Language, Outreach and Visitors

Dear Pastors and Churches,

We are so thankful for your prayers and faithful support as we have now been on the field for eight months. It is amazing to think that it has already been that long. The Lord has truly blessed us in many ways, and we are excited to share that we have officially received our visas! When they arrived in the mail, we were very grateful and excited to see that we have been approved to stay!

The last couple of months have been especially busy. Kiska and I have been taking a language class together. While we have learned a great deal, we have also realized how much more we still need to learn. I have recently enrolled in another intensive Portuguese language course as our other one recently came to an end. This one will be 150 hours over the next two months. In addition to that, Kiska and I are also working through an online Portuguese program together that continues all the way through the C1 level. Please pray that we will be able to learn Portuguese quickly and effectively, as there is a great need for us to communicate clearly with those around us.

The Lord has also given me a wonderful opportunity to witness to a young man I met at the gym near our apartment. He has had many questions about how I could be a Pastor and married. When I first met him, he jokingly referred to me as the “fake Pastor.” Since then, we have been able to spend a lot of time talking together. He speaks good English and is eager to continue learning. I have had many opportunities to go through the Gospel with him and discuss God and church. Last week, he attended church for the first time, where I was able to preach a clear plan of salvation. Later in the week, he told me he now has many more questions. I was able again to carefully go through the plan of salvation again. He said he would like more time to think about it. Please pray for him during this time, as he continues to ask many important questions. If you would like to know his name specifically for prayer, please feel free to email me.

I have also been working to place a tract at every home in our surrounding area. I have been encouraging the church here to help with this outreach, and it has been a blessing to see their excitement and faithfulness in coming out to assist. We have also been trying to increase our social media outreach efforts. We want to use every available tool possible to reach those around us with the Gospel. Please pray for this ministry as well. Each week, approximately 5,000 people view our online material, and I believe this has become a valuable passive method of reaching others. Recently, we have had both visitors and returning visitors attending services, and it has been exciting to see visitors in church the past several weeks.

I would also like to ask for special prayer concerning this coming September. This year is moving quickly, and September will be here before we know it. We are planning a major outreach during that month and would greatly appreciate your prayers. Wings Bearing Precious Seed will be with us from September 7–15. Brother Allen Johnson will be leading the group. During that week, they will assist with our anniversary service, a youth rally, and evangelistic services. I am praying that God will use the John and Romans distributed during this outreach to reach many lost souls here in Portugal. Would you please pray with us concerning these efforts? If you would like more information Here is the email for Brother Johnson Info@wingsbps.org.

Thank you again for your faithful prayers, encouragement, and support. We are grateful to serve the Lord together with you.