Outreach

For over 30 years RLI has had a presence in Russia. From the early days of the collapse of the Soviet Union, God has graciously allowed us to take part in the building of His Church through training pastors and church planters, especially in the Black Soil Region of Russia. Regular training seminars, the establishment of a Bible Institute in Voronezh as well as seeing dozens of churches planted in this dynamic region of Russia have been the result of the faithful prayers and support of people here in America. We have also had the privilege of helping struggling pastors and their families through counseling and mentoring.

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Recent Update

The war involving Russia and Ukraine has made it very difficult to travel to that region of the world. We continue to stay in contact with those who are leading the ministries in the Black Soil Region, which is geographically very close to where the war is being fought. We are seeking ways to continue to be involved in the raising up of redemptive leaders, and we are standing by, ready to re-enter Russia when God opens the door. Please continue to pray for open doors….

This strategic island has the potential to serve as a base of operation for pastoral training and church planting throughout the Caribbean Basin. RLI, along with our home church, Eastside Community Church in Jacksonville, Florida, is working to provide quality Biblical and Leadership training for current pastors on the island, as well as helping to raise up new transformational leaders for the future. Despite difficult struggles for the Puerto Rican people such as hurricanes and economic downturn, the future is bright for the churches of Puerto Rico and those who serve as leaders in the Christian Community.

Recent Update

RLI has been able to provide funds in recent months for pastors on the island to attend training conferences on the mainland. Several training trips are planned in the next few months, allowing us to meet face to face with those who have a deep desire to follow Christ and serve as generational leaders for the Church.

Very quietly, behind the scenes, God has given us the opportunity to work with pastors in a Middle Eastern country who are doing a great redemptive work with refugees from the various wars that continue to plague the region. We are not able to give very much specific information online for security reasons. The pastors we are working with are in continual grave danger for their lives ands the lives of their families. In spite of all of this, Christ is doing an amazing work among the mostly Muslim refugees through these courageous folks. While nations and terrorist groups battle for supremacy in the region, we have been given the opportunity to collaborate with an organization that is supplying much needed food, medical supplies, clothes and Christian materials and witness to refugees who are part of the greatest mass displacement of people the world has ever seen. Remarkably, thousands of refugees are coming to faith in Christ as they experience for the first time the compassion, presence and power of Christ through the work of these pastors and their churches!  What a glorious privilege to participate in this great move of God in this region of the world which gave us our Savior, our Scriptures and the first Christians after the resurrection of Christ! Your prayers and financial support enable us to step by faith into this much needed work.

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Recent Update

The recent war between Israel and Hamas has added hundreds of thousands of newly displaced people to an already overwhelmed Church of Christ in the region. We are stepping up our involvement as rapidly as we are made able by the Lord. Please continue to pray ands give financially to this strategic ministry. We will continue to update the information as we are able.

Through our cooperation with Eastside Community Church and the Southeastern District of the Evangelical Free Church of America, we have been able to develop a strong relationship with the Evangelical Free Church of Venezuela and Colombia in South America. While we are not able to actually travel to Venezuela because of the Socialist government there, with the cooperation of the church in Colombia next door, we have been able to bring over 80 Venezuelan pastors and national church leaders across the border for training and encouragement. The Venezuelan Church continues to remain strong and faithful in spite of the collapse of their society and severe persecution by the government. Through your prayers and financial support, we have been able to provide training for pastors and leaders, conferences for women’s ministry leaders and youth ministry leaders, as well as finances to aid in doing evangelism both in the cities and in the jungle regions. 

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Recent Update

The pastor group we are working with was devastated by the Covid pandemic. At least 12 of our students that we are aware of died from the deadly disease, leaving widows and children behind. Through your prayers and support we are continuing to support these pastor’s families as well as the churches they were pastoring. They are in desperate need of our continued faithfulness in prayer.

RLI has been involved in providing marriage counseling and conferences for pastors, missionaries and other spiritual leaders and their spouses…a much-needed respite for them in the daily battle of ministry

We are continuing to complete our work of revitalizing Eastside Community Church in Jacksonville, helping to leave a legacy of a strong congregation, with an excellent transformational leadership team and a strong commitment to Christ’s redemptive purposes around the globe. Along with this work, we are continuing to work with pastors, missionaries and ministry leadership teams who find themselves in difficult circumstances. We have strong commitment, as well, to the growing number of young leaders who are in need of mentoring as they begin their leadership journey with Christ.

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Recent Update

We are excited to be nearing the end of a succession plan at the church which will allow a younger leadership team to take the lead and assume responsibility of so much of the work that we have been responsible for in the last few years. This will allow us to give more time and energy to our mission efforts in the darker places of the world. We continue to be absolutely committed to our mission to “equip, empower and restore transformational leaders for Christ’s redemptive purposes around the world….focusing on the places where the needs are the greatest and the resources are the least.”