Streams of Living Water’s founder perseveres through 44 years of ministry
At only 17, Brother Phillip knew God was calling him to be a missionary, but he had no idea what it would look like. Today, 44 years later, he is the founder and president of Streams of Living Water, a OneWay partner ministry that has reached thousands of Muslim people in Africa and the Middle East. How did this happen?
“God could call every one of us in a different way, but the way that He calls us is not as important as knowing Who the Caller is,” Phillip says. His secret to standing firm through setbacks, trials and persecution is not to stubbornly grasp the original plan, but to keep his eyes fixed on Christ.
Phillip began by serving Sudanese refugees during a time of civil war. Hundreds of people would come to receive medical help, deliverance from evil spirits and to hear the gospel from his team.
In 1992, he officially founded Living Water (now Streams of Living Water) in Sudan, with the goal of reaching the Arab world for Christ.
In 1996, Phillip refocused on training the next generation of gospel workers by starting a two-month Basics program. After he was forced out of Sudan, Phillip expanded the Basics program into Tyrannus Missionary Schools (TMS). Today, TMS provides a 7 month training of classroom learning followed by 3 months of outreach experience.
“When you have a system of accountability and a system of mentorship, you are not living the Christian life alone or serving alone,” he says. This model clearly works, since every member of the first graduating class has planted over 20 churches, founded organizations and still follows the Caller. Now, TMS is established in 14 different nations and has sent hundreds of freshly trained missionaries into the field.
Phillip admits that the work in the desert is hot and hard, but John 7:38 says that whoever believes in Christ will have “streams of living water flowing from them.” To Phillip, it isn’t about the hardships, setbacks or even the mission itself — it is all about having his eyes fixed on Christ, who continues to call him.
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Header photo courtesy of upsplash.com.
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