Not only have thousands of lives been touched in Darfur through the The Sudan Project started by Ginghamsburg Church, thousands of lives have been touched here in the U.S. as a result of their participation. Mr. Cohen, a business owner from Michigan, drove to Tipp City for the Sudan weekend. As soon as he got home, he could hardly contain his enthusiasm as he told his Rabbi about his involvement with Ginghamsburg in this project. We asked a group of people to share how The Sudan Project has changed them. Here is what they had to say (Sudan interview video). I would love to hear how our involvement in the Sudan has changed you!

In this precarious economic time it is tempting for the people of God to pull back and worry about local church finances and forget about the radical call of Jesus to meet the needs of the least of these in our own communities and throughout the world. When we focus on the real business of Jesus in the world, Jesus will meet the needs of the local church.

God bless...

Deriga village had been burned to the ground by Janjaweed. Village elders asked UMCOR to drill a new water hole, which would bring back people to rebuild the town that had originally claimed a population in the neighborhood of 2000. Ginghamsburg partnered with UMCOR and began to drill in May 2008. By the end of the month, 5000 people had moved to the location around this new oasis of life. We immediately went to work on two permanent classroom facilities to support the educational needs of the children who came with their families. Now there are 12,000 people living in this resurrected village, and we began building 2 more permanent class facilities just four weeks ago. We have also initiated the agricultural program in this village. The people are calling the new village “Ohio Town” because 100% of the contributions for the resurrection project came from the 2007 Christmas Miracle offering.

When Jesus announced his mission as the Messiah in his hometown synagogue, he read from Isaiah 61. “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners….” Yes, light has invaded darkness and darkness can never put it out! I encourage you all to continue to serve the true reason for the season and to find ways to live more simply that others may simply live. I would even love to hear how you are celebrating Jesus’ birth in simple serving ways.

Music artist and Sudan partner Jim Cole has produced a new CD called THE ACOUSTIC HYMNS PROJECT. He has given the reproduction and distribution rights to Ginghamsburg so that all proceeds will go to The Sudan Project. The CD includes classic hymns done in a contemporary way. (Listen to “Shall We Gather At the River” available on the CD.) Also, the CD includes an original song by Jim written for Darfur. (Watch the “Hymn for Darfur” music video.) The CD is $15, and you can purchase one at the Ginghamsburg e-store or at the Ginghamsburg bookstore on the Main Campus. Another way that you can support The Sudan Project while sharing the call to live more simply with others is through Change the World t-shirts, also available on the e-store. As with Jim’s CD, shirt proceeds benefit the work in Darfur. Both of these items make simple Christmas gifts as you also partner with us toward accomplishing God’s miracle in Darfur. If you would simply like to contribute a financial gift to The Sudan Project, please click here.

God bless...

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in darkness a light has dawned… For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end” (Isa. 9:2,6-7).

Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of God (God’s authority, values and priorities) on earth. All who recognize Jesus’ government (authority) demonstrate the counter-culture values of the Kingdom of God. As followers of Jesus we must walk in the road less traveled. The English Reformed Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon, wrote addressing this passage in 1893: “We want converts who know this Christ, men and women to whom he is ‘Wonderful.’ To whom he has become ‘The Counselor.’ We want no additions to the church of those who cannot call him the ‘Mighty God, the Everlasting Father.’ We want men and women to whom Christ has become ‘the Prince of Peace’.”

As counselees of the “Wonderful Counselor” let us consider how to live and spend more simply this Christmas and find our meaning and value in Him!

God bless...

• For the Ginghamsburg people, partner schools, churches and businesses that contributed 1.2 million dollars for the 2008 program budget in Darfur. We have now constructed 149 schools, trained 200 teachers, are feeding 76,000 people through a sustainable agricultural project and six of our waters yards will be completed by the end of this program year.


• For the 18 students that I had in my United Seminary Class this year. I had a great time, and if these students are any indication for the future direction of the church, then I expect tremendous ministries in the years ahead. Great work, Troops!


• The addition of our Fort McKinley campus and the incredible growth. We have to begin a second worship celebration this weekend. I am so thankful for our new “family” that has joined the Ginghamsburg community.


• For Mike Bowie’s successful surgery and the blessing of moving back to Houston to be with his sister in her last season of this life.


• For the student leadership team that I get to work with at my alma mater, North College Hill High School in Cincinnati.


• For the two pastors and their families who have joined our staff in 08: Brian Brown (Teaching Pastor) and Dave Hood (Fort Campus Pastor).


• Our son Jonathan and his engagement in June to Stacy Impellizzeri.


• Our daughter Kristen and her husband Brendan will make us proud grandparents in March 09. Her name is Ellie!


• For the gift of 36 years of marriage to my best friend Carolyn.


• For the 50 young clergy who make up the first United Methodist Young Pastors’ Network that was formed by Pastor Adam Hamilton, founder of the Church Of The Resurrection and myself this year.


• For the 1000 folks who came from all over the U.S. and three other countries to the 08 Change The World Conference and my friends Adam Hamilton, Brian McLaren and Jim Wallis who graciously accepted our invitation to speak.


• For all the people from the Ginghamsburg community who served in mission around the city, country and world in 08.

We are so blessed! Have a great Thanksgiving!

I was also privileged yesterday to meet more of our entrepreneurial Jamaican business partners who have benefited from the micro-business ministry initiated by Jim Taylor and Carey Smith from Ginghamsburg. Gary, a fisherman,^{(main graphic at top)} has partnered with us twice. He used his first micro loan to fix up the motor on his fishing boat. He has since paid that loan back in full with a 5% interest rate. He now has a second loan with us to purchase 10 lobster traps. Gary also took me to his house, the one you see his wife and son³ standing in front of. He constructed his home out of wood that he found floating in the ocean, after drying it out and cleaning it up. When I met his wife and son, I noticed that the baby was wheezing a bit. After Gary told me that the baby had asthma, I recommended that he take him to our medical clinic, about a quarter of a mile away. Dr. Guy was able to prescribe asthma medicine, and Gary’s son was breathing much better by the time I left.

I also met a Jamaican partner, a doll maker, who makes a toy called jally dolls that she now sells for $10 each to make a living⁴. Perhaps our star entrepreneur is Marisa, a 36-year-old farmer, who has multiple endeavors up and running. Those include raising livestock like chickens⁶ and pigs, selling lumber for caskets and furniture, butchering, and making and selling charcoal. She recently received a $4000 loan from the program to purchase a truck for hauling and has already made her first loan payment—early! In fact, she is currently mentoring five other new Jamaican entrepreneurs. Right now we have 14 loans out, and our payback rate has been 140%. Pretty incredible given the overall poverty in the places in which we are serving. For day 3, we are working all day at another medical clinic.

You are never more alive than when you are serving Jesus by serving people. How is God calling you?

God bless...