“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” — Psalm 46:10
The year 2016 has been anything but still.
It seemed like everywhere we turned, violence was erupting, rage was the tone of our dialogue, or terror was spreading like wildfire. Noise and chaos reigned.
But quietly, in spite of all the external confusion, God has been at work in the hearts of His people.
In some of the hardest-to-reach places, the Gospel has been moving and transforming lives for eternity. And you’ve played a vital role in that movement. Your spiritual investments have brought hope, peace, and light to a dark world.
Salvation
All the work we do is ultimately focused on one thing: to bring the Gospel to a world in need of a Savior.
This year was no exception. Through your investment in a variety of projects, our partners have been able to share the Gospel with thousands of people — many of whom have never heard the name of Jesus.
The harvest has been fruitful! More than 301,000 people worldwide made the decision to accept Christ as a direct result of your generosity and compassion. Here is one of those stories:
Savita grew up in a Hindu family. After years of unanswered prayers from his gods and goddesses, Savita finally decided to attend a Christian meeting. It was there that he encountered Jesus for the first time.
“I learned Jesus can heal you, forgive your sins, bless you, be with you … and I didn’t have to spend money or do the things that I used to do when I visited a temple. I just had to surrender my life to Him,” he said.
“I closed my eyes and prayed as I used to pray. Within a few minutes, I experienced a different feeling. I was not aware of tears running down my cheeks. I felt someone was beside me and was willing to hear my problems. After a long time, I felt a peace in my heart. I said, ‘Jesus, if it’s you that I am experiencing right now, I need You because now I know that only You can give me peace.’ I am sure He heard me that day and that’s why I am alive today.”
Planting churches in least-reached places
Your investment in communities without churches shows local believers they are not alone — that someone is praying for them and supporting their efforts to spread the Gospel.
In 2016, our network of international church planters launched 8,787 new churches around the world. For the first time, families and individuals have the opportunity to worship God in their own villages, and local pastors are empowered to impact their communities like never before.
Providing God’s Word to new believers
The Bible may be the best-selling book of all time — but millions of people live and die every day without access to it. Some Christians risk persecution and punishment for even owning a Bible, while others simply cannot afford the cost.
In 2016, you helped impact an estimated 500,000 people through Bible distribution. Because of you, the most urgent spiritual need of new believers is being met through access to God’s Word.
Thank you for staying focused and intent on our ultimate purpose here on earth: to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.