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.
As we approach Thanksgiving here in the US, we at Take The Challenge are taking this moment to say, “Thank you!” to all our TTC partners whose prayers and gifts have enabled us to fulfill our God-given mandate to raise up disciple-makers among the nations. Paul’s words to the believers in Philippi perfectly express how we feel about you: “Every time [we] think of you, [we] give thanks to [our] God. (Philippians 1:3)”
Through your partnership and our Philippines DM Movement team, we have launched 17 new disciple-makers groups in the past month! In the two weeks since we left, the PDMM team has held three additional vision-casting sessions, and at 6:00 AM on Thursday (Thanksgiving Day), I will be speaking with over 25 pastors and leaders from the Philippines island of Mindanao, sharing the vision of the DM movement and inviting them to partner with us to raise disciple-makers to reach the over 27 million people living there.
In another amazing turn, I was introduced to a missionary pastor serving in the Islamic nation of Morocco. After joining one of our weekly online DM groups, Pastor Tim has introduced other Moroccan pastors to the DM process, and many of them have expressed a great excitement about joining hands with us. This coming Monday we will host another online vision-casting, after which we will give them a chance to join a weekly group to be equipped to raise disciple-makers in their context.
These are just a couple examples of what your prayers and gifts are making possible. Please receive our heartfelt gratitude for your participation with us as we endeavor to make Jesus’ final command our first priority.
Praise Reports:
God’s provision to add two new full-time missionaries to lead the Philippines Disciple-Makers Movement and purchase a ministry vehicle.
God working through Scott’s recent trip in both Nepal and India to raise up new disciple-making groups in these 10/40 Window countries.
Open doors to expand the Disciple-Makers Movement into new nations and regions.
Prayer Requests:
Filipino pastors from Mindanao to be stirred to join the PDMM following the November 27th online vision-casting.
God to connect us with the right Moroccan pastors and leaders to launch the Disciple-Makers Movement in their nation.
Provision of the remaining $15K needed to establish the Kenyan DM Movement Command Center by December 31, 2025.
Mark, Whitney, Liam, and Korbin Phillips arrived home Thursday night, and they are getting back into the swing of things in SW Missouri after their month of ministry in the Philippines. Scott is headed home from India and will arrive in Springfield Monday evening.
Sunday's Prayer Requests:
1. The DM coaches in the Philippines, Nepal, and India, many of whom were ministered to over the past four weeks, to be energized and faithful in leading their groups; for the Holy Spirit to lead them in dealing with any issues that arise with or among their disciples.
2. The Philips family and Scott to be healthy and strong and experience God's grace as their physical bodies process jet lag from their trip.
3. God to heal Pastor Gil; as far as we know, his thyroid/throat surgery has not yet been re-scheduled.
Sunday's Details:
Scott wrapped up his whirlwind weekend of ministry in south India, but I don't have any details beyond that, probably because after church Sunday he was busy visiting with friends there, packing, and possibly sleeping a bit before heading to the airport at 1:00 AM. I do know his 10-hour flight to Amsterdam is in the air. He'll have another 10-hour flight to Atlanta and a 2-hour flight home. With layovers, he'll be in transit for about 27 hours.
I asked Scott if he had any update on Pastor Gil, and he sent this: "From Pastor Gil: 'Thanks for your prayers. I’m still awaiting my biopsy result due next week.'"
So that's all I know, but tomorrow night I get to greet My Hero! But please remember that TTC's ministry continues whether Americans are away on mission trips or not. Thank you for continuing to pray for TTC and for our team members, both in the U.S. and around the world.
Scott has left somewhere in Nepal and is on his way to somewhere in India, and I was SO encouraged to hear that his back is somewhat better. Praise God for answering our prayers! Scott has three scheduled ministry events during his next few days, and he is eager to get home. = )
Friday's Prayer Requests:
1. God to speak clearly through Scott to those who will be at the DM seminar, the coaches mentoring session, and/or the church service this weekend; Scott to give his very best in each setting no matter what, and finish well.
2. God to be merciful to Scott and continue healing and restoring his lower back - during and in spite of the many hours of travel ahead of him.
3. The Holy Spirit to help the many, many people in several nations our team has ministered to during this trip to A) remember what they have seen and heard in various seminars, summits, and services, B) apply it faithfully and consistently in their own lives, and C) keep "paying it forward" to others they have relationship with.
Friday's Details:
When I asked Scott how his back was doing, he replied, "The back is still hurting some, but is much better than yesterday. The brace helps." I am so glad he was willing to take that brace with him. At home he only wears it when playing tennis, and although he knew he wouldn't be doing that during a mission trip, he did take it. He also has some medicine that is helping. Mostly, I think the improvement is a result of our partners praying for him. Thank you.
I also asked about his meeting with Pastor Gil's friend, Pastor V. Scott said, "The meeting went well for a blind date with the pastor of a big church and leader of a mostly online seminary. We talked a lot about how the DM process is different from Bible School, so there is a natural rub to it. The main thing is, he has the book and said he would get back with me once he has read it. He even talked about me sharing about disciple-making in one of his online classes." It sounds like it was a positive interaction; God knows what, if anything, will develop from it, but Scott did his part by meeting with Pastor V, and we did our part by praying.
In India, Scott will be meeting up with our good friend, E. He is not a pastor but is, as he says, "just a normal person." E is a husband, father, church member, and IT guy. In fact, you might remember seeing a map in a blog post several weeks ago that showed many places in the Philippines where coaches are already leading DM groups, as well as the areas the PDMM is working to expand into. E is the one who created that graphic and numerous other ones for us. Years ago he heard Scott teach about raising disciple-makers, determined to become a DM himself, began leading a group, and is now a Disciple-Maker Indeed several times over!
E has invited a number of people - pastors? church leaders? "normal folks?" - to an all-day vision-casting (DM seminar) on Saturday. Saturday evening, Scott will spend time mentoring the DM coaches E has raised up. This is one of Scott's favorite ministry opportunities. He loves speaking to people who are actively doing something to raise disciple-makers and who understand firsthand the joys and challenges involved. He is energized by encouraging DM coaches and sharing helpful do's and don'ts with those who are working in the trenches and have the same heart.
Then on Sunday morning Scott will speak at a church in the area. He may be able to rest some Sunday afternoon and evening before his 2:30 AM Monday (3:00 PM Sunday MO time) flight departs India to start his roughly 28-hour trip home. I'm very much looking forward to seeing him at the airport Monday evening!
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