Hello, and happy February! I didn’t realize how long it had been since my last update. I pray you guys are doing well, and I’m excited to share what is going on with the ministry.
Public ministry continues to go well, and we continue to make adjustments as restrictions come and go, and traffic patterns change. Mid-week outreach, which used to cover busy downtown areas and universities has been the toughest since people are working from home more and the schools are still closed. But things seem to be picking up a bit. I’ve had many individual conversations and handed out lots of tracts.
Waterfront areas continue to be our best spots, and I’m looking forward to warmer weather which will draw more people. But even in January and February the weather has been mild enough sometimes for the beaches and waterfront areas to be busy during the day. Praise God for our California climate! It should be warm enough soon to move some of our mid-week outreaches to the Santa Cruz beach. Please pray we can do so soon.
We’ve also started to use our time to reach out to smaller communities around the Bay Area. My ministry partner Brenten (dwellontruth.org) has a vision for reaching all 101 cities and towns in the Bay Area over the next couple years, so we are setting plans and doing reconnaissance trips to see what that will take. If you have any thoughts on good ways to reach some of our smaller communities, please get in contact with me. We need all the help we can get!
Mormons, Muslims and Patience
As I mentioned previously, I’ve spent a fair amount of time recently in online ministry on Facebook. I’ve been doing a lot of witnessing (and a fair amount of debate) on Facebook with Muslims. Online some Muslim can be very tough to break through to, and very agressive, though I’ve generally found them very polite in person. Please pray that God will give me patience, will help me focus on the work of the Spirit and not be unnecessarily argumentative, and that He will open hearts and minds to His Gospel!
I’ve had quite a few interactions with Mormon missionaries since the last update, including seven in-person meetings. Again, God is teaching me more patience! Mormons, as is true with many cultists, tend to run when they realize they are being challenged and/or evangelized. But by God’s grace the meetings have been fruitful. Please pray for one young lady in particular who was crying as she tried to “bear her testimony” (something they often do when they don’t have an answer) during our last meeting. I think some of the difficult truths I’ve been sharing may have hit home, and I pray God is working in her heart.
Remembering James
One of my closest friends, and longest partners in ministry, went home to be with the Lord unexpectedly two weeks ago. It has been very difficult to lose such a close brother. We spent nearly a decade preaching on the streets together almost every week. Even though I’m tearing up while writing this, it is a blessing to know that he is home, and that he left a Godly legacy. Please check out the video below. It will be included in the next American Gospel movie (you need to watch it if you haven’t already). The clips shown are from a street preaching video filmed outside a Benny Hinn crusade a few years ago. You can find the long video on YouTube by searching for James Bynum and Benny Hinn. I hope this video is a blessing, and I hope you will pray for his wife Diane.
https://www.watchagtv.com/videos/ag3-jamesbynum-memorial-final?fbclid=IwAR04beHAQLlKqB-XSamrIVqGhmYSWFsRUl8UJxXcQSJgl-62cxNC9sWFcp0
Prayer Requests
Please pray for James Bynum’s friends and family following his passing
Please pray for mid-week outreach locations, and for my North Bay recon trip this week
Please pray for several church partnerships in the works for Brenten and I
Please pray that God opens the doors for kids ministry opportunities that are still in flux
Please pray for our 101 Cities outreach project, and that God will give us wisdom in the best ways to be effective.
Please pray for favor and we continue to work of raising support so our ministry can reach 100% funding.
Please pray for our wives and families.
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