It feels to me like there is much change coming from the new administration of the U.S. Government. I often feel I can’t keep up with all the issues. I have moments where I hear something new, often radical or shocking, and I just have to stop and say, “I’m going to pray and trust you in this, Lord”. Thankfully, the Lord Jesus and His Living Word gives us direction in such matters.
The SIU Board of Directors has adopted a “Care and Integrity of the Leader” standard recommended by the ECFA (Evangelical Council for Accountability). As a part of this, the board recently took me through a performance review. It was a good thorough evaluation. It brought many good things to light, as well as some things I need to work on as a leader. Constructive feedback is hard to hear sometimes. However, it is much appreciated, and I receive it with an open heart and mind. The Lord does this with His chosen leaders, correcting and rebuking when necessary because HE loves us! One story in particular stands out to me.
This is such an exciting time of the year with advent and the celebration of our Lord’s coming to Redeem and Rescue us! Emmanuel, God with us. HE is our everything and HE is our blessed hope and all we need. What good news to share with others! We know you have many charitable giving options to consider as this year-end quickly approaches. Does IMPACT matter to you? I invite you to read these stories of IMPACT.
“What kind of IMPACT will we see if we donation to Scriptures in Use?” You may be thinking something like this as you consider where to make your year-end giving. We hear this question quite often as we raise funds to equip indigenous leaders through SIU Bridges training events in Africa, Asia, and around the world. “What IMPACT will my gift have?” When I answer this question, I often tell people that they will not find a better return on ministry (ROI for the business-oriented types) than SIU. I’ve been in the international missions/ministry environment for over 23 years. Let me explain why I say this.
The Scriptures In Use Bridges network of partners in Africa includes many faithful, courageous women. We receive many requests for training funds to provide training that will teach more women to engage their communities through Scripture storytelling and equip some to become “Bridges for Women” trainers who will pass the training on to others. As we enter this year-end season of giving, you can invest in faithful, courageous women in Africa as they seek to grow the number of women in leadership and increase the number of “Bridges for Women” trainers and training events.
Windows open, doors open…some might stay open for a short time, and then “wham” suddenly they close. We see the same with harvest opportunities in the field. We are currently seeing many new training opportunities among unreached people groups through our existing partners. Some of these opportunities are a result of new translations of our “Bridges” equipping and training curriculum, including Arabic. Our existing partners in Africa and other regions are using creative approaches to expand access to the “Bridges” training and are equipping believers to go into new areas and countries, making strategic use of their local proximity and established connections. Using these new translations of the “Bridges” training material is just one way we have been able to increase access to this training model.
A couple of months ago, I shared that one of our faithful and generous supporting organizations awarded us a grant that included a new funding challenge. They will match, dollar for dollar, all gifts given by new, first-time donors to Scriptures In Use over the next twelve months, up to $20,000! We are so grateful for this $1 to $1 new donor matching giving challenge. In the first few months…
During a recent weekend clean-up of my home library, I discovered a true “treasure box”. It is one of those redwood boxes about eight inches long and six inches wide that usually carries that redwood scent we find when you open one in a gift store. That scent is long gone. However, within that redwood box, I found several interesting things that are now immeasurably valuable to me. In it was an envelope with a letter from my Grandfather Eugene, who was a member of Gideon’s International. Also, it contained an original Gideon’s Bible that used to be put in Hotel’s rooms a few decades ago and a newspaper article from the early 1970s charting the course of the Gideons. Then something truly took my breath away…
I’m always amazed at our Lord’s faithfulness in building relationships with new leaders and bringing new funding concepts, such as a New Donor Giving Match. We recently experienced a change with one of our major donors, a charitable foundation. SIU was assigned new champions to represent SIU within their organization. These champions guided the 2024 grant cycle and represented SIU as their board considered our request for funding to provide training among our partner networks in multiple Southeast Asia countries.
We are thanking and praising God for another incredible year of ministry in 2023! We want to thank each of you, our family of faithful supporters, for praying and financially partnering with us as we see the Great Commission being fulfilled among oral culture communities around the world. Our trusted partners across Asia and Africa reported more than 5,600 new churches planted in 2023. This brings our 26 year cumulative total of reported churches planted among oral cultures through oral Scripture engagement to over 110,000! Thank you, Lord! All for your Glory and the advancement of your Gospel until all have been reached. Read on for a story and other highlights from 2023.
Kent Kiefer is the CEO & Executive Director of Scriptures in Use (SIU). He has over 20 years of International Ministry experience; in his eighth year with SIU, and previously four years with a faith-based International Missions’ Sending Agency (“ABWE”) and eight years with a faith-based International Parachurch ministry (“Focus on the Family”).
Kent has a heart and passion for “reaching the unreached” and believes strongly that the oral arts, communication bridges training approach designed specifically for the indigenous men and women of peace around the world is one of the most effective means to reach the nations with the Gospel.
Kent is widowed after his wife Melissa (“Missy”) was promoted into Glory in November ‘21 after a 14-year battle with Parkinsons Disease, and has four children (two college age and two teenagers). The Kiefers are involved with two local churches with the body of Christ in Southeast Tucson (“Grace Church of Sahuarita” and “Pantano Christian”).
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Photo by Ken kahiri on Unsplash
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