Today we are sharing a testimony of one of the DMM pastors from the Philippines, Pastor Chris, whose personal life and church ministry have both been transformed by the process of intentional discipleship Take the Challenge uses in all our disciple-makers groups.
He says, “Personally, intentional discipleship has made me become more responsible and intentional in my daily devotion and prayer life, and I have learned that spiritual growth does not happen accidentally—it happens when we allow ourselves to be consistently shaped by God through His Word, prayer, and accountability.
“As a pastor, intentional discipleship has also changed the way I see ministry. Before, I was sometimes content with simply having church attendees or church workers. But now, I am beginning to see not just leaders in the church, but true disciples who can also disciple others. It reminds me that the mission of the church is not only to gather people, but to grow people—so they can become mature followers of Christ [who] help others follow Him too.
Pastor Chris’ DM group
“In our church, I can clearly see many improvements in those who are under intentional discipleship. They are becoming more hungry and interested in studying the Word of God. Some who used to be quiet and not very expressive are now more confident because of the regular interaction, sharing, and encouragement within the discipleship process. Others have started building a daily devotional life, and many have become more committed, faithful, and involved in our church’s ministries.
Pastor Chris with his transformed disciple-makers!
“Intentional discipleship is not only producing activity—it is producing transformation. It is helping shape believers into disciples, and disciples into disciple-makers who are building a stronger future for the Kingdom of God.
“That’s my testimony, and To God be All the Glory!”
God’s Spirit is moving powerfully through Take the Challenge’s Disciple-Making movement (DMM) in several parts of the world, including Kenya, east Africa, where the KDMM is currently “planting trees” for major expansion.
The 30 new DM pastors under Bishop Wycliff’s leadership are growing as they meet weekly with our local team. On Thursday morning, Scott had an opportunity to personally speak to them and explain to them the vision for the Global DMM. In August, our team in Kenya will travel to the locations below (marked with red pins) to raise up new DM Outposts which will be led by those 30 pastors being trained right now. This will allow us to expand the Kenya DMM to saturate the nation with disciple-makers as we make Jesus’ last command our first priority.
Missionary James now has his new ministry car, which he will use to travel all over the country as he oversees our existing DM coaches and hosts vision-casting meetings for new groups. He is very excited that he will no longer have to travel by bus, motorcycle, and other public means. Thanks to all who gave!
Pastor James in his new car
Praise Reports:
Pastor James’ new ministry car. Thank you, partners, and thank you, God!
Successful elections in Nepal with no violence.
New God-connections between TTC and several missions organizations.
Prayer Requests:
God’s continued provision to walk through all the new doors of ministry before us.
God to give us ongoing wisdom regarding various partnerships and opportunities before us.
Grace for Rev. Hillary and his wife, Joyce, (two of our core leaders in Kenya) as they take care of Hillary’s father, Charles, who has had a stroke and is not able to move.
Thank you for joining your faith with ours as we keep raising disciple-makers around the world!
Today we have a great testimony of how God is changing lives in Niger, West Africa through the TTC disciple-making process.
Emiline and her husband were desperate. The doctor had told them that their newborn daughter Elisabeth’s skull was locked in place and was not allowing her developing brain to grow. Their pastor, Habibou (Hah-BEE-boo”), shared this prayer request with our Monday disciple-makers group, and we all prayed for baby Elisabeth. During our weekly meeting two weeks later, Pastor Habibou introduced us to a smiling Emiline holding her daughter Elisabeth. God had miraculously and graciously loosed Elisabeth’s skull, proving again to the people of that 98% Muslim nation that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the only true God. Praise the Lord!
Pastor Habibou with Lompo, Emiline, and baby Elisabeth
The impact of the disciple-makers movement on Pastor Habibou and his church is great. Click [here] to listen to his testimony.
In addition to leading a disciple-makers (DM) group in his church, Pastor Habibou is now leading the first ever French-speaking (DM) group with five pastors from Niger! This group includes two pastors from the Hausa (“HOUSE-uh”)-speaking region of Maradi (“mah-RAH-dee”) in central Niger. Pray for us as we complete the Hausa translation of the Pressing Toward the Mark discipleship workbooks and the Raising Disciple-Makers book.
Planned Giving – Want to leave an enduring legacy? Consider including Take the Challenge in your will or trust! Visit our [planned giving page]for details of how your gift to Take The Challenge can raise disciple-makers around the world for generations to come.
Praise Reports:
Kenya Command Center is fully funded. HOORAY and praise God!
Healing of baby Elisabeth. She is now sitting up, playing, and enjoying life!
Successful launch of the first French-speaking disciple-makers group.
Prayer Requests:
God connections with Latin American missionaries.
Strength and health for Pastor Gil in the Philippines.
Peace during Nepal’s upcoming elections (March 5th); upright and qualified leaders to be put in office.
Thank you for partnering with us as we raise disciple-makers in West Africa, Kenya, the Philippines, Nepal, and beyond!
Today we have updates on TTC’s ministry in Nepal (South Asia) and Kenya (eastern Africa).
Nepal – The disciple-making ministry in western Nepal is really flourishing. For the past nine months, Pastor Samuel has been leading a group of six Nepali pastors through the disciple-making process.
Pastor Samuel leading six pastors who are now DM coaches!
The pastors all live in distant villages, and Samuel rides his motorcycle for two to four hours one-way to visit a different pastor each week to encourage them. All six of those pastors have now launched their own Nepali language DM groups, and we expect the people in those groups to follow their coaches’ example!
Please pray for safe and fair elections on March 5th, when Nepal will hold elections for all 275 members of the Nepali parliament. The government was dissolved in September 2025, so this election is very important for Nepal’s future.
Kenya – Bishop Wycliff leads a denomination of churches in Kenya, and he has asked Pastor James, one of our Kenya National Directors, to train all 30 of his pastors in the disciple-making process, so they can use the DM process to raise disciple-makers in their churches and communities. This week we are launching three online DM groups to begin that training. Then, in six months, we plan to travel to the hometowns of each of these 30 pastors and launch DM groups for pastors in their areas.
Our Kenya team has a call from God to expand the disciple-making process throughout Kenya and into surrounding African nations. This expansion in training Bishop Wycliff’s pastors aligns with the Kenya DM Movement (KDMM) Vision 2030 to raise a strong DM Outpost in each of Kenya’s eight provinces.
Bishop Wycliff’s pastors at Pastor James’ (yellow shirt) vision-casting session
Praise Reports:
Great expansion of the Kenya Disciple-Makers Movement.
Addition of Pastor James as a TTC Staff Missionary in Kenya.
Completed translation of Pressing Toward the Mark, Volume 1 in Spanish.
Prayer Requests:
God to open doors for TTC in Latin America.
New West African, French-language Disciple-Makers group to flourish.
Peace during Nepal’s upcoming elections; upright and qualified leaders to be put in office.
Thank you for partnering with us as we raise disciple-makers in Nepal, Kenya, West Africa, and beyond!
Today we are sharing great news and requesting your prayers.
Through a set of “only God could do it” connections, we now have two English-speaking, online disciple-makers groups in Morocco in northeastern Africa. During one of those DM groups a couple weeks ago, one of the participants asked if she could write out her memory verse in Arabic! Well, sure!
This may be 2 Corinthians 5:17
And we are pleased to announce that Volume 1 of Pressing Toward the Mark has now been translated into Arabic and is being readied for printing.
However, one of those group members, Sara, shared a sad and disturbing prayer request. The nation of Morocco is 99.6% Muslim, schools are taught in Arabic, and students must learn the Koran. Her 7-year-old daughter, Julia, did well on her semester tests except in one subject where she got a 0%. She is required to memorize and quote passages from the Koran, and Sara is not willing to help her daughter with this. If Julia does not memorize the Koran by 6th grade, she will not be permitted to go to the 7th grade, and this would be tragic.
Julia with mom, Sara
In other great news, you may remember Pastor Gil (“Hill”), who has been so instrumental in expanding TTC’s footprint in the Philippines and who recently had a radical cancer-related thyroid surgery. He sent Scott this update: “I’m literally out in the woods, my radioactive iodine treatment (RAI) after my surgery went so effectively that 80% remnants of cancer cells were eradicated – no need at this time for another RAI. Two doctors gave me “fit to work and to travel both by land and sea” certification. Titanium was implanted to bridge 3 upper right ribs where the cancer had metastasized; I am thankful for the plastic / bone surgeon.” From there he outlined his speaking schedule for the coming several months. When Scott talked to him this week, Pastor Gil invited Scott to join him in Qatar on a future trip to minister to a church there. Wow!
Praise Reports:
Pastor Gil’s healing! Thank you to all of you who prayed.
TTC Discipleship materials translated into French, Arabic, and Spanish!
First French-speaking DM group to start next month!
Prayer Requests:
Scott’s trip to Morocco this spring to empower and equip the persecuted church there.
God to make a way for Julia’s education to continue without requiring her to memorize the Koran.
God to provide the remaining $5K needed to establish the Kenyan DM Movement Command Center.
We hope this communication finds you filled with the joy and wonder of Emmanuel, God with us. As you make preparations to celebrate the incarnation with your friends and family, we want to give you a few updates and prayer requests from around the world.
Pastor Gil’s incision
First, an update on Pastor Gil. Thank you to each of you who prayed for his surgery. It was intense, but successful. His thyroid had to be taken out, as well as parts of his collar bone that had succumbed to the cancer.
Pastor Gil has been recovering at a guesthouse following surgery, but was re-admitted to the hospital today due to fluid buildup in and around the incision. Please continue to pray for this great servant of God.
Next, as we in America are making our lists and checking them twice, the Christians in Nepal are busy with some different activities. Evangelism, although commanded by God, is not permitted in Nepal. If someone is “converted” and then reports the event to the police, the church or individual involved can face persecution and possible imprisonment. Yet during the Christmas season people tend to turn a blind eye. Because of this, our Nepali DM churches will be holding carol sings and other evangelistic outreaches during the next two weeks. The church will gather outside each church member’s house to sing Christmas carols and share the gospel message. The host family prepares food and invites their neighbors to join in the festivities.
Watch 1:44 of one of last year’s Nepali carol sings [here] and :22 of preaching at an evangelistic outreach [here]. Pastor Mohan’s church will be traveling to some 25 homes over the coming two weeks.
James and Hillary, our Kenya directors
Finally, good news from Kenya. The word is getting out about the great impact of the disciple-making process; so much so that pastors are contacting our team and requesting the DM process be introduced to their churches! Each of our Kenyan DM regions has set specific 2026 goals for extending the DM movement to new areas. Truly the number of disciples is multiplying greatly, and thankfully, the Lord has also blessed our Kenya Command Center (KCC) project. Since our last update, we have seen $10K come in, which means we only need $5K more to reach our goal. Would you give an end-of-the-year gift to help us get across the finish line? You can give online [here] or mail a check to Take the Challenge, 8053 US Highway 160, Walnut Shade, MO 65771.
Praise Reports:
God’s provision of $10K toward the Kenya Command Center project.
Two new disciple-makers groups launched in Morocco.
One new disciple-makers group launched in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Prayer Requests:
Excess fluid and infection to be completely removed from Pastor Gil and God to provide for his thousands of dollars of medical bills.
Many Nepalis to be reached through the carol singing and Christmas outreach events.
God to provide the remaining $5K needed to establish the Kenyan DM Movement Command Center by December 31, 2025.
This Christmas, let’s follow the lead of the Nepali church and make sure our focus is on worshiping and introducing others to the giver of the Greatest Gift.
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