A story from Pastor Andrei Sava (Trinity Community Church) about a small act of kindness that still bears fruit
Nearly two decades ago, I was a poor international seminary student trying to complete my studies and faithfully prepare for ministry. One of my required textbooks was Dear Timothy, edited by Dr. Tom Ascol. Not knowing where else to turn, I reached out to ask if there was any way I could obtain a free copy.
I did not expect what happened next.
Dr. Ascol personally sent me not just one copy, but two, along with a generous collection of other books and resources from Founders Ministries. For a struggling student, that gift was more than practical help. It was a tangible expression of Christian generosity and brotherly care that I have never forgotten.
My name is Andrei Sava, and today I have the privilege of serving in pastoral ministry. By God’s grace, what was once a small act of kindness toward a young seminarian has borne fruit over many years of ministry.
Recently, that story came full circle.
Last month, Dr. Tom Ascol came and preached at our men’s study, where over 400 men gathered to hear God’s Word from the book of Ezra. It was a powerful time of encouragement and exhortation. But for me personally, it was also deeply meaningful because I was able to thank him face-to-face for that act of kindness from so many years ago.
Moments like that remind me that the work of Founders Ministries is not abstract. It is personal. It is pastoral. And it has a long reach.
Through books, teaching, conferences, and quiet acts of generosity, Founders has been strengthening pastors, equipping churches, and investing in men like me long before many of us ever realized it. What began as a few books in the hands of a struggling student became part of a much larger story of ministry, encouragement, and faithfulness.
That is what Founders Ministries continues to do today.
It is training men for pastoral ministry.
It is producing resources that anchor churches in sound doctrine.
It is encouraging leaders to stand firm on the sufficiency and authority of Scripture in a time when compromise is often easier than conviction.
And often, like in my case, it is doing this through simple, quiet faithfulness that the Lord uses in ways we cannot immediately see.
If that resonates with you, I want to invite you to be part of that kind of work.
Your generosity to Founders Ministries helps extend that same kind of encouragement and equipping to pastors, students, and churches around the world—many of whom are serving in difficult or under-resourced contexts.
Your gift of any amount helps:
- Place sound, theological resources into the hands of pastors and students who may not otherwise have access to them.
- Support training and development through Founders Seminary, the Institute of Public Theology, and other teaching efforts.
- Encourage and strengthen churches through conferences, publications, and ongoing ministry initiatives.
Would you prayerfully consider giving today to help continue this kind of gospel impact, often unseen at first, but bearing fruit for years to come?
Thank you for considering how the Lord might use you in this work. I am personally grateful because I am one of the many who have been shaped by the faithfulness of this ministry.
With gratitude,
Pastor Andrei Sava
Trinity Community Church
Clovis, CA
P.S. Sometimes the Lord uses a simple gift (like a few books) to shape a lifetime of ministry. Your generosity today may be the very means He uses to equip and encourage someone you may never meet this side of heaven.
