I will never be a Christian!

“I will never be a Christian! And I will definitely never go to your church.”  These are the words of Martin.  Maybe more accurately stated these were the words of Martin.  This was all said before Martin’s wife started praying for him a couple years ago. 

We have spent a lot of time investing into Martin and his family.  We met them when Velma, their neighbor, invited them to church.  Martin refused to come, but his wife came and rekindled a heart for God that had grown cold over time.  It has been fun watching God do the work – turning a hardened heart into one that is tender and in love with Jesus. Today Martin has committed his life fully to God and we got to celebrate that change when we baptized him.  He is a regular part of our church.  More accurately, he is an integral part of our church.  He is serving humbly and gratefully and learning so much.  He enjoys reading his Bible and asking questions. If you were to come to our church next Sunday, Martin would greet you as you come up the walkway and help you feel welcomed.  He probably would then invite you to be a part of his community group that his wife and he are helping with during the week as assistant leaders. 

It has been an answer to much of our prayers to see Martin and other men and women – and youth too – begin to develop more and more into their God-given gifts.  After starting this year with a focus on training and preparing a group of emerging leaders for ministry we have sent teams out into the neighborhood to minister in small groups to help bring in the lost and mature them in their own faith.  These small teams are learning to lean hard on the Holy Spirit and growing in their passion for their neighbors, who are struggling in so many areas of their lives, yet do not yet have the answers.  Martin and others are boldly sharing that Jesus is the answer.

Our focus as missionaries and pastors is to equip and train and empower.  We meet with each one of these leaders, assistants and hosts during the week to continue to coach, encourage, challenge and pray for them and their groups.  When we meet somebody like Velma (Martin’s neighbor) we get excited!  She invited Martin’s family to church and is now hosting the group that they are helping to lead.  Not only that, but now, together, they are inviting other people to know Jesus through their group. 

Please be in prayer for Martin’s family, Velma’s family, their group and the other groups around our neighborhood that are helping mature believers and reach the lost.

Chad, Fabiola, Rebecca, Justice and Beniah Wolyn