Partnering with pastors for the advancement of the gospel.

The 23 Project exists to partner with pastors and planters for the advancement of the gospel. That purpose has not and will not change. What has become clearer this year is how we believe that purpose is best pursued.

This year brought clarity to our conviction that depth of relationship matters more than breadth of reach. We chose to fund fewer partnerships than we might have otherwise, not because need diminished, but because experience continues to show that long-term fruitfulness is most often produced where trust, presence and mutual commitment are given time to grow. This approach requires more work, greater restraint, and fewer visible wins. It is also proving to be more rewarding.

In many ways, the year unfolded better than expected. The number and quality of applications for both our sabbatical and church plant partner grants were strong. The assessment process was marked by unity and clarity, and the annual partner retreat confirmed for us the value of sustained investment in the lives and callings of those we support. We are grateful for the evident leading of the Holy Spirit throughout these moments, particularly where decisions required patience rather than speed.

Because we seek to be fuel on a fire that is already burning, we do not see our role as planting churches or directing outcomes ourselves, but as coming alongside pastors and planters whose lives and work are already marked by evident faithfulness, deep dependence on Christ and an excitement to bring the good news of the gospel to their context.

We also learned this year that our plans must remain held with open hands. During our church plant partner assessments, we expected to identify all partners within a defined window. Instead, we discovered that one partnership required waiting beyond that timeline. In hindsight, waiting proved to be God's providence to us. This reaffirmed a posture we aim to maintain: careful preparation paired with a willingness to be led by the Word of God and the Spirit of God, even when that disrupts our expectations.

Looking ahead, we are prayerfully optimistic about the continued fruitfulness of the partners we already serve — fruit measured not in expansion alone, but in lives changed, churches strengthened, and communities renewed through the presence of the gospel. What remains unresolved is how and when God will provide additional long-term mission partners like yourself to sustain this work through prayer and giving. We trust that He will do so in His perfect time, and we are committed to waiting patiently and expectantly on Him.

We are grateful for what we have seen and experienced so far because it reminds us that God is at work, drawing people into His mission and allowing us to participate in what He is doing in the world. Our prayer is that you, along with us, would feel a sense of gratitude and thankfulness for the privilege of sharing in that work.

Thank you for your prayers, support and partnership with the 23 Project. We are deeply grateful.