Around the World
You Can’t Plan This Stuff: INSTE Taiwan Graduation Ceremony
By Ricky Poon
On January 23, 2021, the fourth annual INSTE Taiwan graduation ceremony was held at the mother church of Open Bible’s Grace Ministries in the Daxi District of Taoyuan City. Grace Ministries is the name given to our group of Open Bible churches in Taiwan. It grew out of the Taiwan Pentecostal and Charismatic Movement of the 1970s and 1980s.
The Daxi church was founded in 1988 by five Christian elders from three Tayal tribal families. It provided a place where yuan zhu min (原住民) (original inhabitant) Christians in an urban setting can gather to worship and serve. In December of 2015, Grace Ministries and Open Bible Churches joined in affiliated fellowship because we share a similar global vision. It was through this association that INSTE Chinese became a key component of Grace Ministries’ Discipleship Training School.
At this special graduation, 27 students in Taiwan and 10 students in Shanghai received a Certificate of Christian Ministry. Several factors made this graduation distinct. Because of the pandemic it had to be held virtually. Just a few days before the ceremony, the public health authorities in Taoyuan City ordered strict limits on social gatherings. As a result, only the students from the Daxi church were able to attend in person. Thankfully, many others were able to participate as well because the event was livestreamed over Facebook. Grace Ministries provided English interpretation for the entire event. You may view this event at http://bit.ly/INSTEceremony
When we decided to hold the graduation online, missionary Mike Lumbard, the director of the School of Global Leadership in Trinidad, and I explored the idea of inviting Open Bible Churches in Trinidad to participate. I had connections with Trinidad since I had accompanied former missionary Dr. Don Bryan to Trinidad on several occasions with the hope of introducing INSTE to Chinese Christians there.
(Left) Long Gang Church Graduates
Rev. Benjamin Agard, the National Director for Trinidad Open Bible Churches and Rev. Cecil Quamina, Director of Missions and senior pastor of the First Church of the Open Bible in San Fernando, Trinidad, sent video congratulations to our graduates. The Gates Praise worship ministry provided special music for the event, which included a video of “Hope of Nations” with Chinese captions. The common theme from Trinidad was that they would welcome Chinese missionaries. The Chinese nicknamed Trinidad and Tobago “Te Duo 特多,” which literally means “great abundance.”
On my most recent trip to Trinidad, I connected with Pastor Mark Chen, the pastor of one of only two Chinese congregations in Trinidad at that time. As it turned out, Pastor Chen’s wife provided the translation of Rev. Agard’s greeting for the ceremony. I reconnected with Pastor Chen and gave him introductory material on INSTE Chinese to consider using. The first question Pastor Chen asked was “Do you have INSTE Chinese online?” This is now a priority of the INSTE Chinese ministry.
INSTE graduates in Shanghai hold a special place in our hearts because we know the commitment and sacrifice that were required under their circumstances. They have a missionary mindset to reach those in the rural areas, to the ethnic minorities and beyond, with the Gospel.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”
(Romans 8:28, ESV)
The natural reaction to all that transpired would be, “You can’t plan this stuff!” It is another proof of the Lord’s faithfulness.
About the Author
Ricky Poon is a member of the Board of Directors of Inste Global Bible College (IGBC) and IGBC’s Assistant Dean of Chinese Ministries. He also served as a member of the University of Oregon President’s Diversity Advisory Community Council.
In September of 2024 former missionary Mark Brandt and I met at the San Francisco airport to fly to Papua New Guinea. We traveled to participate in the 50th anniversary of the Open Bible Churches there and attend the National Convention at the Open Bible Ivingoi Mission Station in the Eastern Highlands.
After taking three different planes and enduring some unexpected delays, Mark and I arrived at the airport in Goroka, Papua New Guinea. Field Director Joshua Essy and several members of the National Board of Open Bible Churches were there to greet us.
The National Convention and 50th Anniversary Celebration began Monday evening and was attended by more than 2,000 people
We loaded into three different vehicles and even had a police escort vehicle as we began our four-hour drive up the mountainous road that would take us to the Ivingoi Mission Station. When we arrived, the main entrance was surrounded by hundreds of people, standing on both sides of the road to welcome us. One doesn’t really feel worthy of such a reception, but we were so honored. When Mark got out of his vehicle, people flocked to greet him because he had not been back to PNG for 23 years. It was awesome to see how much they loved him and his family.
The National Convention and 50th Anniversary Celebration began Monday evening and was attended by more than 2,000 people. Attendees sat on the ground surrounding the platform because there was no building big enough to house everyone.
As I looked at this great crowd of God’s people, I thought of Psalm 89:1 that says, “I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations” (NIV). God is faithful to bless and sustain His work. Now in Papua New Guinea we were able to see the fruit of that faithfulness in thousands of lives that have been transformed by the power of the Gospel.
On Tuesday, they held a special ceremony to welcome all local government dignitaries, business professionals, and international guests.
The next day we visited the Open Bible Mission clinic, which receives staff and ambulance funding from the Papua New Guinea government. Several years ago, Global Missions sent funds to build a new maternity ward. Today, the clinic serves over 20,000 patients a year; it is the only health clinic for hundreds of miles and is surrounded by several villages.
The growth and expansion of the Open Bible work there is a wonderful tribute to all the missionaries, nurses, and nationals who have sacrificed so much and have gone above and beyond the call of duty for the Lord.
We now have thirty-seven Open Bible Churches in Papua New Guinea, and five new outreaches are being started. The growth and expansion of the Open Bible work there is a wonderful tribute to all the missionaries, nurses, and nationals who have sacrificed so much and have gone above and beyond the call of duty for the Lord. Now, with such a solid foundation, the work of Open Bible Churches in Papua New Guinea is poised for tremendous growth.
It was an honor to participate in the celebration of the 50th Anniversary and the PNG National Convention of Open Bible Churches. Additionally, it was a privilege to have former missionary Mark Brandt accompany me on this trip. I congratulate President Joshua Essy for his leadership and the leadership of the entire National Board. I know that the work of Open Bible will continue to grow and prosper under their guidance and direction.
About the Author
Vince McCarty
Vince McCarty serves as the Executive Director of Global Missions, giving oversight to Open Bible’s work in 55 countries of the world. He is thankful for the great missionary staff and all the national leaders he has the opportunity to serve with. He would like us to remember that the Great Commission is too big for anyone to accomplish alone and too important not to try to do together.
My wife Lois and I have been working in the ministry for forty-one years, and we have seen God do so many amazing things. Our lives have been changed as we have witnessed major revival in Spain and Argentina and seen God move in countries across the globe. During the past seventeen years as I have served as Director of Global Missions, we have seen the Lord call many new people to the mission field, we’ve started new ministries, and we have begun brand new works in several countries.
Despite the beauty of these experiences, serving so many years without taking a break started to take its toll on me. I would read Matthew 11:28 (NIV), “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” and I would think, “Well, I don’t feel very rested; I feel tired.”
Our Creator knows that our souls need rest; they need time to pull away and unplug. God created the Sabbath, and humans were designed to have times of Sabbath when we allow our minds, bodies, and souls to pause and breathe.
In the ministry of Global Missions, I’d needed to make several tough decisions and navigate intense challenges, and I had not allowed my mind, body, and soul to assimilate afterward. When we are working for the Lord, whether in the pastorate or in other leadership positions, we feel the need to press on. In a culture where busyness is an obsession and being still is seen as being apathetic, rest is often equated with laziness.
Humans were designed to have times of Sabbath when we allow our minds, bodies, and souls to pause and breathe.
Without rest, however, we can miss the presence of God. He invites us into rest so that we might know Him more deeply. As Mark Buchanan says in his book, The Rest of God, “Sabbath is both a day and an attitude to nurture such stillness. It is both time on a calendar and a disposition of the heart.”
In May of this year, the board of Global Missions allowed me to take a five-week sabbatical. The first week was an adjustment, but as the days progressed, I felt my hunger for God return. I spent long stretches reading the Word and praying (which at this stage involved more listening than talking). As I finally processed the challenging season I had experienced, I felt a new peace sweep over me. I regained focus and ambition for the ministry and remembered what I already knew: God was always in control of everything.
Today in the Church we crave revival, longing for spiritual awakening. But to have a spiritual awakening, we need to first have spiritual rest and renewal, which starts by taking a pause (sabbatical). Because the truth is, the work is never done (or never done to our satisfaction). There will always be more work than we can finish. When we rest in God, we are able to encounter the parts of Him we have been missing, which is a gift.
When I was in Trinidad during April 2024 for the 70th Anniversary of Open Bible Standard Churches, we attended several church services. Each time, when an invitation was given to come to the altar after the preaching of God’s Word, the people would swarm to the altar. It was so refreshing to see such a spiritual awakening, to see people so hungry for more of God. However, this time of awakening in Trinidad started after months of intercessory prayer, with people taking time to pause, seek God’s face, and listen to His voice.
God is always speaking, but we are not always listening. We fail to be intentional, forgetting to pause and connect with Him, ignoring His invitation to boldly enter His throne room and receive what we need. We fail to listen, missing His words that sometimes pierce but always heal.
Sabbatical is more than a vacation; it is a disposition of the heart.
Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” Just like the deer, if we want God to fill us, we must stop and take the time to drink His living water.
Now, as I endeavor to incorporate sabbatical into my everyday life, I try to leave work at the office and not bring it home. I know how difficult this can be for us who are in ministry, but the truth is, not everything is urgent. I don’t have to answer the email that came at 6:00 pm. Sometimes I leave my laptop at work or in my car (which is in the garage), so I am not tempted to answer anything after I get off work. Weekends belong to my family, and I try to keep those days sacred, spending time in the presence of my family and the presence of God.
Spiritual rest starts when we quiet our minds and allow God to speak to us. Sabbatical is more than a vacation; it is a disposition of the heart that keeps your life focused in the right direction. When our spirits reconnect with the Holy Spirit, we receive healing and renewal on every level, creating space for the spiritual awakening we all long for.
About the Author
Vince McCarty
Vince McCarty serves as the Executive Director of Global Missions, giving oversight to Open Bible’s work in 55 countries of the world. He is thankful for the great missionary staff and all the national leaders he has the opportunity to serve with. He would like us to remember that the Great Commission is too big for anyone to accomplish alone and too important not to try to do together.
When the Global Missions Board announces travel plans to meet with our pastors, missionaries, or field directors, we get very little pushback when we visit countries such as Mexico, nations in Central America, or the Caribbean islands. It is expected we will visit impoverished nations. However, when we recently announced that we were heading to France, people were shocked. The French are known for extravagance, wealth, and the finer things. They are known for incredible food, expensive clothing, and the best wine in the world. This country is not impoverished in the same way as many countries we have assisted. But France is facing another, very real kind of poverty: spiritual poverty.
In the 1970’s, France experienced a revival that increased the number of Christians from one percent of the population to over thirty-five percent. The Lord was moving mightily, and the nation was changing. People were fleeing from strongholds and running to Christ! Within ten years the revival was silenced due to persecution. and Christians fled to other countries for their own safety. France again became a nation with Christians numbering less than one percent; they became what could be called a spiritual third world country.
France is facing another, very real kind of poverty: spiritual poverty.
But in the midst of all this, there was a remnant burning. There was a group of believers, filled with the Holy Spirit, that KNEW God had a plan for the nation of France, a plan to prosper the nation with His full gospel message. Despite facing a hyper-secularized and ungodly nation, the remnant kept holding onto the ancient hope of Jesus Christ.
In 1989, Pastor Michel Marvane and his wife Joelle moved to Dijon, France, to plant a church. They trusted in the Word of the Lord and began to seek His face for their city and nation. But God had plans to use Pastor Michel to reach the world. In 1996 the Lord sent him to Madagascar, where he established missionary work to reach that nation. That work spread and he, along with other partners in ministry, developed the Antioch Network, based out of Dijon, France, where he serves as the organization’s president. Since then, the Antioch Network has planted multiple churches, schools, and higher education institutions, as well as breathed new life into existing churches in France and throughout Africa. Each church has different goals and visions but one solid mission: expand the kingdom of God!
In the nation of France there are currently twenty-three churches in the Antioch Network. In 2010, Pastor Michel and his ministry partner, Pastor Phillipe Montuire, set a goal to have fifty new churches planted by 2037, and they are off to a great start! Since 2010, eight churches have been planted, four are currently in the beginning stages of planting, and ten churches are seeking to join the network.
France is on a slow incline in spiritual growth; for the first time in a couple of decades the percentage of active Evangelical Christians has surpassed one percent of the population (surpassing 745,000 people). While we rejoice in that number, we also know that we have a LOT of work yet to do.
In March of 2024, the Global Missions Board had the pleasure and honor of traveling to Dijon, France, to meet the leadership of Antioch Network and the pastors of Le Tabernacle, the largest evangelical church in France. We got to hear the heart of their leadership and see the fruit of their labor. We attended church with them, preached in their churches, and prayed with the people there.
The Antioch Network has… breathed new life into existing churches in France and throughout Africa.
The Global Missions Board is delighted to share that the Antioch Network has chosen to come under the cover of Open Bible Churches as ambassadors of Global Missions. They saw what God has historically done in Open Bible and asked us to partner with them to expand the kingdom of God in France, Africa, and eventually across Europe!
Because we so fully believe in this mission, the Global Missions Board chose the Antioch Network to be the focal point of our 2025 MVP Global Harvest offering. We are asking Open Bible Churches in the U.S. to financially support our endeavor to expand the kingdom of God in France! In 2025, we are looking to raise $150,000 for the Antioch Network to help plant five new churches!
About the Author
Mark Hornback
Mark Hornback has served as the lead pastor at First Church of the Open Bible of Ottumwa since June 2017. He has been part of the Global Missions Board since 2022 and has been actively involved in MOVE ministries since 2020. Mark is married to Jennifer, and together they have three kids: Alex, Lydia, and Henry.
