Dec 5, 2018

You Can Help R.C.’s Vision Continue to Flourish

4 Min Read

We are approaching the first anniversary of the death of our dear founder and friend, R.C. Sproul. We miss him greatly, yet in God’s grace, this year has also been one of thanksgiving—thanking God for the rich gifts that He gave to R.C. and to us through him. We also give thanks for R.C.’s vision to continue the vital work of preparing effective discipleship resources to build up Christians and churches in the faith.

Losing R.C. was not a complete surprise, as his health had been fragile for years before his death. R.C.’s humility in the years leading up to his death was even less surprising for those who knew him. We saw that humility particularly well in his conviction that Ligonier must not be the work of one man for one generation.

He knew that the need for sound teaching would continue long after he went to be with the Lord. He knew that every generation must hear instruction that stands on the authority of the inerrant Bible and clearly tells the gospel of Jesus Christ. R.C. planned carefully for the future, gathering an exceptionally productive staff as well as fellow teachers who share his commitments and passion.

Your support has made it possible to enact those plans and to respond well to the opportunities to serve the Lord in 2018, which was a banner year for ministry.

Ligonier held more conferences and teaching events in 2018 than any year in our history, and the teaching sessions are now available online to people worldwide. We reached more than six million people this year alone. We started Ask Ligonier, a new online chat service to provide answers directly to people around the world with pressing biblical and theological questions. We also began a Spanish-language version of Renewing Your Mind. These are just a few highlights of a year filled with gospel outreach.

Yet, this vision and these plans, as well as your gifts and prayers, prepared Ligonier not only for 2018 but for the years to come. Every year, we seek to build and expand on the remarkable work already done, and with your help and by God’s grace, 2019 will surpass 2018 in global outreach.

We’re blessed in the United States to have so much sound teaching readily accessible. That’s not the case around the world, however. So many people lack the basic Bible study tools that we take for granted. R.C. recognized that, which is why he challenged us to have an increasing global focus. He saw God building His kingdom around the world and knew that American Christians must share the bounty of solid gospel teaching if we are to be faithful to Christ.

You make it possible for Ligonier to offer critical, strategic support to the church worldwide in 2019 as we carry on R.C.’s vision, which was nothing less than the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

Ligonier will release the Portuguese edition of the Reformation Study Bible with the help of our partners in Brazil. It’s hard to overstate how important this is. Portuguese is the official language of several nations on four continents—South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe—and many of these nations are experiencing significant population growth. A number of these nations have extensive regional and world influence. Imagine what God can do with the Portuguese-speaking church that has access to the truth of the Reformation through this study Bible.

We will expand our outreach efforts in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom, with our first-ever conference in London. We’ve held conferences in Europe already, and the response has been so encouraging. By hosting a London conference, we will be able to minister to people in Europe and beyond who would never be able to come to the U.S. for a Ligonier conference.

Our efforts in Spanish will receive a greater emphasis as well as we seek new ways to make Renovando Tu Mente—the Spanish version of the Renewing Your Mind broadcast—available on more outlets and increase the number of resources available on our Ligonier Ministries Spanish website at www.Ligonier.es. When it comes to global languages, Spanish has the second highest number of native speakers in the world. For that reason, expanding Spanish outreach is crucial.

And those plans are just for starters. For instance, space prevents me from going into detail about our work to get the Reformation Study Bible translated into Arabic and for our expanding reach into the Middle East. There is no doubt that we all will face challenges in the year ahead, but it will also be another year of great opportunities. We need not be afraid, for even though we do not know what the future will be, we have confidence in our God and His sovereign plans. As Daniel wrote of our God: “He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him” (Dan. 2:22).

You and I know that we are called to help people see the great Light and to live in that Light. And in partnership with Ligonier Ministries, you and I can fulfill that calling. Ligonier has vital work to do right now, and your help this month will ensure sound Bible teaching continues to reach people all around the world.

Like most ministries, Ligonier relies heavily on year-end donations to meet our annual budget and start the next year strong. December is our largest month for financial giving and perhaps the most important time of year to show your support for our mission. With your generous gifts, you can help reach our year-end goal and fuel our outreach into 2019. Thank you.

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