Newsletters

  • Jun
    2023
    12
    2023 / Jun / 12

    June 2023

    Greetings from Europe. Thank you again for your faithful partnership in prayer and financial support. Together, we are advancing in God’s plan! 

    [To ensure that you continue to receive these newsletters without interruption, please add rich@lifeofgodintl.org to your address book.]

    What happened in Germany?

    Rev. Rich just returned from the Mission Trip to Germany, Denmark and Latvia. What really stood out from this trip was the clarity with which the Lord led us. His direction was so precise both in dealing with us about specific things during our travels and future direction for the ministry. How awesome! We will surely be benefitting from this divine guidance for multiplied years to come. Glory to God!
    I had another experience which greatly blessed and taught me during this trip. I was on a busy commuter train from the airport to downtown Berlin. Many people were standing, and there were very few empty seats. Finally, I saw a place for two people to sit only to realize that we had plopped ourselves down in the middle of a group of drunken, rowdy tourists from a different country in Europe. They were talking loudly, cussing, joking, wrestling with each other, and one even taking off his shirt. I chose the seats, so this situation was “on me.” It seemed like one of them was getting overly disruptive, so I decided to step in by playing along with a clean joke that was written on his shirt.
    Soon we were laughing along with about 5 of these guys. They asked why we were traveling, and we told them that we were ministers on a mission trip. Over the course of the conversation, I got to share with all of them that the true happiness and satisfaction that everyone seeks can only be found through relationship with God. Soon some were asking spiritual questions while others were mocking. One said, “well you should talk to this one because he is a philosopher.” Someone else said, “Oh don’t talk to another because he is gay.” All the while, there was such a grace or an easiness to speak boldly about the Lord with this bunch of guys on a crowded commuter train. They even seemed to sober up some.
    One person in particular was very interested. His grandmother was probably Catholic because she had given him a necklace with a saint on it which he proudly showed me. He started to ask spiritual questions about evolution among other things. He was very receptive and interested, apologizing profusely for his friends’ jokes. (Of course, the jokes and opinions of a group of drunk people have no effect on us who are in Christ – ha!) He told me that he wanted to talk to me more about these things, so I gave him my contact info and left the train happy.
    What a joy to plant the incorruptible seed of God’s word in a fallow field! When we shine the light in a dark place the only possible outcome is for that place to become light. What more could we want in life? Praise the Lord for open doors!

    We are so excited that our own Pastor,
    Dr. Michael Lokietek
    is joining us to minister in September! 

    • Pastor will be ministering three services in Barcelona, Spain (Partners, we can be so grateful to God that He helped us make this connection for Pastor.)
    • He will, of course, also be ministering at the church here in Burgos, Spain.
    • Pastor will travel for one week with Rev. Rich to Belgium and France.

    Pray for and Expect God’s Very Best for this Time Together!

    Our part of the Trip’s Budget: $5000.

    Video update from Riga, Latvia

    Some of the people in the church in Burgos needed new clothes. So we took them shopping! Here they are modeling part of what they found. Thank you partners for helping us to be able to do things like this. Our people are very grateful!

    Huge Praise Report! 

    Ever since arriving in Spain, we have dealt with bureaucratic challenges. This year we have had major breakthroughs, making everything we do much easier. Praise God for His faithfulness and thank you for your prayers. Great things are ahead!

    Thank you again for your prayers and partnership. We believe that God is putting together all of our prayers, giving, and steps of obedience to ultimately provide good, stable, Word & Spirit ministry all over the world. The Gospel must be preached in all nations. This revival must come to full fruition. The harvest must be gathered in. The Lord must return! By His grace we will be faithful in our generation. Many blessings to you and yours! [To ensure that you continue to receive these newsletters without interruption, please add rich@lifeofgodintl.org to your address book.]

  • Apr
    2023
    20
    2023 / Apr / 20

    April 2023

    God Opens Israel to Us!

    Greetings! We are so blessed by your partnership as we continue to contend for God’s Highest plan (and just a little normal, sound thinking) on the earth in our generation. What a joy it is to work with Him in these last days! 

    Amazing open door with a ministry in Haifa

    Of all the truly wonderful experiences in Israel, this one may stand out the most. And making this connection was quite an experience for me. On my first trip to Haifa in 2019, I was drawn to a particular neighborhood. Furthermore, within that neighborhood, I was led to a particular block. I walked around that block, but not finding anything, I moved on.
    This year, I was visiting that neighborhood again and was drawn to that block again. I saw a small sign about some kind of ministry, but I didn’t think much of it. I seemed to be led into a small parking lot. Daphne said what I was thinking, “What are we doing here? This is just a parking lot.” I agreed, but then I saw a little doorway to this ministry. I rang the doorbell. They were closed but asked me to call later and ask for someone specific.
    I called and had a phone conversation and later a video chat with him. The ministry is the only half-way house for Arabs in all of Israel. This gentleman was so excited to hear what we do, describing it as living like Christ did in the earth. We discussed the Word of God, prayed together, and he received us with open arms, offering to help us connect with churches or tour guides or anything we need in Israel. What a wide-open door! [February 2023]

    Help us keep going through the Lord’s open doors!
    Mission trip to Germany and Denmark in May. 
    God will continue to do great things on this trip with Pastor Jeff Mitchener.

    Trip Budget: $3,500.

    From the shores of the Sea of Galilee

    Our Arab waiter in Galilee

    One day at a restaurant in Galilee, our waiter was a young Arab man who said he was raised in a Christian family but was not himself a believer. We started to discuss his past difficulties and his dreams for the future. I encouraged him that nothing was impossible for those who believed, sharing how much God loved him and how good His plan is for him.  He seemed so encouraged and blessed when we gave him a copy of the book In Him by Kenneth E. Hagin. It was so dear of him to give us a free (really delicious) dessert in return! What a blessed memory it is. [February 2023]

    A young Jewish woman in Beersheba

    The Lord delt with me to visit Beersheba, Israel. On the way to Jerusalem, we took a detour on the train and spent around 5 hours there. We walked around getting to know the city. Just before leaving, we met a college-aged Jewish woman at a snack bar. She was so open to us. I shared with her for several minutes about the love of God and his good plan for her. I told her no matter what happened in our lives, we should never blame God for the problems but turn to Him and seek Him instead. Our challenges aren’t God’s fault. She seemed so hungry for these truths and just drank it all in. Praise God! [January 2023]

    Thank you again for your prayers and partnership. We believe that God is putting together all of our prayers, giving, and steps of obedience to ultimately provide good, stable, Word & Spirit ministry all over the world. The Gospel must be preached in all nations. This revival must come to full fruition. The harvest must be gathered in. The Lord must return! By His grace we will be fully faithful in our generation. Many blessings to you and yours! [To ensure that you continue to receive these newsletters without interruption, please enter rich@lifeofgodintl.org into your address book.]

  • Feb
    2023
    28
    2023 / Feb / 28

    February 2023

    Hi from Spain and Europe! How are you? We are so grateful for your prayers and support. We need each other to accomplish all that the Lord has for us. 
    God has caused us to meet some very interesting people in remarkable ways in the last few months. There are many great testimonies to share. I have selected these three because they are especially unique and to keep the newsletter a reasonable size. They remind me somewhat of Acts 8:26-29:
    26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

    Muslim Woman Asks us to Plant a Church?

    Mons, Belgium: My travel companion and I were walking to the market, speaking English. A woman walking in front of us kept looking back at us. I made a joke about Americans, and we began to speak. She was a Muslim woman from Algeria, but told me not to worry because she is open minded. Over the course of the conversation, she told us that she works with migrants and refugees and that Belgium has a real problem with division in the society. In her trips to the USA, she had seen how the church has a unifying influence in America. She wants to keep in touch with us because she is interested in seeing that type of church planted in Belgium! How about that? Praise God! [October 2022]

    This Sherman tank is on display in Mons, Belgium. It helped liberate the city from Nazi Germany. We met the above woman across the street from this tank.

    God Connects… Twice!

    Bristol, England: As I was arriving in the city by train, I began to enter my hotel address in google maps so that I could walk there. The Holy Ghost arrested me. After a little prayer, I perceived that he wanted me to take a cab. My cab driver was a devout Muslim from Somalia. I tried to witness to him and offered him a Brother Hagin book, but he declined. We talked about his family, I gave him a nice tip, and we left on good terms.
    Two days later, I planned on taking a bus to the airport. It rained hard, and I decided to take a cab. I had the same driver! We were both so surprised. I asked him if that was typical, and he told me it was nearly impossible with more than 300 taxis in Bristol. We chatted about his wife and four kids. I finally told him that I believed that God had brought us together since I had taken his cab twice. I asked him if I could pray for him, and he requested that I pray for health and long life for him. I was able to pray Psalm 91:16 over him in the name of Jesus as God’s presence filled his cab. He happily thanked me and told me that he would never forget our time together. [November 2022]

    Help us take a Mission trip to Germany and Denmark in May. 
    God will continue to do great things on this trip with Pastor Jeff Mitchener.

    Trip Budget: $3,500.

    Click on the PayPal button to get involved. Thank you!

    I Will Show You Unique Ways to Reach People.

    Ballina, Ireland: The evening before, during prayer, we sensed that there was a person in this town that is called of God and needs our help. We also picked up that the Lord would show us a way to connect with them that is abnormal to us, but that would work for them. We needed to be open to that.
    In the morning, we headed for the streets in search of this person that the Lord had dealt with us about. We had a few good conversations but weren’t sure if we had found our assignment. When we went to lunch, we were powerfully drawn to the woman behind the cash register. We spoke to her as much as appropriate and then sat down to eat. Later she came by our table, and we spoke some more. We learned that she was from Poland and was returning for a visit the following morning. We encouraged her that the Lord has a good plan for her. Then she had to get back to work.
    We left the restaurant and walked 5-10 minutes when I looked down and noticed a small silver coin on the ground. I picked it up, and to my surprise, it was a Polish coin (in Ireland, all the way on the other side of Europe)! Now I know that God speaks to us through His Word. I believe we are all to be led by the Holy Spirit. But I turned to my travel companion and said, “You know, if we were to bring this coin back to that woman, because of her spiritual upbringing, she would believe it was a sign and be 100 times more open to anything that we shared with her.” After some discussion and having received instruction in prayer the night before to be open to unique ways to connect with people, we decided to return to her.
    We met her outside of the restaurant because she was running an errand. As soon as she saw the coin, she exclaimed, “It’s a sign!” Her heart was wide open. We shared the Word with her, prayed with her, and gave her a good Christian book. She was so happy. As we left, she said, “When you return, I will be right here at this restaurant,” implying that she wanted to make sure we stop and see her again. In ten years of this work, I have never had anyone nearly as open and excited about meeting us and seeing us again after our first interaction. Praise the Lord! [November 2022]

    Ballina Ireland at sunrise. The proceeding story took place here.

    Thank you again for your prayers and partnership. We believe that God is putting together all of our prayers, giving, and steps of obedience to ultimately provide good, stable, Word & Spirit ministry all over the world. The Gospel must be preached in all nations. This revival must come to full fruition. The harvest must be gathered in. The Lord must return! By His grace we will be fully faithful in our generation. Many blessings to you and yours!
    [To ensure that you continue to receive these newsletters without interruption, please enter rich@lifeofgodintl.org into your address book.]

  • Nov
    2022
    04
    2022 / Nov / 04

    November 2022

    Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and financial support for this ministry. We so appreciate your partnership!

    Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! – Psalms 107:8
    It is right and fitting to praise the Lord! He has been so good to us. He is faithful and true to His Word. God had freed us from all sin and from hell itself. He has healed our bodies, provided our financial needs, promised us wisdom and favor. He has put His love, joy and peace in our hearts. Every problem or negative situation that comes our way has already been dealt with by our God. When we remember this, we never have a reason to do anything but rejoice and praise our loving Heavenly Father. 

    I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. – Psalms 34:1
    In Psalms 34:1, we are instructed to have God’s praises continually in our mouth. Let’s praise Him in the morning, at noontime, and in the evening. And our praises should be specific. “Thank you for protection. Praise you for giving me life, health, breath, strength. Thank you that I am completely free from sin. Thank you for providing my every need. Thank you for wisdom and grace for today’s decisions.” As will fill our mouths, homes and lives with God’s praise, the supernatural power of God enters and brings help and increase in everything. We are truly the most blessed of people! Praise the Lord!

    Here are some pictures of our church baptism at the end of August. It was a great time in the Lord!

    Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. – Joel 3:14
    Doesn’t it seem like things in the world are changing a lot right now? Even among Christians, people are making important, life-changing decisions. As always, God is moving His children into position naturally and spiritually to be able to fulfill all that He has for us. During this season, there is an apparent urgency for us to be in our God-ordained place. 

    And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. – Romans 12:2
    This Bible verse tells us that God has a perfect will for us. Each one of us can walk right in the center of the life that God desires. Just like cooking or playing a sport, walking in God’s will requires training and practice to be good at it. But what a precious skill to have! Again, Romans 12:2 indicates that we need to think in agreement with God’s Word (have our minds renewed) in order to see and walk in God’s plan for us. God’s Word is His will. When we agree and cooperate with what His Word says, we train ourselves to agree with the Holy Spirit when He speaks to us about things that aren’t specifically mentioned in God’s Word. As we meditate, or think deeply into God’s Word throughout our day, we automatically move closer to God’s perfect will for us. 
    Once we have this renewed mind, a mind full of and cooperating with the Word of God, we can effectively ask God honestly and openly if we are in the center of His will and, if not, what steps we should take to get there. Many times, seemingly small adjustments in actions and attitudes will yield amazing results. It is also possible that God will deal with us to make larger changes. In this case, we keep our hearts open and humble before the Lord, telling Him that we are willing to do anything in His service. We move slowly and peacefully relying on the Word of God, times of prayer and praise before the Lord, and our Pastors and church services in order to transition accurately and skillfully into all that the Lord desires for us. Times of change and uncertainty can be hard on our emotions. By keeping our eyes on the Lord and walking in peace and love, we will end up in the best life that the Lord has for us. What a wonderful skill, to know how to follow God through life! What a wonderful life in the will and manifest presence of God! Accept no alternatives.

    Beyond the church in Burgos, we are taking 5 mission trips to 8 countries in 2022. Help us reach Europe with the full gospel, based in God’s Word and testified to by His Holy Spirit. Click the PayPal link below to help us go.

  • Aug
    2022
    10
    2022 / Aug / 10

    August 2022

    Hi from Spain. How is your summer?

    We are doing very well. Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and giving. The Lord is blessing the ministry and bringing increase. He is so good!

    The top pictures are from the church picnic. Bottom pictures are a youth meeting and the church nursery. 

    As I have been seeking the Lord lately, it seems that He is emphasizing the importance of our Life of God International Prayer Team. There are things that He would like our ministry to move into, but we need power made available to be able to accomplish this. Look at what the scriptures say:

    The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. James 5:16b [AMPC]

    For I am well assured and indeed know that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) this will turn out for my preservation (for the spiritual health and welfare of my own soul) and avail toward the saving work of the Gospel. Philippians 1:19 [AMPC]

    Thank you to those who have already joined the prayer team. Perhaps you would like to as well. Simply reply to this e-mail and we will send you periodic special updates and prayer requests. It would be great to have you join us in regular prayer for this work in Europe!

    We had our first conference in the Burgos church this June! Pastors Jeff and Renée Mitchener from Family Church in Mayville, NY and their daughter Ezra joined us for dynamic ministry. It was a great blessing to us and brought increase and correction to the church. Below are pictures from the conference and their visit.

    God is moving in the earth! We won’t be distracted by difficulties or extreme busyness. We will focus on the Lord and His Word and continually ask Him to lead us into His highest will. Let’s walk on together in all that He has planned.

    Above are pictures from recent mission trips. The top picture is Pastor Jeff with a Christian brother in Nykoping, Sweden. The middle two pictures are from artic Finland. The bottom two pictures are from Belfast, Northern Ireland in April. 

    On these trips, we have been seeing more opportunities to share the gospel and hand out Christian books. People are increasingly open and receptive. And we return to these cities to continue and finish what the Lord has started. Europe will be won!

  • Apr
    2022
    08
    2022 / Apr / 08

    April 2022

    In this video, Rev. Rich Walker shares important information about the future of the ministry.
  • Mar
    2022
    07
    2022 / Mar / 07

    March 2022

    Rev. Daphne ministers on a Sunday in February. We have seen new people coming like never before in the last month!

    God has been doing awesome things in the Burgos church and beyond!
    Thank you for having an important part in this work by praying and giving!

    Look at our wonderful new chairs. They arrived just in time for all of the new visitors. God is so good! Thank you partners for giving to help us get chairs!

    Testimony: A Life Transformed

    Rueben (name changed) has been faithfully attending the church for 6 months. Here is a list of what he has said in various conversations.

    • I feel so at home in this church. It is my church.
    • I am free from depression. I no longer take antidepressants. 
    • I hurt 3 disks in my back when I was young. I am usually confined to bed in the winter. But look at me, I am moving around and free from pain!
    • I quit smoking after over 25 years. 
    • I’ve had 9 kids with 7 different women. That lifestyle no longer satisfies me. I want a different life.
    • My business has turned around. I have so many new clients and so much work. Thank God. 
    • I listen to worship music during the day and watch the church’s YouTube videos at night. 
    • Before I came to this church, I was thinking about committing suicide. Now my life is completely changed.

    Glory to God!

    In this picture, Rev. Rich ministers with a translator. We have begun to translate our midweek services into English. Now others in Europe can enjoy the teaching. Also, anyone in the USA who wants to prepare for missions can participate. Live services are Tuesdays at Noon eastern time. Connect on Zoom with the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2238827177   Meeting ID: 223 882 7177

    Praise God, the Youth Ministry is growing too!

    Videos

    Enjoy this video update from Rev. Rich’s trip to Great Britian in January.
    Check out this video from Rev. Rich’s Italy trip last October.
  • Oct
    2021
    14
    2021 / Oct / 14

    October 2021

    Baby dedication at the church in Burgos on Oct. 3.

    Attendance has been increasing at the church.
    Praise the Lord!

    We had a man come to a service that none of us had met before. He has prayed with us to accept the Lord and says he has been freed from depression diagnosed by his doctor. Now he attends faithfully and calls himself a “member” of our church. Glory to God!
    Rev. Rich ministering at our home church, Family Church Fredonia

    Partner reception in Forestville, NY. Thank you for joining us. We had a great time!

    Enjoy this video of Rev. Rich ministering at Impact Family Church in High Springs, Florida.

    Rev. Daphne at our 15th Wedding Anniversary celebration. Awe!
    (PS: Rev. Rich was there…)

    We had a wonderful time in the USA. It was great to see and spend time with you: our Pastors, partners and family. Thank you for inviting us, greeting us, and taking time with us. And thank you for your continued prayers and generous support. Together we will accomplish all of God’s plan. We love and appreciate you!

    Rev. Rich ministering at Faith Life Family Church in Warner Robins, Georgia.
    Check out this quick update video from Avignon, France in June of this year.

    “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

    Revelation 20:20

    The Solution to all of our Problems

    Matthew 5:14-15
    14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
    15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

    Philippians 3:16
    Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

    These are interesting times in the world. These are interesting times in the United States. Some of us are experiencing unique challenges in our personal lives. Many are asking why things are turning out the way they are and what they can do to see an improvement. As always, God gives us the answer in His Word.

    In Matthew 5:14-15, Jesus tells us that he has made us, His disciples, the light of the world. When darkness enters any situation, any nation, God will shine the bright light of His truth to overcome and drive out the darkness. The interesting thing that we must remember is that the church is God’s light. That means that it is always through us, His church, that He will shine His light. The church is God’s lamp. But if the lamp is unplugged from the power source, or covered up with clutter or dirt, God’s light will not shine in the world, no matter how bright it is when he sends it. What is the solution? By filling ourselves with thoughts of God’s Word, by boldly speaking forth the truth of His Word, and by practicing the Word, we shine the white-hot light of God into our lives and our nation and we drive out the darkness by His power. When we fully cooperate with God, we experience the fullness of His blessings.

    Philippians 3:16 brings out a truth that is very important and pertinent to the time in which we live. Our responsibility as Christians is not to know everything about every Bible doctrine. We don’t have to have all of the answers. Our job is simply to live up to what we have already attained which means to walk in the light that we have or to practice the things that we already know. God knows and can do everything, and He stands ready to rush in and help us at our point of need. But God never does something that we know to do for ourselves. He will wait for us to do our part so that He can do His part. We don’t have practice what some great minster knows or what our brother in Christ knows. We are only responsible for what we personally have learned. And that is enough. In your own life, faithfully do what you know to do, and watch God powerfully work to bring you into His full blessing.
     
    We must, as Christians, resist the voices in our society that tell us that we don’t have to do what is right. They would encourage us to take a shortcut to success. “Lie to get ahead. Take the instant pleasure no matter who it hurts. If you are unhappy, it is God’s fault because He made you wrong. Go ahead and get an operation to change how you were made.” These are all lies from the devil. If we will faithfully practice the truth of God’s Word in every circumstance, we will see His blessings and find true satisfaction. And if we miss it, as all do, we repent (I John 1:9), receive God’s forgiveness, and move on. And by doing what we know, we open ourselves up to further revelation from God where we lack His wisdom and knowledge.

    This same truth will save our nation. The Christians in our nation must arise and simply practice what we know. Charismatics, Pentecostals, Denominational Christians, the ministers, the mature, the young, new born Christians, if each one would simply practice the things that they have heard and been taught by the Lord, the exceeding abundant light and power of God would flow through the church and right the wrongs that we see in our nation. Let each of us dedicate ourselves today to practicing what the Lord has already shown us in His Word so that we can see all the best that God has for us and for our nation.

    If we don’t know where to begin, how about we practice 2 Chronicles 7:14?

    “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
     
    Great things are ahead for us as we walk in the light! We love and appreciate you.

  • Jun
    2021
    22
    2021 / Jun / 22

    June 2021

    In this video, complete the tour of the Burgos church building and hear about our progress registering the church with the Spanish government.

  • Feb
    2021
    03
    2021 / Feb / 03

    February 2021

    We hope you enjoy this short video tour of our new church building.

    Thank you so much to all our partners for prayerfully and generously supporting the work here. We are advancing together! We love and appreciate you!