February 2024
Growing in Christ Academy
I’m Jonas Brenneman. Tyler Dick and I are instructors with Growing in Christ Academy. It is an honor and joy to help get this school up and running. We take studying Scripture seriously since Jesus desires all people to know Him and follow His teaching.
Our goal is to remove barriers and make the process of understanding Scripture as simple as possible so people can grow in their relationship with God and, in turn, disciple others. We meet people right where they are and help them learn more about the Scriptures and how to live out those teachings in their everyday lives.
We have taken several students through the course Dynamic Christian Spirituality and are now engaged in a second course, Prayer Foundations. It is going great, and we will continue to add courses of study as we build the Academy. The teaching is a combination of Scripture reading, video teaching, and sharing what is learned through a weekly group video chat.
Students love the content and the simplicity of the layout, but consistently say their favorite part is the group discussions. This is where learning truly comes to life. One student shared how thankful they were for a group where they can learn together and pray for one another. Others have said that the level of commitment is manageable, even with busy schedules that include work and family responsibilities.
It is a privilege to be a part of these students’ faith journeys.
Are you interested in learning more? Visit https://mapministry.org/ways-we-serve/growing-in-christ-academy/
The Plowman's Academy
What an exciting year for The Plowman’s Academy. Our students have been incredibly active. They doubled the number of completed courses and sent five times as many referrals compared to previous years. This growth significantly increased the number of new students who signed up in 2023.
Another blessing has been the completion of stage one of a long-anticipated project. Thanks to the generosity of one individual, we sent the first Bible lesson in the ABCs for Christian Growth course to 33,000 Amish homes. We are still receiving completed lessons, and some students are already on their fifth lesson in the course.
We thought you might enjoy hearing what our students are saying about studying the Bible:
“This lesson was very great on making me realize how important it is to know that we do not deserve eternal life. Just to give myself up and live in faith and trust.” — C.P.
“This lesson has been a wonderful blessing and comfort to me going through adversity. Even though it feels I’m so alone, I know God is right here with me, and that is all I need.” — E.C.
Please pray that our students would remain faithful in studying the Word of God and that they would continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
New Beginnings Homestead
What a busy year for New Beginnings. We began slowly with two girls living in the homestead, but the pace quickly increased. During 2023, we were blessed to provide a safe place for eight women. Each young lady came with different needs and was at a unique place in her relationship with Christ.
Throughout the year, six of the girls enrolled in MAP’s GED program, and three have already graduated. Two are continuing their education—one attending community college in Indiana and another pursuing EMT training. We are excited to see where these opportunities will lead them.
We could not have accomplished all of this without the partnership of Beyond Measure Market. Seven of the girls who lived at New Beginnings began working at the market as their first job. This allowed them to gain stability and prepare for their next steps without the stress of finding employment right away.
Looking back at each girl’s story fills us with joy as we see the growth and progress they have made. Each one has set personal goals and worked hard to achieve them. We are incredibly proud of them.
Thank you to everyone who has supported New Beginnings Homestead and partnered with us through prayer. As we step into 2024, please pray that each girl who comes here will grow in her spiritual walk and accomplish great things.