NewCREEations Ministries April 2021 Newsletter - Important Update
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Dear Friends,

Chris & Lisa Cree

It’s April and Spring is fully upon us here in Scotland. We are seeing more sunny days and everything is lush and green. The seasons are definitely changing. In more ways than one.

This past Saturday Lisa and I shared some news with our Bible College students that significantly impacts NewCREEations and we want to share it with you as one of our newsletter subscribers.

The short version is that our season as Directors of Charis Bible College Dumfries and missionaries living in Scotland is drawing to a close. We will be moving back to the States this summer.

Hearing God’s Voice

Backlit Dafodills

This past Christmastime, Lisa began to sense a change was coming. She wisely kept those thoughts between herself and God. In February, some of the challenges related to the COVID restrictions stimulated some discussion between Lisa and I, and we sought more direction from God as a result.

Then, we were having a conversation with some members of our local Bible college staff and Lisa very clearly heard God say, “Pass the baton. It’s time to go home.” It was as clear to her as the words she heard from the Lord when He invited us to join Him in His work to move here to Scotland and launch the school.

Afterwards she told me about what God said, and I agreed that sounded like God. So I took that back to God in prayer. We needed clarity on God’s timing in the handoff. Either leaving too soon, or staying too long could create problems.

As I prayed, God said to me, “Look at what we’ve accomplished.” So I did.

Green Field and Criffle

Lisa and I moved here to Scotland in response to God’s invitation to join Him in what He is doing and established the Bible College campus here. We started from ground zero. God brought us students and quickly grew it to the second largest Charis campus in the UK. God brought us a powerhouse leadership team and staff to help minister to the students. And the campus is in very strong financial shape. 

With our experience this past year, we were able to secure approval for Charis Dumfries to offer an Online Hybrid program alongside the previous On Campus Hybrid program. This enables the campus to continue discipling students in the Scandinavian countries where Charis has yet to establish a presence in addition to the students from Scotland and the rest of the UK. 

Charis Dumfries is a thriving success by every metric.

As I completed the list, God said, “You did what I asked you to do.” At that point I knew that it was time for us to move to our next assignment. So I asked for a meeting with my supervisor in the Charis organization here to talk it through with him and we started the transition process.

We will leave the UK and move to Colorado in the middle of June.

What’s Next?

Swan on Water

NewCREEations has always been bigger than our work with Charis Bible College. We’ve got the books, our Daily Reflections email devotional, and more. And our ministry to believers in Scotland, the UK, Finland, and beyond will certainly continue.

One thing we’ve learned over the past year ministering in seemingly perpetual lockdown is that the Holy Spirit is not constrained by time and space. He has enabled us to minister powerfully via both live and recorded video to believers over long distances thanks to the technology available today. Lisa and I will continue to grow our relationships here in Scotland. We intend to continue ministering here, both via technology and by traveling back here as travel regulations allow. We already have invitations from churches we have relationship with in the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland, as well as in Finland. Each of them told Lisa and I they hope we can return to minister with their congregations and leadership teams after we move to the States.

We have not been approached by the Charis organization back in Colorado. Nor do we have any other positions waiting for us when we get there. We are not moving because of a job offer. Yet Lisa and I have perfect peace about this transition because God is the one who initiated it. Once again we are simply saying yes to His invitation.

Purple Flower with a Bee

A year or so ago, God told Lisa and I that we in the Body of Christ need to disciple more people faster. Sometime after that God woke me up at 4am and downloaded the beginnings of an idea for a way to be part of doing exactly that by creating a discipleship engine. I expect I will be sharing much more about that at the appropriate time.

All that to say, the ministry of NewCREEations absolutely will continue. We will continue to disciple through teaching the Gospel of the Kingdom. God has given me four more books, which are all in various stages of being written. We are already making plans to significantly expand our capacity to produce video content, both live and pre-recorded. We expect our change in schedule will allow us to travel and minister in various places as travel restrictions loosen up around the world. And then there is the discipleship engine idea I mentioned above.

We are sowing our household goods to others here and selling our car. When we arrive back in the States we will be staying with various friends until we can find our next place in Colorado Springs. We plan to take some time to see family as it’s been two years since we have been back in the States. We haven’t had a break as we’ve been in pretty restricted lockdown for thirteen months now while keeping the college going. The Lord told us to take some time to refresh and seek Him for next steps when we first return. Then we will get a car, a place to live, and setup a house again. This is not new to us. We learned a lot since moving to Scotland. We know we can cross the ocean with suitcases and watch Him fill a house in no time.

Sunlight reflecting off water on the Scottish coast

The Lord has assured us we will continue to minister in Scotland. It is just going to look a bit different. As God told us earlier, we need to disciple more people faster because there is a massive harvest ahead of us. We know there will be far more to this ministry than we can even see right now. Lisa and I know for certain that we will continue to make disciples, raise leaders, and expand the Kingdom of God because that’s how God wired the two of us. That’s what NewCREEations is all about.

As we move through this significant transition, stepping out on His word to reestablish ourselves back in the States, we know that God is faithful. We truly believe the best is yet to come. We are excited about continuing to minister His amazing grace and love to people. God began something amazing in NewCREEations and He is just getting started!

Lisa and I want to sincerely thank all the NewCREEations partners who have sowed into the amazing things God has done here in Scotland over the years. This ministry wouldn’t be possible without your faithful support. 

If you have never partnered with us, perhaps God would have you do so now. Please prayerfully consider whether that is the case.  

One of our students shared Jeremiah 29:11 with Lisa and I on Saturday,

For I know the plans that I have for you, says the LORD, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

God's plans for us are far better than any of our own plans for ourselves. I believe that promise applies to you just as much as it applies to Lisa and me.

It’s up to us to discover His plans and cooperate with them. It promises to be an exciting journey! We would love for you to partner with us and share in the adventure.

Blessings,

 

Chris & Lisa Cree

P.S. We are moving across the ocean and starting over as you just read. The needs moving forward are many. We will need to purchase a car, furniture, office/video equipment, airline tickets, and the list goes on. If you would like to be part of what God is doing through NewCREEations Ministries and with this transition, we ask that you prayerfully consider partnering with us. Thank you!

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953 Forest Edge Rd
Woodland Park, CO 80863

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NewCREEations Ministries

953 Forest Edge Rd
Woodland Park, CO 80863

www.NewCREEations.org

 

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