Building the New Church

The believers are scattered because there is no place to worship. Once a congregation of 75, now only a few who can fit in one little house gather regularly for worship. The people are begging for a place to meet, a place they can call their church. They want GOD to have a place to call His own. Let me explain.

While we know God dwells in the hearts of believers, there is a problem in their culture that makes having a church building an important part of building the Kingdom of God.

The crux of the problem is that the people erect huge ornate temples to lifeless idols. When the people leave their traditional beliefs and begin to attend a Bible-Believing church, they struggle because often there are no buildings, nothing to “show off” God’s greatness. While we know His beauty is indwelling the believer, when their friends and families see Christians with no public gathering place, they laugh and mock—“Is that how you honor your God?” or "Your God is too poor to have His own church!" In their eyes, it is a poor witness to the Most High God and His provision for the blood-bought Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The new believers don't require much, but they ask for a place to worship--a place where others will know is where they gather, a place set aside for prayer and holy fellowship, a place in the village known as their church.

Construction is currently underway to build a new church. It will be small, but it will be a place where the believers can gather to worship. Please pray for these believers; pray for the pastors who are overseeing this excellent work to the glory of God!

If you would like to bless this new work through your offering, simply send your donation by check or money order to:

Heart of God International Ministries
P. O. Box 248
Willard, OH 44890
Attention: Satellite City

Or, you can donate using your credit card through PayPal. Simply click on the button below.

This video was taken in March 2007 while we were with the people in this village. Pastor shares about the need for a church in this location. Please pray that God will make a way for this church project to be completed very soon so the believers can gather for corporate worship, have a place where they can learn and grow and teach the many children in this village. Thank you ... God bless!

Thank you for your faithfulness to support the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sunday Praises

From Denise Matthews, Director of Heart of God in Uganda:

What a blessing to open my email this morning and see your efforts to this ministry providing Gods word to those that hunger for it! During Pastor Fred Mwanje's service on Sunday he was able to provide two Bibles to his congregation. It may not seem like much but believe me, God is going to use those two Bibles to His glory. So many of us take for granted how easy it is for us to access Bibles. In Uganda, where poverty is the standard for living, God's Word especially in the form of a Bible, is like gold. I'd like to share with you Pastor Fred's message:

Praise the Lord Denise ,

On Sunday it was very good day for our church member because we gave out the two Bibles, and I got chance of getting from a friend small Bible GIDOEN and we gave out with one of my friends we are working with in GIDCCO ministry in Uganda called Mr: Bosco Lussajalunji. The people where very excited to have the Bible even if all of them did not get, but because of this one we gave out they have the hope and we promised them to pray so much God to provide them each a Bible in Jesus name! Children were very excited also to get some of them so your prayer, struggle is not for nothing but for the values of the kingdom of God. I remain praying for you and people who are helping you to reach this stage of helping people who wants the word of God every time.Matt 18:19"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven."

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” David’s words from Psalm 119:105 demonstrate the Christian’s dependence upon God’s word for guidance.

Pastor Fred.

Thank you all so much for your contributions and prayers for Heart of God in Uganda and GIDCCO. It is my prayer that the Word of God would find itself in the hands of each man, woman and child. That the Word would come alive in each of them and bear much fruit for the Kindgom. I pray also that God would bless each and everyone of you according to His will and purpose he has planned for you.

In His love and mercy,

Denise
http://uganda.heartofgodinternational.com/

Incredible Move of God

Heart of God in India held several days of a Fasting Prayer Meeting. We have received a tremendous report of God's power at work among those that attended.

Pastor reported that over 600 people attended each service. There was strong preaching with a powerful salvation message. Many responded to the power of the spoken Word of God. The pastors and leaders spent these days in fasting and prayer, some without food and water for three days, desperate to see God move among the people in the region. Pastors from nearby villages participated by sharing personal testimonies of how God has moved in their lives. The people saw first-hand the power of God at work in men who lived and worked right among them.

Because of the powerful Word of God at work in their midst, twenty-one people confirmed their conversion by following with baptism. In this culture heavily influenced by Hinduism, water baptism is an outward sign of total conversion—denying all other gods and superstitions. We rejoice with our Indian partners for a tremendous outpouring of conviction and salvation in their midst.

Please continue to pray for those who have accepted the call to renounce their Hindu culture and religion and totally commit their lives to Jesus Christ as the author and finisher of their faith. They will face ridicule and persecution for their decisions, much more than we can possibly understand in our Western culture. Please pray that they will continue to grow in the wisdom and knowledge of Christ and begin to share their new faith with others, starting an explosion of evangelism in this region.

Please continue to pray for the pastors who are incredibly committed to sacrificial lifestyles in order that the Gospel may be preached to all. As you view the pictures below, please pray for each person, each pastor, each one who responded and even those who didn't respond. Bookmark this page and visit it daily to pray for these precious people who so desperately want to burst out of the darkness of their cultural roots and bask in the glorious Light of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

The building is filled with men, women, and children to hear the powerful message of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the One True Lord and Savior.

Pastor prays for the people who are in the sanctuary and those who are seated outside under tents to hear the powerful messages of salvation.

Pastors and church leaders gather at the front of the church to pray for the attendees.

People assemble at the river where Pastor wades into the water and teaches from the Bible the truth about salvation and the obligation of all Christians to follow Christ's example in baptism. To the convert from Hinduism, water baptisim is the outward sign of complete conversation through repentance of sin and renouncing all other gods.

The new converts wait in line to be immersed in water in the river, rejoicing as they come out of the water a new creation--old things have passed away and all things are become new. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17) Being immersed in the baptismal waters is a holy act of obedience and submission for all Christians.

" What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!" The water signifies the washing that has been done as Jesus' blood has cleansed these precious souls of their unrighteousness, making them new and clean before their Heavenly Father.

Pastors are rejoicing and celebrating for the new converts who have received water baptism.

Pastor prays with the new converts.

Pastor prays for the new converts, laying hands on them one-by-one, imparting to them the gift of salvation as new life has just been born in the hearts of these precious men and women, to the glory of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

____________
© Jan Ross 2007
All Rights Reserved

India Pastors Audio Bible Project (update)

We're getting excited, for sure! The CD players are in a box right in front of me as I type this. We have purchased small gifts for the rest of the pastors so they don't feel left out--we found some nice-looking Bible covers marked down at Christianbook.com. We're making some laminated bookmarks to include with their Bible covers, and we will include some pens and little notepads for them to take notes on. All that's left is purchasing batteries, packaging everything, and get it in the mail. The goal is to have this accomplished by Tuesday (October 30th).

So, you can see why we're excited! This has been a project we've been working on for a while and suddenly everything fell into place.

I just love God's "suddenly" work. We think and plan and even worry some and nothing seems to happen. Then "suddenly" everything falls into place in God's timing, according to His will, for His glory. Hallelujah! We serve a "suddenly" God who isn't stressed out by our time tables--He has His own and it always works out better than how we planned!

We still need some donations to cover the expense of the shipping. Please consider sharing in the joy of providing audio Bibles for these pastors who cannot read or write. You will for a certainty be investing in the Kingdom of God as the Lord establishes Himself in the hearts of men, women, and children through these men as they are empowered by the spoken Word.

______________
(c)Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

India Pastors Audio Bible Project

As you may know, we’ve been in constant communication with Pastor, the leader of our ministry outreach in India. We’ve seen God move in miraculous ways in the lives of the pastors we support, their families, and their villages … to God be ALL the glory!

While we were in India this past March, we learned that several of the pastors were never able to attend school of any kind as they were growing up in their villages. Their families were poor and the children worked from very young ages to help provide food and the means of survival for the entire family. Because of this, however, we have identified several pastors who are illiterate. That’s hard to believe, especially when education is so available to us here in the USA!

Being called to pastor in areas deeply involved in many forms of Hinduism, these men felt it important to answer God’s call and begin teaching the people in their villages what they could as they learned from other pastors. This is why our pastors meet together once every month (on the 10th) for teaching, prayer, mentoring, encouragement, and more. These monthly meetings are the only source of scriptural teaching these men have. They own Bibles but they can’t read them without help.

We have made a promise to those who labor with us in India to provide these pastors with the Bible on CD and portable CD players to carry with them as they walk from village to village to minister to the people. Because of compatibility issues between CD’s manufactured here in the States and equipment manufactured in India, it was best for us to purchase the CD players here and ship them to India along with the CD’s containing the entire New Testament in Telugu.

This is a costly endeavor but worth every penny considering the benefit it will be to those who are so hungry to learn the Word but do not have the benefit of an education. Here are the details of the expenses for this project:

8 - CD/s in MP3 Format Containing
Entire New Testament in Telugu
provided by Faith Comes by Hearing
$112.00

8 - CD Players (Supports MP3 Format)
with Headphones
$257.00

Batteries
$25.00

Shipping & Insurance (FedEx)
$215.00

Total = $609.00

To be very honest, we need your help with the cost of the CD Players and Shipping. In other words, we need to raise $472 by October 29th to cover this expense.

By shipping on October 29th, the pastors will receive their CD/MP3 players and Bible recorded in their native language at their monthly meeting in November.

Won’t you help us supply the Word of God to men who are called to preach the Gospel, who have the ability to reach men, women, and children in areas most of us will never visit—villages most of the world doesn’t even know exist? These men are dedicated servants who sacrifice much in order to fulfill their calling … they need us to help equip them for the tremendous task before them. Without access to the Word of God, their task seems impossible yet they do the best they can because they believe that even the little truth they know is better than the lies of the millions of Hindu gods and superstitions holding their friends and neighbors and loved ones hostage.

Click on the button and make your donation today. Be sure to include your mailing address so we can send you a receipt for tax purposes.

Or, mail your check or money order to:

Heart of God International Ministries
India Pastor Bible Project
P. O. Box 248
Willard, OH 44890

Remember, ALL gifts are 100% tax deductible. This is a good time of the year to increase your giving, not so much for the tax benefit but because it’s the time of harvest—the time we realize our bountiful blessings, the time we thank God for all He’s given us, the time we reach down into our hearts and meet the most desperate needs of others who have nothing and expect so little.

Please, we don’t ever want to beg and we certainly don’t always want to come to you with an appeal for financial help. But, how can you be aware the depth of the need unless we bring it to you.

God bless you for your faithfulness in prayer and support. What an incredible group of friends and partners you have become!

India Leper Colony Update

While we were in India, we had the privilege of visiting a village of lepers, gifting them with rice and fresh fruits. To meet these people face-to-face, to greet them in the name of Jesus Christ, to listen to their stories, see their pain, and understand their plight was one of the most memorable parts of the trip. Our hearts were truly touched by these precious souls.

But, their needs are great--greater than most can imagine. Aside from the housing situation which we've shared with our partners and friends, these people have daily needs. They are unable to work and make a living. They receive a pension equivalent to $1.50/month, hardly sufficient to feed them let alone meet any other needs. They need our help.

For only $10.00/month you can make a huge difference in the lives of these men and women. That is such a small amount to us, but it would be such a tremendous blessing to each one of them. With a monthly commitment, we can help to provide food, clothing, and transportation for medical treatment. Our goal is to raise a total commitment of $100/month to support the lepers in this village.

Please pray and ask the Lord what He would have you do. Thank you for your compassionate heart toward these who suffer unimaginable physical pain from leprosy and emotional pain from their rejection by society. God bless you!

Bibles for Kenya ProgramBoosted by Anonymous Donor

We are so excited to share with you that an anonymous donor has offered as much as $250 in matching funds for every donation that comes in toward Bibles for Kenya between now and November 15, 2007.

This is an incredible opportunity to stretch your donation dollars, make a bigger impact with your giving, and provide even more people with Bibles--people who are desperate to develop a deep relationship with the Lord through the reading of His Word.

Bibles are translated into Swahili and are made available to us for $7.00 each. The more we purchase, however, the more Bibles we will be able to provide. For instance ..

$7.00 ... One Bible
$68.00 ... Ten Bibles
$134.00 ... Twenty Bibles

These Bibles will make incredible lasting gifts that will impact people for a lifetime. Our contacts in Kenya have stated that they will hand-deliver them to people they know will use them and are eager to own their own copy of the Word.

When we were in Kenya this past July, we were teaching women about developing a strong and abiding relationship with Jesus. We mentioned daily reading or daily devotional time. A bold woman stood up in the middle of a large crowd of attentive listeners and said:

"How can we read the Bible if we don't own a Bible?"

Much to our embarrassment, we learned that only a very, very few people in the tribal areas of Kenya own a copy of the Word of God. This should not be! We believe that anyone who desires to have a copy of the written Word should have a copy.

Thank you for your generous giving toward this project. Our goals are lofty -- we'd like to be able to provide 1,000 Bibles for Kenyans by July of 2008.

Will you help us? Can you afford $7.00 to purchase not one, but TWO Bibles for people who are starving for the Word of God?

What an awesome project this would be for your Bible Study group or your Sunday School class. Parents, use this to teach children stewardship and giving to your children.

Whatever it takes, help us provide these Bibles. Don't wait till later, don't wait until tomorrow. Do it today! Click on the banner below. You will be taken to a website with all the information necessary to purchase Bibles.

Thank you and God bless!

September in Kenya

We are excited about our goal for Kenya this year. We've initiated a project to provide Bibles to as many people as possible in some of the remote villages such as Bukhoholo, Chavakali, Mayanja, etc.

We believe that the Word of God is the foundation of every Christian's life whether they live in America or in the remote villages in Kenya. Without God's Word, there is no opportunity for growth, no way to learn to hear the voice of God, and no hope for a transformed life ... the Word of God is essential to all.

While we were in Kenya, we were teaching how to live a life of integrity, being holy and set apart for God. Suddenly a woman spoke out, "How can we know the Word of God when we don't have Bibles?" A silence fell in the meeting and the Spirit of God spoke ... "How can they hear without the Word? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. But spiritual growth comes from personally seeking Me in the Word."

Because of that, we have made arrangements with our contacts in Kenya to provide them the money to go to Nairobi and purchase Bibles at their cost. They will then personally distribute the Bibles to people in the areas where very few have access to or own a copy of God's Word. The Bibles are translated into Swahili so the people are able to understand and comprehend as the Spirit gives illumination.

Each copy of the "BIBLIA" in Swahili costs about $7.00. If we were to purchase them outright, they would cost nearly $20.00 each. By allowing our contacts in Kenya to purchase the Bibles for us, we will be able to get nearly three times as many Bibles as if we were to make arrangements to purchase them directly.

We praise God for those who have given sacrificially to help launch this program. So far we have $250 to purchase Bibles in Swahili. We still have a long way to reach our goal, but as God provides, we will put Bibles in the hands of as many men and women as possible who are desperate to know God intimately through reading His Word.

Please refer to the website at http://www.heartofgodinternational.com/ for more details, or email us at info@heartofgodinternational.com with your questions or comments.

September in India

September was a busy month for our pastors in India. Pastor wrote and expressed the fact that the pastors are very thankful for the support. He said, "Your help is so precious to them. We had pastor's meeting on the 10^th of this month. After we delivered the message, all the pastors prayed one-by-one for you, your families, and this ministry. They all convey their heart-felt greetings and thanks to you. We are eager to see you again and we are praying for your trip to India. But until you return, we are watching youin the tapes that we recorded at your first visit in March."

Our hearts are supernaturally knit together with the ministry leaders of Heart of God in India. These pastors work hard while maintaining humility and live sacrificially. We have been so incredibly blessed to know them and watch them work to minister the love of Christ throughout their region.

Please continue to pray for the pastors associated with Heart of God in India. Pray for their safety, their strength, and that they would remain encouraged as they work tirelessly to minister Christ's love without shame or fear.