Whether it's happening across the street or across the country, check out what's happening with the Foursquare family.
Mike and Bee Arter serve as Foursquare missionaries to Mae Sot, Thailand, a predominately Buddhist nation known for its beauty and friendliness but also for high rates of human trafficking and youth looking for answers in all the wrong places. The Arters are creatively reaching people and say there are many ways we from the U.S. can help the ministry there.
For 17 years, Kevin Malone’s career was in professional baseball, including being vice president/general manager of the L.A. Dodgers. Now he works full-time at the Dream Center in the heart of Los Angeles—and to him it’s a dream come true. There’s nothing that thrills him more, he says, than helping people in difficult situations and seeing God turn their lives around.
Local Foursquare leaders from across the U.S. will join national leaders and global influencers from around the world for the 2012 Global Summit in Phoenix, June 1–3. The goals are to establish a global eldering community; build together a global strategy; refine and strengthen our global infrastructure; and help resource every nation to evangelize, disciple, multiply and send.
For more than 13 years, Foursquare Pastor Bill Dahlquist and his wife, Eileen, have served in the small town of Blue Diamond, called The Village by residents, 25 miles into the desert southwest of Las Vegas. Ministry in a small town has its challenges, but Bill has seen lives change as the congregation has built bridges to the surrounding community.
Sean and Vita Mason serve as Foursquare missionaries to Albania. The poorest nation in Europe, it was in the grips of communist control—with no religious practice allowed—until the 1990s. There are now five Foursquare churches in the country. Sean and Vita pastor Mission Emmanuel in the city of Korca.
Over 3.3 million people live in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and one of the most populous cities in Africa. Despite the challenges of living there, which include poverty and high crime rates, Foursquare Missionaries Garry and Brenda Kean are making inroads for the gospel. They planted New Song Nairobi and have a vision to reach the entire nation.
Thailand is predominately a Buddhist nation, and less than 1 percent of its 66 million inhabitants are Christian. But living in Bangkok, the capital city, Foursquare Missionaries Andy and Christina Opie are seeing doors open to the gospel. They have planted one Foursquare church in Bangkok, and are getting ready to launch another, in Phuket.
Bill and Debbie Boling have served as Foursquare missionaries to Costa Rica for six years, ministering to people via local churches, Bible institutes, ESL classes, cooking classes, and outreaches to schoolchildren. In 2010, 407 people in Costa Rica made decisions for Christ, 400 were baptized in water, and 117 were baptized with the Holy Spirit.
From North Asia to Francophone Africa, and from Europe to North America, new Foursquare ministries will be taking root in part because of the faithful giving of The U.S. Foursquare Church. Phase one allocations, which have just been announced, account for one-third of the total Connection 2011 offering. These funds are already impacting the mission field.
There will be no lazy days for Serafin and Alva Contreras when they officially retire in January 2012. Following 42 years of fruitful service, the area missionaries plan to be as active in ministry as ever. They’re simply changing gears—a change orchestrated by God for this faithful couple who have influenced millions of people throughout Latin America for Jesus Christ.