World’s Cutiest Kids

Please Pray for Gospel Mission

Starting Wednesday, we begin a special meeting with Bro. Tony Howeth and several other guest preachers.  Please be in pray for the meetings.  Pray for God to bring in visitors and lost people, for souls to be saved, and for our church to be revived.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is a bank holiday here in Northern Ireland, a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland, and a special day that is recognised and celebrated around the world from Argentina to Japan.  There will be parades, meals, parties, all kinds of green worn, and all-night drinking sessions.  Here is Ireland for most people, it is yet another chance to get drunk.

However you may celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to just let you know a few things that we can learn from Saint Patrick.  The italicised words below are direct quotes from Patrick himself.  I want to thank Stephen Baker for emailing me much of the information below.  I think you will see that to have a day to remember and honour a man like this is good thing; I hope you won’t dishonour the Lord or the memory of St. Patrick by celebrating in an ungodly way.

1.  Patrick Knew He Was a Sinner. 

I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many, had for father the deacon Calpurnius, son of the late Potitus, a priest, of the settlement [vicus] of Bannavem Taburniae; he had a small villa nearby where I was taken captive. I was at that time about sixteen years of age. I did not, indeed, know the true God; and I was taken into captivity in Ireland with many thousands of people, according to our deserts, for quite drawn away from God, we did not keep his precepts, nor were we obedient to our priests who used to remind us of our salvation. And the Lord brought down on us the fury of his being and scattered us among many nations, even to the ends of the earth, where I, in my smallness, am now to be found among foreigners.

2. Patrick Trusted in Jesus Christ as His Saviour.

And there the Lord opened my mind to an awareness of my unbelief, in order that, even so late, I might remember my transgressions and turn with all my heart to the Lord my God, who had regard for my insignificance and pitied my youth and ignorance.

3. Patrick Believed that It Was His Duty to Preach the Gospel to the World.

Therefore, indeed, I cannot keep silent, nor would it be proper, so many favours and graces has the Lord deigned to bestow on me in the land of my captivity. For after chastisement from God, and recognizing him, our way to repay him is to exalt him and confess his wonders before every nation under heaven.

4. God Used Patrick to Ignite a Fire in Ireland That Reached Europe With the Gospel.

By his death in 461 AD, Patrick had founded 300 churches, baptised 120,000 believers and his followers re-evangelised Europe.

Dr. John Wimblish says,  Even so cautious and reliable a historian as Green, in his “Short History of the English Bible,” says: “For a time it seemed as if the course of the world’s history was to be changed; as if that older Celtic race which the Roman and German had swept before them had turned to the moral conquest of their conquerors; as if Celtic and not Latin Christianity was to mould the destinies of the Church of the West.” This was the beginning of the golden age of Ireland. It is forever true that when the Holy Word of God is opened and preached to the people, the chains of illiteracy and vice are broken. The real Patrick was a Bible-reading, Bible-believing, Bible-preaching missionary and it was the unadulterated Gospel of the Son of God that lifted the Irish out of the darkness of paganism into the glorious light of the Truth.  Hands that once grasped the sword were now folded reverently in prayer. The heathen stone idols, known as Cromlechs, that once marked their graves gave way to the cross of Jesus. Druid paganism was crushed and the “buffer state of Europe” became known as the “Isle of Saints.” Odriscol who, incidentally, was an Irish Catholic, in his work entitled, “Views of Ireland,” says, “The Christian church of that country, as founded by St. Patrick and his predecessors, existed for many ages, free and unshackelled. For 700 years this church maintained its independence. It had no connection with England and differed on points of importance with Rome.”  

It was not until the year 1172 A.D., at the Council of Cashel, that Henry II of England and the Pope prevailed over this people and another great victory was won for the Roman Catholic hierarchy. But from the days of Patrick to the fateful Council of Cashel, many glorious victories were won for the cause of Christ by the Irish Christians.

God Blessed Vision Baptist Church

God blessed Vision Baptist Church on their two year anniversary.  Thank you for praying.

Pray for Vision Baptist Church

Vision Baptist Church is not only one of our supporting churches, it is also a church that we assisted in their start-up when we were in the States on furlough and a church that we work with very closely.  This Sunday is the second anniversary for the church and Celebration Sunday for them.  Pray for God to bless in a powerful way, for souls to be saved, for lives to be changed, and for Pastor Gardner and all the staff there.

Peru Bible College

This just came out on Jeremy Hall’s Blog.  I wanted to ask you to pray about this exciting ministry and pressing need, as well as consider making a regular contribution toward the work of the Peru Bible College.  My family and I have been supporting the Bible College for several years now, and we could not think of a greater place to invest our money.

One of the major goals that God has given me for my ministry is the Peru Bible College. The Bible College has been used of God to start literally dozens of churches around South America and now the graduates are going to the world.  It is a great church-planting ministry.

For the last two years a businessman has helped cover the cost of housing, feeding, and training of over 100 students including entire families from Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia.  It is time that we step up in raising this support.  Our dear brother has given to the tune of $6,000 to $8,000 a month for over two years now.

He did this to help us continue the ministry after Austin Gardner left the field to pastor in the US.  This kind brother will continue to help us but will begin cutting the support $500 a month until we are carrying the load we should be carrying.

I would like to ask you to consider supporting the Bible college as a part of your mission’s budget.  I would love to come by and present the ministry in your church or you can invite Chris Gardner who is actually in charge of the ministry.

There is no greater place that you could put your money to get more return than the Peru Bible College.  From there we are training men to take the gospel to the world.  Also we will be starting to reach the rural areas of the country through the circuit-riding ministry that David Gardner is starting.  But all this is possible only with trained men that can do the ministry.  Again it all comes back to the Bible College.  Will you please pray about helping us? No amount is to small. Please feel free to contact me for more information.

Pray for Wayne Cooke – Middletown, NY

My good friend Wayne Cooke is starting some pre-launch Bible studies for their new church on Sunday, 23 March at 9.00 AM for people in the Middletown, NY area.  If you are in the area or know someone who is looking for a good church in that area, I encouraged you to attend services.  If you are a long ways away from there, then please pray for them.  I am very excited to hear about what God does up there.

Third Culture Kids

I just read a good article about Third Culture Kids (Missionary Kids) and how to serve them.

Third Culture Kids (TCKs) are children who grow up in a culture other than their parents’. Their “home” culture is the first culture; their “host” culture, the second. And they live in the middle, the “third” culture. TCKs include children of missionaries or other international workers. They face unique struggles in their lives of transition. It’s our privilege as the body of Christ to provide care for them as they join with their parents in God’s call on their lives to be overseas.

Here are 15 ideas from the TCK Advocate at Frontiers on how to love TCKs:

1. Begin a relationship with one—or with a whole family of TCKs. Commit to keeping in touch with them. Many people are in TCK’s lives for only a short time. The long-term people are few and greatly appreciated. Be one of those long-term people.
2. Seek them out when they are “home” visiting your country. Make it a priority to spend time with them when they come back.
3. Learn their names. This may seem small, but many people only know their parents’ names; it is significant to them when people remember their names as well.
4. Listen to them. Ask meaningful questions about their lives.
5. Introduce your kids to them. Encourage them to exchange pictures with each other and send cards and emails to each other when they are apart.
6. Go visit them in their country!
7. Invite a college-age TCK whose parents are overseas to live with you.
8. Invite TCKs who are in your area without their parents to come over for holidays and school breaks. They may need an adopted family. Communicate with their parents and encourage them in their relationship with their parents.
9. Learn about what it’s like to grow up as a TCK. Visit websites like TC Kid or MisLinks.
10. Pray for the TCKs when you pray for their parents. Pray Scripture for the children. Read some suggestions on how to pray for them.
11. Encourage families as they make decisions for educating their children overseas. Many families choose to use local schools so their child can be a part of the culture. Be encouraging and pray that their children will shine for Jesus in their schools. Some find that boarding school is the best option for their children. Other families desire to homeschool their children. Consider sharing your resources with them or visiting a homeschooling fair on their behalf.
12. Consider giving them your frequent flyer miles to help with transportation to and from their two countries.
13. Send quality paperback books to TCKs overseas. Books can be like best friends and will be re-read and shared with others.
14. Don’t be surprised if TCKs do not seem to appreciate your culture like you do. TCKs often feel overwhelmed by all the excesses in American culture. For example, they may feel surprised by the size of grocery stores, how often people eat out, the high cost of entertainment and how often people “splurge,” the lack of modest clothing even in the church, the sensuality in TV shows and movies, and how much people eat in one sitting.
15. Get advice right from the source—ask TCKs what makes them feel loved and supported.

Pictures of Micah & Katie’s Son

Here is a link to see pictures of Micah and Katie Smith’s son.

Micah is Teri’s brother! He lives in Arequipa, Peru with his wife Katie.  Their son’s name is Andrew Justin Smith who will go by Justin. He was born Feb. 27, 2008 about 10:30pm. He weighed in at 5lbs. 4oz.and is 18.5 inches long.

Please pray for Micah, Katie and Justin as they serve the Lord in Arequipa at the Faith Baptist Church.