“Moving Christians from the pew to the harvest.” Matthew 9:36-38
June 4, 2020
What a time to be alive, Friend!
May has come and gone, and the pandemic continues, though it has been overshadowed by the civil strife current in the United States. It’s a real mess. In the midst of it all, we want to thank you for your steadfast support as we continue to work at disseminating the Gospel in a simple, sound fashion. Judy remeinded me this morning that we live in Goshen. We are safe frome the evils of Egypt. I know that is true of you as well.
God told us: “Use this time to get healthy. You just thought you were busy before. When this (the lock down) ends it is going to speed up.” We are ready to go and have been busily working to be ready. I had a second surgery on my droopy eyelids (ptosis) om May 11 and am almost back to full functioning. God is good and His Word works.
As much as I want to opine here on what’s happening in our land, I will spare you for the moment. Please visit pastorvirgil.com for our regular posts and updates. I had the privilege of preaching on Pentecost Sunday at our home church. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I do believe God has some opinions from which we could benefit. You can watch it here. (The message starts at 46:30)
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Faith Ministry Training Institute (Instituto de Entrenamiento Ministerial de Fe): Though we still can’t have large meetings in Mexico, we have begun doing regular Zoom meetings with the pastors there. The response has been excellent. I’ve been teaching on leadership since last year, including the “Planning for Success” course last September. In May I began to broach the subject of building effective teams to fulfill the vision of God. This is new ground for many. The old command and control mindset (I like to think of it as Moses and the tablets) is a given in most churches. The idea of building a team of leaders and empowering them to act in concert is exciting and scary. This is going to be fun! We continue to get inquiries about new outposts of IEMFe in Mexico. Please pray that we have the mind of God on how to move when the lockdown ends.
· “Healing Help” is a series of teachings designed to help those who are struggling to receive healing, or who want to get better at helping others receive their healing. They are being posted on pastorvirgil.com, and I am also sending them out as part of the “Out of the Abundance of the Heart” email letters. The response has been excellent. This came from a frustration/passion. It breaks my heart to see Christian people who have heard the Word on healing, yet get cheated out of their inheritance. I believe the Lord has given me some insights that will help them receive. Also check out the videos that are coming out weekly. (Special kudos to Joshua Taylor for help in production on these vids)
· “Man Alive: Christian manhood in a twisted world,” is almost a reality. It’s a manual and discussion guide for growing godly character. Our plan is to publish it as a pdf and make it available to anyone who wants it. This world needs godly men. This book will help build them. It will be ideal for small group discussions. What a great tool for a Zoom!
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From the Pew to the Harvest is a series of interviews/testimonies from people who are connected to our ministry in some way. Each segment is around 20 minutes. Take time to get to know these remarkable people who have given it all for Jesus. The most recent episode features Rev. Joyce Hughes, who gives a great testimony of the impact of finding our identity in Christ. You also want to meet Pastor Alberto Flores, the president of Ministerio de Fe Cristiano in Hermosillo. His story of determination and faith in turning a drug house into a house of worship is truly inspiring.
Please pray. Latin America continues to suffer at the hands of the virus. Pray for our students and graduates, our teachers, and the pastors with whom we cooperate.
Scheduling. We have Panama in August and Hermosillo in September that are still on the calendar. We believe God has a busy and fruitful time ahead. Pray we hear Him. Thank Him for His provision as we move forward. If I can serve you in any way, I am at your service.
Upcoming Events: Jesus is coming! Details to follow.
Thank You!
We are humbled by the faithfulness of our friends. Your prayers and support have continued through it all. We pray for you as you overcome the challenges of social unrest, economic uncertainty, and pandemic threat. God bless you richly.
Financial support can be sent to Faith Christian Fellowship of Tucson at the address below, or given online at www.fcftucson.org. Make checks payable to FCFT, you can designate for missions or pastorvirgil and it will get where it needs to go. Thanks again.
Don’t forget to visit www.pastorvirgil.com. I post stuff there every few days. Share it with your friends. You can help by looking at the Pastorvirgil.com Facebook page and hitting follow. Whenever you see a post, share it. This stuff will help people.
Yours in His service,
Virgil and Judy Stokes
3141 W. Ironwood Hill Dr.
Tucson AZ, 85745
520-792-3238
pastorvirgil.com 