Aurangabad

I spent the month of November laying the foundation for future work. I was in Aurangabad, India, for the first two weeks. We helped launch a church in Aurangabad back in April of this year, and it is progressing at a healthy pace. The congregation is still small with only 75 believers, but this is typical for the early stages of a new church. I've been very pleased with pastor Joseph Shrisunder, the young man we are working with. He has been teachable and is proving to be a faithful worker. I am sending him to Sri Lanka in January to study our model church in Colombo. He should return with a more clear vision of how to move forward.

Bangalore

I spent the last two weeks in Bangalore which is a major city in south India. I have avoided Bangalore in the past because there are already several good churches in the city. Unlike north India, there is a significant Christian population. Since Bangalore is a strategic city, I am considering establishing a work there that can serve as a model and a base. The Lord has opened some doors for us there, and I am watching closely for confirmation and the missing pieces. The first piece will be a teachable and qualified young man.

Beirut

The first week of December I spent in Beirut, Lebanon. Beirut is not in my realm of focus, but I wanted to visit a young man there who works with Pastor Larry Stockstill in church planting. I had a wonderful time with Pastor Chady Elaouad, speaking to his staff, his leadership core and in special services. It was a busy week but productive and very enjoyable. Chady has one of the most effective congregations in the middle east, and the work he is doing in Syria is amazing. If you are interested in his ministry, check out his website at www.abundantlifelebanon.com

Thanks for all you have done to help Bev, Shane and me in the work the Lord has called us to do.

Rick