December Prayer Letter

December 2013

Dear Praying Friends,

He came three weeks in a row and listened very carefully to my sermons.  His face revealed nothing, as if it was carved from stone, yet his eyes were ablaze with emotions.  I could see the Word of God was having an effect, but could not tell what his reaction to the Holy Spirit ‘s working would be. 

We soon discovered what it was.  He bluntly stated that he would no longer attend services at our church because the pastor declared that there is only one way to a home in heaven – through Jesus Christ’s completed work on the cross.  He believes there are many ways of getting to heaven and flatly refused to attend any more services.  Yet last Sunday, there he was again, listening intently to my sermon from John 10 on “The Good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep”.   Please pray for Stephen, that he would repent of his pride and come humbly before the Lord of the Universe to accept Christ’s salvation as the complete payment for his sin.

In October, I asked you to continue praying for our church and the ongoing Bible Institute ministry.  It is very apparent that you have been praying!!  We have had 15 first time visitors in our church services the past few months and we are thrilled that some continue to attend regularly.  The Bible Institute now has 16 registered students who meet with us on Thursdays and another 25-35 who tune in live via UStream.  These internet students are from other cities in Portugal as well as Brazil and some Portuguese speaking African countries.  The Bible Institute is now having an international impact!  Thank you so much for your continued and faithful prayers!  I truly believe we are seeing this growth as a direct result of your labors in prayer.

May God richly bless you during this Christmas season and may your New Year be filled with more opportunities to serve our Lord.

Mark Hale

November Prayer Letter

November 2013

Dear Praying Friends,

Their daughter attended our Vacation Bible School last June and came home telling her parents, “This has been the best week of my life!” The entire family began attending our services the following Sunday and have since only missed a couple of services due to their work schedules.

Both parents have a strong desire to know God and His word and over the past few months, we have spent many hours after services talking with them and sharing God’s word to answer their many questions.  We could see them coming closer and closer to the truth and begged God to shine His light into their hearts and reveal Himself to them.

Those prayers were answered the end of October.  The husband was gloriously saved.  Grinning from ear to ear he said, “I finally understand why the Gospel is the good news!  I am saved, not because of anything I could do, but because I accepted what Christ has already done for me!”  His tearful wife shared “I have been praying for his salvation for so long.  I am so thankful that God has saved my husband!”

PRAISE GOD!!!!!! 

Thank you, so very much, for making it possible for us to labor here on your behalf and see the Lord save another lost soul!

Bringing in the sheaves,

Mark Hale

October Prayer Letter

October 2013

Dear Praying Friends,

I have to confess, there are times that we get discouraged and weary in well doing.  It seems no matter how hard we work, how much time we invest and how many prayers we offer, nothing of eternal value happens.  We feel the heavy responsibility of your faithful prayer and financial support, so we understand why some of our churches have discontinued their support for more “fruitful” mission fields. 

But then God shows us that our weariness was due to our trying to grow fruit that is only produced by Him.  We realize our discouragement was from focusing on the “lack of results” instead of simply obeying the Lord’s command to preach the Gospel to every creature and allow Him to change hearts in His time and in His way.

How did God show us these things?  By reminding us that:
·        We have had six first time visitors in our services recently, and three have begun attending regularly. 
·        Our church attendance has almost doubled this past year!!
·        The Bible Institute has grown from 2 students back in 2010 to a new high of 11 this semester!!  Praise the Lord!!

Thank you for faithfully staying with us so that we can fulfill the Great Commission here in Portugal on your behalf!

To the ends of the world,

Mark Hale

September Prayer Letter

September 2013

Dear Praying Friends,

His hands shook as he gripped the pulpit.  You could see his legs shaking as he stood in front of the congregation and answered question after question from the assembled pastors.  He had studied for months in preparation for this day, but would he survive the terror that gripped his heart?

In late August, it was my privilege to take part in the ordination of Pastor Lenildo Monteiro. He has studied in our Bible institute for the past few years and passed each class with the highest marks.  He did the same in his ordination examination.  In spite of his fear, he answered each and every question with the authority of God’s Word.  All could tell this dear brother had spent time with the Lord and His Word.  The ordination council unanimously recommended to the church that they ordain him to the gospel ministry and the church did just that the next day!

He is now pastoring a Baptist church about an hour and a half away and we will continue to serve the Lord together here in southern Portugal.  Please pray for the growing Bible institute ministry.  It is vital for this country to have men and women who know God and His Word and can contend for the faith that is under attack from every direction.  Our first class begins Sept. 12^th and we are praying for many more Lenildos to study with us and become faithful pastors of Baptist churches here in Portugal and around the world.

Thank you for making this possible,

Mark Hale

 Pastor Lenildo

 The ordination council

August Prayer Letter

August 2013

Dear Praying Friends,

We passed out thousands of invitations to our Vacation Bible School, but would anyone respond?  After all the labor in preparing the games, crafts, lessons and meals, would anyone come?  After you, our faithful prayer warriors offered so many prayers on our behalf, would God respond with a miracle?

The answer is….YES!!  We had a high attendance of 17; five of those were first time visitors from our city of Lagos!!  Although we did not have any children saved this year, we are rejoicing because we now have solid contact with four families in our city who did not know about our church before this week.

This past Sunday, one family visited our church along with their daughter, who had attended our VBS all week.  They came because their daughter told them, “This has been the best week of my life!”  It was great to have them in our church and we enjoyed the long conversation after the services.  Please continue to pray for these four families, their children and their spiritual needs.  Only God knows what will be accomplished through this ministry.

Thank you for your faithful prayers!  With all the doors of opportunity opening for us, it is very evident that you have been praying.  Thank you for helping to make this possible.

Plowing and planting,

Mark Hale

You can view the VBS album following this link:

VBS 2013

Update

Last Saturday, a group from Living Hope Baptist Church in Albufeira drove out to Lagos to help us distribute VBS invitations.   In two hours, nine people passed out 2,000 invitations!  We are very thankful for their help!

Thank you for praying for the upcoming VBS!

The group from Living Hope Baptist Church.  

Pastor Mark Pereira is not in the photo, as he was our photographer.

The invitations

July Prayer Letter

July 2013

Dear Praying Friends,

When I opened the church door that Sunday morning, I immediately sensed something was different.  As the fluorescent lights flickered to life, I realized there were dozens of eyes staring back at me.  Green, glistening bodies were frozen in place, bemused half smiles on their wide mouths.  Everywhere I looked, there were frogs.  Had we been visited by an Egyptian plague?  No, it was simply the decorations for our upcoming Vacation Bible School. 

The theme this year is FROGS

F – Forgive

R – Respect

O – Obey

G – Give thanks

S – Serve

My wife has been planning and creating crafts, visuals, and decorations and now the church building is primed and ready to receive the children.

Portuguese for the most part, are uninterested in the things of God.  During the summer months, many head to the beaches and bars in a vain attempt to forget their empty and trouble filled lives.  Please pray with us, that God would touch hearts and draw parents and children to this time of fun, games, lessons, food and friendship.  Our VBS begins Monday, July 22^nd and ends Friday, July 26th.  In our young church’s first VBS last year, we had 14 in attendance and one was gloriously saved.   We are begging God for more this year.

Fishing for men (and everyone else),

Mark Hale

 Front window

Main bulletin board