This has truly been an amazing and fruitful year for the Mordecai Project. I am blown away when I ponder all the places the Lord sent me. I was able to minister in churches and conferences in seven foreign nations: Australia (Brisbane), Canada (Vancouver and Regina), Colombia (Bogota), Ecuador (Guayaquil), Indonesia (Jakarta and Bandung), Ukraine (Kiev) and Venezuela (Maracay and Caracas).

In the United States I preached in 13 states: California (Claremont, Dublin, Los Angeles and San Jose), Connecticut (Enfield), Florida (DeLand, Melbourne, Boca Raton, Tallahassee and Orlando), Georgia (Dacula and Franklin Springs), Idaho (Twin Falls), Minnesota (Hutchinson), Mississippi (Lake Ta’Kata), New York (Rochester), Pennsylvania (Allentown and Philadelphia), Tennessee (Cleveland and Gatlinburg), Texas (Houston) and Washington (Seattle).

Hmmm, that’s seven nations and 13 states. I will let the prophets decide if there is anything significant about those numbers. All I know is that I could not have done that much travel without the grace of God and the patience and support of my wife, Deborah, who held the fort down so many days. She also took me to the emergency room and nursed me back to health in June when I had my appendix out. I love this woman!!!

Great things happened for The Mordecai Project this year:

** My book 10 Lies the Church Tells Women was re-released with wider distribution
** I launched my ministry Web site
** I joined Barbara Wentroble’s apostolic network, International Breakthrough Ministries
(I am still also affiliated with the Pentecostal Holiness Church)
** I formed what I call my “Circle of 7”—a group of seven men who provide extra accountability and council.
** I became a part of a small group of leaders called Acts2.29, which is dedicated to promoting the principles of biblical gender equality in the church and society. This was through my relationship with Christians for Biblical Equality.

There were some incredible ministry moments in 2006:

** More than 1,000 women from Bandung, Indonesia, were empowered to be leaders—in a Muslim city where women live in fear and intimidation.

** The Lord used me to speak words of prophetic encouragement to many individuals and to the staffs of churches and organizations.

** Hundreds of women were healed of the shame of abuse in Kiev, Ukraine, where old dictatorial attitudes still oppress the people in that culture.

** I teamed up with Naomy Dowdy, Barbara Wentroble and Indri Gautama three times during the year to speak at the Apostolic Women Arising conferences. In each one, hundreds of women (and men) went to a new level of authority and boldness.

** Women were healed of barrenness and other ailments – and also delivered of shame, condemnation, witchcraft and other forms of spiritual oppression. And in Los Angeles, where I did a conference with Dayna Belcher, the women “came out of the box” of tradition and limitation.

** Hundreds of pastors repented for abusing their wives during a special meeting in Bogota, Colombia. Men also publicly repented of domestic violence in Venezuela and Ecuador.

** Many churches were mobilized for intercession, including a key congregation in Caracas, Venezuela.

** The Lord took me to several immigrant churches this year and really placed a special burden in my heart for immigrant pastors. This year I spoke in Russian, Brazilian and Indonesian churches in the U.S. Also, I was blessed with the opportunity to preach WITH AN ORGAN in an African-American church in Houston! I am so thrilled to be a part of seeing racial and ethnic barriers fall in this country.

But the most important thing to me is not the airplane mileage, the number of meetings or even the miracles—it is the people I meet along the way. I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul said when he was looking back over his ministry. What mattered to him were the relationships. He told the Thessalonians: “For who is our hope or joy or crown…? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy” (1 Thess. 2:19-20)

As I think back on all the travel this year, I have so many fond memories of special ministry moments:

** Hanging out with my daughters and their boyfriends at their college in Georgia, and being able to speak in some of their classes and chapels.

** Going to an animal park in Indonesia with Pastor Kong, Bruce Ladebu and Richard Denton and having camels and antelopes stick their heads in our car windows.

** Braving snow, ice, bad hotels and angry Russian babushkas in Ukraine with my friend Brandon.

** Enjoying meals and late-night conversations with my spiritual parents, Bane and Barbara James, in their home in Franklin Springs, Georgia.

** Getting a tour of Oakland, California, with Pastor Napoleon Kaufman, who used to be the star running back for the Oakland Raiders. (You can read about his testimony in the new issue of Charisma).

** Going down the giant slide at Lake Tiak O’Khata, Mississippi with my friend James Graham, director of International Gospel Outreach, and other IGO ministers (who adopted me into their ministry family).

** Taking my daughter, Charlotte, to the original Starbuck’s coffee shop in Seattle after the Apostolic Women Arising Conference there.

** Going to the church where Jonathan Edwards first preached his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” in Connecticut with Pastor Mike Trazinski.

** Dancing “Nigerian-style” in Regina, Canada with Pastors Femi and Remi Ogunrinde (and eating moi-moi and other Nigerian foods in their home.)

** Making all kinds of new friends including “the real Charlie Daniels,” a pastor in Tallahassee (who hopes to go to Peru with me next summer); Max Myers, a pastor from Minnesota who is now a role model in my life; Ron Nolan, Michael Boyd and Sandy Murphy in Houston; the whole IGO gang; Michal Ann Goll, who should win some kind of award for bravery and faith in the face of her husband James’ illness; Bill Palmer, a California businessman and prayer warrior who has joined my prayer team; Alistair Petrie, a Canadian Bible teacher who did a conference with me in Vancouver; Lyn and Neil Richardson, a great Aussie couple who are spreading the message of women’s empowerment everywhere Down Under; and my dear Russian “sons,” Alex and Gennady, who drove all the way from Philadelphia to spend time with me in Tallahassee.

Thank you all for making this possible through your prayers, encouragement and financial support.