PARTNER INFORMATION PACKET Eric and Danica Abisror Missionaries to Argentina with Reaching and Teaching International Ministries Launch Date: January 2018
REACHING AND TEACHING INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES
MEET THE ABISRORS Let us introduce ourselves! We are Eric and Danica Abisror. We have four active boys with a fifth child on the way in September 2017. Josiah is 7, Jackson is 6, Isaac is 4 and Benjamin is 2 years old. We live in Mount Vernon, Washington. Eric has been serving at Emmanuel Baptist Church, our sending church, as the Pastor of Student Ministries since 2010. Danica is a stay-at-home mom and enjoys homeschooling the boys. The Lord has been working on us for several years in preparation for the upcoming task of missions He has for us! We are looking forward to deployment in Argentina in January 2018. We can t wait to share our journey of serving the Lord in missions with you!
A THEOLOGICAL FAMINE: WHY REACHING AND TEACHING? An estimated 85% of the 2.2 million evangelical churches worldwide are led by pastors with insufficient training. (https:// www.thegospelcoalition.org/international/ about) The ratio of theologically trained pastors to people in the U.S.: 1:230 The ratio of theologically trained pastors to people outside the U.S.: 1:450,000 REACHING AND TEACHING INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES SEEKS TO MEET THIS NEED. Reaching & Teaching International Ministries exists to reach the peoples of the world through evangelism and by meeting the great need for deep discipleship, pastoral preparation, leadership training, and theological education around the world.
Roman Catholic, although less than 10 percent practice. WHY ARGENTINA? Famous for its tango dance, love of beef, and omnipresent consumption of the herbal tea mate (pronounced mate), Argentina is the second- largest country in South America and the eighthlargest country in the world, according to land size. Argentina has a population of more than 43 million, and about 76 percent of the population identify as In 2013, to the surprise of many, Argentina took center stage as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the new pope, the first one chosen from the Americas. On social issues, in 2010 Argentina became the first country in Latin America to approve same-sex marriage; as for abortion, with a few exceptions, it remains illegal. Mirroring trends in Europe, there is a growing secularist tide in the country. In this context, it s not surprising that only 9 percent identify as evangelicals. 1 From: https:// www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-gospel-in-argentina Argentina is also home to several indigenous groups, even some who remain unreached with the gospel. And there are areas of great need in sound teaching and training in Argentina. Like other areas of Latin America, the evangelical church in Argentina faces challenges that range from legalism other false heresy including the health-and-wealth gospel. There is a great need for leaders to be trained, churches to be strengthened, and new churches to be planted. Due to distance, cost, or education level, it can be difficult for aspiring church leaders to attend seminary and get the training they need to pastor and lead effectively. Additionally, the number of biblically-sound seminaries is staggeringly low. There is a great desire in our hearts to see leaders and pastors trained, churches strengthened, new churches planted, and ultimately to see God glorified in Argentina. We believe God has called us to be a part of meeting this need.
OUR VISION Our plan is to begin our ministry in Córdoba, Argentina. Our main goal over the first years will be to learn the language and culture. We will be joining a team of two other like-minded families with Reaching and Teaching International Ministries, Jason & Kami Wright and Brandon & Krystle Leach. After our transition and cultural acquisition, we plan on moving with our team to Salta, Argentina. Salta is a city of about half a million people where there is a great need for healthy and biblically sound churches. There are also numerous opportunities for pastoral and leadership development. Additionally, Salta will serve as a hub for reaching out to the many villages that exist in the valleys of the Andean mountain region on the border with Chile and Bolivia. While some of these villages have a Christian witness, others remain unreached with the gospel. Our goal is to see the gospel go forth by training leaders and seeing new churches planted.
PARTNERSHIP Would you prayerfully consider partnering with Reaching and Teaching in support of our ministry in Argentina? We long to see church leaders trained, churches strengthened, and new ones started in Argentina. Just like all Reaching and Teaching staff and missionaries, we have the responsibility to raise our own financial support. This is more than just sending money, this is the opportunity to partner with us as we seek to obey all of the Great Commission, to reach and teach the nations! In Philippians 4:17 Paul writes, Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. We are encouraged knowing that your partnership with Reaching and Teaching in Argentina will not only be a blessing to us, but will serve to grow and bless you as you give to the Lord s work in the Great Commission! We would be honored if you would consider partnering with Reaching and Teaching in support of us through your prayer and financial support! Your regular support will be the fuel that will allow day-to-day ministry to occur in church planting, evangelism, training and discipleship in the church in Argentina.
PARTNERSHIP IN PRAYER There are several ways you can pray for us: Praise God for what He has done and is doing through us with His call on our lives to missions! Praise God for our sending church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, and the ministry that Eric has had there as Pastor of Student Ministries for the past years. Pray that God would work mightily in the rest of 2017 as we prepare to deploy. There are lots of logistical details, partnership contacts, and good-byes to be made. Pray that God would give us grace to learn Spanish well during our first years in Argentina. This will lay the groundwork for successful future ministry and relationships. Pray that God would be working in and through our team in the future towards our vision of training and discipling pastors, reaching the lost, and strengthening church plants. Pray that the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be central to all that we do personally and in ministry. Pray for our kids and their transition away from family, friends and church into new culture, language and friendships. Pray for the salvation of our children. Pray for the strength of our marriage through many transitions to come.
FUNDING GOALS Monthly Costs Breakdown This visual shows the potential number of ministry partners Reaching and Teaching International Ministries needs us to raise in order to be at 100% ministry funding EACH MONTH. $1200 $500 $300 $200 $100 $75 TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTNERS = 38 TOTAL RAISED= $7250 PER MONTH Here is what the $7,250 per month includes: Salary and living expenses for the Abisror family Administration fee to the EFCA certified organization that handles all the financial aspects of the ministry All ministry expenses
PARTNERSHIP OPTIONS There are several ways you can give financially: Either way, please ensure that Abisror Ministry appears in the memo line. ONLINE You can setup recurring giving online by check or credit card at http://reachingandteaching.org/missionaries, Select the Give button next to the Eric and Danica Abisror Bio. Or at https://www.egsnetwork.com/gift2?giftid=2ba342444f8b47c BY MAIL You can give monthly by check. Mail checks to: Reaching and Teaching International Ministries PO Box 122 Wheaton, IL 60187 *Reaching and Teaching International Ministries is a 501 (c) 3 organization
PARTNER COMMITMENTS If you choose to partner with us through Reaching and Teaching in Argentina, here are the commitments we make to you: A Commitment to Good Communication: Along with regular newsletter updates, you can expect to hear from us regularly about how the ministry and work is going. Because we are partners in this ministry, we want you to know what is happening so you can better pray and give thanks for what God is doing. A Commitment to Faithful Stewardship: Hudson Taylor famously said, God s work done God s way will never lack God s supply. We believe that is true, but there is a condition in that statement. We must be doing the work in God s way. We know your financial commitment is significant and sacrificial. We commit to steward those resources well and to work diligently and faithfully in the ministry of Reaching and Teaching in Argentina. A Commitment to Partnership: We are grateful for each member of our partner team and the desire to see gospel faithfulness in Argentina. If you choose to partner with us, know that we are committed to you as a valued member of that team.
REACH US AT: abisrorfamily@reachingandteaching.org 360.420.8784 (Eric) www.abisrorsabroad.com www.reachingandteaching.org.
All of God s people going into all the world faithfully obeying all of the Great Commission.