Europe Missions
The Power of Teams
The Power of Teams
Wales
Ryan McCullough
The Hard Stuff No One Wants to Tell A ...

You don’t become a missionary by raising money and flying to a foreign country. You do it by being obedient to God. Tell people about Jesus where you live. Get out of your comfort zone. Sell something precious and apply it to your debts. Make a sacrifice. Develop better friendships. There is an old saying: “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” While this is not to be taken literally in this sense, (please, don’t start wearing the national garb of the country you want to go to just yet). However, somewhere in the process, we have to make a conscious decision that there is no going back. 

The Hard Stuff No One Wants to Tell A Prospective Missionary
Portugal, Spain
Dan Desrosiers
Starting from Scratch

Dan and Joy West have had a rich missionary career, yet at a time in their career when they might be tempted to stay in their comfort zone, Dan and Joy are starting over.

Starting from Scratch
Netherlands
Dan Desrosiers
The Miracle of the Oasis

More than 30 years ago, the last evangelical church in the municipality of Bergen, Netherlands, closed its doors, leaving no evangelical witness for two generations. But a small yet passionate group of Christians believed God for a miracle in their community.

The Miracle of the Oasis
Poland
Dan Desrosiers
On the Hunt: Embracing—and Breaking—Tradition ...

For most of his life, one of missionary Rich McLane’s passions has been hunting. His wife Lori enjoys playing the trumpet. When they became missionary church planters in Poland years ago, who would have guessed these passions would converge to reach more than 120,000 hunters throughout the country?

On the Hunt: Embracing—and Breaking—Tradition in the Name of Christ

Spain

By Prayer and Fasting in Spain

AGWM Personnel in Barcelona, Spain, Missionary Associates Nick and Kelly Seders, are excited at the result of the prayer emphasis at the International Church of Barcelona. Nick relates, “In January, the two of us worked very hard to create a 14-day journal, to guide our congregation through a time of intense prayer and fasting. We were so glad to see our brothers and sisters internalize the Word of God, as they expected him to respond to prayer and help them speak truth to their peers. Out of those two weeks came inspiring stories of university students introducing their friends to the Bible, ladies having Christ-centered conversations at work, and men witnessing in public.

“The prayer and fasting culminated in a new season of community groups (small group ministry). More than 20 groups are now meeting together! Having received the charge to oversee discipleship within the congregation, I hope to raise and equip leaders within that ministry, so that our community of faith begins to multiply itself throughout Barcelona in a movement of disciple-making.

“One thing I’ve implemented is a weekly Sunday Review – a discussion guide that helps leaders expound upon the most recent sermons, and explore the truth of the Gospel with their groups. This is helping people of all backgrounds engage the Word of God on a consistent basis!

Kelly is also instructing others in obedience to the Word, as she pastors the children that participate in ICBKids activities. Every Sunday, in coordination with a great team of volunteers, she leads the kids in worship, prayer, and the examination of Scripture.”

image002.jpgAGWM Personnel in Barcelona, Spain, Missionary Associates Nick and Kelly Seders, are excited at the result of the prayer emphasis at the International Church of Barcelona.

Nick relates, “In January, the two of us worked very hard to create a 14-day journal, to guide our congregation through a time of intense prayer and fasting. We were so glad to see our brothers and sisters internalize the Word of God, as they expected him to respond to prayer and help them speak truth to their peers. Out of those two weeks came inspiring stories of university students introducing their friends to the Bible, ladies having Christ-centered conversations at work, and men witnessing in public.

image001.jpg“The prayer and fasting culminated in a new season of community groups (small group ministry). More than 20 groups are now meeting together! Having received the charge to oversee discipleship within the congregation, I hope to raise and equip leaders within that ministry, so that our community of faith begins to multiply itself throughout Barcelona in a movement of disciple-making.

“One thing I’ve implemented is a weekly Sunday Review – a discussion guide that helps leaders expound upon the most recent sermons, and explore the truth of the Gospel with their groups. This is helping people of all backgrounds engage the Word of God on a consistent basis!

Kelly is also instructing others in obedience to the Word, as she pastors the children that participate in ICBKids activities. Every Sunday, in coordination with a great team of volunteers, she leads the kids in worship, prayer, and the examination of Scripture.”

Kids Outreach in Madrid, Spain

ICKids is a program that reaches out once a month to the neighborhood children near the International Church in Madrid, Spain with a special program of games, crafts, Bible lessons, music, and a snack. There are from 15 to 30 kids who attend, most of them from broken and dysfunctional homes, and nearly all the families are unconnected to the church. The program is run by volunteers in the church, and is overseen by one of the Assemblies of God World Missions Missionary Associates. There are two Chinese children that come to the club from the building on the church block, and a few months back, they were given a Chinese Bible. Every time they come back to the club, they tell about what they've been reading in their home! They started at the beginning of the Bible, Genesis, and had lots of questions. One of the staff members helped them find the Gospel of John last week, and suggested that they start there instead.

Ariel Rainey, AGWM personnel in Madrid who is also involved in the ICKids tells of meeting one of the mothers when she came to pick up her daughter. Ariel says, “I had a brief conversation with her, long enough to recognize her when she showed up at church on Sunday and especially when she came forward for the altar call! It's so exciting to see the kids ministry having a real spiritual impact on the city, even if it's one family at a time.”

image005.jpgICKids is a program that reaches out once a month to the neighborhood children near the International Church in Madrid, Spain with a special program of games, crafts, Bible lessons, music, and a snack. There are from 15 to 30 kids who attend, most of them from broken and dysfunctional homes, and nearly all the families are unconnected to the church. The program is run by volunteers in the church, and is overseen by one of the Assemblies of God World Missions Missionary Associates.

There are two Chinese children that come to the club from the building on the church block, and a few months back, they were given a Chinese Bible. Every time they come back to the club, they tell about what they've been reading in their home! They started at the beginning of the Bible, Genesis, and had lots of questions. One of the staff members helped them find the Gospel of John last week, and suggested that they start there instead.

Ariel Rainey, AGWM personnel in Madrid who is also involved in the ICKids tells of meeting one of the mothers when she came to pick up her daughter. Ariel says, “I had a brief conversation with her, long enough to recognize her when she showed up at church on Sunday and especially when she came forward for the altar call! It's so exciting to see the kids ministry having a real spiritual impact on the city, even if it's one family at a time.”

Mobile Technology for Evangelism in Spain

It is a fact that there are more mobile phone units on the planet then there are people. It has been said that the development of mobile technology is the most significant thing for the advancement of the Gospel since the invention of the printing press! As AGWM personnel Jeff Gregory, of International Media Ministries (IMM), travels and works in this specific area of technology, he sees the truth of that statement. Mobile technology presents an incredible opportunity to connect, introduce Jesus Christ, and start people on the journey to faith. Recent world events have caused many people to question their cultural religion. People are actively seeking truth and are doing so on their cell phones.

Jeff continues the development of the HopeBox. It is now being used in twelve countries with the interface and content in seven different languages, and with more being developed. IMM is working directly with missionaries involved in the migrant crisis, providing not only HopeBoxes but also micro SD cards with Bibles and evangelistic content that can be given directly to migrants for use in their phones. What a God-given opportunity!

mobile1.jpgIt is a fact that there are more mobile phone units on the planet then there are people. It has been said that the development of mobile technology is the most significant thing for the advancement of the Gospel since the invention of the printing press!

As AGWM personnel Jeff Gregory, of International Media Ministries (IMM), travels and works in this specific area of technology, he sees the truth of that statement. Mobile technology presents an incredible opportunity to connect, introduce Jesus Christ, and start people on the journey to faith. Recent world events have caused many people to question their cultural religion. People are actively seeking truth and are doing so on their cell phones.

Jeff continues the development of the HopeBox. It is now being used in twelve countries with the interface and content in seven different languages, and with more being developed. IMM is working directly with missionaries involved in the migrant crisis, providing not only HopeBoxes but also micro SD cards with Bibles and evangelistic content that can be given directly to migrants for use in their phones. What a God-given opportunity!

Baptized in Barcelona, Spain

The International Church of Barcelona (ICB) celebrated the water baptism of two lives that have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. The Lord is working in a great way where AGWM personnel Katie Bailey serves on the leadership team with John Carrano who is the pastor. Sidney is a young man who spent about nine months attending the church as a university student. He grew and changed so much through discipleship and friendships in the church. He was a few days away from finishing his program and leaving to go to his home country but he just knew he needed to be baptized. It was too late to schedule it for a Sunday, so it was scheduled on a Friday afternoon to celebrate with him in baptism. He immediately went to work inviting everyone he could think of. To Katie’s surprise, as she approached the church that afternoon, there were about 40 people waiting to come in. They all sat together on the stage, sang a few songs of worship and heard Sidney's testimony as he shared what the Lord had done in his life. He was baptized as they gathered friends celebrated! It was a beautiful moment of community.

A couple of months ago, a young woman began attending ICB. Her desire to know more about the Lord was so evident. Over the next couple of weeks she came to know Christ, began to study His Word, entered into a one-on-one relationship for discipleship, recognized the need to rid the sin in her life and worshiped each week with all her heart. When she decided to be baptized, she wrote out a prayer to share with the church. Her words and her commitment to the Lord were so beautiful. It was a joy for Katie to celebrate with her in her decision.

unnamed.jpgThe International Church of Barcelona (ICB) celebrated the water baptism of two lives that have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. The Lord is working in a great way where AGWM personnel Katie Bailey serves on the leadership team with John Carrano who is the pastor.

Sidney is a young man who spent about nine months attending the church as a university student. He grew and changed so much through discipleship and friendships in the church. He was a few days away from finishing his program and leaving to go to his home country but he just knew he needed to be baptized. It was too late to schedule it for a Sunday, so it was scheduled on a Friday afternoon to celebrate with him in baptism. He immediately went to work inviting everyone he could think of. To Katie’s surprise, as she approached the church that afternoon, there were about 40 people waiting to come in. They all sat together on the stage, sang a few songs of worship and heard Sidney's testimony as he shared what the Lord had done in his life. He was baptized as they gathered friends celebrated! It was a beautiful moment of community.

unnamed-2.jpgA couple of months ago, a young woman began attending ICB. Her desire to know more about the Lord was so evident. Over the next couple of weeks she came to know Christ, began to study His Word, entered into a one-on-one relationship for discipleship, recognized the need to rid the sin in her life and worshiped each week with all her heart. When she decided to be baptized, she wrote out a prayer to share with the church. Her words and her commitment to the Lord were so beautiful. It was a joy for Katie to celebrate with her in her decision.