Editor - Court Wood

"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him  

as you have helped his people and continue to help them."  Hebrews 6:10  

  "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me

and have loved them even as you have loved me."  John 17:23 

Hearing the gospel at an Underground Christian Gathering in Burma - Pastor N. P. (name with-held for his protection). See report below.

    

Dear Brethren   
   

From Pastor Alex (full name with-held for his protection)

from the Southern Philippines

Photo above: Alex baptizing our new 97 year old sister Cita, who is an elderly widow. Sister Cita's obedience to follow the Lord has made a wonderful impact upon her entire family. Her daughters and her grandchildren have followed her footsteps through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and water baptism. "Thank you for your prayers and support. May God bless you today. Alex and Emma, the Philippines"

"A million thanks for such wonderful blessings from our American family in the Lord, helping the poor saints over here in the Philippines.

A Christian brother in the Philippines worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ

Our God is so awesome in touching lives and transforming families. Your help you send towards the widows and the poor really has made a wonderful impact beyond what you can know in this life. And many of the widows are bringing their grandchildren to our Sunday schools. This is having a dramatic impact on the lives of these children.

 This past Sunday we had a "Jesus Celebration Praise Festival" which has been a great success. More than 600 people from our house churches and tribal outreaches attended the event in our home church. The place we have been renting was too small to accommodate the crowd.  God's presence that day was so awesome and His presence touched many lives.

After the meeting we fed the poor brethren with a free dinner with a cup of rice and some viand. A simple meal given with a heart of love and compassion to bless our poor brethren. Our elderly brethren were so happy that they had been able to taste the goodness of the Lord to them. Please pray with us that we can do more next time to bless our brethren especially those who are poor and needy. We always remember that as we have done it to the least of our brethren we have done it to Him.

Brother Alex baptizing new believers in the Southern Philippines. Alex writes: "With the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit touching and transforming lives, many souls  are coming to God's Kingdom here in the Philippines. Thank you for your faithful partnership in demonstrating God's love to the saints. In His service,Alex and Emma"

In the coming weeks we will emphasize on the Christian life and holiness in the area of business and the market place. People are so strong in the Scriptures but often they do not know where and how to apply this in work and business. I have shared with you before my vision to help poor Christians to have small business enterprises in our city. 

We will be having a church leaders conference this coming 3rd week with the tribal church leaders and city church leaders. Please pray with us that God will provide the food for the seminars. Jesus is coming soon and we need to encourage every day to prepare the bride for meeting the Lord.  

May God bless you today. 

In His service, 

Alex and Emma, Southern Philippines  

The family of God in Jesus Christ in the Philippines, at the church Alex and Emma founded, rejoicing in "the truth that is in Jesus"   "....for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." The Lord Jesus Christ

From Pastor N. P. (Name withheld for his protection) from Burma (Myanmar)

Pastor N. P. Baptizing a convert from Buddhism to the Lord Jesus Christ.

He writes to us:  

 

  

"Greeting to you in Jesus name. I would love to inform you how the Lord blessed the work we have been doing together with your prayers and help. 
 

"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor." 1 Corinthians 3:6-8  

At a recent outreach in the delta region, in day time, there was not much attendance but still some non-Christians came from the village and also from other villages.

Pastor N. P. teaching at a rural house church in Burma

At night, many non-Christian villagers hurried from their field and came to the camp site. I teach during the day, one morning preaching the gospel and two nights shared a gospel movie. I also preached the gospel during the showing of the Burmese speaking gospel movie.  

Children in Burma learning about the Lord Jesus Christ from Brother N. P.

There were many children, all of them non-Christian. On the  

second day, I was informed by the teacher that some were from a Buddhist monastery. The presiding monk at the monastery warned his kids not to go to our children's Bible teaching class. He said that the penalty would be beating bitterly 20 times for kids who disobeyed him. But all of kids still came to the class. They did not care about the penalty. We were not told about what happened to the kids. Some kids hurried their duties at the monastery and joined the class as soon as they finished. On the third day, a Buddhist monk made a noise to disturb the class. Our teacher could not teach properly because of the noise. So they played and sang, and the disturbing noise also stopped. 

God did a wonderful thing during the camp. It is so clear that this is the fruits of our partnership. 

Brother N. P. teaching an evangelistic song to the village people. All of these meetings are considered illegal by the government of Burma.

On the way back home, I stopped one night where we have one of our Christian boarding school ministries. As I prayed and meditated about the camp as well as our current ministry, God repeated to me to work hard on what I have been doing: Raising leaders by means of evangelism and making disciples, training trainers, and sending workers to the fields. Praise the Lord.

Your brother in the Gospel,

Pastor N. P., Burma

From Pastor P. Sanjeeva Rao

Peda Tallapolam, India 

Court with Pastor Sanjeeva Rao and his deacon when we first met in 2003

In 2003, Brother Sanjeeva was waiting at my quarters hoping to see me. In the photo above taken at that first meeting Brother Sanjeeva is standing next to me. His deacon, to my left, is also a very godly man, and is handicapped from polio. He cannot walk. Brother Sanjeeva has a severe deformity of his spine, yet he is one of the most dedicated and hard working pastors I have ever met. I will never cease to be inspired by this great saint, his handicapped wife, his two children, his deacon, and his congregation.

Brother Sanjeeva sends very detailed reports to our office every month. Following are a few lines from his recent letter in August:

A gospel street meeting I was privileged to preach the gospel at in front of Brother Sanjeeva's home and church.

 "Dear Beloved spiritual friends and Holy Saints,  

Heartfelt greetings and precious salutations to you and all in the wonderful and sacred Name of our Savior Jesus Christ.....By God's grace and through your fervent prayers we are all keeping well.We are daily praying for you.  

I am happy to receive your recent prayerful help towards our ministry....Here our Lord's precious service is going well as we proclaim His Word with faith and sincerity. Many perishing souls and pagans are turning towards our Lord's Kingdom and accepting our Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

Brother Sanjeeva Rao baptizing a new believer

 I am herewith giving my gospel report for this recent month: 260 house visits, 10 gospel meetings, 2 baptisms, 6 hospital visits, 4 children's classes, and 4 women's classes. We are praying for the success of the gospel work there in the U.S.A., and around the world. May our Lord Jesus Christ use you all for the extension of His Kingdom forever.  

I once again convey my gratitude for your kind help which you have been doing towards us with love and prayers.  

May His Grace and Peace be yours forever,

Your beloved brother in His service, 

Pastor P. Sanjeeva Rao, India

Pastor Joshua Atieno has returned safely home to Kenya from Ethiopia.

The following report was received from him a few days before he left Ethiopia

Report from Ethiopia from Brother Joshua Atieno

To our ministry co-laborers, and the Board of In Jesus' Name Ministries 

Dear beloved,

Joshua and his wonderful wife Abigael

I greet you all in Jesus name our lord and savior. I want to thank each an everyone of you for your love and prayers, and generous giving, that has enabled the suffering body of Jesus Christ get the help they need both here in Ethiopia and back home in Kenya.

I am still in the mission field in the land of Ethiopia doing the lords work. Have seen many come to the Lord and still some getting to know about Him. Unless He draws them to Him we have nothing to do. Majority of the population here (85%) are either orthodox or Muslims. The Gospel has not been preached here a lot. They need Jesus , they need Jesus , they need the Lord.

The body of Christ is truly suffering, widows neglected , orphans abandoned , pastors suffering from lack of basic gospel tools like bibles, the devil is a liar and we will not allow him to lie. The Lord is soon coming , kingdoms are coming down, and calamities are everywhere. Let those who have ears and eyes see the lord.

I have bought lots of food to widows and orphans here and I am going door to door preaching the gospel with the help of some Ethiopian brothers who are serving the Lord here. We people who hold big titles and so enjoy them like bishops, archbishops, apostles and prophets, the lord will put his hash finger on us. Let us repent and go to our knees to seek the face of the lord once again. The clothes I came with really helped many here. Those clothes were donated by my widows in Kenya who have nothing but they sacrificed to help their brothers and sisters in Christ. This is what the first church did and the work expanded. Unless we remove the germ called selfishness in our hearts, the kingdom will go no where and many will go to hell.

Servant pastor Joshua

25th Year Anniversary 3 day Retreat for the Board of In Jesus' Name Ministries

September 9-11 our board members and guests joined with Sandy and Kim and me for our annual retreat and to give thanks in prayer, praise, and fellowship for 25 years of service "In Jesus' Name." Most of the board members have been with us this entire time. It is a fellowship, and ministry across the world demonstrating the love of Christians for one another, and together we proclaim our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Word of God.

In Jesus' Name Ministries Board Members and Guests, September 9-11, 2011

 Clockwise around the table: Court and Sandy Wood, John and Mary Rutledge, Bill Wiggins, Minister Greg Campbell, Dr. Artis Whitley (secretary and treasurer), Elder Mack Whitley (Chairman), Bishop Jim Bell, Sr. (Vice Chairman), Bright Osigwe (liason to Nigeria), Minister Otis McQueen, our daughter Kim, Carol Sykes (our devoted secretary and daughter in Christ, and her husband Jim Sykes. Present at the meeting but not in the photo: Ron and Patricia Ely, liasons to Haiti, Elder George and Gigi Pasquet.  

Thank you all for praying for my fractured wrist!!!!

My wrist before setting

Playing my violin again. Praise the Lord!!

I am back to riding my bike for exercise.

When I fell and broke my wrist in January, the displacement was severe enough to cause nerve damage which has taken longer than the bone to heal. Until recently there was pain and sensitivity up my entire arm into my shoulder. Just recently this has almost completely disappeared. I am back to riding my bike for exercise and starting to play my violin. One year from the injury, January 2, I believe the Lord's touch, and His use of a caring and skillful Christian orthopedic surgeon will have resulted in a complete healing from the injury. Sandy and I thank you so much for your prayers and encouraging love during this time. 

We would also greatly appreciate your prayers for a planned visit to our brethren in India after Thanksgiving, and a visit with our brethren in the Philippines, Burma, and possibly China in February. Please let me know if you believe it would be benificial to the Kingdom of God for you to join me for this vital time with our brethren.  

Please remember these faithful pastors, and the several hundred more that In Jesus' Name Ministries is representing as you pray and give. 100% of any gift designated for a specific congregation, country, or need will be forwarded to your brethren.  

"Remember this:...Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."....and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 
 

Thank you dear friends and co-laborers. 

Gratefully your servants in Jesus Christ,  

Court and Sandy Wood 

Link to In Jesus' Name Ministries Website