What an awesome privilege and pleasure, to serve over 250 Action International Ministries (ACTION) missionaries serving in more than 25 countries worldwide. It's tough at times, but it couldn't get much better than this - serving the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! 

We will back up a few years and tell you how this wonderful journey all got started.  

After finishing nursing school, Linda served with ACTION/CGM as a short-term missionary in Manila for six months in 1974. Back then, Nelson was working on his undergrad at Prairie Bible Institute.  You see, his father led him to Christ in '71, so he had some catching up to do.  

Nelson and Linda married in 1975 and joined Prairie Bible Institute staff. Nelson became one of the deans. During their time in Canada, Doug Nichols, Founder of ACTION, asked Nelson and six other men to form the Action International Ministries Canada Council in 1977 to recruit missionaries and represent ACTION in Canada. For the next three years the Reeds became well acquainted with the mission. As they sought direction from the Lord as to where they should serve in missions, God opened the door to ACTION.  They applied and in May 1980, the Reeds were accepted as career missionaries.

While raising support and preparing to go overseas, Ted Thompson, ACTION Canada's first Director, and Nelson worked together to incorporate ACTION in Canada.  

The Canadian winter approached and the Reeds moved to Seattle with their two girls, Jenny ('77) and Rebecca ('79) to continue support development, assist in the development of ACTION USA's personnel department and to organize and lead the 1981 Summer of Service team of 17 college students. Benjamin was born ('82).  

Again, winter approached and the Reeds headed for a warmer climate, departing for the Philippines for their first term of service in October, 1982. Did I say, "warmer climate?" Make that HOT and HUMID climate! After one year of language school, Nelson became the Personnel Director and Linda served primarily as a full-time mother and housewife, conducting some Bible studies with young believers. Stephen was born in 1985 in Manila.  

Nelson was appointed the Philippine Director from 1988 to 1997 minus furloughs. Linda continued as a full-time mom, part-time special education therapist at Faith Academy, and held Bible studies with women. They took an extended home assignment for further seminary training in missions from mid 1997 to 1999 in preparation for their new assignment.

By July 1999, they were back in the Philippines and began a new ministry for them, church-based missions development with a large indigenous local church. Ministry centered on a D-12 strategy of generational disciple making. The concept is simple and based on one of Christ's final commands, go make disciples that make disciples, who make more disciples and so on. The missional goal is to train committed followers of Christ who while they are going make disciples and gather them into small groups (D-groups become D-12 groups). When D-12 groups multiply existing churches are strengthen and new churches are founded.

Our vision then was to make disciples in the local church context with the intention that some of these would then in turn go to other countries and plant churches using the D-12 strategy. But we are not just talking about churches that meet within four walls, but those whose people engage their communities and start church-based ministries among the all peoples, but especially among the poor, children in crisis, the down trodden and marginalized.  The very things ACTION is passionate about.  

Planting indigenous churches isn't enough. Starting church planting movements isn't either. Our vision is to ignite sustainable church multiplication (SCM) in community that will spread to the nation and beyond.  To be sustainable requires learning and teaching disciples to keep all Christ's commands (Matthew 28:20).   

Well, here I have gone to preaching. Back to the story.

Leaders from the Philippines and several Asian countries that were discipled using the D-12 strategy are now serving throughout Asia.  Three couples are now ACTION missionaries ministering among unreached peoples.

In February 2007 the Reeds moved back to the Seattle area and Nelson was appointed the International Director.  He also serves as the Acting Africa Regional Director since 2008. Linda serves with Nelson on the International Office team as the International Women's Ministries Coordinator.

"Linda and my passion and commitment is to serve the ACTION team worldwide in efforts to help fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ, making disciples of all nations. We envision within each generation Christ-glorifying, sustainable, multiplying churches, led by discipled, godly, adequately equipped pastors and leaders ministering among all people groups, especially children in crisis, hidden and indigent peoples, in the communities where they live."

Join us in the fulfillment of this vision. Let us strive together to please our Lord and Savior! 

Blessings,  Nelson