INTRODUCTION
WELCOME TO THE RIVER OF LIFE/RIO DE VIDA MINISTRIES WEBSITE.
In the
words of Mari Anne Andersen, Director & Prayer Counselor with Freedom
House* in Chicago, Illinois:
“Then
He showed me the river, whose waters give life, sparkling like crystal,
flowing out from the throne of God and the Lamb.” (Revelation 22:1)
The Father of Creation, our Lord and Savior, is the “River of Life.” He
is the Fountain of Life. He is the Living Waters of Life. This river
is a steady movement of His current, to flow in us and through us
continually. It is searching out ways for our healing, cleansing,
restoring, strengthening, and multiplying our lives to become alive in
Christ. As seen in Ezekiel 47, the River gives a perpetual cycle of
fruits; everything lives and grows where it goes.
“Wherever it flows, it brings healing into areas of our life
that are like the Dead Sea. These areas of life are made fresh and
alive wherever the River goes. Along the banks of the River,
surrounding it on both sides, shall grow all kinds of fruit. Their
leaves will not fade, their fruit shall not fail. Each tree shall bring
forth new firstfruits, for the waters that sustain them pour forth from
God’s own heavenly sanctuary.
“Remember that we are the firstfruits among His creation, and
our fruit shall be food, our leaves for healing. How amazing it is to
know that we can be in the River moving, floating, along with our Lord,
who leads us from His sanctuary of life and truth to the desert places
where His life is so desperately needed. After all, we are called His
Oaks of Righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that HE MAY BE
GLORIFIED. (Isaiah 61:3) (Thanks Mari Anne!)
Out of this passion for what we see in Scripture, it is not our
position that we are the River of Life, but rather that we are a local
church, leadership and missions training ministry founded in order to
get as many people as possible flowing in that River, who is none other
than the Lord Jesus Christ.
HISTORY
River of Life/Río de Vida (we minister in English and Spanish) was
founded by Rev. Mark Simpson and his wife Lois, and is located in
Bolingbrook, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois where they have
lived for 15 years. (You can learn more by hitting the “About Us” link.)
The ministry exists to complement the local church and missions forces,
by supporting and equipping its leaders and workers, for the completion
of the Great Commission in a revival spirit.
Mark and his wife Lois completed thirty years in gospel ministry as well
as thirty years of marriage in 2005. Mark has traveled and ministered in
25 countries during that time, and people in many other places around
the United States, and in other nations, are asking us to add to that
number.
They have also lived with their children as missionaries in
Guatemala and Peru as well as a brief term in Mexico.
Mark resigned his traditional pastorate in 1998 to begin this ministry,
which at first served as an affiliate of the Southeast Asia Prayer
Center, founded by good friends Mark and Ellie Geppert. They continue
to this day as “working partners in ministry.”
Mark and Lois have four children, ranging in age from 30 to 20 years
old; two of them are married, and Matthew just announced his engagement
to be married. All of them live nearby. Mark's primary ministry
contributions to the Lord's work are training and ministry to church
leaders around the world, encouragement & exhortation, shepherding, and
cross-cultural and trans-local outreach and training for missionaries
and churches as well. He is also a writer and has books and other
material available on a wide range of subjects for Christian training
and leadership. He is available to teach, preach, counsel, disciple,
train local and cross-cultural leadership teams and oversee and conduct
missions training. His first book for leaders is called “The Unashamed
Workman”, based upon II Timothy 2:15, the verse prophesied over him and
Lois the night they were ordained to Gospel ministry in 1975. It is now
translated into Chinese and Indonesian, and more languages are in the
works.
He travels and ministers in the United States and other
countries, and raises up teams to travel with him. (You can see Mark’s
schedule at the “What’s New?” link.) Also we are working to raise and
up and prepare affiliates that develop their own ministries under River
of Life’s supervision and encouragement.
Traveling with a team gives both leaders and lay people an
opportunity to experience the joy of ministering to others here in the
United States and on foreign fields. Doors are opening and there is
revival in the air in many parts of the earth.
River of Life is designed to provide a quick response when
needed, and the ministry has four spheres of influence:
-
The Chicago area, primarily to Hispanic churches,
-
Churches and schools and ministries in the United States where God
opens doors,
-
Latin America, and
-
Asia.
SO . . . CHECK OUT ALL OF THE LINKS. IF YOU SPEAK SPANISH, THERE
IS A GROWING SPANISH DEPARTMENT EMERGING. There is teaching to be found
in English, in the link “Leader’s Letters.” We have many great
ministry/missionary friends and co-laborers that you can read about in
the “Links” link.
WE ARE A FAITH OPERATION, PRAYING IN OUR MONTHLY SUPPORT, MINISRY
EXPENSES AND TRAVEL COSTS. GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL.
We are a Federally approved 501C3 non-profit corporation. You can
support the work by electronic giving or by sending a check to River of
Life, P O Box 2035, Bolingbrook, Illinois 60440 USA.
* - Contact Freedom
House at www.freedomhouseministry.com
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