March 2025 - Every Believer. Every Continent. Together25
Jennie Allen, author, speaker, founder of If Gathering, woke up from a dream a year ago—a dream that Jesus was coming back in a year. Though it was just a dream, it motivated her to do all she could to bring the body of Christ together to reach the world.
From that vision came Gather25, an epic gathering of the global church.
Gather25 was an unprecedented 25-hour global broadcast event telling the inspiring stories of the global Church, by the global Church.
Jesus followers in churches, campuses, arenas, and living rooms–from every continent and denomination– joined together across every time zone to watch the Gather25 broadcast that was free to everyone, everywhere.
For 25 hours, Gather25 invited believers across the world to pray, repent, worship, and discover how the love of Jesus is transforming the world through everyday people. From this moment in history, believers were inspired by the stories of how God is moving across the earth, and are mobilizing to share the hope of Jesus with Everybody Everywhere.
You can watch all of it or pick and choose which continent you want to connect with here: https://live.gather25.com/
StoryRunners
StoryRunners® is a ministry of Cru with a unique focus: reaching those around the world who communicate differently from most Westerners. Many living in unreached people groups are classified as oral learners, meaning they do their best learning and teaching through the spoken word and not through writing.
StoryRunners works with local Christians around the world to produce biblically faithful, natural and easy-to-tell stories in their heart language. They have seen incredible fruit from this resource everywhere from East Africa to South Asia.
After Faraja learned to tell oral Bible stories in her language of Sukuma, she went to a remote village in Tanzania with no church. Faraja met Salome, a woman who often had affairs with married men. After hearing stories from God’s Word, Salome put her faith in Jesus! She changed completely. Salome even began her own story group, the oral equivalent of a Bible study.
One of the members of that group, Mary, has now begun another story group! They are bringing to life the vision of StoryRunners: to see followers of Christ in communities of faith in every unreached oral people group.
–from Joe Hoffman
House of Hope 40th Anniversary
Twenty-eight years ago our troubled teen, about to be kicked out of middle school, entered into House of Hope. There he learned about expectations, rules to follow, and consequences. And he experienced love, counseling, consistent school, and positive friendships. And he met Jesus. His life was forever changed, though learning to live it out took time.
Last week we celebrated 40 years of House of Hope and founder Sara Trollinger. I shared a little about our family’s journey in House of Hope.
Living and Loving Like Jesus
It seems to me that our world in turmoil could use more of us living and loving like Jesus. Colossians 3:12: Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy (compassion), kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. This gives us a beautiful but formidable challenge.
So I have begun to post a series on just that. The first one is from Steve on humility, and the second one by me on compassion.
Teaching at Our Church
Many years ago Steve and I helped start a church, Antioch 21, to help local college students experience what they could learn from and contribute to. It was thriving, but over time our student pastor left, students moved on, and people moved away. Wayne, our pastor, has taken us on a beautiful journey to walk with God and each other, loving our neighbors, making disciples, and praying together.
We meet on Sunday evenings, and when our pastor is away, different ones give the message, which is followed by discussion/application in small groups. This past Sunday was my turn. I preached on “You Are a Work of Art,” relating three purposes God has in creating each of us. It’s all in a booklet I wrote: You Are a Work of Art.
March Is Women’s History Month
On my blog I have posted quite a few stories of women God has used in truly significant ways. I Call Them Kingdom Women.
Here are three you will love:
May God surprise you with joyful blessings,
Judy