Update from Pastor Virgil – January 2026

Moving Christians from the Pew to the Harvest

January 23, 2026

2026: Livin’ in Goshen Land

First of all, a slightly belated “Happy New Year!”

When I first got into the Word of Faith crowd in 1980, I was amazed at how every preacher seemed to get a new word for every new year. To be really cool, they had to rhyme, like “We’re gonna thrive in ’25” or “Give ’em Heaven in 2011.” I was never very good at rhyming. I was thinking, “God bless us hicks in ’26,” but Judy said “NO!” Oh well.

On the last Sunday of 2025, the Holy Spirit spoke a word to me during service which I delivered to the church here on January 4. I felt so strongly about it that I sent out an “Out of the Abundance of the Heart” letter with a brief synopsis. Again, I believe it is important, so here it is: “Dark clouds on the horizon, the glory cloud in the church. Live in the light!”

Very briefly, here is a recap:

  • Islam is making tremendous inroads into Western civilization. Through violence, immigration, and procreation, the followers of a false god are bent on domination. They have formed a bizarre alliance with communists, anarchists, and sexual deviants to attack the Judeo-Christian foundations of our society. Our job is to be willing to pray, speak out, and love them enough to tell them the truth. Jesus is Lord!
  • The downward spiral of sexual morals continues. When I was a kid, we were appalled at the rising divorce rate, then the so-called “sexual revolution,” then the rise of the “gay rights” crowd. Now we debate whether men can be women and vice versa, and whether we should mutilate children who have identity issues. As God’s people, we must first begin to live right ourselves and then speak out for sanity and purity.
  • The church is still divided over issues of doctrine and practice. The two big ones are still what grace really means and whether or not the manifestations of the Spirit have passed away. We must learn to love one another even when we disagree. At the very least, we can learn to treat other believers with respect and not speak ill of them on the Internet.
  • Artificial intelligence is going to cause problems. Soon AI-generated videos will show speakers you know and trust teaching and prophesy things that simply aren’t true. It will be vital that the local church prepare people to discern the true from the false, that we all have human leaders that we know and who will watch for our souls. (Hebrews 13:17)

For 2026, the Lord is preparing Himself a glorious church. It is the only “safe place” in the storms that lie ahead. God separates His people and prepares a place for their safety in times of judgment. From the ark to Goshen, and to the Highway of Holiness, God takes care of those who choose to dwell in His secret place. Some commentators say Goshen means “drawing near.” God said in Exodus 8:22 “I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell.” It’s time to draw near and stay close.

Mexico IEMFe Bible School: On Saturday, January 31st, we will honor 19 graduates of the upper levels of IEMFe in Hermosillo. The Servant Level graduates have completed 64 hours of ministry training. Leadership Level graduates have completed a minimum of 96 hours. Many have completed well over 100 hours of coursework. All of them will have completed the “Life in the Spirit” course which is a requirement for all our advanced graduates. It covers in depth what it means to live, “in the Spirit.” (Visit our online store to find videos and course outlines for all our courses.)

Annual Congreso: One course that I haven’t taught in Hermosillo is “Preparing to Preach.” I will be teaching it each morning during the annual Congreso of Ministerio de Fe Cristiana, January 28-31. This year, we are meeting in a new facility with better parking and more room. Pastor Randy Winkles, Pastor John Smith, and Rev. Gabe Rascon will be part of our team from Tucson. In addition to several of our local Hermosillo grads, Pastor Carlos Bonilla, from Nezahualcoyotl will also be coming to speak. Our theme this year is “The Grace that Transforms.” We are expecting God to do great things. PRAY for the meeting, the travel to and from, and provision for every need.

(When I posted the ad for the meetings, I realized that all but one of the speakers were graduates of IEMFe or its English version, Faith Ministry Training Institute. This is just a small sample of what your support has made possible).

Saturday morning pastors meetings. This year we are changing our format for teaching. Having completed our formal bible school classes for everyone, we will be doing to Saturday Seminars specifically for pastors. Our commission is to “prepare pastors to shepherd the harvest.” Rather than focusing on our own students and graduates, we will be able to reach pastors from every background. We have a great team doing the planning and strategizing. Our monthly Zoom meetings for pastors and leaders will also continue.

The first of our in-person “Equipping Pastors for the Harvest” seminars will be on February 28th. The subject is “Portadores de Su Nombre,” exploring what it means to be bearers of His Name. This is gonna be good, I promise.

Reports: Glory stories!

  • “Is There an Interpreter in the House” will be available on Amazon Kindle very soon, along with an updated paperback version. Keep your faith in gear as we work our way through the list of books needing a refresh.
  • We have upgraded our internet connection in Mexico and are now able to record classes for posting on YouTube. We have recorded the first two sessions of “The Visionary Pastor.” We should have the YouTube channel up and running by next month.
  • Judy and I are both feeling better. I got a good report from the cardiologist and the urologist, and I am ready for service. Judy is having some medications adjustments, and we expect her to be back at 100% very soon. I need her!

Don’t Forget!!!!!!

Our local church has changed its name. We are now called Goodness Family Church. All of our finances go through the church. We are part of the Goodness team!

Financial support can be sent to Goodness Family Church at the address below or given online at https://www.goodnesschurch.org/giving . Checks can be made to Goodness Family Church and designated to missions or to pastorvirgil and it will get where it needs to go.

Here are some things you can do to help:

Judy and I pray daily for you. We are so grateful to have friends, old and new, who believe in us and the work God has given us. Thank you for your prayers and support. Hopefully, you can see that together, we really are making a difference.

Virgil and Judy Stokes

3141 W. Ironwood Hill Dr.

Tucson AZ, 85745

520-792-3238

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