Emmanuel International

THEY SAID IT COULDN’T LAST! NOVEMBER 7, 2024

Psalm 71:8 ESV. “My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.”

From Mark Middleton: 

“They” (observers) said it wouldn’t, it just couldn’t last. From a human perspective, there was good reason for “their pessimistic perspective”—the individuals who were there at the start, the methodologies, the limited resources, and the organized chaos which accompanies a new beginning. Three principles stand out from those early years:   

*The unapologetic focus on empowering a younger generation to, in the power of the Spirit, influence people towards God—in line with the “Jesus Revolution” at the time.

*The unapologetic focus on the heart identity of the individual first and the skills of the individual second—recognizing God produces the results.

*The concept of true Christian partnership—that all of God’s children, His church, were equal in value, necessary for what God wanted to do in this generation, and that we were responsible to and for each other—to meet the “physical and spiritual needs of a given region.

 The world, generational causes, methods, individuals, and partnerships have all changed since 1975. However, the founding essence of EI is still there. The original observers would be impressed. Not because EI will exist forever, but
because the Spirit’s influence through EI will. 'He who begins a good work in you, will keep it going until the day of Jesus Christ.' Philippians 1:6"

Mark Middleton was International Program Director for EI from 1977-1986 then General Director from 1986-1997. 

Where it all started

September 12, 2024

The Letters of Patent declaring Emmanuel Relief and Rehabilitation International to be a recognized charitable organization is dated September 11, 1975.  September 12, 2024 begins our 50th year, our Jubilee year!  In the Bible, every 50th year was a reset year, a year of rest. The Jubilee was a year of acknowledging Sovereign God, His grace, His provision, His heart for His people.  

With Samuel of old, on the 12th of September 2024, join us in raising our Ebenezer; for truly, ‘hitherto has the LORD helped us.” 

 I Samuel 7:12:  “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the LORD helped us.”