Bonus Talk: Walk the Talk #7: Spotlight on Kingdom Work

Strength to Strength welcomed six brothers to discuss what their lives look like being a disciple of Jesus.

The unsung heroes of Jesus’ kingdom are the faithful disciples who serve their Lord without fanfare or applause.

Whether you are a warrior in secret prayer, a widow who casts in the last two mites, or a worker advancing the bleeding edge of the kingdom, you can rest assured that deeds of service do not escape the eye of our benevolent King.

An interactive question-and-answer period follows.

“Where your talents and the needs of the world cross, there lies your vocation.”

Aristotle

Bryant Martin joins us to represent Extend Cafés. Extend Cafés is an alliance of cafés whose mission is to inspire and equip kingdom café initiatives. We have a vision of seeing thirty new cafés by 2030. We are excited to announce our first annual Extend Conference happening on Wednesday, March 12th in State College, Pennsylvania. We would love to have you join us! Check out a short video introduction of this event here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsZS3sxHo7U

Bryant and Lynelle are the owners of Sowers Harvest Café. Their purpose for making a living in the café industry comes down to one purpose: to be a non-anxious faithful presence in their community. Having lived in cities since they got married 17 years ago, they have a growing passion to see kingdom people moving back into villages and cities in a sustainable faithful way.

Saimir Braho joins us to represent Kingdom Connect Europe. Brother Braho from Albania will be sharing about an an exciting initiative to assemble believers across Europe. Their vision is to connect kingdom Christians in Europe for fellowship and encouragement by hosting a conference that brings together believers for teaching, worship, and enduring friendships. They are committed to a Christ-​centered, Scripture-​based, and kingdom-​focused expression, specifically as modeled by the historic Anabaptist faith.

Saimir, his wife Enkela, and their three children live in Albania, southeast of Europe. They have been involved in planting a church in the urban areas of the city of Tirana. Saimir is an ACBC-certified biblical counselor, and he is passionate about teaching and preaching the Word. His desire is to see Christ be exalted in his ex-communist country and Kingdom ethics applied in the European Christian context.

Luke North joins to represent ADAPTech. Founded in 2017, ADAPTech exists to equip Kingdom workers with training in appropriate technology and community development, preparing them to minister more effectively. Our organization also focuses on researchand development of simple practical solutions to support God’s kingdom and empower poverty stricken brethren around the world. ADAPTech is positioned in the middle ground between the philosophies of aid and development. With SR:Refugee, we aim to help bridge this gap by teaching sustainable solutions for refugee and internally displaced communities.

Luke and his bride, Karissa, live in Lineville, Alabama. He is a community development facilitator in training with All-Nations Bible Translation. Having grown up immersed in the world of appropriate technology and community development, Luke is passionate about equipping his fellow Kingdom workers with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets that can increase their impact on the mission field.

Dallas Penner and Lucas Hilty join us to discuss REACH 2025, a two-day event for Anabaptist ministries and their supporters. They will discuss this year’s program, the financial and time cost of attending, and how to approach an event like this as a form of spiritual training.

Dallas Penner and his wife Maria recently moved to Guys Mills, Pennsylvania to joins the team at Faith Builders in a communications role. Together they enjoy relating with people, listening to good stories, creating art, travelling, and looking for wildlife. They desire to love others as Christ does and to allow God to use them however He leads.

Lucas Hilty, his wife Anne, and their five sons live in northwestern Pennsylvania, where Lucas serves as minister in a Beachy-Amish congregation and as a project manager and instructor at Faith Builders. His great joy in life is the to see Jesus reconciling every part of creation to himself.

Patrick Matthews joins us to represent Tentmaker Travels. I am planning a trip across America in my RV from the West Coast back to the East Coast. Along the way, I would love to see how other Anabaptist churches practice their faith.

I am contacting churches along the way that I am traveling. I would be honored to join up with your community for one week in early 2025. I plan to reach out to the downtrodden people group within the areas visited. If you have a project that will need some assistance, I would like to help.

I found myself sitting in a prison chapel after 2½ years of incarceration crying out for change, and because of my willingness to admit my brokenness, I finally cried out to God. I was 48½ years old at that point, and it was time to grow up. This was the prayer I cried out: “Lord, I can’t, but you can, and I need help!” In that moment of total brokenness, with a willingness to submit my life to God, the change began. Was I serious about this walk? Not really. But I was desperate, looking for a chance, and it was there that the Holy Spirit began to help me.

Since I came to the Lord late in life, the work is plentiful but my expiration date is coming up too fast – so let’s get to work.

Check out this recent interview with Hector Troyer where I share my life testimony and what God is currently doing in my life.