Friday night is the highpoint of our week. While we love making new friends and being with old friends, our joy comes from sharing how they can have a relationship with God. Last night we had class for about 90 minutes, a short break, then sharing. Fred shared from the Bible about Christ coming to earth (John 1) and also about the need to focus on God's Word and not 'silly stories' (my translation from the scripture he used in 1 Timothy). Then I shared my story and told about how God pursues us because of His great love for us and of our need for redemption. While no one accepted Christ last night, many came up to us afterward and told how they felt 'something' move inside them as we shared. They are very interested in hearing more and meeting with us again. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to draw them to Himself, and for protection from the evil one.
This leads me to our next prayer request. Our desire is to help these friends who attend our class come to a saving relationship with Jesus. It is hard to do that when we are not here, and we do not speak their heart language. I have told you about Peter and h0w he has been with us for a few days. Please pray for the Lord to lead him and his wife Sveta in deciding whether to come to Murmansk. It would be so wonderful to have someone here full time focused on following up with our friends, inviting them to their home, having small group discussions, and prayerfully to a relationship with Christ. Please join us in seeking God's will in this matter.
We will have some time today to follow up with friends. We leave for Moscow this afternoon, then back to the States on Sunday. It is so hard to leave. We love our friends here, and we know most of them do not yet know our Savior. Our prayer is for Murmansk to become a city of light, shining with the hope of Jesus. Thank you for praying with us for all that live in this area.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Spiritual warfare
Yesterday I told you about the lady we were meeting with who has such a large family. Yesterday Peter (our Russian seminary graduate) and I went to her home again for lessons, and she had a friend join us. We had a good lesson, and then after the lesson we were eating and talking in the kitchen. Before we ate I asked a blessing, and this started the conversation. As it turns out, her friend is a Jehovah's Witness, and we had a long conversation about that. She had all the typical jw response, Jehovah is the name we should worship, Jesus is not God, etc., etc. I was reminded again that our struggle is not against people but with the evil one, that we are in a spiritual war with him and that we must constantly be in prayer for the Lord to destroy these strongholds. Please pray that we would be able to clearly show these people that have been deceived by the lies of the jw the truth of who Jesus is. There are several in our class who were formerly in this cult and are still distrustful of anyone speaking to them of God.
While I don't think we made any progress with her, it did open the door for us to talk more with Irina. As it turns out, she believes in God and has been reading the Bible to her family. Her children have begun asking a blessing before meals. But the problem is that while she believes in God and reads the Bible, she does not know how to have a relationship with Him and what she must do to be saved. Honestly, I felt like Philip talking to the Ethiopian eunuch. I explained to her how to trust in God and be saved, and I feel like when we talk again tonight that she will accept Christ. Please pray RIGHT NOW for her heart to be open and for this to be the day of her salvation. As I said before, she can have a huge impact in her family and around this area.
I don't know why these things continue to amaze me, but they do. By now you would think that I would be accustomed to God bringing these people who are searching across my path. But each trip I am amazed at how He orchestrates these meetings and I am humbled that He would give me the opportunity to share His Gospel with them.
The highlight of our week will be tonight when we share with our class about Jesus. We build relationships all week through teaching English, and tonight we pray that this relationship will cause them to really hear us as we share about Christ and salvation. Please pray RIGHT NOW that many would come to our English class tonight and that nothing would hinder them. Pray that God would speak His truth through us, and especially through our interpreter. Pray for hearts to be changed and for people to be saved THIS DAY.
I know that we accomplish nothing on our own, but that God's Holy Spirit draws people to Himself. We love these people, and our hearts break when we think of them being without the relationship with Christ. Our prayer to God is to be used by Him to accomplish His will. But we also pray that ALL would accept Him as Lord. Thank you for joining us in lifting these prayers to our heavenly Father who is faithful and just to forgive all who seek Him.
While I don't think we made any progress with her, it did open the door for us to talk more with Irina. As it turns out, she believes in God and has been reading the Bible to her family. Her children have begun asking a blessing before meals. But the problem is that while she believes in God and reads the Bible, she does not know how to have a relationship with Him and what she must do to be saved. Honestly, I felt like Philip talking to the Ethiopian eunuch. I explained to her how to trust in God and be saved, and I feel like when we talk again tonight that she will accept Christ. Please pray RIGHT NOW for her heart to be open and for this to be the day of her salvation. As I said before, she can have a huge impact in her family and around this area.
I don't know why these things continue to amaze me, but they do. By now you would think that I would be accustomed to God bringing these people who are searching across my path. But each trip I am amazed at how He orchestrates these meetings and I am humbled that He would give me the opportunity to share His Gospel with them.
The highlight of our week will be tonight when we share with our class about Jesus. We build relationships all week through teaching English, and tonight we pray that this relationship will cause them to really hear us as we share about Christ and salvation. Please pray RIGHT NOW that many would come to our English class tonight and that nothing would hinder them. Pray that God would speak His truth through us, and especially through our interpreter. Pray for hearts to be changed and for people to be saved THIS DAY.
I know that we accomplish nothing on our own, but that God's Holy Spirit draws people to Himself. We love these people, and our hearts break when we think of them being without the relationship with Christ. Our prayer to God is to be used by Him to accomplish His will. But we also pray that ALL would accept Him as Lord. Thank you for joining us in lifting these prayers to our heavenly Father who is faithful and just to forgive all who seek Him.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
The Lord provides
We had a good day yesterday. We started at the university, then lessons at one of our students home, then our normal classes in the evening. After our classes we met Peter, the seminary graduate I mentioned before, and then went our friends home for a birthday party for one of our friends from church. Our day was packed, but rewarding.
One of the issues we have been dealing with this week has been our conference rooms. Tonight the hotel did not have space for us, so I have been trying to find an alternative. Our friends at the university arranged for us to be able to use one of the rooms there for our class tonight. This is a huge blessing for us, and allows us to continue our meetings uninterrupted. It is great how God provides.
Our class yesterday afternoon allowed us to get to know a local business woman and her family. Please pray that the Lord would open her heart to the Gospel. We will meet there againg this afternoon. She has a large family (12 children!) and can have a big influence on others for Christ.
After class last night we celebrated a birthday for one of the ladies from church. It was a great time to sit around and talk, eat, and share fellowship with other believers. This is such a great family, and they have been such a blessing to us. Pray for God's blessing on them as we partner together to reach people with the Good News.
As we look toward Friday, please earnerstly pray that God would send many to hear about Jesus. Pray for us to have the right words, pray for the interpreter to be able to communicate clearly, and pray especially that the Holy Spirit would convict those there of their need for a Savior.
One of the issues we have been dealing with this week has been our conference rooms. Tonight the hotel did not have space for us, so I have been trying to find an alternative. Our friends at the university arranged for us to be able to use one of the rooms there for our class tonight. This is a huge blessing for us, and allows us to continue our meetings uninterrupted. It is great how God provides.
Our class yesterday afternoon allowed us to get to know a local business woman and her family. Please pray that the Lord would open her heart to the Gospel. We will meet there againg this afternoon. She has a large family (12 children!) and can have a big influence on others for Christ.
After class last night we celebrated a birthday for one of the ladies from church. It was a great time to sit around and talk, eat, and share fellowship with other believers. This is such a great family, and they have been such a blessing to us. Pray for God's blessing on them as we partner together to reach people with the Good News.
As we look toward Friday, please earnerstly pray that God would send many to hear about Jesus. Pray for us to have the right words, pray for the interpreter to be able to communicate clearly, and pray especially that the Holy Spirit would convict those there of their need for a Savior.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Expanding relationships
We have had a unique opportunity to build a relationship the past two days. One of our students, Nikolay, has stayed with us at our hotel because he lives a long way away. He loved it because he and Fred could stay up late practicing English. During this time Fred has been able to encourage this young man to seek God. This man was previously in the Jehovah's Witness cult, and have been very hurt by this experience. Please pray that he would be able to trust the real savior Jesus, and be released from the lies and hurt he experienced.
Our classes are going well. We have just the right amount for Fred and I to handle; our God has again answered our prayers and helped us when we did not know what we would do. Today we were at the university, and now on our way to one of our student's apartment for class for about 15 people. Then to our classes this evening at the hotel.
The man I mentioned yesterday from the seminary will be arriving here later tonight. Please pray for our time together and for the Lord's leading us as we discus potentially partnering here in Murmansk.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Off to a good start!
Our classes started last night, and as expected, we had many more come than had come to our registration night. We had around 50 students show, about half of which have not been to our classes before. Because there is only me and Frec, we divided in to two levels of advanced and beginner. It seemed to work well, and we will be adding an afternoon class beginning on Wednesday because there are a large number of who want to attend in the afternoon but can not come in the evening. Pray for wisdom for us each night as we seek to quickly build relationships so we can share Christ on Friday.
One other prayer concern is a place for us to have our meetings. The good thing about having a large response is that we have many opportunities to introduce people to Christ. The problem is having a space large enough to accomodate us. The hotel where we have been renting conferenece rooms has more than doubled their price since last May. It now costs us over $200 per night for the conference room and refreshments. Please pray for a more economical place for us to meet and one which people would feel comfortable coming to for the first time.
A graduate of the Moscow Evangelical Christian Seminary and his wife are also feeling a call to minister in Murmansk. He is coming to meet us tomorrow evening so he can see Murmansk first hand, meet with us and other believers, and see how our English classes work. Please pray for the Lord to make clear to us His will concering this couple moving to Murmansk to work with us in building up His church.
We appreciate and need your prayers.
One other prayer concern is a place for us to have our meetings. The good thing about having a large response is that we have many opportunities to introduce people to Christ. The problem is having a space large enough to accomodate us. The hotel where we have been renting conferenece rooms has more than doubled their price since last May. It now costs us over $200 per night for the conference room and refreshments. Please pray for a more economical place for us to meet and one which people would feel comfortable coming to for the first time.
A graduate of the Moscow Evangelical Christian Seminary and his wife are also feeling a call to minister in Murmansk. He is coming to meet us tomorrow evening so he can see Murmansk first hand, meet with us and other believers, and see how our English classes work. Please pray for the Lord to make clear to us His will concering this couple moving to Murmansk to work with us in building up His church.
We appreciate and need your prayers.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
We are in Murmansk!
Sorry to be so long in posting to our blog, but we have not had time to get on a computer until now. Tim and Fred met in Washington for our flight to Moscow, good flight but unfortunately Tim's bags did not make the flight with him. Under Russian customs I had to go back to the airport in Moscow the next day to claim my bags. And of course, this was not the same airport as the one we were leaving for Murmansk.
When we arrived in Moscow we went straight to the seminary and met with the head of the seminary and some students and shared with them about our work in Murmansk. There is one couple from the seminary who are open to God's call to Murmansk, and the husband may join us here later this week! We are excited about the possibility of having someone here focused full time on mentoring and discipling those who come through the English courses.
Saturday was a whirlwind; we got up early and went to a local market, then took the metro to a stop close to the airport where we met our driver. He took us to the airport for Tim to collect his luggage, and after a long bureaucratic paperwork challenge we left for a different airport for our flight to Murmansk. We made a quick stop along the way to drop off a footlocker full of supplies for the seminary students, then made it just in time for our flight to Murmansk.
We were met at the airport by one of our friends from our earliest meetings here in Murmansk. He was kind enough to meet us and take us to the hotel. We are staying at a new hotel in Murmansk this time, as the prices have increased at our previous hotel due to new ownership. This place is a converted apartment, so it is much larger and very comfortable. However it is much less convenient to the bus stop and there are no places to eat which are close by.
On Sunday we worshiped with our friends at church, and celebrated the Lord's Supper. It was a great time of worship and celebration of what Jesus has done for us.
We had our registration last night, but had few show up. We think it was primarily due to the fact that yesterday was the celebration of the founding of the city, and practically the whole city was in the center for a concert and fireworks. Please pray that we will have a larger response for our first night of classes tonight.
Today we will go to the university to meet with those in the English department, then to our classes from 7 to 10. Pray for wisdom for us - it will be challenging due to the fact that it is only Fred and I teaching, and we will have to adjust our approach to our classes because of this.
Please pray for the Lord to guide those He wants to hear His Gospel to our classes.
When we arrived in Moscow we went straight to the seminary and met with the head of the seminary and some students and shared with them about our work in Murmansk. There is one couple from the seminary who are open to God's call to Murmansk, and the husband may join us here later this week! We are excited about the possibility of having someone here focused full time on mentoring and discipling those who come through the English courses.
Saturday was a whirlwind; we got up early and went to a local market, then took the metro to a stop close to the airport where we met our driver. He took us to the airport for Tim to collect his luggage, and after a long bureaucratic paperwork challenge we left for a different airport for our flight to Murmansk. We made a quick stop along the way to drop off a footlocker full of supplies for the seminary students, then made it just in time for our flight to Murmansk.
We were met at the airport by one of our friends from our earliest meetings here in Murmansk. He was kind enough to meet us and take us to the hotel. We are staying at a new hotel in Murmansk this time, as the prices have increased at our previous hotel due to new ownership. This place is a converted apartment, so it is much larger and very comfortable. However it is much less convenient to the bus stop and there are no places to eat which are close by.
On Sunday we worshiped with our friends at church, and celebrated the Lord's Supper. It was a great time of worship and celebration of what Jesus has done for us.
We had our registration last night, but had few show up. We think it was primarily due to the fact that yesterday was the celebration of the founding of the city, and practically the whole city was in the center for a concert and fireworks. Please pray that we will have a larger response for our first night of classes tonight.
Today we will go to the university to meet with those in the English department, then to our classes from 7 to 10. Pray for wisdom for us - it will be challenging due to the fact that it is only Fred and I teaching, and we will have to adjust our approach to our classes because of this.
Please pray for the Lord to guide those He wants to hear His Gospel to our classes.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Prayers Answered
We had an awesome day on Friday. After our afternoon session at the church Ben and I had a great opportunity to talk with two of our friends, Nikita and Dennis. They had so many questions about God, about what it means to be a Christian, about why there is only one way to God. I was praying like crazy for the wisdom to be able to answer their questions. They are so close to accepting Christ, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for the Holy Spirit to continue to draw them and for their hearts to be ready to change.
After our class at the hotel we had similar responses. Everyone was so attentive as we shared our story, and as we told them how to come to Christ. After we shared we had so many come up to us and want to know more. I had one lady who came and poured out her heart to me. She has been so hurt, and feels desperate. We prayed together and she agreed to come to the church today so I could connect her with a lady who could be a spirititual mentor.
Nancy will be presenting Love and Respect this afternoon at the church. There has been a lot of interest in this, and it gives us an opportunity to invite our friends to come to a church. Please pray for the seekers who will come and for opportunities to continue to share the Love of Christ.
We will be off to Moscow this evening, then back to the States on Sunday. Please pray for ease of travel and safety for us. But most of all, please continue to pray for Murmansk. Our God is an awesome God, and He loves us. Pray for the people of Murmansk to see this great love and accept Him.
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