Dear friends, colleagues, and champions of ECHO:

Greetings as we move into spring (for you northerners) and the rainy season (for those of you from the tropics); both of which point to newness and rebirth. I am reminded of my January devotional for our ECHO staff, which centered on the idea of “new” as we read in the Greek New Testament. Unfortunately, in English, our word “new” doesn’t capture the nuance of different Greek words in the New Testament in important verses such as “Behold I am making all things new,” (Rev 21:5) or “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (2 Cor 5:17)

As Rev. Dr. Dave Bookless, Director of Theology for A Rocha, points out, in Greek, there are different words for “new” including neos (completely brand new) and kainos (renewed, refurbished, restored) that add textured nuance. In almost all verses in the NT where we have new, the word is actually kainos, which has meanings of restoration, rejuvenation, and even recycling. When Jesus says “I am making all things new” in relation to the end times of the cosmos, He’s really talking about restoring, refreshing, and rejuvenating His cosmos, which is in keeping with Christ’s supremacy and work as a reconciler of all things in Colossians 1:15-23. 

That kainos moment has come to ECHO as we move into a time to praise God for what He has done through the last strategic plan (2017-2021) and seek Him corporately for guidance and wisdom as we move into the next global strategic planning process. It is also an exciting time of renewal and refreshment as we have added neos and kainos staff alike (Patrick Trail — ECHO Asia Director and Larry Comstock — Director of Advancement — Pg. 11) and have begun the search process for additional new and refreshed teammates. A refreshed organization structure for ECHO Florida is also being rolled-out to make us more effective and to pave the way for new Regional Impact Centers and strategic approaches in the years to come.

Change is scary, but when we approach it through a kainos lens, it can help us to rejoice in the refreshing that God is providing. It is an exciting time at ECHO as we corporately praise God for His faithfulness over 42 years. Now we look to the future, roll-up our sleeves, and co-create to ensure that we remain relevant, useful, and effective in honoring God by empowering the undernourished with sustainable hunger solutions.

Thanks for joining with us in your prayers, encouragement, and financial partnership during this kainos moment for ECHO. If you would like to provide feedback or be a part of the strategic planning process, please contact advance@echonet.org.

For Christ and His Kingdom,

Abram J. Bicksler