Gávavencsellő Visit

Mike was invited to preach at the Gávavencsellő Open Bible Church yesterday, so we asked Misha Tovtin to go along with us to interpret.  God moved powerfully during the worship, testimonies, and as Mike preached on dying to self from Galatians 2:20.  In the picture above, Mike asked the worship leader to represent Jesus in an illustration of how we need to get off the throne of our lives, put Jesus on the throne to be in charge, and to bow to him in obedience. 

At the end of the service, the newest INSTE group received their books, so we were able to pray for them and take their picture.  We love you, Gáva friends!

Nine Years!

Yesterday was the nine-year anniversary of our arrival in Hungary as missionaries.  It is hard to believe it has been that long, but we look back and thank the Lord for the many things He has done during those nine years.

Pastor Mihály Gulyás (center) met us at the airport January 8, 2008.

When we first arrived, we were pretty much in a daze.  It took the first year just to get our bearings, take our first Hungarian language courses, and begin understanding the new culture.  Now we can say we get along pretty well communicating in Hungarian even though we may never be fluent.  We understand the culture of Hungary much better and have made many precious Hungarian friends.

We have been welcomed with open arms by our Christian brothers and sisters here.  Mike is invited to speak often in various churches and we take every opportunity to encourage every believer to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Since we live only five hours away from Gherla, Romania, we have been able to help a little bit in the Open Bible Church there.  In the past few years we have visited the church three or four times a year to preach and encourage the believers and leaders there.

Our main purpose in being in Hungary is the establishment of the INSTE discipleship and church leadership training program.  Not only have all the Open Bible Churches in Hungary used INSTE, but several other churches from other denominations have used it, too.  We constantly receive positive comments about how INSTE has affected the lives of the students, the leaders and their churches.  Not only have many lives been changed, at least three churches have been started by First Level INSTE graduates.  Praise God!

During our time in Hungary, we have been overseeing the translation of Second Level INSTE.  Of the 24 books in the program, 15 have been finished and two are presently in the process.  Many individuals and churches have contributed toward the cost of the translation and we praise God that the funds continue to come in steadily. We really appreciate our translation team and the work they put into making these materials available to Hungarians.

INSTE has been incorporated as a religious association in the last few years and a board has been set up to oversee the program.  We are now in the process of selecting a Hungarian to train who will be able to direct the program in the hope that many more disciples will be made and church leaders trained through INSTE under Hungarian leadership. Please pray for us and for the new Hungarian leaders as we go through the transition process.

We are amazed at what God has done and thank him for all his goodness as we look forward to what he has yet in store for us and for Hungary.