“Texas FWB Men’s Conference, March 4-5 at Lakehills FWB Church in Cedar Park.  All men in your church are welcome and invited to attend.  Please register using the link in the flyer so that the conference planners can get an accurate count of expected attendance.”

“Good morning from Svishtov!

I am thankful for the good, peaceful week the Lord gave us. It is cold outside, so we have had to limit ourselves to which hours of the day we go outside and how long we stay out, but thankfully we were able to venture out a couple of times each day.

This week I was able to register the kids for school, but we don’t yet know when they will start. I was hoping they would start tomorrow, but the school wasn’t able to get them registered in time because of COVID. They will either start later this week or will start after a one-week winter break in early February. One great thing about being in a city like Svishtov is that people in the school remembered us and were more than happy to work with us in our complicated situation.

And that sort of thing doesn’t happen just in the school! Last Sunday we went to the market and a stall vendor remembered us and gave us a jar of lyutenitsa (a sauce made from tomatoes and peppers, I think). In some of our favorite stores we are greeted by the same employees that greeted us years ago. Two days ago, we were on a walk and an old friend saw us from his apartment and went out on the terrace to talk to us. While I miss Shumen greatly, these sorts of encounters are much more common in a small town like Svishtov.

Church was amazing last week. It was full of energy and it was a joy to see new faces.

On Tuesday, we hopped on an early morning train and went to Shumen. Our goals were to see a few people from church (including my teammates the Driscolls), get a short list of toys and stuffed animals, and get the van. While it was hard being in Shumen and not seeing more people that we love, it felt so good to be back for even a little while.

On Wednesday evening I participated in a new online Bible study that Tim is leading.

On Thursday, the kids and I went to a park to spend time with my friend Peti. You might remember his name popping up a couple hundred updates ago. I am praying that he will come to church today. Also on Thursday, I helped Lydia Awtrey in her kid’s English class. We did the introductory lesson to “The Greatest Journey”, which is the follow-up curriculum to Operation Christmas Child. Please pray for the kids who come from unbelieving families to take part in this amazing Bible club.

On Saturday, we went to Tim and Lydia’s for lunch and then Tim and I went and met a new guy from church for coffee. He has a five-year old son and about a year ago his long-time girlfriend (and mother of the child) left him unexpectedly for another man. While our stories are quite different, my hope is that God can use my testimony to be a blessing to him.

We had hoped to have a family over after church today for lunch, but one of their daughters is sick, so it will just be the six of us. The boys and I have an agreement to work on some Legos, and then we will drive one hour to Pleven to be with the Postlewaites and Cashes for their evening service.

Thank you for sending us here. It is a joy to be one of your missionaries!

-Josh”

“Exciting news came today! BTL should be able to translate the rest of the Old Testament stories (actual passages of Scripture) we’ve requested into the Samburu language within the next MONTH! That means we can then have them read aloud & recorded, to be placed on the next order of MP3 solar players! This is a culmination of years of prayer!!🙌
Please pray for the translators to work efficiently, yet accurately, as they make the Old Testament accessible to the Samburu people. This is a critical bridge to the Gospel of Christ for this Old Testament-like culture.❤️”

Lete know what good things are happening in your church and I’ll post it so we can encourage each other! Authentic Church is taking the opportunity to reach out to the homeless and pray with them while handing out socks, hoodies, Bibles, gloves, hats, sleeping bags, and chapstick. On these cold nights they appreciate someone reaching out to not just hand them stuff, but to listen to them and tell them how Christ can help them.

Did you know NAFWB has a website with a list of resumes for available pastors? See the link below:

Ministers Available

“Sadly, Covid-19 has run rampant through Sesia in the last few weeks. At first, I thought I was seeing a huge upswing in malaria, then I noticed a few non-malaria symptoms that were common in many patients, like sore throat and congestion. Everyone was telling me that men, women, and children were ALL getting this terrible sickness, one after another. Clearly, this was not malaria, but Covid. A few days after my realization, Eddy began having symptoms, too.😢Today is Day 13. He has been miserable. He was admitted yesterday to Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, for steroids, anti inflammatory meds, breathing treatments, and antibiotics for a raging throat infection. (The doctor says he’s noticed a trend that men aged 45-60 are getting this throat complication that requires hospitalization.😳) His oxygen levels are good, and we are thankful! He’s in isolation, of course, so I can’t be with him. That’s hard. Would you please pray that he will turn the corner tonight and be much improved tomorrow? And praise the Lord with us that, of all the people in Sesia with Covid, Eddy is the only one who has needed to be hospitalized! With all the malnutrition in the Samburu of Sesia, it is an absolute miracle of God that everyone has recovered so well. Also, we are blessed to have amazing medical care. SO MUCH to praise the Lord for!🙌 Every cloud has a silver lining.😊 Thank you for praying.”

“All churches need periodic renewal, strengthened faith, new focus, and sometimes, a complete overhaul. Together, the Executive Office and North American Ministries offer help to refresh struggling churches through various resources”. Attached is more information.

“Hello Ladies, 

The excitement for the Flourish event is building! It will be so good to be with one another again. I want to bring you up to date concerning the event. If you registered for the original Flourish event, you are already registered to attend this rescheduled event with your previous lunch preference.

Also, the church parking lot is small. Some signs say 2-hour parking, but we have checked with the parking board, and they do not enforce the limit on weekends. There will be no tickets issued on a Saturday.

Please respond to this email by January 17 to let me know your plans.

Looking forward to seeing you at Central FWB in Huntington, WV, on March 26!!”

In Christ, 
Phyllis York,
Interim Director
WNAC
PO Box 5002
Antioch, TN  37011
615.760.6150 or 877.767.7662
www.wnac.org 

“Randall House to release Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Perspectives on Costly Leadership

(Nashville, Tennessee) On January 25, 2022, Randall House and multiple distinguished professors at Dallas Baptist University will release Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Perspectives on Costly Leadership.

About the book: The popularity of Bonhoeffer has increased in the last decade. This book explores the qualities and characteristics of Bonhoeffer that has made him popular among today’s evangelical Christians while also focusing on why the life, work, and action of Bonhoeffer should matter today. The importance of leadership legacy will be discussed along with connecting to Bonhoeffer as an example of a believer in Jesus who persisted in his convictions in the midst of significant opposition.

Features include: Multiple professors from a variety of fields writing on specific topics related to Bonhoeffer’s background, leadership, personal & professional characteristics, and political climate.

About the author: Multiple distinguished professors at Dallas Baptist University. The general editor and author of record is Jay Harley, Ed.D., serves as vice president for student affairs at Dallas Baptist University where he leads the student life and spiritual life components of the DBU experience. He designed and taught the international study program at DBU on the life, theology, and ministry of German pastor and theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He is a contributing author to the book, Luther on Leadership.

Contact: Lena Wooten

Director of Marketing

(615) 361-1221 ext. 308

lena.wooten@randallhouse.com “