June ‘21 Update
It is with mixed emotions that I come to you with this month’s update. In the Lord’s good providence, He has chosen to open a wonderful door for ministry, while at the same time, he has closed the door of ministry in this life for two dear Filipino brothers who I have partnered with.
Gerry Labutin Met His Savior on April 14th.
A Tribute to Two Faithful Servants
Gerry Labutin was not only one of my first students, but he was a good friend. He served the Lord at Soli Deo Gloria Christian Church in Davao and participated in the first class that I taught in the Expository Preaching Program. I was greatly blessed by his heart to serve the Lord and his desire to know and teach the Word of God rightly. He also knew how to bring laughter to the rest of us with his unassuming manner and witty banter in class. Brother Gerry was taken suddenly due to heart complications.
Bobi Tayag Met His Savior on May 21st.
Another dear brother who went home to be with the Lord is Pastor Roberto (Bobi) Tayag. He was the head pastor for The Way Christian Ministries in Cagayan de Oro and a current student in the preaching program that I teach. He was a faithful soldier for Christ, working diligently to shepherd not only the flock under his direct care but several other churches as well. He taught me much about what it means to be a loving pastor and a good leader. Pastor Bobi suffered from a heart attack after contracting Covid.
Not only were both of these men faithful ministers of the gospel, they were good friends. I am going to greatly miss them. But, as 1 Thess 4:13 reminds me, I do not grieve without hope for I know that I will see them again. So, it is “Good bye, just for now, brothers.”
New Beginnings in a New Country
While I have experienced the sorrow of loss these last couple of months, there has also been encouragement. For, after facing many obstacles and challenges, we have finally begun training in Pakistan! Just two weeks ago we had an orientation with 32 pastors from around the country where we gave introductions as well as an overview of the preaching program. And then last week we taught the first three-day session on key hermeneutical principles and how to study the book overall and the importance of context. More details to come.
Support Pakistani Training Financially
For each 3-day module, about $1000 is needed for all the food, travel, lodging, course materials, and utilities. If you would like to support financially, please visit www.tmai.org/donate and put “Student Support - South Asia” in the giving instructions.
You can also send check out to TMAI and make sure to put the following on the memo line: ‘student support – South Asia’. You can then mail the check to:
The Masters Academy International (TMAI)
13428 Roscoe Blvd.
Sun Valley, CA 91352
Prayer Requests
Please be in prayer for this much needed training. Here are some ways you can pray:
Pray for the safety and protection of these pastors who face much persecution and other ministry burdens. This country is considered one of the most difficult nations to be a Christian.
Pray for the financial resources to carry on the monthly training for these Pakistani men.
Pray also for my preparation for the module as I will be teaching these in addition to my other four weekly classes.
Please be in prayer for the families of Gerry and Bobi as well as for their churches.
If You Wish to Support Us
If the Lord leads you to support this ministry, you can do in several different ways:
Credit Card: go to our GMI link. Note that GMI covers all online expenses so that 100% of your donation goes to our support.
Direct Deposit: print out the form from this link and follow its instructions. The missionary/project name is “Tim Carns”.
Check: make it payable to “GMI” and write “Tim Carns” on the memo line. Then mail it to Grace Ministries International, 13248 Roscoe Blvd., Sun Valley, CA 91352.