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ACCTS is a global ministry to the uniformed services of the world. The following summary of our FY 2015 Annual Report speaks to the volume of ministry that God accomplished through our small staff and limited budget.
Global Interaction 2014 World Conference: In December 2014, 528 military believers from nearly 90 nations gathered in South Africa to for ministry training and fellowship. ACCTS played a significant role in planning, funding, and executing this event, which was hosted by the military Christian fellowship (MCF) of South Africa. Instruction focused on starting and strengthening military Christian fellowships (MCFs); co-ministering with military chaplains; prayer; and serving as a military Christian. The theme was taken from Joshua 1:9 ("Be strong and very courageous. Do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."), so there was also emphasis on raising up the next generation of "Joshua's" to serve as tomorrow's Christian military leaders.
Fellowship of Christian Military Ministries (FCMM): In March, ACCTS hosted the 25th annualgathering of FCMM for military ministryorganizations. 85 representatives from over 50 ministries participated in seeking ways to better communicate, coordinate, cooperate, and collaborate to expand God's kingdom among the military forces of the world.
Exploration Trips: During spring break at the academies, ACCTS mentors took U.S. cadets and midshipmen to China, Jamaica, Japan, Norway, Finland, and Poland to meet their counterparts, learn about integrating their faith with their military careers, and experience new cultures with other future military Christian leaders.
Waterloo to WWII: In June, ACCTS' director led a group of U.S. cadets and midshipmen to visit the battlefields of Western Europe. At each historic site in Belgium and France, they learned not only the history, but also the factors of leadership, ethics, integrity, or character that determined the outcomes.
Interaction-Rocky Mountain High: In July, future military Christian leaders from Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica, and Romania came to Colorado for classroom leadership sessions, visits to U.S. military bases, mountain climbing, and other outdoor activities. During each activity, Bible study, prayer and discussion helped the participants grow spiritually and gain a vision for military ministry.
National MCF Conferences: Throughout the year,ACCTS staff members played key roles in many MCF ministry conferences, helping local leaders plan and execute those events.This is a vital part of ACCTS' mission of helping build healthy and effective MCF's that are independent, indigenouslyled, and connected within their regions. Interaction programs in East Asia andCentral America were well attended and afforded participants both excellent training and an opportunity to discuss best practices for military ministry within and between their countries.
Mission Trips: Staff also traveled to many nations to encourage military Christians and MCF leaders, help MCFs achieve their goals, and train or otherwise support military believers. Nations visited included Belarus, Bulgaria, China, Dominica, El Salvador, Germany, Grenada, Haiti, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Okinawa, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, the U.K., Ukraine, and Vietnam.
Digital Bible Distribution: In partnership with Faith Comes by Hearing, ACCTS staff distributed thousands of digital Bibles to men and women in the armed forces of all 86 nations at Global Interaction 2014, as well as Israel, India, Laos, Moldova, Myanmar, Nepal, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
Mentoring Relationships: Inherent in all of ACCTS' ministries is the mentoring relationships our staff have developed with international military Christians around the globe. The effects of such relational ministry are hard to quantify, but suffice it to say that many senior military Christian leaders developed their vision for ministry in response to one or another of these ACCTS programs. Such relationships are the bedrock of our ministry and God has used them to build His kingdom around the globe.
Blessings: God blessed ACCTS in many ways during the past fiscal year. We finished the year with a small budget surplus for the first time in recent memory. Although we mourned the passing of one of our longest serving staff members, we also rejoiced at the addition of three new staff couples. New ministry partnerships were developed, new ministry concepts emerged, and we wait in eager anticipation to see what the Lord has in store for this year.
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