I greet you this new year, January 1, 2009, with prayer that the Lord will bless you abundantly. We thank the Lord for your faithful prayer support, and depend on your help for the ministry here. Financial support is necessary, but prayer support far more necessary if something is to be accomplished for the Lord with eternity in view.

Passing the baton, coaching, etc: When our ministry began, we did much of the ministry ourselves - preaching, holding Bible clubs, soulwinning, setting up Bible Institutes, translating, etc. As the ministry has matured, we have been able to shift more and still more of the work into the hands of our Suriname coworkers. A few incidents stand out over the last two weeks.

Just before Christmas, Liz and I visited a lady who had recently given birth. In addition to praying with her, we spoke in detail to two teenage children concerning their salvation because the mother was not clear on their salvation. Each listened carefully. I outlined salvation as clearly as I could. And each answered that they were already saved. Where were they saved? In our Sunday school. Thank the Lord for our faithful Sunday school teachers who cared for their souls and led them to the Lord Jesus.

Christmas, we had a good crowd, but not a huge crowd for our evening service. Rain hindered some from coming. We also celebrated our 20^th anniversary in the main church building. One of our national pastors, Kalow Palata preached. The nationals arranged and brought the food, organized the distribution, and provided the music and the specials. What did I do? I gave the opening prayer; they did everything else. The service went just fine.

Three days later, we had our last Sunday night service of the year, and had communion. I gave one our national pastors, John Naingie, an outline of how we have done communion in the past. He preached a very good sermon on the meaning of communion going back into Exodus and Numbers, explained the meaning, and then conducted the communion service itself. We had a good crowd, and I believe the most persons ever participating in communion. My part in the service? I prayed at the beginning of the communion service, and gave the announcements. The nationals did the rest. So we are making process moving them forward and keeping more in the background.

The biggest need we have at present is a senior pastor for the main church, where I still function as senior pastor. Please join us in prayer. The other churches all have national pastors. The main church has several national pastors, but not one that they feel qualifies yet (and I agree) to take over the church. Please pray.

Bible Institutes: The main purpose for the Bible Institutes is training nationals for leadership. Join us in prayer for both the regular Sranantongo Bible Institute, where we hope to develop a number of new young leaders, especially for the youngest church at Sunny Point. We may be able to have impact outside the confines of our church as well.

I am praying especially for the new Bible Institute to develop our leadership further. I have been able to develop a lot of material on a number of topics which I would be delighted to present, including areas not well understood here in Suriname including Biblical principles of music, tongues, as well as areas of counseling despite them being preached a number of times. I am looking forward to being able to use this opportunity, and pray for a good attendance.

I would appreciate your prayers about what to do about printed materials for the Bible Institute. At present, I am planning to copy the PowerPoint presentations, and develop questions on the material. I would appreciate your prayers concerning the cost of the materials as well as the format and time required to develop them.

Special prayer: Several areas of special prayer this year:

1. Greater participation and effectiveness of evangelization, including direct soulwinning, clubs, etc;
2. Discipleship with changed lives and involvement in the ministry
3. Total nationalization
4. Our people to adjust to taking increasing financial responsibility for transportation. They have cancelled the bus transport on Sunday nights because of the cost, and we are starting to reduce our supplemental help to wean them from dependency.
5. Continued prayer for our spiritual growth, insight into the needs here, power in prayer, and health and strength for the work.