Imagine this: at around 7:30 in the morning, you wake to the sound of slight traffic, roosters crowing, and dogs barking.

As the summer has gone on and the newness of base town has worn off, I have felt the weight of the spiritual darkness that is present here in a new way. Both the darkness of base town and of this country in general has felt a little heavier these past few weeks as a result of being here for an extended amount of time and seeing the true state of brokenness that sin leads to in a culture.

Creating a foundation for successful support raising is key to ensuring longevity and sustainability in ministry. If you are called to a life of support raising and are willing to trust God with the results, you will lead a life set apart from others. With that comes many blessings and, yes, some challenges, but the rewards are far greater. You have no idea what God might do with your "yes" to living on support.

The heart of Cafe 1040 is to help the next generation find their role in the Great Commission. We are currently focusing on Gen Z (ages 13-28). Last year, we took the time to dig deep and figure out what differentiates Millennials from Gen Z. This podcast is a conversation about those findings

When we think of missionaries, we must be careful to remember that their sending church is just as important as the sending agency they choose to go with and vice versa. To accomplish the task at hand (Matthew 28:16-20, Revelation 7:9), we must work together. There are many ways the agency will help, and there are many ways the church and the church body will help. Let’s break down a few of the differences…

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The Lenten season is just around the corner and as we did for Advent, we would love for you to join with us in prayer and Bible Study for the season of Lent.

We are still working on the final details but here is a sneak peak…

Whether we like it or not, every new year there is a pressure to “start over”, “be a better me”, or “new year, new me”. What does that look like for us as Christians? Does it look any different? How do we incorporate our knowledge of the Bible, sin, justification, and abundant grace?

With November in our midst, Cafe 1040 embarks on its annual year-end campaign. This year, we have invited various pastors and ministers from churches connected to Cafe 1040 to help us Draw Near to Christ with our key verse. We have new podcast episodes, an Advent Guide, and a playlist coming soon. Stay tuned for all of this throughout November and December as we strive to Draw Near and Send Far.

Maybe you don’t have the means to be a monthly donor. That’s okay! You can still be a meaningful part of their support team. There are many ways to support missionaries that don’t involve giving money.

All I really wanted was to sit in awe of Him,

To look up when the sun went down as stars came filling in.

I thought if I under the sky could see His glory then

A humbled cry and worthy song from my heart would ascend.

There are many ways to utilize your skills and serve God intentionally and internationally. We want to highlight some of these definitions and companies as they might help you understand how your current career path, whatever it may be, can be used by God in an overseas context. God is doing neat things overseas and we want to provide an opportunity for you to hear how He may be wanting to use you!

Raising funds for your salary is often a necessity in ministry work. However, we must not forget that support raising, although necessary, is as much a spiritual work as serving at your church, praying fervently, or reading your Bible. These all take a little bit of discipline and a lot of the Holy Spirit. Each of these gives us the greatest joy when done with the right heart, but can quickly spiral into legalism and shame if we are not careful.

For the past four years now, Cafe 1040’s staff has paused their usual work routines for a week of prayer and fasting. Join us to gain insight into what we are discerning from the Father, and unite with us in prayerful anticipation for the days ahead. This year’s theme was “Journey into Hope”, and we are reading Joshua 1-4. 

Ramadan across the Muslim world is a time of commemorating the revelation of the Qu'ran. For a whole month, Muslims abstain from food, water, and other indulgences from sun up to sun down. It is said to be a time for cultivating a deeper relationship with Allah and refocusing on becoming a better Muslim man or woman. I have now been overseas for 3 Ramadan seasons, and each year I have felt the weight of this season more and more.

Since coming to Europe, I’ve become a bit of a runner. It began with working toward the goal of running a 10k by the end of the summer and has been used by the Father to teach me so much more. My team begins each run by reading Hebrews 12:1-2, and a few weeks ago, the phrase “fixing our eyes on Jesus Christ” struck me in a new way.

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Of all the ways Paul might’ve wrapped up this passage, that wasn’t the “bow” I expected the first time I read it. Up to this point in Romans, Paul has explained and emphasized the Gospel message. But now, he turns to the role of the Gospel messengers. And in this passage, the most notable characteristic of those messengers is their beautiful feet.

Consider the word, “missionary.” What images come to mind? An evangelist in an urban center? A church planter living in a rural village? A medical doctor using their skills to show the love of Christ? 

During my time living in the Middle East, I heard stories of Muslim friends who had dreams and visions of a man dressed in white. Initially, this brought me relief, as it seemed like a way for them to believe in Jesus without our team having to share with every person in the city.