Dear Friends,
Hello again! This past week “Independence Day” was quietly celebrated in our SE Asia country. It is a day when citizens commemorate their independence from Britain. Rather than a protracted, bloody battle like what our American forefathers endured, this country was granted independence as England withdrew peacefully, and for political reasons. Today, the British are fondly remembered, and the legacy of infrastructure, public health, rule of law, and other important advancements that they left behind are honored by most people here.
Thinking along these same lines… what will our legacy be when we each leave this earthly place? Will we leave behind godly legacies, ones that will extend far beyond our lifetimes? The Apostle Paul stated that he ”fought a good fight,” he finished his course, and he kept the faith (2 Tim. 4:7). Will we all be able to say this statement when it is time for us to go to our Heavenly Home?
We think about these things a lot. “All foreigners go home,” Ben Anderson continually reminds TCM workers. It’s a reminder that highlights the urgency needed to finish the job well. Our ministry focus the past few years has shifted to the goal of leaving a legacy with the locals long after we are gone.
Here is what we are doing to that end: Our Bible school exists to train people to serve in their local churches. Of our nine current Year Two students, seven of them attend and serve in our church. We are hoping that these saints will be ready when their time comes to lead. As time has gone by, a few Bible students have risen to the top as viable candidates to someday lead the work in our community. Please pray that other qualified workers will be able to join us here so the Bible school can continue to admit future students.
Furthermore, once a week we host a preaching training session for six interested men. We talk about preaching, teaching, Bible study, and a host of other topics, all with the goal of giving them confidence to preach rightly divided in our local church. Please pray for this effort.
Speaking of our church, COVID restrictions have been largely lifted (except for the mask mandate) and our church is steadily gaining back some of the numbers we lost. We’ve averaged around eighty people, praise God, including some new faces. Our church is re-starting its long-standing English class outreach. Please pray that this outreach will be an excellent tool to draw people to Christ.Thank you for your continued support during these past eight years. Thank you for praying! We sincerely want to make this a ministry that glorifies the Lord! May He receive all the glory!
In His Service,
Patrick and Michelle Kilgo
