Dear Praying Friends of TTC,

We have wonderful news for you today: Scott will be traveling to Africa in less than a week’s time!

Zimbabwe (blue) and Tanzania (green)
Scott’s first stop will be the south African country of Zimbabwe where he will hold three 2-day pastors seminars over ten days. His coordinator in Zimbabwe is Pastor Rose.

Pastor Rose leads her own church, runs her husband’s business, and coordinates women’s ministry for a network of over fifty churches
Then Scott will travel on to Tanzania for 22 days where he will hold five 2-day pastors seminars. His coordinator in Tanzania is Pastor Raphael.

Pastor Raphael leads his own church and teaches in a Bible school
Both Rose and Raphael have been part of Scott’s Africa online Disciple-Makers group for more than six months now. They both are busy gathering pastors and making arrangements to prepare for Scott’s coming. This will be his first time to hold pastors seminars in Zimbabwe and Tanzania.

That is exciting news, but it is also a call to arms. A number of things have happened to make it clear that the forces of darkness are already actively opposing God’s plan, so we need your prayers! Although life has gone back to (something somewhat like) normal for many of us in the U.S., our world is still in the grip of a global pandemic, and in developing nations like Zimbabwe and Tanzania, conditions can change dramatically in just a few days.

Pastor Rose’s husband died from COVID last December, and many, many other pastors in Africa have similarly succumbed to the disease. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but we are aware that we have an adversary who prowls around seeking whom he may devour. That’s why we are calling on our prayer warriors to provide “air support” for Scott as he heads into this spiritual battle.

As you pray, please rejoice with us and thank God for…

1. Continuing to open doors for Scott to raise disciple-makers in other nations!
2. His abundant provision of nearly all the funds needed to cover the budget for this trip!

Today’s Prayer Requests:

1. God to give Pastor Rose and Pastor Raphael discernment and favor as they prepare for Scott’s seminars.
2. God to be a shield around Scott and cause any weapon formed against him to be destroyed.
3. Pastors’ marriages to be healed and restored.
4. God to expand the disciple-makers network throughout Zimbabwe and Tanzania.

THANK YOU for standing with us in prayer! As you do, we will be…

Planting Trees,
Scott, Patty and the Whole TTC Team

Dear Praying Friends of Take the Challenge,

Thank you so much for standing with us as we endeavor to raise up disciple-makers among the nations. We are excited to let you know that we held our second International Disciple-Makers Network fellowship meeting earlier this month. We currently have active Disciple-Maker groups in India, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the Philippines. At least six of our Disciple-Makers are now spiritual grandparents as one or more of their disciples are now actively discipling others. May the number of disciple-makers multiply greatly around the world!

International Disciple-Makers Network Fellowship meeting
Stateside. We had a successful Raising Disciple-Makers seminar at Hope Community Church in Andover, KS last month. A couple dozen pastors, leaders, and believers attended the two-day training, and our host, Randy Moss, is close to beginning a follow-up DM group with those who attended. One leader who attended from the Joplin, MO area has already begun leading a DM group at his church and reported that there is a great hunger among those in his group to grow up into true disciples. Hooray!
India. Scott has been in communication with our team in India, working on his plans to return to their country very soon. After 18 months of not issuing tourist visas, the Indian government will begin to issue visas to tourists on November 15, 2021.

Just prior to one of their calls this week, Pastor Rajan was at the hospital praying for and encouraging a young pastor who had been beaten by the local authorities. His crime? He had been evangelizing in a neighboring village, and as a result he was arrested and beaten. This type of situation has greatly increased during all the pandemic-related lock-downs in India. The government there recently banned all large meetings on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This means that churches and mosques are not able to meet on their worship days, Sundays and Fridays respectively. But on Tuesday, the Hindu worship day, there is no such restriction.

We praise God that Pastor Rajan has recently restarted his monthly disciple-makers training sessions. Last month he hosted 14 of these sessions in various districts in and around his home. Also, praise God that Pastor Benjamin and his wife Esther are both healed and have returned to their work. Thanks to all of you who prayed for them and/or contributed to their medical bills.

Pastor Benjamin and wife, Esther (daughter Mercy in foreground)
Africa. Plans are in the works for Scott to minister in Tanzania and Zimbabwe next month. He has been training pastors from these nations online for over six months now, and he is excited to be able to go, encourage, and equip pastors in those countries, and help them to establish more disciple-making churches in their areas.
Today’s Prayer Targets:

1. Healing for Pastor Adaikala Raj, who was beaten for preaching the gospel in south India.
2. God’s favor and direction regarding Scott’s Africa trip next month.
3. God to continue to increase the network of disciple-makers around the world.

Thank you for praying! As you stand with us in faith, we are diligently…

Planting Trees,
Scott, Patty, and the whole Take the Challenge team

Dear Praying Friends of TTC,

Here is a quick update for you on Pastor Benjamin and his wife Esther in India; they have both been hospitalized with Covid. 

On Friday, we heard this report from Pastor Bernard (Pastor Benjamin’s son-in-law): “Latest News from Hospital that Esther become Normal Condition and Pas. Benjamin having Blood pressure high and Sugar level high Breathing issues. I spoke to higher authorities to the Hospital and explained about their Situation they accepted my request and reduced some Amount which we have to pay. Praise God For that!!!! And they ask me to pay 200,000 Thousand only.”

Then on Saturday morning we received another update: “Just Now I spoke to Hospital and they said Pas. Benjamin Become Normal and they reduced Oxygen level 3 liters to 1 liter. Lungs infection reducing if it goes everything Normal within 3 to 4 days he can discharge from Hospital. I really thanking to all who are upholding them in Prayers.”

Through your generous donations, we were able to send 40,000 Rupies ($550) toward Pastor Benjamin’s medical bills. This has caused them to thank God for his great provision!

We also heard that Pastor Rose in Zimbabwe has launched that nation’s first Disciple-Makers group. There is so much interest among the pastors there that she had to create a waiting list for a second group to be opened soon!

Saturday’s Prayer Targets:

1. Continued healing and restoration for Pastor Benjamin.
2. God’s blessing on tomorrow’s International Disciple-Makers Network Fellowship meeting.

Raising Disciple-Makers,
Scott, Patty, and the whole TTC team