These are truly some challenging times in which we live…but they are not so different from the times of the children of Israel in Egypt, the days of captivity in Babylon, the days of the First Century Church.   The Word of God continually reminds us that if we are truly Christlike in our daily lives, that if we truly live counter culturally, that if we are salt and light, that we will be persecuted by the world.

19“If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21“But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.… John 15:19-21.

This morning as I reflect on the news out of France regarding the coordinated terrorist attack, the news out of Indonesia “Churches being burned on instructions from Imam.”  I am reminded of the Lord’s charge to Joshua:

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:7-9

We bear testimony to God’s graciousness and provisionment as He has truly been with us wherever we have gone!

Connie and I have had a tremendous few months of ministry.

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  Traveling to Taiwan, teaching a seminar and visiting 20 of our churches over the course of 10 days.

• Teaching a Course of Study to developing pastors in a house setting in a Creative Access Area;

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  Traveling to various locations here in the Philippines, speaking and teaching on behalf of Nazarene Missions International and Sunday School Discipleship Ministries International.

• Helping to coordinate a joint motocross race and evangelistic multiple-band outreach concert.
• Continuing to partner in Ministry (preaching every other Sunday when in country) at our Makati (business district of Manila) GenCon church plant.
• Partnering in weekly small group Bible studies.

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  Small Group Bible Studies
• Hosting weekly worship team practice and Bible study in our World Mission Communications Studio.

  

• Helping to Facilitate two Regional Conferences and annual meetings in another location on our region.  In this particular instance, we had over 300 delegates from across the region attending plenary sessions and workshops, along with evening worship services that reached nearly 500 in attendance each evening over the course of 5 days.  The WMC-AP office (our team) handled all of the media and design support for the events, as well as logistics of registrations and reservations for delegates.
  

  Team handling technical support for conferences.

  

  Team at the Regional Conferences

  

  Audio / Visual Technical Support is our Passion!
  • In this nation that has a high density of another traditional and very prominent faith belief of the Region, we saw those at the venue noticeably appreciating the difference of this conference.  See this great article that one of our team members wrote about the event and posted on our Regional Website.
• So much more has happened – it would take pages to report it all.

As we roll into nearly the middle of November, the agenda is still full, and we would so greatly appreciate your prayers:

Prayer Requests:

• Please continue to pray for the two girls of one of our team families who were struck by a car while on their way home from school.  DAUGHTERS OF FAMILY IN CAA HIT BY CAR, CROSSING STREET NEAR SCHOOL *** SECOND UPDATE
• Pray for the timely return of our Visas.  Our resident Visas expire on the 15th of November.  We have been working on renewals for a couple of months, but due to various challenges, they are still in process.  We need these soon for upcoming travel.
• Upcoming trip to Taiwan for another 22 church visit, teaching trip, November 25-December 8.
• Global NMI and SDMI conferences.  Connie and I will both be going in different directions.  Connie to the East Coast of the U.S. for the global NMI conference (she is NMI Coordinator for the Asia-Pacific Region), Todd to Europe for the global SDMI conference.  Please pray that these conferences would be Spirit led, and that leaders would be open to hearing from the Lord as He provides His vision, plan, and purpose for these ministries.
• Travel to Myanmar for orality story training.
• Travel to a Creative Access Area to teach another Media course.
• From now until the first week of February, we will be away from our home here in Manila for all but about 24 days.
• Lord Willing, we are planning to arrive to Boise on December 23, to spend some time with our Family, for Connie to do whatever tests are necessary to be considered for a donor match for her brother Curt, who has been in an ongoing courageous journey against cancer, and to love on our new granddaughter.  We will leave from Boise and begin 5 weeks of heavy traveling.

  

As I close, I thank you for taking the time to read this post, lift us in prayer, and partner with us in ministry.  As we serve on a region of some 2.8 billion people, with 2,000+ spoken languages, 135 cities of more than one million inhabitants, and at least 1,270 Unreached People Groups comprised of more than 675 million people, please pray that God will help us to catch His dream and vision for this region.

May God bless you and your family, and help you to remember that in the face of the world in which we live, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Yours and His for the Kingdom,

Todd and Connie Lou

Partner in Ministry – Link to donation page.