Recent Updates
Dear Friends,
As I mentioned in my last letter the Coronavirus pandemic has greatly affected our churches not only here in America but around the world. One of the things I love about the ministry of Barnabas1040 is that although we work closely with foreign missionaries, the men and women we support are not dependent upon the physical presence of foreigners to do ministry. The virus has caused many of our missionaries to temporarily leave the field, but their work continues through those left behind.
APRIL-JUNE STATISTICS:
The last 3 months have given our 60+ pastors in 16 different countries the opportunity to put their faith and skills to the test. Many if not most of them have been without foreign guidance yet they continue to faithfully serve just as we would hope.
The reported numbers are significantly lower due to government restrictions, but we still had
503 professions of faith in Christ and 123 who were baptized.
All of those converts were placing their safety at risk by becoming followers of Jesus. Baptism is especially challenging as it often brings family, religious and governmental persecution. The shutdown made it even more risky than normal to travel to a baptismal spot without being detected. Please pray for your brothers and sisters around the world, the vast majority of whom know nothing of the freedoms that we enjoy.
HUMANITARIAN UPDATES:
The Children’s Homes in both Myanmar and India are progressing well. In addition to the two orphanages, Barnabas1040 was able to help with food and medical relief through IB missionaries in Chile, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Thank you to those who gave special offerings to help in this way. The spiritual, emotional and physical needs of hurting people are increased during these difficult times. Acts of compassion often open the doors to the hearts of people who need Jesus.
LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND:
By God’s grace we have seen this ministry grow in less than 5 years to the point where we are currently supporting more than 60 church planters, and several gospel projects across Asia and Africa. I am extremely grateful and humbled by all He has done, but I believe He wants to do much more.
Therefore I am reaching out to my Pastor and Missionary friends for help in identifying and vetting more national pastors that we can come alongside.
Pastors, Missionaries, if you have men that are doctrinally sound, soul-winners who love God and need financial help in advancing their ministry, please contact me at my secure email address and we can start the verification and approval process of getting those men some help. Barnabas1040 is a ministry of helps. We want to serve you as you serve others.
We prioritize those countries that have the least access to the gospel, and are currently supporting men in 14 Asian and 2 African Countries. If you are a pastor or missionary and would like to recommend someone that needs financial help planting a church in a restricted access nation, please write to me at my secure email address “Dtomlinson1040@protonmail.com
PRAYER REQUESTS:
* Please pray for a great latter-day revival in our world. There has never been a greater need or opportunity for revival than today.
* Please pray for Pastors in America as they attempt to navigate these unchartered political and social waters. Men of God need the prayers and support of God’s people.
* Please pray for God’s people everywhere to follow the Biblical formula for national healing as laid out in 2nd Chronicles 7:14.
* Please pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. Pray for protection, provision and a passion for knowing Christ in all His power and glory.
* Please pray that the Lord will bring me into contact with those who need our help in church planting in Restricted Access Nations.
God bless you,
Dear Friends,
As I write these words I am encouraged to see our churches across America beginning to emerge from the restrictions of the past few months. I am praying for our churches worldwide as they are getting back to a semblance of normalcy. If there is anything I can do to help please let me know.
Asia Ministry:
One of the beauties of our ministry is that it does not require me to personally be present for it to operate. We support more than 60 national pastors in 16 different countries. The Lord has raised up missionary partners that we are able to come alongside as they provide the primary influence, encouragement, and accountability on the ground.
These men and women are in the trenches serving alongside the nationals. As a result I hear weekly of the continued work that is going on all across the 10/40 region of the world. Here’s a brief video highlighting some of the great things that are happening.
Orphanage Updates:
In addition to the churches we are helping to plant, the Lord has allowed us to partner in building two orphanages, one in Myanmar and one in India. The one in Myanmar is almost completed. We estimate the dedication service to be held in January of 2021.
In February of 2019 we viewed the property for the building project:
May of 2020 it is almost completed:
The orphanage in India is just getting started after many months of prayer and planning, but I am encouraged by the interest that pastor friends are already showing in being involved.
If you would like more information regarding either of these two homes, please let me know.
2020 Schedule Openings:
Due to the global pandemic of Coronavirus, my meetings in Asia and Eastern Europe were canceled this year as well as some meetings here in the States. I do have a few open dates if any pastors would like help with a mission’s emphasis or ministry report. Here are the 2020 dates currently available:
- September is wide open and we will be in the Gulf Coast, Southeast States.
- Sunday, November 1st is open in the Seattle WA area.
Pastor, if you would like to discuss a date in 2021 or 2022 please let me know.
In closing Gayle and I want to say thank you once again for those who pray for and support this ministry. We could not do what we do without you. God has raised up an amazing coalition of people across the world who are joining hands in prayer, labor, and giving to help shine the light of the Gospel to some of the most needy and neglected places on earth. We are truly humbled that our Lord allows us to have a small part in what He is doing.
God bless you,
Dear Friends:
Pandemic Changes:
I am writing this report on Resurrection Sunday weekend. Most of you will not read this until Sunday has come and gone, but be assured that I am praying with you for lasting fruit from your Easter services.
It was of course an Easter weekend unlike any of us have ever seen. Most services were conducted online but the Word of God is powerful, no matter how it goes forth. I am thankful that “the word of God is not bound“ 2 Tim.2:9 Just as the Living Word of God could not not be held hostage by death, so the Written Word of God is not being stopped by the shut downs of Coronavirus.
The same virus that has changed the way we do ministry in America has also affected the rest of the world. All of the 16 different Asian countries Barnabas1040 works in are also under various degrees of mandatory shut down. Almost, if not all, of our churches in large cities are conducting services online. Village churches who do not have internet are meeting by telephone or in small groups of 2 or 3.
1,362 Salvations.190 Baptisms, 16 Countries:
Our numbers have obviously been affected as social distancing and closed churches have made it more difficult to have services, but still our 60 church planters reported 1,362 professions of faith in Christ and 190 people who were able to follow Christ in water baptism. Many of the pastors expressed regret that they are not able to baptize as a result of social distancing orders, but they are taking the time to disciple converts online or by telephone in preparation of when they will be able to resume personal meetings. Keep in mind these men are serving in Restricted Access Nations which are sometimes hostile to their efforts.
Preparing for Expansion:
While the Coronavirus Pandemic is dangerous and powerful, we know that it will soon be defeated and our world will return to whatever our new normal will look like. Churches will open, people will return, missionaries will hit the deputation trail and those missionaries who have been stranded here in the USA will be able to return to their fields. We look forward to that day!
Here at Barnabas1040 we are looking forward to getting back on the road preaching and presenting our ministry in the USA as well as traveling overseas to work with missionaries, vet nationals and check on the works we are supporting. I am even now in the process of vetting 2 men in Bangladesh that we hope to add to our Missions family soon.
Canceled Meetings:
In addition to my meetings in the USA, I also had meetings cancelled in the Philippines, China, Hong Kong and the Ukraine during the past 3 months. We are hoping to be back on the road again in May or June when the restrictions are lifted. I have a few Sundays open in July, August and September when we will be on the West Coast if any Pastors would like to have us in to present our ministry.
Orphanages:
As you know we are in the process of building an orphanage in Myanmar and another one in India.
The one in Myanmar is almost complete. The exterior is complete and the Lord enabled us to send $10,000.00 last week to begin the interior. I am very proud of the fact that the bulk of the money we just sent was given by God’s people in an underground church in one of our Restricted Access Nations. This particular underground church was not started or funded by Barnabas1040. It was started by an American Missionary and the church is completely indigenous. Praise God for what He is doing around the world through missions and missionaries!
Please continue to pray for the orphanage in Northern India ministering to children along the Indian and Myanmar boarder. A church in Washington State and one in California gave enough money to get the orphanage started and we believe God will see it through to completion in His own time.
Looking Forward:
In closing I would like to take a moment to encourage each one reading this to stand strong in your faith, trusting God for protection, provision and power as you follow Jesus one day at a time. Stay faithful to your church, continue to tithe and give over and above the tithe to the missions program as you are able. If your income has decreased you may not be able to give as much as before but remember that it never was about the size of your offering, but the size of your heart. God is not stressed or worried by the pandemic and neither should we be. Just be faithful, continue to pray and give as you are able and someday we will look back at this time and realize that God was there with us every step of the way. You can trust Him. He is always good!
Gayle and I love you and we thank you for allowing us to partner with you to show the love and grace of Christ to people who have the least access to the gospel.
Together we are making a difference.
God bless you,
Dear Friends,
2020 is upon us and I am excited about the great opportunities that come with the New Year. My hope and expectation is that this will be the year of His coming, but our Lord has made it clear that we are to be busy about His work while we wait His appearing.
I want to begin with a quick report of what the Lord allowed us to do together in 2019. By God’s grace we saw the Lord continually advance the ministry.
Looking Back:
* In 2019, we added 6 new countries to the places where we are helping to plant churches:
We added Mali, Senegal, Myanmar, Egypt, Iraq and the Philippines. That brings us to 16 different Restricted Access Nations where we are serving.
* In 2019 our National Pastors reported 3,802 professions of faith in Christ and 749 baptisms.
That means an average of 10 people were saved and 2 were baptized every day of the year.
* In 2019 we invested over $40,000.00 in special projects in addition to the regular monthly support of our 57 church planters.
These projects included an orphanage in Myanmar, a dormitory in Thailand, a church building in Cambodia and a Training Center in Laos.
Some of you will remember the tragic Easter bombings in Sri Lanka when 357 people were killed and over 500 were wounded. We were able to assist missionary Terry Unruh in providing relief aid as well as a Gospel witness in Sri Lanka.
We were also able to help with relief efforts for refugees in Egypt. Our contact in Egypt has asked that we not use his name.
2019 was an amazing year but I am expecting God to do even greater things in 2020! In an attempt not to make this email too long, let me just list a few things that are already planned.
Looking Forward:
* 2020 began with a strategic decision to adjust our annual schedule.
We will spend several months in North America raising more support for new church planters. The goal is for our ministry to enter new countries while simultaneously increasing the number of men we support in the existing countries.
* In 2020 we plan to continue to personally minister in Asia.
We already have meetings scheduled in the Philippines, China, and the Ukraine.
In addition to the meetings already on the calendar we have invitations to Vietnam, Bangladesh, Africa, Laos, and India that we are attempting to work into our schedule.
* In 2020 we have set aside some dates to present the Barnabas1040 ministry in North America.
Pastors, if you would like to discuss having us in, please respond to this email or call me at the number listed below.
In closing I want to say a sincere thank you to all those who support this ministry either prayerfully or financially. Gayle and I know that we could not do what we do without you. We love you and are truly humbled that the Lord allows us to partner together.
Prayer Requests:
* Pray first and foremost for the national pastors. Pray for their walk with God and His protection and power.
* Pray for the in-country missionaries whom we work with. They help us to identify, vet, mentor, and deliver finances to the national pastors. The missionaries are a vital link in the supply chain.
* Pray for Gayle and I as we present the ministry in North American churches as well as travel to the 10/40 region.
* Pray for the orphanage that we have just begun to build in Northern India. They have broken ground and are well into the first phase.
*Pray for the completion of the orphanage that is being built in Yangon, Myanmar. We are thankful for those who have sacrificially given to finance this project.
* Pray that in 2020 we will be able to double our church planters from the current 57 families to 100 or more.
God bless you!
Dwight & Gayle Tomlinson
Email: ran1040me@gmail.com
USA Cell: (949) 880-9415
China Cell: 086-1521-888-1511
Dear Friends,
As you read this report, Gayle and I will be in the air somewhere between Los Angeles, CA and Guangzhou, China. I wanted to get out a quick report of some of the things that have been happening since my last email and also solicit your prayers as we head back to China for two weeks of meetings.
USA MINISTRY:
As you know, our ministry requires a presence both in the USA and Asia. On this side of the world, we are raising finances, prayer support and workers for the ever expanding ministry in Asia. In November and December I was privileged to preach in churches in Florida, California, Washington, Ohio and West Virginia. In addition to the various local church services, I also had the opportunity to preach three different Men’s Meetings in three different states. What an encouragement to see hundreds of men meet together to be challenged to love and serve God in their local churches!
I am also thankful that several of the churches have either already begun to partner with Barnabas1040 or are planning to do so in 2020. I consider it a great honor to be able to represent these pastors and churches in some of the neediest countries on earth. Without new churches partnering with us, we could not expand. Each new supporting church translates into a new church plant that we can help somewhere in the 1040 region.
ASIA MINISTRY:
Barnabas1040 supports 57 national church planters in 16 different Restricted Access Nations (RAN). That means that the ministry is going on 7 days a week, 24 hours a day somewhere in the world. Each week our national pastors are reporting people being saved somewhere across the 1040 Window. The men we support do not operate in a vacuum: they are all connected to a missionary in their country. God has allowed me to work with godly co-workers who are able to represent Barnabas1040 when I am not able to be there in person. Two examples of this cooperation took place in November in the country of Myanmar where we support at least 8 church planters.
Workers Training:
My friend and coworker, Johnny Esposito, was able to travel to Myanmar from another RAN to represent me in a Pastors and Workers Conference. He and our Myanmar coworker, Paul, spent several days preaching and teaching on Discipleship; both what it means to be one, and how to have a disciple-reproducing ministry. I have already heard from some of our men in Burma of the great impact Brother Esposito was able to make there.
Orphanage:
God has also allowed us to raise the money to build a larger facility for the small children’s home. This will enable them to relocate to a brand new property and structure that will totally transform the home. The new building is many times larger than the small one the children are currently in. It will provide housing, classrooms, kitchen, a church facility and the ability to greatly expand the ministry. There is ample room for gardening and farming on the property to help the home become self sustainable.
I want to thank Brother Tom Chapman, another coworker who also lives in a RAN. I am privileged to have men like Tom and Johnny who are partnering with us at Barnabas1040. Brother Chapman was able to make a trip for me to Myanmar to check on the orphanage and help plan the next phase of building. Brother Chapman will be crucial in overseeing the distributing of the remaining funds to complete the new building.
We also, just this week, were able to begin the first phase of an orphanage in Northern India. Thank you to Pastor Morris Henriquez and the Bay Area Baptist Church for providing the funding to begin building. Pastor Mike Kinney at the Temple Baptist Church in Lacy, Washington, is designating their annual Christmas offering to this project as well. If you also would like to help with this ministry, please let me know.
In closing, I want to say thank you to all who pray for and financially support Barnabas1040. The pastors we help, along with their families and congregations, represent well over 1,000 people that are being directly impacted through your prayers and giving. This is a very conservative estimate when you consider that each week I hear of people being saved and baptized in one or more of the 16 countries we are working in. Not all, but many of the churches we plant are located in very difficult areas where they cannot legally operate in the open. Only God knows the true impact that we are making together by His grace.
Gayle and I wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
God Bless You,
Dwight & Gayle Tomlinson
Email: ran1040me@gmail.com
Cell: (949) 880-9415
China Cell: 086-1521-888-1511
Connect with Pastor Tomlinson