Praise and Prayer October 29, 2015

43 people entered eternity on the morning of October 23 when a full bus struck a jackknifed tractor-trailer in the middle of the two-lane highway in the worst highway accident in France since 1982.  Since the accident was inside our region (the Gironde), survivors were evacuated to a Bordeaux hospital for treatment.  The accident, which shook the country, is a wake up call for unbelievers and believers.  Are we ready to face God?  Are we living and working to let others know about our Savior?  How many will go into a Christless eternity without our having tried to reach them with the Gospel?  May God move in our hearts to motivate us to never lose sight of eternity – our own and our neighbors’. 

Praise for:

- the good opportunities to share the Gospel through the English outreach and for the interest of some new families.

- several visitors that have come to church.

- the burden for the lost that God has given to many of those in our church and for the opportunities to witness that He is giving to many.

- the church flyers that have been distributed.  Praise for the help of friends that are in France for a year of language study in preparation for service in Cameroon.

- the good progress preparing for the Christmas cantata outreach, including the children who will be participating in the children choir.

- the good practices for the Christmas cantata so far, with fairly good attendance.

Pray for:

- good opportunities to share the Gospel with T. and his family, as well as with neighbor Mrs. S.   

- the multi-church retreat this weekend (October 30 to November 1) with over 100 attendees.  Cherith, Adrianna and Pastor Christian’s daughter Lydia have spent many hours in the kitchen preparing desserts for the retreat. Pray for decisions to be made by believers and unbelievers as they hear and see the Gospel at work.

- the evangelistic Bible study that we are doing with our church people.

- the preparation of the Christmas Cantata “The Lost Star”, including working out logistics for the presentations, seating, flyer invitations, etc.

- God to use the recent tragedy in France to impress on each heart the shortness of this life and the truth of eternity, either with God or separated from Him.

Praise and Prayer October 6, 2015

Thank you for praying for us.  God has answered prayer in a number of ways and we want to share with you some of His answers. 

Concerning my health, the pain in my stomach diminished until it is now gone.  The doctor was unable to determine the cause for the attack that I had and the elevated numbers in my blood.  The last blood test last week indicated that the numbers are almost back to normal. 

Our atheist friend T and his family continue to need prayer.  God has given us a number of good opportunities to share with this family.  He is in the hospital now to begin a new treatment of chemotherapy, and hopes that the cancer will respond to the new treatment.  Please pray that God will continue to work in his heart, as well as the hearts of his wife and sons.  Last Saturday evening, we were invited to have supper with the family.  A.’s Mom asked me to pray before the meal and A. said that we had sung a song too (“God is good to me”, in French).  So she asked us to sing the song as well before prayer.  This family has been through so much and needs the Lord so desperately. 

We had the joy of having a visitor with us for several days last week.  Our Dutch friend, Hennie, from Pennsylvania came to Bordeaux for her work and was able to spend time with us in the evenings, as well as attend our Sunday services, fellowship dinner and prayer meeting.  What a privilege and encouragement to have one of our faithful ministry partners in our home.

Praise the Lord for the four kids that attended our first English Connection last Friday evening, one of them for the very first time. The theme for our Bible stories this year is the Parables of Jesus, and the first lesson was on the Sower and the Seed. Pray that God will prepare the soil of these kids' hearts to receive His Word! Pray too that He will help our teammates and us to reach more children and families this year through this outreach.

Praise for:

- the opportunities to share the Gospel that He has given us.

- the restored health that the Lord has given to me, and that nothing serious was discovered.

- the encouraging visit from one of our ministry partners.

- the four kids at the first English Connection outreach, one for the first time.

- the good practices for the Christmas cantata so far, with fairly good attendance.

- a blessed time together with the other pastors who were here in our home Saturday for the monthly pastors’ prayer breakfast and Bible study.

Pray for:

- T and his family’s salvation. Pray for God to guide our words and actions and that His light would shine through us.   

- the English Connection outreach, for good attendance and for God’s help for us to prepare, host and teach.

- our own study and preparation of lessons and messages for our church ministries.

- a special 7-week evangelistic Bible study that we will be starting at church for our own people beginning October 18.

- preparations for the Christmas cantata.  Pray for plans for a children’s choir to be able to participate in the cantata this year.  We have been asked to lead it.

- the Central African Republic which is going through more unrest and insecurity with fighting and demonstrating in the capitol city, Bangui.  Pray for God’s people and for those that do not know Him to turn from their wicked ways to Him.

Update September 17, 2015

Thank you for your prayers for us over these past several weeks.  We are thankful for the opportunity that we had this summer to be back in the USA for a mini-furlough and time of home ministry.  It was good to see many of our family and friends as well as a good number of our faithful ministry partners.  Since it was for such a short time, we weren’t able to get to see everyone we would have liked to see, so we plan to repeat the trip in two years and hope to continue connecting with more of our partners.  The Lord answered prayer for safety and gave grace to our three children and ourselves as we drove over 8,000 miles to see churches and individuals in MI, OH, PA and NY.  

On August 27, we said tearful goodbyes to members of our families in Grand Rapids and boarded the plane to return to Bordeaux.

Upon our return, as our ministries picked back up our children also began their new school year.  As we reconnect with people around us, God is giving us opportunities to shine His light where it is so lacking but desperately needed.  Here, our church plant moved to a new location at the end of August where we have better parking and bus-line access. 

I have been going through some difficulties related to my health during the past couple of weeks.  It began with pain in my stomach on September 5, which worsened as the day and night wore on.  By midnight, the pain had become almost unbearable in any position and lead to my fainting on the floor in the hallway.  Cherith called the number for the emergency doctor who came to the house.  His exam included an EKG and he didn’t feel I needed to be hospitalized.  He gave me some pain meds and suggested I could have had some kind of intestinal virus.  The sharp pain lessened after that, but I have continued to have low pain and limited energy since.  This and the encouragement of a number of our friends on Facebook prompted us to seek further for answers.  Our family doctor prescribed a blood test and an ultrasound.  The ultrasound showed everything as it should be but the blood test had a couple of elevated numbers, which the doctor said could indicate the presence of a tropical parasite (Africa 2008, Cambodia 2010).  He prescribed some follow-up tests and we are now waiting on those results. 

Praise for:

- God’s blessings and care during our mini-furlough this past summer, for safety over the many miles and a safe return to France.

- the prayer warriors and financial supporters that God has lead to partner with our family to help bring His light to this country.

- the visits that we have had since we got back to France, including with the family of T, whose cancer is progressing.  Praise for his son A’s interest in the Gospel, and for the opportunity to share the Gospel with him again.

- C and Y who began attending our church here after we left for the USA.  Praise for our new location and that we were able to produce new flyers and signs with the new address.

Pray for:

- God to send more laborers into His harvest field in France. 

- the hearts of our unsaved contacts to be opened to the Gospel, and that God will guide and bless in our future contacts.  Pray especially that Christ will work in T’s heart while there is still time.

- K, the young man who came to our church in April from Paris, whose internship is ending this month.  Pray that God will provide him with work in this area so that he can continue his involvement in our church, if it is God’s will.

- the results of my tests to show clearly what caused my stomach pain, and that God would guide in any treatment necessary.

- all who will be involved in preparing a Christmas Cantata as a joint evangelistic effort for our church and three sister churches in the Bordeaux area.  Weekly practice begin this Saturday under the direction of our colleague, Bob Bixby in the Pessac church.

Update July 30, 2015

We are so grateful for all of those who hold up our family and our ministry in prayer.  These past months have been a swirl as our “term” came to a close and we returned to the USA for a two-month furlough.  Those two months are evaporating quickly as we travel to connect with many on our support team as well as spend time with family and friends.  Due to our limited time home we are only able to report in about half of our churches this summer.  Our hearts have been refreshed by the fellowship and by the messages and music ministries in meetings where we have been.  At the BMM Annual conference, we were reminded of God’s faithfulness through the years as Jonathan received a pin for 20 years of missionary service.

We are so thankful for God’s help these past few weeks.  Stephen Field arrived for an 8 week summer missions internship and was a real help to us before we left.  The final two English Connection outreaches went well, and both parents and children were all very interested in us continuing to have these this coming school year.  

The Lord called our friend Mr. C home in May, and Mrs. C has been adjusting to being without her lifelong partner.  

God gave us a number of good contacts and opportunities to witness to neighbors and friends in the weeks before our departure.  Although it began to seem impossible, the Lord helped us to complete our dvd presentation and get our house ready for our friends the Gadbois who moved in the day we left. 

Praise for:

- a very good appointment with the education inspector, where Adrianna was interviewed by four professors concerning her homeschooling this year.  The professors were very encouraged by her work and understanding.

- God’s help before we left France in accomplishing what needed to be done, and for His protection in our travelling, including protecting our entire family in a car accident involving another car which ran a Stop sign right in front of us.  Praise for God’s provision for our transportation for our home ministry travels.

- God’s help for the Christys as they have navigated temporary housing, waiting to move into their new home.  Praise for God’s help for BMM missionary Bonnie Bixby through her radiation treatments.  

- the safe removal of two cysts which were found to contain cancerous tumors from another of our BMM colleagues, Karyn Visser, this past month.

- the refreshment God has given us through fellowship with family and friends, and opportunities to participate in services and the BMM annual conference earlier this month.

- God’s hand on young Timothee through all of the treatments he has undergone, and that he is doing very well with his current treatments.

Pray for:

- God to use us as we share our burden for His work in France, and that He will send more laborers.  Pray for safety as we travel many more miles over the next month. 

- the hearts of our unsaved contacts in France to be opened to the Gospel, and that God will guide and bless in our future contacts.

- our friend, John Gadbois, who with his family is house sitting for us in Saint Medard while helping with the ministry at the Saint Medard Baptist church.  Pray for health and blessing for John and his family after several illnesses that they have had this summer.

- Karyn Visser, and her family, as they navigate the changes to their ministry and daily routine in the coming months as Karyn undergoes chemotherapy following her surgery last month.

Update May 7, 2015

Thank you for taking the time to read our update!  We do praise the Lord for you who pray for us faithfully.  This week we were reminded of our dependence on the Lord in every area, including for our protection and that of the things the Lord has entrusted to us.  Tuesday morning we discovered that my (Jonathan’s) bicycle had been stolen from the shed in our yard, though the gates had been locked.  We had been absent last week for our annual French team Bible conference in the Grenoble area.  Although we were sad about the loss of the bike, we were more concerned that a thief had been in our shed.  We are thankful that we have not noticed anything else missing and pray that the thief will not return!  Your prayers are needed and very appreciated!

I mentioned the conference last week.  The Lord helped us to be ready for conference this year, with all of the reports that we were responsible for, the conference program and some of the other organizational details that we took on since our teammates, the Bixbys, were unable to attend this year due to Bonnie’s cancer surgery and follow-up appointments.  They had planned the conference and have often been responsible for much of the organization.  We praise the Lord that Bonnie’s surgery was successful and that the cancer had not spread.  Therefore she will not be needing chemotherapy, but will be having radiation for six weeks beginning later this month.

This month we will be having our final two English Encounters of the school year.  Pray that there will be good attendance, and that the Lord will help us as we teach the Bible stories and answer questions.  Pray that the younger children will behave well. 

Lord willing, we will be leaving for a two month “furlough” of home ministry on June 20.  At this writing, we have yet to begin to prepare for our home ministry this summer and there is much to do before we are ready for that day to arrive!  Much to do, and little time, since all of our regular ministries continue as normal. 

Praise for:

- for several visitors in church recently, and for two mothers that attended a recent English Connection with their sons.

- for a good annual conference, for God’s help with all of our responsibilities and for safety for all of the travelling. 

- the successful surgery for Bonnie Bixby’s cancer, and that the cancer had not spread.

- the house that our teammates the Christys have found in Saint Medard, and for the acceptance of their offer.

- for the arrival of Kéran, a young man who is a strong Christian from Paris doing a six month internship here in Saint Medard.

- for God’s provision of a vehicle for our family to use during our two month trip for home ministry in the USA this summer.

Pray for:

- guidance to manage our heavy responsibilities this month with time dwindling before our trip this summer.  Pray for the Lord’s help in preparing our materials for home ministry.  Pray for us to be able to accomplish a few projects on the house before we leave it with the Gadbois family that will be coming from the USA to be here while we are gone!

- Stephen Field, who came last year on the Focus on France program, as he arrives the middle of this month for an 8 week summer missions internship. 

- Mr. and Mrs. C as Mr. C grows weaker and waits for God’s call.  Pray for God’s grace for Mrs. C, who will be left alone.

- us as we take Adrianna to see the education inspector in Bordeaux to review her school year and answer questions.  This can be a scary time for an 11 year old!

Praise and Prayer March 2015

What a month this has been.  We are so thankful for the grace and strength that God promises and provides for each day’s particular needs.  Your prayers and concern for us, and for God’s harvest field here in France where indeed the laborers are few, are necessary and very much appreciated.  Thank you for standing with us in this ministry.

At church, we have been pleased to have C return several times.  She continues to express real interest in our Bible studies and has had some pertinent questions.  Despite the weather being rather wet and cold these past couple of weeks, we were able to distribute more than 2000 flyers inviting people to attend our Easter film outreach last Saturday.  We are thankful for three young people from our sister church in Pessac that came one day to help us.  God answered prayer Saturday in bringing 26 people to the film, including a number of unsaved people.  This is a new record for us for a film outreach, and we are grateful.  We were encouraged to see N again, who had come to our Easter outreach last year, this time with her high school age daughter.  Eight people took a copy of Josh McDowell’s “More than a Carpenter” and some took Bibles.

SPECIAL NEED: Please pray that the Lord will provide us with a vehicle for our home ministry trip this summer.  If you know of anyone near the Grand Rapids area who would have a vehicle for a family of five (a minivan would be ideal) that they could loan or rent to us during the time we are home, please contact us by email (jteachout2@cs.com).  The dates of our trip are June 20 to August 27.

Praise for:

- C’s continued search for spiritual truth and for those who attended our Easter film outreach.

- two new children attending the English Connection, and for A’s interest and good questions during the Bible story. 

- God’s healing of Cherith who has come through a painful case of conjunctivitis (pinkeye) in both eyes.

- a wonderful week with Cherith’s sister Hadessah, and for all of the help she was to us as she got involved in many facets of our lives and ministry!

- safety in travel for Jonathan as he travelled to and from Paris to meet some dear friends who have been partners in our ministry for over 20 years as they took a whirlwind tour of Paris !

Pray for:

- opportunities to share the Gospel with T who is atheist and has advanced cancer.  Pray for T’s heart to be tuned into his need for Christ.

- healing and God’s grace for our BMM teammate and dear friend Bonnie Bixby (and her husband Bob) as she has undergone a bilateral lumpectomy for breast cancer here in Bordeaux today. 

- God’s provision and guidance for our teammates, the Christys, in their search for a house here in Saint Medard from which they can minister more effectively in our church plant.

- our French team as we meet for business and refreshment April 27-30.  Pray for our preparations on top of all of our regular ministry responsibilities.

- God’s provision of a vehicle for our family to borrow or rent for our two-month trip to the USA for home ministry this summer.

February update

Thank you for your prayers for us this month.  Though we live and work in a part of the world with very little Gospel light shining, we can see God’s hand at work.  This month marked the completion of our first mailbox campaign to the homes in Saint Medard en Jalles, and the beginning of our second campaign now using our new church flyer. 

Jonathan was invited to speak at the Valentine’s student banquet at our sister church in Pessac (another suburb of Bordeaux) on February 20.   God brought out a number of unsaved visitors, with a total of 43 served.  The Gospel was presented in various ways (song, skit, message) and everyone was invited to come back for church on Sunday. 

Our family traveled to Malta for the European Enrichment Conference Febrary 9-13.  Along with a number of the other missionaries, our family was hit by the nasty flu that is going through Europe, and several of us had to miss some of the sessions and fellowship.  However, God restored our strength and we were refreshed by the good fellowship and the excellent Bible messages on the life of King David and on Dealing with Soul Litter.  The children were blessed by the ministry of the special team from Grace Baptist Church in Winston-Salem and the contact with the other kids who have many of the same challenges that they have.

Praise for:

- C, the visitor that attended our services last Sunday, her first time in an evangelical church.

- the unsaved visitors at the Valentine’s banquet in Pessac.

- God’s care for Timothee through these 8 months of chemo treatments, and that he finished the last of the intensive treatments last week.  He now enters the second phase of treatment, which lasts 2 years.

- the pending sale of the Christys’ home in Lormont.

- the arrival of John to assist in our church plant while he takes three months of intensive French studies at the Alliance Française.

Pray for:

- God’s work in C’s heart and that she will keep coming to church.

- relationship building with unsaved contacts and for various evangelistic efforts (flyer distribution, English Connection, Film outreach in March).

- the Christys as they work through the sale of their home in Lormont and as they continue the search for a new home in Saint Medard en Jalles.

- Cherith’s sister Hadessah who will be travelling home from Southeast Asia for home ministry, and spending a week with us here in Bordeaux.

- all of the details concerning our two month mini-furlough this summer, including God’s provision for our transportation needs.