For the Glory of God
Verse of the Day
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:18-20
“God involves us in His mission not because He needs us but because He loves us.” -David Platt at T4G2012
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” -Matthew 28:19
“Every Christian is a missionary or an imposter.” – Spurgeon via Lecrae’s Twitter
Be sure you jump over to the BFM blog to read the latest exciting news from Mike & Beverly Creiglow, our missionaries in Brazil!
We were so blessed to have Babji and Rebecca Vejendla with us on Sunday morning. We so much enjoyed getting to know them and hearing about the burden the Lord has given them for the people of India. (And Sis. Rebecca, we thoroughly enjoyed your lovely song as well.)
The Vejendlas will be leaving for a two-week trip to India on February 9 and then will return to the States for a little over a year to raise support and make preparations to move there in April 2013. Once they move to India, they hope to plant a church and establish a Christian school in Andhra Pradesh, a village where Babji’s grandmother lives. Please be in prayer for them as they travel and as they minister to all they come into contact with.
One refreshing trait I recognized in the Vejendlas is that they realize that everyone who comes into their path is placed there by God. They make the most of every opportunity and seek to build relationships with people to gain their trust to share the Gospel with them.
Bro. Babji challenged us by reading Matthew 28:18-20…
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
He encouraged us to be ready to reach, preach, and teach. “Build friendships and let others see Christ in you,” he said. “Keep on planting seeds and the Holy Spirit will take care of it.”
In short, be burdened with the Gospel and share!
Babji and Rebecca after sharing the Gospel with our friends from Nepal
Thank you for visiting us, Vejendlas! You encouraged and challenged us in the faith. You are in our prayers and we hope to see you again very soon!
The Vejendlas with The Wainrights
November 2, 2011
Dear friends and family,
We had two young women place their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior over the past two months at the Calvary Baptist Mission-Church here in the Andes Mountains of Huánuco, Peru. Looking over my records it appears the median age for someone trusting Christ at this work has been between eighteen and twenty-five years of age. This mission work has an excellent group of young folks that are hungry to learn more of God’s Word.
Recently I began a Discipleship class on Saturday afternoon at their request. Four young men and four young women attend and eagerly participate as I teach them how to disciple others in the truths of God’s Word. When I told them they would receive a Certificate in Discipleship from the Baptist Institute of Biblical Studies they got excited; until I told them their final test would be – they had to disciple me! A few of the girls looked petrified but they all rose to the challenge and are working hard. Please pray for this enthusiastic group of young Christians that they will continue to devote themselves to their studies. They are the future of this work.
Anita and I have always been involved in planting new churches during our twenty-nine years here in Peru. Over the years, we have seen numerous churches in the States as well as some here in Peru flourish for a time, only to split, die or cripple themselves in legalism. I attribute this to pastors assuming that their congregations are sound in doctrine because they have taught sound doctrine from the pulpit. A fatal assumption for sure! I read somewhere years ago that only fifteen percent of the people are actually tuned in and listening at any one moment during the preaching service. Folks can be looking right at you and be thinking about lunch, football, the naughty child behind them, their aching feet or any number of other distractions. There is a tendency for the human mind to drift in and out while being taught, whether at school or at church. Nothing can properly replace the true learning experience of personal instruction where dialogue and questioning are part of the process. Testing, whether formal or informal, is necessary to insure that knowledge of Biblical truth has been retained. Interactive Sunday School classes, small study groups, or other special teaching venues are crucial for a church to insure its preservation and future growth. In Acts 20:20 the Apostle Paul said he not only taught publicly but also from house to house; he kept back nothing that would have been profitable for their spiritual growth. Teaching and working with small groups of believers week after week may not be as flashy or as fun as big Bible conferences or weekend retreats, but it will insure the lasting and solid spiritual growth of a church.
Enough sermonizing! Anita has begun a cooking class after church service on Sunday afternoons. She uses this venue to teach them about personal hygiene and the importance of washing the fruits and vegetables and using only treated or boiled water. Most of these poor saints always seem to be sick and no very little about these matters. The bonus is they also have learned how to make cornbread! You southerners will be glad to know that now, in this part of Peru; cornbread is becoming commonplace on the table! Next week she is going to teach them how to make homemade strawberry jam to go with the cornbread. She is a marvel and loved by all, especially me!
In HIM by HIS grace,
Sheridan and Anita Stanton
LINKS:
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures…” -1 Corinthians 15:3
Never does the devil triumph so thoroughly, as when he persuades missionaries to keep back the story of the cross. -J.C. Ryle, via John Piper’s Twitter
Nathan, Carrie and McKenna Radford
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are now at the end of the year 2011. We are now back in Kenya, and specifically, in Kitale. We appreciate so much each one who prayed for our safety as we traveled back to Kenya. We had a long trip back to Kenya, and our daughters did very well with the traveling, given the distance, time changes, etc. It was hard to say goodbye to friends and family that we love, and please know that each of you are so special to us and we love to hear from you. Life on the mission field has many challenges, and your prayers, encouragement, and friendships mean so much to us. We would ask for your continued prayers, as we are adjusting back to Kenya and life here.
We would ask for your continued prayers for us in many ways this upcoming term. We would ask you to please pray for our health, as it is a daily struggle to stay healthy. Also, for safety traveling, for good friendships with others, and for the Lord to lead and guide us. We want to be where He wants us to be. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 32:8, which says “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” What a tremendous verse of encouragement this is from the Word of God. We would covet your prayers in the above areas.
Also, please pray for our visitors who will be coming in the next few days from the States. Please pray for safety as they travel, for good ministry opportunities as they are here, and that we would be a blessing to them, as well as the people of Kenya. We are so looking forward to their arrival and would ask you to pray for our time as we serve the Lord together in Kitale.
Please also pray for the ministries that the Lord has for us here in Kitale. Please pray for my wife, as she plans to continue serving in the district hospital, for the annex prison ministry, and for church planting this term with my friend and partner, Mr. Roger Tate. We are excited to see what the Lord will do, and are excited to be part of His work here in Kenya. There is so much work to be done for the Lord, and we must pray that the Lord would send laborers into His harvest field. Matthew 9:36-38 states “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” What challenging verses these are, and a reminder for us to be involved in the harvest, whether through praying, giving, or going.
We will be sure to keep you updated. Thanks so much to each one of you for your prayers, interest, support, and encouragement. You all mean so much to us, and we thank God for you. Please note our new mailing address.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” -Romans 1:16
The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time. -Carl F.H. Henry via Nations Be Glad’s Twitter
August 10, 2011
Dear friends and family,
In my last letter I reported spending some time with my ailing father, Ralph Stanton. On the 21st of June, Anita and I kissed dad goodbye and headed back to Peru. Two days later on Thursday morning, 23rd of June, Dad went home to glory; four weeks shy of his eighty-fourth birthday. Anita and I were at the Lima, Peru airport waiting for our flight back to Huánuco when we received the call about his death. After receiving the news about dad we immediately made plans to return to the States for his funeral. I spoke for the family at the memorial service and it truly was a “celebration of life”; a good long life of love, laughter and singing for the Lord. Dad will be missed by all that knew him. We thank those that were present at the memorial service, those that sent flowers and cards and those that sent financial gifts to help defer our traveling expenses. We spent a few weeks with Mom to help her get adjusted to this new phase of her life; a life without Dad. Predictably she has “good days and bad days”; please pray for her as the Lord brings her to mind
We arrived back home to Huánuco on the 15th of July, and immediately occupied ourselves once again in the Lord’s work here; a work in which we are privileged to participate. The Calvary Baptist Mission is doing very well; attendance remains high (four were added to the church while we were gone), and a healthy spirit of cooperation continues to prevail as we are in the “waiting” period of construction; waiting for the plans and permits to be approved. I have built numerous church buildings in Peru over the past twenty-eight years but I have never been more enthusiastic about a building project than this one. Innovative design allowing for easy, future expansion, combined with cost effective construction and a lot of donated but organized labor are just a few of the reasons why I am excited about this project. Pictures will be forthcoming as we move forward in the first phase of this undertaking. Prayers for safety, good progress, and prudent use of resources will be appreciated.
The Monday night bible class for pastors was postponed while Anita and I were in the States. I will be starting it back up in a few weeks. In addition to this, many of the dear folks from our five churches here in Huánuco have been asking me to start a basic bible class for the lay people of our churches. Hopefully this will be a reality before too long. I would really appreciate your prayers that I will be a good steward of the time God has given me. With, construction, sermon preparation, Bible classes to prepare, writing a doctoral thesis, counseling, and traveling, the time just seems to disappear before each day is done. It seems the older I am the more work there is to do! Please pray! Thanks.
I conducted a Seminar on Administration of a Baptist Church the 27th thru the 30th of July for the Faith Baptist Church in the coastal town of Huaral, north of Lima. Alberto Ramirez is the young pastor of this church that we helped start several years ago while living in Lima. The church is growing and busy in their own construction project; new and larger Sunday school rooms. Even while teaching a seminar we had one young man give his life to Christ, a lady asking for baptism (after an understanding of the importance of the Lord’s church), and several repenting of their neglect of their responsibilities to the church. It was a good meeting and hopefully the teaching will bear abundant fruit in the future of this faithful young congregation.
All of the fourteen, Peruvian national missionaries that Anita and I support have sent good reports for the month. Collectively about eighteen souls were saved during the past month as a result of these ministries. Donations given to “new work” or “as needed” funds go to help these fourteen missionary families and the works God has given them to do. Thank you for enabling us to support them.
As usual, my monthly report is getting too long so let me close it by saying once again how thankful Anita and I are for you love, prayers and support. We pray God might shower HIS richest blessings on each of you. Until next month.
In HIM by HIS grace,
Sheridan and Anita Stanton
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” -Matthew 5:14-16
“I have but one candle to burn & I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light.” -J.K. Falconer, via NationsBeGlad’s Twitter
