BRIDGE CAMPUS FOR GLOBAL IMPACT
"Empowering the local church to be the catalyst of mercy in their community."
Technology, at whatever level, is a tool and when used correctly can greatly enhance communication for teaching, instruction, correction, and accountability. Because the internet is more accessible than ever before, MERCY PARTNERS has duplicated discipleship abilities through email, which allows us to send out fifty-two weeks of discipleship lessons to South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Netherlands, the Dutch West Indies, and the United States at weekly intervals.
Over the past decade, we have planted 6 churches, and trained 123 church leaders. The next level of training disciples, aid workers, missionaries, and church leaders is through a physical campus and online presence.
With the upcoming requirements of African governments, evangelists will be required to hold a Theological background that our evangelists will now have due to our partnership with NATIONSUNIVERSITY®. Our physical Bridge Campus, East Africa, paired with online academics provided by
NATIONSUNIVERSITY® has made it easy to transfer our methodology of Bridging Cultures to the next generation.
We are continuing to design modules, curriculum, and practical skills training to form MERCY PARTNERS' BRIDGE CAMPUS FOR GLOBAL IMPACT. This will harvest a new crop of kingdom workers who are ready to engage the future world.
We need your help and underwriting this legacy work.
TESTIMONY
"James Sr. found his sons sharing a 'Mango' discipleship lesson that MERCY PARTNERS sends out weekly via email. That particular week they were 'eating' a Mango lesson about walking in obedience. James Sr. was taken aback and asked: 'How is it that you know the Bible like this?' David and James testified that it was the Holy Spirit that lives in them. James Sr. wanted to know, 'How did you get the Holy Spirit inside?' David and James shared that they had the indwelling of the Spirit when they were baptized, and began to teach their father.James confessed that he was corrupt and that he wanted to be a child of God to be born again; he wanted to die to his ways and be lifted with Christ... he wanted to be baptized. At age 61, James surrendered to God. Afterward, he prayed alone with Jesus near the edge of the water and made it very clear that he will now be a 'fisher of men.'”
Scott Rawings introduced his church family of Christ's Community Church (Portsmouth Ohio) to Mercy Partners after our paths crossed at a leadership conference. By simply sharing the work that we are doing, Scott created a connection that encouraged Christ's Church to be a Mercy Partner and our first Anchor Church!
TESTIMONY
EVANGELIST PARTNERS
“Where we provide change, native evangelists bring Authenticity.”
MERCY PARTNERS provides training to church leaders. To date, 131 leaders from various backgrounds and denominations have gained insight into the fundamentals of the Christian faith. "To denominate" means “to mark” (just like denominations of currency that have different images and values attached to them). The Bible does not establish such division among the body of Christ; therefore, many leaders that we have trained refer to themselves as “The tribe of Jesus Christ” and members of the “Church without walls," church of Christ (Romans 16:16). In addition to our theological training, we are certified trainers in Community Health Evangelism which empowers villages to discover solutions to overcome obstacles as a connective body. Health, hygiene, sanitation, and social and economic issues can be approached and conquered with our training tools.
"I grew up in exile from Sudan and was taken to Uganda for 5 years after I finished primary school I returned to Sudan before the peace agreement that has now failed. My mom passed away due to the bombing and Father took care of me. He told me to go to school and I promised my father that I would go to Juba and work to enter school again. After I made the promise he left and I began translating in the church. Through MERCY PARTNERS training I grew to express the Bible myself. I began to pray, meet with the community of Christians, and to learn the scriptures. It is by listening that we hear the Word of God. God is not dead nor is He blind." - Emmanuel M. T.
While teaching children about the Bible, Warren and Sharon provided a bridge from the children of the USA to the hearts of children in South Sudan. The couple structured a Vacation Bible School that connects the dots of compassion. Their work blessed children 6,000 miles away while teaching children in their community about the "Tribe of Jesus" (the Church).
VBS programs have supported a safe compound for Sundanese Children, medical clinics, church conferences, and leadership conferences.
TESTIMONY
TRANSLATION
"Mercy is ONLY merciful when it is applied in the proper light and understanding."
It is clear that the dynamics of the undeveloped world have outpaced our traditional strategy of language translation. South Sudan is not an exception when 26 developing nations in Africa have also adopted English as their language.
While the majority of generations are plowing into the future, there remains a remnant attached as a bridge to the rich culture and history of their people group.
The older generation needs vital information about their loving heavenly Father and they need to enrich the lives of the youth with information about their tribes’ past. We are sensitive to the generation gap. We, therefore, empower younger natives to reach their elderly in spoken language. Translation comes best from the native people of their tribe. Many of our teachings are adapted by young natives to address generational language gaps and our list of translated lessons is growing.
TESTIMONY
“When the native church requested our partnership in creating a school that taught English as a core language, we had great concern for the fabric of their culture. Should we compel the church to preserve various tongues of the 17 tribes that composed the church body at a time their nation had crossed major hurdles in adopting English? Their world was rolling towards unity, so how would we make a plea to stay rooted in their respective mother tongue? Would they come to believe that we were instilling division? Many would argue that we should maintain their language; however, mercy is ONLY merciful when it is applied in the proper light and understanding.” -Tom Kilian
Seeing the effect of prayer in her personal life, and being convicted that Christians can overcome many difficulties when we join in praying with and for one another. Sandie encourages a deeper level of prayer as "Prayer was a normal part of the early Church, if we embrace the same prayer life we will see the power of the Holy Spirit and lives changed." Tuesday Prayer Partner updates keep our Prayer Partners informed about the current needs of those involved in the mission.
HOW TO HELP
FUND CHURCH LEADERS
Provide a way for a church member to receive training by covering their workshop cost.
TRANSLATE & MANGO LESSONS
Fund the translation of our "Personal Spiritual Life" and Mango lessons. Or volunteer to translate lessons in your native tongue.
PROVIDE EDUCATION:
BECOME A PARTNER
Have your church become an Anchor Partner and underwrite our education and curriculum offering.
DONATE
Charitable donations give mercy wings and allow transport of aid in conflict zones and mobilize our service programs and health clinics.
WHY DISCIPLESHIP?
"The Great Commission begins with 'go' and is never-ending
with 'discipleship.'" - Tom Kilian
Discipleship is the key to growing churches. I use to say “church planting” but I have changed my language to "church-growing." We perceive mission work through the lens of western church planting rather than a biblical example of church growth. Churches are dynamic; a living organism. Without “Discipline” in Discipleship, there is no evangelism.
Many individuals in the church today are frightened by the “E” word: "evangelism." And they shouldn’t be. It doesn’t require seminary training; only a relationship with native and near-culture disciples. Sometimes when we read scripture we get this picture that people came into town, preached a great sermon, and then lots of people believed. Now, there are some instances where this happens. At Pentecost, Peter addresses those gathered and it happened that way. When he finished his message, many people were baptized for the taking away of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. There was an astonishing number that became disciples. More often, when the gospel is preached there are a few new disciples...