Prayer Needs & Praises

Dear Friends,

 

Our last prayer letter was about 5 weeks ago but much has happened since then so I wanted to give you another update for your prayer consideration as well as an opportunity to praise God for what He has been doing through our ministry together.

 

The Summer months found us on the West Coast for 12 weeks where I had the opportunity to speak in 17 different churches in four States to either present our ministry, report to a supporting church, or on one occasion fill the pulpit for a pastor friend on a much needed getaway. We enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones in the churches. Every Pastor was a blessing and I was humbled by the love and responsiveness of God’s people. 

 

The highlight of our ministry on the West Coast was the opportunity to preach the anniversary service of our home church in Newport Beach, CA. Our friend and pastor, Ryan Thompson, his staff and the members of Liberty Baptist Church are doing a wonderful job of making Christ known in Orange County. They are also reaching around the world through their strong missions outreach. I am truly honored to be associated with such a great church!

 

 

 

While we are busy with meetings here in the States, the primary emphases of Barnabas1040 is helping to plant Gospel preaching churches in some of the neediest countries of our world. By God’s grace we were able to add 5 new church planters to our ministry family in the past few weeks. One in China, one in Laos and three in Vietnam. 

 

All of these countries have communist governments and therefore are off limits to Christian missionaries. God does have some foreign workers in restricted access nations but they must be very careful in the way they do ministry. My ministry is honored to be able to come alongside those foreigners and nationals who are literally risking their freedoms to take the gospel to others.

 

 

I mentioned to you in my last letter that many countries are dealing with severe food shortages and some of our men are delivering rice and other food items, along with the bread of life to needy families. Some of our partners here in the USA responded with a desire to help and as a result we have been able to get food to hurting people in Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Africa, and India. 

 

One of the missionaries we work with in Vietnam recently reported that his contacts had delivered 277 food packages where each home received a gospel presentation. 27 people received not only physical provisions but also received Christ as their Lord and Savior. The other countries where food distribution is taking place are also reporting similar results. When God’s people show the compassion and love of Christ in a crises, it often softens the heart and gives an open door to the salvation message. 

 

Thank you to those who responded to this need. Hundreds of families have been helped and many more will continue to be helped as a result of your giving. 

 

 

 

My friend and co-worker Paul passed away from Covid in Yangon, Myanmar on August 1st. Paul had a great ministry including church planting, a large Bible College, a Missionary training center and a beautiful Children’s home. We had the privilege of preaching and serving together in Laos as well as Burma. He will be greatly missed. Please pray for his wife and children as well as the ongoing ministry to the Burmese people he loved. I am staying in contact with his family and will be helping in any way possible as they navigate these difficult days.

 

Myanmar is on the brink of civil war with the recent military coup and arrest of the democratically elected government. Please pray. Just today I received this from someone in Myanmar. “Dear praying partners, the long awaited fearful day has come, today the National Unity Government announced “D-Day” in Myanmar. That means non stop fighting between the people’s army and the military. Poverty, sickness and death awaits. What we as God’s people can do is PRAY”. 

 

 

Pray for the countries with extreme lockdowns which are crushing their already fragile economies. These seem to be especially damaging in SE Asia. Vietnam, for example, is in very strong lockdown mode right now with multiplied thousands of people in great need of food and water. They cannot get out of their homes to purchase food and even if they could, the stores are shut down. This is an urgent and important prayer need.

 

 

Please pray for Christians all over the world who are facing persecution. We see the Biblical signs all around us that would indicate that we are very close to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that many who are reading this email may be the privileged generation that will be “caught up, to meet the Lord in the air”. 

I Thessalonians 4:15. 

 

Satan knows that his time is short. The chaos, self destruction and persecution of our world is an indication that the stage is being set for the pre-tribulation removal of God’s people. It is imperative that we pray, live and give as if Jesus is coming soon!

 

As always, I want to say thank you to all of you who pray for and support this ministry. I am honestly amazed at what God is doing through our partnership. None of us are worthy of praise, but together we have formed a partnership between churches, individuals, missionaries and our fellow believers in Asia and Africa that is reaching thousands of precious souls for whom our Lord Jesus died.

 

 

God Bless You!