2014 Kingdom Advancement Grants
Trinity Church joyfully announces the 2014 Kingdom Advancement Grants. Our Lansing-based faith community is committed to global partnerships that result in the Gospel being declared and demonstrated each year to those not yet in the Kingdom. Our priorities are evangelism among less-reached peoples, strategic intervention on behalf of the marginalized, increased availability of Scripture, and contextualized leadership training and development.
We are pleased to award the following 11 grants for a total of $108,800 which are intended to stimulate the ministry of Trinity missionaries, associates and strategic partners.
$10,000— Gypsy Church Complex Gyergyoszentmiklos, Romania
Submitted by Trinity’s Strategic Partner in Budapest, Rose-Garden Baptist Church (RBC), this grant provides matching funds to RBC to help the Romanian Gypsies construct a church building, a small school and a hygiene center.
This complex is being built in the Gypsy village on land donated by the Mayor and City Council of Gyergyoszentmiklos. The Gypsies are vibrantly and rapidly responding to the Gospel in a geographic area where anti-minority nationalism persists against both Hungarians and Gypsies. We affirm the remarkable leadership Pastor Zsolt Novak has brought to this ministry in Romania. We also celebrate RBC’s missional vision to see a holistic church established among those significantly different from them.
Trinity’s Hungary Strategic Partnership is co-led by the Rader Family and Brian Williamson of BrandNew. They look forward to celebrating the opening of the church building in May, followed by the school and hygiene center later in the year.
$5,000— Missions Fund Budapest, Hungary
Submitted by Rose-Garden Baptist Church (RBC), Trinity’s Strategic Partner in Budapest, this grant provides matching funds to RBC to help their young adults actively engage in the (above) Romanian mission.
In July 2013, the group shared Christ with 100 young people in the main square of Gyergyoszentmiklos, pantomimed and gave their testimonies next to the city’s open market, and passed out over 400 Bibles. In this area, the city council and local priests have forbidden the common people to possess Bibles. Only the priests, who have been theologically trained, are allow to possess or read the Word of God. We affirm RBC’s courage, and are grateful for the invitation to join their young adults in a similar outreach this summer.
Trinity’s Hungary Strategic Partnership is co-led by the Rader Family and Brian Williamson of BrandNew, We also celebrate the potential expansion of our current partnership focus from an annual English Camp for unchurched teens in Budapest to now include this missional outreach in Romania.
$12,500—Ashaninka Bible Institute Strategic Growth Project Mazamari, Peru
Submitted by Trinity Mission Resource Team member and South America Mission’s (SAM) International Ministries Director Dave Broucek, this grant continues our commitment to SAM’s efforts to develop church planters and leaders among the Ashaninka of Peru.
With less than 1.5% evangelical Christians, and the rebel group Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) who martyred more than 50 Ashaninka pastors in the ‘80s and ’90s making a comeback, there exists a desperate need for strong godly leaders to shape the transformative work of local churches among this people group.
$4,500 of the grant will provide for half of the training expenses for the 30 Ashaninka pastors enrolled in the 2014 training program. The Old Testament translation project, in partnership with SIL, is two years away from completion, and the remaining $8,000 will cover the outstanding portion of the 2013-2014 translation expenses.
Trinity missionaries Dave and Rachel Powell work with SAM in Peru, actively providing leadership to the Ashaninka Bible Institute.
$12,500—Supplemental Funds for Discovery’s Community in Action Galway, Ireland
Submitted by Paul Cullen, pastor of Discovery Church and co-leader of our Strategic Partnership in Ireland, this grant is the fifth to supplement Discovery’s ministry to homeless individuals and families in need.
This grant will fund the purchase of substantive food for the Food Trailer, continue to assist the Mervue neighborhood with coal and briquettes for winter heating, help stock the Discovery Church Food Pantry, and allow for assistance with unexpected expenses for needy families.
The Community in Action ministry is overseen by Willie Nolan, one of Discovery’s Elders. The grant supplements internal church resources as Discovery Church continues to faithfully serve the poor during financially challenging times and in the midst of their ongoing building acquisition efforts.
Trinity’s Ireland Strategic Partnership is co-led by the Willmarth and Cullen Families. In 2014, Trinity looks forward to sending short-term teams to partner with Discovery Church, learning and serving alongside them as they faithfully reach out to their neighbors in tangible ways.
$12,000—2,000 International Student Bibles Colorado Springs, USA
Submitted by Gordy Decker, Trinity missionary and International Students Inc.’s (ISI) National Director of Training, this grant will assist with the second reprint of the successful International Student Bible with study helps.
There are now 930,000 international students and scholars currently studying in the United State. ISI’s vision is to see every international student befriended, led to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and discipled for His service. Last academic year, staff and volunteers introduced over 59,904 international students to the ministry with an estimated 6,534 decisions made to follow Christ.
Trinity is grateful to be part of the 2014 Bible reprint, confident that this will strengthen ISI’s outreach to internationals on university campuses throughout the United States.
$10,000—Furnishing Educational Resource Center Kochland, Kenya
Submitted through Trinity’s Kenya Strategic Partnership (Kochland), this grant will fully furnish an Educational Resource Center, including ten computers and books for the library. In 2012, an anonymous Trinity donor gave $28,865 to completely fund the physical building. The center was opened in August 2013 and provides a safe and clean learning environment second to none in the area.
Co-led by the Halsell and Jones Families, the Kenya Strategic Partnership Team (Kochland) provides stellar leadership and coordination of Trinity’s growing partnership with Redeemed Gospel Church (RGC). More than 200 Trinity attendees are part of sponsoring 86 Kenyan children through our growing partnership with Compassion International and Redeemed Gospel Church.
There are no libraries anywhere near RGC and with a family income of $1 a day, books are too expensive to purchase. A library would make books available to the extremely poor, and Kenyan pastors all agree that the only path out of the slum for children is through education.
$10,800— Church Plant Tatarszentgyorgy, Hungary
Submitted by Trinity’s Strategic Partner in Budapest, Rose-Garden Baptist Church (RBC), this grant provides matching funds to help RBC respond to a unique invitation from the Mayor of Tatarszentgyorgy, The village of Tatarszentgyorgy is known by every Hungarian for murders, arson, and hostile relationships between the Gypsies and Hungarians.
Unable to make any progress in his village, the Mayor approached Rose-Garden Baptist Church and requested that they start a church in the village because he believes it is the last hope for any good change.
Trinity celebrates this opportunity to place a young couple in this village for reconciliation, witness, and Kingdom advancement. This Gospel response is led by RBC, and funded by both their congregation and the village council.
Co-led by the Rader Family and Brian Williamson of BrandNew, Trinity’s Hungary Strategic Partnership celebrates the handiwork of God in inviting both RBC and Trinity to be agents of reconciliation among the outcasts of Europe.
$5,000— Literacy Project Isaan Region, NE Thailand
Submitted by Trinity missionaries Mike and Sandy Lynch (New Tribes Mission), this second-year grant provides the necessary finances to launch the next-phase literacy project.
The 2013 focus was developing and testing pre-literacy materials. In 2014, a literacy kick-off will be organized to introduce the importance of literacy, which will help the Phu Thai learn to read and set the stage for them to read Bible lessons and Scripture in their heart language.
The Phu Thai are largely considered to be an unreached people group that number about 470,000 in Thailand, 187,000 in Laos, and 209,000 in Vietnam. The Lynches envision an opportunity for a small group of 2-4 people coming out to see the literacy program and possibly leading a non-evangelical English and sports camp.
After six years of life in this remote village, the Lynches are joined in 2014 by Trinity missionaries Ric and Sharon Bruce to quicken the process of Scripture translation and church planting among the Phu Thai.
$10,000—Mobile Libraries for Children Matungulu, Kenya
Submitted by Trinity Missionary Associates Ruth and Julius Okello, this second year grant will improve literacy skills in five schools in a rural part of Kenya. Their organization, TM Rural Community Development currently runs one of the very few community libraries in Kenya, and the only one in all of Kangundo and Matungulu.
The innovative program “Your Classroom Library in a Bag” makes books accessible to schools twice a month by motorcycle. In coordination with school teachers, this program has started reading clubs to maximize the educational power of books and has also opened an opportunity to share the gospel with children and teachers. Trinity’s grant allows for the purchase of age-appropriate and culturally acceptable books and the costs of hiring a motorcyclist to deliver them.
Trinity celebrates the leadership and vision of Belinda Lund-Bjarki, Carolyn Kersten and our Children’s Department to orchestrate a Vacation Bible School in Kenya to minister to the spiritual needs of these children.
$4,000—Upgrading Pastors Resource Center Matungulu, Kenya
Submitted by Trinity Missionary Associates Ruth and Julius Okello, this grant provides tools and furnishing to upgrade the Pastors Resource Center.
Recent Trinity support helped ship a 20 foot container containing books, computers, and medical supplies to be used in the Resource Center. Having a well equipped center with literature materials, computers equipped with internet access, and good training on how to use them will enable the rural pastors to take charge of their personal development.
This grant underwrites the costs associated with upgrading internet connectivity, networking the computers, and purchasing a photocopier, computer desks, chairs, and shelves. Trinity has received an invitation to help with Pastors’ Equip Ministry workshops and computer training sessions at their Resource Center.
$7,000—Vesicovaginal Fistula Project Jos, Nigeria
Submitted by Trinity missionaries Steven and Kari Jo Shephard (SIM), this grant will fully underwrite the expenses to upgrade the VVF ward at Evangel Hospital and to fund follow-up visits by VVF chaplains.
VVF is a complication of prolonged obstructed labor. As a result, the baby often dies and an opening forms between the birth canal and the bladder, rectum or both. The women are frequently considered untouchables in their community due to their stench, dirtiness and infertility which commonly results in abandonment by their husbands and families. In 2012, roughly 600 women were evaluated in the VVF clinic. More than 300 were surgically repaired, and 240 chose to become followers of Christ.
The VVF ward is heavily used and in need to repair, as most of the windows are broken and nearly all the bedside cabinets are destroyed by decades of use and rust. Follow-up with patients is also lacking. This grant will send chaplains out on follow-up visitations to talk with the women about the outcome and results of their surgery and give them an opportunity to be encouraged in their faith or hear the Gospel for the first time.
The KAG Committee is making available an additional $10,000 to ensure that lack of money does not slow down any of the projects before the Shephards return this summer for their first home assignment.
Conclusion
In the fall of 2013, our congregation generously gave approximately $50,000 to the Kingdom Advancement Grants fundraiser. This amount combined with existing KAG funds enables us to award all the qualifying grant applications for 2014. Praise God for the faithful giving of Trinity attendees and members that make it possible to strengthen Christ’s Church and expand His Kingdom around the world.
Soli Deo Gloria