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So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.

A bird with a broken wing cannot fly. A church that relies on only one “wing” of ministry will also struggle to function efficiently. The early New Testament church spread its wings and lit spiritual fires in many areas, seemingly through smaller group gatherings. The “wings” of the church, God’s people in the Buenos Aires area are corporate worship on Sundays, supported by house groups and other small fellowship events throughout the week. In our case the weekly events, where believers can know real fellowship, encourage one another, and invite family, friends and neighbours, has been a means of considerable spiritual vitality and blessing. It has the effect of moving us away from a mere professional ministry to a more collective ministry, where believers can express their faith and use their gifts. As I said recently in a sermon, “The Lord does not desire fat sheep, so go out and feed others from what you received. Freely you have received, freely give”.

Mission

Recently we had a full month of ministry on Mission, with visiting speakers and all the members involved. We had nine groups in the church who gave a presentation on the country of their choice. Every wall of the church was decorated with photos, statistics and missionary information, along with tables spread with indigenous food. One of our members, Juan José who is studying Japanese brought along his teacher and other students. One of the students, Max, has since made a profession of faith, and now worships regularly with us. We are blessed with a good number of committed young people where those, such as Max, can immediately find fellowship and encouragement.

Recently joined are another couple from Venezuela, Marco and his wife. Roberto, a church member and a builder, has taken on more workers due to winning a contract to build a six story block of flats. Marco is among those men he has hired.  Each day before they start work he holds a short service. He has invited me to share the gospel at some point in the near future. Pray for these families, they face a terrible situation in Venezuela. The couple mentioned above have come to Peru without their children. Working here means, they can send money back to support their families. Pray for Venezuela.

Rebeca will be travelling to Pakistan at the end of October, and not back until May next year. She will spend 4 months at the hospital in Multan, and then for a time in Thailand with other missionaries at the Pioneer Mission Conference. She still hopes to travel to the UK sometime next year with a view to improving her English before returning to Pakistan as a full time missionary, God willing, in 2021.  

Villa Magisterial

Here we also meet with believers in their homes during the week. This has the added benefit of encouraging other family members to join in, particularly husbands, as it is difficult to get them out to other events. We are preparing for the largest gospel outreach we have ever had in the area, running from 8^th, 9^th and 10^th of November. Recently I presented a letter to the President of the local Residents Association, requesting the use of the local community centre for the 3 day outreach. We have chosen the theme of the ministry, along with the guest speaker who will share in the ministry. We plan to work with another Baptist church with whom we have close fellowship, mainly through their Pastor Germán Cáceres, with whom we meet on a regular basis. This month we will meet together to pray specifically for the Lord’s blessing and power upon this outreach. Please Pray also that I will get the relevant permission from the local authority to place an advert above the main highway into Villa Magisterial. Recently the Lord gave me this verse which I shall constantly use in prayer. Please will you pray with us for a move of the Holy Spirit through those days of gospel outreach? I know your deeds, behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name. Rev.3:8. May the Lord be pleased to open hearts to receive the grace of God in salvation; using our weakness and powerlessness to bring glory to his name through the salvation of many.

Children´s ministry

Some of the children who have been with us for years have enjoyed days out with the young people of the Buenos Aires church. What an encouragement that Gonzalo now makes his own way there every Sunday. Pray that the youth leader and I will be able to organise a retreat for the young people from both areas. Pray also for the provision of the necessary funds.

Family news 

I had to take our daughter Melissa to A&E after a recent Sunday evening service. Initially we thought that it was a recurrence of the problem she has had with stones, because of the severe abdominal and back pain. It turned out to be food poisoning, which was relieved by a saline drip and medication. A few days earlier our dog Scooby had an op! The surgeon who teaches Melissa at University invited her to assist him, which was all very valuable experience. She also helped a bulldog deliver its pups beforehand.

Pastor Carlos fell off a step ladder and fractured two of his ribs, on the same day as our Pastor friend, German injured himself in a fall. It all happened during the week of Evangelism when we had a group from the church in Lima helping us. Pray for those who are in the midst of the spiritual battle.  We would appreciate your prayers for all of the above, particularly for our gospel outreach in November. Thank you all for your partnership in prayer; and a special thanks to those who are committed to financially support our work, serving the Lord here in Arequipa.

A sword for the Lord and for Gideon. (Judges 7: 20)

In ancient history a story is told of a valiant captain whose banner was always foremost in the fight, whose sword was dreaded by his enemies, for it always heralded victory. His monarch once demanded to see this potent weapon for himself. On examination the king then sent it back with this critical message—”I see nothing wonderful in the sword; I cannot understand why any man should be afraid of it.” The captain replied, most respectfully, saying, “Your Majesty has been pleased to examine the sword, but I did not send the arm that wielded it; if you had examined that, and the heart that guided the arm, you would have understood the mystery.” The mystery we need to understand is that it is not just the Lord’s sword but that it is the weak instruments he is pleased to use in his service. Are you, by faith, like Gideon, placing yourself in his hand and trusting him to use you in his wonderful service?

Church news

One of our workers, who helps with the children’s outreach and ministry among the ladies, has finally received her visa to visit and serve abroad. With it taking so long, five months in total, we began to wonder if the Lord was perhaps closing the door on her desire to serve. However the way ahead is finally clear but she cannot travel until January 2020 due to the absence of missionary personnel on the ground. She hopes to spend some months with our home church in Southport to learn English, before travelling on to her new location. Please pray for all the detailed arrangements surrounding her travels and visits. Please pray that she may be a blessing and be blessed as she spends time with believers in the different countries and contexts.

A Venezuelan couple  have been with us for nearly a year. Whilst they both look for work they are using their gifts among the young people. The husband’s brother, is a young Pastor with a young family, and who was with us for a few months, is now ministering in a city centre church who currently have no pastor. Pray for the country of Venezuela, that in times of suffering and real hunger, the Lord, the Bread of Life will, by his Spirit, create a lasting spiritual hunger.

Church activities

We had a full church for our recent anniversary services. The visiting speaker from Lima stayed with us and we had a very profitable time of fellowship and ministry. It was good to have a break from preaching and to be edified through God’s word. We were encouraged that a number from Villa Magisterial joined us for the weekend.

The Holiday Bible Club earlier in the year, mainly run by our young people, attracted many children. It was a means of reaching out to the local community with the purpose of increasing the number of children for the Sunday school. Sadly the response and support from the parents was disappointing. We realise, that with most of the population being nominally Roman Catholic, the spiritual opposition by the enemy is not easily overcome. Please pray that this aspect of the church’s work will increase.

In March we had an encouraging visit from Jim Sayers, the Communications Director of Grace Baptist Mission. It gave us an opportunity to share with Jim something of the work of the fellowship as well as the outreach to Villa Magisterial. Please pray that our work might receive a greater exposure among the churches in the UK, as there is a shortfall in our current financial support.

Recently, we finally received the shoeboxes from Samaritans purse, enabling us to have special meetings in both the church and at Villa Magisterial, Christmas came twice for the children!

Outreach in Villa Magisterial

We continue with the discipleship classes and teaching on Sunday afternoons at VM. As all attending have been taught Catholic doctrine since childhood, we decided to delay the baptisms until later in the year. What may seem perfectly understandable to us, is often not so clear to those hearing and reading the word of God for the first time. Please pray, as we move at a slower pace, that the teaching will be more meaningful and give them a clearer biblical understanding of Grace and Salvation.

In November we are planning a week of evangelism, designed to reach a larger section of the community. Carlos and I meet regularly with another Baptist pastor, and both of our churches will be working together during that week. We have invited a well known evangelist from South America whose time will be divided between tow separate areas. Please pray for all the organisation, visits to schools, and the various permissions needed from the authorities to use the open spaces we have in mind.

Please pray that the Lord will provide the finance for the outdoor awnings we need. Please pray that the publicity will reach the wider public in the surrounding areas. I have suggested that our churches hold joint prayer meetings two months before the planned meetings. We invite you to join with us in your prayer meetings that the Spirit of God will move among us, anoint the Lord´s servant and that He will also mobilise the whole church membership to be involved.

Family news

We’ve have had an eventful few months, Firstly, we had a joyful time celebrating the marriage of Roxy´s niece Daniella, who in an answer to many prayers, was married to a missionary from the US. Then our daughter Melissa had to go into hospital for a large kidney stone to be removed, not so welcome! Given that we have all had our health issues over the last year, please pray that the Lord will grant us a sustained period of good health!

Your ongoing support for us in the work here in Arequipa is greatly appreciated, and we trust that you will continue to pray that we will yet see even greater blessing through the salvation of souls in the coming days. We would love to hear from you as to what is happening in your church so please feel free to drop an email to antroxmel@gmail.com.

For further details on how you can support us financially please contact either us by email: arequipa@gracebaptist.org.uk, or Grace Baptist Mission using their address infodesk@gbm.org.uk.

In Christ, Anthony and Roxy Green