The Creasmans

Developing Leaders Who Reproduce “The pastors don’t have any vision, and they are not working together.  You’ve got to come mentor them!” Pastor Lee had been in one of my mentoring groups for the past two years.  I really liked him, and was impressed with his insight and his desire to develop younger pastors.  For one of our meetings, he had written a paper on older pastors mentoring younger pastors, which the group members said should be read by every pastor in Vietnam. Pastor Lee works in a county in the south of about a million people.  The first church started there in 1930, and Pastor Lee started the second church in 2005.  Now he is thedenominational leader for the county, which has grown to 7 churches and 7 preaching points. When I met up with Pastor Lee in early April this year, he pleaded with me to travel to his county to help him mentor the other pastors and churches. I spent one day with them in April, and will be with them for another two days this month. Leaders like Pastor Lee are the reason we were called to Asia 19 years ago, and the reason I feel called to go back there every other month from the US.  We are called to invest in leaders who are reproducing – through developing people and ministries in their churches, and collaborating with other churches to reach their society.   Having mentored about 45 leaders like Pastor Lee over the past 5 years, I keep hearing the same concerns about the maturity of the church.  One is that pastors are not developing leaders.  Another is that churches are not working together.  While they are starting new churches and reaching lost people, they are lagging behind in developing depth and maturity to support the new growth. I continue to look for leaders like Pastor Lee, who are reproducing.  Most of my mentees are having significant ministries in their churches and communities, but not many have a vision for the larger Body of Christ in Vietnam, and what is needed to help the whole Church grow. As I leave for another three weeks in Vietnam, please pray that our meetings will not only help these pastors and churches grow, but that the Lord would be giving them a vision for developing people and collaborating, so that new ministries can be started that would mature the Church and reach more people in their society. Family Update/Prayers: After his freshman year at Liberty University in VA, Cameron is with us for a long summer break. Thank you Lord that last week he started working two days a week as a home care assistant, joined a men’s Bible Study and is finding ways to plug in and make friends in the South Bay. Tyler wrapped up nearly a year of various trainings as an Infantry Officer at Ft. Benning, GA. He is with us now for a week before reporting to Ft. Bliss, TX. Lord, as he deploys in July and joins his batallion for 9+/- months overseas, we entrust him, those he’ll lead, and his future to your good care. June 18-22nd Kimberly will fly with Tyler to share the drive with him from Columbus, GA to El Paso, TX before midnight the 20th. Safe travel in his 20′ UHaul is her prayer request! She comes back to LA on June 22nd, our 31st anniversary. Thank you Lord for the satisfying ways you’ve given her to serve her family.  Jim is flying overnight (Sunday) to Asia for three weeks mentoring pastors in various locations. June 12- July 3. Lord we pray for stamina, health and wisdom. Lord, in so many places overseas … …your church is desperately under-resourced and in need of support in order to effectively lead and grow and bring your redemption in their cities. Thank you for the honor to serve you as a catalyst and mentor in Vietnam for your glory.  Through all of your laborers around the world, continue to bring redemption to the lost, which not only brings the hope of heaven later, but also brings your peace and blessing to these places now!  Father, increase the fruitfulness of those who support your Kingdom work in these places so far away. Living in the USA this year, we have experienced how the needs of our Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria cry out for support! Thank you Lord for those who still think about the ends of the earth and can hear your voice and leading where to pray and invest amidst so many competing requests for help!  Your redemption and regeneration is our only lasting hope for change in this broken world! AMEN! with gratitude for your partnership, Jim & Kimberly Creasman staff.crmleaders.org/creasman Church Resource Ministries: 1240 Lakeview Ave, Ste. 120, Anaheim, CA 92807

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