Here is a brief overview of what I’ve been up to this past month and some of the ways God has been faithfully at work with us! To read more updates, feel free to visit my blog-site here!

Barclay College / Hutchinson Friends Church
This month, Nick, Viany, and I traveled out to my home-state of Kansas to help lead Barclay College’s personal evangelism seminar. While in Kansas, we were also able to visit my dad’s side of the family and preach and teach at Hutchinson Friends Church, where my dad is pastoring. We had a wonderful time leading the seminar with Dan Cammock and Brockie Follette and were grateful for the opportunity to share the Gospel with both believers and nonbelievers. We pray that what was shared and practiced will be used by God in the lives of those who attended.

After the seminar, we spent time with family and had the opportunity to introduce Viany (my wonderful girlfriend!) to them. On Sunday, we preached and taught a version of our Archways Training, a conversational approach to evangelism. We had never done this training in a sermon format, so we were adapting as we went, but it was a meaningful time.

Cal-State Fullerton
This month at CSUF, we tried a slightly different approach to engaging students through an “outdoor classroom,” teaching on foundational aspects of the Christian faith like the Gospel, discipleship, and the resurrection. We have seen mixed results in engagement, but it has been especially helpful for those we are discipling, as many have an insufficient understanding of the basics of our faith. We have had some great conversations with both believers and nonbelievers and are continuing to explore how this can be an effective tool.

Exponential Conference
This month included some travel, including attending the Exponential church-planting conference in Orlando, FL with a group from Mid-America Yearly Meeting. I was encouraged and challenged by the strong emphasis on the importance of healthy leaders in ministry.

The Holy Spirit used this time to deepen my conviction about the necessity of being rooted in the presence of God, not only for myself, but for those I am discipling. We can train and equip people in many ways, but if they are not abiding in the Father, something essential is missing. I have been reminded how important it is to help people encounter God personally and to prioritize that above everything else in ministry. This is something I am continuing to learn and grow in, and I am already seeing fruit from it within our team.

On the way to the conference, I was briefly stranded in Dallas due to flight cancellations, which unexpectedly led to the opportunity to share the Gospel with two different Uber drivers. I wrote more about those encounters on my blog.

Thank you so much for your continued support and prayer for this ministry!

I look forward to soon sharing my plans for the coming year at the conclusion of this 6-month extension!

With love and peace,
Ivan Penrose

Thank You for Your Support. Here’s How to Continue:

I’m currently at 98% of my monthly need, and your continued support helps make it possible for me to serve through June 2026. If you would like to continue your partnership, please let me know as soon as possible so I can plan accordingly.

There Are Four Ways to Partner With Me:

• Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking the button below. Once there, scroll to find my tile and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
• Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
• Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Ivan Penrose NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

The post Penrose | A Month of Ministry & God’s Faithfulness first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Greetings from the West Coast!

Here are a few brief stories from this past month’s life and ministry! For more details and frequent updates, visit my blogsite here!

This month was full of meaningful conversations that reminded me why I’m convinced that patient, conversational evangelism is one of the most fruitful ways to engage people. Rather than quick debates or rehearsed presentations, slowing down and genuinely interacting with people often leads to deeper questions—and sometimes surprising openness.

One particularly encouraging conversation was with a student named *Nehemiah who walked up to the whiteboard and immediately recognized me from a brief conversation we had earlier in the year. He said he came back because he enjoyed our previous interaction and wanted to continue the conversation. Even more encouraging, he told me that his interactions with us felt very different from conversations he’d had with other religious groups. He described those as sterile and closed off, while he found ours engaging and enjoyable. I’m convinced that this difference comes from both the truth and security of Christianity and the conversational approach we try to take in evangelism.

*Nehemiah had clearly been thinking about religion and arrived with a number of thoughtful questions. In our framework of evangelism, people often fall somewhere on what we call the Open–Seeking Axis—how open someone is to conversation and how aware they are of their need for answers. Ideally we meet people who are both open and seeking, and *Nehemiah seemed to fit that combination well. He admitted that he feels hesitant discussing religion because he doesn’t know the holy texts well and worries about offending people with uninformed questions. I assured him that honest questions are welcome and invited him to read the Bible together sometime.

One of his first questions surprised me: he asked about the story of the wise men. We walked through the account of Jesus’ birth and the visit from both humble shepherds and wealthy travelers from afar, highlighting how the story reveals that Jesus came as King and Savior for all people. The discussion eventually moved into deeper questions about sin, forgiveness, and salvation. Using a simple analogy of a laptop designed to function in specific ways, I explained how sin can be understood as living contrary to the design God created us for. God’s law isn’t arbitrary restriction but a description of the life in which humans truly flourish.

Later in the conversation, *Nehemiah became curious about the origins of the Gospel accounts. He mentioned that an atheist English teacher once required his class to write a paper arguing that the Gospels contain contradictions. That left him wondering whether the accounts are actually reliable. We discussed how eyewitness testimony can record the same event from different perspectives without creating contradictions. He seemed genuinely interested and even said he’d like to revisit the paper he wrote and examine the supposed contradictions together sometime.

Another memorable discussion this month happened with a group of Christians as we talked about the mission of the Church and the Great Commission. One issue that stood out to me was a tendency to separate restoration from salvation, as though Jesus saves people and then later restores them. In reality, salvation is restoration—being saved from rebellion against God and restored into life under His good rule. When those ideas are separated, Christian obedience can start to feel like an obligation rather than participation in the life we’ve been saved into.

We also discussed the common belief that Christians must stay deeply informed about global affairs in order to fulfill the Great Commission. When asked where I get my global news, I simply answered, “I don’t,” and then added, “Paul didn’t.” My point was not that global awareness is bad, but that Scripture places the emphasis elsewhere. The Great Commission focuses on making disciples, not tracking world events. Too often Christians become consumed with distant issues while neglecting the simple command to make disciples where they actually live.

Finally, I had a fascinating conversation with two high school boys visiting campus. The whiteboard question that day asked, “What is the most important thing to know?” One of them wrote “peace,” meaning internal peace. When I asked how someone obtains it, they suggested introspection and meditation. To test that idea, I asked whether someone who had committed serious wrongdoing could find peace simply by looking inward. That led to a deeper conversation about guilt and forgiveness.

Interestingly, one of the boys suggested that someone might call on Jesus for forgiveness—even though neither of them considered themselves religious. As we talked further, one said he didn’t believe in Christianity because he had never seen enough evidence. That opened the door to discuss how we make decisions in everyday life based on the most reasonable explanation rather than absolute certainty. From there I explained the cosmological argument for God’s existence: everything that begins to exist has a cause, the universe began to exist, and therefore the universe has a cause beyond itself.

Both of them said they had never heard that reasoning before and agreed it made sense that a Creator must exist. With only a few minutes left before they had to leave, I explained the Christian claim that this Creator revealed Himself in the person of Jesus. I gave them copies of the Gospel of Mark with a built-in journal so they could read and explore the life of Jesus themselves. Later a friend spotted them still carrying the Gospels in the student union.

Conversations like these are so energizing as they remind me of the great needs within and outside of the established Church communities around us. Whether it’s a returning student exploring religion, fellow believers wrestling with the mission of the Church, or two teenagers discovering the possibility of God for the first time, patient dialogue continues to open doors for the Gospel. I’m grateful for the many opportunities this month and excited to see how these conversations develop!

Thank you so much for your continued support and partnership in this ministry!

With love and peace,
Ivan Penrose

Thank You for Your Support. Here’s How to Continue:

I’m currently at 98% of my monthly need, and your continued support helps make it possible for me to serve through June 2026. If you would like to continue your partnership, please let me know as soon as possible so I can plan accordingly.

There Are Four Ways to Partner With Me:

• Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking the button below. Once there, scroll to find my tile and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
• Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
• Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Ivan Penrose NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

The post Ministry Update: How Your Partnership Is Reaching Students first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Here is a brief insight into this past month of ministry! There’ve been some significant shifts in my ministry focus this month as I’ve begun training and equipping the new EFM/NCP disciple-making apprentices! For more updates and insights into our ministry, check out my blog-site here!

This month, Cassi Coleman and Thomas Moore joined our team as EFM/NCP disciple-making apprentices. They have begun the same apprenticeship which I participated in this past year, but they are stuck with me as their primary “trainer and organizer”! I’m kind of the assistant to the regional manager (The Office reference). There’s probably a better way to describe my role regarding them, but I am essentially learning how to lead people in a structured process of being and making disciples of Jesus. This is a more intensive engagement of this “muscle group” from what I’m used to, so I’m very excited to work it out and get stronger in it! Here are a few things from our ministry this month!

Cassi and Thomas have started their training in Bible-dialogue, prayer walking, conversational evangelism, DMC 1, as well as various hands-on opportunities to grow as disciples of Jesus as well as making disciples of Jesus. We’ve jumped back into ministry on campus and, as you can see in the whiteboard photos above, we have had a great engagement with students – new and returning. We’ve also had the opportunity to join Noah Granger, a part-time NCP apprentice, for evangelism at the Orange Circle on MLK day. In the photos above, you can see Colt (CSUF student who ministers with us) and me talking to some Jehovah’s Witnesses who set up in the Orange Circle. They were not open to honest conversation, but it was nice to be able to talk to them with Colt for the first time. Cassi and Thomas have done such a great job at jumping right into ministry activities, immediately starting up conversations with students on campus as well as making the best of strange surprise-situations interacting with moderately unstable individuals on the streets. You can read more about some of these interactions in my other blog posts this month!

This month, we also had the opportunity to lead another Archways workshop – learning how to witness through common conversations in everyday life. Above you can see some pictures from that as well! This was such a great time of teaching and fellowship with Bell Friends Church, who are a primarily Spanish-speaking congregation. Because my Spanish is no bueno, we utilized translators as well as an AI translation device that broadcasted a translation to individual headsets. Pretty legit if I do say so myself. However, the AI didn’t even compare to the degree of profundity that the food had!

There is so much more that I could share about what has taken place this month, but these are just a few glimpses into our ministry activities!

Thank you so much for your continued support and prayer for me and this ministry! Your generosity and faithfulness make my training and ministry possible!

With love and peace,
Ivan Penrose

Thank You for Your Support. Here’s How to Continue:

I’m currently at 85% of my monthly need, and your continued support helps make it possible for me to serve through June 2026. If you would like to continue your partnership, please let me know as soon as possible so I can plan accordingly.

There Are Four Ways to Partner With Me:

• Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking the button below. Once there, scroll to find my tile and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
• Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
• Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Ivan Penrose NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

The post Ivan Penrose | January Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Hi Friends and Family,

I’m writing to you from the Wycliffe compound in Juba, South Sudan and am a little over halfway through my trip. For the past 6 days, I’ve had the opportunity to meet the missionaries and the South Sudanese who work with Wycliffe here, and I have absolutely loved it! I’ve felt so welcomed by various people making sure I have what I need and looking out for me, and several people have had me over for dinner on various nights to get to know me better. Beyond that, I’ve loved being with people who have a love for linguistics and Bible translation. From conversations about the process of Bible translation to Greek and Hebrew to the software tools Wycliffe uses to aid the translation process, I feel very at home here.

But one of my favorite things has been sitting in with a couple of translation teams (the Avokaya team and the Fur team) as they work on translating the Old Testament. The Avokaya team, who I visited on Friday, were checking their draft of Exodus 21 and talking about various exegetical and translation issues that came up. The Fur team, who I visited on Monday, were checking their draft of Joshua 14 and doing the same. I’ve learned a lot by watching them and was able to help out in small ways when they had questions about the original Hebrew text or about the cultural context of the passage they were working on.

Today (Tuesday), I will leave Wycliffe’s compound and have a different focus for the rest of my trip. Pastor Nicodeme, a missionary from Rwanda, has been in South Sudan for the past two and a half months to figure out the logistics of his family and him living here starting sometime next year. The plan is for Nicodeme and his family to be joined by Evangelical Friends Mission (EFM) missionaries in the near future so that we can partner together in planting churches in South Sudan. I, two pastors from Rwanda, an EFM missionary, and an EFM director will spend the rest of the week with Nicodeme to be with him, encourage him, and help him debrief. I’ve already gotten to spend some good quality time with Nicodeme when he’s visited me at the Wycliffe compound and am looking forward to hearing more about what the past few months have looked like for him.

Finally, I’m so grateful for all of you! Thank you for how you’ve prayed and are praying for me and for how you’ve given so that I can begin a disciple-making apprenticeship with North County Project in January. Currently, I’m 73% funded! Thank you for your incredible generosity! As a reminder, if you’d like to partner with me through financial gifts, here are the ways you can do it:

• Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking this link. Once there, scroll to find my name and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
• Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
• Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10^th or 25^th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Thomas Moore NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

Thank you again for how you’re coming on this journey with me. I look forward to giving many of you more details about this trip. I’d love to meet with you to tell you more about it if you live in Southern California or talk with you over the phone or video chat if you live elsewhere.

In Him,
Thomas Moore

The post Thomas Moore | December Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Greetings from the West Coast!

Thank you for your continued partnership and support in this training and ministry! Here is a brief overview of the ministry we engaged with this month! For more frequent updates and insights into what I’m up to, click here to visit my blog site!

There has been so much to be thankful for this month, and, among the many things, the support and partnership of the NCP team and you as my partner in ministry is certainly at the top of my list! I apologize for such a delayed newsletter for November! Time has really flown by amidst the many exciting things going on!

This month, I was blessed with so many amazing conversations and opportunities to engage in ministry at CSUF and beyond! I think back to my conversations with one particular young man on campus who I’ve repeatedly conversed with, though with quite some struggle at first. It seemed like every time we talked together it was the same topic and yet we never seemed to make forward progress in our discussion until one day when I changed my approach with him. There were a few things that he was very focused on in all of our conversations; however, that wasn’t the real issue at all. In setting aside his various red herrings, we had an amazing conversation about the very root of the issue at hand and very practical steps in our discipleship to Jesus. The conversation was certainly tense at times as he was forced to recognize his resistance to obedience and his covering up of that reality with numerous attempts at good works and asceticism. However, the Holy Spirit has certainly been at work in this young man before we ever met, but it is such a blessing to see a growing openness in him towards simple steps of obedience and discipleship to Jesus!

Again, I am blessed as I remember the conversations that I’ve had with the many diverse demographics on campus this month! I had a fascinating conversation with a professor who was a pantheist, and we discussed how his worldview leads to the conclusion that god is at war with itself (as there are brutal conflicts between the things which are allegedly part of his god). I was blessed to meet this man and discuss with him in the short time he had, but I was also blessed by very good conversations with Muslim students on campus. One conversation in particular was with a young man who was quite open to converse about Islam and Christianity, and by the end of the conversation was on the verge of rejecting Islam. That was a very interesting and exciting conversation as that kind of progress in merely one conversation can be quite rare!

Another exciting thing that happened this month was the start to what is currently called “Ekballo Fellowship”! Above, you can see a picture of our first gathering at Avalon Bagels to Burgers as we engaged in biblical dialogue, prayer, worship, and Christian fellowship together. The current name of the gathering is sourced from the Greek word that Jesus used in Luke 10:2 for “cast out”, which is the same word used to describe how demons are “cast out” in exorcisms. Jesus commands His disciples to pray that God would forcefully thrust His people into the work of ministry and evangelism, and that is the primary emphasis of this gathering – to not only pray for the harvest and its workers, but also to obey the command to join the harvest ourselves! So far, it has been a wonderful time that gives Christians a launch pad into ministry and offers a place for those we minister to throughout the week to join us in a more casual and comfortable setting as they continue exploring a life with Jesus!

I will be visiting Kansas for a few weeks this December and will have the opportunity to share in a number of different environments – from public middle and high school groups, established church communities, to student leaders at a private Christian school. I have been given many opportunities to share and engage with these various communities, and I would ask your partnership in prayer as I seek to faithfully deliver what God desires to each of these diverse groups. There are many things that I could speak about or do, but, above all, I pray that my sharing might be in submission to God’s direction and edifying to the Body of Christ!

Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer and support!

With love and peace,
Ivan Penrose

Thank You for Your Support. Here’s How to Continue:

I’m currently at 81% of my monthly need, and your continued support helps make it possible for me to serve through June 2026. If you would like to continue your partnership, please let me know as soon as possible so I can plan accordingly. If EFM does not hear otherwise, your giving will automatically continue through June 2026.

There Are Four Ways to Partner With Me:

• Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking the button below. Once there, scroll to find my tile and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
• Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
• Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Ivan Penrose NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

The post Ivan Penrose | December Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

God has been so faithful in this transition season!

The post Cassi Coleman | December Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ!

God continues to show His faithfulness in so many ways as I prepare for this next chapter! This season has held both challenges and blessings, and I can see His hand gently guiding me through each one.

Change has been a major theme in my heart. My life will shift significantly when I move to Southern California, and these past few months have been filled with packing, planning, praying, and intentionally spending time with people I deeply love.

I am continuing to work as a Home Health nurse (LPN) through November as I help my patients transition—many of whom have become dear friends. Saying goodbye to them will be difficult, but I’m grateful for the time we’ve had.

I’ve also continued serving with Hope Has No Borders, whose mission is to “provide humanitarian relief and community support to individuals as they transition from crisis to HOPE.” This group of strong, justice-seeking women has been such an inspiration to me. Recently, we’ve been focusing on helping with legal documents on Tuesday evenings, and on November 25th I will be teaching another CPR/First Aid class in Spanish!

The One Body class at Denver Friends Church continues to be one of the greatest blessings in my week. We are a bilingual class with a steady 15–20 people, and the Holy Spirit is clearly moving among us. We learn from one another, share deeply, and celebrate how God is transforming lives. Most Sundays, we end up spending the entire day together! We support one another through birthdays, hardships, housing needs, car repairs, meals, and prayer. Please continue praying for this unique and beautiful community—that they would grow in unity, empowerment, and a deepening relationship with Jesus.

I also had the privilege of attending two community gatherings with Seeds of Exchange, a collective of everyday people using their stories and gifts to make a global and local impact. It has been life-giving to participate, even briefly. I also reconnected with a long-time friend, Shamso, a refugee from Somalia who has survived incredible hardship and now advocates powerfully for others. She wrote The Jungle Didn’t Kill Me, and I’m excited to see the connection forming between her and this group!

Community & Celebration

I’m having a Friendsgiving Feast and Farewell Party to gather all the wonderful people I’ve grown to love during my time in Denver. If you are in Denver on November 29th, from 2–8 PM (eat at 5 PM), you are invited to join us! We’ll have games, laughter, good food, and a time of prayer to send me off.

I’m also continuing to fundraise through homemade desserts like quesillo (flan), choco flan, tres leches, cinnamon rolls, and cookies. I am currently 40% funded—praise the Lord! Please continue praying for God’s provision and creative opportunities to invite others into this journey. Would you also consider supporting me monthly as I follow God in this next season?

God is moving powerfully and reminding me again and again that He opens doors no one can shut. I am so thankful for each of you who continues to partner with me through prayer, encouragement, and support. You are a vital part of this story.

With deep gratitude and anticipation for all that God will do,
Cassi Coleman

Praises and Prayer Requests

Praises:

• Danelle’s progress—mentally, physically, and her growing openness toward Jesus.
• A steady and thriving One Body class community.
• God continues to push me outside my comfort zone, stretching and growing me for what’s ahead.

Prayer Requests:

• For my sister Danelle—she was removed from the sober living home for breaking rules and is now staying with me while planning to live in her car when I leave December 1st. Pray for her safety, wisdom, and a real connection with Jesus.
• For my transition—as I prepare to leave a community I dearly love in Denver. Pray also for my new community with NCP, Lot 318, and Iglesia Amigos Fullerton.
• For financial provision as I continue raising support toward my goal.
• For travel mercies for Thomas as he visits me for Thanksgiving, then travels to South Sudan for a vision trip, and as we travel together for Christmas and New years.

There Are Four Ways to Partner With Me

• Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking the button below. Once there, scroll to find my tile and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
• Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
• Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10^th or 25^th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Cassi Coleman NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

The post Cassi Coleman | November Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Thank you for your continued prayer and support! Your partnership makes this ministry and training possible! Here is a brief update from this past month. To find more frequent updates and stories, feel free to read my blog here.

This month, we’ve had so many great ministry opportunities and engagements! We’ve continued to develop our relationship with other healthy campus ministries, connected with student evangelists who have begun partnering with us in outreach, started new DMCs, hosted many great conversations at the whiteboard, and more. We’ve continued to see the abundance of the harvest and the desperate need for more workers! Praise God for the harvest, and may He cast His people into the work of harvesting!

In the photos attached, you can see a few pictures of ministry on campus this past month! The large group photo was from a prayer-walk we hosted on campus for various local ministries; including Friends Church Fullerton, Soon Movement, Intervarsity, Campus Revive, and other Christians who desire to see God’s work continued at CSUF. The other photos show conversations and interactions initiated by peoples’ engagement with the whiteboard. We are very blessed by the medium of the whiteboard in evangelism as it naturally draws in those who are open and seeking.

In the photos you can see a great conversation I was able to have with an LDS young man and his Catholic girlfriend. I explained why I was not a Mormon (and why he should likewise not be one), and provided him with simple and clear biblical reasons for rejecting Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. He was grateful for the conversation, and we plan to meet again after he further looks into the argument I provided him!

This month we also tried a slightly different setup with the whiteboard on a few occasions. Instead of asking people to write on the whiteboard, we invited them to sit down in a chair and to tell us why or why they aren’t a Christian. This seemed to work surprisingly well, and the setup created a nice environment for people to share their honest thoughts. We have some of these conversations recorded as they might be of some use for those looking to try similar things for themselves. You can find those videos here. It is such a blessing to be able to be on campus nearly every day as we get the opportunity to continue conversations and build relationships with people over time and repeated dialogue.

As I trust that you are aware, I have extended my NCP apprenticeship through June 2026, and will continue what I’m currently doing with a specific emphasis on engaging the established church. So much of being a disciple of Jesus is caught up in also making disciples of Jesus through evangelism and intentional community of believers. Our campus ministry is already experiencing this development as we continue to find Christian students who desire to fellowship with us and join in evangelism. Our campus ministry structure must adapt and adjust to meet the needs of those we disciple – a valuable lesson to know; an often challenging lesson to remember. The specific methods and setups that we use to engage with people are only valuable insomuch as they support the growth and formation of the individuals. When the lattice no longer supports the growth of the vine, it has lost its potency and should be adjusted or replaced so that the primary goal can be achieved. This is the primary goal: to be and make disciples of Jesus in everyday life; empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey the Great Commandments by participating in the Great Commission!

Thank you for your continued prayer and support!

May God bless you in the ministry He has prepared in advance for you to do!

With love and peace,
Ivan Penrose

There Are Four Ways to Partner With Me:

• Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking the button below. Once there, scroll to find my tile and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
• Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
• Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Ivan Penrose NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

The post Ivan Penrose | November 2025 Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Thank you for your diligence and faithfulness in prayer and support for me in this ministry and apprenticeship! I am greatly privileged to participate in this capacity and acquire tangible experience in evangelism and disciple-making! Here are a few things I’d like to share with you from this past month of ministry. I hope that you find these edifying and insightful into this ministry, and God willing, they might be useful for you as well in the ministry you have been given! For other ministry updates, look here.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” John 1:14-18

What does it look like, as Christians, to love others? Well, I think there are a number of responses to this question that would certainly be true and weighty; however, there seems to be one central expression that most Christians veer from participating in. The expression of love I’m speaking of is directly connected to the Gospel and is actually commanded by Jesus explicitly to those who follow Him. While you might disagree, I do believe this to be of the truest expressions of love a Christian can show to someone – anyone. If we simply step back and view this message of Jesus, I believe that it will become abundantly clear what this act of love is; however, truly understanding this Gospel of Jesus necessitates a response and participation from us. Can the finder of a bottomless well possess genuine love while watching a world die of thirst? Can one who is reconciled to God imitate the incarnational love of Jesus without likewise extending living water to those who are thirsty?

I find that evangelism becomes exponentially more natural the more connected I become with the message Jesus came bearing. Has the American Church settled for a reductionistic view of Jesus’ message that leaves behind an uncompelling and uncompassionate community of people – malformed from Jesus’ image in our lack of love for those outside the four walls of the church? Do we love those outside the church? If so, why do we withhold the only thing that can bring life to their mortal bodies? If not, for what reason do we now lay down the cross of Christ which we ought to bear? Evangelism, that is sharing the Gospel of Jesus with the lost, is the beginning of the ministry that we have been given as Christ’s followers, reconciling the world to God.

My apologies for the long-winded open, but I find that this summarizes what I wish to share in the rest of this update and places an important emphasis on our participation in God’s reconciling work and our transformation into Christlikeness.

This month has been full of great interactions at CSUF as well as in other ministry settings! On multiple occasions, we’ve met students who are Christians and hungry to follow Jesus into reaching the nonbelievers around them. In this, our group of CSUF ministering students is increasing and becoming more involved in ministry on our campus, at the whiteboard and beyond. These have been blessed partnerships which we pray will continue to flourish the ministry we desire to partner with God in at CSUF.

We’ve had so many great conversations with those of various religious beliefs, and we’ve seen a number of those who previously opposed or rejected what we do grow in openness and understanding to us and our ministry. It is certainly wisdom that a good reputation is to be valued above riches as we’ve seen the impact of that firsthand. The cult engagement on campus has been lively this month as we’ve seen and participated in the release of members of the Fellowship Church cult. There is a significant group of members within the cult who recognize the corruption and evil present in the leadership and practice, and we’ve been blessed to see the openness of their hearts towards Jesus above their abusive leaders. Many of these members have moved from out of state to escape bad life situations and are made completely dependent on the cult for resources and housing. This is one of the large hindrances for members when considering disagreeing with or challenging the leadership – they know that they can easily be put out on the streets with nowhere to go. Please join us in praying for these young adults who are being taken advantage of and abused in the cults on our campus – that they would boldly proclaim the word of truth, taking up the cross of Christ for the sake of righteousness and the exposing of darkness.

Please join me in prayer as I so eagerly desire continued conversations with my neighborhood Jehovah’s Witnesses, but I find a reluctance in the members I am repeatedly pointed to for conversation. I need wisdom in how to reach this demographic as they are uniquely ungrounded and sensitive to correction theologically and historically. I’m praying that God might give me the opportunity to converse with a genuinely open and seeking member of this community who has not yet fully been brainwashed to unplug their critical thinking.

Thank you so much for your continued generosity and investment in my training and ministry! Without your support and prayer, I would be unable to participate in the capacity I currently can!

May God bless you in the ministry He has given you!

With love and peace,
Ivan Penrose

There Are Four Ways to Partner With Me:

• Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking the button below. Once there, scroll to find my tile and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
• Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
• Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Ivan Penrose NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

EFM is blessed to journey with future missionaries to prepare for potential missionary service opportunities. EFM is also thankful for the partnership with North County Project in Southern California to provide this disciple-making apprenticeship for further training, experience, and discernment for missionary service.

The post Ivan Penrose | October 2025 Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Greetings in the name of the Lord!

Thank you for following my journey as I prepare for this next adventure! I will be leaving Denver on December first to start a tour of the country! First to Oregon to drop off my cats Bartleby and Burr to be cared for. Then to Kansas to spend time with family. Thomas will join me for Christmas with my family and then we will spend New Years with his family in Florida. After all that we will travel to California! Pray for travel mercies and opportunities to share along the way!

I have been packing up my house and preparing to move. Giving away a lot of things I love like plants to people I love like friends has given me an opportunity to start a “Ciao Tour.” Something I have been learning is the importance of visiting friends in their homes. This is especially important in the Latin culture. I would like to sincerely encourage everyone to adopt a little bit more of that practice in our lives. We need each other. We need community. We need to be loved by one another! So go visit your friends for coffee or dinner or just for a hug! Play a game! Share a plant!

I’m also just loving what the Holy Spirit is doing here at Denver Friends Church. We have started a Sunday School class called the One Body Class. We do not have a leader, but instead we make decisions together and we follow the scripture that is preached on Sunday and we have a facilitator to guide the class. I love how there is such a depth of knowledge with some, and there are others that are brand new to the Bible. I’ve had the privilege to watch a woman grow from being afraid to pray out loud to being the first to volunteer every single time. We are teaching each other about the Bible and the Holy Spirit is moving among us. Praise God!

We eat soup together monthly and a group of us hang out every Sunday! I have learned the importance of setting aside Sunday for the Lord through this community.

We also had the opportunity to go to family camp at Quaker Ridge Camp. We worked and played together!

God is deepening relationships through this! God is building his church through this! The Holy Spirit is building bridges here! People are opening their hearts and their lives to those who have left the families that they love to be able to try to survive and thrive. I’m deeply humbled to be able to know and have best friends in this community that I deeply love.

Once in California I will be living with a woman who started a ministry called Lot 318. She came into a neighborhood in Placentia, CA full of gangs with New York Cubano sass and the Holy Spirit surrounding her and the neighborhood has been transformed. Children now get the opportunity to decide to go to college instead of deciding which gang to join. I will be working and living alongside her to learn everything that I can! I will be helping with the homework club in the afternoons and participating in the activities of Lot 318 to the best of my ability! I will be able to bring in my talents as well and potentially have an English class or give first aid/CPR trainings.

More details to come as God continues to answer prayers and show the next steps little by little!

I’m inviting both financial and prayer partners to join me in this endeavor. Right now, I have 201 prayer partners with a goal to reach 250. Would you prayerfully consider coming alongside me through prayer, financial support, or both as I continue this ministry and journey? Your partnership truly makes a difference. You partner with me in both ways here. Thank you!

With gratitude and hope,
Cassandra Coleman

Praises and a few ways to pray for me:

• PRAISE: For a financially fantastic housing situation and a work opportunity that fits like a puzzle with my ambitions and talents! Praise for the opportunity to learn from a woman full of the Holy Spirit!
• PRAISE: Housing for my three sweet cats—Bartleby, Bellatrix, and Burr has been found! Bella has found her place in her celestial home on the rainbow bridge and I have found someone to take care of my two boys. It is bittersweet, but I was able to be with her to say goodbye. Praise the Lord for answers to prayers, even when they don’t come in the ways we would like them to. He always knows best and He is a kind father.
• Pray for courage, clarity, and that my roots can grow even deeper with the Father and for my future as an overseas missionary. Pray for my deepening knowledge and understanding of the Bible.
• Pray for my sister as she makes big decisions and continues rebuilding her stability. Big decisions need to be made very quickly and it’s very stressful for both of us. She has been sharing life with me in Denver for the last year, and this will be a major transition for both of us. Pray for her salvation.
• Pray for a recent development of a relationship with Thomas Moore from Southwest Yearly Meeting. We’re walking in faith with Jesus, exploring a future together in life and ministry as cross-cultural missionaries, and praying about marriage and applying with EFM as a married couple.
• Pray also for the finances of this endeavor. I would like to be fully funded to go in January and on top of that I’m asking for extra assistance with my car. I need a car in Southern California to do this ministry, but I also need to not have a car payment since I will not be working as a nurse. If the Lord is leading you to help financially with this, please contact me.

There are four ways to partner with me financially through October 2026:

• Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking the button below. Once there, scroll to find my tile and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
• Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
• Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10^th or 25^th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Cassi Coleman NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

The post Cassi Coleman | September 2025 Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.