On November 15, 2020, Jeremy Clark—Executive Director of Grace Ministries International (GMI)—visited Grace Bible Church to share an update on GMI’s missionary work and challenge us with God’s vision for worldwide evangelism. If you’ve ever wondered what missions looks like on the ground, how churches can meaningfully participate, or what it really means to “go,” this message is for you.
The Four Things Missionaries Do
Jeremy opened by explaining what GMI missionaries are sent to do in four key areas: work with local believers, equip them for evangelism, train others for life and ministry, and share God’s love in practical ways. These four priorities shape everything GMI does as a missionary-sending organization. It’s a holistic approach — not just proclamation, but discipleship, training, and tangible service.
Vision 2023: Stretching Faith
In 2013, GMI adopted what they call Vision 2023 — a ten-year strategic plan with ambitious goals. One of those goals: open eight new missionary fields by 2023. Jeremy acknowledged this might seem aggressive, but drew from Paul’s example in Romans 15:20, where Paul says he aspired to preach where Christ had not been named, rather than building on someone else’s foundation. The point: without goals that stretch us, we contract. Without proactive faith, we become irrelevant. The church in Antioch in Acts 13 modeled this — they released Barnabas and Saul for the work to which God had called them, even though those were key leaders.
“I aspire to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation.”
— Romans 15:20
By November 2020, GMI had opened six of eight target fields, with Burundi recently added as their sixth new field since 2013. They’ve also seen 18 missionary families join GMI since the vision began — though Jeremy noted a need for more U.S.-based missionaries to join the team.
Field Reports: Faithful Work in Difficult Places
Jeremy walked through GMI’s active fields across Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Some highlights:
Tanzania: Ted and Kim Ravenol work among rural farmers in western Tanzania — agricultural work that’s also an avenue for gospel witness. Meanwhile, John and Naomi Capraro in the major city of Dar es Salaam recently purchased land to establish a church presence in a city where GMI has never had a permanent base. That’s significant.
Malawi: GMI’s largest team, working among a predominantly Muslim people group (the Yao, approximately 2 million people). Eric and Mercy — missionaries from Congo and Zambia respectively — have faced intense spiritual warfare, Jeremy described it as “like reading from the book of Acts.” Yet they’ve built a bridge between two villages (crocodiles had been killing people), and six churches have been planted among this people group. The team also developed a modular, portable Bible school rather than pulling pastors away from their congregations for months at a time.
“To the one who is capable of giving more, more is expected.”
— Luke 12:48 (implied principle)
Zambia: Tom and Michelle Sanchez developed a prison ministry and Bible correspondence program before moving on to Burundi. Zambia has about 20 affiliated churches that are now actively doing their own missions work.
Latin America: Costa Rica has been a hub — two churches, both sending missionaries out. One couple to Panama, another individual to Nicaragua. Before COVID, the second church purchased land near the airport and is building on it while also planning future church plants and supporting ongoing missionaries.
Nicaragua: A team including a Bolivian missionary, a Costa Rican couple, and recently Matt and April Sykes (who had just arrived the night before this message). They shared the story of Marvin, a guard for the mayor in the town of Nagarote who came to faith through a GMI team and now leads Bible studies in homes. When a GMI missionary paid for some rented chairs after a Bible study, Marvin objected: “Why would you steal our blessing?” That’s the kind of ownership and commitment they’re seeing.
The Privilege of Participation
Jeremy closed with a challenge that applies to every believer and every local church. He pointed to the church in Antioch — a healthy, well-resourced church that could have kept Barnabas and Saul for themselves. Instead, they released them, and the missionaries went on to plant churches throughout the Mediterranean world.
“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So when they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them away.”
— Acts 13:2-3
Jeremy’s challenge: make it part of your church’s strategic plan to recruit and send a missionary. Not as an afterthought, but as a deliberate goal. Healthy churches with resources and leadership have an obligation to do more — not because God needs your money, but because to whom much is given, much is required.
Whether you serve in Burundi, Tanzania, Nicaragua, or right here in Phoenix, the call is the same: go, send, give, pray. The Great Commission isn’t optional, and it’s not meant to be done alone. GMI’s Vision 2023 reminds us that ambitious, faith-stretching goals are how God builds His church — not through comfort, but through courageous participation in what He’s doing worldwide.
So What?
Ask yourself: Is my church’s involvement in missions part of a strategic plan, or just a line item in the budget? Where is God calling me to step up — go, give, or release someone I love for the sake of the gospel? Healthy churches have an obligation to do a bit more. What would that look like for Grace Bible Church?
Scripture References
- Romans 15:20 — Paul’s ambition to preach where Christ was not named
- Acts 13:2-3 — Antioch sending Barnabas and Saul
- Acts 16 — Timothy joins Paul’s missionary team
- Acts 18 — Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth and Ephesus
- Acts 19:8-10 — Paul teaches in the school of Tyrannus for two years
- Luke 12:48 — To whom much is given, much is required