The structural and administrative sustainability of the Church of God – Sri Lanka must be sound and self-sustaining. This photo shows our first meeting with an accountant hired through funds from this project. This project supports the following Administrative Sustainability goals:

• National Projects to fund Administration & Ministry
• National Coordinator & Project Coordinator stipends
• Accountant
• Annual Business Meetings
• Board Training and Development

This photo is of one of the Sri Lankan pastors graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion. His education was supported by the COG-SL through funds from this project. Business endeavors will empower the Church of God in Sri Lanka to generate national resources that will support  sustainabile National Ministry, including the following:

• Leadership Training and Development
• Credentialing Process
• On-Boarding Process
• National Ministries for youth, women, children
• Pastor Education

Pastors in Sri Lanka live in rural communities where ministry sustainability on tithes and offerings is unlikely. Projects funded in this area create small business ventures, including necessary education, training, & equipment, to supplement or sustain a pastor’s ministry work beyond tithes and offerings. Pastors are expected to contribute to their project and, when possible, to the National Ministry of COG-SL, through profits. Pastoral Sustainability funds supported the chicken coup project, pictured here, and other projects like these:

• Roaster Chicken Farm
• Chicken Hatchery
• Mushroom Farm
• Music for Hire
• Herb Sales
• Three-Wheeler for Hire
• Business Training
• Resourcing

Most Church of God pastors and members in Sri Lanka are geographically isolated and often require legal, spiritual, and social support to maintain ministry. The photo shows 11 women who were participating in ministry training so that they impact other women in their community. Funds provided for this project assist in providing the following which improve the spiritual health, strength, and well-being of Church of God pastors and lay-leaders in Sri Lanka.

• Pastoral Care
• Pastors Fellowship
• Ministry Training & Development
• Regional Ministry Exposure

Sri Lanka includes ministry in socially and religiously antagonistic communities, the COG-SL encourages pastors to develop projects initiated and managed by local COG churches to provide social services or to meet local needs in their community for the primary purpose of building and strengthening relationships between the local congregation and the village or community. The well pictured here was deepened and refaced to provide water to a drought-stricken area of Sri Lanka by COG-SL. Funds for this project support projects like the following:

• Evangelism & outreach
• Church & prayer cell resources
• Community projects
• Benevolence & relief projects
• Bibles & Christian literature
• After school tuition classes
• Sports equipment
• School books
• Community well (water supply)

Long-term sustainability of the Church of God in Sri Lanka is aided by the construction of new or repair and additions to existing Church of God facilities. Church buildings provide a stable platform for ministry in Sri Lankan communities. The photo above is of a newly established church in a primarily Muslim community. Having land to build on is a rare opportunity. Funds for buildings and facilities would support building and resourcing this Church of God congregation and others.

• Church buildings
• Meeting facility repair
• Worship resources