & WML)
…and on May 26th, Joey & Karen Gregory (Campus – appointed on July 14th Evangelist & WML)!
This does not include one of the preeminent Shepherding Couples in the Movement, Lance & Connie Underhill (Marrieds), who supported, loved and encouraged each of these awesome disciples listed above.
Three World Sector Leader Couples have
led in the South Region!
My take-aways: 1) Raja & Debs continue to invest in the Singles Ministry, but now have “learned to be even more invested” in the Campus Ministry, as it is becoming their primary source of future leaders. 2) “Kingdom Kids” are a terrific source of future leaders, as just from these three lists are: Coleen Challinor, Shefali Rajan, Sophia Di Beo, Lucas Tria, Mike Patterson and Lizbeth Cohen. 3) Campus Ministry in the ICOC and in the SoldOut Movement was and is not the only source of leadership, but it is the richest fountain of leadership!
The acronym for “Weapons of War” is W.O.W! Have
you lost “the wow factor” in your leadership?
Therefore, EVERY CHURCH needs to invest heavily in building great Campus Ministries, if we are to multiple leaders to be God’s “weapons of war” to win the spiritual battle to evangelize all nations in this generation! And to God be all the glory!
We are family… bold and unashamed,
Kip
