Five Mission Trips—111 Salvations-August 2023

This has been an incredible summer, with more than 202 participants from five states on our mission trips. We are forever grateful for those leaders who invested in the lives of many preteens and students. The L.I.T. I-Go Mission Trips are life-changing to both those who are reached with the Gospel and especially those who take part in the trips. We have the privilege of joining God on His mission to reach the world and of experiencing His power flowing throughout lives as we love and reach those in need with the Gospel message. Each trip was quite unique in itself. The stories and testimonies consistently bear witness that the Lord showed up and had His way in many lives. The kids were able to join the Lord in leading 111 children and adults to Christ. We praise His name for allowing us the honor of serving Him.

L.I.T. Shaped Them Into Who They Are Today by Blake Hayworth

It has been great following you this summer with all the L.I.T. mission trips. I have my second team in Guatemala this week, and I have two former L.I.T. kids and three leaders. They shared with me on the van trip back today from our worksite how L.I.T. shaped them into who they are today. One of them told me that if she had not been in L.I.T., she probably would not even have thought of going international. Both of these young folks (now in their 20s) are so thankful for the years they spent in L.I.T. I just wanted to let you know that all the long hours of writing, training, and going have paid off in many young people’s lives and they are still living their faith today. Blessings my brother and friend.

New Doors Opening in Ivory Coast and Beyond to Reach Muslims by Isaac Mphande

It is with great joy to report once again on the successful L.I.T. Empowering The Next Generation conference in Ivory Coast. I trained 46 pastors and more than 30 Sunday school teachers as well as many parents and children. I also thank God for a great partnership with one of the mega-churches. The church has more than 1,000 churches in Ivory Coast and more than 900 churches outside of Ivory Coast and even more in countries in West Africa, opening a great outreach to the Muslim world. We discussed how to grow L.I.T. Ministries’ discipleship ministry to raise children as missionaries. It was a joy to meet the leadership team that was happy and planning to grow the outreach to children’s ministry. We also thank God for the translation of the training manual from English to French by Heidi Hayslip, which has helped to ease the work in Africa and particularly the French-speaking nations. A lot of these nations have a strong presence of Islam. Further, L.I.T. Ministries is growing in Muslim countries of Africa to disciple the next generation of missionaries. We pray for more training in these countries because the door has been open.

I Must Become Less—Equipping Leaders to Minister by Dr. Clint May

Years ago when I started out in children’s ministry, I was a perfectionist. No one could do ministry as well as I could—or so I thought. Then when the Lord called me away from the first church where I served, the ministry fell apart within weeks after I left. Jim Wideman said, “If you leave your ministry and it falls apart, you were a lousy children’s pastor.” Well, that was me. I was not doing my job.

Paul says that we (the ministers) are called to equip the saints for works of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13). The Lord has taught me so much throughout the past 33 years of ministry.

I have learned that by being a perfectionist, I am robbing others of the joy of ministry. Besides, there are many who are smarter and better-equipped than me in the church. My job is to train and release them to minister.

This summer was no exception. It has been a true joy watching young and older leaders excel in their gifts. As I get older, I don’t have the physical stamina that I once had, but where I am weak, they were strong. This is the first summer that I have ever done four mission trips in which I was a part of personally. I made it through because of them. It became their ministry as I became less so that they might become greater.

Thanks, DeAnne Noyes, Chris Seely, Kelli Statton, Eva Carrol, Caitlyn Conover, Janet, Russ Zacek, and Josh Brown for making the mission trips a true joy this summer.

We invite you to join us on this amazing journey as we reach, disciple, and mobilize children missionaries around the world. We would love for you to join our team over over 40 monthly partners.  Click here to sign up. 

Praises

• For the 111 professions of faith this summer as a result of our summer mission trips
• For new ministry opportunities in Africa and the Ivory Coast
• For God’s continued provision for the ministry
• For Russ Zacek and Josh Brown who led the North Carolina mission trip

Prayer Requests

• Pray for Isaac Mphande as he prepares for a second trip to Ivory Coast to extend the training there.
• Pray for us as we seek locations for the 2024 L.I.T. I-GO Mission Trips.
• Pray for Clint May for physical rest during the trips.