Thank you for your kind consideration of investing in LifeConnexion Ministries. Through this PayPal site, you can choose to make recurring donations, or a single gift. All you need to do is click on the “donate” button, and follow the prompts to establish a PayPal account and make your donation. For those of you who would like a little more background of our journey over the past few years, I have included some more information below.
At the time Jim left his staff position at Lakeside Church in 2011, his role immediately changed from “church pastor” to “missionary educator.” As we made preparations for our upcoming move to China, we realized that we also had to change the source of our personal income. No longer drawing a salary as a member of the church staff, we had to reimagine how God would provide for our needs, and that led us to the need to raise personal financial support from family and friends who believed in our vision of influencing some of China’s future leaders. By God grace, we were given the privilege of teaching English proficiency and building relationships with PhD students in China’s top university. In response, God moved on the hearts of many to join our financial and prayer support team.
As Peggy and I look back at our years teaching on the college campus in China, we realized that we were able to influence over 700 students in a classroom setting, and many dozens of those students wanted to meet with us either personally or in small groups. Each semester, with each new group of students, many seeds were planted on fertile soil.
Even though our “formal” teaching ministry on the college campus ended in 2013, we have not ended our ministry of teaching. We continue to travel to China several times a year, where we visit those who are carrying on the ministry of teaching in some of China’s top universities, as well as spend time with many of our former students who want to continue our relationship that began in the classroom years ago. And so, whether through individual encounters, or in large or small groups of Asian or American students and/or adults, God has continued to call us to share His Word with the purpose of helping others discover the gift of life in Christ, and to encourage His followers to become authentic and contagious Christians.
I want you to know that we have always seen God provide for our financial needs through those who have felt led to continue their financial support of our ministry. Several years ago, we transitioned away from the Missions Department at Lakeside Church (Lakeside on Mission) which has provided our “covering” since we left for China in 2011. We are extremely grateful to Lakeside for their faithful commitment to us. But, after several discussions, we arrived at a mutual agreement to end our “mission” connection with Lakeside Church. As a result, God has led us to begin LifeConnexion Ministries, Inc., with a Board of Directors who oversee our ministry.
On a final note, the majority of our original monthly supporters who began supporting us through Lakeside on Mission have remained committed to LifeConnexion Ministries and are donating through this PayPal site. Although our monthly support is pretty much what our personal budget requires, what we have needed for the past several years are special gifts to help cover Peggy’s round trip airfare as we travel to and from China several times a year (Jim’s airfare costs are covered through a contract with another mission agency focused on sending teachers to China).
So, that’s a little history of our journey over the past few years. If God leads you to invest in this new ministry, we want to say “thank you” in advance for your generosity.
God bless you,
