My crazy outreach team in training in Thetsane, Lesotho -
find out more in the August Ministry Update!
FAMILY UPDATE
Hello from the McCartys! Here we go again with school starting! In the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” We do our best not to miss it. The stops are rare, but deeply appreciated when they come!
Tracy and the crew at Born2Be Therapeutic Equestrian Center just relocated from Aubrey to Sanger! They now may be found at Jim-a-Dee Ranch. It looks like it will be a wonderful fit for the organization and open up their services to the disabled community in Gainesville and Decatur. She does a wonderful job there and with our sweet girls! (How often do you get to ride a dinosaur?)
The Chidesters have much to celebrate! Dakota passed her National Boards and is now officially “official.” She just accepted her first position as an Outpatient Physical Therapist at Medical City Lewisville - so if you are injured and live there, you might get to see her! She and Cody also continue to work with the youth of Denton Community Church and do a great job!
Trinity is now a SENIOR in high school! This year, she will be involved in Tennis, NHS and as a “House Leader” at school. She is also taking more dual credit courses at TWU. She is excited about the future and is considering pursuing a career as a Dietician, but is exploring other options, as well. (Overlooking Bandelier National Monument)
Remington is now in 8th grade - on the cusp of High School! She continues her involvement in 4H, Volleyball, and Tennis. We are grateful to have finally had a good diagnosis on her knee pain she has been experiencing for many months - Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, which is treated by some basic strengthening and stretching exercises! We are VERY grateful! (Having a a whale of a time in Red River, NM)
Sierra is in her last year of Elementary School - 5th Grade. We have discovered that SiJ has a real gift in bringing friends together… She’s like relational glue. It has been beautiful to see her grow in this capacity over the past years. What a blessing she is! (Wrangling Alpacas in New Mexico)
Maw is doing really well. She is enjoying her retirement and the extra time with all the girls! (Taking a brief rest while hiking through Bandelier National Monument)
MINISTRY UPDATE
Multiplying the Movement
In every location where we work, we are seeking to bring things to a tipping point - a point where the ownership, responsibility, and driving force behind the work is not SI International, but is the Local SI Team (L to R Pastor Peter, Idlette, Alice, and Pastor Henry). Once that point is reached, our role changes from leading to coaching. We move from “up front” to largely “behind the scenes.” It is only when we reach this crucial moment that it is possible for multiplication to go beyond Disciples, Leaders, and Cell Churches to Multiplying the Movement. In the small country of Lesotho, where we have been working for about 3 years, we recently made it to the tipping point! As a result, not only has the Local SI Team taken ownership of our first location in Maseru, Lesotho, but they have now launched into Thetsane - a second district of Maseru. The team launched Strategic Impact in Thetsane in July, equipping 67 New Pastors and church leaders and enrolling 61 of them into our ongoing training of the School of Multiplying Church Planters (photo below). In October, I will be with the team again to coach them in expanding the network of leaders and to start seeking out those who are faithful so they may become the NEW “Local SI Team” in Thetsane. But it goes beyond that! Our Lesotho team has already scheduled a second expansion into the city of Bloemfontein, South Africa. They will be launching Strategic Impact there in early November! Every step of the way, kingdom multiplication is taking place: Disciples multiplying Disciples, Leaders multiplying Leaders, Cell Churches multiplying Cell Churches… and Movements multiplying Movements! Praise the Lord! May He raise many more workers for the harvest!
Expanded Territory &
Funding the Work Internally
When I returned to Texas in mid-July, I was immediately involved in meetings with the rest of our SI Executive Team about a new initiative of targeting major population centers (starting with Mega-Cities with populations of over 10 million) as well as our current approach of geographic regions. It is an exciting concept and I am grateful it will be launched soon. Mike Downey will be heading it up for us, but that presented a problem. Mike currently oversees the West Africa region in partnership with Stephen Aputara. The solution? I am now not only overseeing Sub-Saharan Africa, but the entire continent of Africa! Fortunately, I already have an excellent relationship with Aputara - in fact, last year he has traveled to my region so we could work side-by-side in some trainings, and I spent several weeks with him in Ghana back in 2012 getting SI get launched in West Africa. After some strategic planning together, the first action Stephen and I took together was to purchase a “Bajaj” - you may recognize the sight more than the name... sometimes called a "Motorized Rickshaw" or "Tuk Tuk". It is the little 3-wheeled, Indian made vehicles with a cloth top (see photo of Aputara in our first Bajaj). They are used in many African nations as taxis, as they are larger than a motorcycle and more maneuverable than an automobile. We purchased our first one as a Business As Mission project in West Africa to help move the ministry there toward greater freedom and autonomy. It should be on the streets in just a few weeks. If it goes as well as our motorcycle taxi business in Rwanda, it will empower our national leaders in West Africa to engage in even more ministry!
Pray for US!
The work is going magnificently! Hundreds are being won to faith in Christ by their own countrymen every week! Cell Churches are being planted and Leaders are being equipped to shepherd those Cells! Movements are being multiplied across several nations! These are all great praises to our God! But, we are aware from Scripture and experience that when the kingdom is advancing, opposition is likely to be mounting. Please pray for the Lord to keep us focused on His vision, for unity among our teams to be the normal condition, for love to abound in all things we do, for protection for all our team members and leaders involved in these multiplying movements, and for more laborers for His harvest. God is bringing forth much fruit! Please join us in prayer that it will continue!
Be sure to check out NEW Personal Website: www.McCartyMinistry.com
None of this would be possible without YOUR partnership in prayer and giving.
THANK YOU so much!
The McCartys
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