What a busy month! We had the team from the Expedition team here for Holiday Bible Club, my parents (Ron and Dee Matthews) came to visit, we have started a new ministry in Bondi Junction (through ecom) and preaching at East Bowral and Inner West Baptist Churches.

We did have the privilege of leading young ones to the Lord, seeing some of the great land of Australia (Canberra, Blue Mountains and Sydney) and getting to know more about the ministry in Australia.

Looking ahead to August we just ask for your prayers as I will be teaching a series on personal evangelism (Introducing God) and Cathy will be actively teaching children’s Sunday school at Cornerstone Baptist Church. I am overseeing the in-house Bible studies at many of the corporations in Sydney. We have John Dickson speaking at many of the different venues. I am overseeing his talks and preparing four evangelistic events in the city in August. Pray for an evangelistic impact at Telstra, Patricks, PWC (Price, Waterhouse & Coopers) and Mallesons (largest law firm in Australia).

It has been challenging and humbling to learn how to be effective in ministry here in Australia. We have had many good experiences in serving here in Australia. We are learning more everyday about the differences there are here in the land Down Under. We have just begun to understand how to work within our community and reach people with the Gospel effectively. This has been an amazing time of spiritual growth for us all. Our dependence on the Lord grows daily. As you can imagine, it is not always easy, but as we grow we seek to serve Him more everyday.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

“ The glory that you have given to them, that they maybe one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. “
John 17:22-23

Psalm 119: 63-64(ESV)
I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts. The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes.

Since our last update, there has been many different things going on here. We are learning more everyday and we have been given team members that have been helping us through the good and the bad. We miss our family, church and friends, but we are falling in love with the country and the people. The opportunities are abundant, it is just discerning what the Lord has for us to do specifically.

Churches
We have been on the road for the past month, travelling to different churches. Our opportunies to serve in the different churches are plentiful, but we are still looking for direction on the church we will be working in consistently. It has been great to see all of the different ministries, but we will be ready to settle in to a church home. We ask for your prayers in this area. We will be attending Glorious Hope Baptist this weekend. We cannot head up a church plant for a couple of years, but the doors are opening for us to assist in new churches through our current ministries with ABWE.

Introducing God
I had the priviledge to teach this course during JAWbreak in the states. It is an impactful, evangelistic outreach course. Last week, I was able to meet Dominic Steele, the main speaker and leader of the course. We are looking to start a class in our lounge room (living room) in the next few months. Pray for the people to come. Scott and Carol, Who (next door neighbor),Melanie, Joshua and Peter. I also heard Leigh Hatcher speak. (The MC on Introducing God.) Fantastic evangelistic message.

ecom
The opportunies to share the Word and learn about effective ministry in Australia have been some of the blessings from my expereince with ecom. Street evangleism, evangelism in the Work place, effective preaching in Australia and developing an argument and defend your theology in this culture have been some of the fruits of working with the team in the CBD. My work here is limited to a few days a week, but the value to our ministry has been great. There is the potentiel, in the near future, to assist with a church plant in the city is an exciting oppotunity that I will keep you informed about soon.