Our missionary conference will be highlighted with our own missionary family Jon and Denielle Johnson. Jon, Denielle and their two children, ElliAnna and Carter just completed their first term serving in the country of Brazil. Along with the teaching from the Word, the Johnson’s will be sharing the Lord’s work both in their personal lives and in the work.

The emphasis for our time together will be The Gospel Ministry at Home and Abroad, focusing on God’s commission and pattern for the church to reproduce itself both on the foreign field and at home. The ministry of the gospel is the ministry to which all of God’s people is called. Join us with your heart prepared for what the Lord has for you and for Calvary.

Friday, March 23, 7:00 p.m… The ministry in Brazil
Saturday, March 24, 7:00 a.m… Men’s Brkfst: Godly leaders… godly Christians… godly ministry
Saturday, March 24, 12:00 p.m… Ladies Luncheon: Lessons learned on the field
Sunday, March 25, 8:45 a.m… Practical thoughts on church planting
Sunday, March 25, 10:00 a.m… Strong Churches Reproduce Themselves
Sunday, March 25, 6:00 p.m… Fellowship and Q & A

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 1Thessalonians 5:24

Come hear the testimony of God’s providential grace in the life of two young people, from two different continents, two different cultures, and two different languages who meet in the eastern African country of Mozambique. It is a stark reminder that God’s program focuses on people for His purpose, His glory, and our good.

Sharing with us this Sunday morning, July 17, at 8:45 will be Missionaries to Metz, France, Phil & Helaine DeMarte and Callun. Phil & Helaine’s home church is Grace and Truth Bible Church in Aurora, Minnesota and are working with Biblical Ministries Worldwide. Take a few moments to get acquainted with the DeMarte family by reading their testimonies below and then make a point to be with us this week. Come early and enjoy some coffee, refreshment and good fellowship.

Phil’s Testimony

I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior when I was around the age of five. My parents explained to me that I was a sinner in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6). My dad made the plan of salvation very personal to me as he would read John 3:16 and put my name in it. I am so thankful for my salvation because without it I would have absolutely no hope or reason to live. At age 15 the Lord began working in my heart to move me towards missions. Follow-ing my senior year in college I surrendered to serve the Lord in missions full-time.

Helaine’s Testimony

Growing up as a missionary kid in Scotland, I heard the Gospel message from a young age. I accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of 5 during Vacation Bible School. One of the group performed a mime that depicted Christ’s death and I came to understand that He had suffered and died for my sins and for my salvation. Isaiah 53 describes the suffering and death Christ endured so that I might have eternal life. I surrendered my life to missions a few years later and am thankful to the Lord for His leading Phillip and I to serve Him “back home” in Europe.

We are looking to serve in the city of Metz, France. There we will be working alongside veteran Missionaries Steve and Viki pounds and Tim and Kathy Heijermans.
These missionaries are part of a team that serves with Biblical Ministries Worldwide. BMW desires to serve the lord and the local church by establishing reproducing churches through evangelism, discipleship and leadership development. We plan to come alongside this team and help specifically with children and teen ministries as well as the church planting endeavors.

Check out Urban Passage to get pre-acquainted with Sasha & Maria Silvia.

• Sal Johnson with Hispanic Church Planting
• Bryan Brock with UIM Missionary Aviation
• Tom Guffey in France
• Mike Holmes with Baptist Youth Mission
• Jon Johnson in Brazil
• Paul Sudbrock in Eastern Germany

Read their updates and take some time to pray all those in our missionary family; it will do you good. You might also consider, if they offer it, getting on their mailing list, following their blog for occassional updates (normally stuff not included in the prayer letters), or even connecting with them on Facebook. Take advantage of the today’s technology so you can keep in closer touch. Remember, we are in a partnership in the ministry of the gospel. What better way to do so than to pray for and to be an encouragement.

Brazilian Blogger

On the other side of the coin however is serving the Lord and being a witness in a land that is at best, unfamiliar with the gospel (or the Bible for that matter). Taking opportunities and proceeding cautiously is essential if you expect the privilege to tell of the true God and His gift of salvation.

The fact is, whether at home or abroad the ministry of the gospel is an act of faith in God’s gracious work through us to live and to proclaim the power of God unto salvation to all who believe, the gospel of Christ. The ministry of the gospel cannot be a work of the flesh but rather the work of the Spirit through faith.

Cory and April McTague is a young couple that serves the Lord taking the truth to the Tibetan people of Nepal. The below is a paragraph from their latest prayer letter that illustrates God’s working through His people for His work. Read it and be blessed. The letter in its entirety can be found and read at the back of the church.

“‘Ok, you can teach me the Bible now.’ This startling statement broke the awkward silence following our Tibetan language lesson. Tenzin, the 19-year-old Tibetan girl who had been tutoring April and I in the Tibetan language had agreed to learn from the Bible why we had come to Nepal. Of course, the reason was to share with the Tibetan People the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and we were all too excited to show her, her personal need for the Savior after our language lessons. Tibetans have no Biblical foundation upon which to base their need for the Savior. Their religion of Buddhism places an enormous emphasis on good works for salvation while giving the devotee a way of ‘escape’ through reincarnation if, perchance, the good deeds done in this life do not merit enough weight to propel them into nirvana, or heaven. Needless to say, when Tenzin agreed to the study, we were ecstatic. The first lesson was on Monday and it went well. The following day after the language lesson, she abruptly got up from the table, exclaimed she was too tired today, and wanted to go home. ‘Oh, no’ I thought, ‘she is mad and doesn’t want to learn anymore.’ The following lesson was scheduled for Friday and I was fearful she would avoid it as well. It was that Friday she made the cheerful and matter-of-fact statement that thrilled our hearts with joy in seeing firsthand the grace of God working on a lost sinners’ heart, ‘Ok, you can teach me the Bible now.’

“It is said it takes between six months to a year for a Buddhist to accept Christ. Tenzin is still tutoring us and is still open to the Gospel message. Not only that, now she is helping us meet other Tibetans as well.”