Discipleship

Picture: Sergej and Brenten at the cafe where we meet for Inductive Bible Study.

Praise the LORD for bringing Sergej to Calvary Riga. He is a relatively new believer who I am spending extra time with for discipleship. I am really blessed by fellowship with him and seeing how he desires to serve the Lord. He has been enjoying pastor Chuck Smith MP3s in Russian, he consumed a new believers study guide, and now I am teaching him how to study the Bible Inductively. We usually meet Thursdays mornings at a cafe in Riga's central train station. Please pray for him and his family as he seeks the Lords will for work during Latvia's severe economic crisis.

Home Fellowship

Since laying out our vision for Calvary in Latvia, we have moved our Bible studies from Ikskile to our home in Ogre.


Those who come are all young people who are hungry for the word of God and like the verse by verse teaching through the Bible. Praise God for the great atmosphere of fellowship and seeking the Lord.


If you are in Latvia, come and see what God is doing every Wednesday at 19:00 (7pm) and Sunday at 14:00 (2pm) in our house at Brivibas iela 30, Ogre. We will be in Acts 19 tonight and Mark 12 this Sunday.

Monterey Mission to Latvia in Pictures

Thanks for sending the evangelism team. Mitch, Dennis and Frank were a big help and encouragement to our family and the church here. I hope they can share at CCMB what God did in these 2 weeks. Thousands recieved tracts, hundreds heard the gospel, many eyes were opened to the need for Christ. Who knows how many went home and called upon the Lord to be saved. I hope to see a few in church soon and you will probably meet several more in heaven. PTL

Calvary Chapel conference in Denmark

Last week, we were greatly encouraged and refreshed by fellowship with our brothers and sisters from Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Ireland and Canada.


Although Latvia is technically not a Scandinavian country, we found that many of the issues we face in the Baltics are similar to the rest of Northern Europe. We found ourselves received and knit to this group of about 60 believers that sometimes call themselves "the frozen chosen" - I guess because of the cold winters and feeling of being a small remnant of faithful Scandinavians.



But the weather from July 30 to August 3 was quite warm and we even enjoyed a swimming in the fjord with the jelly fish.


I helped with worship services and gave a devotional teaching about communion. Other pastors and Bible teachers took turns teaching chapter by chapter through the book of Daniel. You can listen to the messages here:

• Daniel 1 - Joel Wickstr�m (Stockholm, Sweden)
• Daniel 2 - David Guzik (CCBC Siegen, Germany)
• Daniel 3 - Stan Block (Calgary, Canada)
• Daniel 4 - Daniel Jacobsen (Denmark)
• Daniel 5 - Theis Br�gger (Denmark)
• Daniel 6 - Kevin Fitzgerald (Ireland)
• Daniel 7 - David Guzik (Germany)
• Daniel 8 - Aaron Pratt (Finland)
• Daniel 9 - David Guzik (Germany)
• Daniel 10 - Kevin Fitzgerald (Ireland)
• Daniel 11-12 - Glen Nudd (Calgary, Canada)

Lena and I took turns sitting in the sanctuary to participate in worship and Bible study, while the other looked after the kids playing in the playground. What was great is that they had wireless headphones for parents who needed to be outside with the kids, plus 3 girls from Germany organized a children's ministry, plus there were other missionary kids who treated Caleb and Lily as little siblings.


As a result, our kids were not so clingy and needy and Lena and I were much more laid back about being together without being constantly aware of where our kids were. Good preparation, I'd say, for Caleb going to kindergarten later this month and Lena not needing miss my teaching every Sunday to help the children's ministry.


Overall, we were all really blessed with the Acts 2:42 environment "continuing steadfastly in the teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers". Below is a picture of Lena with a sister in Christ from Sweden whose last name is the same as Lena's Swedish grandmothers maiden name, could they be related?

Vacation Bible School

This is our second year doing VBS in Ogre with a team from Tennessee. I have been the music guy as well as overseeing all the translators. The first two days went well, setting a foundation of who Jesus is, we are praying that the kids will continue to be receptive in the last three days as we challenge them with the rest of the gospel, calling them to become disciples of Jesus Christ.

Baptism in Ogre river

Baptism in Ogre river, Latvia

Last Sunday, Kaspars was water baptized by pastor Vadim Kovalev and the members of Ogre Evangelical Church came to witness this event with Kaspars' family. It seems that one member was added to the church and another was sent out. At the end of this slide show are pictures of us praying for Anatoly on his last Sunday here before moving to Scotland. I had raised him up to take over worship ministry but it he believes God is opening the door to find work in the West, learn English and serve with a Russian speaking church in Glasgow, Scotland.

Camp Slideshow

Camp Hope Blog

I took some pictures from the youth camp I am at but can't upload them yet. So, here are some pics from the Virginia teamš blog.

Here is a link to the blog that the Virginia team is updating.

http://www.hffworldwide.org/Blog/Blog.html

If you want to subscribe to their blog's RSS feed it's http://www.hffworldwide.org/Hope_For_Families/Blog/rss.xml

Today I taught one of the Bible studies about the sinfulness of man. Please pray that these youth would be convicted of their sin and desire to turn from it. Thanks!

Apustuļu darbi 2:22-41

Last Wednessday in Ikskile, I taught Acts 2:22-41 focusing on Peter's presentation of the gospel on the day of Penticost. The gospel messages in Acts are great examples for us in preaching a Jesus centered message, based on the Scriptures and allowing the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to the hearers hearts. Next week we will see how the Lord added to the church those who were being saved. You can download the MP3 here.

A Happy Birthday

Today is my 31st Birthday and it was a very happy one. First thing in the morning, FedEx delivered a package with pictures and DVD of friends from back home. I was happy to see their(your) happy faces again. In the middle of the day, the kids and I enjoyed the Zoo in Riga while Lena prepared the food for our evening party. Tonight we had 17 people over, all believers from five different churches in Ogre whom I am acquainted with. After dinner, I shared my testimony of repentance and how the Lord has changed my life so that He is the center and reason I live rather than myself. Then I sang "Create in me a clean heart O God" and encouraged everyone to be faithful to the Lord. I tried to share this quote (below) but I forgot exactly how it want, so I googled it and here it is for you my blog readers:

"Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire, Let me not sink to be a clod: Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God." - Amy Carmichael

So after an active day, I am tired but in a good way, not burnt out but consumed with zeal for the Lord and blessed to pour out to my family and friends the love He pours out in my heart by the Holy Spirit. I am thankful for the abundant and eternal life Jesus has given me. I love my friends and family back in California - it is a sacrifice to be so far away, but Jesus if faithful to grant new friends and spiritual family members in this life and for eternity, so it's worth it.

Mark 10:28-30 Peter began to say to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You." 29 Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.

I do want to point out, though, that our sacrifice is not worthy of comparing with the glory that shall be revealed, especially since "we have left everything" does NOT mean we can NOT keep in touch with far-away friends via the Internet (Skype, Google talk, facebook, blogger, calvary.com etc. HINT HINT, KEEP IN TOUCH) Only in our generation could missionaries get instant messages from the other side of the world for free.

There is Snow in Latvia

This is the day that Caleb has been waiting for the last 2 years. Finally, a chance to throw snowballs at Daddy. And there was enough snow on the ground to build a snowman and make snow angels.







We also went for a drive to the near by town of Ikskile. We are praying about starting a Bible study there too. There are many private houses in Ikskile (as opposed to apartment buildings).
And we found a nice park for the kids. And don't forget Lily, not as excited to be out in the cold, but she still enjoyed getting out.

Cesis Outreach

• Brenten is fully equipped for the outreach with a guitar, Bible, tracts, sandwich and the rest of the armor of God (especially the sheild of faith, belt of truth, sword of the Spirit and feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace and the rest the armor of God, etc).

• A tour guide I talked with in Latvian, English and Russian. She was really friendly and the most open person I met. Many people here think that they are Christians because they were baptised as a baby, they don't think anything else is necessary. I was able to share how we are saved by faith in Christ and our faith should be based on God's word not traditions. Believing in God means more than just thinking He exists, but actually trusting His word as the truth and building our life upon it. I gave her a tract and our family prayer card and encouraged her to read the Bible to see if what I said was true.
  

• I also had the opportunity to climb to the top of the bell tower of an 800 year old Cathedral. However instead of chiming the bells every 15 minutes, there was a speaker system that played a recording of a bell.

• After this trip, I am really glad that I stepped out in faith and obedience. I think God is teaching me not to try to repeat my past experiences but to let Him lead in new and unique ways. I learned that God can use me even if I don't have a translator or another evangelist with me. One time Jesus sent his disciples out 2 by 2 and that is a good principle, but if no one else can be found, God can use just one man who will go in His name. I was not alone - He was with me. And I will trust Him to be with me in the future.
  

Cesis Photos 2

Cesis Photos

Here are some pictures from our family trip to Cesis, this is the the center or old part of town. I was impressed by all the people walking through and the feel of the city.



There was a giant statue of Lenin that was taken down after the fall of the USSR, the statue is now laying down in a coffin like box near St. Johns cathedral. Lenin is dead as far as Latvians are concerned.

Seasons Change

"Only one life will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last."
We took this picture for our fall newsletter that we are working on. We will to send it to our supporters soon. They have been very patient because we haven't been sending monthly printed newsletters as we intended. Thank you for being faithful to sacrifice your time and resources in prayer and support as we devote our time and family to winning souls for eternity. May God reward you with eternal rewards!
"He is no fool gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."