PLYMOUTH – I dove into one of life’s biggest adventures with Send Network Michigan this past year. There are no flights, passports, or language classes. No furniture is being shipped in cargo containers over an ocean or required visas to enter a country. Yet, I am living life with cross-cultural experiences in ways that shock me and cause me to rise every morning, asking, “What are you going to do today, Lord?”
When asked what I do in my new role, I respond, “I am a Language/Ethnic Church Planting Catalyst with Send Network. I help people move their God-inspired vision toward reality by bringing the right people together. We are a family of churches planting churches everywhere for everyone.” After directing many things in the state for nine years, I now focus with precision on language and ethnic church planting.
I love the unpredictable nature of the work and the miraculous ways in which the Lord brings people from other nations to accomplish his desires. The mood reminds me of my former international mission service in Africa or Europe because I live out modern-day moments that reflect the stories in the Book of Acts. I may be intensely focused on just ten percent of the state’s population now, but I assure you that my spiritual eyes see God’s actions in ways that once went unnoticed.
Through relationships in the state, I explore people groups and experience cultures from across the globe. Two other languages I learned as a missionary with the International Mission Board (IMB) sometimes help. However, I found that English and, occasionally, Google Translate serves me well enough. Additionally, my thirteen years of cross-cultural experience with the IMB helps me connect with others from East and South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Spanish-speaking nations.
Here are some brief examples from the Arabic/English portion of the ministry in the state:
Arabic/English Ministry
1. I witnessed an Egyptian pastor in the state share the Good News of Jesus Christ with hundreds of Muslims, inviting them to trust in Jesus Christ or participate in Bible studies to learn more.
2. I regularly spend time with a married couple who leads an English as a Second Language (ESL) class in Dearborn, MI. The woman is from Jordan, and the husband is from Ohio. I have seen ESL students from 19 nations, primarily Muslim countries, share life inside a church.
3. During 2025, I will support that same married couple while the church building and center from which they work becomes a Send Relief Affiliate Ministry Center. The couple has connections with hundreds of people who do not yet know Jesus Christ but with whom they have strong ties. This couple would welcome volunteers to help with ESL classes, follow-up, friendships, discipleship, and facility repairs – I can make the introductions if this interests you.
4. An engaged couple who will marry in the summer of 2025 is leading a new English church plant for second-generation, Arabic-language young adults in Troy, MI. Rafi, the church planting groom from Illinois, will finish his first degree in ministry this spring. At the same time, the bride, Genavieve, from Michigan, will continue to use the Lord’s sustaining grace to help her guide others toward the Lord through music. Her interpretations can be found at Genavieve Linkowski. You may recognize Genavieve from her earlier appearances in American Idol season 16 and 18. Look for her music on your preferred music platform.
5. A man who served as an interpreter for United States troops in the Middle East and his wife, who works with evangelism and discipleship programs broadcast worldwide into Arabic language countries, planted a church in Sterling Heights, MI.
Register, March 8, Sending Lab
Are you interested in learning more? The first step to participating in the Language/Ethnic ministry is simple. Review the information and register for the upcoming Sending Lab, held on Saturday, March 8, in Plymouth, MI. Bring people of influence from your church to join you.
Each person must register for this free event. We will gather on a Saturday to avoid work conflicts. Lunch, snacks, and swag will be provided. In this one-day collaborative experience, you will discover how to:
Develop a sending vision
Identify potential church planters
Develop potential church planters
Start a church planting residency
Discover sending church resources and take your next steps
Information and registration are on this link: Sending Lab, March 8, Plymouth, MI
Even if you only speak English and/or your church has been an English-speaking community for years, there is a potential partnership at this gathering. Follow the Lord’s urging to explore and learn more.
By engaging communities, making disciples, and planting churches, we can reach people worldwide while serving the Lord from the Great Lakes region.
If you are hesitating and have questions, contact me, Tony Lynn, at tlynn@namb.net or 734-770-0608. I am praying for you as you consider this invitation. Jump the barriers. Embrace the possibilities. Let me share how important it is to be part of what the Lord does daily in our world.
Please share this article and news about the March 8 Sending Lab on your social media platforms and with others. Those leading language/ethnic ministries and I would be very grateful.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Tony L. Lynn is the Send Network Director for Michigan and the Language/Ethnic Church Planting Catalyst. Before coming on staff at the BSCM, Tony served as a lead pastor in Michigan churches and as an international missionary, along with his wife Jamie, in the Niger Republic, France, and Canada.
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