El Puente de Dios

New Video

We made a little video for the Iglesia Bautista Pilar website of the new church plant:

Click here to view it.

April Prayer Letter

Planting a Church

Sunday, March 21 (the future) Independent Baptist Church held its first church service. Faithful families from the weekly Bible study, plus one new one, gathered in our little rented facility as the next step in actually becoming a church. The children had their first children’s church two blocks away in one family’s garage. We got off to a good start and look forward to seeing this small group continue to grow spiritually and numerically.

On Wednesday nights we have been studying how to witness and lead someone to Christ. We just finished this in-depth study and will put what we have been learning into practice with a weekly visitation program designed to evangelize the family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers of our people. Please pray for this vital part of any church—reaching the lost!

Planting Seeds

Establishing a fundamental Baptist work among the upper class is something that has no precedent (that we know of) in Argentina. Because of that, we persevere with the Biblical counsel we receive from others, asking many questions and making adjustments along the way.

We recently designed a new logo and web site specifically for our home Bible studies.

God continues to give us amazing opportunities to make contacts, build relationships, and witness in our day-to- day activities, whether it’s at a birthday party, playing tennis, watching a soccer game, teaching English classes, or just while walking in the neighborhood. We continue to hold monthly home Bible studies as well. We are thankful for the three Christian families who have been attending and helping us with this effort. Please pray for wisdom in this new ministry and that the Lord will give us fruit for our labors.

Putting Down Roots

Pilar alone has a population of over 275,000 souls, with even more in its surrounding communities. With no independent Baptist churches in a populous area like this, we could spend five lifetimes planting churches here and never reach every soul! That is why we chose to buy a lot and build a house in Pilar.

This past month we received word that there is an investor ready and willing to loan us the money to start building! This will not only give us a permanent presence in the community, but it will greatly decrease our monthly expenses in rent. This is a huge answer to prayer for us! Please pray as we work through the logistics of building a house here.

Upcoming Events
April 5 – Begin six-week new members class in Pilar Centro
April 12 – Resurrection Sunday
April 17 – James’ birthday
April 18 – Third Evangelistic Home Bible study

Prayer Needed!

Terrorist Groups Operating in Churches

Latest news reports are that five terrorist cell groups have been operating in many of our churches. They have been identified as: Bin Sleepin, Bin Arguin, Bin Fightin, Bin Complainin, and Bin Missin. Their leader, Osama Bin Lucifer, trained these groups to destroy the Body of Christ. The plan is to come into the church disguised as Christians and to work within the church to discourage, disrupt, and destroy.

However, there have also been reports of a sixth group. A tiny cell known by the name Bin Prayin is actually the only effective counter terrorism force in the church. Unlike other terrorist cells, the Bin Prayin team does not blend in with whoever and whatever comes along. Bin Prayin does whatever is needed to uplift and encouragethe Body of Christ. We have noticed that the Bin Prayin cell group has different characteristics than the others. They have Bin Watchin, Bin Waitin, Bin Fastin, and Bin Longin for their Master, Jesus Christ, to return.

Which cell group do you belong to?

We seriously need some "Bin Prayin" prayer warriors on our side! Satan has been using some of his best weapons in order to discourage us. We have some important activities coming up, and need God's grace and strength more than ever.

1. This Saturday night is the second evangelistic Bible study in our home. Please pray for at least one of the unsaved people we have invited to come and hear the Gospel. Pray that God will work in that person's heart even now.
2. Sunday morning we have our first Sunday service in Pilar Centro. We have no idea how many to expect, but we will crowd into our little building just the same. The children will have their own service two blocks away in the Leonov's garage.
3. Tuesday, Amy will teach the first ladies' Bible study for the year. Last year she did three one-on-one discipleship classes, but this year it will be one group study every other week.

Thank you for praying!

"Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;"

(Romans 12:12)

March Prayer Letter

Taking the Next Step

Before we ever arrived in Pilar, God had already been working in the hearts of believers here. There were several families who were seeking a Bible-believing, conservative Baptist church. There are now eight families (married couples) regularly attending our weekly Bible studies, and it is time to begin Sunday services! Whether or not we have a larger meeting place, we will begin Sunday morning services March 22. Please pray this will bring even more folks out who cannot attend on Wednesday nights. With the beginning of a new school year this month, we will also begin a ladies’ discipleship group and regular visitation.

This work is well on its way to being established as a church. However, there is no one in sight right now to stay on as the permanent pastor. (Remember, we are church-planting missionaries.) The ideal situation would be to start training someone now to take our place. Please pray for God to raise up His man for this precious group of believers!

A Lesson in Statistics

When God called us to work in Pilar, he clearly showed us that we need to evangelize the unreached people group” that represents 64% of the population in this city – the upper class living in gated communities. This is a challenging task, but it is also exciting as we think of the potential impact on this country.

This year, we will be hosting a monthly evangelistic home Bible study and various outreaches in our neighborhood, as well as other gated communities. The Lord has brought along excellent Christian families to help with these efforts. (Pictured above are two CFOs, two accountants, and a surgeon.) Please pray for boldness and wisdom in our witnessing.

You may be reading this letter and wondering if we actually have two church plants going on at the same time. Yes. The first one is called “Pilar Centro” (Central Pilar) because it consists of the middle class who live in or near the city center, and the other is “Pilar Nuevo” (New Pilar) because it will be comprised of upper-class families who have moved to Pilar in the past ten years. We must begin this way because, before conversion, these two socio-economic classes do not intermingle. That is another reason why we must depend on God’s wisdom and strength!

Family Matters

On Wednesday, February 11, James’ grandfather went home to be with the Lord after a short battle with a rapidly-growing brain tumor. He had a wonderful impact on James’ life in many ways. It was a privilege for James to be asked by the family to go to Arizona to preach the graveside service. There were about 80 in attendance. James clearly presented the plan of salvation, and we know of at least one young lady who put her trust in Christ that day!
James took advantage of the trip and got to spend a week in Tampa with family and friends there.

Update on Lauren – Dr. Lopez, Lauren’s urologist, said she does not have to go through any more testing for now. We will continue to observe her infections and decide on further testing at that time. (We did get to invite him to our next home Bible study, so pray that the Lord will work in his heart regarding that!)

“The future is as bright as the promises of God!”
-Ann Judson (wife of Adoniram Judson)

First Home Bible Study

Tonight we held our first home Bible study. There were three other families who came - the Quaglia's, Martinez-Ferro's, and Palma's. We had a great study together about the purpose of a local church (the introduction to our doctrines study).






The kids entertained themselves jumping on the trampoline, coloring, and eating snacks. We are thankful that the Lord gave us a house where we could host these studies (rain or shine).

We all invited various unsaved families, but none of them could make it for one reason or another. Please pray for our next study (March 21), that we would have at least one unsaved couple. If so, we will study "The Ultimate Questions" of life. (James is prepared with two lessons - one evangelistic and one for believers.)

RECORD ATTENDANCE!!

Almost 7 months ago, we held our first Wednesday night Bible study in Pilar with an average of 12-15. Tonight there were 31 believers!! (None were visiting from other churches.) God is good!

There is a great need to begin Sunday services with this group. Tonight we took a vote and the majority stated Sunday mornings would work better than Sunday night. Since we have not been able to move forward on a larger location, we will make the best with what we have. We will keep looking, and trust God to continue leading there.



Since we have no classroom space, the big kids usually sit in the study, some sit at this table in the back and "quietly" color, and the littlest ones just run around while their parents attempt to keep them quiet. One family lives only two blocks away, so we have asked them to pray about allowing us to use their garage for children's church during the Sunday service. Please pray that will work out, so that it will benefit all involved.

Building Search Update

Back to Square One!

Yesterday evening three men from the church went to see the building. In God's providence the owner was there. When they explained to the owner they changes they wanted to make, taking down walls to open the space, he said that won't work because in the future he wants to make 3 or 4 little stores out of the building.

So, we will keep praying, looking, and praying! We know God has His perfect place, perfect location, and perfect timing!

Building Search

After waiting and waiting December and January, the realtor finally told us that the owners were not interested in our offer to rent the church building we were looking at. We had to take God at His Word, as this was a great disappointment not only to us, but to our church people. We continued to look, but every possibility turned out to be too small or too expensive.

This morning, one of the ladies called about a place that recently came up for rent. The realtor told her that it was no longer available. However, later this afternoon, he called her back and told her that the deal fell through because the renter's co-signer did not work out. So, we went right away to look at it.

It is on a well-traveled street, exactly in the central area where we want to be. It is another house that is being rented out for commercial use. It is 20 meters across in the front, which would give us even greater visibility. We can easily take down two walls to make space for 50 chairs, and then another two walls for another 25. There is a small office we can use for a nursery. There is a big classroom in the back with its own boys and girls restrooms that we will use for our main classroom. It also has a kitchen and garage. They are asking the same as the first building we were looking at.

The realtor is going to run all this by the owner and will call us, so please pray that this deal goes through!! We are really wanting to begin Sunday services in March.

James' Grandpa's Funeral - Answered Prayer!

God gave James and his family beautiful weather for the graveside service to bury his grandfather on Monday. Our all-powerful God, who controls all things, held off the snow! There were between 80 and 100 people at the service, many of whom were unsaved family and business contacts from the Sedona area.

God also gave James clarity as he shared of the eternal hope in Jesus Christ. He thoroughly presented the Gospel and one lady indicated that she trusted Christ that day!

Thank you for praying. To God be the glory!