Faithful in Every Circumstance If I had to choose a theme for this issue of Harvest, it would be the apostle Paul's word to the church in Corinth: "It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2). You and I cannot always change our circumstances, let alone control what happens to us. But we can be faithful to the Lord even in the midst of the most trying circumstances--whether it be the loss of our livelihood and resulting hunger for us and our families, or devastating setbacks to those we love the most. These pages present some very powerful examples of faithfulness to Christ in any and every circumstance. For example, there simply is not enough room to share all of the testimonies from pastors and other church leaders in Burkina Faso who are overseeing and administering the food aid that good friends like you are helping provide.

A Generous Response

These dear fellow believers are telling of how God is using your kindness and generosity to help sustain lives and also sow good "seed" for future opportunities to share the gospel. Your faithful and generous response to this need has encouraged the body of Christ in drought- and locust-ravaged regions of Burkina Faso in their faithful handling of these resources.

And here's a very encouraging word in relation to this work. Despite the severity of the physical needs there, the church in Burkina Faso is emerging and showing a strong missionary vision. We praise God for His faithfulness!

Challenge in Sudan

One of the ongoing challenges that really motivates me is discovering how SIM, along with churches and individual ministry partners like you, can partner most effectively with the emerging church around the world.

The situation in southern Sudan is a good example of what I'm talking about. The SIM related Sudan Interior Church (SIC) has many believers, as reported here. But the vast majority of these people are in great need of even the most basic teaching in regard to biblical doctrine and the nature of Christianity. We cannot simply send young churches like the SIC off to "do their own thing," so to speak. But we also do not want to take over as we partner with

the Church in places like Sudan and Burkina Faso. Striking this balance is, in my view, perhaps the greatest challenge the missions enterprise faces today.

I want to add a more personal word about the incredible ministry and lives of Ben and Gerlinde Skaggs, who are being tested severely as Gerlinde struggles to recover from her biking accident.

The Skaggs have been church planters in Ethiopia and Malawi, and they are among the most effective missionaries I know. Hundreds of thousands of people have come to Christ through Foundations, the chronological Bible program that Ben used in his overseas church planting--the same one he is using in his Bible studies in Germany!

Ben is one of my heroes in the faith, and I know they would appreciate your prayers for Gerlinde's full recovery.

Please accept my deep gratitude for all that you are doing to advance the work of Christ through SIM. We need your prayers and financial support to continue moving ahead in every circumstance, as faithful stewards of the ministry God has entrusted to us. Thank you for standing with SIM in these exciting days of service.