As IFWE enters its fifth year, we are excited about the things God has in store for us. Before I talk about the year ahead, though, I’d like to say a word about 2015.
Thankful for 2015
It was a great year in which God did many amazing things:
- Doubled our audience. Thousands of people read our blog, followed us online, and attended our events.
- New website. It’s mobile-friendly, content forward, and visually rich.
- Introduced our first studies on the YouVersion Bible App. More than 150,000 people have read them so far.
- Programs on Christian college campuses. We are partnering with faculty and administrators at more than 20 Christian colleges.
- New materials. Created several new studies and booklets including God’s Purpose in Creation: A Study in Genesis 1 by Hugh Whelchel.
As great as 2015 was, we see that there is still much work to do.
The Power of God’s Truth
We have found that many believers have not yet discovered that God cares about every aspect of their lives – every decision and every action.
He has made each of us in a special way and for special purposes. He has given us principles and standards to guide our decisions and actions – at work, at home, in the church, and in the community.
God desires us to apply these truths as we steward all he has given to us (Genesis 1:28-29; Matthew 25:14-30), including our work, time, and resources. He desires that we make good decisions based on biblical principles and knowledge of his created order.
Why does God care about these things?
He cares because he desires our work and decisions to be in alignment with his work to bring about freedom, fulfillment, and flourishing in the world.
Our sinful tendencies make all of this a lot harder (Genesis 3:17-19). Idolatry, ego, arrogance, corruption, sloth, cronyism, paternalism, and greed, to name a few, are the enemies of the freedom, fulfillment, and flourishing God desires for us.
We must fight against these tendencies by striving toward a world in which humans are free to create, trade, and flourish.
We can do it because God has promised to be near as we go about our business (Proverbs 3:6). Jesus – Immanu-El – God is with us. Through him all things were made (John 1:3), and he has come to make things right (Revelation 21:5, 22:1-5).
Looking Forward to 2016
There is much work to be done. The growth we have seen in the past year speaks to the great need in the church for even more transformative teaching about whole-life, biblical stewardship and flourishing.
In the year ahead, we want to reach more people with a broader and deeper set of biblical teaching tools and resources.
In 2016, you can expect to see the following from us:
- Books, booklets, and studies on a wide range of topics including freedom, the four-chapter gospel, the sacred-secular divide, why economics matters to Christians, and more.
- New studies on the popular YouVersion Bible App platform.
- Rich and provocative daily blog posts. Don’t be surprised to see us try some new things this year!
- Training events for professors, pastors, and business leaders.
- Programs on more Christian college campuses.
- Our first courses for homeschool and Christian K-12.
Please Join Us
We are excited beyond words to see what God will do in 2016. We are honored to serve you as you grow in your knowledge of him.
So, how can you be part of this exciting mission?
- Please pray that God would continue to transform the hearts and lives of his people, for his glory. Please pray that our work would bear fruit.
- Use and Share. Please use our materials in your own personal study. Please share them with others.
- Please consider supporting IFWE financially this year. Your support is critical to our on-going efforts to reach more people with God’s truth. Donate online now.
Thank you and God bless you!
