Quote

"I learned long ago never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."

Difficult winter in Mongolia

Here is a news article to read for those of you interested in what the U.S. press is saying about this winter in Mongolia. Thank you to Dick Siemers for sending this link to me.

February prayer letter

When Jesus sent out the seventy on a journey to preach, He sent them out two by two. When God desired to send someone on a missionary journey, God called two men, Barnabas and Saul. They traveled together, suffered together, and preached together. Though Saul, w

ho by the end of the first missionary journey would be better known as Paul, took the lead in much of the preaching, there is no reason to think that Barnabas’ participation in missiona

ry endeavor was insignificant. Later, they jointly traveled to Jerusalem to submit a dispute about circumcision and salvation to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. Peter and James supported Paul and Barnabas in their position and sent them back to Antioch with letters outlining the decision.

Some time after this, Paul declared that he would go on another missionary journey, and Barnabas desired to include Mark. When Paul would not have Mark on the journey,

a dispute arose. The Christian brothers settled their differences by traveling in different directions: Barnabas to Cyprus and Paul to Asia Minor.

Despite the dispute, both men took a partner on their journey. Barnabas took Mark, and Paul took Silas. Neither man, though both godly and filled with the Holy Spirit, thought the missionary work was one they should attempt by themselves.

Just as Barnabas and Paul partnered with others, today’s missions can best be accomplished by people working together for the sake of the Gospel. That is the reason my family is glad to be

working with others in Mongolia. God has given us two other missionary families to support the work in Ulan Bator. During our time in the United States, Bill Patterson and his family and Roland Gay and his family are continuing the work.

Bill Patterson came to Mongolia for the primary purpose of leading a Bible translation project and training translators. However, he has not been too busy to forward the work of church planting in many ways. He was the main motivator of the Sunday evening service to reach English-speaking Mongolians and expatriates. He also was an equal partner in and brought invaluable experience to the Bible institute. The Patterson family has been a wonderful encouragement to my family, as well.

Roland Gay came to Mongolia about the same time that we did. However, poor health took them away from Mongolia for nearly two years. Recently, God blessed and enabled them to

return to Mongolia. They are currently living in our apartment and ministering at Faith Baptist Church. In the future they would like to start another church plant outside of Ulan Bator. Roland’s earnest preaching and enthusiasm for Gods Word are important additions to our work.

Ecclesiastes says, Two [are] better than one;

because they have a good reward for their labour, and then, if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. To see three families working together to plant a church in Mongolia is another sign of Gods blessing.

Weekly update

The return of Roland Gay and his family to Mongolia has been a blessing from our good God.

Roland wrote to me this week to let me know that the church is doing well. There were fifteen Mongolian adults and assorted children this past Sunday. That is as good a turnout as we were having when I left. He mentioned that there are new people attending too.

Our family is doing well. The children are very busy in school as I imagine all of your children (or grandchildren) are too. This week marks the last week where I will be at Westgate Baptist Church for a while. During the months of March, April, and May I will be traveling, including a trip to Israel with some folks from our church.

Remember to pray for strength for us and God's continued blessing on His church in Mongolia.

Pray for Mongolia

Bilgee sent me this poster. I thought it would be a good reminder to all of us.

Quote of the week

"One of the strangest disparities of history lies between the sense of abundance felt by older and simpler societies and the sense of scarcity felt by the ostensibly richer societies of today. Charles Peguy has referred to modern man's feeling of 'slow economic strangulation,' his sense of never having enough to meet the requirements which his pattern of life imposes on him. Standards of consumption which he cannot meet, and which he does not need to meet, come virtually in the guise of duties. As the abundance for simple living is replaced by the scarcity for complex living, it seems that in some way not yet explained we have formalized prosperity until for most people it is only a figment of the imagination. [It cannot be] proved that the substitution of covetousness for wantlessness, of an ascending spiral of desires for a stable requirement of necessities, leads to the happier condition." - Richard Weaver

Weekly update

I am still on the road visiting churches and supporters. After this trip I have a short break before it gets really busy. Kristie and the children have stayed in the Portland area, the children attending school as I have traveled by myself on this trip. We will be reunited on Thursday.

I talked to Ganpurev; the church in Mongolia continues to do well. I am grateful to hear it. When I asked if the weather was still cold in Mongolia, he told me that today it had begun to warm up. I went to the weather site to see what "warm" meant: it meant +3〫F or about -15〫C.

Keep praying for the Mongolians while we are away. Every time I talk to someone there, I want to board the next flight back; I don't care if it's cold!

Quote of the week

"It is no matter for surprise that, when we ask people even to consider the possibility of decadence, we meet with incredulity and resentment. We must consider that we are in effect asking for a confession of guilt and an acceptance of sterner obligation; we are making demands in the name of the ideal or the suprapersonal, and we cannot expect a more cordial welcome than disturbers of complacency have received in any other age. On the contrary, our welcome will rather be less today, for a century and a half of bourgeois ascendancy has produced a type of mind highly unreceptive to unsettling thoughts. Added to this is the egotism of modern man, fed by many springs, which will scarcely permit the humility needed for self-criticism." - Richard Weaver (1948)

Is it cold where you are?

Here in Oregon we have been enjoying some amazing weather: sunshine and warm. It seems especially warm when you consider that Mongolia is going through a cold spell. The last two days have seen cold temperatures of nearly -40 (C or F) and highs of -10 (F). Wow! That's cold!

Weekly update

Last week I asked you to pray for a clear, uninterrupted phone call. Sunday evening before the church meeting, Bill called me from Mongolia and we were able to get caught up on the church in Ulan Bator. The church is doing well, and attendance both at the Mongolian service and the English service are staying strong.

This Sunday is the first day of the Mongolian New Year (Tsagaan Sar). During this holiday there is unusually strong pressure for men to drink alcohol. Please pray especially for the men of the church to be faithful to their Lord and strong in their commitment to avoid all alcohol during this time.

Another car

It is amazing how God provides over and above what we need. About a month ago, another family in our church gave us a car to use while we are in the States. That means that we now have two vehicles available to us while we are in North America.

Of course, both these cars will need to be transferred back to their original owners when we leave. We are very grateful to these folks for their generosity and grateful to God for His wonderful provision!

Quote of the week

There is no corruption that threatens a country so surely as the sentimentalizing of its religion; and there is no corruption of the Christian religion so swift as that which sets in when [churches] lose their strict Biblical discipline. - E.C. Hoskyns

Weekly update

We have been traveling for a month now. The entire family has not been traveling every time—I have been traveling. There have been meetings from Tucson to Tacoma.

Those of you who know me well know that I do not particularly like to travel. But God is good and gives grace for every call. While traveling, I have seen dear friends, re-made old acquaintances, met new prayer folks, and been blessed to hear over and over, "We're praying for you!"

This month is not quite as busy traveling although responsibilities at Westgate Baptist Church will give me plenty to do. I have been frustrated in my attempts to communicate with people in Mongolia over the past week. Please pray for some clear, uninterrupted internet phone calls this week.

Finding encouragement in all the prayers

God calls us to pray. From the time that I was a little boy, I remember my parents encouraging me to pray. But it something different when it is other people praying for you.

Kristie and I have found such encouragement in the diverse and numerous people who have told us that they are praying. Many of them have freely admitted that they cannot pronounce the Mongolians names for whom they pray. "That's okay," I insist, "God knows for whom you are praying."

We have thoroughly enjoyed meeting old friends, making new ones, and sharing all that God is doing in Mongolia. Thank you for your prayers.