News from South America

The following are excerpts from. a prayer letter which is sent out regularly by Sarah Craft.

PRAYING ‘ROUND THE SAM REGION

February, 2007

Church Planting Movements among all peoples; the gospel to every person; every believer a full participant in the Great Commission.

MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY

Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay, has approximately 1.5 million people, with only 2% of the population evangelized. There is a European flavor to the lifestyle, educational system, worldview and architectural designs in Montevideo. The great need for Christ in Montevideo is very evident since the majority of the 500,000 spiritists in Uruguay live in Montevideo. The Uruguayan Urban Team is focused on reaching the coastal areas of Montevideo, with less than one half of one percent of the people evangelized. They are using the Gospel Advancement Project (GAP) which mobilizes volunteers to do prayer walks and Scripture distribution that helps to make contacts for new simple churches. The team asks prayer for the Sheaffers who work with the GAP ministry, and all the volunteers who will be working there. Pray for the selection, training and implementation for national strategy coordinators, especially among the professional classes. Pray that in 2007 2nd and 3rd generation simple churches/ cell groups will begin to multiply with Uruguayan initiative. Also pray that new believers will be willing to open their homes for churches or cell groups.

VENEZUELA: TeamOriente shares that in eastern Venezuela God has raised up an exceptional servant, D. Although there are no other believers in her family, D remains faithfully obedient to the Lord and to His call. She is dedicated, focused, efficient, and caring. A year ago she was named minister of missions by her church; in this capacity she has the opportunity to direct the church planting efforts of the church. Currently five new congregations are in formation. D is an encourager to the workers, makes sure they receive the training and resources which they need, and is careful to maintain doctrine and principles in new starts. Although not in the best of health, and often paying for travel herself, she spends much time in outlying towns and communities where new churches are being planted. She encourages believers to participate in a diversity of mission’s opportunities. D needs our prayers as she fulfills God's call on her life. She needs wisdom, as well as emotional spiritual and physical strength, to be what God wants her to be and to accomplish the huge task that God has laid out before her. Pray also that God raise up strong leadership in the new church starts, people who genuinely love Him and are prepared to serve in the midst of difficulties and sacrifice.

BRAZIL: (Rural Brazilians of Central & SE Brazil)Please pray for Monty and Janis Thompson as they do multiplication and evangelistic outreach training at Betel Baptist Church in Pouso Alegre and First Baptist Church in Santa Rita do Sapucaí. These two churches have agreed to start a work in Cachoeira de Minas, a city of about 15,000 lying 20 miles from the Betel church and 15 miles from the Santa Rita church. We will also be bringing in a volunteer team from Valley Baptist Church in Searcy, Arkansas in July to partner in this outreach project in Cachoeira de Minas.

ECUADOR: Chinese Team in Ecuador: Praise God that Siu-Mui Chang can find her tranquility on the balcony of her apartment regardless of the chaotic traffic in her neighborhood or her hectic routine. She can just watch the birds gliding in the water, hear them chattering in the trees and watch the iguana creeping on the pebbles. She gives praise for the ministry of this year. There are 12 new believers that have accepted Christ and 11 of them were baptized. Pray that their faith will grow strong by drilling deep into the Word. Pray for new strength and wisdom for the coming year to complete the task that God lays upon her.

BOLIVIA: SOUTH BOLIVIAN QUECHUA (KETCH-yoo-wah). Pray for missionaries among the highland Quechua, Floyd and Sylvia Wingo, as they continue to seek for “men and women of peace” (Luke 10:6)--those Quechua men and women with hearts that God has prepared to come to salvation and to carry on His work among their people. Pray for language acquisition and cultural understanding for the Wingos. Satan continues to have many strongholds physically and spiritually in this highland region. Often the Wingos encounter someone who appears to be willing to learn and then to teach, interferences arise to keep that person from actively pursuing their training with the Wingos. Pray for them to find dedicated Quechua men and women who will be able to have the time for the discipling and training needed to carry on the work.

News from Vermont

The newsletter below is from Terry Dorsett, the Director of Missions for Vermont (Green Mountain Baptist Association). I have also posted a picture of him and his family. Pray for them.

Dear Vermont Prayer Partners,

It is hard to believe that more than 13 years have passed since the Lord led my family to relocate to Vermont as missionaries. Each winter I look back at that first winter and wonder how we survived in that drafty old parsonage in the small village of Washington. But somehow the Lord gave us strength to endure. Now it is difficult to imagine doing ministry in a setting other than our beloved rural Vermont. There are times when the work is slow and times when discouragement sets it. But most of the time our hearts are overflowing with an enthusiasm fueled by the Holy Spirit as He does His work across our state.

I recently returned from a two week class at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in San Francisco, California. It was the third of five such classes I am taking as part of my Doctor of Ministry studies. This particular class focused on Spiritual Formation. The highlight of the week was a day spent in silence and solitude on top of a mountain overlooking the ocean. To be alone with God is a wonderful thing, and even more so when it is in an environment that reminds you of the Creator who has all things under His control.

Yesterday I preached at one of our GMBA churches. When I arrived the praise team was practicing before the service. A man who had visited the Washington church some years ago but had never made a move toward the Lord was in the praise team! I got to talk to him after the service and he told me in the past few weeks he’d been born again and that his life had been forever changed. Wow, that’s why I’m in Vermont!

I will be spending a week in Texas in February and a week in Indiana in March. As I travel and share the story of what God is doing in Vermont, I pray that the Holy Spirit will burden many others across our nation to join God in His work in Vermont. As we pray, give and become personally involved, we will see Vermont transformed by the power of God into what I believe will one day be the “Bible belt” of New England. We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.
Terry Dorsett

Rev. Terry W. Dorsett, Director
Green Mountain Baptist Association

News from or about China

The following are excerpts from "Preachables" distributed by East Asia Update (courtesy IMB):

Quotes From Frontlines Workers

Simply Obedient
"There is one girl I would like to tell you about. This young lady is precious, but not exceptional. She may never win any awards. Yet this month, this young lady did something amazing -- she obeyed. She felt called to make a list of her friends and family that could stand to hear some good news. Then she simply started telling them. She didn't worry about what they would think of her. She didn't worry about the consequences. Within a week or two, she had shared with seven close friends and all of her immediate family. Already two have accepted and others are responding. She simply obeyed."

We Go On
"We rejoice in this victory. The day was long. The battle was real. We are tired tonight for sure, very tired, but that is okay. This is life on the front line. So many don't know Father and the task is so big! One at a time, one at a time, we go on. Exhausted, but energized!" (Written by workers who had just led others to salvation.)

Bend Your Knees
Please pray that recent bombings in Thailand will not interrupt year-round literature distribution to Chinese tourists vacationing in Southeast Asia. Pray that Chinese tourists will continue to pour into Thailand over the Chinese New Year's holiday and that Southern Cross volunteers will remain faithful to the task of placing lifesaving materials in their hands.
Macau was recently heralded by at least one major U.S. network as the new gambling capital of the world. Yet many Mainland Chinese tourists who traveled there to gamble are confronted with a much better opportunity. Southern Cross volunteers distributed Bibles and other evangelistic materials to 20,000 Mainland visitors last year, and even led some of the recipients to faith in Christ right then and there. Pray for ongoing evangelistic efforts in Macau.

Holiday Focus

Reports From Christmas in China
Here are just a few of the replies from Christmas volunteers who were asked about their most meaningful experience:
• Sharing the gospel with 600 students.
• Traveling to an orphanage to bring Christmas to them.
• Visiting a house church and hearing testimonies of the believers there.
• Sharing Christ with a Chinese lady on a bus.
• Talking to a new believer about how to read the Bible.
• Seeing people accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.
• Sharing Christ with three nonbelievers outside of our hotel.
• Worshipping in English and Chinese.
• Experiencing the love and generosity of the Chinese people.
Go to http://easia.imb.org/ for a more complete report.

Chinese New Year

For Chinese children, the most exciting part of the New Year festivities is receiving traditional "hong baos" (red envelopes) full of cash, symbolizing prosperity in the new year.

Prayers For Chinese New Year
Pray for Chinese believers as they gather with their families to celebrate the Lunar New Year that will fall on February 18 this year. Many millions of Chinese people will make long journeys to return to their home city or village for the all important New Year's Eve feast. Pray that all who call Him Lord will lovingly share Christ with their families and friends over the holiday and that many Chinese people will accept Christ.

Opportunities For the New Year
During the first month of 2007, why not make a New Year's resolution to spend some time sharing Christ in China? Choose from opportunities below or other listings at: http://easia.imb.org/
• Creative arts teams, prayer walking teams, and leader familiarization teams are needed throughout the year to prepare for the time when the torch is lit in Beijing on August 8, 2008. Go to: http://www.waytotheworld.com/ for information on Olympic projects.
• Teaching English in China can allow you to learn much about the Chinese people and culture as you have opportunity to share the One who is dearest to you. Engaging China summer teaching opportunities are listed at: http://easia.imb.org/involved/go/engagingchinajobs.htm
• Young and energetic college graduates are greatly needed for strategic two-year assignments at locations all over China. If you are interested in a Journeyman position, please write to: gochina@imb.org


EYE ON CHINA


Gold Pig Babies
When China ushers in the "Year of the Gold Pig" during its mid-February Lunar New Year celebration, it is expecting to also usher in a baby boom. Based on the Lunar calendar, the Year of the Pig falls every 12 years. But it only coincides with the Gold Year, based on the five elements of nature philosophy, only once every 60 years. According to superstition, all babies born during the Year of the Gold Pig will be blessed with good fortune.






Cars & Coughs
As Beijing prepares for the 2008 Olympics amidst its ongoing struggles with chronic traffic congestion and choking air pollution, officials are trying to persuade its residents to use public transportation by introducing new bus and subway routes. Beijing has 13 million residents and 2.85 million vehicles

The Church in Your House (In Ecuador)

(The following was copied from Guy Muse's "The M Blog"
I found it worth posting here.)

The church in your house

Our "simple" church planting here in Guayaquil is known as "La Iglesia En Tu Casa" (LIETC)--The church in your house.We have identified at least 13 guiding values that the Lord has seemingly been pleased to bless over the past 6+ years of church planting.

1.) LIETC is built upon a foundation of prayer, which is the most important work in which we are engaged. (Luke 10:2)

2.) LIETC is built upon the idea of "mobilizing the laity." The laity is empowered to go and do tasks traditionally assigned only to trained professional clergy. (Eph.4:11-12, 1 Pet.2:9-10)

3.) LIETC is built upon the concept of taking the church to where the people are, rather than bringing the people to the church. (Matt.28:18-20, Luke 10:3)

4.) LIETC crosses denominational lines and works with Great Commission Christians to plant New Testament churches. (Eph.4:4-6)

5.) LIETC depends on God to provide the workers, free of recruitment or manipulation. Prayer is the key. (Luke 10:2)

6.) LIETC is built upon the understanding that women are likewise called to plant churches. (Matthew 28:18-20)

7.) LIETC is built upon the understanding that it is Christ's responsibility to build His church, not ours (Mt. 16:18). Our task is the Great Commission--to make disciples; his to build His Church.

8.) LIETC is built upon an understanding that the missionary task is primarily one of praying, modeling, teaching, training, encouraging and mentoring. (Eph.4:11-12)

9.) LIETC is built upon the strategic use of locally available and reproducible communication media. We don't use or model anything that can't be done/reproduced locally by the people we work with.

10.) LIETC is built upon the idea of church being more a "family gathering" held in a home setting, and less a "traditional church service." (1 Cor. 12-14, 14:26, Book of Acts)

11.) LIETC is built on the twin pillars of prayer and lifestyle evangelism. There is a continuous emphasis on these two areas.

12.) LIETC is built upon the understanding that multiplication of disciples is the focus of all we do. Simply adding to existing works will not get the job done. (Matthew-Luke, the "parables of the kingdom.")

13.) LIETC belongs to God, and He can do as He pleases. Change in the way things are done is an on-going process as God continues to open our eyes to his ways of building the Kingdom.

More updates on China

From "Preachables" (Heart4China)

CHINA. The illiterate men were so excited that they were finding it hard to sleep at night. Late into the night voices could be heard calling out, "Hey! Anyone else awake? Let's practice telling the stories some more." The participants in a two-week long Bible storying training had come to faith in Christ after a Christian visited their village about four years ago. Now, after years of waiting, they were finally hearing all of the Bible stories that they had never been able to read. During daylight hours, their spiritual hunger challenged the trainers to impart to them by word of mouth the spiritual food that many Christian readers take for granted. The training is now over and they have returned to their villages to tell the stories to other non-readers, many of whom have not yet heard of Christ.

CHINA. A small group of friends and family gathered around a banquet table to celebrate the upcoming marriage ceremony of two new believers. The parents of both the bride and the groom had traveled from far away in China to attend the wedding. Although both sets of parents had heard of their children's acceptance of Christ, none of the four had yet decided to follow Jesus. Now they found themselves amazed by the love shown by Christians who had arranged all details of the wedding. The father of the bride stood to express his gratitude to the group. "I have never seen such love displayed," he said. "This could only come from one source." Pointing to the sky, he said, "God." The young couple, who had been praying for months that their wedding would be a testimony of God's love, said a quiet "amen" and looked forward to the day when the speaker would have a personal relationship with their loving God.

CHINA. They had been trying to make contact with a new believer for several months, but she was not responding to their e-mails or calls. Then as they were attempting to text message another new believer, they hit the wrong button and sent it to their elusive friend. To their surprise, she responded to the message that was not intended for her! Communication was restored and she began meeting with them for Bible study. Soon after that, she was baptized. She now tells people that if her friends hadn't hit the wrong button that day, she might still be running from the Lord.

CHINA. As a fourth grader, she had to write a report on a city in China. Rather than choose a famous China city, she chose a little known city in southern China. As she researched the city and even learned to pronounce the city name in Chinese, she grew to love the city. Her report was completed 13 years ago, but she never forgot the city. When she applied to participate in Christmas in China* last fall, she prayed that God would take her to that very city. He did just that. Now her Christmas journey is complete and she has returned to the U.S. with a commitment to return for an extended time of ministry to the city that God laid on her heart when she was a child.

(*An annual student project in China.)

China Updates

From a China worker;
"Well, they finally got it!" This was the statement from a co-worker whom I heard from this morning regarding a group of people that he'd been working with for a while trying to get them to understand the ideas behind a "Church Planting Movement" as a goal. He said that, while visiting a group of trainees in a large city, he finally heard the leader of the group confess that he'd been slow to pick up the greater dream of reaching a larger target group with the gospel. Yet, he told my friend, "I think I finally understand that it may be slow at times but the growth will come as multiple lay leaders pick up the responsibilities of being church." At this point, the leader shared that they'd had over 1000 baptisms during this year with the beginning of 80 new house churches. The greatest praise is that neither my co-worker, nor the local brother, are satisfied now and want to really multiple trainers and churches next year! With a burden for reaching the masses, the "business as usual approach" to outreach and church growth must be challenged by us all.

News from Vermont

The following is from Terry Dorsett, Director of Missions for Green Mountain Baptist Association, Vermont. Rejoice with Terry, but remember to pray for him. The GMBC represents Vermont in the New England Baptist Convention. More detailed information regarding the work in Vermont can be found on their website. http://www.vermontbaptist.org/about/index.shtml

"Sometimes ministry is like a roller coaster ride, especially in a mission setting. The past two weeks have definitely been like a roller coaster with its ups and downs.



Many powerful things have happening in the past two weeks that are clearly “God” events. Recently I was preaching in one of the new missions and a lady came up to see me at the end of the church service. She is not yet a believer and her family has some serious issues (one of her sons is in jail). She talked about how much the church has meant to her during this difficult time and said she felt like the “belonged.” Since then her husband (who is also not yet a believer) has said that his prayer for 2007 is that his entire family would be saved during this year. Now if that doesn’t get you shouting, I don’t know what will!



In another situation a faithful Christian lady who has been praying for her non-believing husband to come to church and be saved has seen him come three times in the last month. I just happen to see her last week during the middle of the week and she said he was touched by the sermon last Sunday. Something’s going on spiritual, pray for his soon salvation.



Then there is the prayer meeting that meets in my home each Wednesday. As you may recall, we started a church at my kitchen table just over two years ago. We quickly outgrew the kitchen and started renting a conference room on a nearby motel. But we have continued to hold the mid-week Bible study and prayer meeting at our home, since the crowd for that is usually only 10-15. But in recent weeks it has begun to surge forward in attendance, and last Wednesday 39 (yes, that’s thirty nine!!!!) people showed up, including two lost adults and half a dozen lost teens. What is God doing in Vermont ? It sounds like revival to me!!!!! Pray for this group to be able to find a building soon, they have been raising money and looking for a building but so far have not found one they can afford. But by faith we believe that 2007 is the year they will find a place and will be able to reach even more people with the Gospel.



But as you know, when God works, Satan also works. For the Devil can’t sand for God’s people to be in revival. Last week I got one phone call after another from pastors and elders across the association sharing with me deep pain and difficulty that they were experiencing. We now have four churches and pastors going through some serious stuff. I am said to say that one of them resigned this past Sunday and two others are very close. Pray for God’s wisdom to settle upon them and that they would follow the Spirit’s leading and not their own emotions. Pray for Satan to be bound and all his demons to be cast forth from Vermont so that God’s Spirit may roam our mountains and valleys with complete freedom. Pray for a fresh anointing from on high for each pastor and elder in our association who will break the Word of Life this week to hungry hearts and thirsty souls.