Updates
I’m excited to share our first MOVE quarterly update with you. From the beginning, our prayer has been for God to move in and through every person at Southeast and to unleash the full force of our church to love people one at a time.
We know that God multiplies our impact, just as He did with the early church in Acts 2 who began their own journey of moving together, forward, and closer as they practiced not just generous giving, but generous living.
While we’ve only taken the first steps on our MOVE journey, we’re already seeing Him do just that. From students experiencing real life-change, to families opening their hearts to children needing a home, to those in support and recovery groups finding true freedom, God is already doing so much through your faithfulness.
I truly believe this is just the beginning. Together, we’re writing a legacy of generosity that will echo into eternity.
I’m excited and humbled to be on this MOVE discipleship journey of generosity with you! It’s been incredible seeing how God has already been moving in and through our church, as we partner with Him in doing whatever it takes to help one more person experience the transforming love of Jesus.
But I truly believe God is only getting started…and we want to celebrate every step of our journey as we catch the wind of the Holy Spirit and partner with Him in incredible Kingdom-building work. I invite you to visit this page often during our two-year MOVE journey as we’ll be posting inspiring updates on our Together, Forward, and Closer vision initiatives.
Thank you for saying YES to God’s invitation and joining me on this MOVE journey!
Shine Ministry | Opening Doors for All
Mary Tatum is excited about how God is moving in the hearts of the people at Southeast, helping those with special needs, disabilities, or who are deaf connect with Jesus and one another.
Through its Shine Disabilities Ministry, Southeast helps children, teens, and adults learn about Jesus in their own space and at their own pace. Special classes are available at five campuses, with dedicated classroom space coming soon to the Elizabethtown Campus.
“One of our goals of the MOVE initiative is to expand the Shine Ministry to more campuses,” said Mary, who leads the ministry. “That would allow us to offer intentional programming and classes and fellowship opportunities for people throughout our church.”
One of the students she thinks about when talking about the impact of the Shine Disabilities Ministry is Evan Riggle.
“We would support him so that he could go to our youth programming here at the church, and as it got a little bit harder for him to be involved in that setting, we realized it would be nice for him to have a place of his own,” Mary said.
“Through your generosity, as we’ve been able to build a new space for him or for all of our friends with special needs, we’ve had people like Evan in mind as we’ve created a safe space, a place where he can learn at his own pace, and a place that he can know Jesus in his own way,” she said.
Mary added that when she hears Evan sing worship songs or talk about church or Camp Freedom—where more than 400 campers connected through fun and fellowship while enjoying traditional camp activities this Summer—it is “such a blessing to know that our church family has supported him and his family so that they can attend worship.”
Evan’s father, David, said it is a “tremendous blessing” for him and his wife, Emlyn, to be able to worship knowing that Evan is “in capable hands and he is safe.”
“We just want to thank this church that they had the foresight and the willingness to spend the money, to spend the time, and to put it into Shine Ministry, because it has made a huge difference in our life,” he said.
“I thank you, church family, for your generosity,” Mary added. “Thank you for giving to MOVE so that we can move into more spaces, so that we can move into more communities, and that we could open the doors of Southeast to more families like the Riggles, one at a time.”
Reaching the Arabian Peninsula
Ninety percent of the people living in the Arabian Peninsula do not personally know a follower of Jesus…and many possibly never will.
“A worker currently living in the AP shared with me that most people there will never meet a follower of Jesus or have a chance to hear the Good News unless someone steps into their country and into their lives,” Bill* said.
Wanting to be that “someone,” Bill and others from Southeast visited the Arabian Peninsula in April to gain firsthand experience and a better understanding of the culture.
“The Great Commission calls us to go and make disciples of all nations. So, we want to reach them,” Bill said. “We want to mobilize 250 people to move to the Arabian Peninsula.”
That includes people in various stages of life, from families to students to professionals.
“We want students from our church to attend school or take internships or study abroad there to live among other young people,” Bill said. “God can use your job and your education to place you among the unreached.”
Diane said she returned home feeling certain that God is calling her to be involved. “At first, I was cautious and I was scared to go and then as I got more information about the trip, I really couldn’t get it off my mind,” she said.
James and his wife also returned with a sense of calm. “We both now feel a deep peace and a gentle but clear invitation from God. There is a great need,” he said.
“As we evaluate the possibility of moving to (the Arabian Peninsula),” Lisa added, “we’re simply asking God to keep confirming that calling.”
Diane called her experience in the Arabian Peninsula “truly life-changing,” explaining it is a place “where you can really see the contrast of light and dark. The spiritual darkness at times is palpable. You can really feel it.”
Bill said it is the church’s responsibility to bring light to spiritually dark places, but that requires “people from our church stepping out in faith.” Here are a few ways we can do that:
- Pray. As we move forward in reaching the lost, we want prayer to be the foundation.
- Take a mission trip. Even if it’s not to the Arabian Peninsula, God can open your heart to the nations when you leave home.
- Be intentional to engage with international people right where you live.
- Move your career overseas to intentionally live and work in an unreached area.
“If you believe God is calling you to move with this initiative, then we want to talk to you and pray with you,” Bill said.
Those interested in learning more about the region or how to get involved are invited to an Arabian Peninsula Interest Night on July 1 at the Blankenbaker Campus. You can learn more and register here.
*All names have been changed to protect identities.
Church Plant | Refuge Church Ojai Valley
We’re excited to be partnering with church planters to begin 40 new churches in the next five years…churches like Refuge Church in Ojai, California, who has been sharing the good news of Jesus since launching in 2023 with your help!
“Two years ago, we didn’t have a church, but because of you, because of your generosity, because of your prayers, two years later, God is doing something big,” Lead Pastor Kyle Costello said.
Almost 30 people have stepped into the waters of baptism and out into the life, freedom, and hope found only in Christ, a second service has been added to reach even more people, and stories of life-change are being written daily.
One of those stories belongs to Sean.
“Sean is a guy who’s entering kind of the later stages of life, and he has tried anything and everything to try to get to know God, but he’s never taken Christianity seriously,” Kyle said, adding Sean initially only came to Refuge Church because of his wife.
“Now, he is sold out for Jesus!” he said.
It’s because of stories like Sean’s that Kyle can’t help but think about Southeast every Sunday, praising God for its generosity in helping churches like Refuge share the love of Jesus.
“I just want to say thank you,” he said, “because if it wasn’t for you all, I do not believe we would have a church here today.…Thank you, Southeast Christian Church!”
