The Rephidim Project exists to mobilize, equip and encourage pastors worldwide with a blueprint for expositional preaching that produces Christlike believers by the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God.

Pastors and missionaries become weary in the work and may feel isolated and discouraged. We seek to “encourage the exhausted and strengthen the weak” (Isaiah 35:3) through developing and distributing resources for Bible exposition. We believe that feeding deeply on God’s Word refreshes the soul. We also believe that incarnational teaching encourages the weary. We spread God’s Word more effectively when we feed on God’s Word in fellowship with others. We want people to feast on the banquet of God’s Word and not settle for the fast food that fills but does not nourish the soul for battle.

The name comes from Exodus 17. Rephidim was the place where God provided water to refresh the thirsty Israelites and guided them to victory over the Amalekites. The Hebrew word comes from an Arabic root meaning to prop up, support, spread, and refresh. The word is used for eating and resting to restore strength (Song of Songs 2:5). Refreshment comes from providing nourishment to the weary and encouragement to the discouraged. The support prepares us for renewed battle.

The Israelites led by Joshua fought the Amalekites at Rephidim. Moses, with Aaron and Hur, climbed a high mountain overlooking the battlefield. Moses raised the staff of God above his head. As long as he spread the staff out, the Warriors prevailed in battle below. When his arms became weary, Aaron and Hur held them up (Exodus 17:12). Joshua and the army won a great victory with the support of Moses, Aaron and Hur. The Egyptians wrote about the raised arms of Pharoah to signal the attack and protect the army. Moses provided the battle signals to encourage and direct the soldiers on the front lines of the fight. God guided Joshua in battle through the uplifted staff of Moses until victory was won and the weary army could rest.

The Rephidim Project began in 2001 as a ministry of Galilee Baptist Church to our missionaries around the globe. The purpose was to support and encourage our missionaries through personal visits, preaching and teaching. Pastor David Christensen traveled to Spain and Morocco on the first pastoral trip in 2001. Subsequent trips to Ireland, Russia and Panama followed. Bible exposition, prayer, and pastoral support were all central to the mission of each trip. The church published audio sermons of Pastor Dave’s expository preaching first on cassette tape and then in digital formats and distributed them on request. The Rephidim Project distributed printed books to those in ministry free of charge. The project grew until a subsidiary organization was formed in 2016 under the umbrella of the church to grow the ministry to support more pastors and missionaries through personal teaching and the development of print and digital resources. In 2018, the Rephidim Project achieved official status as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit from the US Internal Revenue Service and now functions as a fully independent non-profit ministry. Donations may be mailed to:
 
The Rephidim Project
PO Box 145
Gorham, Maine 04038