A DIFFERENT KIND OF ORNAMENT
With Christmas ahead, it’s time to decorate the Christ-mas tree. That has been our family’s tradition, especially with young children. They get to joyfully participate, sometimes putting ornaments that friends and family made with each of our names on them.
Metaphorically, I want to thank you for being part of decorating a different kind of tree with ornaments you played a part in making. Hundreds of lives have been impacted through our Global Training Network Divine Expedition Training this year.
300+ NEW ETHIOPIAN ORNAMENTS
In November, our Divine Expedition team traveled to Ethiopia to facilitate trainings in Shashemene (presented by our Ethiopian team), Wondo Genet (co presented by our Ethiopian team), Dilla (co presented by our Ethiopian team) and Hawassa (presented by Divine Expedition trainers Richard, Phil and Mitch). In Hawassa our team gave out 31 certificates for those who completed all 4 phases of our training. They also presented 5 Lead Trainer certificates.
One of our Ethiopian trainers, named Sami, shared how our Phase 1 training helped him share the gospel. As a result, he led 3 people to Christ and 3 more recommitted themselves to Christ. Phase 2 helped Simi heal some family and church wounds; Phase 3 helped him empower and coach 7 people through life challenges (6 believers and one unbeliever); and Phase 4 stirred Sami’s vision to plant church churches among 3 unreached people groups (Silte, Arisoromo, and Harage Ormo).
One woman, named Almaz, shared how she had taken the one sentence gospel (“I was lost, Jesus rescued me, and He can rescue you too”), part of our Phase 1 training, and used it in her prison ministry to lead 300 people to Christ. She baptized 80 of them, set 22 people free from demons, and is now developing 3 leaders in the prison.
TRAININGS AND TRAINERS’ ORNAMENTS
The following map pictures where Divine Expedition Trainings are taking place. Each blue marker represents an ornament of a nation you helped decorate the tree.
The red ornaments are locations where we have raised up Master Trainers. A Master Trainer is someone who has completed each of our four phases of training four times. This is when it becomes most exciting for us, as Master Trainers are now equipped and empowered to multiply Divine Expedition trainings themselves.
THE TREE OF LIFE…AND “ON MY FATHER’S SIDE”
Why are we doing this? It is out of gratitude for our Heavenly Father who decorated a tree called Calvary with His Son and the color red, as He bled and died to rescue, save, and redeem us. He did so to decorate another tree called the Tree of Life. That tree is decorated with ornaments that have our names on it.
I hope you will take a moment and listen the Tim Menzies song, “On My Father’s Side,” as it captures a bit of what it took for us to be ornaments on that Tree.
Thank you for your gracious prayers and giving in helping us add ornaments to the Tree of Life.
For His glory,
Linus for the Global Training Network Divine Expedition Team
On Expedition + 