Rev. Dr. Tom Boone, Associate Director for Mission with The Outreach Foundation, sits down for an interview with Meerab Din, Women’s Empowerment Officer for PAK Mission Society, talking about the work she is doing with women in Pakistan. Meerab speaks about the way in which God is moving through her work with PAK Mission Society, in this wonderful update from our partner in Pakistan. If you would like to see the extended version of the interview with Meerab, please click here.
Read MoreForbes (June 2022 and July, 2021) cited recent studies on the increasing state of anger in human society globally, noting that people tend to click on links that contain even violent expressions of anger. We emphasize that point above the others because “clicking” on links is one of the primary social media metrics that indicate interest. It’s like that fish that nibbles on the bait and ultimately, we hope, will take it hook, line, and sinker.
Read MoreThe Outreach Foundation is pleased to announce that on December 14 our partner Pakistan Christian Recording Ministries welcomed a new director, Reverend Akash Emmanuel! Outreach Executive Director Mark Mueller sent a congratulatory letter to Akash and the PCRM board. This is a significant transition as the next generation of Christian men and women begin to step into leadership roles in ministries throughout Pakistan. Rev. Emmanuel, a Presbyterian pastor from Faisalabad, will build on PCRM’s legacy of witness among the majority Muslim population in rural areas of Pakistan. Akash has been with PCRM as an assistant director for several years and has earned the trust of his board and the staff.
Read MoreJoin Friends of the Presbyterian Education Board (PEB) for a "Zoom Party" in honor of 25 years since the denationalization of PEB schools in Pakistan. Connect with PEB's Executive Director Veda Gill and other staff members of PEB as they share stories and pictures of the past and dreams for the future. Please join us and meet other PEB supporters from all over the U.S.
Read MoreFrom November 10-18, The Outreach Foundation will be attending the 25th anniversary of “denationalization.” This marks the anniversary of when the government returned schools to the Presbyterian Education Board after decades aptly described as “the dark ages.” The work of PEB is a sacred work shining the light of God’s Word and bearing the hope of Jesus Christ into the lives of children and their families.
Read MorePAK7, Outreach partner in Pakistan, sent updated news on the August 16th attacks on churches and Christian homes in Jaranwala.
Read MoreOn Wednesday, August 17 a violent mob of around 7,000 people attacked 22 churches in a number of Christian homes in areas outside Faisalabad. This is an area in which our partners in Pakistan operate. Please hold our brothers and sisters in Pakistan in your prayers as they grieve over this attack, seek courage to face this challenging time, and as Muslim and Christian leaders work together to ease tensions.
Read MorePAK7 has national leadership with solid international oversight and wants to see God glorified and enjoyed in Pakistan, among Christians and the majority population. They do so through indigenous, strategic, and innovative methods involving children and adults testifying through professional television programming, music, and social media.
Read MorePakistan Bible Correspondence School
Ministry Essentials Training Program
In October, the Pakistan Bible Correspondence School launched the Ministry Essentials Training Program (METP). This program developed out of The Outreach Foundation’s visit in March 2022 as we learned about the leadership development needs of rural pastors.
Pakistan Christian Recording Ministries
Listeners’ Conference in Northern Pakistan
The Pakistan Christian Recording Ministries provides regular teachings about the Bible, God, and living as godly people caring for society, family, and creation. The audience numbers into the thousands across all of Pakistan.
The Outreach Foundation is following the relief efforts of PAK Mission Society closely and we are pleased to report that they have signed a Memo of Understanding with Rev. Reuben Qamar and Rev. Obaid Khokhar, Moderators of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan. This brings Christians together to provide a holistic, Christian-based response to rural communities in Pakistan and places where there are many refugees from Afghanistan.
PAK Mission Society is present in 80 villages, providing 1,791 food packages, and over 3,700 hot meals.
Read MorePakistan is experiencing a monsoon flood disaster. Since mid-August heavy rains, nearly three times higher than the national 30-year average, have created a humanitarian disaster in Pakistan. The most impacted areas are near Afghanistan and south of Lahore. Travel out of the affected regions is not possible, even for those who own vehicles.
Hundreds of thousands of families have lost their means of income due to the destruction of livestock and crops. Many of the people who are affected by these floods are refugees from Afghanistan and Iran who cannot leave Pakistan. The Pakistani government does not recognize these refugees and will not support them.
Read MoreWe are happy to share the following news from Gujranwala provided by Enna B. Lal, Accounts Manager and Administrator, and Rev. Nosheen Khan, Principal:
142nd Baccalaureate 2022
Our Baccalaureate service was held on March 27, 2022 at Swift Memorial First Presbyterian Church, Civil Line, Gujranwala , Pakistan. It was a great privilege for Gujranwala Theological Seminary (GTS) that Rev. Dr. Edwin G.Hurley, senior pastor, Highland Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama and Outreach trustee, shared the Word of God.
Read MoreThe Outreach Foundation’s Vision for Engagement in Pakistan
God is at work in many ways through various expressions of the church in Pakistan. Our intention is to provide congregations and donors with a clear understanding of the scope into which we sense the Holy Spirit calling The Outreach Foundation. This vision statement is born from over thirty years of engagement in Pakistan and especially our visit in Spring 2022. We seek to bring Christ-infused, transformative hope to Pakistanis. In so doing we will support a broad movement that strengthens Christ’s church, builds Christian faith, and changes attitudes between faith communities in Pakistan
Read MoreDuring a recent visit to Pakistan, the team from The Outreach Foundation was pleased to meet Veda Javaid, Executive Director of the Presbyterian Education Board, and PEB Board Chair Margy Trimble. We are happy to continue our partnership with the Presbyterian Education Board. They recently sent us an update with some wonderful news as well as the current state of affairs in Pakistan. Let us keep PEB and each of our friends in Pakistan in our prayers during this unsettled time in the country.
Read MoreThe church in Pakistan holds a precious place in the heart of The Outreach Foundation. Out of all the countries where we show up, our Christian friends experience the greatest amount of persecution in Pakistan. Yet, they remain resilient and courageous and the witness of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior sings loudly. We are privileged to stand with them!
The Outreach Foundation is pleased to bring word from two of our dear friends in Pakistan, the Presbyterian Education Board, and Pakistan Christian Recording Ministries.
Read MoreGujranwala Theological Seminary (GTS) has been training and equipping pastors to lead churches since 1877. Originally a Presbyterian seminary, at one point it was the only seminary in South Asia. It now serves as a united (inter-denominational) seminary. There are currently 78 students studying at GTS on all three levels. Although there were many challenges and difficulties during the last year, we are thankful to God for providing wisdom and strength to achieve much. Here are two of the highlights:
Read MoreGujranwala Theological Seminary (GTS) has been serving congregations, parachurch ministries, theological institutions, and their leaders throughout Pakistan for 145 years. As we prepare to celebrate with them, we want to highlight three of their recent graduates. God is doing great things in this very difficult part of the Christian world.
Khashia completed her MDiv in 2018. She serves as a youth coordinator at Open Theological Seminary in Lahore. She was one of only a few women to earn an MDiv but reports that she sees more women receiving advanced theological education. Women play an integral, if not formal, role in building up God’s church in this part of the world. She writes, “I am grateful to my Lord and GTS for enabling me to strengthen women’s groups in Pakistani churches.”
Read MoreGod is on the move! As Adeel Samuel, director of the Pakistan Bible Correspondence School (PBCS), reminds us, “Our God is a God of nations, all nations will bow before the Lord (Psalm 86:9). In the recent political change in Afghanistan, many people have fled to Pakistan; some are Christian.
People like Abdul. He was a driver for an American officer who showed him movies about Jesus. The concept that Jesus “took away all his sins" was new. And as so often happens among Muslims, he wanted to know more and read the Bible in secret. That reading led him to believe in Jesus. Abdul fled to where Adeel Samuel, lives and is now being nurtured there through the PBCS.
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