Missionaries
H & C are in a restricted access
Asian nation with their 3 children. They are currently working
with another family from our church (R &L). H is teaching
English in a university as his means to enter and legally
stay in the country. Along with R they have ministry to
the English-speaking community with regular meeting
times and are involved in training leadership in national
house churches.
July 2008 Mission Update
QBT
- This is the training
school we started in the beginning of April 2008 with four
young men in their twenties. It is a two-year college
level training center focused on building and
strengthening the men's knowledge of the Scriptures. The
courses are all taught in the local language by three teachers;
a local pastor, the pastor we planted a church with last
year, and a team member. He and our national church planter
are overseeing the school and working hard building a library
within our rented facility for the men to use in their studies.
They are also planning for a new group of students to join
the program in spring of 2009.
We
are housing the current four students in our rental facility
where they are also trained. As the school grows we will
have to get creative as to how to house new students. It
is a very dangerous business training men inside the walls
of this country and we are seeking the Lord as to the wisest
way to grow this ministry. Please pray that our God would
grant us the safety necessary to continue to invest in many
other young men's lives in the future.
QMT
- This is the training school we started in mid-April
2008 with five house-church pastors in our city who are
in their late thirties. The school is a two-year
seminary level training center focusing on a Master
of Arts in Theology. The courses are all taught in English.
All of the pastors have an English level adequate for seminary
studies. We have rented an office in a high-rise in center-city
where there is enough foreign business activity for us to
go somewhat unnoticed. We realize nothing goes unnoticed
here but we trust our God is able to shield us and for that
we pray.
We
have several other men interested in this training but are
not in a position to expand just yet. All of this training
costs money. Our two local International church plants here
in our city are able to help in the financing of these ministries
but there are still needs above and beyond our abilities
as small ministries. We are in the process of building an
English/national language library one book at a time. As
people visit us from the US we ask them to bring specific
books that we need with them.
QBI
- These are Bible Institute groups
that we have started over the past three years to help these
believers in the local house churches increase their understanding
of the Scriptures. We currently have four of them meeting
on a once a week basis. The Lord has used them greatly to
enable us to build very good relationships with the local
pastors and leaders in our city. Most of our men who are
now in full-time training were first involved in these Institutes.
Men's
Bible Studies - We also have two men's bible studies
that we teach on Saturdays. Our hope is that out of these
groups we may recruit some future students for our training
centers.
Team
Needs - We have one of our team members back in
the states seeking support for his ministry here. He came
on a two-year short-term mission, and worked as an English
teacher at a local university. He and his family are currently
in the states raising support to return as a full-time missionary
in January of 2009.
We
also have another one of our team members in need of returning
to raise support to stay as a full-time missionary. Justin
also had to teach English in order to enter the country,
but has found a way to stay in the country without the need
of secular work. This is a great blessing for our ministry
since there is so much that needs to be accomplished. However,
his current support level is not enough for him to continue
without working a secular job. Justin is at a critical phase
in his language studies, therefore, we would like him not
to return this year for deputation and experience a setback
in his language progress. He is currently about $1,600.00
per month below budget if he is to continue in
full-time mission work. We would like to raise that amount
so that he can continue to focus on language study, and
work with us in our many training responsibilities this
year.
Pastor's
Conference - We are planning our second
Pastor's Conference inside the country this fall.
We are doing this in cooperation with an outside training
ministry, which has been training national pastors since
2005. We have a $5000.00 need for this
year's conference. Please pray that we are able to get all
the pastors together safely from many different places for
a time of exhortation and encouragement. If you can help,
your gift can be sent to Calvary Baptist Church, Lansdale,
marked specifically for the conference.
Church
Plant - We are currently planning to plant our
second national church in 2009. We have a trained man and
his family who are interested in working with us in this
endeavor. He recently has had a successful ministry in another
part of the country. Our team is seeking the Lord's wisdom
as to the exact time to begin this new work. Please pray
with us!
Thank
you so much for your interest in what the Lord
is doing through our team. We are amazed at what He has
done in such a short time. Pray for our safety. Pray for
our influence to be widespread. Pray that this ministry
can be duplicated in other locations. This is a desire our
team prays for often. Pray for trained men to come and join
us in this training work.
For
His glory,
R,
J, H, & P
H
& C