Awakening the Church

to Evangelize the World

Our Mission

We seek to empower the Body of Christ to awaken through revival, mature through discipleship and arise through evangelism as we make way for our soon-coming King, Jesus Christ.

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Revival

A sleeping church cannot reach a dying world with the life-saving message of the Gospel.

to awaken the church
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Discipleship

Any obstacles that prevent the church from reaching the lost must be addressed and removed.

to mature the church
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Evangelism

The church is God’s plan A to reach the world with the Gospel and there is no plan B.

to see the church arise

Our Strategy

How we accomplish our mission

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Speaking

Preaching the truth of God's Word boldly in the U.S.A. and worldwide.

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Publishing

Offering Bible-centered books, study guides and other devotional materials.

Check out our materials
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Online

Connect with us via social media, our YouTube channel and our website.

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Our Areas of Influence

Where we accomplish our mission

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Local

Ministering locally in the area of Dayton, Ohio, in churches and on the streets.

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National

Ministering nationally in the United States through our speaking and online ministries.

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International

Ministering internationally in multiple countries throughout the world with the Gospel message.

Our Core Values

Values that define our ministry

Authenticity

Matt 23:3
Eph 4:25
2 Cor 1:12
1 Jn 1:7

FAITH

Rom 10:17
Heb 11:1
2 Cor 5:7
Mk 9:23

URGENCY

Jn 9:4
Matt 24:42-44
1 Cor 7:29-31
Rev 12:12

INTEGRITY

2 Cor 8:21
Lk 16:10
Titus 2:7
Prov 11:3

TRUTH

2 Tim 2:15
Jn 8:31-32
Eph 4:15
Heb 4:12

GOD'S GLORY

1 Cor 10:31
Matt 5:16
Rom 11:36
Isa 42:8

Recent News

SPEAKING MINISTRY: AUG-SEP 2024 UPDATE

SPEAKING MINISTRY: AUG-SEP 2024 UPDATE

Praise the Lord for His Work!

God continues to move in a beautiful way through our speaking ministry. Here are the highlights from August and September:

Pure Life Ministries- Dry Ridge, Kentucky

I had the opportunity to minister in three services at Pure Life Ministries Residential Chapel over the last two months.

First Service: I preached a message about about the crucifixion of Jesus. In it, I shared about the horrible death penalty that Jesus endured in His final hours on the earth. I also shared about five aspects of His character that are displayed in the crucifixion story. A powerful time of worship and exaltation concluded the message as we praised the Lord for His goodness.

 

Second Service: My message was titled, “Worthy is the Lamb,” and it referenced John’s vision in Revelation 5 of the Lamb who was worthy to open the scroll. I challenged the men to consider the worthiness of Christ. We talked about how Jesus is worthy to receive the reward of His suffering, because He died to rescue sinners and purchase them for God. At the end, we had a powerful time of worship together as we declared His worth.

 

Third Service: I spoke on a Wednesday night about the person and working of the Holy Spirit. These nights are an opportunity for the students, who come from a variety of denominational backgrounds, to hear teaching on the baptism in the Holy Spirit and to have an extended time of seeking after the Lord. After the teaching, I opened the altars, and many men came seeking the Lord. We had a time of prayer, laid hands on the men, and believed the Lord to touch them in a tangible way. It was a beautiful time of seeking after the person of the Holy Spirit.

 

Family Church- West Carrollton, Ohio

We had a wonderful time together with the congregation of Family Church. I spoke a message about keeping the fire of God burning in our lives and refusing to allow all that is happening around us to keep us from our intimacy with the Lord. In modern day America, there are seemingly unlimited things that can distract us on a daily basis. It is only those believers who make an intentional decision to press into the Lord, often sacrificing comfort and convenience, who will be able to keep the fire of God burning brightly. Several came forward for prayer. One man felt that the Lord touched him physically during the time of prayer for his healing. God is so good.

 

Snack Cart Outreach- Dayton and Columbus

We had the opportunity to do street evangelism in the cities of Columbus and Dayton in Ohio. The Lord continues to use the snack cart to attract people and provide a chance for us to engage them with the Gospel. Along with snacks, people are offered prayer and a conversation about Jesus as well as one of our Roman’s Road Cards and a copy of the Gospels.

We teamed up with The Covering Women’s Ministry and met up outside of Columbus. The area we went is known for its drugs, crime and prostitution. In fact, we went to minister to the employees of a gas station, and they had a man come in just before we got there to try to rob the store with a knife. We ministered to many women who were selling their bodies on the streets. A group of people on the side of a building were preparing to shoot up drugs right in front of us as we shared Jesus with them and asked the Holy Spirit to open their eyes. It was heartbreaking to witness the bondage that so many were walking in. Our team was made up of people with similar backgrounds, so we were able to relate to them and shared our testimonies as people were willing to listen. Please pray specifically for the ladies that we met who received an information card about The Covering, where they can go to get a fresh start if they choose. Sadly, some of the women, when asked, “Are you ready to get out of this lifestyle,” said “Not yet.”  (for more info about The Covering, please visit https://www.thecovering686.org/)

In Dayton, a group of men got together to minister on the streets. We handed out about 40 Gospel books and prayed for many needs. One woman we spoke with said she was backslidden and I had a chance to share my story with her about my own falling away. Two men in particular were very interested in hearing more about the Gospel. One of them said he believed there could be a God but had prayed for many people in his life and they had all died. I encouraged him that God wants a personal relationship with him and that we cannot always understand why things like that happen.

As we were ministering to people at the spot where we had set up, suddenly people stopped coming to us. We figured it must be time to head back to the parking lot. Outside of the parking garage, we met two young teen boys. After talking with them, they were very interested in speaking about Jesus. When I asked if they had ever had a time when they really chose to surrender to Christ, they said they had not. I asked if they wanted to pray to invite Christ to be Lord and Savior of their lives, and they said yes. They prayed a sincere prayer, and we encouraged them to tell a pastor in their community about the decision they had made. As we headed back to the van, one of the team members mentioned that we would never have met those boys at the right time if more people were coming to the cart where we were. It was amazing to see how the Holy Spirit orchestrated things for the sake of the souls of those two teens.

 

Miamisburg Assembly of God- Miamisburg, Ohio

The Lord gave me a specific message that I felt I needed to deliver to our home church. It was a heavy message based on the story of Lot and his wife about separating from the world. Everywhere I go, I see how the world system has infiltrated the church through the lives of Christians, yet many cannot see it because it is all they have ever known. When I gave the call to respond, many people came forward to cry out to the Lord for more of His presence in their lives. For several days afterward, I was contacted by many people in the service who had been convicted about their connection with the world and were making tangible steps toward more holiness. I’m so grateful for the anointing and timing of the Holy Spirit.

 

Breaking Free Service- Miamisburg, Ohio

Pastor Chuck Sharp and I decided that we wanted to have a service focused on getting free from bondages. We had a service on a Friday evening, starting with a dinner, and then worship and the Word. I preached a message about Jesus’ encounter with two people: the demon-possessed man in the region of the Gadarenes (Matt 8) and the woman caught in adultery (John 8). When Jesus came into contact with people in bondage, He reacted by setting them free. And that is His desire for each of us. When I gave an altar call for salvation, nearly ten of the people stood to make a commitment to Christ, including some young students. We had a time of prayer over people, believing them to experience a greater degree of freedom in their lives. It was a great night of ministry.

 

Radiant Life Men’s Breakfast- Plain City, Ohio

I met some of the men from Radiant Life Church in Dublin, Ohio at the Der Dutchmen Restaurant in Plain City. After breakfast, I shared on the topic of purity for men. After giving my testimony, I gave them several practical principles that can either help them walk in greater purity, or that they can use to help other men get free. I believe that God is calling the men of this generation to join forces to help men get free from the clutches of sexual sin. We had a great time of prayer, and the presence of the Holy Spirit was evident.

 

Time Apart Women’s Conference- Marengo, Ohio

Brittany was asked to speak at one of the breakout sessions for a state-wide women’s event called Time Apart. She shared a message about walking in faith when experiencing trials. As a backdrop, she shared her side of our story and gave principles that she learned about how to cling to God even when life throws things at us we are not expecting. It was a great event, and it was a blessing that she was able to be a part of the ministry there.

 

Lighthouse on the Rock- Dry Ridge, Ohio

We had a sweet move of the Spirit at Lighthouse on the Rock Church. This church had me speak on the first Sunday that I launched out in 2023. It was amazing to be able to share all that has happened since my first visit. I spoke a message about the supreme importance of seeking the presence of God in our lives above all other things. As I closed the message, I encouraged the people to cry out to the Lord like no one else was in the room and many did so with desperation. As people began to respond, the presence of God filled the room and many souls cried out for more of Him. After a time of seeking the Lord, I felt led to invite all the children in the room to come forward, and we laid hands on them and believed God to make them passionate pursuers of God in their generation. What an amazing God we serve!

 

To each of you reading these words, you prayers and support are so vital and appreciated. You are an essential part of what God is doing through Make Way Ministries and we cannot say thank you enough. If you are not receiving updates via email, please go to the sign up form at the bottom of this page and enter your information to join our email list.

SPEAKING MINISTRY: JUN-JUL 2024 UPDATE

SPEAKING MINISTRY: JUN-JUL 2024 UPDATE

God has been so faithful!

It has been so encouraging to see how the Lord is continuing to open doors and anoint our speaking ministry everywhere we go. Here are the highlights for the months of June and July:

Calvary Assembly of God- Willoughby Hills, Ohio

We had an amazing service with Pastor Dan and his congregation at Calvary AG. I spoke in the Sunday morning service and preached a message about seeking the presence of the Holy Spirit. We had a great altar response as people came forward to cry out to the Lord for more of His presence. Several people requested prayer for specific needs in their lives. It was a blessing to be with people who are hungry for more of God. I believe He stirred many hearts that morning.

 

 

Seek the Spirit Event- Avon, Ohio

I was invited to speak at a regional Seek the Spirit Event held at Christian Heritage Assembly of God in Avon. Several churches from across northern Ohio were represented in the service. After a rich time of worship and prayer, I shared a message about the person and power of the Holy Spirit. The altars were filled with many people seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit as well as for a fresh touch from Heaven. Many were touched in a significant way and the presence of the Lord was very evident in the service.

Grace Hope Church- Xenia, Ohio

We had a great time in the Lord with Pastor Matt and the congregation of Grace Hope Church in Xenia. I shared a message about the importance of keeping our passion for the Lord alive and intact. Several people came forward for prayer for physical needs in their bodies. One woman in particular experienced a healing touch from God as the arthritic pain in her hands went away as we prayed. Several were noticeably moved by the presence of the Holy Spirit as we gathered around them and prayed for miracles in their lives. It was a fruitful morning of ministry and I was grateful for what the Lord accomplished.

International Ministry Trip to Macedonia

This June, I went on a ministry trip to Macedonia for the first time in fourteen years. This is the country where my wife and I served as missionaries in 2009-2010. The Lord did a beautiful work through the ministry in several cities where we traveled. I wrote a detailed article sharing what God did throughout the trip along with pictures and a vlog. You can read it on our website here.

Ohio Ministry Network’s Family Camp- Marengo, Ohio

I was invited to preach at the Family Camp for the Ohio Assemblies of God. I was one of three speakers that took part in the event, along with Pastor Josh Plaisance and Evangelist Ryan Young. It was a powerful week of ministry to all ages. I shared a message with the youth who attended the camp about how to practically share their faith. We had a time of discussion where the students had a chance to tell the group how they share the love of Christ with other young people in their school setting. Afterwards, we had a time of praying for the Holy Spirit to touch and anoint these young people to release what is inside of them into the world around them. It was a special time of ministry and the Holy Spirit moved in our midst. 

I also ministered in one of the services with the adults and talked about developing an evangelistic lifestyle. I shared practical principles about how to find opportunities to share Jesus with people in everyday settings. I gave many examples from my own life of how the Lord has opened doors to share His love and speak about the Gospel to people. In the final service, the youth prayed over all of the adults and the presence of God was with us in a special way. The whole week was amazing as God moved in the lives of the families who attended. 

Pure Life Ministries Residential Chapel- Dry Ridge, Kentucky

I am grateful to continue to serve on the speaking team at Pure Life Ministries. In July, I preached a message called “The Danger of Open Doors”. The message was based on the story of Judas and his tragic suicidal ending. As I studied the life of this fascinating disciple, several important principles were revealed to me. It was a sober warning about allowing the devil to have a place in our hearts.

Calloway Assembly of God- Panama City, Florida

It was such a privilege to be with our good friends, Pastor Tim and Cinthia at Calloway AG in Panama City. The last time I spoke at their church was almost eight years ago, just a couple months before a hurricane hit the coast and severely damaged their property. To be able to see the new building, and hear the story of how the Lord got them through that difficult season was inspiring. We had a great service as the Holy Spirit anointed my message on the priority of the presence of God in our lives. Several people were touched at the altar and the Lord was faithful to do what only He could do.

 

 

 

Snack Cart Outreach- Dayton, Ohio

The Lord gave me the inspiration to assemble an evangelistic cart to take on outreaches for local ministry. One of my board members and I went to downtown Dayton to take the cart out for the first time. We handed out 41 copies of the Gospels along with even more of our ministry Romans Road cards. We had the opportunity to share testimony and the Gospel with many people as well as pray for a variety of needs. We had the chance to minister to a Satanist, a group of people smoking marijuana on the street corner, a man begging on the roadside, and many others in need of Christ. It was encouraging to see a vision come to fruition and I look forward to seeing how the Lord uses it in the future.

First Assembly of God- Massillon, Ohio

I preached in two Sunday services with Pastor Jeremy and the great congregation of First Assembly of God in Massillon. In the morning service, I preached about the significance of the blood of Jesus, with an emphasis on the amazing benefits we can access because of His shed blood. One young woman responded to the call for salvation and several came forward to be prayed for. The presence of the Lord was there in a tangible way. 

In the evening service, I spoke about the need to develop a Pentecostal lifestyle. I spoke about the experience in Acts 2 and how it impacted the lives of the early church outside of the prayer meeting. We prayed for everyone in the service, and many were touched in a significant way. We then gathered together to pray for Pastor Jeremy and his wife, and they in turn prayed for our ministry. It was a special time of seeking the Lord and the whole day was a great opportunity for us to be stirred up in our spirits for more of Him in our lives.

God has been so good as we preach the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit stateside and around the world. We are so grateful for all of you who continue to remember us in your prayers and in your financial support. If you would like to connect with us for prayer requests, to book a service, or to donate, you can do so right here on our website. Can’t wait to see what God has in store in the next couple of months!

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY: MACEDONIA TRIP- JUN 2024

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY: MACEDONIA TRIP- JUN 2024

An overseas trip I will never forget…

I traveled to the country of Macedonia in Southeastern Europe for a ministry trip in June. While I have had the opportunity to travel to many nations over the last several years, this trip was especially significant for me. That is because my wife and I lived as missionaries in Macedonia back in 2010 for nearly a year and a half. For those who know my story, they will be familiar with the fact that our term there ended prematurely due to my confession of sin, leading me several months later to Pure Life Ministries in Kentucky. While I have kept in touch with some of our Macedonian friends over the years, I have not been back into the country until this trip.

I landed in Skopje, and was hosted by Assembly of God world missionaries Tim and Elle Bentley. It was amazing to get to know them better and see firsthand the incredible impact they are having in the country. If you are interested to learn more about a ministry doing fruitful work in that part of the world, I highly recommend connecting with the Bentleys’ ministry by going to this link.

One thing that was very interesting on this trip was how much of the Macedonian language came back to me by being immersed in the culture again. I had not spoken it for almost 14 years, and yet, when I landed in the country, most of what I had learned years ago came back with clarity. And I was even more surprised at how much I was able to understand after all that time had passed. In fact, I understood almost every conversation that took place around me enough to pick up the context of what was being shared.

 

 

 

 

Ministry in Strumica

My first service was in a church in Strumica. Reconnecting with Pastor Tony and his wife was a rich blessing. Before the service, he took us to see the new church building that they have been praying to complete for many years. In fact, the project had been sitting idly for some time, waiting for funding to come in. However, recently, they have been able to do a lot of work to it, and he was very encouraged with how the project is moving forward. It will be a great facility once it is finished, where the Evangelska Crkva in Strumica can flourish.

Pastor Tony shared with me many of the challenges that the church has experienced over the last several years, something that was reiterated several times by other leaders throughout the trip. In a country with strong Orthodox roots, and also a large presence of Islam, ministry for the chuch can be challenging. The evangelical churches are seen as a cult by the Orthodox churches and as a competing religion by the Muslims. This creates difficult soil for the churches that preach that people must be born again and have a true relationship with God through Jesus Christ. However, on top of that, the evangelical churches have experienced a very difficult season as three additional challenges have come their way over the last several years.

First, their president, Pastor Mirche, passed away, leaving a vacuum of leadership that needed to be filled. Second, many never returned to the churches due to the pandemic after getting out of the habit of being in church (an issue not unique to Macedonia). Third, due to the economic conditions in the country, many young adults have moved away to other parts of Europe and the world because they are able to make much more income outside of Macedonia. This has left a large gap in generations, as young families who were very involved in the churches have left the country for better opportunities. So, please remember the churches in Macedonia in your prayers. We are believing God for a move of the Holy Spirit that brings revival and a harvest of Macedonian souls.

In the service in Strumica, I shared my testimony and spoke a message about protecting the passion of God in our hearts. I spoke specifically on discouragement and how the enemy seeks to use it to wear us down. One young lady in the congregation came to me afterwards and was very moved by my testimony and the message. She said she was overwhelmed at my transparency and was very encouraged by what I had shared.

The next day, I was able to be a part of a homeless feeding program called Retweet a Meal in Skopje. This ministry cooks meals every Friday to be delivered to a place in the city where people are living in great need. We teamed up with a couple from France and prepared the meals that would be delivered by the ministry later that day. It is great to see the Body of Christ teaming up together to meet the practical needs of people in the country.

 

 

 

Ministry in Kavadarci

We had a joint service in the city of Kavadarci with the congregations from the Evangelska Crkva of Kavardarci and Negotino. Pastor Goran is the pastor of both of these congregations, and he was one of the pastors that Brittany and I worked most closely with when we were missionaries. It was a blessed time reconnecting with him and his wife, Daniella and their family. I had an opportunity to sit down with them and share the story of what the Lord has done since I left Macedonia in 2010. They were very encouraged to hear what had taken place and very encouraging toward me. It is amazing how I could be gone for so long, and yet, sitting in their living room after all of these years, it felt like I had never left. That’s one beautiful thing about the Body of Christ. Though we may be apart physically, our spiritual connection never leaves.

I shared some of my story that night in Kavadarci. There were several that I knew from my time in 2010, and others that I met for the first time. I also preached a message from the story of Achan from the book of Joshua, using my own story to illustrate what happens when we do not walk in the light as Christians. We had a time of response at the end and several acknowledged that the Holy Spirit was speaking to them through the message and asked for prayer about issues in their lives. It was a great service and the presence of the Lord was evident.

 

 

 

Ministry in Prilip/ Time in Bitola

We ministered for two days in the city of Prilip. As we were traveling to the city, I mentioned to Tim that I know I had been to Prilip when we lived in the country, but I couldn’t remember for sure what we did there. We got to the church where I would be ministering and when we met Pastor Edian and his wife, I recognized them. I looked at the church building and thought it looked familiar. Then, I remembered that I had been a part of hosting a missions team to help build that church. I went inside and on the wall was a photo of the team that helped build the church hanging on the wall, and it was the team that I had helped host. It was a really cool connection and the pastor was very excited about it.

That evening, we had a small conference with two sessions on the topic of obedience. Tim translated the messages for me. The first message was about the calling of the original disciples and how Jesus’ expectation of discipleship should impact the lives of believers today. In the second session, I used the life of King Solomon to illustrate what it looks like when we do not obey the voice of the Lord. Pastor Edian was very happy about the teachings and the people were very appreciative.

That evening, we spent in the nearby city of Bitola at the Evangelska Crkva there. The next day, I had the opportunity to meet Pastor Josef and his family and to hear how the Lord was working in Bitola, specifically through the building of relationships through Alpha Course. He shared a powerful testimony of a Muslim who had come to Christ and been water baptized as a result of the classes they offered.

That evening, we headed back to Prilip to a local coffee shop that we rented out to offer a teaching on addiction to anyone in the community who was interested in the topic. Earlier that day, I shared with Tim that I felt a spiritual fight in my spirit while preparing for that night. What we hadn’t realized was that that it was a Muslim holiday celebrating the beginning of Ramadan. The coffee shop was just about a block away from the local mosque, and the streets were filled with people joining in the festivities. It was quite a different spiritual atmosphere in the coffee shop than what was happening just outside.

I shared my story of battling with addiction and also declared that Jesus is the way to find freedom from demonic bondage, sin and all addictions. Though there were a handful of people who showed up, one young man in particular felt that it had been orchestrated just for him. We had a chance to sit down with him afterwards and hear about the things he was struggling with, and he felt the Lord used that night to help him to learn to walk in greater freedom. Another man shared with us about the demonic practices he had been a part of in the past and that he was trying to get free and live for Christ. We prayed with both of these men individually and I believe the Lord spoke to their hearts in a significant way that night.

Afterwards, we went out to eat with Pastor Edian and he shared his incredible testimony of growing up in a nominal Muslim family, and how the Lord used people in his life to slowly open his heart to the Gospel and eventually get saved and water baptized. Now, he is leading a church and preaching Jesus to anyone who will listen. What a mighty God we serve!

 

 

 

Ministry in Skopje

Sunday morning, I had the opportunity to speak at the main Evangelska Crkva in Skopje. This congregation is now pastored by a friend of ours named Stole. When we were in the country, Pastor Mirche was the leader of the church in the capital city as well as the Evangelical movement. However, his passing has been one of the challenges the church has had to navigate over the last couple of years. It was a great joy to see Pastor Mirche’s wife and talk with her and one of their daughters after the service. And there were many others who we knew personally that I was able to connect with that morning.

I shared my testimony with the church, repenting to them and asking their forgiveness for my failure to practice what I preached when I lived among them. Then, I shared a message about seeking the presence of God above all other endeavors in our lives. Afterwards, Pastor Stole came up and spoke to me publicly, saying they forgive me and that the door to Macedonia will always be open to us. Sharing publicly about one’s failures is something that is not normal in a shame-based culture. So, by doing it, I was modeling something that I believe had a significant impact on the people in the service. It was a very special moment, and I was very grateful for how the Holy Spirit moved in the service. Several came to me afterwards and spoke about how my testimony and the message had impacted them.

That evening, we went back to the same building to preach at the International Church that meets there on Sunday nights. Pastor Marino, a friend of ours from the past, is now pastoring this congregation, made up of people who speak English and are in Macedonia for a variety of reasons including ministry, military and business. I felt led to share about the story of the two sons from the parable in Luke 15. I spoke about the prodigal son who ran away, but also the older brother who stayed in the father’s house, but still did not have intimacy with the father. I encouraged everyone to search their hearts to determine if they are truly walking in relationship with the Lord, or if they can relate in some way to either of the sons in the story. It was a great time to connect with these believers and make some new friends.

 

 

Ministry in Gevgelija

We held a men’s conference at the Royal Ranger’s campground in Gevgelija. Men from several churches traveled to the camp for our time together. We opened with a couple of worship songs and I spoke about the topic of purity for men. I was told that this was not typically spoken about openly in the Macedonian church, but my own experience speaking in many places in the world has taught me that this is an issue that transcends culture. Several men expressed their gratitude for the way I candidly shared about this common struggle. After the message, we broke the men into discussion groups to talk about sexual purity, and there were a lot of great conversations taking place.

After that, we had some outdoor games for the men to take part in. We also went swimming in the river that runs along the property. The campground is on a beautiful property. After a great meal together, we headed back to Skopje. I believe the Lord used this to spur the men to greater holiness in their lives and to encourage them to develop accountability relationships with other men. One of the young men who attended, Vlatko, was a part of our youth group in Negotino, so it was great to see him again after all of these years.

 

 

The Final Two Days

The next day, we travelled down to the city of Struga with the new president of the Evangelical movement, Pastor Pieter. It was a blessing to have a chance to get to know him on a deeper level, and to hear about how the Lord has helped him settle into his new role. We visited several places to secure a location for a pastor’s conference that will be held this September.

While we were there, we were able to visit the Evangelska Crkva in Struga and meet Pastor Emil and Pastor Robert, who ministers in Radovich. Each of them had been saved out of heavy drug addiction through the ministry of Pastor Pieter in Stip. I had a chance to hear their testimonies and learn more about how the Lord is working in that area of the country. It was a great time of fellowship and building connections with the current pastors in the country.

The following day, I had a chance to reconnect with Igor, one of our Macedonian language teachers and friend, who is now serving at a church in the capital city. It was a joy to hear how the Lord has directed his life and provided a wife and kids to serve in the ministry together.

We also spent some time with a good friend, Zivko, who is pastoring another Evangelska Crkva in Skopje, planted a few years ago. Their church has an amazing worship team, and his wife, Fani, is involved with recording Macedonian worship music. It was a blessing to see him again and to catch up on how the Lord has grown the church plant and faithfully provided for them.

My final meeting was with Svetlana, a great sister in the Lord, who also translated for me on Sunday morning. She invited us to come to the pregnancy center that she leads in the capital city called Lydia. We sat down and had a chance to hear many testimonies of how the Lord is using that center to convince women to keep their children instead of choosing abortion. Svetlana has the opportunity to travel all over Europe and the world sharing about the work that they do. Something I found particularly interesting is that in Macedonia, the average woman seeking abortion is not a single mother or a teenager in distress, as we might expect in the US. Many of the women they minister to actually have children already, but due to the economic pressures in the country, they feel they cannot properly take care of another child in the home, so abortion becomes an option. I was so blessed to learn about the work they are doing to reach these mothers and try to help them make a decision for life. To find out more about this ministry, please go here.

 

 

Overall Thoughts

This trip was above and beyond anything I could have asked the Lord for. When we left Macedonia in 2010, it was abrupt, and I never had a chance to explain or say goodbye to many in the country. We assumed that word had gotten out over the years and that most of the leaders had an understanding of what took place. But I found out when I arrived on this trip, that was not the case. They only knew something had transpired and that we needed to leave quickly. So, this trip gave me the opportunity to fill in the gaps of my story, repent and ask forgiveness and share about the incredible mercy of God in my life. It was a vivid illustration of the restoration power of the Holy Spirit.

As I walked the same city streets on my prayer walks during the trip, the difference between what my life is like now was on hi-definition display. And to come back to the same place and walk the streets in freedom must have been powerful in the spiritual realm. I felt the enemy was probably cringing with every service that I preached. To God be the glory!

I also felt a deep burden for the people of Macedonia. The Lord has a plan to reach those in the country who do not know Jesus personally and I believe He is going to move in a powerful way. Please pray for the churches in the country, that God will send refreshing and revival, that pours out of the church and transforms the nation for Jesus Christ.

 

I’m super grateful for each of you who took the time to pray and sacrificed in finances to make this trip happen. You are such an integral part of what the Lord accomplished. Thank you for being a part of the trip. I also recorded a six part series of short vlogs about the events of the trip. You can watch it here:

 

https://youtu.be/pcgFSgFjZXY