In March, Limuel and Caitlin began a teen Bible Study at our 10am service time and we began a teen discipleship on Tuesday nights. It was an answer to prayer to have five teens attend the first Bible study and two regularly meeting for discipleship. This month also was the beginning of a joint youth group event, with fifteen teens from Grace Independent Baptist Church traveling over with Pastor Dan Fraser. We had five teens from our town attend.
Earlier in the month, Alyse prayed about and opened a homemade bread business, in an effort to get the gospel to people and the word spread about the church. God allowed her first customer to be one of our neighbors who was immediately interested in the church. Her husband attended the very next service where we learned that he accepted Christ two years ago through an online conversation with an Illinois-based pastor! Although this decision transformed his life with peace and purpose he never before had,growth and discipleship was lacking. He turned from atheism to Christ but could not find a sound Bible-preaching church. Praise God he was led to our church through Alyse’s ministry. He has become increasingly involved, is being discipled, and plans to be part of our church chartering next month. Pray for more to be reached through this avenue of witness, and pray for this man and his wife.
Eathan, mentioned in our previous letter, has started a prayer ministry on the main street. This is achieved through a large sign that says “Let’s pray about it,” offering prayer and Matamata Gospel of Johns. He has been able to reach two individuals for Christ, has had visitors in church from it, and has seen God answer prayers weekly. Also of note, he has had opportunity to lead at least two other friends to Christ as well and continues to have visitors weekly in church, some of whom have become faithful and eager to grow. Those who have prayed for him since our last letter, please keep him and his family in prayer.
In conjunction with the prayer ministry, we began re-canvassing our town, but with a “prayer flyer.” For our midweek service, one of the lists we pray through is specific streets of Matamata and for a specific set of requests (salvation, God’s blessings, strong families, etc). We then canvass those streets on Saturdays with those prayer flyers. There have been incredible answers to prayer as a result of this effort.
On Sunday nights we have been teaching through Bible doctrine in an effort to prepare for chartering on Saturday, May 24. Many of the topics are controversial in an effort to clear up false teaching (which overwhelming abounds!) and set in stone where our church stands. It has been a blessing to see soft hearts so far, please pray for continued humility towards the scriptures.
How else can you pray for our ministry throughout April? April 21-25 is the annual teen camp. We will have at least four teens attending. Then there will be a baptism service on April 27. And then, once again, May 24, the church chartering.
On a side note, Grace Independent Baptist Church of Tauranga (where we served for two years) is in the process of purchasing a property, God willing. Building is pictured below. Please dedicate some time praying for this endeavor!
Thank you for praying and sacrificing for the gospel’s sake,
Josh, Alyse, Bentlee and Raelynn Szwarga
