Seth & Emily Phippen Newsletter (Fall 2024)
Germany - YWAM
Today, Germany is one of the most popular destinations for immigrants in the world, with well over one million people moving there each year. The team of 20 teenagers that Emily and I led to Germany this summer experienced this as we served people from many different countries.
The first part of our time in Germany we partnered with YWAM (Youth with a Mission) Nuremberg for ministry outreach and some construction around their campus. Our team loved meeting and interacting with people from the Middle East, Africa and Asia who came to a cafe hosted at YWAM. Our team sang songs and Jack and Jackson, two of our teens, shared their personal testimony of how Jesus changed their lives.
The team served in many ways during our time with YWAM including ministry in a park, painting and plastering, prayer walks around the city of Nuremberg, food distribution for needy people, and much more.
Our time in Nuremberg was a great experience for our team to see the various ways that God can use people to serve and minister to others. Our team wishes that our time with YWAM could have been longer because it offered such amazing ministry opportunities.
Germany – Fire of Friendship
After leaving YWAM, we traveled a few hours north to partner with Fire of Friendship, a ministry from Ukraine. They organized a week-long youth camp with over 60 Ukrainian youth. Some of the young adult leaders were the same people I worked with in Germany last year when I helped at the Fire of Friendship camp! The camp’s theme was ‘Real Life,’ emphasizing the importance of using every opportunity to choose Jesus, live for Him, and make our lives count for eternity.
Our team from Teen Missions was divided into the various Fire of Friendship teams so that there were two or three members from our team on each of the Ukrainian teams for the duration of the camp. This brought challenges because there were never enough people to help translate from Ukrainian into English, but it also brought so much laughter, stronger bonding between the teens and more opportunities for one-on-one connections. Teens from both nationalities found creative ways to communicate and have fun with each other regardless of the language obstacle. The most impactful moments were witnessing many of them open their hearts to Christ, whether for the first time or through rededication. These experiences were powerful reminders of God’s grace at work, even in the most challenging circumstances.
Our time this summer with our teens from Teen Missions was a great success. We saw them grow in their relationships with the Lord, a love for His Word, a desire to serve people, and a desire to serve the Lord as missionaries! It’s a joy for Emily and me to work alongside teens and help them grow in their faith, and we are able to do this because of those who partner with us.
Thank you for partnering with these 20 teens from around the USA and Canada through Emily and me to change lives in Germany from all over the world!
Family
This summer, Emily and I took the kids with us to Germany along with our team. We are so grateful for how God used the teens on our team to serve and care for our children. The teens embraced our kids and helped them in countless ways throughout the summer. Our children truly enjoyed serving alongside the teens and were eager to participate in whatever the team was doing!
Emily has begun homeschooling the kids this year. James is entering 5th grade, Lauren is starting 4th grade, Emma is in 1st grade, and Sadie is beginning Pre-K. On the first day, James and Lauren were asked what they were most excited about for the school year. James humorously said he was looking forward to the end of the year, while Lauren expressed excitement for the learning experience throughout the year. This shows the difference in perspective between the two of them in regards to school!
I continue to oversee the Teen Missions Country Coordinators in each of the countries where TMI is located. We are in regular communication with them, ensuring they have everything they need to successfully run the ministry in their country. We provide training, accountability and counseling. We have a unique opportunity to speak into the lives of our national staff since we lived overseas for seven years.
You are making a difference!
All these things that we have shared are only possible because of the partnership team that we have. If you’re interested in supporting this work that God is doing, contact us and learn more about how you can get involved. We are looking for individuals, families and churches that would partner with us financially.
Praise:
- Thank God for all that He has done through the ministry of Teen Missions through teens all around the world this summer.
- God has given us joy in the ministry that we are part of and a great family through the Teen Missions staff in Florida.
- For our partnership team and all the ministry that has taken place because of them.
Prayer:
- Please pray for YWAM and Fire of Friendship as they serve God through various ways in Germany and Ukraine.
- Pray for God to work in the lives of the teens that we discipled this summer to grow up in Him and to let their lights shine wherever they are.
- Pray for our family that God would establish our steps every day.
Thank you for your unwavering support of Teen Missions work. Your prayers, letters, messages, and financial contributions are essential to the ministry God is doing through us. Your dedication to making a difference in the lives of young people around the world is truly inspiring.
Thank you for your involvement. We could not do this without you.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Seth & Emily Phippen, James, Lauren, Emma, and Sadie
Contact us:
Email – [email protected]
Cell – 321-222-8136
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