WEBVTT 00:00:01.320 --> 00:00:04.219 If you listen to the news regularly, you get 00:00:04.219 --> 00:00:07.879 lots of bad news every single evening from all 00:00:07.879 --> 00:00:11.220 over the globe. Well, today it brings me incredible 00:00:11.220 --> 00:00:14.640 joy to share with you where God is working through 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:17.760 Living on the Edge all over the globe. You do 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:23.199 not want to miss this. Welcome to this edition 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:26.440 of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. We are 00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:29.140 an international discipleship ministry devoted 00:00:29.140 --> 00:00:31.699 to helping Christians worldwide live out their 00:00:31.699 --> 00:00:34.200 faith for the glory of God and the benefit of 00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:37.000 all people. I'm Dave Drury, and over the past 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:38.899 few weeks, Chip's been teaching through the Book 00:00:38.899 --> 00:00:40.859 of Philippians, but today we're pushing pause 00:00:40.859 --> 00:00:43.240 on that study to do something a little different. 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:46.479 Andrew Icardi is with me in studio now. He leads 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:48.659 our international team here at Living on the 00:00:48.659 --> 00:00:51.240 Edge. Andrew, thanks for joining us, and I'm 00:00:51.240 --> 00:00:53.500 really excited for you to share the unbelievable 00:00:53.500 --> 00:00:56.600 ways God is using this ministry all over the 00:00:56.600 --> 00:00:59.420 globe. And to help you do that, you have a handful 00:00:59.420 --> 00:01:02.119 of friends with you. So take it away. Great to 00:01:02.119 --> 00:01:05.019 be with you, Dave. Today's a special broadcast 00:01:05.019 --> 00:01:07.680 for me because I have our entire leadership team 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:11.099 here with me today. Hello, everyone. Hi, Andrew. 00:01:11.219 --> 00:01:13.719 Great to be with you. Hi, everyone. It's good 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:16.489 to be here with you. I'll introduce you to each 00:01:16.489 --> 00:01:18.730 of them in a minute, but first, you know, if 00:01:18.730 --> 00:01:20.489 you've listened to our broadcast for a while, 00:01:20.549 --> 00:01:23.049 you've probably picked up by now that Living 00:01:23.049 --> 00:01:26.329 on the Edge is all about discipleship. We want 00:01:26.329 --> 00:01:28.969 to help Christians live like Christians. We want 00:01:28.969 --> 00:01:32.469 to help you grow closer to God, and that's what 00:01:32.469 --> 00:01:35.209 we're all about. You know, in the United States, 00:01:35.269 --> 00:01:37.469 we do that primarily through this broadcast. 00:01:38.489 --> 00:01:41.390 We are on about 1 ,100 radio towers here in the 00:01:41.390 --> 00:01:44.489 U .S. and, of course, on the podcast or on the 00:01:44.489 --> 00:01:48.549 app or streaming. But overseas, we help Christians 00:01:48.549 --> 00:01:51.670 live like Christians by investing in pastors 00:01:51.670 --> 00:01:55.370 and church leaders. In fact, we say a church 00:01:55.370 --> 00:01:58.170 will rise and fall on the spiritual leadership 00:01:58.170 --> 00:02:01.090 of the pastor and the strength of its disciples. 00:02:02.059 --> 00:02:04.219 And so today we're going to take a quick tour 00:02:04.219 --> 00:02:06.480 of the world to give you an update on the ministry 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:08.800 of Living on the Edge and how it's impacting 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:12.460 pastors all around the world. I know some of 00:02:12.460 --> 00:02:15.759 you have your finger hovering on your cell phones 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:17.659 right now wondering if you want to skip this 00:02:17.659 --> 00:02:19.659 episode or not, or you're wondering if you want 00:02:19.659 --> 00:02:21.699 to change the channel from your radio, but I 00:02:21.699 --> 00:02:24.099 just want to encourage you. When you hear what 00:02:24.099 --> 00:02:26.219 God is doing around the world, it gives you an 00:02:26.219 --> 00:02:30.080 idea of what God can do in your life. God is 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:32.800 in the miracle business of overcoming obstacles. 00:02:33.460 --> 00:02:35.960 And so if you listen, I just think you will receive 00:02:35.960 --> 00:02:39.979 a lot of great encouragement for your life. Okay, 00:02:40.039 --> 00:02:42.879 so let's start the tour. Ronald Raj is with us, 00:02:42.900 --> 00:02:46.419 and he leads our work in Southeast Asia. That 00:02:46.419 --> 00:02:50.060 includes Nepal, it includes the Gulf states, 00:02:50.259 --> 00:02:54.280 but also India. And Ronald, you've been in the 00:02:54.280 --> 00:02:56.780 marketplace for many years. God's called you 00:02:56.780 --> 00:02:59.539 into the ministry. And you've been traveling 00:02:59.539 --> 00:03:02.300 all across India. What are you seeing right now? 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:06.159 What's impacting the church in India? Well, thank 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:08.599 you, Andrew. It's such a pleasure to share what 00:03:08.599 --> 00:03:11.300 God's doing in India. But let me set the context 00:03:11.300 --> 00:03:16.659 first. Over 1 .2 billion people in India still 00:03:16.659 --> 00:03:19.939 lack access to the gospel. That's nearly one 00:03:19.939 --> 00:03:25.360 in six people on the planet. We are... the largest 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:28.479 mission field on the earth. India is home to 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:32.960 about 2 ,100 unreached people groups, and this 00:03:32.960 --> 00:03:36.539 is the context we have in terms of the opportunity 00:03:36.539 --> 00:03:40.099 the harvest is really ripe. While the church 00:03:40.099 --> 00:03:42.800 is growing, the pressure is also mounting for 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:46.719 us. India ranks number 11 in the world for Christian 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:50.560 persecution. Pastors are being arrested. churches 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:53.879 are being burned, and new anti -conversion laws 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:59.099 are making disciple -making dangerous. But here's 00:03:59.099 --> 00:04:04.219 the miracle, God is still moving. Since COVID, 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:07.400 nearly 90 ,000 pastors and leaders have been 00:04:07.400 --> 00:04:10.099 trained, and in the next few years, we aim to 00:04:10.099 --> 00:04:14.300 train over 300 ,000 more. Through them, we believe 00:04:14.300 --> 00:04:17.800 you'll see about 40 million believers, disciples, 00:04:17.800 --> 00:04:21.300 and 1 .2 million new souls added to the kingdom. 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:25.180 I'm honestly not sure if any other ministry has 00:04:25.180 --> 00:04:27.959 this kind of an impact and a reach like Living 00:04:27.959 --> 00:04:32.040 on the Edge. The sense of urgency that we have 00:04:32.040 --> 00:04:36.920 to move into areas is amplified in what really 00:04:36.920 --> 00:04:41.540 happened in Manipur. It was a tragic ethnic and 00:04:41.540 --> 00:04:45.600 religious conflict. In 2023, a deadly ethnic 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:49.959 conflict broke out in Manipur between the Hindu 00:04:49.959 --> 00:04:55.000 majority Maitis and the Christian minority Kukis. 00:04:55.480 --> 00:05:00.839 About 200 lives were lost. 70 ,000 people were 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:04.620 displaced, most of them Christians. 400 plus 00:05:04.620 --> 00:05:08.160 churches were destroyed. About 7 ,000 homes were 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:12.000 burnt down. and 100 villages were razed to the 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:15.759 ground. And when we see these heart -wrenching 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:20.379 stories, it kind of shakes the soul. And that's 00:05:20.379 --> 00:05:24.420 why I'm so glad and so motivated when the Lord 00:05:24.420 --> 00:05:27.180 called me to the full -time ministry. It's for 00:05:27.180 --> 00:05:30.720 a kingdom cause, a cause that's much bigger than 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:35.379 me, my business, or my family. And when we respond, 00:05:35.620 --> 00:05:37.959 we're going to respond by... training pastors 00:05:37.959 --> 00:05:40.660 who will go and train other leaders who will 00:05:40.660 --> 00:05:43.819 start training the congregation. Hope is restored. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:48.199 Transformation happens. God is glorified. Kingdom 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:51.279 is built. Amen. You know, when I was in India, 00:05:51.420 --> 00:05:53.360 I was just meeting with a pastor, and he just 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:55.420 opened up his cell phone. He starts showing me 00:05:55.420 --> 00:05:58.720 pictures of pastors being beaten. And you're 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:02.579 like, wow, this is real life. I got another text 00:06:02.579 --> 00:06:05.560 from another leader who said, these are all the 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:07.860 pastors in my network who are in prison right 00:06:07.860 --> 00:06:12.019 now. It's like 40. So it's just living on the 00:06:12.019 --> 00:06:14.079 edge is attracted to some of the hardest places 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:17.439 in the world. And we're making a difference. 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:20.800 And God is doing things through the ministry 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:23.639 of living on the edge. Absolutely, Andrew. The 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:26.839 window is very narrow. with the general elections 00:06:26.839 --> 00:06:32.139 slated for 2029 and several state elections happening 00:06:32.139 --> 00:06:36.879 between now and 2029, the window of opportunity 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:43.060 for us to really openly go out and share, train, 00:06:43.259 --> 00:06:47.100 raise disciple makers is too narrow. So I hope 00:06:47.100 --> 00:06:50.879 we get the sense of urgency for... us at Living 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:53.480 on the Edge and for all our friends and supporters 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:57.540 that we need to rise up to this challenge. Absolutely. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:00.279 Thanks, Ronald. And that brings us to Patrick 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:03.860 Cuccio, who leads our ministry in Africa. Now, 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:07.579 Patrick, sub -Saharan Africa specifically is 00:07:07.579 --> 00:07:10.019 highly Christianized, if we want to call it that, 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:13.240 but that doesn't mean it's not without its challenges 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:15.519 either. Is that right? Absolutely, Andrew. In 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:17.899 fact, I keep wondering whether J .I. Packer, 00:07:18.439 --> 00:07:21.660 had Africa in mind when he penned that famous 00:07:21.660 --> 00:07:26.319 quote, that the church is 1 ,000 miles long and 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:28.680 half an inch deep. Because I keep wondering, 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:34.300 of the 718 million professing Christians, out 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:38.060 of a population of 2 .4 billion people, where 00:07:38.060 --> 00:07:41.720 is the impact? Did these decisions ever translate 00:07:41.720 --> 00:07:45.240 into disciples? Your guess is as good as mine. 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:48.079 I don't think it happened. Because if it did 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:53.639 happen, then Africa would be miles ahead of every 00:07:53.639 --> 00:07:57.160 other continent. But currently, Africa is home 00:07:57.160 --> 00:08:01.860 to many contradictions. So many decisions, very 00:08:01.860 --> 00:08:06.639 few disciples. So much wealth in our natural 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:11.560 resources, but abject poverty all over the place. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:16.220 So many leaders, very little leadership. So this 00:08:16.220 --> 00:08:18.800 is a context that you've accurately described, 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:21.600 Andrew, about Africa. You know, I was reading 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:24.800 the Wall Street Journal, and a futurist was asked, 00:08:25.019 --> 00:08:27.740 what does the future look like? And he used one 00:08:27.740 --> 00:08:30.959 word, Africa. It was interesting because we just 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:34.019 heard Ronald talk about, in India, this closing 00:08:34.019 --> 00:08:35.720 window that will be there. And they've got 1 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:41.820 .4 billion people. But Africa, by 2050, will 00:08:41.820 --> 00:08:46.519 be the only growing continent. It is a strategic 00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:51.799 opportunity for us to grow disciples in Africa. 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:55.080 Absolutely, Andrew. In fact, it is said by 2050, 00:08:55.460 --> 00:08:59.940 one out of every four human beings on the planet 00:08:59.940 --> 00:09:04.019 is going to be African. So there's every reason 00:09:04.019 --> 00:09:09.220 to invest in this young, greening continent. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:12.379 There is revival. There are thousands of young 00:09:12.379 --> 00:09:15.860 people who gather. Tonight, my daughter is just 00:09:15.860 --> 00:09:18.200 joining other thousands of young people who are 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:20.740 just gathering together for a night of worship. 00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:23.840 And this is happening all over our continent. 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:27.360 God is on the move. You know, in India, there's 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:29.559 a lot of challenges. I think in Africa, we'd 00:09:29.559 --> 00:09:31.059 say there are challenges, but there are just 00:09:31.059 --> 00:09:34.440 immense opportunities. We're seeing God do some 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:37.120 amazing things in Africa through Living on the 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:39.639 Edge. Can you tell us about some of them? Yes, 00:09:39.639 --> 00:09:42.419 Andrew. By the grace of God, through Living on 00:09:42.419 --> 00:09:47.529 the Edge, We have equipped over 211 ,000 pastors 00:09:47.529 --> 00:09:52.269 across the continent of Africa. Wow. And these 00:09:52.269 --> 00:09:54.350 are pastors who are yearning, they are hungry, 00:09:54.470 --> 00:09:58.129 they are saying, we know that the challenge Africa 00:09:58.129 --> 00:10:00.730 is faced with is one of a discipleship deficit. 00:10:01.090 --> 00:10:04.470 And that if we close that discipleship gap, there 00:10:04.470 --> 00:10:08.450 will be transformation across Africa. It's interesting, 00:10:08.590 --> 00:10:12.909 this year alone, we had 45 leaders. from 23 different 00:10:12.909 --> 00:10:15.909 countries gather in Nairobi. And these leaders 00:10:15.909 --> 00:10:21.750 represent over 800 ,000 congregations. And all 00:10:21.750 --> 00:10:25.490 of them, without exception, say they are willing 00:10:25.490 --> 00:10:28.090 to cooperate and collaborate with Living on the 00:10:28.090 --> 00:10:32.250 Edge as we help them and equip them to become 00:10:32.250 --> 00:10:35.990 disciple -making churches. That moved my heart 00:10:35.990 --> 00:10:40.190 a lot because every other evangelist has gone 00:10:40.190 --> 00:10:43.190 through Africa. And the decisions have been in 00:10:43.190 --> 00:10:46.009 their millions, but the impact has been very 00:10:46.009 --> 00:10:48.590 minimal. So yes, God is using living on the edge, 00:10:48.690 --> 00:10:52.110 and we are trusting God that by 2030, we will 00:10:52.110 --> 00:10:57.610 have equipped close to 500 ,000 pastors. Who 00:10:57.610 --> 00:11:00.870 knows? Why not? We'll see what God does with 00:11:00.870 --> 00:11:03.830 that. It's just amazing the opportunities we've 00:11:03.830 --> 00:11:06.210 been given in three years. We started from scratch, 00:11:06.230 --> 00:11:09.799 and God has continually opened doors to us. Thank 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:13.460 you, Patrick. I want to shift now to Alex, and 00:11:13.460 --> 00:11:16.559 Alex leads our team in the Middle East. Now, 00:11:16.580 --> 00:11:19.179 you should know, however, that Alex is not his 00:11:19.179 --> 00:11:22.320 real name. We've changed it for security purposes, 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:25.779 but Alex, it's challenging in the Middle East 00:11:25.779 --> 00:11:28.419 to be a believer. Can you tell us why that is? 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:31.759 Yes, indeed, Andrew. Even in the countries which 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:34.710 have... formal Christian existence, Christians 00:11:34.710 --> 00:11:37.809 become persecuted for their faith. And of course, 00:11:37.809 --> 00:11:40.970 it gets harder and harder if they are living 00:11:40.970 --> 00:11:44.169 in Muslim background countries or countries that 00:11:44.169 --> 00:11:47.269 don't allow the freedom of worship as you are 00:11:47.269 --> 00:11:49.929 used to in the West. I'm lucky that I live in 00:11:49.929 --> 00:11:52.710 one of the countries which allow the nationals 00:11:52.710 --> 00:11:56.169 to be Christians because I was born in a Christian 00:11:56.169 --> 00:11:59.269 family, but so many other people in the Arab 00:11:59.269 --> 00:12:01.769 world, especially in the North Africans and And 00:12:01.769 --> 00:12:05.389 some Gulf countries don't have this blessing. 00:12:05.929 --> 00:12:09.090 So what happens if somebody becomes a believer 00:12:09.090 --> 00:12:12.929 from a Muslim background in the Middle East, 00:12:12.990 --> 00:12:16.090 in most Middle Eastern countries? In many of 00:12:16.090 --> 00:12:19.049 the countries in the Middle East and North Africa, 00:12:19.169 --> 00:12:22.169 when their direct family might know that they 00:12:22.169 --> 00:12:24.990 are changing their face, they might persecute 00:12:24.990 --> 00:12:27.809 them. They may kick them out of the house if 00:12:27.809 --> 00:12:31.179 it is a husband or a wife. Their partner, even 00:12:31.179 --> 00:12:33.720 by law, have the right to divorce them because 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:37.039 for them they are an infidel. The second level 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:39.779 of persecution that they face can be from the 00:12:39.779 --> 00:12:43.159 government if they are reported in some countries 00:12:43.159 --> 00:12:47.080 or if someone reports them directly wanting to 00:12:47.080 --> 00:12:50.940 harm them. They can face imprisonment for a long 00:12:50.940 --> 00:12:54.120 time that can vary from one year to three years 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:56.940 to even six years or more in some countries. 00:12:57.340 --> 00:13:00.220 The third level of persecution that people face 00:13:00.220 --> 00:13:03.399 is from the general society or the community. 00:13:03.700 --> 00:13:07.399 So it's really a challenge. But the most encouraging 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:10.799 thing, Andrew, is that so many people are taking 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:14.980 faith in Christ as something that they cherish 00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:17.820 so much, as something that is really valuable, 00:13:17.940 --> 00:13:21.159 and they pay a very high price for it. In the 00:13:21.159 --> 00:13:24.379 last year, I could say, Andrew, we have seen 00:13:25.019 --> 00:13:27.919 So many churches asking for training for the 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:30.659 pastors and training for the leaders because 00:13:30.659 --> 00:13:33.820 they want to become disciples. They want to have 00:13:33.820 --> 00:13:36.580 discipleship material to be able to disciple 00:13:36.580 --> 00:13:39.879 others. And it is honestly not only happening 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:42.950 in the countries which have formal... church 00:13:42.950 --> 00:13:46.409 and Christian existence, but also even in the 00:13:46.409 --> 00:13:49.230 underground churches in so many countries like 00:13:49.230 --> 00:13:52.570 Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and even in the Gulf 00:13:52.570 --> 00:13:55.470 region, we are seeing so many people are crying 00:13:55.470 --> 00:13:58.230 for help. I can say, Andrew, that in the last 00:13:58.230 --> 00:14:02.639 year, We have seen over 1 ,700 people trained 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:06.340 with the Roman 12 model of discipleship. We have 00:14:06.340 --> 00:14:09.940 seen over 600 people receiving the Art of Survival 00:14:09.940 --> 00:14:13.519 training. People want to become disciples themselves 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:16.759 and they want to lead their churches, to become 00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:19.539 disciple -making churches. We have seen this 00:14:19.539 --> 00:14:22.710 happening with churches, with... pastors, with 00:14:22.710 --> 00:14:26.029 leaders who lead formal churches in many countries, 00:14:26.149 --> 00:14:29.970 and also with pastors and leaders who lead underground 00:14:29.970 --> 00:14:33.450 churches in their own homes. You know, it's just 00:14:33.450 --> 00:14:35.409 so important to note here, because we've just 00:14:35.409 --> 00:14:39.169 talked about India and Africa and these just 00:14:39.169 --> 00:14:42.090 gigantic numbers. But I have to tell you, when 00:14:42.090 --> 00:14:47.250 you're talking about 600 or 1 ,700 leaders coming 00:14:47.250 --> 00:14:51.500 together, This is a huge percentage of leaders 00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:54.159 in the Middle East. There's just not that many 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:57.580 of them. That's very true because, you know, 00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:01.519 if we talk about, for example, the churches, 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:05.200 the places where we know. that have Bible -believing 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:07.940 churches from different denominations and different 00:15:07.940 --> 00:15:11.120 backgrounds are not so many churches. In Egypt, 00:15:11.179 --> 00:15:14.240 we have a little over 1 ,000 churches. In places 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:18.480 like Lebanon, we have no more than 100 churches. 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:22.019 In Syria, there are around 70 churches. In Jordan, 00:15:22.139 --> 00:15:25.220 it's about the same. In Iraq... In the other 00:15:25.220 --> 00:15:27.759 countries that don't have formal church existence, 00:15:27.940 --> 00:15:30.899 like Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia and Libya, 00:15:31.220 --> 00:15:34.120 you're talking only about a few thousand believers 00:15:34.120 --> 00:15:37.379 here and there. And maybe you're talking about 00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:40.679 15, 20 churches in Morocco, 10 churches in Tunisia. 00:15:40.919 --> 00:15:43.740 But what you are saying is really significant, 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:48.000 Andrew. The percentage of people being affected 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:52.639 by this kind of teaching is great and very encouraging. 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:56.320 shows that we are headed in the right direction 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:59.360 to equip God's kingdom for learning more how 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:02.000 to become disciples and disciple -making people. 00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:05.080 You know, when I think about the numbers you 00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:08.299 just mentioned, I live in Gwinnett County, Georgia. 00:16:09.299 --> 00:16:13.259 There are probably more churches in Gwinnett 00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:16.940 County, Georgia, than in all of the Middle East. 00:16:18.820 --> 00:16:21.960 Let's just think about that for a second. And 00:16:21.960 --> 00:16:24.399 yet God is opening the door to living on the 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:28.220 edge to go into these churches that exist to 00:16:28.220 --> 00:16:31.000 make them stronger. And for those that are underground, 00:16:31.399 --> 00:16:35.899 we're helping them become disciple makers. As 00:16:35.899 --> 00:16:38.740 I've mentioned before, we're attracted to hard 00:16:38.740 --> 00:16:42.259 places. The Middle East is not a place of big 00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:46.500 numbers, but it's a place that's important. It's 00:16:46.500 --> 00:16:48.539 close to God's heart. I really believe that. 00:16:49.769 --> 00:16:52.870 Let's shift now over to Latin America and David 00:16:52.870 --> 00:16:56.909 Tamez. David oversees all of Latin America for 00:16:56.909 --> 00:16:59.710 us, but for our time here, we're going to focus 00:16:59.710 --> 00:17:03.809 on Mexico. So, David, with all the upheaval with 00:17:03.809 --> 00:17:07.089 immigration, crime, fentanyl, these are all the 00:17:07.089 --> 00:17:10.349 things we hear on the news of the relationship 00:17:10.349 --> 00:17:13.769 between the U .S. and Mexico. There are real 00:17:13.769 --> 00:17:16.170 struggles for pastors in Mexico, aren't there? 00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:20.640 Yes, exactly. Everything is changing and the 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:25.019 news is not encouraging. In Mexico, for instance, 00:17:25.420 --> 00:17:30.059 pastors and churches are facing many challenges 00:17:30.059 --> 00:17:33.680 that hinder their mission, including violence 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:37.920 and insecurity, which create a fearful environment 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:42.759 for their worship services. Additionally, social 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:46.759 and political polarization leads... to a lack 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:50.160 of unity among different denominations. And many 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:53.700 pastors struggle with lack of resources and training 00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:56.599 impacting their leadership. And that's why they 00:17:56.599 --> 00:18:00.240 are looking at our ministry for help. When we 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:03.240 were in Mexico and listening to one of our leaders 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:06.960 there, he said some of our pastors had to pass 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:09.599 gang checkpoints just to get to our training. 00:18:10.099 --> 00:18:13.619 And that's not everywhere. But this is a real 00:18:13.619 --> 00:18:16.380 issue for pastors to deal with in Mexico, isn't 00:18:16.380 --> 00:18:19.160 it? Yes, it's true. And I'm glad that you're 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:21.940 talking about Mexico because I was born in Mexico 00:18:21.940 --> 00:18:25.619 and it's sad for me to see what's going on mainly 00:18:25.619 --> 00:18:28.940 on the border with Mexico and the United States. 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:32.559 According to statistics, there are probably half 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:37.109 a million refugees. Living in despair and in 00:18:37.109 --> 00:18:40.309 the midst of this situation is where our ministry 00:18:40.309 --> 00:18:44.109 and local churches are trying to help. For instance, 00:18:44.150 --> 00:18:48.089 there is one in Mexico, a pastor that said, there 00:18:48.089 --> 00:18:50.849 was a time when I believed my ministry was coming 00:18:50.849 --> 00:18:54.950 to an end. And I had tried many strategies, but 00:18:54.950 --> 00:18:58.210 nothing seemed to bring results. I was ready 00:18:58.210 --> 00:19:01.609 to give up. And I had the opportunity to attend 00:19:01.609 --> 00:19:04.759 one of your seminars. of the high -impact church 00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:08.920 in my city. Thanks to the inspiring insight and 00:19:08.920 --> 00:19:12.700 practical advice, I have seen a remarkable transformation 00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:16.900 in our church. These are the kind of testimonies 00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:20.440 that we are getting every day from churches in 00:19:20.440 --> 00:19:23.039 Mexico and other countries in Latin America. 00:19:23.710 --> 00:19:25.990 I just want to keep saying it again and again. 00:19:26.150 --> 00:19:29.210 We work with pastors because they're the ones 00:19:29.210 --> 00:19:31.890 who have influence in their churches and in their 00:19:31.890 --> 00:19:35.990 communities. And these churches are overwhelmed. 00:19:36.230 --> 00:19:39.289 And so we come alongside them to help them make 00:19:39.289 --> 00:19:44.650 disciples. Yes, our records show that over 29 00:19:44.650 --> 00:19:48.329 ,000 pastors and leaders have been successfully 00:19:48.329 --> 00:19:53.410 trained across Mexico and other nearby countries, 00:19:53.690 --> 00:19:57.190 including Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, El 00:19:57.190 --> 00:20:00.910 Salvador, Costa Rica, and others. We are aware 00:20:00.910 --> 00:20:04.069 that other barriers might come, but we believe 00:20:04.069 --> 00:20:07.690 that by leading a Christ -centered life, individuals 00:20:07.690 --> 00:20:11.990 can inspire others to follow. Discipleship is 00:20:11.990 --> 00:20:15.930 not just about teaching, but about actively demonstrating 00:20:15.930 --> 00:20:20.130 faith in ways that reflect the love and grace 00:20:20.130 --> 00:20:23.900 of Jesus. So I'm here to say that there is hope 00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:27.619 because our training programs are actually working 00:20:27.619 --> 00:20:30.539 and making a difference in the countries that 00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:33.539 we are serving right now. Pastors who used to 00:20:33.539 --> 00:20:37.380 feel lost and helpless are now confident and 00:20:37.380 --> 00:20:41.660 full of new and practical ideas on how to lead 00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:45.890 their churches. We are seeing... Lives and communities 00:20:45.890 --> 00:20:48.910 change for the better. Even local churches and 00:20:48.910 --> 00:20:51.950 border cities are becoming safe places where 00:20:51.950 --> 00:20:56.029 people can find salvation and hope for their 00:20:56.029 --> 00:20:59.970 families. That's just amazing, David, what God 00:20:59.970 --> 00:21:03.309 does in these difficult places and how He brings 00:21:03.309 --> 00:21:06.430 redemption and hope. So thank you for what you're 00:21:06.430 --> 00:21:09.930 doing. Amen. You know, it is hard work. I am 00:21:09.930 --> 00:21:14.059 convinced that God always chooses. He's the best 00:21:14.059 --> 00:21:18.059 warrior for the greatest battles. But we know 00:21:18.059 --> 00:21:21.559 with prayer and with your faithful support, we 00:21:21.559 --> 00:21:25.740 can change the world one day at a time. Amen, 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:28.339 David. You know, thanks for sharing all the wonderful 00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:30.440 things that God's doing through Living on the 00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:32.500 Edge in Mexico and all around Latin America. 00:21:33.549 --> 00:21:35.509 Well, I hope our little trip around the world 00:21:35.509 --> 00:21:37.789 has encouraged you and opened your eyes to the 00:21:37.789 --> 00:21:40.549 profound ways this ministry is making an eternal 00:21:40.549 --> 00:21:43.789 impact on believers and church leaders everywhere. 00:21:44.490 --> 00:21:47.349 You know, by God's grace, we've trained and resourced 00:21:47.349 --> 00:21:51.250 nearly 440 ,000 pastors over the last few years. 00:21:51.710 --> 00:21:54.130 And in the next few years, our goal is to see 00:21:54.130 --> 00:21:57.410 that number climb to 3 million. And that's where 00:21:57.410 --> 00:22:00.359 you come in. When you partner with Living on 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:02.940 the Edge financially, it is like you are going 00:22:02.940 --> 00:22:05.740 with us into these communities and churches that 00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:09.539 are desperate for spiritual nourishment. And 00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:11.720 you'd be surprised at how little it takes to 00:22:11.720 --> 00:22:14.000 support these pastors. You know, we've discovered 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:17.319 that $10 can provide these church leaders with 00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:20.220 resources, training, and this much -needed encouragement. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:24.500 And so a gift of $100 can impact the lives and 00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:27.460 well -being of 10 pastors. And when a pastor 00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:30.240 is spiritually healthy, They produce Christians 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:33.980 who live like Christians. And then those Christians 00:22:33.980 --> 00:22:36.700 go out and become difference makers in their 00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:40.519 communities and countries. And right now, during 00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:43.180 our mid -year match, your gift goes twice as 00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:46.299 far to help even more church leaders around the 00:22:46.299 --> 00:22:49.660 globe. So would you please pray about what God 00:22:49.660 --> 00:22:53.579 would have you do to partner with us? Lord, we're 00:22:53.579 --> 00:22:56.900 so grateful that you have opened the doors. all 00:22:56.900 --> 00:22:59.960 around the world to Living on the Edge. And I 00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:03.700 pray your great blessing on the ministry as we 00:23:03.700 --> 00:23:08.019 help pastors become healthy pastors. And we thank 00:23:08.019 --> 00:23:10.759 you for all of our financial partners who will 00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:14.140 help us help these men and women all around the 00:23:14.140 --> 00:23:21.210 world. Amen. Amen. Thanks, Andrew. You've been 00:23:21.210 --> 00:23:23.390 listening to a special edition of Living on the 00:23:23.390 --> 00:23:26.130 Edge with Chip Ingram. I'm Dave Drewy. And if 00:23:26.130 --> 00:23:28.390 you were inspired by today's program and want 00:23:28.390 --> 00:23:30.910 to partner with us in supporting pastors worldwide, 00:23:31.309 --> 00:23:34.690 like Andrew said, now is the perfect time. Every 00:23:34.690 --> 00:23:37.490 gift we receive between now and June 30th will 00:23:37.490 --> 00:23:40.410 be matched dollar for dollar. So be part of our 00:23:40.410 --> 00:23:42.910 mid -year match and help us provide resources 00:23:42.910 --> 00:23:45.630 and training to these discouraged church leaders. 00:23:46.009 --> 00:23:49.579 Visit livingontheedge .org or call us at 888 00:23:49.579 --> 00:23:56.599 -333 -6003 to learn how. That's 888 -333 -6003 00:23:56.599 --> 00:24:01.720 or go to livingontheedge .org. App listeners, 00:24:01.819 --> 00:24:04.619 tap donate. And thanks in advance for doing whatever 00:24:04.619 --> 00:24:07.579 God leads you to do. Hey, one more thing before 00:24:07.579 --> 00:24:09.460 we go. Do you want to deepen your connection 00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:12.140 to God amid your busy life? Then take Chip with 00:24:12.140 --> 00:24:15.259 you by subscribing to our daily podcast. With 00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:17.559 a few simple taps on your phone, you can access 00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:19.900 the full -length versions of our latest series. 00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:22.900 And if you're always on the go, download a handful 00:24:22.900 --> 00:24:25.539 and listen to them at your own pace. Let us help 00:24:25.539 --> 00:24:28.220 you grow your faith. Search for Living on the 00:24:28.220 --> 00:24:31.279 Edge with Chip Ingram today wherever you listen 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:33.660 to podcasts. Well, thank you for listening to 00:24:33.660 --> 00:24:35.920 this edition of Living on the Edge with Chip 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:38.390 Ingram. I'm Dave Drewy, and I hope you'll join 00:24:38.390 --> 00:24:39.329 us again next time.