Board of Directors Update
March 2022

CULTURELink’s Board of Directors (BOD) regularly reviews and evaluates our ministry’s activities and finances in view of its mission. In the two years since our last state-of-the-ministry report, CULTURELink, along with the rest of the world, has experienced significant challenges and changes to normal operations. The BOD offers this report to our seminar alumni, prayer and financial investors, and ministry partners to keep you up to date regarding the health, activities, and growth of CULTURELink.

(You can also download a copy of this report in PDF format here.)

On January 11, 2022, CULTURELink’s founder Larry Ragan and his wife Karen were vacationing in Florida. While out for a walk, Larry was struck by an out-of-control moped. After being taken to the emergency room, he was airlifted to a Miami hospital and admitted to the trauma unit. He sustained a fractured scapula, five broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a torn MCL on the left knee, and sutures and staples to his head. After six days in the hospital, he was released and began recovering at home. Eight weeks and many physical therapy sessions and doctors’ appointments later, he has made significant progress. He still has discomfort from the damaged ribs and muscles; his knee will take more time to heal, and he is still experiencing mild post-concussive issues, but his healing has been miraculous. He has been cleared to drive, fly, and work. After canceling two training seminars due to the accident, he recently taught again. To Karen’s amazement, Larry has been a good patient and is balancing work and his ongoing fatigue well.

As you are well aware, the ongoing disruptions COVID-19 has caused have dragged on for two years. When everything came to a halt in March 2020, multiple seminars and trips had to be postponed or canceled. Our calendar continued to look different in 2021. Because a large portion of CULTURELink’s income comes from seminars, the BOD has been concerned about the effect these disruptions, including Larry’s accident, have on the ministry. However, since the onset of the pandemic, CULTURELink has made a commitment to continually “move toward ministry” and live by one of Larry’s guiding principles: “In your biggest time of need, GIVE!” Over the last two years, CULTURELink has done just that.

When the world was reeling from lockdowns and supply chain issues, CULTURELink provided the resources to care for 450 persecuted Christian families in Pakistan, helping to provide for their daily needs. When Mikindani Royal Kids School in Mombasa, Kenya, was forced to shut down, we committed to cover the salaries of its sixty-five-member staff for four months. Every time CULTURELink’s operating balance dipped below normal levels, the organization invested into the nations. Each time—miraculously—financial gifts arrived to sustain the needs of CULTURELink’s staff and commitments. In the last two years, CULTURELink has invested more resources in the nations than ever. The end result is that CULTURELink finished both 2020 and 2021 with a balance that almost matched that of December 2019. Only God, through your generosity, made this possible.

During the uncertainty of these last two years, the BOD and staff held fast to CULTURELink’s mission to make disciples of those who make disciples of all nations. However, to fulfill its mission, the ministry expressions had to adapt. Online workshops were formed, allowing global leaders to be equipped in areas such as Caring for Global Workers and Effectively Mobilizing the Church. Hours were spent counseling, guiding, and caring for missionaries as they faced disruptions to their global work. CULTURELink continued to equip those who equip the nations and care for those who care for the nations. Through it all, God provided the creativity and resources to stay on mission.

This July, CULTURELink will mark its twelfth year of ministry. In June, Ryan Hurlburt will celebrate his eleventh anniversary at CULTURELink. Under Larry’s leadership, with seminars back on the calendar and travel opening up again, responsibilities are being shifted. Ryan has humbly, willingly, and excellently spent ten years supporting Larry’s vision and growing in his knowledge of global missions. This month, Ryan will assume the lead role of consultant to one of our church partners, helping them develop and refine their global outreach ministry. He is sharing more of the responsibility to represent CULTURELink and conduct workshops at multiple conferences across the US. In addition, Ryan is sharing the teaching load and overseeing more of CULTURELink’s day-to-day operations.

What does this mean for the Ragans? While Larry is still involved in the aforementioned activities, he and Karen are now empty nesters. This provides a reservoir of two resources now available to them: time and availability. Larry and Karen want to steward these well and use them to further CULTURELink’s mission. Therefore, the Ragans are hoping to spend more time overseas. While invitations to conduct retreats or week-long conferences abound, they are often asked to stay abroad for longer periods of time. Their increased availability will allow the Ragans to invest in the lives of others not only from a stage, but from personal counseling and mentoring opportunities with global workers.

To that end, the Ragans will spend the month of April in Jordan, Turkey, and Northern Cypress. In Jordan, they will meet with the leadership of Marka Church—an Iraqi, Syrian, and Jordanian congregation—to encourage believers and strategically plan pastors’ conferences for 2022 and 2023. In Turkey, Larry will meet with Iranian Christian refugees, helping them develop their ministry to plant Persian churches. In Northern Cypress, they will participate in the Groundwork Conference, an annual gathering of 500–800 global workers who meet for four days of prayer, teaching, and worship as they focus on reaching the Muslim world for Christ. Karen, who volunteers year-round on Groundwork’s leadership team, will serve on the conference’s administrative team. Larry will provide pastoral care and counseling to these servants who work in the toughest and most persecuted regions of the world for Christians.

As CULTURELink’s BOD, it is an honor to watch Ryan grow in his leadership capabilities. We are also happy to see Larry free to utilize his unique blend of strategic thinking, administrative ability, teaching skills, and systems engineering background, all combined with his shepherd’s heart, to develop those who are developing the church across the globe.

The BOD is confident about the integrity with which CULTURELink utilizes the resources God entrusts to the organization. Our financial accountability structure is diligently followed. In addition to our financial resources, the board is also committed to deploy our human resources—Ryan and Larry—wisely.

The needs of our international expressions are growing. As mentioned, the Ragans depart for the Middle East on April 1. Ryan is leading a team to Costa Rica in April, as well. Invitations to Albania, Romania, the Middle East, and Central and South America are in the queue for 2022 and 2023. Therefore, with confidence, the board invites you to invest in CULTURELink’s ministry in the following ways:

1. Commit to pray for the overall ministry of CULTURELink—its vision, mission, and staff.
2. If you are a monthly donor, consider increasing your monthly gift as our opportunities grow.
3. Make a one-time gift toward the $65,000 annual international fund for global partnerships and projects. For more information visit culturelinkinc.org/global-partners. This fund not only assists with trips already on the calendar; it will also place CULTURELink in the position to say yes to more invitations in the future.
4. Finally, visit our blog to read the 2020 and 2021 year-end reports and celebrate how God provided for and worked through CULTURELink during these challenging last two years.

With gratitude from CULTURELink’s Board of Directors,
Lindsay Baker, Chuck Thompson, and David Wiggin