We left off our last letter preparing to head to the States for a short trip. We arrived smoothly in Chicago and ministry chances were plentiful along with the Fraser family. We had opportunities to preach and teach during our sending church’s pastors’ conference in Elgin, and the Frasers were a great blessing through that week. It was an added bonus to have Pastor Rigney present as well, who had faithfully served in New Zealand for many years. We followed that conference up with the missions conference at Bible Baptist Church in Terre Haute. After many years of growing in their focus on missions, God is now using them to send out missionaries of their own.
In between family visits, we travelled out to Roseburg, Oregon, to present our ministry with a friend whose church has now partnered with us. We were also blessed to present at Alyse’s youth pastor’s church near Peoria and to report to Faith Baptist Church in Bourbonnais. It was encouraging to see so many friends who have supported this ministry since day one, and it is hard to express our appreciation for the countless prayers offered since then, of which we benefit weekly. (To God’s glory!) We finished up preaching at Faith Baptist Church in Posen, where Alyse grew up, and of course at Northwest and Providence Baptist College in Elgin.
The plan was to land back in Auckland on a Sunday morning in time to preach the morning services, since Pastor Limuel was out of town. However, we got sick on the flight and were out of commission that Sunday! The church stepped up, some preachers covered, and it was a great blessing to see everyone working together to fill the gaps with both pastors away. After landing, it was good to meet with Pastor Rigney again, to hear of God’s working in his family here in New Zealand. Pray for his granddaughter and great grandkids to continue having soft hearts towards the gospel.
Our first Sunday back in the pulpit did not feel like walking into a church plant. We both felt this was a much more established and mature church in how everybody chipped in on the little areas: covering the details, the thoughtfulness, the interactions, and the shepherding heart the members seem to have grasped onto in our absence. One lady who was saved through the Bible Stand right before we left spoke as though she had been saved for ten years. We have “no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
Alyse had the opportunity to ask about the salvation of a lady we have been working with and praying for over 18 months, whom Alyse originally invited. After a year and a half of attending, she was finally ready to sit down and look at the Scriptures. After the first point on sin, she commented, “Oh, I have a lot of that. What do I do now?” She asked so innocently, as if she wasn’t sure there would be a solution. Praise the Lord, Alyse was able to share God’s solution for her sin problem, and she sweetly accepted Christ!
There have been several victories and answers to prayer in the few days since we’ve been back. We continue to ask for your prayers, specifically for wisdom regarding the Pukekohe church plant next year and the remaining weeks of this year as we prepare for the Able Men Institute, set to begin on February 2, 2027. Pray for a recent attendee who is seeking help to return back to God after backsliding for many years. Please pray as well for HBC through the upcoming pastoral transition, for the future of the church, and for renewed zeal in soul winning and evangelism within our church.
Thank you for praying!
Josh, Alyse, Bentlee, Raelynn and Ellie Szwarga
How you can pray with us
HBC's pastoral transition & renewed zeal for soulwinning
Enrollment for the Able Men Institute
2027 Pukekohe church plant
