CHANGING LIVES FOR big destinies DreamThe dream fulfilled means we dream again Fall 2020 A publication of globalservants Travis Rutland President Dr. Mark Rutland Founder Rev. Ronny Brannen Chief of Staff Tyler Ellis Chief Operations Officer Tim Rutland Chief Financial Officer Fay Inman Advocacy Coordinator Aaron Hart Communications Coordinator / Editor COVER SHOT Photographer: Michael Owusu Location: Kumasi, Ghana Equipment: Canon EOS Rebel T7, EF-S 18-55mm, f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens. (1/100 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 100, 32mm) Situation: Martha in her new Kente’ dress that was made especially for her by a local seamstress. Each year the girls pick the design & material in celebration of their cultural heritage. 888-823-8772 Global Servants 20 Satellite Drive Winder, GA 30680 [email protected] CONNECT WITH US: globalservants.org /globalservants PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. © 2020 Global Servants, Inc. All rights reserved. All terms, statements, policies and practices inclusive and applicable to all websites, promotional and print materials owned by Global Servants, Inc., including, but not limited to, domain names, content, branding, intellectual property, business identity, personal identity, text, Michael Owusu images, site access statistics, names, logos, of any owned © or associated, including, but not limited to, all other domains, copyright, and/or trademark property of Global2 Servants, weServe Inc. | FALL 2020 Contents/Fall 2020 features 04 Thirty-Three One-Dollar Bills The most important contribution Global Servants ever received by Dr. Mark Rutland 08 News & Updates From HQ The work of Global Servants continues by Rev. Ronny Brannen 10 The Caring Place Change our world by reaching the one by Jon Susa 16 Create A Lasting Legacy The future of Global Servants is right there in our heart by Mark Hale 23 2020 Hasn’t Slowed Down Global Servants We are moving forward & growing by Tyler Ellis 26 Dream As we achieve a dream we are constantly calling out to God for a new dream and a new vision. by Travis Rutland ad features 07 Experience The NICL 12 The Leader’s Notebook Podcast 20 Resources globalservants.org 3 From The Founder / Thirty-Three One-Dollar Bills The most important contribution Global Servants ever received BY DR. MARK RUTLAND n interviewer once asked me, “What moment. I knew right then Alison and I were going to made you start Global Servants? Look at have to talk more honestly than ever before about our all that has been accomplished in so many future and our calling. We were so young (30 and 28 countries. Was that always the plan? Was to be precise). We were also dedicated, and not a little there some precise moment or a particular dreamy-eyed about the work of full-time traveling event where you knew it was time to launch such a ministry. We spent the next few days trying to get to ministry?”A Yes, there was a precise moment. It wasn’t a the bottom line. At least to FIND the bottom line. very supernatural moment, and it was too complicated Were we called? Were we ready to get paid $33 a week? to explain in a TV interview. But, here in this column, And was that the right question? I can tell you. I remember exactly when I knew it was When I asked the Bishop of the North Georgia time to start this work. It was in 1977. Conference of the United Methodist Church to appoint I was pastoring a small United Methodist church me Conference Evangelist, he said, and I quote, “If and considering resigning to begin an evangelistic that’s what you want, I’ll make the appointment, but ministry. One particular week I preached revival you’ll starve. You understand? You’ll go totally broke.” services at a church in another state. Sunday morning Was that bishop numbered among the prophets? we through Friday night, twice a day, every day. Twelve asked ourselves. The $33 honorarium certainly seemed services. I preached each night, and the morning to bear him witness. What we knew was we needed a services were an hour and a half Bible studies. After plan, a way to do what we felt God was calling us to the Friday night service as I left the church, the pastor do, and if at all possible, NOT starve while doing it. handed me a suspiciously thin envelope, and said, The plan we came up with, the plan we believed “We took an offering at all the services morning and God gave us, was simple. Simple that is IF, and it evening. After deducting for your meals and motel, was a huge IF, God’s grace would move on the hearts here is what is left.” The envelope contained thirty- of His people to help us. That is always an excellent three one-dollar bills. I had to drive all night to get test of any plan one thinks is from God. Those who home because $33 wouldn’t pay for a night on the think they have God’s plan must be willing to let God road and the gas and the wild extravagance of a Waffle confirm it with His provision. House meal along the way. The plan was simply this. Form a non-profit, Ah, the glamorous life of a young Methodist invite some folks to serve as its board, and raise the evangelist. I am not whining. I’m reminiscing with money for my support outside of ministry settings. In a deep gratitude about how Global Servants began. other words, my family’s support would not depend That moment, sitting there in my car with thirty-three on offerings. I could preach anywhere, even in the one-dollar bills in my hand was actually the watershed smallest churches in the poorest countries, and my » 4 weServe | FALL 2020 © Photo Supplied Alison by Rutland globalservants.org 5 salary would not change. Dr. Mark Rutland, Travis Rutland, and The plan also begged another question. What if the offerings Sammy Odarno in Ghana in 1989 and honoraria were to exceed, perhaps far exceed the salary set by the board? That seemed highly unlikely to me in 1977. Not to Alison. She was the one with the faith. She said from the very beginning that it would happen. What we knew was that we had to commit ourselves to the plan. If people gave, if God were in this and it took off, and there were funds generated beyond our support, what would we do with them? We had to answer that question in our hearts before it became a reality, which it quickly did. Missions was the answer. It was our first answer, and the answer has never changed. Every copy of every one of my books that has ever been sold, all the cassette tapes (when tapes were a thing), the CDs (when those were a thing), the love offerings and honoraria, all the money raised at more than 350 couples conferences, the women’s retreats Alison did, the National Institute of Christian Leadership and all the rest... ALL that went to missions because our support would be taken care of. The plan was simple, and God was in it. People, wonderful, generous Spirit-filled people gave and are still giving, and the plan worked. Since 1977, Global Servants has built churches, clinics, and schools in multiple countries such as Peru, Mexico, India, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Benin, and Togo. Many of these we built for other ministries, mostly indigenous works, and we were delighted and honored to do so. Of course, House of Grace in Thailand and Ghana, and all the churches in West Africa are still under our leadership. Now, under Travis’ capable presidential leadership, the international mission work of Global Servants continues to grow and be blessed. Thanks be to God. Looking back on it, I now believe that a $33.00 offering may have been the most important offering I ever received. With God, simple plans make for great service, and little is much. Dr. Mark Rutland is the Founder of Global Servants. He is a New York Times Best Selling author, educator, charismatic leader, businessman and a nationally recognized figure in Christian higher education. Dr. Rutland has been married to his wife Alison for more than 50 years now. They reside in the greater Atlanta area. For more information about Dr. Rutland please visit (drmarkrutland.com) and follow him on Twitter (@drmarkrutland). © Photo Supplied Alison by Rutland 6 weServe | FALL 2020 Experience The NICL Transform your life and ministry The National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL) was designed to be a yearlong intensive leadership training to take your ministry and personal leadership to the next level. This four session course was created for church, ministry, and Christian business leaders. The main goal of the NICL is to provide pastors and leaders practical application to succeed in any environment while focusing on the life lessons that seminary training often lacks. You are one Dr. Rutland highly recommends attending with your staff. Learning as a team will multiply your efforts step away from and help sustain momentum as you lead. exponential growth in your Dr. Mark Rutland is the Founder and Executive Director of the National Institute of Christian Leadership. He is a New York Times ministry, business Best Selling author, educator, charismatic leader, businessman and a nationally recognized figure in Christian higher education. & personal life. “I have learned more in these four sessions FOR MORE than I had in 25 years of ministry. Every INFORMATION class is worth the investment!” – Ken A. Senior Pastor please visit: theNICL.com, call: (888)823-8772, or “The NICL was pivotal in our leadership E-mail: [email protected] and the turn around of our church.” – Jamie A.