As I reflect on the 5th anniversary of the launch of Empowering Action this month, it would be difficult to communicate the impact McLean Bible Church had on my life during my 8 years on staff, as it was there that the Lord cultivated:

1. A Heart for missions: reaching the physically and spiritual poor with the Gospel
2. A Passion for the Word of God and Church of Jesus

5 years ago those two things inspired members of MBC to launch Empowering Action, a ministry:

• To combat physical and spiritual poverty in partnership with the local church
• To transform impoverished communities by empowering and equipping the body of Christ
• To build capacity within the local church to both declare and demonstrate the gospel
• Where our methodology would be grounded in our theology – as poverty being a result of sin, and brokenness from The Fall in Genesis 3.

Over the past 5 years, by the grace of God and support of churches and individual, who have truly been a “partner in the gospel from the first day until now” (Phil. 1:5), God has condescended, as George Muller used to say, to use EA in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti and Kenya by developing a virtual toolbox of:

• External Partnerships
• 4 In-house Programs

to yearly minister to over 33,000 individuals by serving over 3,000 leaders.

As we stop and reflect on God’s provision, notably our four core 4 competencies below, we are humbled and grateful for what the Lord has done within and through the EA family these past 5 years:

• 242 Discipleship Program for Church Leaders
• Genesis Ministry to develop healthy families
• Abundant Life 16-week Poverty Alleviation Program
• Church-based Savings Groups