The apostle Paul considered the help and support of other believers vital to his ministry. Philippians shows us that Epaphroditus blessed and encouraged Paul, even at the peril of his own life. In Romans, Paul’s heart overflows in chapter 16 as he greets various believers, referring to many of them as “fellow workers” or “fellow prisoners.” In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul asks Timothy to bring John Mark to him because Paul considered him “useful to me for service.” Timothy himself was regarded by Paul as his “true son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2) and “our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ” (1 Thessalonians 3:2).
It is in this spirit of service and love that we send short-term ministry (STM) teams from Grace Community Church each year to support and encourage our missionaries, and it is with great joy and thankfulness that we look back on the 2024 STM season. From May to October, sixteen teams traveled abroad to support our missionaries. Their reports testify to the grace of God in using humble servants for the building up of the body of Christ around the world.
Reports from the Field
Ecuador — The team to Ecuador served Pastor Sixto Dormi by constructing a library that the students of the training center will utilize and by remodeling a room that will serve as a classroom for the training center. While in Ecuador, the team saw 100 pastors from the area attend the symposium on expository preaching, many from charismatic backgrounds, intending to learn about expository preaching. The team leader expressed, “It was deeply encouraging to be applying a coat of varnish on the very bookshelves that these men will be pulling volumes from as they are being trained for a lifetime of ministry.”
International Conference — Every two years, Grace Church puts on an international conference for our missionaries. The conference is designed to equip and train our missionaries as they strive to pursue the goals of their ministry. It is a critical time for strengthening and counsel—one that best occurs when these faithful servants can focus entirely on those objectives. The STM team came alongside the missionaries by caring for their children, serving faithfully from early morning to late at night. The team leader shared, “The relationships built with the children often extend past the conference and help them feel connected and loved both abroad and when they come back to Grace Church to visit. The team this year went above and beyond in their service to our missionary families, and, Lord willing, this will yield fruit in the families’ ministries all over the world.”
A Harvest Still Plentiful
These trips would not have been possible without the prayer and support of the people of Grace Church. We are thankful not only for the financial sacrifices but also for the brothers and sisters who sacrificed their time and energy in supporting the work of the Lord.
This coming year, sixteen teams have been requested by our missionaries and ministry partners, and all Grace Church members who are 18 or older are invited to apply to join a team.
The teams will minister alongside our missionaries in many ways, including evangelism, supporting conferences, and hosting Vacation Bible Schools with local churches.
2025 Teams
For more information or to apply to join a team, visit gracechurch.org/stm or contact the STM office at 818-909-5702 or stm@gracechurch.org.