God’s Faithfulness Continues!

February marked a big transition month for our family and ministry. We spent the first couple of weeks ministering in the States and moved mid-February to Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. Amid the transition, God has continued to be so faithful to minister to many lives. Here are the highlights from February and March:

Miamisburg Assembly of God- Miamisburg, OH

We had a great service at our home church. It was bittersweet, as it was the last time speaking there until we get back from Brazil. Our church’s vision this year is “GO!” so I gave some practical instruction on sharing the love of Christ with others. Several people helped me act out different scenarios so that people could see what it looks like in real-life situations. At the end, Pastor Chuck prayed for our family to send us out. We are so grateful for a church family that loves our family so well. We had a friend from the church reach out to share about a great Gospel conversation she had at a nail salon that same day due to the service that morning! God is so faithful to open doors if we will be aware and willing to take a step of faith.

New Lebanon Correctional Institution – New Lebanon, OH

We had a powerful time of ministry with the inmates at Lebanon Correctional Institution. I led worship and preached to a group of about 50 men who chose to be in chapel. After a time of rich worship, I shared my testimony and a message based on the Israelites about how to live in freedom. When I gave the call to salvation, about seven men stood up to boldly surrender their lives to Jesus! Then several stuck around to ask for prayer for different needs in their lives. One young man in his thirties asked for prayer for his son and daughter. They were both under 10 years old and their father is serving a potential life sentence. He was one of the men who stood to give his life to Jesus. Despite the challenging and dark environment, the Spirit of God is moving in prisons and setting men free.

Bryan Assembly of God- Bryan, OH

We were so blessed to have the opportunity to minister with Pastor Sam and the great congregation of Bryan First Assembly of God. Brittany shared an update on our ministry and I spoke a message about keeping the fire of God in our lives burning brightly. We could sense the Spirit of God throughout the service. Several came up for prayer, asking God to keep their fire burning and I believe the Holy Spirit ministered to many.

Rock of Grace Church- Kinsman, OH

We are grateful for the opportunity we had to share about our ministry at Rock of Grace’s Kinsman campus. We enjoyed a rich time of worship and a timely Word from Pastor Will. It was a blessing to make some new friends from their awesome congregation. We also had a chance to hang out with them that evening for an outreach they held that included worship, fellowship, games, and an altar call for salvation. It was a blessing to see what God is doing in Kinsman, Ohio.

ClearView Church- Columbia Station, OH

We had a great weekend with Pastors Donovan and Sarah at ClearView Church. On Saturday, I had the opportunity to spend time with their family and hear the amazing story of how their boys started a soap company. Their products have been sent into many countries and have been a blessing to missionaries, orphans and many others. They gave Brittany and I some soap to bring to Brazil.

On Sunday, I ministered in two services. I shared about our testimony and gave a message with practical evangelism principles. This year, their church’s vision is for every family to reach another family for Christ. It was a blessing to tie into that vision. We prayed for several people in the services. One young man prayed to receive Christ, and God ministered to him in a powerful way!

Snack Cart Outreach- Downtown Dayton

We are so grateful for the ministry that took place in downtown Dayton. The team that took our cart out reported back that they had an amazing time of ministry. They were able to pray for many people for healing and other needs, as well as share the Gospel with all who would listen. There was a group of about fifteen teenage girls who wanted to be prayed for as a group before they got their snacks. They were even able to get one person checked into a treatment facility. A few weeks later, he gave his life to Christ and entered Whole Truth Ministries to be discipled! God is so good!

Evangelism Podcast with CEBI- Brasilia, Brazil

I had the privilege of sharing about evangelism on the podcast for SEBI (Sociedade de Estudos Bíblicos Interdisciplinares) here in Brazil. It was a joy to share about the believer’s responsibility to evangelize as well as the reward of partnering with God to see souls impacted by the Gospel. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity and look forward to hearing testimonies of those who put the concepts to practice. The link to the podcast is here for those who might be interested: youtube.com/live/OnO9UGsXkBU?si=O-KCXNkwjCs2pm8g

Pure Life Ministries Brazil

We had an amazing time in the presence of God with the students at Pure Life Ministries Brazil. I shared a message about not getting too close to the world from the story of Lot. When we prayed at the end, the presence of the Holy Spirit was strong and we spent time in prayer and worship. It was evident that the Spirit of God was working on men’s hearts. We were so grateful to have the opportunity to minister there. Afterwards, they cooked a delicious meal for us and we spent time in fellowship. They sent us home with ten giant avocados from the property. Not long after, they found a diamondback rattlesnake in an office on campus close to where we were ministering. We were so grateful for God’s protection and that no one was harmed by it.

Igreja Baptista Palavra E Vida – Taguatinga, Brazil

We were blessed to minister in Taguatinga at Igreja Baptista Palavra E Vida. I spoke at their church four years ago on my first trip to Brazil. It was a blessing to connect with Pastor Marcelo and his wife again. My good friend, Fred Geerman from Pure Life Ministries Brazil, was my translator. As it was the first weekend leading into Easter week, I spoke a message about the cross. I shared that many people came to celebrate Jesus on Palm Sunday, but none of them were willing to join Him at the cross. It can be the same in modern church culture. We love the celebration of Palm Sunday and the Resurrection. But between those events is a cross that Jesus expects us all to carry according to Luke 9. It was a heavy message, but I believe the Lord used it to challenge us all in our faith.

God has been so faithful to bless the speaking opportunities during these two months. Thank you to everyone who is supporting us through their prayer and finances. We could not do what God has called us to do without you!

So blessed to serve the Lord!

It’s been an exciting season of connecting with new churches and ministries. We are so grateful for the move of the Holy Spirit in our services and events. Here are the highlights from December and January:

Wilmington Assembly of God- Wilmington, OH

We had a great service with Pastor John and the congregation of Wilmington Assembly of God. I preached a message about being intentional to engage with evangelism in our daily life. I shared many stories of how we have learned to take practical steps in this process as a family. And I encouraged the church to be willing to step out in faith to share the love of Christ to those around them. During the altar call, many came forward for various needs. I believe the Lord touched their hearts and we are grateful for the opportunity to connect with their church.

Litchfield Assembly of God- Litchfield, OH

We trudged through some snow to make our way to Litchfield Assembly of God in Ohio on the weekend of a snowstorm, but we were grateful that we did. We had a great Sunday with Pastor Andy and the congregation there. Our family shared in the adult Sunday school about our ministry. Claire gave some details about Brazil and its culture, Abby and Claire sang a song in Portuguese, Isabelle taught some Portuguese words and Brittany and I shared our vision and story.

During the service, I preached a message about Jesus being Savior, Healer and Deliverer. At the end, a young man came forward to give his life to Christ. Several others came for prayer and we had a great time in His presence. It was worth it all to be at the altar when that young man was praying to ask Jesus for a brand new life. God is so good!

Liberty Assembly of God- Girard, OH

We had a great service with Pastor Patrick and the folks at Liberty Assembly of God. Brittany gave an update on the ministry and our plans for Brazil. Then I preached a message about removing all obstacles in our lives that get in the way of our intimacy with God. Several came forward to pray at the altar and seek the Lord for more of Him. It was a beautiful morning and we were thankful to be a part of it.

Bethel Christian Assembly of God- Beavercreek, OH

Men’s Discipleship Group

Pastor Dan invited me to share with a men’s discipleship group that he meets with on a regular basis. I had time to share my testimony with the guys and then shared some thoughts from Scripture about leaving our regrets behind and pressing forward from Philippians 3. We had a good time of discussion and I think the men were encouraged in their faith that morning.

Sunday Service

Even though several inches of snow caused our service with Bethel Christian Assembly of God to be cancelled, Pastor Dan asked us to shoot a short video service with our family and send it to them to post for Sunday morning. Here’s the link for those who want to watch it. Abby and I led a couple of worship songs, we provided a ministry update and I shared a brief word from 2 Corinthians.

El Camino Church (Spanish Service)- Columbus, Ohio

I spoke at El Camino Assembly of God in Columbus, Ohio. This is a Spanish speaking congregation and after a time of vibrant worship, I spoke about believing God for the supernatural in our lives. I gave a salvation call, and several came forward. Then we prayed for many who responded to experience more of God. It was a great morning in the presence of God.

Columbus AG (Portuguese Service)- Columbus, OH

I preached in a Brazilian church called Columbus AD. They have their service in Portuguese, and it was a blessing to reconnect with Pastor Gileade and the congregation. Our family enjoyed worship in Portuguese as we have been studying the language for several months. I preached about believing God for the miraculous, and the altars were filled with people coming forward to cry out for more of God in their lives. I’m certain that many lives were touched that Sunday, and I’m grateful for how the Holy Spirit moved.

Oklahoma Trip

Our hearts are filled of gratitude for a great week of services at Fletcher Assembly of God in Oklahoma. It was such a blessing to be back with Pastor Carper and his congregation. This time, Brittany and the girls were able to join me and minister in the services.

On Sunday morning, I preached a message about keeping our intimacy with God a priority in our lives. We had a rich time of seeking the Lord at the altars as people cried out for more of Him. We also prayed for many who needed a healing touch. One of the women we prayed for said her stomach was feeling better two days after we prayed, which was the longest relief she had since the problem had started. Praise the Lord!

That evening, I shared a message about taking a step of faith into the deeper things of God. I spoke about the need to keep growing spiritually and to take risk in our Christian walk. We sought the Lord together that evening and it was a great end to a beautiful day of ministry.

On Monday evening, Abby and Claire sang a worship song in English and Portuguese and Brittany shared a message about how to get through hard times with the Lord’s help. She shared her side of our testimony and what God had taught her through our biggest trial. Several requested prayer for situations they were walking through and many came forward to seek the Lord.

On Tuesday evening, I preached about developing a stronger relationship with the Holy Spirit. We gathered everyone together at the altars and prayed for specific needs as people felt moved on their hearts to pray. We lingered at the altars as we prayed for one another and closed with a corporate prayer for unity. It was a great night.

The final service was on Wednesday night. I shared a message about making evangelism a priority with examples about how to step out to share Jesus with others. I told the church that this is the main purpose of coming and having time set aside to seek the Lord. We receive from Him in church so we can go out and be a blessing to the world around us.

It was a great week and we were so blessed to see God moving in the lives of the congregation. We had sweet fellowship, many great conversations and rich times of prayer and worship. We believe the Holy Spirit had His way in our midst.

Homeschool Group- Williamstown, KY

Our family had a great time sharing about missions and our plans for Brazil to a homeschool coop group in Williamstown, Kentucky. We spoke to three age groups from kindergarten to middle school. Claire shared facts about Brazil, Brittany spoke on being a disciple, I taught some Portuguese phrases and Abby taught them a Brazilian game. Then they all tried acai and cookies from Brazil. It was a great day and we enjoyed pouring into the next generation and hoping to inspire them to support and engage with missions.

Thank you for all who have been praying for ministry opportunities like these. God has been so faithful, and we are very grateful for what He is doing. Please continue to intercede for our ministry and family. Thanks in advance for your prayers!

The Holy Spirit is Moving!

We are so grateful for all that God is doing through our speaking ministry. Here are the highlights from October and November:

Centerbrook Church- Bellbrook, Ohio

We were so blessed to minister as a family at Centerbrook Church. I led worship with Abby and Claire before Brittany came and shared an update about the ministry. Then she and the girls taught a program about missions and the country of Brazil for their children’s church. I shared a message about the blood of Jesus and the impact it has in the life of a believer. We then took communion together as we reflected about the body and blood of Jesus. It was a great service, and we were so thankful to have connected with the Centerbrook congregation.

East Dayton Christian School- Riverside, Ohio

I was invited to speak in the high school chapel for East Dayton Christian School. I shared a message about making sure we are living with eternity in mind, pulling from the story of several people from the Bible. I strongly encouraged the students to reflect on their lives and consider if they are growing closer in their relationship with God or with the world. During the altar time, several came forward to cry out to the Lord. It was a beautiful time in His presence and I’m so thankful for how He is ministering to the next generation.

Trip to Michigan

We had the opportunity to minister at two churches in one weekend in Michigan:

On Sunday morning, we were at Real Life Church in Charlotte with Pastors Andy and Emily. I shared a message about seeking God with our whole hearts and being willing to sacrifice to make room for more of His presence. One young man responded to a call to salvation, and several came forward to experience a fresh hunger for God in their lives. We praise the Lord for what He accomplished that morning!

That evening, we were with Pastor Jared at Journey Life Church in Holt. Before I preached, I felt that we needed to pray for people who were waiting on God for a new season. Several came forward in response to the call. I then shared a message about learning to walk with the Holy Spirit and live our lives better in step with Him. Many came forward for prayer and to seek the Lord. Several were touched in a significant way. We were so grateful for the open doors and how the Lord moved in both services that weekend.

Greater Cleveland Area Meeting

I had a chance to be with a group of ministers from the Ohio Ministry Network in Greater Cleveland. I was asked to share principles about how to develop an evangelistic culture in our churches. I gave practical examples and offered to provide evangelistic resources for the churches. Out of that meeting, our ministry was able to provide a snack cart to a pastor to use for street evangelism for his church. It’s a joy for us to sow into local churches to help encourage and equip them to reach souls for Jesus.

Metro Assembly of God- Youngstown, OH

We had a great service with Pastor Cornell and the congregation of Metro Assembly. I preached about stumbling blocks we all need to avoid in our Christian walk. It was a strong message, but the church was very responsive, and many thanked me afterwards for speaking directly into their situation. I gave a call for salvation and nine people responded including a group of four teenage girls! I’m so grateful for the opportunity and how the Holy Spirit moved in the service.

Miamisburg Assembly of God- Miamisburg, Ohio

I was invited to speak at the youth group of our home church by Pastor Tim. I had a message on my heart about the need for this generation to take advantage of the opportunity to live for Christ boldly in a world that needs to see true faith lived out. At the end, we prayed for each of the students, that God would set them on fire and use them for His glory. I believe they were stirred in their faith to stand boldly for God in their generation.

Community Christian Learning Center- Dayton, OH

We had a great opportunity to share about Brazil with our friends at Community Christian Learning Center in Dayton, Ohio. Principal Cory Ferguson and his staff invited us to come and do a missions presentation for the students. Claire shared some details about Brazil, Brittany talked about making disciples, I shared about our vision for the ministry training school, Abby and Claire sang “Believe for it” in English and Portuguese and we had a fun Brazilian game for the kids to play. We were really grateful to have an opportunity to pour into the next generation. To learn more about Community Christian Learning Center, check out their website at: https://www.cclearning.org/

Alger Assembly of God- Alger, Ohio

We are so grateful for the service we had in Alger, Ohio with Pastor Mark and the great congregation of Alger Assembly of God. Isabelle had a chance to help hold the donation bucket for BGMC (Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge). Brittany gave an update about our ministry and then I shared a message about maintaining our passion for God amidst the challenging culture around us. We closed the service praying that the Lord would continue to allow His fire to burn in our lives.  

International Trip- Netherlands

I took my fifth trip to the Netherlands in November. I have been going every other year since 2017, and it has been a great partnership between our ministry and the churches in their country. It’s always a blessing to see how the Lord is moving in Europe. I wrote a separate article with pictures and details that you can read here.

Columbus Area Meeting- Columbus, OH

I was invited to speak at an area meeting for ministers in the Columbus Area from the Ohio Ministry Network. I spoke about the issue of pornography in the church and how to address it as leaders. I shared my testimony, practical principles to help others get free, and every leader received a copy of our book, Delete. We are blessed to be a resource to help churches address this important issue of our day. Many copies have been donated to pastors all around the state of Ohio to help them with this challenging issue.

Peru Online Seminar

I was so blessed to have the opportunity on Friday night to speak with several church leaders in Peru on the topic of walking in freedom from pornography. Missionaries Bill and Lena Shrader invited me to do a webinar on the topic, as it is much needed, but is a difficult one to address in their setting. I shared my testimony and then a presentation with practical principles on how to help others get free. We had time for questions and answers at the end and then the translated presentation was left with them to share with the leadership team. I’m always humbled to have a chance to share about how great Jesus is in any nation that opens the door. Please keep the church in Peru in prayer as they seek to see the Kingdom of God expand!

Cornerstone Assembly of God- Hillsboro, OH

We were so blessed to speak at Cornerstone Assembly of God in Hillsboro, Ohio. Pastor Mark and their congregation were so welcoming to us. I preached a message about keeping our passion for God burning and then we had an opportunity to pray for several people who had significant needs in their lives. We are believing that testimonies will come from that service and we are very grateful for how the Holy Spirit moved.

God has been so faithful to move in each setting where we have been invited to minister. Sometimes, we are able to see the evidence of His work in the natural. But we also know that many things are happening in the lives of people that we will never know. Our part is to obey and trust Him to do what He does best. Thanks to all who are praying and keeping in touch with us. We appreciate your prayers and support!