May Prayer Letter

Growing in Faith

Discipleship could be defined as the “…increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Eph. 4:16). About 24 men, ladies, and youth are involved in discipleship groups this year. These small groups have become the spiritual yardstick of the church as we get together to study God’s Word, edify one another, and pray in a more intimate setting. Praise the Lord for two couples who are rotating with Amy and me to lead the youth discipleship groups.

Growth through Multiplication

One of the most joyous occasions for a discipler is to see his disciple reproduce himself. Edit got saved over a year ago, was discipled, and is now bringing others to Christ. Pictured below is Beatriz, Edit’s neighbor, who trusted the Lord just last week.

Ramon, a church member who’s been in my men’s discipleship for the past year, is helping me disciple Emilio, the man who was saved last month.

I’ve heard it said, “If you don’t have problems in your ministry, then you probably aren’t ministering.” If that is true, then there is much ministering here in Pilar! Much of my time has been spent in various counseling situations, helping folks deal with their problems in a biblical manner. Praise God for His Word, which is sufficient for every situation!

Land Update

Our land fund is increasing steadily as our church people give! In June 2010, we began taking special offerings for the land project. Our people have given almost $3,400 so far. We recognize the effort they have made, yet we would still like to challenge them to begin giving sacrificially. Pray that God will give us wisdom as we seek His will and timing in guiding our young church through this process and as we look for the right piece of property.

Relying on God’s provision, our goal is to raise $100,000 for the property before June 2012. Will you pray and ask God how you can be involved? If the Lord would have you to give toward this need, you can send your gift to Baptist World Mission marked “Greenwood Church Land Fund.”

Praises

• New discipleship classes
• $7,096 in land fund
• Two couples teaching the youth discipleship groups
• Edit’s neighbor, Beatriz, who trusted Christ
• Discipleship with Emilio
• Three lay leaders in training – Benjamin, Carlos, and Ramon
• Nine prospective new members

Prayer Requests

• Wisdom and funds to purchase property for the church to build their own building
• Men’s leadership class
• Monthly support – 93%

January 2011 Prayer Letter

Rehearsing What God Has Done

December is typically slow for meetings, but nothing seems to slow down for this family!  We reported to five churches and had two other special meetings, besides all the typical Christmas activities! One of those churches, Calvary Baptist in Gray, Georgia, is a small rural church, but bursting at the seams in their love for God and missions. They gave us a generous Christmas love offering toward the land fund for building a church building in Pilar. Thank you!

Another church’s youth group collected an offering which is going toward summer camp scholarships.  Eight teens will receive help, so they will be able to go to camp.  Thank you for your generosity!

The majority of our other love offerings from meetings has gone to make up for the deficit of being under supported.  Please pray for God to provide the remaining eight percent of our support as we return to the field in February.  He has been faithful to provide so far, and we are confident He will continue to equip us to do the work to which He has called us!

Good News from a Far Country

God continues to bless the ministry in Pilar under the leadership of Pastor and Mrs. Schmidt. The Sunday morning attendance is maintaining an average of 65; there was a record of 40 at the annual Christmas Eve service; and 11 teens are signed up for summer camp so far.  Pastor Schmidt invited the men to come early to pray with him before the service last week, and nine showed up!

The Schmidts have been in the ministry for many more years than we have, so we are trying to observe them (from a distance) and learn from their godly examples.  They serve joyfully and make the ministry of the church their first priority.

One of the most encouraging reports we’ve heard is that one of the laymen, Benjamin, has begun a Bible study for married couples, with four couples attending.  James has worked one-on-one with Benjamin for two years, and this is the first time he has shown this kind of initiative.  Please pray that the Argentine men will respond to God’s call to be leaders in the church. As one pastor put it, “I do not believe the problem is God’s silence; I believe the problem is a deafness to the call or an unwillingness to respond.”  (Bud Calvert, God’s Passion).

Reversing Roles

It’s been an interesting balancing act to stay focused on stateside ministry while keeping up with the needs on the field. Our neighbors, friends, and church members–Alejandro and Andrea Quaglia –have been vital to us during this time.  Since they also speak English, they have helped with issues with our house, translated for the Schmidts, and jumped in to help any way they can at church.

With mixed emotions, we will have to say goodbye to this sweet family in March when Alejandro’s company transfers him to Miami, Florida.  We did get to take a few days to see them in Miami while they were taking a survey trip. We got to help them look for a house and learn about our American culture.  They immediately found an excellent church and Christian school, First Baptist Church of Westwood Lake.  We are so excited for the opportunities ahead for them, especially for the children’s education. Please pray for the Lord to fill the gap where they had been serving in the church, as well as their fellowship with us as dear friends.

 

December Prayer Letter

Rehearsing What God Has Done

Well, I must admit we’ve had an exhausting, yet exhilarating furlough so far – five missions conferences in a row is only for the young…or crazy!  It certainly does take the pressure off the family when we are reporting back to old friends and supporters, instead of seeking new support!  It is thrilling to “gather the church together, and rehearse all that God has done with us and how he has opened the door of faith unto the Argentines in Pilar” (Acts 14:27).

We enjoyed reacquainting with old friends as well as forming new friendships at our home church, Hillsdale, and four other supporting churches this past month.  It’s exciting to see the new growth and positive changes in each of these ministries since our last visit.

Good News From a Far Country

We are overjoyed by the response of our church people to the shepherding of the Schmidts in our absence!  Since day one, Dr. and Mrs. Schmidt have shown Christ’s love to our people.  We are so proud of our church people as they have made sure the Schmidts were taken care of their first few days.  Sunday morning attendance has maintained its average of 60, so that’s encouraging as well.

Summer Camp

Last year we began a fund to help send our church kids to summer camp.  We would like to continue that this year.  Through your donations, we can provide a discount to faithful church members to make camp more affordable, or even possible.  Click here for more information on the children’s camp.  The cost of camp this year is $76.  If the Lord would have you to contribute toward this, please let us know or send your donation directly to our mission board designated “Summer Camp.”

 

October Prayer Letter

Surprise!

Our true furlough arrival date had to be kept a secret in order to surprise our pastor and church family at Hillsdale.  The entire family was planning on being a part of Pastor and Sheilah Smith’s special event to celebrate their 25 years of service at Hillsdale, but the Lord had other plans.  Amy and the kids arrived in Orlando September 30, spent a few days “hiding” while giving them some time to relax and go through reverse culture shock, and then headed over to Tampa.

The anniversary was a sweet time, honoring two of God’s faithful servants who have been godly role models in our lives for many years.  We are thankful for their wisdom, counsel, friendship, support, and love.

Facing the Giants

We were all disappointed when James had to postpone his trip by one week in order to resolve some issues back in Argentina.  In follow-up to last week’s update on the house situation, the Lord answered your prayers so that there was no more confrontation or harassment before James left.  We do not know yet what the neighborhood administration will do regarding the fines they are trying to impose, but we keep praying that they will just drop the issue since the house is done and we are not even there.

The exterior of the house is finished, and the inside is functional for the furlough-replacement missionaries who will stay in it while we’re gone.  That was the main objective, and we can now say, “a desire accomplished is sweet to the soul.”  James arrived in the States on Wednesday, exhausted from the past few weeks’ activities, but glad to be together with his family again!  “No rest for the weary” as they say, since Friday morning we head off to begin a series of five missions conferences!  Please pray for continued good health, especially for him, and traveling mercies on the roads.

Looking Ahead

• 10/10-13 – Faith Baptist, Taylors, SC
• 10/17-20 – Tucson Baptist, Tucson, AZ
• 10/31-11/3 - Hillsdale Baptist, Tampa, FL
• 11/5-7 – Calvary Baptist, Winter Garden, FL
• 11/10-14 – Community Baptist, Bradenton, FL
• 11/21 – Parkdale Baptist, Gastonia, NC
• 11/28 – Fellowship Baptist, Anderson, SC

September Prayer Letter

New Discipleship Classes

We recently finished Changed Into His Image in small discipleship groups on Sunday nights. Twenty three folks participated—that’s about HALF our Sunday morning adult attendance average! As we neared the end of this study, we asked who would be interested in beginning another one. The “catch” was that we will not be able to finish it with them, since we are going on furlough.

The response was overwhelming, with 25 signed up. We give God the glory for the desire of each of our church folks to grow in their spiritual walk. These Sunday night groups have been the highlight of our week as we dig into God’s Word together and hear testimonies of how God is working in each of their lives. Please pray for this internal growth to continue, and that it will lead to greater service for Him.  Read more…

James with his men’s group

Teen Picnic

Already having a jump-start last month to the youth ministry from the Mikado mission team, we had a wonderful spirit and turn-out at a youth picnic this month. Three of the 16 teens present were the fruit of the ministry of Mikado. Once again, the youth committee did a great job planning and executing the activities. We are proud of the way they have sought to encourage the teens to dig into God’s Word.

One of the teens saved last month, Sara, has already begun basic discipleship with an older teen girl, Cecilia. We have found that if we can get new believers “plugged in” right away, the retention rate is much higher. Praise the Lord for the willingness of Cecilia to serve in this way.

Teens playing Bible search game

“Discipleship is nurturing immature believers to maturity in Christ so that they are equipped to serve God effectively, especially in reproducing themselves in other converts.”

– Frederick, The Making of a Disciple

Family Matters

On August 22 we celebrated Josiah’s (our “baby”) 8th birthday! Upon his request, we took him racing at a go-kart racetrack. Click here for a short video.

The Lord has been gracious to allow us to build a house here in Pilar. After a variety of setbacks, we are working hard to prepare it for our furlough- replacement missionaries. Please pray for the Lord to help us get it livable and comfortable for them.

Praises

· New discipleship classes

· Sunday morning attendance average is now 58

· Church property fund – $960

· God’s continual provision

Prayer Requests

· Furlough preparations – home and ministry

· Willing and able men to train for leadership positions in the church

· Salvation of Claudia, Mele, and Marina

· Monthly support – 89%

· Wisdom and funds to purchase property for the church to build their own building

Looking Ahead

· September 3 – Lauren’s 10th birthday

· September 5 – begin new discipleship classes

· September 11 – teen activity

· September 18 – Amy speaking at ladies’ meeting at a sister church

June Prayer Letter

New Members

We are excited to report that 16 adults completed the new members’ class this month!  The next step is to have an interview about their testimony of salvation and then to be baptized, for those who haven’t been already.  They keep telling us how excited they are to be in a church where they can learn God’s Word and grow spiritually.

Little Ones to Him Belong

Now that that there are more members available to serve, we’ll be recruiting teachers for children’s church.  Right now, between the elementary and preschool classes, we have four teachers rotating to teach once a month.  That leaves Amy to teach a class every Sunday.  Please pray for four more teachers to take her place before we go on furlough.

Line upon Line

You can feel the excitement in the Sunday night discipleship groups!  There are eight men in James’ class, eight ladies in Amy’s, and six teen girls in another lady’s class.  Even though many have been saved for several years, this is the first time they’ve done a personal Bible study like this.

Last month we asked you to pray that God would give us wisdom to begin to identify and train male leadership.  The men’s discipleship class has been very insightful for James as he spends time with the men.  There are a few men showing great potential, not only in studying God’s Word, but also in taking the initiative to serve.

Evangelistically Speaking

The church men brought seven visitors to their outreach.  They had an Argentine asado (barbeque) and James gave a short evangelistic message.  He and another man will be making visits to follow up on these guys about salvation.

There was a good response to Amy’s Wednesday night English class from the youth.  A few of their unsaved friends came too. Pray they can come to the youth activity June 26.

For the past eight months, James has been doing weekly marriage counseling with a couple in our home.  (He’s a baby Christian and she’s not saved.)  Now that their marriage is doing better, they want to do a Bible study instead of just counseling.

Happy 200th Birthday!

May 25 commemorated Argentina’s bicentennial of liberation from Spain’s rule.  Our prayer and heart’s desire is that Argentines will find liberty in Christ and no longer be entangled in the bondage of sin (Gal. 5:1).

May Prayer Letter

Teaching Others Also…

One of the most exciting aspects of shepherding is being a part of the spiritual growth of your sheep.  We look forward to seeing more of that growth through the new discipleship classes begun this month: The response has been phenomenal so far with 23 men, women, and teen girls in their Sunday night small groups, 8 in Tuesday ladies’ Bible study, and 16 adults in the new members’ class!

Amy also began a 10-week English as a Second Language (ESL) course as an evangelistic outreach. Please pray that church people will bring their friends and that the unsaved will come to know Christ through this outreach.

Where Is a Gideon?

“Where is the man who gives up ambition?

Worldly desires are all set aside.

Where is a Gideon?

Where is a man?

Who’ll be a leader and follow God’s plan?”

The words to this song by Mac Lynch continue to echo through our minds as we watch God grow our church numerically and spiritually, yet we lack willing and capable men to serve as deacons and teachers.  Some are capable, but sadly, not willing.  Others may be willing, if they were capable.  Please pray for the Lord to work in the hearts of the men whom He would have to serve as leaders.  Pray for wisdom for James to be able to identify and further train those men.

Youth Ministry

With all the current ministries already going on, we are physically unable to take on anything else.  However, the need remains for a ministry to the youth of the church.  There is a group of about 15 youth who need opportunities for fellowship with other Christian friends.  We will be meeting with interested members to see about organizing a youth leadership committee.  Please pray for wisdom for us, and once again, willing and able leaders in this area.

Praises

• Sunday attendance averaged 57 in April!
• Discipleship classes began this month
• Sixteen in the new members class

Prayer Requests

• Salvation of Mele and Marina
• Willing and able men to train for leadership positions in the church
• New youth ministry
• Lacking $383 monthly support
• Schedule meetings for 2010/2011 furlough late October through February
• Wisdom and funds to purchase property for the church to build their own building

April Prayer Letter

3…2…1…Blastoff!

Charter Sunday – 3.21.2010

Praise God for a successful church launch March 21! Three souls were saved. Several more new people have begun attending faithfully since the campaign week. (Read more…)

First Baptism

Fifteen believers publically professed their faith in Christ on Easter Sunday by being baptized. It was a special day as we saw our labor come to fruition. Many family and friends of those being baptized came to church for the special event, bringing our total attendance to an all-time record of 88. These visitors heard the Gospel, not only from the preaching, but from the 15 who shared their salvation testimony just before they entered the water.

This was James’ first time to baptize, and first in line was our youngest son, Josiah.

Teaching Others Also…

Anyone who walks through the door of IBI will soon learn that we take seriously the mandate to “…commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). Discipleship classes are available for believers at every level, and everyone is encouraged to be involved in a small group. Please pray for us as we begin a new round of classes at the end of this month. Also, continue to pray for capable men to be willing to take on leadership positions (teachers, deacons) in the church.

February 2010 Prayer Letter

Summer Stats

Statistically, attendance and giving numbers should be down during the summer. However, we finished January with a healthy attendance average of 35 and an all-time high total in giving!

As our attendance grows, so does our need for children’s classes. Amy has been teaching junior church since we began. She is doing teacher training with two ladies who are willing to teach junior church once a month, but we desperately need a teacher for the preschoolers. Please pray for this need!

Praise the Lord for two new families now involved in the church. One of the couples, Adrian and Sara, first visited just before Christmas. After the service, James counseled with them, and Adrian put his trust in Christ. They are now attending faithfully and have expressed their desire to join the church!

Summer Camp

Pictured below are the kids from IBI who attended summer camp the last week of January. They all had a wonderful time and made many new Christian friends. Two received a “camper-of-the-week” award! Four of the nine were able to go only because of your generous giving. Thank you! Pray the decisions made will bring about a lasting change in each of their lives.

Countdown to Launch!

The countdown continues, with 6 weeks left until Charter Sunday, March 21, 2010! We have a different church in the area signed up to help each night of the campaign. This month we are focusing on advertising. We will be handing out church information packets house-to-house during the six weeks prior to “launch,” hanging posters in local businesses and making an announcement on the radio. We have 8,000 flyers to distribute, so please pray for our people to get excited to pass this important landmark in the history of the church and to see new growth.

Furlough 2010/2011

We are planning a furlough late October 2010 through mid-February 2011. Our goal is always to visit about half of our supporters, as well as a few new ones. Praise the Lord that He has already provided a pastor whom we know and respect, Walter and Jackie Schmidt, to take our place while we are away from the ministry here. Please pray for God to provide an interpreter for the Schmidts.

January Prayer Letter

December Outreach

December 20 was our monthly evangelistic outreach. We try to do something a little different each month. Since it fell close to Christmas, we put together a program of music and Scriptures called “From the Manger to the Cross,” telling the story of Jesus’ birth, death, burial, and resurrection. Several played instruments, sang, or read Scripture. There was a total of 51 present, including our children’s piano teacher, Marina. Please pray for her salvation. Click here to see the video.

We collected the Christmas love offering, which will go toward fixing the floors in the church to make them uniform. Praise the Lord, our little church gave above and beyond our expectations! We look forward to completing this project very soon!

Countdown to Launch

The countdown continues, with 10 weeks left until Charter Sunday! This month we are focusing on the organization and preparation— printing flyers and posters as well as scheduling other churches to help with child care, preparing refreshments, and counseling during the campaign. In February, we will begin literature distribution. Our plan is to hand out church information packets house-to-house during the six weeks prior to “launch.” Please pray for our people to get excited to pass this important landmark in the history of the church and to see new growth.

Prayer Requests

· Finish building renovations

· Preparations for Charter Sunday

· Summer camp January 25-30

· Permanent pastor for the Pilar Centro church

Praises

· 51 at our December outreach

· Adrian accepted Christ December 20

· Christmas love offering

Looking Ahead

1/25-1/30 – Summer Camps

February – begin publically promoting Charter Sunday

March 17-21 – Evangelistic Campaign and Charter Sunday

December Prayer Letter

Tear Down That Wall!

With increasing attendance and new visitors every week, we couldn’t wait any longer to expand our auditorium. (A great problem to have, for sure!) We worked four full days to tear down the wall between the auditorium and the garage, giving us about 215 more square feet of usable space. Please pray for our church people to continue to give of their time and resources to cover the expenses of this work as well as finish the floors. We will take up a special Christmas offering for the project. Click here to see pictures of the renovations.

Countdown to Launch

Congratulations to the six candidates who completed the second round of new members’ class! These, as well as the group who completed the last session, will be able to sign the church constitution when we formally organize Iglesia Bautista Independiente March 21, 2010. Our first baptism service will follow two weeks later on Easter Sunday. There are currently eight baptism candidates for that date! There is much to do to get ready for this charter day—canvassing, advertising, and organizing.

Summer Camp

Last month we asked prayer for the children and teens who will be attending summer camp in January. We would like to offer a 50% scholarship to those who attend church faithfully. The cost for children’s camp is $32 and teen camp is $70 per camper. There are 4 children and 4 to 6 teens who are planning on going. Please pray that God will provide the funds to help send these kids to camp. If God would use you, your family, or your Sunday school class, please let us know.

Ministering to People

Services and activities are exciting and noteworthy, as well as easy to take pictures of. But most often the most intense and life-changing ministry takes place with people in private counseling situations, home visits, discipleship classes, and phone calls at all hours of the day and night. As God brings more and more people across our path, we have more of these types of opportunities to minister. Praise the Lord for His Word which has the answer to every need! Please pray for wisdom in each of these situations.

Christmas Greetings

“For unto us a child is born… and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:6).

Thinking of counseling, we are reminded of Christ as “The Counsellor” as described in Isaiah 9:6. Our small sacrifice of service to Him in Argentina is nothing compared to His ultimate sacrifice on a cruel cross to pay for our sins. May we preach this Gospel to ourselves and to others daily!

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and financial support this past year. As times are tough for many, we realize your financial commitment is even more of a sacrifice than ever. Our prayer is that the Lord will find us faithful with the resources He has entrusted us with.

Prayer Requests

· Finish building renovations

· Preparations for Charter Sunday

· Summer camp in January

· Permanent pastor for the Pilar Centro church

Praises

· Work done to expand auditorium

· Six completed new members’ class

· New visitors every week!

· Wisdom from God’s Word to minister to people

· God’s work here in Pilar during 2009

Looking Ahead

· 12/11 – Youth Picnic

· 12/20 – Evangelistic Outreach

· 1/25-1/30 – Summer Camps

· February – begin publically promoting Charter Sunday

November Prayer Letter

Mother’s Day

The third Sunday of October is Mother’s Day in Argentina. It was a special time at IBI Pilar Centro as James preached on the Titus 2:3-5 woman and her role in the church. Our focus has been on the importance of teaching others, and this was a great day to carry that theme through. Pray that these women will be faithful “teachers of good things.”

Countdown to Launch

We kicked off our second round of new members’ class October 25 with eight in attendance. Those who complete this class, as well as the group who completed the last session, will be able to sign the church constitution when we formally organize Iglesia Bautista Independiente March 21, 2010. Our first baptism service will follow two weeks later on Easter Sunday. How exciting!

There is much to do to get ready for this charter day—more building renovations, canvassing, advertising, and organizing. We will take up a special Christmas offering at the church in order to fund the next stage of building renovations. We need to close in the garage, knock down the wall between the garage and auditorium, and make the floor between the three areas uniform.

God Provides!

God provided in three special ways recently. He used an individual to send us a large gift last month, which helped us get caught up from being under-supported for so long. The same person has also committed to take us on for support for $150 per month.

Also, we received a box of 3,700 tracts from the Faithful Witness Tract Society, a ministry of one of our supporting churches.

When a labor union came to the jobsite looking for a bribe, James told them he was a Christian and a pastor and did not give bribes. So, they made false accusations and filed a complaint with the ministry of labor. The Lord used a good friend’s lawyer to study the laws cited in the complaint and write a letter of response to defend his case. James is now in the clear! To God be the glory (1 Pet. 4:17). Praise the Lord for His provision in all three of these ways!

Summer Camp

Here, south of the equator, summer camp is just around the corner in January. Many of us can look back at important spiritual decisions we made at a Christian camp. James was saved just after coming back from the WILDS and then later called to the ministry at the same camp. We potentially have four teen and four junior campers going. Please pray for the Lord to begin softening their hearts even now.

Looking Ahead

· 10/25 – 11/29 – New members’ class (six weeks)

· 11/8 – Evangelistic Outreach

· 12/12 – Youth Picnic

· January – Building Renovations

· 1/25-30 – Summer Camps

October Prayer Letter

Highs and Lows
Life, as well as ministry, is full of highs and lows. It was exciting to see our attendance peak to 54 one Sunday this month. It is extremely rewarding to visit with new converts who are studying God’s Word and seeing Him work in their lives. It’s thrilling to see our church people remain faithful. However, sometimes our attendance isn’t that great; those we thought had strong potential get caught up in the things of this world; and the church got robbed for the third time. In it all and through it all, God is faithful!

Planning for the Future
We have been thinking, praying, discussing, and seeking counsel concerning the next step for this church plant in Pilar Centro. This Sunday had a church-wide picnic with a special meeting afterward to discuss church membership and when to constitute the church. Everyone there responded and indicated they would like to take their level of commitment to the next level. Please pray for follow-through as we organize service groups and study groups. We are working toward constituting the church on March 21, 2010 and the first baptism will be two weeks later on Easter Sunday.

A Special Visit
We enjoyed a two-week visit with James’ parents and sister. They helped with the house construction (laying block) as well as projects at the church building (welding security bars and raising a wall). It was wonderful to show them our home and church in Pilar for the first time. Their time with us was a blessing, though it’s always hard to say goodbye to family!

Construction Progress
Praise the Lord that the house construction is coming along! Almost all the exterior walls are up, and the foundation will be poured soon. God has blessed us with good workers and great prices on materials. Please pray this project will continue to go smoothly and quickly and that we will be a strong testimony in all the details.

Prayer Requests
· Protection from theft
· Salvation of P.’s wife
· Currently lack $500 per month in support
· Permanent pastor for the Pilar Centro church

Praises
· Permanent residency attained!
· Increased Sunday service attendance
· Visit with James’ family
· Discipleship classes

Looking Ahead
10/11 – Evangelistic outreach
10/18 – Mother’s Day in Argentina
10/25 – New member’s class (six weeks)

September Prayer Letter

Ministry of Music

The ministry in Pilar was privileged to benefit from a summer missions team from Maranatha Baptist Bible College as they visited several churches in Buenos Aires. They held three concerts in Pilar: one in a music school where our children attend, one in a private school where one of our church members teaches, and one in our church. We estimate among those three concerts about 400 people heard the Gospel and God-honoring music and testimonies. Pray that the seed would be watered that was planted in their hearts and that we would be able to follow up with those who visited the church.

Pilar Centro

With the three concerts and all their preparation, children’s day, a church work day, as well as the regular services, August proved to be a very busy month for us and our church people. We thank the Lord for the faithful families who sacrificed their time to help with these activities. Our goal is that our church calendar will not be full of activities for the sake of activities—but opportunities to evangelize the lost and disciple the saved.

The Lord has increased our numbers on Sunday mornings to an average of 33 instead of 23. Many visitors have come, and two new families are attending regularly.

Andrea Love, our summer intern, will be greatly missed. She helped in so many areas, including playing the piano. Our kids will be taking turns playing special music, but they have a while to go before they can accompany congregational music.

Nine people are now involved in small-group or one-on-one discipleship classes. Please pray for two new converts and that their spouses will come to know Christ as well.

A Place to Call Home

For the past 11½ years, we have moved eight different times in order to prepare for the mission field and, ultimately, to minister in this city. Now God has brought us to a place where we could spend five lifetimes planting churches and probably never reach every soul in Pilar and its surrounding communities. We prayed that God would enable us to build our own house in order to establish a permanent presence here and avoid paying more rent. The Lord has answered that prayer with a private loan.

The property is purchased; the plans are approved; and the construction has begun. Please pray that the building process will go quickly and smoothly and that our new house will bring honor and glory to our great God.

Prayer Requests

• Follow up on visitors
• Salvation of ESL students
• Current support – 95%
• Permanent pastor for the Pilar Centro church

Praises

• Ministry of MBBC mission team
• Increased Sunday service attendance
• Ministry of Andrea Love during the past eight weeks
• Discipleship classes

Looking Ahead

• 9/3 – Lauren’s 9th birthday
• 9/12-9/27 – James’ parents here to visit their grandchildren (and help with the house construction while they’re at it!)
• 9/13 – FOUR-year anniversary in Argentina
• 9/13 – Evangelistic outreach
• 10/4 – New members’ class (six weeks)
• 10/6-10/8 – Annual Fundamentalism Conference
• 10/12 ­– Break down the next wall to give more auditorium seating

August Prayer Letter

Pilar Centro

“The house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth” (1 Tim. 3:15) is the theme verse for our church in Pilar. We know that the church is not the building, but it is certainly nice to have an adequate “house” in which to worship! After a full month of renovating, the building is a much more suitable place to meet. Because of its central location, many have found us just from passing by, and there have been visitors every week. This past Sunday, a mother and teenage daughter who found the church through our Spanish website visited and both accepted Christ! Please pray as we follow up with Edit and Cecilia.

Praise the Lord for His protection one evening before the midweek service when we almost walked in on some thieves! They bent the metal bars on the porch enough to get in and steal a lawn mower, welding machine, and large extension cord. They left their jackets behind when they hurriedly escaped out the back. Thank the Lord they didn’t have time to do any more damage! (Maybe next time they should read the sign in the front with the service times so they don’t try to break in 30 minutes before the service starts!)

Looking Ahead

Please pray for wisdom as we make important decisions for the future of the church. The people are ready to formally organize the church. Therefore, we will offer another new members’ class starting in September. Shortly after that is the projected “charter day” to formally organize the church. This involves the signing of the church constitution, joining of charter members, and officially calling the pastor. After that, we can begin practicing the Lord’s Supper and baptisms. There are at least three who desire to be baptized! James is already meeting with Benjamin Leonov to prepare him to become the first deacon.

Fruit for our Labor

We stand amazed at how God continues to use the ministry of teaching English to reach others! Please continue to pray for the salvation of Amy’s students. The daughter of one of the students went with our family one day to visit a ranch. Lauren used that time to talk about Christ to her little friend, Luli, using tracts for children. We believe Luli put her trust in Christ that day. She said she wants to learn more about God and how to pray.

Patricio (the student who got saved last month) and his family have begun to attend church. Amy and his mom, Laura, began a Bible study together this week.

Thank you for praying!

Serving the King of Kings,

James and Amy

Prayer Letter – July 1, 2009

Praise the Lord for answered prayer! We were finally able to rent the building we have been looking at for the past six months! It is in an ideal location in the heart of Pilar. It is a larger facility than what we had before with classroom space. We have been busy knocking down walls, cleaning, painting, and getting moved in. Click here to see pictures of the renovation progress.

Our first service is July 1, and then we’ll hold special services on Sunday, July 5. Please pray for the evangelistic outreach July 5, as we go out to the plaza to share the Gospel, pass out tracts, and invite people to church.

The Lord has given Amy amazing opportunities to share the Gospel through English classes in our home. The little boy pictured below, Patricio, is a beginner student this year. The Lord gave an open door, and Amy talked with him about his need for a Savior. Patricio put his faith in Christ that day! Please pray for his spiritual growth.

Another amazing witnessing opportunity was with Amy’s student Carola, a neonatal doctor. This week Amy talked with her for over an hour about Christ. She is one of the 80% of the disillusioned Catholics in this country. She said she would like to study about the Bible in our English class!

Andrea Love, our eight-week summer intern, arrived June 24 and has been a huge help already. She is helping with homeschool, teaching piano as well as English, playing piano for the church, leading a Bible study in English, and helping at the church building. We are privileged to have her with us! We would love to have a young lady here full time doing exactly what she is doing. Click here to see some highlights of her ministry here.

Prayer Requests

• Salvation of Carola
• Evangelistic outreaches this month
• Current support – 95%
• Permanent pastor for the work in the city center
• Wisdom and God’s power as we reach our neighborhood for Christ

Praises

• A larger meeting place with classroom space
• Salvation of Patricio
• Growing number of faithful men in the church
• Discipleship classes with Pablo, Fabio Alejandro, Virginia, Veronica, and Andrea
• God’s continual, miraculous provision

June Prayer Letter

The Long Journey

For more than six months, we have been praying and searching for a larger church building with classroom space.  As we hit one roadblock after another, we fell back on God’s provision and timing, especially when those things were completely out of our control.  It seems we are going to be able to rent a building on a main avenue with a meeting place for 60 adults and classroom space for a nursery and children’s church.  Please keep praying, and we’ll keep you updated!

 

A New Addition

Thank you for all those who prayed for the baby shower Amy hosted for our Christian neighbor and friend, Andrea.  The purpose of the shower was two fold: 1.) We wanted to show support of Andrea and her husband Alejandro. They are good friends and instrumental in the church plant in the city center as well as the evangelistic efforts here in our neighborhood. 2.) We wanted to use the opportunity to invite Andrea’s unsaved family members and coworkers to our home where we could share the Gospel.

The Lord did bless our efforts and time together. The ladies really enjoyed themselves; Andrea was assured of our love and support; and four unsaved ladies heard the Gospel presented (some for the first time). Please pray for the Holy Spirit to remind them of what they heard and to convict their hearts.

One week after the shower, the Lord blessed this dear couple with a healthy baby girl, Constanza Belén - the first baby born in our new church!  (Now we just need a nursery to put her in when she’s old enough to come to church!)   

Click here to see pictures of the shower and the new arrival.

 

More Love in our Home

One of the highlights of being missionaries is hosting guests, especially enthusiastic Americans.  We, as a family, love to share our burden for Argentina as well as our love for the people to whom God has called us to minister.  We are privileged to host Andrea Love, the daughter of pastor friend Mark Love, for eight weeks.  She first came to Buenos Aires last year on a Maranatha Baptist Bible College mission team.  During her time with us, Andrea will assist in almost every aspect of the church-planting ministry, helping with ESL classes and homeschool, teaching piano, leading a Bible study in English, and learning Spanish.

 

Prayer Requests

·    Current Support – 95%

·    A larger meeting place with classroom space

·    Permanent pastor for the work in the city center

·    Wisdom and God’s power as we reach our neighborhood for Christ

Praises

·    All who heard the Gospel at the baby shower

·    Safe and healthy arrival of Constanza

·    Discipleship classes

·    God’s continual, miraculous provision

Upcoming Events

·    Tentative – sign contract on new building and start remodeling

·    June 21 – Father’s Day

·    June 24 – Summer intern, Andrea Love, arrives

 

May Prayer Letter

May 2009

Little by Little

What a joy to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord with an early morning Easter breakfast. It was followed by a special service with 29 present!

Sunday services continue to go well, with new visitors every week.  Most of our visitors are referred to us by the BBN radio station. 

Visits to our Spanish web site have increased since we advertised Sunday services on BBN.  There were 359 unique visits to the site in the month of April!  We recently added two short videos—one showing the church-plant progress and the other is evangelistic.  

On Wednesday nights we are studying family issues, particularly child rearing.  This is a very necessary subject to teach, as the philosophy of the day teaches everything opposite of the biblical model.  Our people are absorbing these new concepts and, Lord willing, will put them into practice in their homes.    

Disciple Making

“Go ye therefore, and teach…” (Mt. 28:19).

More and more we are reminded of the importance of personal discipleship.  We all must meditate on God’s Word if we ever hope to see any real change in our lives. A large part of our role as missionaries is to teach believers God’s Word and how to study it.  

We continue one-on-one discipleship with our Christian neighbors, Alejandro and Andrea.  Amy is also leading a bi-weekly ladies’ discipleship class with three regular attendees. Of course, it is impossible for us to do all the discipleship ourselves, so we are thankful that three of those we discipled last year are taking the initiative to disciple others.  That is precisely the goal—to multiply ourselves! 

The most exciting discipleship class right now is a brand new believer James is meeting with weekly.  Our friend, Dr. Martinez-Ferro, witnessed to his work associate, Pablo, many times. He finally put his trust in Christ.  Since Pablo lives here in Pilar, Dr. Martinez-Ferro sent him to us, and Pablo has been coming to church ever since!  James is doing a six-week study for new believers with him.  He has a ton of questions, and it is a joy to see his spiritual growth!  Our prayer is that Pablo’s wife and four children will come to know Christ as well.   

The Search Continues

The search continues for a larger facility.  The original building we thought we were going rent back in December is still available, but with a different realtor. We went back to look at it and found this new realtor is actually ready to do business! So far, the owners have agreed that we can make the necessary changes to open the space. Please pray for the Lord to work out the details if this is His will.

“Our responsibility can never cease so long as we have a life to live for Christ and a whole world still waiting for the Gospel.”

 

April Prayer Letter

Planting a Church

Sunday, March 21 (the future) Independent Baptist Church held its first church service. Faithful families from the weekly Bible study, plus one new one, gathered in our little rented facility as the next step in actually becoming a church. The children had their first children’s church two blocks away in one family’s garage. We got off to a good start and look forward to seeing this small group continue to grow spiritually and numerically.

On Wednesday nights we have been studying how to witness and lead someone to Christ. We just finished this in-depth study and will put what we have been learning into practice with a weekly visitation program designed to evangelize the family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers of our people. Please pray for this vital part of any church—reaching the lost!

Planting Seeds

Establishing a fundamental Baptist work among the upper class is something that has no precedent (that we know of) in Argentina. Because of that, we persevere with the Biblical counsel we receive from others, asking many questions and making adjustments along the way.

We recently designed a new logo and web site specifically for our home Bible studies.

God continues to give us amazing opportunities to make contacts, build relationships, and witness in our day-to- day activities, whether it’s at a birthday party, playing tennis, watching a soccer game, teaching English classes, or just while walking in the neighborhood. We continue to hold monthly home Bible studies as well. We are thankful for the three Christian families who have been attending and helping us with this effort. Please pray for wisdom in this new ministry and that the Lord will give us fruit for our labors.

Putting Down Roots

Pilar alone has a population of over 275,000 souls, with even more in its surrounding communities. With no independent Baptist churches in a populous area like this, we could spend five lifetimes planting churches here and never reach every soul! That is why we chose to buy a lot and build a house in Pilar.

This past month we received word that there is an investor ready and willing to loan us the money to start building! This will not only give us a permanent presence in the community, but it will greatly decrease our monthly expenses in rent. This is a huge answer to prayer for us! Please pray as we work through the logistics of building a house here.

Upcoming Events
April 5 – Begin six-week new members class in Pilar Centro
April 12 – Resurrection Sunday
April 17 – James’ birthday
April 18 – Third Evangelistic Home Bible study

March Prayer Letter

Taking the Next Step

Before we ever arrived in Pilar, God had already been working in the hearts of believers here. There were several families who were seeking a Bible-believing, conservative Baptist church. There are now eight families (married couples) regularly attending our weekly Bible studies, and it is time to begin Sunday services! Whether or not we have a larger meeting place, we will begin Sunday morning services March 22. Please pray this will bring even more folks out who cannot attend on Wednesday nights. With the beginning of a new school year this month, we will also begin a ladies’ discipleship group and regular visitation.

This work is well on its way to being established as a church. However, there is no one in sight right now to stay on as the permanent pastor. (Remember, we are church-planting missionaries.) The ideal situation would be to start training someone now to take our place. Please pray for God to raise up His man for this precious group of believers!

A Lesson in Statistics

When God called us to work in Pilar, he clearly showed us that we need to evangelize the unreached people group” that represents 64% of the population in this city – the upper class living in gated communities. This is a challenging task, but it is also exciting as we think of the potential impact on this country.

This year, we will be hosting a monthly evangelistic home Bible study and various outreaches in our neighborhood, as well as other gated communities. The Lord has brought along excellent Christian families to help with these efforts. (Pictured above are two CFOs, two accountants, and a surgeon.) Please pray for boldness and wisdom in our witnessing.

You may be reading this letter and wondering if we actually have two church plants going on at the same time. Yes. The first one is called “Pilar Centro” (Central Pilar) because it consists of the middle class who live in or near the city center, and the other is “Pilar Nuevo” (New Pilar) because it will be comprised of upper-class families who have moved to Pilar in the past ten years. We must begin this way because, before conversion, these two socio-economic classes do not intermingle. That is another reason why we must depend on God’s wisdom and strength!

Family Matters

On Wednesday, February 11, James’ grandfather went home to be with the Lord after a short battle with a rapidly-growing brain tumor. He had a wonderful impact on James’ life in many ways. It was a privilege for James to be asked by the family to go to Arizona to preach the graveside service. There were about 80 in attendance. James clearly presented the plan of salvation, and we know of at least one young lady who put her trust in Christ that day!
James took advantage of the trip and got to spend a week in Tampa with family and friends there.

Update on Lauren – Dr. Lopez, Lauren’s urologist, said she does not have to go through any more testing for now. We will continue to observe her infections and decide on further testing at that time. (We did get to invite him to our next home Bible study, so pray that the Lord will work in his heart regarding that!)

“The future is as bright as the promises of God!”
-Ann Judson (wife of Adoniram Judson)

February Prayer Letter

Growing from the Inside Out

Two weeks ago we began evangelism training during our Wednesday night Bible studies in Pilar. We are so thrilled that Veronica put that knowledge into practice. She invited her sister over to her house for a Bible study, and her sister trusted in Christ as her Savior! As soon as we finish this six-week course, we will begin to go out in teams to witness to family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers of our church people.

It is so amazing to see these believers go from the point of “Spiritual ICU” just six months ago, to now serving with joy, restoring their marriages, properly training their children, and being instruments in the Redeemer’s hands. May GOD receive the glory!

God’s Provision

Thank you Cornerstone Baptist Church in North Carolina for your generous donation to the ministry in Pilar! In God’s perfect timing, they needed to “clean house” just when another missionary was packing his container to move to Buenos Aires. James’ parents took on the task of loading up a moving truck and transporting a piano, an organ, dishes, toys, room dividers, Christmas decorations, and other furniture to the container. It’s been said, “Every material item needed for the mission field is either in your wallet or in your attic!”

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Well, we have plenty of supplies; now we just need a building! Again this week, God closed the door on the church building we wanted to rent. The search continues, but everything else we have found is either too small or way beyond our budget. We are now looking into the possibility of using an events center just for Sundays. Please pray for wisdom. It is encouraging to hear the church people not lose their enthusiasm as they trust in God’s wisdom and timing.

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Two other ways God has provided recently that we did not mention last month:
1.) Through Christmas gifts sent by you, our faithful prayer and financial supporters. We appreciate your generosity!
2.) The Clearwater team left us ALL the VBS supplies they brought down, including the entire Betty Lukins flannelgraph set.

God’s Protection
Thank you for praying for Lauren’s recent medical testing. The doctor could not say enough about how well she followed instructions and remained calm. Praise the Lord that it appears she does not have urinary reflux again! We still have to figure out what is causing her febrile urinary tract infections, so we will go back to the urologist to see how we should proceed.

All in one week, three fellow missionaries around Buenos Aires lost immediate family members—one lost her mother due to a medical error, one lost their four- year-old daughter from an appendicitis complication, and one lost their unborn baby. At the same time, we found out Amy’s grandmother has lung cancer and James’ grandfather has a rapidly-growing brain tumor. This causes us to stop and give praise to our sovereign Heavenly Father for the way He continues to protect our family. The more we learn of the loving nature and surpassing wisdom of the One Who has all things in His control, the more easily we can rest in His perfect decisions.

Website – Read more about the Greenwood family and their ministry
Spanish Website – Iglesia Bautista Independiente de Pilar
Sending Church – Hillsdale Baptist Church
Mission Board – Baptist World Mission

“God’s work is not man working for God; it is God’s own work,
though often wrought through man’s hands.”
- Hudson Taylor

January Prayer Letter

Planting Seeds

Sacred concerts. Vacation Bible school. Youth rallies. Family conference. Evangelism. Lots of steak and ice cream… Where do we begin in reporting on the Clearwater Christian College mission team? We were privileged to share our home and ministry with this wonderful group of 17 students and two sponsors. We saw God work, from beginning to end, in ways that amazed us all. Though there were never astonishing crowds, there were believers edified and encouraged as well as souls saved.

The seeds of the Gospel were planted here in our neighborhood through a VBS for children and a soccer ministry for the older boys. On the last day of VBS, we were alerted that we were no longer allowed to knock on doors to invite kids to the VBS because a neighbor had complained. After praying for God’s intervention, more kids than ever showed up to play soccer and one prayed to accept Christ as his Savior! Please pray for wisdom as we follow up with these new contacts.

You can read more about the trip from the students’ and sponsors’ perspective on the Clearwater website.

Serving with Joy
All week long, Julieta (14) and Franco (12) helped translate for the team. These are the children of Alejandro and Andrea, our Christian neighbors whom we have been discipling. This was a life-changing week for them to get to know young people serving the Lord and to see God work in their own backyard (literally). Their parents, too, were moved by the transformation they saw in their children.

Some of our church ladies prepared lunch for the team during the week. (One day they even managed without power!) They served with joyful hearts and were great examples to all of us.
All the families with young children brought them out for the VBS, so there were between four and eight church kids from outside the neighborhood every day. Plus, there were a total of 10 kids who heard the Gospel for the first time.

Building Update
Thank you for praying, as well as for giving, for the building we want to rent. The church people gave over $1,000 pesos toward the project (almost US 300) and the Lord provided the other $1,500 that we needed. With the holidays and the owners on vacation, they have not begun the paperwork. It can be frustrating, but we will keep trusting God’s timing in this matter and keep you updated.

December Prayer Letter

A Good Problem to Have

“So then neither is he that planteth any thing,

neither he that watereth;

but God that giveth the increase.”

(1 Cor. 3:7)

What could be a good problem for a church? We’re running out of space! God provided our current location at a great price in order for us to get started. Now, we’re maxed out and realize that we cannot grow unless we find something bigger to rent. Please pray for a meeting place for at least 100 people, with classroom space, in a central location, and at an affordable price. This may seem like an extraordinary request, but we know that our God “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Eph. 3:20).

The first week of January a missions team from Clearwater Christian College will be here to hold a VBS program, as well as several concerts here in Pilar. We would love to be in a building by then in order to establish ourselves in the community. Then, the plan is to start regular Sunday church services in March.

Retreat for Rejuvenation

Baptist World Mission South American Family Conference
November 17 – 21, 2008 – Mar del Plata, Argentina

Fifteen missionary families (serving in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and Mexico) met together for our bi-annual Baptist World Mission South American Family Conference. We were privileged to sit under the preaching of Pastor John Stevens (a supporting pastor) from North Charleston, South Carolina. This was also a great time to renew friendships and exchange ministry ideas. Click here for pictures – Part I and Part II.

Family Matters

When Lauren went for an annual check-up with her urologist this month, he expressed concern over her frequent urinary tract infections, which are accompanied by high fevers. So, he is sending her for further testing. The first matter is to rule out urinary reflux. This is what she had surgery for in 2004, so it would be extremely rare if she had it again.

For those of you who are familiar with Lauren’s history, you know that her major issues were resolved by the time she turned four, so there is a great deal she does not remember. Now that she’s older, she understands more of what is going on, and it makes her nervous. Please pray for Lauren (emotionally and physically) and that God will be glorified in all of this.

November Prayer Letter

Share the Vision!

Thank you for praying for our special meeting Saturday, November 1. There was a terrific turnout of 25 (representing seven families) who squeezed into our meeting place. Most of these individuals have gone through 12 weeks of doctrinal study with us and are now ready to be a part of this new work in Pilar.

We gave a Power Point presentation of who we are, the need in Pilar, and our goals for this church. Even though some of these ideas were new, the people responded. A few even volunteered for various tasks right away, like cleaning the building and hosting an evangelistic home Bible study!

Click here to see pictures of the meeting.

Working from Home

God has given us an unexpected source of contacts right here in our neighborhood through English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Amy has not even advertised, but she currently has five ESL students from our community. She has been able to share the Gospel during several of these classes!

After the new year, we plan on starting an evangelistic Bible study in our home. We will invite these contacts, as well as other neighbors. It is exciting to see God work His plan and to play a small part in it!

September 2008 Prayer Letter

Praise Him for His Work
God gave Independent Baptist Church of Pilar a great start this month with an average attendance of 17 at our weekly Bible studies. Since the majority are believers from a variety of backgrounds, we are studying the main doctrines to make sure we are all on the same page. God has brought this group together, and we are thankful for their sweet spirit. Please pray for wisdom in ministering to these individuals.

Praise Him for Open Doors
Never would we have imagined that we would move to Pilar, find an affordable building in a great location, start a Bible study, and have seven one-on-one discipleship classes taking place. It can only be of the Lord!

God has opened doors in other ways too. Even before we have officially formed the church, James preached the first funeral. The father of one of the young ladies passed into eternity August 22. The family spent the next 24 hours in the funeral home with the open casket. We then accompanied them to the cemetery, where James preached a short graveside service and presented the Gospel. After each family member tossed a handful of dirt on the casket, the workers immediately buried it while we all watched. Pray for Edit, the widow, and Marianna, the daughter, that God will comfort them with His peace and protect them as they are now alone.


Please pray that God will open one more door – ­for our permanent residency status. Since we have now completed three years in Argentina, we are allowed to apply for this important document. This will allow us to actually open a bank account, purchase a cell phone, and live without so many restrictions. The process of obtaining the necessary documents has been cumbersome and expensive, but it is worth it, knowing that God has called us to minister here indefinitely.

Praise Him for His Provision
With the current economic downturn, we recognize that your support may be an even greater sacrifice than it was just six months ago. Thank you for continuing to give to missions even when times are tough. “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account” (Phil. 4:17).

God has been so good to provide for us through many unexpected and unusual sources as well. One of those sources this month was a private loan in order for us to purchase property for a personal house. The lot is actually in the neighborhood where we are currently living, right across the street! We would like to build our house as soon as the Lord provides those funds. We already have the blueprints in hand!