“This makes number five!” Debbie called out to me as I was setting up the Christmas tree. It was out of the blue. I was busy with the annual post-Thanksgiving tradition of setting up the tree. She was on the phone. Joy was in her voice. “What are you talking about?” I ask. “This is the fifth woman I have prayed for this year who has not been able to get pregnant and is now pregnant!” She tells me. I knew about three of them. She had not told me about number four and she just found out about number five on the phone. It is very exciting to see how God answers prayer! Ladies, you may want to be careful and specific when you ask Debbie to pray for you.
“A wide door for effective work has been opened to me…” 1 Corinthians 16:9
This year we have been amazed to see all the doors that continue to open up before us throughout Europe.
We are seeing amazing doors opening in Ukraine, Russia, Georgia (the country not the state), and the other nations of the former Soviet Union. During the first week of December I will be meeting with key leaders from these countries to begin a process of discovering together how we can plant more churches throughout the Russian-speaking world. (Did you know Russian is the 5th most spoken language in the world?)
In the Balkans we are seeing new works emerging and existing works being strengthened. Continue to pray with us for churches to be planted throughout the Balkan Peninsula.
God has opened doors of ministry to the Romani people (Gypsies). Pray for us to have wisdom to know how to serve these dear people. Poverty, discrimination, and a host of other problems face them, but “if God be for us, who can be against us?”
Even Sweden is opening to the Foursquare Gospel. I will be traveling there again in early December to work with a handful of Churches to discover how we can make disciples, plant churches, and see that nation impacted with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
This is only a mere sample of the amazing things God is doing in Europe right now. Time does not allow me to tell you about the amazing churches, pastors, and missionaries who are doing Kingdom work throughout Europe. The Dark Continent will shine again with the glory and majesty of God. He alone is the Hope of the Nations.
Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support. We could not do this without you. Debbie and I are so grateful for all you do to help us reach the nations with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Prayer Needs:
- Pray for our upcoming gathering of key leaders from the Russian-speaking nations of the world, December 4-7, 2013 in Kiev, Ukraine. Pray we hear from God and get his vision and strategy for making disciples and planting churches throughout the Russian speaking world.
- Pray for the emerging Foursquare work in Sweden.
- Pray for laborers to be sent into the harvest fields of Europe. The harvest is plentiful…
- Pray for us to have wisdom, strength, and courage as we try to keep up with all God is doing in and through us.
- Pray for abundant resources to be poured out on Foursquare Missions International.
Open Dates:
I have the weekends of January 6 and 13 open for ministry in the US. Let me know if you are interested. Email me at jroper@foursquare.org
If you want to schedule something later in the year, contact me and we can work out the dates.
An Appeal:
We have incredible opportunities to see the Gospel go forwarded throughout Europe. Your financial support will help push us over the top and help us to meet every one of these incredible opportunities head on. To give online, go to http://give.foursquare.org/Page.aspx?pid=564
A final word
Whether in the barren wombs of wives longing for children or in the barren wastelands of post-Christian Europe, New Life is springing forth. The Word of God is not bound. I enter this Christmas season with joy and faith, celebrating the Christmas Hope, “He shall reign forever and ever.”
Let me know what you think…
Debbie and I serve as the FMI Global Associate Director for MENACA and Europe. We focus on cultivating disciples, leaders, and church planting movements.
