What a time we have had in Europe! God has shown His faithfulness and given guidance in so many ways. Thank you for your faithful prayers and generous support!

Great Things Are Happening In Spain 

• Upon returning to Spain, two of our church members had rented two different storefronts for holding events. They both offered to let us use their building to hold church services. We chose the building that is in our neighborhood and hold services there for free. God is Good!
• WE have been training and preparing our people to be able to have services in Burgos while we are away. They are dong very well and will continue to meet after we return to the USA.
• One of our families moved across Spain to find work. We missed them but realized that they must do what they believe is best. Over the following months, they maintained contacts with us and expressed the desire to keep learning God’s Word from us. After much prayer, I began discipling one of them over the Internet. We meet weekly for nearly 2 hours. They are growing so much! They minister to people in the streets and have seen people saved or grow in God as a result. I am prayerfully considering visiting them next year to see what we can do to build the Lord’s Kingdom in their city. Glory to God!

In Paris, France – Three Days After Terrorist Attacks

The Lord dealt with us to visit Paris. We set up our trip, and then the terrorist attacks took place. We had peace to go, so we arrived in Paris three days after the attacks. Outwardly, things didn’t look very different, but we could sense the fear in the people. The occasional person told us that we were brave or warned us to be careful.

We simply endeavored to demonstrate the peace and love of God. We did a lot of praying for Paris. Since we don’t (yet) speak French, we were trusting God to connect us with French teachers and English speakers. He seemed to supernaturally connect us with a couple of French teachers and an ethnically Iranian English translator who is open to the gospel. Yes, I am still amazed by that last one! God is awesome!

We are having a great time teaching people how to find scriptures in the Bible and about God’s good plan for them through Jesus Christ. Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and financial support to help us accomplish this work.

What is going on in Burgos?

As you know, we have been traveling back and forth between the United States and Burgos, Spain for the past 2 and a half years. We have focused on building relationships with people and serving them any way we can. On June 1, we began weekly Sunday services which are set up as a 14-week, evangelistic class on what the Bible teaches us about relationships, money, mental peace, and health. 

Each of our classes have had 3-6 locals in attendance. Some did not have a Bible in their home before we met them. We are teaching our students how to find scriptures and read the Bible for themselves. The gospel is being preached, and people have the opportunity to accept Christ in every class.

Our 14-week class ends on August 31. We are currently working on the next step. Depending on God’s leading and our attenders’ level of interest we will probably either begin church services, continue the meetings as a home Bible study, or discontinue the classes and begin another module in early 2015. Please, pray for wisdom. We trust God to move us forward in His highest plan for this group.

Honored By Our Connections

We must be God’s favorite! Why? Because we have the greatest partners and partner churches in the world. God showed us how much He loved us by putting us around people like you! Thank you for every prayer you have prayed, every opportunity to minister, and every dollar you have given. We are a team in Christ’s service.

We are especially humbled to have been recognized as an official outreach of our home church, Family Church in Fredonia, NY. On June first, they hung a map of Spain (with the Burgos outreach marked by the cross) on the sanctuary wall. We served in Fredonia for over 5 years and received so much good training from our Pastors Michael and Nancy Lokietek. They have counseled us and generously supported us in every step of our journey. We can truly say that we are honored to be part of the family!

Look What The Lord Has Done!

As I was working on this update, two of our class members stopped by the apartment for counseling. Both of them accepted Jesus as their Lord for the first time! Please pray for them as they begin their walk with God. Thank you so much for helping us come to Spain. We are having a great experience as we watch God touch lives!

One of our attenders and her son were facing a lot of problems. We prayed a general prayer with her. A few days later she told us that God heard our prayer and that her 18 year-old son had two good job opportunities open up to him (in a county with 25% unemployment)!

Another woman had faithfully attended an evangelical church before moving to Burgos 15 years ago. She hasn’t gone to any church here because she couldn’t find one with good doctrine. Now she and her 16-year-old (who had never been involved in a church) are faithful attenders of our services.

An American man was on a pilgrimage through Spain in search of God. College had left him empty and with a problem with alcohol. He accepted the Lord in our apartment, we gave him a small bible, and we prayed for him and taught him how to live free from alcoholism.

All the glory belongs to the Lord!

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and generosity. It is with great anticipation that we are preparing to start having services here in less than three weeks (Sunday, June 1)!  The meeting room is reserved. The flyers and posters are at the printer. Bibles and faith-building books will be available. Best of all, we have friends that are looking forward to coming.  One of them keeps asking, “When are we starting? I will definitely be there!” Another tells us she is trying to think of all the people that she can invite. It is exciting to be a part of what God is doing. We are so thankful that you are a part of it too!

Praying For Our Services

One of our best and most humbling experiences on the mission field has been sensing our partners’ prayer support.  Some days and in some projects we experience extra strength and ability from God, and we know that you are praying. Thank you so much!  God is good and is answering your prayers!

Here is a brief list of ways that you can pray for our upcoming services:

1. Pray for us as we teach the Bible in Spanish. (Ephesians 6:19)

We must share God’s Word with boldness and fluidity in our second language!

2. Pray God’s power will be displayed to meet needs. (Zechariah 10:1)

The rain referred to in this scripture symbolizes the Holy Spirit.  Just like rain causes a seed to grow, the power of the Holy Spirit causes the seed of the Word of God to grow in people’s hearts.

3. Pray that those who don’t know God will know Him. (Ezekiel 22:30)

God asks us to pray for those who are far from Him, so that they won’t suffer the pain that comes from a life without God.  He wants to bless everyone.  If we pray, it opens people up to God and His blessings.

4. Pray this general prayer for the ministry in Burgos:

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.”                                             

2 Thessalonians 3:1&2 (ESV)

Doors Open In Spain

So much of what we have been working for in Burgos, Spain began to open up to us during our recent trip.  After several administrative details, we became official Spanish residents with government issued ID cards.  The relationships we have been cultivating since we first went to Burgos are growing much deeper, and we continue to meet and develop relationships with people.  Burgos are growing much deeper, and we continue to meet and develop relationships with people.  I recently counted over 40 relationships with people that we are trying to reach in Spain.  And God is moving.  This trip we were able to share the whole gospel message of Jesus Christ with a couple of our closest friends.  Later we taught them more truths from God’s Word.  And before they knew that we are working to start a Family Church, one of them told us that Burgos needs a good church (and they didn’t even own a Bible until we gave them one)!  We found a very good location to begin having services in the future and the future and have begun the legal work necessary to form a church. God is good!

Brothers, Pray For Us

The Apostle Paul, a missionary to Southwestern Asia and Southern Europe, was inspired by God to write the following while he was in prison for preaching the gospel: “…through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance…” (Philippians 1:19). The Bible also says that the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:16). The Bible says that we who have faith in Christ have been made righteous by God. Your prayers make a BIG difference. We know that you spend time praying for our government leaders and for your Pastor and fellowshipping with God. These should be our priorities.  However, as the Lord leads and helps you, please pray for us. We can often tell when you are praying because things go so smoothly as we move forward in the work. If you would like any specific prayers to pray, e-mail me. Thank you so much for your faithfulness. We are praying for you too!

The Future Is Bright

Many exciting things are happening as we follow God, and we would not experience it without you, our partners.  Because we try to keep our newsletters short, I do not have room to share it all.  The highlights are listed below.  If you want more details, e-mail me.  Please pray for us as we endeavor to follow God and please Him in everything.

1. We will be itinerating and meeting with pastors and other ministers in Georgia, Florida, California and Alabama in January and February
2. We are consulting with US and Spanish lawyers to learn how to form a nonprofit organization (for church planting) that can easily function in the US and overseas.
3. We will be in the Northeastern US in March to do much needed paperwork and to meet with partners, ministers, and churches.
4. We plan to return to Spain in April to continue working on the Family Church plant.
5. We have learned that there is extensive groundwork to be done when planting an overseas work and are exploring the possibility of doing the groundwork for future works while still planting the work in Burgos.  We travel some for this purpose when necessary.