Christmas Update

I'm so thankful for the blessings of prayers and support I've received already for this mission trip! I can't believe I'm leaving in four days...
Christmas has been a wonderful celebration for our family this year, starting with a Christ-centered service last night on Christmas Eve, and ending with the touching prayers of our children tonight as they closed out the day thinking of others and of spreading the Joy of Jesus coming to our world.
...and now I get to go share that Hope with the Russian people in their Christmas celebration! Russians celebrate Christmas on January 7th, but as a result of history and culture, most Russians today don't know Jesus, don't know why He came, and what the significance of His birth is. Our team is going for exactly this purpose - to come along side our faithful Russian partners to reach the 99.9% of the city of Volgograd who might only come to church at Christmastime because "some Americans are going to be there." God uses these opportunities to create doors into hard hearts. Sergey (if you had a chance to meet him when he was visiting in the states a few months back) has exactly this story!

Can I ask you to be part of my sending team?
Please pray for me and all 12 of us on the team. And if you can - help send the gospel financially. It's not too late :o) I promise you, The Lord will use this, multiply it, and it will not return void!

(My funding goal is now only $2700 due to some funding that's not showing up here, so about $1300 remaining as of now)

Blessings on you and your family at this time!
 - Eric

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The city of Volgograd (formerly known as Stalingrad, where the Russians stopped the Nazis) is the center of this largely unreached region of Russia.

• There are several churches led by pastors desiring to see their members trained in evangelism and disciple-making.
• We will also be working in areas around Volgograd that have no churches, but do have small groups of Christians eager to see the church established there. These special believers living in remote areas need to be encouraged, prayed with, and trained.

Please help me give glory to our Lord Jesus, and see His Kingdom spread in this spiritually hungry part of Russia!

more...

Friends,

You may have notice me sporting the “I AM SECOND” bracelet over the last couple of years ever since I got back from Siberia, Russia that summer. I've continued to wear it, mostly to remind myself of that perspective for life, as well as what Gumby’s trying to demonstrate in the picture from last year (below and on the right): ministry, especially evangelical work in Russia, requires that you be flexible. “Semper gumbus” you might say. (Note: “I Am Second” is the North American ministry and movement of the e3 Partners missionary organization and “Я второй!” is the same phrase in Russian.)

God has once again provided an opportunity for me to put that into practice in Russia on another short-term mission team this year, this time to Volgograd, Russia. I’ve spent the last month and a half preparing, organizing, and definitely praying, so now is the time for action! I leave the 29th of December!

Our team of 12 is organized by e3 Partners Ministry and led again by my dear friend who led my last trip too, so I know we’re going to have a great impact for Christ. Together, we will take the Good News of the Gospel to the people of Russia, and partner with a small group of believers in discipleship training. 

Our team will partner with those local believers to target unreached areas with the Gospel, each day I will be teaming up with several Russian believers. God has blessed me with the ability to speak Russian and heart for the Russian people, and I’m looking forward to again giving that gift back to Him. The nationals we work with are committed to following-up with the people who make professions of faith throughout the week - and are further dedicated to establishing new churches in these areas.

I would like to ask you to prayerfully consider partnering with me on this expedition. I know God is calling me to go, however this can only happen if others help SEND me. As it says in Romans 10:13-15:

• "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.
• But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in him?
• And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about him?
• And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?
• And how will anyone go and tell them without being SENT?
• That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring Good News!"

Would you consider SENDING me?

1.   First, can you commit to pray for me?  I’d love to report back to you on what God is doing with and through us. We've got a prayer calendar for you to reference as we go through our time of final preparations, travel, work, and returning home. If I get it to you will you print it, post it, and pray it while we’re at work? God can do a great thing there!

2.   Second, can you give financially to help cover my Expedition? The total cost for this Expedition is $3800, I know God will provide! Now I’m excited to see what God can do in His time before December 3rd. This has, once again been a bit of a Gideon-like process for me (Judges 7:1-22). He’s been whittling down my expectations of what I think is necessary in terms of time, so now it’s time to break the clay pots and let out the light!

If you would like to be a part of my sending team, you can contribute directly right here, by clicking on the green

• “Donate to this Fundraiser”

...button on the right, or just below.  Timing is urgent, so please do not delay.  If you’d prefer not to contribute directly online, there is an option to pay by check after you click the button. Of course, all gifts are tax deductible and you will receive a receipt from e3 Partners/Pure Charity. If you have questions about any aspect of this Expedition I’d be happy to answer them personally.

Thank you for prayerfully considering my request. I look forward to seeing how the Lord will move as I take this step of faith! Your prayers and financial support will be a great blessing to me, but even more to the many who will hear and respond to the Gospel because you helped SEND me.

Blessings in Christ,
   Eric

elmcmull@nps.edu