Light & Ministry

Apostolic Startups – First Work

Since its beginning, SFI has been an apostolic and entrepreneurial supporting entity. The SFI networks’ first startup was ministerial or ‘light’ in nature. SFI sent and supported an apostolic missionary to Japan to plant a church and preach the gospel. Even then it was to be a collaborative effort between the missionary and an indigenous entrepreneur who had built a western chapel-like building to meet the general Japanese desire to have western-style weddings. It was a unique situation: there was a nice church facility but no fellowship. The purpose of the apostolic “priest” (the missionary) was to work with the entrepreneurial “king” (the indigenous man of peace) to build up a fellowship in the facility. In this situation, there was first the ‘salt’ and then the ‘light’ followed. In fact, the majority of the SFI networks projects or ministries came into being in the same way.

Apostolic Support

Over the years, the SFI network has either directly sent the apostle or partnered with the ‘man of peace’ who was in their early stages of development. We have provided them with laborers (ministerial and logistical), financial assistance, practical consultancy, and S.A.L.T. projects. Though SFI has fulfilled its commitment to most of these ministries and projects, the vast majority of these works and the corresponding relationships attached to them continue and are still fruitful but none are under the “SFI” banner. The network has supported and partnered with apostolic ministries in these nations and areas:

(Countries listed in alphabetical order)
Cambodia, China, Ghana, India, Israel, Japan, Liberia, Middle East, Nepal, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, U.S.

Besides these countries where we have been active hands-on, we also have strong relationships with network associates in the following countries:
Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea

The Byways and Hedges

As mentioned on the home page in the “Where we are going” box, the network is now focusing the bulk of its efforts and resources on the “byways and hedges,” which refers specifically to the rural countryside where the vast majority of the underdeveloped and uneducated poor dwell and sustain themselves mainly by subsistence farming. At this time we have some active sustainable AG programs either operating or in some level of actual start up in these countries:
Liberia, Nepal, The Philippines, and ‘The Stans’ (see following tab)

We have a great need to train up more workers in this arena to run AG seminars and help establish sustainable AG centers. We have an excess of opportunity and lack skilled laborers to take advantage of these opportunities – the harvest is truly plentiful while the laborers few (Matthew 9:37).
See our SALT & Projects page and scroll down to the Active Projects Tab for more information about Sustainable AG as ministry.
There are other ministries of Light that we collaborate within the challenging areas of the world covering a wide variety of concerns, such as children in crisis and slavery.

Undisclosed Areas

These are areas or countries where the persecution of Christians or even others is rampant and hardship will abound! They are also places that most NGOs or the UN are reticent to send workers. — Where SFI, or any one else for that matter except the Lord, cannot guarantee their safety. The reality is this could be said for any country. The safest place for the true follower of the Lord is in the center of His will. No matter where one is they must trust the Lord rather than men! — God in his mercy is doing some amazing things in these countries (Smyrna), but there is a woeful drought of leadership, discipleship, and support – these are the forgotten ones. For obvious reasons we are very careful about who we introduce to these precious ones in this arena of ministries. We wish to help them, not to get them martyred or imprisoned!