Ministry Focus: Jim & Lynn in Stockholm

September 14 Update & Partner Focus

Hello Everyone!

In these weeks, we are introducing you to some of the partners we are working with across the Europe and Mediterranean Region, and keep you updated on our personal progress toward returning there. This week, we’d like to introduce you to Jim & Lynn Jarman in Stockholm, Sweden

Hello Everyone – 

We are Jim and Lynn Jarman and we live in Stockholm, Sweden.  We are church planting catalysts and we direct Converge’s Nordic Project for Church Multiplication in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland.  The Nordic nations were once thriving for God, but now all five countries rank in the top ten most atheistic nations.  Still, in the midst of this great spiritual darkness, there is a vibrant church with a deep heart for Christ and new churches are being started.  And that’s our job as church planting catalysts and coaches.

We also mentor church planters in Switzerland, Latvia, and Russia.  We love working with Bob and Carol and the Europe Impact Team – especially in Converge’s new outreach into Russia.  Jim has been to two major conferences of the Russian Baptists in Novosibirsk, Siberia and Rostov-on-Don.  At each he taught seminars on church planting to Russians hungry to learn as well as speaking to the main gathering of over 500 leaders.  

In Russia as well as the Nordic-Baltic, we work with the M4 Church Planting organization.  Based in Norway, this mission is a uniquely European model for starting new churches and is now utilized in many nations.  The four M’s stand for Master, Mission, Multiplication, and Movement and the facilitators and coaches walk with new church lead teams over a course of two years – mentoring, guiding, and increasing the success of these new starts.  M4 Russia is relatively new, and we are happy to promote this training.  God willing, the Impact Team hopes to be in Omsk, Siberia next February.

In this pandemic time, we are surviving and thriving in spite of the unique way Sweden is handling the crisis.  No social distancing.  Few masks.  Little restrictions.  Yikes.  While we wait to see how the fall develops, we've been helping a Swedish mission launch an English edition of a Christian magazine.  It is beginning with a digital presence on Facebook along with a website.  In just four months, there are already 104K followers on social media.  We are recruiting writings and other helpers, writing articles, and more.  The amazing thing is that it is deeply impacting the 10/40 window with readers in over 45 countries.

 Thanks for praying for us.  Our blessings to Bob and Carol as they lead the Impact Team for Converge Europe.  God is so good to all of us.  [You can find out more about the Jarmans, and support their mission, by going to:  converge.org/missionary/jim-lynn-jarman]

PERSONAL UPDATE:

• We moved, with Nicole and her family, into their new house over the Labor Day Weekend. It has been a busy and stressful season for us. It's a hard adjustment for the kids. School begins this week with more adjustments.
• Please pray Nicole and Eric, as Eric is still seeking a new job!
• We are now at 92% of our support raising goal – Praise the Lord! We only need a few hundred dollars per month to be fully funded!
• Pray for the borders to Poland to open for our return and the return of the rest of the Poland team!
• Please pray for the remodeling work on the ministry center and our apartment in Szczecin, Poland. We talked to Pastor Robert last week. It looks like February is our best return date at this time. 
• Though we can't return to Europe, our work continues! Pray for our ministry partners and our support of efforts in the region!

For more information, and to support our work, from the USA or Europe: Go to http://bobcarolmarsh.com/