This year looks to be one of great change for the Shuler’s! While the word CHANGE often times can feel overwhelming and scary, we have learned to embrace change with open arms because it is in those times that our faith is tested and we get the privilege of choosing to live fully dependent on God which is the only way that we experience the full abundant life He desires for us to have.
With that being said, since before we were married, Rance and I both knew that full-time ministry would be a part of our future but we never felt freedom from the Lord to pursue that or clarity on what this future role would look like for our family. Over the last few years, we have both prayed for wisdom and discernment on what God’s will and calling was for our family specifically. During these years of praying, we have worked alongside of a ministry called Eternal Truth Ministries (ETM) and have been committed to making disciples. During a summer move to Indiana in 2013 to assist ETM in restoring a local church there, the Lord began unfolding and providing glimpses of what He was asking of our family. Through much waiting and seeking, the Lord has given direction and freedom to pursue this next chapter in our lives and we are excited to share it with all of you.
As of the beginning of June, our family was approved before the board members of Eternal Truth Ministries in partnering with them as full-time missionaries committed to the vision of making disciples and restoring the spiritual vigor to the local church. Our mentor, Colin, who is the President and founder of Eternal Truth Ministries has committed and continues to commit endless time in training and equipping Rance and I for our roles in the ministry and for Rance’s upcoming ordination on November 7th and 8th of this year. We are excited about this opportunity because God has richly grown us and blessed us through this ministry and impacted our lives tremendously, as well as many others.
Why Eternal Truth Ministries? The heartbeat and vision of this ministry is solely based on the model that Jesus left us in Scripture. Jesus spent His entire earthly ministry committed to training and equipping 12 men who He would later leave behind to spread the Gospel and “be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8) and “to make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Yes, Jesus performed miracles and healed and preached to the masses but He primarily focused His time on training these 12 men and leaving behind a perfect model of what it looks like to love the Father and be the servant of all. Can you imagine if every believer was discipled on the Word of God and how to practically live it out?!?! We wholeheartedly believe in the vision of ETM which is based on the eternal truth of God’s Word. We will continue to live in Robbinsville since our ‘home base’ is here; however, the focus of this ministry is not just Robbinsville but around the world. The discipleship tool that we use to train and equip others was written over a span of 10 years by Colin which we refer to as the models. It is a thorough study of scripture that has now been translated into 8 different languages. We currently have leaders trained in other countries such Romania, Ukraine, Africa, Italy, etc. that are committed to making disciples in their country.
What’s next?
Rance resigned at the end of the 2014-2015 school year (at the beginning
of June) after 8 years of teaching 7th graders and coaching the high
school and middle school cross country teams but we are so thankful he was able
to finish out his last school year well and transition quickly into his new
role within ETM. I just recently
resigned from the job I have had since college, working at a CPA firm, and I am
thankful as well that I was able to finish well and transition all of my
clients before my departure. From all
worldly perspectives, quitting our full-time jobs and joining a support based
ministry seems crazy but we are moving forward in faith knowing with full
confidence that this is what the Lord is calling our family to and we could not
be more excited to walk by faith in this journey.
“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. “For yet a little while, He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back…” Hebrews 10:35-39
-For a prayer support team
-For a committed monthly financial support team for our family
Thank you for sharing in this walk of faith with us – we are delighted to know each of you!
Please email us anytime at rancesfaithisinjesus@gmail.com or jenniferbshuler@gmail.com and let us know if you would like to be included on our prayer update letter. In addition, we would love to know how we can pray for you in your journey of faith with the Father as well.
In Christ Becoming,
Rance, Jenni, & Jayden
