About Flagstone Foundation

Founded on December 18th, 2019, the initial goal of the Flagstone Foundation, which is a 501c(3) organization, is to assist the spread of the Gospel in China by promoting the Chinese version of the Bethel Series course and other activities.

The outbreak of Covid-19 at the beginning of 2020 quickly changed the plan and led the Foundation into a great humanitarian effort to fight against the pandemic and preserve lives. Flagstone Foundation participated in the Life Preservation Initiative Project sponsored by the Daofeng and Angela Foundation and made a significant contribution. The Flagstone Foundation completed the procurement, international transportation, and on-demand distribution of 420,000 non-surgical disposable masks and 39,480 N95 masks during the pandemic break-out period when the PPEs were the shortest. After the most urgent pandemic stage in the United States passed, the Flagstone Foundation began to think about fulfilling its mission in the context of the global pandemic.

In 2021, Flagstone Foundation decided to open a  Chinese version of the Bethel Series course in the United States, providing Chinese American pastors and preachers with a panoramic Bible training course to promote Chinese Americans’ true understanding of Christian doctrines.

Flagstone Foundation has no full-time staff, and the operation depends on volunteers. As a typical grassroots NPO, Flagstone Foundation has no official website.

Project Data Disclosure

Since the establishment of the Flagstone Foundation from December 18, 2019, to the end of Dec 2021, the Flagstone Foundation has received incomes totaling $264,263.91, total expenditures of $142,457.28, and a balance of $ 122,920.66. Flagstone has carried out three projects: Gospel China (Bethel Series), Life Preservation Initiative, and the Bethel Series Training.

Dao Feng and Angela Foundation (formerly known as Daofeng & Angela Foundation) is the leading donor of Flagstone Foundation. By the end of 2021, Dao Feng and Angela Foundation has provided more than US$ 200,000 to support Flagstone Foundation to pursuit its mission.

In addition to financial support, Dao Feng and Angela Foundation also provides capacity building support and strategic consulting support to encourage and promote the standardized operation and sustainable development of Flagstone Foundation.

Life Preservation Initiative

During the COVID-19 pandemic that began in the spring of 2020, the Flagstone Foundation, as one of the leading executive agencies, assisted the Dao Feng & Angela Foundation, passionately participating in the “Life Preservation Initiative” to fight the pandemic and prevent the spread of the covid19 in the community, made an outstanding contribution.

This initiative mainly included the following aspects:

1. Provide hospitals with urgently needed PPEs to protect frontline medical health workers.
2. Provide PPEs for community emergency personnel such as policemen and firefighters.
3. Provide PPEs for various philanthropic organizations serving the vulnerable groups in the community.

Under the leadership of the staff of the Flagstone Foundation, the volunteers have devoted more than 1,000 hours of volunteer time and made essential contributions in the following aspects:

1. Assisted in purchasing PPEs worldwide and purchased a total of 980,293 PPEs.
2. Assisting and acting as the primary distributor, provided PPEs to 25 large hospitals and 30 NPOs.
3. Mobilize a large number of volunteers to participate in volunteer work.

For more information, please refer to the LPI special report.

Chinese-language Bethel Series Seminar

The original plan of the Flagstone Foundation was to support Rev. Lin Qiu to carry out the Chinese version of the Bethel Series in mainland China. However, due to the pandemic, Flagstone Foundation decided to shift the focus of the foundation’s goal to supporting Rev. Lin Qiu to provide the Bethel Series training service for pastors and preachers of Chinese American churches in North America.

（1）Bethel Series Flagstone Network Training

In April 2021, the Flagstone Foundation invited Rev. Lin Qiulin to offer 44 hours of experience lessons for the volunteer network of the Foundation twice, using one weekend and one day.

On May 10, 2021, based on the experience lessons, Flagstone Foundation held a meeting to discuss the details and decided to initiate a new project – The Chinese-language Bethel Series Seminar for Chinese American Pastors and Preachers.

The project got donations from the Bedrock Foundation and Daofeng and Angela Foundation.

a. The goal of the Seminar Project

To preach the correct and systematic, and comprehensive gospel of God to enable more people to believe in the Lord and help those who believe in the Lord to be more edified.

b. The approach of the Seminar Project

The first step is to recruit pastors in Chinese churches or preachers in essential communities such as campuses. The second step is to provide Bethel Series Chinese courses to study how to teach the class. The third step is to follow up and support the pastors and preachers to carry out the Bethel Series Bible training for believers in their church or community to help believers have a more accurate and in-depth understanding of the gospel.

(2)  1st Chinese-language Bethel Series Seminar

From May to June 2021, the Flagstone Foundation organized two online briefing sessions around the Bethel Series Course. The foundation also tried to recruit students through telephone and email invitations. Finally, the first seminar enrolled seven Boston, South Carolina, and Virginia students.

Flagstone Foundation successfully held the first 10-days seminar in Crystal City Marriott, Virginia, from July 26 to August 4, 2021. The 1st seminar had three modules, Training Course, Bible Museum Visit, and Graduation Ceremony Dinner.

Each “Bethel Series” lesson is accompanied by a symbolic drawing meticulously drawn by a famous illustrator. These pictures contain significant elements and enable students to grasp each lesson’s leading content and concepts firmly, and they will not forget them for many years. Preachers and Bible study leaders can often find a series of sermon topics and Bible study content in each picture.

Rev. Jeff Quinto, the Executive Director of The Bethel Series, delivered a speech on the history and global development trend of the Bethel Series at the graduation ceremony (Figure 18). The Bethel Series posted a blog to honor the “First-ever”training camp. https://www.bethelseries.org/bethel-blog

The students gave high praise and positive feedback to the seminar.

“This class not only teaches us some knowledge of the Bible but also makes me feel the impact of life on life.”

Luan Hongmei, one of the graduated students of the 1st training camp

After the 1st training camp, Flagstone Foundation, Bedrock Foundation, and Dao Feng and Angela Foundation visited two students to understand the possibility of promoting the Bethel Series in their church. At the same time, the project team decided to hold the second training camp from October 26 to November 3, and the scale will remain below ten people.

(3)  2nd Chinese-language Bethel Series Seminar

The Flagstone Foundation held a total of 2 online briefing sessions on the Chinese version of the Bethel Series on September 22, 2021, and October 5, 2021.

Based on the experience of the first seminar, the second seminar is smoother in terms of recruitment and activity organization, and the participation and organization of volunteers have also been improved. Bethel Series Office also announced the second course on the official website. https://www.bethelseries.org/bethel-blog

The Flagstone Foundation organized volunteers to complete after-class interviews with all the students. The students expressed their gains and discussed the possibility of opening their own classes in their community. Next, the Flagstone Foundation will focus on supporting the learning of church pastors and preachers in critical communities such as campuses and gradually build systematic cooperation channels to expand the project’s impact.

From October 26th to November 3rd, 2021, the Flagstone Foundation successfully held the second Chinese-language Bethel Series Seminar for the North American Chinese Pastors and preachers at Clarion Collection Hotel Arlington Court Suites in Arlington, Virginia. A total of 7 students were recruited for this pastoral class, including three pastors and four preachers.

The Flagstone Foundation organized volunteers to complete after-class interviews with all the students. The students expressed their gains and discussed the possibility of opening their own classes in their community. Next, the Flagstone Foundation will focus on supporting the learning of church pastors and preachers in critical communities such as campuses and gradually build systematic cooperation channels to expand the project’s impact.

2023 Vision Conference Bilingual Volunteer Group

Through Dec. 27, 2023 to Jan.1, 2024, Flagstone Foundation organized 12 Chinese American volunteers with bilingual skills to participate and serve the 2023 Vision Conference held by Bridges International in Baltimore, Maryland.

Vision is a conference specially designed for international and American students to grow personally, experience a unique global community, and explore who God is.

Nearly 750 students from 78 countries gathered together in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to grow in the gospel, experience a global community, and discern next steps in their spiritual journey. This year’s student conference of Bridges International was the largest since 2017.

Flagstone Foundation volunteers served Chinese Track, Multi-nation Track and Ignite Track through the whole conference and held a review meeting together.  While donating their time and energy, volunteers also gained different evangelistic experiences and broadened their horizons.