“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
A New Year!
We are so grateful that our God knows the plans for our future. As we prepare and strategize for 2021, we are holding on to our plans with open hands. (Your way Lord!)
Even though we have many unanswered questions…
- Can we meet in person with our ministry partners?
- When can we start taking teams on trips again?
- What do trips look like in the future?
- How do our medical clinics need to change?
- Who are the new partners that God has planned for us in the new year?
We are still trusting God and continuing to move forward with our various ministries.
- We are holding discipleship training meetings via Zoom.
- We are coaching local pastors and leaders.
- We will be holding a round table this month to discuss future medical trips.
- We are planning for a discipleship training conference in Mexico in our continued effort to end discipleship poverty!
Spotlight on our Local Leader Coaching
Discipleship poverty is not only an overseas problem. While local leaders have access to an abundance of academic and informational resources, many leaders do not have someone in the flesh equipping them to survive the gauntlet of everyday leadership, let alone thrive and grow as a leader! DW pours into pastors and leaders through life-on-life encouragement and coaching, empowering them to live out their mission, vision, and values.
We asked a few of our local leaders to answer some questions about their coaching experience with Developing Workers. Please know that your support is making this possible, which in turn makes a difference in the life of a leader, which in turn makes a difference in the life of someone they lead. The ripple effect can be endless!
Tell me about your current ministry.
“I serve as the lead pastor”
How long has Developing Workers been coaching you?
“Since I moved to the Valley in 2009”
How has working with DW impacted you personally?
“It would take a couple of volumes of books to really answer this question, but Michael Parker has been a constant source of encouragement to me in the decade I have had him as a coach.
For many years Michael and I met every week to discuss ministry challenges, personal character issues, family history baggage, sin and brokenness, church leadership, strategy and more. Michael was faithful to pray for me and with me, as well as bold to challenge me and help me see areas of personal weakness. Yet through all of it Michael was constantly encouraging, positive, and a voice of hope in my life.
It is not an exaggeration to say that Michael’s coaching saved me from several resignation attempts and saved my church from several poor leadership pitfalls I might have stepped into. His presence in my life over the years has been a great grace from the Lord Jesus!
Michael has continued to believe in me, but even more importantly, believe that Jesus could use me.”
In what ways has working with DW impacted your ministry?
“Michael’s ministry to me has helped grow my leadership capacity and has made it possible for me to be a healthy leader in my church. He has always offered sound, biblical advice and helped me see clearly in various ministry fogs that have descended over the years. He’s been the source of clear thinking in confusion and a reminder to be patient in conflict. [Our church] is still in existence because DW invested in me.”
How has DW helped you in your home life?
“DW (Michael Parker) has helped me find a healthy balance between ministry work and my family. Michael has challenged and encouraged me to love my wife and children as an absolutely priority, so that my ministry is not defined by hypocrisy. I know my wife would agree that the contribution DW has made to our family life is difficult to quantify because of how precious it has been.”
What are one or two take-aways that DW has impressed on you as you maneuvered through this difficult season of 2020?
“Like so many of the prior challenges that DW has helped me wade through, Michael has been a blessing to help me remember that this challenge will also pass and that Jesus is still Lord. Michael has also been an encouragement by helping me see that leadership always has its challenges and that my purpose is not to please people, but to please God.”
If you had one word to describe your partnership with Developing Workers, what would it be?
“Life-giving!”
More to come!
Watch your email in the next few weeks for more coaching experience testimonies!
Year-End Giving Statements
To all of our supporters who have donated financially in 2020, thank you! We will be sending your year-end giving statement through email this year. Please let us know if you’d rather have this sent through regular mail.
Praying God’s best for you in the year ahead!
