Recent Updates
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
Dear Friends,
USA UPDATE:
Gayle and I have been back in the USA for 2 months now and it has been a jam packed 8 weeks with Mission’s Conferences and services in Washington, Oregon, California, Michigan, Nebraska and Florida. We are thankful for the opportunity to report to supporting churches as well as present the great needs of the more than 60 countries in the 1040 Window to new churches.
Several of the new churches have expressed interest in supporting our national church planters and I am praying the Lord will lead those that desire to partner with our ministry to be able to do so. After having pastored for more than 40 years I know that it is not possible to financially support every worthy ministry or missionary. I am convinced that God has the pastors and churches that He wants to partner with us in reaching the unengaged people in the 1040 Window. I agree with Hudson Taylor that “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply”.
ASIA UPDATE:
Statistics
I have received the 3rd quarter reports from the men we support. For the 3 months from July through September, we had 1,223 professions of faith in Christ and 237 that were baptized and added to the churches. That brings the total for the year to 2,349 saved and 614 baptized. I am very thankful for each of our national pastors that love God and love people enough to bring them the gospel in spite of the fact that it is sometimes dangerous to do so. I guarantee that these men are not putting their families at risk for the few hundred dollars a month we are able to provide to help them! These are men of God who will preach Christ and win souls whether Barnabas1040 helps them or not. I am honored to work with them.
Will you help me put even more of them on the field? They can accomplish so much with so little if we will simply care enough to give.
Thailand Dormitory
In addition to our church planting ministry in Thailand, the Lord allowed us to provide the finances for a dormitory in Nakhon Sawan. The building will be used for housing and training young Thai preachers under the ministry of Dr. Wayne Sehmish. Dr. Sehmish is an Australian missionary whom God is using in a very powerful way to reach and train the Thai people.
Latest Additions to the Family
In my last letter I mentioned that we had six men in need of support, and we were looking for sponsors for them. I am happy to tell you that we have added all six of these families to the Barnabas1040 family. Four of them are planting churches in the capitols of their communist countries and they are already seeing people saved on a weekly basis. They did not have to go on deputation, attend language school or find a way to get into the country. They were able to get started immediately in soul-winning and discipleship.
I want to say thank you, both to the missionaries who introduced me to these men, and the churches in America that are providing the funds. This is what Barnabas1040 is all about; connecting missionaries, churches and national pastors so we can see more people saved quickly and in a cost effective way. I believe this is what the Bible would call being good stewards.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES:
Church Planting
I have more men that we are in the process of vetting and hope to take on as soon as the Lord provides the finances. One man is laboring in Northern Thailand overseeing 7 churches with no outside support. I am looking for someone who will sponsor this man and his family for $200.00 a month. Please contact me if you are willing to help him, or any of the other men we are vetting.
Orphanages
In our last letter I mentioned orphanages that we are helping to build in Myanmar and India. Thanks to those who responded, we are very close to being able to complete the orphanage in Myanmar. I would now like to turn our attention to the children in India. This particular pastor serves along the Northern boarder of India and Myanmar where the poverty is extreme and the spiritual and educational opportunities are very limited. Brother Ning Wungkhai and his family have labored there with integrity and godly sacrifice for years and we have the opportunity to help him rescue many precious children for Christ. As always, 100% of anything you feel led to designate towards building these two orphanages will be sent to them. Please contact me if you would like more information.
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In closing, I want to say thank you once again for all of those who pray for and financially support this ministry. Gayle and I could not possibly do what we do without your love and generosity. We are truly amazed, humbled and encouraged by the grace of God in allowing us to serve Him and His people in some of the neediest parts of the world. We could not do it without our incredible friends.
PRAYER REQEUSTS:
- Pray for Gayle and I as we return to China on December 11th.
- Pray for safety, courage and wisdom for the men we are supporting.
- Pray for more churches and individuals to take on Barnabas1040 for monthly support which enables us to then add more church planters.
- Pray for God to lead us to the missionaries and pastors He wants us to work with in Asia.
- Pray for the funds to complete the orphanages in both Myanmar and India in God’s perfect timing.
God Bless You,
Dear Friends,
Gayle and I just returned from an incredible month in China, Laos and Hong Kong. By God’s grace we saw well over 50 people make professions of faith in Christ. In addition to these decisions, God moved upon many of His children to make spiritual decisions which we trust will bring much eternal fruit in the future. It was truly one of our most productive months since beginning Barnabas1040 more than four years ago.
Ministry Praises & Blessings:
China:
I was able to speak in China to the largest crowds ever, and to help in the great work that others are doing in that needy country. By God’s grace there are many who are laboring in China in spite of the challenges they are facing. The persecution is real and yet God has some of His most precious servants, both Chinese and foreigners, that are standing faithful. If you know of anyone who is serving in China please place them at the top of your prayer list! Pray for God’s grace and protection as well as boldness and wisdom in ministering in the world’s most populous country.
Laos:
From China I traveled to Laos with two co-workers. One American, and one Burmese. We were able to meet with seven of the eight national pastors that we support there. God blessed with at least six salvation decisions.
The highlight of the trip was participating in a Mission’s Conference with the combined Laotian and Hmong congregations we support. The speakers introduced the Biblical teachings of local church missions. What made the conference so unique was that the speakers were primarily Filipino and Burmese. It was a powerful illustration to have pastors from Third world countries testifying to the blessings of God upon their ministries that comes through biblical obedience and stewardship. These pastors were able to relate to the local people in a way that only a person from Southeast Asia can do. I am confident that God used the speakers to light a fire for world evangelism in our Laotian churches.
Hong Kong:
My wife and I were able to go from China and Laos to Hong Kong where I preached the 34th Anniversary of the Bible Baptist Church which we started while serving as missionaries in Hong Kong. The congregation is now a Filipino church pastored by a young man who was saved, baptized and trained at the church under the leadership of my dear friend the late Don Stone. Pastor Noveno is doing a wonderful job continuing to build the ministry of that great church. They had 592 in attendance, 52 salvation decisions and 13 baptisms.
Ministry Opportunities:
God is doing great things in the 1040 region of the world and I want to let you know of some opportunities for you to help make an eternal difference.
* Barnabas1040 is helping to build an orphanage in Myanmar which is operated by one of our national ministries in Yangon. The orphanage provides not only a loving home, but Christian education and training. They have a track record of children who grow up to love and serve God in the local churches in Burma.
Through the generosity of one of our supporters in America we were able to send a gift of $10,000.00 to begin the construction of a beautiful new home. It will require an additional $45,000.00 dollars to complete the building. Any money sent to Barnabas1040 and designated to the Hope Children’s Home will be forwarded to them to continue construction.
* We have an opportunity to take on six new church planters immediately. These men have all been vetted by me and are already serving as church planters. They need financial support but are not waiting for it. They will serve with or without our help which is exactly the type of men I want to support. One of these men is in Laos, three are in Vietnam and two are in the Philippines.
I am looking for six churches to take on these men for $100.00 each. Pastor, please email or call if you would like to help one or more of these new church plants. My number is 949-880-9415.
Ministry Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for the Christian workers in China.
- Please pray for the people of Hong Kong and peace to return that great city. Pray that many will turn to Christ.
- Please pray for the funds to finish construction of the Hope Children’s Home in Yangon, Burma.
- Please pray for funding for the six new church planters we are seeking to help.
- Please pray for God’s power, protection and blessings upon the more than 50 church planters Barnabas1040 is already supporting.
- Please pray for Gayle and I as we travel and present the ministry here in America for the next few months.
In conclusion, I want to say thank you once again for all of you who pray for and support this ministry. By God’s grace we are seeing hundreds of people saved each week across the 14 countries our pastors are serving. This could not happen without your partnership. Thank you and God bless you!
Dwight & Gayle Tomlinson
Email: ran1040me@gmail.com
Cell: (949) 880-9415
China Cell: 086-1521-888-1511
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