The Lord has been so faithful!

God has been so faithful to do what only He can do as we step out in faith and obedience to share the Gospel in every door that opens to us. Here are the highlights from August and September:

Family Church, West Carrolton, Ohio

It was a blessing to be back in West Carrolton with the great congregation of Family Church. This time, I spoke about the power of the blood of Jesus and how it impacts our lives as believers. At the end of the message, we ministered to those who came forward, believing God to meet their needs. After the service, one family shared a picture with us showing them wearing our evangelistic t-shirts on their recent trip to Disney World. It’s awesome to see people shining the light of Christ wherever they go, willing to have spiritual conversations with those around them. We are thankful for how the Lord moved that Sunday.

Living Hope Worship Center- St. Marys, Ohio

I had a chance to do an evangelistic training for the outreach team of Living Hope Worship Center. Pastor Josh asked me to provide some practical evangelism tips as well as a strategy session for how their church can make the biggest impact in their community. Our ministry created some evangelistic touch cards with their church’s info (the picture in this post is us praying over the boxes of cards). We had a great time of brainstorming, prayer and practical teaching.

For lunch, he and I went to the local festival where their church would hold an outdoor meeting the following morning. As we grabbed some food and interacted with people, we had opportunity to pray for and share the love of Jesus with them. One couple in particular had just experienced a crisis the day before, so when we offered to pray for them, the woman broke down crying. Pastor Josh was able to follow back up with several people we met to continue to build relationship. It reminds me that you never know what people might be going through. But I’m certain this couple knew the Lord was pursuing them through our encounter.

New Lebanon Assembly of God- New Lebanon, Ohio

The next morning, I was with Pastors Dan and Veronica at New Lebanon Assembly of God. I shared a message about how to stay in step with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to influence our lives in a greater capacity. We had an opportunity to pray with several people at the altars. One young man in particular said it was really hard for him to come up front, but he was glad he did. He shared some of his story through tears, and I know the Lord was working on his heart.

At lunch, we talked to an employee at a local restaurant. When we offered to pray for her, she turned us down. Then a little while later, she came back and said, “I really do need prayer.” She gave us her request but was nervous that her boss wouldn’t want her praying with customers. So, we told her we would pray as she wiped down the tables. As we step out in faith, God will open doors to people’s hearts.

Also, our ministry was blessed to be able to custom wrap and deliver a new snack cart for New Lebanon Assembly of God to use for outreach in their community (pictured above). We did a Saturday teaching with them on evangelism and we brainstormed some ways that they can connect with their community to share the love of Christ. We prayed over the cart together and their team is super excited to use it. We love having the opportunity to partner with local churches to help equip them to create evangelistic encounters in their sphere of influence.

Snack Cart Evangelism- Dayton, Ohio

We took the snack cart to downtown Dayton twice. Our team talked to a lot of people, prayed for their needs and got Gospel literature into their hands. We count it a privilege to share the love of Christ with our neighbors. We planted many seeds of the Gospel, and we pray that the Lord will cause those seeds to take root.

It’s always amazing to see how a can of soda and a bag of chips can open up the hearts of people. We met a young lady who was going to have her first child in a few months. At first she was apprehensive but then shared that she was dealing with fear and let us pray for her. We met a couple who had recently come to Christ. They had been clean from drugs for a year and the man was just baptized a few weeks ago. They were such a joy to meet. Many had physical needs that we prayed for including health issues, family problems, housing and custody. Some were very open and others not as excited that we were out there. But God loves them all.

We don’t always get to see the immediate fruit of our obedience, but we know that the Lord can take those encounters and use them to reveal Himself to each we came in contact with.

Pure Life Ministries- Dry Ridge, Kentucky

August: The God Who Hears and Sees

I preached a message at the Pure Life Ministries residential chapel on the topic of Moses’ pursuit of God. It was a part of the “Unveiling Yahweh” series and the title was “The God Who Sees and Hears.” I spoke from the story of Hagar and how the Lord pursued her when she was cast away because of her and Sarah’s difficult relationship regarding Ishmael. God revealed Himself to her as the One who can See and Hear every situation in our lives, and He cares about what we go through.

September: The Victor Over Death

My September message at Pure Life was my final message on the speaking team. Because of our move to Brazil early next year, I needed to step down from that role so that we could prepare for our transition. It was bittersweet after speaking for several years on a regular basis. My final message was called “The Victor Over Death,” and was about how God ultimately overcame the power of death through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. I encouraged the men to trust in the God who displayed His sovereign power over man’s greatest enemy.

Miamisburg Assembly of God- Miamisburg, Ohio

Brittany and I were blessed to both minister at our home church in August. Brittany spoke during the mid-week service on the topic of hope. Several came forward for prayer after the message and shared how it spoke to their hearts. I spoke that Sunday about the baptism in the Holy Spirit and how we can allow God’s power to flow through us on a regular basis. The altars were filled with people seeking more of God in their lives. I’m so grateful to be part of a church community that loves the presence of God and is hungry for more.

Connection Pointe Church of God- Grove City, Ohio

I spent two Wednesday nights with the men of Connection Pointe Church of God. They were in the middle of a special series for the men and asked me to come and talk about some important issues that men are dealing with in society today. The first night, I shared about staying sexually pure and how to walk in freedom from pornography. The second night, I shared some principles from the life of Christ about spiritual leadership. We had great discussion and it was a blessing to have some of the youth in the meetings as well. God is moving in this generation of men and they are rising up to their potential in Christ!

MWM Family and Friends Banquet- Kettering, Ohio

We had such a great ministry banquet in September. This was the first big event we held as a ministry, and we were so encouraged with the many people who came to join us to hear about what God has been doing and where we are headed. Several commented about how much they felt the presence of God during the event. We wrote a brief ministry report about the banquet, and you can read it here. 

Warren First Assembly of God- Warren, Ohio

We had a great weekend with Pastor Rich and the congregation of Warren First for their 111th anniversary weekend. It was a time of celebration for the history of what the Lord has done through their church for over a century! They had a special choir and time to reflect on the heritage of the church. I was honored to be a part of it.

We had a men’s luncheon on Saturday, where I shared my testimony and encouraged the men to walk in purity and help other men to do the same. Many said they were very encouraged by the meeting.

On Sunday morning, I shared a message about developing a sensitivity to and relationship with the Holy Spirit. Several people responded to the call to salvation/ rededication. When I asked for anyone who wanted to grow in their relationship with the Holy Spirit to come forward, many responded and the altars were filled with people crying out to God for more of Him. It was a beautiful morning in His presence.

That evening, after worship, I felt led to have all of the students come forward so that we could pray over the next generation of the church. Then, I preached about how to position our lives to put the pursuit of God’s presence in its proper place. Several people came forward to seek God with specific needs and we prayed that the Lord would meet them in a powerful way.

On the final day, we met a lady who worked at the hotel who was serving breakfast. I asked her if we could pray for her and she responded with wide eyes, “How did you know I needed prayer? Can you tell by the look on my face?” We assured her it wasn’t us that knew, but God wanted to encourage her and remind her how much He loves her. We prayed with her and she was very touched by the encounter. You never know what people are going through all around us. All we are called to do is be the light and trust the Lord with the results!

Christian Center Assembly of God- Yellow Springs, Ohio

I had the privilege of being invited back to minister with Pastor Charlie and the congregation of Christian Center Assembly of God. I shared a message about developing an urgency to share the Gospel and making sure that the souls of people are one of our top priorities. After preaching, Pastor Charlie and I prayed over each person individually. One of the young men in the church came to me afterwards and shared about how amazing it was to hear our prayers for people, because many of them were exactly what the people needed, even though I didn’t know any of their situations. It’s amazing how the Holy Spirit operates when we allow Him to flow through us. I’m so grateful for how the Lord ministered in Yellow Springs.

Forge Men’s Event- Lima, Ohio

The Holy Spirit moved in a powerful way when I spoke at the Forge Men’s event at Lima First. Men from many different churches came together on a Friday night to worship, fellowship and hear the Word of God. The Lord gave me a message called “Slaying the Elephant.” I spoke candidly about the issue of sexual sin that is impacting so many in our churches. I shared from the story of Phineas, who stepped into a similar situation and took decisive action to intervene. I encouraged the men that they are either walking in freedom, or can be used by God to come alongside other men to help them get free. The altars were packed with men crying out to the Lord and others praying with them for their freedom. I believe the Lord stirred the hearts of many men and I’m so thankful for how He ministered that night.

We are so grateful for how the Lord continues to move as we step out to preach the Gospel. Many of you are praying for us over each door that opens and we are really grateful that you are with us on this journey. Thanks for your support!

An amazing evening of God’s presence.

We had an incredible night for our first Family and Friends Banquet. We were blessed with so many coming to support us and enjoy an evening of food, worship, testimony and preaching. A team from Pure Life Ministries in Dry Ridge, Kentucky came to lead us in worship. The atmosphere was rich with the presence of God. Our two oldest daughters, Abby and Claire, sung a worship song in English and Portuguese. Brittany shared an update about the ministry, detailing our stateside and international speaking ministry as well as the way God is using our speaking ministry through English, Portuguese and Spanish translations of our books. Then we showed a video of five amazing testimonies from people who have been touched through Make Way Ministries (you can see the full video at the link below).

Dr. Gary Denbow, one of our Board members, shared a message about waiting on the Lord that I know spoke to many. I then shared about our vision for Brazil and the progress on our transition there in February 2026. Pastor Nate Danser, our Board Secretary, was the emcee for the event and provided an opportunity for people to sow into the ministry through prayer and financial support. So many were generous in their giving and we raised about 10% of our monthly goal in one night to the glory of God!

One of the things I heard from several people and experienced myself was how they experienced the presence of God that night. His presence was evident and we are so grateful for how He moved that night. One young man even felt like God might be calling him into the ministry as the Word was preached by Pastor Gary. Only the Lord knows all that happened in people’s hearts, but I know that our hearts were greatly encouraged as a Board and as a family. Thank you so much for all who helped serve in so many ways. We could not have done it without you! We look forward to our second Family and Friends Banquet next fall.

https://youtu.be/FBMdABz8rTA

So blessed to see God moving!

We are so thankful to everyone who is praying for our speaking ministry. And God has been faithful to respond to your prayers! Here are the highlights from June and July:

Tent Meeting at Living Hope Worship Center- St. Marys, Ohio

I had the privilege of being a part of a series of tent meetings held on the property of Living Hope Worship Center. Pastor Joshua and his team have a heart to see the church get outside of its four walls to make an impact in their city and holding services outside was one way of bringing Jesus to the community. The worship was led by the Worship Anyway team from St. Marys. The speakers were myself, Pastor Shawn Howard, Evangelist Ryan Young and Pastor Josh Plaisance. God moved in a powerful way every night, and people responded to the calls for salvation, rededication, healing, deliverance and a fresh touch of God’s Spirit.

On the night that I spoke, I shared my testimony as well as a message from the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel about allowing the fire of God’s presence to permeate our lives. Several responded to the altar call and we were able to water baptize a couple of people that night as well, to the glory of God!

That Saturday, we held an evangelistic training event for the church. I spoke about cultivating an evangelistic lifestyle. Ryan and Josh also led sessions on healing and hearing God’s voice. We closed by praying over the attendees and believing that their hearts will be stirred to step out in faith in their sphere of influence. What a great event it was in St. Marys!

New Hope Church- Lancaster, Ohio

I was back with Pastor Randy Perkins and the amazing people of New Hope Church for two services on Pentecost Sunday. On Sunday morning, before I spoke, I felt we needed to pray for anyone dealing with anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. Several people boldly stepped forward and we prayed that the chains would be broken off their lives. I shared a message about learning how to live a lifestyle in step with the Holy Spirit. I shared some practical stories of how I have done this myself. Afterwards, we prayed for anyone who wanted to experience the Holy Spirit and several came forward and were ministered to by Him.

That evening, we had a rich time of worship and I could tell in advance that the service was going to be special. As we sought the Lord, His presence came and we prayed for several people who were just worn out spiritually. I shared a message about making God’s presence a priority in our lives. It was such a sweet time of soaking in the presence of the Lord and I was so grateful for how He moved in people’s lives throughout the day. He is so good!

Radiant Life Men’s Accountability Group- Dublin, Ohio

I was invited to come and share at a men’s group at Radiant Life Church led by Pastor Brian Hererra. This group of men get together weekly to talk about their lives, share their struggles and receive biblical instruction. We had a rich time of conversation about our spiritual lives. I shared about the connection between showing mercy to other people and walking in freedom from sin. I shared several passages of Scripture, and we talked about how important it is for us as men to make the needs of others a priority. I was grateful for the discussion and I believe it was fruitful for all who attended. I was told the men were still talking about that night days later.

Snack Cart Evangelism- Dayton, Ohio

A small team of us took the snack cart out to the streets of downtown Dayton to share the love of Christ with all who would listen. As we handed out snacks and drinks, we prayed with people and made sure that everyone was offered a copy of the Gospels and a Romans Road card. Many had important and urgent needs, and we joined in faith for them. Our biggest prayer is always that God will reveal Himself to each one. One of the ladies we were ministering to decided that day to give her life to Jesus. We had the privilege of praying a prayer of repentance with her. Praise the Lord!

Not everyone is always excited that we are there. We had a long conversation with a young man who believes that religion is a construct of mankind and that (in his opinion) we are not only deceiving people, but coercing them into believing a lie. After listening to him for some time, I told him, “You could probably win any debate against me. You seem to be really intelligent and you really know your arguments. But all I can say is that the God you claim is made up in the minds of men revealed Himself to me many years ago. He set me free from addiction and He lives inside of me.” Sometimes, all we can do is testify to others about the goodness of God and trust that He will use those seeds of the Gospel to open their hearts. Please pray for all of those we came in contact with that day.

Pure Life Ministries- Dry Ridge, Kentucky

June: The Ever-Present Father

I ministered at Pure Life on Father’s Day in June. As we continue to go through the “Unveiling Yahweh” series, the Lord gave me a message called “The Ever-Present Father.” I talked about the importance of discovering our identity as children of God rather than living like spiritual orphans who have to figure everything out for ourselves. I spoke from the story of Joshua and the spies who brought back conflicting reports after spying out the Promised Land. I believe the message was a great encouragement to the men in the program.

July: The God Who Wants to be Found

In July, I preached a message about Moses’ relationship with God called “The God Who Wants to be Found.” I encouraged the men that God does not play hard to get with His people. Rather, He promises if we will seek Him with our whole hearts, He will be found by us. This is God’s desire for all people and if we take a step toward Him, He will come running to us. We were all challenged to pursue the Lord in a greater way and I was grateful for how the Lord moved.

Grace Hope Church- Xenia, Ohio

I was invited again to preach at Grace Hope Church while Pastor Matt was away on a missions trip with several from their congregation. I shared a message about how important it is for us to pursue intimacy with God. Too often, we get distracted with the things of this life, and we forget to prioritize our relationship with Him. It was a reminder to all of us that we need to make sure God’s presence is something we are sensitive to. I had a young man who asked to meet with me after the service. My testimony and the ministry really touched his heart and I was able to minister to him. I was grateful for a great Sunday in the Lord.

First Family Church- Bellefontaine, Ohio

We had a weekend of amazing events with First Family Church in Bellefontaine. Pastor Justin asked me to come and speak at an event called Freedom Fest. There were several food trucks set up outside the church on Friday evening, and then we had a service specifically geared toward freedom in Christ. The Worship Anyway team was there to lead worship and then I shared a message about what it takes to get free. Quite a few responded to the altar call and God moved in people’s lives. Pastor Justin told me that a man who had been struggling with suicidal thoughts was there that night. And since then, he had gotten free and been water baptized. Praise the Lord!

The next day, we headed to a local apartment complex and setup a bunch of activities, games and food trucks. We invited the neighbors to come out and bring their families. Many came out and we had an opportunity to pray for many of them and share the Gospel. It was an awesome day of outreach, and the church has already been back to do another outreach since that weekend.

On Sunday morning, I preached a message about the importance of souls and our need to be willing to get uncomfortable to reach them. We prayed together for the souls of family, friends, co-workers and neighbors and we were reminded to share Jesus every chance we have. I pray that the weekend reignited a passion in the church for evangelism.

Found Life Church- Winter Garden, Florida

I was blessed to have a chance to minister with Pastors EJ and Beth at Found Life Church. It was my first time there and we had a great service together. I shared my testimony in detail and encouraged everyone to search their hearts to make sure their profession of Christ was genuine. I also shared a message about how to develop an evangelistic lifestyle. Several people responded to the call to salvation and then a few came forward to be prayed for who felt a call to go deeper into evangelism. It was a wonderful time in the Lord and I’m grateful for the lives that were impacted.

New Covenant Church of the Living God- Dayton, Ohio

I had the opportunity to preach at Pastor Walder’s church in Dayton. I shared a message about developing a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in our lives. Too often, we go through life without a continual awareness of the Spirit of God. I gave some practical advice about how to strengthen our relationship with the Holy Spirit. We had a great service together and I was thankful for how the Lord moved. 

It’s been awesome to see new doors open as well as be invited back to places we have ministered before. Thanks to everyone who is following along with us, praying for us and financially supporting us. Lives are being touched by the Gospel and we could not do what we do without you. We pray that the Lord will shower His blessings into your life in abundance!