Category: Monthly Updates

Praise and thanks be to God!  He is faithful! We are eager to share our deep gratitude for three brief things:  1. Sunlight Christian Academy 2. Monthly Multipliers 3. The Disciple Standard Podcast  First, we rejoice that the new wing of Sunlight Christian Academy is finished and full of life, learning, and love!  Students, staff, and parents are filled with appreciation.  Check out this great 2-minute video: What began as a preschool in January 2006 with just eight students is now a robust, Christ-centered Pre-K – 6th grade elementary school with 520 students!   Second, you may recall that we in January had a goal to secure 25 new Monthly Multipliers, people who would contribute a minimum of $22.22/month to the ministry.  We rejoice in God’s kindness, in that, 26 new Monthly Multipliers signed up, which when added to the four we had throughout all of 2021 means we now have a total of 30 Monthly Multipliers.   Please consider joining our growing Monthly Multiplier group.  Become a regular giving partner, as together, we “multiply disciples and multiply churches.”  Click here to donate, then click on “monthly.”  It is that simple! Finally, we continue to celebrate 2022 as the Year of the Disciple.  We rejoice that we now have 670 people using 222Disciple, our robust, one-on-one discipleship program.  To sign up, go here!  Please tune in to our weekly “Disciple Standard Podcast” as well.  Here is the latest edition. As always, thank you for your continued support of Multiply 222 Network.  We are grateful for your partnership in this important work to “multiply disciples and multiply churches.”  In Christ, Bob Bob Crow Multiply 222 Network 1015 Iroquois Dr, SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-446-3009 rcrow@multiply222.com

We’re calling 2022 the Year of the Disciple. The key theme verse for Multiply 222 Network is II Timothy 2:2 where Paul says to the younger Timothy: “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” This is a beautiful passage that reveals how faith in Jesus Christ is passed from generation to generation (4 generations: Paul, Timothy, reliable people, others). This is also a vivid illustration of the Great Commission from Matthew 28 where Jesus directs his disciples to “go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.” Friends, this is why Multiply 222 exists; this is what gets us out of bed in the morning: “to multiply disciples and multiply churches.” And with all of the “2s” in 2022, including February being the 2nd month and Tuesday, February 22 being 2/22/22, we can’t miss the chance to celebrate all things discipleship! As partners in this ministry, look what you are doing: Since being launched in March 2019, 222Disciple has been methodically multiplying…one disciple at a time. We now have 640 people involved in this multiplication movement. Let me share with you two wonderfully related videos. One of Adam. The second of his son, Aiden. I have shared this one before of Adam Sculnick (below), who was led to Christ, baptized, and discipled. He is the creator of CIA (Christ In Action) Boys Ministry for 1st – 8th grade boys. This one (below) is of Aiden Sculnick, Adam’s son, who is being discipled by Josh Sackrowitz. Josh was discipled by Adam! And now Josh is discipling Adam’s son, Aiden! How cool is this? (Also, I can’t help but notice their hand mannerisms are identical!) Disciples make disciples. Also, The Disciple Standard Podcast continues each week with Scott Vander Ploeg as host. The podcast is designed to shine the spotlight on effective disciple-making. This latest episode (below, at 21:20) highlights how Josh Sackrowitz came to faith in Jesus and is now investing in discipling relationships, like the one with Aiden. Praise be to God! Thanks to your support, we are multiplying disciples of Jesus Christ. Grace and peace to you, Bob P.S. End-of-year giving statements were sent out electronically in mid-January to everyone for whom we had an email. All others were mailed through the US postal service. If you have not received yours or would like to have it sent again, or if you have any questions, please contact either me (rcrow@multiply222.com) or Shayna Morales (shayna@sunlightcc.org). P.P.S. Contact me if you would like to join this 222Disciple movement! Bob Crow Multiply 222 Network 1015 Iroquois Dr, SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-446-3009 rcrow@multiply222.com

I hope you are well this Advent season.  Blessings to you. I am struck in a fresh way with Isaiah’s famous words often read this season: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The Hebrew word here for peace is “shalom” which really carries with it the idea of flourishing, of things in right relationship, functioning as God had intended.  Oh, how our world needs the shalom that can only come through the Lord Jesus. Disciple-making is one of the ways we multiply this shalom.  Here are two quick updates, both connected to 222Disciple. The Disciple Standard Podcast has begun.  Each week, Scott Vander Ploeg will host this podcast designed to shine the spotlight on effective disciple-making.  In this episode, Scott compares the “legacy system” to the “disciple standard”, calling for a total system reset as to how to multiply followers of Jesus Christ.    Expanding to Brazil!  You may be aware that we are currently translating all of the 222Disciple materials (29 lessons, including 77 videos) into Hausa (for use in Nigeria) and Spanish.  We are excited to share that God is opening up doors for us to begin translating everything into Portuguese for use in Brazil!  We are teaming up with a veteran missionary who has done church planting and helped to start a seminary there, as well as a dynamic Brazilian pastor who is just finishing his PhD. at Calvin Theological Seminary who will help with the translation and video work!   You are promoting God’s shalom by helping to multiply disciples of Jesus Christ. If you have not done so already, will you consider a year-end gift? You can give online at multiply222.com or by contacting me.  And as always, thank you for your continued support of Multiply 222 Network.  We are grateful for your partnership in this important work to “multiply disciples and multiply churches.”  Shalom, Bob P.S. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you want more information or have any questions.  I am always eager to talk about the ministry!   Bob Crow Multiply 222 Network  1015 Iroquois Dr, SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-446-3009 rcrow@multiply222.com

Bob P.S. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you want more information or have any questions. I am always eager to talk about the ministry!

I hope this finds you well and staying healthy! You may recall that in March you helped launch a strategy called the “Multiply Method” centered around three themes:  Know Jesus.  Make Jesus known.  Live a Jesus Life.  I am eager to share an update on this, particularly focusing on the first theme:  Know Jesus.   Indispensable to knowing Jesus is reading the Bible.  It is simply not possible to grow as a disciple of Jesus apart from Scripture.  God’s Word is powerful.  It is “living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword” (Heb. 4.12).   The Bible is central to our entire ministry.  You are enabling people to engage with God’s Word! There are two specific ways you are helping people encounter God through Scripture: Bible Steps is designed to help people get started with a basic understanding of the Bible.  It can be intimidating to begin reading the Bible.  Bible Steps is a foundational tool introducing people to 5 key verses, 10 people, 15 passages, and 20 stories central to our faith.  While intended for those unfamiliar with the Bible, it is a good resource for all to gain a basic understanding of what the Bible is. Public Reading of Scripture (PROS) is a helpful strategy to engage people with the Bible by listening to it in community.  Based on I Timothy 4.13, there are currently three, one-hour occasions each week (Tuesday at Noon, Wednesday at 7 pm, or Thursday at 7 am).  Join us for one of these to get a taste for yourself!  We are eager to expand, so if you or a group of friends or even your church would like to start PROS, let us know and we can provide all of the materials to you for FREE.  Simply contact Tina Orrego or me. Thank you for enabling people to engage with God’s Word!   And as always, thank you for your continued support of Multiply 222 Network.  We are grateful for your partnership in this important work to “multiply disciples and multiply churches.”  Grace and peace, Bob P.S. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you want more information or have any questions.  I am always eager to talk about the ministry!   Bob Crow Multiply 222 Network  1015 Iroquois Dr, SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-446-3009 rcrow@multiply222.com

Bob P.S. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you want more information or have any questions. I am always eager to talk about the ministry!

You are making disciples! Your support of Multiply 222 Network is empowering people to grow in their faith! On Sunday, September 12, there were two baptisms at Sunlight Miami. (You may recall that we relaunched Sunlight Miami, formerly El Buen Samaritano, in May 2020.) We are excited that for the first time in 20 years, we are celebrating baptisms in this Miami community. In addition to being a powerful sacrament, a symbol of our dying and rising with Christ, baptism is a marker of hope, health, and growth for a church. Praise be to God!

Meet Vivian (left), an adult who relocated from Cuba to a house two blocks from the church. After visiting sporadically, she became connected to Pastor John Granda’s wife, Lourdes, who eventually invited her into a discipleship relationship using the 222Disciple program. She wanted to join the church and publicly proclaim her commitment to Jesus.

And meet Jai Isaiah (right) who is just 4 years old. Because of your support, Sunlight Miami is growing. His parents started coming to the church about 6 months ago and are now committing their family to the work and ministry of Sunlight Miami.

In our world, fractured by Covid and a number of other challenges, we celebrate these baptisms. They are signs of God’s faithfulness, signs of new life, not just in Sunlight Miami, but in the church of our Lord Jesus Christ.Thank you for your investment in Multiply 222 Network where our mission will always be to “multiply disciples and multiply churches.”And thanks be to God for these signs of hope, Bob P.S. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you want more information or have any questions. I am always eager to talk about the ministry!

Let me introduce you to Adam and Josh.

Adam became acquainted with our ministry through Sunlight Christian Academy.  He was looking for a good school for his daughter.  Having grown up in a nominally Jewish family, Adam was not interested in the Christian faith.  Jason Palm met Adam, eventually leading him to Christ and taking him through the 222 Disciple program.  Adam and his family were baptized.

Adam then met Josh who has a similar story.  Growing up in a Jewish family, Josh also brought his children to Sunlight Christian Academy and was intrigued by the change in their lives.  It wasn’t long before Adam began connecting with Josh, leading him to Christ and training him in 222 Disciple.  Josh and his family were baptized.

Here is a powerful 5-minute video of their story. 

The Gospel thread seen through Josh, Adam, Jason, Sunlight Christian Academy, 222 Disciple, and Sunlight Community Church is being woven into a beautiful tapestry to pointing to Christ and His Kingdom. 

As you may recall, the overall mission of the Multiply 222 Network is simple: “to multiply disciples and multiply churches.”  

Your support enables us to do this Gospel-based, discipleship-oriented work.  Please consider an investment in the ministry.  You may make your tax-deductible donation here.  And as always, thank you for your on-going support, partnership, and prayers.  Please contact me if you have any questions or I can help in any way (rcrow@multiply222.com and 616-446-3009).

In Christ,

Bob Crow

Multiply 222 Network

P.S.  Reminder to please join us either in person or via Zoom on Sunday, February 21 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. (Eastern) for the Dessert Reception and Ministry Update. Here is the Zoom link.  If needed, Meeting ID: 834 2177 5327 and Password: Sunlight. 

As we begin this 2021, we want to solicit your prayers and also encourage you.

The Bible is very clear that we are to pray for those in authority, for government officials, for leaders.  The events in Washington, DC last week, concerns about state capitals this weekend, and next week’s presidential inauguration are concerning.  We are to cast our cares on the Lord and trust him.  Brothers and sisters, let us join together in prayer on behalf of our nation, of all nations (e.g., Uganda whose elections were yesterday), entrusting the affairs of our world to God.

I have been encouraged this week by the familiar words and bedrock truth of Psalm 24.1: “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.”  These words of King David shaped the opening stanza of the Contemporary Testimony, Our World Belongs to God, which I’ve been reciting all week:

As followers of Jesus Christ,

living in this world—

which some seek to control,

and others view with despair—

we declare with joy and trust:

Our world belongs to God!

Brad, a friend of Multiply 222 Network, sent this song to me recently.  It is familiar to many of us, a beautiful recording of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.  This powerful song is based upon another very important verse from Revelation 11:15: “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”

Friends, we have reason to hope, as our hope is built upon the unchanging character of God.

Fueled by this hope, the mission of Multiply 222 Network remains the same:  multiply disciples and multiply churches.  And our focus this year will be on these three things, which we’ll tell you more about next month:

1.  Know Jesus
2.  Make Jesus Known
3.  Live a Jesus Life

Finally, as we begin a new year, please consider an investment in the ministry.  You may make your tax-deductible donation here.  And as always, thank you for your on-going support, partnership, and prayers.  Please contact me if you have any questions or I can help in any way (rcrow@multiply222.com and 616-446-3009).

God’s grace and peace to you,

Bob Crow

Multiply 222 Network