Looking Back at 2024 with Gratitude

As we step into a brand-new year, we can’t help but look back on 2024 with deep gratitude. This year has been a testament to what faith, community, and shared purpose can create. With your support, we’ve made incredible strides in our mission to bring hope and transformation to South Asia. Our board got to see this in action this summer as they visited church plants, our springbud homes, and met with BBCM Boards in India. Let’s take a moment to celebrate some of the highlights that made 2024 an amazing year.

The John & Phyllis Stone Memorial Building: Almost Complete!

One of the most exciting milestones this year has been the near completion of the John & Phyllis Stone Memorial Building. Thanks to your incredible generosity, this state-of-the-art facility will soon open its doors, providing dorms, classrooms, offices, and living spaces for church planters and their families. Once completed, we’ll have the capacity to train over 100 disciple-makers each year—multiplying our impact across South Asia for generations to come.

A Growing Harvest in Our Church Planting Efforts

This year, our vision to establish one church for every 10,000 people in South Asia has seen incredible progress. In October, we shared the transformation of a remote village that now has a thriving church community. This story is just one example of the many lives being changed through our 100 Church Plants Initiative. By training and supporting local leaders, we’re building a legacy of healthy, reproducing churches that will continue to grow and bless their communities. 

The Future Keeps Getting Brighter for the Springbuds

Our Springbuds program has flourished this year, creating safe and nurturing environments for children in need. In June, we celebrated as students began their new school year equipped with fresh bags and shoes, thanks to your generosity. The program continues to provide education, emotional support, and a loving community, empowering children to dream big and break free from cycles of poverty and neglect all while learning about the power of the Gospel. 

Two Incredible Events

2024 was filled with opportunities to connect, celebrate, and support REAP’s mission through two incredible partner events.

Picnic in the Grove

What a night we had at this year’s Picnic in the Grove! Held at Fair Market Austin, this unforgettable evening brought together over 200 attendees for fun, fellowship, and fundraising. The night was packed with activities that had everyone buzzing, from two competitive cornhole tournaments (the GOAT bracket and the Billy bracket) to live music by Will Dupuy and his band. Families enjoyed a petting zoo while attendees of all ages marveled at the live auction hosted by the talented Cowboy Auctioneers.

Beacon for India

In November, nearly 150 partners gathered in Knoxville for our first annual Beacon for India event. This night was a joyful celebration filled with faith and fun, including REAP trivia, a lip-sync competition, and impactful stories about the lives being changed through your support. To everyone who attended, sponsored, or prayed over these events: thank you! Your unwavering support is sowing seeds of faith and making a lasting difference in countless lives.

Thanks to your generosity, through the two events, we raised an astounding $324,000 to support vital programs like the GOATway program, Springbuds, and our church planting efforts. Our ministry on the ground in South Asia is truly thriving because of the generous support of our partners here in the US.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As we reflect on all that’s been accomplished, we’re filled with hope and excitement for the year ahead. Together, we’ve built strong foundations for growth, but the work is far from over. With your continued support, we can extend our reach, transform more communities, and bring the love and transforming power of the Gospel throughout South Asia. 

If you’re inspired by what we’ve achieved together and want to make an impact in 2025, we’d love to have you join us. Whether it’s through prayer, financial support, or spreading the word about our mission, every effort makes a difference.

Click here to learn how you can give and get involved this year.

Thank you for being a vital part of this journey. We are trusting and believing that the best is yet to come!

Help Us Complete the Stone Memorial Building!

This Giving Tuesday, we’re thrilled to share exciting news about the John & Phyllis Stone Memorial building. Thanks to your incredible generosity, we’re just a few steps away from completing this vital project by December 31st!

If you’ve followed this journey, you know how transformative this facility will be for our ministry. Once completed, it will house dormitories, classrooms, offices, and living arrangements for church planters and their spouses, enabling us to train over 100 church-planting disciple-makers every year. This expansion will empower us to grow exponentially, equipping leaders with the tools they need to impact South Asia for generations to come.

The Progress so Far

Since 2021, we’ve raised over $250,000 to bring this vision to life. The funds have been well-used, and the facility is now taking shape! What started as a dream has turned into a tangible reality—a space where future leaders can gather, learn, and prepare to serve communities across the region.

However, as with many construction projects, rising costs due to inflation have brought unexpected challenges. While the initial $250,000 covered much of the project, we now face a $43,000 funding gap to finish the work.

Why This Facility Matters

The John & Phyllis Stone Memorial building is far more than bricks and mortar; it’s a legacy of discipleship and ministry. Inspired by John Stone’s vision and passion for training leaders in South Asia, this facility will serve as the hub for our Indigenous Reproductive Church Plants (IRCP) initiative. It will provide:

• Dormitories: Comfortable living spaces for church planters and their families.

• Classrooms: Equipped to host in-depth theological and practical training.

• Food Services: Supporting the physical needs of trainees during their intensive preparation.

• Production Space: Dedicated areas to create online training materials, expanding our reach beyond physical boundaries.

This project honors the faithful service of John and Phyllis Stone, whose dedication continues to inspire our mission.

How You Can Help

We’re so close to the finish line! Will you prayerfully consider partnering with us to close this $43,000 gap and finish the work?

Your gift—no matter the size—will make a meaningful impact, bringing us closer to completing a facility that will shape the future of church planting across South Asia.

Would you consider sharing this opportunity with your friends and family? Together, we can finish what we’ve started and see this building become a beacon of hope and discipleship for South Asia.

Thank you for your continued partnership in this project. Let’s finish strong—together!

CLICK HERE TO START YOUR DONATION.

Thank You for an Unforgettable Beacon for India Event

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we can’t help but feel incredibly thankful for all of you. Our recent Beacon for India event was an amazing reminder of how much support we have in this mission to bring hope to South Asia. From family and friends reconnecting to new faces joining the journey, it was a night that felt like a true family gathering.

An Evening of Fun, Fellowship, and Faith

We had nearly 150 people come out to support REAP India at our very first annual event in Knoxville! It felt more like a reunion, with so many familiar faces from Berean Bible and folks connected through our founder, John Stone. From a cornhole tournament to fun rounds of REAP trivia, a lip-sing off with 3 youth, and a scavenger hunt that had adults racing around, the evening was filled with laughter, joy, and friendly competition.

Stories of Impact and a Challenge to Join the Mission

Throughout the night, we had some incredible speakers who shared how your support fuels real change:

Pete Stone, John’s son, brought a heartfelt challenge to everyone, encouraging us all to be part of God’s mission in India. Drawing from his military experience, he shared insights on why this work matters deeply.

Our President, Sam Rajkumar, took us through some of the history and vision of our ministry in India, showing us how our efforts are making a lasting difference.

Tom Moore shared about his experience teaching theological classes to Indian pastors, and how the training helps them spread hope in their communities.

Our wonderful emcee, Stephanie, highlighted how every single donation impacts the lives of pastors, children, and communities across South Asia. She spoke about our Goatway Project, which helps pastors start small businesses, and how the funds from this event help sponsor children in our Springbud program, giving them a home, food, and education.

The Power of Every Gift, Big or Small

Whether you were able to give a little or a lot, your generosity means the world to us. Every donation from the event goes directly toward:

• Church Planter Sponsorships – $400 a month trains and supports a pastor in the field.

• The Goatway Project – $3,600 helps a seasoned pastor start a sustainable business by providing a goat herd to support their community.

• Springbud Sponsorships – $150 a month changes a child’s life by covering their housing, food, and schooling.

• Even smaller donations add up to make a huge impact—three people giving $50 a month can fund one Springbud child, and four people giving $100 can support a church planter. 

When we all come together, amazing things happen!

Thank You for Being Part of This Mission

We’re already looking forward to more events like this and to growing our REAP family even more. Your generosity, encouragement, and excitement have filled our hearts. Thank you for coming out, for believing in this mission, and for making a difference.

Here’s to even more lives changed together. Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

The Growing Harvest of Church Planting

Please note: Specific locations and names have been removed for the safety and protection of our team in India. 

Fifteen years ago, our team visited a quiet, remote village in India—a place where few would expect a thriving church community to take root. At that time it was home to a small clinic and there was no permanent church meeting space. On our recent trip, we were deeply moved to witness the transformation. It is now a vibrant community with a growing church, and the development of the area mirrors the spiritual growth that has taken place. Worshiping there was a joyful reminder of how God has worked through our church planting efforts.

During our visit, we spent time with the pastor and his family who have faithfully shepherded this community for years. It was such a blessing to once again join the members of this church for Sunday worship. The unity and passion of these believers are a living testament to what God can accomplish when we remain committed to His mission.

Church Planting: A Vision for Discipling Nations

This is just one example of our broader church planting efforts across South Asia. Our vision is bold and clear: to see one church for every 10,000 people in this region. This is more than just a goal—it’s a commandment to "disciple the nations through churches." As part of this mission, our 100 Church Plants Initiative has become a benchmark for us, fueling our dedication to build and multiply healthy, reproducing churches.

We believe that strategic partnerships and mobilizing passionate leaders are key to making this vision a reality. Every donation to this cause helps train and support church planters, mobilizing them for the work God has called them to do.

The Church Planting Process

1. Surveying and Selecting Leaders
Every church plant begins with prayerful consideration of the location. We start by surveying areas in need of a church presence and then identifying key local leaders from those provinces who are committed to our vision of church multiplication. These leaders are vital to the process as they know the community and have the heart to shepherd their people.

2. Recruiting and Training
The selected leaders go through an intensive vetting process. They are invited to nominate candidates who have shown potential for church planting. These candidates undergo initial training and are sent out for a six-month trial period to determine if they are a good fit for our methods. Only those who remain faithful and diligent during this time are selected for the full three-year program. During these three years, they receive not only training but also financial support, supervision, and mentoring.

3. Planting Churches and Making Disciples
The goal is not just to plant churches but to plant reproducing churches—ones that disciple new believers and raise up new leaders. Each church planter is equipped to establish sustainable and reproducible churches that will continue to grow long after the initial church plant. We believe that by focusing on making disciples, these churches will carry a lasting and far-reaching impact.

A Movement of Multiplication

Our mission is simple but powerful: to plant churches that will plant more churches. Our hope is that each church planter will be fully equipped to continue planting churches throughout their region after completing the program. We’re not interested in simply relocating existing believers—we want to see the gospel take root in new hearts and minds, creating a movement of disciples and churches that will multiply across India and beyond.

From a humble beginning to a flourishing church, we have seen firsthand what happens when God’s people are faithful to His calling. As we press on with our mission, we look forward to seeing countless more communities transformed by the power of the gospel.

Join Us in This Mission

The journey of church planting is far from over. There are still countless villages and communities waiting to hear the Good News, waiting for the light of Christ to reach them. Your support helps us continue this mission. Together, we can see the vision of one church for every 10,000 people become a reality across all of South Asia. Let’s continue to disciple the nations, one church at a time.

Springbuds Fun: Vacation Bible School

As our board’s journey through India continued during their trip this past summer, one of the most heartwarming stops was at one of our Springbuds homes. These homes, a crucial part of our ministry, provide temporary care for children who have been neglected, abandoned, or whose parents are unable to care for them. Thanks to your generous support, these children are not only surviving—they are thriving in a loving, nurturing environment.

The Springbuds Mission: A Safe Haven for the Vulnerable

Our Springbuds program consists of two homes: one for elementary school-aged children, starting as young as four years old, and another for middle and high school-aged kids. These homes serve as a refuge for children in need, offering them a place to live, nutritious food, access to quality education, and spiritual development. Whether the children stay for a few months or a few years, our goal is to ensure that they experience the love of Christ and grow into healthy, joyful individuals.

Playtime and Fellowship

During our visit, the Springbuds children were on a break similar to our winter Christmas break, which gave us a lot of time to spend with them. The day was filled with laughter and joy as we played with balloon animals, balls, and bubbles. Fresh pineapple and jackfruit snacks were a hit. There’s something special about seeing these children, who have faced so much adversity, simply being kids—running, laughing, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

Building for the Future

One of the significant developments we got the chance to see was the ongoing construction of new staff quarters. These quarters are being built on top of the existing dining hall and fellowship area, and everyone is really excited about getting these completed. Living conditions for staff are challenging, and these new quarters will not only improve their quality of life but also help retain the dedicated teachers and staff who are so vital to the success of the Springbuds program. Seeing the progress firsthand was a reminder of how your support is making a tangible difference in this community.

Letters from Donors

Another amazing moment was getting to distribute letters from our donors to each Springbud child. The excitement on their faces as they opened and read the letters was unforgettable. Many of the children took the time to write back to their donor families, a small gesture that reflects the deep connections being formed across continents. These letters are more than just words on paper—they are lifelines of hope and encouragement for these kids. 

Vacation Bible School

Our trip also coincided with preparations for a Vacation Bible School (VBS) event that the Springbuds staff was organizing for the village children. We got to jump in and help and it was inspiring to see the resourcefulness and dedication of the home manager and staff. The children were eager and excited to welcome their peers from the village, ready to share the love and message of Jesus with them.

On the final day of our visit, we helped welcome the village children to the much-anticipated VBS event before departing for our next destination. The joy and excitement of the children—both from the Springbuds home and the village—were contagious. It was a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do, and how important it is to continue nurturing these young lives with the love of Christ.

Our time at Springbuds was a powerful testament to the impact of your prayers and support. These children are not just surviving—they are thriving, learning, and most importantly, they are filled with joy. There truly is no place quite like this, and we are grateful for your partnership in making it a sanctuary of hope and love for these precious children.

If you’d like to start supporting the Springbuds, click here.