February Prayer Letter

February 2021

Dear Praying Friends,

One of the most difficult aspects of the whole Covid situation is not the loss of personal freedoms, is not the governmental overreaches happening on a daily basis and is not the restrictions on churches made by governments supposedly in favor of “freedom of religion”. The most difficult aspect is how quickly God’s own people get used to not having church and not being exposed to God’s word each week. How quickly God’s children become accustomed to the absence of the Bible in their lives.

Many of our church members who used to attend services faithfully, now can’t even be bothered to watch the 200+ videos we have recorded specifically for them. Oh, they watch television, just not the preaching and teaching of God’s word. “Yes, pastor, we just got busy on Sunday and forgot to watch the video…sorry, we will watch it later.” But later never comes. Week after week, month after month, God’s people are slowing starving on a minimal diet of God’s word. Occasionally reading their Bibles, but rarely listening to a sermon or lesson. It is frightening how quickly God’s people have adjusted to life without church services. 

Last year, we wondered if Christians would want to come back to church after having “services in their pajamas” (watching online services or preaching videos from home), now we wonder if they will even bother. Too many Christians have become indifferent to the preaching and teaching of God’s word, even when it is available and just use the Covid situation as a convenient excuse. PLEASE PRAY that Christians all over the globe will recognize this for what it is – a direct assault of Satan against God’s people and that believers will repent of their spiritual laziness and come back in humility to seek fellowship with the Almighty God! The real threat is not wicked governments or even Satan’s attacks, but the real threat is the indifference of God’s people to God’s word. PLEASE PRAY!!

Praying God’s people watch and pray,

Mark Hale

January Prayer Letter

 

January 2021

Dear Praying Friends,

He had cost them millions in illicit revenue and had repeatedly exposed their hypocrisy and corruption for all to see. They hated him and wanted him dead, but even that was not enough. They wanted his reputation destroyed along with his life so none of his many followers would flock to his banner again.

They schemed and planned and put their national deception into play and succeeded. They got their enemy with the help of a bribed false friend. They illegally arrested and convicted him and rigged the trial the next day to have him condemned and executed as a criminal.  His followers were devastated, they thought he would rule for years to come and that they would rule with him. Instead, their leader was dead, all hope was gone.

If you thought I was writing about President Trump, you were wrong. This happened 2,000 years ago to our Savior. When the evil, powerful leaders had their way, they thought they had won. Their enemy was dead, his reputation destroyed, his tomb guarded by the most powerful army in the world. Yet on the third day, the Roman soldiers fell in fear, the stone was rolled away and Jesus came forth triumphant over death and hell!! 

Yes, it seems that evil has won but this is not the end. Jesus already wrote the end of the story: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Working for the night is coming but listening for the trumpet, 

Mark Hale

December Prayer Letter

December 2020

Dear Praying Friends,

Ever since he was saved seven years ago, John has witnessed to his family and been rejected, mocked and legally condemned to prison for sharing the gospel. Still, he seeks to win the lost and share the good news of Jesus Christ with those around him regardless of the cost to him personally. Recently, he returned to the Czech Republic to care for his dying mother. Led by the Holy Spirit, he daily sought opportunities to win her to Christ as her health failed. Up until her last moments on earth, he told her of the Savior’s love for her and begged her to set aside her religious pride and come in humility and faith to the Lord. It is not certain if his mother made the right decision, but even in his grief, John determined to share the Savior with those who attended his mother’s funeral.

Because the family is Catholic, the funeral was held in the local Catholic church. The unwitting priest gave John 20 minutes to eulogize his mother, but John took that once in a life time opportunity and eulogized his Savior instead!

This has been a seven-year prayer request of John’s, to be able to witness to every member of his extended family but most have been avoiding him for that very reason. In spite of his own grief, he clearly gave the gospel to his entire family, to the assembled friends and neighbors and even to the two Catholic priests who were more than uncomfortable hearing that Jesus is the only way to heaven. Please join us as we pray for the many who heard the gospel at the funeral, that the powerful word of God would penetrate their hard religious hearts, that they would repent of their sins and come in faith to Christ.

Thanking God for faithful men,

Mark Hale

November Prayer Letter

 November 2020

 

Dear Praying Friends,

 

The text beeped on Michele’s phone near midnight. It was from a young woman who had made a profession of faith last spring, but over the coming months, she slowly withdrew from contact with our church, missing more and more services until she no longer attended at all. We continued to pray for her and keep in contact when possible, but it looked like we had lost her to the world.

 

Michele continued to teach her mother with live video classes and her mom continued to attend services when the government didn’t have us in lockdowns. The daughter, however, grew out of reach. That is, until her midnight text changed everything.

 

“Why can’t I read the Bible and understand anything? Why is my heart so hardened?” She desperately texted. Michele immediately asked to video call her and zeroed in on the question of her salvation.  Michele talked with her for half an hour, sharing the gospel message with this young woman and asked her, “Are you certain you would go to heaven if you died tonight?” The young woman honestly admitted that she did not have that assurance. In the middle of the night, Michele led L. to trust in Christ as her Savior! Please pray for this young lady, that she would take the first steps in her spiritual life, reading her Bible and praying daily and would once again study with Michele in the ongoing video classes my wife teaches.

 

Thanking God for midnight calls,

 

Mark Hale

October Prayer Letter

October 202-

Dear Praying Friends,

 

The cold winds blew across the cemetery making everyone burrow a little deeper into their coats. The Army bugler solemnly played taps and then the soldiers folded the flag. Our son, Joshua, had driven down to Arkansas to preach the funeral of his beloved Uncle Dudley and gave the simple gospel message to those assembled at the grave side. Our family’s prayer is that everyone who heard that message would come to know Christ before it is time for their funeral.

 

For 63 years, Michele’s father (Dean McClure, missionary to Brazil since 1965) witnessed to his older brother, Dudley, trying to win him to Christ. He wrote letters with the gospel message and pleaded with him in person, but Dudley kept putting off this most important of decisions. Year after year, decade after decade, he ignored the pleas of his younger brother and lived life on his own terms.

 

Last year, Uncle Dudley suffered a debilitating stroke that left him paralyzed on his left side. He could no longer care for himself and was moved to a rest home. He was a broken man when Michele and I talked with him but he finally submitted before God and with tears of repentance, he accepted Jesus as his Savior!  That is why his funeral was not a goodbye, but rather, see you later!

 

If you are trying to win the lost and have become discouraged, remember my father-in-law who faithfully witnessed to his brother for 63 years. Don’t give up, as long as they have life, there is hope. Keep witnessing, God knows what it will take to bring them to His Son.

 

Thankful for the hope we have in Christ,

 

Mark Hale

Missionary to Brazil, Dean McClure, and his brother Dudley a few years ago.

September Prayer Letter

 September 2020

 

Dear Praying Friends,

 

Luke is the three-year-old son of a faithful couple in our church. He has been attending services, literally, since right after he was born. He is active, very inquisitive and has a wonderful imagination. For the first two and a half years, he played (sometimes quietly, sometimes – not) in one corner of the classroom while Michele taught the older children in Sunday School. 

 

The past few months however, instead of playing, he has begun sitting and listening to the Bible lessons and reciting some of the memory verses. He now enthusiastically participates in the review games after the lesson and has even answered some of the questions without help!  Normally, he comes out of the classroom happy and proud of the verse he quoted or the questions he answered correctly.

 

After this past Sunday’s lesson however, he came out with a worried expression on his face. He was greatly disturbed by what he heard and saw with the flash cards Michele had used. He asked her a simple but profound question: “Why did the lamb have to die?” Michele explained that because of mankind’s sin, the lamb had to die. Luke didn’t quite understand, but the Lord is already working in this little boy’s heart to show him his sinfulness and his need of the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world. Please pray for Luke, that the word of God would penetrate his heart and that the Holy Spirit would bring understanding so that he can one day be saved.

 

Allowing the little children to come to Christ,

 

Mark Hale

August Prayer Letter

August 2020

Dear Praying Friends,

 

It was a casual question from our daughter-in-law, Rachel, that started us thinking about it. For years here in Portugal, we have held our summer Vacation Bible Schools that reach children and occasionally their parents with the gospel of Jesus Christ. But with the Covid-19 panic, we were forced to cancel our summer youth camp and VBS when we realized no one here would send their children for five days of activities, games, lessons and meals. Back when Rachel asked us about the possibility of having an online VBS, we thought at first it would be impossible, but the more we prayed about it, the more the possibilities presented themselves.

 

Michele, of course, was the driving force in video formatting the Bible songs, lessons, memory verses and hand crafts connected to the day’s lesson. All of these would be done on video and could be broadcast to hundreds. So, Michele labored for weeks preparing the materials, then we spent two days recording the songs, lessons and memory verses and a third day video recording the hand crafts with the help of two enthusiastic girls from our church.

 

The end result was that we had 12 children here in Portugal receive the materials as well as 30 children and many parents participate in Brazil!  Just as the preaching video ministry God gave us during the quarantine continues reaching people in 10 countries, so our VBS went international as well!  It is simply amazing how God can take the local ministries of the Bible Baptist Church of Lagos, Portugal and turn them into international ministries that reach people we will never meet this side of heaven!  Our God is still on His throne and it is indeed a privilege to serve Him!

 

Serving an Amazing God,

  

Mark Hale