Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas and greetings in Jesus’ precious name! Christ came into this world “in the fullness of time” to redeem mankind from sin and to reconcile us to the Heavenly Father (Galatians 4:4,5). And what a great salvation it was and is that God wrought for us in Christ (see Hebrews 2:3-18)! Denise and I and our family wish you a warm and wonderful Christmas season and the best new year of your life in 2022.

Today I want to talk to you about opportunities and adversaries, but first I want to say thank you for being such a faithful partner with our ministry. As I told you in my letter last month, our ministry is bursting at the seams, and I am so humbled that God would use Denise and me, our family, and our team to minister to the many people who are reaching out to us every day.

Every soul is precious, and it is our heartfelt desire to convey that truth to every person God brings to us — that they are precious to Him and to us. And your gifts are so vital to our ability to touch every one of these treasured souls! So today I want to say a special thank you for all you do with us to take the trusted teaching of the Word of God to people in Russia and all over the world. From the depths of our hearts, Denise and I THANK YOU!

This month is the last month of the year — and I know you are probably preparing for Christmas and many different kinds of gatherings. But in addition to Christmas, it’s also almost 2022. As we come to the end of this year and to the beginning of a brand-new year, the Holy Spirit keeps telling me to “stay on track” with the assignments He has given us. I hear Him saying that even if we hit bumps along the way, everything will be all right if we’ll just stay on track and maintain our God-assigned territory — the many opportunities and assignments He has given us to inspire, strengthen, and equip believers with the sound teaching of the Bible.

But I’ve learned over the years that opportunities and adversaries usually go together — and today I want to encourage you to undergird yourself so that you can stay on track with what God has asked you to do this month and in the coming year.

Over the course of our ministry, we’ve had many great, effectual doors open to us to do the work of the Gospel. I’ll never forget when I received an opportunity to minister on television in the former Soviet Union. It was as if a great door had suddenly swung open to an entire vast territory — a door that had never before been opened for anyone else — and I knew I was experiencing something miraculous. By faith, Denise and I stepped through that door and began to preach the Word of God on television in this spiritually starved corner of the world.

Given the former socialist-communist campaigns against the Gospel in this particular region, this opportunity was as miraculous as the Jordan River dividing for Joshua and the children of Israel. But with this great open door also came a slew of adversaries, specifically dispatched by Satan to instill fear and doubt into my heart. The devil desperately wanted to prevent me from touching the lives of spiritually oppressed people, so he positioned evil people with insidious plans to try to block my view of what God had in store for our ministry.

I’m telling you that it was like the children of Israel looking at the Promised Land from the far side of the Jordan River. From that perspective, they saw only the fruitful land of blessing that lay before them. But once they entered the Promised Land, they had to fight giants of every kind before they could possess that land and enjoy the blessing. In much the same way, if Denise and I had taken our eyes off the Lord during that tumultuous period — or if we had focused only on the problems and forgotten about the fruit we were pursuing for God’s Kingdom — I’m sure we would have backpedaled to get out of the situation!

But we knew this was a God-given opportunity and worth the fight, so we fixed our gaze squarely on the Lord. Girded with the armor of God and the power of the Spirit, we pushed through every obstacle and possessed the ground that God called us to take. As a result, millions of souls began to hear the Gospel for the first time. We knew that only God could have opened this door!

In First Corinthians 16:9, the apostle Paul wrote about the strategic doors of opportunity that open for the Gospel and the adversaries that usually accompany them. He said, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” Notice that Paul used the words “great,” “door,” “effectual,” and “is opened” to describe the opportunity that had been set before him.

The word “great” in this verse is translated from the Greek word megale, which means gigantic. The word “door” is the Greek word thura, which typically refers to a door, but in this context, denotes a rare opportunity. The word “effectual” is the Greek word energes, and it depicts something that is powerful and ready to be set into motion. Finally, the phrase “is opened” is the Greek word anoigo, which describes something standing wide open. In other words, the door in question couldn’t be any more open! Thus, an alternate translation of Paul’s words in First Corinthians 16:9 could be rendered, “A gigantic, powerful opportunity is already set in motion and standing wide open….”

Paul continued by saying, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me….” You see, Paul knew that the particular door he was referring to had never been opened to anyone else, and he stood in awe of the unprecedented opportunity. Walking through these kinds of doors is impossible without divine assistance, and Paul was fully aware of God’s role in the matter. That is why he specified that this door had been opened “unto me.”

Paul’s prayer request in First Corinthians 16:9 was not for a door to open because it had already opened. His prayer request was to receive God’s wisdom to deal with the numerous adversaries who were trying to come against him. Paul used the Greek word antikeimenoi to describe the vast number of “adversaries” that were sent to attack him. This Greek word describes something that was piled high and lying all around him. In other words, he was dealing with more than a few minor opponents. On the contrary, it felt like opposition was stacked high on every side!

I’ve learned that the enemy will try his best to keep you from stepping through the gigantic doors of opportunity God desires to open for you. Satan is afraid of what will happen when “his” territory is invaded by someone fully equipped with a full arsenal of spiritual weapons. So know this: God will open doors for you — but He needs you to make a determined decision that you will walk through them, no matter the opposition, with the help of His Spirit.

By opening the door, God has already done His part, which would have been impossible without His assistance. Now He beckons you to come, dressed in the whole armor of God and in the power of His Word — and proceed through that effectual door into new territory. It may look like enemies are everywhere, but it is simply a fact that the devil and his forces flee and collapse when they are subjected to a show of strong faith!

As I mentioned earlier, many great and effectual doors have been opened to us over the years to do the work of the Gospel. In each case, we knew these doors were unique to us and had never before been opened for anyone else. And just as Paul experienced opposition, there were plenty of enemies that came against us with each opportunity. But because we obeyed God, the devil was forced to move out of the way, and we walked right into the virgin territory that God had opened for our ministry.

Even if you think your situation looks threatening right now, I want to tell you that God is with you. He wants to supernaturally open new doors for you — doors that have never before been opened for you. He is not beckoning you to walk through these doors so you can fail. He is with you every step of the way, and He will empower you to defeat every foe and bring Him glory in that new territory that is yours to possess in Jesus’ name!

Your open door may be an opportunity to shine the light of God’s Word and God’s love to your family or friends during this holiday season. It may be a door that will open to you in the new year. Regardless of when it is or what it is, the same God who opens doors will empower you to walk through them — and then He’ll be right with you to give you the wisdom and strength needed to overcome any giant that tries to meet you on the other side.

I know this is not a typical December, “Christmas-style” letter, but this is what was on my heart to share with you today. I want you to always know that if we can join you in prayer, we would be delighted to do so. To be honest, we are praying for you anyway, but when we are alerted to know exactly “how” to pray, it increases our effectiveness as we pray for you. So if you have a special need, please either call or write to let us know how we can get in agreement with you for God to show Himself mighty to you according to Jeremiah 33:3, which says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

And please pray for us as we continue marching forward by faith to push back darkness, to shine the light of God’s Word, and to take territory for the Kingdom of God. Together — as partners — we can make a difference in the lives of throngs of people who are crying out to God for help. They are waiting for God to respond to their prayers, and God wants to use us — you and us together — to bring them the answers they desperately need.

But before I close, I want to say we are specifically asking God to do something special for you this month and before the end of the year. I don’t know what it is, but that is what we are praying. We are asking God to do something special that will bless your life! And please, please pray for us as we continue pushing ahead to build our studio in Moscow, to finalize the purchase of our new headquarters in Tulsa, and to continue to minister effectually to every precious soul Jesus brings to us!

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families|

“Many things will take place in 2026 that will be unexpected by most people. However, you have My Spirit, so if you listen, I will prepare you, I will give you inner fortitude to meet each surprise — I will give you the inward strength you need to face each development.”

— Rick Renner

Watch the video above or click the button to download a FREE pdf of the Word God gave Rick for 2026! You may also request a beautifully printed hard copy with any order.

Denise Renner

This month, we want to tell you about someone who has been an integral part of RENNER Ministries — Denise Renner! Through both the good times and challenging times, she has stood with her husband, Rick Renner, for 42 years of marriage, family, and ministry. She helped move her family of five to the former Soviet Union and pioneer a great work of faith that continues to this day! As a young mother, Denise learned to raise her children in a different culture with an entirely different language by trusting God and leaning into His presence.

As a team, RENNER Ministries is blessed by the testimony of Denise’s life and encouraged by her steadfast faith in God. And today, we want to share her heart with you! Denise is a mentor to women worldwide, an author, a classically trained vocalist, and a dedicated minister of the Word of God. Denise genuinely teaches from her personal experience and relationship with the Lord.

For many years, God has directed Denise to care for the women in Moscow through her women’s ministry. Her ministry included hosting baby showers — something uncommon in that part of the world — and teaching her School of Cinderella classes, which she still does today. In these classes, Denise teaches for eight weeks on marriage and family, helping women learn biblical principles that they can apply to their relationships, their walk with the Lord, and life. Through numerous years of teaching School of Cinderella, Denise has witnessed marriages restored, parental relationships restored, friendships restored, relationships with the Lord restored, and so much more!

In 2012, after teaching School of Cinderella classes for several years, God prompted Denise to turn her course into a book. The result was her best-selling book Who Stole Cinderella? — a book that’s helped countless women strengthen their marriages and other meaningful relationships. Denise has also recorded a series of School of Cinderella video classes in English that you can access on her social media accounts and YouTube channel, which you can find by clicking the links at the bottom of this email. These digital lessons have allowed her to reach even more women through these easily accessible online platforms.

Denise has also ministered to individuals in women’s prisons, mental health facilities, orphanages, and children’s hospitals. Her God-given gift of singing has opened many doors to share the Gospel in places that otherwise wouldn’t allow it. We’re continuing to believe and stand in agreement with Denise for brand-new opportunities to share the Gospel of Christ, such as her new live radio show that broadcasts Denise’s teaching throughout the Russian-speaking world every week!

In 2021, Denise began filming programs for her new weekly series, TIME With Denise Renner. Each week, Denise prepares a powerful message to share with her viewers. This time is full of godly advice, encouragement, online interaction and fellowship, and, of course, teaching you can trust! Her close walk with the Lord shines brightly through each program as she faithfully shares what the Lord has put on her heart for that week. Her audience is still growing by the week, and if you’d like to support her ministry, you can do so by watching TIME With Denise Renner each Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. CT on any of her social media links or by visiting DeniseRenner.org.

We invite you to connect with Denise through her social media platforms and glean from her godly wisdom and tender heart. We would also like to extend a big THANK YOU to our partners! Your generosity is making such a difference in the lives of women worldwide!

Dear Friend,

In John 15:16 (NKJV), the Bible says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”

In this verse, the Bible is talking about being fruitful, or productive, and doing work that remains, or work that is continually productive. Today, I want to give you a real-life example of this Bible verse.

On Sunday, April 23, our Riga Good News Church celebrated its 30-year anniversary! This is a big deal! As we celebrated, I thought about all the thousands and thousands of people who received Christ because of the Riga church. I thought about all the people in the church who have passed away to be with the Lord over the past 30 years. They would have loved to have been here with us for this celebration, but I believe they were watching us. Praise God!

I thought about how Riga Good News Church has preached the Gospel message for more than 1,560 Sunday services and how these services have been shining a light in people’s lives, teaching them how to live a godly life. I thought about how this church has changed Riga, Latvia, and the Baltic States by being a good example.

See photos of Riga Good News Church’s 30-year anniversary celebration below.

My mind then turned to think about all the partners who gave to our Riga church. Their giving is still “giving” and bearing fruit that remains, because the Riga Good News Church is alive and well — teaching the Bible and being a light in the country of Latvia.

Finally, I thought about the Lord’s faithfulness to us from the beginning and throughout all these years. He is so faithful!

I just wanted to celebrate this wonderful anniversary and to share my gratitude to the Lord for all He has done because of your partnership with this ministry. Happy 30th anniversary, Riga Good News Church!

God bless,

Joel Renner||||||||||

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Become a Partner Today!

RENNER Ministries

Editor’s Note: Joel Renner is the CEO of RENNER Ministries. Alongside his father, Joel has actively participated for many years in nearly every facet of the daily operations of the ministry. Joel resides in Moscow, Russia, with his wife and two sons.

Dear Friend,

On September 7, 2000, we had our first Moscow Good News Church service in the Hotel Russia. I remember it so well, and now 22 years later, we are celebrating all that the Lord has done in the church. It’s difficult to say for certain how many hundreds of thousands of people have attended the Moscow Good News Church over the years, but I would not be exaggerating to say the most important thing we do as a church is share the Gospel with them. That is what we have been doing for 22 years in more than 1,100 church services — sharing the Good News with those who need it most.

Here are some photos from our first church meeting in the Hotel Russia and photos from our most recent church anniversary:

The list of people who have spoken in the Moscow Good News Church could go on for several pages, and the work that God has done in our church would fill many more. The marriage ceremonies that have been performed, the children who have been dedicated, the funerals that have been held, the leaders who have been trained and built up, and the troubled marriages that have been rescued because of the Gospel teaching in our church is just outstanding.

If you are a financial partner with us, YOU are a part of making these results a reality. The fruit of this work is amazing, and we want to say thank you for all you have given to make this outreach of the Gospel possible. Not everyone grows up in church or has Bible teaching available to them, so we must continue taking the Gospel to those who need it.

Remember what Jesus said in Luke 5:31: “…It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” As Christians, we need to take medicine to the sick, and that medicine is the good news of the love of Christ.

Let’s keep on taking the love of Jesus to as many people as possible.

God bless,

Joel Renner|Email From a Partnering Pastor Distributing Aid:
Dear Pastor Rick Renner,

Thank you for your help to refugees from Ukraine who have been displaced. Though we’ve been working together on this relief project, we do not know you personally, but we have been listening to your programs for about 15 years, and we watch you on YouTube and on Facebook. Thank you for feeding us spiritually all these years.

Though we are a small church, we have influence in our city, and from the first days of this crisis, we knew in our hearts that the Holy Spirit wanted us to do something for the people who seek refuge. So we opened a transit center for the reception of refugees. We offer them spiritual help, we pray for everyone, we hug people, we tell them about God’s love and protection, and we are seeing God work wonderfully in their lives.

Among the people we are reaching there are even Muslims who are hearing the Gospel and are repenting. We are really seeing God work miracles, and we have already distributed 10,000 relief packages!

We appreciate your prayers and all the ways you are helping to provide assistance!||

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Denise Renner

RENNER Ministries

Dear Friend,

Here are some photos from our first church meeting in the Hotel Russia and photos from our most recent church anniversary:

Let’s keep on taking the love of Jesus to as many people as possible.

God bless,

Joel Renner|Email From a Partnering Pastor Distributing Aid:
Dear Pastor Rick Renner,

Among the people we are reaching there are even Muslims who are hearing the Gospel and are repenting. We are really seeing God work miracles, and we have already distributed 10,000 relief packages!

We appreciate your prayers and all the ways you are helping to provide assistance!||

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Moscow Good News Church

RENNER Ministries

Dear Friend,

Here are some photos from our first church meeting in the Hotel Russia and photos from our most recent church anniversary:

Let’s keep on taking the love of Jesus to as many people as possible.

God bless,

Joel Renner|Email From a Partnering Pastor Distributing Aid:
Dear Pastor Rick Renner,

Among the people we are reaching there are even Muslims who are hearing the Gospel and are repenting. We are really seeing God work miracles, and we have already distributed 10,000 relief packages!

We appreciate your prayers and all the ways you are helping to provide assistance!||

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Spreading the Gospel
via TV

RENNER Ministries

Dear Friend,

This is Rick Renner writing with another UPDATE.

Due to the help provided by our amazing friends and partners, we are able to continue delivering assistance to people who are in great need. At the moment, we are loading a large container with goods that will be headed to help displaced people.

Think of it…massive relief going to people along with a Bible, a book on salvation, Psalm 91, and a packet of information about how to connect to our online church when they are finally able to get online again. In the days and months to come, we believe God will enable us to teach them the Word of God and help them grow in the Lord. And you are a significant part of that!

This week, we have heard so many testimonies about how this relief has already impacted people’s lives. Our teams that have been delivering the relief returned to get the next load to deliver, and they are SO FULL IN THEIR HEARTS about what they are seeing God do in people’s lives through the relief provided. They are bursting with joy about our being there to help these precious souls! Following this email is a letter from a pastor whose church has delivered 10,000 relief packages with substantial help from RENNER Ministries! That’s just a fraction of what we are able to do thanks to the generous giving of partners who want to be a part of bringing help and strength to those who need it most. I think you will be blessed by what you read. Thank you so much for all you’ve done. If it’s in your heart to do more, please click here.

Also, since last week, our team has been purchasing building materials for the interior of our new studio. There is so much more to do, but step-by-step, we are moving forward. We are so grateful for every person who has given to help us get this done before prices are completely out of sight. Again, thank you so much for all you’ve done, and if it’s in your heart to help more with this, please click here.

You have been so amazing in your response, and I felt a need to update you about what your acts of generosity have accomplished so far. And now, please, let us know how to pray for you. We are a ministry that really prays, and if you’ll let us know how to pray, we will release our faith for God to move in your life. Just call 1-800-742-5593 or send us an email at prayer@renner.org. (You can also submit your confidential prayer request online at renner.org/request-prayer.) I assure you that we will really pray for you!

I am so grateful to God for you,

Rick Renner

|Email From a Partnering Pastor Distributing Aid:
Dear Pastor Rick Renner,

Among the people we are reaching there are even Muslims who are hearing the Gospel and are repenting. We are really seeing God work miracles, and we have already distributed 10,000 relief packages!

We appreciate your prayers and all the ways you are helping to provide assistance!||

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House of Mercy

RENNER Ministries

Dear Friend,

This is Rick Renner writing with another UPDATE.

I am so grateful to God for you,

Rick Renner

|Email From a Partnering Pastor Distributing Aid:
Dear Pastor Rick Renner,

Among the people we are reaching there are even Muslims who are hearing the Gospel and are repenting. We are really seeing God work miracles, and we have already distributed 10,000 relief packages!

We appreciate your prayers and all the ways you are helping to provide assistance!|||

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Dear Friend,

MY HEART IS OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS TODAY…

How could I ever fully express how thankful we are for you and what you have given at this desperate time to help so many suffering people who have been displaced in our part of the world. Our hearts are full, and we simply thank God for you!

Many organizations commendably do something quickly to help the suffering when an event occurs, and then they move on to bring aid to the next event. But God has uniquely positioned us to help because we actually LIVE here and have feet on the ground to deliver goods and to touch the hearts of those in need with the Gospel. We are committed to keep going again and again to touch these precious souls. When everyone else has moved on, we will still be here to help. One person recently told one of our team members, “Thank you that you came back again! We were hoping that we wouldn’t be forgotten!”

We are delivering literally TONS of relief, along with the Word of God and a book about salvation. So we’re not just meeting physical needs, but also spiritual needs. And today, I simply want to express my gratitude to you.

If it’s in your heart to continue to help us provide even more assistance, please click here. Or if it’s on your heart to help us finish our studio, you can click here. If you do no more, you have already done something so significant, and our hearts are overflowing with thankfulness to you and to God for what you have done. Only do what you feel the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do.

And, please, never forget that we are a serious praying ministry. If you’ll reach out to us with your special prayer needs (anything on your heart), I promise that you’ll REALLY be prayed for with great compassion, expectation, and faith. Just call us at 1-800-742-5593, or send us an email at prayer@renner.org.

We love you and we are thanking God for you and for what you have done!

Rick Renner
with Denise, Paul, Philip, Joel, and our ministry team

|Email From a Partnering Pastor Distributing Aid:
Dear Pastor Rick Renner,

Among the people we are reaching there are even Muslims who are hearing the Gospel and are repenting. We are really seeing God work miracles, and we have already distributed 10,000 relief packages!

We appreciate your prayers and all the ways you are helping to provide assistance!

Dear Friend,

This is Rick Renner writing with another UPDATE.

I am so grateful to God for you,

Rick Renner

|Email From a Partnering Pastor Distributing Aid:
Dear Pastor Rick Renner,

Among the people we are reaching there are even Muslims who are hearing the Gospel and are repenting. We are really seeing God work miracles, and we have already distributed 10,000 relief packages!

We appreciate your prayers and all the ways you are helping to provide assistance!|Email From a Partnering Pastor Distributing Aid:
Dear Pastor Rick Renner,

Among the people we are reaching there are even Muslims who are hearing the Gospel and are repenting. We are really seeing God work miracles, and we have already distributed 10,000 relief packages!

We appreciate your prayers and all the ways you are helping to provide assistance!

,,|,,

Denise Renner

Become a Partner Today!

Denise Renner

Moscow Good News Church

Spreading the Gospel via TV

House of Mercy

Spreading the Gospel
via TV