2021 In Review

Dear Friends,

As I write this letter we are almost 3 weeks into the new year. Gayle and I have been busy with the holidays, preaching engagements here in the USA, working remotely with missionaries and national pastors, and gathering annual reports from those that we are helping across Asia and Africa. In this report I would like to give you an update as well as some urgent prayer requests and special needs around the world. 

2021 Statistics: 

As most of you know, we started this ministry in 2015 with a dream of helping to identify, vet, and support national pastors in the countries of the world with the least access to the gospel. By God’s grace He has allowed our ministry to grow from 2 Church planters in 2015 to 110 church planters in 2022.

In 2015 we saw less than 30 people saved. In 2021 that number was 3,779 professing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior with 942 converts being baptized in spite of the fact that baptism brings with it both cultural and political persecution. Hundreds of new converts are being discipled daily through the dedicated missionaries and pastors we work with. 

None of this could have happened were it not for the blessings of God and the support of churches and individuals in America and Australia that have joined with us to help plant gospel churches in difficult and dangerous places. I am sincerely grateful to everyone who has become a partner in ministry with Barnabas1040. My desire is to oversee this ministry in a way that will bring God’s approval and blessing on everyone that is connected with Barnabas1040 Missions.

Urgent Prayer Needs:

We have operated from day one with the clear understanding that nothing of eternal value will come without the anointing of the Lord. Jesus said in John 15:5 “…Without me ye can do nothing”. One of the greatest needs we have is for your fervent prayers. Please pray for Christians that are facing persecution around the globe. The most severe persecution right now is coming from Communist and Muslim Countries. Here are a few places we have people that need fervent prayer right now:

Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Belarus, Vietnam, China, Laos, and Myanmar. 

We work in 19 Countries and all of them have some degree of hostility towards Christians, but the 8 listed above are the ones I am hearing from the most right now. Some have been killed, pastors are facing imprisonment, some have lost their homes, and others are been denied even the ability to work and provide for their families because they are followers of Christ. Thankfully, this is not the case in every city or village, but it is happening to some degree in each of these places as well as others.  

• Please pray for our brothers and sisters to have God’s peace, strength, love, boldness and wisdom to know how to navigate their trials to the glory of God and the furtherance of the gospel.

• Pray for their families and for protection from those who desire to harm them. 

• Pray for provision whether it be physical, financial, spiritual or emotional.

• Pray that God’s grace will give them the ability to remain faithful no matter what troubles they face for Christ sake. 

Financial Need in India:

We have been helping one of our missionary national pastors who labors in Northern India on the Burmese border to build a new building for the orphans they care for. We have been in the process for well over a year now and the project is almost finished. The need is for $6,000.00 to complete the building. If any pastors would like to help with a special offering, please designate it to “India Orphanage Project.”

Conclusion:

As we enter the new year we do not know what awaits us, but thankfully we know that God is in control and He makes no mistakes.

Recently I heard a pastor friend say “Life is hard, but God is good.”

Every day, circumstances remind us that this world is not our final home. We are travelers on our way to our eternal home with Christ.

May God give us His love, grace and power to do as much good as we can with the few short years we have on earth, knowing that we will soon be with Him for eternity!

God Bless You,

Dwight and Gayle Tomlinson

Barnabas1040 Missions