Grace Prayer Bulletin # 84

Grace Prayer Bulletin #83
November 27, 1999

"But now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been
made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting
God, for obedience to the faith--to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus
Christ forever. Amen." (Romans 16:26-27 NKJ)

Steve Johnson and Mark Warta - Church Planting - Wasilla, Alaska.
pndmj@UAA.ALASKA.EDU
Wasilla, Alaska is 30 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska. Here, Steve Johnson
and Mark Warta for the last seven months has been planting a Church with 3
other families. There are 4-5 other families that say they are interested,
but have not stepped out with the Wasillo group. The largest "crowd" they
have had was nearly fifty. A normal Sunday's attendance is 20-25, for which
Steve Mark are very thankful. Three or Four out of state Pastor's have
traveled to be with and encourage this small growing work. Most visitors
they get are generally tired of what is out in the other Churches. Which is
something we all can sympathize with. They are praying for more solid
families to join them.

From Mark Summers HCJB-APOYO in Quito, Ecuador msummers@hcjb.org.ec
The Pastor's Work Shop in Babahoyo was a clear evidence of answered
prayer. 29 Ecuadorian pastor's attended. At first it looked like
everything was going wrong. Pablo Pérez became ill and could not go. The
locale was way too small and airless. The local pastor in charge of
arrangements was also ill. Jeff Rains had to leave two days early because
of
a death in the family. But when we are weak, God shows his strength! A
different locale was made available. The four visiting pastors from the
U.S. who had sponsored the workshop pitched in to teach through
interpreters. The enthusiasm of all the pastors involved was contagious.
Mark Summers reports that it was one of the best workshops yet!
Continue to pray for Jeff as he helps his family in the U.S. work
through a very difficult loss.
The Christian Education workshop on November 20 was big hit. They prayed
that the Lord would send them at least 60 interested students. There
were 81! Pray for the Nancy Cortez, Dali Rodríguez and Pablo Pérez as they
go to Milagro, Ecuador, December 2-5. The Milagro churches have asked for
an extended three-days.

Noble Vater -Pastor of Berean Bible Church in Puerto Rico
NVater@compuserve.com - Returning from his recent Haiti and Dominican
Republic trip.
Due to the hurricane the Islands of Haiti and the Dominican Republic
received some minor flooding. Yet the trip we asked pray for on behalf of
Noble Vater, though hampered, was completed.
Noble met with Pastors and other men from these Islands with the emphasis on
preaching the Word. Anyway, the ministry this past weekend was carried out
in faith that the Lord will bless their efforts and hear the prayers of
many. There were around 54 men present on Friday, about 40 of them pastors,
and on Saturday there were around 62 men. The response over all seemed
positive as they emphasized the need to preach, to preach the Word, and to
preach that Word according to the truth, not adding to, taking from,
inventing, following imagination, etc. He went over some basic ground rules
for how to understand what the text is saying.
The consciences of many seemed awakened and their prayer is that they will
remain awake. We do not know of one of these men who is able to labor full
time in the ministry. None have a jeep (a car is no good in that area),
though a few have a motorbike (very few). All are trying to keep their
heads above water economically. None of this is helpful.
As an example of the awakening, one man asked a question about how to
understand a certain verse. Later some one asked him why he asked that and
he said he did not want to be preaching lies, something Noble emphasized
that
men do when they say a text means one thing when it means something else.
Noble said, "On the Lord's Day, three of us preached in different places
both morning and evening, Pastor Guzmán with Jan Pierre Kawas, I with
Temacul (a Haitian pastor who understands Spanish), and brother Jan Denise,
a Haitian who is a member of the IBSJ (Biblical Church of Jesus Christ) in
St. Domingo, who did not need a translator of course."
There must have been 600 to 700 where Noble preached Sunday morning. Pastor
Guzmán preached at the same church Sunday night. They ministered that way in
5 different churches.
Besides the public meetings, Pastor Guzmán talked with several privately at
length to get an idea of where they are themselves and with their churches.
Also on Saturday night he was able to get together several of the pastors
with their wives and give instruction from Ephesians 5 on the husband/wife
relationships.
As during the last trip, the man who really was the "workhorse" was
brother Jan Pierre Kawas from IBSJ. He drove going and coming, did almost
all the translating not only of the messages, but of the conversations. We
must give thanks to God that He has provided these means. Bro Jan Denise
was a help, and then Bro. David, a Haitian from the church that Guzmán
pastors, was the instrument in opening up the whole ministry there and
who goes ahead and prepares the way, the invitations and does all kinds of
things that often are not recognized. (He also knows how to roast peanuts
that are really good).
The Lord cared for them in every way in our travels and in their health.
There
was enough rain to keep down the dust, and to keep them relatively cooler,
but
without overly interfering with attendance (some were affected that way).
In what we hope is symbolic, on the very day they arrived the town got light
from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and they had electricity every day. They had not had
any light since last July. All of this was a help. However, the church
building where Noble preached Sunday night is not wired and they used a
Coleman lantern.
Noble is not sure where the following fits in but he wanted to mention it.
At
the close of the Sunday night service, He was surprised as at least 15
people came up to the platform, several of them kneeling down and the
pastor informed me that they were all sick and wanted him to pray for them.
It is a serious matter to be sick there -- they are poor, medicines and
medical services are limited. Continue to pray that the Lord would be
merciful to them and to the many who are there, because Pastor Guzmán
continues to reminds that of the working in a town which is much better
off than other places he has been.
Noble said, "One of the things I like there is to hear the church bells
ringing early (as early as 5 a.m. on weekdays and no later than 6 a.m. on
Saturdays and Sundays). With no electricity, there is no Bible reading at
that hour, but
certainly one can pray and knowing that many are praying in an atmosphere
of superstition and idolatry is a strong call to mourn and pray."

Grace Prayer Bulletin is a ministry of The King's Chapel West Chester, Ohio
(northern Cincinnati) with Pastors Newton Bush and Tom Wells. Editor of the
bulletin is Rob Gerard robjenny@netzero.net

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