Partnering Together

Mark Sprinkle and one of the guys he is working with delivered 2 Bibles to people who responded to our Bible card offer. These cards were passed about by a volunteer team from Crestview Baptist in Shelby, NC. Mark reports - “At one home we were invited inside for tea, which led to conversation about the Bible and spiritual things. I shared the gospel with these 2 grandmothers, who listened thoughtfully. One of them promised to read the Bible we left.” Please pray for these two grandmothers and for others who have received Bibles.

On my way to a training seminar on cell groups, a man on the street wanted to speak with me. We were standing right by the church, and I was kind of in a rush, but was reminded of the man in the story of the Good Samaritan, and how he had been “rushed” by. So I stopped to talk with the man. He pointed to the church, to the very top where the cross was. And he said that he noticed that the cross is not exactly straight on top. I had the chance to explain to him that more important than the straightness of the cross, is the straightness of his life with God through Jesus Christ. He listened and wanted to go inside to see this Protestant church. He entered, and I introduced him to Pastor Sergei, who spent some time with him witnessing. Then he gave him a New Testament and we prayed for him. Alexander is the man’s name. Please pray for him, and ask God to keep reminding me not to rush by those who are seeking.

This is a photo of Ben taken when I picked him up from school on Wednesday. Temperatures are in the 40s and we have no snow on the ground. It is damp though, so we have LOTS of mud. The kids have outside recess before and after school no matter what the weather. I have to wash Ben's snow pants and coat every day or every other day. I'M DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for lifting up the following requests.

- If you read this early on Saturday, please pray for Brad. He will be leading (in Russian) a seminar on small groups. Pray for God to speak through Brad. Pray for God to show love to all who come through Brad. Pray for God to give the Russians a vision for reaching out to their neighbors through small groups. Pray that God will move some to open their homes for small groups.

- We will travel Sunday, Dec. 17 by train to Kiev, Ukraine. On Monday we will apply for new visas. We must have visas in order to live and work in Russia. Pray that the travel and the visa application process will go smoothly. We hope to pick up our new visas on Tuesday and catch the night train back to Moscow. Pray for some fun family time as we travel and spend a few days away from home.

- Continue to pray for our friend, O, to accept Christ as his Savior.

- Both of the new church starts will be doing evangelism projects over the holidays. Plans are still in the making. Pray for wisdom to know how best to reach out to unbelievers during these special days.

Thanks for lifting up these requests.

* Please continue to pray for our muslim friend, O. He will be going to church with us again this week. Pray for the Lord to soften his heart and show him Truth.

* Pray for Brad this Sunday as he will be leading a session on starting home groups at Good News Church. Pray for God to speak through Brad. Pray for Good News as this church
looks into ways to reach out and spread the Gospel.

* Pray for both the Timi Church and the Goluvinsky Church as these churches make plans for evangelism events that will take place around the Christmas and New Year holidays. Pray that new contacts will be made through these events.

*Praise God with us that he has added a new family to our team. Doyle and Karen Fletcher along with their 3 children are joining our team and we are thrilled. Pray for wisdom to know how to involve them in the church planting work in the northern district. This summer they will be moving to the district. Pray for guidance to know which region they should live in. Pray for them as they continue in full-time language study for several more months.

* We are down to 6 months now until time for our next stateside assignment. We're really looking forward to that time, but we know that God has some things that He wants to do in and through us here during these next 6 months. Pray for us to stay focused and to continue to walk in obedience to all that He calls us to do during these next 6 months.

Thanks to all of you who pray for us regularly! Tomorrow, Dec. 3, at 8:00 a.m. Moscow time, a young man Muslim man "O" will be coming to our home to watch the Jesus Film in his heart language. Mark Sprinkle will be coming to join us. Please pray for God to use this event in this man's life. At the end of the film, there is a chance to pray for forgiveness, and to choose Jesus Christ as Lord. Pray for God to move mightily and break down any barriers to hearing the Truth.

If you come to this site after Sunday, please lift up "O" in prayer anyway, as Mark and I will continue to work with him.

Blessings, Brad