Please pray for the upcoming mission trip to Romania

In just a few days the senior class from Prince Avenue Christian School, some of their parents, school staff, and evangelists will be heading to Romania on a short-term mission trip.

During the past two weeks they have been undergoing final trip preparation. Two Romanian born American’s, who have worked with WorldReach on projects in Romania, came to translate for the seniors as they shared their salvation testimony. This gave each one an opportunity to practice speaking through a translator so they will be better equipped to minister when arriving in Jibou, Romania – our area of ministry.

During another training session, the students shared how God was currently working in their life; how Jesus was making a difference in their life. It was during these times that tears of remembrance were shed. At one point we stopped what was being shared as we sensed God drawing us into a time of prayer for the one sharing.

Of course our purpose in going is to fulfill the great commission; Jesus’ command to us to be His witnesses. To effectively share the gospel, the class was trained to use the Romans Road evangelism method. It was fun working with them as they role played in the class and went through the entire presentation. They were easy to coach and anxious to learn. I believe they grasp what is really at stake…people’s eternal soul.

We need your prayers. Please pray for our team to be yielded to God. Please pray for those who will hear the gospel; that the Spirit will draw them to God. Also be in prayer for our Romanian brothers and sisters as they make final preparation for our arrival and partnership in ministry. There will be seventeen translators who need clarity of thought as they take what we say and translate it into the heart language of those who will hear. Pray for them.

It is exciting to know that God is at work in Romania, and God is at work on the campus of Prince Avenue Christian School.

PACS Seniors finishing up advanced preparations for their mission trip

The class spent their time this morning presenting the gospel using the "Romans Road" evangelism method. They took turns presenting it individually to their classmates. It was fun to see them having to understand not only what they believe about salvation, but why they believe it...and effectively sharing it with another. There were only a few that had ever shared the gospel with someone else, so this was a guided learning expereince for most.

All in all, they are doing great. This will be a wonderful opportunity for each of them to not only experience God working through them, but I believe they will each be touched by God in a special way.

Another joy about this trip is that parents were encouraged to go. There are seven of the parents accompanying thier student on this trip. Having ministered with all three of my sons on short-term mission trips, I can testify to the blessing I received. This will be one of the spiritual milemarkers in their life.

Not everyone can go...but everyone can be part of the team. You can pray...please pray. We need your prayers. Pray for us to be emptied of self and filled by the Spirit. Pray for all who will hear the gospel. Pray for our safe travels...and for the fellowship of believers that we will experience with our brothers and sisters in Romania.

Keep this page bookmarked and check back regualrly for updates. A couple of team members leave Sunday 2 March to handle some trip business before the rest of the team leaves on Monday 3 March.

DEVELOPING...

Moving forward in Lima, Peru to birth a new local body of believers

Jesus, our partner in the ministry and leader of the church plant in Lima, continues to receive confirmation from God that a new local body of Peruvian believers is to be birthed. When God reveals to us what He is going to do, He expects us to join Him. To obey is to expereince Him in even greater ways. Nothing can explain the quickening pace of this new church plant except God is at work!

It would have been easy for Jesus to ignore God and continue to live a life of Christian mediocrity. But he chose the exciting life of obedience and faith!

He continues to build up the group of men who he is discipling. There are now nine of them and they are meeting for their bible study in Jesus' restaurant. His two daughters are at one of the universities in Lima. So Jesus is exploring the possibility of starting a bible study with college students on or near the campus.

Young couples with children abound in Lima, and Jesus has a desire to begin contacting many to begin new bible studies with them.

In anticipation of many of those being contacted not having bibles, WorldReach is supporting the purchase of them for use in this new work. Please pray for Jesus, his family, and all of those who God is drawing to Himself through this church start.

Also, please respond to us via the "COMMENTS" below to let us know you are praying with us about this new church plant. We will pass these comments along to Jesus and Pastor Baca (pastor of Prince Avenue Hispanic Baptist Mission and WorldReach partner in this project) as an encouragement to them. Also, if you want more information about WorldReach, visit us on the web at www.worldreach.us.

Preparing for Jibou, Romania

This past week the 2008 senior class from Prince Avenue Christian School has been finishing preparations for their mission trip to Jibou, Romania. On Wednesday they welcomed Benjamin and Carina Stanescu, a father and his daughter who were born in Romania but later immigrated to the US. The students practiced giving their salvation testimony while Benjamin and Carina translated it into Romanian. For all but two this was their first experience speaking through a translator. They did great!

It was also the first time most of the students had ever heard the testimony of their classmates. At times there was a hallowed hush in the room as the personal testimony was being shared.

On Friday the students once again practiced what they would be doing in the homes, schools, orphanages and meeting places in and around Jibou. They shared a testimony about how God is at work in their life. Some of the testimonies brought home the message about God's grace and mercy. It was a joy to see how the students responded to the trials being faced by their classmates.

God is already at work...and it is just the beginning of what He will do as the students, parents, school staff and evangelists are obedient to go and share the gospel with those in Romania.

Be sure to keep this blog bookmarked so you can keep up with the 3 March to 12 March mission team.

A blessing in Peru!

God is certainly at work in Lima, Peru. This past week He not only revealed Himself in the way He brought souls into the kingdom, but His timing is always perfect.

Pastor Carlos Baca - pastor of Prince Avenue Hispanic Baptist Mission (PAHBM) - first came to the United States at the invitation of the PAHBM ten years ago February 17th. Through a member of the mission who had been visiting Lima and heard him preach, Pastor Baca came to the attention of the previous mission pastor. His visit to the US would eventually lead to his being called to be on the mission staff. When I invited him to go with me on this trip, I had no idea about the significance of the dates on which we would be there.

Also, it had been ten years since Pastor Baca had seen his brother who is a missionary among the Islamic people in Manchester, England. Unknowing to either of us, when we set up the trip to Lima his brother had already planned to be there visiting their mother.

God provides his people with many blessings. For Carlos to be back in Lima on the tenth anniversary of his first departure and to be reunited with his brother was an unexpected blessing bestowed upon him by a loving Heavenly Father.

My joy was that I got to witness it all first hand.

More developments in Lima

God is moving on the hearts of His people here in Lima. In yesterday's post I related God's leading in our planting a conservative, evangelical Baptist church for Peruvians here in Lima. The man Pastor Baca has been leading through the Bible Training Centre for Pastors courses, Jesus, has been actively discipling six other men. This will be the nucleus for the church plant.

For the rest of February we will be praying for this effort, as we understand that "we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, and against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

The first meeting for this cell group will be a bible study during the second weekend in March. This group of men and their families will be praying for those unsaved people who they will invite to this inaugural gathering in Jesus' home. This is exciting!

Please pray for what God is doing through His obedient servants in Lima to reach the unsaved with the gospel.

Live from Lima!

This week has been a blessing as I have witnessed God birthing new souls into the Kingdom and obtained a vision for what He is doing among the people of Peru. Tim and Joy Mitchell - and their four sons - have been called to reach the Japanese people that are living here in Lima. This may sound simple on the surface, but they are not as homogenous as I thought. There are generational differences, economic differences, and languge differences. Since arriving here in July of last year, God has provided Tim and Joy with insight and wisdom. They are also blessed to have developed relationships that God is using to draw people to Himself.

Traveling here with Pastor Baca (Pastor of Prince Avenue Hispanic Baptist Mission - Athens, GA) has been a tremendous experience. He has been able to help Tim and Joy as they try to understand some of the cultural nuances and church history.

But God is also at work as Pastor Baca and I beleive God is leading us to plant a new Peruvian church here in the Lima area. There is a business owner who Pastor Baca has been discipling long distance for the past two years, and who he worked for while he was at seminary twenty years ago. God has given this brother a desire - indeed a calling - to help establish a conservative, evangelical Baptist work. Only God could bring all of this together, and we are praying that whatever is done will be according to His will.

DEVELOPING...

Why we need to know what we believe and why we believe it

Many people can tell you what they believe about their faith, but cannot tell you why they believe it. The old statement, "I just believe it because it's in the bible," may be enough for you, but what about the non-believer that believes the bible is human in origin and not divine? How do you bring them along in understanding why you believe what is in the bible and why they should also trust in what the bible says? For a real-time lesson in this, check out my ongoing "thread" with Hydro (his screen name) regarding an article I wrote in the Athens Banner-Herald. You can link to the article by clicking here, then scrolling down and clicking on the [SHOW Comments] link. You will see the lengthy "thread".

Anything I have written that makes sense is only by God's grace, good resource materials from Godly thinkers, and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I take no credit and may never know all of the ways this dialog has impacted the kingdom. I want to obey Him and be a witness for Christ in whatever forum He may provide.

It is of utmost importance for us to be able to "always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is in you. However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear." (1 Peter 3:15,16 HCSB)

For more information about training to help you be a better witness, contact me here at WorldReach via email at jerry@worldreach.us.

"The City of the Kings"

Most people have no idea the original name for Lima, Peru is "The City of the Kings." Even more do not realize there is a large Japanese population in Lima. The original Japanese immigrated there in 1899.

WorldReach is exploring the possibilities of a deeper partnership with missionaries in Lima to reach the Peruvian Japanese. Tim and Joy Mitchell just arrived there with their family in late 2007. They are part of an International Mission Board team who want to reach the Japanese for Christ...the Peruvian Japanese.

As I travel to Peru with Carlos Baca, Pastor of Prince Avenue Hispanic Baptist Mission (Athens, GA), there will be frequent updates to this blog about what we are discovering and what God is doing. By the way, Pastor Baca is from Lima, Peru...so I guess you can say I am going to be traveling there with a "home boy"!

Please pray for us as we seek to know exactly how God wants us to further join Him there. Who knows, it may be that you will be drawn to go on a short-term mission trip that results from our continuing partnership.

Bookmark this blog...and don't forget to check out other ministry opportunities on our web site at worldreach.us.

WorldReach podcasts on the blog

We're always looking for ways to keep you better informed about what God is doing around the world and ministry opportunties through WorldReach. Some of you may not know that we have a podcast "WorldReach" downloadable through iTunes.

To keep up with available technology, we are now streaming the podcasts on our blog using "gcast" technology. You can see the player in the right column.

As we upload the weekly podcasts to iTunes, we'll also upload them to this blog. By the way, for those of you who are in the Northeasat Georgia area, WorldReach is carried on WMSL 88.9 FM every Saturday (11:54am, 3:54pm) and Sunday (3:54pm).

We want your input. You can post comments here, or email them to me at jerry@worldreach.us. Also, check us out on the web at worldreach.us.