Category — Updates

Next week I’ll be heading out (January 2nd through the 8th) to Tacoma, Washington, to attend Faith Baptist Church’s annual missions conference.  I want to personally thank all the folks at Grace and Truth Baptist Church in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, for their wonderful generosity in making this happen! You guys have been praying for us and supporting this ministry, and I want you all to know we are forever grateful. Thank you!!

I want to say a special thanks to Brent Blaise and his wife, too. I’ll be staying with them (Lord willing and the roads don’t freeze) during my week in Tacoma. They are moving from Kansas City to Tacoma on December 30th. I arrive on January 2nd! I used to camp out at lot with the Boy Scouts… so this trip should bring back some pleasant memories!

But, seriously, I am grateful for the Blaise’s hospitality and would ask everyone to be praying for them and their family as they make the move out to Tacoma to work with Faith Baptist. Brent has been a tremendous encouragement to me over the last couple of years (along with Jeremy Bonneen) and I’m looking forward to being with him and his family for the week of the conference at Faith.

We had our special Christmas service this morning. One of the aspects of culture here in Latin America is that around Christmas and New Years, lots of people leave. They visit family, go to the beach, or just “go away” for a while. But, we decided to try to take advantage of the time of year anyway and invite friends and family that would otherwise not come to church.

We had a fair turn-out and it all went well. We sang Christmas songs (like Silent Night) and then I preached a messaged based on Luke 2.8-14: “On earth peace.”

1. I explained why we needed peace: Because man without Christ is God’s enemy.
2. I explained what would happen without peace: Judgment and condemnation to eternal hell.
3. Then I explained the text: God wants peace and so came to take our punishment so we could be forgiven and granted eternal life and entrace into heaven!

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. [1Tim 1.15]

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. [1Pet 3.18]

After the service, we fed everybody donuts. If you’d like to see some pictures of the service, one of my guys got some snapshots.

• Christmas_2008_at_Eastside.jpg
• dscn1144.jpg
• dscn1148.jpg
• dscn1189.jpg
• dscn1192.jpg

Please pray for all those that heard the Gospel, that they might repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

Yesterday was a bit of a sad day around here, but was also kind of exciting. My “right hand” in the ministry, Will, and his wife, Naylene, moved to the States. Many of you know Will and so you know that he has always been my closest friend in the ministry here. He was constantly at my side on the streets evangelizing and in the church discipling and preaching.

Will and Naylene will be spending the holiday’s with Naylene’s folks in Illinois and then they’ll move down the Kansas City area to attend KCBT and look for work. This is a great opportunity for Will and Naylene to be exposed to other ministries (KCBT, Midtown Baptist Temple, etc.), grow in their faith, and continue to develop as leaders in the work of the Lord.

Please keep them in your prayers, and if you attend KCBT, be looking for them to welcome them into the family! Thank you! ~Greg