26
Sep 2025
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I want to start by saying thank you.
My heart is genuinely full of gratitude. The number of people who have seen the needs of our workers and their families around the world, and responded with such enthusiasm, moves me. You are not alone in that. There are people all over this country who see that same need, and they have jumped at the opportunity to partner with us as we build the systems to meet it.
One of the things I keep hearing, in rooms across the country, is something like this: "I am so thankful that Rivergate built the system for us to do what was already in our hearts to do." That is the privilege of this work. It is our privilege to partner with you, and through you, to serve workers and families around the world who have given their lives to this calling.
In 2025, the Scholars Fund completed its inaugural year. Forty-one children of Antioch missionaries and church staff received scholarships, representing 34 families across 11 countries and 8 Antioch US churches. Over $141,000 went directly to students.
I want to share something with you from one of those students. His name is Elijah.
"The most significant lesson I have learned in my college career is the value of trying. Early on, I realized that the opportunities that shaped me most came from having the courage to put my name out there: joining organizations, running for offices, taking on scary roles, and saying yes to new experiences. Nothing in life would change when I stayed comfortable; it happened when I was willing to risk failure in pursuit of experience and adventure. Being unafraid of failure led me to become a National Merit Scholar, meet new people, run an IBC company, and earn the Vice Presidency of my fraternity. I love trying. By trying new things, I discovered what I enjoy, what I excel at, and where I need to improve. It has led me to add a second major in MIS, discover new interests in my Economics major, and mold my plans for my career. My college experience, especially this past year, has taught me that confidence is built through action, not stagnancy, and that progress comes from showing up, adapting, and being unafraid to make mistakes."
That is exactly who the Scholars Fund is for.
As of today, we have 33 completed applications for the 2026 Scholars Fund cycle, with another 17 in process. If all 50 are completed and approved, that would be a meaningful increase over last year's 41 recipients.
Our goal this year is $200,000 in scholarships. Last year, we gave $141,000. The gap between those two numbers is the work in front of us.
We have received $51,000 toward our 2026 goal, which means $149,000 remains. What we receive by June 30th directly determines how much each student receives when they head to campus this fall. We want to say yes to every student who applies, and give more to each one.
In October of last year, we launched the Jubilee Fund, our platform for fast, dignified support for Christian workers facing urgent financial needs. Since then, we've run 12 campaigns and raised over $154,000 for real situations. Here are a few:
That last one is on our minds today.
A missionary family came home to rest and raise additional support. While they were here, they learned their son had cancer. He lost his eye to the disease. Through the Jubilee Fund, generous donors covered their full annual deductible, $12,000, so the family never had to carry a single out-of-pocket cost for what insurance didn't cover.
This week, his scans came back completely clear.
Today, the campaign reached fully funded.
Many of you have given to Jubilee campaigns directly. Thank you. That is a different kind of partnership than the Scholars Fund, and it matters just as much.
We have been doing important work behind the scenes on our retirement initiative, and we are especially excited about what is coming.
We are actively developing the Dignity Fund, a program designed to serve our workers who are over 70 years old. These are men and women who have given a lifetime to this calling. What we are building will bring real, tangible dignity to their retirement years. The details are still taking shape, and we cannot wait to share what this will mean for the workers it will serve. There is much more to come in the second half of this year.
I'll be reaching out to each of you personally before June 30th to share where we are in our funding and what it would mean to close the gap. If you'd rather connect before then, reply here or call me directly.
We had an incredible evening in Norman recently, the kind of room where you leave more encouraged than when you walked in. I am headed to Raleigh this week to connect with the Antioch church there and their generous supporters. On June 11th, we have a gathering again in Waco. And in late July, we will be back in Waco for Antioch's US Conference, a gathering of workers from churches all across the country. Throughout the back half of the year we will continue visiting Antioch churches across the country.
Would you pray with us over these upcoming gatherings? Pray that God connects us with like-hearted people who are ready to respond to needs they already see, through the mechanisms we are building together.
Thank you for being a part of this.
I mean that plainly. The work is real. The needs are real. Your partnership makes it all possible.
I will be in touch before June 30th. Until then, I am always just a reply or a phone call away.
We’ll send you a few meaningful updates each month, no spam, just real ways your generosity is making a difference.
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