Welcome to another 'NRBC Wider Church Prayer Letter.' Again we have many short articles trying to cover an amazing breadth of issues and needs throughout the world.
As you read through the prayer letter, do you actually set aside time to pray for our brethren throughout the world? I mean not just once, but throughout the month - perhaps with the aid of a diary or prayer calendar? Please think about doing so.
Also consider what you can do to physically meet the needs of our brethren throughout the world. Yes, it may involve giving of your money in order to meet a need. Yet it may mean something other than that. It may be an email or letter to a lonely missionary couple. There are many things that can be done to aid our brethren around the world. Brethren we need one another and these brethren, often more troubled and persecuted than ourselves, deeply sense the need of fellowship and support of better off brothers and sisters around the world. Please give of yourselves to the Body.
BELARUS
Concerns continue to grow in Belarus of a return to persecution. In proposed amendments to existing religious law, all unregistered religious activity is to be banned, foreigners will be prevented from leading religious organisations, all religious literature will be censored and groups of twenty or less people will be unable to register.
This law was not passed in June sittings of parliament, yet it will be re-introduced in October. The proposed law is backed by the Belarusian Orthodox Church.
Brethren, please remember our brothers and sisters in this former Soviet republic.
LIVE OAK - FLORIDA - UNITED STATES
Bill and Becky PedersonDo remember to keep praying for our brother Bill Pederson and his wife Becky. Bill has a new job, requiring 3am 'get-ups' and work on Sundays. Bill and Becky have therefore been unable to attend church for the last couple of months. Please pray for a change in the work schedule so that Bill and Becky can get to church.
Two other families have joined the Southside Baptist Church through the door knocking efforts of the church.
Interestingly, the Pedersons tell me that they are not allowed to do letterbox drops.
GRACE REFORMED BAPTIST CHURCH - VERNONIA
Oregon (USA)Please continue to pray for Betti Jane (her unsaved husband died), Andrea (her unsaved husband lost his license and support for the family threatened) and Jason Weller (cleft palate surgery) as raised in last month's prayer letter.
Membership at Grace has remained at 27, despite DJ's son's family leaving for Lethbridge, as DJ's daughter's family has moved to Vernonia and joined the church. The population of Vernonia is 2200.
Please pray about the high unemployment in the church and for continued unity and usefulness.
PAPUA (IRIAN JAYA) - INDONESIA
There are fears that Laskar Jihad, the Islamic militant movement with possible links to Osama Bin Laden, will soon descend on Papua. Members of this group are now arriving in Papua with the seeming support of the government. Various training camps and ammunition stockpiles have been set up. Laskar Jihad has been responsible for much of the anti-Christian violence in Indonesia.
PERU
Trevor CharltonChurch services in Arequipa have been interrupted because of violent strikes over electricity privatisation. Currently there is an agreement to suspend the privatisation and for the striking workers to return to work.
On June 22, the new building opened in Puquina, with 150 people attending.
Please pray that the Lord would continue to save people in Peru. Also pray for Trevor as he deals with various pastoral issues.
KAZAKHSTAN
Threats have been made to a Baptist church in Kazakhstan. The church has also been ordered to stop its ministry to children because it's an unregistered church.
VILLA CARLOS PAZ - ARGENTINA
Don DonellVilla Carlos Paz is a town of 50 000 people in the province of Cordoba. It is about 20 minutes from the city of Cordoba. Here a group meeting in the home of Omar Gava has now moved to the Donell's home. The group numbers 14 people.
The 'Mocovi' are the least evangelized group in Argentina. Don hopes to see a church planting begun soon in Colonia Dolores. The town is made up of 550 people and seems keen to have the church established there.
KENYA
Tom and Karen RichardsonThe Richardson family is seeking to move to Kenya as part of 'The Master's Mission' for a four year term, however more support is still needed. Recently the Richardsons were given clothing and an air compressor.
The Richardson's home church is in Gladwin, Michigan. Tom is an elder in the church there.
Tom and Karen have six children, Warner, Daniel, Joanna, Ellie Sue, Russell and Kristyn.
Karen recently spent a day at the Dentist, learning various techniques and gaining some instruments for Kenya. From September 23 to October 3, Karen will be attending Missionary Medical Class in North Carolina.
Tom will be going for his pilot's license during August-September.
Please pray about the extra support still needed. Also that Tom and Karen will be faithful witnesses and that God would already be preparing the hearts of the people in Kenya to receive the gospel. Please pray that the Lord will send the family in His time.
CHILE
Please pray for the church associated with the Rancagua Bible Center (Baptist mission). Ray and Carol Harbaugh serve as missionaries here. There have been many contacts, but there are quite a number that don't attend church regularly.
Pray for Mery's mother who attended church once in June. She is unsaved. Pray also for the salvation of Lucia and her unsaved parents..
SUDAN
Government forces have been using air strikes to destroy Christian owned buildings and to kill Christians in southern Sudan. Please remember our brethren in Sudan.
THAILAND - YELLOW LEAF PEOPLE
Gene and Mary LongThere have been many difficulties in recent times, including a major measles outbreak and the drown ing of a popular two year old child.
Please pray for encouragement and strength. Also pray for the conversion of the Yellow Leaf people.
AUSTRALIA - ROSALIE BAPTIST CHURCH - QUEENSLAND
In October 1990, pastor Wal Crane was sent out by the Rosalie church to plant a church in the Samford Valley on the edge of Brisbane. Please pray for the continuation of the work.
In April 2001, pastor Troy Cane was sent out by the Rosalie church to the Rosewood/Lowood area. On October 17, 2001, worship services began in Haigslea, west Ipswich.
NORTHLAKE'S REFORMED BAPTIST CHURCH - AUSTRALIA
NRBC is continuing to reach out to the surrounding area by letterbox drops. We have been able to put out about 1000 leaflets in the last month, with more to be delivered during August. There has been little response to our outreach efforts so far.
Please continue to pray for the church here, that we might be faithful in both everyday living and in service. Pray also that the elect would be brought in from the surrounding area through the gospel call.
Please pray for Bill also. Bill has been in and out of consciousness this last week. It's not known how long Bill may have left. Please remember Bill's wife Joy during this difficult time also.
GRACE REFORMED BAPTIST CHURCH - VERNONIA
Oregon (USA) - Update 2DJ's son Stephen is receiving treatment for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and not Hodgkin's Disease as reported last month. Stephen undergoes the final stage of this treatment from August 5. This involves radiation treatment for a month.
If you are able to email Stephen with a word of encouragement, please do at:
Please continue to remember Jason Weller, the eleven year old who will be undergoing corrective surgery for a Cleft Palate.
PERU - PUQUINA
Trevor Charlton - Update 2Services have now begun weekly in Puquina. 20-25 people are going to the meetings each week.
Trevor preaches 2-3 times a week in a language he is still seeking to learn.
Arequipa is suffering no more strikes at this stage, but other areas in the country are. Violent strikes have been occurring in Lima.
CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH - NEESES
South Carolina (USA)Calvary Baptist Church is still seeking a senior pastor. They are seeking God's man for the position. Please pray that this will occur.
Deacon Dan Kimmel is a friend of Northlake's Reformed Baptist Church (NRBC). Please uphold Dan and his wife Liz in prayer.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Colin and Dianne LordThe Lord's are still waiting on work visas so that they can go to New Guinea. They are also seeking help from churches within the Michigan area to support them in the future work.
INDIA - MANIPUR
James and Komuni DhaleOperating from the Royal Ambassador's Academy is a missionary/teacher team that reaches out into the surrounding Hindu villages. There have been encouraging signs so far. Churches may be able to be planted in these areas in years to come.
Please pray for the continuing work of outreach in India, especially given the increased persecution at the hands of Hindu mobs and possible war with Pakistan in coming months. The continued unrest has meant that some evangelistic activities in India have ceased.
The new school session began back in February. There are students attending from all the major tribes and communities in the state. 90% of students are unsaved, so please pray that they may be led to Christ.
NAURU
Nauru is home to 12 000 people. The small Pacific nation has grown rich due to Phosphate mining, however, this mineral resource is beginning to run dry. Materialism and corruption seems to be a growing problem in Nauru.
Nauru is also part of Australia's 'pacific solution' in its continuing war on illegal immigration.
There is freedom of religion in Australia. Of the 12 000 people in Nauru, 50% claim to be Protestant, with 5% being 'Evangelical.' Many of these professing Christians appear to be nominal. There is only one know Evangelical church on Nauru.
Please pray for the true believers in Nauru as they seek to be faithful to the Lord and win the lost to Christ.
Foreign workers involved in the Phosphate mining in Nauru are virtually an unreached group with the Gospel. Pray for believers as they seek to reach this group.
MYANMAR (BURMA)
Myanmar is a country of 42 million people and is dominated by the Buddhist religion. 5% of the population however is classified as 'evangelical.' The dictatorial government actively encourages Buddhism, while persecuting Christians - yet the church continues to grow.
Please pray for believers as they daily face persecution in this land. Bibles and Christian literature are in short supply. In fact many language groups have no Bibles available in their languages.
SOUTH AFRICA - BETHESDA OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL
A number of people have sought applications to join the mission effort in South Africa as part of Bethesda Outreach International.
A new building has been purchased in Hammanskraal for community outreach. Several more buildings are being considered for future Bethesda Villages. The areas concerned are around Durban, Free State and Cape Town. Pray for wisdom in this.
A seven year old girl named Neo has recently moved into Bethesda. Neo's mother recently died of an AIDS related TB. She is an auntie of one of the younger children at Bethesda.
JAPAN - SHIMONOSEKI
Brian and Yoko BroaddusKayo Yamuguchi and her daughter Aya continue to grow in the faith. Aya has refused to worship at the family altars, believing this to be wrong for her as a Christian. Please pray for both Aya and her mother.
Pray also that financial needs will be met for continued ministry and language lessons.
http://pioneersjapan.tripod.com/thebroaddusfamily
TURKEY
Local authorities have been infiltrating churches meeting outside of official church buildings and demanding the closure of all religious activities. In Turkey meetings are only allowed in church buildings, with official permits required for the building of them. However these are not issued, despite 'freedom of religion' in the country.
NETHERLANDS
There are 16 million people living in the Netherlands. There is freedom of religion, with 20% of the population Evangelical, down greatly over the last 40 years.
The Netherlands has now become one of the most permissive societies int he world. The country is well known for its heavy drug use and Euthanasia laws.
HAITI
Ken Wimer of Schreveport Grace Church, Louisiana, is involved in training men in Haiti (currently 30 are enrolled) for the ministry. The work was begun with Bill Clark.
A book center is to be set up in the capital Port-au-Prince.
Ken is planning to minister in Haiti in both February and July 2003.
ETHIOPIA
Mehret was beaten and left for dead by his own family because of his faith. His family is part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. His house was destroyed and his belongings stolen.
The attack happened a month ago. He is still in hospital. His family is being cared for by local Christians.
KAOKOLAND - NAMIBIA
Abel Van BilyonAbel's visa/work permit is being held up. It had been thought that he was involved with an Angolan para-military group. This is no longer believed. It appears that government slowness is the reason for the delay. Only after the permit is granted will consideration be granted for a permanent residence.
Without the necessary permit Abel's ministry is threatened and another worker will be required to carry on the work. Even if the visa is granted, future workers are still required.
PAKISTAN
In Pakistan Christians are being prosecuted and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy against Islam. Please remember our Christian brethren in Pakistan.
DAKAR - SENEGAL
Muslims, headed by local and national politicians, have been harassing Christians throughout the country. The president announced two years ago that Senegal would be 100% in 3 years.
KENYA
Keith and Priscilla UnderwoodThe Underwoods require an extra $500US extra each month in order to support themselves in retirement in some 8-10 years time.
The churches in Kenya have many needs also, please remember our brethren in Kenya.
TURKMENISTAN
Police recently forced a group of Protestants in a small village in eastern Turkmenistan to publicly renounce their faith. Three refused to do so and were expelled from the village. These three are now the subject of a national manhunt.
REFORMATION IRELAND
An evening of open air witness will be held at the foot of Croagh Patrick mountain, County Mayo in Western Ireland on July 28.
On the last Sunday of July some 30 000-40 000 Roman Catholics climb the mountain, many bare-footed, as an act of penance. During this event,Mark Fitzpatrick and around 50 Christians will be seeking to reach out to the passing crowd. Mark will be preaching.
VISIT US ONLINE
Our Wider Church Awareness Site can be found at: http://particularbaptist.com/wider/widerindex.html
For email contact, Kevin can be addressed at:
nrbcpastorkev@yahoo.com.auIf you are of Reformed Baptist persuasion and would like to add news of your church or work, or add requests for prayer to this prayer letter, please contact Kevin on the above Email address.
For 'snail mail,' write to Northlake's Reformed Baptist Church, 27 Middle Street, Cardiff South, NSW, Australia, 2285.
We thank all sources of information that have made this prayer letter possible and ask the church at large to commit to praying for one another. Brethren, please pray for us.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, please contact Kevin at nrbcpastorkev@yahoo.com.au. Please clearly indicate what you wish to do. Other NRBC newsletters and magazines, each having a free email subscription can be found via our home page.
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10/10/2006
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