New Life for Pierced Lips

Wow! I just got a call from Pastor Valera in Odessa, in the middle of my leadership meetings in L'viv, western Ukraine. He said our new Pakistani friend prayed to receive Jesus today!! Hallelujah! Jesus continues to build his church! I rejoice as Paul did, that one plants, another waters, but God gives the increase! Pray as I will continue to disciple Mr. "Pierced Lips" in his walk with the Living God! He gets more than a changed religion -- he gets eternal life from above!

Pierced lips from Pakistan

On my way into church in Odessa Ukraine yesterday, I encountered an unusual sight -- a dark-skinned young man with rings in his pierced lips was brought to me, asking in heavily-accented English, "What do I need to do to change my religion? I am Pakistani, and I want to be a Christian. Do I need to change my name?" 

Church was about to start, so I shared quickly about having a personal relationship with the Living God, and I asked him to stay for the service, which was starting, to see how we worship the God of the Universe. To my joy, he stayed, and afterwards we had another chance to talk, where I explained the "Bridge illustration" to him from Romans 6:23. 

He asked about the difference between Catholics, Orthodox and Evangelical Christians. I told him that we all profess the one creed, which beautifully presents the Gospel! The Son of God died for our sins, rose again, and sent the Spirit to us! This we must believe! In invited him NOT to "seek a new religion", but to seek the Living God, who said, "You shall seek me and you shall find me, if you seek for me with all your heart."

I had to leave on a train that very afternoon, so I couldn't follow up right away. I gave him my email, and he actually wrote me, so I'm able to continue the conversation! Please pray for this young man in his 20's, whose name I will not share (and you couldn't pronounce it, anyway)! What a joy to my own faith to hear the testimony of faith coming from my OWN lips! What a privilege to share Jesus with others, and to know that it is GOD who seeks US and will follow after this young man and continue this work while I am away!  

A Busy Holy Week

After enjoying a wonderful Easter here in Ukraine, it’s back to business. I’m still unpacking from last week’s trip to Kyiv with its strategic planning and Staff meetings and tutorials with students. I got back to Odessa to jump into preparations for Easter. But I still managed to work with the publisher on the final corrections to my book: “Retooling the Church: A Spiritual Gifts Toolbox,” soon to be available on Amazon!

I leave again on Tuesday for 3 days of Presbytery work in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. That just leaves Monday to catch up on the huge pile of papers on my desk! But even Monday is already half-full. It is “Easter Monday” in Ukraine, and the church’s ministries will also fill half the day and the evening. Whew! Work is sometimes like that, but how exciting to see God at work in people’s lives – in answer to the prayers of his people, and allowing us to take a part in it – even if that means the work is sometimes exhausting!