To Our Supporters and Ministry Partners,
Each year, the Board of Directors (BOD) of CULTURELink takes a day to closely review and evaluate CULTURELink’s activities and finances in view of our mission. The BOD wants to offer this state-of-the-ministry report to our seminar alumni, prayer and financial investors, and ministry partners as we fulfill our mission to make disciples of those who will make disciples of all nations.
Board of Directors'
Accountability Report
The BOD’s priority is to promote open communication and accountability in every area of CULTURELink’s ministry. BOD members meet one-on-one with CULTURELink founder, Larry Ragan, throughout the year for ongoing accountability. On November 5, 2019, the BOD held its annual meeting to evaluate all facets of CULTURELink.
- 2019 marks CULTURELink’s ninth year of ministry. CULTURELink is faithfully staying in line with its mission, vision, and purpose.
- 2,099 alumni have completed both global project and short-term mission trip leadership training, now mobilizing multiple teams to and impacting 125 nations.
- International partnerships include Kenya, Costa Rica, El Salvador, The Atlanta Dream Center, Lebanon, and multiple countries in North Africa and the Middle East.
- Consulting services are in process with three churches in the areas of policies and procedures, international partnership development, church mobilization, and the training and discipleship of short-term teams. Four additional churches and organizations are in the pipeline for 2020.
- The BOD met with Larry Ragan and Ryan Hurlburt to review their activities and gain insight into both their ministries and personal lives.
- Financial reports for the last nine years were reviewed, indicating the continued growth of the ministry. An outside nonprofit bookkeeping firm continues to provide a monthly review of every financial transaction. Each year, this firm passes the books to a CPA nonprofit specialist to prepare IRS filings. Outside accountability protects the staff and ministry of CULTURELink as it adheres to the practices recommended by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). The BOD found all finances to be in order.
- CULTURELink recently completed the biennial compliance process with Georgia’s Office of Secretary of State, Securities and Charities Division. After financial records and IRS 990 filings from the past three years were submitted, CULTURELink was found to be in 100% compliance and was again issued its Charitable Organization Permit on September 11, 2019.
- CULTURELink recently applied and was approved to become a Resource Provider for the Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Missions (SOE), an affiliate of MissioNexus.
A detailed year-end report will be provided in January 2020 to all CULTURELink donors. A copy will be sent to the IRS with our annual 990 filing.
Deeper Involvement in
North Africa & the Middle East
The BOD would like to highlight one new developing area in which we see God guiding CULTURELink to make disciples of those who will make disciples of all nations. In 2018, Larry and Karen Ragan were invited to attend a conference in Thailand; they were invited again in 2019 in Turkey to minister to 750 Christian workers who serve in the most challenging, Christian-persecuted areas of the world. As a result, opportunities are developing for CULTURELink to train, equip, and care for global servants reaching the Muslim world in North Africa and the Middle East.
During the conferences, these Christian workers cried out in intercession for the Muslim world. Specific prayer focuses in 2019 included Turkey, all of West Africa, and the Islamic areas of China. The Ragans participated in smaller breakout groups, including those focused on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Indonesia, Lebanon, and Libya. Karen helped manage conference details as she served on the administrative team, and Larry had multiple pastoral care and counseling appointments with workers from Chad, Holland, US, Libya, Jordan, Indonesia, Macedonia, Lebanon, Turkey, and KSA.
As a result of relationships forged in these conferences, CULTURELink has been invited to provide training for BAM (Business as Missions) and B4T (Business for Transformation) workers. BAM and B4T utilize strategies that allow Christian workers to serve in closed-to-Christianity regions as legal work-visa employees. God is using these creative means to mobilize workers around the globe, and He is using CULTURELink to train, equip, and care for these servants. Additionally, in June, Larry was asked to teach a conference on suffering and temptation to sixty Lebanese and Syrian Christian refugee relief leaders. He joined his home church on a short-term trip to serve these workers in partnership with a nationally ran NGO whose focus is on Syrian refugees.
The BOD is highlighting CULTURELink’s activity in North Africa and the Middle East because we believe God is extending these invitations to us for His purposes. As you read this letter, the Ragans are in Egypt and Jordan making disciples of those who make disciples. To respond to our North Africa and Middle East initiatives, the BOD has approved the investment of a larger portion of CULTURELink’s international budget in the region; we would love for you to join us.
Continued Involvement, International Efforts,
and Year-End Giving
The BOD is pleased to report that CULTURELink remains financially healthy. Our greatest challenge lies not in where we are today, but in resourcing the opportunities that lie ahead. To our ongoing partners: please continue serving with us through your sacrificial investments. To our alumni and others: the BOD encourages you join us with a one-time and/or monthly financial support. In additional to CULTURELink’s overall budget, the BOD has approved an annual budget that designates $65,000 for international projects to allow our staff to respond to the global initiatives that come to us.
Prayerfully consider investing in CULTURELink with monthly and/or a one-time gift as the end of the year approaches.
Thank you for being part of the CULTURELink family! Through your support of CULTURELink, God is using you to impact the world with the love of Jesus Christ.
The CULTURELink Board of Directors:
Lindsay Baker
Chuck Thompson
Dave Wiggin