Recent Updates
I trust this email finds you well and experiencing God’s richest blessings. I wanted to take a few moments to update you on what has been happening since last month’s report.
Our Travels
The month of March began with a delightful 10 day trip to Israel with Pastor Skelly and the Land of the Bible Tours. Not only was it a wonderful way to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, but it greatly enhanced our love for and understanding of the Word of God.
We hit the ground running on our return to the USA and within 2 days of arriving I was privileged to be preaching in Mission’s Conferences in Washington State and California.
The first two meetings were in churches that I had not been in before. They were both led by young pastors leading their first ministries. These young men are dedicated men of God that showed a humility and hunger for God and His Word. They are serving the Lord, their communities, and their people with integrity and love.
Thankfully, what I experienced with those men was not unusual. Since being back in America for the last 2 years, I have found that the vast majority of young pastors I have been with give me great hope for the next generation of church leaders.
The last meeting was in Southern California with another great pastor and church. This pastor and church have been a part of our ministry from the beginning and are one of the premier missions churches to be found anywhere.
Hearing From Abroad
We are just beginning to receive quarterly reports concerning the work of the 110 national pastors we support. Our ministry partners with missionaries who work as the middle man between us and nationals. In that way we are able to provide both accountability and mentoring without me personally needing to be in the various countries where we work.
At the moment we are working with 30 different missionaries in 20 different countries. Just this week we have been able to add another church planter in Iraq through one of our partners who works in that part of the world.
Not only do these faithful missionaries let me know of the blessings of people being saved and baptized, they also inform me of needs for humanitarian help, orphanages, etc. That enables me to pass on those needs to you and give you the opportunity to help.
Sometimes my contacts in other countries also bring me news that brings sorrow to our hearts, such as news that a pastor has been arrested or died, a church has been raided or some other tragedy affected those we are helping.
Future Travel Possibilities
I am praying that overseas travel will once again be allowed as restrictions are finally beginning to ease in some S.E. Asian countries. It is my understanding that Vietnam is one of the most open countries right now. We have the privilege of supporting at least 25 Vietnamese church planters in both large cities and remote mountain villages. We are also helping to finance an orphanage and a Bible training center there.
I am currently in communication with one of our missionaries in Vietnam concerning possibly visiting in the next few months. Please pray that this trip will be made possible.
A few days ago I had the opportunity to remotely join a group of pastors in Hong Kong for a time of study, praise and prayer. It was a tremendous encouragement to see and talk with old friends as well as to meet new ones.
Prayer Requests
- Please pray that the countries of the world will begin to open up again so that Christian workers can get into places that need outside help.
- Please pray for those who are facing war, persecution, starvation and displacement all across our world. The needs today are as great as they have ever been for God’s people to pray, give and go.
- Please pray for safety, wisdom and strength as Gayle and I travel, raise support for church planting and vet new men that we can help.
- Please pray for the missionaries that we partner with around the world. Pray for their wisdom, protection and guidance as they work to spread the gospel in difficult places.
- Please pray for the national pastors that are laboring without fanfare and very little appreciation in often difficult and dangerous places. They are poor in worldly goods but rich in what matters for eternity.
Dear Friends,
Ukraine:
As I write this report the news is filled with the tragic story of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Some of my Pastor friends have texted or called to ask if we have any national pastors we are supporting in the Ukraine. The answer is no we do not, although I do have American missionary friends who are serving there. I was scheduled to speak in Kyiv in 2020 in hopes of meeting and vetting some men there, but the meetings were cancelled during the global shutdown surrounding Covid.
I ask that you join with me in praying for the dear people of the Ukraine who are caught up in this horrible situation.
Family News:
Gayle and I marked 50 years of marriage on January 29th. We decided to celebrate by taking a trip to Israel. We will be leaving in a few days on Gayle’s birthday for a 10 day tour with Land of the Bible Tours. We are excited to soon be literally “walking in the footsteps of Jesus!“
We will be off the grid from February 28 through March 10th in case you are trying to contact us.
Ministry News:
Growth:
Last month I mentioned that our ministry has added 42 new national church planters in the past 2 years. We are currently supporting 110 families in 19 Restricted Access Nations by God’s grace. Today I received a request from a missionary friend in a Muslim country asking me to consider helping a man in his ministry. Hopefully in the next few weeks we will be able to finish the vetting process and able to help another servant of God in a dangerous and needy part of the world.
Obviously with each new family comes a monthly financial commitment of somewhere between $100 and $400 depending upon the location and needs of the pastor and his family.
My “forced quarantine” here in the USA has given me the opportunity to visit new churches and present our ministry in hopes of bringing on new partners. The last few weeks I have had the opportunity to preach in Alabama, Florida and Southern California.
When we return from Israel we go immediately into Missions Conferences in Washington State and Northern California.
Please pray with me that God will raise up the churches and individuals that He wants to partner with us. This is His ministry and we have no doubts of His provision.
India:
Last month I mentioned we needed $6,000.00 to complete construction of a Children’s home in India. I am happy to report that the money was donated and has been transferred to the Missionary Pastor in India. Thank you to those who prayed and gave. I have no doubt that many destitute Burmese and Indian orphans will be given hope in Christ because of your giving.
In closing, I want to once again say thank you to everyone who prays and gives to make this ministry possible. Gayle and I know that none of these victories would be possible without you.
We love you and are praying for you.
Hebrews 6:10: For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”
God Bless You,
Dwight and Gayle Tomlinson
Barnabas1040 Missions
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
- We are thankful that our ministry of helping church planters to reach people in restricted access nations continues to expand each month by God’s grace. My last report was just a month ago but we have been able to add new missionary pastors in Vietnam, Egypt and Afghanistan in the last 3 weeks.
- We are also thankful for each church or individual that supports Barnabas1040 Missions either financially or through prayer. We know that we could not continue to add new church planters were it not for the fact that the Lord continues to bring us into contact with new partners.
- Gayle and I are also thankful for the opportunities God has given us to serve, and the health to go through the open doors of ministry. On January 29, 2022 we will celebrate 50 years of marriage and ministry together. The Lord has blessed us far beyond what we deserve, not only with our ministry but our loving family!
- Finally, I want to mention how thankful I am for the kind invitations to preach and present our ministry in churches in America during this time of global shutdowns. The last few weeks I have presented our ministry in Florida, Michigan, Oregon, California and Washington State. December we are scheduled to be in Oklahoma and Florida.
Connect with Pastor Tomlinson