“I feel like dreaming! I'm so thrilled and excited about what God has started to do in 2007.” Rev. Bert Olbrich of CCGI

What prompted Rev. Bert Olbrich, German Missionary and Founder and Director of Caribbean Church Growth Institute (CCGI), to make such a declaration of exhilaration and anticipation? Read on and I’ll tell you the exciting story.

In April of this year I went to Trinidad at the invitation of Rev. Olbrich and his wife, Sonja, to explore potential opportunities to equip and encourage church leaders in the Caribbean. Bert and Sonja have been laboring in Trinidad for eight years establishing CCGI, adapting to the culture, building trust with pastors and denominational leaders, and sharing Bert’s vision for leadership training throughout the Caribbean Islands.

We spoke often of the equipping opportunities SOS has fulfilled to train leaders around the world – more than 800 missions in more than 80 countries. This led to a discussion of the potential of inviting resource people through SOS to the Islands under the banner of CCGI. We also visited several influential pastors and denominational leaders with whom Bert has cultivated working and networking relationships. With each visit came a growing awareness of the equipping needs and professional desires of these heroic co-workers and the tremendous opportunity that has been placed before us.

The more we discussed the possibilities, the more I felt like CCGI and SOS were of kindred spirit. Our serving CCGI will unleash the potential of equipping hundreds of pastors and leaders to more effectively fulfill their calling. SOS will provide a steady stream of seminars and workshops taught by experienced and mature instructors for CCGI’s network of churches and Christian leaders. It’s all very exciting!

Just a week after my return to America and the Olbrich’s to Germany, I received this email from Bert:

Somehow I get the impression that God has opened a huge door of blessing for churches and leaders in the Caribbean... and is continuing HIS plan and vision to assist church leaders and churches in the Caribbean. The contact with you and SOS seems to be the catalyst and turning point in many years of prayer and networking efforts. I feel like dreaming! I'm so thrilled and excited about what God has started to do in 2007.

Please read this paragraph again. Answered prayer. An open door to bless Caribbean leaders. Our Lord’s plan to unleash the potential of Caribbean churches and leaders. A godly leader with a God-given vision now has a strategy and the resources for fulfilling that vision.

How could we not continue to cultivate this strategic relationship? How could we not come alongside CCGI to make disciples of all nations by training national leaders? Several people within our training network have expressed an enthusiastic interest in training Christian leaders in the Caribbean (Yah, Monn).

Though Trinidad is the most recent country open to SOS, we are training leaders in many places around the world. This month (May, 2007), two Pastors’ wives from Arizona are traveling to minister to and encourage 50 Pastors’ wives in Poland. Tammy Benjamin and Laurie Southwick are wives of pastors and mentor the staff wives of Calvary Community Church in Phoenix.

Dr. Charles (Chip) Arn, who has extensive experience in Church Growth arenas, will be instructing the pastors of 2 denominations (Evangelical Christian Churches of Poland and Evangelical Brethren Churches of Poland) in a joint conference addressing how to grow their churches through evangelism and discipleship. This will be the first in a series of Church Growth conferences the Evangelical Christian Churches of Poland have invited us to provide resource people to teach twice a year.

In August, another teacher and I have been invited by Love Maharastra to teach at a denominational conference in Kolhapur, India. This network of churches was once indifferent to spreading the gospel, but now, in large part because of the ministry of Love Maharastra, is an on-fire missions-minded team of congregations intent on evangelizing their regions and state.

In addition, there are many national leaders and missionaries in our global network who are requesting our practical support and timely encouragement.

I am asking you to help me. Would you partner with me in this worldwide endeavor of reaching nations with the gospel of our Lord Jesus through the strategic training of national leaders? Stories like Bert’s are waiting to be told – but we need your support to offer them help and hope. Your prayers are vital to the fulfillment of our mission. Your financial support at this strategic time would also be greatly appreciated.

Should you decide to send support, please use the enclosed envelope for your convenience. If you would like to donate online, you can do so at www.sosinternational.us . Click on the “Support SOS” button and then on “Donate Now” on 2 windows. When you reach the donation page you can opt to donate once or regularly. It is very quick, easy, and secure.

Thank you for helping me reach Bert and Sonja – and countless others around the world – and to make the dream of consistent and quality equipping become a reality.

Grateful,

Rich Frazer
President
Spiritual Overseers Service International