I just received a graduation announcement from a friend’s daughter who is valedictorian of her class.  This tells me the results of her education, but not how she got the results.  Making the highest marks in school does not measure how one made the highest marks.  I find most statistics related to church planting measure results, not what caused the results.

I will be traveling 25 May - June 1 to Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.  The purpose of this trip is to spend time with key leaders from Francophone Africa.  Please pray for the French speaking peoples of Africa, and the leaders I will be meeting.

A friend of mine, John King, compiled the following from my training sessions, blog posts, and other writings from my team.  I thought it might be of interest to you.
 
Blessings!
 
David Watson
Irving, TX
 

I will be in Austin, TX, from 19-23 May to lead a training event for North American Cross-Cultural Church Planters.  I would appreciate your prayers for the participants and me as we explore the Biblical Foundations for Church Planting.

Next week, May 19-23, I will be doing church planting training in Austin, Texas.  Your prayers are appreciated.
 
Blessings!
 
David Watson
Irving, TX

I had an excellent trip to Kenya and Egypt.  This trip dealt with work in highly restricted areas, which preclude me discussing the people involved in the trip and the content of the meetings.  I am confident, however, that the relationships developed during this trip will further Kingdom work in the coming months and years.
 

“Goodbye” does not mean relationships are over.  It means they have changed.  When one says “goodbye” to a kindergarten child on the very first day of their school career, the parenting relationship changes, but does not end.  When one says “goodbye” to a son or daughter who is off to college for the first time, the relationship changes.  When one says “goodbye” to a son or daughter at the altar of marriage, the relationship changes.  If the parent does not say “goodbye” then severe damage occurs, not only for the relationship, but for the development of the child into a responsible adult.

The church planter has coached the Person of Peace and/or spiritual leaders of the group every week for months on how to lead a Guided Discovery Bible Study focused on Knowing God. This series of Bible studies was tailor-made to address the group’s worldview and cultural gateways and barriers; and lead them to discover a holy and loving God, face their own sin, find God’s provision for their sin through Jesus Christ, come into a grace/faith relationship with Jesus, and commit to a life of faith that obeys the commands of Jesus regardless of consequences.  At some point in this process the group comes to Christ, often all at one time or over a short period of time.  They become baptized as they are guided to discover and obey the Biblical teachings on belief in Christ and baptism, and begin the process of moving from being a Bible study group to being a church.  

I just completed a series of meetings with agency leaders and support organizations that serve countries around the Red Sea.  Because of the sensitive nature of their work I cannot share any details of this meeting.  This is nothing new to those of you who have followed my ministry for many years.  Most of the places I travel are not welcoming to those who would procl

One of the most difficult transitions to make is the move from relating to just the Person of Peace to the affinity group of the Person of Peace. The primary affinity group in church planting situations is usually the family of the Person of Peace. But there are cultures and situations where the primary affinity group may not be the family; such as boarding schools, universities, some gender divided societies, deployed military personnel, itinerant workers, prisons, homeless poor, and etc.