Good Friday in Europe

Dear Epaphras,

1980 years ago today the Son of Man allowed himself to be captured, misrepresented, beaten, spit upon, lied about, whipped, mocked and eventually executed at the hands of people like you and me.  He who had helped, encouraged, loved and healed many, was now treated as a common criminal!

You and I know the end of the story; how the blood soaked robes are replaced with shiny white linens, the final spear wound in his side scarred over, the nail holes in his hands scarred over and presented to Thomas, etc.  But, can we be so familiar with the resurrected Christ and Easter itself that we sometimes overlook the weight of what our Lord suffered, out of love for us?

This was no common execution.  More than the gruesome beatings, lets not forget the weight of all mankind’s sin was laid upon him during those final hours!  My mind cannot comprehend the Love for you and me that held Him there on the cross.  That is the good, no THAT IS THE GREAT news of Easter…  Pray for our teams in Europe this weekend.  Many of us will be sharing this remarkable news with our friends and neighbors!

Euro-InTent

Thank you for praying for us as we ministered to 22 leaders of our leaders from 10 different nationalities gathered in Altenstieg, Germany for a week of intensive leadership training.  Janet did an amazing job at leading the week.  One of the participants, “ML”, was set free from years of unforgiveness towards her father and has experienced renewal in her relationships with her children!  That is just one example of many whos lives were changed.  Please join us in prayer for these leaders who are ministering here in Europe!  Lets ask the Father to finish the work that was begun…

Montpelier, France

I was blown away after talking with our team leader in Montpelier, France last week.  The Lord is doing some amazing things in there, drawing people to Himself.  They are not using a new method.  Our team and the small church they have partnered with are praying daily for opportunities to share Christ and love people in Jesus’ name.  In addition to boldly proclaiming the Gospel, they are inviting as many people as they can to study scripture with them.  And the Lord is changing people!  This last month “L” led an entire family to Christ (the shop owners adjacent to their house) and they have begun studying scripture with another family.  Continue to pray for L and the H family as they pray and reach out with the Gospel to their neighbors   Pray for a family who has started attending church.  Pray for the shop owners to grow in Jesus.  Ask the Lord to complete the work He started in them.

English Group back in Azereix

Tomorrow, we are returning to Azereix for the day.  Our friends have put together a small English group reunion.  Please pray for an open door for the Gospel, that we might share it ‘clearly’ (Colossians 4:4) and that the Lord would lead D, A, J, A, J, T, J and C to Himself!

Have a great Easter celebration!  He has risen!

Steve, Sara, Annie and Julia