August 1994

Dear Praying Friends Around the World!

Ten Weeks, and Growing Strong! The Bible Baptist Church of Blarney, continues to grow and experience God’s blessings as we both soul-win and preach the good news of the forgiveness of sins! Attendance in June averaged 9 with a high of 11, and averaged 14 in July, with a high of 18! We are definitely excited to be serving God here! Since our last newsletter, several more people have trusted the Lord Jesus for salvation! A 23 year old man, named Noel Keating was hitch-hiking home from Cork city when I stopped and picked him up. As I took him in the direction of his home, I was able to talk to him about the Lord. He responded well, and wanted to know specifically what the Bible had to say about his soul’s salvation. I stopped along the side of the road, and in 30 minutes, he was on his way to his new home in heaven! Another man named Eddie Murphy rang me on the telephone after seeing an add that I placed in the paper stating that “Christ offers free salvation.” He asked me if the offer still stood? I responded with a hearty YES, and in about 45 minutes I was rejoicing with a new brother in Christ! Then, a couple named Colin and Kate Lavelle from Belfast, Northern Ireland, visited our Sunday morning church service. They were camping just up the road, and while on their morning walk had passed our little church while I was setting up and saw the sign: BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH! All Welcome! So they came into the meeting! At the end of the service, Colin raised his hand for prayer when I asked if anyone was not sure of heaven, but he did not make a move in the invitation. They came back that evening at 6pm, and sat through some more preaching, and still he did not move in the invitation. My wife and I went to prayer being grieved for his soul, and lo, on Tuesday, they rang and asked to talk to me at a coffee shop back in Blarney! In just two hours, I led Colin Lavelle to the same Saviour that has saved countless millions before! His wife Kate had dragged him into the service hoping that he would find Christ! How happy we all were for her effort! A faithful Christian in the church here named Martin Monaghan now goes soul-winning with me, and comes over several times each week for discipleship, hungry to learn and know the words of God! He is a true blessing! While door-knocking, he and I met a lady named Mary O’Doherty who was truly seeking God, and she got down on her knees and found Him, right at her doorstep! Martin had never seen anything like it before! Then there is this family that I have been witnessing to for some time from India who have lived in Ireland for 7 years now. One son, name “Jay” Sawani really took an interest, and after much prayer, and time with him, he turned from religion, to Christ alone! Since then I have been discipling him and watching him grow! He just loves coming to church and hearing the Bible taught!

There have been struggles though: The young man named Michael Matthews who was saved in May has yet had the courage to break away from the family and peer pressure on him! Pray that he “plays the man” (2 Sam 10:12)! Martin Hayes has let work, and his busy schedule keep God from being first in his life! The Irish are becoming more and more like Americans. Pray for his commitment to Christ! Vanessa Denny was severely threatened by her mother when she began to live for the Lord! Her mother would rather her 18 year old daughter was out at the pubs until all hours of the night instead of with Christian friends studying God’s word and living for the Lord!

Please pray 1) for these to be saved: Sunny and Sema Sawani, Kevin Murphy, and the O’Mahony family, 2) for the growth and commitment of new Christians, 3) for the Bible Baptist Church of Blarney, and finally 4) that we would be effective as we serve our Lord here in Blarney, Ireland! We love and pray for you all! Keep praying for us!