Indigenous Ministries

Indigenous Ministries

Beyond the Map

2019 Year End Greatest Need Fund

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The goal of Indigenous Ministries is to plant churches in limited access countries and be a resource for the Church in regions of intense persecution where it is struggling to survive.  Just a few short weeks ago I walked the square in Tahrir, Cairo and remembered the 60,000 plus protesting in the  2011 Revolution. You walked with us those years of turbulence and unrest. You prayed with us as we saw the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, and its ending. Today we have an open doors to minister in Egypt.  

While Egypt may enjoy a measure of stability, just to the north, the Revolution in Iraq is growing in intensity and violence.  This month we witnessed as Syria was invaded by Turkish troops resulting in the deaths of innocents and the release of thousands of dangerous ISIS detainees.  The world has gone insane.  But this isn’t new; it’s the same old story of sin and evil.  Satan knows his time is short and he is desperate to act on this knowledge. Especially in the Middle East. 

For those of us who love and serve our Lord Jesus Christ, we too have a knowledge of the future. Jesus predicted that these things would happen; he has not lost control, nor he has lost sight of his purpose and plan for this region. Part of that plan is that all might come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Friend, this is another opportunity to trust God, and serve him in this vital region as evil is unleashed.

For such a time as this: 2020 for Christ

Indigenous Ministries is strategically located by the Lord in the Middle East to be in the heart of this great conflict and human suffering.  We are humbled to work with men and women both in our Colorado office and overseas and who are committed to the Lord and passionate about seeing their own people hear the gospel.  With 2020 fast approaching, prayerfully, we’re asking the Lord for a harvest of souls in His fields, and for the workers and resources to move ahead.

Once again, we’re trusting Him for the largest financial target yet in the  2019 Year End Greatest Need Fund of $140,000.  I want to share with you where funds will be used:  

Grace Bible College – The shipping container men’s bathroom has served since 2015, but with daily heavy use, the time has come for a new men’s bathroom facility.  Secondly, the GBC library humidity mitigation with four large, heavy duty air conditioners.  Thirdly, a portion will help meet GBC’s budget.  

In Egypt, we are obtaining Indigenous Ministries’ NGO status in Cairo which will give us a stronger platform for ministry and will meet the government newest requirements for foreign entities working in Egypt.  We are also praying for funds to assist with the building of the new church building. 

In Kurdistan, funds to build a fence around the newly acquired church property of 2.5 acres to keep squatters from building on the land. Other uses will be travel funds, a portion of Reda’s salary, church planting in Egypt and Iraq, and requirements by the Iraqi government for our work in Baghdad.  

I ask that you pray with me for this amount and as the Lord leads you, donate to this 2019 Year End Greatest Need Fund. VIsit our website, indigenousministries.org click the Donate button, in the dropdown you will see this fund. 

Dee and I want to thank you for partnering with us and IM’s international staff in reaching a hurting world for Christ.

GBC Celebrates Sept. 27 as a Day of Prayer – “You will…Pray to me, and I will Listen to You” Jer. 29:12

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This report is from the GBC office: 

India – Grace Bible College celebrated September 27 as a Day of Prayer with enthusiasm and in one accord. The students and faculty were involved in prayers for 24 hours. The day began with worship, singing, as Principal Pramod Tantarpale exhorted everyone from Nehemiah 1:1-11.  He brought the various aspects in Nehemiah’s prayer which ultimately were answered by the Lord:

1. Nehemiah’s concern for the people, problems, and land (Jerusalem) (v. 2)

2. Nehemiah’s conviction about God’s character (v. 5)

3. Nehemiah’s confession of his sin and the sins of the people (v. 6-7)

4. Nehemiah’s confidence in God’s promises (v. 8-10)

5. Nehemiah’s commitment to rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem (v. 11)

GBC started praying for the nation of India which included all the states, political parties, different issues and problems the country is facing today and the leadership. Afterwards, we prayed for all the Christian institutions, organizations and Bible colleges serving in India. We also especially prayed for Indigenous Ministries, its leadership, board members and ministry across the globe. 

Then the students were divided into small groups where they prayed for their needs. They spent time in 2 by 2 prayers where they prayed for each other personally. We prayed through the night in a chain prayer which started at 8 in the night and continued till 8 in the morning. The students were provided with tea to keep them awake at night. At 7 in the morning, the GBC family again came together for prayer and to end the Day of Prayer. 

Except for 5 of the students, everyone fasted. We all had a wonderful time all together and the Lord blessed us on that day.  We would like to thank you all for being prayer with us.  

Note:  For a printable, detailed list of how to pray for India, visit indigenousministries.org, and click on the blog entitled, Join Grace Bible College in a day of Prayer September 27, 2019 

MONTHLY COMMUNITY YOUTH MEETING AT GBC GROWS

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          11 October, 2019. We had 60 people from different churches in the community. These youths and our students were given the opportunity to express their talents and gifts. All enthusiastically participated in various activities like singing song, playing music, dancing and we also played few games. Principal Pramod Tantarpale encouraged everyone with the word of God. We arranged dinner and everyone had a great time.

What is Happening in Iraq?

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As Dee and I were with our staff heading to a refugee clothes distribution on the Ninevah Plain, Iraq earlier this month, tensions of the last several days were heavy in the air. Protests across the country were rampant. New Shia flags fluttered over village homes signaling that the unrest and revolution would soon come to this area where we were. Crossing the same checkpoint a few weeks ago had been easy, now it was tense. 


Shia flags flying over a village in Iraq signal that the Revolution is coming to this area

Many of us look at widespread protests throughout Iraq asking, what’s the problem? What is happening to Iraq?  Let me share a few insights that may help you in some understanding.  

The country of Iraq has some of the richest oil reserves in the world with a daily production of $252 million. But the benefits of such wealth are not reaching the people. Many streets are in disrepair, infrastructure such as stable, 24 hour electricity is non existent in many areas. 

Clean water is not accessible to all; Basra’s water is taken from the Tigress/Euphrates and is highly polluted. The water coming from the tap smells of oil and chemicals, and the fumes will ignite if a match is put to it, making it not just bad tasting, but deadly. In one month’s time, over 111,000 became deathly sick from this water. 

Young people who have college education en mass cannot find jobs. Tens of thousands are taking to the streets to protest with their own bodies as the only weapon they have. They risk standing unarmed in the face of their own army shooting them down in the streets. And thousands have died standing for a change.  

There are millions within Iraq who are refugees and internally displaced.  UNHCR figures state that in the Middle East region there are 11,311,145 refugees and internally displaced persons.  Iraq’s future balances on a knife’s edge, and we together have the privilege of engaging in this great nation’s future for good.  For such a time as this. 

Dear friends, these are the last days and Satan knows his time is short. He is doing all he can to cause turmoil, destruction and death which is his desire. I just got off the phone with one of my dear pastor friends in Baghdad and told him that we are praying for him and for his congregation that he serves in the middle of all of this.  These families are my heroes.  He has two children and his wife is expecting their third in February. Yet he is faithful to the Lord, to the Word of God and to his congregation. 

What can we do?  First, I’m asking you to join with me and pray for Iraq, and follow the directed prayer guide (see page 4) for this country and the ministries that are going on daily within the country. Secondly, we have made a commitment to Iraqi pastors and two churches to stand with them and regularly we follow up with this commitment.  Thirdly, we are engaged in reaching refugees with aid, food, education and the gospel in three critical areas of Iraq, and 74 of these children (all unsponsored) live in Baghdad. I am asking that you prayerfully take up the sponsorship of two or three of the children.  Pray for these refugees and consider sponsoring two children (see page 4).  Fourthly, we’re establishing a vocational training center for young people outside of Mosul to help youth with jobs.  

Ephesians 4:6 & 6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

Preparing for School with the Sponsorship Kids in Egypt Program

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On September 13, all the children in Indigenous Ministries’ Egypt Child Sponsorship Program were together for a very special day with the US team.  Everyone had been looking forward to this day – and also meeting the new guests.  With Indigenous Ministries’ CEO John Cook and his wife, Dee and IM Middle East Coordinator Reda Khalil from the Colorado Springs office were US guests Jerry and Cathy Magnuson, Pastor Loyal May, Pastor John Davidson and Pastor Paul Williamson.  


After special greetings and a word from John, the team led by Pastor Emad got down to handing out the school backpacks and supplies to all the children.  Everyone was pretty excited and happy for their new school things.  The sponsorships provide clothing for the children at Christmas and Easter and regular food for the families – all of which are single parent. 

Seeing the difference in these children from the day they came into the program and now is amazing.  They were thin, quiet and shy.  Our meetings are busy and filled with laughter, singing and bouncy, healthy children.  Thank you to our sponsors for being part of the hands and feet of the Lord to these children.  A special thank you to our staff in Egypt who work tirelessly with the children weekly investing in them love and care. 

Psalm 103:1 & 2, in the Message, reads: “O my soul, bless God  From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!  O my soul, bless God,  don’t forget a single blessing!”

Join Grace Bible College in a Day of Prayer September 27, 2019

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Principal Pramod Tantarpale is asking the Indigenous Ministries Family in the US and our ministry teams around the world to join the GBC student body and faculty in a 24 hour period of prayer.  This organized event also includes local Christian leadership in an intensive, focused and Scripture based time of prayer. 

Please post on Indigenous Ministries’ FB if you are joining us in prayer for any of these times in prayer – for 30 minutes or the whole day.  If you want to fast and pray with us, also we’d like to know as an encouragement and unity together. Thank you.  

To join up, please check the difference of time, for example, 

  • India is 9.30 hours ahead the east coast time. 
  • India is 10.30 hours ahead of central time.
  • India is 11.30 hours ahead of mountain time. 
  • India is 12.30 hours ahead of the west coast time. 
  • India is 3.30 hours ahead of Egypt 
  • India is 2.30 hours ahead of Iraq
  • Philippines is 2.30 hours ahead of India 

Prayer time schedule: 

6:00 am – 9:30 am, morning devotions, praise and prayer time

Preparing our hearts for prayer: a time of personal confession. 

  • 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
  • Jeremiah 29:12 “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”
  • Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” 
  • Luke 6:27-28 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
  • -Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Pray for the students’ daily time in the Word and in prayer each day as they begin their day before the Lord.  Pray that they would have a new love for God and His Word. Pray that their knowledge and thirst of knowing Him would grow deeper day by day.  Pray that the Holy Spirit would seal good decisions made by these young people at GBC.  

Pray for the future wives and husbands of the students; pray for godly men and women who would join with them in making a Christian home.  Pray that they too would have a genuine love of God and growing faith relationship with Him.  

9:30 am – 10:30 am, message by Principal Tantarpale 

10:30 am – 2:30 pm, prayer for the country of India:

Prayer for each state in India:

Pray for the leaders of these states, pray for the Christians, pray the churches and pastors in each of these states.  Pray for God to draw Indians to himself in love, in repentance and in unity.  Pray that Christians would accept new believers.  Pray for justice for the oppressed, pray for the economic protection and wholeness of Christians.  Pray for jobs for Christians.  Pray for various ministries nation wide that they would be focused on Scripture, and truth, not financial gain or power. Pray for other Christians colleges and training centers around the nation that they would teach the truth of Scripture.  

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gola, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal. 

Prayer for the current national government and authorities of India:

  • President:  Shri Ram Nath Kovind 
  • Vice President: Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu 
  • Prime Minister: Narendra Damodardas Modi 
  • Chief Justice:  Ranjan Gogoi
  • Speaker of the Lok Sabha: Om Birla
  • Attorney General of India:  Kottayan Katankot Venugopal

Prayer for the present situation in India as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party has re-taken the elections earlier this year and are closely related to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The RSS is, according to the Washington Post, “India’s most influential Hindu nationalist group.”  Christians are very concerned with the future of religious freedoms in India with persecution a big concern.  Pray for God’s justice and truth to reign, and for the protection of religious freedoms guaranteed by Article 25-28 in the Indian constitution.

2:30 – 4:00 pm Prayer for the Ministry of Grace Bible College 

  • Prayer for the students 
  • Pratap, Samansing, Ramesh, Rohan, Pranjali, Ishtar, Glorious, Pranay, Mukesh, S. Timothy, Gaurav, Aditya, Badal, Pawan, Nehemiah, Priti, Minaj, Sweta, Kieran, Vaishnavi, Nita, Kamil, Siddharth, Samuel, Rohini, Akash, Khushabu, Rohan, Saloni, Sangita, Vicky, Stuti, Tejaswini, Praveen, Amol Bhushan, Rajai, Vijay, Samira, Joseph, Mahesh, Ashish, Bharat, Rajendra, Ashish, Abijit, Gloria.  (List includes 2019 graduates)
  • Prayer for the faculty and staff 
  • Prayer for the alumni as they are in ministry and in business representing Christ 
  • Prayer for the local churches and pastors 
  • Prayer for rightly dividing the Word of Truth as it is taught to the students every day
  • Prayer for Indigenous Ministries, as a partner ministry 
  • Prayer for full provision for the next building phase of the campus 

4:00 – 8:00 pm  Prayer for the Christian homes in India

  • Prayer for Christian homes
  • Prayer for Christian marriages 
  • Prayer for children to be brought up in the truth of Scripture 
  • Prayer for women to be whole and healed physically, spiritually and emotionally in Christ
  • Prayer for men, to be husbands first in the Word and then leading their families in truth 
  • Prayer for the schools the children attend, teachers, leaders, influencers

8:00 pm – 6:00 am Prayer for the future of India 

  • Prayer for God to draw Indians to himself through the Word, in dreams and in visions 
  • Prayer for the Church to stand undivided, reaching out to the unsaved
  • Prayer that the Church in India would accept new Believers in love 
  • Prayer that churches in India would repent of division and sin
  • Prayer for unity in Christ among the Christians in India
  • Prayer for a fresh wind of God’s power on the Church in India 

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.  James 5:16, ESV

Thank you for joining us in this special day of Prayer with Grace Bible College.  We would like to hear if you and/or your church participated so we can encourage the faculty and staff at GBC.  Please email info@indigenousministries.org to share your prayer encouragement.  

Philippines Update – Resty & Mel Enguerra

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Last July 1, 2019 the Lord gifted them with their very first grandchild – Emmalyn Grace Baer. She is 2 months old, and Resty and Mel are now officially “Lolo & Lola.”  

They arrived back in Manila in August and as soon as they were settled in, they met with the leadership of Promise Land Church & School for an update of the entire program. A report was given on each of the children with how they are doing at home, in health and in school. They also discussed:

   1. Start of a new set of Livelihood and New Skill training groups for parents in the community. 

   2. Plan an off campus and on-site training for teachers before the end of the year.

   3. Plan to use the computer lab/room to provide access to TESDA (Technical Education and Skill Development Authority, a government funded agency) on-line training for adults and out of school youth in the community.    

Upcoming health awareness program events in the Payatas Dumpsite will be led by Mel and Eden Cacadindin, to facilitate the topic, “Mental Health – say no to Depression.”  Eden is the former dean, College of Nursing and Nursing Medical Director of a prominent hospital in Manila. On October 19 Mel will lead another event entitled, “Diet, Nutrition and Diabetes.” These programs are vital to members of this community and has helped many there. 

How to pray with Resty and Mel: 

1. Please pray for protection and for the Cupang Outreach church members to continue to seek and hunger for God’s Word and work in their lives. That they will have their own permanent Under Shepherd and spacious worship place to fit them inside and protect them from natural elements: monsoon rains or blistering heat of equatorial sun. 

2. The Church at Payatas and Cupang – to continue to grow healthy not only physically but more so spiritually, obedient and sensitive to God and the Holy Spirit’s direction.   

3. Sustained health for ourselves – Resty and Mel. Slowly feeling aging in the body but with continued desire to be like Caleb in our old age – conquer and faithfully accomplish God’s purpose in our lives.  

How to engage: 

Several children in their program are available for sponsorship; please contact Star at sponsorships@indigenousministries.org for more information. To donate to the ministry at Payatas, visit www.IndigenousMinistries and designate your gift to “Southeast Asia.” Contact Resty and Mel by email: renguerra@indigenousministries.org. 

“May the Lord our God show us His approval and make our efforts successful.  

Yes, make our efforts successful.” Psalms 90:17 NLT

National Egyptian Pastors’ Conference “For such a time as this”

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As 58 pastors gathered for IM’s Annual National Egyptian Pastors’ Conference this month, there was a very special spirit of unity, love and grace.  The theme of the conference was “for such a time as this.”  

Pastor Paul Williamson of Colorado, Pastor Loyal May of Colorado, Pastor John Davidson of Michigan, IM CEO John Cook and IM Middle East Coordinator Reda Khalil ministered to the men with in-depth scriptural messages and in prayer.  The Egyptian pastors expressed their deep gratefulness for the conference and the investment into their lives. 

Thank you to our Indigenous Ministries’ family for being faithful in praying for this conference and giving financial gifts so that this critical ministry to these pastors continues on; this is the 11th year for this conference.  These pastors minister each night of the week preaching in church services, and live under constant pressure from the communities they minister in.  Often their families’ lives are threatened and their children marginalized in school.  This nation and the Middle East region needs these men to stand strong in their personal lives so they may proclaim the truth of the Word of God.  We can make a marked difference in their lives by continuing to pray for them as they minister on the front lines of this great nation.  God is using them for His glory and purposes.  

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”  Hebrews 12:1