As we step into 2026, let us anchor our hearts in Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.”
The new year is not just a change of the calendar, but a fresh invitation to trust in God’s unwavering faithfulness. As the Apostle Paul stated “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). Whatever 2025 held, whether seasons of blessings or seasons of waiting, you enter 2026 with a Father who goes before you. It is exciting to go places you have never gone and to meet and do things anew. May you walk this year with the peace that surpasses understanding, the courage to pursue your divine calling, and a spirit of gratitude that illuminates even the darkest days. May we seek to recognize the opportunities mingled among our day-to-day paths. May 2026 be a year where you experience His grace in ways more profound than ever before.
Please pray that many souls will be reached for Jesus this year through and because of your church’s love for the lost.
From Our Missionaries
Ebenezer, West Little Rock: Ruben Isturiz writes, “We thank God for the excellent attendance and fellowship we enjoyed during our Christmas Celebration. December was a propitious time to strengthen our communion through home gatherings and moments shared under the Lord’s grace.
“We began 2026 with a very well-attended first service. Currently, we are focusing on a series of messages which address setting goals from a biblical perspective, moving away from purely humanistic approaches.
“This month, we will reactivate our Discovery Bible Groups (DBG). As part of my pastoral work, I dedicate time each January to visiting and praying for each family. My special focus will be to pray for the men in each home, so that they, too, may assume spiritual leadership in their families.
“We deeply appreciate your support during 2025 and look forward to counting on you in this new year. Happy New Year, and may God be glorified!”
Faith Chapel, Flippin: Johnny Shew writes, “What a great week we had at Faith Chapel! We had a lot of folks out sick, but we still had a good number and a wonderful time of worship. We had a great surprise at the altar call; two of our longtime faithful visitors came and joined our mission by letter. We are pleased to welcome Tony and Donna to our number to worship and serve the Lord with us here at Faith Chapel!
“The flooring work is going well, but polishing and staining concrete is slow and tedious work, and it takes a lot of time. But they will be done soon, and we can check one more thing off the list. We really do like the polished floors, though, and they are so easy to maintain. It is worth it.
“We want to wish you all a happy and fruitful New Year! We pray that many will come to know Jesus as their Lord because of your faithfulness this year, in our mission as well as in your churches and associations.
“We thank you for your support and your prayers, and we thank God for you all!”
Faith Journey, Benton: Bryan Clay writes, “Happy New Year from Faith Journey! We are excited to begin 2026 and look forward to what God has in store for us in the new year.
“Our prayer is to continue going deeper into God’s Word, watching lives be transformed, and seeing the ongoing growth of Faith Journey. One of our goals for this year is to expand our community outreach. We want to partner with a couple of local programs that serve the homeless, as well as a ministry that provides support for women and children in need, particularly those facing difficult domestic situations. We are excited to see how God will use these opportunities to serve and love others.
“Our children’s ministry continues to be a joy to watch as they grow in their faith and put it into action. Recently, one of our church ladies has been experiencing health issues. Our children gave her a bouquet of flowers and created a handmade “get well” card for her. They were thrilled to be able to show love and encouragement to her in this way. It is a blessing to see our kids learning what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ.
“In our small group lesson this week, we took time to reflect on what God has done in our lives during 2025. Sometimes we don’t fully recognize His work until we take a moment to look back.
“As we look forward into this new year, we eagerly anticipate how God will continue to work among us. We are praying for spiritual growth and for lives to be transformed in 2026. Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. We are grateful to be on this journey together.”
Misión Gracia Soberana (Sovereign Grace), NWA:Roberto Marcelletti writes, “Happy New Year to all who read this report. We begin a new year with many projects and goals to continue the task, make disciples, and consolidate the group of brothers and sisters into members.
“We had our first service of the year; not all the brothers were there, which is understandable. Among the good things, a new family — Ismsel and Ana — joined our church yesterday, and I was able to talk with them. They asked us to pray because they plan to invite their daughter and husband, who are also looking for a church. We also had a new family visit us: Luis, Eneida, her children, and Eneida’s mother. I ask for your prayers so I can follow up with them. I also ask for your prayers so that the people who visit us can persevere.”
Epic Life, Pea Ridge: Jake McCandless writes, “It’s a small start, but it is exactly what we want to see with Epic Life, and it is the fruit of lots of prayer and effort. Two things came into play this past Friday to make an impact for the kingdom, and we hope a lasting impact will be seen through Epic Life. Co-leaders and hosts of our Garfield Connection Group, Rodney and Melinda, have been relentless in their outreach and prayer for others over their time with their group. They were able to see one of the first people they invited come to their group this week, a former co-worker of Rodney. The couple had been invited multiple times early on. Then the week before, Rodney got a call to help clean a deer, and while there, he extended the invitation to come to the Bible Study, and the former co-worker and his wife committed. The problem was that there was no Connection Group that week. Our groups weren’t meeting. But we practice going ‘two by two,’ so they called their co-leader, Tara, who was able to come, and they had a powerful night. It showed the power of continually reaching out and going two by two.
“We also had our ‘Discover + Prepare Night’ where we are fusing elements of my work with Stand Firm and prophecy teaching as an outreach. We will be launching both our ‘Discover + Connect Nights’ and ‘Discover + Prepare Nights’ starting this month.
“And wow! Thank you to everyone who has given. A donor stepped forward and provided us with the $2,000 needed to launch our outreach this spring. We have also received additional donations to help us maintain that support monthly — thank you! We still welcome support for this outreach as we grow the church in two ways — through our groups as we do now and through more traditional outreach efforts. Thank you, BMA of Arkansas, for your help and support.”
