Good News Email – Christmas Edition -12/13/15
December 15, 2015
Kip & Elena entrust their beloved City of Angels Church to the gallant couple – Tim & Lianne Kernan!
Debs Rajan of Chennai: Greetings! “Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” (Psalm 139:12) Because of heavy rains, our whole city was in darkness for a few days! We had no power for five continuous days, which means no internet connections, no cell phones, no washing machines, no water supply, and no drinking water and the shops were closed because of floods! It was back to good old candle light dinners! As the Scriptures speak about those who love God, “darkness” did not dampen the spirit of the Chennai disciples as God shone His “light” upon us!
Satish trying to reach the flat on the Chennai Brothers’ street!
There has been such intense persecution taking place that my husband Raja and a few brothers had to go underground! On Tuesday, December 1st during the heavy rains the brothers had to go undercover! That same night, the waters rose and the city was flooded! The next day, I really appreciate my husband making a radical decision to brave the floods and go against the advice of the lawyers, to come out of hiding and to help the disciples! At the same time, the persecutors also left the city scared of the floods! God was in total control!
Leyon just before leaving the Brothers’ flat as the waters soon rose to six feet!
The floods and the persecution have only strengthened and united the disciples! All the disciples made it to church, Leaders Meeting and we even had the test on First Principles! “Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done…” through all of this!
Last week, we had our Campus Program “UNLOCKED!” Prathap, Vandana and Christopher mightily preached the Word! 33 campus students brought 45 visitors, the best ever so far! Finally, to top it all, God encouraged us with five baptisms this week!
Christy (above) and Vandana preaching the Word at UNLOCKED!
78 students participate in UNLOCKED!
Prakash is all smiles as he comes out of the water!
Vignesh baptizes his younger sister Vinitha – a Campus Student!
Rajesh from Pachaiyappa’s College is baptized, opening the doors to another campus!
Today, my husband preached a powerful message titled UNLEASH! All of us learned that when we do the Lord’s will, and do not get distracted, God will unleash His blessings upon us! To God be all the glory!
Jacques Groenewald of Johannesburg: “When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” (Psalm 126:1-3) Greetings from the City of Gold – Johannesburg, South Africa! My family and I feel so humbled to have been asked to come back to our home country and start a remnant group here! We are also very grateful to the London Church for building our faith up so much and sending us out to this “rainbow nation” and to a city that once had more than 3,000 disciples in the former fellowship!
The great nation of South Africa!
My lovely wife Jeanette (and our two year old Lisa-Marie) have been so courageous and resilient! As well, Kudzai Mushangwe – a valiant single sister originally being from SA’s neighboring country Zimbabwe – is making a great transition settling in. We were greeted shortly after our arrival on the 18th of November by a very dear sister – Lyly, the wife of Mickey Ngungu the leader of our Kinshasa Remnant Group! She has been a great encouragement ever since!
Lyly (left) greets the Groenewalds warmly shortly after their arrival in Johannesburg!
Over the last four services, we have averaged an awesome attendance of 10! Just a week ago, a former disciple from the ICOC, Patricia Muzambi, was restored – our first fruit! Patricia, a more mature sister who with help from the Cyber Ministry kept following the movement, came back and blew us away with how humbly she responded to the Scriptures! This is especially true in contribution and commitment, as she sometimes has to take unsafe public transport at night just make it to the meetings of the body!
As in the Bible, the J’burg Disciples have a feast to celebrate the return of Patricia (second from the right) to the Lord!
There is much more good news to share such as one of my affluent religious childhood friends has committed to pay “his monthly tithe” toward the J’burg ICC; my parents came out to service twice; and Jeanette’s mom attended once!
Sisters’ Night Out and Lyly’s first time bowling!
Lastly, we were inspired today as the Spirit called Lyly back to her home country of Congo (DRC) to be alongside her husband, leading the church in Kinshasa! Two of her daughters are staying behind as they are studying at universities here where we need to have campus ministries!
Jacques and the Ngungus met for the first time at the African Missions Conference in Abidjan in June!
Please pray for our combined “Winter” Workshop (summer in the Southern Hemisphere!) with the Gordon’s Bay ICC which is led by our friend and dear brother Nick Winn! Also please pray for the final two members of the team – Japy Tefera and Heshgood Clarke from London who are due here in January – to receive their visas!
Eugene Sobolov: Greetings from Moscow! God keeps doing amazing things among us! We were happy to see the baptism of the teenager Dima! It’s so fantastic that in spite of such a young church – the Inaugural Service was on February 1, 2015 – Dima is a fourth generation disciple: Oleg Sirotkin baptized Dima, Dima invited Vitalik – a very famous dancer here in Russia and a participant of the Central TV Dance Show – and Vitalik baptized Dima!
Dima powerfully shares about the darkness of his life immediately before he enters the light!
Also, we are happy to report that God blessed our Campus Ministry here in Moscow! This Sunday we witnessed the baptism of Salem – a first year student at the University of Chemical Technology! Salem was invited by her friend and roommate Nicia, who was baptized just two months ago!
The Moscow Campus Ministry! Zulia (back row, second from the left), Salem (back row, third from the right), Nicia (back row, second from the right) and Herve (lower row, third from the left) – were all baptized within the last two months!
Andrew Smellie: On Saturday December 5th in LA was the first meeting of the Lagos Mission Team! Not only were Iggy Odighizuwa, Joshua Ajayi, Simon Ajayi, Ashley Dunn, Ariel Hazelton, Shamika Mejia, Tina Nwachukwu, Patrique and me in attendance, but the newest evangelist in the movement – Yomi Bello of London – joined this historic occasion by Skype! Excitingly Goodhope Atason, the leader of the Lagos Remnant Group, joined us by Skype as well! Please pray for us as Lord willing the Spirit will send us to Nigeria on April 3, 2016!
The first meeting of the Mighty Lagos Mission Team!
Denise Bordieri of LA: “It is more blessed to give than receive.” (Acts 20:35) It is so encouraging to hear the good news about this year’s MERCY Christmas Toy Drive! Here are a few updates from around the world: MERCY Sao Paulo, Phoenix and Santiago all served orphanages, with Santiago holding their Christmas Service at the ECAM Orphanage with the kids participating in the Christmas Play!
The Santiago MERCY Ambassadors
at the ECAM Orphanage!
MERCY Chicago held the Lekotek Christmas Party for 75 children with physical and mental disabilities! MERCY Sydney raised funds and have given the gift of money to purchase water filters for families in Haiti! London collected toys for inpatient children at the Queens Hospital! The 50 disciples of Mexico City collected 180 toys!
The Mexico City MERCY Ambassadors!
Here in LA, over 1,300 toys were collected including a generous donation from JAKKS Pacific Toy Company! These toys will first be distributed to needy families in the City of Angels Church and then we will distribute them to Foster Youth in LA!
Over 1,300 toys were donated through the efforts of the LA MERCY Ambassadors!
I’m so proud and grateful for the hearts of the disciples around the world whose generosity will bring joy to many families and children! It truly is “more blessed to give than receive!”
Joe Willis: Greeting from Sydney! It has been such a special two weeks in Sydney! We had our Annual Retreat, an explosive Christmas Service, and of course our Christmas Banquet!
Baby Christians – Erick (left), a Maquarie Student, and Allen (second from right), a University of New South Wales Student – showing off their dance moves!
Erick being baptized before church on Sunday in front of the Sydney Harbor Bridge!
Also, another couple highlights have been the church seeing God answer our prayers for the end of the year to grow to 40 disciples and increase our contribution by $500 to $3000, both of which He has kindly answered!
Prayers are answered as the Sydney Church
reaches 40 disciples!
Dean “the Machine” Lam will be preaching at the Hong Kong Service!
Due to the increase of expected guests, we have changed the venue to a few minutes away from our hotel! Church will now be at the Compass Offices, Level 9, Central Building, 1-3 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong! Their website is. http://www.compassoffices.com/hong-kong-business-centres-sheung-wan-infinitus-plaza.
Maika Carbonell of Manila: The Holy Spirit continues to work powerfully as many have been coming to radically change their lives and become disciples! In the last three weeks, God has blessed us with six additions, bringing our total additions since our Inaugural Service on June 7th to 96 – 72 baptisms, 16 restorations and 8 place memberships directly from our former fellowship!
Jovelyn, an RTU Student, is baptized into God’s Family!
Of note, Vivian and Jocelyn – physical cousins – have helped unite their family in Christ! Jocelyn’s brother, Arnold, has been living a life of darkness his whole life, and even more so when his wife died one year ago. But after studying the Bible and making changes in his life, he was baptized to the great delight of his two preteen daughters! Belen, Vivian’s mom, saw all the miracles happening in the lives of their family and the church, and also decided to get baptized last week!
Arnold with his sister Jocelyn, his cousin Vivian, and his two daughters!
Lastly, after laying out the Crown of Thorns Project of the Pacific Rim World Sector to the church and setting the goal of raising 10X our weekly pledge, we are pleased to report that with a goal of PhP 544,500 ($11, 473), we have collected PhP 672,340 ($14,167)! That is 123% of our goal! The hearts of the disciples to sacrifice and go beyond their own personal goals has truly been inspiring!
All of the additions in the Metro Manila Church since August!
Jair Soto – a UNAM Student studying nutrition – is baptized into Christ!
LA GRAND COMISION is the theme for the 2016 LAMC!
Richie McDonnell: Greetings from the Mighty Washington DC Church! God has been blessing the hearts of repentance here in DC! Not only did we hit 115% of our Special Missions Contribution Goal totaling $63,150, but in the 27 weeks that Elizabeth & I have been here, there have been 26 additions! One incredible baptism is Tamara from the mighty Delaware Bible Talk! She was met at work by Dr. Janette Nelson! Demonstrating her commitment to Christ, Tamara drives down twice weekly to be a part of the fellowship until she can move here in the spring!
Tamara gladly leaves her old life behind, grateful that God found her 85 miles away from the closest fellowship!
HEADLINE NEWS
The LA Christmas Service
The Annual Christmas Service for the City of Angels Church was extra special this year with the Send Off for Kip & Elena McKean! Lou Jack Martinez and Jason Bond exuberantly led the opening hymns which concluded with Joy To The World!
Lou Jack leads the singing with all his heart!
Cory Blackwell then gave the Welcome which included the inspirational reading of Isaiah 9:6-7! Michael Kirchner led us in a powerful prayer for God to move among the nations!
Cory Blackwell’s welcome and Michael Kirchner’s prayer set the tone for this historic service!
Following came the “goodbyes” to Roger & Yassa Green who will be heading back to Chennai, and to another dear couple that will be heading to Dallas-Ft. Worth – Jason and soon to be Daniela Woody! As well, we welcomed Devon Donahue of Eugene into the fellowship!
Devon (center) is a welcomed addition to the South Region!
Dominique Robinson – Charitable Giving and Trust Fund Manager for the Dept. of Children and Family Services – shares appreciatively about all the toys that have been donated to Foster Youth in LA!
A touching Tribute Video to the McKeans was played to thank them for their eight years of service to the Lord in planting and leading the City of Angels Church! Then a gift from the congregation was presented to them: a world map with all 12 Crown of Thorns Cities highlighted!
Kip & Elena are profoundly moved by the Tribute Video dedicated to them!
A quartet of Chris Adams, Thea Beach, and Jason & Susan Bond then beautifully sang O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Then Chris McGrath presided communion during which time Elena shared her gratefulness to God and to the congregation!
The well harmonized quartet of Chris, Thea, Jason and Susan!
Elena shares about Jesus’ elevation of women!
Christine Martinez sings a
solo – Silent Night!
The contribution message was eloquently delivered by our Lagos Mission Team Leaders – Andrew & Patrique Smellie!
Andrew & Patrique Smellie – the remarkable Lagos Mission Team Leaders!
After a brief fellowship break and the singing of Hark The Herald Angles Sing, Chris McGrath played on his guitar and sang The Last Goodbye as Kip introduced his lesson, A Fond Farewell with the words of this song!
The new West Region Leader – Chris McGrath!
Kip preaches to thousands at the CAICC Christmas Service through LiveStream!
The newest and youngest members of the Crown of Thorns Council – Ricky & Coleen Challinor!
Our new sister Shay from the AMS!
Our new sister Elsie from the South Region!
The Velasco Familia – Priscilla, Patricia, Daniela and Sal!
Daniela’s older sister Priscilla asks Daniela the two most important questions of her life!
Our new sister Daniela Velasco of the Palm Springs Region!
After this joyful celebration was the formal exchange of leadership from the McKeans to the Kernans!
The passing of the torch of leadership from the McKeans to the Kernans!
The charismatic new Evangelist of the City of Angels Church – Tim Kernan!
Of course, Carlos Diaz closed out the service leading the congregation in Feliz Navidad! This service will be a memory that we will share about in Heaven!
Carlos Diaz leads Feliz Navidad to close the CAICC’s incredible Christmas Service!
Nick Bordieri: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:7-8)
One of MERCYWORLDWIDE‘s core services is bringing pure water to water-impoverished areas, starting with Haiti, one of the most water-impoverished countries in the world. I visited Haiti a week before Thanksgiving to assess the impact of the 71 water filters we purchased for disciples in our five churches. Before visiting, what I read and what I was told was that Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. Few homes have running water and basic sanitation is a serious issue. There is a lack of pure water for drinking, bathing and washing food and vegetables. Consequently, water-borne diseases are commonplace, as is malaria. Furthermore, lack of formal education and limited employment is cause for concern and unrest.
Typical scenes throughout the Haitian cities!
Gratefully, I was well taken care of throughout the six day trip by the Lead Evangelist for all of Haiti, Turgeau Alexi who is based in Port-au-Prince, and our leader in Jacmel, Jean Bonard Colin. Blaise Feumba has done a masterful job converting Turgeau, a seasoned Mainline Church of Christ preacher, who became a baptized sold-out disciple! Turgeau in turn helped to baptize into Christ nine other preachers who then converted 170 disciples in planting five SoldOut Movement churches throughout Haiti!
Best of friends – Jean Bonard, Turgeau and Nick!
A Haitian staple for lunch – cooked bananas! Turgeau is loving life!
Jean Bonard & Loverlie with several of their students!
Later Saturday afternoon, we returned to Port-au-Prince. After a joyous Sunday Service, we headed to Canape Vert – one of many shanty towns lining the sides of mountains, similar to the favelas in Brazil. Our aim was to visit a number of families that live there and who have been using the 1.0 Lifestraw Filters. It took us a good 20-30 minutes to climb to the home of one of our leaders, Brunson, who lives a third of the way up! Brunson is such a great servant, as is his wife, Acefie. Sadly, they lost their baby twins during the earthquake. They are incredible servants in the church in Port-au-Prince!
Brunson (red shirt) & Acefie (red top), their darling daughter in the chair, and his nephew next to him! Note the Lifestraw 1.0 Filter in the background hanging on the wall!
We spent two to three hours traversing the mountainside, while visiting disciples to discuss the water situation and the filters. The squalid living conditions – one, two, maybe three small rooms for large families, with no running water and very little space – broke my heart and made me truly understand how “rich” we are in the first world! I was greatly inspired and humbled by the joy exuding from everyone’s hearts! Their genuine love of God, the Kingdom and family and friends is evident despite the challenging living conditions.
A mountain village that holds many of our dear Brothers and Sisters!
To close out my trip, we met with Katyana Wolf, Director for Pluripharm, Vestergaard’s distributor in Haiti. Katyana was raised in Haiti, attended high school in the USA, and then attended university in London before returning to Haiti to help her people here. Turgeau, Bonard and I visited her office and toured the warehouse where they store the Lifestraw Water Filters. We provided feedback on the filters and informed Katyana of the need for bigger filters to accommodate larger families. She then demonstrated the 2.0 Family Lifestraw Filter, which holds up to two gallons and the larger 3.0 Community Lifestraw Filter, which holds 10 gallons and has four spouts, which is used for larger groups like a church or school. The 2.0 is $123 and the 3.0 is $395.
Katyana demonstrates the 2.0 Family Lifestraw Filter, which holds up to 1-2 gallons!
FAMILY NEWS
Portland: “He has made everything beautiful in its time…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) God made DaMarcus & Angie’s relationship “beautiful in its time,” which is always HIS time! Their story supersedes movies like The Notebook, Dear John, and even P.S. I Love You!
DaMarcus & Angie began their relationship in high school and then while they were both students at the University of Oregon, she became pregnant with their daughter. This was at the same time she met disciples, gave up their long-term relationship trusting God would take care of her, and was baptized while being very pregnant! Seven years later DaMarcus, after much prayer from many people, decided he wanted to get his life together and so he was baptized and the rest is history! Truly it’s a worldwide family as so many came from all over to watch them tie the knot on December 5th at the PSU Ballroom, the very place where they first met! God truly does make “everything beautiful in its time,” which is always HIS time!
The storybook wedding of DaMarcus &
Angie Redeau!
Manila: Love has been in the air these past few weeks! Last December 5th, the Metro Manila Church had its first ever Kingdom wedding with the marriage of our mighty University of the Philippines (UP) Campus Ministry Leaders, Zach & Ariel Shields! In the week that followed, two couples started dating – Lloyd & Lady Lou; and Ivan & Jen! God gave a special gift to the Shields, as Zach’s mom flew in for the wedding the day after she was baptized into Christ in Honolulu!
Congratulations to Zach & Ariel Shields!
Zach & Ariel and the UP Campus Ministry!
Congratulations to Isaiah &
Jassmine Okiemen!
The wedding started out with Michael Kirchner as he gave a heartfelt welcome to Marcel & Tia and to the packed house! Then our dear brother Devon Hairston opened up with a prayer. Ted Green, one of our incredible Shepherds then gave a funny and yet very deep charge to the future newlyweds. With over 40 years in the Kingdom and over 34 years married, it was a much needed charge! Matt Sullivan performed the ceremony and what a blast it was! From the first minute there were tears… Marcel! He was and still is in awe of how God has taken him from the streets, involved in drugs and so much sin to being full-time in the ministry and now marrying his best friend and partner in Campus Ministry, Tia! Tia was equally grateful, just fewer tears, for how God reached down and hugged her by giving her a man of deep conviction in whom she feels confident will help her get to Heaven!
Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Marcel & Tia Turner!
What a joy to see them come back from their honeymoon yesterday during our Leaders Meeting! A great shout went up as they were greeted at the door… We had to stop the meeting for a few minutes! Congratulations to our dear friends and now married couple – Mr. and Mrs. Marcel & Tia Turner!
New York City: Last Sunday, in Brooklyn, we celebrated the wedding of Mark & Carlen Hair! They joined us in early September as Mark was restored and Carlen placed membership directly from our former fellowship! In the past, Mark was in the full time ministry and Carlen was the wife of a Deacon until she was widowed a few years ago. They have both brought so much joy to the New York Church as they have jumped right in and served with all their hearts and talent! It was extra special to watch Brandon, Carlen’s son, walk her down the aisle!
Congratulations to Mark, Carlen and Brandon!
Back on August 5, 2015, before we started this incredible Family News Section of the Good News Email, Lailah Flor Hardin was born with a true knot in her umbilical cord and the cord was wrapped around her neck. The doctor and the nurses called her a miracle baby! Her parents, Wes & Debbie, are so thankful to their God for their “Little Miracle!”
Lailah is the Hardin’s “Little Miracle!”
Honolulu: Aloha! The Honolulu Church celebrated an amazing new addition to the family with new parents Ka’ihe & Cristle Tahara! Kilinahe “Nahe” Kahikina Tahara was born November 23, 2015! Kilinahe was 7lbs 4.4oz and 19.7 inches! Thanks be to God for a healthy mom and beautiful daughter!
The Honolulu Church welcomes “Nahe”
to their family!
On December 12th, we then celebrated the stunningly beautiful wedding of Jane Chesmore & Ted Lam at the gorgeous Kualoa Ranch! It was a joy for Jake Ramsier to officiate his first wedding for such dear friends!
Congratulations to Ted & Jane Lam!
Heather Harvin is a dynamic disciple in the AMS Region of the City of Angels Church! She has performed during her singing career in countless venues and has made several videos for Hollywood’s music industry that feature disciples! Please listen to Heather’s newest song Christmas Jingle! (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E-KDK986LJs&feature=share)
Our gifted sister – Heather Harvin!
This video of Billy Boyd (who played Pippen in the trilogy of movies on The Lord Of The Ring) singing The Last Goodbye inspired the title of Kip’s sermon, The Last Farewell!
LOCAL NEWS
Tim Kernan: These past few weeks have been enormously busy! To close out the Thanksgiving Weekend, on Sunday November 29th the City of Angels Church met by Super Regions for our Annual Financial Review Service! It is so encouraging to share with the congregation that when our May and November Missions Contributions were totaled almost one million dollars had been sacrificed to propel the gospel around the world! Special thanks to Michael Kirchner and Nick Economo for all their preparation and speaking at these services!
Nick Economo preaching at the Financial Review Worship Service!
In the Tribe Super Region – composed of the OC, IE, South and East Regions – another highlight was the restoration of Silver Calzada – a friend of Lou Jack Martinez when they were both in the Harvard Campus Ministry! The Holy Spirit reunited them just a couple of weeks before when Lou Jack was evangelizing at Mt. SAC College, as Silver is now a professor there!
Silver Calzada – a Harvard grad and a Professor
at Mt. SAC College – is restored!
The next weekend – on Friday December 4th – was our Congregational College/Teen Devotional at Dockweiler Beach for a Bonfire! Things were already heating up as earlier that afternoon our dear brother from London Kolbe Gray asked our sweet sister Rebecca Rico to be his girlfriend! She said yes!
After meeting at the European Missions Conference, Kolbe Gray flies to LA to ask Rebecca Rico to be his girlfriend! She says yes!!!!!!
Martin Luther – “If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.”
Winston Churchill – “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”
Dorothy Parker – “I hate writing. I love having written.”
James Michner – “I’m not a particularly good writer, but I am an excellent rewrite.”
And my favorite was Kip’s closing quote from a man he met and spent time with in 1995, Nelson Mandela, “Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that generation!” All of us walked out of that session motivated to change the world by learning how to write!
Luke Speckman – Dean of the Undergraduate School – welcomes everyone to the December ICCM Session!
That Staff Christmas Party was that evening! What a joyous occasion as we shared our hearts with Kip & Elena who will be focusing in the future on the mission field by building the Crown of Thorns Churches into imitations of the City of Angels Church!
The CAICC Region Leaders and the Administration Staff Christmas Party was a blast!
On Sunday, December 6th, Andrew & Patrique Smellie had their Send Off Service in the West Region! They will be devoting themselves to building up the AMS Region as they prepare the Lagos Mission Team to leave for Nigeria on April 3, 2016! The Holy Spirit has raised up Chris McGrath and Megan Mathews to become the new West Region Leaders!
Also that Sunday in the West Region, Patrique (who was a practicing lawyer before she entered the ministry) baptized Lan – a lawyer from China who is in the process of completing a Master of Laws (LL.M) Program at UCLA! The Chinese government spent thousands of dollars for her to come and learn in LA, little knowing that she would become a disciple of Jesus! She is eager to see all of China won for the Lord! She was met by Charlotte another great Chinese disciple at UCLA!
Lan cannot wait for the Hong Kong Church to be planted!
Then of course today’s Christmas Service was phenomenal as we said “good-bye” to Kip & Elena and thanked them for all their years of serving the Lord in planting and leading the City of Angels Church! His lesson was simply entitled, A Fond Farewell! Chris McGrath sung the song The Last Goodbye from the movie The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies just before Kip’s last sermon as our dear Evangelist! The title of the sermon came from this song’s very last verse which Kip read at the close of this message,
To these memories I will hold
With your blessing I will go
To turn at last to the paths that lead home
And though where the road then takes me
I cannot tell
We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell.
I bid you all a very fond farewell.
Kip preaches his last sermon as the Lead Evangelist of the CAICC fittingly entitled, A Fond Farewell!
Kip & Elena, thanks for our salvation through Christ and thanks for never giving up on God’s dream for the evangelization of the nations in THIS generation! Our prayers are with you!
Dearest Brothers and Sisters: As 2015 comes to a close, let us all fall to our knees in grateful worship of our Father in Heaven! In 2015, God’s Spirit planted Moscow in February, Manila in June, Abidjan in July, Sacramento and Stockholm in September, and Korezouzoua in November! All of these new congregations are thriving through the power of the Spirit!
Oleg Sirotkin preaching to the 227 in attendance at the Moscow Inaugural Service!
Another highlight was the 2015 Global Leadership Conference – SAVIOR OF THE WORLD! Over 2,100 attended this glorious gathering! That Sunday at the Third Commencement of the ICCM, 86 BA Degrees and two Master’s Degrees were conferred! As well, the first Doctorate Degree was awarded to a woman! It was duly earned by “Dr. Elena Garcia McKean!”
Dr. Elena Garcia McKean is publishing her dissertation early next year as a book entitled, ELEVATE!
As I have taken time to reflect on all the ways that God has blessed our ministry in the City of Angels Church, perhaps the greatest gift from God to the City of Angels Church has been the more than daily baptisms for the past three years! Since the 42 sold-out disciples planted the City of Angels Church on May 6, 2007, God has multiplied His movement into now 4,000 disciples with 6,000 in attendance on Sunday in 61 churches in 32 nations on all six populated continents of the world! To God be all the glory!
The beautiful Crown of Thorns Map given to the McKeans as a gift at the Christmas Service!
I would like to humbly request your prayers for Elena & me to discern which churches to place our energies, now that we can be devoted full time to missions and writing. I am so very thankful to God for my dear wife and partner in the gospel as He cured Elena of cancer last year so that we were able to joyfully celebrate our 39th Anniversary just three days ago on December 11th!
Kip & Elena’s enduring message to disciples around the world, “We are family… to the end!”
Much love,
Kip