The Gospel in Word and Deed:
A Journey Through E4’s Work in Pakistan
I traveled to Pakistan in May with one of our board members and his wife. The trip was incredible in so many ways and very difficult as I contracted Cholera and was very sick for much of the trip. I am thankful I could still push through most days. There was so much to be encouraged by. We heard testimonies, met beneficiaries, saw visible fruit from simple yet meaningful interventions, and witnessed God at work through programs that meet both physical and spiritual needs. At the same time, the trip gave us a sober recognition of the complexity of the work. The needs are significant.
The spiritual environment is difficult. At the heart of this work is a Biblical mandate we cannot ignore. Scripture repeatedly calls God’s people to defend the cause of the poor and needy, care for the vulnerable, remember the oppressed, proclaim good news to the poor, and make disciples of all nations. This is not optional work for the Church. It is deeply connected to what it means to know and follow God. There are over 2,000 verses in the Bible that talk about caring for the poor and needy. Our E4 verse is one of them. Jeremiah 22:16 says, “He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” That verse continues to shape the heart of E4 Project, and this trip reminded me again that our work in Pakistan is deeply aligned with that calling.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Matthew 25:34-36
I left Pakistan encouraged, burdened, challenged, and hopeful. Encouraged by the fruit we are seeing. Burdened and challenged by the depth of need and the weight of spiritual opposition. Hopeful because I believe God is giving E4 Project a meaningful opportunity to serve persecuted believers, engage vulnerable communities, and potentially open doors for long-term Gospel witness in the Muslim world.
One of the greatest encouragements from this trip was witnessing clear evidence of fruit from the programs E4 has implemented over the last year with our team at Messiah Ministries. On my first trip in March of 2025, I remember meeting women who seemed weary, guarded, and unsure of what opportunities were available to them. On this trip, we saw those same women who were beginning to carry themselves with dignity, pride, and a stronger sense of community because of the training, support, and God’s love they had received from our partners, Messiah Ministries. The domestic workers' program in Lahore was especially meaningful. We spent our first and last evenings with the women in this program. On the first evening, we observed the skills they have been learning, including sewing, literacy, and basic life skills. Women as young as 19 and as old as 70 or more were participating. Some are learning to read for the first time because they want to read their Bibles. Even if they are only beginning with basic words, they are moving forward with courage and determination.
On our final evening, the women hosted a Pakistani cultural evening for us. They welcomed us with joy, hospitality, and celebration. They danced, laughed, shared food, and expressed themselves openly in community. At one point, we asked whether they would have danced like that a year ago, before the program began. Their answer was a resounding no. That moment said a great deal. It revealed that the program has done more than teach skills. It has helped create a space where women feel known, valued, safe, encouraged, and part of a community, something very few of them have experienced before.
Serving Together
Below, you will find a gallery of images from our time serving together with our partners
This is why our community development approach matters. We are not simply distributing resources. We are helping create environments where people can experience dignity, build skills, grow in confidence, and form relationships that strengthen both their lives and their faith. We saw fruit in other areas as well. We met beneficiaries of livestock programs. We visited young women in Youngsonabad who demonstrated the advanced sewing skills they have been developing. We spent time with families in the Bhagowal Road kiln community in Faisalabad. We participated in a livestock distribution.
I was also reminded of a quote from our E4 overview video. One of our previous partnership directors, Dan Lewan, talks about the spectrum of work we at E4 do with our partners, from health care to meeting the needs of disabled people to clean water programs to leadership training and community development. He states, “the what we do varies, but the mission is always the same: defending the cause of the poor and needy and proclaiming the gospel together in partnership with nationals on the ground who know the needs of their people better than we do. They can work more effectively than we can because they are part of the culture.” We were also able to witness the giftedness God has placed in our team in Faisalabad.
We were also able to witness the giftedness God has placed in our team in Faisalabad. We hired a young Christian Pakistani woman over a year ago who was working at several brick kilns in her city. With E4’s support, she and her siblings have expanded their gospel-focused programs. These include food distributions, warm clothing and bedding for families, and the installation of wells so these bonded servants have access to clean water. This is truly a family operation. The youngest son was constantly serving behind the scenes. He transported people on his motorcycle, helped with logistics, took photos, and supported his sisters in countless practical ways. The two young sisters lead at the brick kilns in Gospel teaching, worship, and food/supply distributions. Throughout the week, we had rich conversations about church, ministry, Scripture, leadership, suffering, and calling.
This trip also stirred something deeper in me personally. Brynn and I have been praying for ways to have a greater impact in the Muslim world, particularly within the 10/40 Window, where the spiritual need is immense, and many people have had little or no meaningful opportunity to hear about Christ. What I saw in Pakistan encouraged me, as I believe E4 may be developing a model that can meaningfully and relationally serve both the physical and spiritual needs of Muslim communities.
Many Muslim families face the same challenges we are already facing among Christian families in Pakistan: poverty, debt, limited access to clean water, lack of opportunity, barriers to education, and the need for long-term support. We are already reaching some Muslim families through our work, but are excited about the opportunity to increase this through practical platforms such as livestock distribution, clean water programs, vocational training, economic support, mobile medical clinics, and broader community development, which can meet real needs, restore dignity, and create space for trust, relationships, and gospel witness to grow over time.
Our desire must never be to make assistance conditional or transactional. We serve because Christ first loved us. We serve because scripture commands us to love our neighbors, remember the poor, defend the vulnerable, care for the oppressed, and proclaim the hope of Christ. We serve because the gospel is both spoken and embodied as we walk alongside people with dignity, compassion, and truth. My long-term prayer is that the E4 model can eventually be used in places where people have never heard of Jesus Christ. That possibility is both exciting and sobering. It calls us to pray, build carefully, strengthen our systems, and remain attentive to where God may be directing our efforts next.
We have an opportunity to serve with compassion and wisdom, address physical needs with dignity, support persecuted believers faithfully, and remain open to the larger spiritual opportunities God places before us. I am grateful for what God has allowed us to witness in all of these things. I am sobered by the responsibility. I am encouraged by the fruit. And I am prayerful that the next season of E4’s work in Pakistan will be marked by even deeper wisdom, stronger partnerships, and faithful obedience to the calling God has placed before us.
