BE A POSSIBILIST!

by President Rob Hoskins

Possibilist leaders are willing to do whatever they can to make the world a better place. They recognize and utilize both the good and bad as fuel to move forward and bring sustainable change to the world around them.

One of my favorite examples of a possibilist was my dear friend Jim Byh. Jim passed away in 2016 but spent his life helping us take God’s Word to unreached areas of Africa.

Shortly before he passed, he cast vision for what we now call the Lumière Project — a movement to plant more than 3,300 churches to reach millions of children with God’s Word. He knew there would be difficulties but was more confident in the opportunities that existed.

Similar to our partnership with churches in Russia, we provide the Scripture programs to reach children in each new village with God’s

Word, and our local church partners plant the new church.

In this way, we have helped carry out Jim’s vision, providing our local partners with Scripture programs they used in planting more than 2,200 churches in 11 countries. Children are being reached through these new church plants and families and communities are being changed.

This possibilist worldview is possible, but it takes work. Developing this worldview requires an honest and careful examination of reality. Are there problems? Absolutely. Is progress being made? Also, yes.

So — how do you view the world? Are you a possibilist? Consider these questions …

• Do I think progress is possible but not easy?
• Do I see things as they are but don’t get discouraged?
• Am I unwilling to look away from problems that move me?
• Am I willing to do what I can to make my world a better place?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, you are headed in the right direction!

Are we church planters? No –
Do we partner with church planters? YES!

OneHope’s story began back in 1987 when evangelical churches in El Salvador came together to distribute the very first copies of the Book of Hope to every schoolchild in the nation — and to open their doors to help new believers grow in their faith.

Since that day, OneHope has always worked with local churches and ministries to reach the next generation. When we were first invited to Russia (then the USSR), we found that there were not enough evangelical churches to disciple all of the children and youth who were coming to faith in Christ — we sent American pastors and volunteers to help launch new churches.

This precedent grew into a beautiful partnership of helping local believers launch new churches where faith communities were needed!

With your prayers and generosity, we provide Scripture programs that church planters can use to reach every child and youth in a new village or town — From the new believers and their families, a new congregation is born.

By God’s grace, these new churches reach out to more children and youth through OneHope programs, keeping evangelism and discipleship strong.

In this Global Report, you’ll read of two prominent church-planting efforts: in Africa and in Russia. As you read, remember that OneHope’s focus is connecting children and youth with a relevant presentation of God’s Word.

Thank you for being part of it!

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THE HOSANNA PLAN IN RUSSIA: PLANTING CHURCHES AND REACHING CHILDREN

Thousands of towns in Russia have no evangelical church — but our Russian church partners are changing this through the Hosanna Plan. Teams travel to these villages, sharing the Gospel and reaching children and youth with God’s Word.

With the young people and their families as the core of a new church, the faith community is launched where young people can be discipled, and more children and families can be reached with the Good News.

Since the program began in 2010, Hosanna Plan teams have reached 46 MILLION children and youth with God’s Word and planted more than 4,000 churches. This year the faith goal is to reach 4,750,000 young people — and we’re well on the way!

THE LUMIÈRE PROJECT FOR FRENCH-SPEAKING AFRICA: MORE THAN 2,200 NEW CHURCHES!

In many nations of French-speaking Africa, children are growing up without knowledge of Christ. Families largely practice tribal religions, animism, or Islam, and villages lack Christian churches.

The Lumière Project is our audacious plan to plant new churches across Africa. A church planter visits a village and shows The GodMan film; then out of the interest in learning more about God’s Word, the ministry partner establishes a new church.

The Lumière Project brings the light of God’s Word to Africa. This year, our partners will reach 1 million children and youth and plant more than 820 churches.

Want to read more about Lumière?

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NEW CHURCH PLANT — 200 MEMBERS!

Our partner Pastor Blaise Ntalu Bawila in the Central African Republic wants to say thank you for the Book of Hope and The GodMan film.

He and his team went door to door in the village with no Christian church — giving the Book of Hope to children and youth, then concluded their outreach with a showing of the film. Dozens of children and families came, and all were invited to the new church plant.

“We have grown rapidly with children and youth,” Pastor Blaise says. “Today we have more than 200 members in the church.”

LIMITED ACCESS NATION — CHRISTMAS OUTREACH SHOWS PAAL THE WAY TO NEW LIFE IN CHRIST!

Even in the Asian nation where Paal is growing up — a place where Christians are under the threat of persecution — they’re still aware of the global, commercialized idea of the holiday: a time for parties, gift-giving, decorations, and celebration!

Paal even knew that Christmas is about Santa Claus. In fact, he assumed that the birthday BY celebrated at Christmastime is Santa’s birthday.

What a surprise last Christmas to receive a Christmas Book of Hope as a gift from the local church, and read about the first Christmas and the birth of Jesus.

“I was very happy to receive this book,” Paal recalls. “Now, I understand, and I believe in Christ.”