Serving in the Philippines

An update from Jeffrey Jo, Lead Pastor of CCSGM in Kawit, Manila, and key leader for SGC in the Philippines.

Few things are more encouraging for a pastor than the moments he feels that he is not alone in the challenges of both marriage and ministry.

I know the ‘feeling’ of not having that. For I was once in that boat until, in God’s providence, God brought me to Sovereign Grace Churches. It is such a blessing when we have fellow strugglers beside us, encouraging and praying for us, but above all, gathering with you in the fellowship of the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

Dave Taylor – Director of Emerging Nations, Sovereign Grace Church (Sydney, Australia)

Dave Taylor
Sovereign Grace Music Español

Sovereign Grace Music Español is Growing!

Sovereign Grace Music recently released its 5th Spanish album, En Ti Esperamos (We Hope in You). The project contains 12 translated Sovereign Grace songs, some from our most recent albums, Unchanging God: Songs from the Book of Psalms, Vol. 1 & 2. Almost all the songs chosen focus on the theme of suffering. They remind us that in the midst of our darkest nights and deepest sorrows, those who trust in Christ will never be without hope.

Since the release of two albums recorded with La IBI in the Dominican Republic in 2013 and 2014, Sovereign Grace Music has had an increasing impact in the Spanish speaking world. So much so that currently 13 of the top 20 Sovereign Grace Music YouTube videos are in Spanish. En Ti Esperamos is a long overdue response. 

The primary musicians on the album (Bob Kauflin, David Zimmer, Peter Scrufari, Gaby Estupinian, and Fabrizio Rodulfo) are from Sovereign Grace churches. We were joined by our good friends, Jonathan and Sarah Jerez, to produce the album. The Jerezes have collaborated with Sovereign Grace on three other projects, and recently helped lead a bi-lingual main session at the WorshipGod conference. 

Along with seeking to provide more theologically driven, gospel-centered, musically accessible songs for Spanish churches, En Ti Esperamos was recorded with minimal instrumentation. It’s common for Latin American churches to emphasize production and performance in a way that can distract from the words being sung. Simplifying the arrangements counteracts that impulse, but also makes it easier for smaller churches to replicate. 

 In light of all that God is doing in the Spanish-speaking world, we recently hired Fabrizio Rodulfo as an Intern for Video and Spanish Resources. He has done a fantastic job overseeing the translation team and started an Instagram account (@sovgracemusicespanol) which has gained over 5600 followers in only two months. 

 While we’re grateful for the opportunities to provide excellent translations of Sovereign Grace songs, our eventual hope and prayer is that God would raise up individuals to write original songs in Spanish. We took a significant step towards that goal when, at the recent Fieles a Su Llamado conference, we met with 15 songwriters interested in writing for a future project. Our next step will be a songwriting retreat in Mexico some time next year.

We’d appreciate your prayers that God would enable us to steward these resources well for the good of the Spanish speaking church and the glory of our Savior!

Bob Kauflin is the Director of Sovereign Grace Music

sovereigngracemusic.org + worshipmatters.com + sovereigngrace.com + sgclouisville.org

Bob Kauflin
3rd Quarter Sovereign Grace Prayer Requests

In his book, “Brothers, We are Not Professionals” John Piper writes this compelling sentence: “Prayer is the splicing of our limp wire to the lightning bolt of heaven.” Our efforts to pastor our churches, and to advance the gospel together as a family of churches, can feel like that “limp wire” at times. We need God’s power and help. It is by praying for one another that we can splice our feeble efforts "to the lightning bolt of heaven” and God answers our prayers by giving us power to accomplish what He has called us to do for His glory.

May God, according to the riches of his glory, grant us power through his Spirit to advance the gospel together for the glory of Christ.

Sovereign Grace Churches Third Quarter 2022 Prayer Requests

  • Pray that God would give the members and pastors of Sovereign Grace churches opportunities to share the gospel with unbelievers in our communities and workplaces.

  • Pray for Nick Kidwell and his core team that will plant Valley Creek Church in Malvern, PA this September asking God to strengthen their church planting efforts, and to draw unbelievers and the unchurched to Valley Creek.

  • Pray for the churches in Dnipro, and Sinelnikovo, Ukraine that Sovereign Grace is relating to, and sending money for relief efforts, asking God to protect them, and to use them to offer gospel hope as the war continues in that nation.

  • Pray for our new 2022-2023 Pastors College students and their families who will be moving to Louisville, KY before classes start at the end of August, asking God to provide for them and to give them grace to grow over the next year while at the PC.

  • Pray for the Eckstein Conference hosted by the Arche Church in Hamburg, Germany, September 30-October 2 where pastors from Germany and around Europe will gather for teaching and fellowship. Also pray for the first Europe Sovereign Grace Pastors Fellowship Gathering on Tuesday, October 4 led by Jeff Purswell and Mark Prater.

  • Pray for our first West Africa Pastors and Planters Academy in Monrovia Liberia where 10 men from for different West African nations are being trained to pastor and plant churches in West Africa. Pray for Dyonah Thomas, Sr. Pastor of Grace Life Church in Monrovia, and the Dean of the Academy, asking God to give him grace to lead and invest into these 10 men.

  • Pray for Ed O’Mara and his family who moved to Italy in July to plant a Sovereign Grace church in that country a year from now. Pray that God would use the next year to help them continue to learn the Italian language, and the culture for the purpose of being equipped to advance the gospel through church planting.

  • Pray that God would continue to provide financially for Sovereign Grace Churches so that we can fund the gospel opportunities He is giving us throughout the world.

Thank you for praying.

Mark Pratersovereign grace churches prayer requests
The Theology and Joy of Giving

Recently on the weekly podcast, Ben and I talked about the theology and joy of giving because Sovereign Grace is in the process of writing a biblical, theological approach to giving paper, meant to equip, inspire and stir giving for mission and ministry with the emphasis on experiencing joy.

And it's a joy to serve the church and to labor for the church. It's a joy to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to people. It's a joy to pastor people, whatever they're walking through. And so it's a vocation of joy that we're involved in, but it's not only our joy, it's for those that we serve that we are to cultivate joy. Paul said as much in one of his letters, he said, "I work, I labor for your joy". And so joy is to mark the Christian Church, not only what pastors do, but what members enjoy.

And I think there are a number of ways that we labor for the joy of our people in our churches. I don't know that we would put generosity in giving near the top of that list. And so I think we've gotta have a fresh perspective when it comes to the call to give, to sacrificial giving, because when you give sacrificially people experience a joy, right? That actually can be very contagious and they want to be even more generous as a result. And we don't want to deprive our people of that joy is maybe the way to say it. And so that's really the motivation of writing a theology of giving paper. ~Mark Prater

Mark Prater is the Executive Director for Sovereign Grace and serves as an elder at Covenant Fellowship Church. A weekly podcast with Sovereign Grace updates, hosted by Benjamin Kreps, is posted on his blog.

Mark Pratersovereign grace churches, mark prater podcast, joy of giving, theology of giving
Class of 2022: Pastors College

Left to right: Gabriel Magill, Philip VanderWeide, Tim Owens, Merrick Potter, Eddie Spuler, Caleb Collins, Mark Christenson, Matt Groen

Last month, the Pastors College held its 23rd annual graduation exercises. It was an honor to celebrate with these students and their families, all of whom sacrificed in significant ways to give themselves to a rigorous course of study, training, and personal growth—all in order to glorify Christ and serve his church. This year’s class comprised eight students, ranging in age from 25-42, hailing from seven different churches in six states. Two students were sent by Emmaus Road Church in Sioux Falls, a testament to the intentionality of Greg Dirnberger and his team in raising up young leaders. For the second year in a row, we had a second-generation PC student in Philip VanderWeide from Covenant Fellowship Church, whose father Brian graduated in 1999. Most of the students were strangers when they arrived, but they all now depart as dear friends and trusted co-laborers in the gospel.

Although it was painful to bid farewell to these dear friends, we are eager to observe the fruit these men and women will bear for the cause of the gospel. Four of the students are returning to their sending churches, eager to take on new ministry responsibilities. Two of the students are actually returning to churches they had been part of in previous years; in their case, the PC served as a sort of “means of re-entry” into Sovereign Grace. The Pastors College can also serve to connect graduates with churches in need of a pastor, and this summer Caleb Collins, who came to the PC from Louisville, relocated to Richmond to join Matthew Williams and the team at KingsWay Community Church.  

I hope you’ll join us in giving thanks to God for the provision to Sovereign Grace these graduates represent. And please do pray for them as they relocate and prepare to serve in local Sovereign Grace churches.

Jeff Purswell is the Director of Theology and Training for Sovereign Grace Churches and the dean of the Sovereign Grace Pastors College. He also serves as an elder at Sovereign Grace Church in Louisville, KY.

Jeff Purswellsovereign grace churches, sgc pastors college, class of 2022