Ben Simms

A new chapter begins
a message from Ben Simms, 
Lifeline’s Executive Vice President and 
Chief Operating Officer

It’s been a wild ride these past 5 years at Lifeline!  Things were literally shaken up with the earthquake in January 2010, and by God’s leading & grace and with a great team of staff & volunteers, Lifeline’s ministry flourished: a dynamic food packing ministry grew and now 5+ million meals a year are packed; a ministry budget that was close to $4 million a year, is now averaging $7+ million a year; and the ministry work now includes efforts in Panama, Guatemala, Navajo Nation, and Canada, which is my personal passion.  Several staff have been hired to handle a growing Lifeline ministry to minister to people in many places.  
 
What I thought would be a longer run worthy of a book has turned into a few chapters – but, I would add, important ones – as an opportunity has come my way, even more in the way God designed me.  Starting September 15 I will take on the role of Vice President with The Solomon Foundation.  The Solomon Foundation is a rapidly growing church extension fund based in Denver, Colorado.  My degree from The Ohio State University was in Finance, my biggest passion is church planting, and new churches need buildings, of which Solomon finds investors and then loans funds to churches.  It’s a great blend and not an opportunity that comes along every day.  [by the way, there aren’t many in ministry with finance degrees, which makes me unique 🙂 ]  Yes, it comes with a better view; we love the Rockies!  Yes, any transition of leadership can have challenges, but those would be overcome.  Both organizations have a great mission.  Life is a set of choices, and in this case, the bottom line was a great fit for where I could make the biggest impact for God’s kingdom.  
 
This opens the door for others to step up and answer the call here at Lifeline!  However the closing of this chapter is simply as a full-time staff member.  I’ll remain a board member both for Lifeline and Lifeline-Canada.   Janet will continue her graphic design and communications work for Lifeline.  I’ll continue networking for church planting opportunities in Canada, and I’m sure you’ll find me mentioning food packing to a few church leaders along the way.  Most of all, I’ll be working with some new, major legacy and estate giving initiatives between The Solomon Foundation and Lifeline.  A win-win for both ministries.  (And by the way I’m still cycling 320 miles across Ohio in two weeks, which benefits Lifeline!)  May the next few chapters be as exciting as the past five years!
 
Be Awesome!

 

 
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
God’s will be done!

  How many times have we uttered these words, thus showing a “totally submissive” attitude toward His perfect plan?  

 

In light of Ben “moving on,” I’m comforted in recognizing that what happens in life may well be God’s will, even though it may be different than what my preferences are.   I’m also comforted in knowing that what is taking place today is His plan, as it was before the beginning of time.  

 

We are all going to miss working with Ben.  Our time has been comfortable, joyful, and especially has been fruitful, in view of the positive impact he’s had on Lifeline’s ministry outreach and those around him.  He has contributed through far reaching networking, hard work, good direction, and sharing of ideas as he’s exemplified high standards in all he’s done.

 

We’re sad at Lifeline today, but happy for Ben in his new opportunity tomorrow; as he begins to write the next chapter in his life.  

 

God’s will be done! 

 

Thank you Ben.  We love you and pray God’s continuing blessings for you, yours and His.


 

Bob, Gretchen and the Lifeline Staff

 
pictures from the ministry field Praises
Canada
  • Although the mission team to Calgary returned home several weeks ago, the impact continues…the community has taken notice of the compassion shown through the church plant’s “Light in the Hills” service week.  Doors have opened with opportunities to minister to the community, share the love of Jesus, and partner in community events.  Thank you to everyone who participated in the mission trip to love on the Northern Hills Church community!

Guatemala

  • A new house church has started in Colonia Las Palmas; they have 10-15 new people. Glory to God. 

  • We are thankful that Deybee and Yocelyn are adapting very well with God’s work in Guatemala.  (They are leading the ministry work in Guatemala.)

El Salvador

  • Last week, the churches hosted two activities: a special activity  for young people and a seminar for women.  85 young people and 70 women attended these events!

Haiti

  • Congratulations to NoNo and Claudette, who are getting married in September!  NoNo is Lifeline’s Lovelink Assistant in Haiti.

  • Congratulations to Emmanuel and Ruth Adam, who are expecting their second baby in September.  Emmanuel — or “Adam” as everyone knows him! — is Lifeline’s Administrator in Haiti.

Panama
 

  • Ministry in Panama continues to thrive; two recent activities had an attendance of more than 80 people per day. Jose, Lifeline’s Administrator in El Salvador, also had good meetings and study with the leaders and pastors in Panama. Jose says: “House churches continue to walk with great force.” 
United States
  • God has been good to Andy Sims, Lifeline’s Director of Leadership Development, who has recovered from serious health concerns earlier this summer.  Andy is preparing to lead a full schedule of leadership seminars (El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti & Cuba) this fall.  All of us — and especially Andy — are grateful for God’s healing and faithfulness.
  • Hogs for Haiti donations have already started coming in! Please pray for safety of everyone involved, help us get the word out, and donate at www.Lifeline.org/Hogs.

  • J.D., Lifeline’s Connections Director, will be presenting Lifeline’s food ministry at Rocklane Christian Church this Sunday, as their youth prepare to do a 30 hour event to raise awareness and package ABC food.
 
Prayer Requests

  • Pray for the Convention of Christian Churches in Grand Goave, Haiti this weekend.  Well over 1000 Christians will gather for inspiration, fellowship and encouragement based on the theme, “Strength in Unity.”  Pray for blessing and vision.

  • The first leadership seminar of the fall will be next month in El Salvador.  The team will also travel into Guatemala to see the new work beginning there.  Pray for the team of leaders as they prepare for this important trip.

  
You can view Lifeline’s weekly prayer list at www.Lifeline.org/pray.
 
Your Partnership

Additional ways that you can support and learn more about Lifeline…

textbooks for Haiti YouTube Adventure 2014 - Ohio to Erie ride
 
Memorials & Honorariums
Gifts given to remember & honor

 

In honor of Paul & Emily Bell, given by Travis Richardson

 

In memory of Marilyn Mead, given by Brian & Lynne Roloson

 
Devotion 
A Letter to the North American Church: 
Because it is Time

 

Dear North American Church,

 

After a Sunday morning in Africa, you don’t look the same to me.  You look hungry.  Hungrier than anything I’ve seen in Africa.

 

Because after I watched that Ugandan woman? That one woman with no shoes and no husband and 7 kids, walk up to the front of the church and put this bag of beans into the basket as her love offering to God – my heart ached this raw conviction and I could feel it with you, North American Church, what you really wanted:

 

You’re hungry to love like this. You are hungry for the uncomfortable.

 

You are hungry to sacrifice your Starbucks coffees, your NetFlix subscription, your dinners out for something More. You’re hungry for more than vanilla services, and sweetened programs, and watered down lives.

 

You’re famished for More, for hard and holy things, for some real meat for your starved soul, some real dirt under your fingernails, some real sacrifice in your veins – some real Jesus in your blood and in your hands and in your feet.

 

I’m sitting under a tree in Africa with the richest in the world and it’s not Bill Gates and it’s not Warren Buffet and it’s not Mark Zuckerberg and it’s not the family with 2 cars, a flat screen television and one week at Disney. It’s a bunch of kids in Africa in ripped shirts and torn shoes, who have no knives or forks and sleep on floors.

 

The Pastor invites us to sing. I’m not sure how to find my feet. I am not sure how to let go. I am not sure how to live. The song begins a cappella, hearts the only instrument we all have:

Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King
Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King …

 

I sing the words looking out at a congregation of worn out clothes hanging over tired backs and hungry bellies and willing hands. I sing the words looking into the whites of eyes in weathered ebony faces. And then I am only mouthing the words. Like there’s no voice left in me.

 

Like there’s no way I can sing that soon and very soon we’re all going to see our Father – when I’m living like this – and my brothers and sisters are living like that. When too many North Americans diet for a hobby, and too many Africans die for a meal.  When our churches have building budgets and our sisters have dying children.

 

If God is real, if the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is really on the throne, if we are all going to see our Jesus King face to face, soon and very soon – then there’s a whole lot of us who are wild to change things soon.  Now.

  

I am standing in Africa and there’s light in the trees and there is clarity and there are those who are saved but only by the skin of their teeth – because they cared most about the comfort of their own skin and only minimally about anyone else’s.  They will have a hardly abundant entrance awaiting them in heaven.

 

But that is not us.  There are those who would rather turn away instead of turn around.  There are those who would rather turn a blind eye to the needy than turn to the needy and be like Christ. There are those who would love playing at being Christian, than to actually be one and love giving. 

 

But that is not us.

 

North American Church, it is time: We are all done with no-risk, no-sacrifice, no-point lives.

It is time: We are all done with the drug of comfortable and dare to live the dream of uncomfortable.

It is time: We’re all hungry for uncomfortable because we’re hungry for God – and He is outside of our comfort zones.

 

This. Is. What. Faith. Is.

 

 

excerpt from A Letter to the North American Church, by Ann Voskamp