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.

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© Jan Ross 2007
All Rights Reserved